Aphrochic Magazine: Issue No. 7
For our Summer 2021 issue, we have an issue full of color, life and all of the things that make our Diaspora beautiful. For our cover story, we are thrilled to sit down with one of our favorite folks in fashion, the amazing Charles Harbison. After a 5-year hiatus and a cross-country jump from New York to Los Angeles, Charles is back with the much-anticipated return of his eponymous fashion line, HARBISON. We also sit down with the iconic Dyana Williams. A legend of the Philadelphia radio scene that we grew up on, she’s better known outside the city as the mother of Black Music Month. We sat down with Dyana to talk about Black music, the newly opened National Museum of African American Music and the artists on her playlist that she feels are doing the most for the culture. In our Hot Topic, AphroChic contributor Ruby Brown takes an incisive look at Pride, all that the LGBTQIA+ community has accomplished and all that’s left to do. And in response to the growing debate over Critical Race Theory, which in the last months has taken over news feeds and legislative floors alike, we take a break from our ongoing discussion of the African Diaspora to offer a brief exploration of CRT, it’s origins, it’s concepts and why it seems to have everyone so upset. Throw in some amazing art from THE CONSTANT NOW gallery in Antwerp, inspirational words from author Alexandra Elle, and the latest updates from the outdoor spaces at the AphroFarmhouse and we think this issue will have you ready for the summer season.
For our Summer 2021 issue, we have an issue full of color, life and all of the things that make our Diaspora beautiful. For our cover story, we are thrilled to sit down with one of our favorite folks in fashion, the amazing Charles Harbison. After a 5-year hiatus and a cross-country jump from New York to Los Angeles, Charles is back with the much-anticipated return of his eponymous fashion line, HARBISON. We also sit down with the iconic Dyana Williams. A legend of the Philadelphia radio scene that we grew up on, she’s better known outside the city as the mother of Black Music Month. We sat down with Dyana to talk about Black music, the newly opened National Museum of African American Music and the artists on her playlist that she feels are doing the most for the culture.
In our Hot Topic, AphroChic contributor Ruby Brown takes an incisive look at Pride, all that the LGBTQIA+ community has accomplished and all that’s left to do. And in response to the growing debate over Critical Race Theory, which in the last months has taken over news feeds and legislative floors alike, we take a break from our ongoing discussion of the African Diaspora to offer a brief exploration of CRT, it’s origins, it’s concepts and why it seems to have everyone so upset.
Throw in some amazing art from THE CONSTANT NOW gallery in Antwerp, inspirational words from author Alexandra Elle, and the latest updates from the outdoor spaces at the AphroFarmhouse and we think this issue will have you ready for the summer season.
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THE BLACK FAMILY HOME<br />
I’ve realized that the summer of 2020 left<br />
me feeling uneasy, particularly about<br />
going outside. While we loved seeing the<br />
BLM protests march by our apartment in<br />
Brooklyn, and we chanted and whistled<br />
support from our windows, a summer of<br />
seeing protestors be attacked by police;<br />
of hearing NYPD helicopters fly over our<br />
neighborhood for weeks; of late night firecrackers<br />
that sounded so close I thought<br />
the building would catch fire, I had become<br />
traumatized and outside didn’t feel so<br />
free anymore. I was constantly worried<br />
that we would do something “wrong”<br />
outside of the apartment and encounter<br />
an officer who might shoot us. I worried<br />
about walking down the street with my<br />
husband and that he might be mistaken for<br />
someone and be shot by the police. I was<br />
constantly worried that we would be the<br />
next victims of state-sanctioned violence.<br />
And that worry was also impacting how I<br />
thought about living in my own space.<br />
Reflecting on those feelings of uneasiness,<br />
and with the porch being a space for<br />
community, it felt important that the back<br />
of the home be designed as a place of solace<br />
— a place to be quiet; to rest and to heal.<br />
Again, we worked in partnership with<br />
Serena & Lily to find the right pieces to<br />
create that healing space.<br />
A cushy sectional was chosen to<br />
take center stage on the deck. Plump<br />
with pillows, it became the perfect place<br />
to sit and read a book at any time of day.<br />
Hurricane lanterns filled with citronella<br />
incense sticks were brought in to keep<br />
the bugs at bay and add a touch of indoor-style<br />
to the outdoor space. For the<br />
outdoor dining area we wanted something<br />
throwback and chose a 1970s-style wicker<br />
set. A collection of wood serving ware and<br />
chargers completed the aesthetic.<br />
Coming out of a year defined by the<br />
twin epidemics of COVID-19 and police<br />
violence, it’s been hard for me to feel completely<br />
safe outside. But, as we’ve worked<br />
on completing our outdoor space at our<br />
new house, I’ve realized how important it<br />
is to take up space, to be unafraid in doing<br />
so and to craft spaces that support and<br />
nurture us. Coming back outdoors has<br />
been so healing. I’m starting to feel like<br />
that kid again — loving the sunshine. And<br />
even though life may not be as carefree, I<br />
choose to make my own space where I can<br />
be free and soak up some rays. AC<br />
Outdoor Dining Area<br />
Pieces from Serena & Lily: Catalina Dining Chair $498, Pacifica Dining Table $2298, Cayman<br />
Glasses (set of 4) $48, Cayman Seagrass-Wrapped Pitcher $48, Kokkari Placemat $28, Salento<br />
Image of Jeanine and her best friend, age 4.<br />
Linen Napkins (set of 4) $48, Wood and Marble Serving Set $68, Rhinebeck Bowls $98, Woodbury<br />
Serving Board $128, Rhinebeck Serving Board $78, Millerton Footed Fruit Bowl $198<br />
16 aphrochic issue seven 17
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