30 Insanely Well-Dressed People on What Afropunk Means to Them
Photo: David Williams
What does blackness at Afropunk mean to you? That’s what the Cut asked the crowd at the annual Brooklyn music festival that celebrated its 12th year last weekend. Under a backdrop of sounds from the likes of Janelle Monáe, Tyler the Creator, and George Clinton, attendees filled Commodore Barry Park in bright jumpsuits, cotton-candy afros, and waist-length braids.
As the Cut photographer David Williams captured the best style from the weekend, attendees explained what blackness meant to them. Most felt their feelings were best expressed by the word “freedom,” while creativity and togetherness fell closely behind. Click through the slideshow to read their responses, and to see ethereal white sundresses, airy scarves, and so much hair.
Vague Grey, 24, designer/musician "It’s an all-inclusive thing. I feel a lot of love here. Everyone is sharing a positive vibe and I’m just ...
Vague Grey, 24, designer/musician "It’s an all-inclusive thing. I feel a lot of love here. Everyone is sharing a positive vibe and I’m just adding to that."
Photo: David Williams
Akua Addo, 25, administrative assistant; Agnes Ashi, 24, student Photo: David Williams
Agnes Ashi, 25, administrative assistant "It means self-expression, and that’s what I’m doing right now. I’m expressing myself as best...
Agnes Ashi, 25, administrative assistant "It means self-expression, and that’s what I’m doing right now. I’m expressing myself as best as I can."
Photo: David Williams
Luieg, producer/model "I’m an alien, so I’m just enjoying everything as new. Afropunk is a culture. Live life — that’s what Afropunk is...
Luieg, producer/model "I’m an alien, so I’m just enjoying everything as new. Afropunk is a culture. Live life — that’s what Afropunk is to me."
Photo: David Williams
Ikea lowery, 27, hair specialist "It means freedom, no judgment. You are you and your melanin is on fleek and you are accepted just like tha...
Ikea lowery, 27, hair specialist "It means freedom, no judgment. You are you and your melanin is on fleek and you are accepted just like that."
Photo: David Williams
Erin Mitchell, 27, artist/art educator "Being whatever you are and taking full advantage of that. If I want to be a honeybee, I’ll be a hone...
Erin Mitchell, 27, artist/art educator "Being whatever you are and taking full advantage of that. If I want to be a honeybee, I’ll be a honeybee."
Photo: David Williams
Dwayne Stewart, 27, facilities/handyman "It’s togetherness as one. One people under one sky."
Photo: David Williams
Terry Lovette, 27, singer/songwriter; Devie Miles, 26, producer/creative director Devi: "It’s about coming together. It’s realizing we can b...
Terry Lovette, 27, singer/songwriter; Devie Miles, 26, producer/creative director Devi: "It’s about coming together. It’s realizing we can be whoever we want. We’re not meant to be put in a box or categorized. It’s about having good energy no matter what you look like, your hair, your skin color, your whatever. It’s about coming together. It’s love."
Terry: "It’s joy. It’s comfort in being who you are and in your culture. It’s appreciating your history, your ancestors, and your look."
Photo: David Williams
Maureen Powel, 30, model/stylist/blogger "It feels like family."
Photo: David Williams
Akilah stewart, 29, stylist/shoe designer Photo: David Williams
Jarae Holieway, 23, model/stylist/artist "It means being carefree and black. I’m from L.A. and I just moved here yesterday and I alrea...
Jarae Holieway, 23, model/stylist/artist "It means being carefree and black. I’m from L.A. and I just moved here yesterday and I already feel this carefree black community. A lot of people are embracing who they are, which is very refreshing to me."
Photo: David Williams
Kristen Williams, 19, model/blogger "I grew up in very white-predominant town, so when I discovered this I felt so accepted, between my hair...
Kristen Williams, 19, model/blogger "I grew up in very white-predominant town, so when I discovered this I felt so accepted, between my hair and my style. It means so much to me."
Photo: David Williams
Paris Marcel, 23, creative director; Riah Kler, 23, creative director Paris: "Blackness means celebration. We live a life of celebration.&qu...
Paris Marcel, 23, creative director; Riah Kler, 23, creative director Paris: "Blackness means celebration. We live a life of celebration."
Riah: "I’m proud to be who I am and at Afropunk everyone can get together and celebrate themselves. Sometimes we don’t get that opportunity in our everyday lives, but here it’s everywhere."
Photo: David Williams
Tiffani Elmore, 29, student "It means creativity, celebration, in a nonjudgmental realm."
Photo: David Williams
Otieno, 38, network engineer "That’s the fun part: It’s whatever the individual chooses to define it as. There are so many points in the med...
