BLAQUE/OUT MAGAZINE April 2024 by Blaque/OUT Magazine

APRIL 2024

ISSUE#043

M A G A Z I N E

CELEBRATING BLACK & BROWN

QUEER WOMEN

EXCLUSIVE

INTERVIEWS

KIERRA JOHNSON LAURIN TALESE & JEFFREY L. PAGE DIAMOND STYLZ SLAM ANDERSON BENJAMIN COY MONIQUE CAMPBELL

SLAM ANDERSON

TAMARA S. LEIGH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CONTENTS Celebrating Black Queer Women 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 WWW.ISSUU.COM/BLAQUEOUTMAG WWW.BLAQUEOUT.COM

ANDERSON 24 SLAM NIGHTMARES TO DREAMS 09

THE OLD MAN'S CORNER E.L. WINSTON

AN AFTERNOON WITH THE CAST OF GEVA THEATRE’S: LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL JAVANNAH DAVIS

INTERVIEW WITH KIERRA JOHNSON

INTERVIEW WITH DIAMOND STYLZ

TEE DOUGLAS 03

17 COVER PHOTOGRAPHER: @ZEENO.NY COVER FEATURED ARTWORK: @GEISHAISTOARTIST

ICONIC WOMEN ON THE MOVE: MONIQUE CAMPBELL

CELEBRATING NATIONAL POETRY MONTH WITH A COLLECTION BY POET LAUREATE, ASHANTI TAYLOR-ALEXANDER COPY EDITOR: RONI WINSTON ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER: DOREEN SCANLAN

APRIL 2024 | ISSUE# 043

JOIN US AS AUNTIE RONI SITS DOWN WITH BENJAMIN COY, COMMUNICATIONS MARKETING CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR THE NATIONAL LGBTQ TASK FORCE. A FLORIDA GUY CURRENTLY LIVING IN DC, BENJAMIN IS ALSO CO-HOST OF “COCKTAILS AND CULTURE” WITH HIS GOOD FRIEND, BRIGETHIA ARAI. LAUGH WITH US THROUGH LOVE, LEGACY, AND LIFE IN THIS BLAQUE/OUT MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW.

BENJAMIN

NATIONAL LGBTQ TASKFORCE INTERVIEW WITH RONI WINSTON

(HE/HIM)

COY

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

NORTH CAROLINA

THE OLD MAN'S CORNER E.L. WINSTON

As we celebrate a month dedicated to shining a light on your accomplishments and resilience, I wonder how 30 days can be enough to point out all the ways that you impact this world and how you still stand in such beauty as the world tries to knock you down. You come from Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson. What it took for them to say enough is enough at Stonewall is that resiliency that pumps through your veins. Dear Trans Sistah, I'm writing this letter to tell you that I see. I see you in all your beauty and strength. I see your fears and uncertainty in certain situations. And who can blame you? After all, you are public enemy number one or at least that is what they would have us to believe. How do you tell the sun that it's the most powerful star in the universe? If I could figure out that answer, I'd be able to put into words how magincent your presence is, how the light you give off is so radiant that it gives off a power that is undeniable and because of that there will always be people trying to dim your light. I see you in all your power and softness. After all, you are the mothers of our revolution, the pioneers of our protest, the mothers to our lost and unloved. You've created safe spaces for us to be ourselves and walk in our truth.

You come from Crystal and Lottie LaBeija who created House of LeBeija, a family for those who had been tossed to the side by their own. You come from Carlett Brown and Sir Lady Java, the beautiful woman who graced the pages of Jet Magazine. I could go on and on about your impact on the world we live in today and still not be able to give you your just due. There is one last thing I'd like to say. Sistah, I love you and I see you as your brother. I stand in protection of you, always ready to defend and protect, always here to lend a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen. I stand with you and for you. A brother couldn't ask for a better sistah if he tried! Happy Iconic Queer Women’s Month!

New York

BLAQUE

On-Location Interviews

Jeffrey L. Page, Director

I was able to sit down with of the brilliant Emmy Award-nominated director/choreographer Jeffrey L. Page, and the beautiful leading lady Laurin Talese who plays Billie Holiday. We were able to meet at the Geva Theatre for a friendly chat to discuss both of their phenomenal careers, and the hard work and dedication it takes to bring the heart and soul of the late Holiday to the present generation.

