CSVPA Masters Project
Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts (CSVPA) is a leading art and design school in Cambridge, England, known for its studio-based approach to creative education and close partnership with the University for the Creative Arts (UCA). In 2021, I earned my Master of Arts in Graphic Design, where I explored design, documentary filmmaking, photography, and social impact through research-driven projects that challenged me to think beyond aesthetics and use creativity as a tool for empathy and meaningful conversation.
Am I Next?
Inspired by philosopher Giorgio Agamben's concept of the apparatus — the systems and institutions that shape human behavior — I created a short documentary examining racism in the U.S. through the lens of media, education, and lived experience.
Produced during COVID, the project relied on remote interviews conducted over Zoom with participants sharing their personal experiences and perspectives. I directed, edited, and produced the film, weaving together interviews and archival footage to explore how systemic racism continues to influence everyday life. Rather than presenting a definitive answer, the film encourages viewers to question the structures that shape our beliefs and consider the role empathy plays in creating change.
Them
For my Major Independent Project, I expanded my research beyond theory and into the lives of people in my local community. I wanted to understand how racism is experienced in the United Kingdom through the voices of those living it every day.
I connected with members of Cambridge's black and brown communities through social media, inviting them to participate in a collaborative documentary and portrait session. Through honest conversations about identity, belonging, and discrimination, participants shared their personal experiences in their own words. I directed, filmed, and edited the documentary, combining these interviews with original photography to create a deeply human narrative centered on empathy rather than assumptions.
Them became an exploration of identity, community, and the power of listening: a reminder that meaningful change begins by creating space for people to tell their own stories.
Them Portrait Series
Alongside the documentary, I created a portrait series celebrating the beauty, individuality, and strength of each participant. Using black-and-white photography and a snoot light to illuminate only a small portion of each face, I intentionally drew the viewer's attention to each person's expression while allowing the rest of the image to fade into darkness.
The lighting became a metaphor: even when society attempts to minimize or overlook people because of the color of their skin, their humanity deserves to be seen. Each portrait was designed to encourage viewers to pause, connect, and reflect on the person in front of them rather than the stereotypes often imposed upon them.
Design has the power to do more than inform. It can help us understand one another. These projects remain some of the most meaningful work I've created because they reflect the values that continue to guide me today: empathy, curiosity, and the belief that every person's story deserves to be heard.