In last month’s column (“The Real Impact: Being black, gay and wanting change”), we asked, “What’s it like being a young black gay man in a big metropolitan city like Philadelphia?” We touched on some of the challenges that face black gay culture, especially the HIV epidemic. While black people make up 12.2 percent of the American population, the black community makes up 44.2 percent of people living with HIV in America. And young men of color who have sex with men are the group at highest risk of HIV infection. That’s just one aspect of our world, but it’s a reality we are working to change.
In developing The Real Impact Project, or T.R.I.P., one of our fundamental goals was to step outside the box of traditional outreach programs. We wanted to think as big as possible, to usher in a whole new way of thinking about who we are and what we can achieve, as a community and a culture of gay and trans-identified people of color. We didn’t want to be limited by labels or outdated views about identity and what it is or means.
We wanted to keep our minds wide open, give ourselves permission to rebel against expectations or past precedents. The idea of rebelling, or going against the grain, has been a consistent thread in our meetings and conversations.
We knew our goals were ambitious, and that we couldn’t get there on our own. That’s why we formed a Community Advisory Board to bring in as many voices and perspectives as we could and ensure we were addressing the issues that mattered to our communities. We spent several months building the CAB — talking with individuals and groups across the city, on college and university campuses, at coffee shops, community centers, on our Mobile Testing Unit, wherever we could find folks with an interest in getting engaged. The result is a dynamic and eclectic group of mostly black gay men whose commitment to the community and the T.R.I.P. program keeps us going week after week.
Matthew Simmons, a graduate student at Temple who teaches African-American Studies, has been an active member of T.R.I.P.’s CAB.
“T.R.I.P. has made an undeniable impact upon my life,” he said. “I always thought this fight was not for me. However, seeing my friends and loved ones suffer every moment made me realize that if I don’t fight, then I cannot complain about no one else fighting. It will take a collective effort to stop the progression of STI/HIV in our community. Joining the T.R.I.P. program, as an individual joining a collective of same-minded individuals, helps to work towards that goal.
“I would like to use my position as a graduate student to help stem the impact of the pandemic and get our community both informed and proactive about their health,” Simmons added. “I come from being raised in an environment in which ignorance, fear and shame have paralyzed the black community to a point that they are scared of knowing their status. I hope to join the ranks of black individuals who decided to take a stand and fight this pandemic head on. Our society has pushed the narrative that the reason this pandemic is spreading is because we, as black men, have insatiable appetites that somehow cannot be quenched. We are doctors, attorneys, students, laymen who live everyday lives and want the best for our communities. We cannot let others dictate the narrative. We must drive the narrative ourselves.”
Simmons concluded that his “hope is that we continue to form our own identities,” adding “our community needs to be aware of its historical relevance in order to be proud of their legacy, present and future.”
Another of our T.R.I.P. allies is Philadelphia-based hip-hop recording artist Booder, who will take the stage at OutFest Oct. 12 during part one of our “Reb*el” event, celebrating modern black gay culture. Reb*el kicks off with an introductory performance at OutFest, featuring some of the LGBTQ community’s most innovative singer/songwriters, lyricists, poets and conceptual artists and dancers. Reb*el continues at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Milkboy (1100 Chestnut St.), with more performances from Icon Ebony Fierce, Marquise, Ganou, Lyfe dance group and visual artist NTNGBUTSMKE.
When asked for his take on the T.R.I.P. program and what it means, Booder said, “I love what T.R.I.P. represents. It’s important for me as an artist to spread awareness to my community. I get tested regularly through the program and most definitely agree with getting people to know their status. Knowing is key.
“As a performing act, not apologizing for being yourself in life is the statement I intend to make. I feel that’s a topic that we all as a community can relate to. I feel that being openly bisexual and an African-American hip-hop artist not only makes me a rebel, but the fact that I speak about it through music probably adds to it as well. To be given the opportunity to be heard by members of my own community truly means the world to me. I hope to not only touch the hearts of those who attend but also of course put on a great show! Getting everyone to see the message of being yourself no matter how society or any individuals may feel about it especially in the LGBT community — that will give me a feeling of accomplishment!”
Those are just two of the perspectives that are helping to shape our program. We’re always open to hearing from others. We feel there are many subcultures within the black/gay/trans communities that deserve to be heard, and we want the T.R.I.P. program to reflect the real diversity of our experiences.
Chris Kyle, event coordinator and facilitator for T.R.I.P., noted that “there is not one dimension towards being your true self, no matter how you identify sexually. When you feel limitless towards your identity, it’s like freedom for the soul. So why should our culture be any different?”
Want to be part of the movement? Join us for some great live performances on Oct. 12 at OutFest and Oct. 15 at Milkboy. (Look for us during OutFest at the Mazzoni table, outside Wash West at 12th and Locust streets). Hashtag us #TRIPPHILLY or #OWNOURCULTURE on Facebook and Instagram with your words of encouragement and pictures. Show us you are a “Reb*el” for a very important cause!
To get involved or learn more about T.R.I.P., visit www.mazzonicenter.org/TRIP, stop by Mazzoni’s office at 21 S. 12th St., or the Washington West Project (1201 Locust St.) today. You can also contact Vernon Brown at [email protected] or 215-563-0652, ext. 204.