DBQ 5 YEAR
DAVID BRIDGEFORTH QUARTERLY
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LOUD
TURN UP THE VOLUME OF YOUR LIFE!
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LGBT PEOPLE OF COLOR
WHEN THE ORDINARY DO THE EXTRAORDINARY
PRIME HEALTH & WELLNESS
SELF CARE IS A DIVINE RESPONSIBILITY
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WELCOME
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HERE WE GO! 2014 had to have been one of the craziest years in the existence of DBQ Magazine, but we made it through to our 5th year and we have no intention in slowing down. This year is all about living in your prime and making your greatest life your primary responsibility of achievement. It is our mission this year to lead you to higher heights as well as inform and equip you with what you might need to turn the volume of your life up. DBQ Magazine has overgone many facelifts over the past few of months. We have a more organized website, a new sexy App and improved content, layouts and sections. We are so excited about all the amazing things to come. It's that time again where we celebrate the stunning LGBT people of color who have shaped our last year, we call them the LOUD 100. Please visit page 20 for our annual celebration. Also we have a very important new section called PRIME, it is our community movement toward primary self health and wellness for LGBT people of color. We want to urge our readers to take the divine lead in caring for oneself in a very progressive way. Last but not least, as always, I share in the inside back of every issue 'What I've Come To Know', which is what many of you all call the essence or heart of every issue. So please dive in, there is so much in this issue, many things in which I haven't even written about that you will find so meaningful to your progression this year. Turn up the volume of your life in 2015, its time to enter your new Prime.
DEC/JAN COVER
TEAM DBQ / THE CONTRIBUTORS
Photographer; Troy Mattison IG: Ctrl_Alt_Del David Bridgeforth in Alexander Wang. Cover Director: Pony Zion Stylist: Justin Gill Abraham Tomo, Jr. has been writing for digital publications since 2010 while working on a BA in English and BFA in Photography. You can find some clips of his work at TomoJr.com.
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DaShawn Usher is a Health Communicator. He has worked in the field of public health for over 7 years. Mr. Usher specializes in community engagement, education, and recruitment. He lives in New York.
Dec/Jan/Feb
Writer, playwright, and radio personality Nathan James is a longtime advocate of the LGBT community. He serves as Executive Editor of GBM News.
Special Issue
David A. Bridgeforth Jr. Editor-In-Chief / Publisher Jacqui Tanner Senior Editor/ Executive Administrator Stanley Bennett Clay Senior Contributing Editor Reggie Wells Consulting Cover Editor Dashawn Usher Managing Editor Cash Carter Photography DBQ Magazine is a nationally distributed bimonthly lifestyle publication. Published and printed in Indianapolis, Indiana. For more information on advertisement, circulation, or articles please visit us at www.DBQMAG.com Or call 317.500.4327 or 908.656.6218.
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David Bridgeforth Quarterly Magazine
DBQ CONTENTS
December January February Volume 5 Issue 1
3. WELCOME 5. Behind The Scene
CULTURE FRONT ROW 6. Fashion God ATIBA NEWSOME 9. 5 Things We Love
THE READ REVIEWS 11. 5 BOOKS ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR PRIME LIFE
PRIME HEALTH & WELLNESS 12. Prime Life AMARI JAYCE 17. HIV STOPS WITH ME Campaign Ambassadors Share Their Stories 20. BEATING HIV
COVER 22. The LOUD 100 LGBT People of Color What I've Come To Know 33. BE LOUD
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DBQ Magazine
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DBQ BEHIND THE SCENE
EVERYWHERE ABOVE THE RAINBOW What's New on
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DBQMAG.COM
1.
DO BETTER with
David Bridgeforth & Derrick Briggs On the 5th of every month check DBQMAG.COM or ADTVNATION.COM for our list of 5 things we want to do better on each month of 2015. Get your journal today and join us for the movement. When you know better, you do better —Maya Angelou
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Follow Our Trending Lists Oct/Nov 2014 FASHION GODS —25 Creative Powers FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @DBQMAG
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Dec/Jan/Feb
Special Issue
1. Dave Bridgeforth reading the OCT/NOV 2014 issue at a club/bar in Indianapolis, Indian. 2. Mr. Bridgeforth with old friends from his hometown of the holidays. 3. Dave and boyfriend Carter with Celebrity MakeUp Icon Byron Barnes in the middle at his holiday house party. 4. Dave and boyfriend Carter on New Years in NYC.
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DBQ CULTURE
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FRONT ROW
atiba A personal conversation about his love affair with shaping the fashions of the gods.
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DBQ Magazine
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DBQ CULTURE
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POLITICS
5
Most Important LGBT Political Stories Of 2014 By Nathan James
2014 has been a momentous year for the state of LGBT affairs in America. In some areas, we've enjoyed tremendous gains, while almost simultaneously suffering setbacks few would have imagined a mere 12 months ago. Forty-five years after the Stonewall Rebellion, which began the modern LGBT-rights movement, we continue to strive towards true equality, and a real place at the table. Here are five stories I think will continue to shape the conversation on our community and its future, well into 2015. 1. States With Legal Same-Sex Marriage Are Now In The Majority For the first time in American history, the number of states legalizing marriage equality rose into the majority during 2014. 35 states now allow same-sex couples to legally marry, a number thought unthinkable just a few years ago. 24 of these, almost half the Union, enacted gay marriage through case law, that is, by court decisions overturning things like bans on marriage equality as "unconstitutional". A further eight states passed laws allowing gays and lesbians to marry, and two more, plus the city of Washington, DC, left it to popular referendum. Although fifteen states still have gay marriage bans on their books, these are unlikely to withstand future Supreme Court review. The debate over religious belief versus equal protection under the law, as enshrined in the 14th Amendment, is likely to overshadow the same-sex issue for decades to come, but the stage has already been set, for all fifty states to have marriage equality, sometime within the next few years.
of LGBT rights by the HRC last year, and gay-bashings are on the rise, as well. A massive PR campaign accompanied Mississippi's bill, encouraging voter support. The language of the law, granting immunity from "all laws, civil and criminal, federal, county, or municipal", resonated deeply with constituents in a state known for its long history of segregationism and resistance to civil-rights issues. Several other states, most notably Michigan, also have versions of RFRA working their way through legislation. The Michigan bill recently passed the state's House, and is likely to pass the GOPcontrolled Senate, as well. Recently re-elected Gov. Rick Snyder, who staunchly opposed gay marriage in Michigan, would likely sign the bill, should legislators get it to his desk early in 2015. Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee have all introduced "Turn Away The Gays" bills, even after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, vetoed her state's RFRA bill. The issue is not going to disappear anytime soon, as the Tea Party faction of the GOP gains greater power at the state and federal levels, and seeks a galvanizing moment, such as RFRA, to drum up political support for their agenda. 3. Michael Sam Comes Out Michael Sam, who rose to prominence as the NCAA Southeastern Conference's Defensive Player Of The Year in early 2014, publicly declared himself gay, as he sought to fulfill his dreams of playing in the NFL. Sam, who made international headlines with his revelation, was inspired by the example of the NBA's Jason Collins, the first openly gay athlete to play in any major-league sport.
