Gay R&B Volist Rahsaan Patterson Applds ‘Courageo’ Frank Ocean –

Contents:

• GAY R&B VOLIST RAHSAAN PATTERSON APPLDS ‘COURAGEO’ FRANK OCEAN
• WHO'S WHO THE BLACK LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}BET SHOWS MEN AND WOMEN OF PRI: PROMENT MEMBERS OF THE GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:536PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}ANTHONY WOODS - THE WT POT GRADUATE LED TWO BAT UNS IRAQ AND RECEIVED A MASTER’S GREE PUBLIC POLICY OM HARVARD UNIVERSY’S KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT BEFORE BEG DISCHARGED FOR G OUT AS GAY. HE IS NNG A SPECIAL ELECTN CALIFORNIA'S 10TH CONGRSNAL DISTRICT WHERE HE GREW UP. IF ELECTED, HE WILL BEE THE FIRST BLACK OPENLY GAY REPRENTATIVE CONGRS.2 / 36HANIFAH WALIDAH - WALIDAH IS A HIP-HOP ARTIST, PLAYWRIGHT, ACTOR, MIC VIO MAKER, AND FILMMAKER. SHE IS A PART OF THE RENOWNED BROOKLYN FUNK {WIDTH:320PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}3 / 36LEE DANIELS - PHILALPHIA NATIVE LEE DANIELS IS AN ACTOR, FILM PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR. HE IS BT KNOWN FOR DIRECTG THE CRILLY ACCLAIMED FILM “PREC,” WHICH WAS NOMATED FOR SIX AMY AWARDS. DANIELS WAS NOMATED FOR BT DIRECTOR; IT WAS THE SEND TIME AN AIN AMERIN RECEIVED A NOMATN THAT TEGORY. HE ALSO PRODUCED “MONSTER’S BALL.”{WIDTH:311PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}4 / 36SHERYL SWOOP - SHERYL DENISE SWOOP WAS THE FIRST PLAYER TO BE SIGNED THE WNBA WHEN WAS CREATED. SHE HAS WON THREE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS AND IS A THREE-TIME WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE "FEMALE MICHAEL JORDAN," SWOOP IS FAMO FOR HER OFFENSIVE AND FENSIVE SKILLS. IN 2005, SHE AVERAGED 18.6 POTS, 4.3 ASSISTS, 2.65 STEALS, AND SHE SHOT 85 PERCENT OM THE EE-THROW LE WHILE AVERAGG 37.1 MUT PLAYG TIME PER GAME.5 / 36WANDA SYK - SYK ED HER ANGER AND DISAPPOTMENT CALIFORNIA'S PROPOSN 8, WHICH BANNED GAY MARRIAGE THERE, AS AN OPPORTUNY TO E OUT. "I AM PROUD TO BE GAY!" WANDA CLARED AT A GAY RALLY LAS VEGAS LAST YEAR. SHE ALSO ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD THAT SHE'S MARRIED TO A WOMAN. THIS YEAR, SHE BEME THE FIRST AIN AMERIN AND THE FIRST "OUT" LBIAN TO GET THE ROLE AS FEATURED ENTERTAER FOR THE 2009 WHE HOE CORRPONNTS' ASSOCIATN {MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}ADVERTISEMENT6 / 36JASS STEWART - IN 2005, JASS STEWART RAN A HIGHLY TOUTED MPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF BROCKTON, MASS. AS A FIRST-TIME NDIDATE, HE EARNED 44 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND CREASED VOTER TURNOUT BY 19 PERCENT. LAST YEAR, HE BEME A CY UNCILMAN HIS HOMETOWN. IN ADDN TO BEG ONE OF THE YOUNGT EXECUTIV THE HISTORY OF BLACKSI (PRODUCERS OF THE PUBLIC TELEVISN SERI EY ON THE PRIZE: AMERI'S CIVIL RIGHTS YEARS), STEWART ALSO TGHT CLASS AT BOSTON {WIDTH:261PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}7 / 36DOUG SPEARMAN - SPEARMAN'S REER AS AN ACTOR CLUS WORK ON SUCH TV SHOWS AS "STAR TREK VOYAGER," "THE DREW CAREY SHOW," "THE HUGHLEYS," "CHARMED,"AND "GIRLIENDS." SPEARMAN RECENTLY -STARRED ON THE LOGO H SHOW NOAH'S ARC, WHICH HE PLAYED CHANCE COUNTER, AN OUT BLACK GAY LLEGE