MADE the USA

The Roots of a Nation, Stitched in Truth

MADE THE USA is a series of large-scale cross-stitch tapestries—monumental, unapologetic, and far from traditional needlework. Each towering 20- to 30-foot piece highlights a plant that played a pivotal role in shaping the United States’ economy, fueling the nation’s ability to claim independence from Great Britain. Yet these same crops thrived on the forced labor of enslaved people, embedding a history of exploitation into the very foundation of American prosperity.

This series was inspired by a powerful display at the Museum of African American History in Washington, DC—a statement so stark and undeniable that it haunted me in its simplicity.

Our nation’s history is rooted in plants. The USA was able to break from Great Britain because of the immense wealth these crops generated. But that wealth was built on brutal, inhumane labor. How do we, as a nation, integrate this truth into our understanding of who we are? Can we acknowledge it, stand with integrity, and move forward without making amends? Or does recognizing our roots demand something more—an obligation to act? When I apologize personally, I don’t just acknowledge; I seek forgiveness and take action to show I mean it. Can we do that collectively, as a nation? As a state? As a country?

First, we must remember.

Since George Floyd’s death, I have been engaged in deep conversations about racism in the United States with a diverse group of fellow Americans. This project is part of that journey.

Each plant image is generated using AI, with over 400 variations created before selecting the final piece. The chosen image aligns with a collective visual memory of the plant—recognizable, yet eerily artificial, unsettling in its near-reality.

MADE THE USA exists within a larger series titled urCOLOR. As viewers engage with the tapestry, they do not just see it; they see through it. The piece becomes a lens—revealing the space they inhabit and the people beyond it.

We exist in relation to others.

COTTON

TOBACCO