Dacia Idom is an artist and social activist who uses her art, mainly the written word and photography, to get people feeling, thinking and to drive her subject matter home to instill a lasting impression long after the viewer has walked away. And her subject matter of choice? Telling the stories of Black Americans and shedding light on the injustices committed against them.

The schools Dacia attended while growing up were dominated by predominately white students and faculty, so art became a form of expression for her to speak her truth and express her identity. A way to express ideas and talk about issues, creating conversations that may not have happened otherwise. She states, "Art is very universal because you bring your own experiences and background while finding new ground to stand on and think about.".

Her works like "Your Story, My Story, and The Truth" and "Self vs. Society" illustrate with striking images African-Americans' experience in society, through the bounds of history right up to today. Her pieces highlight African-Americans' achievements while putting a spotlight on the systematic racism that people of color must continuously work against to gain those achievements. Inspiration stems from her family, artists like Carrie Mae Weems, and Freedom Fighters throughout history like John Lewis. Dacia notes that "As an artist, it can be hard to get right in it, as a Black woman having to worry about the people you love while also making progress.", but she stands strong to continue creating. Her art also works to invoke the understanding that the fight against racism doesn't fall solely on the marginalized people's shoulders. If racism is to end, it is up to us to all come together to make that happen, because as Dacia puts it, "You are part of a bigger idea of what the world is.".

Dacia's collaboration headband speaks on her as a person and what she stands for in her everyday life. Each word used on her headband is meant to be impactful, with the main message reading "Speak Truth". It showcases the embodiment of her personal message and the artistry of her words. "It can be scary to Speak Truth, but we must conquer our fears because real change happens when we are honest, vulnerable, and courageous.", says Dacia, "I wrote Speak Truth to express my belief that tough conversations are part of our overall healing. We must push through discomfort in order to arrive at peace, equity, and change.".

Dacia emphasizes the importance of family, of having a base who you know will have your back and look out for you, which is why she founded Stand with Purpose. This organization creates a safe space for Black youth to share and create art, specifically poetry and photography. Stand with Purpose hosts workshops where the kids can work together with local artists to better their artistic skills and express themselves freely. For 30 days after release all proceeds from her collaboration headband sales will be donated to Stand with Purpose to further their work with Black youth in the arts.

Currently, Dacia works in Texas as a digital coordinator for county government, and a content creator while running her photography business Photos by Dacia and is continuously working to advance social justice for people of color.
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JUNK Artist Series Collection
Dacia Idom Personal Work
Artist Feature | Adrian Gipson