Center of the Universe
by Alica Sheyahshe Mteuzi
Photograph. UNM Campus, Albuquerque, NM. Alica Sheyahshe Mteuzi. 2021.
Alica Sheyahshe Mteuzi (b. San Jose, CA, US) is a filmmaker, visual artist, and writer who draws inspiration from her experiences growing up during the crack / urban Indian / suburban garage hacker eras of Silicon Valley. She is a direct descendant of the stolen children of Alkebu-lan (Afrika), the Kadohadacho (Caddo) people of Bah'-hat-te-no (Great Bend of the Red River), and White Thunder, a Cheyenne holy man who was Keeper of the Sacred Medicine Arrows. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alica combines Black and Indigenous pasts and futures to create an amalgamation of joy and struggle. Utilizing mediums ranging from enamel to digital media, Alica conjures a lens through which viewers may examine a unique perspective of Black & Indigenous being.