My “Why” By Deveney Marshall

Being an artist fuels me. It shifts the way I move through the world and changes how I view everything and everyone around me. For as far back as I can remember I have been a creative, if you ask my parents they’ll say I’ve been creating before I even came into this world. My mom says even when I was in her womb I had my own dance “routine” whenever she played certain songs. Creating is a part of my being, there is no me without Art.

So, what do I create?

Truly, everything, but I align myself with the titles of filmmaker, actress, and graphic designer the most. Each facet of my artistry allows me to express a different side of myself. Creating films and videos helps me to provide a therapeutic experience for others. My films and video content force my audience to pause and think, then confront the layers within themselves they often can’t define or have difficulty understanding. Acting is a cathartic experience for me. Becoming a character pushes me to release thoughts and emotions I sometimes don’t realize are there. When I portray a character, I oddly have to become more in tune with who I am as a person, since it is important for me to be able to differentiate between the character I am portraying and who I am as an individual. As a graphic designer, I have a chance to be a visual storyteller, which aides me in empowering and evoking thought in everyone who views my artwork.

Filmmaking, acting, and graphic designing provide a safe space for me to be my most unfiltered and vulnerable self. They give me the freedom to express my thoughts, values, and social advocacy in broader ways than just speaking about them can.

In 2015, I launched my social advocacy organization THEDEVANDTHECITY.COM, better known as The DATC, which is a non-profit platform with a mission to operate as the ultimate empowerment space for Black womxn and femmes. The DATC is a direct reflection of who I am as an artist, creative, and individual. I consider the platform to be the cornerstone of who I am. Not only did I develop the entire layout of the website myself, but I also create all of the graphics and most of the publication’s content as well. The platform gives a clear and concise idea of what I stand for and what I’m passionate about.

Oftentimes, Black womxn and femmes are left out of the universal conversation of proper representation. We aren’t given the full emotional attention we need to continue to sustain ourselves within a world that views us as an afterthought. Or, when we are represented, it’s usually only one aspect of Black womxnhood that is showcased. Black womxn are multifaceted beings, we are individuals. Besides our various skin-tones, we come from different backgrounds, have different experiences, and have different outlooks, we should not be represented as one linear group. I created The DATC to fulfill this gap. I am passionate about this space serving as an inclusive platform for all Black womxn and femmes. No matter what your background is or whether you identify as cisgender, queer, or Trans, I want all Black womxn to know they are welcome and have a seat at The DATC’s table. Every Black womxn and femme deserves to know a space exists where they can genuinely feel seen, heard, and valued, that is what The DATC is.

Over the last two years, The DATC has expanded by launching various initiatives to impact Black womxn and femme communities. In addition to the online publication, the platform now has a mental health-focused, virtual talk space community called “Sittin’ With It,” a wellness initiative by the name of THEWELLDOWNEXPERIENCE, and a community outreach division entitled The Baddies On A Mission Project. Each initiative was created to ensure the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of Black womxn and femmes everywhere. I want to give Black womxn and femmes who look like me the fortitude they need to live an empowered and spiritually-aligned life. I will continue to work diligently at elevating every single initiative The DATC has until this platform is the primary destination for all Black womxn and femmes to find empowerment, community, and resources.

As I write this and reflect on what I am truly passionate about, it is to consistently be the change I want to see. Who I am as an artist will always support that mission. My hunger for social change will forever be at the forefront of my artistry. I want my legacy to be of one that impacted the world in significant ways. The overwhelming amount of love and support I receive as an individual and artist reinforce that I am successfully building that legacy. The way The DATC platform has been embraced through the years shows me this space does not exist in vain. I am reminded every day to keep going by the amount of love and support I receive online and in real life. The people who follow and subscribe to The DATC publication and share my content online are who I live to serve. Their support is my driving force to keep going even when I deal with the utmost adversity.

Collectively, this is my why, and in a perfect world, I would receive all of the funding needed to sustain my mission of being of service to all humankind, especially Black womxn and femmes. One day soon, I hope to receive the necessary financial backing to expand my vision and outreach as an artist and community leader. I am looking forward to the day when others invest in my mission as much as I already do. However, until that day comes, and even once that day comes, I will never have a problem with using my own dollars to fund what I know makes a difference in this world.