[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] I’m black I’m gay I’m from the hood need
I’m black I’m gay I’m from the hood need
I’m black I’m gay I’m from the hood need i say more actually yes how do you say
i say more actually yes how do you say
i say more actually yes how do you say more because a lot of times we get stuck
more because a lot of times we get stuck
more because a lot of times we get stuck there and for me a rich fulfilled life
there and for me a rich fulfilled life
there and for me a rich fulfilled life is about not assuming we know about
is about not assuming we know about
is about not assuming we know about others based on color or mannerisms or
others based on color or mannerisms or
others based on color or mannerisms or zip code it’s about understanding the
zip code it’s about understanding the
zip code it’s about understanding the individual and hearing their stories
individual and hearing their stories
individual and hearing their stories having a interest in who they are and
having a interest in who they are and
having a interest in who they are and what makes them thrive so while I may be
what makes them thrive so while I may be
what makes them thrive so while I may be black gay and from the hood there’s more
black gay and from the hood there’s more
black gay and from the hood there’s more to the story than just that when I was a
to the story than just that when I was a
to the story than just that when I was a kid I had two dreams one was it be an
kid I had two dreams one was it be an
kid I had two dreams one was it be an actor the other was to become a
actor the other was to become a
actor the other was to become a photographer and both I’ve come true for
photographer and both I’ve come true for
photographer and both I’ve come true for me by the way and I believe it’s because
me by the way and I believe it’s because
me by the way and I believe it’s because of the seeds of humanity that I was
of the seeds of humanity that I was
of the seeds of humanity that I was exposed to from a very early age I grew
exposed to from a very early age I grew
exposed to from a very early age I grew up on a quaint little street called
up on a quaint little street called
up on a quaint little street called bliss bliss street sounds lovely right
bliss bliss street sounds lovely right
bliss bliss street sounds lovely right bliss street there was nothing close to
bliss street there was nothing close to
bliss street there was nothing close to bliss on that street or any other of the
bliss on that street or any other of the
bliss on that street or any other of the streets in the neighborhood bliss was
streets in the neighborhood bliss was
streets in the neighborhood bliss was one block over from piru street and piru
one block over from piru street and piru
one block over from piru street and piru is the street that history says created
is the street that history says created
is the street that history says created the Bloods or the pie ruse what we call
the Bloods or the pie ruse what we call
the Bloods or the pie ruse what we call them back then but I don’t have to quote
them back then but I don’t have to quote
them back then but I don’t have to quote history because I lived it I was the
history because I lived it I was the
history because I lived it I was the first boy of my generation born to my
first boy of my generation born to my
first boy of my generation born to my family on both sides and the first
family on both sides and the first
family on both sides and the first grandchild on my mother’s side so I
grandchild on my mother’s side so I
grandchild on my mother’s side so I think that’s what kept me safe but it
think that’s what kept me safe but it
think that’s what kept me safe but it was an unspoken form of protection that
was an unspoken form of protection that
was an unspoken form of protection that I knew nothing about so I spent most of
I knew nothing about so I spent most of
I knew nothing about so I spent most of my days terrified
my days terrified
my days terrified from witnessing my first murder at the
from witnessing my first murder at the
from witnessing my first murder at the age of 4 on the street to having the
age of 4 on the street to having the
age of 4 on the street to having the family threatened and having to hide out
family threatened and having to hide out
family threatened and having to hide out because they were testifying against the
because they were testifying against the
because they were testifying against the shooter and then never they’re all too
shooter and then never they’re all too
shooter and then never they’re all too frequent calls from the police telling
frequent calls from the police telling
frequent calls from the police telling us is staying in a house because someone
us is staying in a house because someone
us is staying in a house because someone hiding in the trees in your backyard I’d
hiding in the trees in your backyard I’d
hiding in the trees in your backyard I’d lay in my bed hearing the footsteps just
lay in my bed hearing the footsteps just
lay in my bed hearing the footsteps just outside my window dreaming of a place
outside my window dreaming of a place
outside my window dreaming of a place where I didn’t have to feel free I guess
where I didn’t have to feel free I guess
where I didn’t have to feel free I guess we were considered middle class because
we were considered middle class because
we were considered middle class because we own the house that we lived in and a
we own the house that we lived in and a
