LAILA JAMES
Atlanta, GA
2024-2025 Scholarship Savannah College of Arts & Design Atlanta
Scholarship 2022-2023, 2023-2024
Laila James is pursuing a BFA in Animation at SCAD Atlanta. During her sophomore year, she seized the opportunity to work on seven senior films that will go into the film festival circuit. Through this work, she was able to refine her skills in storyboarding, character design, and clean-up (final line art).
James chooses to focus on celebration through her work. “I realized the importance of celebrating how I am uniquely Black,” she says. “Stepping away from the pessimism and over-saturation of black-struggle, my work represents the joy.” Roller skating, Mardi Gras, and bubbles reflect her experiences of Black New Orleans culture. “Majority of my artworks have Bubbles interwoven into the composition. They are beautiful simple things that bring joy, but as quickly as they appear they disappear. They may not last forever, and to that I ask how can we keep joy permanent?”
In addition to pursuing unbridled joy, James aims to foster the friendships she developed during her first year at school. She set out to connect with as many creatives as possible but discovered that the emotional connections she’s building are just as important as the professional ones. She says, “I am truly grateful for the friends I have made who are helping me be a better artist and overall a better person.”
Laila James graduated from Cabrini High School in 2022. She first joined the YAYA Guild in 2019.