Juji Print

“Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise.” — Maya Angelou "Juji" is my love letter to Chicago. When my husband, Joel, and I first moved there, I struggled to feel connected to such a large, astonishingly beautiful city. We were talking one day on the CTA about the Chicago fire of 1871, and how so much of the city had to be rebuilt. He told me that Chicago was very much like a Phoenix, and I have held tightly onto that image ever since...and find it to be especially relevant in this current climate. Because Chicago, at its core (like so much of America), was built on the backs of Black people...in particular, Black women, I wanted to honor them in this piece. "Juji" is an African name that means, "heap of love", and she is seen caring for a clutch of Phoenix hatchlings. I hope this piece reminds us all to rise from our ashes, and to care for those around us.