KWAKU ALSTON
(@kwakualston) has
photographed some of the
most famous faces of our time,
including President Barack
Obama and the First Family.
For “The Future of Serena
Williams” (page 110), the
lensman expertly captured
the celebrated tennis star in
a forward-looking mood.LAÓLÚ
(@laolunyc) is a Nigerian-
bred performance and
visual artist, musician,
human rights lawyer and
activist based in Brooklyn.
By placing his artwork on
just about any and every
surface, he seeks to leave
a part of his Yoruba
heritage wherever he
goes. He describes his
style, which he calls
“Afromysterics,” as the
mysteries of the African
thought pattern. Cover
girl Serena Williams
served as his canvas, with
stunning results.RAQUEL WILLIS
(@raquel_willis) is a writer
and activist dedicated to
elevating the voices of
transgender women of color.
The executive editor of Out
magazine interviewed
trailblazer Leyna Bloom for
“Wild Wanderer” (page 130).KACEYKAL
(@KaCeyKal) is an artist of many disciplines, including painting and animation.
Currently focused on illustration, he expresses appreciation for the female form and
Black women specifically. “I lean more toward these body shapes because that is
what I like,” he says. He crafted the art for this month’s Horoscope (page 166).TANYA A. CHRISTIAN
(@TanyaAChristian)
ESSENCE’s news and politics
editor, penned “Made in Kibera”
(page 136) about the Kenyan
enclave making waves on the
global fashion scene. The
lifelong writer and sometime
blogger is a Hampton grad.BEHIND THE SCENES Trans actress, dancer and model Leyna Bloom is all about
making a splash, which made Rocky Point Beach in East Marion, New York, the
perfect setting for a fashion feature with the up-and-comer. Photographer JD
Barnes’s images of the changemaker were sumptuous.
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ESSENCE.COM I 20 I SEPTEMBER 2019
CONTRIBUTORS.