Spring 2021

Spring 2021

Picture from outdoors of a capsule exhibition of queer and trans empowered artwork
Exhibition

Unity at the Initiative

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Register Now! 2021 Benefit-In-A-Box

Artist Malachi Lily stands facing the camera, head tilted back as they gaze up and to the left, hands raised slightly with palms facing the audience. They are wearing a deeply colored sweater with religious imagery stitched into it lined by the words "Want to be a slut." Malachi also wears a denim bucket hat, their hair spilling out from underneath.
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Malachi Lily: Channeling a better world

A painted banner by Jeffrey Cheung foregrounds a room whose white walls are covered with colorful flyers, banners, art paraphernalia. The banner depicts two entangled humanoid forms smiling at each other, with UNITY printed above them.
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Asian Arts initiative premieres 'Unity at the Initiative', showcasing art by queer and trans artists of color

Artist Khari Johnson-Ricks pastes his mural to the side of The Attic Youth Center brick wall. Khari foregrounds a tall ladder and is weaing a denim chore coat and white facemask. The mural is dynamic and rainbow-colored against the brick.
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Artist Khari Johnson-Ricks Celebrates Queer Skate Communities with Center City New Mural

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Skate park installation and printmaking exhibition bring queer and trans artists together

U@I artist Jeremiah Jordan and Golden Collier wheatpaste posters to the brick walls of Giovanni's Room
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The artist Olivia Neutron-John sites in a billowing white robe against a black backdrop. Their dark hair is parted down the middle and drawn back, they wear rectangular dark sunglasses to shade their eyes, their mouth is set as they gave pensively forward.

Olivia Neutron-John

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Risograph print of Carta Monir's face buried in her hand

Carta Monir

Participant
Exterior facade of corner of the William Way center covered in a mural

William Way Center

A joyful group of mostly POC youth in a parade carrying a banner for The Attic Youth Center

The Attic Youth Center

Partner
Exterior of Giovanni's Room, the oldest queer bookstore in America

PAT @ Giovanni's Room

Partner
Interior of coffee shop with tiled yellow counter called Mina's World

Mina's World

The FORTUNE team is adorned in gold and red clothing and decor, arm in arm and smiling in celebration. Connie and Andra stand facing the camera, while Heidi crouches down looking upwards at the two standing.

FORTUNE

Partner
Work Included in Care Package
Artist Zsa Zsa Dali gazes off camera to the right, wearing a dark v neck against a blue-black backdrop. they are wearing rectangular wire glasses, and their light brown curly hair is cut close, matching their cropped beard and mustache.

Zsa Zsa Dali

Partner
Artist Owen Taylor / TrueLove Seeds stands in front a deep red paneled wall, he wears dark denim work jeans and a short-sleeved workshirt. Owen leans to the side, one hand on his hip and the other balancing a clear mason jar filled with seeds. Owen smiles confidently at the camera.

Owen Taylor

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
The artist sits on a stoop, holding a coffee mug

Christo Johnson

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait of the artist, hand over mouth, looking at the camera

Kilamanzego

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Photo of the artist smiling at the camera

Dwight Dunston

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Surrealist collage of the artist

JK Chang

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Artist Kilamanzego sits on teh ground with their knees up, next to a DJ board, white laptop, and colorful array of electrical cords. They are looking off camera, long locks piled atop their head, and they are wearing a black tank top, lomncg black socks, black vans, and bright canary yellow skinny pants.
News Item

I am Unity: Kilamanzego

Artist Owen Taylor / TrueLove Seeds stands in front a deep red paneled wall, he wears dark denim work jeans and a short-sleeved workshirt. Owen leans to the side, one hand on his hip and the other balancing a clear mason jar filled with seeds. Owen smiles confidently at the camera.
News Item

I am Unity: Owen Taylor / TrueLove Seeds

The artist Christo Johnson / Yarrow sits on the front stoop of a brownstone building, leaning forward and gazing down at a coffee mug held with both hands. They are wearing an all-black ensemble, from fitted cap to graphic t-shirt, to jeans. Their arms are decorated with tattoos.
News Item

I am Unity: Christo Johnson / Yarrow

The Artist Vitche-boul Ra sits on an outdoor planter, laughing and holding s bunch of sunflowers. Ra is wearing a black jumpsuit, headscarf, light blue open jacket, and silver jewelry.
News Item

