ROCHESTER, N.Y. — February is Damon Thomas’ favorite month. For Thomas, Black History Month is an opportunity to honor his ancestors through his artwork.
Thomas is an artist, musician, rapper, poet, entrepreneur, and advocate, spreading joy through his creations at the Arc of Monroe. “I make jewelry and keychains,” Thomas said, describing his artistic endeavors.
His passion for art is deeply connected to his heritage. “My ancestors are taking the wheel through my body to have me draw,” he explained.
Thomas told News10NBC’s Emily Putnam his work is inspired by the freedom fighters who came before him. “I was thinking about my ancestors, fighting for freedom … my ancestors fighting for freedom for me and past family members,” he said.
Thomas’ art business began with the help of Charmaine Bynoe-Norsen, a self-direction specialist at the Arc of Monroe. “She’s my first customer,” Thomas said.
Bynoe-Norsen proudly showcased the first earrings Thomas made, which feature a quote from Malcolm X: “I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against.”
“As an artist, Damon is so connected with his roots,” Bynoe-Norsen said. She recognized his passion early on. “He was in my class and I just knew right away that he was very passionate about his art and wanted to be a professional artist.”
Emily Putnam: “Damon, why is it important for everyone to celebrate Black History Month?”
Damon Thomas: “Think about slavery or Dr. King’s speech – I had a dream,” he said. “This month, think about the speech he made in the ’60s. Don’t fight, don’t fight, just walk the path you choose of right or wrong.”
Bynoe-Norsen believes his message of choosing joy is powerful. “With Damon sending that message of choosing happiness and not fighting, I think he’s really sending a powerful message that we should all be living up to every day,” she said.
His message is simple yet profound: “Just enjoy yourself. Life is short,” he said.
“With Damon, he is really strong in his convictions, and he just knows himself and I think that shines through in his work and it’s something that I even aspire to be,” Bynoe-Norsen said.
Thomas creates a lot of his artwork at the Community Arts Connection, a program through the Arc of Monroe. Click here to see more of Damon Thomas’ work, and click here to hear his original music.
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