we own the house that we lived in and a couple other properties in the
couple other properties in the
couple other properties in the neighborhood and my being the heir to my
neighborhood and my being the heir to my
neighborhood and my being the heir to my grandparents meager fortune and probably
grandparents meager fortune and probably
grandparents meager fortune and probably being the only the first grandchild I
being the only the first grandchild I
being the only the first grandchild I was used to getting everything I wanted
was used to getting everything I wanted
was used to getting everything I wanted and then I take the things I get and
and then I take the things I get and
and then I take the things I get and give him a way to my friends suit to had
give him a way to my friends suit to had
give him a way to my friends suit to had less than me my mother was 15 when she
less than me my mother was 15 when she
less than me my mother was 15 when she had me it was her first time having sex
had me it was her first time having sex
had me it was her first time having sex my dad was her math tutor and he was 17
my dad was her math tutor and he was 17
my dad was her math tutor and he was 17 my maternal grandmother was diagnosed as
my maternal grandmother was diagnosed as
my maternal grandmother was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic so I grew up in
a paranoid schizophrenic so I grew up in
a paranoid schizophrenic so I grew up in the house with my maternal
the house with my maternal
the house with my maternal great-grandparents my 15 year old mother
great-grandparents my 15 year old mother
great-grandparents my 15 year old mother and her five younger sisters my mother
and her five younger sisters my mother
and her five younger sisters my mother Audrey was a very strong stubborn woman
Audrey was a very strong stubborn woman
Audrey was a very strong stubborn woman the story i’m told is my grandmother
the story i’m told is my grandmother
the story i’m told is my grandmother went crazy when my grandfather left her
went crazy when my grandfather left her
went crazy when my grandfather left her to raise six daughters on her own she
to raise six daughters on her own she
to raise six daughters on her own she decided that God could do a better job
decided that God could do a better job
decided that God could do a better job one day she slid all their fingers and
one day she slid all their fingers and
one day she slid all their fingers and told them that God was going to take
told them that God was going to take
told them that God was going to take care of them and she left and never came
care of them and she left and never came
care of them and she left and never came back home my mother being the eldest
back home my mother being the eldest
back home my mother being the eldest with steal food and get her younger
with steal food and get her younger
with steal food and get her younger sisters dress and send them to school
sisters dress and send them to school
sisters dress and send them to school and then she’d go to school with the
and then she’d go to school with the
and then she’d go to school with the baby and that’s how they found out that
baby and that’s how they found out that
baby and that’s how they found out that they had been abandoned so they went
they had been abandoned so they went
they had been abandoned so they went into the foster care system to to a home
into the foster care system to to a home
into the foster care system to to a home so they were separated but still
so they were separated but still
so they were separated but still together my mother’s sneaked a call to
together my mother’s sneaked a call to
together my mother’s sneaked a call to her grandmother from the foster home
her grandmother from the foster home
her grandmother from the foster home and her grandmother stepped in and took
and her grandmother stepped in and took
and her grandmother stepped in and took them all out of the thing and brought
them all out of the thing and brought
them all out of the thing and brought them home with her because you want them
them home with her because you want them
them home with her because you want them to be raised sisters my mother was
to be raised sisters my mother was
to be raised sisters my mother was determined to go to college and she
determined to go to college and she
determined to go to college and she wasn’t allowed anything like a little
wasn’t allowed anything like a little
wasn’t allowed anything like a little teen pregnancy stopper she gave birth to
teen pregnancy stopper she gave birth to
teen pregnancy stopper she gave birth to me on Thursday she was got in the
me on Thursday she was got in the
me on Thursday she was got in the hospital on sunday and she’s back in
hospital on sunday and she’s back in
hospital on sunday and she’s back in school Monday morning she was one of the
school Monday morning she was one of the
school Monday morning she was one of the first blacks to attend UC Irvine in the
first blacks to attend UC Irvine in the
first blacks to attend UC Irvine in the early 70s so I spent my summers thank
early 70s so I spent my summers thank
early 70s so I spent my summers thank you I spent my summers weekends and
you I spent my summers weekends and
you I spent my summers weekends and holidays at the University and I was
holidays at the University and I was
holidays at the University and I was exposed to so many different cultures
exposed to so many different cultures
exposed to so many different cultures and lifestyles that I still have really
