THE PASS TO PRESENT THE PAST: COLMAN DOMINGO Brandy "Lade Breez" Elam

The Pass To Present the Past: COLMAN DOMINGO

Brandy “Lade Breez” Elam

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" -a well-worn quote by George Santayana (The Life of Reason, 1905) is what comes to mind as we stand at this crossroads in the consciousness of America From afar, I have cried watching my nation, sore with prejudice, slowly heal itself. I hurt along with America; my phantom pains only alleviated by work I do every day- art. ”

- Colman Domingo (2015)

As we plunge headfirst into 2024, these words ring louder as the nomination for the first openly gay Black man for an Oscar in a leading role as an openly gay black man hits airwaves. Colman Domingo gave an historic performance as Bayard Rustin, an openly gay activist who was written out of history due to his sexuality in the early 60s regardless of his efforts and philanthropic work.

In the early 1940s, Bayard Rustin was an activist and leader in social movements, gay rights, socialism, and non-violence. He worked side by side with Martin Luther King Jr. and many others during the Civil Rights Movement planning, executing, and propelling the movement forward. Mr. Rustin’s instrumental hand played several roles of success between the 1940s and 1980s from helping to organize 'The Southern Christian Leadership Conference' (SCLC) in 1957 to spearheading and serving as principal organizer for the March on Washington in 1963, to becoming the head of the American Federation Of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) amongst many other vital roles he secured throughout his lifetime and work history as a humanitarian against social injustices for all.

For Colman Domingo, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native’s career started in the early 1990s.

The Temple University alum has over 60 characters and counting under his very well accessorized belt. With an extensive history in writing screenplays, Colman is the creator of “A Boy and His Soul,” “Up Jumped Springtime,” “Wild with Happy” and “The Brothers.” He has featured on and off Broadway in his plays and others like, “Lights Out, Nat King Cole,” “The Scottsboro Boys” and“Summer, The Donna Summer Musical.” In addition to the stage, he is not a stranger to primetime television. Colman has had numerous recurring roles on television throughout his career, with his most recent roles in “Fear of the Walking Dead” (2015-2023), and “Euphoria” from 2019 to the present; to his previous roles in shows like “The Big Gay Sketch Show” Domingo has not left a rock in Hollywood unturned.

In between his writings, Domingo has featured in numerous supporting roles alongside a star-studded cast throughout his career. Just to mention a few, I mean box office hits such as, Wally Cartwright in “True Crime” in 1999 alongside Clint Eastwood and Isaiah Washington; Private Harold Green in “Lincoln” in 2012 alongside Sally Fields and David Oyelowo; Lawson

Bowman in “42” alongside the late Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford; Freddie Fallows in “The Butler'' alongside Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey, both in 2013; Ralph Abernathy in “Selma” in 2014 alongside David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo; Hark Turner in “The Birth Of A Nation” in 2016; Joseph Rivers in “If Beale Street Could Talk” in 2018; Cutler in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in 2020, alongside the incomparable Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman; Pastor West in “Without Remorse” alongside Michael B. Jordan and Lauren London in 2021; to his recent full year in 2023 with five major roles in the box office, Transformers (Unicron voice), Rudy Gillian, Teenage Kraken (Arthur Gillian voice), Sing Sing (John “Divine G” Whitfield), the critically acclaimed remake of “Mister” Albert Johnson in the newly released “The Color Purple” and his now Oscar nominated leading role in “Rustin” as Bayard Rustin. This is the condensed version of his career, with Mr. Domingo preparing for the role of Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biography set to release in April 2025.

But why now for Colman? After thirty-three years in the making, Colman Domingo is more than just the roles he portrays. Having an extensive career in writing, acting, directing, roles on stage, on screen and behind the scenes, his resume supersedes the loudly quoted “Black Gay Actor. ” Unfortunately for the community we serve, it becomes a vice to label instead of appreciating what is offered up on stage or screen, or as for the late Mr Rustin, on the front lines of injustice and inequality.

Colman Domingo’s depiction of Rustin not only allowed viewers to see Mr. Rustin beyond his sexuality, he also in my opinion put into perspective how the LGBTQIA+ members in the Black communities have suffered shame and unwillingly forced into closets regardless of the sacrifices. For decades, our hands have been hidden, disregarding any of the work and betterments that have been put into the progression while creating opportunities; in closing the overly marginalized gaps and struggles within the disparities we face socially, structurally, and economically.

Domingo’s Oscar nomination only joins the awards and a multitude of nominations he has already obtained as such an extraordinary and prolific actor and writer. His mesmerizing energy and love for the stage and screen in the characters he portrays shines brighter than his smile and humble nature. Domingo deserves more than to be watered down to what he does behind closed doors with his husband, Raúl Domingo, as his headline. Domingo’s awards history and work ethic is more prevalent.

Award winning filmmaker, Ava DuVernay stated in a post on her IG page dedicated to Colman,

“He is everything he seems to be. Charismatic. kind. Caring. Beyond his immense talent, incredible sense of humor and being the best dressed man in Hollywood, he has the sweetest heart He has a giant capacity to love because his mother showed him every day and is the life of the party What a time to celebrate him. ”

It is Colman Domingo’s love of art, his talent in bringing his authenticity and respect for the roles he plays to life, that brought him here to this place of celebration. So, as we celebrate this man in his moment of glory, let us allow his true titles the right of passage. Let us give him titles becoming an Oscar nominee. He is a writer, a playwright, a director, and a leading actor nominated for his exceptional performance as Bayard Rustin. Colman’s representation and talents showed why he deserves to be on the ticket. Displaying to the world what we as a community can do past and present, gives him a pass without labels to be proud of his accolades now and to come. I am glad he is the representation Of Black, Gay and Proud to be. A Gentleman.

I will leave this quote of Colman Domingo here,

“At some point, I'm just of the mind that no art is perfect, and it shouldn't be perfect I think it's beautiful in its imperfection You could tweak something forever, but you have to let it go and trust it.”

He is Art.