So, I am thrilled to join Mercedes-Benz in their continuing awareness and empathy, for the ongoing struggle for Black people and the LGBTQ+ community. Giving my mom that gift was a way of saying, “Mom, I’ve made it,” which was possible because I have the freedom to show up as both Black and gay.
Not only am I an owner, but this past holiday season I was fortunate to be able to make my mom an owner. These movements, past and present, intersect at the common point of pushing towards equality for all. Mercedes-Benz has stood with the Black and LGBTQ+ communities and has vowed to continue to be with us going forward.Īs unique as this time is, it does truly echo and honors the legacy of bravery of the Civil Rights Movement and the historic Stonewall protests, which were led by pioneering Black transgender activists like Marsha P. As a proud Black and gay man, I take this time to pause and hold space for the Black community because we are hurting and we are demanding lasting change. We find ourselves in the middle of a global health pandemic, while so many of us have united in fighting to address and finally put an end to systemic racism and discrimination. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.“This Pride month is unlike any other before it. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. If the black media isn't ready to go that deep, the black gay prides are a great place to start because they are positive celebrations of black culture, my culture and others like me that are black and gay.ĬHIDEYA: Jasmyne Cannick is a social and political commentator living in Los Angeles.Ĭopyright © 2005 NPR. Hate crimes, HIV/AIDS and homophobia in the black church demand our attention right now.
When the black media ignores gay issues, they continue to further divide our community and do a disservice to African-Americans by not addressing the problem head-on. They are cultural celebrations that affirm and empower a community of invisible people in a climate of hostility from pastors, elected officials and sometimes our own family members. So while most pride celebrations celebrate one's sexual preference, for black gays they celebrate much more. We tend to live where blacks live: in Harlem, in South Central, in Oakland and in Atlanta.Īnd then there's this: black gays are more likely to watch a show on BET than Showtime's "Queer As Folk" or "The L Word." Why? Because we are black, and when was the last time you saw someone black on "Queer As Folk"? What's more, black gay and lesbians don't live in separate communities. Doesn't green known the difference between black and white? Ten thousand or more culturally diverse, socially active, event-and-brand loyal, frequent-traveling, beauty-and-health, fitness-and-fashion conscious registered voters that continue to be invisible to corporate sponsors. The three largest and highly attended festivals include: DC Black Pride, At the Beach Los Angeles Black Pride and Atlanta Black Pride. These cultural gatherings are flocked to each year by thousands of black gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from all over the country. But noticeably absent from the coverage are the equally popular and highly attended black gay and lesbian pride celebrations of which only a handful take place in June.Īmerica's home to over 25 black gay pride celebrations. There's a lot of hoopla about June being National Gay Pride Month, including an article in the Miami Herald naming the top 10 gay pride festivals of the year. The Los Angeles-based commentator Jasmyne Cannick gives us her take on how black gay and lesbian communities celebrate. For some Americans, June means Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. These days every month of the calendar is claimed for a celebration of group heritage and history.