tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22450087799011799382024-03-05T12:49:24.813-08:00The J SpotJason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.comBlogger703125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-89428564993368755892022-01-02T09:55:00.014-08:002022-01-02T11:03:58.649-08:00The Loss of Black Queer Icons in 2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBcLCie84RX5Nnh-ywEy8IFIQRO6pRiqv4rTYOJK0TBz0wiH967egH4b0kTluEAZfkhOuU_Y33V-hq6dJ5nRLr1Tk0kDWzSHpReRDoo679nB75_wleN9xtPyJ-tEcpS0S2RqxltrGZsVG0y1BFIYQWUxjHsAXyMKVwF_wkbVjk9URdln9k5cuf6Sql2A=s1152" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="1152" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBcLCie84RX5Nnh-ywEy8IFIQRO6pRiqv4rTYOJK0TBz0wiH967egH4b0kTluEAZfkhOuU_Y33V-hq6dJ5nRLr1Tk0kDWzSHpReRDoo679nB75_wleN9xtPyJ-tEcpS0S2RqxltrGZsVG0y1BFIYQWUxjHsAXyMKVwF_wkbVjk9URdln9k5cuf6Sql2A=w400-h108" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Happy New Year to you!!! Let's be real - 2021 SUCKED! The whole year (just like 2020) was soiled with tragedy. It started with the Capital insurrection at the beginning of the year. It ended with the loss of one of the nation's greatest treasures - Betty White. For me, there were some losses that happened this year that hit me just a little bit more than some of the others. I am a black queer man. I live in this space of intersectionality. When we lose other individuals that occupy this same space (other individuals that exist in the space of black and queer), the cut seems to be just a little bit deeper. 2021 took some of those individuals as well.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjX3JE7UmsPQQ0IOxmE3AfqLUO0omECUYfck30saCQ2Q66_JVmUu6oljW8TYPqypusa0lDl1vSOD_p1hLH-YQ-LxUgn9RI05si7Zdnr1ms67cYoqNQHFTcIdXiQawVY-PErEnAjYdxH59EXzNbJMiG5bmfYUp6moYqHkC0Z5sbMbTWmqHhGP9MPKyVuw=s257" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="171" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjX3JE7UmsPQQ0IOxmE3AfqLUO0omECUYfck30saCQ2Q66_JVmUu6oljW8TYPqypusa0lDl1vSOD_p1hLH-YQ-LxUgn9RI05si7Zdnr1ms67cYoqNQHFTcIdXiQawVY-PErEnAjYdxH59EXzNbJMiG5bmfYUp6moYqHkC0Z5sbMbTWmqHhGP9MPKyVuw=w95-h143" width="95" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On September 6, we loss the phenomenal actor <b>Michael K. Williams</b>. I do not know much about Williams personal life. He never said he was a gay man. He never said he was not a gay man. He has said regarding his sexuality that it was nobody's business and that for the most part "I am a work in progress" I do know that for black gay representation in the media - Michael K. Williams changed the game. He is the reason I can't buy in the concept that queer characters should only be played by queer people. I don't think a person has to profess who they sleep with or confess their gender identity in order to get a part. I believe that the person who performs best in the casting call is the person who should get the part. His portrayal of Omar on <i>The Wire</i> was <i>GROUNDBREAKING!!!</i> In the series Hap and Leonard, he played the complicated role of Leonard, an out same-gender loving man that (along with his friend Hap) couldn't seem to keep themselves out of trouble. He was part of the cast of R. Kelly's revolutionary <i>Trapped In the Closet</i>. He played Ken Jones in the series <i>When We Rise</i> that documents the evolution of LGBTQ rights in America. And again in the HBO series <i>Lovecraft Country</i>, he brings to life another complicated, queer character. I swear it seems that almost every character he plays is queer or queer adjacent. How this man has never received a GLAAD award is beyond me. It was a very surreal moment for me when I learned about his passing. It was a selfish thought but my immediate first reaction was "wow, I won't get to see him bring these phenomenal characters to life anymore." But this moment was bigger than that. I think for many black queer folks, we took this loss personal because for many of us, we saw ourselves on the screen when we saw him in many of the roles he took on. RIP Michael. Your work will always be treasured and you will always be remembered.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVjmtByujs9P6MWvVZpXWLAYJpc4xns7uKw2vm99B-crXKdnXt5dDuEuvlLsm7WZjr1pbhBHPkj9dXlBLl-ljzo4dunYsjnX1a7ZNgljNZIUd-buMAdQO0ava6XkUZphQU7t7MumLASFE3cEbqJ5knWEUL_SKqD4Pqp67X-2m_zkP_R1tr3eZmTLKDqw=s572" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="429" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVjmtByujs9P6MWvVZpXWLAYJpc4xns7uKw2vm99B-crXKdnXt5dDuEuvlLsm7WZjr1pbhBHPkj9dXlBLl-ljzo4dunYsjnX1a7ZNgljNZIUd-buMAdQO0ava6XkUZphQU7t7MumLASFE3cEbqJ5knWEUL_SKqD4Pqp67X-2m_zkP_R1tr3eZmTLKDqw=w70-h93" width="70" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2021 also took the life of a black gay icon - <b>Reverened Carl Bean</b>. Bean was the founder of the Unity Fellowship Church, a congregation that was welcoming to and embracing of black LGBTQ folks. Let's not downplay this. The church is singlehandedly responsible for most of the harm done to members of the queer community. If we talk about institutionalized homophobia, social stigma and spirtual violence, the root of them all is the church. Carl Bean created a space for black queer folks to embrace their spirituality and if we're being honest, this probably saved a few lives. But before he started the church, Bean was a singer in the disco era. If you ask anyone about the gay anthem <i>"I Was Born This Way"</i> they will immediately think about the hit by Lady Gaga. But if you want to hear a real gay anthem, listen to the hit with the same title by Carl Bean. His version of the song came out in 1975, over a decade before Stephani Germanotta was even born. Don't get it wrong, Gaga's version is great. But Carl Bean's version has my heart. This loss was another phenomenal loss for black queer folks.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1GtiJNAKVwTUZdb0c4Vflcm-nPbBV8tm4B6T2KmIqrVPBLvaA6-h0pP_lekWfPz6uj8x2o2hBbDu8ijDYHTE2d0GGyfHL-EHnuXnz5MGKUUwA92Qvnlql0cccMrdWVdYj2hfoEG_LkrUfirzWHzZF2WWbYqutyaiR5xbHn8Az-ij1NeRjk7EWfPJLVg=s239" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="171" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1GtiJNAKVwTUZdb0c4Vflcm-nPbBV8tm4B6T2KmIqrVPBLvaA6-h0pP_lekWfPz6uj8x2o2hBbDu8ijDYHTE2d0GGyfHL-EHnuXnz5MGKUUwA92Qvnlql0cccMrdWVdYj2hfoEG_LkrUfirzWHzZF2WWbYqutyaiR5xbHn8Az-ij1NeRjk7EWfPJLVg=w49-h68" width="49" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The loss of <b>bell hooks</b> was the loss of a big voice. Author. Professor. Activist. hooks spoke and wrote on issues of race and gender and intersectionality and capitalism. As a professor, she taught at some of our nation's most prestegious campuses including Stanford and Yale. She has countless book titles under her belt. Some of them include <i>And There We Wept</i>, <i>Ain't I A Women: Black Women and Feminism</i><span style="font-style: italic;">, </span><i>Talking Back: Thinking Feminist</i><span style="font-style: italic;">, </span><i>Thinking Black</i><span style="font-style: italic;">, </span><i>Killing Rage: Ending Racism</i><span style="font-style: italic;">, and </span><i>Bone Black: Memories of Girlhood</i><span style="font-style: italic;">. </span><span> I feel like bell hooks has always been far ahead of the curve. She was not reactionary when it came to how we see and discuss issues of race and gender and sexuality, she was was the voice that was generating theory and creating the narrative and the space for thinking critically about these and all social issues. The loss of bell hooks is a loss for the African-American community, the LGBTQ community, the feminist community and the academic sphere.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOZZ5n9dOE5DTPvv4A5-djoKahFAaWjHikMWLhXMMNCgm1xxkOFuLpFjtUtQfjpT87FcKXz5TrNUroJDs1C8FvfmPKhraG-Z62xjdhBTQono3xdYWihEpAbFUC7vQN-M3rIKfl0MjUYSGveXU8EoL6QC6JW9WOBBo-CHJfowQsNs2u9pwz6zsRHVDLhg=s1185" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="863" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOZZ5n9dOE5DTPvv4A5-djoKahFAaWjHikMWLhXMMNCgm1xxkOFuLpFjtUtQfjpT87FcKXz5TrNUroJDs1C8FvfmPKhraG-Z62xjdhBTQono3xdYWihEpAbFUC7vQN-M3rIKfl0MjUYSGveXU8EoL6QC6JW9WOBBo-CHJfowQsNs2u9pwz6zsRHVDLhg=w60-h82" width="60" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b>Archbishop Desmond Tutu</b>. What can I say about this global phenom that was not said by the rest of the world when he died? He was the living embodiment of compassion and empathy and love and peace. And he wanted these things for ALL. He was not a queer person but he once said "If I go to heaven and find a homophobic God, I will tell him I prefer the other place!" He believed in equal rights for the LGBTQ community. I think my favorite quote of his is "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppresor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality." This is why white voices cannot be neutral regarding the Black Lives Matter movement. This is why cis men cannot be silent regarding the Me Too movement. Neutrality and silence helps the oppresor and hurts the marginalized. Desmond Tutu - you have left a void in the world that no one can fill.