Powerful portraits of black resistance
- Text by Miss Rosen
- Photography by Adreinne Waheed
Hailing from Oakland, California, Adreinne Waheed took up photography at the age of 13 and never put the camera down. Inspired by the work of Roy DeCarava and Gordon Parks, Waheed has dedicated her life to celebrating the beauty and resilience of the African diaspora.
In her new book Black Joy and Resistance, Waheed does just this, bringing us inside the 2015 Million Man March, #FeesMustFall, and Carnival in Bahia, as well as Brooklyn’s own West Indian Day Parade, Afropunk, Dance Africa, and Soul Summit.
“Every image in this book was photographed at a large public event,” Waheed says. “What ties them together is the celebration of black and brown cultures and the resistance of conformity, oppression patriarchy, etcetera. Music, dance, art and other forms of passionate expression are elements that are interwoven throughout.”
The genesis for the work lies in the past, when Waheed came east to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. While she was a student, Waheed attended the original Million Man March in 1995. “The women were told to stay home but a group of my friends from the journalism school decided it was our duty to cover it,” she recalls.
“It was a surreal and empowering experience to see one million black men gathering from all over the United States, unite for common causes, in the spirit of brotherhood. We don’t always feel the community up close and personal like that – like we have that mobilisation and that organisation that could push us forward. In times like those gatherings, you feel it.”
This feeling of community and solidarity is in abundance throughout Black Joy and Resistance. “There’s a certain type of rhythm and energy that flows throughout all of these events,” she says. “When I first travelled to Johannesburg, I instantly fell in love with it. It reminds me of Brooklyn in the ’90s: black folks on the street with the fashion and spilling out of cafes, the hot new music and dances, backyard parties and performances in parking lots.”
Both observer and participant, Waheed has her finger on the pulse no matter where she goes, not only capturing the moment but also becoming a part of it herself. Using her camera to observe and engage, Waheed creates a resonant portrait of black life in the 21st century.
“As black people, our life is a protest,” she adds. “We are constantly being told that we should conform, turn down and be other than who we are. We are feared for no reason, judged, stereotyped and discriminated against.”
“If you live that reality, sometimes warding off and defending against all the external pressure can be a resistance. The loud music and saggy jeans are protests against conformity and control. In some ways, celebration and protest go hand-in-hand. That is who we are.”
Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck
The legendary trans artist & illustrator behind Drag magazine
A new book brings together pioneer Vicky West’s luminous illustrations of fantasy, femininity and fashion.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Why did police taser a Bristol grandfather in the face?
Trailblazing documentary I Am Judah chronicles community champion Ras Judah Adunbi’s horrific treatment at the hands of the police and his fight for justice.
Written by: Maisy Hunter
In photos: Ghana’s complex e-waste industry
A new exhibition explores the country’s huge, unregulated industry, which can be hazardous to workers’ health and the local enviroment, yet provides economic opportunity to many.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Meet Corbin Shaw, Huck 81’s Artist in Residence
The Sheffield born artist talks about the people and places that shaped his practice for the latest issue of Huck.
Written by: Josh Jones
The Blessed Madonna: “Dance music flourishes in times of difficulty”
The DJ talks about her debut album ‘Godspeed’, connection and resistance on the dance floor, the US election and more alongside exclusive pictures from her album release party.
Written by: Ben Smoke
Revisiting the birth of skate culture in 1970s Los Angeles
New photobook ‘Last Days of Summer: California Skateboarding Archive 1975–1978’ looks back at an iconic chapter of youth culture.
Written by: Miss Rosen