Best of the Bronx: Woman goes from homeless to artist

A woman who spent years in a homeless shelter is now putting art on display in the Bronx.
Shakimono spent three years in a shelter with her husband, struggling with mental and emotional disabilities.
While in the shelter, she started creating art that is now on display at the Boogie Down Grind Cafe. Her opportunity was thanks in part to a friend who tagged her in an Instagram post to get the cafe's attention.
She says 90 percent of the images in her photo book were created while she was homeless. She utilized a computer that was given to her.
Shakimono's opening reception is Saturday for her 30-day exhibition at the cafe.
She gave credit to those around her for getting to this point.
"I am just really grateful that people believed in me, that people saw me for who I am: Shakimono," she says. "They didn't see me as that homeless person that was struggling to make ends meet, they saw me for who I am now."