Unicorn Loves: Black History Month Edition

History is important: it helps us understand where we came from, and where we’re going. Here at Unicorn Magazine, we’re celebrating Black History Month by taking a look at the Black history in the making *right now*.

The way-pavers making art and shouting loudly and proudly with their work. Inspiring, exciting creative powerhouses who take your breath away and put a smile on your face at the same time. The kind of people your grandkids will read about in a textbook one day and wish they’d met.

So we’re continuing what we started with our Unicorn Loves series in Issue 4, highlighting some awesome queer Black artists and activists we love here at Unicorn, and think you’ll love too.

Aurielle Marie

@yesaurielle

on a deep blue background, Aurielle is front forward to the camera, staring out of the frame with a neutral, stoic expression. Her bob trails down to her shoulders, just touching the crisp collar of the white shirt she has tied in a shirt knot.

‘Poet, activist, scholar, and awkward-turtle-badass’

Unicorn Loves: her evocative, lyrical & badass poetry, and her body-positive posts that put a middle finger up to fatphobia

Malik Nashad Sharpe

(@marikiscrycrycry)

A stylised headshot of Malik, with fuchsia lighting and a bright blue background. They are wearing a backwards textured cap, and round silver glasses, looking askew of the camera with a sexy but contemplative expression, their neat facial hair almost hidden in the shadow

‘Shy, ambivalent, Black femme choreographer’

Unicorn Loves: their powerful, provocative experimental choreography, and their unique fashion sense

Be Steadwell

(@besteadwell)

next to a sun-kissed acoustic guitar, Be Steadwell is crouching down with their arms crossed. They are staring out of the window with a smoulder on their face, hair tousled up effortlessly on top of their fade. They are mostly dressed in greys with a leaf tattoo on their arm, except for a thin turquoise eyeliner that makes their eyes pop

‘musician, filmmaker, storyteller’

Unicorn Loves: their fresh queer musical style – we defy you to find us another artist that can combine Downton Abbey and being a fuccboi and pull it off effortlessly

Zanele Muholi

(@muholizanele)

Zanele looks directly into the camera with an unwavering stare, hair swept up under a black fedora. They are crossing their arms in front of their body, tucked under their armpits, wearing a chunky black sports watch and black shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

‘Visual activist, photographer, art practitioner, humanitarian’

Unicorn Loves: their stunning photography exploring race, gender and sexuality through portraits of Black queer individuals – and they fact that they ‘identify as a human being’. YES. Gender is a construct, folks.

MNEK

(@mnek)

MNEK stands with thin bangles on his arms and his hands on his hips, looking off to the side in equal parts inquisitive and fierce. He is wearing a mint green fringed body suit against a salmon pink background, his locks stylishly fading from black roots to bleached tips as they rest on his collar bone.

‘i make music for u and me. but mostly me.’

Unicorn Loves: his never-ending musical talents: writing, singing, producing, he does it all. And he’s super down to earth and lovely.

Jari Jones

(@iamjarijones)

Jari is crouching down with her hand between her legs, staring with sex and attitude at the camera. The colourful bow tied round her hair pops against the light blue background and bright red lipstick. She is wearing a black swimsuit with the top of a Calvin Klein logo visible in rainbow letters.

‘Actress / Model / Creative / Activist’

Unicorn Loves: that she was the first Black trans woman producer of a film competing at the Cannes Film Festival. Pair that with a stunning smoulder and a killer smile in her modelling shots, and she’s plain unstoppable.

As well as the artists we’ve listed today, we’re also honoured here at Unicorn Magazine to have had some brilliant Black contributors including Nalu, Kai Hazlewood and Zayna Ratty. But now is the time for us to say: we need to do more. And we need your help to do it.

If you are a Black writer, artist, activist, or a passionate person with a story to tell, we want to hear from you. We want to hear your stories, in your own words, told your way. We want to honour Black history by showing Black lives, work and experiences, here, now, today. 

Get in touch with us either by DM or visiting https://staging7.unicornzine.com/contribute/.

Once you’ve browsed, liked, followed or shared these brilliant artists’ & activists’ work, make sure to check out some important organisations doing great work for the Black and POC queer community.

LONDON BI PANDAS ANTIRACISM RESOURCES

BIS OF COLOUR

UK Black PRIDE

Written by Maddie Jones

Written by

Maddie Jones

She / Her | Communities Editor | Instagram - madelainejonescreative
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CONTENT NOTE This is an exploratory and experimental bi magazine project featuring stories about mental health, violence, abuse,
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