With one of the most vibrant smiles and vivacious personalities, Genevieve certainly has all the qualities that can turn heads and light up a room. I’ve known Genevieve for only a couple of years, but within this short period of time, I’ve had the pleasure of not only knowing her as a friend but also watching her evolve as an artist and a musician.

On a Friday night, after I’d just watched Gen and her bandmate Michelle, a.k.a “The Cover Girls”, put on an amazing show, I asked Gen if she’d like to be a part of my portrait series for Black History Month, she readily agreed.

The following Sunday afternoon I was welcomed by her and her son into their cozy little apartment in North Philadelphia. Her home exuded warmth and was a striking reflection of her own life & personality. As music played in the background, I noticed all the artwork on her walls and along the floor. In the corner was her guitar perched neatly on a small stand.

To me, Genevieve is the quintessential superwoman. She is a single mother who works as a program director in a school, paints exquisite art on canvas and plays music in her band. Having had her son at the tender age of 19, Genevieve tells me that her life today is a cakewalk compared to the hardships she faced when she’d just had Ayden. Not only was she still in school, but also worked three jobs to make ends meet, all while making sure her son got all the attention he needed. The love and care she has put into raising her son became more than apparent once I saw them together.

I spent the rest of the afternoon, watching her and Ayden colouring, talking, laughing and playing music together. Ayden is one of the sweetest 11 year olds I’ve met. With a charming and expressive smile, he speaks very fondly of his mother and the influence she has on him on a day-to-day basis, the love and respect he feels for her is palpable. Although very shy and hesitant at first, Ayden was kind enough to bring out his trumpet and play a few notes for me while his mother accompanied him on the ukulele.

I couldn’t have asked for a better afternoon as we wrapped up with some delicious homemade pasta salad. I thoroughly enjoyed this peek into Genevieve and her son’s life and couldn’t be more thankful to them for sharing their time and wonderful stories with me.

Follow her band and her work:

FB: @thecovergirlsduo
IG: @missfareirapaints

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BHM Portrait Series, Part 2: Genevieve Marie Fereira