This QPOC Life

Michael Roberson discusses the ballroom community -- which drew mainstream notice courtesy of Madonna's 1990 "Vogue" video and Jennie Livingston's 1991 documentary Paris Is Burning -- and its ability to unify traditionally excluded individuals. These self-made families forge bonds that span a lifetime and has developed into a global subculture. He believes that the family dynamics created within ballroom culture can teach the rest of us how to develop healthy communities.

Michael Roberson is an adjunct professor at the New School and Union Theological Seminary and a senior scholar for the Center for Race, Religion and Economic Democracy. He's a member of the sound art collective ULTRA-red and a creative consultant for the FX series Pose.

And check out Michael's TED Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_roberson_the_enduring_legacy_of_ballroom

GROW THE COMMUNITY

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons. https://www.patreon.com/ThisQPOClife

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Johnathan: https://twitter.com/blasianFMA  

You, dear listener, might have wavy, curly, coily, or kinky hair. TODAY, we're talking about the obsession with our hair. Not our own obsession with our hair, #TeamNatural. Rather, the obsession non-POC seem to have with touching our hair.

You probably had a variation of this conversation at least once in your life: “I just love your hair! It’s so beautiful. Can I touch it?” A lot of the time, you’re lucky if they ask. Why is it, for many POC, our hair becomes a reason to establish personal boundaries with others?

Beyond hair, we talk about expectations to conform to a particular professional (Read: White) image. Natural hairstyles like locs or afros are banned in the workplaces. Women might be "expected" to wear heels. You might dress in a manner that's "too flamboyant". How do you unpack that in order to live more authentically?

Ashley Nesby is back for an encore performance. She joins the Fab Four in to create the Thriving Five. We jump into self-care as Jo Lee bites the bullet, Johnathan feels like a baby, Zach is SO humble, Carlos uses the force, and Ashley tells the family business.

OUR GUEST

Ashley Nesby: https://instagram.com/ashley_larae29

GROW THE COMMUNITY

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons. https://www.patreon.com/ThisQPOClife

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisqpoclife

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa

Johnathan: https://twitter.com/blasianFMA  

Working a corporate gig can be complicated and political enough. Now add being POC to the experience. Okay, now add being queer. NOW, add being a woman. Today, Carlos is flying solo with a special guest, Ashley Nesby. Ashley shares her experience as a black woman and a lesbian navigating her way through the corporate world.

She also shares her coming out experience and being the first lesbian couple to attend her high school's prom. Now, she serves as a Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Buzzfeed and recently married!

Ashley already feels like one of the gang and we hope to include her in more episodes in the near future.

OUR GUEST

Ashley Nesby: https://instagram.com/ashley_larae29

GROW THE COMMUNITY

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons.  https://www.patreon.com/ThisQPOClife

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisqpoclife

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa

Johnathan: https://twitter.com/blasianFMA   Carlos: https://twitter.com/tresfabuleux   Jo Lee: https://twitter.com/callmejolee     Zach: https://twitter.com/showtimesyzygy

Leaning in (and leaning over) to 2020, you might be examining your relationships and grappling with people who are toxic in your life. The blurring edges between social media and real life don't make that a walk in the park. As the conversation about "cancel culture" heats up, is it okay to cut those people from your life?

The Core Four dive pretty deep talking about their own experiences in dealing with toxic people. Sometimes, that's looked like letting go of people associated with toxic memories.

Family members, partners, friends-with-benefits, and acquaintances can all be toxic influences in your life. They're not easy to deal with in an ongoing basis. Letting go of those people can be just as difficult. What if you are the person who needs to be dealt with?

Relationships are hard. But the relationship you have with yourself is worth asking these questions.

GROW THE COMMUNITY

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons.  https://www.patreon.com/ThisQPOClife

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisqpoclife

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa

Johnathan: https://twitter.com/blasianFMA  

We’re This QPOC Life and this is... 2020! The core four are back with a self-care check-in and setting our intentions for a new decade. Carlos gets mixed and mingled, Johnathan gets bit by the travel bug, Jo Lee breaks shackles, and Zach is here with a prophecy. 

GROW THE COMMUNITY   

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons.  https://www.patreon.com/ThisQPOClife   

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!   

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisqpoclife   

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa  

 Johnathan: https://twitter.com/blasianFMA  

The Core Four are joined by the illustrious Raffy Regulus. It's Carlos's first time rolling the d20s. For vets like Johnathan, Zach, and Jo, it's still an adventure we didn't expect. Raffy takes us on a Dungeons and Dragons adventure as only a QPOC could.

What twists and turns await our aspiring adventurers? What lurks in the forgotten places of Waterdeep? With special editing and sound design by Jo, get ready for a ride.

Dungeons and Dragons is given a special place in the hearts of many queer and trans people of color. For some, it's a safe way to try on new identities. It's a playful way to explore who we are.

If you never played the game before, we hope you enjoy our quest. If you're an old hat at D&D, maybe you'll be inspired for your next game.

From all of us at This QPOC Life, we wish you a Happy Holiday and can't wait to be back with you in 2020!

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ARTICLES: 

For D&D newbies: https://thisqpoc.life/0g4x   

How Dungeons and Dragons Became So Wonderfully Gay: https://thisqpoc.life/wk73   

OUR GUEST: 

Raffy Regulus: https://twitter.com/raffy_regulus   

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GROW THE COMMUNITY   

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons. https://www.patreon.com/ThisQPOClife   

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisqpoclife   

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa

Johnathan: https://twitter.com/blasianFMA   

This week Johnathan interviews Steven Wakabayashi, about racial fetishization in Gay Asian dating practices. 

GROW THE COMMUNITY

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons.

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: @thisqpoclife

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa

Johnathan: @blasianFMA 

This week Johnathan interviews Steven Wakabayashi, content creator and mindfulness guru known, lately, for his response to Queer Eye Japan. 

GROW THE COMMUNITY

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons.

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: @thisqpoclife

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa

Johnathan: @blasianFMA 

This week the QPOC crew discusses names, dead names, and the role social media plays in either affirming individuals who do not go by the names on their government documents or how those social media giants act as hurdles to people who have moved on from that chapter of their life. 

GROW THE COMMUNITY

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons.

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: @thisqpoclife

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa

Johnathan: @blasianFMA 

Acclimatizing to workplace culture can already be a tricky thing to navigate. That's especially true in corporate culture. The whole crew attended an LGBTQIA+ event that Zach put together. The panel brought folks together sharing different experiences as far as their ability to self express at work. This had us thinking about what it's like being QTPOC at corporate gigs.

"Tone it down." "Everything doesn't have to be about sexuality." Binarist dress codes. These are just a few of the ways that we can be limited in the workplace. Where do these rules and microaggressions come from? What's possible when we can stop worrying about whether that nail polish is appropriate for work? What can happen when we can truly WERQ the workplace?

GROW THE COMMUNITY

If you believe in the work we are doing, invest in our success, become a Patron on Patreon! Thank you to all our Patrons.

Subscribe to (and rate) the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!

Follow This QPOC Life on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisqpoclife

Join our Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/DXncERa

Johnathan: @blasianFMA 

Carlos: @tresfabuleux 

Jo Lee: @callmejolee 

Zach: @zacharyares / @ShowtimeSyzygy