Ruth Naomi Floyd

Ruth's art and social change work is to encourage and empower women of color and others to live a life full of promise and hope while combating HIV and AIDS. An HIV/AIDS activist for the past 15 years, she works to raise consciousness and influence the mindset of communities of color in relation to how they think about people living with HIV/AIDS. Ruth uses art to dispel myths and perceptions about HIV/AIDS among women of color. In her photography series, Reflection: Woman and the Veil she challenges the viewer to feel and trace some of the stages that women of color may experience while struggling, surviving, fighting and living with HIV/AIDS. Through her music, she communicates the spiritual message of love, joy, peace, and renewal while also addressing the struggles facing communities of color. As an African American artist, she is challenged to remember, investigate, and incorporate her culture's struggle for true representation of one's self and others. Her work aims to evoke a response that leads to open and honest dialogue that can revolutionize thoughts, lives, and communities.

Production of a CD of African-American spirituals and jazz. Support towards musician fees and production expenses.

Ruth Naomi Floyd received a degree in specialized technology from the Art Institute of Philadelphia where she majored in photography. She is the recipient of several awards from the college, including the Scholarship Award and the Permanent Collection Award.

Floyd has worked in the Philadelphia area as a freelance photographer for several years. She has produced album covers for Contour Records and is currently producing a body of work entitled Portraits - Perception. In addition, she is a jazz vocalist and composer, and has released two highly-regarded CDs on the Contour label.