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Minneapolis Boudoir Photography by Illuminate Boudoir
 

My Studio inclusivity statement

You Are Welcome Here

I’m a person who carries a lot of privilege - I’m a White, cisgendered woman married to a man. I do my best to recognize and acknowledge my privilege, and to use it to create a space that is as welcoming and inclusive as possible for the individuals that I work with.

I will always work to be the most inclusive, safe space I can be. Here is what I promise to you:

I believe Black Lives Matter. I’ll photograph you regardless of your religion, race, cultural or ethnic background, citizenship status, sexual orientation, profession, or physical ability. I’m a body-positive and fat-positive feminist, and I celebrate people of all body shapes, sizes, and ages. I’m an LGBTQIA+ affirming photographer, and I welcome people of all genders to my studio including trans folks, gender-fluid people, and gender non-binary folx. I am pro choice and support your right to abortion — to anyone who has had or will have an abortion/s in the future: you deserve safety, care, and love, and you are welcomed here.

Overall, I do my best to be an inclusive and empowering photographer. You deserve to be validated and seen, to feel safe, and to be celebrated without judgement. I’m here to tell your story with love and respect.

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Combating White supremacy

in my work life and personal life*

*A little heads up to BIPOC friends and community: I wholeheartedly invite you to skip this section if you don’t want to spend emotional energy hearing me talk through my own internalized White supremacy.

I am committed to pursuing anti-racism in my own life. I am working to better invest my money and time in ways that affirm BIPOC folks. I recognize that my learning will never be finished and that I need to actively challenge myself to combat White supremacy in myself and in society every day. 


Tools I’ve found helpful

Here are some tools I’ve found helpful as I learn to recognize, sit with, and resist White supremacy in my personal life: 

  • The most impactful book for me has been Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad. I read this one chapter per month and processed it together with a group of White friends. 

  • I’m currently reading My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem, and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander is next on my list.

  • I’ve done some trainings with SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice), which has a Twin Cities chapter.

  • I took a really excellent anti-racism training for photographers taught by Tomayia Colvin. 

  • I’m currently taking a very in-depth course called The Boudoir University - it is created by a diverse collective of educators and photographers to create more inclusivity and less harm in the boudoir photography industry. Their 7 Pillars program includes segments on anti-racism, mitigating harm, therapeutic photography, sexology, LGBTQIA2S inclusivity, body image, and ableism.

  • I’ve watched many documentaries; the one that I learned the most from was 13th.

  • I took the Harvard Project Implicit Bias Test, which was a really excellent and uncomfortable experience. 

  • I’m enrolled in The Great Unlearn, a learning community created by Rachel Cargle that I highly recommend.

 

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