Afrosapphix and The Re-Sole 206 Celebrate Black Queer Style with SOLEswap at Colman Commons

A movement in community-driven fashion and identity recently unfolded at Colman Commons, where Afrosapphix and The Re-Sole 206 linked up for SOLEswap, a clothing swap and fashion panel focused on Black queer style, practical self-expression, and mutual aid. 

Afrosapphix is an organization dedicated to providing space for Black sapphics to socialize, share skills, and combat representation gaps and cultural erasure. Founded by Mikayla Weary, Afrosapphix created SOLEswap as the intersection of style and collective community care.

"I wanted to elevate the traditional experience of doing a clothing swap,” Weary said. “I wanted people to leave with practical styling tips as well as just leaving with some new clothes."

An Intergenerational Sanctuary for Style and Connection

Since consistently organizing in April, Afrosapphix has cultivated a loyal community, filling a geographic and cultural gap in Washington state. The recent gathering at Colman Commons offered an accessible open-air environment where people across generations could connect, explore creative fields, and make connections with likeminded communities.

“We've created a huge community of people who consistently show up and are just sharing knowledge and it's really beautiful. It's something that I want to have everywhere,” Weary said. 

At the heart of the event was an act of community reciprocity: a room entirely dedicated to free, community-donated clothing. By explicitly centering Black queer style and masculine-presenting fashion, the initiative created a space where attendees could redefine their style without financial barriers or societal constraints.

Fashion as Radical Visibility and Self-Love

The event also featured a panel composed of Black women with backgrounds in the industry, offering practical styling tips alongside cultural commentary. Guest stylists utilized fashion not merely as aesthetic choices, but as an external manifestation of internal pride, self-definition, and a vehicle for deep collective connection.

"Fashion serves as an external representation of internal pride and self-definition," Weary said, reflecting on the impact of having exceptional stylists present who view clothing as a tool for self-love. 

Through media creation, photography, and filmmaking, Afrosapphix continues to archive these spaces, ensuring that the stories, joy, and style of Black queer people are preserved and celebrated.

Learn more about Afrosapphix and upcoming events on LinkTree. 

Learn more about The Re-Sole 206 at theresole206.com 

Looking to book a space for your upcoming event? Check out Colman Commons for all your event space needs at colmancommons.com