Conjuring Hands: The Art of Curious Women of Color

The verb “to conjure” is a complex one, for it includes in its standard definition great range of possible actions or operations, not all them equivalent, even compatible. In most common usage, means to perform an act magic invoke supernatural force, by casting spell, say, performing particular ritual rite. But also influence, beg, command constrain, charm, bewitch, move convey, imagine, visualize, call mind, remember. —Rachael DeLue 2012, para 1. When we create with our Brown hands, feminine energy, and full spirits, conjure. To exist, survive, thrive these bodies continuous conjuring. Our walks smiles tears laughs words artworks are conjurings. We, Black/Filipina-American woman, Dominican-American, Black-American guided solidarity one another other Black female identifying persons whose raced gendered subjectivities exist both inside outside colonization, white supremacy, patriarchy. We bring life colored imaginations curiosities, share the world. united need safety, autonomy as beings, dissolution trauma, desire ask, “What would happen if I…?” Imaginative, curious Women Color (WoC) founded underground railroad, captured Africans Tainos mountains, ignited Civil Rights Movement, organized laborers immigrants, birthed #BlackLivesMatter conceived #MeToo so much more. Like kindred counterparts, have unrelenting urge examine, question, wonder, desire, speak to, lead, be curious, “conjure.” As practicing artists art educators, critical arts-based practices grounded intersectional feminisms like Womanism, Feminist Theory, Chicana which allow us do very things.