Cason Suggs: She Looks Like Me

Artist Statement

I have always wanted to use my work to represent Black culture, artists, lifestyles, and the like, but this piece is perhaps my most overt homage. In March of 2020, Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by the Kentucky Police Department while sleeping in her apartment. Taylor did not have a gun, she was not under suspicion of any crime, nor was anyone in the house under any suspicion. She was simply sleeping. Her image was plastered all over the media for the next 6 months, associated with one of the most cruel police killings in the last 10 years. There is no expressive or eloquent way for me to say how that made me feel. Simply put, it hurt me. The image of Trayvon Martin on TV was branded into my 12 year old mind, and I worried that the young girls following this story would be branded in the same way. I put that fear and anxiety into this work, in the hopes that people could understand the importance of proper representation, and combating the negative things we often see in the news. This film takes place directly after the Breonna Taylor verdict. Our protagonist, Leon, is looking for a doll for his daughter’s birthday, but he can’t find any Black dolls. It is necessary for him to find a doll that represents his niece. One that looks like her.

2022 VADS - People's Choice Voting

About the Project

Title of Work: She Looks Like Me
Medium: A 9 minute short film
Student's Name: Cason Suggs
Major: Film Studies (Film Production)
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2022
Hometown: Augusta, MO
Student's Mentor: Christian Rozier
Mentor's Department: School of Visual Studies