SEPTEMBER
2024
ISSUE#048
MAGAZINE
CELEBRATING 4 YRS
OF
BLAQUE/OUT MAGAZINE
INTERVIEWEXCLUSIVE
MISS MAJOR GRIFFIN-GRACY
TRANS RIGHTS ICON, AUTHOR, SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIOR
QUEERING
VOT E
THE
h t 4
y p p a H sary er v i n n A
, y a d h t r i h B t r u o F y Happ ! e n i z a g a t M u O e u q a Bl
a g n i e b r fo u o y k n Tha of e l p m a x e shining and y t i c i t authen r u o r o f ent m r e w o p m e r u o Y . y t communi e h t g n i p ee k o t t n eer commitme u q n w o r B d n a k c a Bl and d e m r o f in y t i n u m ce com a p s e f a a s g n i d i v r u pro o s s e r exp o t s u for ly u r t s i truths to s ’ e r e H e. l b a u l a d v n a in y a d o u t o y g n i t ny a m celebra o t d war r o f g n i look of s r a e y more d! a e h a n o ti a r o b a l l co
V i ct
e u q a l B n o V o r ia
GET
INVOLVED
TAMARA S. LEIGH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CONTENTS BLAQUE/OUT MAGAZINE IS A MONTHLY DIGITAL PUBLICATION CENTERED FIRMLY IN BLACK & BROWN QUEER QULTURE. BLAQUE/OUT FEATURES WRITERS, ARTISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, CREATIVES AND INFLUENCERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. WE ARE WORDS. WE ARE ART. WE ARE FASHION. WE ARE CULTURE. WE ARE MUSIC. WE ARE PROTEST. WE ARE WHERE BLAQUE QUEER CULTURE LIVES. FIND US ON FACEBOOK, IG, TIKTOK. TO SUBSCRIBE TO BLAQUE MAGAZINE, VISIT: HTTPS://ISSUU.COM/STORE/PUBLISHERS/BLAQUEOUTMAG/ SUBSCRIBE
FOR ADVERTISING, EMAIL ADVERTISING@BLAQUEOUTMAG.COM FOR SUBMISSIONS, EMAIL TAMARALEIGH@BLAQUEOUTMAG.COM
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WWW.ISSUU.COM/BLAQUEOUTMAG WWW.BLAQUEOUT.COM
INTERVIEW WITH MISS MAJOR GRIFFIN-GRACY 10
WAKANDA FOREVER, A POLITICAL EXERCISE IMMANI LOVE
VOTE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT, IT JUST MIGHT
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TAMARA LEIGH
32
10
VIVID VOICES BOOK THERAPY INTERVIEW W/ INTERVIEW W JUSTICE ROE WILLIAMS AUTHOR MARISSA MCQUEEN
COVER ART: TAMARA LEIGH
RONI WINSTON
05
16
PHOTOS OF MISS MAJOR’S VISIT TO THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION COPY EDITOR: RONI WINSTON ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER: DOREEN SCANLAN
SEPT 2024 | ISSUE# 048
25
WHOSOEVER VOTES
a word. Welcome to the 48th Issue of Blaque/OUT Magazine. Happy 4th Anniversary to the only magazine for the Black & Brown, Queer & Trans community made exclusively BY the Black & Brown, Queer & Trans community. It has been forty-eight months of telling the stories other publications don’t tell. Bringing you the news that other outlets won’t carry. Celebrating our wins, honoring our deaths and supporting our initiatives, businesses and the leaders within our community- the famous and the frontline, the Icons of our history and the pioneers that the light the way of our movement today and everyday. In our 4yrs we’ve had the honor of being recognized by Human Rights Campaign & Showtime, talking to famous authors, actors and activists. Thanks to community partners like St Pete Pride, I’ve gotten to spend the day vibing with people like Ts Madison and thanks to the LGBTQ Task Force I got to meet and chat with people like the bold, the beautiful Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. This month, to honor that journey as well as to bring attention to the very important work she is doing with the Harris/Walz campaign, Miss Major sat down with our very own E.L. Winston and Javannah Davis to bring her story and message to you. Thank you to our community that has joined us on this incredible journey. Thank you to our subscribers, our readers and our advertisers. Thank you to the folks that have trusted us with their stories, But thank you most of all to our incredible team that has given their time, energy and vision to bringing those stories to life. Thank you for 4, thank you for 48. Here’s to 448 more!
