The Liberty Collective

Today we celebrate another great artist, Elizabeth Payton — “a contemporary American painter known for portraiture and largely credited with the re-evaluation and re-emergence of figuration in painting.”

Tomorrow we turn the page to August. This last month of Summer 2020 feels like a chance for a breath (let’s make it a deep one!) before we push into an uncertain Fall.

Wherever you are around the world, know that we miss you. And wish you health and many moments of joy mixed in with the important and hard work of change underway. Thank you for all you are doing.

We love ♥️ RBG. Get well Ruth!

Hello! Today I’m taking over the instagram account of from ...
And welp...I thought I would take a moment to just plain brag today. I just received an email that I have been accepted into the "Society for Neuroscience - Neuroscience Scholars Program" - which means I have just been recognized as a leading neuroscientist in the field...or should I say, on the planet!!!!!
Why not "humble brag" instead of just plain old brag? Because I have been told for nearly 20 years that I would never make it and become a neuroscientist. I have been put down and told that no one would ever be interested in my research because I dared to make the connection between neuroscience, mindfulness, and social justice. I have been made to feel that as a Black woman I need to "stay in my lane". All those years of painful rejection only made me strive harder!!!
Black women do not typically become Ph.D.s. Black women do not typically become scientists. Black women don't typically become doctors. Black women especially do not typically become neuroscientists - the gatekeepers have made that much clear - not because we are not deserving, but because the racist hatred formed against us and our intelligence has historically been so strong.
We have been told that our place is to be brutalized, in jail, or dead. We have been told that our hair is too kinky, or style is too loud, our anger has no place, and our communities do not matter.
Well I am here to say BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!! BLACK SCIENTISTS MATTER!!!!!! And I remain committed to the work of the "Science of Social Justice" framework which I have developed to help heal society from the dis-ease of othering and systemic oppression...
WATCH. US. RISE!!!!!!!!!!!!