The patriarchy killed my mother.
 

While the official cause of her death may be attributed to complications from COPD, the truth extends far beyond medical records. The stress inflicted by patriarchal systems of oppression, though invisible to doctors and bureaucrats, left a palpable mark on her health.
 

Born in the American South during the 1950s, my mother was raised within the confines of traditional gender roles and expectations, which, in her community, dictated that a woman must attach herself, and her future, to a man. When the life she built around this expectation dissolved, she embarked on a journey to rebuild her world, armed with little more than the few remaining years she had left. As her health deteriorated, rendering her unable to work, we navigated labyrinthine social service systems in search of assistance, only to encounter insurmountable roadblocks at every turn. Consequently, she was never fully able to fully disentangle herself from the relationship she had left.
 

Themis, the namesake of this artwork, is the Greek goddess of justice. Later known as Lady Justice, she is the blindfolded goddess carrying scales and a sword that we see in the logos and sculptures adorning modern law offices. Yet, Themis was not always blind; her original depiction featured eyes wide open. The blindfold she now wears was intended to symbolize impartiality under the law, but, in my perspective, it is a patriarchal attempt to weaken her power. Themis is said to have built the temple at Delphi and herself possessed oracular wisdom. Removing her sight and insight through the blindfold serves to undermine her true strength.
 

​The laws and regulations governing public assistance programs were theoretically designed to prevent people from abusing the system, but in practice, they rendered it nearly impossible for my mother to access the help she desperately needed from systems ostensibly created to aid women in her situation. Here, our family experienced the full force of Themis' blindfold. Had her struggle been seen, had the individuals overseeing these 'blind' systems truly perceived my mother, perhaps her life's final chapter would have been less fraught.
 

In my artwork, I capture a moment of profound grief following my mother's passing. My hand nearly obscures my closed eyes, yet juxtaposed over it are my mother's eyes from a photograph taken when she was young and healthy. In this portrayal, I reclaim Themis' sight, returning to her the eyes she once had—my mother's eyes. I strip away the blindfold imposed upon justice, revealing the true power of insight, empathy, and understanding. This work serves as both an homage to my mother's struggle and a call to remove the blindfold from justice, so that others may find the help and compassion they need, unburdened by patriarchal and procedural constraints.