The Queer Creative

Jonah and Renessa discuss Dave Chapelle and his recent transphobic diarrhea of the mouth, and seeing Chelsea Handler on her Vaccinated and Horny tour!Our guest this week is friend-of-the-pod Jamal Miller, who is a host on the Drag Race recap podcast “Thanks For Coming!” and a lifestyle blogger/vlogger at “Gays in the Life”. We hear about growing up in Alaska, moving to Indiana for music, his recent vlogs regarding race, Drag Race, Lil Nas X, and eating Keto! This will be our last episode this season! We're taking a break to do some podcast housekeeping, strategy, and outreach, so that we can come back with more great queer content for you soon! We love and appreciate this community SO MUCH. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbY5mGdeBzIShow links:Thanks for Coming! Podcast: https://thanksforcomingpodcast.comJamal’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaysinthelife/Jamal’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/gaysinthelifeGays in the Life: https://gaysinthelife.comhttp://thequeercreat

This week we dive right into our interview with the fabulous Shareef Hadid Jenkins, founder of BoiPKG, a fashion brand that is not limited by gender constructs. BoiPKG makes harnesses, underwear, jumpsuits, boxers, kaftans, swimwear—you name it! We chat with Shareef about everything from being kicked out of the house at a young age, to coming up in the club scene, starting his own successful queer fashion company, being an activist, and giving back to the community. Show Links:BoiPKG website: https://boipkg.comBoiPKG on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boipkg/Shareef on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omarshareefj/The Attic Youth Center in Philadelphia: https://www.atticyouthcenter.org Black Travel Trans Fund: https://www.blacktranstravelfund.comAmerican Indian House in NYC: https://www.aich.org

On this episode, Jonah shares the (oddly and darkly funny) story of how we found out his father recently passed. And our fabulous guest this week is Alexandra Owensby, an Irish dancer, Creative Director for the Brooklyn Irish Dance Company,  and a queer costume, accessories and upcycled clothing designer. Alexandra also happens to be an engineer, with a Master's degree in Energy Systems Engineering.  (interview recorded in March 2021)SHOW LINKS:Forgive Everyone: https://www.forgiveeveryone.comThe Queer Creative merch: https://the-queer-creative-podcast.creator-spring.comFollow Alexandra: @owensbeeeeeArt & sunglasses: @madebyaoDance: @brooklynirishdancecoPizza (her drag king name): @petezapartytime

Our guest this week is Kelsie McNair, a stained glass designer, photographer, musician, small business owner, and digital content creator. We absolutely love her beautiful work and her personality! We talk about her many interests and talents, being a small business owner and being innovative during the pandemic with her “Stoop Sessions”, mental health during the pandemic, and using Instagram to promote her business and engage her community.Kelsie McNair: https://www.kelsiemcnair.comSoft Shapes: https://www.softshapes.meSoft Shapes on Instagram: https://instagram.com/soft_shapesKelsie’s Lifestyle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelsie.mcnair/

We're back again after an unintentional, illness-induced break! Our guest this week is Kiet Thai, who has 20 years of experience in the motion design industry working with clients like Bravo, Disney Channel, ESPN, Discovery Channel, WE tv, Food Network, AMC, Oxygen, Fearnet, GSN, NBC, and OWN.  He's won a Cable Faxie as well as a PromaxBDA award for his work. As a photographer, Kiet has toured with Marc Anthony, shoots commercial work for various entertainment clients, and is a contributor to iStock and Getty Images. He's lived in  Costa Rica and Madrid, teaching English and learning Spanish, and has a YouTube channel for his travel vlogs. He returned back to the US in 2020 and currently works in both motion graphics and photography.We talk with Kiet about meditation,  growing up and coming out in a small town in North Carolina, working in LA and New York, touring with Marc Anthony, traveling and teaching English as a second language, and making videos.Show links:Kiet Thai's portfolio: htt

HAPPY PRIDE SEASON, QUEER CREATIVES! On this week's episode, Renessa goes on a bisexual rant! And our guest this week is the beautiful Sherry Vine—a drag legend with 30 years under her sequined belt! She’s toured the world with her all-live singing and comedy shows, is the star and writer of She’s Living For This (which you can watch on Hulu), numerous movies, shows, and awards. Her NEW show, the Sherry Vine Variety Show is out on OUT TV and features Alaska Thunderfuck, Bob the Drag Queen, Jackie Beat, Bianca del Rio, Alec Mapa, and more.  We hear all about the new show, living in working own LA during the pandemic, creating her own path with her craft, starting a theatre company in NYC in the 90s, her inspirations, doing drag for as long as she has, collaborating with other artists and newer drag queens, and adapting and evolving as a creative professional. Show links:Email your bisexual and pansexual questions to Renessa at renessa@thequeercreative.com! Bisexual Resources: https://biresource.orghttps:/

