- [Narrator] Black Queer Town
Hall has been made possible
with support and sponsorship
from the following.
Postmates, Maybelline, Garnier,
Bud Light, Skyy vodka, Barefoot wine,
MasterCard, Coach, Scruff,
Jacked, Producer Entertainment Group,
and Audible.
A big thank you to our friends at HBO
and the team at Virtue,
an agency born from Vice.
(upbeat music)
- All right, listen,
this is the third and
final day of Black Queer
- [Both] Town Hall.
- Now we got to say, even though,
tonight is the last day of
our actual three day festival,
it doesn't end here.
You can always join us
over on our YouTube page,
Black Queer Town Hall
to see our completely
unedited conversations
and performances will be posted
- Which were epic.
Who did we have yesterday?
- Oh my God.
Yesterday, we had some
amazing performances
by Monique X Change, my
dear little sister in drag.
And of course the iconic
black queer songbird,
Frenchie Davis.
- Absolutely.
We also had some really
talented and wonderful words,
some panels by Angelica Ross, Lake Ashley,
and so many others.
So please, if you haven't seen those,
go check them out.
And if you're on the Black
Queer Town Hall YouTube,
you will probably notice
that there's even more
stuff for you to see.
We have some exciting news
that we're going to announce pretty soon.
So make sure you check that out.
- Now, today is a day
is a day of celebrating
some amazing queer
musicians and some drag.
- Some talent.
- So let me tell you why
I'm excited about this drag
portion of our show.
- Tell me why.
- Because we have so me queens
you may have not seen on TV,
like RuPaul's drag race.
- Local queens is what people would say.
- As a local queen myself,
because I am on the
international drag scene.
I am one of the world's
most famous drag queens.
(fans opening)
However, you know, 11 years ago,
I stumbled into a gay bar called Barracuda
in Chelsea, in New York city.
I Googled online and I said,
drag competition, where do I go?
And it said there was a
competition being hosted
at Barracuda on Thursdays by Shequida.
So I road down there and I
walked up and I saw Pepp,
and I said, "Shequida."
- And I'm like, "No."
- But I think that Pepp
had just replaced Shequida.
- Yeah, I replaced Shequida
and they forgot to
change the ad, basically.
So like about a month after
I'd started working there,
they were still running the old ads.
And that's, that's how they do,
if you've ever been to Barracudas.
- And I have pictures of the night.
- It was on a digital camera.
- Okay. Here's the damn picture.
(Bob laughing)
- So we're just so excited to
be able to, cause you know,
Pepp and I have both
worked the local New York
city scene for years,
and we are so happy to able to.
- 20.
- Speak for your self.
(both laughing)
We're so happy to be able
to share the experience
of a lot of local queens with y'all today.
So for that reason, we're so excited.
- Yeah, and that's something
that we really wanted to make sure that
we could curate in a
really thoughtful way.
Not only did we want to bring
you some really excellent
black queer talent, some drag,
we wanted to do it in a
way that was thoughtful
and represented exactly what
we've been trying to do.
And also spoke to a lot of the issues
that we're talking about today,
about black queer excellence,
black lives matter.
And so these are some
really good performance
and these drag performers are being paid.
- Paid!
- Paid!
- Pay the doll.
- Paid darling .
Pay that doll.
- Now here's something
really exciting, actually.
You know, tipping is a
time honored tradition
and we want to make sure
that you all get a chance
to do that.
Tipping a queen is a great honor.
- It is an honor.
It's a connection.
- Do you know the first
one you ever tipped?
- The first queen I ever
tipped was this queen
in Wilmington, Delaware,
at Porky's, was the name of the place.
- Not Porky's.
- Porky's, darling, Porky's.
And Anita Cocktail.
(Bob laughing)
- The first queen I ever tipped,
I will never forget, 'cause
I gave her 20 dollars,
which was.
- That's a very nice tip.
Even today.
- Girl, it was Miss Sherry Vine.
- Oh.
- At Boots and Saddles,
rest in peace, Boots and Saddles.
I went up and I asked
her to sing her song,
her parody, Sherrylicious,
and I gave her 20 bucks to do it.
So we will be, after each drag number,
with the montages drag performances,
will be posting the queen's Venmos
and you get a chance to still engage
in that time honored classic tradition
of tipping the dolls.
- And believe me, they
will appreciate it so much.
- Well, speaking of thoughtful numbers,
I prepared a number that
I'm really excited to share with everyone.
- All right, everyone, it
is my honor to bring to you
the co-creator and producer and brainchild
of the Black Queer Town Hall.
- And model.
- And model.
- Chanteuse.
- Runway model.
- Runway official .
- Runway at LaGuardia model.
(both laughing)
Bob the Drag Queen.
(peaceful music)
♪ I dreamed a dream of time gone by ♪
♪ When hope was high
and life worth living ♪
♪ I dreamed that love would never die ♪
♪ I dreamed that God would be forgiving ♪
- [Martin Luther King
Jr.] I still have a dream.
It is a dream deeply rooted
in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day
this nation will rise up,
live out the true meaning of it's creed.
We hold these truths to be self-evident
that all men are created equal.
(crowd applauding)
♪ But the tigers come at night ♪
♪ With their voices soft as thunder ♪
♪ As they tear your hope apart ♪
♪ As they turn your dream to shame ♪
- [Martin Luther King Jr.] I have a dream
that one day on the red hills of Georgia,
sons of former slaves and
the sons former slave owners
will be able to sit down together
at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream,
that my four little children
will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged
by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
♪ And still I dream he'll come to me ♪
- [Martin Luther King Jr.]
Little black boys and black girls
will be able to join hands
with little white boys
and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
♪ I had a dream my life would be ♪
♪ So different from this hell I'm living ♪
♪ So different now from what it seemed ♪
♪ Now life has killed the dream ♪
♪ I dreamed ♪
- [Martin Luther King Jr.]
Will be able to join hands
and sing in the words of
the old negro spiritual,
free at last, free at last,
thank God almighty, we are free at last.
(audience cheering)
- Drag has always been
a time honored tradition
in all LGBTQIA plus spaces,
but especially in communities of color
and in the black community
drag has always been so
closely connected to gay bars,
the ballroom scene and more.
And so with that being said,
we wanted to give you
a very special number.
So please welcome, Dionne Slay, Peachez,
Devo Monique, and Qween Farrazz,
performing "Four Women" by Nina Simone.
♪ My skin is black ♪
♪ My arms are long ♪
♪ My hair is woolly ♪
♪ My back is strong ♪
♪ Strong enough to take the pain ♪
♪ inflicted again and again ♪
♪ What do they call me ♪
♪ My name is Aunt Sarah ♪
♪ My name is Aunt Sarah ♪
♪ Aunt Sarah ♪
♪ My skin is yellow ♪
♪ My hair is long ♪
♪ Between two worlds ♪
♪ I do belong ♪
♪ My father was rich and white ♪
♪ He forced my mother late one night ♪
♪ What do they call me ♪
♪ My name is Saffronia ♪
♪ My name is Saffronia ♪
♪ My skin is tan ♪
♪ My hair is fine ♪
♪ My hips invite you ♪
♪ My mouth like wine ♪
♪ Whose little girl am I ♪
♪ Anyone who has money to buy ♪
♪ What do they call me ♪
♪ My name is Sweet Thing ♪
♪ My name is Sweet Thing ♪
♪ My skin is brown ♪
♪ My manner is tough ♪
♪ I'll kill the first mother I see ♪
♪ My life has been rough ♪
♪ I'm awfully bitter these days ♪
♪ Because my parents were slaves ♪
♪ What do they call me ♪
♪ My name is Peaches ♪
- [Narrator] And remember,
tipping is a time honored tradition.
So open those phones,
open those Venmo apps,
and throw some coin at Dionne Slay,
Peachez, Devo Monique, and Qween Farrazz.
- I want to take a moment
to talk about black queer musicians.
To be honest, they're my most
played artists on my Spotify.
Every day is black pride
in my house, honey.
And also not only that,
but like black people
have touched every genre
of music out there.
