Fashion as a Revolution
Growing up in Virginia Beach, a city that’s only 19% black and known for its racist past, my late mother instilled in my only sibling and me that how you dress is vital to people’s first impressions of you and how proud we should be to be black. My mom's emphasis on how we dress transitioned into a bond my brother and I shared over clothes and my passion for fashion. The bond my brother and I shared for fashion was so strong we started a retail business named Big Steppas. The concept behind Big Steppas is a streetwear retail business that specializes in size 12+ sneakers and larger-size apparel.
Big Steppas was going strong until March 26, 2021, when my brother Donovon Lynch was shot and Killed by Virginia Beach Police. In the very city we were born and raised in, my brother took his last breath at the hands of those supposed to protect and serve. Ironically enough, when my brother was killed, he was wearing a Billionaire Boys Club BLM shirt that honored others who were killed at the hands of the police.
Because of my brother’s death, I have been naturally placed in the role of an activist. Similarly to other stories you’ve heard about innocent lives taken by the police, the media portrays the victims as though they did something to be killed. This was also the case with how media outlets portrayed my brother and my family. Even with the media creating their narrative, my family and I continue to fight for my brother’s justice.
Before every press conference, rally, march, and interview, I remember how my mom and dad raised me and my brother to use our outfits as a great first impression. This isn’t the first instance when fashion and revolution have intersected. The Black Panther Party is known for its leather jackets and barrets, so much so it’s known as the Black Panther Uniform. In particular, French Warfighters influenced the Panthers to wear berets to symbolize resistance against police brutality and recognition of revolutionary ideologies. Oftentimes, I wear a beret when demanding justice for my brother as a way to pay homage to the Pathers and all they have done for the black community.
