Story: Photos from the 80s and 90s of holiday moments gathered from my Grandma's family album archives. The first photo from the 80s is the epitome of my Taylor and Love family existing in Black joy. My great grandfather Myles C Taylor struts in a Christmas fashion show held at Bethel AME Church in San Francisco, CA. My grandmother Deborah Ann Taylor-Ford is on the mic MCing and my great grandmother Hazel Lee Love looks on from the crowd at them both. Additional photos from that same day of my Uncle Rod playing the trumpet on stage and my grandmother doing what she does best - preaching on the mic. When I first was trying to figure out when these photos occurred, my dad initially thought it was a family reunion which my family does annually, often with family fashion shows. What gave the timing away for these photos was noticing the edge of a christmas tree next to the cross in photo #3.

In photo #4 you see my dad, Waymon Howard and my Grandma in the 80s in San Francisco, CA. My Grandma is playing a boom box that my dad got for christmas and he has a cassette ready in his hand to play (I wish I knew what cassette he was holding)! Fast forward to photo #5 Christmas in the 90s at my Grandma's home in Fairfield, CA. She always went all out with decorating - from the Black angel Christmas tree topper to Black santas everywhere. In the words of my dad "This is when the tree was always real". Another photo on Christmas morning, every year we spent it at Grandma's house. I'm maybe 4 or 5 years old and unwrapped my newest Barbie toy with my brother Myles to my left.

Lastly, photos #7-8 Thanksgiving at my Grandma's house in the 90s. She was the ultimate host, throwing down with all the food she cooked herself: ham decorated with pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on top, greens, stuffing, mac and cheese, candied yams, and more. She always kept her mantel above her fireplace stacked with the latest photos of family. You can spot me if you look closely - in my school uniform, with my hair in 4 twists, and missing front teeth smile waiting for the tooth fairy.

My grandmother Deborah Ann Taylor-Ford is and was a beloved matriarch in our family. She taught me the importance of gathering, hosting, and greeting everyone with a hello no matter who they are. I am inspired by her memories and belongings she chose to hold onto and will be curating a show that honors her legacy and inspires others to think about how they recollect memories, preserve family archives, and honor ancestry.

Creative Field: Wardrobe & Wellness

Connect: @StyleTherapywithSam | @NewVintagebySam