Issuu

OCT 2023 ISSUE#037

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

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MONTI MCCOY MAKES MOVES

QUEER REVOLUTIONARIES JAVANNAH DAVIS

THE OLD MAN'S CORNER E.L. WINSTON

ETHAN SOZA

KAKUMA PEACE VOLCANO

WHAT SEASON ARE YOUR FRIENDSHIPS IN? IMMANI LOVE 02

CELEBRATING LATINE’ HERITAGE MONTH! COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: LUIS PEREZ ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER: DOREEN SCANLAN

OCTOBER 2023 | ISSUE# 037

Celebrates

Latine’ Heritage

Month

Latine and Latinx are gender-neutral ways of referring to people from (or whose ancestors are from) Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean living in the United States. Sometimes it’s used broadly to describe diasporic communities beyond the U.S. We include Latine because it’s being used more than ever as an alternative or companion to Latinx. The website ‘Call Me Latine’, further explains the term: “Latine (pronounced la·ˈti·ne) is a gender-neutral form of the word Latino (a collective term with a traditionally masculine ending in Spanish) created by LGBTQIA+, gender non-binary, and feminist communities throughtout Latin America.”

September 15th-October 15th

BlaqueOUT columnists

Benjamin Griffin III; (he/ him/his). Enjoys bringing laughter to those he encounters and a major collector of Diecast School Bus models. In addition, he has a heart for education & children! Lastly, he is 1 half of "A Moment w/ The Griffins"

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. 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

E.L. Winston of Fayetteville, NC (He,Him, His) Trans Community Advocate, Co-Founder of Lambda Gamma Omega Nu Fraternity. Just your everyday introspective old man and 1 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.

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. 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.

Tina Marie Jones (she/her/hers) Founder of Uncover, LLC, mother of 4, activist, motivator, and columnist.

David Maurice Griffin (He, Him, His) Columbia, SC; Providing the gift of massage is what he does, but spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS is who he is…1 half of "A Moment w/ The Griffins"

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.

LA SUPREMACÍA BLANCA ENTRETEJIDA EN LA ESTRUCTURA DE ESTE PAÍS A MENUDO SIGNIFICA QUE LAS PERSONAS NEGRAS Y DE COLOR NO QUEDAN REGISTRADAS EN LA HISTORIA, EN LOS AÑOS TRANSCURRIDOS DESDE EL 50 ANIVERSARIO DE STONEWALL, NOMBRES COMO MARSHA P. JOHNSON Y SYLVIA RIVERA FINALMENTE HAN COMENZADO A SER REGISTRADOS COMO LA FUERZA DETRÁS DEL MOVIMIENTO PARA LIBERAR A LA COMUNIDAD LGBTQ Y TRANS. ESTOS INCREÍBLES PIONEROS NO OBTUVIERON SUS FLORES EN VIDA; DE HECHO, FUERON MARGINADOS, CRITICADOS, ABUSADOS E IGNORADOS A PESAR DE QUE ERAN AMPLIAMENTE RESPONSABLES DEL ORGULLO QUE DISFRUTAMOS HOY EN TODO EL MUNDO. PERO NO FUERON SOLO ELLOS, SON LAS MUJERES Y LOS HOMBRES NEGROS Y MORENOS, QUEER Y TRANS QUIENES HOY TODAVÍA LIDERAN EL MOVIMIENTO, SALVAN NUESTRAS VIDAS, LUCHAN POR LOS NIÑOS Y PROPORCIONAN LA FAMILIA QUE MUCHOS DE NOSOTROS NO HUBIÉRAMOS TENIDO DE OTRA MANERA. ASÍ QUE MIENTRAS BLAQUEOUT RECONOCE EL MES DE LA HERENCIA HISPANA DURANTE SEPTIEMBRE Y OCTUBRE, AGRADECEMOS LAS HERENCIAS MARRONES QUE NOS HACEN COMPLETOS COMO COMUNIDAD. RECORDAMOS A LAS HERMOSAS MUJERES TRANS DE COLOR QUE HAN PERDIDO LA VIDA POR LA VIOLENCIA MIENTRAS VIVÍAN EN SU AUTENTICIDAD. GRACIAS SYLVIA, GRACIAS ANGIE, GRACIAS CHRISTINA, GRACIAS GLORIA, GRACIAS RAY, GRACIAS TONY, GRACIAS JULIO, GRACIAS SHANE, GRACIAS BAMBY,

a word.