I am Unity: Vitche-boul Ra

The artist Rachel Ishikawa sits in the grass outside against a clear blue sky. Her hair is a in a low braid over her shoulder, bangs falling in her face as she turns to look at the camera. She is wearing dark t-shirt dress with a floral design.
News Item

I am Unity: Rachel Ishikawa

Artist Golden Collier/Diasporan Savant smiles easily at the camera, wearing a tilted newsies cap, gray crewneck sweater, and hooded red winter jacket. He has on matching vibrant red lipstick, and a septum piercing.
News Item

I am Unity: Golden Collier

Artist Rana Ransom sits on the floor in a darkened room, lit only by a string of large LED lights on the ground in front of them. A keyboard rests between Rana and the lightstring, as they reach out to touch the keys.
News Item

I am Unity: Rana Ransom

A still from a video by artist JK Chang/SLIPSTREAM. Superimposed on collage of an open journal and fall foliage, JK's face and upper torso are tinted purple, their eyes are closed, and they are stretched into a curlicue to resemble an elongated fish body.
News Item

I am Unity: SLIPSTREAM / JK Chang

Cut paper artwork by the artist.

Khari Johnson-Ricks

Participant
Portrait of the artist facing away from the camera, featuring a Kirby's Dreamland patch on the jacket.

Kirby Reiko McKenzie

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Studio portrait of Rashid Zakat with yellow background

Rashid Zakat

Partner
A black and white image of artist Soleil Summer, as she stares directly into the camera, wearing hoop earrings, wire rim round glasses, and white billowy shirt tied loosely at the collar. Her hair is up in a bun, she her expression is neutral.
News Item

I am Unity: Soleil Summer

Photo is in black and white. Artist Marria Nakhoda is outdoors in front of a wooden fence with greenery spilling in through the slats. They are looking to the left of the camera, smiling with pursed lips, long hair falling over their shoulder. They are wearing a thin sweater and wire rim glasses.
News Item

I am Unity: Marria Nakhoda

Artist Kirby Reiko McKenzie faces away from the camera, looking over her left shoulder, dark hair pulled back in a low bun. Kirby wears a black jacket with a print on the back that depicts a basketball flying through the air and the words "Kirby's Dream Land -- RAGE"
News Item

I am Unity: Kirby Reiko McKenzie

News Item

I am Unity: Lucia Garzón

Artist Felicia Blow sits on a white chair in an all-white room, legs crossed and arms resting atop her legs. She wears a black bomber and black wide legged cropped pants with gold jewelry, and she smiles subtly at the camera, her braids tucked behind her ears.
News Item

I am Unity: Felicia Blow / two minds press

Artist Naima Merella is mid sentence, looking down as at plants as if describing them as onlookers in the background listen. Naima is wearing a wide brimmed straw hat, round wireframe glasses, and a sleeveless button-up tied cropped at their waist. The sun beats down on their and the rich foliage surrounding their and the onlookers.
News Item

I am Unity: Naima Merella

Serena sits in a chair situated next to a sunny window, sewing machine located close by the window sill. Serena is wearing an all black flowy ensemble and glasses, with hair done up in braids and her left foot resting on the chair so her knee is up. The room is bright and the walls are pink, accents of yellow accessories and green houseplants frame Serena.
News Item

I am Unity: Serena Hocharoen

A photo of the interior of the Kamihira store. A clothing rack stands backlit in front of large storefront windows in the center of the image, flanked by the door on the right and indoor plants on shelves on the left. In the foreground is a couch and more clothing racks, canvas art and shelves with more merchandise hang on the walls.
News Item

I am Unity: Kamihira

Artist Shanel Edwards is mid-dance move on top of a wooden platform in front of an older building. They are wearing a white turtleneck, flowy black and white-spotted pants, and white sneakers. Their hair falls down their left side in long orange locs, and their arms are spread from their body, as if getting ready to spin.
News Item

I am Unity: Shanel Edwards

Artist Icon Ebony-Fierce poses on stage in a black kitten heels, a black one-piece swimsuit, black headscarf, and wrapped in a red feather boa. The background is pitch black, and Icon's eyes are closed, one arm raised above their head as if ready to dance.
News Item

