Ten years ago, I put together a photo exhibit that featured African American natural hairstyles while posing questions of race, beauty, and culture. The exhibit was called “Skillets.” Folks like Rena Church at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, Karen McConnaughay, Kane County Board; Amy Roth, Aurora Public Library; and Angie Richardson, Illinois Math and Science Academy, were all supportive in providing a platform and/or wall space for the exhibit. So, I thought it would be fun to track down some of the participants and see what they are up to now. I will make a post  from the exhibit for the next couple of days.

Kaija is currently 18 years old and a freshman at Towson University located near Baltimore, Maryland, however due to the pandemic she is learning online and at home. She is studying Biology with a concentration in ecology, evolution, and conservation with the hopes of going to graduate school for zoology. She discovered a deep passion for animals, and it is her goal to be able to conduct research that will help to reverse the effects of human impact that are leading to species extinction and endangerment. Kaija looks forward to what the future has to hold, and she cannot wait for the day that it is safe to attend classes in-person once again.