Victor Muthama
2023 grant amount: $50,000 over two years
This grant supports DiasporUS, a visual album highlighting the differences between three generations within a Kenyan family spanning two continents and over a century of time. Throughout the diaspora there are various stories perspectives and different types of people. There needs to be a way to tell our stories from the perspective of our experiences with our own words to ensure that the world can see that the Black experience is not monolithic. DiasporUS will include Victor Muthama's grandfather enduring British colonization, Muthama's father enduring the British educational system and himself enduring the effects of white supremacy in America. Amidst their similarities, their stories, experiences, beliefs and personalities are vastly different due to the changes in environments. DiasporUS will be a springboard that will eventually evolve into a podcast that brings in guest speakers throughout the diaspora so that they can discuss their experiences.
"The impact that I hope to see is a strengthening of global ties within the diaspora of people who may look like me but exist in vastly different cultures that may not necessarily be understood," says Muthama. "Something I realize throughout time is that rather than simply expressing myself using music and words, I can find a way to marry the two in a very entertaining fashion. My art will no longer simply be a form of self-expression but a medium of articulation of other people’s thoughts and experiences as well."
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/victor__muthama/