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill is a play that reflects on the life of one of the greatest singers in music history. The story takes place in an intimate bar setting where the sensational Billie Holiday performs for an eager and adoring audience. Holiday uses the sultry sound of her voice to tell the ups and downs of her life in what was to be one of her last performances.

se, B i e l a T n i ur

lli e

AN AFTERNOON WITH THE CAST OF GEVA THEATRE’S

JD: Being such an accomplished director and choreographer, where did your career in entertainment begin? JLP: (Taken by surprise, Mr. Page bursts into laughter) Sorry - I wasn’t expecting that question! So I’ll start by telling you how I fell in love with art, and then that will give you more information on my journey. As a little kid in Indianapolis, Indiana, we had these competitions called “Star Quests”. Everyone used to go to this event to see the Hip Hop dancers, singers, etc. So, one day, I auditioned to be apart of this African dance troop. This was an African dance situation and I was the only man, the only boy and I was like ‘what's going on?’ And I liked it, and I stayed. Now, fast forward to me eventually teaching and having a dance company when I was a teenager. Then fast forward to me going to the University of the Arts for a few years, same school that Laurin went to. Then, fast forward to me moving to LA and touring with Beyoncé and actually creating work for Beyoncé for about 14 or so years. Fast forward to, uh, me moving back to New York to perform on Broadway. I, not too long after, started directing and choreographing for Broadway shows. Now, fast forward to me being interviewed in front of your beautiful self, and I'm here.

nist a i P , rock B l l i W

I met with Jeffrey and Laurin in one of the Geva rehearsal halls which was created to reflect the actual set design. The three of us sat at one of the large round tables draped in neatly pressed cream tablecloth. The following is the interview with these vastly talented individuals.

GEVA THEATRE’S

23/24 SEASON SPONSOR

From the Director of Ain’t Misbehavin’:

MARCH 5 -31 Directed by Jeffrey L. Page By Lanie Robertson Musical Arrangements by Danny Holgate Musical Direction by Will Brock With Laurin Talese as Billie Holiday Produced in Association with Philadelphia Theatre Company

Save $10 when you see it in the first week! Ask about onstage seating

GET TICKETS

at GevaTheatre.org or 585-232-4382

BLAQUE

JAVANNAH’S SHOWTIME REFLECTION The stage was set in a late 1950's bar and grill in Philadelphia with memorabilia from a time long since past. This was the setting from accounts that was said to have been the last place Billie Holiday performed before her transition from this Earth. I had the privilege of sitting in the audience and witnessing the greatness unfold in the brilliant depiction of the legendary Billie Holiday. The power and command behind the main role was magnified by the gifted talent of Laurin Talese. Laurin embodied the raw essence of Billie Holiday. Laurin allowed herself to open up to the spirit of Billie to tell the raw and unfiltered story of a fraction of Billie’s life and experiences. Everything from emotional, physical, and substance abuse, Laurin’s passion and focus manifested a vision of a tormented, yet magnanimous soul that was Billie. Laurin’s soulful and melodic sound bellowed throughout the auditorium that was captivating and transported the audience to another place and time.

Laurin Talese (Billie Holiday), Javannah J. Davis, and Jeffrey L. Page (Director)

Her voice control put emphasis on each and every note that conveyed the feelings and emotions Billie went through during every song performance. The audience interaction in-between each interlude brought a humanity and realness to what may have been Billie’s revelation and reflection of her life during that last performance. By shear luck, I was able to have a very detailed conversation with the writer of this ground-breaking play, Lanie Robertson, who, by secondhand account, confirmed a heartbreaking reality from Billie Holiday’s final performance, which was that she did have that final performance in a small bar in Philadelphia in 1959 where she performed for just 7 people alongside her piano player and her precious dog that followed her all around the bar.

Jeffrey L. Page (Director), Javannah J. Davis, and Lanie Robertson (Writer)

I will forever cherish this experience and performance that paid homage to one of my favorite recording artists in music history.

Learn more about Billie Holiday

http://www.biography.com/musicians/billie-holiday

FLORIDA

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH.

A SELECTION OF ORIGINAL POETRY FROM BLAQUE/OUT MAGAZINE POET LAUREATE, ASHANTI TAYLORALEXANDER OF PULSE POETRY MAGAZINE

A D D I C T E D

T O

Y O U

E L E V A T E L O V E R S

A N D

U N D E R S T A N D

F R I E N D S T H I S

P A I N

ELEVATE I WISH YOU COULD SEE WHAT I SEE SUCH A WISE MOTHER AND PRETTY DOPE BEING IT'S HARD BEING A MOTHER YET YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY PLEASE BELIEVE ME, I KNOW THE PAINS LONG NIGHTS AND EARLY MORNINGS DON'T EVEN SEEM TO PHASE YOU AFTER A WHILE AND CHANGING DIRTY DIAPERS BEGIN NOT TO SMELL AS BAD IT'S THE MOMENTS OF SADNESS THAT CLOUD YOUR BRAIN THINKING OF THE MANY REASONS YOU DON'T MIND GOING TO JAIL OVER THAT ONE! YOUR VERY OWN FLESH AND BLOOD YOU BIRTHED THAT OH, QUEEN OF MANKIND YOU MANAGED TO GO THROUGH MONTHS OF PAINS AND TEARS MONTHS OF WHAT IFS AND FEARS YOU WENT THROUGH THE HIGHS OF CRAVING AMAZING FOODS AND THE LOWS OF SWOLLEN FEET FROM A BLADDER OF STEEL TO SEARCHING EVERY STORE FOR THE NEAREST TOILET SEAT SO MANY MOMENTS OF “URG MY CLOTHES DON'T FIT” NEVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE MY QUEEN, YOU ARE THE SHIT BODY CHANGES, MOOD SWINGS, AND MESSED UP ROUTINES YOU OVERCAME IT ALL WITHOUT EVEN A COMPLAINT YOU ARE NOTHING SHORT OF A SAINT DEAR MOTHERS ACROSS THE WORLD THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, YOUR SACRIFICES AND YOUR TIME THANK YOU FOR YOUR LONG NIGHTS, YOUR BODY ACHES AND FOR ALLOWING YOUR CHILD’S LIGHT TO SHINE MOTHERS DON'T GET ENOUGH CREDIT BUT FOR AS LONG AS I SHALL BREATHE YOU'LL ALWAYS HEAR THIS FROM ME YOU'VE CARRIED THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD FOR FAR TOO LONG TIME TO ELEVATE TO NEW LENGTHS PUT THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD DOWN AND RECOGNIZE YOUR TRUE STRENGTH NO MORE SADNESS AND TEARS FROM YOUR EYES SMILE AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THE BIGGEST FLEX YOU HAVE IS THAT CHILD THAT CALLS YOU MOMMY ELEVATE, MY QUEEN, RISE FOR IT IS YOUR TIME YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR YOUR CHILD YOU DESERVE TO NOW SHINE ELEVATE DON'T BE SCARED ELEVATION IS YOUR NEW CROSS TO BEAR DO THE UNTHINKABLE ACCOMPLISH THE UNIMAGINABLE MY LOVE, IT'S TIME TO ELEVATE

ASHANTI TAYLOR-ALEXANDER

LOVERS AND FRIENDS

WHEN I'M AROUND YOU, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL RATHER TO CONTINUE BEING YOUR FRIEND OR SHOW YOU THAT MY FEELINGS FOR YOU ARE REAL WE LAUGH AND JOKE ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GOTTEN THAT CHANCE WITH YOU DEEP INSIDE I'M SCREAMING “YOUR PERFECT MATCH IS RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU” WHY DO WE HAVE TO EITHER BE LOVERS OR BE FRIENDS BECAUSE TRUTH BE TOLD I WANT YOU BAD BUT I ALSO NEVER WANT OUR FRIENDSHIP TO END IT'S THE RAW AND THE REALNESS THAT DRAWS MY ATTENTION IT'S THE WAY YOU MAKE ME SMILE THAT I'LL NEVER FORGET TO MENTION HOW CAN WE SIT ON THE COUCH LAUGHING AND CUDDLING AND YOU THINK OF NOTHING MORE I WANT YOU DEEP DOWN FROM THE DEPTHS ON MY CORE AS YOU TALK, MY EYES CARESS THE CURVES OF YOUR LIPS THE DEEPER YOU SNUGGLE INTO MY ARMS I CAN FEEL THE DIP IN YOUR HIPS MY FRIEND YOU ARE BUT MY SOUL YOU HAVE WILL MY FEELINGS FOR YOU CLASH WITH OUR FRIENDSHIP, WHO KNOWS? WHEN I'M IN YOUR PRESENCE MY SOUL GLOWS FROM THE INSIDE OUT SHOULD I STOP MY FEELINGS FROM RISING, YEAH, I PROBABLY SHOULD AND TO BE HONEST I WOULD IF I COULD IT'S THE FACT THAT YOU’RE THE MOST PERFECTLY IMPERFECT BEING I KNOW WHEN I LOOK AT YOU I'M LOOKING AT THE BEST VERSION OF ME MY HEARTS THE SAFE AND THE KEY YOU HOLD WE ALREADY SAID GROWING OLD TOGETHER IS THE GOAL I JUST WISH YOU KNEW HOW MUCH OF MY SOUL YOU TRULY HAD TO ME, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY LOVER AND TO YOU, I WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR FRIEND BUT KNOW THAT WHATEVER WE ARE I NEVER WANT IT TO END

KIERRA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

NATIONAL LGBTQ TASKFORCE

A TAMARA LEIGH INTERVIEW

JOHNSON

Blaque/OUT Magazine Editor, Tamara Leigh sits down with the dynamic Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, Kierra Johnson. Johnson discusses her journey to leadership, stewarding such a relevant organization in a challenging political climate as well as directing a convening as significant as their annual Creating Change Conference. Learn more about Kierra Johnson's intersections and how they influence the work she does, the way she approaches it and the leader she has grown to be. A mom, a leader, a voice, a Black woman, a Queer identity and existing in what is still a largely male, cis, white leaning field.

FLORIDA

SLAM

“NIGHTMARES

DREAMS”.

IMMANI

LOVE

An interview with an LGBTQ Tampa Bay Poet that has been making a name for themselves over the years while also uplifting POC women and youth by speaking their truth.

C O V E R

S T O R Y

Immani Love: Slam, thank you for taking the time to speak with me. Let’s start by introducing yourself. BlaqueOut Magazine readers want to know, Who you are, what you do, and what led you to it?

@ Z E E N Y . N Y A R T

B Y @ G E I S H A I S T O A R T I S T

Slam Anderson: My name is Slam Anderson, I always say that I’m one of many as everyone is in the world. I like to say that for everyone, I like to say it for everyone to remind them that we are all of many, we’re not just one thing. So I am a spoken word poet, a writer, a performer and an outreach coordinator for Kitchen Table Literary Arts [KTLA]. That’s [KTLA] one of my biggest passions and one of the biggest things I’m working on. I’m hoping to have a long, long, long run with them. I talk career because I tell people I have a job but that’s not my career. I want Kitchen Table to be my career. Not just the outreach coordinator but to move up and continue to help the organization build and grow. We are an organization dedicated to Black women, women of color writers, poets, and reader enthusiasts. People who love to read and be in a writing atmosphere. People who want to learn more about literature. Being a person who loves writing and loves reading, I see things from all angles. I understand that there are people that don’t like to write but they love to read and they love to learn about literature. There’s people like that and we’re an organization for people who love literature too. Maybe you’re

ANDERSON

SLAM not a writer, that’s not your thing but you love to read and you love to be in that atmosphere. We are based in Tampa, Florida, established in 2014 with writer and author, Sheree L. Greer, as our founder, and we’re about to hit 10 yrs! 2024 makes a decade for us. I experienced a lot of firsts with this organization. I did a lot of things for the first time with Kitchen Table that I was very proud of. As far as how did I get there, let me continue, I’m also a founding member of an organization called You Are Unbelievably Resilient [USF] (https://www.ur-resilient.org)— we are an organization of foster alumni, we are all adults who grew up in the foster care system, aged out of the foster care system, adopted, or in some way affected by the foster care and child welfare system. We all came together by director, Sean Anders, who directed the movie Instant Family which talks about 3 foster siblings who went into the foster care system and got adopted. I grew up in the foster care system and am an advocate for those going through it now. I tell my story because I don’t need pity, I want to inspire, I don’t need anything but to see things change. To let someone else see that this isn’t it, you can keep going and get whatever you want. This is just a part of your life but it doesn’t have to be your whole life. I came to Tampa at age 17 after leaving foster care. I started at USF and my Resident Assistant (RA) introduced me to The Poets at USF (TP) and being part of TP kind of just changed my life and opened doors and allowed me to grow and not “find myself” ( I don’t like to say find myself, I’m trying to retrain my language) but create myself. I can’t find something if I’ve never been here, even though I feel like I’ve been here before, I’ve never been here. I’m not lost in this world, I’m creating myself in this

universe. It helped me create the person I wanted to be and helped me heal from a lot of things. It encouraged me and helped me find my family because I was still separated from my siblings. I give poetry and writing and everything it gave to me credit for that. Poetry gave me a sense of confidence, comfort, and security that gave me the strength to do that. And from TP I was able to connect and network and meet so many great people and Sheree. Then I got with Kitchen Table and the rest is history. Immani Love: So what does poetry mean to you? Slam Anderson: I want to say that when I started writing I didn’t call it poetry. That was a term I learned later. I was just writing feelings and emotions, and things that I couldn’t say out loud. Poetry became my voice, gave me a way to hide. I could talk about what I was going through without people knowing it was me. I needed that, I needed that security to be able to get it out but I didn’t want people to know it was me. It was my voice, my protector, it shielded me from unwanted things so I could hide in the poetry. It was my best friend. All I need is my words. I have to create. No matter what I’m doing, even if I’m not performing or publishing, I have to write. I always have to be writing. It’s comfort to me. I can tell when I haven’t written for a long time because I’ll get a lot more anxious. So it helps with my anxiety, I have to write. Immani Love: “Slam” is a unique name, how did you get it? Slam Anderson: My friends at TP named me that. I used to watch Def Poetry Jam once I got into writing. That was my first introduction into spoken word and slam poetry. I didn’t even know it was called that. The first time I

went to TP, I was very nervous. What helped though was there were only a few people there. When the president at the time, Denisha Lawton asked me, (all love to Denisha) she asked, “what’s your name”, and I told her my real name. She was like, “no I mean like a stage name, do you have a stage name? What do you do?” I said, what do I do? I said, I think I do slam poetry but I don’t have a name or anything. She said, “don’t worry, I’ve got you!” So she told me to go back to my seat and when she called me up, she said, “let’s give it up for The Slam Poet!” I was like ohhh! I didn’t tell her I was The Slam Poet! But I went up and I did a piece about my mom called “Casualty” about domestic violence and her experience with it. I performed with my eyes closed. That’s how scared I was. It was quiet, but I kept going. And I remember when I was done and spoke my last word and I opened my eyes, and people were shouting, running up to me, my friend that was with me was in tears, she was like, “Oh my gosh, I’ve never heard you sound like that, you seem like a whole different person.” Everybody was giving me so much love and affirmation and confirmation. I was overwhelmed but I was like, this is where I’m supposed to be. So she actually gave me the name, Slam Poet, and everyone started calling me that. But as I got older I realized I was more than just a slam poet, but I liked slam because I am that too, so I took off the poet and was just called Slam. People around campus started calling me Slam, they didn’t even know my real name, just knew me as Slam and it was more than just a stage name, it was me. Immani Love: I’ll have you know it was years before I knew your real name, I believe Sheree finally told me your real name. Slam Anderson: I have a friend who

A N D E R S O N

SLAM when I told him my real name, he was like, “Nah, you look like a Slam, I’m gonna keep calling you that!” When I see you, I see Slam. Immani Love: What year and how long have you been doing poetry? Slam Anderson: I started at USF in ’07, I had been writing for a long time but when I really started getting to it, I think it was probably 2008/2009 at TP. I got with Kitchen Table in 2014 and I had stopped with TP about a year before that. I had eventually become president and host of TP which is what got me into mentoring. Being president gave me a chance to mentor other poets. Give them that affirmation and encouragement that I got from TP and try to give them the same feeling that I had that was just that you’re home, you don’t have to be an amazing poet or a poet at all. Just come and be in an atmosphere where you can just feel free, that’s what TP was, it was a place where people could be free, be themselves, and there was no judgment. Immani Love: Is TP still going on? Slam Anderson: It was the last time I checked. After me, it went to Jasmin Lankford then to ZenChristian Davis, Chael Blinya, and T.K. McConnehead. As far as I know, they are still going at least as of 2 years ago. One of these days, I plan to do a TP Reunion. It really did have an effect on a lot of poets in Tampa and as far away as Jacksonville. It was a staple for some of the veteran poets so I’d love to do a reunion. Immani Love: April is National Poetry month, as a poet, how do you celebrate? Slam Anderson: Me, I try to do 30/30, writing a poem every day, I try but I never make it through the whole month.

I tend to get long winded so I never really make it through. Last year, I decided to freestyle on the spot poems, and I wrote and recorded what I was doing on my instagram stories. I prefer that more than writing sometimes, especially for 30/30. National Poetry Month for me is about more than just writing, it’s about getting more engulfed in poetry. For me it’s about bringing other people into it. I use my 30/30 to try to inspire others to get into poetry and 30/30 and use this month as a focus on poetry. Even if you’re not writing poetry, I encourage you to read a poem every day. Support a poet for the month of April, whether you buy a book, send a donation, or go to a poetry show. However you do it, just get into poetry for the month of April. Go to a poetry show, sit in the audience and just sit in that atmosphere and be inspired. That’s what National Poetry Month is to me; it's about inspiring people and being inspired. Immani Love: How do you speak to the person that says they’re not a poet because they don’t follow the literary rules? Like for me, when I started doing erotic poetry, I had imposter syndrome really bad because no matter how good people said I was, I felt I wasn’t following literary rules of poetry. In some communities where a person gets a degree in English and studies poetry, you think of Keats and Poe, and you don’t think of the average person that just wants to express themselves. So as a poet that encourages people to write and perform, when a person comes to you and says, “I’m not a poet because I don’t follow the rules.” What do you say to them? Slam Anderson: Truthfully, in my opinion, it may be controversial, but there’s a difference between being an expressionist and a poet. When people

come to me and say things like that I tell them, “Everyone’s a poet.” If you express yourself, write it down, if you call it poetry, it’s poetry. But I’m a literary facilitator and I know the rules as well. I tell people there’s a difference. I ask what they want to do with their writing. Do they want to publish writing and get people to read it and get paid? Because that’s a different set of rules for someone who writes for fun and publishes their own things and gets it out to whoever gets it. So I guess I ask what is your purpose? Is this a career for you or is this an outlet, how I heal, my fun, my hobby? If this is your career and job, I want to be a published poet and I want to be recognized. And if that’s your approach, then you have to know the rules because the editors are going to make you know the rules. Learning the rules also helps you bend the rules to fit your style. If they say they just want to express themselves, they just need to get things out. I tell them don’t worry about the rules, just express, be you, let it out, because it’s for you. Sometimes the stuff for us can help someone else, there’s always at least one person that says to you, “Thank you for writing and saying that, or you touched my heart for saying that.” That’s why I like to facilitate and coach because I like to work with all types of writers with different aspirations. Same thing with slam poetry, like are you trying to win? Or you just want to get up there and slam something to get the feel for it. In general, we’re all expressionists, and expression is a big part of poetry. Immani Love: I understand you’re involved with an art project in some way, tell us more about that. Slam Anderson: So my friend painted some things for me, her name is Michelle Thornton. She’s my ex, we were dating, and she would paint them for

A N D E R S O N

YBOR

CITY,

@ZEENO.NY TAMPA, FL

SLAM me for birthday gifts. I love the paintings because they all are in some way fused with my poetry. Like the first one I got is of Malcolm X, and I love Malcolm X not only because of what he represents for the Black community, if I put all of that aside, I love him for his story. His journey, everything he went through, for me he is a grand example of 'it's not how you start, it’s how you finish and everything in between.' You can always change and do something different, that’s what I see throughout his story. He was a foster care kid, he had people discouraging him and he was discouraging himself; he learned to change and transform to be this different person. I hate when people say I can’t change. I feel like as long as you have breath, you can change. So this painting was a replica of a poster I got at my first Southern Fried (a big poetry competition.) There was this stand that was selling these painted pictures of different people. It was my souvenir from that competition and it got ripped so she painted that same picture for me. Then, 2 of them are pictures of me, images of me in the midst of my performances. Another one is an interpretation of the 2nd poem I ever wrote. It’s called “The Dream”. It’s the poem that helped me win all the slams. I knew if I did that poem I knew I was going to win. It’s a true poem. The ending of it says, “I grabbed a star and watered it with my tears and watched it blossom.” In the picture is a miniature me, a silhouette, faceless, hanging from a mountain, with one arm and the other arm is hyperextended, exaggerated reaching to grab a star. Below the person is all of this destruction but these little flower petals coming to it. I love looking at these paintings because I love what they represent and the journey they mean to me. All of the paintings are in the colors red, black and white. Those are my favorite colors. I .

like red, black and white but they have to be together. Red and black are my colors, Valentine’s is my favorite holiday so I like red because it represents love, the heart, blood, and pain. I love everything that’s symbolized by red. I love black. They say it symbolizes darkness but to me it symbolizes a lot of things. It's a whole, it’s infinity, you can look at it and stare at it and see eternity. Like black holes, they don’t scare me, it sounds cool because you wonder where it leads. White has to be with the other colors. I don't like it by itself. I like it with red and black. Immani Love: If you have a motto or favorite phrase, what is it, and why? Slam Anderson: My old favorite phrase was sometimes the nightmares lead to a dream. So I would say “Nightmares to Dreams” but now I’ve been saying “I Eat Resilience.” Because I eat resilience for breakfast, I’m all resilience. I’m going to always keep going. I may twist, I may bend, I may take moments where I say don’t mess with me, or lock myself in a room but I’m never, ever, ever gonna break. I’ll have my moments but I’m not going to break. You can have moments to go crazy or get depressed for a few days but you know you’ll always bounce back because you eat it. Immani Love: If you had one thing to say to your 13 yr old self, what would it be? Slam Anderson: You are beautifully handsome, just as you are. That was my issue, I had a lot of self-esteem issues. I tell my nephew the same thing, I say you’re beautifully handsome and he says “Both?”, and I say, yes you’re BOTH! Immani Love: So in that same lane, What are your pronouns?

Slam Anderson: She/Her but I’ve been known to answer to ‘he’, I don’t get mad about it. If you catch me in a certain light, I understand. Immani Love: If there’s one thing you want people to know about you, or take away from this interview, what would it be? Slam Anderson: Same thing I said in the beginning, really expressing the fact that I’m one of many. I’m not just one thing. If we can understand that everybody in the entire universe is not just one thing. Not just what you see. Because people have things that they don’t show you and they don’t have to show you. No one is entitled to know everything about us. But it does not take away from who we are. We are not one of anything. We are many, we have many forms, in how we feel, in how we learn, we are many and have many ways. I’m one of many. We’re one of many and it’s ok. Immani Love: How can we find you? Slam Anderson: I am working on my website, which will be done by the end of the year which is… SlamAnderson.com (coming soon) IG- @SlamDaArtist I’m getting more into my artistry, people associate artists with a lot of things versus just writer or just poet, I do a lot of things. FB- Slam Anderson but I’m probably going to delete soon Kitchen Table Literary Arts Center www.kitchen-table.org Immani Love: Is there anything that we haven’t covered that you want to share? Slam Anderson: Donate to Kitchen Table! We’re always looking for donations and we do have summer classes coming up. @ImmaniLove She/Her

A N D E R S O N

www.kitchen-table.org

NORTH CAROLINA

BOOK BANGERz B O O K

R E V I E W S

B Y

E L

W I N S T O N

In honor of BlaqueOut’s tribute to iconic Queer women and this being national poetry month, I am excited to review a book from one of our very own… Ms. Immani Love. I enjoyed going through her book, Four Seasons. If you’re under 18, it’s not for you and if you're scared of the word ‘sex’, then it’s not for you either. As long as these don’t apply, then this is a book you’ll enjoy. Four Seasons is actually a collection of short stories, but you get to enjoy some of Love’s poetry throughout the book. The opening of the book with her poem, “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover” helps you understand her thinking. It’s all about the different ways Queer love looks in the world. No one way to be whether you are a lesbian, gay, bi, etc. Into the short stories, it’s all erotic. The ladies are on the takeover. There are scenes of intimacy that take you from the office to the bedroom to the playground. The fun part is that they are the kinds of things that are capable of the average person, but explore the spice of sexual encounters. Love takes the regular spaces and turns them into exciting environments. “What Happens in Vegas” explores the thrilling nature of threesomes without the drama. By the time we hit summer, we’re in the jungle of the Amazon traveling trails and beautiful bodies. In fall, there is the intruder fantasy finishing with a tender love. And winter doesn’t disappoint as there is some “Cabin Fever” to help you stay warm. Immani Love is not afraid of the words it takes to vividly describe passion and intimacy. Enjoy your deep dive into Four Seasons with all the twists, turns, and curves of the female body. Even if you think you don’t like to read…let me introduce you to what you’d like…Four Seasons by Immani Love.

ICONIC WOMEN ON THE MOVE

NEW YORK

TEE DOUGLAS

Interview with Monique Campbell (she/her)

Monique Campbell is the site operations manager for the San Francisco Community Health Center (Taimon Booton Navigation Center). In her role, she manages an 84 bed temporary shelter and housing facility for Trans, Gender expansive and Cis Gender women who are unhoused, engage in sex work and are escaping from intimate partner violence (IPV). She also assists in overseeing 43 staff members working in the facility, making sure everything stays in compliance and that the facility is welcoming to all guests. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Campbell to find out more about the work she does, why she does it and a few other fun facts along the way.

TD: How long have you been in your current role?

MC: I've been in my current role since January 1st of this year. Actually, I was promoted less than 3 months ago.

TD: What did you do in your previous role? MC: Previously I was the program manager for Trans Thrive.

Trans Thrive is the only exclusive Trans-led drop-in center for Trans and Gender Non- conforming people in the greater Bay Area. So I managed a facility that was exclusive for Trans people and the only exclusive Center for Trans people in Northern California.

TD: What got you into this type of work? Is there something that specifically inspired you, do you have a story behind how you got into it or is it just something that you just said you know I see the need and I'm here?

ALABAMA

LESBIAN

STRAIGHT WOMAN IT’S THE REALIZATION OF WANTING TO TOUCH OR PUT YOUR FACE SO DEEP IN HER PUSSY YOU DROWN FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, IN IT EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW YOU CAN’T ANYMORE/ YEARNING FOR IT SO BAD THAT YOUR MOUTH WATERS LIKE A PERSON DEPRIVED AND FAMINE OF FOOD AND WATER FOR YEARS/ SERIOUSLY, FUCK DAYS OR WEEKS/ I MEAN THE GUT WRENCHING PINCH, AGONIZING PAIN IN THE PIT OF YOUR STOMACH YOU GET/ BEING IN THE SAME ROOM WITH THE BEING YOU LONG FOR AND THEY NOT EVEN PART THEIR LIPS TO SPEAK TO YOU/ ARMS LENGTH DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO AND WE STILL CAN’T GET THIS SHIT TOGETHER/ MONTHS PASS BY WITHOUT EVEN A STROKE OF/ EGO/ AT THE BARE MINIMUM, LOOKING FOR THEM TO SHOW THE SLIGHTEST SIGN OF ENTHUSIASM WHEN YOU LOCK EYES WITH THEM/ INSTEAD OF THE RUGGED GLARE OF IRRITATION THAT PIERCED THROUGH THE SIDE EYE THAT WAS OFFERED IN ITS PLACE/ SO YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE EXCUSE/ SHE PROLLY IN ONE OF HER MOODS/ AND PROLLY NEED A MINUTE OR TWO, SO BE COOL/ EITHER WAY, WHEN YOU WALK PAST THE ROOM SHE’S SMIRKING AT THE TEXT CONVO SHE’S SO DEEPLY ENGAGED IN/ YOU OFFER UP THE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAD BECAUSE AT THIS POINT YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH/ TO SPARE THE HARDSHIP OF BEING THE LAST ONE TO FIND OUT THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY DECIDED TO MOVE ON/ WHILE YOU HOLD ON TO THE IMAGE OF A MIRAGE THEY PAINTED FOR YOU IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING THEIR LIFE TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU/ I’M SO GAY I CAN’T EVEN THINK STRAIGHT/ SO LET ME BE STRAIGHT TO THE POINT/ THE POSTED UP PAIN OF JUST TELLING ME WHAT YOU REALLY FEEL/ SNATCH THE BANDAID OFF ME/ MAKE THE DEAL/ ARE WE LOCKED IN? OR HAS ALL THIS SHIT BEEN JUST PRETEND/ BECAUSE INSTEAD OF YOU BEGGING TO BE MY LOVER, YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED MY FRIEND/

LADE BREEZ

DIAMOND INTERVIEW W/ E.L. WINSTON

STYLZ

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

E.L.WINSTON SITS DOWN WITH DIAMOND STYLZ™, A BLACK, TRANS, MILLENNIAL ACTIVIST AND COMMUNITY ICON. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK TRANS WOMEN INC, (A NATIONAL NON-PROFIT THAT IS LED BY BLACK TRANS WOMEN FOCUSED ON SOCIAL ADVOCACY, POSITIVE VISIBILITY, AND BUILDING STRONG LEADERSHIP AMONG BLACK TRANS ADVOCATES, ACTIVISTS, AND ALLIES), DIAMOND IS ALSO THE PRODUCER AND CREATOR OF MARSHA’S PLATE PODCAST. SELF-DESCRIBED AS THE "PODCAST THAT KNOWS THAT EVERYBODY CAN’T COME TO THE COOKOUT," WHICH HIT THE SCENE IN 2017 AS THE 1ST PODCAST OF ITS KIND. COME TAKE A LISTEN TO THEIR INFORMATIVE AND FUNNY CONVERSATION, YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW AND INTERESTING ABOUT THIS LIVING, BREATHING LEGEND. HTTPS://PODCASTS.APPLE.COM/US/PODCAST/MARSHAS-PLATE-BLACK-TRANS-PODCAST/ID1293033444ETHING

TINA MARIE JONES TMARIEJONES04

CAMERON COMMUNITY CLOTHING BOUTIQUE : THE URBAN OUTREACH COMMUNITY CENTER I had the opportunity to interview two staff members of the Cameron Community Urban Outreach Community Center. For those of you who do not know, Cameron Community is a community center located in the Lyell-Otis neighborhood, at 48 Cameron St, in the city of Rochester, NY. Allow me to introduce Amy Passalugo (she/her/hers). Amy is the Clothing Boutique Manager and a Rochester native, born and raised. She graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a degree in Journalism/Mass Communications. Amy started with Cameron Communities as a volunteer in 2022, a year later she was hired as the manager. Now meet Jonathan Hardin (he/him/his), is the Director of Community Engagement. Jonathan and his husband moved to Rochester from Mississippi in 2011. Amy says that she believes it is our duty to help others in whatever way we can. “It should not matter where you’re from, how you got there, what your current circumstances are, etc. If someone needs help, we’re obligated as human beings to support one another.” Jonathan chimed in, “It is our duty to help those in need and a privilege to do so. We believe in meeting people where they are and without judgement.” Now, let’s talk about Cameron Community Outreach Center. Jonathan does a great job of summing it up. He says, “Cameron Community is an urban outreach community organization serving northwest Rochester. We partner with residents and community organizations to meet the basic needs and build a more vibrant and empowered community through education, advocacy, and opportunity.”

LOVELYTMARIE

But let’s break it down! In 1983, The American Baptist Churches of Monroe County and the Genesee Valley Presbytery decided they wanted to start a community service in the Lyell Avenue Area. A church in the Lyell-Otis area was available, as the church had previously closed. In 1984, Jane Baldwin, a student of the Colgate Divinity School, conducted a needs assessment of the Lyell Avenue community and determined many people in the area needed services, but there were not enough programs to meet the needs of the community. In 1985, Cameron Community Ministries were officially incorporated. The staff, with the help of the first executive director, Jane Baldwin, created the Parsonage, Youth Programing, and Hot Lunch Program. The Hot Lunch Program, later called the Kids Café, started working with Foodlink in 1994, and in 1997, the Parsonage became the Clothing Closet. In 2001, the Community Center determined there was a need for a summer program for the area youth. So, they started the plans to create one. By 2009, the NYS Office of Children and Family Services licensed the Community Center! In 2012, the Community Center tore down the abandoned building next to the Center, and created the Christopher’s Place Playground, a place for youth to be safe, play, and have a good time! In 2019, the Cameron Teen Center opened. In 2022, the AT&T Digital Learning Lab opened. And finally, in 2023, the Saturday Academy opened offering STEM and Cultural Arts programming for K-12 grades. Thus, the Community Center has been around for over 40 years meeting the needs of the community!! FYI: Hot Lunch Program: Monday – Friday 12:00 – 1:30 PM Emergency Food Pantry: Available by Appointment The Clothing Boutique: Available by Appointment AT&T Digital Computer Lab: Available by Appointment Community Garden: Seasonal Afterschool Program: Monday – Friday Youth Social Worker: Monday – Saturday Saturday Academy: Saturday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Street Outreach: Tuesday 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM; Scheduled community Events Amy speaks very highly of the Clothing Closet. She says, “the Closing Boutique provides clothing, household items, diapers, wipes, and personal hygiene supplies to community members in need. We run solely on donations, and we’re fortunate to have a very generous donor base that keeps our racks full year-round. We pride ourselves on stocking quality clothing only; we believe that just because someone needs our services, doesn’t mean they don’t deserve beautiful clothing. Clients can come once every two months, as we have a steady rotation of clothing coming and going from the Boutique. All are welcome!” So, if you’re looking for clothing that looks and feels like

YOU, now you know where to stop first! Unlike some of the community services in Rochester, Cameron Community Center allows anyone to utilize their services. “If you can get here, we can help you,” says Amy. If you have an eye for fashion and spare time, Cameron Community needs your help! As the Rochester area grows, the needs of the community grow, and so does the need for volunteers! Please contact Amy so she can get you to help those in need! If you have donations, please do the same! The Clothing Boutique needs back-to-school items, toiletries, baby diapers and wipes, coats, scarves, hats, and gloves. Jonathan emphasizes that Cameron Community Center is a SAFE place for the LBGTQ+ community. Not only does the community center have LGBTQ+ staff, volunteers, and students who participate in services, but the staff work diligently to ensure everyone in the community knows that regardless how one identifies, you are welcome at the Cameron Community Center. Jonathan also says that the staff work with Rochester’s Trans population to ensure they have the supplies they need. Cameron Community Center doesn’t have LGBTQ+ centered programs at this time, but the staff are always looking for ways to be safe and inclusive.