#afropunkweseeyou: tiffany r. smith

Name: Tiffany R. Smith

IG: @tif2cool

Occupation: Higher Education Scholar. Photographer. Critical Strategist + Storyteller.

Age: 29

Star Sign: Pisces

What inspired you to become an activist?
I was called to activism and liberation work through an ancestral commitment long before I arrived. I commit to the liberatory practice of activism as a way of survival. It is to honor those who came before me and to give hope and freedom for those who will come many moons after me.

Why is intersectionality important in Black community organizing and activism? 
Intersectionality is a part of the Black-lived experience no matter if we are aware of it or not. We must practice intentional intersectionality in activism and organizing to create equity in how we fight for freedom. By using an intersectional lens, we can work to bring those on the margins to the center so that we all get free. 

Why is it important for the Black community to support each other in the fight for Black liberation? 
It is important because there is no liberation if we are not in support of one another. We will not always agree on the method or the process to which we get to freedom, but we must find ways to support one another in a collective struggle of self-determination, reclamation and culture building. 

What does We See You mean to you? 
We See You means that, even if it is for a moment, we recognize each other’s existence and divine spirit. That we commit to knowing one another even if it is simply through our gaze, sway of our hips, or a shared head nod. We See You means to honor the me in you and the we in one another.