Otieno, 38, network engineer "That’s the fun part: It’s whatever the individual chooses to define it as. There are so many points in the media that try to dictate what blackness is and there are very few platforms via which black folks can say, 'This what blackness is.'"
Photo: David Williams
Magnus Juliano, 25, artist; VanDawn Williams, 24, fashion marketing and management VanDawn: "Freedom. Complete freedom and being creat...
Magnus Juliano, 25, artist; VanDawn Williams, 24, fashion marketing and management VanDawn: "Freedom. Complete freedom and being creative in your own way. This is the most comfortable I’ve felt in a long time."
Magnus: "It means freedom. This is the first place that I’ve felt free in a long, long time. It feels liberating and enjoyable."
Photo: David Williams
Bukunmi Grace, 26, photographer/stylist "It means difference and cultural diversity."
Photo: David Williams
Imani Shannelle, 17, actor/singer/model "Growing up I was either not black enough or not white enough because I’m black and white. Blackness...
Imani Shannelle, 17, actor/singer/model "Growing up I was either not black enough or not white enough because I’m black and white. Blackness is really a sense of being and a sense of style. My curls are black. I am black. It’s what makes me so great."
Photo: David Williams
Christina Kelly, 24, marketing and advertising "It’s about being your ultimate self and really showing the world that there is no one ...
Christina Kelly, 24, marketing and advertising "It’s about being your ultimate self and really showing the world that there is no one definition of what being black is. It allows us to push our own boundaries to what blackness is, too."
Photo: David Williams
Qaseem Muhammad, 38 "I’ve been coming to Afropunk for years, ever since its inception in Fort Greene when it was just a small thing next to ...
Qaseem Muhammad, 38 "I’ve been coming to Afropunk for years, ever since its inception in Fort Greene when it was just a small thing next to BAM. Over the years it has morphed into this big event and I love it. I love the people, the acts, the energy, and it’s close to home."
Photo: David Williams
Ali Torain, 34, co-owner of a health and wellness company "It goes back down to our culture. We are the foundation of every genre of music. ...
Ali Torain, 34, co-owner of a health and wellness company "It goes back down to our culture. We are the foundation of every genre of music. The punk movement. For years you wouldn’t know that black folks were into rock. The Afro- means that we’re going to bring our rhythm to something that is not necessarily mainstream."
Photo: David Williams
Mica Grimm, 26, Black Lives Matter organizer "It’s showing the many facets of blackness. You just see all types of people and it’s just so r...
Mica Grimm, 26, Black Lives Matter organizer "It’s showing the many facets of blackness. You just see all types of people and it’s just so rare to be in a black space that is just so full of love and joy. So many times we come together because we are grieving or we are hurting. This is a time to celebrate ourselves, to be unapologetic about ourselves. It’s so dope, it’s so lit."
Photo: David Williams
Akua Shabakaaa "It shows the diversity of black people from all parts of the world. A lot of times people just consider black people to be A...
Akua Shabakaaa "It shows the diversity of black people from all parts of the world. A lot of times people just consider black people to be African-Americans, but there’s so much diversity here."
Photo: David Williams
Jenine Providence, 23, dancer "It means being me and who I was really born as. I’m black, no matter what. Blackness to me is a word that’s v...
Jenine Providence, 23, dancer "It means being me and who I was really born as. I’m black, no matter what. Blackness to me is a word that’s very powerful and it’s something that a lot of people want to earn, but we already have. It’s such a blessing."
Photo: David Williams
Kyron Christian, 34, community healing agent/coil keeper "Everyone is able to be themselves. Look how they want. Dance if they want to dance...
Kyron Christian, 34, community healing agent/coil keeper "Everyone is able to be themselves. Look how they want. Dance if they want to dance. Listen if they want to listen. There’s no right or wrong way to be here."
Photo: David Williams
MuuFasa, 26 "Blackness to me means strength. We’ve been through a lot, we’re going through a lot, we will go through a lot."
Photo: D...
MuuFasa, 26 "Blackness to me means strength. We’ve been through a lot, we’re going through a lot, we will go through a lot."
Photo: David Williams
Christian Paige, 35, singer/model "It means freedom and being able to express yourself."
Photo: David Williams
Modupe, 23, student; Michael Ibidapo, 24, photographer/model Michael: "It means style, expression."
Modupe: "Creativity, uni...
Modupe, 23, student; Michael Ibidapo, 24, photographer/model Michael: "It means style, expression."
Modupe: "Creativity, uniqueness, unapologetic."
Photo: David Williams
Le'Adonis Ferguson, 27, jeweler/stylist Photo: David Williams
Mecca Oliver, special-needs teacher Photo: David Williams
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