Tamara Sanaa Leigh Editor-In-Chief
BlaqueOUT columnists & contributors Javannah J. Davis (she/her) resides in Rochester, NY where she has worked in healthcare for 19 years, is a self-published author, Founder/President of W.A.V.E Women Inc & CEO/Owner of Linjé Enterprises LLC. Javannah is passionate about healing, self-love, self actualization & helping others to live the best of their lives in a healthy way.
E.L. Winston of Fayetteville, NC (He,Him, His) Trans Community Advocate, CoFounder of Lambda Gamma Omega Nu Fraternity. Just your everyday introspective old man and 1 half of Team Winston
Ashanti S. Taylor-Alexander (she/her) is a life educated poet who believes in riding each wave of this world to the fullest. She is passionate about writing poems people can truly feel. Have a subject throw it at her and she'll make a master piece! Founder of Pulse Poetry Magazine.
Tina Marie Jones (she/her/hers) Founder of Uncover, LLC, mother of 4, activist, motivator, and columnist.
Lade Breez (He/Her/Them) is an award winning 3x published author, publisher, philanthropist, humanitarian, motivational speaker, life coach, event host, youth tutor, artist developer & spoken word artist. Owner & founder of Express Me Poetry Business Services & Events, & Educated Blessyns LLC, improving this world one stage at a time. ExpressMePoetry.com
Roni Winston aka The Mrs. aka Pastor Roni (She/Her/Hers) Fayettevlle, NC. Minister, educator, entrepreneur, couples' coach, writer, mom, and grandma. Half . of Team Winston.
Immani Love, (she/her) A Lesbian Erotic Poet, Author, Ordained Minister, Freelance Writer, Real Estate Agent, and overall witty, seductress with the voice of a Siren. An educated Vixen in sunny St. Pete, Florida.
Mel Howard (he/him) Resides in Newport News, Virginia where he worked in finance industry for over 5years, is a columnists for BlaqueOUT Magazine and Founder/President of THRIVING TRANSMEN OF COLOR. Mel is passionate about community, self acceptance and forgiveness.
Courtney L (she/her) designer, developer, business owner, who loves to travel. When she is not doing that she loves to write poetry, a bit of a nerd, spend time with family and friends and help people learn technology. She lives in Los Angeles, with her dog.
Victoria Von Blaque, NYC (she/her/hers) A seductive, alluring, Black non-binary Trans femme. An Influential speaker on Equity, Inclusion, & LGBTQ competency. Author of Titty-Confessions.
GET REGISTERED HTTPS://WWW.VOTE.ORG/
CHECK MY REGISTRATION STATUS
HTTPS://WWW.NASS.ORG/CAN-I-VOTE
WHAT IS ON MY BALLOT? HTTPS://WWW.VOTE411.ORG/BALLOT LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES IN LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL RACES
HTTPS://WWW.VOTE411.ORG ANTI-EQUALITY CANDIDATES
HTTPS://WWW.HRC.ORG/RESOURCES/2024-REPUBLICAN-CANDIDATES
ANTI-LGBTQIA+ ISSUES ON THE BALLOT HTTPS://BALLOTPEDIA.ORG/LGBT_ISSUES_ON_THE_BALLOT NATIONAL LGBTQ TASKFORCE: HTTPS://WWW.THETASKFORCE.ORG/PROGRAMS/QUEERINGDEMOCRACY/QUEER-THE-VOTE/
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN: HTTPS://WWW.HRC.ORG/CAMPAIGNS/HRC-VOTING-CENTER
GLAAD: HTTPS://GLAAD.ORG/VOTE/
PFLAG: HTTPS://PFLAG.ORG/PRESS/LOVEVOTES/
MAGAZINE
IN OUT NEWS
Covering the news mainstream media doesn’t, because our stories matter
WHERE BLACK & BROWN QUEER CULTURE LIVES!
acquainted and had a previous altercation in Miami-Gardens but the actual motivation for the shooting that night remains unknown.