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6nxkFpGo45YEVx7AuFvfqiX2PUmOOoP9saEw_S2Kd6k5-B0YmBxMxJqiw5ajiyUGHbRNHQ8-oPS23_LVoqC_Uv8KQ4goUBq28SGZHxkTss2jj1dXpWTiHKNDrlp1voojRqqNS3EEJxw0tDTorqhnySwmoem9kewZp1VDeC7QtOiZ9PppceEdaoOD_3w=s719" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="549" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6nxkFpGo45YEVx7AuFvfqiX2PUmOOoP9saEw_S2Kd6k5-B0YmBxMxJqiw5ajiyUGHbRNHQ8-oPS23_LVoqC_Uv8KQ4goUBq28SGZHxkTss2jj1dXpWTiHKNDrlp1voojRqqNS3EEJxw0tDTorqhnySwmoem9kewZp1VDeC7QtOiZ9PppceEdaoOD_3w=w68-h89" width="68" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;">I shared earlier that one of the roles that Michael K. Williams played was that of <b>Ken Jones</b> in the series <i>When We Rise</i>. That role was based on a real person. Ken Jones was a Navy vet that served three tours in Vietnam. After he left the military in 1973 and he moved to the Castro and began working for San Francisco Pride. He would lead this organization for some time and would only leave in 1991 to focus on police reform after the police beating of Rodney King. He was an activist for the LGBTQ community, he educated folks on HIV/AIDS, and he was a loud voice on the issue of police reform. I am an activist for the LGBTQ community. I have educated folks on HIV/ AIDS. I believe we need reform in many different areas of law enforcement and the judiciary process. As I learned about this man's story, I saw myself. Ken Jones passed away on January 13, 2021 at the age of 70 following a battle with bladder cancer. The loss of Jones was another significant loss for the black queer community.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2021 is over. 2022 is here. 2021 was horrible. Who knows what this year will bring. For LGBTQ African-Americans, we have lost some big voices. Michael K. Williams, you potrayal of black queer men was always an awe to see. You brought to life some characters that me and my peers will revel in and reflect on for many years to come. Reverend Carl Bean, thank you creating a space where black queer folks that believe in God can go and worship and not feel ashamed or ostracized or villified. bell hooks thank you for your voice and your pen and your time. When it comes to addressing social issues critically and simultaneously living your life authentically, you are the prototype. Archbishop Tutu, you never hesitated to raise your voice for everyone and specifically said the world should be a welcoming and safe place for LGBTQ folks; and you did this while existing in a space that historically has demonized queer folks, and for this I say thank you. And Ken Jones, in you I see myself. Your story of putting your life on the line on behalf of your country while serving in the Navy, then transitioning to working on behalf of queer folks and people living with HIV/AIDS while living in San Francisco, and then to recognizing the harassment and abuse of black folks by the police and working tirelessly for police reform - you sir were a force to be reckoned with and again - for the black queer community - what a loss. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">All of these individuals are personal heroes of mine. But as I close I now find myself asking this question - who is going to fill these shoes? </p>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-25557853891344378532021-12-16T20:14:00.003-08:002021-12-17T15:46:01.070-08:0010 Movies to Help You Make the Yuletide Gay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgz9T5VVZecagQp46iMEUVBXNK2NLU5WFstZQCSgg2HJ0cNAKnQIYFu9IavgE_kvakRhbmQm1vv-BvxEbs0SKoyBLFy9xyO7cr6Xiy2zQjyeivy-wVDwF3fcWRlJxRahClkkMXMu7gi9LmUGw8BjplByMoI0TY39oU-qGU3OogmjUNmgang4mNHtu2N8w=s1173" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1173" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgz9T5VVZecagQp46iMEUVBXNK2NLU5WFstZQCSgg2HJ0cNAKnQIYFu9IavgE_kvakRhbmQm1vv-BvxEbs0SKoyBLFy9xyO7cr6Xiy2zQjyeivy-wVDwF3fcWRlJxRahClkkMXMu7gi9LmUGw8BjplByMoI0TY39oU-qGU3OogmjUNmgang4mNHtu2N8w=w400-h244" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The holiday season is upon us. It's time for holiday shopping, baking cookies, and settling into your cozy sofa and enjoying some Christmas movies. Holiday movies that feature queer characters are very few and far between, but they do exist. I wanted to take a moment to share some of the titles that I have enjoyed watching with you.</p><p><br /></p><p>Some of my faves include:</p><p>1.<b> Some Kind of Christmas (2020).</b> Director - Davien Harlis, Writer - Davien Harlis; Starring Marcia Perez Calderon, Davien Harlis, Deriell Keith Lester</p><p><i>Available for streaming here</i>: https://www.act1scene2.com/copy-of-some-kind-of-christmas</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1oDLkBhYTWlIK-XgCwqo9TZDKe2WqLqXh4tKDbV10WUncdL6lGpqtnOkP9LHkltPW8nH1EGTonrbUFe912vCrlgMat8w5_CYEjuYAUiHzXfA2rfNWNVjSNOLbO65N180dZJtzDTleFp5ROyJbC7fZQYxphSOLve1tLJhZrfwpMKEbrvVt296CTgSF3A=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1oDLkBhYTWlIK-XgCwqo9TZDKe2WqLqXh4tKDbV10WUncdL6lGpqtnOkP9LHkltPW8nH1EGTonrbUFe912vCrlgMat8w5_CYEjuYAUiHzXfA2rfNWNVjSNOLbO65N180dZJtzDTleFp5ROyJbC7fZQYxphSOLve1tLJhZrfwpMKEbrvVt296CTgSF3A=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>2. <b>Single All The Way (2021)</b>. Director - Michael Mayer, Writer - Chad Hodge; Starring Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Luke Macfarlane.</p><p><i>Currently streaming on Netflix</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEii08UMIpqIOz-KEbMYVIXw8Gg1d_uJPvxrYZTpEVxa-6nFlOFtpQQqBgY7AHLPHYSYwB_L_mK5Iy1nyIS9qApYoLd9wJvpdhyCo6AEYXqvfKIOm5xUG4-VhyCl3hYjJi7h74JRJoCcamDE0EK52HX61g6egsgQWizSCVepCk0UvGmGkCKPkKMx46Bw1g=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEii08UMIpqIOz-KEbMYVIXw8Gg1d_uJPvxrYZTpEVxa-6nFlOFtpQQqBgY7AHLPHYSYwB_L_mK5Iy1nyIS9qApYoLd9wJvpdhyCo6AEYXqvfKIOm5xUG4-VhyCl3hYjJi7h74JRJoCcamDE0EK52HX61g6egsgQWizSCVepCk0UvGmGkCKPkKMx46Bw1g=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><br /><p>3. <b>Walk A Mile in My Pradas (2011).</b> Director - Joey Sylvester, Writer - Rick Karatas & Tom Archdeacon, Starring Nathaniel Martson, Tom Archdeacon, Tom Arnold, Bruce Vilanch</p><p><i>Currently streaming on Tubi</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK2jcIsWb_mYjt6-BWRQj_gVbaDd_7lOoxjnGx-2LUYmYD8fTxqpoblTsBXpD2D7OJakZBhISDxe3rit-Jlgyhi6gWA6kv8B2S3Hby9eytBZG9DzbJIVnhKjh87ePcL4Gia4tiRQRsPmRkzN6asxnO57gO08rJCn7Y90ta_nQJswBzNotlfgnAWU_GIw=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK2jcIsWb_mYjt6-BWRQj_gVbaDd_7lOoxjnGx-2LUYmYD8fTxqpoblTsBXpD2D7OJakZBhISDxe3rit-Jlgyhi6gWA6kv8B2S3Hby9eytBZG9DzbJIVnhKjh87ePcL4Gia4tiRQRsPmRkzN6asxnO57gO08rJCn7Y90ta_nQJswBzNotlfgnAWU_GIw=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div><br /></div>4.<b> Ski Trip (2004)</b>. Director - Maurice Jamal, Writer - Maurice Jamal, Starring Liz Beckman, Will Blagrove, Cassandra Cruz, Nathan Hale.<div><br /></div><div><i>Currently not available to stream but very much worth the purchase.</i><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcgkPud-9fzgbzzvdRwMxbrIoXg-1T7Gx2o3y-o7QVsBMl9YQ-WSScOH0qwuBC7S5uCy1iBr3CjWxVDtzl-IFEDuOL_f7k4HVJ-82pZMA0HC6W3mq26rjNPiy1smjARzUjD3Y3EYoG_jmFz9tETjngp0lHwmIzZux9ff8TF35Gf-8-_OQrnhzeiCvLfw=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcgkPud-9fzgbzzvdRwMxbrIoXg-1T7Gx2o3y-o7QVsBMl9YQ-WSScOH0qwuBC7S5uCy1iBr3CjWxVDtzl-IFEDuOL_f7k4HVJ-82pZMA0HC6W3mq26rjNPiy1smjARzUjD3Y3EYoG_jmFz9tETjngp0lHwmIzZux9ff8TF35Gf-8-_OQrnhzeiCvLfw=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div><br /></div>5. <b>The Christmas Setup (2020)</b>. Director - Pat Mills, Writer - Michael Murray; Starring Ben Lewis, Blake Lee, Fran Drescher.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Currently Streaming on Amazon Prime.</i></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxNr10E98OVP_9PIUa8XiDqgjlhgw5xI4bT1oMo-4Dk_GCrWEU4qQjFVOLgCKjrnyRs2uGnAOV1uVpI6xoTjfXms_gyATf3SC1dTpBCj5qjP1cFBEbhm6LB3aYJNrjtes47IiJbcPwIbRkB0tjLtysqq3oYcmToOjgd0UW8G66JGFtclZSzNgJyhNisQ=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxNr10E98OVP_9PIUa8XiDqgjlhgw5xI4bT1oMo-4Dk_GCrWEU4qQjFVOLgCKjrnyRs2uGnAOV1uVpI6xoTjfXms_gyATf3SC1dTpBCj5qjP1cFBEbhm6LB3aYJNrjtes47IiJbcPwIbRkB0tjLtysqq3oYcmToOjgd0UW8G66JGFtclZSzNgJyhNisQ=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. <b>Holiday Heart (2000).</b> Director - Robert Townsend, Writer Cheryl L. West; Starring Ving Rhymes, Alfre Woodard, Jesika Reynolds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Currently Streaming on Pluto.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPv2YTFCUaWXGpCUqgR2-TmNdx-9q6RwkKSg6LpEbVeDPDcUcyhlXQ6EXmDNwKF5x3Z5beF4PuiLYfYuZogXmfOC3x5kWuDpL2hcd2RhWmCOoLipKR_BaA4eYosJKlPyLWoSlLGR9fcHqyRHxEsWWwqe0HTWvlERKx472tJrm7ngmNrbYkZ8UolBn3Hw=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPv2YTFCUaWXGpCUqgR2-TmNdx-9q6RwkKSg6LpEbVeDPDcUcyhlXQ6EXmDNwKF5x3Z5beF4PuiLYfYuZogXmfOC3x5kWuDpL2hcd2RhWmCOoLipKR_BaA4eYosJKlPyLWoSlLGR9fcHqyRHxEsWWwqe0HTWvlERKx472tJrm7ngmNrbYkZ8UolBn3Hw=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">7. <b>Make The Yuletide Gay (2009)</b>. Director - Rob Williams, Writer - Rob Williams; Starring Keith Jordan, Wyatt Fenner, Steve Callahan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Currently Streaming on Dekko.