In my advanced screen printing class, we were given the opportunity to redesign the graduation stole for members of the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE), a community-based space that focuses on the academic experiences of first-generation students, students of Color, and American Indian students. I was immediately inspired by the Kente cloth pattern that was on the stole a few years prior. I thought it would be powerful to have multiple countries represented through various textile patterns. I researched fabric samples from countries around the world and sorted through the collection and did my best to choose samples from different continents and groups to try and make sure everyone felt represented in some way. I traced and colorized the fabric patterns in a cohesive color palette to bring connection between the different samples.
I was given the honor of being selected as the winning stole - leading to the production of my product expected in Spring 2025.