Black Excellence

Sometimes you meet a person, and they change your entire life without even realizing it. That is what I feel like meeting Toni has done for me. I met Toni Smalls when we were both wide eyed sixteen-year old’s with nothing but hope and inspiration in our pockets. Within the last six years, I have watched Toni grow into not only the most magnificent artist, but also the best person I know. I fully believe that they are going to change the art world around us. The reason I know this is because Toni does not let anything stop them. Regardless of their mental health or their vices, they have an unwavering determination to give themself everything that they deserve.

They are always trying to get better as an artist and as a person, they are the kindest and most considerate person I have ever met in my short life. Everything they do, whether it is intentional or not, they do with pure passion and grit. Over the last year alone and in the middle of a pandemic, at that, Toni decided that they were going to put their best foot forward and apply for everything they had the slightest interest in. Before the pandemic, Toni doubted themself a lot. They were constantly worried about how they were going to become successful in a life after college, but I have always known that they have what it takes to do whatever they set their mind to.

In February of 2020, they applied for an internship at Waif magazine and while they didn’t get the internship initially, their work was recognized by a main collaborator of the magazine who is also an actor we both were big fans of: Bridgette Lundy-Payne who currently stars in the hit Netflix show Atypical. They built up a friendship with Bridgette and have since photographed Bridgette for Out Magazine’s January issue.

In May of 2020, Toni shot for their first paid brand shoot and was hired by a designer named Samantha Pleet. I watched them meticulously plan this shoot for weeks before executing the shoot as only they could. Perfectly. They were so proud of themself, and for good reason; shooting a brand was something that had been on their list of desires for a long time coming.

In June of 2020, deeply pained by the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Toni and I created the NYPD forum. This was a virtual forum where we were actually able to sit down and speak with active and retired police offers to try to get some answers and perspective for the community, and although it did not go quite as we expected we still found it to be very productive for ourselves and members of our community.

Toni’s heart is pure gold, and their good intention shows in everything that they do. It is one of the things that I love most about them. In July, they partnered with a platform called Leveler and created the ‘Help your black neighbor’ fund. It was a way for white people to be able to directly support black people who were going through a hard time because of Covid-19. As a result of Toni’s idea over a hundred people were able to get financial assistance during one of the toughest times of their lives.

In August of 2020, Toni’s work was selected to be on a billboard in Los Angeles, CA. I was so excited to go with them in person to see it. I know that seeing this billboard was one of the proudest moments of their life and I am so happy to have been able to share in that moment with them. During this time they also put themself out there and emailed their favorite photographer Alex Prager to see if they could meet her during their short time in Los Angeles. She said yes, and Toni was able to meet the woman who inspired them to create the kind of photography that has held both their and countless people around the world’s attention. Toni makes fashion that makes you feel something. Their photography is perfectly blended with their spoken word poetry, it is where I find they are their most vulnerable and it is beautiful.

In September of 2020, Toni released their third poetry book ‘Magnet’ at an art show called Counterweight. They made cards with their photos on the cover, their poetry written and voice reciting the poetry inside. They sold every single card and more than half of their books that night. It was one of their greatest achievements, to be recognized equally as both a talented photographer and poet.

As of now, Toni is currently creating a visual poetry EP called ‘Under inner core’. This project is a very big deal for them because it is their last project in college and first emerging into the world of full-blown adulthood. I know they are scared, but if there is anything, I have learned about Toni Smalls, it is that they can do absolutely anything they put their mind to. Toni is the pinnacle of black excellence and I cannot wait to watch what they do in the future. They never fail to amaze me; they make me feel like I can accomplish every desire my mind comes up with and that is only because I have watched them conquer all of theirs. Toni Smalls is my greatest inspiration, my closest friend, and the love of my life.