Afrofuturism 061417

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VOLUME 6 • ISSUE 8 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14TH 2017

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AFROFUTURISM

ALYSSA MAHADEO/TORONTO CARIBBEAN Lights, camera, SLAY! The future is now and Afro Culture is taking the world by storm. This weekend AfroChic Reloaded returned for its seventh year curating Afro-Canadian art, fashion, food, music, and business owners, for the AfroChic Cultural Arts Exhibit, a lifestyle event that draws thousands of Torontonians and international guests each year. The AfroChic Cultural Arts Exhibit is a colorful and vibrant mosaic of talent in one space. Over seven years in the making, AfroChic has become one of Toronto’s preeminent art exhibitions having featured over 200 up and coming fashion designers, musicians, visual artists, digital artists and spoken word vocalists. AfroChic has attracted thousands of Torontonians and international guests. In 2010 four creative high school students were eager to create a space to highlight the rich culture in the Afro-Canadian community. They brainstormed the concept of AfroChic and established the event AfroChic Cultural Arts Exhibit. What began as

an event focused on the politics and intricacies of black hair, evolved into a larger exhibit, featuring a mosaic of art, music, lifestyle, and fashion. Along with the exhibit, the AfroChic movement spearheads community development initiatives in an effort to highlight Afro-Canadian arts and culture year-round throughout multiple communities. Hosted by CBC’s ‘Exhibitionists’ TV show host, Amanda Parris, with DJ Lissa Monet holding down the ones and twos, this year’s AfroChic exhibition took place in the year 3017 where fashion, hair, beauty, technology, and culture was re-imagined and examined through the Black Canadian lens. The AfroChic exhibit was filled with artistic ideation and small business empowerment with a digitized and technological tribute to Toronto’s hottest designers, artists, and young entrepreneurs. On Saturday, June 10th, the Design Exchange Canada’s only museum

dedicated to the pursuit of design was transformed to highlight and showcase some of Toronto’s incredible talent with every aspect tying back and empowering Afro Culture. Throughout the evening the crowd was captivated by alluring and powerful performances of dance, spoken word and unique and innovative fashion trends. The main show featured dance performances by Consuelo Herrera, NadS, and Alexandra Legendre alongside powerful spoken word, poetic expressions and lyrical fire courtesy of Britta B, Faduma Mohamed, female rap artist Sydanie and Shi Wisdom. Each woman that took to the stage didn’t hold back showcasing stadium level talent and bursting with that special brand of Black Girl Magic. With every performance the audience couldn’t contain their excitement and the energy levels in the building were off the charts. Continued On Page 8


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