I seldom take pictures of myself, and when I do, it's usually out of persuasion. Not that I don't like the way I look or something. I would just say I was not trained to embrace the camera. However, my camera roll says a lot about me, what and who I love, and what I love watching.
When you go through my gallery, the first images you will notice are screenshots and saved images of words. Oh boy!!! How I love learning new words. I discovered this part of me when I was in junior high, and then, since I didn't have a phone of my own, I wrote every word I learned in a book. When I got a phone after my graduation from high school, I followed all the English groups I came across on Facebook, especially, and saved videos and images of vocabulary.
One would think vocabulary images and videos are the only thing in my gallery, but when you continue scrolling, you will notice images of Michael Jackson. I love MJ!! His songs and dances always find their way to my heart. Most people find his dance weird, but I just love his moves. That is why my friends find it peculiar that a girl would love a dance that is most suitable for men. Apart from his music and moves, something about MJ inspires me.
Whenever I look at his images on my phone, I am not motivated to work harder; rather, I am reminded to put my nose to the grindstone. MJ earned his fame. Despite the denigration and accusations, he never stopped performing. He kept on pushing, and for over a decade now, the world still listens to his music. Sometimes, I wonder if I were MJ, facing all those things he faced and all the achievements he had, would I have stopped along the line? I always wish I had been born at a time when he was still alive!
Next, one would notice that I have a lot of virgin hair images and screen record videos in my gallery. I have always loved natural hair. Unfortunately, as a little girl, I could not keep mine because my mom was fed up with handling its natural form, complaining it was too strong, it shrunk, and it was too much. Now that I'm old enough to take care of some things, especially my hair, by myself, I'm who you would call a natural hair devotee. I save pictures and videos of people wearing their natural hair so as to keep track. "If she can handle this strong-natured hair to this height, I can mine." This is what I say to myself when I re-watch the videos or look at the images in my gallery.
Most of my friends believe I'm boring because, why on earth would a Gen-Z not have trending dance videos or clothes images? While...I would say I'm a girl born in the Gen-Z era but out of its world.
What you will find next in my gallery are historical figures. Mostly African figures. As an African, I find priority in knowing my origin, my people, and my culture. And the lives of people like Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara, and Nelson Mandela intrigue me!!
The next stop are images of Ben Carson. I went as far as using one as my WhatsApp profile and wallpaper. Those who have gone through my gallery and happen to see his images wonder why I have his images when I'm not a medical student. Well, he is my role model. I see him as a figure I should emulate. Just like MJ, he faced challenges, the kind that could have weakened him, but it never did because he didn't let it.
Aside from what my camera roll communicates to those who go through it. It reminds me of who I am: a learner, a reader, who would one day become a leader, an educator, and an advocate.
A person's camera roll is more like a window to their lives.