(August 14, 2024) - In a year that has seen an unprecedented number of Trans-Masc murders, Hallandale Beach Florida Police announced the apprehension of the suspect in the murder of Tee Arnolds aka Lagend Billions, 36. Arnolds was gunned down on the 800 block of Silks Run near Strike Ten Bowling in April of 2024. Brianna Jameelah Purcell, 29, who was already incarcerated at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in MiamiDade County on an unrelated robbery charge was announced as the suspect, that extradition was pending and that she would be charged in the death of Arnolds. Police assert that the victim and suspect were
(August 23, 2024) - On 8/20, Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy (Texas Newsroom) broke the story in a post on X that the Driver License Division at the Texas Department of Public Safety will no longer accept court orders OR amended birth certificates issued that change sex when it differs from documentation already in their files. The ONLY allowed
changes are corrections due to clerical errors. While Florida publicly waged war against Trans Rights under the glare of DeSantis in 2022 and 2024, Texas has been quietly enacted the same or even tough legislation under Governor Ted Cruz. While the fight rages in on in cities all over the country and the upcoming election looms, rights from reproduction to Trans justice continue to disappear in the state of Texas.
By: ImmaniLove
political Wakanda Forever, aexercise
I
I don’t claim to be a political person. I was raised in the “there’s two things you don’t talk about, religion and politics” era.
I was a Black young lady in the South and was taught NOT to talk about things that would affect my life and my body. I wasn’t taught to learn about the candidates and research their policies. I was one of the many people in the country that just didn’t vote because my vote didn’t really matter. I was just one person. It wasn’t until my sophomore year in college (and I didn’t go to college until I was in my 30s) that I learned how false that statement was. It was my anthropology class that opened my eyes. We had a classroom exercise where 3 of my professor’s classes had a mock election for king or queen of the tribe. There were 3 candidates, one from each class, two men and one woman. One man was wealthy and popular, the other was average, middle class, but a warrior, and the woman was intelligent and beautiful with grace and poise. All students had the opportunity to vote for someone from their own class, another class, or not at all. However, in order to get a grade for your vote, you had to do your research on the candidates.
What led them to run? What would make him or her a good king or queen? What changes would they implement into the tribe’s society to make it better, their economic policies, and any other background information that would show what type of leader they would be? This research had to be compiled and turned in for a grade for your vote to count. If you opted to not do any research, you could still vote or just skip the vote and still have the assignment count as completed with no grade. Now, the average college student is going to jump at the chance to get a completed assignment without any work associated but the ones that wanted to participate and do the work learned a lot about the process and themselves. Of the 150 students in the 3 classes, 146 voted but only 53 did the research. 53! Less than half of those that voted did any research. What we found out after the voting was complete was that 2 of the candidates had obvious information in their “background” that made them a terrible choice. One candidate was very popular, wealthy, and handsome but had been convicted of stealing sheep from a nearby village; he was selling them to his tribe at a marked up rate and was using his wealth to keep a mistress.
The other candidate was a woman, very intelligent, and beautiful but had murdered her husband in a fit of rage when he refused to re-thatch the roof of their hut that was leaking during the rainy season. The third candidate was not very popular but average, a great warrior, and came from a long line of kings and queens and was raised to care for his tribe through philanthropy and hard work in the harvest times. Candidate #1 won the election. Our tribe in this scenario elected a King who, once he was elected, ran the economy into the ground because he continued to steal from neighboring villages, ultimately causing the entire tribe to be burned to the ground by angry villagers and his mistress took all of his money and ran off. 78 people voted for him, 58 voted for candidate 3, only 10 voted for the woman (I guess they weren’t ready for a Queen) and 4 didn’t vote at all. The big takeaway was that many of those who voted without research said that they wish they had done the research and would have voted differently if they had. Perhaps our tribe would have survived and grown to be our very own Wakanda. So this election season, please do your research, make informed decisions, and most importantly, VOTE because we want Wakanda Forever.
THE OLD MAN'S CORNER E.L. WINSTON We show up and support and encourage each other to be better humans to ourselves and each other. Our youngest child is an adult now!!! Super proud of her and the way she’s grown in this last year and how our bond continues to grow and evolve. I’m four months from celebrating one year of Book Therapy. Who would have thought that I would be able to sit down with New York Times Bestselling Authors to talk about their books and that people would be tuning in to hear what I think?
