STARR SOLIÉ SMITH

New Mini Portrait 💕

This is 26 Heauxs ! ✨

Celebrating me all month. 💋

For my birthday I decided to do my take on this year’s Met Gala theme “FASHION IS ART” , using all original art made by me 🖤 #HappyBirthdayToMe #26

I am honored to have served on the Inaugural Leadership Council for the Ana & Adeline Foundation. This December we embarked on a five-month long development phase, which concluded in April. During this process I throughly enjoyed working with such an amazing team of YAYA Alumni, Foundation Board members, and staff. The experience and knowledge I have gained during this time is invaluable. Thank you so much to @anadelinefoundation for this opportunity. I am also soo glad I had the chance to visit the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) last month as a part of our Council Gathering to view the featured work by many talented New Orleans artists & a few whom I have the pleasure to call friends! So proud of @trenityjthomas for continuing to shine his light. I especially enjoyed the exhibition Proximity Index by @diquanforcell

Always remember to pour into yourself.! ✨ Posting this as a reminder to me, to get back into me.

Q1 Dump ✨

Its only right that I give my new piece “We Desire To Be Perceived” the proper space to exist in its own moment. I have been working on this as a part of a larger collection for the past 2 years. I have been taking time away from sharing art as consistently as I once was while doing alot of shadow work to find clarity on many things that have been weighing on me. This is a start to releasing some of that energy. I finished this piece just in time to be apart this past Black History Month Art Exhibition “Welcome Home” at FIT. Please enjoy a part of the curatorial explanation by @jomanidanielle on slide 4.

Please enjoy more photos from the “Welcome Home” Black History Month art exhibition I had the pleasure of designing on behalf of @thebsuatfit at The Fashion Institute of Technology ❤️ Check out their instagram page for more photos from the show, artists spotlight videos and a recap from our closing reception!

The Black Student Union would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who came out to support our 2026 Black History Month Art Exhibition, “Welcome Home.” Your presence, encouragement, and engagement helped make this celebration of Black creativity, culture, and expression truly meaningful. A special thank you to Curator Jomani Kelly and our Exhibition Designer Starr Smith for their vision, dedication, and hard work in bringing this exhibition to life. We are also incredibly grateful to all of the participating artists whose powerful work made this show such an inspiring experience. Lastly, a huge shoutout to the FIT Art & Design Department’s Installation Team for their time, effort, and craftsmanship in helping us transform the space and showcase these works so beautifully. Thank you all for being part of this moment and for continuing to uplift and celebrate Black art and history. ✊🏾🎨 @fit_artdesigngallery @fit_artdesign Photographer: Maria Valerio @m.v_mont Video Credits: Adrian Mukasa @auteur_film_series Elsouljah Reme @el.souljah

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be apart of organizing the 2026 @thebsuatfit BSU Black Legacy in the Creative Industries panel this past Wednesday. I am beyond grateful to all our guests for attending the panel, as well as the Welcome Home BHM Art Exhibit. These collaborative events are among the Black Student Union’s annual staples, each designed to foster community and create space to highlight and celebrate Black excellence while showing our student body what is possible. Our amazing panelists inspired us with their passion and captivating stories. I would like to give a very special shoutout to them: -Mackenzie Harding (moderator), Advertising and Marketing Communications BS ‘24, member, FIT Alumni Advisory Council, former president, FIT Black Student Union @mackenzieharding_ -Kareem Gayle, Senior vice president of human resources, North America at Parfums Christian Dior, Board Member, FIT Foundation @fitfoundation -Antoine Gregory, Fabric Styling BFA ‘17, creative director and founder, Black Fashion Fair @bibbygregory -Jirah Joshua, Designer and director of Room–file, a New York and London-based interior design studio @jirah.joshua -Corey Smith, Vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion, LVMH Inc., Board Member, FIT Foundation @mrcoreysmith

Welcome Home: The Artists Spotlight Series We had the pleasure of interviewing amazing artist TEDF @tedf__ , about his piece “JOHN CANOE.” ✨ Stay tuned for more episodes coming soon! “Welcome Home” BHM Art Exhibition currently on view at The Fashion Institute of Technology, Pomerantz Art & Design Gallery D223