My mother tells me the same story at least once a year. She talks about her childhood, growing up in the projects of Detroit during the 1950s and 60s; remembering the long walks in used, donated shoes that would rotate among her siblings. The shoes often had a few layers of cardboard tucked at the bottom of her soles, being the only separation between her feet and the floor. In the snowy or wet seasons, the snow or rain would melt the cardboard right from under her feet, and she’d have to walk several miles this way. In the warmer months, it was much easier to preserve the longevity of the shoes by simply walking around barefoot.

Within the performance of INNER SOLE, (a play on the phrase, “In her soul”), I attempt to find a deeper connection to my mother’s story, by hiking barefoot over the span of five days. Throughout the hike, sentiments of time, relationship, and resilience unveil themselves. Resilience, the capability to recover after stress, can be defined on a physical and mental level. In my recent artistic practice, I have been exploring and experimenting with the idea of generational sacrifice and how trauma transforms within a family line. For better, or worse. Too, in the age of physical isolation and mental unrest, how do we find ways to connect, empathize, and thrive?