Blog Posts
The climate of trans rights under President-elect Trump
The trans environment under President-elect Donald Trump is a topic of great controversy and worry among activists and LGBTQ+ activists. With the Trump administration signaling changes to past trans rights policies, the future is in doubt. This essay examines what could happen to trans rights under Trump and how this will likely unfold legally, publicly…
Unheard Voices—Literature’s Role in LGBTQ+ Narratives
In a typical, traditional society, everyone has to follow the protocols to fit in the neat boxes. Have you ever felt like your story is different from the others? If so, you’re not alone. You are heard. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, finding a voice can be a struggle. But what if literature could…
The Impact of Nikki Giovanni’s Death on Black America
A writer of literature and civil rights, Nikki Giovanni’s legacy lingers on in Black America. She has influenced generations with her writing, activism and teachings, and her death made waves in Black culture as she closed an era and made her legacy. The poetry and writing of Nikki Giovanni shaped modern African American writing. Her…
Impact of Sexually Transmitted Diseases on Black LGBTQ+ Communities in the 1990s
The story of an older teenage boy’s, Taheim, first sexual experiences with the alluring Rasheed tells an all too familiar story of what happens to young men in the Black LGBTQ+ community. The short story “Lessons We Haven’t Learned Yet” from the book The Blue Street Stories is a cautionary tale about sexual health prevention…
Exploring Suicide in the Black LGBTQ+ Community
This blog references suicide in the Black LGBTQ+. The story, “Coming Home,” in the book The Blue Street Stories. The story tells the love story of Angel and Warren, who at the end both take their own lives due to the pressure of society. Religious and social themes are expressed throughout the story. The Black…
Navigating Romance as a Transgendered Woman of Color
Keeping in line with the launch of my new book, “The Blue Street Stories,” I am focusing on another short story about a transwoman finding love and the choices she has to make to secure it. The story follows Mercedes through her past as a prostitute and Ballroom legend. It is a serious, light-hearted story…
Navigating the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Experiences of Black Gay Men in the 90s
As I republished my book, “The Blue Street Stories,” I will be posting some topics based on the themes of the book throughout the book’s launch. In the story “Is It Worth It,” Kareem finds out, after having lived a promiscuous lifestyle, that he has HIV. The story takes place in 1990s Philadelphia. I want…
Exploring Black LGBTQ+ Literary Contributions
The evolution of Black/African American LGBTQ+ literature gives credit to how authors of color continue to create spaces for our voices in literature, as well as add splendor to the literary landscape. It’s no longer just about the need of gay and lesbian literature to be represented, but also the need for these voices to…
Why I Voted for Harris-Walz
Well, it’s that time of year again. The time of year that comes every four years. It’s the time of year that will change our lives. The most crucial time in our country’s history. I am not voting for Kamala Harris because she is Black, or a woman, or of South Asian descent. I am…
Being A Better Writer
The first book I wrote took me over a year to complete, and it’s only 85,000 words. Not a long book. There were several factors that went into my prolonged writing journey, from being inexperienced to time management. Things I have improved since then. I would like to share what made me successful and what…