Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast: Recent Episodes
ourblackgaydiasporapodcast
A podcast where black LGBTQ+ global citizens come together to inspire & educate each other on who we are in our respective countries and professions. Through guest interviews, we’re honoring and uplifting our voices. “Together Celebrating Our Global Community™”
Paul Jerome is a Haitian-American actor, writer, director, and producer, whose career spans theatre, television, and film. As an actor, his credits include roles in ABC's Sister, Sister, The Drew Carey Show, and Spin City. He's also been on FOX's 9-1-1 and Boston Public, BET's Twenties, and The DL Chronicles. The gay-themed LOGO series created by filmmakers Quincy LeNear and Deondray Gossfield. As a writer and producer, Paul has worked on shows like The Big Dick Mike Show and B-Boy Bear. One of his more recent projects includes the film, Maxie.
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Zarah Hilliard is an American surrogate with SurrogateFirst, a team made up of surrogates and potential parents in ten U.S. states and Asia. Their mission is to make “…the surrogacy journey as smooth, safe and stress-free as possible for everyone involved.” Since she was young, Zarah has searched for ways to positively impact others. She is enrolled at Pikes Peak State College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to become a labour and delivery nurse. Zarah has been on one surrogacy journey and is preparing for a second one. She’s someone committed to blessing others with the miracle of joy and life.
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Dr. Maurice Franklin is a Public Policy and Public Administration Adjunct Professor California State University, Northridge, and CEO and President of Franklin Management Consulting, lecturing and consulting on organisational sustainability and organisational development strategies throughout the United States. His career includes senior management roles within legacy African American non-profit organisations like Manhattan’s Community Board 10, the Second Vice-President of the Harlem Hospital Community Advisory Board, a Board member of the Prince Hall Medical Foundation, and the Chair of Health and Wellness for the founding Chapter of One Hundred Black Men in Harlem. He’s also a community advisor to the City University of New York, Graduate Center's Harlem Strong Community Mental Health Project. Dr. Franklin attributes his activism and social justice commitments to the influences of his mother, James Baldwin, Reverend Jessie Jackson, and Marcus Garvey.
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Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast's bimonthly On The Panel series returns with the topic, “What Does Pride Mean to Me?” Thank you to Episode 63’s Byron Adu (Australia), Episode 12’s Lennox Benson (UK), and Episode 57’s George Kachimanga (Malawi) for returning and sharing their insights on what being an out Black queer citizen means to them.
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This episode debuts the first in the My Digital Nomad Journey series. I share about my life as a Black gay American living abroad since October 2019 as a writer and podcast host and producer. Thank you to all who encourage me to see, celebrate, and embrace who I am. As the creator, host, and producer of Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast, I highlight a population often overlooked by mainstream LGBTQ+ and Black media outlets.
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Rugare Gomo is an Australian-based Zimbabwean keynote speaker, life & business coach, and author. Through accepting himself as a Black gay man, Rugare honours and celebrates who he is and encourages others to do the same. He shares how he authentically lives his life as a son, husband, friend, and motivational entrepreneur.
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Ajamu X is a British international fine arts photographer, archivist, curator, and sex activist. His work explores same-sex desire and the Black male body. Ajamu's exhibitions have been shown in museums, galleries, and alternative spaces in Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and other countries. He takes ownership of Black queer sexuality, using his camera to showcase our wants, needs, and desires.
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Charles Reese is an American actor, writer, producer, public speaker, and the founder of Teeth and Eyes Communications, LLC. Thank you to Frederick Johnson for connecting us. One of Charles’ most critically acclaimed roles is as American writer, playwright, and activist James Baldwin in the Off-Broadway production of James Baldwin: A Soul on Fire.Through his advocacy and promotion of James Baldwin and his works, Charles earned the 2021 Medal of Honour Recipient from In The Meantime, a Los Angeles-based organisation that enriches, empowers, and extends the lives of intergenerational Black men.
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Season 4 debuts with Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast's first episode of the new bimonthly On The Panel series. Where guests return to join me and sometimes others to share their insights and experiences on various topics. For this discussion, I’m joined by Episode 63’s Byron Adu from Australia, Episode 12’s Lennox Benson from the UK, and Ep. 57’s George Kachimanga from Malawi.