2. Mississippi Passes 'Turn Away The Gays' Law, Several Other States Have Similar Bills
With guidance from retired pro footballer Wade Davis, who now heads up the You Can Play project, Sam chose to live in his truth as the NFL draft approached, sparking keen interest and debate over whether the hyper masculine NFL was ready for an openly gay player. Sam was initially drafted, as a late-round pick, by the St. Louis Rams, but was cut from that team before regular season play began. He was then signed to the Dallas Cowboys' practice tram, but, again, was cut early, prompting intense scrutiny over whether his sexuality played a role in his abbreviated NFL career.
Whenever there is progress for the LGBT community, there is also regression, as the state of Mississippi so profoundly illustrated in 2014, by enacting into law the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA), or "Turn Away The Gays", as it's come to be known. The Jim Crow-like legislation makes it perfectly legal for individuals and businesses to refuse goods or services to LGBT people, "if it violates a sincerely held religious belief". Conceivably, a lesbian woman could be refused treatment at a church-owned hospital, or a gay couple could be denied lodging at a hotel under the new law, which was sponsored by Tea Party Republicans. This Deep South state ranked dead last in a survey
Some active and retired players reiterated that the league "was not ready" for an out athlete, and several suggested that because of this, Sam was "set up to fail". The political fallout is still ongoing, and Sam himself recently told Oprah that "[I'm] not the only one out there, I'm just the only one who's open", alluding to "A few other [closeted] gay players who have reached out to me. They say they wish they had the courage to come out." The Michael Sam story once again raised the issue of LGBT people in the workplace, particularly in all-male professions, such as the four major sports leagues. (CONTINUES ON PAGE 10)
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5 Most Important LGBT Political Stories Of 2014 By Nathan James ( CONTINUED ) 4. Obama Uses Executive Power For LGBT Rights Even as his congressional enemies vowed to block White House initiatives, President Obama, in a bold rebuke to the GOP, signed an Executive Order last summer, prohibiting workplace discrimination against LGBT people by any contractor doing business with the federal government. Order 11246, which extends even to subcontractors engaged in government work from discriminatory hiring or on-the-job practices, specifically includes protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Although House Republicans have long opposed such reforms as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), Obama has consistently fought for the LGBT community, ending the centuries-old ban on gays and lesbians serving in our armed forces, advocating to overturn the federal Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA), and opening Medicare coverage for those seeking transition-related care. Even as the Republican Party takes control of both houses of Congress in 2015, Obama is set to exercise both his veto power, and executive oversight to expand protections for LGBTs and bring the community as a whole, closer to full equality. 5. FDA Proposes Easing Ban On Gay Blood Donors The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a change regarding their 31-year ban on gay men donating blood. The agency currently bars all gay men who have had sex with another man--even once--since January 1, 1977, from ever donating blood. This lifetime prohibition dates back to the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, when healthcare officials had
ATIBA NEWSOME FRONT ROW INTERVIEW FROM PAGE 6. What kind of pieces do you keep in your closet despite the change of trends? I only keep pieces that will never die. Denim will never die. Leather will never die. There are certain fabrics and pieces that will never be out of style. The state of fashion is ever changing but it's also a big circle. Everything comes back. What stylists did you look up to when you started? There weren't any black stylists like there are now, especially gay. The black stylists that were known then were Mesa, groovy Lou, and June. What gives a stylist power? Is it being able to pulling clothes? Yes, but it's all about who you know. It's not hard to get a styling job it's hard to keep a styling job. And if you can keep a styling job and not have your career end before it starts, like I've seen many times, then you have power. Most stylist are styling for Instagram likes, because it's not easy getting paid to style. They aren't handing out money like they use to for styling because everyone is popping up calling themselves stylist. Fashion is so important in our culture. Why? Everyone wants to look good and these celebrities are spending money believe it or not, some don't have to spend anything but they want to always be fly and they love fashion. Beyoncé, Rihanna, the Kardashians, these girls shop! They are spend money and they know their labels.
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little information on the virus, and effective blood-supply screening methods were nonexistent. Despite three decades of learning about HIV, and the development of numerous ways to protect recipients from HIV-infected blood or blood products, the FDA has remained steadfast in its refusal to ease the restrictions. The FDA is now seeking to amend its policy, allowing gay or bisexual men to donate blood "if they have abstained from sex with other men for at least one year". This proposal has drawn much heated criticism from advocates, including Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who Tweeted that "the FDA must commit to building a bigger, safer blood supply through riskbased screening & have courage to set policies based on science," and cautioned against policymaking based on "ignorance". The HIV/AIDS epidemic has spurred the creation of "risk-based" screening and on-site blood testing to safeguard the donation process. The proposed change will be reviewed by Congress in the coming weeks. As 2015 dawns, I hope to see even greater advances for the LGBT community, and it is my fervent wish that we see the beginning of the end of homophobia, and the deleterious impact it has on every area of our life and law. Let's help make it happen.
Do you prefer male or female clients? Female. Guys are better with girls and girls are better with guys. Like my client J. Cole, it's hard for him to hear me tell him what to wear, but it's easy for him to listen to my female assistant. Therefore I will never go into a meeting with a new male artist or client without a female assistant. It's just better balance. I've used male assistants before and it never works. Why fashion for you? Mmm. It was never my plan, I just was always into clothes. I'm from Brooklyn and there was a gang that alway looked fly together and I thought that so genius. From like ages 10 to 12 is when I really started to fall for fashion. I was wearing like gold caps and Gucci sneakers at like 13 or 14 and we would be competing with other kids from the neighborhood. Most of the kids were shoplifting and boosting or whatever they had to do to get this fashion. I could get the clothes I wanted because I wasn't out getting in trouble; so instead of toys I was asking for Guest. I just grew up in a area were fashion was a big deal, I think if I had been in another borough like Queens or the Bronx it wouldn't have been a big deal. So how did you get your start? My friend was working for June and asked to borrow some suits because they were doing an R. Kelly video and when he explained to me what he was going to do and that he got paid for dressing people. I though it was genius.
