The Viral Underclass will drop August 2nd, 2022. Click here to pre-order it now!
New Headshots by C. S. Muncy
My old Village Voice pal and collaborator of a dozen years, C.S. Muncy, has taken new headshots for the jacket of The Viral Underclass. You can find an entire downloadable media kit here, with headshots (please always credit C.S. Muncy), my biography, and materials for The Viral Underclass.
A Personal and Political History of the Afro
My latest for BuzzFeed: a look at the political history of the Afro, from Huey Newton and the Black Panthers, to why I think Mr. Thrasher would have wrestled me to the ground to keep me from leaving the house looking like Dante de Blasio.
Talking Hair and Brooklyn Politics On BK Live
Brian Vines interviewed me on BK Live yesterday, to talk about my latest BuzzFeed article on the history of the Afro and about the New York City elections. As always, it was a delight to chat with Brian, especially as I’d interviewed him for my article.
BK Live 11:5:13 from Brooklyn Independent Media on Vimeo.
When LGBT People Lose Their Kids
My latest for BuzzFeed was one of the most painful features I’ve ever reported: an in-depth look at how LGBT people are legally separated from children, including from their own biological children.
Talking Brooklyn Politics on BK Live
The same day I performed in Two Truths and a Lie’s inaugural show at BRIC House, I was also a guest on BK Live with my friend Brian Vines. We talked Brooklyn politics, from the effects of the federal shutdown on Brooklyn residents, to Eric Adams’ unopposed run for Borough President, to Charlie Hynes’ last ditch effort to run for D.A. on the republican line. It was awesome to see how amped up the production values were in BRIC’s new studios, and I was happy to see Brian’s work appearing in such an open, public forum.
A Home Grows In Brooklyn: “Abandoned On South Elliot Place”
Last week, I had the honor to tell a live story called “Abandoned on South Elliott Place” in one of my favorite live storytelling venues, “Two Truths and a Lie.” It was especially nice because we were hosted by BRIC public media’s new Stoop Series, in their awesome new space in Fort Greene. Audio of the story I told is below. Can you tell if it was a truth or a lie? (Only two people in our audience of a couple hundred people guessed the two liars correctly. )
New Gig: BuzzFeed Contributing Editor
Excited to share some big news: it’s official, I’m now working as a Contributing Editor at BuzzFeed! I’ll be writing long format pieces once a month (investigations, essays and profiles). The idea is that I’ll be writing about half my pieces for the LGBT section, and I’ll also weigh in with shorter pieces when news warrants from time to time.
BuzzFeed is growing rapidly. There were about 100 people there when I met with them in 2012 and about 300 now. It feels really good to have an anchor home for my writing, and I’m really excited to be working with Ben Smith, Chris Geidner, Saeed Jones and Shani Hilton.
My BuzzFeed Interview with Walter Naegle, the Life Partner of Bayard Rustin, Chief Organizer of the March on Washington
Fifty years ago today, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom descended upon the Capitol Mall. It took the attention of the United States and, a half century later, still ignites its imagination.
The chief organizer of that event was Bayard Rustin, an out gay man. I had the deep privilege to interview Mr. Rustin’s partner, Walter Naegle, for a long profile I wrote as my first piece for BuzzFeed.
Slate Double X Gabfest “Monogamish Sex Edition” Podcast Discusses My Gawker Article
A treat to find out that Hannah Rosin, Noreen Malone and Allison Benedikt (my old Voice colleague) spent a good chunk of Slate’s Double X Gabfest Podcast (“The Monogamish Edition”) talking about my recent story for Gawker. They recorded the podcast about an hour after the Supreme Court released its rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8. They took a cue from my article that it is now a safe time to talk about same-sex couples and monogamy.