Chad Williams Reflects on the Voices of Vision Panel
On July 31st, I had the honor of being featured as a panelist at the Voices of Vision event hosted by the Burchfield Penney Art Center and The Buffalo News. The conversation was rich, thoughtful, and deeply personal, and I wanted to take the time to share the questions and my responses for those who couldn’t attend. These are my words, rooted in the journey I’ve lived and the vision I continue to build.
Question 1: Tell us a little bit about the origins of your creative enterprises. Each of you have a very multi-disciplinary approach. How did you choose where to begin?
Uhmm, I would say I didn't choose it — it chose me.
So, to give everyone a little bit of background, as Julia said, I’m from Brooklyn, NY. I grew up in both the Crown Heights and Flatbush areas — Caribbean central. Both neighborhoods are filled to the max with Caribbean people and Caribbean culture — from the food to the music, it’s really all I knew growing up. My dad's side of the family lived in Crown Heights, and my mom and her side were in Flatbush.
My parents separated when I was younger, so I primarily stayed with my mom on the Flatbush side. And when I wanted to have fun and go on adventures, I’d visit my grandma’s side of town in Crown Heights.
I say all this to say — those experiences molded me into the man I am today. Watching my mom raise four kids mostly by herself does something to a young mind. It makes you want to go out there and get to it with no excuses. At least that’s what it did for me.
I started finding creative ways to bring money into the house. It began with my mom taking me and my older brother Carl to Bargain Hunters in Brownsville, Brooklyn on Pitkin Ave. She’d buy us a 30-variety pack of candy — it came with different color packs of Skittles, Starburst, maybe some chocolate. I think the box cost about $14.53.
We’d take that box and sell each item at school for $1. So, 30 pieces at $1 each meant we were doubling our money every time. Every time we sold a full box, it felt like we just hit a jackpot. We’d walk around with all those singles thinking we were rich — especially as kids. It made me want to keep going. And we did.
We’d use the money from one box to buy another, and just keep repeating the cycle. This hustle went all the way through to high school. I started selling candy in elementary school — they called me the Candy Man — then took it to middle school, and kept it going into high school.
Of course, I upgraded the offerings as I got older. Added an ice-cold Gatorade and chips to the menu. But that’s where my entrepreneurial, creative bones came from — it all started with that box of candy from Bargain Hunters in Brownsville.
I did other things too. I used to shovel snow off people’s front lawns — we’d go out to my aunt’s house in Long Island for that because they tipped better out there. I also used to resell sneakers, clothes, really anything I could get my hands on. But it all traces back to that $14.53 box of candy.
You can say my business handlings were formalized kind’ve when I got to college. I attended the great Buffalo State College — now Buffalo State University — which is actually right across the street from where we’re all sitting now.
If you would've asked me back then if I thought I’d be here speaking on a panel at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, I probably would've said no. But if you had asked the same question in a different way — if I’d be surprised to be speaking here — I also would’ve said no.
And I say that to say: to be successful in life, at least from my view, you really just have to have a strong mindset. You have to believe that anything is possible and that you can achieve anything if you put your best foot forward. I attribute that to the way I grew up — and to wrestling. Wrestling played a big part in shaping the man I am today. It instilled in me a deep sense of discipline and dedication.
But back to Buffalo State. I was now an economics student and — NO! I was not selling candy anymore. I had upgraded. And NO! I was not selling weed either. I was now selling nutcrackers.
For those who don’t know, nutcrackers are fruity alcoholic beverages, usually sold in plastic bottles or containers. I allegedly used to make these concoctions right in the dorms at Buffalo State and sell them to students. I think the prices were 1 for $10, 2 for $17, and 3 for $25. (It’s kinda funny — I sell my dooProcess socks for that same price now.)
Speaking of dooProcess, it’s a legal term that refers to: “fair treatment through the judicial system, especially as a citizen’s entitlement.” It’s something I didn’t receive — and something many others don’t either.
During my junior year of college, I was wrongfully arrested. And no — it wasn’t for the nutcrackers. I was wrongfully arrested and had to fight for almost a year to clear my name. During that year, I like to say I witnessed all of the injustices in the “justice” system. From a judge who saw me as guilty before innocent, to a public defender who didn’t even want to give me the time of day.
