AphroChic Magazine: Issue No. 12

Summer is in the air. Around our home in the Hudson Valley, the birds are chirping, our
garden is in bloom and we are ready to get out and explore. Inspired by the change in
seasons, this issue is full of exciting things to see and experience. First, we are happy to
celebrate the re-launch of our podcast! Now The AphroChic Podcast, every month we’ll be
sitting down with creatives, innovators and tastemakers from across the African Diaspora,
discussing Black culture, art, food, fashion, music, wellness, society and home, exploring
new paradigms that can help us all design a better world.
With a better world in mind, we are thrilled to have Christa Barfield on the cover of Issue No. 12. The woman behind
FarmerJawn is reclaiming the legacy of the Black farm in America and regenerative agricultural practices. With a newly
acquired 123 acres of land, we highlight what’s next for the FarmerJawn brand, including a new farm market, expanded educational
offerings and community-based events.
In Wellness we invite you to explore a new practice this summer — Tai Chi. The ancient art form has been proven to reduce
blood pressure, protect the body from heart disease, and can even lower blood sugar. As a community searching for self-care as
we grapple with the constant onslaughts of racism, Tai Chi can be one tool to help keep our minds and bodies strong. In Food,
Chef Adrienne Cheatham shares a recipe from her new book, Sunday Best. the Top Chef finalist engages our palates with the
dinners she cooked as a child, and feasts she’s served at her monthly dinner parties in Harlem. And in Entertaining, we take you
inside New York’s hottest supper club — To Be Hosted. Find out how you can attend one of their beautifully curated suppers,
where ice breakers include questions like, What are you passionate about? as you and other guests dine over a multi-course meal
by one of the world’s top Black chefs.
For shopping this season you’re sure to be inspired by our Mood section that’s full of deliciously hot pink pieces from some
of our favorite artists and designers. The color crush continues with Nigerian-American designer, Autumn Adeigbo’s SS23 collection,
that’s full of bright, eye-catching hues. Then we’re off to the Canary Islands for a look at the new collection of limited
edition prints by photographer Fares Micue. Created on her home island and during her travels to South Korea, the artist shares
the inspiration behind her evocative new pieces made exclusively for the AphroChic Art Shop. And in Sounds, Hip Hop grows up
again as artist Ace Clark skillfully takes us through the ups and downs of real relationships in his latest release It Ain’t All Love.
The summer season is about exploration, but also taking time out to rest, relax and edify. And you’ll find plenty of illuminating
ideas in the Reference section’s article on who possesses the African Diaspora, if possession need be the goal, and
what a collaborative African Diaspora could look like. In our Read section, you’ll find a curated collection of books from across
the Diaspora that you’ll want to add to your summer reading list. And our Hot Topic examines how we address suffering in our
society, where we tend to place blame, and the possibilities that await when we choose to see the situation another way.
Issue 12 has you covered with art, fashion, literature and so much more as you get ready to sit back and enjoy the summer.
Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason
Founders, AphroChic
Instagram: @aphrochic
editors’ letter