Native Son, a motion devoted to empowering and celebrating Black queer males, is popping 10, and is celebrating its milestone anniversary in star-studded style.
The group, based by media mogul Emil Wilbekin, will host its signature Native Son Awards on Juneteenth (June 19) at NYC’s Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers. The night will probably be themed “A Legacy of Pride” and can honor director/producer Anthony Hemingway, singer-songwriter Durand Bernarr and Severance star Tramell Tillman; Lena Waithe, a newly appointed Native Son board member, may even be readily available to supply the Pride Month occasion.
In honor of the tenth anniversary, Native Son can be increasing past simply the awards for a weekend-long expertise (operating June 19-21) of packages and initiatives. That may embrace the introduction of Native Son Home, which is able to take over The Maison Venture occasion house for a mixture of curated conversations, stay interviews, screenings, performances, wellness activations, workshops, marketplaces and immersive experiences.
“For 10 years, Native Son has created space for Black queer men to be seen in the fullness of who we are — as leaders, creatives, visionaries and changemakers,” Wilbekin stated in an announcement. “At a time when our communities continue to face growing attacks on visibility, equity and inclusion, this anniversary is not only a celebration of how far we’ve come, but a declaration that our stories, our voices and our futures matter. What began as a bold idea has evolved into a powerful movement grounded in connection, advocacy, culture and community. Expanding Native Son into a full weekend experience reflects both the continued growth of this organization and our ongoing commitment to creating spaces where Black queer people can gather, be affirmed, build community and thrive unapologetically.”
Together with Waithe, co-chairs for the Native Son Awards embrace Darnell Moore and Yashua Simmons, George M. Johnson, Kyle Hagler, Obio Jones and Jermelle Simone, Andrew McCaskill and Marcus Johnson-McCaskill. For these unable to attend in individual, the occasion may even be obtainable to view on livestream by way of Native Son’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
