M.I.A. - Made in America was a capstone project exploring belonging, visibility, and the importance of Black culture to American identity. Using the colors of the American flag, red, white, and blue, the project reframed national symbols to reflect Black American life and history, challenging who is considered “American” and asserting that Black Americans are undeniably Made in America.

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As the producer, I worked closely with the director to bring his vision to life, handling behind-the-scenes coordination, organizing photo shoots, booking locations and talent, and supporting post-production by choosing images, writing copy, and designing the final lookbook. The project will be showcased in a gallery on April 25, 2026, where the work will be displayed, and the physical lookbook will be shared with the community.

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This experience taught me how to manage a large creative project while balancing organization, flexibility, and leadership. Managing a team with different schedules due to work and classes required a lot of patience, clear communication, and problem-solving when issues arose, such as changing roles when schedules didn’t align or finding a new printer or gallery space when my original one fell through. I learned that leadership is not only about planning but also about adjusting and working effectively with different personalities.

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The amount of cross-disciplinary collaboration on this project was my favorite part of working on it. Working with dancers, designers, photographers, artists, and models introduced ideas I never would have imagined on my own, resulting in stronger, more creative outcomes. The representation and diversity we had were also really impactful, as we used all-black models and POC team members. Forming a space where Black models and creatives felt seen and valued reiterated for me the importance of intentional and inclusive workspaces and storytelling.

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This experience continued to shape my understanding of a Global Citizen Scholar as someone who engages with the world, contributes to their community, and remains curious, adaptable, and reflective about the impact of their work. This project strengthened these qualities in me, showing that creativity, collaboration, cultural awareness, and cultural motivation are powerful tools for both self-growth and social impact.

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Below are behind-the-scenes photos I took on my personal camera, as I can’t upload the official selected images. I chose these because they capture our team having fun, collaborating, and experimenting together. Also, as a newcomer to photography, I’m proud of these shots and what they reveal about my perspective on the project and my growth in skills.