and lifestyles that I still have really
and lifestyles that I still have really fond memories these two white ladies who
fond memories these two white ladies who
fond memories these two white ladies who would come and pick me up so my mother
would come and pick me up so my mother
would come and pick me up so my mother could study they take me out shopping or
could study they take me out shopping or
could study they take me out shopping or to museums parks there was the blind man
to museums parks there was the blind man
to museums parks there was the blind man I don’t remember his name but he would
I don’t remember his name but he would
I don’t remember his name but he would hang out in his dorm and we listen to
hang out in his dorm and we listen to
hang out in his dorm and we listen to Stevie Wonder he taught me to play chess
Stevie Wonder he taught me to play chess
Stevie Wonder he taught me to play chess and make homemade popsicles with a
and make homemade popsicles with a
and make homemade popsicles with a little toothpicks in them or Maria
little toothpicks in them or Maria
little toothpicks in them or Maria Torres she’s a stay-at-home mother of my
Torres she’s a stay-at-home mother of my
Torres she’s a stay-at-home mother of my friend Carmen and whenever I’d see her
friend Carmen and whenever I’d see her
friend Carmen and whenever I’d see her she said how much do you love me and I
she said how much do you love me and I
she said how much do you love me and I opened my arms be white like this and
opened my arms be white like this and
opened my arms be white like this and she would wrap my arm around her and
she would wrap my arm around her and
she would wrap my arm around her and hugged me back and that was our ritual
hugged me back and that was our ritual
hugged me back and that was our ritual for four years the smell of Nestle
for four years the smell of Nestle
for four years the smell of Nestle strawberry Quik will always remind me of
strawberry Quik will always remind me of
strawberry Quik will always remind me of that lady
that lady
that lady fast forward til it took 20 years later
fast forward til it took 20 years later
fast forward til it took 20 years later i’m bartending at the Cheesecake Factory
i’m bartending at the Cheesecake Factory
i’m bartending at the Cheesecake Factory in Beverly Hills pursuing acting and she
in Beverly Hills pursuing acting and she
in Beverly Hills pursuing acting and she walks in the door and we stopped locked
walks in the door and we stopped locked
walks in the door and we stopped locked eyes she said how much do you love me I
eyes she said how much do you love me I
eyes she said how much do you love me I opened my arms like this and I held her
opened my arms like this and I held her
opened my arms like this and I held her for like a good three minutes so I
for like a good three minutes so I
for like a good three minutes so I didn’t have any type of conventional
didn’t have any type of conventional
didn’t have any type of conventional upbringing but i think it’s the
upbringing but i think it’s the
upbringing but i think it’s the backstory to who i am today i was
backstory to who i am today i was
backstory to who i am today i was covered by loving people who showed me
covered by loving people who showed me
covered by loving people who showed me what it means to have humanity no matter
what it means to have humanity no matter
what it means to have humanity no matter what color i was but on the flip side i
what color i was but on the flip side i
what color i was but on the flip side i wonder if that kept me sheltered from
wonder if that kept me sheltered from
wonder if that kept me sheltered from the atrocities of racism because i’m
the atrocities of racism because i’m
the atrocities of racism because i’m black i’m gay from the hood I should
black i’m gay from the hood I should
black i’m gay from the hood I should have experienced it firsthand right not
have experienced it firsthand right not
have experienced it firsthand right not so much I’ve never been pro black I was
so much I’ve never been pro black I was
so much I’ve never been pro black I was always pro everybody I’ve been stopped
always pro everybody I’ve been stopped
always pro everybody I’ve been stopped by the police while driving drunk on
by the police while driving drunk on
by the police while driving drunk on more than one occasion I’m not proud of
more than one occasion I’m not proud of
more than one occasion I’m not proud of that but I’m an actor had excuses gotten
that but I’m an actor had excuses gotten
that but I’m an actor had excuses gotten let go I remember getting stopped for
let go I remember getting stopped for
let go I remember getting stopped for driving without registration and I told
driving without registration and I told
driving without registration and I told the officer that my head shots were
the officer that my head shots were
the officer that my head shots were ready and my roommate I didn’t want to
ready and my roommate I didn’t want to
ready and my roommate I didn’t want to wait till my roommate came home and he
wait till my roommate came home and he
wait till my roommate came home and he let me go I’ve never been arrested so
let me go I’ve never been arrested so
let me go I’ve never been arrested so when I’d hear people and my mother and
when I’d hear people and my mother and
when I’d hear people and my mother and other people complain about racism I
other people complain about racism I
