THE BLACK EDIT : GO FORTH
JOY IS A PROJECT WITH HEART
Our Black Edit report is crafted with the guidance and leadership of Self-Sells, a black-owned cultural forecasting and creative agency.
Our communities have sustained a level of collective trauma compounded by Covid. It has tested our limits, it has hurt us deeply, and it has also pushed us to new heights.
The horrific social injustices we have known for far too long have reappeared, ripping new wounds and frustrations. Yet it has also brought us together in action and in healing.
This moment is about taking stock, taking action, beginning by taking care of ourselves. Our sense of culture and community is the spiritual bond that feeds us. And from it we grow richer in dreams, in action, and in the conviction to do what is right for us and for the greater family that needs and inspires us.
This is a journey of healing but also a journey of celebration of our culture, our people, our history and the next generation of black change makers ushering a new better tomorrow.
This report examines the most transformative shifts in the black communities and spaces for conversations and collaborations as inspired, committed equals.
The work of Wildine Cadet celebrates the beauty of the black everyday, with a focus on moments of authentic connection with others and the self.
Essence's historic cover featuring the work by Quilt artist Bisa Butler carries the sentiment of healing, resilience and purpose following the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
Bahait Simoens' pictorial approach taps in the immense power of the body as a canvas for expression. Bodies in her work show their blackness as well as statements of love, pain and protest, including tattoos sending urgent social messages against systematic racism, inequalities and other injustices.
Collective Healing.
Our communities are exploring all the layers of healing following collective trauma triggered by systematic racism and inequality, the ravaging effect of a pandemic and the modern condition. Explore the power of stories of connectivity, the beauty of catharsis, the magic of everyday black joy and relationships, and the broader black conversation around tackling the uncertainty of tomorrow with hope, conviction and collective galvanization.
Explore the nostalgic beauty of Little Simz mapping of global black identity, longing, connectivity and discovery.
Julian Knxx Black Room explores the journey of black identity through a poetic lens that touches on rich traditions from across the black diaspora.
A NEW BLACK ORDER
The need for change has never been more urgent. And our community counts with bold leaders who have stepped up to the occasion to rewrite the rules and to shape history for good.
Leading this movement is a young generation of black activists and creators who are trailblazing a new cannon, challenging outdated notions and tackling pernicious stereotypes and social injustices.
Along with with these trailblazers are a new set of organizations and brands, many of them black-owned, that are paving the road around inclusion and diversity and making blacks an integral part of the brand ethos and business.
PBS' "Prideland" opens up conversations around LGBTQ issues in the black community and beyond.
Tomi Adeyemi taps into ancestral legends to paint a picture of present and future.
Janet Mock pushes conversations in and beyond the black community around intersectional representation and trans rights.
kimberly Drew's @Museummammy brings a thought provoking and stylish point of view on black representation in the still stubbornly segregated Arts world.
World champion sprinter Caster Semenya pushes the boundaries around identity in sports.
The Weekend continues to push the sonic and visual boundaries of pop. Synth beats, neo-soul melodies and an emo-futuristic aesthetic make him a poet for our times and beyond.
RISE
Our communities continue to preserve beyond systemic challenges around our sense of purpose, the power of our histories and ancestors, and through a cultural that is inherently rich, diverse and healing.
This story looks at the emerging black wellness movement and its focus on taking care of us. There is a nurturing element focusing on healing, pain and coming together to tackle the trauma of the past couple of years while rejoicing in the beauty and trust that binds us.
The story takes deep inspiration from black oral traditions, from our deeply nuanced relationship with the earth and our ancestors, including ancient healing traditions and rituals made modern.
Things to explore: rustic design, oral traditions, power of storytelling, black poetry, and the power of community.
ONE LOVE
During times of crisis we look to cultural and emotional bridges of understanding and community to fortify us.When the world seems divided these bonds make us feel understood and stronger..
This story is about the power of love, empathy and community. It takes inspiration from island culture, from music, and from an Indie and boho lifestyle with deep literary, musical and civic interests.
The story takes us through Jamaica, the West Indies but also West Africa and Brazil. It is global in mindset but also deeply rooted in a Black American reality.
The laid back essence of the tropics is adapted to sea-ty life fusing celebration and nostalgia, through rich patterns, textures, and bold accessories.This individual is a second or third generation immigrant from the Caribbean, inspired by their parents’ and grandparents’.
Drawn to nature, their ancestral spirituality, and sound, they express themselves through a deep sense of artistry, community and individuality.
BLACK RENAISSANCE
Black excellence is always with us. What is different now is the urgent purpose it carries as well as the new platforms and avenues welcoming it and giving it a chance to be heard. This story takes inspiration from the strong literary and creative canons of the Black experience and the broader African diaspora and makes it modern.
It is propelled by a new set of creators schooled in the classics and with the intellectual, creative and realistic empathetic approach to make stories modern and urgently provocative.
The story carries a strong aesthetic movement with different ways in including geographic provenance, varying design and lifestyle codes. Of specific import are new philosophical and sociocultural discourses around Black intersectionality around topics including queer and transgender rights.
