“Show me how good it’s gonna get today, God. Dear universe, you have permission to amaze me,” Joseph Reaves said at the top of his program. “Something amazing is gonna happen to me today.” Reaves’ Hella Black, Hella Queer, Hella Christian, is a fully Black, fully Queer, fully Human, fully Divine iHeartRadio podcast that touches [...] The post GLAAD’s Darian Aaron Talks Faith, Race and Family in iHeartRadio Interview first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
This September, Atlanta will host Haus of Move Camp—a 3-day immersive sync songwriting and music industry development experience designed for Black and Brown trans and queer artists, songwriters, and producers. Taking place September 26–28, the camp is a program of the 2AM Ricky M.O.V.E. (Mobilizing Opportunities for Visibility and Empowerment) Initiative and powered by Blaze [...] The post Haus of Move Camp: Building Power & Creativity for Black and Brown LGBTQ+ Artists first appeared on...| GLAAD
“That’s what she gets!” It’s been twelve years since two-time Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Michael R. Jackson heard those words echo throughout the movie theater where he begrudgingly went to watch Tyler Perry’s 2013 film Temptation: Confessions of A Marriage Counselor. The protagonist, Judith, played by actress Jurnee Smollett, is diagnosed with HIV after [...] The post Black Gay Playwright Michael R. Jackson Talks HIV Stigma, PrEP, and the Tyler Perry Film Inside His...| GLAAD
On this Jamaican Independence Day, a moment for celebration, reflection, and cultural pride, filmmaker and author Max-Arthur Mantle is boldly reclaiming the narrative around Jamaican queerness with his upcoming feature film, BATTY BWOY!. The film, currently in pre-production, is a groundbreaking cinematic project that centers the Black, queer Caribbean experience through the story of Mark [...] The post “BATTY BWOY!” is Bringing Queer Caribbean Stories to the Big Screen: A Defiant Love ...| GLAAD
Jewel Thais‑Williams, affectionately known as “Mama Jewel,” passed away on July 7, 2025, at age 86, as confirmed by her sister, Carol Williams. Born in Indiana on May 9, 1939, and raised in San Diego before settling in Los Angeles, she would go on to become a pioneering voice for Black queer liberation, especially as a Black [...] The post Honoring the Life of Jewel Thais-Williams: A Legend in the Black Sapphic Community first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
By Richard Fowler, Contributing Writer At a time of severe societal change, creators, filmmakers, actors, producers, and film lovers gathered in Miami Beach to fight forward through storylines that both showcase and shape a culture long seated at the cornerstone of American identity—global Blackness. Now in its 29th year, the American Black Film Festival once [...] The post Reflection: ABFF 2025 x GLAAD – A Homecoming for Storylines That Matter first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
Barrier-breaking supermodel Munroe Bergdorf made history when she became the first out trans woman to appear on a L’Oreal campaign in the United Kingdom. Her success only flourished since then, ranging from opportunities with UN Women as an advocate; to starring as the subject in Channel 4 doc “What Makes a Women”; to even co-opening [...] The post WATCH: Munroe Bergdorf Talks “Love & Rage,” A New Documentary on Her Personal, Groundbreaking Journey as a Trans Model, Author & Activis...| GLAAD
By Donja R. Love I didn’t realize how much I needed to go to Miami for the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). When GLAAD asked me to be their ambassador for ABFF, I was conflicted. Before the request, my husband and I were informed by our (now former) landlord that we had to move because [...] The post OP-ED: Finding A Home In Community first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
By John Barnes, Communities of Color & Media Consultant Arrival: Rest, Reflection, and Radiance On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, I landed in Miami, FL, on a hot summer day around noon. This was no ordinary Miami trip — this was my first time attending the American Black Film Festival, and to do it as a [...] The post A Very Real & Very Radiant American Black Film Festival: A Reflection by John Barnes first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
Playwright and Advocate Donja R. Love Expands Vision of Healing, Community, and Artistic Liberation for the Poz Community At a time when federally funded HIV/AIDS programs are under attack and the rights of people living with HIV are increasingly threatened, one powerful writing initiative is offering a space of resistance, healing, and imagination. Write It [...] The post Write It Out! Opens Applications for Groundbreaking $10,000 Prize and Program for Playwrights Living with HIV first appea...| GLAAD
By Brandon Nicholas For a sunny* second year in a row, I was in Miami Beach for the American Black Film Festival. Last year, I wrote about my experience at the ABFF as a GLAAD Ambassador, and in the article, I said that I “look forward to attending ABFF in the future as a presenter.” [...] The post OP-ED: Reel Radiant Queerness at ABFF first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
