The Bloom Series
“Black history month reminds us to elevate and celebrate the often erased contributions of the Black community.” -Blair Imani
In celebration of Black History Month, The Counseling Collaborative will showcase some amazing contributions from women right here in Kansas City who are empowering women and empowering a movement. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep in touch!
The Counseling Co is featuring the Bloom Series, envisioned and created by photographer Ciarra Criddle. Over the course of the next four weeks, we will lend our social media profiles to highlight the stories Ciarra has captured in both picture and words in efforts to explore and open up the conversation about racism and injustice.
THE BLOOM SERIES!
The first topic in this series is Racism & Injustice which features amazing, beautiful women. Check out our interview with Ciarra about the Bloom Series:
Q: What inspired you to create the Bloom Series?
A: I was questioning the impact I was making as a photographer. I wanted to feel like I had a purpose and feel like my photography had meaning. I wanted something unique, something relatable, something highlighting WOMEN that would be meaningful - not just to me, but to those participating. WOMEN ARE AMAZING and it can never be said enough!
Q: What sparked your interest in addressing the topic of racism and injustice?
A: My very first topic of the Bloom Series was Racism & Injustice. I wanted that to be the starting point because I knew how many people were affected by what was going on in our nation. It was a topic that was surrounded by so many different emotions and opinions, and I wanted to use that topic for good, rather than just feeding into the negativity that seemed to be overtaking every social media or news feed. And instead of just sharing my own opinion, I wanted to help others learn about and support different perspectives regarding racism/injustice. I wanted to allow these women to use their voices and speak out on an issue that was deeply affecting our nation and our homes.
Q: Share with us why you wanted to feature women and their stories.
A: Women are powerful. Strong. Beautiful. Resilient. Talented. But as women, we sometimes forget these things. We don’t always realize how valuable we are...every single one of us. The purpose of the Bloom Series is to empower women and give them the platform to use their voices, highlight their beauty, unique stories and personalities while sharing their perspectives on different topics.
Q: What gift do you want to give women with The Bloom Series?
A: My hope is that the Bloom Series will allow women to share their stories, wisdom and perspective, and give women an opportunity to hear from other amazing women. I also hope it will provide women with the support, encouragement and confidence we all deserve to have. All of our stories are different and each view life through a different set of lenses — which is a beautiful thing!
Please visit Ciarra Criddle Photography to view her complete story and body of work.