Name one.
Country?
Yeah, we up in there too, honey.
Literally all over the place,
and the queer impact on the
music scene is undeniable.
So, it is my pleasure to introduce
our first musical guest
of the evening, Boy Radio.
- What's going on, everybody?
This is Boy Radio, live
and direct from my bedroom.
I'm so excited that I get to be a part of
this Black Queer Town Hall with you all.
So thank you so much for watching
and thank you so much
for being a part of
New York pride history.
I felt like the only song that I could do
for an event like this
is a song I wrote called "Plastic Bag".
"Plastic Bag" is a song
about not limiting yourself.
It's about seeing things
and thinking outside the box
and putting no limits on
the places that you can go.
If you think that you can be something,
then you should strive to be it.
I know that sounds a little
corny, but it's true.
And please also know
black trans lives matter.
Black lives matter,
black queer art matters.
And so I'm so thankful to be here.
Thankful to be sharing
this moment with you all.
Let's keep making noise.
Hope you're all staying safe.
Thank you again.
♪ I am like that plastic
bag, flying in the wind ♪
♪ Could you be my velvet sky ♪
♪ Maybe we could be friends ♪
♪ Oh, bet you don't get it, get it ♪
♪ Oh, bet you can't get it, get it ♪
♪ Oh, bet you don't get it, get it ♪
♪ Oh, bet you don't
(bell ringing) get it ♪
♪ I could be your alien,
do you play pretend ♪
♪ Iron legs I got plastic fists ♪
♪ You and me could be friends ♪
♪ Oh, bet you can't get it, get it ♪
♪ Oh, bet you don't get it, get it ♪
♪ Oh, bet you can't get it, get it ♪
♪ Oh, bet you don't ♪
♪ We could be perfect together ♪
♪ You could be right by my side ♪
♪ We could be lovers, companions ♪
♪ If you'll come along for the ride ♪
♪ Alright ♪
♪ Plastic bag ♪
♪ It's like you've been sent from heaven ♪
♪ So why you keep following me ♪
♪ I think I wanna take you home ♪
♪ But I've got places to be ♪
♪ People to see, you're on your own ♪
♪ Tryin' to mess with my imagination ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Feelin' underrepresented
Hollywood said ♪
♪ This is what a can't be ♪
♪ But I'm not scared ♪
♪ I'll be your gangster ♪
♪ Oh, if I can move between
dimensions of light ♪
♪ Oh, no guns, just bags ♪
♪ Oh, I'm both Bonnie and Clyde ♪
♪ I bet you don't get that, do ya ♪
♪ Look like a strong wind just blew ya ♪
♪ I bet you think I'm insane ♪
♪ I bet you think this a game ♪
♪ Oh, put the stacks in this plastic bag ♪
♪ Oh, no more chances, don't make me mad ♪
♪ Oh, so precious, my plastic bag ♪
♪ Oh, so precious, my ♪
♪ We could be perfect together ♪
♪ You could be right by my side ♪
♪ Right by my side ♪
♪ We could be lovers, companions ♪
♪ If you'll come along for the ride ♪
♪ All right ♪
♪ Yeah, the plastic bag ♪
♪ It's like you've been sent from heaven ♪
♪ Plastic bag, yeah ♪
♪ You must have been sent from heaven ♪
♪ That's why you keep following me ♪
♪ I think I wanna take you home ♪
♪ But I've got places to be ♪
♪ People to see, you're on your own ♪
♪ Plastic bag ♪
♪ You must've been sent from heaven ♪
♪ That's why you keep following me ♪
♪ I think I wanna take you home ♪
♪ But I've got places to be ♪
♪ People to see, you're on your ♪
(guitar solo)
(button clicking)
- Our next performer is a staple
in the New York city drag scene
and was a panelists in yesterday's show.
Please welcome Kizha Carr.
(rhythmic music)
♪ You look at me ♪
♪ Like I'm unfamiliar ♪
♪ Like I'm brand new, like ya ♪
♪ Never knew that you like them thick ♪
♪ I've been been carrying this weight ♪
♪ And the world beneath these braids ♪
♪ And I'm confused ♪
♪ Would you take the pain that came ♪
♪ With all the parts you
want to claim for you ♪
♪ You want my thighs ♪
♪ You want my stride ♪
♪ But not this melanin ♪
♪ You want my Hair ♪
♪ But you don't care for this complexion ♪
♪ I'm a black woman ♪
♪ I'm a black woman ♪
♪ Corn bread fed ♪
♪ Sweet tea sippin' ♪
♪ Nubian queen with the
skin that glistens ♪
♪ I'm a black ♪
♪ Woman ♪
♪ That melanin ♪
- [Wanda Sykes] There's some things
that I had to do as gay
that I didn't have to do as black.
I didn't have to come out black.
(audience laughing)
I didn't have to sit my parents down
and tell 'em about my blackness.
I didn't have to sit them down,
"Mom, Dad, I gotta tell y'all something."
(audience laughing)
"Mom, Dad,
"I'm black."
(audience laughing)
"What?
"What did she just say?
"Oh, Lord, Jesus, she
didn't say black, Lord.
"Did she say black?"
"Mom, I'm black."
"Oh, no, Lord, Jesus, not black, no Lord.
"Oh, not black Lord.
"Anything but black, Jesus."
(audience laughing)
"Give her cancer, Lord, give her cancer.
"Anything but black, Lord."
♪ Ha ha, I got melanin, melanin, melanin ♪
♪ I got melanin, melanin ♪
♪ We got melanin, melanin ♪
♪ Melanin, melanin ♪
♪ Aha, I got melanin ♪
♪ I got melanin ♪
♪ We got melanin, melanin ♪
♪ Melanin, melanin, melanin ♪
♪ And we got some fat ass too ♪
♪ Shake it, shake it ♪
♪ We can shake it better than you ♪
♪ Shake it, shake it ♪
♪ Attitude, OHNIC ♪
♪ Blame it on the HBCU ♪
♪ Aha, we got colleges ♪
♪ Yeah, full lips, no collagen ♪
♪ Know we got the brains and beauty ♪
♪ They just give up brains so loosely, ♪
♪ Yeah, hell nah, we ain't easy ♪
♪ Queens need the R-E-S-P-E-C-T ♪
♪ Yeah, damn right, we
don't play that shit ♪
♪ Yeah, and our men got the biggest ♪
♪ We got them apple bottoms ♪
♪ Shake it, shake it ♪
♪ We get it from our mama ♪
♪ Shake it, shake it ♪
♪ Don't she look 10 years younger ♪
♪ Them other gals age like bananas ♪
♪ You mad, you mad, you mad ♪
- [Wanda Sykes] Yeah, Mom, I'm black.
That's just how it is.
No, you know what?
You've been hanging around black people.
(audience laughing)
You've been hanging around black people
and they got you thinking you black.
They've twisted your mind.
No, Mom, I'm black, that's just how it is.
What did I do?
(audience laughing)
What did I do?
I knew I shouldn't have
let you watch Soul Train.
Was it Soul Train?
(audience laughing)
♪ Melanated atmosphere ♪
♪ Tripping, honey, over here ♪
♪ Flexin' with my cocoa smooth ♪
♪ Poppin' like I'm supposed to ♪
♪ I'm so fine ♪
♪ Melanated ♪
♪ Melanated to the sky ♪
♪ I'm so fine ♪
♪ Melanated ♪
♪ Melanated to the sky ♪
- [Wanda Sykes] No, Mom,
it wasn't Soul Train
It's just who I am.
I was just born black.
Oh, you weren't born black.
I don't want to hear that.
You weren't born black.
The Bible says Adam and Eve,
not Adam and Mary J. Blige.
