about

hey y’all!

My name is fayola (she/they), also known as fi. I am a queer non-binary Black book nerd/educator/community organizer/ceramicist/vibe curator from Jamaica, Queens who works to center and uplift Blackness in all iterations- Black communities, Black knowledge and Black liberation. Below are a few projects I’ve curated centering these intentions. Feel free to peruse and learn more:

The Reading for Black Lives Project

The mission of the Reading for Black Lives Project is to increase access to literary resources for Black, Indigenous and POC communities across NYC and beyond. The project started as a series of book lists featuring Black authors and expanded into the Black Books Fund, where we purchased books by Black authors, from Black bookstores, for Black people. From there the project has also led the first annual New York City Free Book Fair for All, which provides books, free of charge to BIPOC community members throughout Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

As of 2024, The Reading for Black Lives Project has distributed thousands of books to community members through 37 pop-ups and 8 Free Book Fairs for All, in collaboration with individuals and organizations across New York.

Our goal is to support our learning to sustain our liberation.

Check out the “Reading for Black Lives” tab to learn more and support this work!

fi.nesse ceramics

fi.nesse ceramics began in 2022, after I took my first handbuilding class at ClaySpace Ceramics Center through Public Ceramics, a non-profit working to make ceramics more accessible to BIPOC communities across the United States. I am first and foremost a handbuilder, using hand rolled coils to create functional vessels and tableware like vases, mugs and more!

I offer sliding scale for Black queer people to ensure that my pieces are affordable and accessible to all.

Check out the “fi.nesse ceramics” tab to learn more or to commission a piece!

When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.

— Audre Lorde