For this instalment of Unity Talks, my good friend Kayza Rose and I decided we’d spread some queer Black joy with you and introduce you to some inspiring people and projects. A reminder that while we work to topple the systems of racial injustice that oppress us, let’s also celebrate the beautiful and talented people in our community.
Unity Talks is a new series I’ve created exclusively for GAY TIMES. The idea came to me because with so much information and misinformation online, designed to separate us and divide opinion, I wanted to create a space that brings us together and enables us to learn and grow together. We’re not born knowing everything, we’re constantly learning and yes, sometimes we fuck up. Hence, Unity Talks will be tackling the big topics and providing inspiration and points for us to all connect on.
Kayza Rose – who helped me with this piece – is a creative producer, artistic director, filmmaker, BLM activist and Arts Council England Change Maker. Kayza is COO at AZ Mag, Head of External Events at UK Black Pride, creator of Allies Corner and QTIBPOC Family Dinner. In 2018 she produced VISIBLE (directed by Campbell X), a film about the erasure and sanitisation of British QTIBPOC history and contributions. Kayza can often be found dreaming up ways to level the playing field in an unfair world.
Here we spotlight some incredible Black voices from our community and the joy they are bringing to people’s everyday lives.
Kamari Romeo, Humblebee Creative
Aside from your work can you tell us who you are?
I’m an empath, dreamer, activist, hopeless romantic and introvert who accepts love in the form of food.
Can you describe your work?
As a Creative Producer, I am passionate about positive mental health, representation, archiving and community. My social enterprise Humblebee Creative was founded in May 2019 and our work amplifies marginalised voices which include but are not exclusive to, people of colour, LGBTQ+ people, care leavers, women and working class communities. Within my organisation are a team of freelance creatives who work remotely on site-specific projects. We make tailor-made decisions around the spaces we platform our work, giving us greater opportunities to collaborate with exciting venues across the country.
Humblebee Creative produce theatre, literature, archiving and community projects. My passion for producing has led me to bees; they are representative of my experience as a minority. Bees came to me at a time when I felt overwhelmed by news and media outlets, constantly bombarded with images of my people dying. These magnificent creatures inspire me to stay productive because not everybody gets the chance. As a Black producer I seek to protect, empower, reframe and preserve ideas around colonies. I acknowledge history, moving forward to create a legacy of social change through creativity and conversation.
Do you remember the first time you experienced Black, queer joy?
UK Black Pride 2014. Without a doubt one of the most wholesome experiences of my LGBTQ+ journey and I honestly look forward to each year more than I do Christmas!
Can you tell us some examples of spaces you feel most accepted and safe?
Mosaic Youth and Gendered Intelligence have been there since the beginning of my journey, so I owe these two organisations a lot for the emotional and practical support they’ve given me over the years.
Does your work allow you the freedom to express your intersections?
I find that as a performer you are usually called in at the very end of the creative process and so there is not much autonomy where intersections of my identity are concerned. Producing my own work has made me feel more in control of my narrative, putting me in a position of power as a gatekeeper sharing knowledge, skills and resources to others that have experienced hardship.
What are some things about you that you wish people knew but folk have never found that part of you?
Even though I work within the arts I’m a HUGE introvert. So if I ever seem awkward it’s because I am! I prefer deep chats about life to small talk. Coffee over drinks any day! (Well I don’t drink coffee but like a hot chocolate or chai latte or something.)
What do you love most about being Black and queer?
I love the variety of stories, experiences, humour, talent and resilience within my community. Our culture is rich and our ancestry is richer!
Who do you want to give a shout out to and why?
I would love to give a shout out to Lady Phyll a.k.a Mummy Phyll who has been nothing but supportive of me and my work since we first met. As busy as she is, Mama Phyll always finds time for her queer babies and I don’t know if she understands how powerful her presence is in my life and the wider Black LGBTQ+ community.