♪ That's that melanin ♪
♪ That's that chocolate, chocolate ♪
♪ Yeah, we killin' them ♪
♪ That's that chocolate, chocolate ♪
♪ That's that melanin ♪
♪ That's that chocolate, chocolate ♪
♪ We be killin' them ♪
♪ With all that chocolate, chocolate ♪
♪ Cici's my name ♪
♪ Love is my game ♪
♪ Blue and green's my color ♪
♪ I stay reppin' my team ♪
♪ My girls in every shade ♪
♪ We put the S in slay ♪
♪ I'm lifting up my queens ♪
♪ Fixing crowns, that's my thing ♪
♪ That's that melanin ♪
♪ That's that chocolate, chocolate ♪
♪ Yeah, we killin' them ♪
♪ That's that chocolate, chocolate ♪
♪ That's that melanin ♪
♪ That's that chocolate, chocolate ♪
♪ We be killing them ♪
♪ With all that chocolate, chocolate ♪
- [Wanda Sykes] Mom, I'm black.
Did she say black?
Mom, I'm black.
I don't want to hear that.
Black, black, black, black.
Mom, I'm black.
Oh, no, Lord.
Mom, I'm black.
Mary J. Blige.
I'm black.
(upbeat music)
- Drag Queens have been
inspiring greatness
in the queer space since
Stonewall and way before.
So, to continue in that tradition,
I would like to welcome to your screens,
Amber Crane, Victoria
Williams, and Militia Scunt
in their amazing rendition
of "Long Walk" by Jill Scott.
(rhythmic music)
♪ You're here ♪
♪ I'm pleased ♪
♪ I really dig your company ♪
♪ Your style, your smile ♪
♪ Your peace mentality ♪
♪ Lord, have mercy on me ♪
♪ I was blind, now I can see ♪
♪ What a king's supposed to be ♪
♪ Baby, I feel free ♪
♪ Come on and go with me ♪
♪ Let's take a long walk ♪
♪ Around the park after dark ♪
♪ Find a spot for us to spark ♪
♪ Conversation, verbal
elation, stimulation ♪
♪ Share our situation,
temptation, education ♪
♪ Relaxations, elevations ♪
♪ Maybe we could talk about Surah 31:18 ♪
♪ Your background, it
ain't squeaky clean ♪
♪ Shit, sometimes we all
got to swim upstream ♪
♪ You ain't no saint ♪
♪ We all are sinners ♪
♪ But you put your good foot down ♪
♪ And make your soul a winner ♪
♪ I respect that ♪
♪ Man you're so phat ♪
♪ And you're all that ♪
♪ Plus a scream ♪
♪ Then you're humble ♪
♪ Man I love your feeling ♪
♪ I can feel everything that you bring ♪
♪ Let's take a long walk ♪
♪ Around the park after dark ♪
♪ Find a spot for us to spark ♪
♪ Conversation, verbal
elation, stimulation ♪
♪ Share our situations,
temptations, education, ♪
♪ Relaxation, elevation ♪
♪ Maybe we could talk
about Revelations 3:17 ♪
♪ Or maybe we could see a movie ♪
♪ Or maybe we could see
a play on Saturday ♪
♪ Or maybe we could roll a tree ♪
♪ And feel the breeze ♪
♪ And listen to a symphony ♪
♪ Or maybe chill and just be ♪
♪ Or maybe ♪
♪ Maybe we can take a cruise
and listen to the Roots ♪
♪ Or maybe eat some passion fruit ♪
♪ Or maybe cry to the blues ♪
♪ Or maybe we could just be silent ♪
♪ Come on, come on ♪
♪ Let's take a long walk ♪
♪ Around the park after dark ♪
♪ Find a spot for us to spark ♪
♪ Conversation, verbal
elation, stimulation, ♪
♪ Share our situations,
temptation, education, ♪
♪ Relaxation, elevations ♪
♪ Maybe we could talk
about something entirety ♪
♪ Let's take a long walk ♪
♪ Around the park after dark ♪
♪ Find a spot for us to spark ♪
♪ Conversation, verbal
elation, stimulation, ♪
♪ Share our situation,
temptation, education ♪
♪ Relaxation, elevation ♪
♪ Maybe we could talk
about something entirety ♪
♪ Or maybe we could see a movie ♪
♪ Or maybe we could see
a play on Saturday ♪
♪ Or maybe we can roll a tree ♪
♪ And feel the breeze ♪
♪ And listen to a symphony ♪
♪ Or maybe we could chill and just be ♪
♪ Or maybe ♪
♪ Maybe we can take a cruise
and listen to the Roots ♪
♪ Or maybe eat some passion fruit ♪
♪ Or maybe cry to the blues ♪
♪ Or maybe we could just be silent ♪
♪ Come on, let's take a long walk ♪
♪ Around the park after dark ♪
♪ Find a spot for us to spark ♪
♪ Conversation, verbal
elation, stimulation ♪
♪ Tell our situation,
temptation, education, ♪
♪ Relaxation, elevation ♪
♪ Maybe, baby ♪
♪ Maybe we could save the nation ♪
♪ Come on ♪
♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪
(rhythmic music)
- [Narrator] All right,
you know what time it is.
Make it rain on Miss Amber Crane,
Victoria Williams, and Militia Scunt.
You better open up those Venmo apps, girl.
- This next musician is making
big waves in the music scene
with duets with RuPaul,
choreographing for Beyonce,
and is currently featured
in Billboard Magazine.
So please welcome queer music
sensation, Todrick Hall.
- Hello everybody, I'm Todrick Hall,
and I have produced so many
videos for my YouTube channel,
but one of the things
I'm the most proud of
is my first visual album
called "Straight out of Oz",
where I have a song in
there called "Water Guns".
I wrote this song
because I personally lost
a couple of people to police brutality
and also a friend who was a
police officer who was shot.
I hope that this message and
this song and it's melody,
as simple as it is, rings true to you
because I believe that it's so powerful.
I sometimes don't have the
words to express how I feel,
and I believe that music
heightens every emotion.
And so I wrote this
song as my contribution
as an artist to the black
lives matter movement.
I hope you all enjoy "Water Guns".
(melancholy music)
♪ When I was just a little boy ♪
♪ Me and my father would go out back ♪
♪ And play a little game
of cops and robbers ♪
♪ One day he cocked the gun ♪
♪ And pointed at my mom and shot her ♪
♪ And I cried and cried with laughter ♪
♪ After I realized it was just water ♪
♪ But things have changed now ♪
♪ The world just ain't the same now ♪
♪ We're frightened, but we
need to be enlightened ♪
♪ User our brain now ♪
♪ People pointing fingers ♪
♪ Trying to find someone to blame now ♪
♪ A shame now, the game of cops
and robbers ain't a game now ♪
♪ These ain't water guns ♪
♪ And please save all
our sons and daughters ♪
♪ What are we fighting for ♪
♪ 'Cause these ain't water guns ♪
♪ Water guns no more ♪
♪ And these ain't water guns ♪
♪ And please save all
our sons and daughters ♪
♪ What are we fighting for ♪
♪ 'Cause these ain't water guns ♪
♪ Water guns no more ♪
♪ Look around tell me
how we ever got here ♪
♪ We fighting hard ♪
♪ But the reason then it's not clear ♪
♪ Stop here ♪
♪ Where is the love, if it's not here ♪
♪ The solution to not getting
shot here is not fear ♪
♪ And we can fly away on a
balloon to another land ♪
♪ Or we can make this home ♪
♪ Find another plan ♪
♪ Too much blood on these
yellow brick streets ♪
♪ And history repeats ♪
♪ Until we can finally
hold our brother's hand ♪
♪ These ain't water guns ♪
♪ And please save all
our sons and daughters ♪
♪ What are we fighting for ♪
♪ 'Cause these ain't water guns ♪
♪ Water guns no more ♪
♪ And these ain't water guns ♪
♪ And please save all
our sons and daughters ♪
♪ What are we fighting for ♪
♪ 'Cause these ain't water guns ♪
♪ Water guns no more ♪
♪ So take my hand in your hand ♪
♪ And let's stand if we can ♪
♪ Pray for all the fallen ones ♪
♪ These ain't ♪
♪ These ain't ♪
♪ These ain't water guns ♪
♪ Take my hand in your hand ♪
♪ And let's stand if we can ♪
♪ Pray for all the fallen ones ♪
♪ These ain't ♪
♪ These ain't ♪
♪ These ain't water guns ♪
♪ Please save all our sons and daughters ♪
♪ What are fighting ♪
♪ Water guns no more ♪
♪ And these ain't water guns ♪
♪ And please save all
our sons and daughters ♪
♪ What are we fighting for ♪
♪ 'Cause these ain't water guns ♪
♪ Water guns no more ♪
♪ These ain't water guns ♪
♪ Water guns no more ♪
♪ And please save all
our sons and daughters ♪
♪ What are we fighting for ♪
♪ Why are we fighting ♪
♪ Water guns ♪
♪ Can you hear me ♪
♪ These ain't water guns ♪
♪ And please save all
our sons and daughters ♪
♪ What are we fighting for ♪
♪ 'Cause these ain't water guns ♪
♪ Water guns no more ♪
♪ Do you hear them ♪
♪ These ain't water guns no more ♪
- This next performer
needs no introduction,
but I'm going to do it anyway
because it is my honor.
