Self-taught photographer Russell Frederick making Black voices heard by changing the narrative

Written for The Link Entertainment by

Kiara Desirai, Author at The Link Entertainment

Russell Frederick, a Brooklyn raised photographer utilizes his love for photography to change the Black American narrative.

“The camera is a powerful tool and I saw why it was weaponized against us,” Frederick said while speaking to Folkus.

Folkus is a series created with Getty images that features Black photographers while cultivating a community that focus on the Black community.

“I look at my role as a photographer as an educator and visual activist to realize and redefine the way the world sees us because our greatness has been suppressed. When I leave this earth, these images I’ve made will live on and be strong.” he continued to speak.

Frederick is a self-taught photographer who has been photographing for nearly twenty-five years and focuses on crafting stories that uplift, inspire and unite the Black life.

He knew he had an ‘artistic purpose’ so when an instructor of International Center of Photography, Bernard Palais looked at his portfolio prior to him getting into the school stated, ‘You will be a great photographer. It will be a shame if you don’t pursue this seriously.’ He knew right then and there that photography was going to be his future.

‘I want to learn and I want to work. I’m unpolished and raw, but my work ethic, my heart and determination can’t be measured.’ said Frederick.

Back then everyone thought of art as a hobby and not a career, so Frederick had a rough start but he was eager. One day he received a call from Eli Reed where he invited him to a slideshow at ICP. After the slideshow, Eli presented him with an opportunity with Magnum Photos where he got the job.

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Black excellence takes over the 2021 Olympic trials

Written for The Link Entertainment by

Kiara Desirai, Author at The Link Entertainment

The ladies and gentlemen chose Black excellence in every category for the Tokyo Olympics trials. Sha’Carri Richardson, Allyson Felix, Trayvon Bromell, Quanera Hayes, Christina Clemons from Track & Field as well as Simone Biles, Simone Manuel, the men’s NCAA 4×400 Championship relay team, and many more that succeeded to the Tokyo Olympics this past week.

We saw the unapologetic Sha’Carri Richardson excel at what she does best, in the Track and Field category making her one of the fastest women in U.S. sprinting history alongside the iconic Flo Jo. During the Olympic trials Richardson ran top speed at 10.86 which was one of the Top 10 fastest times in history, and missed Florence Griffith Joyner’s world record by 0.24.

Allyson Felix has been competing for some time now and now this is her time to shine. This is her fifth time competing for Team USA. Felix finished second with a time of 50.02 seconds in the 400m to clinch her fifth trip to the Summer Olympics.

Felix also endured a lot to get to this year’s Olympics with her pregnancy as well as Nike’s attempt to cut her pay by 70% when she returned to the track, and the company declining to protect her pay, if her post-pregnancy performances were not up to par. Through it all she succeeded and is now joining the many others in their Tokyo Olympics journey.

Then there were the North Carolina A&T State University who made history at the NCAA Track and Field Championships landing them a spot in the Tokyo Olympics. Akeem Sirleaf, Trevor Stewart, Daniel Stokes, and Randolph Ross ran the 4×400-meter relay. Sophomore Randolph Ross Jr finished with a 44.74 time and senior Trevor Stewart finished with a 44.90, where graduate student Akeem Sirleaf and junior Daniel Stokes will run for Liberia and Mexico.

The 24-year-old swimmer Simone Manuel also secured her spot with a major comeback for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo by winning the 50-meter freestyle by -0.01 seconds. Manuel was previously diagnosed with overtraining syndrome back in March while experiencing symptoms that could have hindered her performance through trails. She fought a huge battle and ultimately made herself and the U.S. proud.

The Olympics will begin Friday, July 23rd where we will see all of this phenomenal individuals compete.

Charlotte couple creates a Black food and wine festival inspired by the Harlem Renaissance

Written for The Link Entertainment by

Kiara Desirai, Author at The Link Entertainment

Husband-and-wife team Chef Greg and Subrina Collier have announced plans for the inaugural Black Food & Wine Festival happening October 22nd to 24th at Camp North End in North Carolina. The celebration was inspired by the Harlem Renaissance where the Black Food & Wine Festival seeks to educate and entertain.

The couple wanted to capture the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920s and 1930s to share a look inside Black life, identity and culture through the arts.

“Back then, there was a burst of creativity and cultural appreciation born out of Prohibition,” Greg said. “Now, one hundred or so years later, Black creativity has been unappreciated and unnoticed for a while. We want to shine that spotlight bright.”

The three-day festival will be a celebration of Black food and culture, with more than 75 chefs, artisans, farmers, brewers, and distillers already signed on to participate.

The Colliers, who own Uptown Yolk and the critically acclaimed “modern juke joint” Leah & Louise, leaned into their network for the lineup of notable chefs from across the country.

“Participating in other festivals, I saw how Black chefs and culinarians weren’t represented — not to the amount we should’ve been,” says Subrina, a 2020 James Beard Foundation Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Fellow. “I’m hoping to get people excited to keep supporting not only small businesses but Black businesses and Black chefs.”

Among the first to sign on to participate were Atlanta chef Todd Richards, James Beard-finalist chef Duane Nutter, Top Chef alums: Tiffany Derry, Chris Scott, and Keith Rhodes. Charlotte-area locals like Lindsay Williams of Davidson Wine Co., Greg Williams and Jamie Barnes of What The Fries, Whitney Thomas of The Grand Bohemian, and Michael Bowling of Hot Box Next Level Kitchen will also be part of the festivities.

The Colliers helped found Soul Food Sessions, a pop-up dinner series highlighting Black culinarians. In 2020, they opened Leah & Louise, a modern juke joint named one of the country’s best new restaurants by Esquire.

To kick off the festival on October 22nd, there will be a Chuckwagon Carnival with food trucks, amusement rides and family-friendly entertainment. Towards the end of the night there will be a Black Stork Chefs Dinner, a ticketed multicourse meal. The Stork Club was a famous New York City supper club that refused to serve Josephine Baker and learned the high cost of racism.

On October 23rd, the Cotton Club Festival anchors a day of events that include vendors, demonstrations and tastings before ending with The Harlem Nights Chefs Dinner, a reference to the 1989 film classic starring Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. The Cotton Club, which first opened as Club Deluxe by heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson before mobster Owen “Owney” Madden took it over, limited the audience to White patrons and revamped it into the popular cabaret that attracted an A-list of Black performers.

The Savoy Jazz Brunch will wrap up the celebration on October 24th with multiple chef stations and live music. The Savoy Ballroom was one of the first racially integrated venues in the country.

Tickets are expected to launch in June. For more information, including details about sponsorship, participation, and volunteering visit BlackFoodandWineFestival.com.

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