February 1, 2022

LGBTQIA+ people have a light in all of us that should be cherished and fostered. Day by day individuals attempt to dim that light because of a lack of understanding or pure hate. Society at large continuously adds to the dimming of someone’s light with the lack of representation. My coming-of-age story was full of overcompensating and deflecting my gay identity. The concept of showing-up Black first was forced on me. With time I was able to understand intersectionality and that every element of my identity has come together to make up the masterpiece that is me.

Representation has been a strong element in my journey of self-discovery. I believe that it is important for LGBT+ youth to be represented because it showcases that there are successful individuals within the community that share the same stories, commonalities, and challenges, which can be empowering. To understand that you are not alone and that there are avenues to persevere while living unapologetically in your truth is a message I want our youth and community to understand is obtainable. Representation or lack thereof is such a driving force for me that I curated a group that centers the experiences and voices of Black Gay Men. It’s on the audio app Clubhouse and is called Black Gay Men Chat.

It is important to reach out to the target audience of those who identify as LGBTQ+ and are between the ages 14-18 because these are the foundational years to explore and reconcile before a person gets up in age. I hope that youth increasingly see others within the community following their dreams and living proudly, which can prompt them to explore all opportunities that are out of their comfort zone and trust in the statement, “the limit does not exist” (Mean Girls).