King Me

King Me celebrates the Black men I know—men who care for their children, work hard, and love their families. These photographs show the strength and worth often missing from media portrayals. Whether his pants sag or his cufflinks glisten, he matters.

King Me

King Me depicts the journey of a Black man as he looks back at his younger self, reflects on the life he has lived, and considers where he wants to go. What would he do differently? What is he proud of? What would he tell the young man he once was?

This project explores those questions through photography, honoring his growth, his love for himself, and the strength he carries. It celebrates the Black men I know—men who care for their children, work hard, love their families, and continue building their lives. Their experiences are far different from the narrow stories often told about them in the media.

King Me is about seeing the man beyond his appearance: his choices, his struggles, his accomplishments, and his hopes for the future. Whether his pants sag or his cufflinks glisten, his importance remains just as great.

King Me — The Poem

I don’t engage in the emasculation of Black men.
Rather, I celebrate our Kings.
Remind them of their power.
Remind them that, in their absence, life would not exist.

You see, how I see Black men described in the media
Is far different from what I have experienced.
The men I know care for their children,
Work honest and successful careers,
Love the women in their lives.

Yes, there are exceptions,
But it is not right to judge an entire population
By the actions of a flawed few.

I don’t engage in the emasculation of Black men.
Rather, I celebrate our Kings.
I acknowledge their intelligence,
Their determination to defy the odds,
To rebuild foundations
And correct the stories told about them.

Don’t see our men from the outside in.
Learn to look within.
Because whether his pants sag
Or his cufflinks glisten,
His importance is just as great.

I don’t engage in the emasculation of Black men.
I celebrate our Kings.

Photographer: Carol Lee
Wardrobe: G. Destin Collection
Bag: Cuff’d Designs
Stylist: Quinn
Models: Troy