Statement:

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I was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. But my origin story is firmly rooted in the small, sweet community where I was raised; Harlem, Florida. Harlem is a historically black community. It dates back to 1926 as land set aside by U.S. Sugar Corporation for Black sugar cane workers, just outside the city limits of Clewiston on the southwestern shore of Lake Okeechobee. Originally called Townsite by the company, the residents later renamed it Harlem, inspired by the Harlem Renaissance. I’m the proud daughter of two remarkable parents and I refer to myself as their girl legacy. My father worked for U.S. Sugar Corporation, while my mother dedicated herself to Harlem Academy Day Care Center. Harlem Academy was originally the main school for children in the community until it closed in 1971, when schools were desegregated. It later became a large day care center that continued to serve families from Harlem and Clewiston. The town of Clewiston itself grew around the sugar mill, which is located in Harlem.

​In 1978, my parents built our family home. My mother carefully designed it and had the blue prints drawn up, while my father, with the help of family and friends, brought the dream to life. They built not just a house, but a space filled with love, care, and intention. Now that my mom is living here in Tampa with my brother, the home sits empty and it bears the quiet marks of time. It feels both fragile and stubborn, standing as a reminder of all the love poured into it, yet waiting for my brother and I to bring it back to the home it was meant to be. The sentimental value of it is simply priceless. For my parents, becoming homeowners was an act of resilience and triumph, as they built something that could be passed down to their children. I am endlessly proud of them for overcoming barriers that I may never fully grasp. Yet I also recognize that their story is the exception rather than the rule in this country, where systemic policies have long excluded Black families from the dream of homeownership and generational wealth.

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Harlem…this sweet place that I grew up in, enveloped by sugar cane fields, is a close-knit, caring community where the residents work hard and support one another. Each year on the first Saturday in May, it comes alive during the Brown Sugar Festival, when people from near and far gather to celebrate community, history and African American culture. I was raised in the “muck”; a soil so rich it grows both sugar cane and community and it’s from this ground that my story takes root. Growing up in the sweetness of Harlem, Florida, surrounded by family, community, and the rich muck soil, guides the way I see and represent the world. I was raised with values of resilience, faith, and pride in where I come from, even in the face of challenges. These belief systems shape the way I interact with the world. So I see strength where others might only see struggle, and I center love and legacy in my visual language. My work reflects that legacy of resilience, memory and love. It’s a way to honor my roots, amplify overlooked stories, and create images that carry forward the resilience and beauty that I inherited.

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- raichelle colbert-ruffin