When Octavia Butler said “All that you touch you change. All that you change, changes you” she was describing Tonya Noel and Kristen Walker, founders of Flower City Noire Collective in Rochester, New York.
“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” Angela Davis
2014 was a magical year. At an intersection of a Black Lives Matter protest in Rochester on opposite sides of the street at an intersection were Tonya and Kristen. When Tonya, who had organized the protest, crossed the street to talk to someone she knew who was Kristen’s partner these two met. Tonya and Kristen’s parents knew each other and went to high school together. Both of their grandmothers lived on the same street. Kristen and Tonya circled around each other when they were younger. That destined meeting of the two of them occurred at the right place, the right time, and the right intersection.
“There is a kind of strength that is almost frightening in Black Women. It’s as if a steel rod runs right through the head down to the feet.” Maya Angelou
In 2015 Kristen and Tonya began a garden. They both knew that Black transformative space needs land and housing. Black Joy spaces are embedded in every action they take. Kristen and Tonya take their marching orders directly from their elders. When they left the “Reclaiming Our Future – The Black Radical Tradition In Our Time” conference at Temple University in Philadelphia they knew it was time to answer the call to action from their elders. Their activism from being in the front lines of Black Lives Matter protests where they were tear gassed and hit with rubber bullets to gardening, raising money and awareness consumed their lives. They took the call to action from marches to conferences with sincerity and heart. They would travel around the city of Rochester for meetings (without a car) building connections, raising money, raising awareness and to garden. In leaving their 9-5 jobs this 24/7 life took on a different kind of responsibility. What propelled Kristen and Tonya forward was their ideas. Their Black radical revolution was to unpack oppression by providing hope, love, and healing by being the voice for Black Women’s voices who have gone unheard for too long. To honor the Black women who had crawled so Kristen, Tonya, other Black girls and boys, women and men, could walk.
“Usually when people talk about the strength of Black Women they ignore the reality that to be strong in the face of oppression is not the same as overcoming oppression. Thank endurance is not to be confused with transformation.” Bell Hooks
Flower City Noire Collective became an official non-profit on January 6, 2016. It was founded specifically as a corrective to the transphobia, classism, and elitism Kristen and Tonya witnessed in existing mainstream activist movements, and to cultivate practices of self-care, accountability, and radical honesty. The mission FCNC is to “elevate women of color and to center the experiences of Black queer folks.” Kristen and Tonya have three houses that they obtained as “legacy housing.” Having established housing provides FCNC the safe space for services and support. People in need can have a place to live. There is the NOIRE reading group which promotes reading and healing together. The PETALS mentoring group features community engagement with adult mentors while supporting emerging leaders and their families throughout adolescence. Roc BUGs is a growing community for those who want to create “sustainability and self-sufficiency” by growing sustainable food and connecting people to land, resources, and each other. There are Leaf fellows as part of a partnership with the University of Rochester National Science Foundation Grant. Everything Kristen and Tonya radiates from the people they are. They want to uplift families and individuals by meeting needs in a holistic and healing manner without barriers which means no forms, no justification, just what do you need. They interact with people with a trauma informed care mindset because they are being of service to a traumatized population and people. They recognize the need for self-care in all of this because they also are traumatized people. All of their work includes education, teaching others the skills to advocate and speak for themselves. Every fiber of FCNC holds true what centers you by bringing you love and joy.
“Magic lies in challenging what seems impossible.” Carol Moseley Braun
Tonya and Kristen embrace Seven generation sustainability which means the actions they take will affect the next seven generations and the seven generations before them affect them. They know that responsibility means they do what they can with the gifts I have. Since that magical meeting the universe has shown up and delivered what they needed when they needed it. For all that comes their way they embrace with joy, love, and acceptance. Their marching orders of establishing roots, providing support for others that wasn’t there for them, is provided with hope, love, and healing. There is no explanation of what you need when you come to FCNC. FCNC is building bridges on flesh and bone by removing barriers and creating community. This is done to honor their maternal ancestors. NOIRE stands for “Neighbors Organized with Imagination with Resilient Emergence.” By creating spaces which affirmed all their identities as Black queer women they are creating community building and blending, which as Frederick Douglas says “Blending brings you forward.”
With great honor we shine our Kindness Champion Spotlight on Flower City Noire Collective. These change makers of color with the “faith of a pumpkin sized mustard seed” radical revolution is building a stronger, liberated with their transformative space built with love and joy. We thank you for being you and bringing your awesome to the world.
For more information on the remarkable Flower City Noire Collective here is their information:
http://flowercitynoirecollective.org/aboutus/
Facebook: @fcnc585
Instagram: @fcnc585
