Our stories hold our truths. Share your experiences in the US Trans Survey so that our community is seen, heard, and honored: ustranssurvey.org

The US Trans Survey — live October 19 — November 21, 2022 — is conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, the nation’s leading social justice advocacy organization winning life-saving change for transgender people, in partnership with the National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, the TransLatin@ Coalition, and the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance. The survey is conducted by a team of well-respected researchers, guided by a prestigious scientific advisory council who are experts in trans research.

Are you a Trans person of color? Let’s celebrate the beauty of our community by sharing your story at ustranssurvey.com

ariana debose is the embodiment of a powerhouse performer and human being. since competing in the sixth season of “so you think you can dance” in 2009, she has graced the broadway stages as part of numerous productions, including “hamilton,” “a bronx tale,” and “summer: the donna summer musical,” for which she received a tony award.

ealier this year, she became the first openly queer afro-latina to earn an academy award for her portrayal of anita in the steven speilberg’s “west side story.” the role also earned her a golden globe, a BAFTA, and a screen actors guild award. mama, is already a legend!

ariana was recently named the 2022 inspira award honoree by the 35th annual hispanic heritage awards. as part of her interview for the PBS televised show, debose shared her experience and journey with her puerto rican identity. “no matter how much i know about my background, or what i don’t know. what i do know is that this body is puertorriqueña.”

in her sharing part of her journey, she shined light on those of us who still and will probably be on the journey.

yesterday, me and armonté were sitting on the couch hanging out, talking shit and scrolling through channels when we came across the PBS channel and saw that the hispanic heritage awards were on. i am not even sure why we left it on the channel but we did and then boom!, ariana appears on the screen. as we listened, we both looked at each other and said, “i think i am about to cry. she is speaking to us.” ariana named and framed how we both have been moving through our identities as puerto ricans, as afro-puerto ricans. and this is why representation is important. it provided oxygen to those still learning to breathe comfortably in their skin.

thank you @arianadebose and congrats!

My name is Sean Anthony. My very first Ballroom name given to me was “Baby”. I was the youngest in the house and had a baby face, still do til this day lol. As I grew older I changed my name to Kharma, I gave myself the name because I am a firm believer in the theory of “karma”, I added the h for a little spice. Which leads me to my newest name “Salsa”. This name was given to me by one of my house brothers from the House of Ebony. He said the way I vogued reminded him of salsa dancing, and that name has followed me since.

Who introduced or inspired you to attend your first ball or vogue night?

I started off walking face at the tender age of 17. I started voguing around 2010 and the rest is history. I’ve been involved in ballroom since 2008. An ex friend, who shall rename nameless, brought me to my first house meeting without me having much knowledge. I went to my first ball because I liked the idea of what they were discussing and was quickly intrigued. I was literally pushed out onto the runway to walk BQ Face and you guessed it, I won Grand Prize.

Ballroom has many different meanings to me. Family and friendship being first. I realized I had the control of creating my own intimate family. Friendships that still stand to this day have seen developed, many of which I now call my brothers and sisters. I love the creativity of ballroom, the challenges it faces you with, and the confidence it forces you to have. Trust me it takes a lot of nerve to walk a ball. I feel like ballroom has helped me develop extreme confidence in any room I walk in, and it made me fall in love with myself. I was timid beforehand, now you can’t tell me nothin!

How does “support” actualize within your family structure?

I remember the first time my real mother saw me in a pair of heels, it wasn’t pleasant. I felt defeated and discouraged. I was 17 years old. Fast forward to this day she now comes to me and says “did you see those pumps?! I think they’re so hot” I even feel comfortable enough to actually show off any of my new purchases. My mother is one of my biggest fans, I’ve even taught her how to catwalk and give a little hand performance here and there. My family loves to watch me vogue, and many family gatherings I always hear “Sean pump a beat!” And we just go awfff!!!

How important are conversations around sexual health and exploration in your family? And why should these conversations exist?

