EM▼NCIPATION: A Journey Through Melanin Mythologies. An Interview with Odera

I stumbled upon Odera Igbokwe’s take on the Sailor senshi all decked out as women with darker skintones some while ago when the art when viral. I’m a big Sailor Moon fan and I also love fanart so it was a refreshing take on the beloved womenfolk of my childhood. I keep coming back for more because Odera continues to create more inclusive illustrations that seat not just people who look like me, but many belonging to the African Diaspora, in fantasy settings. Everyday I know that I will venture out into a world that will use certain images and pictures of people who share my features in narratives that seek to invalidate us, to destroy us. While I’m getting better at articulating the feelings that accompany this life-long struggle this doesn’t mean that I’m not overwhelmed at times. Odera’s pieces are wonderful to see because while we all know that Black girls are magic and Black folk in general must have some kinda magic to be so resilient against what history has dealt us, I’m still very much greedy for more and better representation of us in a positive light by folks who look like us. The artist Odera Igbokwe is very much one such person. I’d love to put you on to them since you’re here. Black Nerd Problems: Your redesigned Sailor Moon fanart was everywhere I can remember when it went viral — what was your first impression of all the exposure it received? How did you make you feel that so many people were responding to it positively? Because this current themed series of yo…