CNP’s digital publication focused on thought-provoking news and unique stories about the Black LGBTQIA+ community.
ARTICLES
In 2000, I wrote an introduction for a new edition of Essex Hemphill’s magnificent collection "Ceremonies." I pointed out what I believed to be that work’s purpose: remembrance as the only way to begin the process of healing the wound that white supremacy, poverty, homophobia, heterosexism, and most recently HIV/AIDS had inflicted upon us as Black Gay Men. (Cover image of Essex Hemphill by Barbara N. Kigozi, June 1994)
It is no surprise or secret that X (formerly known as Twitter) is an archive for critical cultural commentary. In fact, since the start of the new year, Black Twitter has been the center of multiple conversations relevant to the Black queer experience.
As anyone who’s ever had a fulfilling hookup app experience can attest, even the most contrived and artificial scenarios can yield moments of genuine connection and intimacy. Jerrod Carmichael has plenty of those moments in “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” his new Max project chronicling the comedian’s biennial whirlwind.
Considered a brilliant organizer with an aptitude for detail, he’s the exacting architect of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, an unprecedented demand for civil rights which drew a quarter of a million people to the National Mall -- and catapulted Martin Luther King Jr. into national prominence.
When he was diagnosed with prostate cancer late last year, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin joined the 280,000 Black men annually identified with the disease. It’s so common, studies show, that 1 in 6 Black men will develop it during their lifetime.
When Elon Musk acquired Twitter, now known as “X,” there were immediate concerns about how his leadership style and company would hinder “Black Twitter.” While not technically a separate platform, Dr. Moody-Ramirez, author of From Blackface to Black Twitter: Reflections on Black Humor, Race, Politics and Gender, explains that Black Twitter is not a separate digital platform or space.
At the start of 2024, like every year, resolutions and bold proclamations are being sprinkled throughout daily conversations. From desires to maintain physical fitness to claims dedicated to creating and implementing boundaries, the start of a new year often allows time for reflection, resolution, and growth.
Each February, via Black History Month, our nation has the opportunity and privilege to reflect on the legacy of Black Americans. From Google Doodles to corporate banks to federal proclamations, reaching far beyond slavery, observing Black History Month allows us to celebrate the substantial contributions that African Americans have made to The United States of America’s history, culture, vibrancy, and soul.
It was with these words that poet Audre Lorde began her groundbreaking 1982 work “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name”, in the process launching earning a reputation as a master poet and black lesbian literary icon that has endured years after her death.
I’ve now made a career out of being an award-winning debate coach and HIV advocate. Like the foundation of a home, being an advocate is a core part of who I am. Asking me to stay silent is like asking the ocean not to wave – it's against the very nature of its existence.
At first glance, Morna Gerrard doesn’t seem like an undercover superhero. Spend time chatting with her about her work, however, and her superpowers gradually emerge.
Growing up in the Bronx in the 1980s, Will Ramirez saw his mother, Alicia -- a devout Catholic and church volunteer -- show love and compassion to men who often were afflicted with a mysterious, deadly virus sweeping through New York City’s gay community.
As our nation continues to be blasted with arctic chills and snow, things in Hollywood are heating up. Some industries enter the year gradually, but movies and television make a grand entrance at the top of the year as the award season blazes on.
For decades, the Rev. Duncan Teague has been one of Atlanta’s most charismatic, high-profile public-health warriors, a fierce advocate for the city’s Black and gay communities.
In September, 2023, hundreds of key stakeholders and advocates convened in Washington, DC, to attend the annual United States Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA). The yearly conference featured over 120+ sessions on critical topics like biomedical HIV prevention, aging, service delivery, health equity, and telehealth, all while centering on the needs of those with HIV and the mission to end the epidemic.
In 2020, at the peak of his career, Dwight Howard had a list of accomplishments many of his pro basketball peers would envy: a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers, multiple selections to NBA all-star teams, a seven-figure salary and sportswriters debating whether the Atlanta native is among the greatest players in history.
With the virtually constant onslaught of national political news, it is incredibly demanding to ask the general public also to be well-versed in our nation’s foreign policy. Those interested in foreign affairs are likely immersed in the issues of Ukraine and/or the Israel-Palestinian conflict. While debate and air time remain primarily dedicated to these noteworthy issues, another foreign affair was heavily debated but rarely centered.
Last January, I attended Sundance, an acclaimed film festival known to spotlight noteworthy and potentially Oscar-award-winning films. While I was blown away by nearly every movie, one documentary certainly stole the show- Kokomo City.
The rise of social media has inevitably altered our access to information, how we share knowledge, and where narratives may circulate. This is especially true for political news. A recent Statista report revealed that social media is now one of the main ways the average person seeks political information and knowledge.
Joshua Johnson has what he calls a “God-shaped hole” in his heart. The death of Pat Robertson helped put it there.
A journalist, former NPR talk-show host and MSNBC news anchor, Johnson didn’t personally know Robertson, a televangelist who founded “The 700 Club” empire and was an influential figure in conservative Republican politics.
The haunting news of a Black gay man's murder in Brooklyn sent shockwaves across the nation. Simultaneously, the digital realms of Black Twitter and TikTok erupted with fury over Carlee Russel, a Black woman who faked her kidnapping.
A nationally-known HIV researcher and practicing clinician, Dr. Hyman Scott believes that PrEP, the once-daily drug that can prevent transmission of the potentially deadly virus, has become arguably the most important weapon in the anti-HIV arsenal.
Long before they received their acclaimed stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, two well-respected and now household names, Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks, impressed Hollywood in the film Philadelphia. Released in 1993, the film centers around Attorney Andrew Beckett (Hanks), who was fired for being gay and living with HIV.
Nearly 20 years before the songs Old Town Road and Despacito peaked at #1 on Billboard’s charts, another song seemed to be played on an endless loop. Released in 1995, ”One Sweet Day” by Boys II Men & Mariah Carey sat at the top of the charts for 16 weeks, tying it for 2nd longest reign in Billboard’s history.
At the beginning of this year, law enforcement in Atlanta fired 57 bullets, taking Miguel “Tortuguita” Teran from Indigenous queer environmental activist to unwilling martyr. On January 18, 2023, 26-year-old Tortuguita was shot and killed by Georgia state troopers in Atlanta during a protest against a proposed police training facility called “Cop City.”
When a detainee at the Fulton County, Ga., jail in Atlanta was found dead in a filthy, vermin-infested cell in September, 2022, the federal Department of Justice announced an investigation into the death -- and into allegations of a pattern of mistreatment and danger at the Rice Street facility in downtown Atlanta.
Last Spring, the nation was alarmed to hear of another infectious disease that was rapidly spreading. On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials, including the World Health Organization, declared Monkeypox, now called Mpox, a public health emergency of international concern.
Like most commencement weekends, the mood was festive and upbeat one weekend last month on the stately campus of Carleton College, a small liberal arts school just south of Minneapolis. The graduates, wearing everything from bright dresses and heels to shorts and sneakers beneath their gowns, filed into seats arranged in a broad, grassy field incongruously called The Bald Spot.
Growing up, I was always enamored with literature. While my brothers played basketball, reading was undoubtedly the equivalent of my sport. As a kid, Goosebumps would’ve been my LeBron.
VIDEO
On Essex Hemphill's birthday on April 16, 2020 CNP hosted a virtual reading of the artist’s work. Since the founding of CNP, we have honored the life and legacy of Essex. Our organization is a love letter to him. (Cover photo of Essex Hemphill by Dr. Ron Simmons © Ron Simmons TA2019.38.1.1.1.8)
On this episode of The Reckoning, we are honoring National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (#NBHAAD) with Dr. Deion Hawkins.
In this episode of The Reckoning, we talk to Senior Editor, Dr. Deion Hawkins about the historic Best Actor Academy Award nomination for Colman Domingo, who portrayed Bayard Rustin in the 2023's biopic, ‘Rustn’.
In this episode of 'The Reckoning,' we delve deeper into the allegations of sexual assault against former NBA star Dwight Howard. Our guest, Joseph Williams, The Reckonings' Race and Health Editor, discusses his recent article on the same topic.
