Each day, we experience another death, another tragedy, another loss of life to violence, and we have no answers… There are many people–good people–working to help families and the community cope with the hurt and pain that comes with loss, particularly tragic loss.
As we at Scoop try to support our communities, victims and families, we have partnered with Zarinnah Lomax and The Apologues to respect those we have lost by sharing portraits and brief introductions into the lives of the families that The Apologues’ has featured.
Dominique Kimani Oglesby
Dominique Kimani Oglesby, was shot and killed March 18, 2018 at 52nd Market while getting something to eat, two months shy of graduating from Penn State University. Her brother Shaan, who she treated more like her son, is reflected in the portrait in her remembrance.
Danielle Shaw-Oglesby (mother) says: Dominique loved her family and Dominique relished her role as the big sister. She was my support system. She was my rock. She was always in my corner, and I will always miss her.
Desiree Norwood (Artist Statement): After speaking with the mother of Dominique and getting to know a little bit about her and her relationship with her little brother, I wanted to portray that special bond. Danielle had expressed that the love her daughter had for her litter brother was almost motherly and that she would always be there for him. So I was able to take two separate pictures making it into one, as if Dominique wrapped her arm around her little brother displaying the unique role of companionship and friendship between siblings. Giving me the opportunity to express that she will always be by his side no matter what. The choice of colors for the background was a mixture between her favorite color green, white (which represents peace) and gold (represents the richness of love) with a white halo effect around her head.
For more information about this portrait, please contact the artist, Desiree Norward, at http://wwww.desireenoroodart.com
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What is The Apologues?
The Apologues (under fiscal sponsorship of the Federation of Neighborhood Centers) is a fashion and art exhibit that uses the arts to assist individuals in healing, empowering themselves, and advocating against gun violence and trauma that plague urban communities. Through the use of fashion, art and music, The Apologues honors the emotions of untreated trauma through the realm of storytelling to trigger healing. We do this through the combination of self portraits of victims and co-victims, wearable art and musical experiences combined.
For more information and to support this initiative, visit our website, https://www.theapologues.org