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(Original Air Date: 21 June 2023) Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast's creator, host, and producer Erick Taylor Woodby is interviewed by Gamal 'G' Turawa, an ED&I facilitator, transformational storyteller, and the protagonist in the 2022 BAFTA-wining documentary, The Black Cop. Erick shares his pride in being a Black gay American writer and digital nomad.
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Andrew Michél Thomas is a German-based Afro-Jamaican-Haitian-Canadian researcher and English-language teacher and intercultural trainer. His work centers on queer men and persons in Afro-diaspora communities in Germany and Europe, with a focus on the city of Berlin. This includes how “…mutuality of place, identity, and self shape belonging, inclusion, place bond, or attachment to a place…”
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Phineas Newborn III is an actor, dancer, choreographer, and producer whose career highlights include the 1984 breakdancing-themed film Breakin’ and the Broadway musicals Cats, Ragtime, and Aida. He's also been featured in films Girls Just Want to Have Fun and the television series Fame. As a dance instructor, he's taught in Germany, France, England, Sweden, Japan, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Phineas has choreographed and performed with Gladys Knight, James Brown, Prince, Jasmine Guy, Paula Abdul, Seal, and Lenny Kravitz, to name a few. Thank you to Gamal ‘G’ Turawa for connecting us.
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Dr. Julius J. Johnson-Weaver is the founder and chief physician of Resolve MD, a primary care medical practice. Led by Dr. Johnson-Weaver, a transgender, non-binary physician, RMD Proud is Resolve MD's gender-affirming care program that provides gender-affirming hormonal treatment for transgender and gender-expansive individuals. Dr. Johnson-Weaver is a medical professional and community member outspoken against racism, sexism, homophobia, and negativity against transgender and gender-diverse people.
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Dennis L. Carney is a British therapist, facilitator, and activist with over 25 years of experience developing and facilitating a diverse range of courses exploring themes around sexual and mental health, identity, equality, diversity & inclusion. He's the founder and chair of Black Connection, a UK-wide social network for Black queer men over 50. Additionally, Dennis is an advisory board member for EBANMAN, a publication showcasing the professional lifestyles of mature Black queer men within business, travel, and arts & entertainment.
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Pax Ahimsa Gethen is an American transgender vegan atheist, pacifist, blogger, photographer, and Wikipedia volunteer editor. In August 2023, Pax was awarded Wikipedia’s 2023 Media Contributor of the Year. Through their blog site, funcrunch.org, Pax is a dedicated advocate for marginalized communities, highlighting transgender and Black social justice causes and cultural milestones.
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With over 30 years of activism, Marc Thompson is one of Britain’s leading HIV and Black queer men’s health campaigners. He's the Director of The Love Tank and co-founder of PrEPster, which “seeks to educate and agitate for PrEP access in England and beyond.” Marc has co-founded other organizations like BlkOutUK and Black and Gay Back in the Day.
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Ruele Okeyo is a Kenyan human rights defender, HIV champion, and the U=U ambassador in Kenya for the African Forum. U=U stands for Undectable mean Untransmittable. Ruele is the Director of Kenneth and Jacob's House, an organization offering “temporary transitional housing and care, safety and protection, psychosocial support, advocacy, and social life skills for LGBTQ runaways and homeless youth in Kenya.” He's also the creator and host of the podcast, Sex-Ed By Ruele-ations.
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Krylios is a Jamaican author, playwright, and emcee, moderator, and producer for Team Rayceen Productions. He's also the founder and creative director itsKrylios Kreations. Krylios is the author of the 2022 anthology, Fears, Fantasies and Freedom, which “…explores power, passion, perseverance, love, loss, laughter, magic, mayhem, madness, and what it truly means to find your freedom.” He joins me to share his journey as a Black queer creative professional.
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Chris Caldwell is an American wine ambassador, global digital nomad, and co-founder of Obsidian Wine Retreats in Cape Town, South Africa. We met in Cape Town during my three-month visit to South Africa. Chris shares about his journey as a Black gay digital nomad and entrepreneur.
