Jennifer Muntslag (Moderator)
The photoserie Black Queer Love is a collaboration between photographer Leonel Piccardo and queer activist Naomie Pieter for the recently launched human rights movement BlackPride NL.
Black Pride NL is a human rights movement centering and celebrating the Black LGBTQIA+ community and other LGBTQIA+ communities of color.
The photoserie is a direct reaction on the graphic images/videos of Black people being killed because of police violence and other racial and anti-LGBTQIA+ violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like Ahmaud Arbrey, Tomy Holten, Breona Taylor, George Floyd, Riah Milton, Dominique Fells and the trail of Orlando Boldewijn (may they rest in power).
The photoserie also responds to the lack of representation during the mainstream Pride celebration in the Netherlands and online. Piccardo and Pieter felt the urge to respond to this dehumanizing imagery and lack of representation by centering the Black LGBTQIA+ community through the concepts of love, healing, joy and (chosen) family.
The idea of the photoserie came to Leonel when he was standing under the shower. Frustrated by the lack of Black LGBTQIA+ representation. He felt the urge to amplify the imagery of vulnerability, community, intimacy and joy of the Black LGBTQIA+ community. With his idea he called Naomie.
The idea of the photoserie came to Naomie when she was busy setting up Black Pride NL, the recently launched human rights movement centering and celebrating the Black LGBTQIA+ community. Frustrated by the lack of funds she didn't know how to produce new images of the Dutch Black LGBTQIA+ community. Images that would center love and healing. But then Leonel Piccardo called.
Piccardo and Pieter knew each other before from a photoshoot where they worked together. Piccardo knew that Pieter is a queer activist so it felt logic to reach out to her. Together they started the journey that resulted in this ongoing photo series.
Christian Yav (Performance Artist)
Rellie Telg (Writer)
"I am.
I am not my age, my skin color or my profession. I am not even who I say I'll be tomorrow. The I am, that I am, is free from all the ways I invent to stay calm and zen within myself. I think that I am first laughs at me hysterically and then smiles upon me lovingly. "Such silliness", I am might think. She's climbing mountains and scraping pots just to figure out who I am, so she may know who she is. Should I tell her she already knew who I was? Should I tell her that to know who I am, all she has to do is be still? Should I tell her she already knew who I was, before she opened her hunt on who I am? I'll play along for a little bit, let her search along for a little bit. Maybe, maybe just long enough until she falls down from exhaustion and sees me lying next to her. Then she'll surely smile, and quietly yet surely say, I am that I am."
I am not my age, my skin color or my profession. I am not even who I say I'll be tomorrow. The I am, that I am, is free from all the ways I invent to stay calm and zen within myself. I think that I am first laughs at me hysterically and then smiles upon me lovingly. "Such silliness", I am might think. She's climbing mountains and scraping pots just to figure out who I am, so she may know who she is. Should I tell her she already knew who I was? Should I tell her that to know who I am, all she has to do is be still? Should I tell her she already knew who I was, before she opened her hunt on who I am? I'll play along for a little bit, let her search along for a little bit. Maybe, maybe just long enough until she falls down from exhaustion and sees me lying next to her. Then she'll surely smile, and quietly yet surely say, I am that I am."
Rellie Telg (Writer)
Alexander Leslie (Nightclub Manager) & Guno Berkleef (Health Professional)
Rafael Summerville (Co-Founder Man.ish Cave)
Sean-Claude Neufville (Founder FreedomWorkNL / Man.ish Cave)
What does it mean to you to be Black & LGBTI+?
"Being black and LGBTI for me has never been a problem for me cause I accepted who I am, how I look and how I act and feel. At a very young age, I came to the realisation some people just don’t understand. And that’s ok, I always knew who I was and accepting it was probably the best thing that could happen in my life. I'm proud to say I am a fucking gay black man"
Jeremiah Richardson
Rae Parnell (Content Creator)
Lawrence M. & Eschly
Monai Nailah McCullough (Plant Designer & Care Coach)
Perry Gits (Performer)
Adwoa Rose Sarpong (Singer/Songwriter) & Comfort Esther Kondeshon (Model/Dancer)
How does Black Queer Healing look like to you? How do you do it?
