The Tamesis
Kaci Merriwether-Hawkins, who has been going to museums since she was a child, didn’t see herself reflected in many of the works on display, or even among the gallery visitors. But for the past four years, through Black Girls in Artspace—a global community that supports black women and their creativity in all its forms—she has been changing the narrative about who belongs in the cultural sphere.
In an era when cultural institutions are severely underfunded, women on social media are doubling down on supporting these areas, calling themselves “Women in GLAM” (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums). By showcasing their workdays in archives or sponsoring local public libraries, they are countering the assumption that cultural work is a dying industry. More than just a trend, this phenomenon reflects the growing real-world need for robust investment in creative and intellectual spaces that drive culture forward.
As Meriwether-Hawkins says, “Art makes us feel more connected to our humanity.” An artist herself, she has been a practicing photographer and content creator for many years. However, it wasn’t until she visited Kwame Brathwaite’s traveling exhibition Black Is Beautiful in 2022 that she realized she wanted to promote community and challenge the notion that black women didn’t belong in the fine arts world. She started BGIAS after seeing the show — long before Women in GLAM became a social media trend. BGIAS began as an online platform for sharing artistic experiences and has grown into the international organization it is today.
Photo: Amira Harris
“I see Black Girls in Art Space as a kind of community garden. I may have planted the seeds, but the watering is never my business alone,” she told me Fashion. “This is a community-led community. We thrive on the support of the women involved and I couldn’t do it without them.”
BGIAS consists of local chapters stretching from New York and Dallas to London and Nairobi, where members host gatherings. Their programming ranges from exhibition viewings and artist talks to theater performances and private workshops. Meriwether-Hawkins sees her role as helping members become active in the arts in the community and build lasting relationships.
She has also prioritized breaking down barriers in an industry that is notoriously opaque to those who have historically been excluded. Through connections with museum professionals, from curators to public programs coordinators, she is working to bridge the gap between experts within institutions and the audiences they often try but may struggle to reach.