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Recorded in October 2022 in Bath, England, My Digital Nomad Journey in Europe (originally Ep. 41) is about Erick Taylor Woodby's travels to Swedish cities like Stockholm, Malmö, and Uppsala. And the British locales of Bath, Brighton, Liverpool, London, Southampton, and Winchester.
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Palmira Koukkari Mbenga is a Swedish journalist, actor, and script editor for Nexiko, working on Season 3 of the Netflix series Young Royals. Previously, Palmira was with Sveriges Radio as a correspondent portraying young people's issues around the world.
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Reverend Jide Macaulay is a British-Nigerian LGBTQ rights activist and ordained Anglican priest with the Church of England. Reverend Jide is also a speaker, author, poet, and founder of the House of Rainbow, a non-governmental organization (NGO) “fostering relationships and creating a safe community for Black, Asian Minority LGBTIQ+ individuals and allies.” Reverend Jide is committed to and passionate about moving the needle forward for LGBTIQ+ citizens to live and celebrate who we are.
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I share with Gamal 'G' Turawa about my three-month stay in Cape Town, South Africa. Which included a 4-day visit to Johannesburg. Where I got to meet Kaecy, the podcast's Ep. 55 guest. Thank you to G for suggesting I speak about my experiences, feelings, and takeaways.
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Juliany Taveras is an American playwright, artist, and facilitator. Their plays include YAELIS, The Anatomy of Light, and the 2023 fall production of Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The story is adapted from Christine Baldacchino and Isabelle Malenfant children’s book of the same name. From Ayití Bohio (Dominican Republic) by way of Lenapehoking (New York City), Juilany's work centers around the lives of the Afro/Indigenous and queer/trans diasporas.
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Rob Berkeley is the founder and managing editor at BlkOutUK.com, “a not-for-profit social enterprise run and owned by a volunteer collective of black gay men.” He's also a writer who contributed to the 2014 anthology Black and Gay in the UK. His story is titled The Brotherhood Dilemma. Described as an educationalist with interests in media, creativity, and the arts, Rob has a desire to disrupt power dynamics for the betterment of those on the margins of society.
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Paulo Saka is a Swedish senior content programming manager at Spotify. He’s also a writer for Krull Magazine, “a creative digital platform and the preeminent lifestyle publication for black culture in Stockholm, Sweden.” Paulo is a dynamic and engaging individual who shares who he is as a Black queer Swedish professional.
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Byron Adu is an Australian senior policy and project officer for a governmental agency in Melbourne. Originally from Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, Byron and his sister were contestants on season two of Hunted Australia, a reality television series based on the British series of the same name. He’s also the founder of Every Minority, “a platform to share and showcase the diverse stories and experiences of people in Australia, with a particular focus on LGBTIQ + POC communities.”
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Antoine Craigwell is the President and CEO of DBGM, Inc., an organization “dedicated to recognizing, articulating and highlighting LGBTQIA+ Black and people of color in the African Diaspora and their mental health needs.” This past June 2023, Mental Health America presented Antoine with the Clifford W. Beers Award, an honor presented annually to an individual who best exemplifies the examples set by MHA founder Clifford W. Beers, to “improve conditions for, and attitudes toward, people living with mental health conditions.”
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Russell Brooks is a Montréal-based Canadian crime novelist with familial roots in Barbados. And he has the distinction of being my first Canadian guest. Russell is the author of four suspense thrillers which include Pandora’s Succession, Unsavory Delicacies, Chill Run, and The Demeter Code. His most recent is titled Jam Run, Russell’s first Afro-Caribbean LGBTQ-themed crime novel. It's the second in the Eddie Barrow crime novel series.
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John-Paul Zaccarini is a Professor of Performing Arts for Bodily and Vocal Practices at Stockholm University in Stockholm, Sweden, and the Project Leader of FutureBrownSpace. John-Paul is a trained dancer and actor who has directed and choreographed circus and theater productions in the UK, Denmark, and Sweden, working with circuses and choreographed aerial dances for The Royal Variety Performance, The Nobel Prize award ceremonies, and Hermès luxury design house.
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Gamal 'G' Turawa returns to interview creator and host Erick Taylor Woodby, who shares his pride in being gay. His pride in being Black. His pride in being himself.