Quite possibly our most ADORABLE  guest to date, we talk with Tony Talks (Antonio Baldwin) about becoming a full-time comedy content creator/actor and YouTuber, being yourself and making content for people not numbers, knowing when to say no, his creative and production process, building a team, inspirations, and wig shopping!FREE PALESTINE. Show Links:Safe/Haven: Gay Life in 1950s Cherry Grove: https://www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/safehaven-gay-life-1950s-cherry-groveTony’s Website: https://www.iamtonytalks.comFollow Tony on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/iamtonytalks/Subscribe to Tony Talks on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp1QzoSnbWF7itzFZeeX-oQ Tony on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@officiallytonytoks?Music by Jason Rivera and vocals by Renessa CiampaFollow us on Instagram @thequeercreativepodcast and on Twitter @creativequeerhttp://www.thequeercreative.com

We're baaaaaaaack for a fourth season! Jonah and Renessa catch up after a hiatus from the pod and discuss getting hairier as we age, becoming plant parents and home owners, and continued momentum in the Black Lives Matter movement. Our guests this week are Rafael Albarrán and Kerry Michelle O’Brien, both from the new film Lupe (HBO Max), which is about a Cuban immigrant who struggles with their transgender identity while searching for their missing sister in New York City’s underground sex industry. Rafael is a Puerto Rican actor and writer trained at The New School for Drama MFA Acting program, who plays the lead in the film, and Kerry Michelle was the Executive Producer, who has been an active member of the film industry for over 30 years across Europe and North America. We hear all about the process and experience of being involved in this film and how it impacted each of them personally in their own journeys, Rafael's acting career and poetry, the topic of cis actors playing trans roles, and Ker

We're excited to say good riddance to 2020, and even more excited for our Season 3 finale guest, Shikeith!!! Shikeith is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work investigates the experiences of black men within and around concepts of psychic space. His work has recently been featured in solo exhibitions including the Alexander Brest Museum & Gallery, Jacksonville University, Locust Projects in Miami, FL, Atlanta Contemporary, and The Mattress Factory Museum of Contemporary Art in Pittsburgh, and his films have been shown at Moma in NYC. He received a 2019 Painters & Sculptors Grant from The Joan Mitchell Foundation, the 2020 Art Matters Foundation Grant, is a recipient of the 2020 – 2021 Leslie Lohman Museum Artist Fellowship. A Philly native, Shikeith currently lives and works in Pittsburgh, PA, and joins us today from his artist residency at Fountainhead in Miami, FL. We learn more about the deep and intentional symbolism and meaning behind his work and the materials that go into his work, the th

This week, Jonah and Renessa Zoom in from their clandestine podcast retreat in Trumptown, Connecticut! And our amazing guest is Steve Orlando, a comic book writer known for his work for DC Comics writing characters such as Batman, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman, and two series starring Midnighter, which were nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. He received the 2015 Broken Frontier Award for Best New Series for Midnighter, and the 2018 Tor Books Best Comics of 2018 for Martian Manhunter. We talk about how he broke into writing for comic books, queer representation in comics,  making the leap from working full-time for DC Comics to going freelance,  and some of his latest projects like The Pull and Kill a Man. Check it out!Show Links:Pre-order Kill a Man: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kill-a-man-steve-orlando/1136008303The Pull: https://tkopresents.com/collections/titles/products/the-pullFollow Steve on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesteveorlandoFollow Steve on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.st

Happy covid holidays everyone, hope everyone is staying healthy and sane! We’re not really celebrating Thanksgiving this year, but we ARE bringing you a great guest this week, William Storms. William is a textile designer living and working in NYC, with some weaving pit stops along the way in Paris, Guatemala, and Quebec. He works with various materials to create custom art, textiles, rugs, trim, and has also explored other techniques including 3D printing, coding, and fiber optics. We discuss the art and science of textile design and weaving, the value of having good mentors, textile product design and his new line with Crosby Street Studios, and learn about some of his more experimental work. Show links:https://www.william-storms.comFollow William on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/william_storms/CONSTRUCTION exhibit: https://russelljanis.com/exhibits/construction-molly-haynes-william-stormsWilliam Storms x Crosby Street Studios: https://www.crosbystreetstudios.com/feature/william-storms-x-crosby-stree

Today we have a veeerrrrry exciting guest, Harper Watters. Harper is a soloist for the Houston Ballet, and a goddamn long-legged beauty to watch. His videos have been featured on Elle Magazine, Marie Clare, and Urban Outfitters, and he’s worked with photographers like Mike Ruiz, Gerardo Vizmanos, and Ryan Pfluger for The New Yorker. He’s been featured in the pages of Risk, Dance Magazine, and on the cover of Dance Spirit, has worked with leading choreographers including Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon, and has performed on international stages in Guatemala, Canada, Germany, France, Switzerland, and numerous US cities. His YouTube web series The Pre Show documents the behind-the-scenes stage life of professional dancers, so definitely check that out. We kiki about the exciting Biden-Harris win, #BlackDancersMatter and social/class privilege in the ballet world, Harper's use of social media and other creative partnerships in his career. Check out the interview on video at: https://youtu.be/VqQZa6KQR

