ALPHA Massaquoi Jr. is a Baltimore based artist that works primarily with large drawings made with charcoal and pastels. Alpha was born in West Africa, Liberia, as the youngest of four to an upper-middle-class family; his father worked as a florist for the United States embassy in Liberia, and his mother was a Fashion designer with a small charcoal business. At age fourteen, Alpha and his family moved to the U.S. seeking the "American dream" However, life wasn't easy, the 2008 recession just happened, and racism and colorism were new challenges Alpha and his family had to face. He studied painting, drawing, and printmaking At Towson University, where he fell in love with charcoal as his primary medium. Private collectors have collected Alpha works. They have been a part of major group shows in the United States, which include Novo Legado & Black Creatives at The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Alpha has also had two solo shows: Black Noise and  Led by The Holy Spirit, which has made him a well-sought-out artist in Baltimore City. He founded Hot Sauce Artist Collective, supporting artists and bridging the gap between the everyday person and the arts. Alpha is currently an MFA candidate at Tufts SMFA.