'Thank You, MS PAM'

How Black Women Are Preventing the Erasure of Seattle's Black Community Through the Arts

by NaKeesa Frazier-Jennings

As a Black woman myself, the term "Black excellence" doesn't really resonate with me, and to use it to describe Tariqa Waters, a multidisciplinary artist and business owner in Seattle, would be an understatement. Owner and founder of local art gallery Martyr Sauce, what she is doing through her art, her presence, and her commitment to our local community has an importance that cannot be truly captured in words, unless with a word that means something more than excellent. She occupies spaces and represents Black women and Black girls, and does so with grace, generosity, kindness, and color through both her amazing personal style and her larger-than-life art installations!

The significance, the importance, and the power of Tariqa's presence is an inspiration. It is so critical for young Black girls to see, and for the inner Black child who is still part of so many people who look like me to witness, what Tariqa Waters does through her art, to experience it, absorb it, and be moved by it. Representation truly does matter, and Tariqa Waters is a true manifestation of that fact.

I first met Tariqa during the Seattle Art Fair several years ago, my first time there, and I was struck by how I initially experienced the environment, which was not very diverse. Sure, there were a lot of different types of art to see, but I did not see many people who looked like me. So, when I saw this Black woman, sitting at her booth with the most engaging presence, it was a must that I visit her booth. Tariqa struck up a conversation with me and my husband, telling us about her work and also seeming genuinely interested in us. Honestly, I cannot remember the details of our conversation, I just remember how I felt. I felt welcomed; there was a sense of belonging by seeing that this Black woman, this artist, was there and was occupying this space, and being able to engage with her was truly meaningful. The fact that she was so gracious and kind while fully representing enhanced my experience that day. I saw her and she saw me.

When I think about Tariqa, I cannot help but think, too, about many other Black women in greater Seattle's art community who are taking up space, reclaiming space, reimagining space, centering and representing the Black community and Black voices, and leading the way to ensure the Black community of greater Seattle will never be erased. Aramis Hamer, Esther Ervin, Vivian Phillips, Jazmyn Scott, Reagan Jackson, Kamari Bright, Elisheba Johnson, Yolanda Barton, Leona Moore-Rodriguez, Natasha Marin, and Carol Williams are showing up and holding space, and doing it with grace, humanity, and seemingly unending amounts of generosity. Each one of these women is personally meaningful to me and each is extremely inspirational in so many ways. They are all leading the way throughout greater Seattle, where our presence, the presence of the Black community, needs to exist, needs to be felt, and needs never to be forgotten.

I encourage everyone reading this article to get to know Tariqa Waters' work and the work of the other local Black women I named, and the many others I do not have space in this article to name. Find them, support them, and join their efforts to ensure the Black community can continue not only to dream but also to thrive.

Recently, thanks to the Seattle Black Film Festival, I was able to experience one of Tariqa's many artistic endeavors by attending the screening of the pilot episode of her new TV show, Thank You, MS PAM, on April 27. Thank You, MS PAM is a variety show that features artists, performers, and food as seen through the eyes of the title character, MS PAM. When I saw she was going to be showing it during this year's festival, along with live performances, I knew I had to be there.

Tariqa was kind enough to allow me and my husband to sit in the theater when we arrived at the venue a bit too early while she and the other performers were still getting last-minute preparations ready. She greeted us, she was welcoming, and she was gracious, making me feel once again that sense of belonging.

I was instantly drawn to the visual fierceness of Ms. Tariqa's waist-length gold braids (that sparkled, no less!), and drawn into the live performance portion of the show.

Musical group LeRoy Bell and His Only Friends were wonderful! LeRoy Bell's voice is so melodic, and his energy was infectious! He shared a bit about his wide-ranging history as a musician, which was so dope.

When the "Double Dutch Bus" song came blasting through the speakers, it transported me back to the '80s while bringing out my inner chair dancer. The Double Dutch Divas burst onto the stage with high energy, and they were so much fun to watch, especially when they invited audience members onto the stage to jump with them. Seeing people on stage jumping double Dutch, one of my favorite things to do with my friends when I was young, brought back the strongest of my childhood memories.

There was so much more to see throughout the evening, such as dancer Kisha Vaughan and two of her students, who dazzled us with movement. The live roller skaters, the DJ, and, of course, the screening of Thank You, MS PAM's debut episode were all such a treat!

When the screening began, we entered into the world of the main character as she slept and dreamed surrounded by colorful, larger-than-life retro items, reminding me of the excitement of picking out a new lunchbox at the start of a new school year, and sharing the expansiveness of memories mixed with imagination. This — accessing your memories, being imaginative, and dreaming — are important messages for all Black people to remember and see depicted on screen.

Colossal replicas of Bubblicious chewing gum transported me even deeper back into the memories of my childhood — the huge bubbles I could make and how thrilling that was! The giant ball bubble ponytail holders really took me back because I really loved those as a child when I saw any Black girl wearing them in their hair, especially when the color of the ponytail holder balls matched the color of their outfits. Back then, that felt like the epitome of children's fashion.

The imagery and the interviews with local artists, creatives, and performers felt like a mix of Alice in Wonderland, a variety show, and a late-night talk show. It did not disappoint! The entire experience was full of so much to see and experience for all age groups. You should check out the Seattle Channel for Thank You, MS PAM.

What I keep thinking about, even all this time later, are two things: the significance of what Tariqa Waters has done and continues to do as a Black woman in and for the Seattle community, and what I experienced of Tariqa Waters, the person. She is known as a powerhouse performer, creator, and businesswoman, but who she is and how I experienced her as a person is what I will surely never forget.

Watch Thank You, MS PAM at the Seattle Channel website.

Featured Image: Tariqa Waters' "Thank You, MS PAM" is a fantastical variety show featuring interviews and music from local Black artists. (Photo courtesy of Tariqa Waters)