She Painted Our Worth Before We Believed It: Honoring the Life and Legacy of Keturah Ariel Bobo
When the Brush Was Her Declaration
I remember it clearly opening the pages of I Am Enough and pausing at the art. The face of the young girl stared back at me, resilient, crowned in curls, rich in color, held in dignity. That illustration unfurled a truth inside of many girls which said: You are worthy. And for that I am honored to honor Keturah Ariel Bobo.
The Moment That Marked Her Legacy
Keturah’s work didn’t whisper. It declared. As a graduate of Columbus College of Art & Design, she stepped into a world that too often overlooked Black girls and women in the frames of children’s books and illustration. She turned that omission into art that affirmed: “You are seen. You are enough. You matter.”
This truth is one I know deeply, because I help girls and women go from surviving to thriving.
She Painted Our Worth Before Many Believed It
Keturah’s portfolio was a testament. From illustrations for major publishers and brands to exhibitions that celebrated Black beauty, she elevated what it meant to be represented in a monumental way.
Her art was bright, bold, and uplifting, with characters of Black girls and women centered in grace and strength. She didn’t wait for the permission others didn’t give; she made space and filled it with color, soul, and reverence.
When Loss Hit, Light Still Remained
In October 2025, the world paused, when we were informed that Keturah passed after a long-term illness at just 45 years of age. And yet, her departure marked not the end, but a seismic shift. Her legacy remains alive through every book, every pattern, every girl who picked up a pencil because she saw someone like her on the page.
The Redemption Found in Representation
Here’s the truth I had to learn, and I want you to know it too: representation isn’t optional. It’s redemptive.
Research shows that when children of color see themselves authentically depicted, their self-esteem rises, and their possibilities expand. Keturah’s art spoke to that neural space where identity meets purpose. Her illustrations rewired lives.
How Can You Honor BoBo’s Legacy?
Look back at a Keturah illustration and ask: Where did I first see myself reflected? Where did I stop seeing myself?
Reach out your hand pick up a pencil, a paintbrush, a camera—and create space for someone who still waits to be seen.
Rise in your calling. Her art said: “This is how I see you. Now it’s your turn to see yourself and then see others.”
A Closing Prayer for the Girl Inside
Speak to the little girl inside you: You are worthy. You are enough.
I don’t say it because it’s easy, far from it. I say it because I lived the journey from silent doubt into fierce self-affirmation. And I want you to reclaim that worth now.
Keturah may have laid down her brush, but she painted a template for our rising. Let’s honor her by stepping into the color, stepping into the light, and by intentionally being the representation someone boy or girl somewhere needs.
Reflection Invitation
Take a moment, look at your reflection. Who are you seeing? If the little girl inside you feels unseen, make a choice to be visible. Because when you live from the truth of your worth, you become the art someone else needs to believe in. It’s time to rise, reclaim, and remember.