While I’m here I’d also like to shout out Kayza Rose for being such a great mentor and selflessly putting me in front of opportunities on multiple occasions. She has offered me invaluable advice along the way as a Black LGBTQ+ producer and business owner without ever expecting anything back. Gestures like this mean the world to me because I respect the work she does and understand that she doesn’t have to do that for me. One day I hope to share a gift with her that is just as valuable.
Last but not least would like to shout out my beautiful fiancé Dwayne who has been nothing but supportive of me and dreams. You inspire me to stay positive on the darkest of days and I can’t wait to marry you when this Covid malarky is over! Love you!
Mzz Kimberley
Aside from your work can you tell us who you are?
My name is Kim Tatum also known as Mzz Kimberley. I’m a Black trans woman who is dyslexic and suffer from ADHD. I’m an actress/performer and the director of LIFE, which is my production company highlighting trans art. I’m a patron of CliniQ, a health service for the trans and non-binary community; ambassador for ParaPride, highlighting the queer disabled community; and ambassador of AIDS memorial UK. I was awarded the 10/10 award at the House of Lords from The Naz Project, presented by Baroness Liz Barker in conjunction with HR Princess Tessy of Luxembourg. This year I made the 2020 LGBT Power List at number 61.
I have been called an activist, but I would like to make clear I am not an activist. I just speak my truth. True activists work tirelessly making this world a better place. I could never be pretentious enough to think that I am on the same level as Barbra Jordan, Bayard Rustin, Angel Davis, Shirley Chisholm, and Martin Luther King just to name a few.
Can you describe your work?
I’m a storyteller who also creates, producing fashion, cabaret and club shows and now embarking on writing my first play. I also make public appearances on panel discussions and this year I will make history being the first trans woman to present the first LGBT+ champion award at the Black British Theatre Awards on Sky Arts in November.
Do you remember the first time you experienced Black, queer joy?
When I lived in New York in my teens I happened to stumble across Gay Pride. As I stood there watching the march in disbelief surrounded by gorgeous Black bodies, I felt a sense of Pride that I never felt before. Growing up in a small white Republican town just outside of Detroit, where men are men, women are women and LGBTQ+ persons are non-existent, seeing all these people living their best life, free to be who they are brought me to tears. It was a day that made me start to love myself and realise that I am worthy of living on this planet.
As I walked along, I overheard two Black lesbians discussing how one was outed by a family member and her mother not believing one word of it. I remember thinking to myself, I am going through the same thing. I often think of those two women and wonder what they are doing now. I regret not introducing myself to them. Back then I was very shy. As I walked further down the street and around the corner, I saw this person in women’s clothes that everyone knew. They had flowers in their hair, large features, strong hands, and they spoke in a mystical feminine voice. I was petrified but jubilant because I’d never seen someone so outrageous in my life. She was the prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising and founding member of the Gay Liberation Front, (Gay Pride), Marsha P. Johnson. Being able to be in the company of many queer Black people on that day made me feel pride, it was a learning lesson that I was not alone.
Can you tell us some examples of spaces you feel most accepted and safe?
With everything happening in the world I do not feel safe anywhere. You can be shot and killed in your own bed for upsetting Karen. For the first time in my life I feel like an outsider. Life can be terribly superficial, especially living in a big city. I never know who is a true friend or who is out to take what they can get from you. Learning that some friends I have known for years have racist and misogynist views came as a shock, but I’ve come to realise systematic racism is the norm due to lack of understanding, and people not willing to listen and learn. Entitlement and privilege are huge with roots in European colonialism that has developed in circumstances that have broadly sought to only protect the Aryan race. Because of social unrest and illiberality the only place I feel truly accepted is my home along with Lula my fur baby.
Does your work allow you the freedom to express your intersections?
When you develop strength within you gain aptitude to denounce discrimination giving you the freedom to express your intersections. Living your complete truth, calling the shots, being able to epilogue who you are without giving a damn is powerful. Freedom comes with love and respect for yourself.
