This painting features a Black woman with long locs that have subtle blue highlights. She stands by a wooden-framed window, gazing symbolically towards the world, with the vast ocean on the outside. The sun is rising, casting a warm, golden glow across the sky. The scene exudes a sense of contemplation and longing, as the woman appears both strong and pensive. Her deep brown skin contrasts with the vibrant blues and oranges of the background. The ocean outside the window suggests themes of freedom, distance, and reflection, while the wooden interior hints at a confined or isolated space.
Accompanying the painting is a poem titled "I'm Just O.K." The poem addresses racial violence- historical and present-day systemic injustices, in a world that continuously devalues Black lives. The poem has a powerful message about the struggle of being asked, “How are you doing?” when the world often fails to understand or acknowledge the depth of pain and systemic racism experienced by BIPOC individuals. The text highlights presenting an "I'm ok" façade, even when reality is far from it. This piece serves as a visual and poetic representation of inner turmoil, resilience, and the silent strength carried by those who navigate a world that often fails to see the truth.
Together, the painting and poem create a commentary on racial trauma, resilience, and the emotional weight carried by those who are repeatedly subjected to injustice. The woman's distant yet piercing gaze mirrors the introspective and sorrowful tone of the poem, making the artwork a compelling visual and literary statement.
I’m Just O.K. (Eversley © 2019, 2024)
When I’m asked,
How are you doing?
I think of the Black boy in Atlanta,
found hanging from a weeping willow tree,
and the 50 First Nations women in Vancouver—
chopped up, put through a meat grinder, and fed to pigs.
I think of George Floyd,
handcuffed, pinned to the pavement,
a white police officer's knee crushing his neck—
for 9 minutes and 29 seconds.
His last breath whispering,
"Momma... Momma."
I think of Breonna Taylor, an EMT,
a woman who saved lives
but couldn’t save her own
when police shot and killed her,
despite her innocence.
I think of my unborn child,
blossoming in my womb,
murdered by a racist doctor
who saw my skin before my humanity.
I think of children in Africa
and the Middle East—
bombed, burned, erased—
because they are not valued morethan the profit of biased war.
So when they ask me,
How are you doing?
I find myself pausing,
because I want to shout—
"Can’t you see?"
"Doesn’t it matter?"
"Don't you realize
how troubling life is with all the racist killings?"
But I know they won’t understand or care—
not like we do.
So I swallow the pain,
muffle the anger,
and say,
"I’m just O.K."
I'm Just Ok is available for purchase. Collect it today.