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlOi2wezG7Pd_HQ79ETt1U72xvWdNucP3wspQnKmyz8vvmKQykt_EhRkHpOduU5QafOZ--qTi9NS_58k9N5EwpDeEHLzpCfSD1OPilQFNrNLhl13J_7-UrkjI4TRLzmyWyD-EGLsjWSLokK2GYrCmtg2BRRg1C4Ls6TbM5aABTMjd8hF8mt2G2Vps5cg=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlOi2wezG7Pd_HQ79ETt1U72xvWdNucP3wspQnKmyz8vvmKQykt_EhRkHpOduU5QafOZ--qTi9NS_58k9N5EwpDeEHLzpCfSD1OPilQFNrNLhl13J_7-UrkjI4TRLzmyWyD-EGLsjWSLokK2GYrCmtg2BRRg1C4Ls6TbM5aABTMjd8hF8mt2G2Vps5cg=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8. <b>Happiest Season (2020)</b>. Director - Clea Duvall, Writer - Clea Duvall; Starring Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Mary Steenburger, Victor Garber, Dan Levy, Audrey Plaza.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Currently Streaming on Hulu.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMS-s0xYoD-IPBrmLdkejIvy4OceENeCHohBf60d6-4Dlv3Fxb9Fbn3F8Qg4ledc6kvNTIXO5yb2q0w0MQ-UOVBVul8UvNlykJL4wlGNZLmH4uLmQ7kyxZdkEL9yiuAjKjFDa5GodJmqgrG12-V5aBPBI9of_gPZb83RbcVkSqxHmoI8MkOCgmZ80mpw=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMS-s0xYoD-IPBrmLdkejIvy4OceENeCHohBf60d6-4Dlv3Fxb9Fbn3F8Qg4ledc6kvNTIXO5yb2q0w0MQ-UOVBVul8UvNlykJL4wlGNZLmH4uLmQ7kyxZdkEL9yiuAjKjFDa5GodJmqgrG12-V5aBPBI9of_gPZb83RbcVkSqxHmoI8MkOCgmZ80mpw=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">9. <b>A New York Christmas Wedding (2020)</b>. Director - Otaja Abit, Writer - Otaja Abit; Starring Chris Noth, Nia Fairweather, Chris Trousdale.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Currently Streaming on Netflix.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWuaJ5DOjue7P2rYjUqVyoqLmCOprx82Z-ce9rJL49RyMdXT-x4i-Tkb3TneJfiCZj2FiMduHTkB2ZHKRPgtOS1GhPV0-EdDmOj8vZMOdf7B2pvsv2oNP9O6bCZWF3mh-73CctV0n9ndLPkcVYGC8IDcXHJStfGn8EXO0Cqbds01NsxNNAoPqai1iOpQ=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWuaJ5DOjue7P2rYjUqVyoqLmCOprx82Z-ce9rJL49RyMdXT-x4i-Tkb3TneJfiCZj2FiMduHTkB2ZHKRPgtOS1GhPV0-EdDmOj8vZMOdf7B2pvsv2oNP9O6bCZWF3mh-73CctV0n9ndLPkcVYGC8IDcXHJStfGn8EXO0Cqbds01NsxNNAoPqai1iOpQ=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">10. <b>The Family Stone (2005)</b>. Director - Homas Bezucha, Writer - Thomas - Bezucha; Starring Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes, Luke Wilson, Craig T. Nelson, Diane Keaton.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Not available for streaming.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIU5SWnHBqkfkZ1WF3GniN_KO4CKl0ZCEUPa7OtCUoW0xOM1SBoLwmSARir3tKKJvZys7sFz6joV2X9HkycJ6S4Nq-HQBk0H0_2rviNTf4F6y84YHgJljBus3p8cXvsT7_CTXj3XOHThvThMZmIe4eC4wmcEF7-Sum8DJaQjzMA-gPQc0lZMnoPY9XeQ=s1056" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIU5SWnHBqkfkZ1WF3GniN_KO4CKl0ZCEUPa7OtCUoW0xOM1SBoLwmSARir3tKKJvZys7sFz6joV2X9HkycJ6S4Nq-HQBk0H0_2rviNTf4F6y84YHgJljBus3p8cXvsT7_CTXj3XOHThvThMZmIe4eC4wmcEF7-Sum8DJaQjzMA-gPQc0lZMnoPY9XeQ=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-51443033935508313452021-12-01T17:51:00.002-08:002021-12-01T17:54:01.927-08:00December 1: World AIDS Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWd9MD3OUJLMNKDdZdyMT6XydmqrDIJw98Dcja24QbkgErFLPniOt04cHilvQiV655mtCde_rd2nLAGz9B31JHHDPcILa01rGQaTwR37e8D-rXS1QsQ2C2ufOuivKayz26xbophXgcYpNq/s899/24301140_10215330647597222_1459693908792732584_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="899" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWd9MD3OUJLMNKDdZdyMT6XydmqrDIJw98Dcja24QbkgErFLPniOt04cHilvQiV655mtCde_rd2nLAGz9B31JHHDPcILa01rGQaTwR37e8D-rXS1QsQ2C2ufOuivKayz26xbophXgcYpNq/w400-h249/24301140_10215330647597222_1459693908792732584_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It feels weird posting this. The lack of attention on the virus today makes me feel like America has forgotten that the disease still exists. And I don't know how I feel about that. If the lack of attention means that the stigma surrounding the virus is gone - then I'm okay with this. But I don't think that's the case.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The picture above is from a World AIDS Day event I organized several years ago. Several community leaders came together for the night. I have organized many community events but this one was one of my faves. Rev. Reginald Walton was in the house. He spoke on the role the black church should have in the fight against this disease. This man was such an inspiration. As the head of a black church, he was not afraid to talk about some things that many black clergy steered away fromf. He spoke about inclusion of the LGBT community. He actively worked with queer leaders in the community. And he spoke out on HIV/AIDS. Most other black leaders in Phoenix avoided these topics like the plaque, but Rev. Walton never feared raising his voice about these important matters..</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And RJ Shannon was in the house that night. RJ was another inspiration for me as well. She was the greatest community organizer I ever had the pleasure of working with and she was the benchmark for so much of the work I did (and still do). I remeber calling her and asking her to close out the night with some words of movication and a call to action. She came in that night and did exactly what I needed her to do.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The picture brings back fond memories. I no longer live in Phoenix and I miss the connection I had with my friends in the Valley. But I owe so much of who I am now to those folks and to this city. World AIDS Day sent me down this strange rabbit hole of feelings. How do I feel about the day? How do I feel about the way the world treats the virus now? I'm not sure and that's okay. Everything doesn't need an answer. And I don't have to process this all right now. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-42787443836368665772021-10-01T11:28:00.002-07:002021-10-01T11:29:44.656-07:00October Is LGBT History Month!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-akFt6zeRzJs1olBJSX2wDT4PA5_Ps32QIKarpej86NxRxVukXLPzpairfAxxcr74qKF34p8nRmtTQW6J5LaglpS6vcxqXKtAZsS5VB7ysA2AbKh1PvdOpm5fVf0Y7FRo7RLCDz3lEwH/s720/October+Is+Two.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="720" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-akFt6zeRzJs1olBJSX2wDT4PA5_Ps32QIKarpej86NxRxVukXLPzpairfAxxcr74qKF34p8nRmtTQW6J5LaglpS6vcxqXKtAZsS5VB7ysA2AbKh1PvdOpm5fVf0Y7FRo7RLCDz3lEwH/w400-h399/October+Is+Two.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-48508989915537613132021-05-21T09:23:00.003-07:002021-05-21T09:26:05.654-07:00Mental Health Awareness Month and Black Folks<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF-ny1kHEbt6W8ZhsTnmmiSEo7i1LyjZ8AYgoRmWK23YeJ9HCMNAPNAeaC3AzYylG7a7VwwR_s-sBejnrtULtP3gkZkDO06SzWMyVaX2YhEuZt8hLeWGIZ3X1Ks94VZdjewBrPXRriw2h/s1000/75242027_2198651656947225_2053886653499580592_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1000" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF-ny1kHEbt6W8ZhsTnmmiSEo7i1LyjZ8AYgoRmWK23YeJ9HCMNAPNAeaC3AzYylG7a7VwwR_s-sBejnrtULtP3gkZkDO06SzWMyVaX2YhEuZt8hLeWGIZ3X1Ks94VZdjewBrPXRriw2h/w400-h299/75242027_2198651656947225_2053886653499580592_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">May is Mental Health Awaress month and in case you didn't know, Black folks are exhausted yall. 2020 and 2021 have been devastating on us physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. More and more black folks are killed by police. So many folks are not working right now. The social isolation created by the pandemic causing separation from friends and family. The loss of family members and friends as a direct result of COVID. I know everyone is suffering from the pandemic and thankfully it looks like we are moving to the other side of it. But I wanted to take a moment to address black folks and mental health and ask "where do we go from here?"</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Many of us have reservations about healthcare and the medical community and rightfully so. Black folks and relationship with medical providers have a very tepid history. The Tuskegee Experiment had black folks used as guinea pigs with syphilis testing. The story of Henrietta Lacks is one where cells from body were literally taken without her consent and used for science. I have heard tales from countless black folks who say they don't like going to the doctor because the doctor "doesn't listen to them."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I think, in addition to addressing the flaws of medical professionals that treat our physical health, we also need to address our mental health - and we need to do this as a community. I still know a lot of people that would never consider seeing therapist or a counselor to address issues with their mental health. For some, it's because it may be a sign of weakness. For some, they feel "as long as I got Jesus, I don't need anything else." But we need to get beyond this people. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">You can't show up for work, you can't be there for friends and family, and you can't even fully take care of self if you are not taking care of your mental health. Do you know how much damage is happening to the black psyche when we repeatedly see black bodies killed by the police? Black folks are at a higher risk in almost every health issue their is - heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, even HIV/AIDS. How can you think of history in the U.S., and now be overwhelmed? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Black folks - find someone you can talk to and embrace mental health as a part of your healthcare self care. Many jobs offer access to therapist in their benefit packets now. Take advantage of these benefits. And know that there are many black and brown counselors out there, so if you take the time a look, you can find folks that look like you that you can talk to. I think this also takes away from the stigma. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I really feel like the pandemic is almost behind us. But black folks, the end of the pandemic does not signal the end of our trauma. We still live in a racist world where it seems our lives don't matter. And when you a black person that lives under the umbrella of intersectionality (i.e. black and queer, black and disabled), our mental health issues are magnified. So I will make a final plea - take care of yourself, so you can take care those things and those people important to you. </p>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-43467939448774079592021-02-28T13:23:00.005-08:002021-02-28T13:25:43.303-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 28 - Jay Jurden<p> .</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6d31JtvOFkQdmCfuKpJfmnke9Sn30szW04Xq6KuX1FqozqovTEYXb_G9neQTSvesNGt2yEwUDXm60nyagvhfKXSxSDe_YA_nIxJ0csIF6yQqgYCpxReKy_TwlDs0R7YlldBDWJBAWdwO/s1000/Jay+Jurden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6d31JtvOFkQdmCfuKpJfmnke9Sn30szW04Xq6KuX1FqozqovTEYXb_G9neQTSvesNGt2yEwUDXm60nyagvhfKXSxSDe_YA_nIxJ0csIF6yQqgYCpxReKy_TwlDs0R7YlldBDWJBAWdwO/w400-h240/Jay+Jurden.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div data-block="true" data-editor="1tfmg" data-offset-key="746od-0-0" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="746od-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><span data-offset-key="746od-0-0" style="background-color: #1d1b1b; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Each day this month I have shared videos that celebrate black queer voices. Through documentaries, biopics, interviews and stand-up sets from some comedians, hopefully this month you were introduced to a voice you did not know before that has made you aware of the brilliance, athleticism, activism and/or hilarity of our community.</span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="1tfmg" data-offset-key="2tisv-0-0" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2tisv-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><span data-offset-key="2tisv-0-0" style="background-color: #1d1b1b; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="1tfmg" data-offset-key="7ikbr-0-0" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7ikbr-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><span data-offset-key="7ikbr-0-0" style="background-color: #1d1b1b; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Today is the final day of Black History month, I want to close it with a laugh. Jay Jurden is funny AF. I hope his career in comedy takes him far because 1) he has the talent to do it and 2) representation matters and I think we desperately need more out and proud black queer folks in the mainstreeam.</span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="1tfmg" data-offset-key="dbitp-0-0" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dbitp-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><span data-offset-key="dbitp-0-0" style="background-color: #1d1b1b; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="1tfmg" data-offset-key="16faf-0-0" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="16faf-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><span data-offset-key="16faf-0-0" style="background-color: #1d1b1b; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Anywho, I appreciate those that took the time to read the brief bios and stories this month, and a special thank you anyone that watched a video all the way to the end. Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming . . . </span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="16faf-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5MYHD9ak6N0" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-81626609150985825162021-02-27T15:05:00.004-08:002021-02-28T13:26:08.441-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Holler If You Here Me: Black and Gay in the Church<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguc7hhC0MMwDHxu8X-U0pdBOw3_T1lLi_OSCBDP68ApazBEJzbo_ZKLdxBe0QYOvw3QPEulnwfVruyWcJG6M5p5j8EaR1o_ctSXp9wH3tq6WNy863SAZQh_P9WEBgthkWTFFJBPpxQW_we/s2048/rawImage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="2048" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguc7hhC0MMwDHxu8X-U0pdBOw3_T1lLi_OSCBDP68ApazBEJzbo_ZKLdxBe0QYOvw3QPEulnwfVruyWcJG6M5p5j8EaR1o_ctSXp9wH3tq6WNy863SAZQh_P9WEBgthkWTFFJBPpxQW_we/w400-h248/rawImage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: #161515; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;">The documentary Holler
If You Hear Me: Black and Gay in the Church was a must see for me. I am a black
gay man that grew up in the church. I was in the church every Saturday for
choir rehearsal, all day on Sunday from Sunday school until "the doors of
the church are open", I was in church for bible study, and whenever there
was a revival we would be in the church every night of the week.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="background-color: #161515; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;">I loved the fellowship of the folks I went to church with, I
appreciated the lessons I learned in the church, and Lord, I loved it whenever
there was occassion when all the church ladies would bring food and we would
all break bread together in the church (because church ladies can cook).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="background-color: #161515; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;">Growing up in the church was wonderful - until it wasn't. I
didn't see the hypocrisy of the church when I was a kid. But it slowly started
to reveal itself to me. This place that taught me not to judge anyone was the
quickest to judge people. The place that taught me I should be accepting of
everyone was quick to shun people. And this place that taught me love every was
the same place that hated anyone that did not fit in the very specific mold
they had for you (this place almost made me hate myself).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="background-color: #161515; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;">In the film Holler If You Hear Me, I saw many people dealing
with the same struggles I had to overcome. When the place that you go to for
comfort, balm and strength becomes a place of hate and condemnation. It's a
difficult road to be on and it's journey not everyone survives.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span><span style="background-color: #161515; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;">This film is also available on YouTube. There are 4 parts to the
series and you can see part one below:</span></span></p><p></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EhzF635gZVU" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-65144182039416560702021-02-26T17:40:00.003-08:002021-02-26T17:42:41.964-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 26 - James Booker<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHub7oyf0-lUwRNkBQkMrRvLSJxf4Et3BlYr4UFl25ggDgN5eAQqgN3ZkDfWbGj96QqfL3S1mZb0u3j7XqYTW4die-Rzrhdb1S3fOBaXvDRIfv4y5Kf2CLkLDVJo7ZZpPjXWid0GvKr4HG/s470/james-booker-470.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="470" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHub7oyf0-lUwRNkBQkMrRvLSJxf4Et3BlYr4UFl25ggDgN5eAQqgN3ZkDfWbGj96QqfL3S1mZb0u3j7XqYTW4die-Rzrhdb1S3fOBaXvDRIfv4y5Kf2CLkLDVJo7ZZpPjXWid0GvKr4HG/w400-h213/james-booker-470.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif;"><span style="background-color: #0f0303; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;">He has been called the greatest piano player to come out of the
Bayou. He recorded with legends like
Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and The Doobie Brothers. He was the man that taught Harry Connick Jr.
