Often, those who tread off the beaten path are misunderstood or mischaracterized and so we asked folks from the community to reflect and tell us about the times they’ve been misunderstood or mischaracterized.

Katie Smith

Aa an artist, and as a business owner, the most common business advice tells us all to “niche down”, and “choose a focus”. Society likes to label and categorize things. So as a multi passionate artist, it can be hard to not feel the pressure to niche down. I love painting, drawing, crafting, ceramics, journaling, crochet, and so many more mediums. I want to explore and try it all, and I think that’s a strength, not a weakness, but it can be a challenge at times on how to share my work without a label. Read more>>

William Washington

Although i’ve written poetry for over 50 years, when I started performing poetry professionally, (for pay) I was labeled by my peers as a Spoken Word Artist. I was given that title because of the passionate way I delivered my thoughts… Thoughts that stemmed from a devastating divorce, and a long lasting brokenheart. My journey has given me the courage to write and publish my pain in the hopes of healing someone suffering from similar brokenness. To this very day I yearn to be thought of and remembered as… A Poet. Read more>>

Shaunté Ledger

Growing up I was the “different” kid on two very different fronts. I lived on Long Island, and was the only Black student in the class. There were Marys and Sallys, but no Shaunté’s. I was the outcast and I was teased.
The stares I got during Black History Month were almost comical. There was a sea of turned heads staring back at me, and I remember thinking, “I grew up with all of you guys. This is news to me, too.” Read more>>

Alix Holly

I got my bachelor’s degree in metals and jewelry, this is a program that labels you, both by the jewelry community itself and also by the other fine artists outside of it. As a jeweler you are in a battle to prove that you are an artist, that you deserve that title, and that what you create is worthy of being labeled as art. Outside of the jewelry community you are looked at by other artists as a trade or a crafter. This battle follows you as you leave school and you start to enter into the world of art fairs and gallery shows. Constantly fighting for that label of artist. Read more>>

Clarity Willoughby

Yes, I think most people who carry multiple layers of identity and responsibility have felt misunderstood at some point — and I’m no exception.

One moment that stands out was during my time at McDaniel College when I helped bring Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. to campus. I was the first member there — a solo — and while I was proud of that, not everyone understood what it meant to build something from the ground up. It wasn’t just about joining a sorority; it was about creating space, representation, and sisterhood for future Black women leaders on a predominantly white campus. It took resilience, relationship-building, and vision — even when others couldn’t yet see the bigger picture. Read more>>

Becky West

When I decided to pursue my career as an artist and authentically express my creative visions, I was entirely misunderstood. The vision for the music I produced was not visible to the people in the industry I was already working with, the concepts I envisioned were challenging for other creatives in my field to translate musically, and the content of my writing was confrontational on a soul level. True to the nature of art, it was reflective of my own personal journey through trauma, actively grieving my mother’s illness and her subsequent passing, as well as socio-political realities of the time.  Read more>>