PROFSOR.8 / 36SABRA SOJOURNER - SOJOURNER IS THE FIRST OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED TO THE UNED STAT CONGRS. HAVG BEEN ELECTED BY A WHOPPG 83 PERCENT OF THE VOTE, SABRA REPRENTED THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE U.S. HOE OF REPRENTATIV, WHERE HER NON-VOTG POSN SHE LOBBIED NOT ONLY FOR STATEHOOD FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, BUT IMPACTED OTHER LEGISLATORS ON A WHOLE SPECTM OF ISSU. SHE SERVED OM 1997-1999.9 / 36DENISE SIMMONS - DENISE SIMMONS IS THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED MAYOR OF AN AMERIN CY. SIMMONS, NOW LEADG CAMBRIDGE, MASS., AFTER SERVG ON THE CY COUNCIL SCE 2001, FOLLOWS THE FOOTSTEPS OF FORMER MAYOR KEN REEV. REEV MA HISTORY ON A LOL AND NATNAL LEVELS, BEG CAMBRIDGE'S FIRST AIN-AMERIN MAYOR AND THE NATN'S FIRST OPENLY GAY, BLACK MAYOR.10 / 36DANA RONE - RONE IS THE FIRST BLACK LBIAN ELECTED NEW JERSEY WHEN SHE WON THE FIRST OF TWO TERMS ON NEWARK'S SCHOOL BOARD. SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVG A FOUR-YEAR TERM ON THE CY UNCIL.ADVERTISEMENT11 / 36TOSHI REAGAN - OVER THE URSE OF HER REER, SHE'S RELEASED EIGHT ALBUMS, APPEARED ON “THE L WORD” AND SHARED THE STAGE WH ANI DIFRAN AND ELVIS COSTELLO. REAGAN JUMPED TO THE SPOTLIGHT WHEN SHE DROPPED OUT OF LLEGE AFTER LENNY KRAVZ TAPPED HER TO OPEN FOR HIM ON HIS FIRST WORLD TOUR.12 / 36KEN REEV - REEV IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN MAN TO HAVE SERVED AS MAYOR OF ANY CY THE UNED STAT. THE HARVARD COLLEGE AND UNIVERSY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE WAS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASS.13 / 36PATRIK-IAN POLK - PATRIK-IAN POLK IS THE CREATOR, PRODUCER AND LEAD WRER OF THE ACCLAIMED LOGO TV SERI “NOAH’S ARC,” WHICH IS OFTEN SCRIBED AS “SEX AND THE CY” WH GAY CHARACTERS. “NOAH’S ARC” IS ABOUT FOUR BLACK GAY MEN LIVG LOS ANGEL. HE IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR BEHD THE GROUNDBREAKG BLACK GAY FEATURE FILM “PUNKS.”14 / 36FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON - FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON IS AN ACTRS, THOR AND RAPPER, KNOWN FOR HER ROLE ON THE HBO SERI “THE WIRE” AS A CHARACTER NAMED AFTER {WIDTH:267PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}15 / 36RAHSAAN PATTERSON - NAMED AFTER 60'S JAZZ SAXOPHONIST RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK, RAHSAAN PATTERSON'S SGG AND SONGWRG STYLE ARE REMISCENT OF STEVIE WONR,WHILE HIS VOICE HAS ALSO DRAWN PARISONS TO CHAKA KHAN. HIS CREDS CLU BRANDY'S PLATUM TOP 5 SMASH "BABY", AND TEV CAMPBELL'S H "BACK TO THE WORLD".ADVERTISEMENT16 / 36RON ON - ON IS AN OPENLY GAY POLICIAN. IN NOVEMBER 2003, HE WAS ELECTED THE MAYOR OF PALM SPRGS, CALIF., AFTER SERVG EIGHT YEARS ON S CY UNCIL. HE IS THE FATHER OF TWO DGHTERS AND THE GRANDFATHER OF TWO GIRLS AND ONE {WIDTH:300PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}17 / 36ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO - THE DGHTER OF A VOTEDLY RELIG MOTHER AND A STRICT ARY FATHER, ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO IS A SGER, SONGWRER, RAPPER, BASSIST, AND MULTI-STMENTALIST. THE MIC PRS HAS HAILED HER AS A REEMER OF SOUL