how to play jazz music. His friend and
fellow musician Dr. John has referred to him as “the best black, gay, one-eyed
junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced.” Unfortunately his story and his music are not
well known.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #0f0303; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span>And this is why I love documentary storytelling. They introduce us to individuals and stories
and events that otherwise we would not be aware of. The documentary <i>Bayou Maharajah: The Tracig Genius of James Booker </i>is
fantastic. It is the reason I know the
story of the remarkable black gay jazz musician. The only thing greater than his music is his
story. No one knows how he lost his
eye. It’s an enigma whose origin changes
everytime James would tell the story. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #0f0303; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span>He was called the Ivory Emperor.
He was called the Piano Prince of New Orleans. He was called the Bayou Maharajah. And he was both a genius and junkie, a legend
and a tragedy, a prodigy and a problem. Check
out the trailer for Bayou Maharajah below.
His story is incredible.</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/btx6ajkhPNA" width="560"></iframe>
Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-42759535118294184962021-02-25T16:48:00.000-08:002021-02-25T16:48:07.262-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 25 - Staceyann Chinn<p> </p><p>As I take this month today celebrate black queer voices, I'm just gonna drop this right here:</p><p><br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-LV_aqf0XVc" width="560"></iframe></p>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-43078818422786049082021-02-24T14:18:00.003-08:002021-02-25T16:24:22.575-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 24 - Marlon Riggs<p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rhuA6Md-vlHrYVihp2n8ZLb3UG0fFxZFAJsE1BKILy_nhMPOM9eAeNIVXVgHzIfTxPFFpN303RcnsW6rJB64A557iSmswaBjb-WfygXvrtWOjXyzpgSpGo8Ygv5Dkb2o05ty01XTzKQ7/s893/Marlon+Riggsa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="893" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rhuA6Md-vlHrYVihp2n8ZLb3UG0fFxZFAJsE1BKILy_nhMPOM9eAeNIVXVgHzIfTxPFFpN303RcnsW6rJB64A557iSmswaBjb-WfygXvrtWOjXyzpgSpGo8Ygv5Dkb2o05ty01XTzKQ7/w400-h183/Marlon+Riggsa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The first person I am aware of that did films focused on black queer voices was Marlon Riggs. Marlon was concerned about the lack of representation in films of LGBT African-Americans and he was concerned about the narratives in cinema that only told stories from a male focus and from a white focus. He picked up the camera and introduced us to a world of folks that did not see things the way filmmakers up to that point did.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a filmmaker, he created such groundbreaking works as Black Is, Black Ain't and Tongues Untied. As a writer, he is most notably recognized for his anthology Brother to Brother: Collected Writings by Black Gay Men. Today, black queer filmmakers and authors are commonplace. But when I see cinema from creatives like Patrik Ian Polk, Maurice Jamal, Dee Rees and Lena Waite; and when I read books by E. Lynn Harris and James Earl Hardy, I know that Riggs was the prototype.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He was years ahead of his time. And I think his voice is still one that should be elevated when we celebrate Black History month. Below is a rare interview with the brilliant man:</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wGgtVpjcqak" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-74097701679464789242021-02-23T18:19:00.011-08:002021-02-27T15:07:28.807-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 23 - Black LGBTQ Millennials<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY26NrT3V6ifDd4uZEJ4U9Sx8uPbg1p2jdRk1YW70SQNL-pwYp3Zn1tHp8zR0ZBiAV6U8boPmPEcvnepqoj8Hd65P-LH3nCKZCd-pYCVygOjflWUa8EkhkUlopZPv1VU2QjfqqdKHMUKQx/s1280/0203_lgbqt_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY26NrT3V6ifDd4uZEJ4U9Sx8uPbg1p2jdRk1YW70SQNL-pwYp3Zn1tHp8zR0ZBiAV6U8boPmPEcvnepqoj8Hd65P-LH3nCKZCd-pYCVygOjflWUa8EkhkUlopZPv1VU2QjfqqdKHMUKQx/w400-h225/0203_lgbqt_jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #201e1e; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">This black history month, everyday I have been sharing documentaries and biopics that celebrate black queer voices. Today, the voices I elevate are a collective group of young, queer folks talking about their experiences of intersectionality.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #201e1e; font-size: medium;">God, I wish there were more places and more spaces having conversations like the one in this video. Popular YouTube channel, The Grapevine, sat down with a group of folks to have "A Conversation with Black LGBTQ Millennials." The discussion goes deep and these individuals are very open and honest about their experiences. Every individual in this circle is so articulate in explaining their stories, their fears, and their traumas.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #201e1e; font-size: medium;">It's so interesting hearing these stories around coming out, and hearing stories contrasting homophobia and racism, and delving into the very difficult topic of acceptance within the black community as a queer person. I think it's profound to hear several individuals share similar stories of their biggest fears growing up did not come from white folks, but it came from black folks and it was specifically related to homophobia and anti-queer violence.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #201e1e; font-size: medium;">I loved hearing these young people talk about Stonewall and talk about the "blackness" of it. These kids know their history and they are acutely aware of racism in the LGBTQ community and the erasure of black accomplishments within queer history. I love hearing these people talk about bi-invisiblity. I loved hearing these people call out the black church for its bias and violence against queer folks.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #201e1e; font-size: medium;">I keep hearing so many negative things about youth and about queer youth, but these kids are smart. They are very aware of self. And they are very aware of what they want, and what they don't want. Now I need to figure out what I need to do to create a space for voices like this to show up. Get into the video below:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mYbek83ZG4U" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-70622361779341861942021-02-22T16:17:00.006-08:002021-02-22T16:19:51.162-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 22 - The Reluctant Fighter: Emile Griffith<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFK_2ldwW-bxLtAnvISSd4Blh2dTzLWL3YZtNk8NAuKhDUBqSUCsIqODQ3LCYJO7EjPzg5K4gvWivOPCJPC6rWZn0RUxvImBSRKfCqJVeL_fo7jB4yOKsHLctKcWbmZHuKMAjirxGxM_ci/s640/griffith+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFK_2ldwW-bxLtAnvISSd4Blh2dTzLWL3YZtNk8NAuKhDUBqSUCsIqODQ3LCYJO7EjPzg5K4gvWivOPCJPC6rWZn0RUxvImBSRKfCqJVeL_fo7jB4yOKsHLctKcWbmZHuKMAjirxGxM_ci/w400-h320/griffith+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Emile
Griffith once said, “I kill a man and most people understand and forgive
me.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">However, I love a man, and to so
many people this is an unforgiveable sin; this makes me an evil person.” Griffith
was one of the greatest fighters to ever step foot in the ring.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He would become the World Champion in the
welterweight class, the junior middleweight class, and the middleweight class.