GRACIAS RITCHIE. GRACIAS, GRACIAS, GRACIAS THANK YOU CHE‘ HUERTAS FOR BLESSING US WITH THIS TRANSLATION. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HIS SERVICES, EMAIL: JOSE.HUERTASROSA@OUTLOOK.COM JOSE.HUERTASROSA@OUTLOOK.COM

Editor-In-Chief

Tamara Sanaa Leigh

NEW YORK

Living in the light

Issue: October 2023

EXTRA, EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!! Someone that I used to know JAVANNAH J. DAVIS

It’s been five years and I’m still working so hard at getting to know the beautiful stranger I see every morning that I wake up. This stranger who is often numb to certain touches that used to make her body scream for more. This stranger who was so accustomed to the thing I used to do to her that she couldn’t wait to get home everyday and “play”. Now I have to put forth a mental effort powered by memories of what it used to feel like for our body to react in a way that is familiar to us. It’s not always successful. This stranger's body is numb, numb from the changes that actually saved her life. But those changes didn’t come without sacrifice. Let’s go back, back, back over the years, and into my childhood when I used to cry myself to sleep praying that I’d wake-up with something different from what I had between my legs.

@WaveWomenInc

Little did I know, it wasn’t about what was between my legs, it was really about what was in my head and how I saw myself, how I accepted myself, and how I blocked the discouragement from the world around me to be my authentic self.

In my lonely world at the time, sex and self-gratification were mine. It made me feel alive, loved, and desirable. That all seemed to diminish after I started my “gender-affirming” surgeries. From top to bottom I slowly began to lose feelings of my old self of 40 years that gave me such pleasures in exchange for this new body of only 5 years that I still barely know and is slow to arouse.

@WaveWomenInc

@WaveWomenTV

Despite being pleased aesthetically, and now loving who I see in the mirror, I’m still faced with the fact that when it comes to the reaction of my body, and the feelings I no longer have, she is a stranger to me. A stranger that, at times, doesn't make me feel alive, or desirable. A stranger that I used to know what to do when I was with a partner, and now, each encounter is foreign to me. I never know how my body will react, or if it will react at all the way I want it to. I tend to feel let down, or unattractive. It’s hard work. It’s been hard work for me to familiarize myself with this “new” me. The fact that it has taken so long affects my mental health more than I care to admit. The sex drive in my mind isn’t often reciprocated with a physical reaction, and that’s the challenge. Imagine a wild beast that was once able to run free now subdued in order to live free. Freedom ain’t free, and salvation ain’t cheap. It all comes with sacrifice and hard work. I often ask myself, if given a chance to do it over again would you make the same decisions. My answer is…no. www.wavewomeninc.com

E T H A N A

T I N A

M A R I E

S O Z A

J O N E S

I N T E R V I E W

This will be an introduction to some, and to others, this will be information you did not know about a well-traveled local artist. It was my pleasure to interview Ethan. Before I contacted him, I decided to do a little research, so….to Spotify I went. Despite working in a quiet law firm, I spent the day in my office vibing to his music. The beat definitely put a little shake in my hips and a sway in my neck as I typed legal briefs. Interviewing Ethan was such a pleasure. He was easy to speak to and I learned so much about him. Ethan is a 27-yearold Puerto Rican PK (Preacher’s Kid). He spent most of his younger years in church listening to his mother sing worship music, and at home listening to salsa and worship music. His first inspiration was Selena Quintanilla. Ethan reminisced about being 4 years old and watching the movie Selena on repeat. He learned all the songs, rehearsed all the famous moves, and tried to dress like her. His family members would ask him to perform Selena’s songs and moves as early as 4 years old. Ethan knew he was destined to entertain.

Ethan is also influenced by K-pop (Korean Pop), its style, trendsetting, the range. Ethan has followed K-Pop since 2009. Ethan’s favorite K-pop artist is CL. Lee Chae-rin is a Seoul, South Korea-born rapper/singer/songwriter. She became popular at the age of 15 when YG Entertainment discovered her. Ethan also loves Doja Cat – and everyone knows Doja Cat! We discussed Ethan’s creative process. Ethan says it changes from time to time. He has a few producers he reaches out to for his beats. He chooses the beat that speaks to him. He listens to the music repeatedly until the words fill him up and he is forced to write. Sometimes, he experiences life’s drama. He writes his feelings down and it turns into a hit! Ethan has also started creating his own beats. He is blessed to have access to a studio in his parent’s basement. He. takes the beats and words he has written down and simply creates. He loves to freestyle and then work on what he creates in his basement studio sessions. Ethan let me in on a little secret. There is a hidden message in his music. His song, Strawberry, was actually written to homophobic people who negatively describe gay men as fruity. Ethan wanted to take the sting out of the word and own it, and thus Strawberry was born. “You can say I’m fruity, I know I taste sweet like a strawberry! Take that, homophobes”.

We spoke about collaborations. Ethan said he has collaborated with his friend and fellow entertainer Kardi Redd Diamond and their producer Adi Rei. They sat in the studio, Adi Rei worked on the beat and Kardi Redd and Ethan worked on the lyrics. Once the beat was finished, they hopped in the booth and created a great song in just 2 hours. Ethan looks forward to working with other artists in the near future. Ethan speaks to his best friend and his close cousins about song ideas and music he has written. They know him very well and are able to tell him the truth about his music; they tell him if his song/idea is a hit or a miss. Ethan has built a support system and fan base by booking shows and performing in pride festivals in Ohio. Most people have never heard of him prior to watching Ethan perform, but once he hits the stage, he lets all his anxiety go and performs for the audience. Ethan loves and appreciates his fans. He loves taking pictures and answering all the questions. He hopes his fans continue to like his music on Spotify and add him on social media. He is even interested in chats with his fans as his schedule permits. Ethan says he loves music, and expressing himself freely. He does not feel like the feelings would be understood the same as just talking. He feels there is a vulnerability in it. The hardest part is fighting the stigma of being a feminine gay male artist. Gay and straight individuals have told Ethan he would be more marketable if he would pass in his music. However, Ethan prefers to be authentic. Ethan hopes to inspire young gay men out there to live free and authentic lives. Ethan wants to encourage anyone who is interested in the music industry to create music that speaks to him or her. “Never let anyone dictate your future!”

Email: misstmariejones1@gmail.com LovelyTmarie

SAYLER’S PHOTOGRAPHY @SAYLERPHOTOGRAPHER

Monti McCoy : Makes Moves W INTERVIEW BY

RONI WINSTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY

LUIS PEREZ

hen you get to a certain age in this life, meeting a young person with fire in their belly is a refreshing experience. Meeting Monti has been one of those experiences. Let's get to know a game changer, doing it one beat face at the time!

KENYA

BLAQUEOUT MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE

THE LIFE OF A SUDANESE REFUGEE IN KENYA

KAKUMA PEACE VOLCANO By Ibrahim Kere As a Sudanese citizen and refugee in kakuma refugee camp ( Kenya) the spirit of friendship and mutual respect between The United States and The Sudan can we have a conversation? Culturally and tactically, our countries share different views and interests on issues ranging from human rights to long-term regional peace and strategic planning. Being an outsider looking inward at The United States I see pride. As a country the US prides itself on being a strong advocate for human rights. For example, the US State Department declares on its website: “Protecting basic human rights has been the cornerstone of the United States' existence more than 200 years ago. Since then, the main objective of US foreign policy has been to promote respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They also point out that a "wide range of tools" are being used to advance this "freedom agenda" - including bilateral relations, foreign aid, and economic sanctions. In support of the same principles, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield, has criticized human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in China, telling CNN on February 6, 2022, that: “Human rights are front and center of our foreign policy. We do not underestimate human rights violations anywhere in the world.” US allies also see the need to speak out against the appalling repression and threats to vulnerable populations. For example, in response to Uganda's latest anti-gay bill, it was reported on 20 April 2023 that the European Parliament "regrets President Museveni's contribution to hate speech around LGBT people, adding that EU-Uganda relations will be at stake if this happens." The president signs the bill." Four days later, it was also reported that the EU Parliament called for "targeting and imposing sanctions against all those who incited and supported the anti-gay bill, including politicians and religious leaders" if the bill becomes the law. Such principles and sentiments are consistent with the founding proposition of the United States: "We the People..." — the opening words of the US Constitution in which human beings (and thus human rights) are recognized as paramount and protective. Marginalized people are an important component of this principle, as the modern world recognizes the growing importance of diversity, equity and inclusion.

