This triptych aims to illustrate how poetry can shed light on contemporary issues related to gender and race, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities of human experience. The first piece reflects on the phrase "cry me a river," challenging the negative connotations often associated with female vulnerability. The second drawing, inspired by the phrase "the river flows like a stream of glass," addresses the pressures boys face to conform to traditional gender roles, symbolizing their innocence against societal expectations of masculinity. The third piece employs the metaphor "her eyes were like fireflies" to represent hope. This imagery captures a woman of color gazing upwards to represent the dreams many immigrants hold for the American Dream while acknowledging the reality of systemic racism they may encounter. Although each drawing conveys distinct ideas, I chose to display them together vertically. They are visually connected by a flowing river and by integrating poems within the rips, creating a cohesive narrative that speaks to the impact of gender stereotypes and privilege on both personal and collective experiences. 



Poems included in artwork: Cry Me A River Poem by Matt Starking, Where Has the Young Boy Gone? by Clive Blake, and Voice of the Voiceless by Captain Harbeebiy.