Just A Few Thoughts Happy Birthday Month to me!! God willing, the 27th of this month I’ll celebrate my 53rd trip around the sun. This year has been one of the most challenging years of my life. I've sat down with some iconic people that I hold in such high regard that it still blows my mind that an everyday Joe like myself has been in these spaces I could have only imagined being in a year ago. I met Miss Major, whose sheer presence warmed my whole being. She is a Mother and Grandmother of the movement. She was at Stonewall. She has been doing advocacy work for 4 decades and I considered it an honor to share space with her. She was like the grandmother I wish I had. Growing up, my dad’s mother was long gone by the time my twin and I were born and we probably saw my mother’s mother 3 or 4 times that I can remember. I don't know what the thing was between them, but we didn't really go around my mom’s family who lived in the same city as us. My dad’s side of the family resided in Georgia, where he was born and raised, but they didn't get along with my mom, so they didn't get along with me either. Needless to say, the family I've created means everything to me. We all deserve to know love and genuine concern about our well being. The wife and I celebrated 9 years of marriage in July and will celebrate 10 years together in October. I look back on this past year and I’m proud of the work we put into loving each other everyday.
I’ll tell you Tamara Leigh, our editor-in-chief has become one of my closest friends and that she is constantly in my ear about jumping over tall buildings and such. LOL This past year we have seen each other through ups and downs and I wouldn't change her getting on my nerves for anything in this world. You need friends like her. I pray that everyone reading this either has a friend like Tam or you soon find one. I completed The Monica Roberts Freedom School Cohort, traveled to New Orleans to meet my classmates in person and to graduate from the program. When I say it was so far out my comfort zone, you have no idea, but i did it anyway (I texted the Mrs. and Tam A LOT while I was there). I was able to make some life long friends and some brothers. I can’t wait for our bros trip! These last 365 days I've seen attacks on our community that were mind boggling. Make sure you remember to vote this election season as our freedoms depend on it. I have noticed that I had a lot of brothers who were not versed in what laws or restrictions have been put in place in states that they live in. NOW LISTEN TO ME GOOD… THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO BE IGNORANT TO WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND YOU. THESE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO ELIMINATE US. DO RESEARCH ON YOUR STATE LAWS. CONNECT WITH A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PEOPLE SO YOU CAN HAVE RESOURCES TO GET WHAT YOU NEED! My non profit Tranzformation NC was awarded a grant and we have been able to make an impact in our community. I’m excited to see where we’re headed. All in all, I’ve had a blessed 365 days and God willing I’ll see another and of course I plan to take y’all on the journey with me. Do an old man a favor and celebrate my birthday with me all September long!!!
A Straight Trans-Masc Man & A Queer CisWoman LIVE! talking about life, love, relationships, politics & all the tea , y a d ...for Sun pt Se22nd
1st &
M @ 5P
a E T E N’ T. E w/
T
he On t UT O / e u Blaq e FB n i z Maga e Pag
MISS MAJOR “MOTHER OF A MOVEMENT”
GRIFFIN-GRACY JAVANNAH DAVIS
SHE/HER
E.L.WINSTON
HE/HIM
MISS MAJOR
/SHE.HER/THEY
Miss Major is a pioneering Trans activist and respected elder in the LGBTQ+ community. With over 50+ years of advocacy work, she has been a powerful voice for the rights of Transgender people, particularly Black Transgender Women and those who have been incarcerated. As a survivor of the Stonewall uprising and leader in the fight against systemic oppression, Miss Major’s work continues to inspire and empower future generations in the ongoing struggle for justice and equality. Our Javannah Davis & E.L. Winston sat down with the ICONIC Miss Major to hear more about her life, the struggle and the work she is doing with the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund and the Harris/Walz Campaign.
