We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kamal X. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kamal below.

Kamal, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My most meaningful project to date has been creating my 2nd photography book, BLACK ASTRONAUT. When Covid-19 made its way to the U.S. in February of 2020, we had no idea what we would have to face as a country. A worldwide pandemic quickly became the backdrop to a civil uprising. As we watched George Floyd’s life stolen, one gasp of breath at a time, I found myself at a life-defining crossroads. My fear of Covid-19 was debilitating, yet I felt an innate need to document this momentous time in our history. I had an obligation to the legacy of George Floyd and every African American who’d lost their life to racism and police brutality. I wanted to bring light to the darkness I saw reported—the news stories that captured the rage but not the people and the voices behind it. As I left the clean, safe air of my apartment in Oakland and ventured out into what now felt like an unknown abyss, I became the BLACK ASTRONAUT.

Completing BLACK ASTRONAUT required me to push myself beyond all my limits. From traveling around the US to document to writing my introduction for the book, I have never worked as hard on anything in my life. Seeing its impact truly warms my heart and proves that anything is possible. It was released worldwide in October of 2023 and stands as one of my greatest triumphs.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a self-taught documentary photographer currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Photography found me after deciding to quit everything to travel the world in honor of my best friend passing away due to colon cancer. Feeling like I was drowning in voicelessness and grief, the camera became my way to creating a new inner peace.
Given where I was in my life naturally my creative style became rooted in focusing on stories that reveal the hidden truths of humanity. Hidden truths that are often reflected in who I am. After covering the 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests of Oakland, CA and Washington D.C. I was granted the opportunity to be featured in the New York Times. Deciding to mold those images into a mini-series entitled The Beautiful: Oakland to D.C., I won 2nd place in Lensculture’s Black & White Photography Awards. In 2021 I was featured in Apple’s “Hometown” campaign which highlighted black photographers across America. A opportunity that later won me a Golden ADC Award for best series. Most recently, my 2nd photography book, BLACK ASTRONAUT, which highlights a nationwide revolution ignited by the pandemic and the passing of George Floyd was released worldwide.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think being self taught in the world of artistry can be difficult to navigate. I didn’t have many opportunities to have peers in the same field, so I was very limited in my understandings of the various elements of the industry. This led to many years of not having the courage to put my work out there. It was a great struggle to even consider myself an artist. Then came the 2020 pandemic, and my life changed. Given the uncertainty of surviving, I immediately began to reflect on the importance of time. I promised myself I would not waste any more of it when it came to my artistry and family. I put all of my effort into building my website and portfolio, followed by aggressively searching for as many new opportunities as possible. It wasn’t quick or easy but with hard work the opportunities started to come. My first paid opportunity was being featured in New York Times. This was a major breakthrough for me and serves as a catalyst for my work ethic in every thing I do. The opportunities we dream of won’t find us if we don’t make ourselves visible. Choosing to work hard to become visible in a meaningful way changed my life.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes, my deepest fear is to not be heard, so making sure I do my best to create work that reaches people in a meaningful way is important to me. I think it started when I was young because I was very shy whenever I was in uncomfortable situations. So I have this inner mission that makes sure I speak up for myself, especially when in uncomfortable spaces such as the world of art. To this day I still feel the same fear I felt as child, but I now use that fear to push myself harder and see whats possible. Some of the greatest experiences I’ve had in my life came after choosing to just go for it. My mission is be honest and make sure my voice is heard whether it be through art or just life in general. Anything is possible when you put your heart into it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iamkamalx.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkamalx/
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Astronaut-Kamal-X/dp/1908211938/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2VW3Z5NZHUCKT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TN9LVnWxdYzsNogbEyzsZcz1DkZ8Kh5HNizi1EJ-mZPzsn-nzisSWZ8P50fBGvfZKNcEVlOa3dgbhZYuSFWzilS2kMmvx-Ey6cryHCkIV3PZ6g4pPpazUDQWDO67AS18kgdLuMNWyRJLWa_guPjJ4_eqxlMD6POdCmTWu6QZdxmJYbOuOCuqAHNZi8V7R38mHIY1xN5MhnOUNZKRAH5HUR3Nb4SoWuwZaZSXHYr7wvw.ozlCRrOjgRuMTj6mxQW5eZCBRvXUqDMbWYMjO8eP6iM&dib_tag=se&keywords=black+astronaut&qid=1722697533&sprefix=%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-3