“LGBTQ folks in the South have something to say, and GLAAD is invested in amplifying their voices.”
That was the message from Darian Aaron, GLAAD’s Director of Local News: U.S. South, during his opening remarks to an invite-only audience on May 17 at MODEx Studio in Atlanta for GLAAD Down South. The evening introduced Aaron and celebrated his considerable impact with original content development across the South as part of GLAAD’s communications team in just the past year. Atlanta media professionals, community leaders, entrepreneurs, and influencers were invited to come together to witness the growing quantity and quality of Southern LGBTQ and HIV representation in media through Aaron’s role at GLAAD, where in just 15 months, Aaron has placed over 50 stories in 20 local, regional and national outlets, across every available media platform.
Dewayne Queen, host of GLAAD Down South, shared a reel highlighting Aaron’s accomplishments at GLAAD, which stretched across a massive video wall inside the MODEx theater. Of particular note from the video, narrated by Anna DeShawn, host of Queer News podcast, were findings from GLAAD’s 2021 Local Media Accountability Index, U.S. South—
“…at least one outlet in every Southern state studied did not produce an LGBTQ-related story. Twelve outlets in Mississippi did not report a single LGBTQ story. Darian changed that by developing relationships at the Mississippi Free Press and The Clarion-Ledger and traveling to Jackson and Greenville to do on-the-ground reporting.”
During a live conversation with Aaron, Dominique Morgan, a Black trans activist and Program Director of Fund for Trans Generations at Borealis Philanthropy, recounted the impact of the increased media attention around the historic renaming of a street in her hometown (Omaha, NE), thanks to Aaron’s recognition of the milestone and its importance.
“I am very clear that your efforts to even respond to the press release—the way you pushed it. I’m so thankful for you,” Morgan said. “I felt it. I saw it. I saw how it came back to me. It absolutely blessed me. There is something incredibly moving about the idea that young Black folks will walk down a street in a historically Black neighborhood named after a Black trans woman, who at the age of 12 was placed into the back of a police car for the first time on the exact street,” Morgan said. “For every queer and trans person who walks down Dominique Morgan Street, they will know that no matter where their story began, they will get to determine where their story ends.”
Elevating and Centering Black LGBTQ Voices
Top row: Black Queer Journalism Panel—L to R: Mashaun Simon, LaPorsche Thomas, K. Keith, Anare V. Holmes (Moderator)
Middle Row: TikTok, IG, & Media Literacy Panel—L to R: Dejon Campbell, Jerome Trammel, Ashley Cobb, Michael Ward (Moderator)
Bottom Row: Black Queer Representation in Media:—L to R: Trevor Rayshay Perry, Davien Harlis, Alex & Ricky Camardelle-Floyd, Dewayne Queen (Moderator) (Image: Sydney A. Foster)
Aaron says the goal of GLAAD Down South was to ensure everyone’s awareness of GLAAD’s commitment to LGBTQ Southerners and elevating the truth, creativity and resilience of the community. As the event program developed, Aaron saw an opportunity to further showcase Black LGBTQ voices.
“It was an easy decision for me to curate some of the most brilliant Atlanta-based journalists, content creators, actors, and filmmakers to share the GLAAD Down South stage with me,” Aaron said, referring to three mini-panel discussions that occurred throughout the evening. “They are on the frontlines telling the stories and exploring the issues on an ever-evolving media landscape. I wanted guests to hear firsthand about finding, reporting and sharing critically-important information and narratives. I wanted to inspire everyone to do even more, and make sure they know GLAAD is here to help with resources and expertise.”
Black Queer Journalism, TikTok, Instagram, & Media Literacy, and Black Queer Representation in Media were three spirited 15-minute mini-panel discussions followed by an audience Q&A that closed out the evening.
Rashad Walker, Producer, CNN International, was in attendance and, like many others who appreciated GLAAD’s commitment to amplifying Southern LGBTQ narratives, reacted on social media: “Thank you, Darian Aaron, for putting Atlanta’s most influential Black news journalists, filmmakers, writers, entrepreneurs, and influencers in one room. It was beautiful.”