MALN Opinion+: Noah Grigni

Diego Villaroel

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Welcome to another episode of Massachusetts Opinion+, where we talk about issues and opportunities of interest to the Massachusetts Latino community 

This week on Opinion+ we are joined by Noah Grigni an artist and illustrator whose work comes to Boston from Atlanta Georgia. Noah’s work explores gender, trauma, resilience, and the future of queer identity with aims to celebrate trans joy, empower trans youth, and uplift their community. 

Noah’s most recent exhibition Protect Trans Dreams: A Portrait Project is currently on show at the Boston Children’s Museum. The project focuses on a series of portraits Noah created in collaboration with local trans youth from Massachusetts. Using input from the kids, Noah was able to create depictions of the kids that showed their biggest dreams for their future selves.

 Noah worked on this project because they remembered how hard it was to come out as trans at 13 years old. Noah described it as “really isolating […they] wanted the kids in [their] community and life to feel celebrated and affirmed and connected to each other. Not only that but also to feel connected to the larger trans community and to have examples of trans adults who are thriving because that’s something [they] didn’t get as a child, and it can make it really hard to imagine a future for yourself when you don’t have examples of adults who look like you and share your lived experience.” 

On top of this, trans representation in popular media can often portray the community as traumatized and suffering. In the news, trans kids have become, in Noah’s words, “hyper-visible and hyper-politicized.” This makes it increasingly necessary to give them spaces and representation that allows them to be kids, and express themselves as they wish. 

If you’re interested in following Noah’s future work you can check their website and Instagram. Be sure to also go see their project Trans Dreams on display in the Boston Children’s Museum’s Lavender gallery until July 24th, 2022. 

Resources:

Boston Children’s Museum: https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/\

Protect Trans Dreams: A Portrait Project https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/exhibits-programs/exhibits/gallery