In spite of these significant accomplishments, he is most remembered for the one
fight that defined his legacy.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">In
1962, Emile would fight Benny Paret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the weight in of these two, Paret would mocked Emile and called him a “maracon”
which is a homophobic slur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fight which
happened at Madison Square garden was the third fight between the two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was aired nationally on ABC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At one point in the fight, Emile pinned Paret
against the ropes and landed numerous punches to his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He continued to hitting even after Paret
seemed to have collapsed while standing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The punches would continue until the referee intervened and separated
the two.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">Emile
won by way of a technical knockout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Paret eventually slid to the floor and he was carried out of the ring on
a stretcher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would never again regain
consciousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He died in the hospital
ten days later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the violence
in the match, boxing would not air on television again for several years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">Emile
however did not define himself as gay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In an interview with Sports Illustrated he said, “I like men and women
both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I don’t like that word:
homosexual, gay or faggot. I don’t know what I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love men and women the same, but if you ask
me which is better . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like women.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
documentary Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith story is currently available on
YouTube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please get into it below:</span></p><p></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HZtEqy0MMbc" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-76836848127053363882021-02-21T12:02:00.002-08:002021-02-21T12:02:43.831-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 21 - Jewel's Catch One<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvLoZ3QS9WrIWuW6iuM3TPlMy3veAyCRt0SUFPw-GcLH3knq8dT1dDom9xGu7iYUx5l60E6VE-QG_MiddZ2kv0_Etu2L8iRy9zgyjXhrF4xoqnTTVatWx18cEJvm8fBNpxmnb9-3Xo1Ri/s1280/AAAABXyFJw8a7pu4IRUW4gsLBLlvpxlVPKxVz-L948XnHbz6nFgFIIB06qoDfmyI29hoyVBrXr0zp9FZGRMy3rGeAJp6wsnB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvLoZ3QS9WrIWuW6iuM3TPlMy3veAyCRt0SUFPw-GcLH3knq8dT1dDom9xGu7iYUx5l60E6VE-QG_MiddZ2kv0_Etu2L8iRy9zgyjXhrF4xoqnTTVatWx18cEJvm8fBNpxmnb9-3Xo1Ri/w400-h225/AAAABXyFJw8a7pu4IRUW4gsLBLlvpxlVPKxVz-L948XnHbz6nFgFIIB06qoDfmyI29hoyVBrXr0zp9FZGRMy3rGeAJp6wsnB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I
remember my first visit to Jewel’s Catch One.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was L.A.’s Black Pride weekend.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We had mapped out our plans for the weekend before getting on the
road.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Friday night, Friday afternoon
arrive in L.A. and check into the hotel.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Friday evening, head to Malibu beach (where most of the weekend
festivities would be happening).</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Friday
night, go to “The Catch.”</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">People
who frequented this infamous black gay club called it simply the Catch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to tell you, walking into that bar was
like walking into the Promised Land. Everywhere there were black same-gender
loving folks dancing, chatting, smiling – just living their authentic lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dj was playing the hottest house
music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that night, I saw Martha Wash
perform live on stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a night I
will never forget.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sometime
later I heard that the Catch had become a straight bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the next thing I heard was that it was
actually closing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that this
signaled the end of something very special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Catch was a place where many LGBTQ black folks went to find something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some went to find sex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some went to find friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some went to find a congregation of like-minded
folks where they could get lost in the crowd and just be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
documentary <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jewel’s Catch One</i>, sits
down with Jewel Thais Williams, the founder of the Catch One and examines the
rise and fall of the establishment and Jewel’s opening and management of the
non-profit organization the Village Health Foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is currently streaming on Netflix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cans see the trailer below:</span></p><p></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LH-Uug1dy-k" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-32452340006709142442021-02-20T16:48:00.005-08:002021-02-20T16:49:28.686-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 20 - Sakia Gunn<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKaOmPWwY23ywznquxIiKpdfkod2CCg-RAawvGVrtqhyphenhyphenHUzinZ9-MwY3vzNqXeBRxjT4M6E05MlDLwhgfg8ME0tKFAlgG7sdmXoZQZUJ-PaefS3K_xdHnqRsq8f5NwtJDV53ceB7xXJAD/s476/Sakia+Gunn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="476" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKaOmPWwY23ywznquxIiKpdfkod2CCg-RAawvGVrtqhyphenhyphenHUzinZ9-MwY3vzNqXeBRxjT4M6E05MlDLwhgfg8ME0tKFAlgG7sdmXoZQZUJ-PaefS3K_xdHnqRsq8f5NwtJDV53ceB7xXJAD/w400-h228/Sakia+Gunn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sakia
Gunn was fifteen years old when she was murdered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young girl killed after a night out having
fun with her friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After hanging out
in Greenwich Village she attempted to return home when she and her friend were
confronted by two men hitting on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sakia adamantly declared herself a lesbian and made it clear she was not
interested in their advances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately,
these men who would not take no for an answer attacked the girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sakia was stabbed in the chest and the men
fled the scene. Although she was rushed to a nearby hospital, Sakia Gunn would succumb
to her injury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She died that night.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sakia
was killed in 2003.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it first
happened the crime did not receive much media attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But luckily, some people cared enough to not
let this go away without receiving the attention it deserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fifteen year old girl was killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just 5 years prior, Matthew Shepard was killed.
The murder of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this teenaged,
cisgendered, white gay male garnered national attention and resulted in the
passing of hate crime legislation aimed to protect the LGBT community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, when the gay or trans person
that is killed is a person of color, it seems nobody cares.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">The film
Dreams Deferred: The Sakia Gunn Project delves into the life of Sakia Gunn and
simultaneously examines this bias against and invisibility of queer & trans
people of color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get into the trailer below:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zXydJ4iHmto" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-8742944312420277462021-02-19T18:31:00.003-08:002021-02-19T18:34:01.887-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 19 - Flame Monroe<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeJtlyIhyphenhyphen1xuJOXQfjEyA1d86PCSIJIZg3tT-THPEhYumVXgFl_Ppw1pPYY-UIfbtFNI-F0x1AY8VVsGBbOxL9w6pAizElGAHc51DVPoZG6NO6e96TrgGunLu-7VTJNpCCn7VuRya18LH/s800/Flame+Monroe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeJtlyIhyphenhyphen1xuJOXQfjEyA1d86PCSIJIZg3tT-THPEhYumVXgFl_Ppw1pPYY-UIfbtFNI-F0x1AY8VVsGBbOxL9w6pAizElGAHc51DVPoZG6NO6e96TrgGunLu-7VTJNpCCn7VuRya18LH/w400-h300/Flame+Monroe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Flame
Monroe’s brand of humor ain’t for everybody.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She is vulgur, crude and offensive – so her brand of humor is just
perfect for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her story is so
unusual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot categorize her and
that’s okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her pronouns are
#heshewe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She identifies as a black man,
a transwoman, and a member of the LGBT</span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">community (part time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
heshewe is only attracted to butch lesbians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are a father and they have been in the game of stand up comedy for
twenty-five years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: 13.5pt;">While
trans visibility may be mainstream now, that hasn’t always been the case. Flame
was up on stages as a trans person, doing comedy in all-black venues, 25 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s amazing to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just recently heard of her when she
appeared as one of the comedians featured in Tiffany Haddish’s Netflix special <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They Ready</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think the crowd was ready for Flame.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">That stand
up special has tremendously broadened her fan base and introduced her to folks
who would have never heard of her otherwise, self included.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s interesting about Flame is how she can
identify in so many categories and offend them all at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She offends black people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She offends trans people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I believe, you ain’t nobody, til everybody
hates you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check out the video below
where she sits down for an interview with Charlamagne daGod and the The
Breakfast Club.</span></span></p><p></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8r8g4VOszME" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-31274766122312702312021-02-18T16:54:00.005-08:002021-02-18T16:55:08.705-08:00Celebrate Black Queer History: Feb 18 - Marsha P. Johnson<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-8G76yHAYLsaDYdfOxZ0fMAdaMrfVDjI3lAijj47Tv2-pZes9BYXVPssY4h73ElxwKHdBFqt-GFtaYHTRgihRJdOK6oMeQ-nr8XUKzGC5mW-lBND9zfoxss23gsylORvx5jkcRmA0bX4/s1200/Marsha+P.+Johnson.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-8G76yHAYLsaDYdfOxZ0fMAdaMrfVDjI3lAijj47Tv2-pZes9BYXVPssY4h73ElxwKHdBFqt-GFtaYHTRgihRJdOK6oMeQ-nr8XUKzGC5mW-lBND9zfoxss23gsylORvx5jkcRmA0bX4/w400-h300/Marsha+P.+Johnson.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Most people would agree that Stonewall is one of the most monumental events to happen to the LGBTQ+ community. It ignited a passion for activism within us that continues to this day. Many people give Marsha props for helping jump off that revolutionary night of fighting back. Although there are a couple of documentaries about this trailblazer. Those include <i>The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson</i> and <i>PayIt No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson</i>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But my favorite video telling the story of this angelic hellraiser is the episode of the TV series "Drunk History" dedicated to her. Get into it below:</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nLEOK_i5X00" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-59049550819143884762021-02-18T16:34:00.003-08:002021-02-18T16:37:30.290-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 17 - Pick Up The Mic<p> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTdzce5AY6s5XcEJnPbS3xThQPRQzIoDjU1pEi-N_N8bEw6nXpUCFS_ZlvclQWWC4x9rPujU5xPfYrkRUnSWAVJImiPL_wMQGLSps43s_RyXNVT4fFX8Slfy6_ZFCqrZqP6XYxDXMw0zK/s268/MV5BNTY3MzY1MDg2MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzI2MjIzMQ%2540%2540._V1_UX182_CR0%252C0%252C182%252C268_AL_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="182" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTdzce5AY6s5XcEJnPbS3xThQPRQzIoDjU1pEi-N_N8bEw6nXpUCFS_ZlvclQWWC4x9rPujU5xPfYrkRUnSWAVJImiPL_wMQGLSps43s_RyXNVT4fFX8Slfy6_ZFCqrZqP6XYxDXMw0zK/w435-h640/MV5BNTY3MzY1MDg2MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzI2MjIzMQ%2540%2540._V1_UX182_CR0%252C0%252C182%252C268_AL_.jpg" width="435" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes,
there are gay people making hip hop music.