She is one of my all time favorite queens.
She's a true icon.
She is the first trans woman
to ever originate a lead
role in a Broadway musical.
And she is my dear friend.
Please welcome Miss Peppermint.
- [Peppermint] Trigger warning.
This video depicts violence
against black trans women
and brings to light the
horrible instances of murder
against our black trans sisters.
♪ A girl like me can light up any party ♪
♪ And hold the crowd in her hands ♪
♪ A girl like me can turn
heads on the runway ♪
♪ And travel off to distant lands ♪
♪ A girl like me knows
how to make her money ♪
♪ She's just as smart as she is cute ♪
♪ She's strong and doesn't
take it from nobody ♪
♪ A girl like me knows
how to live her truth ♪
♪ A girl like me can dream ♪
♪ But sometimes that's
all that she can do ♪
♪ To belong ♪
♪ To be loved ♪
♪ In the arms of someone ♪
♪ That's all I want to be ♪
♪ I just need to be heard ♪
♪ To be seen ♪
♪ Do you know what I mean ♪
♪ Would it hurt to try and see ♪
♪ If you could love a girl ♪
♪ Love a girl like me ♪
♪ A girl like me isn't
always seen as equal ♪
♪ And sometimes not one at all ♪
♪ A girl like me can't give a man a baby ♪
♪ And when trouble comes
she's first to take the fall ♪
♪ And girls like me are scared and angry ♪
♪ But we always find a way to smile ♪
♪ To belong ♪
♪ To be loved ♪
♪ In the arms of someone ♪
♪ That's all I want to be ♪
♪ I just need ♪
♪ To be heard ♪
♪ To be seen ♪
♪ Do you know what I mean ♪
♪ Would it hurt to try and see ♪
♪ If you could love a girl ♪
♪ Love a girl like me ♪
♪ A girl whose fighting for her life ♪
♪ A girl who can't go home at night ♪
♪ I'm a girl who strives for good ♪
♪ But ends up so misunderstood ♪
♪ A girl who needs a
love to call her own ♪
♪ To belong ♪
♪ To be loved ♪
♪ In the arms of someone ♪
♪ That's all I want to be ♪
♪ I just need ♪
♪ To be heard ♪
♪ To be seen ♪
♪ Do you know what I mean ♪
♪ Would it hurt to try and see ♪
♪ If you could love a girl ♪
♪ Love a girl like me ♪
- Thanks for watching that.
That was a little sneak
peek of my new album,
which I have a concert that you
are all invited to next week
on the 26th of June 8:00 PM eastern.
Just go to misspeppermint.live
for tickets.
It's called "Letters To My Lovers".
And so now a very special
drag performance by
Miss Coco Buttah, Marisol Espinoza,
and Afrika America performing
one of my favorite songs,
"Brown Skin" by India Arie.
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ You know I love your brown skin ♪
♪ I can't tell where yours begins ♪
♪ I can't tell where my mine ends ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ Up against my brown skin ♪
♪ Need some every now and then, oh hey ♪
♪ Where are your people from ♪
♪ Maybe Mississippi or an island ♪
♪ Apparently your skin has
been kissed by the sun ♪
♪ You make me want a Hershey's
kiss, your licorice ♪
♪ Every time I see your lips ♪
♪ It makes me think of
honey-coated chocolate ♪
♪ Your kisses are worth
more than gold to me ♪
♪ I'll be your Almond Joy ♪
♪ You'll be my sugar daddy ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ You know I love your brown skin ♪
♪ I can't tell where yours begins ♪
♪ I can't tell where mine ends ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ Up against my brown skin ♪
♪ Need some every now and then, oh hey ♪
♪ Every time you come around ♪
♪ Something magnetic pulls me ♪
♪ And I can't get out ♪
♪ Disoriented ♪
♪ I can't tell my up from down ♪
♪ All I know is that I
want to lay you down ♪
♪ Every time I let you in ♪
♪ Abracadabra, magic happens as we swim ♪
♪ Higher and higher ♪
♪ Finally we reach heaven ♪
♪ Come back to Earth ♪
♪ Then we do it all again, yeah ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ You know I love your brown skin ♪
♪ I can't tell where yours begins ♪
♪ I can't tell where mine ends ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ Up against my brown skin ♪
♪ Need some every now and then, oh hey ♪
♪ Skin so brown, lips so round ♪
♪ Baby how can I be down ♪
♪ Beautiful mahogany ♪
♪ You make me feel like a queen ♪
♪ You make me feel like a queen ♪
♪ Tell me what's that thing you do ♪
♪ That makes me want to
get next to you, yeah ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ You know I love your brown skin ♪
♪ I can't tell where yours begins ♪
♪ I can't tell where mine ends ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ Up against my brown skin ♪
♪ Need some every now and then ♪
♪ Need some every now and then ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ You know I love your brown skin ♪
♪ I can't tell where yours begins ♪
♪ I can't tell where mine ends ♪
♪ Brown skin ♪
♪ You know, it's my brown skin ♪
♪ Need some every now and then ♪
♪ Oh yeah ♪
(sultry music)
- All right.
This is your chance to tip the
dolls that is Afrika America,
Coco Buttah and Marisol Espinoza.
Now this next queen coming
to your screens right now
really won the hearts of America
as she sashayed into the workroom
on RuPaul's.
I'm trying to do the whistle.
Drag Race season 12.
She's so sweet.
She's so lovely.
And I'm so happy she's a part of this.
Please welcome Miss Heidi-N-Closet.
- Hi everyone, it's me, Heidi-N-Closet,
from RuPaul's drag race, season 12.
And I'm so happy to share
this number with you.
It is a number that
really hits home for me,
not only being of the
LGBTQIA plus community,
but also as a black man as well.
It talks about knowing
where you're coming from
and knowing where you're headed,
which we've all had to
struggle with in our lives.
So I'm just happy to be able
to share this stuff with y'all
and really reach out to so many of you
and touch you in your
spirit and mind and hearts.
(kiss smacking)
(smooth music)
♪ There's a light ♪
♪ In the darkness ♪
♪ Though the night is black as my skin ♪
♪ There's a light burning bright ♪
♪ Showing me the way ♪
♪ But I know where I've been ♪
♪ There's a cry in the distance ♪
♪ It's a voice ♪
♪ That comes from deep within ♪
♪ There's a cry asking why ♪
♪ I pray the answers up ahead ♪
♪ 'Cause I know where I've been ♪
♪ There's a road we've been traveling ♪
♪ Lost so many along the way ♪
♪ But the riches will be plenty ♪
♪ Worth the price ♪
♪ The price we had to pay ♪
♪ There's a dream in the future ♪
♪ There's a struggle ♪
♪ That we have yet to win ♪
♪ And there's pride in my heart ♪
♪ 'Cause I know where I'm going ♪
♪ Yes I do ♪
♪ And I know where I've been ♪
♪ There's a road ♪
♪ We must travel ♪
♪ There's a promise ♪
♪ We must make ♪
♪ Oh but the riches ♪
♪ The riches will be plenty ♪
♪ Worth the risk ♪
♪ And the chances take ♪
♪ There's a dream ♪
♪ In the future ♪
♪ There's a struggle ♪
♪ That we have yet to win ♪
♪ Use that pride ♪
♪ In our hearts ♪
♪ To lift us up until tomorrow ♪
♪ 'Cause just to sit
still would be a sin ♪
♪ I know it, I know it,
I know where I'm going ♪
♪ Lord knows I know ♪
♪ Where I've been ♪
♪ Oh, when we win ♪
♪ I'll give thanks to my God ♪
♪ 'Cause I know where I've been ♪
- I love Heidi.