I am Unity: Icon Ebony-Fierce

Artist Ramona Córdova stands on a forest floor of brown leaves in the winter, surrounded by barren trees. Ramona wears a fur hat, gold necklace, mustard yellow camisol and black leggings, with a teal blanket draped over the shoulders. Ramona holds a plastic bag filled with water and fish in one hand.
News Item

I am Unity: Ramona Córdova

Artist Wit López stands in front of a teal/turquoise tapestry that is painted with leaves. Wit wears a black corset and headscarf and round opaque sunglasses, with turquoise ribbons and crochet yarn wrapped around their body. They wear matching teal matte lipstick, and hold crochet hooks, a crochet hoop, scissors, and yarn, all in varying shades of blue.
News Item

I am Unity: Wit López

Black and white photo of Jeremiah Jordan smiling with his mouth open wide as he looks to the bottom right corner of the photo. He has a septum piercing and silver necklace on over a buttoned up long-sleeve chevron-patterned shirt.
News Item

I am Unity: Jeremiah Jordan

A vibrant underwater sea painting of reds and browns and highlighted Black bodies stretched in motion, accented by gold clouds and gray sea creatures
News Item

I am Unity: Khari Johnson-Ricks

Alan Chelak stands in front of the brick Giovanni's Room building, wearing a yellow t-shirt and holding two books.
News Item

I am Unity: Alan Chelak

Alex is lounging back on a suede tan couch in a living room. He is holding the plug end of a pair of large black headphones he is wearing, along with an ensemble of dark jeans, henley shirt, and a velvet bomber. His hair is choppy and he looks mid-thought, interrupted by the photographer.
News Item

I am Unity: Alex Shen

Alan Chelak smiling and wearing a knit cap, with his fluffy white dog on his lap in a sunlit room full of plants

Alan Chelak

Partner
Photo in Black and White: Malachi is looking at the viewer, mouth slightly open wearing dark lipstick and dark lines of makeup on their chin, cheeks, and bridge of their nose. Their braids are adorned in floral jewelry, coming out from under the brim of a fuzzy bucket hat. they are weaing a pintripe blazer with a butterfly on their shoulder.
News Item

I am Unity: Malachi Lily

Portrait of the artist standing against a brick wall.

Rana Ransom

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait of the artist Vitche-Boul Ra. Photographed by Shanel Edwards for Femme Noire Movement Collective (FNMC).

Vitche-Boul Ra

Participant
Portrait of the artist Golden Collier smiling at the camera against a blue background.

Golden Collier

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait of the artist on stage wrapped in a red feather boa.

Icon Ebony Fierce

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait of the artist seated against a white backdrop.

Felicia Blow

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait of the artist with blue lipstick against a blue background.

Wit López

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Print by the artist.

Toshiro Kamihira

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait of the artist in movement.

Shanel Edwards

Participant
Portrait of the artist sitting next to a sewing machine.

Serena Hocharoen

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait of the artist speaking amongst raised bed gardens.

Naima Merella

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Black and white portrait of the artist in front of a garden fence.

Marria Nakhoda

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Selection of portrait illustrations from artist Soleil Summer.

Soleil Summer

Participant
Portrait photograph of Ramona Córdova in a wintery field

Ramona Córdova

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait photograph of Malachi Lily

Malachi Lily

Participant
Work Included in Care Package
Portrait photograph of the artist Jeremiah Jordan

Jeremiah Jordan

Participant
Three people smiling and posed for the camera wearing festive yellow and red attire and makeup against a backdrop of print paraphernalia saying FORTUNE
News Item

I am Unity: FORTUNE

Diagonal shot of Alex Shen sitting on an old couch wearing headphones

Alex Shen

Curator
Work Included in Care Package
Sunlit photo of Dongyi Wu against a bright green hedge

Dongyi Wu

Curator
Jeffrey Cheung inside his capsule exhibition of queer and trans empowering drawings and banners

Jeffrey Cheung

Lead Artist
Work Included in Care Package
The artist Rachel Ishikawa sits in the grass outside against a clear blue sky. Her hair is a in a low braid over her shoulder, bangs falling in her face as she turns to look at the camera. She is wearing dark t-shirt dress with a floral design.

Rachel Ishikawa

Participant
Work Included in Care Package

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