Master Pioneer Awards Ceremony Recap

Congratulations to Nekhena Evans and all artisans of style!

The inaugural Master Pioneer Awards took place on September 18, 2011 at the Brooklyn Museum. The event hosted by B.A.D. Braids and Dreds, Inc. honored 10 industry forerunners who forged a path, making it possible for thousands nationwide to establish careers and businesses in this now thriving industry. Watch as the honorees share their gratitude and recap that special night. For more information on the next Master Pioneer Awards ceremony visit www.masterpioneers.com.

SARTORIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY - GERALD BRYAN

Gerald Bryan

Folk Culture Intern and High School Junior

The Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Community Folk Culture Program

Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center

To describe my stylistic fashion - basically I dress fashionably well.  My outfits begin and end with color coordination. I don’t have a problem with trying out other styling and incorporating them into my clothing.

My dress represents me by explaining my mood or political/social ideas without giving too much information to the eye (and leaving the rest to the imagination).

My clothing is a canvas to promote myself with myself by simply putting on a fitted (baseball cap) or a shirt to display my inner-most feelings.

Just altering an article of clothing can convey an emotion - whether it may be cool, calm, angry, enraged all the way to exciting & down-to-earth.

My communities of style are a mash-up of individuality, sporty and artsy. I can’t specifically brand myself with one particular community of style ‘cause my style mentality is to be foreign from those man-made labels. My style won’t be duplicated and can’t be repeated.

Your style shows your inner artist and no one has the same inner feelings.

MY style can been seen in whatever I wear.  Whether in church, the house, or even in school clothes my style never changes.

SARTORIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY - DIANE WILLIAMS

Diane Williams

Folk Culture Intern and College Freshman

The Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Community Folk Culture Program

Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center

I dress how I feel like dressing - depends on my mood on that particular day.

My style has no limitations on how creative my outfit can be or how plain it can be.

My most consummate outfit would be some blue skinny jeans, a nice graphic t-shirt with either a cartoon character or a revolutionary saying, a sweater, and my favorite sneakers, Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars.

But my style as also branches out to outfits that maybe include a bowtie, designer tights, a hat that was probably worn back in the day or my Run DMC glasses.

My attire conveys what I think about myself as a person - that I am an awesome individual who dares to be different. And that’s what I like to do - be different and dare others to be different as well.

The group that I belong to or I identify myself with I would called the “Others.” The “Others” are individuals who choose not to blend in with society but stand out and say something to the world.

Make a statement, even if it is done through a style of dress.

SARTORIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY - CHRISTYN BROWN

Christyn Brown

Folk Culture Intern and High School Sophomore

The Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Community Folk Culture Program

Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center

They say you can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress.  I don’t feel the need to prove anything to anyone. I dress to impress when needed. But I’m not going all out of my way for anyone.

I dress very simple and casual.  Well, most times.  I tend to dress for the moment and how I’m feeling that day. 

I dress for me but I still try to keep up with the latest trends or start my own.  I wear what I want to wear when I want to wear it.

I love to accessorize.  It helps make my outfit more me.  Without a pair of earrings, purse, anklet, wristlet, or ring, etc., your outfit is not complete.  When people see me, than can always say I look comfortable.  I’m not the girl with the heels trying to be cute – falling and tripping with blisters, crying because her feet hurt.  That’s definitely not me.  I’m the cute chick who’s relaxed.  I match and like to wear different patterns and colors.

I dress the way I do because I want to.  No one does and ever will tell me what to wear.  I like to be myself, sometimes step out the box and be original.  I like to change things around just to make it more me.

My friends vary from The Most Popular All Name-Brand crew to The Regulars Wear What You Want That Day crew.  I fit in with both.  I like to be comfy and cute.

Where I live tends to trigger different thoughts in my head - like I should have the finest things in life and be spoiled.  But I tend to just be me and wear whatever looks good and appropriate.

My dress styles tend to change frequently because I don’t like to be the same. What I put on depends on how I’m feeling at the time.

SARTORIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY - ASHLEY BAILEY

Ashley Bailey

Folk Culture Intern and High School Junior

The Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Community Folk Culture Program

Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center

I dress with a lot of pride.

My style of clothing is very unique.  One of the words that I use is “Priss-Cute-Ous.”   

I use this word because Priss is my prissy but unique style.  I like shoes and tops that suit my style and feeling of the day.

Cute is my style because of my bags and jewelry - plus everything has to match with the bag.

Ous means that you will never know what I will wear the next day. One day I might end up in some boy-shorts and some flip flops and then the next day some heels and a skirt.
 

My attire says I'm a very unique person.

