Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
'We See You': Photos From Inside Afropunk 2019
By
Ruth Samuel
Published Aug 26, 2019
Modified Aug 26, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
David "Dee" Delgado / Gothamist
View all 56
By
Ruth Samuel
Published Aug 26, 2019
Modified Aug 26, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Clad in a royal blue, high-low tulle dress and sunny yellow sneakers, 50-year-old Lisa Hurley came to Afropunk Brooklyn at Commodore Barry Park this past Saturday with a two-pronged mission in mind. The Barbados native chose those colors specifically to honor her homeland, but also an outfit so voluminous, she could not be ignored.
"The theme this year is 'We See You,'" Hurley said. "I wanted to make sure I represent that: taking up space making yourself visible and unapologetic."
Afropunk is not only a music and black arts festival, but a counter-culture movement that unabashedly gives black people the space to be whoever they want to be apart from a society that polices our existence.
Drexel University student Samuel Opawumi came with his 27-year-old brother Moses to Afropunk in a fiery red ensemble inspired by the Tekkit video game franchise, adding a little Nigerian flair.
Opawumi told Gothamist, "Afropunk means inclusivity, freedom to be who you are, and acceptance [of] who you are. It means celebrating your roots, and Afropunk [it] shows that the Black Diaspora is not a monolith."
Lisa Hurley (left); yeehaw style (right). (Photos by Ruth Samuel / Gothamist)
Whether that means being their most authentic selves or dressing up in a campy, whimsical cosplay, Afropunk is a celebration of all shades, sizes, and representations of Blackness. The festival has a strict no sexism, no racism, no ableism, no homophobia, no fatphobia, no transphobia, no hatefulness, and no "Trumpism" policy in an effort to ensure that it is an inclusive environment.
Founded by James Spooner and Michael Morgan in 2005, there are over 60,000 people in attendance annually, spanning from Atlanta to London and South Africa, yet concertgoers still say the Afropunk Music Festival feels familial.
"I came here with the expectation that I was going to be friends with everyone," said Aderonke Adeyemo from Bloomfield, Connecticut. "I feel at home."
This year's Brooklyn festival included big names like NAO, GoldLink, Tierra Whack, J.I.D., Rico Nasty, Tank & The Bangas, Chika, FKA Twigs, Masego, and more. Along with surprise appearances from Jidenna and Alicia Keys, this mix of artists is a testament to the diversity and vibrancy of Black culture.
Outfits that were adorned with hair picks or mixed the re-emerging yeehaw aesthetic (thanks to Lil' Nas X) with Ankara print stole the show. From avant-garde looks inspired by Afro-futurism—and the notion that black people are the future—to paying homage to the African goddess Oshun, the commonality between all of these pieces is that black individuals are taking ownership of how they see themselves and doing so without judgment.
When asked what Afropunk means to them, 27-year-old Celeste, who traveled 12 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina to attend, said: freedom, being myself, and Blackness—"It means celebrating who I am."
Tagged
afropunk
afropunk 2019
summer 2019
Ruth Samuel
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
NYC music in October: The Strokes, a Blink-182 cover band, and Polish experimentalism
An excellent and diverse month of concerts are in store for October.
By
Hank Shteamer
Published Oct 2, 2026 at 11:15 a.m. ET
Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.
There is now an (un)official verification process for those who can claim the title of city resident.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.
There is now an (un)official verification process for those who can claim the title of city resident.
By
Hannah Frishberg
In the mood for a pastoral autumn experience? Try Queens.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
October is spooky season at the movies in New York City
By
Emma Stefansky
At the Museum at FIT, an argument for dolls as the ultimate fashion influencers
By
Quinn Moreland
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .