As a child, I longed for the elegance of the Harlem Renaissance that celebrated black excellence in academia, arts, music, and innovation. Chicago painter and interior designer, Raub Welch, is recreating vintage black glamour with a modern touch. Poet Countee Cullen asked, “Hey Black Child, Do you know who you are? Who you really are?” Trabian Shorters expanded on that when he asked, “Who do you think we are? Because the stories we tell create the lives we’ll live. Tell your children positive stories to inspire them to create the lives they want to live.” In an age were society portrays black culture and people as ratchet, uneducated, and uncouth, painter and interior designer Raub Welch is creating a rebirth of black decadence. Raub launched a series of themed dinner parties to fund his upcoming book, Afro-Opulence. It is a celebration of black intelligentsia, arts, culture, discourse, and elegance. Think of it as a Taschen for black culture with a nod to vintage black glamour with a modern flair. Raub’s New Year’s Eve party, themed Afro-Gatsby, was his latest soiree to support the publication of the forthcoming book.
Also published on Huffington Post.
Artist Raub Welch, photo by Damian Lamont
Raub Welch’s Afro-Gatsby New Year’s Eve soiree, photo by Damian Lamont
Raub Welch’s Afro-Gatsby New Year’s Eve soiree, photo by Damian Lamont
Raub Welch’s Afro-Gatsby New Year’s Eve soiree, photo by Damian Lamont
Raub Welch’s Afro-Gatsby New Year’s Eve soiree, photo by Damian Lamont
Raub Welch’s Afro-Gatsby New Year’s Eve soiree, photo by Damian Lamont
Raub Welch’s Afro-Gatsby New Year’s Eve soiree, photo by Damian Lamont
Ronda is an attorney, writer, and entrepreneur. She is a contributing writer for the Huffington Post. Originally from Chicago, she has lived in Los Angeles and New York. She loves to travel and is passionate about education equity, especially for first generation college students.