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH FASHION GOD ATIBA NEWSOME AT DBQMAG.COM
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DBQ CULTURE
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5 THINGS WE LOVE
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Empire -Jussie Smollett
We absolutely love Lee Daniel's new series called, "Empire." Jussie Smollett plays Jamal the gay son of Taraji P. Henson aka Cookie Lyon. Watch Wednesdays nights on Fox.
'WITH PASSION' By TY HUNTER
The legendary Fashion Director behind Beyoncé has finally released a collection with Served Fresh. Ty's mission is to inspire passion and positivity with his new collection. Order your pieces at ServedFreshCollection.com
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THE REBIRTH OF PARIS Directed by Seven King
The new 'IT BOY" of Ballroom and new public face of young Trans men has created a compelling documentary taking a new and modern look into the culture and community of Ballroom. This star studded work of art is not only informative but inspiring. DBQMAG.COM for more information.
eLo Organic Lip Care
eLo™ essentials collection: which features, a DAY balm, a NIGHT balm, and a BROWN scrub. This collection is unisex and is created to be simple, organic, and fresh. Both lip balms are clear when applied to the lip.
The DAY balm should be worn when the sun is present, its hot and/or muggy, or when you truly need the protection. The NIGHT balm is important because when the sun goes down, your lips just like your body needs to relax. And for those times when the day has gotten the best of you and your precious lips have become dry and chapped, there is an alternative to just living with it. By using the BROWN scrub you will finally be able to exfoliates and polish the lips gently and organically. —I don't go anywhere without my Elo lips balm. My favorite, the one I use all day is the 'night', something about it that I'm addicted to. Plus I love black. -David Bridgeforth
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Triangle is the new highly watched web series about a man named Jabril Anderson who gets himself caught up in his own web of deceit. When he falls in love with two beautiful lovely guys. The moment his two worlds collide —in an instant things change, alliances are formed and its every man for himself. Love will make you do strange things. Produced by Ceasar Williams, the creator of the highly viewed Youtube Network "Ballroom Throwbacks", written by Carlos J. Harris.
Special Issue
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THE READ
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REVIEW
"A List of Things That Didn't Kill Me" By Jason Schmidt Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer
Your people understand you. That’s because you speak the same language, dance to the same music, and wear the same uniform. You might not be related by blood or ceremony, but you belong to them and they to you. You’re family but, as you’ll see in the new book “A List of Things That Didn’t Kill Me” by Jason Schmidt, they won’t always catch you when you fall. Killing his father would have been simple. Jason Schmidt knew he could smother his dad or overdose him and nobody would ever suspect. His father had been sick awhile anyhow and if he died, nobody would look twice, although Schmidt sensed he’d regret it. He didn’t need any more regrets in his life… Born in the early ‘70s, Schmidt remembers being a self-sufficient child: his earliest memory was leaving his mother’s house (at age three) to ride a mile on his tricycle to his father’s place. That was just before his parents battled, his mother left for good, his father “got busted,” and Schmidt was sent to Southern California to temporarily live with his grandparents, who shipped him to Oregon when his father got out of jail. There, Schmidt and his dad lived in a series of “leftover” houses with a variety of “flower children, baby boomers” and hippies who taught Schmidt about sex, drugs, and avoiding outsiders. When he was seven, he and his father relocated to Seattle, where they moved in with his dad’s boyfriend – thus, Schmidt learned that his father was gay. Three years later, another boyfriend got sick with a “weird fever” and then Schmidt’s father “came down with the same bug.” Schmidt pretended to cry when the diagnosis of AIDS was confirmed.
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By the beginning of his senior year, Schmidt – whose school attendance was spotty, at best – had nonetheless caught up with his peers. He had a girlfriend, an understanding of welfare fraud, a high IQ, anger issues, and a dying father - but no stability, money, or plan for the future. He was sixteen, just barely holding things together, and he couldn’t even think of what would happen when he graduated. And then a “nice old man,” an angel with cleaning supplies, stepped into his life… The best way I can describe “A List of Things That Didn’t Kill Me” is to say that it’s a large book. I’m not just talking page count: beginning with his earliest memory and moving forward to young adulthood, author Jason Schmidt shares a powerful, emotional coming-of-age tale of an unstable childhood, of the beginning of AIDS, and of people purposely living on the edge of society with little-to-nothing, all told in a voice dripping with sarcasm, irony, and anger. That voice. That’s what hooked me. I laughed. I got teary. I loved it. Though this book is meant for teens, I think it’s better-suited for readers ages 16-and-up, due to adult language and themes. If you can handle that, then “A List of Things that Didn’t Kill Me” is one you’ll be glad you didn’t miss.
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THE READ
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BOOKS ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR PRIME LIFE
By David Bridgeforth
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1. A Return To Love A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles is the first book by author Marianne Williamson and is to date the biggest selling book of interpretation of the spiritual thought system found in the book A Course In Miracles. —My favorite book of all time. I've purchased hundreds of copies of this book. I've given it to my whole family. My whole high school and college class. Every person I've ever been in love with. Not only is this book readable on all my devices but I carry a hard copy in my bag, because every time I finish this book I reread it again. —DB
2. As a Man Thinketh
"As a Man Thinketh" is a literary essay by James Allen, published in 1902. —This book is literally saved and readable in every device I own. I read this who book at least once a month. —DB
3. Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now
Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now, published in 1993, is African‑American writer and poet Maya Angelou's first book of essays. —This is my favorite book by Maya Angelou and I've read everything my mother has written. This is the book that made me want to write a book. —DB
4.When Things Fall Apart
Pema Chodron's Zen i n t e r p re t a t i o n o f T i b e t a n Buddhism takes the form of a non-theistic spiritualism. In When Things Fall Apart this head of a Tibetan monastery in Canada outlines some relevant and deceptively profound terms of Tibetan Buddhism that are germane to modern issues. This guide aims to appeal to everyone. It argues that there is a fundamental opportunity for happiness right within our reach, yet we usually miss it - ironically, while we are caught up in attempt to escape pain and suffering.
