Portland State University School of Art + Design student Nia Musiba has been awarded the 2022 Andries Deinum Prize for Visionaries and Provocateurs from the PSU College of the Arts. The prize comes with a $10,000 award, which Musiba will use to create “The Alphabet of Black Creators,” a multimedia project highlighting the work of 26 contemporary Black creators and filling a gap in Black representation in art education and in the larger community.
“The Alphabet of Black Creators,” or ABCs, will comprise a book and website, which will be a home for the work of 26 Black artists and will include conversations between members of the cohort as well as collaborative works by the artists. Musiba, who is earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, plans to offer the book, prints, stickers, T-shirts and other items for sale, with proceeds and royalties going to the artists.
“The intention is to create a community where Black voices and visions can connect to decompress and to celebrate one another,” said Musiba.
Musiba intends to address critical questions such as what it means to be a Black creator in today’s world, what role design can play in education and activism, and “how can I disrupt the narrative that Black creators have to make work solely about their identities?”
Musiba views her project as a means of inspiring Black audiences and connecting them to creators who reflect their own backgrounds and experiences. Following a time-honored tradition, she is influenced by the Black ABCs, a set of visual aids developed by two Chicago teachers in 1970 to help young children learn to read. With phrases like “A is for Afro,” “B is for Beautiful,” and “P is for Proud,” the cards provided Black children with learning materials that reflected and uplifted their own identities and experiences.
“I see a lack of Black representation within all levels of education in general, specifically in art education,” said Musiba. “As a person who almost didn’t pursue a creative career in part because I never saw myself reflected within art, I know firsthand the need for teaching and inspirational materials that will resonate with Black folks,” in addition to educating a wider audience about the works of Black creators.
Musiba has plans for her project beyond the initial creation process that is supported by the Deinum Prize “If all goes well, I could produce and release an edition of the ABCs annually, featuring a new cohort of 26 creators each year,” said Musiba, with the hope that the publication would be carried by local retailers.
In recommending her for the prize, Art + Design senior instructor Precious Bugarin praised Nia’s vibrant collaborative mural projects on campus and her leadership in COMMA, a student-directed group focused on creating community engagement, professional mentorship, and support among BIPOC design students. Bugarin wrote that “Nia shines…in her curiosity, exploration and dedication to art and more importantly to all people. Nia is an outstanding student. She is highly creative, engaged and supportive of her peers. She is unique in her dedication to using her creative talents for societal change.”
Briar Levit, associate professor of graphic design, commented, “Nia is a rare student with fire in her. Her work is about communing, and giving. She wants to be a part of a community and one that is looking for the good and for growth.”
For Musiba’s Deinum Prize project, she will “inject the beauty of her murals, the poetry of her zines and the informative qualities of her design work,” said Levit. “I’m looking forward to watching her whole career.”
The daughter of a Tanzanian immigrant, Musiba she has been actively involved in COMMA as a student leader and has spearheaded collaborative mural projects with her peers on campus, in addition to participating in the School of Art + Design’s Anti-Racist Colloquium. Outside of school, she works as a freelance designer and as a founding member of BusyBody PDX, an art-based collective. She plans to graduate with her BFA in fall 2022.
Her future plans include pursuing a Fulbright fellowship and earning an MFA, with an eye toward teaching.
“It is my personal belief that design isn’t just a major or a job, but a way of moving through the world, and that design can be an identity that brings together people from all academic and creative backgrounds,” said Musiba.
About the Andries Deinum Prize
Musiba is the seventh recipient of the Andries Deinum Prize for Visionaries and Provocateurs, the largest cash award in the PSU College of the Arts. The prize is given annually to a student who is committed to expanding public dialogue via creative artistic expression, original research or an innovative project highlighting the role and value of art in the 21st century.
The prize is named for the late film educator and PSU professor Andries Deinum (1918-1995), who transformed Portland’s cultural and intellectual landscape through his innovative use of film in education. The prize was established with gifts from devoted former students, colleagues and others inspired by Deinum’s humanist values.
To make a gift or discuss options for supporting PSU arts faculty and programs, contact:
Jaymee Jacoby, Senior Director of Development, College of the Arts
503-725-3396 | jacobyj@psuf.org
Make a gift to the Deinum Prize for Visionaries and Provocateurs.
2022 Andries Deinum Prize Jury
Subashini Ganesan
Commissioner, Oregon Arts Commission
Bill Hart
President, Hart Development LLC
Mario Milosevic ‘06
Creative Director, Portland Trail Blazers
Gretchen Schauffler ‘85
President, Design Is Personal