SKINFOLK

Skinfolk is an anthology of essays exploring radical nonconformity through the lives of individuals whose Blackness is incidental to their refusal of convention. The collection argues that true nonconformity does not emerge from racial categories but from a deeper impulse to resist the limits imposed on human potential.

Rather than centering identity alone, Skinfolk celebrates outliers—artists, athletes, writers, and visionaries whose lives reveal uncommon forms of originality and self-determination. Featured subjects include Alice Coltrane, who transformed herself into a Hindu Swamini; Tyler, the Creator, whose musical evolution resembles abstract art; George Clinton, whose absurdist imagination echoes Dadaism; and Octavia Butler, whose fiction anticipated political realities that feel strikingly contemporary. The anthology also expands beyond race to include figures such as Joni Mitchell and Yoko Ono, underscoring its focus on the universal language of nonconformity.

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  • GRACE JONES

  • DENZEL WASHINGTON

  • William Pope.L

  • JONI MITCHELL

Part essay collection and part public study, Skinfolk examines nonconformity as a human act of refusal—one that exists beyond the gravity of race. Interwoven throughout the book are prompt-driven contributions from Instagram followers, Skinfolk gatherings (see below) and Humanity Talks, creating a living dialogue between the essays and the communities that inspire them.

At its core, Skinfolk is an argument for human connection. It offers a space to witness, practice, and learn from the courage of those who refuse easy categorization.

The anthology is projected to include 15–20 essays, with eight completed to date. I anticipate completing the manuscript within 12 to 18 months, followed by professional editing and submission to publishers.

I am seeking support while I complete the anthology, which I anticipate will take one year to eighteen months. My goal is to assemble a collection of 15 to 20 essays, eight of which have been completed. Once I’ve finalized the collection, it will require professional editing. Throughout the editing process, I will draft a proposal to submit to publishers and then begin the submission process.

I have created a GoFundMe to support this project. I hope that you will join me in building a community of bold, unconventional voices who amplify daring ideas, vision, and truth. Contributions help sustain the research, the writing, and the public dialogues that shape the book as it’s being made. This is not content. It’s an archive in motion.


Why does Skinfolk matter? At a time of increasing division, unconventional stories remind us that individuality, creativity, and courage transcend racial and social boundaries. Skinfolk preserves and amplifies these voices, illuminating the expansive possibilities of what it means to be human

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SKINFOLK Gatherings

Art Design Xchange

THE LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH

If you are visiting or live in the Portland Oregon area, join me for an exploration of nonconformists who reject definitions and live from an inner truth—making us all visible, and connection possible.

This series is for ANYONE drawn to nonconformity—even as a question. We’re building a community shaped by refusal and energized by radical creativity.

$20 suggested donation or donate

GoFundme