I’ve actually opened the door to many of those conversations. My mother lost one of her younger brothers to HIV/AIDS in the 90s epidemic. I always felt she feared I would face the same fate seeing as I too was gay. She always loved her brother but never truly understood what it meant to be gay. I’ve always seen it as my business to open her eyes to always see “me as me”. Just because you now know who I like in my bed, that doesn’t ever change my heart.

Is there a place for HIV prevention within the ballroom scene? If so, how do you think the HIV/AIDS Epidemic affected Ballroom?

Ever since I joined ballroom, the conversation has always existed. From the parents always telling us “make sure you wrap it up” to witnessing news that another friend was now positive, it has always been prevalent. From on site testing, to condoms constantly being handed out at events, there is definitely space for knowledge and education within our community.

Is it vital to offer direct HIV preventative services at balls? Why or why not?

My thoughts teeter when it comes to this. I’ve never personally been tested at a ball because I’m simply there to have fun. How devastating would that be if I just so happened to receive bad news right before I went to compete, when my confidence needed to be at the most high! Now I do however love the idea of the education and conversation being there in the room, but sometimes people are scared and we just never know, ya know.

Is there anyone who you would love to pay homage to or dedicate this story to?

My uncle, my godfather, Daniel Arroyo. He was the first vision I ever had of a confident gay man. I remember when I was younger watching him sashay through the living room while listening to “Groove is in the Heart” twirling his scarf, singing and dancing without a care in the world. I miss him oh so much and I always wished he was there to witness my coming out at the age of 15. I do know that he is my guardian angel, and I know he watches and protects me from the heavens above! I love you Tio Daniel Bendicion! May you forever sleep peacefully!

Sean Anthony

(he/him/that bitch)

Buffalo, New York

interviewed by:

David Sell

(they/them)

gran varones fellow

in 1986, house music was still on the ascent in the US and abroad when “love can’t turn around,” a collaboration of chicago house music pioneers farley smith, jesse saunder and vocalist darryl pandy became the big bang moment for the genre in the UK.

often described as a flamboyant house music diva, darryl pandy fused his gospel, broadway, and opera background into both his vocal and performance artistry. it was this fusion that detonated house music in the UK and cemented pandy as chicago house legend.

in 1986, chicago dj and producer steve “silk” hurley reworked the 1975 isaac hayes song “i can’t turn around” featuring vocals from keith nunnally into a blazing and pulsating house track. the song topped the billboard dance in the fall of 1986.

hurley’s version served as the inspiration for farley “jackmaster” funk’s “love can’t turn around” which featured additional production by jesse saunders, new lyrics by vince lawrence, and a masterful vocal by darryl pandy.

“love can’t turn around” hit airwaves in the summer of 1986 and reached #13 on the US dance chart. later that october, the song was a bonafide pop hit reaching the top 10 on the singles chart in the UK. this led to a rousing performance by darryl on the british music tv show “top of the pops” that remains one of the show’s most memorable.

the success of “love can’t turn around” in the UK paved the way for steve “silk” hurley’s “jack your body,” which topped the chart in 1987. it also made darryl pandy one of the most dynamic house vocalists releasing numerous singles including “animal magnetism” (1986), “i love music” (1990), and “sunshine & happiness” 1999.

darryl pandy became an ancestor on june 10, 2011. he was 48 years old.

since the release of the pivotal “love can’t turn around” in 1986, house music has not only ascended as a genre internationally, but it changed the sound and direction of pop music. and darryl’s flamboyant and exuberant performances helped to shape the world of house music. and oh what a beautiful world it is.

we are back! in our brand new episode of COLORED PEOPLE’S TIME we talk shit, process the netflix documentary “untold: the girlfriend who didn’t exist,” and celebrate the legend that is tevincampbell

so yeah, y’all should give a listen.

most recording artists only wish to have recorded with quincy jones and prince, but by age 14, tevin campbell worked with both. tevin’s first two singles, the jones produced “tomorrow (a better you, a better me)” and “round & round” (written & produced by prince) landed inside the r&b top five, with the former reaching number one – and this was just in 1990.