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Ashanti Martinez serves as the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the General Assembly from Prince George’s County District 22 in the Maryland House of Delegates. A graduate of Howard University, a historically Black college in Washington, D.C., Ashanti, shares about this and more as a Black LGBT politician.
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George Kachimanga is a Malawian human rights advocate and programmer. I was connected to George by Victor Chikalogwe, Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast's Episode 2 guest. George shares about his career, his advocacy with organizations like Nyasa Rainbow Alliance, and his love of travel.
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Sampson McCormick is an American stand-up comedian, writer, screenwriter, film producer, and activist. Through comedy, writing, directing, and his YouTube channel that features the Profiles on Black Gay Love series, Sampson encourages conversations around Black gay male life and sexuality. As a naturally funny and insightful comedian, Sampson has proven that he can hold his own amongst his straight and non-black contemporaries.
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Season 3 debuts with Kaecy, a South African singer-songwriter, performer, and recording artist. Performing since childhood, Kaecy has worked with such artists as Bongi & Collin, TheHasanGreen, and Letang Phumelela. Ditoro was the 1st single from Kaecy’s 2017 debut release titled So Beautiful. And he is a featured singer on the 2022 album We Too Are Called.
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Jarrod D. King is a Philadelphia-based American author, national speaker, and co-host of the BoyFriends podcast. Jarrod and his co-hosts share their insights and experiences in relation to friendships and dating. With a focus on creating LGBT characters of color, Jarrod is the author of the 2016 sci-fi fantasy novel titled Pangaea: Unsettled Land, and the 2020 novel The Auctorati.
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Rasheed Newson is an American executive producer of Peacock's Bel-Air, a television drama writer, and the author of the New York Times notable and New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice debut novel My Government Means to Kill Me. Rasheed’s other producing and writing credits include Netflix’s Narcos, and Showtime’s The Chi.
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Rayceen Pendarvis is an American event host, community advocate, and lifelong Washingtonian. And is known as the High Priestess of Love, the Queen of the Shameless Plug, the Empress of Pride, and the Goddess of DC. Since the 1980s, Rayceen has received many honors, which include Capital Pride Hero in 2016, finalist in The Mayor’s Arts Awards for Excellence in the Humanities in 2017, and being named Local Hero by the Washington Blade in 2021.
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Interviewing over 50 professionals in the entertainment, literary, and other industries, creator and host Erick Taylor Woodby shares what sparked the idea in February 2021 in Stockholm, Sweden, to create a platform showcasing a global population often overlooked by LGBTQ+ and Black media outlets.
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Delano Burrowes is an American writer, poet, artist, and curator who has written for publications like HuffPost. He's from Great Barrington, Massachusetts, the same city as early 20th Century Black American sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois. Delano's also co-founder of The Blackyard Collective NYC. He shares what motivates him to embrace who he is while encouraging others to do the same.
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Adé Adeniji is a Dutch-based British consultant, coach, trainer, investigator, and mediator. With an academic background in employment law, Adé has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. He’s also the co-founder of The Quest Collective C.I.C, a group supporting gay, bisexual, and queer men. Additionally, Adé the founder and director of Walk With You Coaching & Consulting, where he encourages leaning into vulnerability and cultivating one’s self-expression. Adé is one of the contributing writers in the 2014 Black and Gay in the UK: An Anthology, and co-author of 2012’s Love Me As I Am: Gay Men Reflect on Their Lives.
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Cyril Nri is a BAFTA-nominated British actor whose career spans over four decades, traversing stage, film, and television. Notable roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company include Lucius in Julius Caesar, Ariel in The Tempest, and Polonius in Hamlet. He earned his BAFTA nomination playing Lance Sullivan in Russell T. Davies’ 2015 Channel Four series Cucumber. Cyril joins Erick to share about his professional journey and what motivates him to be at the top of his game.
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Stefano Duc is an Italian writer for Il Grande Colibrì, a publication offering offer a "wide vision on the LGBTQIA world". Digging beneath the surface of Italian society to write about the country’s diversity, Stefano also highlights the challenges faced by those who don’t fit one’s perception of who is Italian. With family origins in Mauritius, an island nation off the southeast coast of Africa, Stefano shares his journey as an Afro-Italian citizen, writer, and activist.
