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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 ... more
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
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Akua Addo, 25, administrative assistant; Agnes Ashi, 24, student Photo: David Williams
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Agnes Ashi, 25, administrative assistant "It means self-expression, and that’s what I’m doing right now. I’m expressing myself as best... more
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
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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... more
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
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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... more
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
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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... more
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
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Dwayne Stewart, 27, facilities/handyman "It’s togetherness as one. One people under one sky."
Photo: David Williams
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Terry Lovette, 27, singer/songwriter; Devie Miles, 26, producer/creative director Devi: "It’s about coming together. It’s realizing we can b... more
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
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Maureen Powel, 30, model/stylist/blogger "It feels like family."
Photo: David Williams
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Akilah stewart, 29, stylist/shoe designer Photo: David Williams
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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... more
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
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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... more
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
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Paris Marcel, 23, creative director; Riah Kler, 23, creative director Paris: "Blackness means celebration. We live a life of celebration.&qu... more
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
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Tiffani Elmore, 29, student "It means creativity, celebration, in a nonjudgmental realm."
Photo: David Williams
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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... more
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
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Magnus Juliano, 25, artist; VanDawn Williams, 24, fashion marketing and management VanDawn: "Freedom. Complete freedom and being creat... more
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
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Bukunmi Grace, 26, photographer/stylist "It means difference and cultural diversity."
Photo: David Williams
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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... more
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
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Christina Kelly, 24, marketing and advertising "It’s about being your ultimate self and really showing the world that there is no one ... more
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
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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 ... more
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
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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. ... more
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
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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... more
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
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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... more
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
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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... more
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
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Kyron Christian, 34, community healing agent/coil keeper "Everyone is able to be themselves. Look how they want. Dance if they want to dance... more
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
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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... more
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
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Christian Paige, 35, singer/model "It means freedom and being able to express yourself."
Photo: David Williams
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Modupe, 23, student; Michael Ibidapo, 24, photographer/model Michael: "It means style, expression."
Modupe: "Creativity, uni... more
Modupe, 23, student; Michael Ibidapo, 24, photographer/model Michael: "It means style, expression."
Modupe: "Creativity, uniqueness, unapologetic."
Photo: David Williams
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Le'Adonis Ferguson, 27, jeweler/stylist Photo: David Williams
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Mecca Oliver, special-needs teacher Photo: David Williams