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Gallery|Arts and Culture

Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in the US?

From an African American subculture to a global movement, bringing outsiders to the forefront and celebrating diversity.

Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'Afropunk is a space where you can express your uninhibited self and be unapologetically black without being judged or [having to] fear for your safety. We need that right now,' says Lindsay Howard, a 28-year-old dance therapist. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
By Sara Maria Glanowski
Published On 3 Sep 20173 Sep 2017
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New York, United States of America – While white supremacy is resurging and hate groups are on the rise across the United States, Afropunk Festival is turning into a global celebration of black culture and diversity under the slogan: “No Sexism, No Racism, No Ageism, No Homophobia, No Fatphobia, No Transphobia, No Hatefulness.”

In a decade, Afropunk Festival has grown from a hundreds-large punk fest in New York’s Brooklyn borough, providing a space in punk culture that wasn’t predominantly white, to a full-blown black venture with annual festivals in London, Atlanta, Paris, and, for the first time later this year, Johannesburg. Organisers are also working to expand to Brazil. Last weekend, roughly 70,000 people attended the two-day festival in Brooklyn’s Commodore Barry Park.

While Afropunk is a high-performance music festival, over the years featuring black performers such as Lenny Kravitz, Lauryn Hill, Grace Jones, Kelis, D’ Angelo, Ice Cube, and Solange, it is just as much a showcase for personal style and uninhibited self-expression, pushing the boundaries of fashion and what society thinks it means to be black in the US.

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Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'I dressed to feel free as a bird, rising from the ashes like a phoenix – a kind and candy phoenix,' says Blake Diiamond, a 23-year-old fashion designer. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
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Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'My look is Vodou goddess – with a white, black-faced man hanging from a noose around my neck. It's a comment on self-hate in white America. People don't love themselves – why else would they hurt another race?' asks Kayla Muldrow, an 18-year-old artist. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'These days, it feels like America is moving backwards. Afropunk reminds me that there are still people in my corner,' says Myree Brown, a 46-year-old fitness trainer. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'I just sprayed a bottle of bleach all over my clothes and went to town. I didn't put on all of my gear until I got here, though. For safety reasons, I'm still a bit closeted about my sexuality. You would be surprised how much hatred there is towards black gay men, even in New York,' says Nicholas Dyer, a 24-year-old stylist. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'With this look, I wanted to get back to a place where I understand my worth as a king,' says Damian Joel, a 32-year-old costume designer and actor. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'What is more real than the colour red? It stands for passion, pain and strength. Last year was tough for the black communities – so much blood from shootings and killings. My dress is a reference to all of that – but most of all, to the love and strength it will take to overcome,' says JaQuam Mitchell, a 22-year-old fashion designer. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
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Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'This is my super hero outfit, my Miss Black Empowerment alter ego. I have a thing for big afros; they remind me of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, and I think we are in a very similar period of time right now,' says Camella Palmer, a 45-year-old fitness instructor. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'My look is Native American and African goddess fusion. My dream catcher is for protection, it has a crystal attached, which amplifies the power of the moment. I think this very moment is about being your truest self without any limitations,' says Kato Watz, a 28-year-old healer and yoga instructor. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'I was going for power animal. It's my first time at the festival, but I think it's so important in this political environment to be loud and proud of who you are. Where else can you go where it is protocol to spell 'No FatPhobia' or 'No Transphobia' in capital letters?' asks Dusty Childers, a 32-year-old teacher. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'We wanted to be black and white together – not apart. Charlottesville broke my heart; it pulled the blanket off of white supremacy and showed that it's a very real thing in this country. We are here today to say that we are not going for it,' says Roman Barksdale, a 33-year-old stylist. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'To be punk means to be real and show your true self,' says Yuri Sanchez, a 31-year-old public health educator. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'The hardest part about identifying as non-binary is dealing with men; they can be predators. Just walking here, I didn't feel safe. A man was catcalling me from behind, and I feared that he might attack me when he realised I wasn't a woman. Afropunk is a healing space where I can be my fullest self,' says Ra Bacchus, a 20-year-old student at Stanford University. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'The space to live and be free without being judged is getting smaller and smaller in this country. Afropunk is a platform for people to embrace their weirdness. I think there is a huge need for that right now,' says Christopher Jordan, a 29-year-old architect. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]
Inside Afropunk: The most inclusive space in America/Please Do Not Use
'When I was 15, my sister was raped. I fought the gang that raped her but eventually, they shot me and the doctors had to remove my leg. I experience all sorts of ableism; steps at restaurants; people starring at me, assuming that I can't do anything because I'm in a wheelchair. It's liberating to be among people who don't judge,' says Chris W, a 25-year-old teacher. [Sara Maria Glanowski/Al Jazeera]


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