MIC. HER MIC RPORAT FUNK, SOUL, HIP HOP, REGGAE, R&B, ROCK AND JAZZ. SHE HAS BEEN NOMATED FOR NE GRAMMY AWARDS.18 / 36NEB LUV - WHILE PRENTLY PURSUG A SOLO RERDG AL, SHE HAS ACHIEVED WELL-SERVED RPECT AND REGNN FOR HER ASSOCIATN WH WARREN G, HER PRODUCER ON DA 5 FOOTAZ LP RELEASED ON RTLS RERDS. NEB APPEARED ON THE “SET OFF” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, "THE HEIST” AND THE “JASON’S LYRIC” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, “WALK AWAY.” SHE ALSO APPEARED THE DEF PICTUR FEATURE FILM, "THE SHOW" AND HAS TOURED TERNATNALLY AS THE OPENG ACT FOR WARREN G AND THE FUGE, AND APPEARED ON “BET’S COMICVIEW.”19 / 36MéLANGE LAVONNE - LAVONNE, WHO IS AN OUTSPOKEN LBIAN HIP-HOP ARTIST, HER MIC TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSU, PECIALLY WH THE LGBT MUNY. IN THE VIO FOR "GAY BASH," THE OUT MC LLS OUT THOSE WHO HATED HER IEND KEV ENOUGH TO KILL HIM, WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM.20 / 36MRICE JAMAL - MRICE JAMAL IS A DIRECTOR-WRER-PRODUCER, WHO IS THE CREATIVE MD BEHD THE LANDMARK LOGO NETWORK FILM "THE SKI TRIP" AND THE AWARD-WNG FAY EDY DRAMA "DIRTY LNDRY." HIS FIRST BREAK WAS ON THE FEATURE FILM “SPIR-MAN,” AND A SHORT PERD HE VELOPED A LENGTHY AND IMPRSIVE LIST OF CREDS, MOST NOTABLY THE COMEDY CENTRAL SMASH H "CHAPPELLE’S SHOW" – BOTH ONT AND BEHD THE MERA.ADVERTISEMENT21 / 36E. LYNN HARRIS - THE LATE E. LYNN HARRIS WAS AN OPENLY GAY THOR, MOST KNOWN FOR HIS PICTNS OF AIN-AMERIN MEN ON THE DOWN LOW OR THE CLOSET. HARRIS WAS IALLY UNABLE TO LAND A BOOK AL WH A REPUTABLE PUBLISHG HOE FOR HIS FIRST WORK, “INVISIBLE LIFE,” SO HE SELF-PUBLISHED THROUGH A VANY PUBLISHER AND SOLD PI OM HIS R TNK. SCE THEN, FIVE OF HIS NOVELS HAVE ACHIEVED NEW YORK TIM BTSELLER STAT. HE DIED 2009.22 / 36JAM EARL HARDY - JAM EARL HARDY IS BT KNOWN AS THE THOR OF THE B-BOY BLU SERI THAT CLUS: B-BOY BLU, 2ND TIME AROUND AND IF ONLY FOR ONE NE. THE SERI IS CREDED WH LNCHG THE AOCENTRIC, GAY, HIP-HOP LOVE GENRE. HARDY ALSO HAS WRTEN FOR ESSENCE, NEWSWEEK, ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY, THE WASHGTON POST, THE ADVOTE AND SOURCE.23 / 36ANGELA DAVIS - ANGELA DAVIS, AN AMERIN SOCIALIST ANIZER AND PROFSOR ONCE ASSOCIATED WH THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY, FIRST ACHIEVED NATNWI NOTORIETY WHEN SHE WAS LKED TO THE MURR OF JUDGE HAROLD HALEY DURG AN ATTEMPTED PRISON BREAK. SHE WAS A FUGIVE BUT WAS EVENTUALLY PTURED, ARRTED, TRIED; SHE WAS THEN ACQUTED ONE OF THE MOST FAMO TRIALS RECENT HISTORY. SHE IS NOW A PROFSOR OF HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CZ.24 / 36KECIA CUNNGHAM - CUNNGHAM IS SERVG HER FOURTH TERM ON THE DETUR, GA., CY COUNCIL. THE AIN-AMERIN LBIAN FIRST WON 1999 AND HAS SCE N {WIDTH:268PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}25 / 36WILSON CZ - ACTOR WILSON CZ ME OUT AT THE AGE OF 19 AND THEN WENT TO HOLLYWOOD TO TRY TO START AN ACTG REER. HE WAS SUCCSFUL, AND HAS STARRED A NUMBER OF STAGE, TV AND FILM {WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}26 / 36MISS CLEO - YOUREE DELL HARRIS, BETTER KNOWN AS MISS CLEO, IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED PSYCHIC AND SHAMAN WHO ACHIEVED FAME AS SPOKWOMAN TELEVISN