She is definitely the heart of season 12
and definitely won all of our love.
Thank you so much Miss Heidi.
And now a fabulous performance
by Jada Valenciaga,
Brenda Dharling, Ruby
Fox and Sapphira Cristal
performing "Juice" by Lizzo.
(upbeat music)
♪ Mirror, mirror on the wall ♪
♪ Don't say it 'cause I
know I'm cute, oh baby ♪
♪ Louis down to my drawers ♪
♪ LV all on my shoes, oh baby ♪
♪ I be drippin' so much sauce ♪
♪ Got a bitch lookin' like Ragu, oh baby ♪
♪ Lit up like a crystal ball ♪
♪ That's cool, baby, so is you ♪
♪ That's how I roll ♪
♪ If I'm shinin', everybody gonna shine ♪
♪ Yeah, I'm goals ♪
♪ I was born like this ♪
♪ Don't even gotta try ♪
♪ Now you know ♪
♪ I'm like chardonnay,
get better over time ♪
♪ So you know ♪
♪ Heard you say I'm not the
baddest bitch, you lied ♪
♪ It ain't my fault ♪
♪ That I'm out here gettin' loose ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on the boots ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on my juice, baby ♪
♪ It ain't my fault ♪
♪ That I'm out here makin' news ♪
♪ I'm the pudding in the proof ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it, blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it, blame it on my juice ♪
♪ No, I'm not a snack at all ♪
♪ Look, baby, I'm the
whole damn meal, oh, baby ♪
♪ David, you ain't bein' slick ♪
♪ Don't dare try to cop a feel, oh baby ♪
♪ The juice ain't worth the squeeze ♪
♪ If the juice don't look like this ♪
♪ Like this, like this, like this ♪
♪ Hold up, nigga please ♪
♪ Don't make me have to take your bitch ♪
♪ How I roll ♪
♪ If I'm shinin', everybody gonna shine ♪
♪ Yeah, I'm goals ♪
♪ I was born like this ♪
♪ Don't even gotta try ♪
♪ Now you know ♪
♪ I'm like chardonnay,
get better over time ♪
♪ So now you know ♪
♪ Heard you say I'm not the
baddest bitch, you lied ♪
♪ It ain't my fault ♪
♪ That I'm out here gettin' loose ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on the boots ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on my juice, baby ♪
♪ It ain't my fault ♪
♪ That I'm out here makin' news ♪
♪ I'm the pudding in the proof ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it, blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it, blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Somebody come get this man ♪
♪ I think he got lost in my DM's ♪
♪ What ♪
♪ My DM's ♪
♪ What ♪
♪ You better come get your man ♪
♪ I think he wanna be
way more than friends ♪
♪ What ♪
♪ More than friends ♪
♪ What you want me to say ♪
♪ It ain't my fault ♪
♪ That I'm out here gettin' loose ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on the boots ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on my juice, baby ♪
♪ It ain't my fault ♪
♪ That I'm out here makin' news ♪
♪ I'm the pudding in the proof ♪
♪ Gotta blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it, blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it on my juice ♪
♪ Blame it, blame it on my juice. ♪
- [Narrator] All right, we've
reached that time again.
Please make it rain on Janet Valenciaga.
Brenda Dharling, Ruby Fox
and Miss Sapphira Cristal.
Listen, good drag ain't cheap
and cheap drag ain't good.
- It is with great honor \
that I introduce this next entertainer.
She is the current reigning,
after slaying her way,
impeccably through season
12 of RuPaul's drag race.
She is the definition of
black excellence and strength,
the essence of beauty,
Miss Jaida Essence Hall.
(upbeat music)
♪ Oh here it goes ♪
♪ I feel like fire ♪
♪ I feel like rain ♪
♪ I can take you higher ♪
♪ But you gotta earn it ♪
♪ I'm lit, don't mess with it ♪
♪ Stand back, let me do my shit ♪
♪ I'm lit, don't mess with it ♪
♪ Hands to the sky ♪
♪ Show me that you're mine ♪
♪ Hands to the sky ♪
♪ Show me that you're mine ♪
♪ And baby, worship me ♪
♪ Worship me ♪
♪ On your knees ♪
♪ Patiently, quietly, faithfully ♪
♪ Worship me ♪
♪ Feel that lightning ♪
♪ Down in my soul ♪
♪ And if you wanna feel
the thunder, baby ♪
♪ Better let me know ♪
♪ Let me know ♪
♪ I'm lit, don't mess with it ♪
♪ Stand back, let me do my shit ♪
♪ I'm lit, don't mess with it ♪
♪ Hands to the sky ♪
♪ Show me that you're mine ♪
♪ Hands to the sky ♪
♪ Show me that you're mine ♪
♪ And baby, worship me ♪
♪ Worship me ♪
♪ On your knees ♪
♪ Patiently, quietly, faithfully ♪
♪ Worship me ♪
♪ Oh here it goes, okay ♪
♪ Stop and smell my roses, posies ♪
♪ Appreciate my poses, they know ♪
♪ I'm a fanfare like the star-spangled ♪
♪ Oh say can you see my angles ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm hotter than ♪
♪ I'm hotter than the stove top ♪
♪ You can put your kettle on ♪
♪ But I'm a make the thing pop ♪
♪ No, I ain't talkin' about
the word, just my work ♪
♪ You can add it all up ♪
♪ While I'm beefin' up my purse ♪
♪ Hands to the sky ♪
♪ Show me that you're mine ♪
♪ Make me believe it ♪
♪ Hands to the sky ♪
♪ Show me that you're mine ♪
♪ Oh yeah, and baby, worship me ♪
♪ Worship me ♪
♪ Get it together ♪
♪ Make it feel good ♪
♪ Patiently, quietly, faithfully ♪
♪ Worship me ♪
(upbeat music)
- Thank you so much Jaida
Essence Hall and congratulations.
I cannot wait to see what you do.
- Honestly, I can not believe
that we have the honor to introduce
who we are about to introduce.
- Me neither.
But my mom used to take me to go hear
college speakers all the time.
She worked at a college.
And one day she said
you are coming with me
to hear this speaker.
And I was like, "I don't want to go."
And I went and was absolutely moved
by the words that I heard.
And I didn't even know exactly who she was
until I had a chance to look her up later
and find out how much she contributed to
the movement and advancement
of black people in the sixties,
to feminism, and then even
the queer rights movement
from the nineties on.
This is an absolute icon and legend
in the purest sense of the word.
I consider this black queer
- [Both] royalty.
- I mean, literally,
if you've ever seen a black woman
with a perfectly circular afro,
you absolutely thought
about this powerful woman,
who's about to grace your screens.
It is my honor.
It is my pleasure.
I am in awe and I would love to welcome.
- [Both] Dr. Angela Davis.
- Hello, Dr. Angela Davis.
We are so thrilled to have
this conversation with you
and have you be a part of
that black queer town hall
and we want to jump right
into the conversation.
- Absolutely.
- And I just have one
question to ask you first.
This is something we're asking
of all of our participants
that speak with us.
How do you identify?
- Okay.
I identify as a communist,
abolitionist, internationalist,
anti-racist, anticapitalist, feminist,
black, queer, activist pro-working class,
revolutionary, intellectual,
community builder.
- Amazing.
- Is that enough?
- It's everything.
- I'm sure you've heard
this a million times,
but I mean, Dr. Angela
Davis for president.
And there's a really big buzz too
in the queer community right now,
because you recently went on a live stream
and you had some really
amazing words to say about
our trans family and how
they're being treated
by other members of our world.
Do you have any words on that?
- Well, absolutely.