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Interviewed by notables like Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Lulu® is a pediatrician and LGBTQ+ and D.E.I.B. advocate, helping parents to accept, affirm, and support their LGBTQ+ children. Known as The Momatrician, Dr. Lulu® is a media consultant, event host, bestselling author, and 3x TEDx Speaker. Her literary works include the books How to Raise Well-Rounded Children, How to Teach Your Children About Racism, and the recent Dr. Lulu's Self-Love Journal. Dr. Lulu® shares with Erick the vibrancy that shines through her works, motivating her to fight the good fight of love and prosperity for herself and others.
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Erick Taylor Woodby shares the journey so far, of finding his voice as the creator and host of Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast. Where he interviews guests who share who they are in their respective countries and professions.
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Uche Chukwu is the founder and host of the Let’s Talk About Us with Uche podcast and YouTube channel. Originally from Nigeria, Uche is an American independent podcaster, YouTuber, and public speaker. With a background in health professions, Uche is a United States Army veteran who’s traveled to over 40 countries. And he's committed to elevating the depictions of Black citizens throughout the African diaspora. Uche joins Erick to share his professional and personal journey as a citizen of the world.
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Hari Ziyad is an American screenwriter and public speaker, and the bestselling author of Black Boy Out of Time, a memoir of race, gender, and coming-of-age in America. He's also the creator of RaceBaitr.com, “a platform created to explore the various ways race is expressed and defined…” Additionally, Hari is a script consultant for David Makes Man, an American coming-of-age drama series on OWN created by Tarell Alvin McCraney, co-writer of the 2016 Academy Award-winning film Moonlight.
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Khane Kutzwell is the owner of Camera Ready Kutz Inc., an LGBTQ-friendly barbershop in Brooklyn, New York. Born in Trinidad, Khane is a master barber, barber coach and instructor, entrepreneur, and public speaker. Responding to the misogyny and homophobia that can permeate male-dominated barbershops, Khane created Camera Ready Kutz as a safe and welcoming space for individuals to get a haircut. She and her team encourage their clientele to engage in conversation to achieve the look they desire. Khane shares her professional journey as an entrepreneur and entrepreneur.
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Creator and host Erick Taylor Woodby shares his journey of discovery since October 2019, as a digital nomad in Europe traveling between Sweden and the United Kingdom.
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For National Coming Out Day, we have the return of Episode 23's Gamal ‘G’ Turawa, a British facilitator, speaker, and coach. As founder and managing director of Purplefrog Connections, G travels the world working within the public and private sectors to create ways to bring moments alive through one-to-one or group coaching, workshops and presentations, and blogging. G is also the protagonist of the 2022 BAFTA-winning and The Guardian-sponsored short docudrama The Black Cop directed by Cherish Oteka. G returns to share his coming out story.
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British DJ Jay Jay Revlon is a renaissance diva extraordinaire, who shares his journey as a multifaceted Black Gay entrepreneur. As an international DJ, he brings his mix of House, Afro House, Classics and Ballroom beats to venues like Rinse FM, Fabric, and other locales. Jay Jay's also a frequent collaborator with LGBTQ+ artists like American DJ and producer Honey Dijon and the British band Years & Years. As an early influencer in London’s Ballroom scene, he's instrumental in helping to define how it's done. Additionally, Jay Jay is a community volunteer, dedicating his time to the LGBTQ+ community and queer people of color.
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British DJ Jay Jay Revlon is a renaissance diva extraordinaire, who shares his journey as a multifaceted Black Gay entrepreneur. As an international DJ, he brings his mix of House, Afro House, Classics and Ballroom beats to venues like Rinse FM, Fabric, and other locales. Jay Jay's also a frequent collaborator with LGBTQ+ artists like American DJ and producer Honey Dijon and the British band Years & Years. As an early influencer in London’s Ballroom scene, he's instrumental in helping to define how it's done. Additionally, Jay Jay is a community volunteer, dedicating his time to the LGBTQ+ community and queer people of color.
