Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason of AphroChic revisit their summer 2020 conversation with one of New York’s most prominent chefs — JJ Johnson. Held on Instagram Live, they discuss the James Beard Award winning chef’s heroic work feeding those in need during lockdown and his focus on developing a creative ecosystem that supports Black farmers, restaurants and consumers. 

Nicholle Kobi, who is originally from France,  is one of them. A fashion illustrator with an eye for detail and a love of Black women, Black bodies and Black hair, Kobi produces illustrations of black women enjoying life, spending time together in chic locations and being generally comfortable in their own skin. Splitting her time between Paris and New York, it’s easy to see that the artist’s choice of neighborhood is hardly coincidental.

Designer Dani Arps remembers her move-in day like it was yesterday. “When I first moved into my space I had very little,” she recalls. “Just the few pieces that I'd permanently 'borrowed' from my parents, a couple of pieces of artwork from my love, Billy Ruiz - an extraordinary artist - and some artwork I'd created myself.” But even without an abundance of furniture, Dani, a former art and music major, looked at the space that would be her home and saw nothing but opportunity. “I like to think of my home, and spaces in general, as artwork we live in,” says Arps. “I can look around the room and tell the story of how each item came to my home. It's important to appreciate each piece and let it tell it's story. I think that the feeling I have about the pieces in my home is what gives my apartment life.”