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—I've studied many different religions and ways of thought as I developed my own and Pema's book shifted how I saw pain and circumstances. —DB
5. Live Your Dreams
Here is Les Brown's personal formula for success and happiness -- positively charged thoughts, guidance, examples, plus an Action Planner to help you focus your thoughts on specific goals...and achieve them all. The answers are all here in this astonishing book -with one simple, powerful message: We may not always be able to control what is put in our path, but we can always control what we are...and what we will become. —This is the man who changed my life and raised my consciousness when he became my Godfather at age 16. This book is the blue print for making your dreams reality. —DB
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HEALTH WELLNESS
Amari Jayce Vendely 31 Miami, Florida IG: @thereal_amarijayce Twitter: @ItsJustMeAjay I've been transitioning since Aug. 21st, 2013.
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PRIME LIFE
WELLNESS REALNESS TransFormer AMARI JAYCE Shares His Tips on Living & Transitioning at Your PRIME.
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AMARI JAYCE What is the greatest lesson you've learned about yourself on your journey of transformation?
The greatest lesson I've learned about myself thus far is that I needed to learn patience! Before this transition, I had NONE... But I have no choice but to have them now due to the fact that none of my changes can happen over night, so its kinda rounded me out a little bit in all aspects of being patient with things in life. What are your daily practices that help you heal yourself? I have found that exercising really calms my spirits and relaxes my mind. It also makes me feel good about myself and calms my dysphoria. What are three tips for new trans men and women who are looking to transform healthily? 1. MOST IMPORTANTLY!! ALWAYS follow the necessary steps to begin Testosterone/Estrogen. Never get it online or from anybody but a doctor! And always follow doctors orders. Taking more testosterone than what's been prescribed WILL NOT make changes happen faster. If anything too much testosterone turns into Estrogen. 2. Make sure you do your research about the hormones and make sure you know everything that can possibly happen to your body. 3. Exercise... When putting the opposite hormone into your body there is a lot of fat redistribution that happens and exercising helps. What do you do to keep a positive and focused attitude? I have been through a lot in my life so I know that it can always be worse no matter what situation I'm in. I've been blessed to be able to do something that I never thought was gonna be possible... Transition! I mean how negative can I really be? I'm finally in the skin I belong in! I have learned through the years that no matter how far you gotta dig... There's positive in every situation. How do you deal with the hate, the ignorance and shade in the community? I don't! I have came to understand that no matter where I go, someone isn't going to like the way I live my life... And that's okay. To each it's own. There are people out there that learn from me and gain strength from me leaving my life as an open book and others that have even said I've inspired them enough to not take their own life. THAT!... that's what matters most to me.
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OVER 15 YEARS OF LIVING, LEARNING, AND GROWING. Positive Images, a program offered by the Los Angeles LGBT Center, has served the LGBT community for 15 years and counting. The focus is to help newly diagnosed, HIV + men with linkage to care and retention in care as well as to help combat barriers that may be experienced within the community. Positive Images emphasizes the identification of strengths that will help make wellness a priority. Our weekly support groups offer education that increases an individual’s knowledge of higher self-thinking, health and community. Come join us to discover the new you.
CONTACT: Percival Pandy Jr. Program Coordinator 323 860 7321 ppandy@lalgbtcenter.org
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DBQ Magazine
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DBQ PRIME
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Welcome
HEALTH & WELLNESS It is our intention here at DBQ Magazine to present a dynamic cutting edge Health section that is positive, affirming and informative for our demographic of LGBT people of color. Prime, the name of our Health & Wellness section will embody imperative content intended to connect a nation of readers to self awareness, love and care. Join us in the ongoing conversation about health and help us trend self awareness and personal care. — David Bridgeforth, Publisher, DBQ Magazine Welcome to the new DBQ PRIME Section. We look forward to providing you with the most up-to-date information to help you live your life during your prime years. As our youthful LGBT readers emerge in life, DBQ brings you this section that will focus on areas of your life that is essential, like health, lifestyle, fitness, and so much more. As we kick off this premier section for the first quarter of the New Year, we invite you tell us what matters to you in your prime. Use the hashtag #DBQPRIME and tag @DBQMAG on your social media platforms and let us know. We’ll review the submissions and will try to incorporate that into the future PRIME section. We look forward to celebrating and highlighting this part of your life. We are excited to propel, enlighten, and prepare you for the future. —DaShawn Usher, NY Health Editor, DBQ Magazine, @thedaysofdae
LET'S TREND HEALTH
Tweet us at @DBQMAG and share important health topics that are PRIME for our community. #DBQPrimeHealth Page 15
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PRIME FACT Among gay and bisexual men in 2012 in the United States, African Americans accounted for the largest estimated number and percentage of diagnoses of HIV infection (11,957, 39%), followed by whites (10,069, 33%), and Hispanics/ Latinos (7,057, 23%).
Hispanic/Lat. White African Am. Other
— CDC, DEC 2014 Dec/Jan/Feb
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PRIME Health
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AMBASSADORS
I HAVE TO BE THE CHAMPION OF MY LIFE'S JOURNEY
SAY HELLO TO JUSTIN
"Only I can change my life, no one else can do it for me" -Carol Burnett
1. What were your personal reason for getting into treatment? I wanted to get into treatment to ensure that I would live a long, healthy, productive life. Also, I felt it was important to keep myself safe from other illness related to HIV and to reduce the risk of transmission to future partners. 2. How did you become positive? I was in a relationship with an ex-partner who was having outside relations. We were not using condoms, due to conversations we had about being "only with each other" but my ex was not using condoms with his other partners. 3. What are your daily practices that help you stay spiritually, mentally and physically well? Some daily practices I have for myself include listening to music, hanging out with family, shutting off my phone to disconnect from the world, and laughing. I feel as though laughing is a way to cure all pains and worries. 4. How do you deal with the stigma associated with HIV? The best way I deal with stigma is by combating it with Education. I cannot assume that everyone has the same education as myself around HIV, so at times it would not be fair to hold someone accountable for their lack of knowledge around the subject. However, with education comes power and my goal is to always empower myself so I can empower others with the knowledge I have. 5. What has been your experience disclosing your status while dating since diagnosis? I have always had positive feedback when disclosing my status, since it is usually the ďŹ rst few things I tell potential partners about. However, Idid have one bad experience which an individual stated "well I would never have sex with someone who was HIV+ because that is just as strange as having sex with a dog!"- why does everyone always jump to animals! lol 6. What are your regrets? It is hard to say but I try not to have any regrets. Naturally I will sometimes have the shoulda, woulda, couldas, but I try to live each moment as a lesson learned. One of my biggest regrets right now is not appreciating a loved one whom I lost in November; my grandfather. I was always so wrapped up with work, school, and life, that I never really cherished the moments I had with him because in my mind, he was going to always be around. But after his very sudden death, I realized that life is too short to not tell the people you love that you love them on an everyday basis.
