“Building Self-Empowerment | Step 2 | Documentation and Goal Setting” reflects on the power of articulation; how identifying and recording one’s goals transforms uncertainty into direction. This work explores the act of documentation as both evidence and empowerment, where the written word becomes a foundation for progress. Step 2 emphasizes structure, accountability, and the conscious shaping of one’s path amid unpredictable conditions.

Part of the MyPOP (My Print on Poverty) collection, this series examines social mobility and the contradictions between idealized prosperity and lived experience. Through the lens of self-empowerment, the work studies the steps toward reclaiming agency within systems that limit access and opportunity. It challenges stereotypes of poverty while honoring the quiet determination required to define one’s own future.

The surface is coated with a malleable wax texture, symbolizing both preservation and transformation. Distressed collage elements serve as visual metaphors—representing barriers, erosion, and the evolving layers of self-understanding.