I think that the trans movement has played
an absolutely pivotal role
in encouraging movements,
abolitionist movements,
to dismantle and build up.
I think that the fact that
there was a wonderful demonstration,
my niece told me about it,
in Brooklyn, the other day,
that focused very specifically
on black trans people,
conveying the message
that if we are interested
in eliminating racist
violence from our worlds,
we have to take into consideration
that black trans women
are probably the targets
of the most consistent
of forms of violence,
state violence, stranger violence,
individual violence, intimate violence.
And those of us who embrace a feminist
notion of the intersectionality
of all of these issues,
recognize that if we don't
support the trans community
at this moment,
then there is no hope for
broader transformation.
- Well, I know that you,
intersectionality is a really
big piece of activism and
obviously in the conversations
around queer identities
and even in the black
lives matter movement now.
And so I'm really curious,
what does allyship and the
notion of intersectionality?
It wasn't as relevant then
as it seems to be today,
like throughout history,
because it really seems to be a piece
that we're able to insert
into the conversation,
whether it's black lives matter,
whether it's LGBTQ equality,
historically, has that always been a piece
that people were readily
able to talk about?
- Well,
actually intersectionality
is a relatively new term,
but I think the ideas
have been percolating
for a very long time.
During the civil rights movement,
it was clear that black
people needed those
who would work for civil
rights, work against racism,
work for black liberation in solidarity
with those black activists and leaders.
But I think this is the first period
during which we have
very explicitly focused
on the need to create
communities of struggle,
drawing in people from
different backgrounds,
different struggles.
And I actually think
that intersectionality
is most effective when we talk about
the intersectionality of struggles,
and that it is not possible
to imagine victories
and the struggle against racism
if we don't at the same time
support trans community struggles,
if we don't support immigrant
community struggles.
And we don't recognize the relationship
between the mass
incarceration of black people
and the detention of immigrants
from central America.
So I think that the feminist insistence
on bringing things together
that are often thought separately apart,
and a recognition as Dr. King pointed out,
that injustice anywhere is a
threat to justice everywhere.
These ideas now shape our
activism in the year 2020.
- That's so amazing, you mentioned that.
I was literally just this morning
in preparing for this interview,
going over a lot of your work,
and in the book, "Freedom
Is A Constant Struggle"
the one that jumps out to me most is
"feminism insists on methods
of thought and action
"that urge us to think
about things together
"that appear to be separate
"and to desegregate things
"that appear to naturally
belong together."
'Cause there's a lot of, you know,
feminism has a lot of different waves
and I think that that
is such a strong quote
in terms of including our
trans family into feminism.
- Yeah.
And people often assume that
when you engage in feminist practices,
you're focusing only on gender issues
or you're, you're focusing only on women.
And for me, feminism is a,
is a methodology.
It's a way of thinking about the world.
It's a method of organizing.
It calls upon us to be inclusive,
but, in being inclusive,
understanding the connections
and the relationships,
and feminism does not allow
us to leave anyone behind.
I should say that it's
an anti-racist feminist.
'Cause not all feminists agree with this.
Go ahead.
- I was gonna say,
there's probably a certain
fiction writer from England
who wouldn't agree with this.
- Yeah, exactly.
- Yeah.
And you know, somehow we think
that just because feminism
was initiated by white women,
and that isn't even the case,
but because mainstream feminism appears,
as I would say, white bourgeois feminism,
that that is the feminism with which we,
we should identify,
but black women have
played an important role
historically in the
development of feminism.
The trans movement in recent
times has transformed feminism.
So this is a feminism I identified with.
- All these notions,
a lot of these notions in this
piece of the conversation,
as we know, language is always evolving.
What do you think has taken us?
Why has it taken us so long to get to
exactly where we are in this moment?
What piece do you think has
been missing historically
that either we're just
starting to realize now,
or that we need to realize in the future,
like what piece is
missing when it comes to
everyone being on the
same page with feminism,
with equality, with LGBTQ equality
and intersectionality and all of that?
- Well, you know,
I don't know whether everyone
will ever be on the same page,
because there are always those who are
conservative, who want
to conserve the past.
There are always those looking backwards
instead of forwards,
including the current occupant
of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
And so I don't know
whether it's a question
of getting everyone on the same page.
For me it's a question
of creating a movement
that is irresistible.
And now we see as we stand up
against racist state violence
and particularly the
horrendous police murder
of George Floyd, but also
the killing of Tony McDade,
the black trans man.
Also, of course,
the killing of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky.
You know, in light of all of these
dramatic examples of the
worst forms of racist violence
in the context of Covid-19,
in the context of the
shelter in place orders,
people have been driven to
become more collectively
introspective, to think
about how they themselves
have been responsible
for perpetuating racism.
Even, what is it,
PepsiCo is deciding to
change Aunt Jemima's,
you know, Aunt Jemima's pancake.
Is it pancake or syrup?
- They're both.
They're gonna get rid of.
- Oh, no, it's Mrs.
Butterworth on the syrup,
and Uncle Ben on the rice, right?
- Aunt Jemima is the pancakes.
- Yeah.
We have been protesting this for decades.
I'm waiting for someone to say
that the Washington Redskins have to go.
- Yeah, we've tried that conversation.
- All of the teams that have racist names,
that are named after indigenous people.
And let me say that our
anti-racism is not only
anti-black racism, especially now,
we have to think about Islamophobia
and the racism that is
directed at immigrants.
I think that
what we need today is a
greater sense of connectedness,
is a sense of internationalism.
And of course,
all of these things evolved historically.
So I wouldn't say that
that this particular moment
was possible in the 1950s
or the 1970s or the 1990s.
We can see that we are
building on the insights
and the movements and
the progress of the past.
- Well, I just want to say too,
that it is such an honor
to be able to sit down here
and talk with you.
You are an absolute icon in
civil rights and black history,
a fashion icon as well.
I mean, whenever I see a
perfectly quaffed afro,
I think of the amazing
gorgeous Dr. Angela Davis.
And I just want to say it is our honor
here at Black Queer Town Hall to give you
our first Lifetime Achievement
in Black Queer Excellence.
- Can I ask you?
- Very honored.
Thank you so much.
- Can we ask you,
I know we have to get ready to go.
But one message, if
you could, speaking to,
knowing that we still
have a long way to go,
speaking to the next wave
of activists and feminists
and change makers and fighters,
and if there could ever
be someone inspired to be
the Angela Davis of the future,
what would your message be to them?
- Well, first of all,
I always try to point out
that I don't see myself as
an individual, as the icon.
You know, I don't think that I,
as a single individual,
deserve to be looked upon in that way,
but I think what is important
is the fact that people know me
because my life was saved
by a vast movement
that was organized, first
of all in this country,
but then all over the world.
And I see myself as bearing witness
to that collective power.
This is what we need today.
But it's also young people
who are moving us in radical directions.
And I'm so excited.
And I'm learning so much
from the younger generation.
And so I,
I don't know whether,
you know, whether I have advice,
because I think that change
happens when people begin to
look with new eyes in new directions.
And oftentimes older generations
are not so well equipped to
do that, myself included.
You know, this is why I say I have learned
a great deal about the importance
of the intersectionality
of struggles.
Queer black women have
been central to the process
of developing new
conceptions of leadership.
And as we know,
black LGBTQ people played central roles
in organizing the civil rights movement.
I can mention for example, Bayard Rustin.
But what is different
about the current period
is that there is a
vocabulary and a discourse
that allows us to understand
not only the need to lift up
the relationship between
the struggle against racism
and the struggle against
homophobia and transphobia,
and increasing numbers of people,
especially young people,
are embracing this discourse.
So what really gives me hope
is the fact that within a
relatively short period of time,
some of the fundamental ways
in which people think about
gender have been transformed,
and this has happened
because of the interventions
of young people.
And changing the way we think about gender
has urged us to think differently
about the constructiveness
of our social reality.
So I would simply say to young people
keep doing what you're doing.
Look for inspiration to elders.
Miss Major is one of the people
with whom I regularly check in.
