Artist Portrait by Rambo Elliot

We have admired Christina Moreland’s (@morelaaand) artwork for years. The combination of playful imagery paired with a deep themes of racial justice and identity are simply captivating. It’s clear, and as you’ll learn in the following interview, that all of their art comes from a very honest and personal place — their own lived experience.

For our collaborative collection, we came together with this idea of creating a HUMAN KINDNESS SOCIETY — a group of people coordinating, plotting, and strategizing to be kind to one another and bring more kindness to the world. Because we all know… we could use it.

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Where are you from and where are you based now?

I grew up in southern Germany and later Dallas, Texas. I’m currently hangin’ out in sunny Los Angeles.

Did you always want to be an artist?

When I was much younger, I probably thought for a moment that I’d eventually work with animals. But even as a kid I spent a lot of my time drawing and doodling. Art has been one of the few things to remain as a constant presence in my life, so I think it kind of became inevitable.

Much of your art carries with it a message of human dignity & a desire for justice. Why are these themes important to you?

Not only do I think these things are important because they simply just are but I also think because I am a mixed Black queer person, I inherently experience the world and “justice” slightly differently. And I try to make art about the world around me and the world I experience within me.

Can you tell the good people reading this about “Afro Gurl”? Who is she and where did she come from?

Afro Gurl is a cartoon character (aka my alter ego) and an animated comic series about a sensitive Black queer hero. Afro Gurl lives in future semi-dystopian America, fighting against systemic violence and protecting folks from injustices. This character and story is meant to represent parts of myself I want to celebrate more. I fell in love with cartoons and illustration and 2D animations when I was little, but I didn’t grow up with a lot of Black cartoons. Most cartoons weren’t Black or featured a lot of brown or Black or gay people. Afro Gurl is also meant to change that a little.

If there one was one artistic expression / medium you want to get better at, what is it?

Playing guitar and piano or making music.

SHOP THE HUMAN KINDNESS SOCIETY COLLECTION