My sister and close friend K'Leeyah holding her son Phoenix, aka Big P, in Virginia during a party for his 2nd birthday in March 2023. When I saw her holding him and wiping his mouth, I knew I had to make an image. It was an immediate visual cue to a more carefree time anyone with a Black mother can relate to. When I saw this, I felt like it was my mother and I. Currently based in Mebane, North Carolina, Phillip ìKing Phillî Loken was born in Texas and has lived in various cities and towns across North Carolina since the age of four. His photography is intimately tied to his lived experiences as a Black man in the American South. He wants to capture the rich history and vibrant cultural expressions that influence his subjects' lives.