You know, we speak to
each other periodically
because I have learned so much from her,
and the struggles that
she has helped to spark.
- Wow.
- We are, absolutely
in awe.
- We're speechless.
- Look at us,
we're speechless.
And we're never speechless.
We talk way too much.
- And we are happy to
have had the opportunity
to listen to you, to connect with you.
And I know that you hear
this message all the time,
and we said that we weren't really
going to spend too much time gloating,
but it's important for
us to express to you
the just sheer, utter gratitude
of all these people about whom you speak,
the queer black community.
That I've had the opportunity to meet,
whether they know it or not.
They are so grateful for
your queer black excellence,
and all of your words,
and all of your grace.
And thank you so much
for this conversation.
- And thank you.
Thank you very much for inviting me.
- And now I'm so excited
to introduce our headliner.
You may have gotten a glimpse of her
when she was speaking out for trans rights
at the latest, most
recent LGBTQ town hall,
where the presidential candidates
were vying for our attention.
And you've definitely heard her voice
on the official song
of "We're Here" on HBO,
which just got picked up for season two.
Congratulations.
(Bob cheering)
I give you,
and this is going to be a
very special experience,
our headliner,
the very first headliner of
the Black Queer Town Hall,
Miss Shea Diamond.
- Hello, I'm Shea Diamond.
And I'm doing three songs for
the Black Queer Town Hall.
The three songs I chose
today are "American Pie",
"I Am Her" and "Don't Shoot".
Well, as I was putting together my EP,
I wanted it to be a collection of songs
that were important, not only to me,
but also to my community.
Songs that spoke about
identity, about truth,
about the deaths and
the lives that we live
and you know, us and how
we suffer in silence.
The first song I wrote
is called "Don't Shoot".
I wrote that song about my life story.
It talks about my growing
up, my incarceration.
It talks about me being in foster care.
It talks about my life
and me having enough
and needing to get away from
living the lie or being
forced into a gender role
that I didn't agree with.
It talks about my incarceration
and it talks about my life now
and the success that I never thought
I wouldn't be able to obtain,
that people said I would
never be able to make it
because of my incarceration.
I would never be able to make
it because of my transness,
because of my blackness.
And this story tells that.
"Don't Shoot" speaks about
the black and brown bodies
that are being killed, especially trans.
Well, I don't feel uncomfortable
talking about the black trans murders.
It's just, the thing is,
is I feel like we talk about them so much,
but we don't do enough about them.
And so we leave this open wound for people
and they just hear constantly every day,
there's a black trans
woman being murdered,
every single day and
it's violently killed.
And so we're still trying
to fight for basic rights.
And I don't feel like
people are as outraged
about the black life when
it so happens to be trans.
And so I do come from a place of,
of just holding this in or harboring this,
this unspoken thing that I
don't even speak about myself,
that I feel so enraged and
outrage by just my own community,
that they don't see me.
They don't see my life.
They don't see the good that I do.
It's all wired about my transness.
And no matter how I do,
how much I love you,
no matter how much I give you,
how much I give of myself,
no matter how much I healed my community,
there's gonna always be
somebody who's going to kill us
just for being us.
And so to talk about it,
it's always emotional.
Yeah, "Don't Shoot" is one
of the most important songs
that I feel like I have to
offer to the world right now.
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ All over the world ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Black bodies and trans bodies ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Are being violently killed ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ If we don't say something ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ if we don't stand up ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ And say enough is enough ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ They'll say we enjoyed it ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Not your business but
I've seen some shit ♪
♪ Got snatched up by
my mom when I was six ♪
♪ I can still smell the
smoke as a bullet missed ♪
♪ That's a lot for a kid ♪
♪ Had enough when I was 14 ♪
♪ I ran away so I can foster my dreams ♪
♪ But it didn't have the knowledge ♪
♪ The streets was too much ♪
♪ Mama just told me I wasn't enough ♪
♪ You're safe, so you live it up ♪
♪ Hard days, you've never seen 'em love ♪
♪ I'm not saying I'm the only one ♪
♪ But damn some days don't feel like it ♪
♪ Hands up ♪
♪ Please, don't shoot ♪
♪ We're living in a world
where they can't take truth ♪
♪ They say they don't see color ♪
♪ But the bloodstains show the proof ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Hands up ♪
♪ Please don't shoot ♪
♪ They'll say that you love it ♪
♪ If your mouth stays mute ♪
♪ They say they don't see color ♪
♪ But the bloodstains show the proof ♪
♪ Lock me up when I was 19 ♪
♪ There goes my twenties
and there goes my dreams ♪
♪ Put me on the yard and said ♪
♪ Sacrifice the queen ♪
♪ That's a lot for a teen ♪
♪ Got so much when I was released ♪
♪ Kiss the grass under my feet ♪
♪ Modern slavery tried
to get the best of me ♪
♪ That's a lot for anybody ♪
♪ Your safe, so you live it up ♪
♪ Hard days, you've never seen 'em love ♪
♪ I'm not saying ♪
♪ I'm the only one ♪
♪ But damn, some days
don't it feel like it ♪
♪ Hands up ♪
♪ Please, don't shoot ♪
♪ We're living in a world
where they can't take truth ♪
♪ They say they don't see color ♪
♪ But the bloodstains show the proof ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Hands up ♪
♪ Please don't shoot ♪
♪ They say that you'll love
it if your mouth stays mute ♪
♪ They say they don't see color ♪
♪ But the blood stains show the proof ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Please don't shoot ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Please don't shoot ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Please don't shoot ♪
♪ Don't shoot ♪
♪ Now I'm sittin', in my forties ♪
♪ What I need ♪
♪ I can't afford it ♪
♪ Butterflies on a red carpet ♪
♪ And there's a whole lot for me ♪
♪ And there's a whole lot for me ♪
- The inspiration and the
backstory from "I Am Her",
it speaks about, you know, my identity,
and I've always had the,
the part of me that has
identified as female,
as feminine to be attacked
since I was very young.
And so, again,
this was a song that's
a testament of my life.
So it wasn't until I was incarcerated,
that I was able to actually
write down those thoughts
and to make it into a song.
So again, being incarcerated
in a man's institution
for 10 years, you know, again,
my femininity was under attack.
So I dealt with that being
under attack my whole life.
I've had every Bible thrown
at me that you can throw.
And so I wanted to tell
a story that encompasses
the Bible and just how
people objectify you.
And they demonize you for your sins.
But James 2:10, a sin is a sin.
And I wanted to express
the fact that, you know,
there's somebody in everybody's life
that identify as like me,
whether you know it or not.
Because of the wrath that that is giving,
and that is put upon people,
people won't tell you their truth.
And so again, they stay
silent in their truth.
They're afraid to come
out to their parents.
They're afraid to come
out to their friends.
And I wanted to make a testament
of my own personal journey.
And for me,
it wasn't until I lost everybody
that I've found myself.
And that's why I say I get
along swell by my goddamn self.
And I learned that I
wouldn't be able to grow
unless I nurtured myself
like how I nurture people.
And so everything I gave to people,
I had to give it to myself,
and realize that I wasn't alone.
I had to tell myself that I wasn't alone.
And it was a message
that I felt like the world needed to hear,
especially those who were young like me
and that really, really needed to hear,
that needed that assurance.
And "I Am Her" is just
the testament to say
in your face.
It is what it is.
I am who I am, whether you like it or not.
And I'm still going to be
good at the end of the day,
whether you're in my life or not.
