op-ed: factor – my magazine & app to celebrate black queer artists and leaders

I had a moment. I believe that every creative person reaches a point where they feel they need total satisfaction from their art. In 2010, I was working at a small, local, gay Atlanta publication called Fenuxe magazine as their founding art director, where I was privy to the important gay events in the city. At one particular function, myself and the other handful of POCs invited were discussing the lack of ethnicity at these “minority” events. After that conversation I suppose a fire was lit. Toni Morrison writes, “If there is a book that you want to read but hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” At the time Clik, a popular black gay magazine, where black gay/queers could read information about the community had dismantled. There was a long and exhaustive period of absence of publications that I connected with and that reflected all facets of my life, both the relatively young, black and queer.

Furthermore, I wanted to connect the community to people and concepts that are important. Also, highlighting individuals that the community should be aware of, thusly creating something akin to a visual yearbook. My vision was a hybrid of Juxtapox and Essence magazine. I feel black queer artist and leaders don’t get enough support from their own community until the mainstream has validated them. I named my publication Factor as a reminder that black, queer people may be marginalized but our influence and creativity are always apart of the equation. If we consider the contribution the black queer community has made to American culture we are a constant and necessary factor. Why not have a space where our voices, creativity and our perspective isn’t filtered.

Pictured: Darnell Moore

Lastly, I wanted to create a place where our images could be achieved digitally for future generations. One of the confines of print publications is that access is restricted to having direct contact to physical hard copies which can be destroyed/lost, unavailable because they are out of print, or too expensive to acquire easily. With Factor being accessible internationally and being created and rooted in the advantages of the digital landscape, it affords everyone the opportunity to contribute and participate in the cultivation and preservation of our rich and fascinating culture, at any moment.

Pictured: Jamal Lewis

On May 10, 2016, we officially celebrated our first birthday. A treasured milestone on a long road to what I hope to become a bright legacy of quality, integrity and hope that will inspire others from my generation and beyond to uplift the often stifled voices and lives of black queer people. Join us in our pursuit by simply going to the Apple App Store or Google Play to download the free app.

Pictured: Abdu Ali

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