black joy archive v.ii (2022)

What does Black Joy mean to you? Is it a form of resistance? Is it a form of healing? Is it a form of preservation? The first edition of black joy archive was created as an urgent call amidst the global racial reckoning of 2020. Two years later this project’s intention remained the same — to amplify stories, connect community and reject racialized pathologies that continue to flatten the varied experiences of Black livelihood. But since this project’s initial release there has been a cultural shift — with questionable moves of allyship being presented by corporate entities, capitalistic industries utilizing taglines such as “Black Joy” for commercial profit and the overall anti-racial fervor that ignited non-BIPOC individuals that summer of 2020 now debatably apathetic. Although we should not dismiss the social progress made, we cannot forget that this confrontation of anti-racist sentiment has coexisted with national campaigns against critical race theory and the continued politicizing of the Black histories and black peoples humanity. v.ii of this project asked contributors to consider — how can we continue to persevere? To push against the noise, the trends and expectations in order to uplift our own narratives? More importantly — what does Black Joy look like to you now?

More @ blackjoyarchive.com

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