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Reverend Don Abram is the founder of Pride in the Pews, “a grassroots nationwide campaign aimed at amplifying the voices and leadership of Black LGBTQ+ people of faith.” Launching Pride in the Pews in 2020, Reverend Abram encourages discussions about homophobia in religion. He's spoken with the Chicago Tribune, ABC7 Chicago, Christian Science Monitor, and Religion News Service. Using his intellect, personal experiences and his humor, Reverend Abram shares his message of love and acceptance of black LGBTQ+ persons within their religious communities.
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Reverend Don Abram is the founder of Pride in the Pews, “a grassroots nationwide campaign aimed at amplifying the voices and leadership of Black LGBTQ+ people of faith.” Launching Pride in the Pews in 2020, Reverend Abram encourages discussions about homophobia in religion. He's spoken with the Chicago Tribune, ABC7 Chicago, Christian Science Monitor, and Religion News Service. Using his intellect, personal experiences and his humor, Reverend Abram shares his message of love and acceptance of black LGBTQ+ persons within their religious communities.
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Dr. Byron D. Brooks, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in Loyola University Chicago’s Department of Psychology and an Academic Associate with the University of Chicago's Center for HIV Elimination. Dr. Brooks looks for ways to develop culturally responsive interventions mitigating the health inequities, thus bolstering well-being among community. He’s also written for the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, LGBT Health, Sexuality Research and Social Policy, and other periodicals. Additionally, Dr. Brooks is the director of RISE Lab.
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For this episode, I share my coming-out story, a process I began 24 years ago. I talk about what preceded me coming out. Why I did it. And where I’m at today as an American digital nomad writer and podcaster in Europe.
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Janis Bailey is an American travel advisor and the owner of Sol Journey Travel in Baltimore, Maryland, offering "personalized travel planning for discerning travelers." Sol Journey Travel also has a YouTube channel highlighting travel destinations in Mexico, Greece, Scotland, and other locales. Janis shares her love of international travel and how she utilizes her experiences to guide her clientele on their journeys of peak global explorations.
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Alhaji Sesay is an American entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Sugrbum Hygienics. He’s also the creator of the company’s foaming deodorizer. With a focus on health and beauty innovations using natural alternatives, Alhaji has created a product addressing the needs of us all, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. He shares his journey as a black gay professional, which includes acting and modeling.
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Dr. Cheikh Traore is a Nigerian/Mauritanian health adviser and entrepreneur, with over 15 years of experience working in public health and development. His career has taken him to more than 22 countries across Western Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. He's worked as a health advisor for several agencies, providing expertise in policy solutions, training, and program design to improve health access. Dr. Traore shares his career and his life as a black gay professional.
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Z Saj (pronounced 'sage') is a Chicago-based hip-hop artist, songwriter, public speaker, and business owner. With a love of music that’s been with her since childhood, Z Saj released her 1st EP titled Versatility in February 2019. As an up-and-coming talent who reached out to me via social media, she shares her professional and personal journeys as an out lesbian artist in the music industry.
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Michael J. Bobbitt is the Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council, Massachusetts’s “largest public investor in the arts, humanities & sciences.” As the highest-ranking cultural official in the state, Michael is also a theater director, choreographer, and playwright. He’s directed and/or choreographed productions at The Shakespeare Theatre, Strathmore, The Kennedy Center, Helen Hayes Awards, Washington National Opera, and other venues. He shares his experiences as a black gay professional and how he utilizes these to create more diverse cultural and artistic communities.
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Bryan Sparkman is an American documentarian, writer, model, actor, and voice actor. With a passion for storytelling, he's the founder of Drakenstein Productions, whose mission is to “entertain, enlighten and empower audiences through scripted content, podcasts, motivational videos, short films, and documentaries.” Additionally, Bryan is the creator and host of the podcast and YouTube channel, Our Voices. Our Journee, creating spaces for the black LGBTQ+ community (and others) to shift our world through the sharing of our respective journeys.
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Ashlei Shyne is an American comedy writer, actress, filmmaker, and activist. One of her more notable roles is as Aaliyah Jones in her comedy series #TMI. As a writer, Ashlei is committed to creating character-driven comedies featuring Black women and the LGBTQ+ community. Ashlei is part of the cast of The Book of Queer, which premieres in June 2022 on Discovery+. Additionally, Ashlei is on the board of Still Bisexual, an organization “building acceptance, awareness and understanding of those who are attracted to more than one gender.”