Unfortunately most of these artists are not household names. <i>Pick Up
The Mic: The Evolution of Homohop</i> takes a look into the world of queer
individuals making music is a genre with a reputation for being extremely
homophobic. To be honest – some very
mainstream hip hop artist are a part of the QUILTBAG community, but sometimes I
feel people are unaware of this. Today we can now brag about the
accomplishments of artists like Frank Ocean, Big Freedia, and Todrick Hall. And we also have our old school heads heads
like Queen Pen, Monifah and DaBrat who are about that life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><i>Pick Up The Mic</i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> came out in 2006 and at the time of its
release, gay people in the world of hip hop was not a thing. In 2008 author Terrence Dean released his
book Hiding In Hip Hop which talk about the unspoken rule of the game, you can’t
be no punk, be a hip hop artist and make it onto the charts. He also spilled the tea that there are some
big names in the industry that are secretly closeted, and while he described
some individuals; he refused to name drop.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">This documentary highlights some of my favorite
hip hop artists like Tori Fixx, Tim’m T. West, and Deadlee. Please check out the trailer below:</span></div></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/67-XC6PV_bk" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-52464188343268146962021-02-16T17:21:00.003-08:002021-02-16T17:21:30.366-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 16 - Wanda Sykes<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LH4RKE0yP6seVt516n3J3g6zcmgrHUwi_BGvQd4UCHsYVBQxotlTEJzn5lfuGjt5az1QGOzzjfBbFFPYCwpcPCBofWNiIefS1O3uFONZbR0wevpSwM1wbCcHGn2r80ccLkrh31vdcnN1/s702/wanda_sykes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="702" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LH4RKE0yP6seVt516n3J3g6zcmgrHUwi_BGvQd4UCHsYVBQxotlTEJzn5lfuGjt5az1QGOzzjfBbFFPYCwpcPCBofWNiIefS1O3uFONZbR0wevpSwM1wbCcHGn2r80ccLkrh31vdcnN1/w400-h266/wanda_sykes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">How can you not love Wanda Sykes? Ask someone to name five famous African Americans that are part of the LGBTQ community. I'd bet next weeks pay check that 4 out 5 people are going to put Wanda Sykes on the list. Wanda is hilarious and one of the most vocal members of our community. It was during the push for marriage equality that Wanda ended up coming out publicly. She decided that she could no longer stay silent when she repeatedly witnessed the injustices happening to same gender loving people.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is something that is just likeable about this lady. She is proud of her blackness and she is a proud member of the LGBTQ community. And I am proud of her and her accomplishments. Check out one of her stand up specials below:</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JMLuOvRpyts" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-28843304664849901412021-02-15T20:06:00.003-08:002021-02-15T20:06:37.124-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 15 - "Just Between Us"<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicISyuoC5S-mcExHssLr_tU9w21MA1X_k0WRKuNg7IB1iBqnTffjQKRIR0Wk0OsMfm1JWfVNj-B8MI2RVOBrQftmNtnee_bivn0Sl1LMOGy8ZgIInxz_2YBPoq3CplzsstwKI5wrD_eHUc/s266/Just+Between+Us.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="190" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicISyuoC5S-mcExHssLr_tU9w21MA1X_k0WRKuNg7IB1iBqnTffjQKRIR0Wk0OsMfm1JWfVNj-B8MI2RVOBrQftmNtnee_bivn0Sl1LMOGy8ZgIInxz_2YBPoq3CplzsstwKI5wrD_eHUc/w457-h640/Just+Between+Us.jpg" width="457" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">The documentary Just Between Us
came out in 2006 and it is a conversation with the movers and shakers of the
Black LGBTQ+ community of the day.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">The film
starts out by looking at our past and listing important historical members of
our community including Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Audre Lord, and Bayard
Rustin.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Then it asks the question, “What
does it mean to be black and gay in America</span><span style="text-align: justify;">
</span><span style="text-align: justify;">today?”</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">And to answer that question,
it turns to black queer folks like film makers Faith Trimel and Maurice Jamal,
and authors Sharon Bridgforth and Christopher David, and various community
leaders like Rudolph Carn and Zandra Conway.</span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">For creator and director Ken
Jackson, this was his debut film project and I considering that is the case, I
am thoroughly impressed by this work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When this film came out, black queer visibility in media was practically
non-existent, so this piece was important at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I think the answer to the question “what
does it mean to be black and gay in America” is the same today as it was back
then.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Please check out the film below:</p><p></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FgcqrG4EdpQ" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-50814314215075553762021-02-14T08:16:00.004-08:002021-02-14T08:16:57.463-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 14 - Luther Vandross<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7O2qc0kLJDp1hMeUqMO9tP2RJ9UoilsZMyaHdsN7CCcqqL9KdPGcISNSp7DpO9ds-7Ss8Jd4C9TvFJVpm4zVcZ1lKGaW9WrY0BhjjScvrDPSzoH7vlhHCzS2S5rbcJNYeMZEhzUnjew5/s960/Luther+Vandross.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7O2qc0kLJDp1hMeUqMO9tP2RJ9UoilsZMyaHdsN7CCcqqL9KdPGcISNSp7DpO9ds-7Ss8Jd4C9TvFJVpm4zVcZ1lKGaW9WrY0BhjjScvrDPSzoH7vlhHCzS2S5rbcJNYeMZEhzUnjew5/w400-h300/Luther+Vandross.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Today is Valentine’s day, aka Lover’s Day, and it felt right
that on this day in Black History Month, the person that needs to be celebrated
is Luther Vandross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you need help
getting some loving on this day, just put on a Luther Vandross album.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a nice meal and a few drinks and
chocolates, ain’t nobody keeping their clothes on once Luther starts
singing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All you gotta do is play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So Amazing</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Promise Me</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There’s Nothing
Better Than Love</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell, just make it
easy on yourself – tell Alexa to play the album “The Best of Luther Vandross:
The Best of Love.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Luther Vandross being gay was the worst kept, best kept
secret in the music industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as
I have wanted to include him on my lists of great LGBTQ African-Americans in
history, the fact that Luther never came out kept me from adding him to the
list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that changed when Patti
LaBelle spilled his tea in an interview with Andy Cohen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s be real, everybody knew Luther was gay,
but people still got angry with Patti when she finally revealed his truth – his
truth that everybody knew anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patti
was very close friends with Luther and knew him well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If what she revealed about Luther was based
on rumor or based on things she assumed, I could see people being upset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Patti spoke TRUTH and it was truth about
someone she called a close friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
child – you can’t get mad at the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">There is a video on YouTUbe called “The Journey of Luther Vandross”
and in it he actually answered the question about his sexuality – many years
before Patti outed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire video
is great but if you want to hear him speak on who get goes to bed with at
night, jump to the 33 minute: 12 second mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And that answer – is why I love me some Luther (big Luther and little
Luther).</p><p></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XQPQeNPEvWk" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-28892428972113500592021-02-13T17:26:00.004-08:002021-02-13T17:28:07.313-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 13 - Bayard Rustin<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oiuz7VK15cnqDpAYAde7WooWYJQgEOY9XHvKlX08LmVyuTubi7Hfh5FLi6hTSRPBRdWcATYWtePpSYOxHVpsjDabYrjR_lIj9on6iHgWK0s1jTpyu_bv5vGxov6IMJ0hqlNNMPxOb6W7/s1600/Bayard+Rustin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oiuz7VK15cnqDpAYAde7WooWYJQgEOY9XHvKlX08LmVyuTubi7Hfh5FLi6hTSRPBRdWcATYWtePpSYOxHVpsjDabYrjR_lIj9on6iHgWK0s1jTpyu_bv5vGxov6IMJ0hqlNNMPxOb6W7/w400-h225/Bayard+Rustin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Netflix made the announce yesterday that they will be giving
Bayard Rustin his own biopic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rustin is
hands down one of my favorite heroes from the Civil Rights era. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the man that introduced Martin Luther
King Jr. to the principles of non-violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was the organizer of the March on Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was an advocate and activist for the Labor
movement and had the ability to bring people and movements together.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Although Bayard was an accomplished leader in the fight for
