Athiec Geng & Nyaueth Riam in Vogue Poland Cinema 2024 Issue by Karolina Pukowiec
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OMG, Ladies. Ladies. Ladies. Anne of Carversville has died and gone straight to heaven. Social justice warrior that I am, the door is left unlocked for my unannounced arrival. Then again, if being alive means that Anne gets to watch more absurdly-fabulous talent like the riches in this video starring Black beauty models Athiec Geng and Nyaueth Riam — well, I may stay around for awhile.
Geng and Riam are joined by models Chol Mabiorr, Tass Starr and Faaby Fall for the October 2024 cinema issue Vogue Poland [IG] fashion story styled by Marta Zaczyńska. / Hair by Bastien Zorzetto; makeup by William Bartel
Photographer Karolina Pukowiec [IG] said it best about her achingly-wonderful fashion story:
For me it was always about telling a story. Sometimes stills are not enough, so you’ll see more and more moving images here. Enjoy!
A Warm Night and Starry Sky in the late ‘80s
The Karolina Pukowiec video has triggered my memory of a truly special night in Wainscott, LI. A close friend of mine Lauryce, originally from Charleston, SC, had invited two of her own forever-friends to join her for the weekend at my getaway place.
We were having dinner on the deck by the pool and our mood was spectacular on an exquisitely-beautiful, summer night in East Hampton.
One of the ladies — and they WERE ladies just like Athiec Chol and Nyaueth Riam in this video — was so inspired by some movie they watched in Charleston as teenagers, that she ran inside for her boombox.
They started a slo-mo dance routine — NOT straight out of Compton — but straight out of the movie above. I had the same reaction that night that I’m having again in this moment. For once I didn’t cry — and not tonight either.
I was still smiling and toasting them, but inside my heart was breaking a little, because Charleston was still segregated when they were teens. They were only allowed to take seats in the balcony back then. The three friends spoke of their teenage experiences freely, knowing they were in safe harbor at my place.
There was both anger and sadness in my heart over the racism shown these three beautiful women in their teenage years. But they were laughing and full-on absorbing the magic of the moment, so I banished the segregation business from my thoughts — until I was alone.
The Power of ‘Black Girl Magic’
They had a slumber party on the other side of the house, which I chose to have go on without me. But their laughter and good vibrations left a permanent impression on every surface of my weekend environment — from walls to the woodwork.
In a stunning development for a young woman in her 30s, Mickey would die of cancer not many years later, causing me to treasure even more deeply that special night and the fragility of life itself.
Charleston and the state of South Carolina was the last state to desegregate in September, 1963. For historical context, less than three months later, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.
Sixty-one years later, a show has opened today, December 15, 2024 at the ‘Art Institute Chicago’ called ‘Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica.’ I have enjoyed highest-quality time away in Chicago these last 10 days, but was unable to see this show.
I tie President Kennedy’s assassination to this show because a dynamic young leader from Kenya named Tom Mboya visited Senator John F. Kennedy in 1959, launching a campaign of his own that would eventually bring hundreds of African students to America for university-level education.
Those students include Barack Obama Sr., President Obama's father. US Vice President Kamala Harris’ parents were most likely part of the same global initiative, but my hunch must be confirmed.
Kennedy's decision to support the African education effort imagined by Tom Mboya became an issue in the 1960 presidential election and possibly a factor in his narrow victory and even his assassination, which remains assigned to Lee Harvey Oswald as a lone-wolf actor.
As you might imagine, large numbers of Americans do not believe Oswald acted alone.
Thunderstruck for a Second Time in Chicago
A key reason I’ve been in Chicago is to launch Anne of Carversville’s first ‘Artist in Residence’ program. Not having reached agreement with the accomplished artist with an intriguing life of her own, on exactly how she will be presented on AOC, she remains anonymous in this moment.
As do her parents remain out of view, but I hope to fix that issue in short-order and launch this initiative on January 1, 2025. These are deeply consequential people over the course of my own life. I met them only once, at about age 14-15 on a 4-5 days visit to Chicago.
These progressive values-driven individuals made such an impression on me that I returned to Minnesota fully committed to my own square-peg in a round-hole values. I’m no longer certain that these were my values before heading to Chicago, but they were seared into my self-identity when I got home.
This highly-creative brood of white Scandinavians reset the course of my life without even knowing it. I note that we are all globalists at heart and have travelled all over the world today. Throwing in one’s Scandinavian heritage is usually not a bad idea among creatives. It’s “good people” currency.
In Chicago I learned about a treasure trove of documents, scrap books and even audio about the parents of AOC’s first Artist in Residence. One entire scrap book is dedicated to their extensive work in the civil rights movement in Chicago, specifically the mother’s work with Jesse Jackson.
As is always the case with me, these maelstrom moments never happen in a vacuum as a single event. This Vogue Poland fashion story is now part of my emerging story, reminding me of this precious night in Wainscott, NY decades ago that grappled with this same theme of racial justice.
Where we’re going next, I don’t know. But Anne fully expects 2025 to be one of the most consequential years of her life. And I am so honored to share these stories in the coming months — from my own perspective and also that of AOC’s Artist in Residence daughter, who grew up in the most incredible family possible from her own perspective. Her brother — also an artist — will surely show up one day, to share his own thoughts about this great American family from Chicago.
Already I am simply dizzy with the unique cross-currents of experiences and intersecting interests available to me — thanks to my cousin Jo, who decided to make this reunion happen. I can’t wait to give these most fabulous, good people from Chicago a bit of the recognition they deserve. ~ Anne
