Bunmi Samuel Rewrites Resilience
Bunmi Samuel wants you to know that he is doing just fine. Ten years after a 15,000 ft skydiving fall, he is certain that this moment is his: “I am who I say I am. What I said I was going to do, I’ve done. Something tragic didn’t destroy me. I’m better than I’ve ever been.”
Love Now Live: A Night of Healing
This night not only highlighted the magazine’s theme of ‘Healing’ but also served as a reminder of the weight of nurturing our mental and emotional wellness. As Ayana and Ayinké harmonized to the digital scene of a strikingly orange moon, we reflected and reckoned with the challenges and triumphs of this past year.
Embrace Healing at Love Now Live!
Every artist gracing the Fringe stage is featured in Love Now Magazine’s Winter 2024 issue, with the theme: HEALING. Every story in the issue is an account of transformation and wellness from some of the city’s most inspiring figures: Taj Murdock, Victoria Best, and Vashti Dubois, to name a few. You’ll receive a complimentary copy with your ticket so that you can take the inspiration home with you.
Kristal Bush on Freedom and #FreeMyWeedman
Bush sees herself as a disrupter and change agent. “I create movement in community for people who are voiceless,” she says, “but it all comes from the grassroots.” For Bush, the ability to shift to fill the needs of those in her community is freedom. She believes that education and the respect it brings is freedom.
The Syphax Freedom Fairytale
Together, they remind us that the best things in life come in their own time—love and success come with hard work. Tracey and Cheri Syphax do not take for granted that they get to enjoy the freedom they’ve earned along the way. Instead, like everything else, they share it.
An Uphill Climb to Prosperity: The Journey of a Returning Mother
A wise poet once wrote, “life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” This could not be truer for a person who is justice-impacted. As a mother returning from incarceration, life is full of bumps, cracks, and splinters on stairs that bruise as they knock me down one step for every two steps that I climb. My journey from incarceration to stability has been a roller coaster ride since I returned to society nearly two decades ago.
Philly’s Motivation: A Source of Pride and Resilience in Philadelphia
Williams utilized his hardships as tools for success and grew a thriving social media platform known as Philly’s Motivation, posting 60-second videos that make people smile, whether through “a prayer or inspiring someone through grief, suicidal thoughts, or depression,” said Williams.
His messages were like little love notes to the community, spreading hope and optimism in challenging times.
Freeing the Cvgebird
Cvgebird takes social and systemic issues, and makes them sonically compelling, as well as being informed and interesting. Everything is intentional, whether it be for Selina, the listener, or both.
Determined and Never Afraid: Dana “DJ Showtyme” Johnson
Dana Johnson continues to offer herself to the world, despite the traumas she’s endured. She recognizes that she is an example for many who admire her and offers herself as a voice for those oppressed, ignored, and forgotten. DJ Showtyme reminds us that adversity shapes us, but doesn’t define who we are to ourselves or others.
The Exemplary Manhood of Frontline Dads
So, what does it mean to be a Frontline Dad? Jones describes it as “exemplary manhood,” a recurring phrase taught to mentees. “You don’t have to be a biological father to be a dad,” he emphasizes. “We come from communities where we believe in taking a village to raise a child.”