black equality, his was a name that did not often receive mention when studying
this era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because many leaders within the movement did
not think Rustin was deserving of the accolades and some did not want his name
associated with the black civil rights movement at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason why was simple – Rustin was openly
gay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was unapologetically gay at time
was homosexuality was not just taboo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was the 1960s when homosexuality could get you sentenced to jail, fired from
your job, kicked out of your family and excommunicated from the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rustin was instrumental in the civil rights
movement for black equality but still vocal regarding the fact that the LGBT
community was deserving of equality as well.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This man is my icon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
is a fantastic documentary about him called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brother
Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think this film is a must see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This man’s story is remarkable and I think he should be a household
name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get into the trailer of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brother Outsider</i> below:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BxhKgnyWcuw" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-12730577598411229762021-02-12T19:11:00.004-08:002021-02-12T19:24:56.614-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 12 - Todrick Hall<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ixJ2rqxPKYdO_buNbsuGzQYXXSTZ1wMDZIKW610PfyE6ELgPfvXDkrhj4GcFkzzv3i32x1VAw5Kl0jHOoMy-0QV4tvsbz3oxk2w53h9UWVwANDgme7B1Qd_VD1RfMEAoRntCDKHy_C4B/s1000/f457d1086c6481ac5adc4a8b5192ec5d.1000x1000x1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ixJ2rqxPKYdO_buNbsuGzQYXXSTZ1wMDZIKW610PfyE6ELgPfvXDkrhj4GcFkzzv3i32x1VAw5Kl0jHOoMy-0QV4tvsbz3oxk2w53h9UWVwANDgme7B1Qd_VD1RfMEAoRntCDKHy_C4B/s320/f457d1086c6481ac5adc4a8b5192ec5d.1000x1000x1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Todrick Hall’s Straight Outta Oz was/is genius.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is part autobiography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is part “Wizard of Ox” re-imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is all brilliant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After seeing the show once, I called up several
friends and organized a viewing so we could all watch and discuss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Straight Outta Oz tells Todrick’s story from
growing up in Texas to his escape to New York and eventually to his return
home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a story that is pretty
common for black gay men who grew up in the South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Growing up in a space where you don’t feel
understood or accepted and fleeing to the bright lights and the big city once
the chance presents itself.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">At one time there was discussion of this project actually
becoming a stage show on Broadway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
sure if that is still in the works, but I think Straight would be perfect for
the stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The music the fantastic and
you’ll be amazed at the talent Todrick recruited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This includes names like Wayne Brady, Amber
Riley, Nicole Scherzinger and Jordan Sparks, just to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Get it into it below:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4mUSwHhJ6zA" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-37444433844405233232021-02-11T15:48:00.005-08:002021-02-11T15:49:45.815-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 11 - black./womyn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYtgVu0gBe1jGVcXkJD4iAzlOHPAUSyznvQLB7-xXiRVfBHaQb0wrZpOmaqyBb_xxvFAKAFMvKkVeDAy_OOy9M5xgFJS5Rg6d9SWZNgrFTx5a5grnlt5zbslBljtD1U0T6Uma39ww2V5s/s1782/2010_BWC_DVD_PROMO_t_pcstandard_4x6_0-00-00-00_1_FRont_2_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1782" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYtgVu0gBe1jGVcXkJD4iAzlOHPAUSyznvQLB7-xXiRVfBHaQb0wrZpOmaqyBb_xxvFAKAFMvKkVeDAy_OOy9M5xgFJS5Rg6d9SWZNgrFTx5a5grnlt5zbslBljtD1U0T6Uma39ww2V5s/w269-h400/2010_BWC_DVD_PROMO_t_pcstandard_4x6_0-00-00-00_1_FRont_2_.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In my Wendy Williams voice "You know, I am a person of a certain age." And for people my age, when were young, LGBT visibility was something that didn't exist. The few representations in media were negative. The mention of it in a social setting, in the church, hell - even in the law, was negative.
Imagine being black, same gender loving, and female. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Image having to live in world of racism, homophobia and gender-bias. The dvd "black./womyn: conversations with lesbians of African-descent" came out in 2008. I purchased it immediately. I wanted to hear and see black faces talk about their life. We've come a long way since this film came out. Media has changed. Society has changed. Laws have changed. I won't say we've reached utopia - but we have moved in the right direction. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I still find value in this work and in these voices because “black./womyn” was ground breaking at the time of its release. These voices still need to be heard. Check out the trailer below:</div><div><br /></div><div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lSlRrk9qcK0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-85406096645979313122021-02-10T18:20:00.007-08:002021-02-19T19:08:32.978-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 10 - The Prancing Elites<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMQgS8SEkOwF5slZZJcHN8uQ_vdVyujiTeEbN8Z6bueG0mvo6opVKKztvxVzG6dW6SRpiLj60QwYJHuS0Baj3a9YTAtfUrB_zmNqoJrR7DgCBgZ6jTp3oKM6XRdQXJNb965TAaFLcIiHu/s1920/The+Prancing+Elites.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMQgS8SEkOwF5slZZJcHN8uQ_vdVyujiTeEbN8Z6bueG0mvo6opVKKztvxVzG6dW6SRpiLj60QwYJHuS0Baj3a9YTAtfUrB_zmNqoJrR7DgCBgZ6jTp3oKM6XRdQXJNb965TAaFLcIiHu/w400-h225/The+Prancing+Elites.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">God, how I loved </span><i style="text-align: justify;">The Prancing Elites</i><span style="text-align: justify;">. For most of America, they could not believe there was a group of men that dressed like this, that danced like this, that acted like this. But I was a black gay boy in Alabama that used to go to clubs where everyone on the dance floor behaved like the individuals in this dance troupe. As a student of Troy University back in the early 90s, my friends and I would flock to any club where we could find other people like us - young, black and gay and looking to have a good time. And what did we enjoy doing at the club - hitting the dance floor and dancing like Jay-cettes (don't know what that is - watch the show). Until you've walked in our shoes, you have no idea how much fun a rum and coke and an 8 count can be.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">What I loved most about the show is that it gave visibility to a group of folks that most had no idea existed. It really blew me away how much hatred people had toward these guys. All they wanted to do was dance. But the fact that they danced in what was labeled as girls clothes, people wished death on them. The show got two seasons on the Own network, and it was interesting journey. They tackled homophobia, transphobia, effimophobia and HIV and they fell in love.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Get into the trailer for the show below:</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QZDctzfeOeo" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245008779901179938.post-32968975169240485732021-02-09T16:27:00.004-08:002021-02-09T16:27:36.291-08:00Celebrate Black Queer Voices: Feb 9 - Stephen Amos "Batty Man"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDSFrMObNqQL3jKaZ4zWOAMjGmF7AcyKcrFaSbuXM1xZYmdOQpQwBwv8LPcH3piM-i92ixdP-PaA9AggnBfzaGkP3dUaXgk24mhnNJZyjenByqDJUkQ9yI0w-6ALdNDmzibcZTyRSptYn/s1920/Stephen+Amos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDSFrMObNqQL3jKaZ4zWOAMjGmF7AcyKcrFaSbuXM1xZYmdOQpQwBwv8LPcH3piM-i92ixdP-PaA9AggnBfzaGkP3dUaXgk24mhnNJZyjenByqDJUkQ9yI0w-6ALdNDmzibcZTyRSptYn/s320/Stephen+Amos.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I think Stephen Amos is brilliant. In his documentary Batty Man, Amos comes out, challenges homophobia in urban culture and dance hall music, and even travels to Jamaica to confront a very famous, influential reggae artist on hos his music harms people. I love how he refuses to stand down as he forces people to address their biases. He does it magnificently.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I would eventually see many other documentaries that tackled homophobia in countries of predominately black people (i.e. God Loves Uganda and Call Me Kuchu), but Batty Man was the first one I saw that approached this topic.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So this month, as I celebrate the voices of black queer folks in documentaries and biopics, this title had to be included on the list. Stephen is one voice trying to change the world.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I was surprised when I found that the film is currently available to view on YouTube. Please get into it below:</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SxGCQ3TjfPU" width="560"></iframe>Jason Howard Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620284335993720038noreply@blogger.com0