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

Mecca, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a series that aims to celebrate and honor queer love, highlighting the journeys and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in finding and experiencing love. This project is special to me because growing up, I didn’t have access to much representation or celebration of queer identities, and I wanted to create something that showcases the beauty and depth of love in the same way we see heterosexual couples.

I chose to shoot the photographs in spaces that are familiar to the couples, creating an environment where they can relax and be themselves, allowing me to capture the authentic intimacy and joy that exists between partners. I hope to use these photographs to break down the taboos surrounding queer love, and to offer a safe space and point of reference for those who may be exploring or questioning their own sexuality.

Ultimately, my goal is to uplift and celebrate the love of queer identities, and to show that love is something to be cherished and celebrated, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Growing up, I wanted to be creative in any way possible. In grammar school, I participated in an after-school program that offered culinary arts, fashion design/garment making, stepping (HBCU style), modeling, and dancing. Although we were only allowed to choose one program, I begged the after-school director to let me take a different one each day after school to honor my creative drive. Trying all those activities was fun, but I didn’t stick with them. In high school, I discovered photography while taking a video production class. I became so passionate about it that my best friend and I stayed up all night to create a portfolio for my audition to transfer out of my selective enrollment school and into the Chicago High School for the Arts. There, I started my formal training in understanding the mechanics of composition and the meaning of all the buttons on my camera. However, I am always learning new things whenever I pick up my camera. For almost 7 years, I have been photographing, and the basis of my personal projects is exploring the construction of gender in our society, as it has always piqued my interest as a masc presenting lesbian. I want people to know that my art is a deeply personal and emotional exploration of the multifaceted nature of identity. As a Black, queer, masculine presenting, nonbinary person, I have long grappled with questions of how we navigate the constructed performance of gender in our society. Through my work, I aim to engage viewers in a profound and thought-provoking conversation about the many layers of identity that make us who we are. I am most proud that my work allows people to have a chance to truly see a part of their identity that is often deemed taboo.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I feel like I’m constantly pivoting if we’re being completely honest. I’m learning to move with my passion instead of what I feel is my safest option and it’s hard. Right now I’m pivoting from digital marketing to finding a position that inspires and engages me creatively, I’ve been doing a bunch of research on portfolio schools, skills that I need to refine to attain that, and what roles make up the creative team, so I can visualize what a path to creative director or art director looks like. It’s hard, but I know where I want to be.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of it is seeing people resonate with my work. I always know what I’m trying to say so it feels really good when the message is received.   

Contact Info:

• Website: www.meccadramsey.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/shotbymecc

Image Credits
Photographer: Mecca / @shotbymecc