Falling Forward: Creating in the Light of Our Imperfections
Chasity Londyn
“I create not because I have all the answers, but because I’m brave enough to be the face of inspiration for someone else who looks and feels like me, someone who needs that example to move up in their purpose. Even in my most uncertain seasons, I chose to show up for my purpose.”
“Noise Cancellation Headphones,” Oil on canvas, 3ft x 4ft. 2024. Artist: Jada McAliley
As a Black woman creative, I had to become okay with failing and doing it publicly. I had to learn how to fall in front of people, with all eyes on me, and get back up anyway. Over and over. Until the fall wasn’t shameful anymore, it became part of the ritual. Part of the work. When you’re constantly being watched, judged, or projected onto, especially as a Black woman in the spotlight, people expect perfection. But that’s never what I came here to offer.
I no longer care about being perceived in a certain way. I create for myself, and those who resonate with my work are meant to. I no longer bend or perform and that’s when I started reaching new heights. The less I conformed, the more aligned my art became. My platform was always meant to center people who look and feel like me — Black people with shared lived experiences, who are often told to shrink, to dim their light, to tone it down. The work I do through Black Art Matters The Pop Up directly challenges systems designed to suppress us. So yes, it puts me at odds with the status quo, and I welcome that.
My platform demands vulnerability from me. It's like my inner child. It needs me to show up even when I’m tired, even when I’m hurting, even when I’m unsure, and I do, imperfect and whole. I have never felt the need to filter my truth for what’s marketable. I speak when I’m ready, and those who are meant to hear it will receive it. That’s how my community finds me. That’s how my work stays rooted in integrity and love.
My entire art tour has been self-funded. I’ve applied for grants before and never received support. And while some have approached me in the name of partnership, many of those offers didn’t align because they were extractive, not collaborative. Still, my community has shown up. There are so many people who believe in this mission, who invest in Black creativity because they know how sacred and necessary it is.
This journey has not been easy. It has required sleepless nights, financial risk, heartbreak, and moments of deep depression. But I kept going and I will keep going until my heart says otherwise. The creative world, like the music and entertainment industries, is full of gatekeeping, so I built my own lane. I knew no one else could bring this vision to life but me. I couldn’t wait for permission. I couldn’t afford to let money be the thing that stopped me. I trusted that the resources would come and what is for me will always arrive on time. Not because I chased it, but because I chose to keep doing what I love. Love attracts abundance. Doing what you love is a frequency. And I’m tapped into the frequency of loving what I do.
I feel like cultural philanthropy has helped elevate Black artists in some ways, offering visibility and supporting leadership. But the disparities are still real. Funding remains uneven. Bias continues to shape who gets chosen. If philanthropy is serious about change, it has to move beyond performative equity and center long-term, community-rooted accountability.
And to me, accountability doesn’t mean perfection. It means showing up real. It means admitting when you’re wrong and committing to do better. It means being human, being present, and being willing to learn. We don’t have to know everything, we just have to be open. We just have to keep growing.
I’ve learned that showing up imperfectly is still powerful. My platform isn’t about being flawless, it’s about being faithful. Faithful to my healing, so that I can heal others; faithful to my creativity, so I can inspire others; and faithful to the legacy I'm building through my art, my music, my shows, and my stories. A big thank you to my community, for seeing me, believing in this vision, and walking alongside me as I continue creating spaces that hold us fully.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chasity Londyn is an artist, writer, and cultural cultivator from Pasadena, CA. She has been performing for over 16 years and writing throughout her whole life. For more than a decade, Chasity has organized underground music festivals and, for the past eight years, has led a pop up tour dedicated to creating thriving spaces for Black artists. Her work centers on community, creativity, and amplifying Black voices.