Just like my mother, I love earthy colors like brown, purple, olive green, etc.

I'm growing up and I have a mind of my own. I go by what I want to wear and not what others want to see me in.  I dress the way I do because I'm different from a lot of people and I would love to keep it that way.

My style is made to fit me because I'm a phat girl that takes pride in what I do and wear. Phat is the word I learnt meaning Pretty Hot and Thick. That means a lot to me because it defin's who I really am and the people who are the same size as me.

One community of style that I’m a part of is the very weird authentic.  It is mixed with priss-cute-ous and simply me. The reason is because I don't usually wear retro colors because they’re too bright and out there.  So, I go by what I feel comfortable with.



SARTORIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY - ASHLEE BUSTAMENTE

Ashlee Bustamente

Folk Culture Intern and College Freshman

The Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Communityn Folk Culture Program

Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center

~All throughout my life, I always felt that I had a tomboyish sense of style, but I’ve always dressed with basic ands simple clothes.

~These days I dress casual and I always need to be comfortable in it. 

~I choose clothes that are simple yet don’t make me stand out of the crowd completely.

~There are never times when I don’t buy cargo pants or Arizona Jean Company skinny jeans.  I always buy colorful t-shirts with cool or funny sayings.  I also wear V-neck sweaters or striped t-shirts.

-When I am with my friends in Manhattan, I make sure to put an extra edge to my basic clothes.

-For example, a cool t-shirt with my Black Arizona polyester skinny jeans with my Airwalk Slip-On shoes.

-I believe that I dress like a typical teen, which is casual when around family because I’m the only teen in my family.

-I almost never wear skirts or dresses, probably because it feels too feminine and I wore uniform skirts & dresses for 15 years in school.  I also tend to avoid heels, which I’ve never felt comfortable walking in.

~However, I will always wear dressy tops or dresses with heels or for special occasions as the exception.

~Since I’m a 19 year old in college, I definitely identify with the group of people who don’t care about famous name brands for quality.

~I believe we dress for ourselves as well as to wear current trends, like skinny jeans for society a little bit.

~I always feel best wearing clothes that I personally love as well as to try to wear clothes and accessories, like my New York Yankees hat to give a piece of my personality.

-I always hope that my everyday clothing says that I’m a nice, approachable, and slightly quirky person.

SARTORIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY - EDMOND ASANTE

Edmond Asante, Senior Folklorist and High School Senior

The Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Community Folk Culture Program

Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center - Bronx, NY

I would say that the style in which I dress is urban but with a downtown city life inspiration. Even though I am born and raised in the Bronx, I’ve been going back and forth between Manhattan and the Bronx on my own since fifth grade. My attire expresses that I’m a young kid with a lot of ideas on my mind. It tells the story of where my life is right now. I’m a teen who has a little too much fun and is waiting to bust out and be mature and independent. It shows that I put a lot of thought into what I’m wearing and that distinguishing myself and my individuality is very important to me.

I mainly dress the way I do because I hate completely blending in. Monotony is rarely present in my life and so there’s no reason why it should show up in my sartorial choices. I am a very vibrant person and that is reflected in the colors that I choose to wear. Fashion is something that I have taken a special liking to because it’s like wearing art and since I am horrible at painting picture with my hands on a piece of paper, I find it much more pleasurable and exciting to make my body the canvas. I value my ideas and that is shown by what I wear because I never just “throw something on”, it’s always a process, however brief or lengthy it may be. I also dress the way I do because anything else I might want to wear would be rejected by my parents. Because of this, there is a limit to how creative and expressive I can be in my outfit choices.

One group I belong to is my church. There, I tend to be more reserved and less eccentric with what I wear. What I’m wearing shouldn’t take away attention from the reason that we all congregated at the church and so I just wear slacks, a dress shirt, and loafers.

At school, because of our dress code I must dress formally. However, our lack of a full on uniform allows for me to play around a bit with what I’m wearing. Every now and then though, my friends and I will break a rule over what we want to wear and try and see how long we can go through the day without getting caught.

The circle of friends I have is usually the ones who I am always in Manhattan going to museums, shows, and theatres with. Because of this, I’m more individualistic and get a bit crazy with what I’m wearing because in Manhattan you’re bound to be one of many in eye catching attire.

With the friends that I am with in the Bronx, I am more subtle because they’re not used to how I’d dress with my other friends and the last thing I need is someone else’s harsh criticism.

When I’m around family and older people, I tend to make sure that my outfits won’t cause too much of a stir with them.

When I’m with my friends, other people’s comments and opinions on my fashion choices are not considered as much, and then it’s more about what I like and feel happy in.