Stevie 2003: Year in Re-Woooo!

Photo by N, 2003.

Peeps: 2003 was good to me...personally and professionally. I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to meet and work an array of folks on a variety of projects (including, but not limited to: Ajamu, Artis, Cheryl, Colin, Cynthia, Damond, Diana, Donald, Herukhuti, James, Jerome, Judy, Kevin J, Kevin M, Kevin Q, Lawrence, Marvin, Niki, Travis, and Vincent, all the folks from the BGRG, Think Again, POCC and GMAD...blah, blah, blah). If I got plastered by a drunk driver tomorrow, I could say "hey, I had a good run."

Anyway, 2003 was a blast. Even my bad times weren't so bad. Since bloggers tend to enjoy posting lists, here is my year end list to top all lists! For me, at least.

January. Turned 37! First trip of the year – Japan! with my good friend, Shuji. That was great. First time in Asia. Won't be my last.

February. Gave a black history speech at Adam Clayton Powell building for a group that helps the homeless get back on their feet by providing housing and other services. Used an excerpt from Beloved by Toni Morrison. Probably my favorite speech/presentation of the year. I love talking about black culture to black people who I feel have been, and continue to be abused by, the word "black." My one speech may not move everyone, but someone will feel the love and maybe learn to love themselves. Maybe.

April: Host a showing of Marlon Riggs' last film, "Black Is…Black Ain’t" at Westfield State College, with Kevin Quashie. Kevin and I have known each other since 1995. Check out his new book Black Women, Identity and Cultural Theory: (Un)becoming the Subject. We had an opportunity to talk with students from the gay and lesbian student union. Back when I was an undergrad I was too afraid to even walk past the gay and lesbian student union. These kids were serious and very bright.

Gave a workshop at Philly's Pride, for BlackFunk owner Herukhuti. He couldn't make it and asked me to go. The workshop I did was called "Erotic Play for Men," which was fun for everyone. Would tell you more but I would have to kill you. Stayed at the Westin Hotel. These fuckers know how to make a bed! Nine layers of pure comfort. I could barely get out of bed to do the workshop. Must go back there and soon! Hotel livin' - that's for me! Also met Michelle Wallace, who I adore, on the train back to NYC. What a brain, that one.

The biggest gig all year comes to me this month via Colin Robinson. He asked me to come aboard as co-editor of Think Again. After a few days, I accepted.

May. We mounted Art in Harlem: Sexual Revolution. This is our second show at the space. Lots of art, food, music and people! Very successful. I showed some of my own work, pencil sketches of male parts. We even sold some art. This shindig was a delight.

Went to DC Pride with cronies James and Heru, and gave a workshop on healing. Whenever you get a bunch of black LGBT people in a room and engage them in healing, sparks literally fly. Folks conjure up all kinds of memories and experiences. What's great is that they get to do it in an environment of peers. This what I think needs to be done all time, so I am geeked to be a part of it. My healing is enhanced by experiences like this. Also collected materials for BGLA.

Oh yeah, this little bisque colored mug o' mine made the cover of BLACKlines with a feature written about the Black Gay and Lesbian Archive. Funny to see your face on the cover of a magazine. Surreal almost.

June. Made a trip to Los Angeles for meeting with APLA editors re Think Again. Also register with state of CA to be a Deputy of Marriages so that I can officiate at my best friend's wedding in July. Woo-hoo! It was quick trip so most of the time I was laying down between meetings sucking up the Discovery Channel.

July. Yet another trip to Los Angeles for Carla and Alem’s wedding. That was a week I will never forget. All the drama you can handle! The wedding was beautiful. I am very very happy for Carla and Alem. They are among the best people I know.

Back to New York for the Black Gay Research Conference, where I presented two workshops, a panel about Think Again, and a brief intro to my project, the Black Gay and Lesbian Archive. The response to TA was positive, so I am encouraged. I get to see some folks I hadn't seen in awhile, Vincent Woodard and Jafari Allen...just great people. I wasn't able to attend any workshops other than my own due to scheduling and fatigue! Go to the park the next day after for Pride in the City. Fun stuff.

That same week I launch stevengfullwood.org. Designed by Donald. And so now I get to blabber about whatever the fuck I want to in cyberspace! Woo-hoo!

Editing Think Again. Long hours.

August. Hosted a website launch shindig at my apartment. It amazes me that people showed up for a website launch. Say "party" and people kill themselves clogging the doors! I also started a publishing company with my roommate, Niki appropriately called "Whores in Harlem" in order to publish Mingus’s first chapbook. If you haven't seen Mingus read, you oughta. He's one of the best poets around - period. Still editing Think Again. Endlessly sending emails, writing notes, going over essays, talking with Colin sometimes twice, three times a day. No sleep till this is over.

September. Editing Think Again. Working to get everything done by deadline. Frustrated and exhilarated, we (Colin and I) work with APLA, the designers, the contributors, the artists. We can't talk about anything else. We are insane.

October. Think Again is published (finally!) and launched in Syracuse, NY. Decided to do publicity for TA for NYSBGN. This is cool because I believe I can get the word out AND make a little cashola. Sat on panel "Face Off," a talk show program created by Black Pride NYC. That was hilarious. Answered some questions about being on the DL (not me, of course!) and hawked TA. At the end of the month, I go on a Royal Caribbean Cruise with Nubian Knights. The director asked me to come aboard and do some programs. Of course I take TA! Not exactly cruise reading, even though one guy actually did. Anyway, the ship stops at Labadee, Haiti; Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozomel, Mexico. When I am not working, I am eating and sleeping and relaxing. Ahhhh. I am happy to see that TA has made the front page of Gay City News. Yay! We want (and need) all the press we can get. Oh, the same writer also does a feature on the BGLA.

November. At the end of the month, we throw another art exhibit, Art in Harlem: Belief. I was beat but everything came together and people enjoyed themselves, which is all I wanted. Oh yeah, I also get braces. More about this in future blogs.

December. I go to London to work on a project with photographer Ajamu X. Do a photo session with him. Hee-larious. I take TA along. X gives a launch party at his place. Meet brothers from Terence Higgins Trust, Gay Men Fighting AIDS, blackgayuk.com and DRUM Magazine.

I am sooo ready for 2004.

Projects completed this year:
Think Again, co-editor, published by New York State Black Gay Network and AIDS Project Los Angeles, October 2003.
Mercy Fuck Suite, manuscript. Collaboration with Ajamu X. No publishing date.
“Cheryl Boyce Taylor,” profile for Lambda Book Report, July 2003.
“NGO: Model Business Man,” profile for ARISE Magazine, May 2003.
“Park,” poem featured inVeil of Cashmere, a short film by Sean Drakes (Blue Mango), October 2003.
"John Frederick Matheus." Biographical essay. Encyclopedia of Harlem Renaissance. 2004.
"Live Your Truth." IMANI: Journal of Black Pride NYC. 2003.

Projects in progress:
Fierce: A Genealogy of Black LGBT Organizations, co-editing with Herukhuti and Kevin McGruder.
Mother Hunger, book about my mother.
Clown of God. Book and text about fucking with God.

Trips I Didn’t Take: South Africa and Cuba. Damnit. Maybe 2004?

Yeah so I didn't talk about any of the men in (or out) of my life, or any of the other shit I did this year. Enough about me, what about you? I've tooted my own horn enuff for the rest o' my life, quite possibly longer...

Cheers!

Monday, December 15, 2003 @ 03:44 PM