Justin Toro was 20 years old when he tested positive for HIV on the 20th of May 2006; and he says he was the 20th person in the clinic that day. Today he takes his message and inspiration from the Carol Burnett quote above inviting people to get up and fix their lives.
7. What have you learned about yourself through this process? Being HIV+ has taught me a lot about myself. I have learned that I am a survivor and am unique. Although I was never the most popular kid in school in fact that I was the "fat boy" with glasses growing up, but that never stopped me from wanting more for myself and striving for my hopes and dreams. Now in my life, I have family and friends who love me, support me, and tell me how proud they are of me; that is the greatest feeling in the world. 8. Who do you want to be in the world? The person I strive to be most like in this world is my mother. She was a single mother for a very long time, raising 2 children on her own, working 3 jobs, and still managed to make every school play, basketball game, or special event in our lives. She is the person that everyone in my family goes to for advice and support. She is my rock and if I can be anything like her, then I feel that I am the best man in the world. To learn more about Justin and Mya visit: www.hivstopswithme.org
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To learn more about Justin and Mya visit: www.hivstopswit hme.org
PRIME Health
MEET
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AMBASSADORS
MYA A Trans Woman Who Is Living Well Words/ Baldwin Rivers
I am a loving educated, powerful, caring and respectful AfroLatina women. —Mya L. Vazquez 1. When did you first find out you were positive? It was 2003 I was in high school staying in a group home and only a few days away from my seventh birthday. 2. How do you deal with the stigma associated with HIV? Education is how I deal with it, shortly after being diagnosed was trained in HIV prevention and education and became a peer educator and train other youth and young adults on HIV and how to prevent transmission. 3. What has been your experience disclosing your status while dating since diagnosis? My experience with disclosing my status was a challenge for myself. In my first relationship, which lasted five years I was
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up front then I am currently in my second relationship of five years I disclosed up front too. I feel it is best to be up front with it, now you will know who and when to with it comes to disclosure everyone doesn't have to know. 4. What have you learned about yourself through this process? I learned plenty about myself, what I learned the most through the process is patients, love and and respect for self and others. 5. What now is your message? Be safe and use preventative measures all the time.There is life after your diagnosis stay educated, healthy, respectful, and true to yourself and others.
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PRIME
HEALTH & WELLNESS
*
COLUMN
BEATING HIV: How HIV Meds Are Providing New Options For Prevention By DaShawn Usher
Everyone has an HIV status. Positive or negative, our status shapes our experiences as we navigate through life. With options for both negative and positive people, research is proving that a world free of HIV and AIDS is possible and can happen within our lifetime. For HIV negative people, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a daily pill that can prevent HIV. Adherence to a treatment regimen can help HIV positive people become virally suppressed (or “undetectable”). These newer prevention options open up the door to understand what it means to be a healthy gay man in 2015. “HIV prevention to me, is the prevention in the community and minimizing the stigma. The only way to do that is to continue to educate people about their prevention options,” said JahLove The Brand, the 28-year-old HIV+ spokes model for the “HIV Stops With Me” campaign. JahLove has been featured in multiple HIV awareness campaigns, including the New York State Department of Health and AIDS Institute’s R U Positive and the more recent In Care Campaign for HIV+ or newly diagnosed people to get them connected to care. Although, JahLove said his involvement with “HIV Stops With Me” since 2011, allows him to express himself and live in his truth. “I have worked in the field of HIV prevention, education, and research for over 8 years. When looking at messages of other campaigns, they didn’t apply to my life or me. When I got the chance to share my story, I felt like that contribution was the most important,” JahLove said. We are now able to extend the conversation beyond the basic forms of protection we are used to. Condoms alone are no longer considered the only form of “protected” sex against HIV. According to researchers of the iPrEx study, PrEP has been proven effective if you take it daily and can provide up to a 99% protection from HIV. Being virally suppressed if your HIV positive reduces HIV transmission by up to 96%. Neither option protects against any STDs, which would require the ongoing use of condoms. When it comes to HIV, many people are living in two worlds: in fear of becoming infected or one where HIV does enter their reality. “When I first heard of PrEP, I was at the NAESM conference several years ago. The topic of discussion was about what is coming down the pipeline. I remember a lot of activist and advocates were against it,” JahLove recalled. “I too was once on the opposing side. I learned more about PrEP and realized it is a useful tool that is needed in this fight against HIV. Still, a lot of people on the ground are not aware of PrEP,” JahLove said. “If PrEP were available when I was HIV negative [16 years
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old] I probably wouldn’t have taken it. At that time, I didn’t know the skills of self-love and self-worth. Since those skills weren’t instilled in me back then, I probably wouldn’t had seen the benefit of it. Now, having those skills and the education around PrEP, I probably would have if it was an option,” JahLove continued. The Great Debate: The Normalization of HIV and Mainstream Undetectable From the start of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there was a strong fear-based agenda to get the message across that HIV/AIDS was a scary untreatable deadly disease. This may have caused more stigma and discrimination worldwide. During the early 1990’s, activists and social groups demanded accurate public information access to drugs that could treat HIV. Their demands lead to more research around HIV treatment and prevention. Eventually, there was a shift. HIV was normalized as a chronic disease. In 2011, the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) clinical trial, HPTN 052, was named Science magazine’s “Breakthrough of the Year.” HPTN 052 confirmed that treating HIV-positive people with antiretroviral (ARV) drugs reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to HIV-negative sexual partners by 96%. What many speculated for years, was finally confirmed. If you’re HIV+ and your virus becomes suppressed, or undetectable, you’re less likely to pass HIV on to your sexual partners. Before to HPTN 052’s study results, it was common for people to fear becoming infected through sexual contact with an HIV positive partner. “The term undetectable impacted the HIV positive community because more people are knowledgeable about it. The fear was HIV transmission. At one point, people wondered could we eat after each other? Could we be lovers? Once providers and researchers realized that medication adherence lead to being less infectious it was a great thing. People were able to have more successful relationships with family, friends and partners. If nothing else, it has opened up more conversations with loved ones,” JahLove explained. While being undetectable is a great thing for the field of HIV prevention, statistics remind us that not everyone is reaching that level. In fact, of the 82% of people that are diagnosed with HIV in the United States, only 66% are linked to care and of that 66%, only 37% are retained in care, while only 33% are prescribed HIV medication.
