Tea & Empathy (2025)

Commissioned by Drs. Tonya Haynes (UWI) and Nicole Charles (University of Toronto - Mississauga) for the interdisciplinary project In the Flesh: Critical Reflections on Black Women’s Experiences of Food, Embodiment, and Type 2 Diabetes.

Overview
Tea and Empathy is a mixed-media collage created in response to the cultural and personal impact of Type 2 Diabetes on Black women in Barbados. The piece explores themes of self-care, traditional healing, and community support through symbolic plant life, color, and gesture. It was first exhibited during the In the Flesh public lecture in February 2025 and later at the national outreach event “Q in the Community.”

Materials & Meaning
Created using hand-cut painted paper, high-quality drawing paper, and digital elements, the work centers a Black silhouette surrounded by plants like cerasee, Spanish needle, and sugar cane—each chosen for their role in Barbadian medicinal and historical context. A tea cup anchors the composition as a nod to generational knowledge and care. A self-hugging gesture paired with a resting hand on the figure’s shoulder speaks to both personal and collective forms of resilience.

Collaborators
The piece was commissioned as part of a research collaboration between the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (UWI) and the Department of Historical Studies (UTM), and shown alongside works by artists Simone Asia and Anna Gibson.