Black History Month Fashion Editorial

by Jittaun Taylor

While attending Kent State I created my Instagram page, Styling Addict, to showcase the photoshoots I styled and build an online portfolio. I’ve styled seven photoshoots but the Black History Month shoot is one of my favorites. I decided to showcase two beautiful black women. It may not be black history month, but it’s important to showcase my community, especially due to what's going on in the world right now. Black lives matter, today, tomorrow, and every day after that. Social Media has been flooded with the tragic stories of black people that have lost their lives to police brutality. The black community and allies have been sharing protest information, petitions, and different organizations that are accepting donations. Being black in this country is challenging and for the past few weeks, it has been mentally and emotionally draining. We want to stay informed but it’s also important that we take breaks from consuming information. As a community, we’ve realized that while it’s important to use our voice, it’s also important to showcase the talent and the accomplishments in the black community as well. Social media has been filled with black people showcasing their talents, accomplishments, and businesses. The point of the Black History Month Photoshoot was to showcase how accomplished, talented, and beautiful these black women are. I’m a behind the scenes girl, but somehow I ended up in front of the camera as well. The inspiration for the looks came from how vibrant and beautiful bright colors look against brown skin. Antonia Richardson (pictured in orange and yellow) is an Advertising major at Kent State University. She’s modeled in several fashion shows, commercials, and magazines. She’s also an eyebrow specialist and has her own business called Arched By Ant. Jadasia Norris is a Fashion Merchandising major with a minor in Entrepreneurial Business at Kent State and is very involved on campus. She’s a part of Voices of Testimony, Barefeet Dance Tribe, Kupita, and the Oscar Ritchie Scholarship program. Last, is myself pictured in the blue jumpsuit. I’ll be graduating in December with a Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Merchandising with a minor in Fashion Media at Kent State University. I am the creator of Styling Addict, and this year I created the Styling Addict Team with four other women. The purpose of the team was to give women interested in styling, photography, and makeup a chance to expand their own portfolios. I’ve also been a social media intern for Jaguar Creek, an eco-lodge in Belize, for over a year. The black community is full of talent and creativity and my goal is to continue showcasing that.

Photographer: Imana Abdulahi-Onipe