#HeartMelanin: The Prelude

ThoughtPoet is a photographer from Chatham. His #HeartMelanin portrait series, on the walls of Build Coffee for August and September 2017, is a collection of emotions—snapshots of the black Chicago renaissance. ThoughtPoet came up in Young Chicago Authors (YCA) and YouMedia with artists like Chance the Rapper, Noname, Saba, and Jorge Mikell, all under the mentorship of Brother Mike. His photos show Chicago slang, the fatigue of code-switching and melancholy, and above all his love for the black and brown people of this city. ThoughtPoet is the communications co-chair of Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) and currently lives in West Englewood. Part two of #HeartMelanin will open at the #LetUsBreathe Collective space in Back of the Yards on August 26.