On this special live episode of Revolutionary Heath, #CNPTribe members Dr. Deion Hawkins, Sr. Editor of The Reckoning and Lamont White, The Gay Dating Coach, will unpack the recent crackdown on public intimacy in Atlanta and its impact on Black queer men.
On this episode of The Reckoning, we dive into the multifaceted legacy of civil rights icon Bayard Rustin, who was the visionary and chief organizer of the famed 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Joining Johnnie Kornegay is journalist Joseph Williams, who wrote a piece in The Reckoning entitled “Reconsidering Rustin: His Trailblazing Legacy 60 Years After the March on Washington.” In his piece, Williams argues that Bayard Rustin should be remembered as a leader ahead of his time.
Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs joined us to discuss her connection to Audre Lorde. Dr. Gumbs is currently writing a biography of Lorde called "The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde." During this conversation Dr. Gumbs discusses Lorde's connection to Joseph Beam and Essex Hemphill. She also discusses Melvin Dixon's 1992 keynote at the OutWrite Conference "I'll Be Somewhere Listening For My Name."
PODCAST
For Black LGBTQIA+ folks, the nightclub isn’t just a place to dance, it’s a place where we can find community and discover who we are. With many Atlanta Black gay spaces closed or closing, it’s hard to keep track of all of the history. On this episode Charles Stephens chats with Dr. Damian Denson about his personal journey to self through 2000’s Atlanta nightlife.
Damian takes us on a journey through their personal experiences, where the club scene played a significant role in their life, for a period of time – both in positive and negative ways. His story is one of resilience and discovery.
Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs joined us to discuss her connection to Audre Lorde. Dr. Gumbs is currently writing a biography of Lorde called "The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde." During this conversation Dr. Gumbs discusses Lorde's connection to Joseph Beam and Essex Hemphill. She also discusses Melvin Dixon's 1992 keynote at the OutWrite Conference "I'll Be Somewhere Listening For My Name."
CNP hosted our annual CNP Summit on March 17th and March 18th, 2021. The Summit will be virtual. The theme was: "Lessons Learned from Bayard Rustin."
Bayard Rustin was a brilliant strategist and organizer. He is also a key influence of CNP and a historical figure we have taken considerable inspiration from and look to honor his legacy through our work.
This session is entitled "Influencing a King: Bayard Rustin & Coretta Scott King's LGBTQ+ Activism."
CNP hosted our annual CNP Summit on March 17th and March 18th, 2021. The Summit will be virtual. The theme was: "Lessons Learned from Bayard Rustin."
Bayard Rustin was a brilliant strategist and organizer. He is also a key influence of CNP and a historical figure we have taken considerable inspiration from and look to honor his legacy through our work.
This session is entitled "Influencing a King: Bayard Rustin & Coretta Scott King's LGBTQ+ Activism."
On this show Charles Stephens sits down with Journalist Linda Villarosa. Linda is the Program Director at The City College of New York, and she wrote a piece for the New York Times entitled “America's Hidden HIV Epidemic: Why do America's black gay and bisexual men have a higher HIV rate than any country in the world?”
This conversation was taped in 2017.
CNP has long looked to the writer and activist James Baldwin for perspective and inspiration. Through his novels, essays, and other writings, we have found not only a wise ancestor but a trusted friend and witness. We were founded in part, as a tribute and love letter to Baldwin. His legacy is in our DNA. Baldwin’s Atlanta explores James Baldwin's relationship with Atlanta, particularly through his masterpiece "The Evidence of Things Not Seen."
This conversation was taped on Aug 2, 2021.
On this podcast episode Johnnie Kornegay chats with Singer, Songwriter, Producer and Arranger Donnie about his album The American Mythology, and his personal journey to liberation. In this interview you'll find Donnie speaking candidly and frankly about his life, being a Black gay man and experiences while preparing to reveal his musical. Donnie emerged on the music scene in 2002 with his album The Colored Section. The American Mythology is described as "a colorful, epic narrative and inspiring soundtrack."
This conversation was taped on June 20, 2016.
Seventeen months ago, Byron Perkins, a Hampton University football player, was in a dark place. After a promising 3-0 start to the season, his team lost two games in a row — including a likely discouraging, 32-point beatdown at the University of Delaware.