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy statement/endorsement of Kamala Harris, which was posted on Instagram and Facebook on June 27, 2024: Miss Major, a Stonewall veteran, and activist who has been fighting for the rights of transgender people for over 50 years, will be joining her friends at the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund today in endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States. Kamala Harris collaborated with President Biden during her term as vice president to establish strong support for transgender Americans. Their administration immediately started on day 1 issuing a ban on workplace discrimination for TLGBQ citizens. Side by side, they have been the most pro-equality team in our nation's history, implementing significant measures since the inauguration. Together they enabled U.S. citizens like Miss Major and others to choose the gender marker “X” on their passports, expanding access to accurate and affirming identification documents for transgender and non-binary Americans. Kamala Harris’ record clearly shows that she was instrumental in enhancing the availability of federal services for transgender people. This was achieved by establishing pathways to retirement savings, streamlining the process for lodging employment discrimination complaints, removing obstacles to obtaining federal student aid, and modernizing the White House Office Visitor Entry System. Vice President Kamala Harris has been a strong advocate for TLGBQI+ equality for many years. She has shown her support by leading efforts against hate crimes in San Francisco and working to abolish the so-called gay and transgender ‘panic defense’ in California. Harris has consistently supported marriage equality and continues to advocate for the TLGBQI+ community as Vice President. A Harris Administration would uphold and expand the protections for transgender Americans established by the Biden Administration. Her leadership promises to fortify and enhance the efforts to address and meet the needs of transgender people, ensuring continued progress in our nation's history of civil and trans rights. Miss Major is confident that Vice President Harris can build upon the achievements of the Biden-Harris Administration, creating a solid framework for a future where trans people are not considered less than equal. Her administration will eradicate Project 2025 in its tracks because its very existence destroys the fabric of humanity and free will for all people. For the next 100 odd days, Miss Major will be fighting hand and hand with the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund to make sure that we get this done and we get it done right… vote like your life depends on it: Because It Does!! “We could not me more thrilled or honored that Miss Major came to us at the national lgbtq task force action fund when she decided to publicly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States. She and her team are family to us and collaborating on a strong presence at the democratic national convention is historic. Her voice and passion will inspire our community and lift up the voices and power of the trans community - particularly trans people of color - at a time when we see continued attacks and have a tremendous need for affirmation and joy. The hope and joy we see when Miss Major speaks to us will help carry our community forward.” - Cathy Rena, Director of Communications, National LGBTQ Taskforce The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund is at the forefront of advancing the rights of all LGBTQ individuals and communities in America. Our mission is to conduct grassroots organizing and lobbying on legislation and ballot initiatives to achieve justice for LGBTQ people. The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund builds political power, takes action and creates change to achieve freedom and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and their families. As a progressive social justice organization, the Task Force Action Fund works toward a society that values and respects the diversity of human expression and identity and achieves equity for all. Miss Major is a Black, transgender activist who has fought for over fifty years for her trans/gender nonconforming community. Major is a veteran of the infamous Stonewall Riots, a former sex worker, and a survivor of Dannemora Prison and Bellevue Hospital’s “queen tank.” Her global legacy of activism is rooted in her own experiences, and she continues her work to uplift transgender women of color, particularly those who have survived incarceration and police brutality. Her personal web site is: Tropicana Beach Club is a must for sangria and seafood, just steps from the ocean.
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION
PICTURED: MISS MAJOR WITH DNC LGBT CAUCUS; CATHY RENNA WITH APRIL RYAN; WILSON CRUZ WITH KIERRA JOHNSON; MISS MAJOR WITH ANNA DESHAWN; KIERRA JOHNSON WITH EARL FOWLKES; PEPPERMINT WITH MISS MAJOR AND CATHY RENNA; KIERRA JOHNSON AND CHASTEN BUTTIGIEG; ADVOCATES FOR TRANS EQUITY AND ANDREA MONTANEZ PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL LGBTQ TASKFORCE ACTION FUND
CHICAGO, IL AUG 2024
TE O V
like your life depends on it...... it just might !
-Tamara Leigh
To be a Black, Queer, Woman, it’s that x3. It was a productive exercise in rage. I had found a voice that had transcended being on the news and lecturing from panels and in boardrooms. At the end of the year, as the protests slowed down, many of the lead voices in the local movement ran for office and I manage one of the campaigns.
I saw the activist community shun the candidates because the
people who had led the movement against the system were trying to become a part of it. They felt disillusioned and lied to. I
My 6th grade year must have been a major
think of the slate maybe only one of them was elected. But the
election year because my Global Studies teacher
conversation as to whether change has to come from the inside
made Mondays the day we talked about politics
or the outside surfaces often and I think once again becomes
and it was my favorite day of the week. I’ve been
incredibly relevant as we approach a revolutionary or civil war
hooked
the
level fork in the road for this country. It is once again that time in
juxtaposition of social justice in our fight for the
history where we have to decide who we are, as a people and as
right to vote through history and the idea of being
a nation. Do we join arms and participate in a flawed political
the change you wanted to see in the world. For me,
process led by equally flawed leaders or do we sit it out and
politics always felt like the gateway between
watch the country further swirl into the abyss of white
wanting something and becoming a voice loud
supremacy and disenfranchisement? ’m personally hoping it’s the
enough that people had to listen. There was power
1st, because we saw 4 yrs worth of what happens when we don’t.
