Bria Benjamin is an artist, designer, illustrator, and writer. Whether through prose or illustration, she interrogates Blackness, beauty, gender, and the politics of all these subjects intertwined. Her story “Ghost Hunter” was a finalist in Fugue’s 2023 Fiction Contest. While a Texan at heart, she currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

When I close my eyes and envision the future of our cities, towns, and places we call home, I picture how to best serve people – and the environment we share with other living creatures – rather than serve profit and corporate interests. I picture community gardens to grow some of our food and locally compost the scraps; well-funded libraries and independent bookstores; abundant and accessible green space; safe and affordable housing; recreation space; space for art, dance, theater, and other community programming. I picture thriving communities and a place for us all.