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Eddy D. Lathan is an American multidisciplinary artist and yoga & fitness instructor. He’s also the founder and teaching artist of NuDance & Gymnasium NYC, offering clothing-optional fundamental movements and performance & presentation techniques geared towards self-confidence and embracing one’s body. Additionally, Eddy's an avid traveler who’s been throughout the United States and other parts of the globe.
Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Jeremy Helligar is executive editor at PEOPLE Magazine. He’s an editor and writer who’s contributed to such publications as Variety, Huffpost, Reader’s Digest, and The Root. Jeremy’s also the author of two books, the 2014 memoir, Is It True What They Say About Black Men?: Tales of Love, Lust and Language Barriers on the Other Side of the World and Storms in Africa: A Year in the Motherland, published in 2020.
Nubia Younge is an American travel consultant, international events coordinator, motivational speaker, and expatriate coach. Additionally, she’s the founder and CEO of Black in Tulum, “the first and only community where melanated travelers come together and vibe where the jungle meets the sea.” Nubia's also the co-host of Chronicles Abroad, a podcast showcasing the stories of world adventurers.
Treye Green is a media executive, journalist, culture writer, poet, and entrepreneur, who’s written for The Guardian, HuffPost, BuzzFeed, the New York Post and the International Business Times. He’s also the founder of Black in Media, a space for “accountability led by those who’ve spoken out and those who have yet to share their own stories about being Black in the media industry.”
Frantzces Lys is an American life coach, writer, podcast host, and the founder of Defying Resistance. She's also part of the team making up Black Girl Ventures, a non-profit addressing “the unique challenges black/brown women face in accessing social and financial to grow their business. Additionally, Frantzces is co-host of Chronicles Abroad podcast, which features expatriates and digital nomads throughout the world.
Gamal ‘G’ Turawa is a British facilitator, speaker, and coach. As founder, managing director, and lead facilitator of Purple Frogs Connections Ltd., G delivers workshops and presentations internationally within the public and private sectors. He’s the subject of Cherish Oteka’s 2021 docudrama, The Black Cop, which has been nominated for a 2022 BAFTA for Best British short film. G shares the journey that led to him being the UK’s first black openly gay police officer for London's Metropolitan Police Service.
Cameron Johnson is an American screenwriter, director, and producer, who’s written for such series as Fox’s Empire, the CW’s Nancy Drew, and BET’s Zoe Ever After, which starred actress and singer Brandy Norwood. He is also co-creator and executive producer of the CW series Tom Swift, a spin-off of Nancy Drew. Cameron shares how he utilizes his professional credentials and personal experiences to breathe life into black openly gay characters.
Christopher is an American high school English teacher. He’s worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District and for the past several years, he's worked within the DeKalb County School System in Atlanta, Georgia. Christopher shares about growing up in Georgia, and his experiences as an actor in New York and within the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. He also opens up about how he transitioned from working in the creative arts to education.
I am interviewed by UK-based French photographer Pierre Monnerville, our Episode 5 guest. I share my experiences as an American expatriate in Europe, my life as a black gay man, and how Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast came to be.
Jared Hudson is an American writer who wrote an article for the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) titled, “Why All the Limp Wrists? Black Gay Male Representation and Masculinity in Film.” With a B.A. degree in English from UNC and an M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing from Pratt Institute, he cited 14 films, analyzing how black gay characters are stereotypically represented. Jared also co-hosts ScaryCrit podcast, a horror and pop culture podcast.
Donnya Piggott is a Barbadian tech entrepreneur, designer, and human rights advocate. She is CEO and Co-Founder of Pink Coconuts, an LGBTQ+ travel company. In 2012, Donnya co-founded B-GLAD, a support organization for LGBT persons in Barbados. Donnya also mentions Barbados's recent transition (November 30, 2021) from the British Commonwealth to a republic.
Samuel Girma is an Afro-Swedish film and art curator and activist based in Stockholm, Sweden. He’s also co-founder, with Juliet Atto of Black Queer Sweden. Samuel shares about his home country of Ethiopia and the war going on in its northern Tigray region. He also talks about his professional and personal experiences in Sweden. And how he uses his intellect and his passion to fuel positivity and change.
