BLK RVR Artist Collective
BLK RVR Artist Collective exists to nurture Black artists exploring themes of migration, identity, healing and cultural memory across the African Diaspora. We value narrative repair, artistic truth-telling, community care, and the power of artists to imagine and spark liberated futures.
Our vision is to cultivate a safe, affirming space where artists from diverse disciplines can reflect on their personal journeys, connect with others, and co-create work that contributes to Black healing.
where do we live? where do we belong? who or what brought us here? as we consider the answers, we begin to see the systemic forces that have shaped Black life – and the paths to getting free.
Each summer, Black River Life invites artists from across greater Phoenix to join the BLK RVR Artist Collective. Members gather for a series of creative sessions exploring personal and ancestral migration stories, and the wisdom they hold about belonging and self-determination. Through reflection and collaboration, each artist develops an original work to share at Black River Life’s seasonal gatherings.
Alumni
Felicia Penza (she/her)
Author • Graphic Designer • Visual Artist
Sean Avery Medlin (he/they)
Poet • Rapper • Essayist • Educator
Thiditsana Moloi (she/her)
Movement Artist • Choreographer
Trinity Miracle (she/they)
Spoken Word Artist • Mixed Media
Shanaleigh Mejia (she/her)
Congolese Dance Artist
maryhope whitehead | lee (she/her)
Collagist • Poet
Anitah Diggs (she/her)
Photographer • Writer • Journalist
Poetess Love (she/her)
Spoken Word Artist
Myja Lark (she/her)
Artist • Author • Civil Servant
mack reid (they/them)
illustrator • dollmaker