Page 45 - BEQ Pride Magazine Iss 21 Winter 2021 v01012022

HE, HIM | AGE 35
DASHAWN

USHER

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR,
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR,
GLAAD, FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR MOBILIZING OUR
BROTHERS INITIATIVE (MOBI)

I dreamed so vividly to unearth my
responsibility for this moment. As
I discovered the answers, I encoun-
tered joy, love, family, friends and a
wholeness of all these intersections.
I was reminded that my duty is to tell
the truth. As a storyteller – to remind
people of the narratives we don’t see.
As a community mobilizer – to bring
others together. As a culture curator
– to celebrate unapologetic Black
queer joy. I choose to live completely
authentically and vulnerably. Vulnera- CREDIT: MONROE MEDIA
CREDIT: JENNY ANDERSON bility often is looked at as a weakness,
but there’s beauty, courage and strength
that comes from it. HE, HIM | AGE 35
SHE, HER | AGE 31 JASON
BRYNA

TURNER VE

VICE PRESIDENT, 88RISING
PLAYWRIGHT
I want to uplift and shine a light on my
As a queer person, I’ve been left out of Asian LGBTQ+ community. For too long
a lot of narratives and not included in I have felt I wasn’t Asian enough, or I
a lot of history. That’s something I was wasn’t gay enough, or I wasn’t Amer-
trying to correct in telling this story—to ican enough. I felt as though my voice
include women of color felt like the didn’t matter. But I’ve come to realize
natural and right choice. I feel like it’s I am enough of all these things. It took
something that happens often, where me a while to share my story, but being
people’s imagination suddenly becomes intersectional and all of my unique life
limited when it comes to race, class, experiences that come with it, is what
gender.
I’m proud of today. I feel a sense of
responsibility to build community and
platforms around amplifying underrep-
resented voices.

CREDIT: MONROE MEDIA
WINTER 2021/22 45
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