in making it to the table. As I got older and
There are some questions and flaws in both Kamala Harris’
understood the complicated relationship between
history and policy, but if you research for yourself, opposed to
navigating the system while being a part of it, I
just listening to click bait, you will learn she has an equal level of
eventually came to understand that although both
good she’s done for most of the communities that she has
spaces have value, rarely does change come from
contributed to harming during her time in California. She is a
inside of it. Even those with the very best of
Black woman, the daughter of immigrants and the historical
intentions come to learn it and have some
significance in her taking that office matters. Obama never
unspoken understanding of the “way things work”
passed legislation that drastically changed the lives of the BIPOC
and unintentionally excuse or defend that lack of
community but I do believe his presence alone moved the needle
change and slow moving progress. The only real
forward. Much more significant to me is what we are
change comes from knocking it down. So I spent
guaranteeing by NOT electing her. Likely all reproductive freedom
the majority of my life there after knocking it down:
will be lost, potentially forever. The Queer and Trans community
questioning the system, calling it out, educating
will be in actual, mortal danger and Black folks will be next in line.
and being the voice of dissension.
I’m afraid to live in that world. The only way to stop it, is to vote.
ever
since.
Something
about
The LGBTQIA+ community has the most voting power than any From that side, I saw the irony in pressuring young
other group in existence. We cross color lines, economic statuses,
Black folks to vote because people fought for their
regions and educational levels. There are also more Queer folks
right to. What in fact they fought for was
and Black folks in the South where LGBTQIA+ rights are the most
autonomy. Our right to vote, not vote or be
at risk. If we show up, we win. If we show up. There is something
anything we wanted to be. And then came 2020.
to be said for the concept that there wouldn’t be so many efforts
Thanks to pandemic unemployment and the public
to suppress our vote if it didn’t matter. I think that applies to
lynchings of so many Black folks at the hands of
BIPOC folks, Queer folks and the poor. Voting doesn’t mean who
the police, I found myself in the streets every day
you vote for will win. But if everyone who thought their vote
marching, protesting, sitting in and walking out.
didn’t matter, voted, they probably would win.
Head to toe Black, gas masks and bullhorns
Now's the time, this is the hour. Read up about what is at stake,
speaking in front of crowds of thousands. It was the
whether it's the Presidential race or the individual issues on the
freest I ever felt. Baldwin once said, “to be a Negro
ballot like legalizing marijuana, abortion and health access for
in this country and to be relatively conscious is to
Trans folks. These decisions affect us, they will affect you. Let
be in a state of rage almost all of the time.”
your voice be heard. Get registered. Vote.
book therapy
W I T H
E . L .
&
T H E
B O O K
M A R I S S A
B A N G E R Z
B O O K
C L U B
M C Q U E E N
I GOT TO SIT DOWN WITH MARISSA MCQUEEN, THE AUTHOR OF HER BROTHERS KEEPER AND LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS A DELIGHT. COME JOIN US AS WE TALK ABOUT BLACK WALL STREET, HISTORICAL ROMANCE AND WHY I WASN'T REALLY A ROMANCE GUY BEFORE READING HER BOOK. SO COME ON AND PULL UP A CHAIR, YOU WON’T REGRET IT.
book therapy
BOOK therapy B O O K
R E V I E W S
B Y
E L
W I N S T O N
Now y’all know I'm not a romance guy, but this book was so amazing I couldn't put it down until I was finished with it. Her Brother’s Keeper is a historical romance that takes place in the 1919 Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Greenwood was known as Black Wall Street. I love that the author chose this community as the setting. It shows a time of great Black prosperity and community, a time before the Greenwood Massacre. Pearl is the main character who takes care of her brother Vernon. She cooks, cleans, and washes for him while also working. Vernon is constantly messing up in one way or another with his best friend Al. Vernon drinks and loves the women a little too much. It was so well written and paced that I would say this book is the perfect book for someone like me who’s not into romance but would like to give the genre a try. This would definitely be the book to start with. The story was believable and there was no time I thought something didn’t feel like it didn’t make sense. You quickly find yourself rooting for Pearl and Al. You’re hoping that love will blossom between them and that Vernon will not only stay out of their way, but that he will get himself together. I enjoyed the way in which the book takes on the treatment of women back then in society and how frustrating it was to be overlooked for just being a woman. Pearl’s character is so resilient and strong yet vulnerable and scared. Al, at first glance, is Vernon’s friend and a mess up along with his buddy, but on a closer look he's a passionate and determined guy. He’s just looking for his opportunity to make something of himself. He wants something he can call his own. You also can’t help being mad at Vernon for the way he treats his sister and his best friend while simultaneously rooting for him. The supporting characters in this book are also well written. Pearl’s best friend, Loretta, is funny and a ‘mess around and find out’ type of woman. I can’t wait to meet her again as the author has said that we will be seeing more of Loretta down the road. The author said she wants to make love stories that our ancestors would be proud of and I for one definitely think she hit the mark with this one. Marissa is an Indie author and self-published. It is hard for people of color to break into the publishing industry, a true and sad fact. For every two authors that get traditionally published there are ten more incredible authors who didn’t. I need y’all to do me a favor and buy Marissa’s book. If you’re not into romance, that’s cool. Gift it to someone who is. Let’s show up and show out for this author and I have it on good authority that we may get to see Vernon get his life together in the near future! Go read Her Brother’s Keeper!