"I have accepted that healing needs to come from within myself. It is easy to seek healing from others. But the black and the queer communities often lie far apart. There are racist queer people and there are homophobic black people. Within me, it is the combination of being both black and queer that needs peace and love. So I come to the conclusion that the process of healing needs to circulate within me and my lifestyle.
Surroundings do have a big influence on that circulation. It is inevitable that there can be racism and homophobia thrown at me once I leave my front door. So at an early age, I have learnt to stand solidly in my body and mind to prevent my ‘circulation of healing’ to be disrupted by any external influences."
Adwoa-Rose.
Sherry Jae Ebere (Trans Activist)
Sunny Jansen (PR Manager)
Nassiri Belaraj (Founder Pink Marrakech)
DJ Shug La Sheedah & Family
What kind of images are you missing when thinking about Black LGBTI+ representation?
"I see every person as an individual. And being on the road a lot, made me see a whole range of different kind of spirits in LGBTI+ community. Very special if you ask me. Love it with all my heart.
If we talk about the older Black LGBTI+ community I miss the older spirits who lived in different times. Once in a while, it is good to learn about their journey.
The problems they had to face, how they deal with a current society where the new generation is very open, opinionated and free-minded. And I think I miss the black LGBTI+ families. Those who you don't see in the clubs or festivals."
DJ Shug La Sheedah
Tieneke Sumter (Queer Activist) & daughter, Yentl Sumter (Baker)
Ernistine Comvalius / Andre Reeder / Roy Wijks (Black Activist)
DJ Seven Angels
Elly Vineyard + Aitana T. Louboutin (Vogue Performer)
Zulu Green (Singer, Song Writer)
"I am everything, really. But to identify: Non-binary, genderfluid, onmisexual, androgynous, pussyeating Queer Wxman with a Spiritual Dick"
Zulu Green for PrideRadio
Xiarella Lewis (Teacher / Queer Activist)
Quincy Miguel (DJ)
Greay Code (Barber) & Shanity Alvares (Dancer/Choreographer)
Miguella Garcia & Zeni Winter (Lawyer / Dancer)
Leonel photographed this intimate photo series with a SONY a7III and a 35mm fixed lens. The shoot took place at the homes of the subjects and/or places were they felt more comfortable in accordance with the Covid-19 restrictions.
Thank you to all the subjects who shared with us a little piece of their story. We are not done yet with this project...
Subjects:
Jennifer Muntslag
Christian Yav
Jeremiah Richardson
Zulu Green
Sherry Jae Ebere
Sunny Jansen
Axmed Maxamed
DJ Shug La Sheedah
Rellie Telg
Xiarella Lewis
Tieneke Sumter + Yentl Sumter
Andre Reeder + Ernistine Comvalius + Roy Wijks
Adwoa Rose Sarpong & Comfort Esther Kondeshon
Perry Gits
Quincy Miguel
Monai Nailah McCullough
Alexander Leslie & Guno Berkleef
Sean-Claude Neufville + Mike
Nassiri Belaraj
Miguella Garcia + Zeni Winter
Seven Angels
Elly Vineyard + Aitana T. Louboutin
Rae Parnell
Lawrence + Ashley
Sean-Claude Neufville
Christian Yav
Jeremiah Richardson
Zulu Green
Sherry Jae Ebere
Sunny Jansen
Axmed Maxamed
DJ Shug La Sheedah
Rellie Telg
Xiarella Lewis
Tieneke Sumter + Yentl Sumter
Andre Reeder + Ernistine Comvalius + Roy Wijks
Adwoa Rose Sarpong & Comfort Esther Kondeshon
Perry Gits
Quincy Miguel
Monai Nailah McCullough
Alexander Leslie & Guno Berkleef
Sean-Claude Neufville + Mike
Nassiri Belaraj
Miguella Garcia + Zeni Winter
Seven Angels
Elly Vineyard + Aitana T. Louboutin
Rae Parnell
Lawrence + Ashley
Sean-Claude Neufville