ADS WHICH AIRED DURG THE LATE 1990S AND EARLY 2000S. IN THOSE ADS, SHE HAWKED A PSYCHIC PAY-PER-LL SERVICE. AS OF 2007, CLEO OFFERS PRIVATE PSYCHIC NSULTATNS AND OTHER SERVIC THROUGH WAHGWAAN ENTERTAMENT, BASED FORT LRDALE, FLA.27 / 36STACEYANN CH - STACEYANN CH IS A FULL-TIME ARTIST AND HAS BEEN AN “OUT POET AND POLIL ACTIVIST” SCE 1998. HAVG DRAWN ROG CHEERS OM THE NUYORIN POETS' Fé, ONE-WOMAN SHOWS OFF- BROADWAY, POETRY WORKSHOPS DENMARK AND LONDON, AND AS A -WRER AND PERFORMER THE TONY-NOMATED, RSELL SIMMONS DEF POETRY JAM, CH CREDS THE LONG LIST OF "THGS SHE HAS DONE" TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S HARD-WORKG HISTORY AND THE PA OF HER MOTHER'S ABSENCE.28 / 36JASMYNE CANNICK - AWARD-WNG JOURNALIST, JASMYNE CANNICK IS KNOWN FOR ADDRSG THE ISSU THAT OTHERS N'T OR SIMPLY WON'T. SHE IS A CRIC AND MENTATOR BASED LOS ANGEL WHO ADDRS THE TERSECTN OF RACE, CLASS, RELIGN AND GENR THE AIN-AMERIN MUNY AS PLAYED OUT TODAY'S POP CULTURE AND POLICS. SHE WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF ESSENCE MAGAZE'S 25 WOMEN SHAPG THE WORLD.29 / 36GORDON CHAMBERS - CHAMBERS IS A SOUL MIC VETERAN, BUT IS PRCIPALLY KNOWN AS A SONGWRER. OVER THE PAST DOZEN YEARS THE JAMAIN-BORN CHAMBERS HAS PENNED TUN FOR A VIRTUAL WHO'S WHO OF MORN URBAN ADULT NTEMPORARY SGERS, CLUDG WHNEY HOTON, HEATHER HEADLEY, CARL THOMAS, STEPHANIE MILLS, GLADYS KNIGHT, GERALD LEVERT AND PHYLLIS HYMAN. HE ALSO EARNED A SONGWRG GRAMMY AWARD 1995 FOR ANA BAKER'S "I APOLOGIZE."30 / 36KEH BOYK - KEH BOYK IS THE EDOR OF HE IS A NEW YORK TIM BT-SELLG THOR OF THREE BOOKS, AND A EQUENT POLIL MENTATOR ON {WIDTH:299PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}31 / 36KEV AVIANCE - NEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY {WIDTH:348PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}32 / 36JOHN AMAECHI - JOHN AMAECHI BEME THE FIRST NBA PLAYER TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET. AMAECHI ME OUT AFTER HE LEFT THE LEAGUE.33 / 36DAGMAWI WOUBSHET - DAGMAWI WOUBSHET IS AN ASSISTANT PROFSOR OF ENGLISH AT CORNELL UNIVERSY, WHERE HE TEACH URS ON AIN-AMERIN AND PARATIVE AIN DIASPORA LERATURE AND CULTURE. HE RECIEVED HIS PHD OM HARVARD UNIVERSY 2007 AND HIS BA 1998 OM DE UNIVERSY. HIS SCHOLARLY TERTS CLU: CRIL RACE AND SEXUALY STUDI, NTEMPORARY BLACK VISUAL CULTURE, TRANSLATN, AND VERNACULAR ETHPIAN POETICS.34 / 36LAWRENCE WEBB - WEBB IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN AMERIN ELECTED THE STATE OF VIRGIA. LAWRENCE WAS ELECTED TO THE FALLS CHURCH CY COUNCIL 2008 AFTER HIS FIRST N FOR POLIL {WIDTH:535PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}35 / 36STANLEY BENT CLAY - STANLEY BENT CLAY IS AN THOR, FILMMAKER AND ACTOR. HE HAS WRTEN THREE NOVELS: “DIVA,” “IN SEARCH OF PRETTY YOUNG BLACK MEN” AND “LOOKER.” A SELF-SCRIBED “FANATIL LOS ANGEL TYPE OF PERSON,” CLAY WR STORI ABOUT THE BLACK GAY SCENE ON THE WT COAST. HE’S ALSO WON THREE NAACP IMAGE AWARDS FOR WRG, DIRECTG AND PRODUCG THE FILM “RUAL.”

GAY R&B VOLIST RAHSAAN PATTERSON APPLDS ‘COURAGEO’ FRANK OCEAN

Rahsaan Patterson has no qualms when to sharg reasons for not wantg to be a gay mic in. It’s the passg of gay muny stereotyp as mic artistry that gets him hot wh tratn.