book therapy W I T H
E . L .
&
T H E
B O O K
B A N G E R Z
B O O K
C L U B
JOIN US FOR CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR BOOK OF THE MONTH ON THE 15TH OF EVERY MONTH ON FB & IG LIVE @BLAQUEOUTMAG & @BOOKTHERAPYWITHEL
sept 15th 7pm
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR WINSTON ABOUT THE BOOK? EMAIL: ELWINSTONBLAQUEOUT@GMAIL.COM
A VISIT TO GE-GE’S HUT w/ Chef Nellie
THAI YELLOW CURRY W/ SHRIMP & VEGGIES
LOVE LIVES IN US...
The Winstons WINSTON AND THE MRS. (E.L. AND RONI)
Love lives in us…the Winstons and we want to share a little bit of it with you. Recently, we have been getting the unfortunate news of couples breaking up and it truly does sadden our hearts to hear these types of things. It begs the question of ‘where is your community’? In a day and age where we so easily look to avoid the haters, keep our circles small, and generally keep away from others, we have to remember that building a community is crucial for a number of reasons. It is the reason that you need a witness to sign your marriage license. The idea that someone will stand with you for your relationship and hold you accountable. The people who surround our loving relationships should be supports when we’re weak, security when we are running off into foolishness, and accountability partners when we forget where love lives.
The Mrs. Being honest about who I am as a person, I don’t always hold my own as the greatest friend, sister, or acquaintance. I like to get in my shell and shut the world out. Since I’m an extrovert, most people would be surprised by this, but it’s the truth. I forget to call people. I wander off from conversations. I rarely remember birthdays or anniversaries. Since this is my truth, the people who love me and really come into my circle understand this strangeness about me and love me anyway. They become a true and loyal part of my community/family because they love me despite my shortcomings and I work hard to overcome my social comfort zone. The people who get to the other side of my comfort zone were the village when I was raising children and now they are the village to my love relationship with Winston. They help remind me that I’m not perfect, so I better not expect him to be. They are the people who will call me on my BS if I am judging my relationship from a tainted lens. They are the people who remind me that I choose love daily (even when Winston is the grumpy old man). It is my village that holds me accountable to my vows and my commitment. Prior to Winston, long-term relationships were not in my wheelhouse. I was usually a self-saboteur and I didn’t do well with keeping relationships going. The community I have now celebrates with us, mourns with us, and keeps us pushing for the next success. They are not witnesses to the us that we have become, they are active participants in writing this love story.
Winston You know that saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’? Well, it also takes one to pour into a relationship. I’m blessed to have the community I have. If you don't choose your support system correctly you can find yourself in some bad spots and often walking away from those interactions more harmed than when you started. If they’re not invested in you and your happiness they will tend to agree with you when you’re wrong instead of pointing out that you're tripping. They should be there to remind you that love is an action word and life will always be lifing. They will always be there to hold you up when you need someone to cheer you on in your accomplishments or just to be there to be the sounding board to your thoughts. While the inner workings of my relationship stay with me and the Mrs. and any concerns, misunderstandings or fears are always addressed with each other, it is an awesome thing that I have a community who sees things I may not see and point them out to me. Once upon a time I was doing life alone, even though I had people around me. I was a man on an island alone and I most definitely messed some things up along the way. Going into this life long love, I didn't want to do that. I understood the importance of not only needing a community but also being the community in this love with the Mrs. It has made me a better friend, husband and father. You can not ask for what you are not willing to give; if i want someone to hold me accountable when I’m being foolish, then I have to do the same for them. So thank you to my sounding boards, my accountability partners, my community. You have helped me in this thing called life more than you will ever know and I pray that I’ve done the same for you.
