Sakeozo

Heya! I’m Destiny, a gecko-obsessed Deaf artist in Pittsburgh working toward Portland. I draw, make comics, and animate original characters, ASL icons, and visual clarity for Deaf characters in media. More work, socials, and commissions: sakeozo.com/links (ꈍ ꒳ ꈍ✿)

One of the biggest thing I've learned from my time at an art college is that life drawing isn't about being a human photocopier or making every sketch look polished. It's really all about training your eyes, brain, and hand to both subconsciously and consciously understand what you're looking at and make it translate that onto paper.

I'd like to add something that may seem a little off-topic, but I think it’s relevant. A government agency once used one of my old social justice themed drawings for a Deaf and mental health educational presentation. I only found out a year later through a search, so I took the time to write them a thank-you letter for using my work. I never heard back. Not long after that, the link to the presentation disappeared with no explanation. That experience makes me wonder about how government handles artists’ original work. Feels similar to this situation with the Department of Education using someone’s illustration (and running it through AI) without clear consent or even a heads-up. Despite crediting me. Something to think about!

I’m really grateful for my art college days, esp getting to take a custom 1-on-1 class on copyright/trademarks with a lawyer professor. Since nobody else signed up, we spent the whole class tailored specifically to legal basics for artists. My professor was right: So many people lack a clear understanding of copyright VS trademark in the USA. I personally think we could all use a bit more of that education to protect our work, to hold better discussions, and build a stronger respect for creative labor around us. 💚

Visual Description: A nine-panel comic illustrated in a gentle, soft art style with warm colors and a curly, decorative font for the text. Each panel features a different source of comfort, with the same artist icon logo watermark by Sakeozo in the bottom-left corner. Panel 1: A pale hand holds up a glass of matcha latte with cute frog stickers on it. The text reads: “The dance between green and white as it circles the glass. Nothing makes me feel more productive and relaxed than its soothing, earthy flavor.” Panel 2: A first-person view of pale legs wearing long black over-the-knee socks with two white bands and fluffy brown cat-paw slippers. The text reads: “These bring me back to my younger days when I was obsessed with cats. Some things don’t change.” Panel 3: A pale hand gently scratches the chin of a happy black cat. The text reads: “Her sweet eyes glistening with bliss as I give her the best chin scritches.” Panel 4: Three geckos look happily toward the viewer. From left to right are Atom, a pale yellow leopard gecko; Scooter, a darker yellow spotted leopard gecko; and Lava, a skunk-like African fat-tailed gecko. The text reads: “Their lively, cartoonishly adorable eyes as they await their grub (or perhaps they're just curious).” Panel 5: A fresh bowl of Vietnamese pho sits beside bottles of Sriracha and hoisin sauce, along with a plate of herbs, peppers, and bean sprouts. The text reads: “Maiku's Vietnamese Pho was there for me during art college when I was hungry between classes. Their delicious food is nurturing. A humbling reminiscence of transformative times as a developing artist.” Panel 6: An extreme close-up of a long-haired man with a lipstick mark on his right cheek. The text reads: “My target practice perfected between these 2 small spots on his cheek. The tenderness and warmth keep me right at home.” Panel 7: A fuzzy whole kiwi half sits beside several sliced kiwis. One slice has a bite taken out of it. The text reads: “This fruit shares the same nickname as my childhood bestie. It tingles in my mouth like a fond memory. Suddenly I remember what resilience means to me.” Panel 8: A white wax melt lamp glows softly as a pink wax melt cube melts on top, releasing swirls of cloud-like vapor. The text on the right reads: “As it slowly puddles, the sweet aroma sets the tone and helps me wind down before I tuck in. It doesn't come quick, but it is rewarding.” Panel 9: A bright, gentle headshot of Hope Fox, an original character with orange hair and a yellow-and-black striped scarf. An unbroken line trails from a Wacom drawing pen, connecting the illustration to the creative process. Text appears above and below the drawing, reading: “Being able to manifest my imagination into things that tell a story. To me, it's like breathing air, drinking water, eating food, & sleeping soundly. There's something magical knowing my journey does not end here, despite how much things change.”

I've become pretty jaded & disillusioned with certain activist communities, esp when it comes to audism, accessibility, tokenism, and the general lack of respect for Deaf people. I'm tired of seeing people speak confidently about oppression while dismissing the very people experiencing it. Tired of accessibility being treated as an afterthought. Tired of seeing so much energy go into the correct jargon-loaded terminology and political language while the bigger picture, and the people at the center of it, get overlooked. Communication is already a challenge for those with delayed language acquisition. (Like me!) So they get retaliation or punished for expressing in a different way. It's hard to keep investing in spaces where Deaf people are expected to contribute, educate, or represent, but aren't always genuinely listened to, supported, or respected. That doesn't mean my activism is going anywhere. I'm still going to make art, design flyers, draw comics, and tell stories about the things I care about. My stance hasn't changed, and neither have the things I want to fight for. What's changed is where I choose to put my energy, who I work with, and what I'm willing to spend my time on. I'm becoming more selective about the spaces I participate in and the people I collaborate with. I'm less interested in cliques, endless discourse, and community drama. I'd rather put that energy into making things that mean something to me, speak to the issues I care about, and hopefully reach people beyond the same circles.