Kristine Mays creates large wire sculptures woven by hand, representing the human form. Her work has been shown both locally and abroad. Her family moved from Massachusetts to California, where her father came to work in the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and where they hoped to encounter less racial prejudice. When her mother became a widow at 24 years of age, the family was lovingly embraced by their neighbors. Kristine also recalls vivid childhood memories of abundant fig trees, library time, and finding spaces to play in unlikely urban settings. While aware of crime in the neighborhood, she knows Bayview-Hunters Point as a place of “so much goodness.” She sees herself as a changemaker, ready to instill in others a sense of hope with her art. 

Recorded on May 12, 2018. Filmed by Tumani Onabiyi. Interview by Tumani Onabiyi and Lily Kharrazi.