Dennis Austin is an American senior columnist at The Daily Illini, the student independent newspaper at the University of Illinois in Champaign. He also writes for The Times of Israel blog. Dennis is a political science major at the university and shares his professional and personal journeys as an Illinoisan.
Bandy Kiki is a Cameroonian entrepreneur and activist. In 2016, she was listed among the 50 most influential Cameroonians under the age of 40 by Avance Media. Bandy shares her professional and personal journeys in Cameroon and the United Kingdom. She also talks about Cameroon’s civil war, which began in 2017.
Reginald Holden Jennings is a German-based American singer, dancer and actor. Across continents, he's appeared in professional productions of "Starlight Express" and "Aida". In October 2020, Reginald was a contestant on season 10 of "The Voice Germany". In this episode, he shares his professional journey and his experiences as an out black gay man.
Roux Haile is a queer tattoo artist, activist, and dancer. Roux also co-owns Portland, Oregon’s Ori Gallery with Maya Vivas. Roux shares how they use their talents and visions to create a more inclusive world for the black and brown LGBTQ+ communities.
Lennox Benson is a British children’s book author based in London, UK. With experience in the performance and creative arts, Lennox has written his first book titled “The Biracial Butterfly”. It’s an educational tool created to help children learn about mixed heritage within today’s modern families.
Yassine Senghor is Director at Britain's Confronting Change Diversity & Inclusion Strategies, an organization whose services include consultancy, policy review, workshops, and more. Yassine is a diversity & inclusion specialist and culture writer, with expertise in creating LGBTQ+ inclusion and anti-racist spaces.
Michael Dorean Myers is executive director of Black and Gay, LLC, an American non-profit organization committed to advancing the experiences of the black LGBTQ+ community through the creation of a safe space "where we can educate, amplify, and liberate our peers.”
Anna Adeniji is a Swedish consultant and educator with a Ph.D. in Gender Studies from Linköping University in Linköping, Sweden. Anna’s work combines critical race and intersectionality studies and its usage in creating ethnic and racial diversity within civil society and the arts.
Prince Beasley is a Houston, Texas-based YouTuber. As someone who has a natural relationship with the camera, his content touches on what's important and trending in pop culture and the black LGBTQ+ community. Beasley shares how he utilizes his professional and personal experiences to excel as a black gay millennial.
Christopher Waldekrantz is a Swedish creative strategist and award-winning art director. As business director and founder of The Odd Society in Copenhagen, Denmark, he's a frequent lecturer at top communication and business schools throughout the Nordic countries, helping agencies to elevate their digital and creative expertise. Christopher shares his journey as a gay professional.
Thomas DeBoe is a Los Angeles-based attorney and professor. With over 25 years of experience, Thomas’s legal services include business contracts, joint ventures, consumer transactions, and family law. He shares his professional and personal journeys that have taken him from Kentucky to Los Angeles and New York City.
Pierre Monnerville is a French photographer based in the United Kingdom. Much of his work centers around masculine imagery, through fashion and fitness photography. Pierre shares his professional and personal journeys in France, Martinique, and the U.K.
Erick shares his journey to creating the podcast. He talks about his professional and personal experiences shaping his passion for highlighting the positivity and diversity that exists amongst black LGBTQ+ citizens throughout the world.
Shaun Wallace is Director at Arc of Triumph Arts/Health Organisation in London, advocating for mental health for the black British LGBTQ+ population. He's also the founder of Queer Head Doctors and shares his journey as a gay professional in the U.K. and Nigeria.
Victor is a Malawian LGBTQ+ activist and director of South Africa’s People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP), a non-profit organization advocating for the rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants in Cape Town.
As an actor, Leon Lopez is known for his roles in British soap operas "Brookside" and "EastEnders". His director resumé, or CV in Europe, includes the 2015 film "Soft Lad" and episodes of British soaps like "Hollyoaks", "Coronation Street", and "Emmerdale".
Welcome to the trailer episode for Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast. Where our tagline, “Together Celebrating Our Global Community” sums up this space for black LGBTQ+ citizens to come together to inspire and educate each other on who we are in our respective countries and professions.