♪ Now, now, now, now, now, now ♪
♪ Now, now, now, now, now, now ♪
♪ Now, now, now, now, now, now ♪
♪ Now, now, now, now, now, now ♪
♪ There's an outcast in everybody's life ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ There's a shadow on
everybody's front door ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ There's a dark cloud
in everybody's sunlight ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ Oh, you know I am her ♪
♪ All that glitters isn't gold ♪
♪ At least that's what I've been told ♪
♪ I got so many issues and
problems that I go through ♪
♪ Sometimes I can't sleep at night ♪
♪ If I hide my face, heaven forbid ♪
♪ It wouldn't be the worst
thing that I ever did ♪
♪ It's a hell of a world
that we're living in ♪
♪ James 2:10, a sin is a sin ♪
♪ Don't look at me immediately ♪
♪ And whisper behind my
back, thinking I'm naive ♪
♪ It's my southern hospitality ♪
♪ Tolerates more bees
than even I can believe ♪
♪ There's an outcast in everybody's life ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ There's a shadow on
everybody's front door ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ There's a dark cloud
in everybody's sunlight ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ Oh, you know I am her ♪
♪ Your ignorance leaves
a hell of a stench ♪
♪ The aroma lingers on
generations I've known ♪
♪ And if I run, yeah, the smarter we get ♪
♪ The less we understand
about the simplest shit ♪
♪ Better say that ♪
♪ I am she ♪
♪ She is me ♪
♪ We get down with our
bad selves, figuratively ♪
♪ Don't care too much
what other people say ♪
♪ I get along swell by my god damn self ♪
♪ Never asked for no one's philosophy ♪
♪ It's obvious I'm proud of me ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ There's an outcast in everybody's life ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ There's a shadow on
everybody's front door ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ There's a dark cloud
in everybody's sunlight ♪
♪ And I am her ♪
♪ I am her ♪
♪ Oh, you know I am her ♪
♪ Now, now, now, now, now, now ♪
♪ Now, now, now, now, now, now ♪
♪ Now, now, now, now, now, now ♪
♪ Now, now, now, now, now, now ♪
- So this song is called American Pie.
American pie speaks about us
all having this one desire,
this universal goal
of just wanting a piece
of the American pie.
It's something that traditionally
we've seen everywhere,
that having the American dream.
So we all have an idea of what it means,
but it just means so much to people
who don't have access to it.
And so it speaks about seeing the pie
and seeing everyone eat this amazing pie,
which is the American dream.
They're living the American dream.
And you are living so far from that dream.
And so it looks different
for people like me
who are trying to obtain that dream
because of course, society
makes it harder for us
to be able to obtain the same things
that people can get easily or, you know,
or it's given to them easily.
And I don't feel like
as a black trans woman,
I've ever been able to have
the point to where I can relax
and enjoy even my success.
And so it looks different.
Our experiences look different,
and American pie, you know,
I believe we all deserve
that piece of American pie.
So that song was so important
to put out because, I mean,
we're all fighting each other.
We're like crabs in a barrel
and we're pulling each other down
in order so we can get higher up.
And I believe that there is room
for us all to be successful.
And to have that piece
of the American dream.
♪ I don't like antiques,
I want something new ♪
♪ The world don't like no
freaks coming in their rooms ♪
♪ But this beggars got a right to choose ♪
♪ I'm not a stranger, I'm just like you ♪
♪ I need love, I don't need money ♪
♪ After all these years ♪
♪ Baby, I'm still running ♪
♪ Who's gonna say my want is not a need ♪
♪ I won't ♪
♪ I get looks that get so dirty ♪
♪ After all these years ♪
♪ Baby, it still hurting ♪
♪ Who's gonna say my want is not a need ♪
♪ Just want my piece of the American pie ♪
♪ You got your slice ♪
♪ Where is mine ♪
♪ Lick my fingers on
this thing called life ♪
♪ Just a piece of the American pie ♪
♪ To break the chains of old beliefs ♪
♪ I'm the flame that you can't unsee ♪
♪ I don't like antiques,
I want something new ♪
♪ I got my dignity ♪
♪ Gonna live my truth ♪
♪ Like the southern
smile I just can't lose ♪
♪ Let my life sweep across the room ♪
♪ You may laugh but it's not funny ♪
♪ That's the thing that keeps me coming ♪
♪ Who's gonna say my want is not a need ♪
♪ All those looks that get so dirty ♪
♪ Lets me know that
they're still learning ♪
♪ Who's gonna say my want is not a need ♪
♪ Just want my piece of the American pie ♪
♪ You got your slice ♪
♪ Where is mine ♪
♪ Lick my fingers on
this thing called life ♪
♪ Just a piece of the American pie ♪
♪ To break the chains of old beliefs ♪
♪ I'm the flame that you can't unsee ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Where's my piece ♪
♪ And just when they thought it was over ♪
♪ They said, sister's still
got something to say ♪
♪ Yeah, honey, I got lots
more to say in these streets ♪
♪ Whatever, what have you, or
what not in these streets ♪
♪ So, would the rest of y'all ♪
♪ Can y'all please join in ♪
♪ For the demand of what we want ♪
♪ Just want my piece ♪
♪ American pie ♪
♪ Just want my piece ♪
♪ American pie ♪
♪ Just want my piece ♪
♪ American pie ♪
♪ Ah shit ♪
♪ Just want my piece ♪
♪ American pie ♪
♪ Just want my piece ♪
♪ American pie ♪
♪ Just want my piece ♪
♪ American pie ♪
♪ Ah shit ♪
(all laughing)
- Oh, my idea of happiness, of peace,
would be able to have a
relationship without society
trying to break it down.
Without them objectifying
people that love us.
My idea of success would be
getting on these transphobic
ads, you know, airways,
and having my music played on the radio,
and having people listen to the music
just because it's good
and not by who, you know,
came out with a song or how they identify,
what they're wearing,
what their gender is.
Good music deserve good slots.
And I believe that if we're
trying to change the world,
we all have to do our own little part.
And that means that we
have to be fair in music.
Music can heal the world
if given the opportunity.
- [Interviewer] Is there anything else
that you would like to add?
- That's it?
- [Interviewer] Okay.
- So last week you've probably heard
about the wonderful
news that was delivered
by the Supreme Court
and the decision to
uphold LGBTQ protections
for title seven.
And basically in a nutshell,
they just said that it
should continue to be
illegal to fire someone for being lesbian,
gay, bisexual, or transgender.
Obviously this is a win for us,
but the job is not finished.
Now we need to turn our
attention to the local
city and state governments.
These are the places that make the rules
and the policies that
really affect our lives.
And so we want to make sure
that you write to your local politicians
and make sure that the implement policies
that really are beneficial for everyone.
And then while you're at
it, please write your state,
your US senators, and urge
them to pass the Equality Act.
It is absolutely imperative
to tell them that we are here.
- Wow, what a beautiful event.
I mean, the healing, the majesty,
the joy, the love, the feelings,
everything that went into this
was such an honor to be a part of.
I want to thank you for being my sister
and for being my mentor.
Honestly, you know,
I called Pepp and I said,
"I want to do this black queer town hall.
"We should just post it on
my YouTube, my Facebook."
And pep said, "We're
worth more than that."
And there are so many people who want it,
who want this to happen.
And you all prove that.
You showed up on that GoFund me.
You made sure that we raised
over a hundred thousand dollars.
You shared it.
You told your friends,
you told your family,
and some of you called us personally
and let us know how much
this event meant to you.
And it has been so healing for me.
And I'm just,
I'm really grateful that you
all showed up and showed out.
- Yeah, and you know, I mean,
when you mentioned that
you wanted to do this,
obviously I knew it was a good idea,
and I'm so glad that
we were able to turn it
into something that is this big.
You said to me the other day
that this is the biggest
thing that you have ever
put together and done.
- This is true.
- And it's the same thing for me.
And so I am so grateful,
not only for the support
that we have from people,
but for you always
successfully and lovingly
turning the conversation about race
into something that
everyone can participate in.
And I'm not saying that
in a trite way at all.
It's so valuable.
And I think people are
able to see the value
in this conversation now more
than they ever have before,
but this is not something
that you are new to.
And I'm just really happy
that we've been able to engage
in the way that we have.
And I'm so happy that you all
have been supportive of this.
Keep in mind that this doesn't stop here.
Yes, this is the last official day
of the first annual Black Queer Town Hall.
But like we said,
and we've been saying it all weekend,
we're going to be having extra events
that are going to be airing
on the Black Queer Town Hall YouTube page,
and keep your eyes peeled because
there may be another event
coming to a city near you.
- So thank you all so much
for joining us and remember,
stay black, stay proud,
and we will see you around.
