What does the future of resistance look like? Afropunk Brooklyn
Photographed and Reported for Huck Magazine
Kristia Tolode, 24 (left) & Michael Idibado, 26 (right)
Lady Brion, 28
“So I’m from Baltimore. I’ve been asked so many times [since the] anniversary of the Freddie Gray moment: ‘What we do we feel like the resistance is gonna be?” I think the story is the same in so many different places. I think that the resistance is always constant. It’s steady. It’s a smouldering revolution, because people are becoming more conscious and constantly sharing stories of resilience. As long as injustice exists, then the resilience and resistance will exist as well – until we see what justice can really look like for people of colour in America.
I think that black folks and people of colour want the same thing that everybody wants. We want the freedom to exist without being under an oppressive force. We want our material conditions to be such that we can thrive. We want to be able to be educated and fed and have families that are not being victims of police brutality. We want the same things that everybody wants. To be able to live freely. Until we see a fair America for everybody, situations like that are going to keep happening.”
Jari Jones, 28
“[This] only makes me want to be out and proud more. I’m black, I’m trans, I’m a woman. I feel like that is my form of resistance: just existing. I think we are policed so much for being who we are, especially as people of colour, especially as queer people. So literally walking the streets, not hiding, not trying to assimilate to a very structured cookie cutter culture, being proud, being out and being the most flamboyant you can be, that’s my form of resistance.
Equal resources is my biggest concern. It’s what I fight for, what I advocate for. Trans people, black people, people of colour, women – if we can get the resources that we need to thrive, I think that will in turn give you equality. Once we gain those things, we will be able to create our own businesses, create our own media outlets. Once we gain those resources, we can tell our own stories.”
“[This] only makes me want to be out and proud more. I’m black, I’m trans, I’m a woman. I feel like that is my form of resistance: just existing. I think we are policed so much for being who we are, especially as people of colour, especially as queer people. So literally walking the streets, not hiding, not trying to assimilate to a very structured cookie cutter culture, being proud, being out and being the most flamboyant you can be, that’s my form of resistance.
Equal resources is my biggest concern. It’s what I fight for, what I advocate for. Trans people, black people, people of colour, women – if we can get the resources that we need to thrive, I think that will in turn give you equality. Once we gain those things, we will be able to create our own businesses, create our own media outlets. Once we gain those resources, we can tell our own stories.”
Yasmeen wilkerson, 21
“It means empowering ourselves and our community. It means making sure that the people around us are safe and educated about certain problems in the world. AfroPunk is important because such a large group of people come here to express themselves and get away from the stereotypes that hold them, and not allowing them to express themselves as they should. This is gonna sound crazy but I want everyone to be feminist. I know the word ‘feminist’ has shifted over like the past few months but I really feel like feminism just means equality. If everyone is in to that then it could be everything.
To me feminism means equality for all genders, not only for like binary genders, like women and men, but I have transgender friends, I have queer friends, and gender fluid. So it means equality for all shaped and sizes. It means making sure that everyone feels good in the skin that they are in and that everyone is getting justice for things that happen.”
domo crosby, 28
“The future of the resistance looks pretty strong to me as a millennial because of the fact that we are not our grandparents. We will not just stand by and let things happen anymore. We want justice and we will fight for it. We are willing to fight for it. Evidence shows we are willing to die for it. Enough is enough. Things need to change. I feel like it’s becoming very strong and it’s becoming more relentless.’
akira rush, 24
“Honestly, I feel like we’re kind of at a pivotal point. I feel like anything is possible. I think people are tired. People want to take matters into their own hands. I think it’s a good thing, because we are lacking togetherness. AfroPunk is beautiful but this is not every day. I feel like the people here’s job is to take this moment in time and carry it everyday with us and create that community outside.”
Dimitri Stanford, 24
“I think that we as a race of black people [have to] come together and make moves. We are so disconnected within our own community that it’s sad, because we can’t progress in the way that we should. Look at how many black and mixed race people there are. It’s amazing when people come together – the amount of beauty that there is.
I’m about bringing different cultures together. That’s important for our future. We are too based on single genders, single races or one being superior to the other. We are all on one planet. We gotta come together – regardless of all the old traditions and old beliefs and all the old thought processes. We as humans are made to adapt.”
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