Gabrielle narcisse

Founder & Director

Gabrielle Narcisse (she/her) created BGFC in 2020 as a response to the intensity of media coverage surrounding racial injustice and black death. It quickly became a virtual space for community, connection, and shelter, during a period that was physically isolating due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Without being initially conscious of it, she soon realized the concept of BGFC was a contemporary recreation of a gift her mother gave her, a black girl book club created by her mother and her mother’s friends for their daughters. At the time she didn’t know how important that space was for her, navigating predominantly white schools and having low self-esteem due to it. Now she is aware of how profound it was to have that space growing up. Post lockdown, BGFC did not only persevere but flourished due to Narcisse’s work. It blossomed into a series of a diverse array of events, from numerous Black Girl Picnics to the annual art exhibition she curates.

As a visual and performing artist herself, Narcisse believed it was of utmost importance to create a platform for black women/femme artists to be seen. After witnessing and researching the history of black women being overlooked, excluded, and ignored by the art world, and experiencing it herself firsthand, instead of waiting for a seat at the table, she created a table where we could all sit comfortably.

BGFC is a labor of love. Gabrielle’s love for her community, friends, and the art of her peers, is what drives her to keep BGFC going. She is continuously inspired by all the people she’s met through BGFC.