We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jolí McTerrell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jolí, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

As a creative director, I have the opportunity to do something special in the world of art – create a new visual narrative with my people about us — what gives us joy, brings us pain, fills us with love. Joining BlkArthouse was truly a life-changing pivot in my life. I was different version of myself. I was becoming. I wanted my profession to reflect this journey I was on as a Black woman curating this new life. For the first time, I felt like I was home. I was in my element, able to merge all the beautiful things that made me Joli. For the first time, I was introducing the world to Ms.Jolí. Every project I curated with BlkArthouse holds a special place in my heart. I literally dreamt of every theme – closing my eyes and allowing all of me to experience the stories of my people, of this world. One of the most meaningful projects were “The Essence of a Black Woman” a visual exhibition I had the opportunity to showcase in Dec 2021 at The Motor House in Baltimore, MD. This was monumental in why BlkArthouse was so special to me. It was founded by a Black woman and a Black woman, myself, was her right hand. I was her visual storyteller, connector to Black artists and creatives. This exhibition sought to invite art patrons to intimately learn, engage, and reflect on Black femininity. It was personal as a Black woman who questioned femininity and how to just be a woman! The artists and artwork chosen was also very well curated (go me!) The stories were dynamic and important to Black art. I am still overwhelmed with joy and beautiful tears — we knew the assignment! The women and men in the room loved it! We even had a Black man open the event with a beautiful poem dedicated to Black women. Really powerful.

Jolí, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Whew! This is a heavy ask – who am I? I am made up of fragmented pieces of my imagination! I am a writer of her untold stories, his broken dreams, their shared secrets — I am a dreamer! The life of a creative director of Black art chose me and I gladly accepted! I fall in love everyday with Black art. I have recommitted to my love journey; to understand that to show up in love is revolutionary. Call me the new revolutionary.

In the heart of Philadelphia was where I earned my bachelor’s degree in journalism. I wanted to tell the stories of Black culture but somehow found myself in higher education where I spent over 10 years as an educator gliding along the paths of the world’s future pioneers and leaders. But that wasn’t enough. I felt like I was but a bump in the road to their success. I selfishly wanted more. I wanted to make history. I wanted to recreate the life I saw as a little girl, sitting in my bedroom dreaming up how I would one day contribute to Black journalism for one of the greatest interviews of this lifetime. (I’m working on it)

Did I mention I would not be who I am today if it was not for my two beautiful daughters. I am honored to curate their journeys. They came at a time of my life where I was defining my voice and saying out loud ‘I am enough’ by any means necessary. They have been very supportive of this new journey. Both have committed themselves to the art community! One is a musician – the saxophone to be exact with an interest in theater. And the youngest is the visual artist! She sees beauty among the hurt and hears laughter through the cries we as Black women and children find ourselves.

The pandemic was life changing for so many and I was no exception. I decided I wanted to use this time to create and dictate my new love journey alongside the chaos of the world. The uncertainty though caused a sense of fear, also caused the desire to explore me. I found joy, laughter, beauty, better options for food (a true healthy eating journey) — I saw more color when the world told me my melanated skin was a threat to this country. And I picked up a camera to capture the light that shone when my daughters smiled, when I jumped midway in the air off my feet —and I laced up my dance shoes for the first time in years.

I told myself, ‘you are an artist!’ Not just any ole’ artist. You have a few tricks up your sleeve so let’s take a gamble on myself. I had done it for everything and everybody else. I named myself a creative director on March 1st of 2021, created this women’s movement titled ‘I AM WOMEN’, debuting my first photo campaign, and by April of 2021 I was the creative director of BlkArthouse. And the rest was about creating a new history to my journey! I joined forces with Tatiana Rice, founder of BlkArthouse as a new member of the Black Art Movement. I became the hype (wo)man for Black artists! I dug deep into the histories and mysteries of the Black experience and continued to question the world around me as I crafted art exhibitions like “What is Black Art?” “The Essence of a Black Woman” “Televised Revolution: Working Towards Criminal Justice Reform Through Art” and “If These Walls Could Talk: The Inner Dialogue.”

I also sought out to tell the stories of Black artists and creatives through the Taking Up Space with BlkArthouse initiative which consists of the stories of Black artists and my imagination! I wanted artists to see them in Black history – in Black culture not just as an artist but as an ICON! I told you I am a true hype (wo)man of Black art!

And last but not least, I created an online platform, Love is Freedom: A Black Woman’s Podcast. I chose to live this journey of love out loud.Every Friday, I grab a microphone and I talk to the love is freedom community. I unravel the balled up pieces of paper that make up the Black woman’s story and pull them together while exploring Black culture, and the Black woman’s existence in this country. It’s been a year! Proud of the commitment. It is not easy opening up yourself to a community and asking the hard questions along this journey. I encourage everyone to make space for this form of intimacy.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

What’s driving my creative journey? This is a great question. I think this continues to unveil itself to me. I open myself up to the world everyday and that can look different everyday. I cannot create my vision if I am in the dark you know. I want my work to be seen in 20/20. I also cannot create in a bubble even if it is transparent. I want my work to be experienced – to be felt, touched, you name it.

I am the new revolutionary!

I long for the richness of my ancestors’ stories. And my own story, which left my heart aching, my body numb, and my voice muted, inspired me to seek my own liberation in my people’s untold stories. So what drives me? What my mission? FREEDOM!

I want to fall in love all over again as I create for my people., and to create is to free my people! Art cannot be policed although political. I want to create waves across this country as a creative director and cultural journalist.

I want my daughters to know I did not sit on the sidelines of my love journey. I stood shoulder to shoulder with icons! And I made history. I want it to be live and in color!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blkarthouse.com/about-us
• Instagram: @sistaswhodance @blkarthouse
• Youtube: Www.youtube.com/@msjoli

Image Credits
@sdotpdotmedia- Shedrick Pelt, Sana’a Forney (my daughter)