Jayla Watkins

Jayla Trenyce Watkins, a Chicago native, is a multidisciplinary visual artist whose practice is anchored in photography, using the medium to explore the intersections of spirituality and identity. Watkins has also served as a Programming and Social Media Assistant at the historic South Side Community Art Center, where she supported Black arts administration and archival preservation. She is a recent B.F.A. graduate from Northern Illinois University.

She has contributed to initiatives such as Belonging in S.T.E.A.M. (2024), which centers authentic representation for BIPOC and other historically underrepresented groups across science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.

As the founder of Kindred Noir, a budding creative initiative focused on curating exhibitions and cultivating spaces for emerging Black artists and storytellers, Watkins is committed to using visual language to inspire dialogue and build community. In 2025, she launched the inaugural Black Student Art Exhibition at NIU, following Kindred Noir’s Back-to-School Art Supply Drive & Fundraiser, which elevated emerging Black artists and provided art supplies to Chicago public school students.

Jayla has recently joined High Concept Labs as Program Assistant, bringing with her a passion for arts administration rooted in care, cultural advocacy, and intentional storytelling.