Thoughts to Leave You For your home to be lasting and stable, you need a good foundation. A loving relationship has to have its own good foundation, but you also benefit if you find a good community to pour into that foundation. We’re not talking about your social media followers or your TikTok commenters. A healthy group of people who have done their own work to be emotionally mature are the type of friendships you should look for. Find your cheering squad who wants to see the best for you and yours and do the same for them. It will show that love lives in us!
VIVID
INTERVIEW SERIES W/ TEE DOUGLAS
JUSTICE
ROE WILLIAMS
Justice Roe Williams is a notable advocate in fitness, literature, and social justice. As a poet, writer, and editor of Deconstructing the Fitness Industrial Complex, he critiques traditional fitness norms and promotes a more inclusive view of health. His work and speaking engagements, informed by his experiences as a Black Transgender man, focus on intersectionality and inspire reflection on integrating social justice into daily life. In this interview, we get to learn more about the world of Justice Roe.
It had been ages since I last ventured into a male strip club, and I was unprepared for the electric atmosphere that awaited me. Everyone navigates the realm of sex work differently; I’ve never seen myself as a hustler, merely a provider. I hold no judgments for how others embrace this profession; each has their reasons, just like in any other line of work. As we settled in, drinks in hand, I was the newbie among seasoned regulars who had their preferred entertainers. I allowed my gaze to wander, indulging in the eye candy that surrounded me. One of my greatest weaknesses is a Spanish-speaking Black man—there's an intoxicating allure to that combination that sets my heart racing. Just as I began to take notice of a captivating dancer, he slipped away before I could make my intentions known. But fate had other plans; a striking brown-skinned cutie entered, adorned with tattoos, piercings, and an impressively sculpted physique on display. My heart raced, and I felt myself falling under his spell.
When he took the stage, his movements might not have been what one would typically call dancing, but there was an undeniable charm in his awkwardness. His machismo and uninhibited demeanor had me weak at the knees, nearly ready to escape to the bathroom to catch my breath. I could feel the heat in my cheeks, reminiscent of an anime schoolgirl discovering something exhilarating for the first time with a tentacle monster. As he stepped off the stage, our eyes locked, and I felt the heat of his presence as he approached me. He pulled back my hair, tilting my head back so I could gaze up at him, and with a sultry lick from my neck to my ear, he sent shivers down my spine. “Do you speak Spanish?” he asked, and I admitted I didn’t. Our playful banter was punctuated with stolen glances as he mingled with others, yet his gaze kept returning to me.
TiTTY Victoria Von Blaque CONFESSIONS
As the night drew to a close, he beckoned me to follow him to a more secluded spot. With a daring push, he pressed me down and began to explore my curves. I paused, asking if this was "gratis," or making the universal money gesture with my fingers. You might think this question trivial, but in this world, clarity is key. He assured me he just wanted to play. Then, in a breathtaking moment, he unveiled a magnificent, uncut treasure, and my jaw dropped in awe. Before I knew it, he plunged into my mouth, and I felt an exhilarating mix of shock and thrill. I savored every moment, relishing the taste of forbidden pleasure. As he went deeper, my instincts kicked in, and I had to pull away to breathe, playfully demanding, "dame esa leche, Papi." His smile ignited my desire, and he began to thrust harder. But then he asked for $50! I had tipped him generously throughout the night, enchanted by his presence, but I couldn’t help but
feel a twinge of betrayal. I’m not one to give my all without authenticity. The allure faded, not because of his request for payment, but because of the deception behind it. I stepped away, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. When my friends inquired about my mood, I shared the unexpected turn of events. One informed me that he was emerging from a trafficking situation, acting purely on instinct. This realization struck a chord, reminding me of my own privilege, and I felt compelled to return and tip him even more. It was a stark reminder that not everyone in this world finds themselves in sex work by choice; for some, it’s a means of survival. This was my first experience paying for companionship, and truthfully, I found it exhilarating. There’s something undeniably appealing about fulfilling desires without the hassle of pointless chatter. While I’m uncertain of how this exploration will unfold, I’m eager to embrace the journey and perhaps discover a regular provider who can satisfy my every craving.
TiTTY Victoria Von Blaque CONFESSIONS
Whosoever Votes...
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- Pastor Ro
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