THE GRAN VARONES
The Gran Varones is a legacy project that uses stories for Latino & Afro-Latino Gay and Queer* men
gran varones co-creator anthony leon is featured in a cool article about his leadership and how GV is changing the landscape in philadelphia.
Anthony: What was it like for you growing up in North Philly?
Manny: I think for me, because I was socially awkward, I would like “ok, I see people playing outside and I just wanna stay in my room.” But my parents would force me to go outside.
When I was first struggling with my sexuality, I thought there was no hope. I thought I was gonna be stuck in my room forever but then coming and finding resources, places like Galaei and Mazzoni’s Ally Program, it helps you find yourself and accept who you are.
Anthony: So you’re just 18 but if you could tell 14 year old Manny something what would you say?
Manny: I think I would tell him everything happens for a reason and you’ll discover things that you may not wanna accept right now but pretty soon, like, everything is gonna be in the light and it’s gonna be all happy and rainbows and you’re gonna be this radical unicorn. just wait for it.
Emmanuel “Manny” Coreano, Philadelphia
Interviewed by: Anthony Leon
Louie: You are the “heart and soul” of ACT UP Philadelphia, describe what is the current state of AIDS in our community?
Jose: We are silent, and what HIV history has taught us over that last 3 decades is SILENCE = DEATH. When we stop being silent and demand what we need we will stop being infected, and dying.
When Governor Wolf was candidate Wolf he said he would make an announcement to END AIDS in Pa by 2020. He said that to my face and shook my hand. No he cannot end AIDS but it is possible to dramatically lower infection rates. Easy access to HIV meds and access to Prep to those at high risk. Especially young Latino and black MSM and trans folks. His office will not return phone calls or requests for a meeting. Just like former Gov. Tom Corbett, he said he would use medicaid dollars to house homeless people with chronic illnesses. People with AIDS are still dying in the street. Especially Kensington. How long do we wait? How many new infections? How many more die homeless with AIDS?
- Jose DeMarco, Philadelphia
Interviewed by: Louie A. Ortiz-Fonseca
Louie: Some of us dream about what we are going to be when we grow up, what did you want to be?
Jon David: When I was a kid, I used to play cops and robbers all the time with my cousins. When my elders would ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I would always say that I was going to work in the Police Department as an undercover cop! I always thought that wearing a uniform and driving my own police car would be pretty awesome! Then I lost myself and my dreams once I moved to Philadelphia from New York at the age of 7-8. We moved into a rough neighborhood and I was constantly tormented and bullied every single day in school. I had to go through many difficult life trials and tribulations to fortify myself and acquire a stronger mentality. Once I graduated high school, I was still lost and did not know what I wanted to do with my life or who I wanted to be. I even debated on joining the U.S. Army or Marines because I didn’t have any dreams left.
So many things have happened since. I can now say that I am very proud of my achievements so far. I have made my parents proud and that was very huge achievement for me. This year I have graduated college with an Associate’s Degree in Business and Communications Studies. I was then casted on a new reality show called “Saturday Morning Fever,” based on Philadelphia’s legendary television program, “Dancin’ On Air.”
Louie: Oh my god! I remember that show! I used to dream of being on there.
Jon David: The series is now in development with Fuse Network and produced by and in conjunction with Relativity Media, the very creators of the MTV Show, Catfish! Never did I think that in a matter of 4 years, I would become a coordinator and planner of events, an entertainer, and counselor to college students; let alone become involve with television and many of the cities professionals all at the age of 22!
Louie: So you’re also providing commentary on TMZ. How the hell did that happen?
Jon David: I was contacted by TMZ via Twitter and they asked me if I wanted to appear on their show and comment on one of their news stories. I was like, “Sure! I would love to.” After my first commentary on TMZ Live, they told me that I did great and would love to hear from me again. Now they call me almost every week to appear on their show via Skype and give live commentaries. I know that my journey doesn’t stop here. There are still many things for me left to do, many people for me meet and help inspire, many for me to learn from. I am eager to take life head on and I can’t wait to kick start my career this fall in preparation for the New Year!
