Our Black Gay Diaspora™

British DJ Jay Jay Revlon is a renaissance diva extraordinaire who shares his journey as a multidisciplinary artist and international DJ. In British Vogue's November 2021 issue, Jay Jay was recognised as one of Time Out's 'One to Watch’ . He is passionate about creating safe spaces and fostering conversations for QPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals. As a DJ, Jay Jay brings his mix of House, Afro House, Cl...

Reverend Don Abram is the founder of Pride in the Pews , “a grassroots nationwide campaign aimed at amplifying the voices and leadership of Black LGBTQ+ people of faith.” Launching Pride in the Pews in 2020, Reverend Abram encourages discussions about homophobia in religion. He's spoken with the Chicago Tribune , ABC7 Chicago , Christian Science Monitor , and Religion News Service . Using his inte...

Dr. Byron D. Brooks, Ph. D. is an Assistant Professor in Loyola University Chicago’s Department of Psychology. Dr. Brooks looks for ways to develop culturally responsive interventions mitigating health inequities to bolster well-being among the community. He’s also written for the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings , LGBT Health , Sexuality Research and Social Policy , and other pe...

For this episode, I share my coming-out story, a process I began 24 years ago. I talk about what preceded me coming out. Why I did it. And where I’m at today as an American digital nomad writer and podcaster in Europe. Rate, comment, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Acast , and YouTube . For more information, go to Our Black Gay Diaspora . Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

Janis Bailey is an American travel advisor and the owner of Sol Journey Travel in Baltimore, Maryland, offering "personalized travel planning for discerning travelers." Sol Journey Travel also has a YouTube channel highlighting travel destinations in Mexico, Greece, Scotland, and other locales. Janis shares her love of international travel and how she utilizes her experiences to guide her clientel...

  Alhaji Sesay is an American entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Sugrbum Hygienics. He’s also the creator of the company’s foaming deodorizer. With a focus on health and beauty innovations using natural alternatives, Alhaji has created a product addressing the needs of us all, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. He shares his journey as a black gay professional, which includes acting and...

Dr. Cheikh Traore is a Nigerian/Mauritanian health adviser and entrepreneur, with over 15 years of experience working in public health and development. His career has taken him to more than 22 countries across Western Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. He's worked as a health advisor for several agencies, providing expertise in policy solutions, training, and program design to improve health access. D...

Z Saj (pronounced 'sage') is a Chicago-based hip-hop artist, songwriter, public speaker, and business owner. With a love of music that’s been with her since childhood, Z Saj released her 1st EP titled Versatility in February 2019. As an up-and-coming talent who reached out to me via social media, she shares her professional and personal journeys as an out lesbian artist in the music industry. Rate...

Michael J. Bobbitt is the Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council , Massachusetts’s “largest public investor in the arts, humanities & sciences.” As the highest-ranking cultural official in the state, Michael is also a theater director, choreographer, and playwright. He’s directed and/or choreographed productions at The Shakespeare Theatre, Strathmore, The Kennedy Center, Helen Hayes Award...

Bryan Sparkman is an American documentarian, writer, model, actor, and voice actor. With a passion for storytelling, he's the founder of Drakenstein Productions , whose mission is to “entertain, enlighten and empower audiences through scripted content, podcasts, motivational videos, short films, and documentaries.” Additionally, Bryan is the creator and host of the podcast and YouTube channel, Our...

Ashlei Shyne is an American comedy writer, actress, filmmaker, and activist. One of her more notable roles is as Aaliyah Jones in her comedy series #TMI . As a writer, Ashlei is committed to creating character-driven comedies featuring Black women and the LGBTQ+ community. Ashlei is part of the cast of The Book of Queer , which premieres in June 2022 on Discovery+. Additionally, Ashlei is on the b...

Edward D. Lathan IV is an American peripatetic artist and yoga and fitness instructor. He's also the founder and teaching artist of the former NuDance & Gymnasium NYC, a space that offered clothing-optional fundamental movements and performance and presentation techniques to boost self-confidence and embrace one’s body. Edward is an avid traveler who has been throughout the United States, Euro...

Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Jeremy Helligar is executive editor at PEOPLE Magazine. He’s an editor and writer who’s contributed to such publications as Variety, Huffpost, Reader’s Digest, and The Root. Jeremy’s also the author of two books, the 2014 memoir, Is It True What They Say About Black Men?: Tales of Love, Lust and Language Barriers on the Other Side of the World and...

Nubia Younge is an American travel consultant, international events coordinator, motivational speaker, and expatriate coach. Additionally, she’s the founder and CEO of Black in Tulum , “the first and only community where melanated travelers come together and vibe where the jungle meets the sea.” Nubia's also the co-host of Chronicles Abroad , a podcast showcasing the stories of world adventurers....

Treye Green is an American culture writer, editor, and poet. He's written for The Guardian , HuffPost , BuzzFeed , and the New York Post . Treye is also the founder of Black in Media, a space for “accountability led by those who’ve spoken out and those who have yet to share their own stories about being Black in the media industry.” Rate, comment, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Acast...

Frantzces Lys is an American clinical therapist, now operating as a life coach and plant medicine integration coach. As the founder of THRIVE , Frantzces is a digital nomad who’s been to more than 20 countries, working with eight different Shamans from Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. She's also a content creator and storyteller for Black Girl Ventures , an organization providing “…Black/Br...

Gamal ‘G’ Turawa is a British facilitator, speaker, and coach. As founder, managing director, and lead facilitator of Purple Frogs Connections Ltd., G delivers workshops and presentations internationally within the public and private sectors. He’s also the subject of Cherish Oteka’s 2021 BAFTA-winning short film, The Black Cop . Where he shares the journey that led to him being the UK’s first open...

Cameron Johnson is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He's written for series like Fox’s Empire , the CW’s Nancy Drew , and BET’s Zoe Ever After , starring actress and singer Brandy Norwood. Cameron is also the co-creator and executive producer of the CW series Tom Swift , and producer of The Best Man: The Final Chapters . He shares with me how he use his professional credentials an...

Christopher Adams is an American high school English teacher. He’s worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District and within the DeKalb County School System in Atlanta, Georgia. Christopher shares about growing up in Georgia, his experiences as an actor in New York, and the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. He also opens up about his transition from the creative arts to education. Rate, c...

I am interviewed by UK-based French photographer Pierre Monnerville , our Episode 5 guest. I share my experiences as an American expatriate in Europe, my life as a black gay man, and how Our Black Gay Diaspora Podcast came to be. Rate, comment, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Acast , and YouTube . For more information, go to Our Black Gay Diaspora . Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acas...

Jared Hudson is an American writer who wrote an article for the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) titled, “Why All the Limp Wrists? Black Gay Male Representation and Masculinity in Film.” With a B.A. degree in English from UNC and an M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing from Pratt Institute, he cited 14 films, analyzing how black gay characters are stereotypically represented. Jared also co-hosts...

Donnya Piggott is a Barbadian tech entrepreneur, designer, and human rights advocate. She is CEO and Co-Founder of Pink Coconuts , an LGBTQ+ travel company. In 2012, Donnya co-founded B-GLAD, a support organization for LGBT persons in Barbados. Donnya also mentions Barbados's recent transition (November 30, 2021) from the British Commonwealth to a republic. Rate, comment, and subscribe on Apple Po...

Samuel Girma is an Afro-Swedish film and art curator and activist based in Stockholm, Sweden. He’s also co-founder, with Juliet Atto of Black Queer Sweden . Samuel shares about his home country of Ethiopia and the war going on in its northern Tigray region. He also talks about his professional and personal experiences in Sweden. And how he uses his intellect and his passion to fuel positivity and...

Dennis Austin is an American writer who wrote for The Daily Illini , the University of Illinois in Champaign's student independent newspaper. He also wrote for The Times of Israel blog. Dennis shared his professional and personal journeys as a writer, political commentator, and Illinois native. Rate, comment, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Acast , and YouTube . For more information, g...

Bandy Kiki is a Cameroonian entrepreneur and activist. In 2016, she was listed among the 50 most influential Cameroonians under the age of 40 by Avance Media. Bandy shares her professional and personal journeys in Cameroon and the United Kingdom. Rate, comment, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Acast , and YouTube . For more information, go to Our Black Gay Diaspora . Thank you! Hosted o...