WHO'S WHO THE BLACK LGBT {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}BET SHOWS MEN AND WOMEN OF PRI: PROMENT MEMBERS OF THE GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:536PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}ANTHONY WOODS - THE WT POT GRADUATE LED TWO BAT UNS IRAQ AND RECEIVED A MASTER’S GREE PUBLIC POLICY OM HARVARD UNIVERSY’S KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT BEFORE BEG DISCHARGED FOR G OUT AS GAY. HE IS NNG A SPECIAL ELECTN CALIFORNIA'S 10TH CONGRSNAL DISTRICT WHERE HE GREW UP. IF ELECTED, HE WILL BEE THE FIRST BLACK OPENLY GAY REPRENTATIVE CONGRS.2 / 36HANIFAH WALIDAH - WALIDAH IS A HIP-HOP ARTIST, PLAYWRIGHT, ACTOR, MIC VIO MAKER, AND FILMMAKER. SHE IS A PART OF THE RENOWNED BROOKLYN FUNK {WIDTH:320PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}3 / 36LEE DANIELS - PHILALPHIA NATIVE LEE DANIELS IS AN ACTOR, FILM PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR. HE IS BT KNOWN FOR DIRECTG THE CRILLY ACCLAIMED FILM “PREC,” WHICH WAS NOMATED FOR SIX AMY AWARDS. DANIELS WAS NOMATED FOR BT DIRECTOR; IT WAS THE SEND TIME AN AIN AMERIN RECEIVED A NOMATN THAT TEGORY. HE ALSO PRODUCED “MONSTER’S BALL.”{WIDTH:311PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}4 / 36SHERYL SWOOP - SHERYL DENISE SWOOP WAS THE FIRST PLAYER TO BE SIGNED THE WNBA WHEN WAS CREATED. SHE HAS WON THREE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS AND IS A THREE-TIME WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE "FEMALE MICHAEL JORDAN," SWOOP IS FAMO FOR HER OFFENSIVE AND FENSIVE SKILLS. IN 2005, SHE AVERAGED 18.6 POTS, 4.3 ASSISTS, 2.65 STEALS, AND SHE SHOT 85 PERCENT OM THE EE-THROW LE WHILE AVERAGG 37.1 MUT PLAYG TIME PER GAME.5 / 36WANDA SYK - SYK ED HER ANGER AND DISAPPOTMENT CALIFORNIA'S PROPOSN 8, WHICH BANNED GAY MARRIAGE THERE, AS AN OPPORTUNY TO E OUT. "I AM PROUD TO BE GAY!" WANDA CLARED AT A GAY RALLY LAS VEGAS LAST YEAR. SHE ALSO ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD THAT SHE'S MARRIED TO A WOMAN. THIS YEAR, SHE BEME THE FIRST AIN AMERIN AND THE FIRST "OUT" LBIAN TO GET THE ROLE AS FEATURED ENTERTAER FOR THE 2009 WHE HOE CORRPONNTS' ASSOCIATN {MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}ADVERTISEMENT6 / 36JASS STEWART - IN 2005, JASS STEWART RAN A HIGHLY TOUTED MPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF BROCKTON, MASS. AS A FIRST-TIME NDIDATE, HE EARNED 44 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND CREASED VOTER TURNOUT BY 19 PERCENT. LAST YEAR, HE BEME A CY UNCILMAN HIS HOMETOWN. IN ADDN TO BEG ONE OF THE YOUNGT EXECUTIV THE HISTORY OF BLACKSI (PRODUCERS OF THE PUBLIC TELEVISN SERI EY ON THE PRIZE: AMERI'S CIVIL RIGHTS YEARS), STEWART ALSO TGHT CLASS AT BOSTON {WIDTH:261PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}7 / 36DOUG SPEARMAN - SPEARMAN'S REER AS AN ACTOR CLUS WORK ON SUCH TV SHOWS AS "STAR TREK VOYAGER," "THE DREW CAREY SHOW," "THE HUGHLEYS," "CHARMED,"AND "GIRLIENDS." SPEARMAN RECENTLY -STARRED ON THE LOGO H SHOW NOAH'S ARC, WHICH HE PLAYED CHANCE COUNTER, AN OUT BLACK GAY LLEGE PROFSOR.8 / 36SABRA SOJOURNER - SOJOURNER IS THE FIRST OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED TO THE UNED STAT CONGRS. HAVG BEEN ELECTED BY A WHOPPG 83 PERCENT OF THE VOTE, SABRA REPRENTED THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE U.S. HOE OF REPRENTATIV, WHERE HER NON-VOTG POSN SHE LOBBIED NOT ONLY FOR STATEHOOD FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, BUT IMPACTED OTHER LEGISLATORS ON A WHOLE SPECTM OF ISSU. SHE SERVED OM 1997-1999.9 / 36DENISE SIMMONS - DENISE SIMMONS IS THE FIRST AIN-AMERIN OPEN LBIAN TO BE ELECTED MAYOR OF AN AMERIN CY. SIMMONS, NOW LEADG CAMBRIDGE, MASS., AFTER SERVG ON THE CY COUNCIL SCE 2001, FOLLOWS THE FOOTSTEPS OF FORMER MAYOR KEN REEV. REEV MA HISTORY ON A LOL AND NATNAL LEVELS, BEG CAMBRIDGE'S FIRST AIN-AMERIN MAYOR AND THE NATN'S FIRST OPENLY GAY, BLACK MAYOR.10 / 36DANA RONE - RONE IS THE FIRST BLACK LBIAN ELECTED NEW JERSEY WHEN SHE WON THE FIRST OF TWO TERMS ON NEWARK'S SCHOOL BOARD. SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVG A FOUR-YEAR TERM ON THE CY UNCIL.ADVERTISEMENT11 / 36TOSHI REAGAN - OVER THE URSE OF HER REER, SHE'S RELEASED EIGHT ALBUMS, APPEARED ON “THE L WORD” AND SHARED THE STAGE WH ANI DIFRAN AND ELVIS COSTELLO. REAGAN JUMPED TO THE SPOTLIGHT WHEN SHE DROPPED OUT OF LLEGE AFTER LENNY KRAVZ TAPPED HER TO OPEN FOR HIM ON HIS FIRST WORLD TOUR.12 / 36KEN REEV - REEV IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN-AMERIN MAN TO HAVE SERVED AS MAYOR OF ANY CY THE UNED STAT. THE HARVARD COLLEGE AND UNIVERSY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE WAS MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MASS.13 / 36PATRIK-IAN POLK - PATRIK-IAN POLK IS THE CREATOR, PRODUCER AND LEAD WRER OF THE ACCLAIMED LOGO TV SERI “NOAH’S ARC,” WHICH IS OFTEN SCRIBED AS “SEX AND THE CY” WH GAY CHARACTERS. “NOAH’S ARC” IS ABOUT FOUR BLACK GAY MEN LIVG LOS ANGEL. HE IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR BEHD THE GROUNDBREAKG BLACK GAY FEATURE FILM “PUNKS.”14 / 36FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON - FELICIA "SNOOP" PEARSON IS AN ACTRS, THOR AND RAPPER, KNOWN FOR HER ROLE ON THE HBO SERI “THE WIRE” AS A CHARACTER NAMED AFTER {WIDTH:267PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}15 / 36RAHSAAN PATTERSON - NAMED AFTER 60'S JAZZ SAXOPHONIST RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK, RAHSAAN PATTERSON'S SGG AND SONGWRG STYLE ARE REMISCENT OF STEVIE WONR,WHILE HIS VOICE HAS ALSO DRAWN PARISONS TO CHAKA KHAN. HIS CREDS CLU BRANDY'S PLATUM TOP 5 SMASH "BABY", AND TEV CAMPBELL'S H "BACK TO THE WORLD".ADVERTISEMENT16 / 36RON ON - ON IS AN OPENLY GAY POLICIAN. IN NOVEMBER 2003, HE WAS ELECTED THE MAYOR OF PALM SPRGS, CALIF., AFTER SERVG EIGHT YEARS ON S CY UNCIL. HE IS THE FATHER OF TWO DGHTERS AND THE GRANDFATHER OF TWO GIRLS AND ONE {WIDTH:300PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}17 / 36ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO - THE DGHTER OF A VOTEDLY RELIG MOTHER AND A STRICT ARY FATHER, ME'SHELL NGéOCELLO IS A SGER, SONGWRER, RAPPER, BASSIST, AND MULTI-STMENTALIST. THE MIC PRS HAS HAILED HER AS A REEMER OF SOUL MIC. HER MIC RPORAT FUNK, SOUL, HIP HOP, REGGAE, R&B, ROCK AND JAZZ. SHE HAS BEEN NOMATED FOR NE GRAMMY AWARDS.18 / 36NEB LUV - WHILE PRENTLY PURSUG