吃瓜网

Aminah Hopewell 鈥�26, a senior studying dance and Black studies, has shaped her education around a powerful goal: blending art and activism.

Aminah, from Atlanta, Georgia, has been drawn to the stage since childhood and has danced everything from modern, contemporary, and hip-hop to West African, jazz, and tap. Growing up in creative spaces deeply shaped her identity, as did growing up in communities that actively and openly discussed race and the Black identity.

At 吃瓜网, Aminah has found ways to connect her artistic talent with her passion for social justice 鈥� exploring issues of race, gender, and sexuality through the arts.

鈥淚 want to use dance as an educational process for social justice education,鈥� she says.

Her Black studies capstone project did just that.

In a class with Black Studies Professor Winston Grady-Willis, Aminah created 鈥淢other of Light,鈥� a video essay that drew upon both her dance major and her faith to explore femininity, sexuality, and independence. 鈥淚 wanted to focus on different women鈥檚 experiences and what I鈥檝e experienced as a black queer woman in a predominantly white space,鈥� she says.

鈥淢other of Light鈥� is a retelling of Adam and Eve, with Aminah portraying Eve. She narrates the story of a woman struggling to break free from the confines of her existence. Her Christian faith plays a pivotal role in the story, which aims to talk about women鈥檚 bodies freely and beyond the constraints of traditional religious ideas. 鈥淢y project is a break away from that. It鈥檚 okay to be a Christian and talk about bodies without putting hinderance on them,鈥� she explains.

Dancing in a flowing white dress, Aminah confronts and challenges societal pressures on women鈥檚 autonomy and sexual freedom, asking the striking question: 鈥淲hat is a woman now but mere touch?

During the creative process, Aminah spoke with many different women to understand the diverse experiences of Black womanhood. This included the women in her family, Black female identifying friends, and nonbinary friends.

鈥淭he intersectionality of identity was my focus,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 found it to be such a beautiful thing that the Black woman identity was still so strong among people who do not conform to specific gender norms.鈥�

Beyond this project, Aminah credits her Afro-Caribbean dance course and the guidance of Assistant Professor of Dance Kieron Dwayne Sargeant for inspiring her to learn more about the diaspora and diverse identities within Black communities. She also highlights Black Feminist Thought, a course taught by Assistant Professor and Director of Gender Studies Tammy Owens in the Black Studies program. 鈥淚t was groundbreaking for me. It opened my eyes to see how women are really at the forefront of every social movement.鈥�

Aminah also strongly suggests that students consider taking Introduction to Black Studies, the foundational course in the Black studies minor, regardless of their major.

In every Black studies course I鈥檝e taken, on the first day we ask what values we鈥檒l uphold in the classroom so everyone feels they have a space to talk and is comfortable expressing their thoughts.鈥�

Aminah Hopewell '26

In addition, Aminah is a fellow in the program, which offers guidance and opportunities for emerging artists and arts administrators and supports broad participation in the arts. Managed by 吃瓜网鈥檚 , the fellowship is a three-year program during students鈥� junior and senior years, with one year of post-graduate advising.

As Aminah finishes her last year at 吃瓜网, she hopes to continue working in spaces that creatively educate people about social issues, encouraging them to see that identity and the world are deeply intertwined. 鈥淭he world doesn鈥檛 define your identity, but rather, you define your identity in the world.鈥