Black History Month is often focused on prolific members of the Black community throughout history who contributed to the world in the name of betterment, and while they are incredibly important to our community, we often overlook those who are still alive and continuing to make a difference. We know that much of the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation has largely been led by Black members of the community who often don’t get enough credit for their contributions. This year, the Autostraddle team decided to focus our Black History Month coverage on the Black elders who are still here and still doing the work.

We connected with Black elders through a partnership with SAGE, the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBTQ+ older people and their caregivers. Autostraddle was honored to talk with five Black LGBTQ+ elders, and we’ll be publishing these interviews throughout the month of February. We welcome our readers to celebrate these members of the Black LGBTQ+ community with us, while they’re still here to be celebrated.

These interviews have been incredible, and the project itself has been something we’ve been really proud to be able to publish. This is your support at work! Carmen, Vanessa and I discussed how best to handle the usual “Editor’s Notes” for this project. We opted to ask each of the writers who participated in the interview project to reflect on their experiences, and so, here are those reflections. Thank you so much for being members and being here to celebrate the Black elders who are here and doing the work.

xoxo,

Nico

Sa’iyda

As soon as Vanessa, our Community Editor, posted about the opportunity to interview Black elders through SAGE, I knew I had to take part in it! I love interviewing people, and getting to talk to an older Black queer person felt like a special treat.

I don’t have any queer Black elders in my life, and I didn’t realize how much I was missing that until I got off the phone with Ray Gibson, who I did my first interview with. Let me tell you, Ray is a HOOT. We talked for well over an hour, and I could have talked to him all day because it was so much fun. We laughed and laughed, and I realized that even though he’s old enough to be my dad, we could have a connection. He felt like the long-lost uncle I’ve always wanted (even though he’s not rich). It just felt so unbelievably validating to have that conversation with him. Like me, he has very little filter, and we could be honest with each other in a way that you don’t often get to be during interviews. The transcription of our interview was over 80 pages long, so there was so much that got left behind.

Doing my second interview with Barbara Abrams felt like a warm hug. She is one of the kindest women I’ve gotten to interview, and it was so comforting to speak with her. That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t also a lot of fun! We shared some great laughs as she told me stories, and there was a commonality I felt with her because she lives in New York City, which is where I’m from. She also doesn’t have much of a filter, but in a very different way than Ray. She’s warm and comforting, but she takes no bs from anybody.

I developed such a closeness with both Ray and Barbara. Ray and I email each other now, which is so much fun, and I think I’m going to help edit his book when he’s ready. And I told Barbara next time that I’m in NYC, we’re going to have lunch together. This was truly a life changing experience for me, and I’m very grateful.

Dani Janae

I have relationships with people in their 80s so I was so excited for this project! I love the focus on Black queer elders during this month. Interviewing DonnaSue was so easy, I asked one question and she just started talking, hitting all of the notes I had. Our stories are different but touch in some places and I found that so special! I plan to actually keep in touch with her and that feels so exciting too.

I really got to work in all of the talking points we hit into the final doc which is why it’s so long lol. I wanted readers to see her in full light and be as enchanted by her as I was. It’s so important to see and hear our elders, to listen to them not only with the motive of learning, but just to see them as full complicated human beings.

DonnaSue was so wonderful and funny. Sometimes her jokes would catch me off guard because we’d have just been talking about something heavy. But I was totally wrapped up in her story and her language, it was a real ride.

I grew up with Black women in my immediate orbit but none quite like DonnaSue. Forming relationships with Black queer women is so important to me now, no matter their age, I just want to be surrounded by them. So this was a really wonderful opportunity that I’m so grateful for.

shea

This project was truly a dream come true for me. As a baby gay growing up outside of DC, I knew older LGBTQ+ folks existed but I didn’t know any personally. I can remember roaming the streets of DuPont Circle as a teenager, quietly ducking into Lambda Rising, and imagining what it might be to be like the folks with rainbows and graying hair who seemed so sure of themselves. Other than the fierce drag queens in the bars and clubs I went to on the weekends, I don’t remember seeing any Black LGBTQ+ elders when I was younger. To be able to interview not one but TWO elders filled my heart with so much hope and joy. Both of my parents are dead and I don’t really talk to extended family (ain’t homophobia a bitch?), so being able to connect with Don and Malcolm felt like a homecoming I’ve been desperately longing for. Both Don and Malcolm have such warm and affirming energy and their stories – their stories are full of so much love, passion, and hope.

I work in education as a Black trans person so my feeds and inboxes are often full of tragedy and despair regarding legislation and violence. These conversations were a breath of fresh air and a reminder of a past/future that is beautifully complex and defiantly bright. After our conversation, I sent Don a follow-up email telling him how much I appreciated our chat. He responded in typical “Don” fashion with a reminder that has made me feel less alone in this world. I’ll leave you with part of his note. May it warm your heart today: “…Whenever you feel alone in the world, you can call me up 24/7. I have my father’s boisterous laugh, broad shoulders right for crying on, and my mother’s arms known for giving world-class hugs. Human beings are social beings, so we all need each other to survive. This is especially true for those of us in the LGBTQ+ community…You and I are family.”

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