Activism Through Art Form: Coco and Breezy
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At the convergence of Pride Month and the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, WWD speaks to creatives in the Black LGBTQ community about creative expression as activism and hopes for the future.
Twin sisters Corianna and Brianna Dotson, known as Coco and Breezy, are DJs, producers, musicians and influencers behind the sunglass line, Coco & Breezy Eyewear, which they founded in 2009.
What does being a Black LGBTQ activist mean to you?
“To [us] it means focusing on equal rights and not only talking about it but taking action. Within our eyewear company we create an environment and brand that speaks to our community and makes it inviting to be yourself within the workplace. We also use our voices and have no problem speaking out about these issues. Every day we are continuing to be better activists for our community.”
What inspired you to become an artist?
“We grew up with little to no resources. Now that we are adults, we realized that we had to create our own resources and that is what inspired us to be artists. We are grateful to have had parents who couldn’t support us financially but who supported us emotionally to always be true to ourselves. It’s beautiful to be able to tell our story through our artistry. What is even more powerful is when we are able to touch someone through our artistry. We are so excited to announce that we are dropping our first single ‘Convo’ on June 26th. Being an artist, you get to create art that is healing and we believe that music is very healing to the soul.”
What do you hope the future will hold for the Black LGBTQ community?
“Equality! We hope that the Black LGBTQIA community will be recognized, respected and always celebrated for our talents on a mainstream level. It’s great to be highlighted during Pride, but I hope that people can recognize the talent on an everyday basis. I hope that the community will receive equal opportunities, especially when it is our story to tell. I believe that corporate companies should be aware of hiring a team that is majority from the LGBTQIA community behind the scenes when they are creating campaigns and marketing the community’s story. Fair and equal opportunities. We also hope that when the the story of the LGBTQIA story is being told, that it isn’t only the white perspective, but more stories from the Black perspective from the community. There is a bigger challenge navigating in the world of being queer + Black.”
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