By Quintay Knight, Communities of Color & Media Consultant On June 19th 2025 THERA Thursdays hosted a webinar entitled “They Ain’t Coming To Save US” featuring guest presenter Ian L. Haddock– speaker, writer, author, advocate and the host Mable Taplin – global patient advocate, strategic leader, author and keynote speaker. The webinar explores discussions emphasizing [...] The post They Ain’t Coming To Save Us first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
Mobile, Alabama natives Preston Howard Sr. and Connie Howard, parents of four and married for 30 years, say when their son, Preston Howard Jr., 31, an Atlanta-based event decorator, came out the summer before his senior year in high school, it never occurred to them to reject him. There were no discussions about possible shame [...] The post Pride Month May Be Quieter This Year, But This Alabama Family’s Unconditional Love for Their Gay Son is Loud first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
During Pride and every month beyond it, Black queer creators and advocates are using their digital platforms to redefine what it means to live in your truth. From sexuality and gender expression to self-acceptance, love, and mental health, these creators are offering more than content. They’re creating radical care, community, and culture. Below are six [...] The post What Black Queer Influencers & Advocates are Teaching about Gender, Love, Style, and Self: Black Queer Influencers to Know t...| GLAAD
Last Thursday, June 19th, PRIDE & SOUL LIVE returned to the stage in full force—and full feeling—at LORE, Atlanta’s newest new gay bar and community space. In a city already steeped in queer history and Black cultural innovation, the night stood as a luminous reminder that when you center freedom, expression, and community, magic happens. [...] The post PRIDE & SOUL LIVE 2025: A Night of Black Queer Brilliance in the Heart of Atlanta first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
This year, GLAAD proudly joined the 2025 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) as an official industry sponsor, deepening its commitment to uplifting Black LGBTQ+ voices and driving forward inclusive representation in media. From June 11th to June 15th in vibrant Miami Beach, GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media Department curated a powerful series of moments [...] The post GLAAD Brings Black Queer Joy to the American Black Film Festival first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
“In Living Color” — A Celebration of Black Queer Elders On June 19th, in a fitting tribute to Juneteenth’s legacy of Black liberation, Surface Level Podcast launched its vibrant and dynamic Pride Month 2025 campaign: “In Living Color.” In partnership with SAGE and proudly supported by Procter & Gamble, this powerful initiative centers the voices, [...] The post “In Living Color”: Surface Level Podcast Launches Vibrant Pride 2025 Campaign Honoring Black Queer Legacy first appea...| GLAAD
Black queer people have always been central to the fight for Black liberation. Though often omitted from mainstream historical accounts, their identities have informed their radical visions and sharpened their resistance. From the period immediately following emancipation to today’s grassroots and digital movements, Black LGBTQ+ leaders have consistently redefined freedom, not just for themselves, but [...] The post Freedom Is Ours Too: Black Queer Visions of Liberation Since 1865 first app...| GLAAD
World Pride 2025 in Washington, D.C. was many things: a global celebration, a political statement, a joyful rebellion. But through the music, the panels, the parades, and the rooftop laughter, one truth stood out clearly for us, Ty Ballard and Alexander King, Junior Associates on GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media team: Black queer women [...] The post DC World Pride: A Black Queer Women’s Perspective first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD
On June 10 in Laguna Beach, Calif., Creative Artists Agency hosted their CAA Amplify Summit, an annual invitation-only event for artists, thought leaders, and changemakers from entertainment, media, entertainment, sports, tech, and social justice for a convening of conversations, ideas, and actionable solutions. “CAA Amplify is more than a convening… it is a catalyst for [...] The post CAA Amplify 2025: Laverne Cox, Sherry Cola, Boman Martinez-Reid and More Discuss LGBTQ Representation, T...| GLAAD
In his bold and deeply personal new memoir, Yet Here I Am, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and MSNBC co-host of The Weekend, Jonathan Capehart invites readers into the full complexity of his life—growing up Black and gay in America, navigating white spaces, grieving an absent father, and building a chosen family that shaped the leader and voice [...] The post Jonathan Capehart Talks New Memoir with GLAAD Pres. & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, Reflecting on Identity, Silence, and the Power of Ch...| GLAAD
They’re bold, they’re brilliant, and they’re bringing Brazilian funk straight to your summer playlists. Identical twins Clinton and Calvin Spellman—aka the Spellman Twinz—are not just viral sensations. With over 1.2 million followers on TikTok, a thriving YouTube channel, and a growing legion of Instagram fans, they’re redefining what it means to be queer, Black, and [...] The post Meet the Spellman Twinz: Queer Joy, Twin Power, and the Sound of Summer first appeared on GLAAD.| GLAAD