Bithiah Drusilla Holton Lao (she/they) is a queer, Black, and Mexican American interdisciplinary artist and educator. Born and raised in St. Paul, MN, with familial roots in El Paso, TX, Bithiah has now called the greater Boston area their home for the past decade.

Their practice is rooted in preservation and visual storytelling that affirms identity, nurtures resilience, and reimagines liberation for QTBIPOC, especially queer black joy. Through portraiture and organic forms, they explore how grief, joy, and vulnerability coexist in daily life. Recurring motifs showcase growth and the presence of lived experience, while many portraits center people of color, often self-portraits, as acts of preservation and visibility. Preservation runs through their work, honoring cultural and familial histories, sustaining community voices, and practicing self-preservation as a Black genderqueer woman navigating erasure and harm.

Alongside their studio practice, Bithiah engages communities through workshops and collaborative programming, creating spaces for reflection, storytelling, and shared creativity. Bithiah graduated from the College of Fine Arts at Boston University with a BFA in Art Education and has a passion for fostering vibrant and inclusive creative settings. They currently work with the BU Office for the Arts, developing engaging programming that empowers local artists, BU students, and community members through exhibitions and free and accessible arts programming.