AFROPUNK Announces “Open Fair” Surrounding 2/24-25 Lincoln Center Takeover, Black HERSTORY Live

AFROPUNK curates events that present the full spectrum of the Black experience, recruiting talented performers while shining a light on the artists and entrepreneurs from the local community. In conjunction with the upcoming Black HERSTORY Live, a 2-day takeover in partnership with Lincoln Center for The Performing Arts, AFROPUNK hosts BLACK HERSTORY: Open Fair, a free event that highlights talented community members and showcases Black-owned businesses. BLACK HERSTORY: Open Fair occurs at Lincoln Center before each day of the takeover, on February 24th (Alice Tully Hall) and February 25th (David Geffen Hall) from 2pm-5:30pm. Fans who attend the Open Fair will have the exclusive opportunity to purchase tickets for the evening’s event at a pay-what-you-can price.

The upcoming BLACK HERSTORY: Open Fair offers local Black artists from various disciplines to show off their skills in a friendly and welcoming environment. Performances range from slam poetry, hosted by artists Anyrah Shaveh and Njambi Morgan and featuring 5 poets per day, an all-woman DJ takeover featuring Vonnie Mack, Kola Champagne, and Nikki Anticss, and dance performances from LADIES OF HIP-HOP and standouts from TheJulliard School’s dance program. Along with these performances, community members can enjoy a Jam Session hosted by The Soapbox Presents, check out the products of a host of local businesses (see the full list of businesses below), and a special AfroFuturism experience by the legendary singer-songwriter Nona Hendryx.

Amongst the celebration of Black joy and community, there will be a Sephora booth activation for attendees to enjoy. It will feature Black founders/entrepreneurs, content creators, and artists, and discussions centered around entrepreneurship, turning your passion into your purpose, and Black business. In addition, the activation will be open for people to “step in” to learn more about the speakers. As an industry-leading champion of diversity, Sephora remains guided by their long-standing company values of inclusivity and empowerment. In 2019, Sephora announced their new tagline and manifesto, “We Belong to Something Beautiful,” to reinforce its dedication to fostering belonging amongst all clients and employees and to publicly strive for a more inclusive vision for retail in the Americas. 

Since its debut in North America over 20 years ago, Sephora has grown to more than 500 locations across the Americas, all while being a leader in prestige omni-retail with the mission of creating an inviting beauty shopping experience and inspiring fearlessness in our communities. With the goal of delivering unbiased shopping support and a personalized experience, Sephora invites clients to discover thousands of products from a wide selection of carefully curated diverse and inclusive brands. AFROPUNK is proud to be a part of Sephora’s mission to give back to our communities and advance inclusion in the beauty industry through its social impact and equity programming, called the Sephora D&I Heart Journey. For more information, visit: https://www.sephora.com/about-us and @Sephora on social media. 

An immersive multidisciplinary experience that includes music, visual art, poetry, dance, and much more, Black HERSTORY Live honors and celebrates Black women in the performing arts. The celebration boasts an illustrious list of Black women who will lend their talents, including Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter India.Arie, Tony Award-winning actress and playwright Sarah Jones, NAACP Image Award-nominated poet and activist aja monet, critically acclaimed artist Mereba, poet, writer, and educator Mahogany L. Browne, singer-songwriter and art-rock goddess, Nona Hendryx, renowned choreographer Ebony Williams (Beyoncé, Rihanna, Ciara), and rising singer-songwriters UMI, Danielle Ponder, and Celisse.

As it continues to redefine the multicultural experience, AFROPUNK has expanded its reach and its mission to include a wide variety of events, partnerships, documentaries and programs that aim to uplift, educate and create space for marginalized communities. This performance at Lincoln Center is the epitome of the AFROPUNK ethos. Each activation will educate, entertain, and inspire.

AFROPUNK has also established a legacy as a safe space for Black alternative culture, offering a haven for attendees to show up as their most authentic selves. The end result of which is always a stunning community of people who respect, admire, and care for one another; it’s an experience unlike any other. AFROPUNK creates an anchor for its growing audience of multicultural youth through its annual music festival and other events in Brooklyn, Miami, Minneapolis, Paris, London, Atlanta, Johannesburg, and more.

With this latest endeavor, the global brand seeks to remind New York why it’s one of the most vital and vibrant cultural institutions in the city and beyond.

View more information about Black HERSTORY Live: AFROPUNK.com | LincolnCenter.org/afropunk

Stay tuned to AFROPUNK on socials and text “AFROPUNK” to 718-550-6268 to stay in the loop for more announcements.

List of Black HERSTORY Live community businesses: 
DEL LUVRA
JUMZ ACCESSORIES
Natty Garden
AlisonKaba
NemiGlow
Shop Akari Home
Adorned by V
UZOART
FOLKUS