As a Sudanese citizen and refugee in kakuma refugee camp (Kenya) the spirit of friendship and mutual respect between The United States and The Sudan can we have a conversation? Culturally and tactically, our countries share different views and interests on issues ranging from human rights to long-term regional peace and strategic planning. Being an outsider looking inward at The United States I see pride. As a country the US prides itself on being a strong advocate for human rights. For example, the US State Department declares on its website: “Protecting basic human rights has been the cornerstone of the United States' existence more than 200 years ago. Since then, the main objective of US foreign policy has been to promote respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They also point out that a "wide range of tools" are being used to advance this "freedom agenda" - including bilateral relations, foreign aid, and economic sanctions. In support of the same principles, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield, has criticized human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in China, telling CNN on February 6, 2022, that: “Human rights are front and center of our foreign policy. We do not underestimate human rights violations anywhere in the world.” US allies also see the need to speak out against the appalling repression and threats to vulnerable populations. For example, in response to Uganda's latest anti-gay bill, it was reported on 20 April 2023 that the European Parliament "regrets President Museveni's contribution to hate speech around LGBT people, adding that EUUganda relations will be at stake if this happens." The president signs the bill." Four days later, it was also reported that the EU Parliament called for "targeting and imposing sanctions against all those who incited and supported the anti-gay bill, including politicians and religious leaders" if the bill becomes the law. Such principles and sentiments are consistent with the founding proposition of the United States: "We the People..." — the opening words of the US Constitution in which human beings (and thus human rights) are recognized as paramount and protective. Marginalized people are an important component of this principle, as the modern world recognizes the growing importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. By contrast, however, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, recently stated publicly that every country “has to make their own decisions about” LGBTQ and intersex rights. According to the Washington Blade, on 3 March 2023, she told reporters that the $123,124,278.40 (16 billion Kenyan shillings) in aid the U.S. has given o Kenya for food and drought relief “is not connected to the country’s LGBTQ and intersex rights policies.” This disconnection of human rights from foreign aid would appear to be an abrogation of US foreign policy and a capitulation to homophobia.

Her comments also contradicted a tweet that the Ambassador later issued on 15 March, in which she declared: “The US proudly advances efforts to protect LGBTQI+ persons from discrimination & violence and will continue to stand up for human rights & equality.” Such inconsistency in her public statements confuses the otherwise fine human rights principles of current US foreign policy. This ambiguity is unhelpful to those whose human rights are at stake. Accordingly, out of respect for universal human rights, and in defence of the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for LGBT+ people across Africa, I respectfully ask you to please convey to your government my following requests: That the United States revisits aid to Kenya and aligned nations, not to hurt the ordinary people of those nations, but rather to keep human rights violations as “front and center” and to sharply focus on the corruption of those leaders who seek to deflect domestic attention away from their own shortcomings by scapegoating the LGBTQ+ community. A limited and targeted form of sanctions, along the lines of those proposed by the EU, might be one wise and ethical approach. 2. That a review be undertaken of US foreign policy statements and practices. Please take the opportunity to ensure consistency in all future deliveries, in word and deed, linking US foreign policy and human rights. 3. That the USA take a leading role in overseeing the prompt resettlement of LGBTQ+ refugees/citizens currently living in Kenya and associated Eastern African nations. This might include nations such as Tanzania, South Sudan, Zambia, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. • Such resettlement would enable your nation to lead the world by demonstrating its uncompromising and principled stand for human rights, and its protection of minorities under threat. • It would also reinforce the commendable principles of increased humanitarian refugee resettlement announced by President Biden on 3 May 2021. • This would be beneficial for international relations between all nations involved, as it would save lives by removing vulnerable people from threat, and defuse the political powder-keg of homophobia in nations where political and religious cultures remain intolerant of LGBT+ people. • It would serve an educative role around the world regarding the inherent dignity and equality of LGBT+ people, it would reinforce the principle that #BlackLivesMatter, and it would elevate African nations onto the world stage as active and involved members of the modern world community. • History would record this initiative as averting a genocide in slow motion, and being a decisive step towards the total abolition of modernday forms of Black Holocaust.

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