VOICI: Chocolate City

Chocolate City was created to tell the story Black culture in D.C. that is quickly disappearing due to gentrification. We want to amplify the voice of the Black community and bring back the story of Chocolate City which gave birth to a culture that we feed off today. We want to tell the story of the U Street Corridor so that people understand why it was once called “Black Broadway”. It is our hope that through Chocolate City, the current generation of youth come to see the devastating effects that gentrification and racism have had on our own D.C. community and that we find it within ourselves to take responsibility for what is going on, to make a change. We want Chocolate City to serve as a constant reminder to our audience that we can not wait for change. “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for” - June Jordan

 Chocolate City is a chapter in our story that was written to give a voice to the unheard. It is our hope that by experiencing our Chocolate City Chapter, you are educated on D.C. and it’s history. We hope that you find the meaning behind it and take it upon yourselves to learn more. We hope you visit Ben’s Chili Bowls, Cardozo High school and Malcolm X Park. We hope you go listen to some Marvin Gaye. And We even hope you discover places like Lee’s Flower Card Shop, Bohemian Caverns and Florida Avenue Grill. This is part of what Chocolate City is here for. To get you care feel a want and need to keep all remnants of it alive. Chocolate City and the U Street Corridor define DMV culture. It is a part of what makes us who we are. It is a part of all our stories. Now we have to help tell theirs.

With each piece in this collection, we want you to feel connected to history which is why the pieces are inspired the culture that created Chocolate City or that emerged from it. Our clothing is our  medium to bring history to the present in a way that we can all support. We hope that you feel that you are a part of history when you wear our clothes because we all truly are. History is happening right before our eyes, so it is important for us to decide where we want our place to be in it. Through Chocolate City, we can see the impact that we can have within our own community to create positive change. All we have to do is come together and show support. We really just have to care. VOICI is for us. VOICI is for the DMV. This our chance to show it and we want you to help us too.

Thank you for your support - Jordan, Jerry, Taofik