OMG It’s Spring: +Shiela O Shoot+
Omg It’s Spring! Take a look at some fab photos by Valter of Cozy Studio. Styled by Ryerson Student Shiela O, featuring the Model Raven, Make Up By Becky and of course yours truely, Asikere Afana designs. Very fresh.
Styling and Production: Sheila O (@styledbyshe)
Model: Raven ♡Toux (@MeToux)
Designer: Ashley Alexis for Asikere Afana (@zenista)
Hair & Makeup: Becky Grimman (@BeckyGeeMakeUp)
Photography: Valter Mendes
Asikere Afana Accessories
I had so much fun at this photo shoot. Great team, and great styling by Sheila O. The shoot was for her student portfolio at Ryerson. Here are a few photos taken by Ardean photography. I’ve been working on jewellery over the past few months. Really experimenting with beads. My bracelets and copper spike ring are photos below. As my zebra print Asikere Afana bodice.
Styling and Production: Sheila O (@styledbyshe)
Model: ♡Toux (@MeToux)
Designer: Ashley Alexis for Asikere Afana (@zenista)
Hair & Makeup: Becky Grimman (@BeckyGeeMakeUp)
Photography: Ardean Peters (www.photographybyardean.com)
It’s Been a Long Time: Poetry Publication
It has been such a long time since I posted on thee Asikere Afana Blog. You may feel utlra neglected. I apologize dearly. The thing is I’m a multi-media artist, and shifted gears a bit to focus on poetry. This year has been a pretty big deal for me. I’ve been published twice, in two different anthologies. This is also the first time my poetry has EVER been published before. I’ve been writing since I was a teen and performing spoken word since I was 16. A few years ago I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t perform much until I got published, and now I have. So glad to be published alongside some of the greats in Canadian Black poetry. Below is a photo from the February 14th launch at the University of Toronto. Look I’m wearing my Asikere Afana peplum top 
The first book is called The Great Black North. It is the only collection of Contemporary Black Canadian poetry. Historical and timely. Below is the poem that’s in the book. Really it’s a great anthology and I recommend anyone and everyone pick it up. I wrote this poem a few years ago and it’s since been performed at Afrofest, and on CBC Radio One.
THE RE IMAGE URGE
By Ashley Alexis McFarlane (aka Queen Tiyessential)
I wonder
If at least
The moon will have my back
When I tell her
That more than anything I want
To see myself recreated
As a child with this
Bad
Nappy
Kinky hair
Thick lips
And skin as dark
As the sky
She hangs in
I want to recreate that woman
That reminds you
Of slavery
The Middle Passage
Home
Your mom
Red fingers
As you sat between her legs
She styled your dome peace
I want to recreate
Little black babies
Who will be loved
Equal and whole
With full lips
Celestial eyes
And unabridged noses
Know I
Want to recreate Africa
When Egyptians were Nubians
And not just Arabian invaders
Breeding the blackness out
Of Sudanese Bodies
A mentality too ripe with
Hate her
And assimilate
“The universe wants us to
Be all mixed up and happy
Just like the yin and yang”
A blue-black gorgeous man
Told me
Once
I want to create diversity
Where we can all be us
Equal and whole
And not be blinded by a system
That still needs a serious injection
Of some soul (r power too)
I want to recreate the rage that says
Stop chaining black bodies
For material gain
And blaming gang violence
Yet ignoring the pain
On the faces of the poor
A pain that resonates through all races
Across shores
Across shores
I want to recreate
The re-image urge
.
.
.
Reemerge
University of Western Ontario African Students Association Fash Show
I had so much fun at the African Students Association Cultural Show a few weekends ago up at the University of Western Ontario. The girls took great care of me, the models were fly, the people were friendly and sure does London know how to partay!!! Great weekend. Next stop McMaster in March. Wow. Asikere Afana has been on a University Tour.
Click photo below for all photos from the show:
Best Dressed: Miss AfriCanada Pageant Video
I watched this video again and again. 1st Runner Up and winner of Best Dressed Fatema Parha at the Miss AfriCanada Pageant in November rocked my dress custom designed for her and the competition. You can see Fatema at 00:25 in the video. So happy. All the contests looked beautiful. Such creativity, determination and talent.
2nd e’clectik pop up shop
Our second e’clectik pop up shop at Accents Bookstore on Eglinton Ave. on February 17th. Email me at asikereafana@gmail.com to sign up for vending or for more information. Vending is $25 and half the tables are gone so sign up soon!
Photos from e’clectik Pop Up Shop in December
Our first pop up shop was well attended, well vended and very well photographed. Here are some photos and links to coverage on the e’clectik pop up shop I organized with Accents Bookstore last month. Below are photos of vistors, venders, performances and organizers. Photo courtesy of Warn the Robin.
Zenista