After I was finally able to clear my name, I wanted to share my story — and that’s when dooProcess was born. A collaboration between my passion for fashion and my commitment to activism.
dooProcess is a streetwear clothing brand that advocates for social justice — not just through the designs, but through the mission as well. Our mission includes donating 15% of every sale to organizations that advocate for social justice.
Four years later, in 2023, Buffalo Fashion Runway was created — a community-centered fashion organization that goes beyond the thread. Buffalo Fashion Runway was a collective idea between five founders: myself, Dan Abbotoy, Eman Wajed, Rodney Chatmon, and Caine McDermott.
It started off with me always wanting to be a part of a fashion show with dooProcess — but thinking it wasn’t possible because I didn’t know how to sew, and my clothing didn’t look like what you’d typically see on the runway. That led me to wanting to throw my own show.
I connected with Dan, who I knew from the startup community in Buffalo. We’d always talk about doing a show — not just for me, but for Buffalo. But it never happened. We talked and talked… until one day, we finally made it happen.
With my limited knowledge of runway shows, and Dan more so coming from the business side, we knew we had to build a team.
That’s when I met the dream team.
Eman was doing a marketing internship at the BNMC campus, and when I met him, he looked like the Black James Bond — all-black suit, white button-down, black tie. I told him we were in the early stages of planning a fashion show and asked if he’d be down to join. He said yes.
I met Rodney through a mutual friend and brother, Najja Bouldin. He connected us at the Good Neighbors Fund launch event. We started talking and realized we both had a real passion for fashion. He was working on getting his brand off the ground too.
A few weeks later, when we were really building the team for what would become Buffalo Fashion Runway (though I don’t even remember if we had the name yet), I called Najja to tell him the idea and that we were building something. He said, “You know who you have to call, right?” I said yeah. I called Rod — and if you know Rod, you know he’s TTG (trained to go). He immediately said, “Yeah, let’s do it.”
The Caine story is kind of wild and unorthodox. We actually met in an MMA gym here in Buffalo, rolling around on the mat months before BFR was even a thought. After the roll, we followed each other on Instagram and realized we both had clothing brands. Months later, he invited me to a studio night/pop-up he was doing for his brand at his West Ferry studio.
When I walked in, I was mind-blown. 3D printing machines were going, upcycled pieces were hanging — it was crazy. I told the team about Caine, and it was a no-brainer.
We all got together and, as we like to say, formed like Voltron. Each of us had a specialty — something we were uniquely good at — and we combined forces to create something bigger than all of us.
All in hopes of making Buffalo a better Buffalo.
(Photo By - Yayi Dia)
Question 2: All of you reference community on your websites and bios (sometimes within the first sentence). If your work could make just one difference in Buffalo, what would you want that impact to be?
Well, we often say we want to make Buffalo a Better Buffalo. But what does that really mean, right?
From my perspective, it means coming together as one and celebrating each other. That’s how we win.
dooProcess was founded in November of 2019 and is now 5 years old. Very recently—like maybe two weeks ago—I had the first ever pop-up for dooProcess.
You might be wondering, Why? Why have you had your brand for five going on six years, and this is your first pop-up?
I think the reason is because I don’t typically like putting the spotlight on myself. With Buffalo Fashion Runway, it’s a collective. With dooProcess, it’s just me.
I also think I was scared. Scared and unsure of what to expect. Or maybe… I did know what to expect, and I was scared to accept it. Scared to step into my greatness and receive the love—the love from the City of Good Neighbors, who over these past nine years has taken me in as one of their own.
So, on Saturday, July 19th, the first-ever dooProcess pop-up took place at Trend Up on Allen Street in Buffalo, NY.
I didn’t know what to expect—but Buffalo showed out. And Buffalo showed love.
It was an immense day of love being poured onto me—from people I expected to come, and even more special, from people I didn’t know would come. That was the best part.
That day gave me a sense of confirmation and assurance that I’m headed in the right direction. The fact that people made time in their day to come see little old me? That meant the world.
And it all ties back to an African proverb my brother and mentor Najja Bouldin taught me: Ubuntu — “I am because we are.” Meaning, I am who I am because of the people surrounding me. My community.
So if our work could make just one difference in Buffalo, it would be that we all come together—truly—as one. And celebrate each other in unity. Always.
