WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.940 When I see someone that's 2 00:00:01.940 --> 00:00:03.420 expressing themselves in a unique way, 3 00:00:03.420 --> 00:00:05.088 it kind of makes me want to capture it. 4 00:00:05.088 --> 00:00:08.030 (upbeat music) 5 00:00:08.030 --> 00:00:09.790 line:15% My name is Monica Ahanonu. 6 00:00:09.790 --> 00:00:12.343 line:15% I am an illustrator based in Los Angeles. 7 00:00:13.460 --> 00:00:18.230 My artwork centers around fashion, portraits, faces, 8 00:00:18.230 --> 00:00:19.693 black men and women of color. 9 00:00:20.580 --> 00:00:21.520 When something sticks out to me 10 00:00:21.520 --> 00:00:22.730 it makes me interested in drawing it 11 00:00:22.730 --> 00:00:25.233 and breaking it down to a simple form. 12 00:00:26.490 --> 00:00:28.290 My art piece for Comcast, 13 00:00:28.290 --> 00:00:31.480 I chose to show both positive and negative emotions 14 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:33.680 because if you were happy all the time, 15 00:00:33.680 --> 00:00:37.277 you may never make changes in your life or try new things. 16 00:00:38.635 --> 00:00:40.730 There's also lines going around each person 17 00:00:40.730 --> 00:00:42.780 but the lines also connect showing how 18 00:00:42.780 --> 00:00:45.680 our energies feed off each other and also help each other. 19 00:00:48.020 --> 00:00:49.760 A lot that happens in black history month is 20 00:00:49.760 --> 00:00:52.580 we celebrate good things that people are doing, 21 00:00:52.580 --> 00:00:53.760 good things that are happening. 22 00:00:53.760 --> 00:00:56.060 We also recognize things that have happened. 23 00:00:56.060 --> 00:00:57.590 Black men and women have gone through 24 00:00:57.590 --> 00:00:59.550 certain difficult things. 25 00:00:59.550 --> 00:01:02.960 How we can use this time to bring it more to light. 26 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:04.660 Being able to be an illustrator 27 00:01:04.660 --> 00:01:08.690 and make a living doing the art that is my personal style, 28 00:01:08.690 --> 00:01:10.270 that happened because of the internet, 29 00:01:10.270 --> 00:01:11.470 people seeing it on the internet, 30 00:01:11.470 --> 00:01:13.010 and finding me on the internet. 31 00:01:13.010 --> 00:01:15.310 I would say I interact with my community, through my art 32 00:01:15.310 --> 00:01:17.760 by helping them be inspired 33 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:19.300 by something they may have never seen. 34 00:01:19.300 --> 00:01:22.010 It maybe, hopefully, inspires them in some way 35 00:01:22.010 --> 00:01:23.660 or opens their mind to something. 36 00:01:24.750 --> 00:01:25.700 Even though different people 37 00:01:25.700 --> 00:01:27.930 might be experiencing different things at the moment, 38 00:01:27.930 --> 00:01:29.430 we are kind of all connected. 39 00:01:29.430 --> 00:01:31.610 We understand where the other person may have been 40 00:01:31.610 --> 00:01:32.600 or is coming from. 41 00:01:32.600 --> 00:01:35.267 So, it's helpful in making change. 42 00:01:35.267 --> 00:01:37.684 (soft music)