Fairren — See Me Because

My name is Fairren Talbert. I identify as a very proud, very strong member of the Black community. To me, being a “good Black person” is when you see people of your color doing their thing and you try to support them, give them encouragement and good words. Also my church community is very dear to me and I like to be an active member, praying for them, and helping them, like cutting their grass or if they need help moving out of their house. As a feminist, I’m a girl’s girl. I lift other girls up and fight for female equality. These are the communities that have been rooted deeply in me since a young age.

Sometimes Little Fairren was really shy and sometimes she was really loud. She was always pretty good at school and didn't really have to try much, doing home homework the morning it had to be turned in. She loved the playground, talking to everybody, running around, playing kickball, Foursquare…it was a good time.

My uncle, my grandma, my godmom, and my cousins have all been really stable and important people in my life growing up. I remember one time I was being bad. I can’t remember what I did. But my uncle, instead of punishing me, he scared me. Ever since then, I’ve called him Uncle Monster. Looking back on it now I don't actually remember him scaring me but he likes to tell me that story.

I grew up in Milwaukee, but in my freshman year of high school, around the time of COVID, I moved to Missouri so we could be closer to family. It was slower-paced and we didn’t really like it so we decided to move back my sophomore year and I continued my education at Rufus King. That’s when I got my first job and spent a lot of time hanging out with my closest friends. Friendship is really important to me. It’s how you connect with someone on a deeper level, how you trust them and put your faith into them. In this way, the first friend that comes to my mind is my best friend, Sasha. We've been best friends since third grade. We had our ups and downs, but we always came back to each other. She inspires me. We’ve been through thick and thin together and we have each other’s backs.

Growing up, art was a coping mechanism. It gave me something to do as an only child with not a lot of toys. I always had something to do when I created art and noticed how other people would give me feedback and reassurance, and encouraged me to make more. Freshman year I entered this art competition and I won second place. I was really excited because there were three hundred entries. The assignment was to show yourself with different emotions. I created a self portrait. I remember my art teacher telling me I won over Zoom. I was so excited.

Now, I’m getting ready to go to the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. At MIAD, they're actually creating things and inspiring people to make a career out of art. When I went to visit, that was really eye-opening to see. I want to major in Interior Architecture. I always thought it'd be cool to make buildings and create architecture and then be able to be like, “Oh, I made that. That's my design.” Interior Architecture is a starting point. I imagine stepping into a huge library I design, with cool levels and shapes, maybe the bookcases are curved. When I walk into that space, I feel amazed and inspired. I’m in admiration of myself, and feel gratitude for the opportunity to put my vision into a space where people will go to relax. I’m really excited to continue my journey. I've been applying to scholarships for my fall semester. I'm in this program that helps give me resources and connects me with people who will help me if I have problems finding a job, therapy and emotional support. Along with family and friends, I feel like I have a good support system. I feel like I’m almost there.

I try to create things that I see or that inspire me. Sometimes I'll draw animals. Sometimes I'll draw people. Sometimes I just draw my own original images. I usually do it grayscale with shades and textures, or sometimes color. What I want to express through my art is a story that someone else might be able to interpret in their own way. Art tells a story, all the way back to caveman times when they were painting and drawing maps to communicate. Art tells a story that continues through time.

I think it's very important to change stereotypes. If you're letting a negative stereotype dictate who you are as a person, and you're not changing what people say about you, that's a problem. You should call them out and try to inform them on how to better themselves. You can offer them a new point of view, like, “How would you like it if you were in my shoes and someone said that to you?”

People may view me as outgoing and friendly, funny and corny, and sometimes sarcastic. It depends on the day and the person. When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a strong, independent Black woman who's caring, kind, outgoing, funny, while also quiet and intense. I can also look at myself and realize that I’m a bit lazy from time to time and procrastinate, but I’m working to change. All these parts are part of me. They make me a whole person. No one person has only one side. We all have a whole bunch of different personalities, visions, and ideas that make us human.

Milwaukee, 2024