Editorial Projects, Photography & Identity, Behind the Work, Cultural Commentary, Featured Shoots, Reclamation Series Jessica Ballerstein Editorial Projects, Photography & Identity, Behind the Work, Cultural Commentary, Featured Shoots, Reclamation Series Jessica Ballerstein

Black Leisure, Recentered: Reclaiming Space, Declaring Presence

A reclamation of what was once denied. This editorial repositions Black leisure as essential, not exceptional — photographed poolside at The Lafayette in San Diego, where elegance becomes resistance, and presence becomes power.

Search vintage archives, flip through old magazines, or scroll Pinterest — and you won’t find her there. For decades, poolside leisure and luxury told a narrow story.

Black Luxury, Recentered corrects that absence, not with spectacle, but through intentional presence.

Set against the retro backdrop of The Lafayette — once a place where Black people were often either excluded or marginalized — this series insists on reframing history. It places Black elegance exactly where it always belonged: center stage.

Historical Echoes & Cultural Context

In the Jim Crow era, many municipalities preferred to close public pools entirely rather than share them with Black swimmers — reinforcing the shame and neglect of segregation. Stories like that of David Isom, a 19‑year‑old who courageously desegregated a Philadelphia pool in 1958, remind us: these weren’t just bodies of water—they were frontlines of resistance This isn’t passive history—it’s living legacy. These photos counter that erasure by thoughtfully placing a Black muse by the pool, sunlit and unashamed.

Through the Lens of Representation

  • What you see: a Black muse poolside at Lafayette, draped in calm authority—bold lips, sunlit skin, private presence.

  • What it means: more than leisure. It’s reclamation. Quiet audacity. Editorial elegance rooted in lived history.

  • What it whispers: “Luxury isn’t inherited—it’s authored.”

Why Brands Should Care

This isn’t just pretty imagery—it’s editorial storytelling with purpose. It speaks to culture, honesty, and emotional resonance.

High‑end brands, arts publications, and mission‑driven clients will recognize this as more than portraiture—it’s a movement. TIKA offers visuals that hold space and shape dialogue.

Conclusion

This is not recreation. It is reclamation—quiet, undeniable, essential. Representation doesn’t bend to trends. It becomes the narrative.

Here, by the pool at Lafayette, luxury speaks her language.

View the gallery here.

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