LaLa’s story originally appeared in up + rising, a celebration of extraordinary Black voices, and is the first chapter of i-D’s 40th anniversary issue (1980-2020).
i-D chronicled over 100 activists and artists, musicians and writers, photographers and creatives, in Atlanta, Baltimore, Minneapolis, LA, London, New York, Paris and Toronto.
“We cannot advocate for Black lives if we are not advocating for Black trans lives. In this climate that we are in, if my Black heterosexual brothers and sisters and not moving from a real intersectional lens then you are still causing the same harm that white supremacy has been doing to all of us for over 400 years and counting. We are not your enemy we are a part of your destiny as well and we not going no where.”
Credits
Photography Justin French
Styling Edward Bowleg III
Hair Suhailah Wali using JASS Products by Janel Sealy Smith.
Make-up Raisa Flowers using Pat McGrath Labs.
Digital technician Tim Hoffman.
Styling assistance DeVante Rollins.
Make-up assistance Ashley Brignolle.
Production Casey Murphy.
Casting director Samuel Ellis Scheinman for DMCASTING.
Casting assistance Alexandra Antonova.