A SOLO RERDG AL, SHE HAS ACHIEVED WELL-SERVED RPECT AND REGNN FOR HER ASSOCIATN WH WARREN G, HER PRODUCER ON DA 5 FOOTAZ LP RELEASED ON RTLS RERDS. NEB APPEARED ON THE “SET OFF” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, "THE HEIST” AND THE “JASON’S LYRIC” SOUNDTRACK SGLE, “WALK AWAY.” SHE ALSO APPEARED THE DEF PICTUR FEATURE FILM, "THE SHOW" AND HAS TOURED TERNATNALLY AS THE OPENG ACT FOR WARREN G AND THE FUGE, AND APPEARED ON “BET’S COMICVIEW.”19 / 36MéLANGE LAVONNE - LAVONNE, WHO IS AN OUTSPOKEN LBIAN HIP-HOP ARTIST, HER MIC TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSU, PECIALLY WH THE LGBT MUNY. IN THE VIO FOR "GAY BASH," THE OUT MC LLS OUT THOSE WHO HATED HER IEND KEV ENOUGH TO KILL HIM, WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM.20 / 36MRICE JAMAL - MRICE JAMAL IS A DIRECTOR-WRER-PRODUCER, WHO IS THE CREATIVE MD BEHD THE LANDMARK LOGO NETWORK FILM "THE SKI TRIP" AND THE AWARD-WNG FAY EDY DRAMA "DIRTY LNDRY." HIS FIRST BREAK WAS ON THE FEATURE FILM “SPIR-MAN,” AND A SHORT PERD HE VELOPED A LENGTHY AND IMPRSIVE LIST OF CREDS, MOST NOTABLY THE COMEDY CENTRAL SMASH H "CHAPPELLE’S SHOW" – BOTH ONT AND BEHD THE MERA.ADVERTISEMENT21 / 36E. LYNN HARRIS - THE LATE E. LYNN HARRIS WAS AN OPENLY GAY THOR, MOST KNOWN FOR HIS PICTNS OF AIN-AMERIN MEN ON THE DOWN LOW OR THE CLOSET. HARRIS WAS IALLY UNABLE TO LAND A BOOK AL WH A REPUTABLE PUBLISHG HOE FOR HIS FIRST WORK, “INVISIBLE LIFE,” SO HE SELF-PUBLISHED THROUGH A VANY PUBLISHER AND SOLD PI OM HIS R TNK. SCE THEN, FIVE OF HIS NOVELS HAVE ACHIEVED NEW YORK TIM BTSELLER STAT. HE DIED 2009.22 / 36JAM EARL HARDY - JAM EARL HARDY IS BT KNOWN AS THE THOR OF THE B-BOY BLU SERI THAT CLUS: B-BOY BLU, 2ND TIME AROUND AND IF ONLY FOR ONE NE. THE SERI IS CREDED WH LNCHG THE AOCENTRIC, GAY, HIP-HOP LOVE GENRE. HARDY ALSO HAS WRTEN FOR ESSENCE, NEWSWEEK, ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY, THE WASHGTON POST, THE ADVOTE AND SOURCE.23 / 36ANGELA DAVIS - ANGELA DAVIS, AN AMERIN SOCIALIST ANIZER AND PROFSOR ONCE ASSOCIATED WH THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY, FIRST ACHIEVED NATNWI NOTORIETY WHEN SHE WAS LKED TO THE MURR OF JUDGE HAROLD HALEY DURG AN ATTEMPTED PRISON BREAK. SHE WAS A FUGIVE BUT WAS EVENTUALLY PTURED, ARRTED, TRIED; SHE WAS THEN ACQUTED ONE OF THE MOST FAMO TRIALS RECENT HISTORY. SHE IS NOW A PROFSOR OF HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CZ.24 / 36KECIA CUNNGHAM - CUNNGHAM IS SERVG HER FOURTH TERM ON THE DETUR, GA., CY COUNCIL. THE AIN-AMERIN LBIAN FIRST WON 1999 AND HAS SCE N {WIDTH:268PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}25 / 36WILSON CZ - ACTOR WILSON CZ ME OUT AT THE AGE OF 19 AND THEN WENT TO HOLLYWOOD TO TRY TO START AN ACTG REER. HE WAS SUCCSFUL, AND HAS STARRED A NUMBER OF STAGE, TV AND FILM {WIDTH:400PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}26 / 36MISS CLEO - YOUREE DELL HARRIS, BETTER KNOWN AS MISS CLEO, IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED PSYCHIC AND SHAMAN WHO ACHIEVED FAME AS SPOKWOMAN TELEVISN ADS WHICH AIRED DURG THE LATE 1990S AND EARLY 2000S. IN THOSE ADS, SHE HAWKED A PSYCHIC PAY-PER-LL SERVICE. AS OF 2007, CLEO OFFERS PRIVATE PSYCHIC