other people complain about racism I tell them it’s their fault for not
tell them it’s their fault for not
tell them it’s their fault for not learning to assimilate what was i living
learning to assimilate what was i living
learning to assimilate what was i living in my own reality I now know that just
in my own reality I now know that just
in my own reality I now know that just because it didn’t expect it and
because it didn’t expect it and
because it didn’t expect it and experience it firsthand does not mean
experience it firsthand does not mean
experience it firsthand does not mean that it doesn’t exist and with the
that it doesn’t exist and with the
that it doesn’t exist and with the recent of the onslaught of like cell
recent of the onslaught of like cell
recent of the onslaught of like cell phone videos dashcam videos seeing
phone videos dashcam videos seeing
phone videos dashcam videos seeing people treated unjustly I feel compelled
people treated unjustly I feel compelled
people treated unjustly I feel compelled to do something and it’s I feel like it
to do something and it’s I feel like it
to do something and it’s I feel like it needs to be more than just marching or
needs to be more than just marching or
needs to be more than just marching or protesting it starts with us like
protesting it starts with us like
protesting it starts with us like us looking out for one another as human
us looking out for one another as human
us looking out for one another as human beings not waiting for legislation to
beings not waiting for legislation to
beings not waiting for legislation to happen Ronald Reagan speaking to the
happen Ronald Reagan speaking to the
happen Ronald Reagan speaking to the United Nations and he says I
United Nations and he says I
United Nations and he says I occasionally think how the past our
occasionally think how the past our
occasionally think how the past our differences would vanish if we were
differences would vanish if we were
differences would vanish if we were under a threat from alien something like
under a threat from alien something like
under a threat from alien something like that out of from out of space I think
that out of from out of space I think
that out of from out of space I think about that often like our humanity under
about that often like our humanity under
about that often like our humanity under siege by something from out of this
siege by something from out of this
siege by something from out of this world we would come together then your
world we would come together then your
world we would come together then your Elsa think of often what if we were all
Elsa think of often what if we were all
Elsa think of often what if we were all blind and we had to use rely on other
blind and we had to use rely on other
blind and we had to use rely on other senses to navigate through our daily
senses to navigate through our daily
senses to navigate through our daily lives in order to get to know one
lives in order to get to know one
lives in order to get to know one another we’d have to speak and once we
another we’d have to speak and once we
another we’d have to speak and once we spoke we understand that we have more in
spoke we understand that we have more in
spoke we understand that we have more in common than we do different I’ve always
common than we do different I’ve always
common than we do different I’ve always had this sense that I was I knew more
had this sense that I was I knew more
had this sense that I was I knew more than other people it wasn’t it’s nothing
than other people it wasn’t it’s nothing
than other people it wasn’t it’s nothing that it was taught it’s just I knowing
that it was taught it’s just I knowing
that it was taught it’s just I knowing that this is a smokescreen I keep the
that this is a smokescreen I keep the
that this is a smokescreen I keep the separate we are so much more than just
separate we are so much more than just
separate we are so much more than just our skin tone so I don’t define myself
our skin tone so I don’t define myself
our skin tone so I don’t define myself by being black gay or from the hood and
by being black gay or from the hood and
by being black gay or from the hood and imagine all the assumptions that could
imagine all the assumptions that could
imagine all the assumptions that could be made if I owned if i only share those
be made if I owned if i only share those
be made if I owned if i only share those three facts or if you only heard those
three facts or if you only heard those
three facts or if you only heard those three facts and didn’t take that time to
three facts and didn’t take that time to
three facts and didn’t take that time to listen to my story well we all have a
listen to my story well we all have a
listen to my story well we all have a story and our stories make us who we are
story and our stories make us who we are
story and our stories make us who we are they make us relatable to one another
they make us relatable to one another
they make us relatable to one another they humanize us and with so much
they humanize us and with so much
they humanize us and with so much ugliness being uncovered in our nation
ugliness being uncovered in our nation
ugliness being uncovered in our nation it’s about time we lead with humanity
it’s about time we lead with humanity
it’s about time we lead with humanity and start to cover one another thank you
and start to cover one another thank you
and start to cover one another thank you you
you
you [Music]
”
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