Posted by By J.W. Richard – Special to Dallas South News
Every fourth Friday evening in Downtown Dallas, there’s a gathering of kindred souls building on the foundation of Black gay culture in this city. This gathering is made of poets and storytellers bringing their own energy like DJ to a dance floor. But unlike many DJs of today, who only choose to play what’s hot, these spinners are open to breaking new beats, like the new beat of an openly queer poetry scene.
The monthly gathering known as “Queerly Speaking” is the brainchild of Harold Steward, Artistic Director of the Fahari Arts Institute, a new Dallas Black gay arts collective. He is also an artist himself. Fahari Arts Institute (“Fahari” means “pride” in Swahili) exists to celebrate and chronicle the work of all creative disciplines that honor the Black gay creative expression throughout the African diaspora.
As mentioned before, this gathering continues to build the architecture of Black gay culture in the city of Dallas (I say, “continues”, so as not to negate what has come before). But some Black gay people have questioned the need for such a vehicle, fearing it may cause a racial rift in LGBT relations with other communities or be simply a reinvention the wheel against existing spoken word outlets.
Steward, says, “I noticed a lack of performing spaces that same-gender-loving poets, especially men, felt comfortable enough to openly express affection in romantic poetry to members of the same sex. This will give them a venue for same-gender-loving poets to recognize each other and honor each others’ work.” Steward also believes it important that gay poetry fans be given safe space to celebrate this work in their own “call-and-response” fashion.
In addressing the concerns of a racial rift, I’d like to quote professor and author, Harold Cruse, from the essay, “An Afro-American’s Cultural Views”, from the book, Rebellion or Revolution?, and apply it in terms of the Black gay writer.
‘As for Negro writers, it is even more ridiculous for people to say “Negroes who write should be universal, not just Negro writers.” Perhaps Negro writers should write “universally”; but Negro writers produce little enough literature of quality about the life they know (or should know best). It remains a puzzle to this writer how Negroes can be expected to develop to be “universal” when they avoid the wealth of racial literary material “in their own backyard.” ‘ (quotations from the original author)
Through the portal of “Queerly Speaking”, there is an opportunity for the art of writing and reciting poetry to be groomed using the experiences that are most true to the performers and the audience. I can agree with Mr. Steward that there is nothing quite like it in Dallas at this time. There is also a opportunity to honor the Black gay writers who have come before like Audre Lorde, Joseph Beam, and Essex Hemphill, along with sharing new work by writers Sharon Bridgforth, Samiya Bashir, and G. Winston James.
Concurrently, though in the rhythm of “Queerly Speaking”, we can shout down external and internal homophobia and racism and raise with the spirit of community for everyone. Like the freedom felt when that right groove leaps from the speakers. Both dancers and DJ are lifted and everyone belongs. It’s the rhythm that sustains you and draws you back every fourth Friday of the month to the Backbeat Cafe & Listening Room, 300 North Akard Street, at 9pm so you can belong.
JW Richard makes audio recordings and shares stories about Dallas Black gay life at MandrakeSocietyRadio.com and is also (full disclosure right?) the managing director of Fahari Arts Institute. He can be reached at: mandrakesociety@gmail.com
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