(Photo By - Dylan Assil)
Question 3: Is art a luxury? How do we move forward if other people (or corporations, politicians) see cultural production as an afterthought?
I guess it would depend on what your definition of luxury is. Because art is a form of expression, and expression is the process of making known your thoughts and feelings. So if you are looking at luxury in terms of it being exclusive and not everyone having access to it, then no — art is not a luxury. Because everyone has access to art, and it comes in many different mediums.
For example, we are in an art gallery right now — that is visual art.
Aitina is the Poet Laureate of Buffalo — that is spoken art.
Ms. Wajed creates beautiful hand-painted leather earrings — that is wearable art.
But if you are looking at luxury in terms of something of high quality, then yes — art can be luxury, because that's subjective. What's high quality to one person may not be high quality to another.
To answer the second part of the question on how do we continue to move forward if people/organizations see cultural production as an afterthought:
People usually don't want to be a part of something until it's cool, and they see everyone else doing it. So what do we do? We keep making it cool. And we do that by continuing to push the needle, continuing to set the trend, and continuing to create the culture.
For instance, I’ll relate it to the Buffalo Fashion Runway story.
We’ve been very blessed since the beginning. Our very first show gained the support of many different esteemed organizations — the Burchfield Penney Art Center being one of them. But that doesn't mean we didn’t receive many no’s as well.
A big organization that will remain unnamed said to us, “Unfortunately, the arts is not an area of focus for us.” It was the craziest thing to read. We didn’t let it stop us, though — it actually fueled us.
Our second show ever was Buffalo Fashion Runway: Black Carpet.
Black Carpet is a celebration of Black History and Black Excellence in the month of February, in the form of a fashion production. We host two big events a year, and Black Carpet is our premier event.
As a part of the event, we celebrate 10 Buffalo Black Icons. A Buffalo Black Icon is an individual doing great things in their community beyond work — in the areas of culture, art, activism, business, public service, etc.
The first-ever Black Carpet was a sold-out celebration of over 500 people on the East Side of Buffalo at the Northland Workforce Training Center. We received the support of many notable organizations, but to highlight one — we received the support of the Buffalo Bills.
When an outsider thinks of Buffalo, they’re thinking about two things — maybe three: the Bills, wings, and the cold/snow. But for our second ever event, we received the support of a Buffalo staple — the Buffalo Bills.
We were now “cool” in the eyes of other organizations who probably didn’t necessarily have an interest in the arts before.
Going on to Black Carpet II, it was another sold-out celebration with 1,000+ people — this time on the West Side of Buffalo at the Connecticut St. Armory. We were the first event to open back up their doors in the 8 years they had been closed for rentals.
It was another spectacle — and again, we received the support of many notable organizations, but to highlight one — we received the support of the Buffalo Sabres.
We were now “super cool.”
And I’m saying and framing it like this so that you all can see the upward trajectory that Buffalo Fashion Runway is on — the trend of progression.
So now we’re onto Black Carpet III.
And no — it didn’t happen yet.
But Black Carpet III will be at Shea’s.
Yes, Shea’s Shea’s.
Yes, the one on Main St.
Yes, the big big one.
Yes, the one where Wicked happens.
Buffalo Fashion Runway: Black Carpet III will be at Shea’s Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 28th, as a part of their centennial year celebration — and to close out Black History Month in Buffalo.
That’s LEGENDARY.
And — and — they reached out to us.
Big shoutout to Alicia Rainey on the Shea’s team for pushing it through. But yes — they reached out to us about having our premier event at the premier theatre in Buffalo.
So I say all that to say:
We have to continue putting art in the forefront.
We have to keep shoving it in their faces.
We have to give them no other choice but to say:
“We gotta be a part of that.”
And I bet — I BET — the one organization that shall remain unnamed…
will support the arts now.
Thank you.
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Thank you again to the Burchfield Penney Art Center and The Buffalo News for creating this space and inviting me to share. Deep gratitude to the amazing Julia Norris for moderating the panel so beautifully, and to the LEGENDS Alexa Wajed and Aitina Fareed-Cooke for holding space with me and making me feel comfortable on that stage.
The work continues — but moments like these make it all feel even more possible.
Stay tuned.
— Chad Williams
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