campbell would release his debut album “T.E.V.I.N.,” hit records stores in november 1991 and was proceeded by the r&b chart-topping and pop top 10 “tell me what you want me to do.” the success of the single helped propel the album to platinum status paving the way for greater success.

in october 1993, tevin released his sophomore album “i’m ready.” the album proved to be a high mark in his career resulting in several pop and r&b hits including the title track, “can we talk,” “always in my heart,” and “shhh.”

tevin later voiced the character powerline in the 1995 disney animated film “a goofy movie” before transitioning to broadway actor, appearing as seaweed on the hit musical “hairspray.”

throughout his entire career, tevin had to contend with endless speculation about his sexual identity. tevin chose to never address the rumors. for some, it may be difficult to imagine in a world where black queer artists like lil nas x had conquered pop charts, it was almost unimaginable in the 1990s – during a time of AIDS and extreme homophobia.

on august 17, 2022, during an interview with people magazine’s “people every day”podcast, tevin confirmed that he identities as a gay man. “what makes me happiest right now is how far I’ve come in life,” tevin stated on the podcast. “There are a lot of kids, especially young Black boys that need to see representation. They’re not being taught to love themselves because of who they are.”

for a generation of young black gay boys who saw themselves in tevin campbell’s music videos, we thank him for his existence and for being so generous with sharing his journey. we celebrate you. we love you now and forever.

i remember the stereo with the big knob and bright neon dial. every morning i stared at it as my grandmother dressed me for kindergarten. i stared at the dial set on WCAU 98FM and wished the radio played at least one of my favorite songs of the time, “mirror, mirror” by diana ross, “groove tonight” by earth, wind and fire or olivia newton john’s “physical.” some days, my magical powers worked.

olivia newton-john had entered my consciousness in 1981 with the cultural moment that was the catchy and controversial “physical.” on the surface the synth-pop song was thought to be about the workout craze sweeping america, but with lyrics like “there’s nothing left to talk about unless its horizontally,” the song is clearly about a sex, lust and desire. while that alone was enough to get the song banned at some radio stations, it was the song’s music video and its unapologetic gay bathhouse overtones that sent middle america running for the hills. while i definitely didn’t get the subtext, or context or whatever “text” of the “physical,” i loved it nonetheless.

released just months after the first mention of AIDS, “physical” topped the billboard hot 100 for an astonishing 10 weeks. the song and its music video remain a kind of artifact from a time that we are still digging up to preserve.

as i got older, i would discover that olivia began her career as a successful country singer in the early 1970s before becoming a bonafide legend after starring in the 1978 film adaptation of the musical “grease.” produced by the late and unapologetically flamboyant allan carr, “grease” and its accompanying soundtrack, as well as miss olivia’s spandex outfit, were so ubiquitous that its impact was felt years beyond its initial release. long enough for little queer kids like myself to discover in the 1980s.

while “grease” and “physical” were the foundations of my adoration of olivia newton-john, it was her 1983 top 5 hit “twist of fate” that solidified my love. the song is probably one of the most anthemic and dramatically produced synth-pop songs of the early 1980s. the music video features olivia dressed in all black, and along with leather gloves in a dark room on a stage surrounded by water as she performs to a room of mysterious people in power. in 2017, “twist of fate” was featured in the netflix hit sci-fi series “stranger things.”

olivia’s pop recording career began to cool off by the mid-1980s. she would transition into health advocacy raising awareness about breast cancer following her 1992 diagnosis. That same year, she appeared on the star-studded ABC televised special “a new light: a call to action AIDS.” in addition to performing and dedicating “i honestly love you” to her friend amando, olivia shared the regret of having once allowed fear and hysteria prevent her from supporting a friend she lost to AIDS.

on august 8, 2022, the legendary grammy award-winning singer, actress and 80’s icon olivia newton-john died at the age of 73.

olivia, we honestly love you.