NSULTATNS AND OTHER SERVIC THROUGH WAHGWAAN ENTERTAMENT, BASED FORT LRDALE, FLA.27 / 36STACEYANN CH - STACEYANN CH IS A FULL-TIME ARTIST AND HAS BEEN AN “OUT POET AND POLIL ACTIVIST” SCE 1998. HAVG DRAWN ROG CHEERS OM THE NUYORIN POETS' Fé, ONE-WOMAN SHOWS OFF- BROADWAY, POETRY WORKSHOPS DENMARK AND LONDON, AND AS A -WRER AND PERFORMER THE TONY-NOMATED, RSELL SIMMONS DEF POETRY JAM, CH CREDS THE LONG LIST OF "THGS SHE HAS DONE" TO HER GRANDMOTHER'S HARD-WORKG HISTORY AND THE PA OF HER MOTHER'S ABSENCE.28 / 36JASMYNE CANNICK - AWARD-WNG JOURNALIST, JASMYNE CANNICK IS KNOWN FOR ADDRSG THE ISSU THAT OTHERS N'T OR SIMPLY WON'T. SHE IS A CRIC AND MENTATOR BASED LOS ANGEL WHO ADDRS THE TERSECTN OF RACE, CLASS, RELIGN AND GENR THE AIN-AMERIN MUNY AS PLAYED OUT TODAY'S POP CULTURE AND POLICS. SHE WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF ESSENCE MAGAZE'S 25 WOMEN SHAPG THE WORLD.29 / 36GORDON CHAMBERS - CHAMBERS IS A SOUL MIC VETERAN, BUT IS PRCIPALLY KNOWN AS A SONGWRER. OVER THE PAST DOZEN YEARS THE JAMAIN-BORN CHAMBERS HAS PENNED TUN FOR A VIRTUAL WHO'S WHO OF MORN URBAN ADULT NTEMPORARY SGERS, CLUDG WHNEY HOTON, HEATHER HEADLEY, CARL THOMAS, STEPHANIE MILLS, GLADYS KNIGHT, GERALD LEVERT AND PHYLLIS HYMAN. HE ALSO EARNED A SONGWRG GRAMMY AWARD 1995 FOR ANA BAKER'S "I APOLOGIZE."30 / 36KEH BOYK - KEH BOYK IS THE EDOR OF HE IS A NEW YORK TIM BT-SELLG THOR OF THREE BOOKS, AND A EQUENT POLIL MENTATOR ON {WIDTH:299PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}31 / 36KEV AVIANCE - NEW YORK FEMALE IMPERSONATOR SIGNER AND DANCE MICIAN KEV AVIANCE IS POPULAR THE NEW YORK CY GAY {WIDTH:348PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}32 / 36JOHN AMAECHI - JOHN AMAECHI BEME THE FIRST NBA PLAYER TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET. AMAECHI ME OUT AFTER HE LEFT THE LEAGUE.33 / 36DAGMAWI WOUBSHET - DAGMAWI WOUBSHET IS AN ASSISTANT PROFSOR OF ENGLISH AT CORNELL UNIVERSY, WHERE HE TEACH URS ON AIN-AMERIN AND PARATIVE AIN DIASPORA LERATURE AND CULTURE. HE RECIEVED HIS PHD OM HARVARD UNIVERSY 2007 AND HIS BA 1998 OM DE UNIVERSY. HIS SCHOLARLY TERTS CLU: CRIL RACE AND SEXUALY STUDI, NTEMPORARY BLACK VISUAL CULTURE, TRANSLATN, AND VERNACULAR ETHPIAN POETICS.34 / 36LAWRENCE WEBB - WEBB IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AIN AMERIN ELECTED THE STATE OF VIRGIA. LAWRENCE WAS ELECTED TO THE FALLS CHURCH CY COUNCIL 2008 AFTER HIS FIRST N FOR POLIL {WIDTH:535PX;HEIGHT:400PX;}35 / 36STANLEY BENT CLAY - STANLEY BENT CLAY IS AN THOR, FILMMAKER AND ACTOR. HE HAS WRTEN THREE NOVELS: “DIVA,” “IN SEARCH OF PRETTY YOUNG BLACK MEN” AND “LOOKER.” A SELF-SCRIBED “FANATIL LOS ANGEL TYPE OF PERSON,” CLAY WR STORI ABOUT THE BLACK GAY SCENE ON THE WT COAST. HE’S ALSO WON THREE NAACP IMAGE AWARDS FOR WRG, DIRECTG AND PRODUCG THE FILM “RUAL.”

Consir the evince of his childhood stardom: Before gay mic ins Beyonce, Brney and Christa walked the “Star Search” stage, a young Patterson won over judg wh a voice that seemed before his time.

OK, I know that I am gay. But not everyone is ready to have that nversatn, and there’s a lot of gay people who are not ready to have the nversatn eher.

And they are the kgs of beg gay.