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In reality, only 25% of people living with HIV are virally suppressed, or undetectable across the nation. “To me, undetectable means to be stabilized. I remember when I didn’t want to take medication. It was at a point in my life when everything was a mess, my health, housing and other things. Having a place was my main priority. I couldn’t take a pill everyday, if I wasn’t in a stable environment to take it. Since 2008, I have been undetectable. I have maintained this status by keeping everything stable: stable housing and a stable lifestyle. Stability is key in being undetectable,” JahLove said. The controversy emerges in the way we think of being undetectable. Is being "undetectable" different from being positive? Some dating and hookup websites now have an HIV status option. Some have “undetectable” as an option under HIV positive. For some people, this is the future of status sharing. Others see it as another divide within the HIV community. “It totally creates a divide when websites and apps have undetectable as an HIV status option. I think it’s unnecessary. It should just be “Negative” or “Positive.” It’s another box to try to weed people out that are positive,” said JahLove.
more of the burden, especially with the stigma still around HIV,” said JahLove. Particularly with more information and new drugs available to prevent and treat HIV, we have to understand how we all contribute. Dismantling stigma and discrimination starts with understanding the unspoken biases behind proclaiming an undetectable HIV. Being HIV positive and treating someone differently if they are not undetectable is wrong. As is being HIV negative and treating someone different who is positive. Normalizing HIV does not have to come with the price of status shaming. After many years of living in fear of sex and HIV, we are finally at a place where the two no longer have to be married to each other. Thanks to research, gay men are better informed of what their options are and HIV negative men now have additional options too.
Some may misinterpret the meaning of these two terms. The term undetectable may imply that a person is connected to care, taking care of themselves and are up-to-date on their health. Yet, HIV positive seems to be synonymous with not taking care of your health, not taking your medication, and not being “healthy.” The reality is that there will be healthy HIV positive people that will not reach undetectable levels— for a variety of factors not related to taking medication. “We know that there are many reasons, social and economical, that can prevent someone from being undetectable,” JahLove continued. Decades into the HIV epidemic, with many lives impacted —particularly in the Black gay community— stigma remains a heavy burden on the community. When trying to address HIV stigma, there is a lot to unpack to figure out where the root of shame and discrimination grows. “I feel like positive people carry
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Every year my team and I are sent hundreds of names and bios of amazingly gifted LGBT people of color who have achieved some level of greatness or have contributed meaning in a monumental way to our community within the last year. It is then our responsibility to bring to the forefront the common thread of their intent and purpose and to select 100 LOUD people of colors whose work, achievements and even beingness adds value to the betterment of our community as a whole.
THE
LOUD
100 LGBT PEOPLE OF COLOR
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2014 DBQ Magazine
Dec/Jan/Feb
Special Issue
In addition to reviewing and selecting individuals for this honorary celebration, every year I interrogate my mind, heart, soul and intention as to what it means and what it looks like to be a Loud LGBT person of color in America today. It's my mission to in some way deďŹ ne it differently, perhaps even better than I did the year before. It's my hope to give life and meaning to what LOUD looks like so that in our own lives, within our minds and hearts we can urge ourselves to stand broader for the things that matter most to our community. So here is the list this year. It will forever be controversial, always looked forward to and will never stop pushing unity, pride and love. These are the Loud 100 LGBT people of color of 2014 who have shaped our year and moved us forward. Let us all stand and tip our hats!
—David Bridgeforth
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The
LOUD
100 Derrick Briggs: Creator of the ADTV Network on YouTube and co-host with David Bridgeforth of the 'Do Better' show and movement — inspiring a nation of LGBT people of color to lead better lives.
Gabe Maldonado: Organizer. Activist. Strategist. Executive Director of TruEvolution, Inc. Gabriel is one of the youngest openly-gay appointed ofďŹ cials of color in the State of California and serves transparently as a person living with HIV.
Shaun Ross: International Albino Model. A complete Inspiration. Model of the Year.
Merrell Hollis: Artistic Director, Beauty Editor, and Celebrity. Makeup artist behind Wendy Williams
Jeffrey King: Executive Director of Los Angeles based men's group, In The Meantime. HIV Advocate and Activist.
Oscar James: Celebrity Hairstylist. The man responsible for the amazing hair of Nicki Minaj.
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Twiggy Pucci Garcon: Ballroom Legend, Published Model, Program Manager, Forty to None Project, True Colors Fund.
Adolph Arromand: The new CEO of NAESM
DBQ Magazine
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Yusef Williams: The brilliant Celebrity Hairstylist behind Rihanna..
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Tiq Milan: Transgender Activist & Advocate. Senior Media Strategist of National News at GLAAD.
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The
LOUD
100
Jason Collins: In February 2014, became the first openly gay person to play in an NBA game.
EJ Johnson: Magic Johnson's Son. Reality TV Star, 'Rich Kids of Beverly Hills'.
Michael Sam: Even though he didn't make the Rams or the Cowboys, he became the first openly gay man drafted into the NFL.
RuPaul: Host of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'.
Jussie Smollett: Appeared in the TV series 'Revenge' in 2014 and is currently starring in Lee Daniels' new series called 'Empire' on Fox.
Olivier Rousteing: Fashion Director of Balmain.
Billy Porter: Tony Award-winning star of 'Kinky Boots', who has a new show called 'While I Yet Live'.
Jerris Madison: Creator & Editor of Obvious Magazine. In 2014 he survived cancer and inspired us all.