Jon David, Philadelphia
Interviewed by: Louie A. Ortiz-Fonseca
louie: so what school do you go to?
anthony martinez: i was attending an online school but i didn’t like it. i am an outgoing person and i cannot be stuck behind a computer all day.
jacquelin martinez: he is a bright kid. i am so proud of him. he gets annoyed when i talk about him to other people but what can i say, i am a proud mother.
anthony: my sister got dressed so she can be in the picture. can she?
anthony martinez, high school student and dreamer in north philly.
interviewed by: louie a. ortiz-fonseca
louie: so how have you been?
chris aka krush: i have been ok. my art is picking up despite having major challenges this past year. i am getting to a great space.
louie: what is one lesson you learned from those challenges?
krush: the most challenging thing i’ve gone through was truely understanding how to love myself for who i actually am and not how people saw me, not trying to be the “KRUSH” on social media and learning to love the Chris I go to bed as. through this experience i learned that peace is good and accepting yourself is part of progression. i want nothing more than to progress.
interview by: louie a. ortiz-fonseca
krush is a hair and make-up artist/stylist. his work has been printed in both ebony magazine and vibe magazine.
“As a Latino, you are taught that blood is thicker than water and to always be there for your family no matter what. When I came out they accepted me for who I was. That doesn’t happen too often in the gay community. Seeing the stigma on gays in society, my family still embraced me with open arms, I am lucky. My close friends are also my family. Growing up in North Philly, you learn the value of loyalty. So when you come across friends with that, you hold onto them.”
Ed Colòn, North Philadelphia
What was it like coming out as a Latino in a city that often times doesn’t make room for us?
Well it was kinda difficult because the way my parents were raised and we lived in a neighborhood where it wasn’t OK to be gay. My dad had me in sports all my life and I played football up until the time of high school. My father always put in my head one day “You’re gonna move out, get married, have a wife and you are gonna start your own family. When I told my parents of my interest in men, they didn’t take it well and I went through a lot of crap to explain to them this was who I am and it wasn’t going to change. A lot of my friends didn’t except me and whenever I tried to join a game they would think I only wanted to play to get closer to them or try and touch them somehow. Eventually I had to make new friends throughout my high school years because I had to fight back so much from all the bullying. That’s when I came out and started a new chapter in my life.
Back then, I didn’t know too many Latinos because by that time we were living in Northeast Philly . I didn’t even know Spanish ‘cause I was hardly around it. I heard about this place called The Attic in the gayborhood. And for a whole year, almost every night I shot downtown after school, trying to find a group for me to fit in. There were never too many Latinos around and if I saw one, it was rare. The groups were It was mostly split between black and white. I always felt like I had to choose between the two and it was hard because my neighborhood was so diverse and I could get along with anyone. I jumped into the vogue scene for a bit, but never found a real warm welcome with that community. I guess you could say I felt the “shade” towards me and for no reason at all honestly. And I chilled with the rich white folks and always felt like I was like at like a “minority” to them. No one ever showed me real kindness or explained to me what it was like to come out, to feel accepted. I felt like I had no one to relate to. I knew I lost all my straight friends and that maybe I was fucking crazy for jumping into this lifestyle. In that whole year my experience in the gay community was very negative and it’s probably the reason to this day why I choose not to get involved much with the gay community. Luckily in that year God had also mended the relationship I had with my family over my sexual orientation. I eventually ended up staying local in my neighborhood in North Philly and met a Latino guy named Jose who grew up in the same neighborhood as my family. Finally, I met someone I felt like I could fit in with, who explained to me their struggles coming out and how they dealt with it and who was also Latino. Someone was there to explain things to me that I didn’t quite understand. I finally felt like I made a friend, and coming out.
Angel Perez
interviewed by: Louie A. Ortiz-Fonseca
