How Africa News
Many people’s coping technique for chronic pain is medication, but Alum Kemahee Baker channeled her episodes of persistent chronic agony into art that highlighted her black roots. She never expected to be in a vehicle accident, but when she was, it left her with intense pain that need psychotherapy to hasten her recovery.
Painting provided her with solace during her sober path, serving as an escape from her suffering and rehabilitation. An article published by the University of Waterloo commemorating black history via art capitalized on her newfound enthusiasm and how she turned her painting into a business. She opened an online art business named ‘Every Nice n’ Perfect Present’ to display and sell her art.
Alum is not only interested in painting, but she also enjoys dancing; her artistic inclination is thought to have been inspired by her upbringing in Kitchener-Waterloo. In her situation, she has opted to use her creative talent to highlight black people’s achievements. Her work aims to emphasize the excellence of the black community because, despite the unjust racial context, the black community finds reasons to showcase their beauty and sell their culture.
She complements this by emphasizing the importance of Afro-Caribbeans, Afro-Latinos, and other people of black descent, and she is endowed with institutional knowledge of these cultures as a result of the academic path she selected. Alum earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Latin American Literature, and Cultures with a minor in psychology from the University of Waterloo. Her work won her a spot on the dean’s list and several commendation prizes.
Aside from her artistic interests, she is passionate about community building and has participated in activities such as the University of Waterloo Black Association for Student Expression (UW BASE), the Latin American Student Association (LASA), UW Hip Hop, Cuban Salsa, and the Mambo Club, among others. Her husband, Kamau Baker, who works with schools to promote Black History Month, stands behind her. His workshops center on the achievements of black people who have made it in the fields of invention, arts, and culture.
Alum believes that when society values variety, progress may be realized. Unlearning racism, according to her, may be challenging, but it is a crucial component in constructing a just society. The biases each one has about the other have been the impediments to this. Alum believes that once individuals begin to admit this, it will become the societal leveler regardless of preconceptions. The university administration is pleased that she is educating people about the hardships of the black community. Structural impediments will never exist, but with the appropriate mindset, people should be able to overcome them. Alum’s effort provides the necessary energy.
