“Building Self-Empowerment | Step 1 | Improve Communication” centers on the essential act of expression as the first step toward transformation. This work underscores how clarity, listening, and dialogue can bridge the gaps that inequity often widens. Step 1 reflects the courage to speak, to be heard, and to rebuild trust; within oneself, one’s family, and one’s community. It acknowledges communication as both a personal tool and a collective necessity in navigating systems that silence or divide.

Part of the MyPOP (My Print on Poverty) collection, this series investigates social mobility and the contradictions between idealized prosperity and lived experience. Through the lens of self-empowerment, the work examines the gradual reclamation of agency within environments of limited access, illuminating resilience, adaptability, and hope.

The surface is coated with a malleable wax texture, symbolizing both preservation and transformation. Distressed collage elements serve as storytelling devices; representing barriers, erosion, and the layered process of building voice and confidence.