What are some things about you that you wish people knew but folk have never found that part of you?
I’m a person with love and respect for all mankind.
What do you love most about being Black and queer?
Being Black and queer has given me more strength to walk on this planet with my head held high. When so much is against you, you develop fortitude. No one can bring you down or destroy you. Resilience becomes second nature. Being a proud Black strong woman is the best feeling in the world because it’s positive. However, it comes with misogyny and racism directed towards you because Black women are supposed to shut up and just lie there. I am a challenge to many; I can stand my own ground. Oh, how they hate that.
Who do you want to give a shout out to and why?
I would like to give a shout out to all the families who lost love ones due to racial injustice. Reminding them that this fight will never end until there’s true social justice. I’d also like to give a shout out to all the racists. Educate yourself because we are on to you. And remember, love always wins.
Alexia Lenoir, Queer Weddings UK
Aside from your work can you tell us who you are?
I’m Lexie, a proud Parisian who’s lived in London for a while. I’m also a very proud queer Black woman and recently got engaged!
Can you describe your work?
I created Queer Weddings UK which is a wedding planning service for the queer community. Having worked in the industry for almost a decade and not seeing the queer community reflected, I wanted to be able to offer a tailor-made service that would cater specifically for queer couples. I’ve done queer weddings before, of course, but a conversation with someone I know that was a guest at a wedding I was organising made me realise that this is needed. I’ve never really seen queer couples reflected unless they are white, gay males or females. This does not reflect the community as a whole and there are far more diverse stories than portrayed. Our community is beautiful and bountiful beyond the narrative that we see in the magazines or online, and I really wanted to reflect that whilst offering unforgettable wedding experiences. My work is rooted in ensuring that our queer folx get the weddings they deserve, that they are celebrated, and championed.
Do you remember the first time you experienced Black, queer joy?
I can’t quite put my finger on an exact moment but when I realised who I was, I understood that life would be challenging and I needed to find my community to understand myself and be OK with who I was. UK Black Pride was pivotal in the process. The first time I attended UK Black Pride, everything fell into place and I had an aha! moment: there were people who were completely themselves and who looked just like me! This is what Black queer joy was about for me. That made me come out of my shell and delve into what truly being me was. I was home. It’s a feeling I still feel to this day and that I understand better. I also met my future wife at UKBP three years ago and now heading the Operations team. It all fell into place eventually.
Can you tell us some examples of spaces you feel most accepted and safe?
Aside from UK Black Pride, I attended Pxssy Palace a few times, the London Queer Fashion Show, and the events organised by AZ Mag to name a few. I can walk in those spaces, dance the night away with my wife, express my true self, celebrate my community, and really enjoy myself without having to pretend. These spaces are vital to the community because not everyone has the privilege to be themselves outside of those spaces, and I’m grateful for the people who create those spaces and work hard to ensure we are safe, we are accepted, and we are celebrated.
Does your work allow you the freedom to express your intersections?
Absolutely. And this is the reason why I created Queer Weddings UK. I wanted to be able to express myself and allow my clients to do the same without being judged. However you identify is how you should be at all times, but unfortunately not everyone can do that. Also not everyone can afford those big-budget weddings and I really wanted to provide options and not put people off getting hitched.
What are some things about you that you wish people knew but folk have never found that part of you?
I wish more people realised that I’m an introvert! I’m also very passionate about creating weddings and events, probably more than what folx think. I’d say I’m obsessed even.
What do you love most about being Black and queer?
Being part of a wonderful community of folx who accept me for who I am. I have the utmost respect for those who pave the way for us
Who do you want to give a shout out to and why?
First and foremost to my wife Aisha, for being the wonderful human that she is and for being my forever person. For being my inspiration and pushing me to be the best person I can be. Lady Phyll, for allowing me in the UKBP family who are my chosen family. And to my friends, for their knowledge and wisdom and calling me out when I’m wrong but supporting me when I need it.
