"My intention for this piece is to give the viewer a sense of empathy, compassion, and safety. In my journey as a queer person, I've met amazing people along the way whose families missed out on the chance of having a relationship with them all due to being queer, and their beliefs outweighed simply accepting them as they are. Similarly, Eric Effiong, a queer person of color from the popular Netflix series sex education, on whom this piece is based, faces a similar plight. Throughout the series, we see Eric choosing to shine his light and stand in his identity despite struggling with his faith, family, and mental health. Seeing his character development, as well as hearing the stories of those around me, gave me the idea to reflect that narrative. With this particular piece, our triumphs are to find those moments of Peace, those moments of clarity where you feel more confident in yourself, your entire being, despite it all.

Through this portraiture, I wanted to show a queer person of color basking in the glow of reclaiming their soul in the society. They begin in a more guarded stance, as queer people are often targets of outdated rhetoric, behavior and policies that are geared toward the erasure of our queer identity. This harsh reality causes many to feel as though they must navigate the world with a stone-like presence, to defend against the harsh realities of being queer. However, when you find kindred spirits, it slowly chips away at that protective, Stony exterior and gives you the strength to stand in your light and embrace its glow because you are loved and celebrated in this world exactly as you are and you deserve to shine without fear of persecution.​"