Wade Davis: Former NFL player who appeared in People Magazine this year. Cofounder with Darnell Moore of You Belong LGBTQA Football and Leadership Camp part of the You Belong Initiative.
Ty Hunter: Brilliant Stylist. Fashion Director for Beyoncé. Creator of 'With Passion' clothing line.
Glenn Ligon: The black gay artist in 2014 sold one of his pieces at Sotheby's Auction for $4 million.
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The
LOUD
100 Donovan MUA: Celebrity Makeup Artist, celebrated for his amazing work on Teyana Taylor.
Reggie Wells: Iconic Celebrity Makeup Artist, Beauty Director, Oprah Winfrey's personal makeup artist for over 25 years.
Lee Daniels: Director of 'The Butler' and the new Fox series 'Empire.'
Michael Robertson: Ballroom Legend. LGBT Activist and Advocate. Historian and Master Educator.
Dr. Sheldon D. Fields: HIV Advocate. Researcher and Activist working in the ďŹ eld of Behavioral Health Research specializing in HIV/AIDS prevention.
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Rashad Robinson: The only openly gay leader of a national civil rights organization, Color of Change.
Tokyo: Celebrity Hair Stylist. Celebrated for his amazing work on Teyana Taylor in 2014.
A. Cornelius Baker: Fearless HIV Advocate. Activist and adviser for over twenty years.
Staci Yandle: Black Lesbian who became a federal judge in 2014. .
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Sean Anthony: Director of 'No Shade', the new popular gay YouTube series.
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B Scott: Media Maven. YouTube Sensation. In 2014 she lost her lawsuit against BET, but she still is pushing the gender non-conforming agenda and pressing the limits for LGBT people in the media.
Angel Haze: Openly Lesbian Rapper nominated in 2014 for a VMA for her video, 'Battle Cry'.
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The
LOUD
100
'.
Stanley Bennett Clay: Novelist, Playwright, Director, Filmmaker, Actor. In 2014 had two novels published by Ellora's Cave-"Hollywood Flames" and "Madame Frankie". Produced, directed, and ultimately starred in his award-winning stage play 'Ritual' Off-Broadway.
Raven Symone: The lovely Child Star from 'The Cosby Show' has had an interesting year after coming out as a woman happily in a relationship with her longtime girlfriend, Azmarie Livingston. She sparked conversation and controversy on Oprah about her views on race.
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Octavius Terry and Jamal Sims: Black Gay Hollywood couple married on live TV during the 2014 Grammy Awards.
Derrick Rutledge: Celebrity Make-up Artist. Oprah Winfrey's current Personal MUA.
Patrick Riley: Producer. Journalist. Writer/ blogger of the celebrated column “The Life of Riley”.
Dee Reea: Lesbian Writer-Director behind Pariah.
James Earl Hardy: Legendary Author of “B-Boy Blues Series” which came to the stage this year and will be running OffBroadway in Harlem in 2015.
DiAndre Tristen: Emmy winning stylist for Robin Roberts, 'Good Morning America.
Sailey Williams: EditorIn-Chief of XEX Magazine
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The
LOUD
100 Keith Boykin: CNBC Contributor, MSNBC Commentator, BET Columnist, and New York Times best-selling author.
Azmarie Livingston: Actress. Model 'Americas Next Top Model'. On the new show, 'Empire' on Fox.
Thomas Davis
Adrian Neil Jr, Darnell Moore: CoFounder of You Belong LGBTQA Football and Leadership Camp part of the You Belong Initiative.
Patrick Ingram These three cocreators of ThePozLife.com along with Benjamin Di'Costa and Adrian Castellanos. The website is an informative and afďŹ rming place for positive lifestyle.
Quincy Lenear and Deondray Gossett: Black Gay Filmmaker couple married on live TV during the 2014 Grammy Awards.
Patrik-Ian Polk: Director of the critically acclaimed 'Noah's Arc ' and movie 'The Skinny'. His new ďŹ lm 'Blackbird' premiers in 2015.
Trace Mizrahi: Actress, Ballroom Face Legend. .
Byron Barnes, celebrity Makeup Artist/ National Artist for IMAN Cosmetics.
Malcolm Hunter: Talented Celebrity Chef who created a charity called 'Dinner And A Blanket' that assists the homeless of both Chicago and Indiana during the Fall/Winter Seasons with a hot meal and a blanket.
Dwight Powell: Creator of the annual Sizzle mega-event in Miami
The
Laverne Cox had a phenomenal year in 2014 with TV appearances ranging from Katie Couric to Melissa Harris-Perry to Wendy Williams along with her second season on 'Orange Is The New Black'. Her most influential appearance was as the first trans person to cover TIME Magazine. She continued to be a trailblazer by receiving an Emmy nomination for supporting actress and even graced the cover of Essence along with other influential women of color. And just to think, two years ago she was serving food as a waitress to pay the bills.
Caesar Williams: Creator of Ballroom Throwbacks, the most popular network of Ballroom media, with YouTube views of more than 35 million.
Darrin Gayles: Became the nation's first Black Gay Federal Judge in October.
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LOUD
100
Jack Mizrahi: Ballroom Icon. Commentator and Activist. Released a new song with J. LO in 2014 called, 'Tens'.
Brittney Griner: First openly gay athlete endorsed by Nike
Lena Waithe: Lesbian Writer/Producer of movie 'Dear White People'.
Sir John: Celebrity Beauty Adviser for Beyoncé. Writer for VogueItalia.com
Tona Brown: First Transgender Vocalist & Violinist to play for a President and at Carnegie Hall.
Kelsey Louie: GMHC President.
DBQ Magazine
Paris Barclay: Director of 'Sons of Anarchy' and President of Directors Guild of America.
Roger Ross Williams: The Filmmaker who created the new documentary 'God Loves Uganda'.
Chris Witherspoon: Openly Gay Entertainment Editor for The Grio.
Derrick Gordon: Openly Gay Basketball Player for University of Massachusetts.
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The
LOUD
100
Jonte: International Entertainer, Choreographer, Singer and Song Writer.
Angelica Ross: Founding CEO of TransTech Social Enterprise, a training academy and apprenticeship program that aims to empower, educate and employ the trans community.
Memsor: Fashion Stylist for Wendy Williams
Derrick J: Celebrity Hairstylist on 'Real Housewives of Atlanta'. Co-Host of 'Fashion Queens' on Bravo.
Phil Esteem: Founder and Creator of The Esteem Award in Chicago and PrideIndex.com
Miss Lawrence: From 'RHOAJ'. Co-Host of 'Fashion Queens' on Bravo.
Sheldon DeSouza: Activist & Advocate. The force behind the brilliant 'HIV Stops With Me' campaign.
Lee Soulja: President of New York City Black Pride. Celebrated Dramatic Visual Performing Artist.
THE TENTH: Khary Septh, Kyle Banks and Andre Jones: Aiming to bring the colorful stories of black gay men to the forefront with the new biannual publication celebrating the community's culture.
The
Janet Mock began 2014 with the release of her New York Times Bestseller “Redefining Realness”, which chronicled her journey through life as a trans woman of color. Mock is currently an editor at Marie Claire where her original story as a trans woman was first published. She also created and launched her own show, 'So POPular', which can be seen on Shift MSNBC. She is a frequent guest on 'Melissa Harris-Perry Show'. And lastly, she is engaged to her longtime boyfriend Aaron Tredwell, showing trans women everywhere anything is possible
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100
Kim Watson: Trans Woman Activist and Advocate. Founder of CK Life.
Samira Wiley: Actress in 'Orange Is the New Black'.
LZ Granderson: The Brilliant Black Gay CNN/ESPN Commentator
Fly Young Red: The Rapper behind 'Throw That Boy Pussy'.
Saaed Jones: Writer, Author and Editor of BuzzFeed LGBT.
Justin Simien: The Director of 'Dear White People'.
Todrick Hall: Celebrity Choreographer and International Entertainer.
Pony Zion: Ballroom Legend. Celebrity Choreographer. Artist Talent Developer.
Wanda Sykes: Celebrated Openly Lesbian Comedian
Big Freedia: The Queen of Bounce Music. In 2014 she starred in her own reality show, 'The Freedia Show', about Bounce music on FUSE TV. MJ Harris: The managing director of The Hurston Group, a national financial service firm that provides life insurance, retirement, long term care, and estate planning for all people, no matter their HIV status. In 2014 Malcolm Harris got to share his story of overcoming the shame of being HIV positive with Oprah during her Life You Want event in Washington, DC.
Jamil A. Fletcher: Publisher of Swerve Magazine.
Robin Roberts: Journalist. Host of Good Morning America. Cancer Survivor. She came out in 2014 about her long time lesbian relationship.
LOUD
DBQ Magazine
Sam Fine: Celebrity Makeup Artist. The man behind the face of Queen Latifah for her daytime talk show.
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The
LOUD
100
Anthony Wayne: The Black Gay Star and Kendrell Bowman: Producer of 'Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical'.
Earl Folks: President/CEO of Center For Black Equity. Democratic National Committee (DNC) AtLarge member & Chair of DNC LGBT Caucus. Also, Chair of Washington DC Mayor's GLBT Advisory Committee.
Monifah and Terez Mychelle: Wed this year on their reality show 'R&B Divas'. Marvell Terry: HIV Activist. Motivational Speaker. Founder and Executive Director of The Red Door Foundation, Inc.
Kelvin Atkinson: Nevada State Senator who became the ďŹ rst gay person to marry his partner in Las Vegas in 2014
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DBQ Magazine
Doug Locke: Black Gay Recording Artist who broke ground with his video 'This Could Be Us'.
Kordale and Kaleb, The Black Gay Parents that made national headlines when seen on Instagram with 130,000 followers preparing their children for school one day.
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*
What I've Come To Know
L
ike most of you, I've been on an adventure, a journey towards the emancipation of my spirt —a path to myself, the person I've always known existed but never knew where. Today as I look over 2014 I am not only humbled, but utterly amazed at how far I've come and how much I've done. I've lived in so many different places in so many different parts of the country. I've witnessed beauty, betrayal and benevolence. I've slept on warm beaches, in cold cars and in luxurious hotels, and I have lived out of my luggage almost every day of 2014 while smiling daringly throughout it all. I've dragged bags of money to the bank this year, but I've also had to scrap up my last coin to save my life. While surviving a fire, death of loved ones, heartbreak, and utter abandonment, If I was attempting to live on the edge, I did it. Despite all I've gotten wrong, I see it all was right because it has brought me gracefully to this time and place. Maya Angelou, whom I'm always quoting, told me once what greatness looked like. She talked about those born into it, those who had it thrusted upon them and those who choose it. I remember her smiling at me and saying, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had all three. What is special about this memory is that it wasn't until this past year that I understood what she was really saying. I've evolved to a place where I can see how I was born into greatness. I can see how since my birth God has been leading me through vicissitude of paths of greatness. This is evident from ever great person who touched my life as I grew up and how much my struggle gave birth to my character. When DBQ Magazine became a national bimonthly publication 2 years ago, I could feel greatness being thrusted upon me. I arrived at a powerful platform with a national audience and I could feel the thrust of responsibility. I learned what it meant when someone would say 'Heavy is the Crown'. As I enter my Prime, DBQ Magazine's 5th year celebration, I meet the magnificent understanding that I now get to choose greatness for my life. It is something that I have the power to point at and claim. To do that, I believe it is the highest level of personal power and I believe it takes some people their whole lives to realize and understand that they have the power to live the life they want, but they must have enough courage to choose it and own it for themselves.
the truth is I know who you are really. We all are more alike than unlike. Therefore I don't speak of myself and story to impress you, but to impress upon you the truth of who you really are. My hope is that you look at me and not only see yourself but see the possibilities of your own existence. This is what I've come to know. It isn't until we realize that we, no matter the where or how of the origin of our story, were born into greatness —that we start to change the presence of our life. How we show up in the world and how people experience us is based on our personal birthright of greatness. It is simply understanding that despite our past and our stories of arrival that still greatness lives within the moving blood within our veins I've come to know that the moment we experience the force of passion or purpose that in that moment greatness was just thrusted upon us and we now have been introduce to power and perhaps the work of our lives. For the life of us, we will never be in the position to move abundantly and beneficently through this world until we choose greatness. Loud is when you've evolved into all three. It is the volume of ones Godness on earth —the great measure of ones clarity and depth. LOUD is simply the volume of ones presence, power and position in this world. Step into your Loudness and turn up the Volume of your life.
I don't know you, so I am not going to tell you who you are, but
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