This week we're skipping our usual guest interview format, as we've been busy in work/lives + drained from the state of the world/country. We hope to resume in a couple of weeks, post-election day! Follow us on social media to keep posted. Instagram: https://instagram.com/thequeercreativepodcastTwitter: https://twitter.com/creativequeer In the meantime, we'd like to give a shoutout to our new friends over at the Being Seen podcast. One of the main goals of Being Seen is to change perception and behavior around stigma, with a particular focus on HIV and inequality in entertainment. So check them out! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-seen/id1529315116And also, DON'T FORGET TO VOTE THESE FUCKING REPUBLICANS OUT OF GOVERNMENT BY NOVEMBER 3RD! RESIST. We love you.- Renessa & Jonah

This week, we dive right into a really wonderful interview with Hannah Myett, a Brooklyn-based personal trainer and yoga teacher focused on helping folks find movement practices that feel right in their bodies and minds. They're a NASM and ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and Specialist in Fitness Nutrition. They believe it’s their work to help create spaces where all people can be seen, listened to, and uplifted in their movement practice. We talk about how Hannah pivoted from working for a gym to going on their own during the pandemic, their background in marketing and how they transitioned into fitness, living with trichotillomania, meditation and mindfulness, and identifying and coming out as non-binary.Work with Hannah: https://www.hannahkm.comHannah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahkmovement/***********************************Thanks for listening to The Queer Creative! Don't forget to leave us a rating and review on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-queer-creative/i

Jonah and Renessa briefly express their current rage at the state of the U.S. system and politics, and then to lighten the mood, chat about the new show Ratched! Our very exciting guest this week is Ayumi Horie, a potter artist from Portland, Maine who believes that the best handmade pottery encourages connections between people and makes daily life better. She received a Distinguished Fellow grant in Craft by the United States Artists and is the first recipient of Ceramics Monthly’s Ceramic Artist of the Year award. In 2020, she was awarded an Honorary Member at National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts for “outstanding contribution” to the field. She also organized Obamaware, a fundraiser involving the work of nationally known ceramic artists who made Obama-themed work, which raised funds for the Obama/Biden campaign. Ayumi is currently on the board of the American Craft Council and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and her work is in various collections throughout the US. We talk with Ayumi abou

This episode is dedicated to Justin A.L. Waithe, a fellow Queer Creative, talented singer and vocal arranger, fashion stylist, shining star, bright ray of sunshine, and dear friend. Rest in peace, beauty, and in song, Justin. We love you. —Jonah & RenessaAfter taking a week off from the pod to say goodbye to our old friend and reflect, we're back with a packed episode. Jonah shares his story of meeting Chadwick Boseman at Sway's, and we play the clip of Chadwick answering Jonah’s question! Our guest this week is Leilah Babirye, a multidisciplinary artist and abstract sculptor living in NYC who transforms everyday materials into objects that address issues surrounding identity, sexuality, and human rights. She studied art at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, where she fled from in 2015 after being outed as gay. She was granted asylum in 2018 with support from the African Services Committee and the NYC Anti-Violence Project, and participated in the Fire Island Artist Residency. Her artwork h

Jonah and Renessa catch up about life, work, and the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. BLACK LIVES MATTER. DEFUND THE POLICE. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. SPEAK UP AND VOTE.Our guest today is Marcos Chin, an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared as surface and wall designs, on book and CD covers, advertisements, fashion catalogs, and magazines. He has worked with clients such as MTA Arts for Transit, Neiman Marcus, Fiat, Budweiser, Time, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, GQ, Sports Illustrated, and The New York Times. Marcos has given lectures and workshops throughout the U.S. and abroad, and currently lives in New York where he teaches Illustration at the School of Visual Arts. We heard about his work during the pandemic, his creative heroes and passion for writing fan letters, his Canadian and African roots, participating in the #BlackLivesMatter movement and what Pride meant for him this year, how he started getting big clients and being published, his experience with artist agents, his personal artw

Renessa turned 40 last week y’all, and Jonah is back to working on client projects! Today we talk weed dispensaries. Yay weed. Our guest today is the absolutely lovely Allison Pharmakis, a multi-disciplinary artist with a background in sculpture, photography, and illustration. She’s also a psychic medium. We learn about what visual mediumship is, how she found her calling, her process, self-care, and her new intuitive counseling services through Medium for the Message.  AAAAND, Allison gives us a reading session!!! INTERVIEW BEGINS AT 00:10:30Episode links: AllisonPharmakis.com / @apharmakisMediumfortheMessage.com / @mediumforthemessage Intuitive counseling services: https://www.mediumforthemessage.com/intuitive-counseling-sessionsBlack-owned downtown Brockton marijuana dispensary approved: https://www.enterprisenews.com/news/20200728/black-owned-downtown-brockton-marijuana-dispensary-approvedMusic:“Psychic City” by YACHT

This week, we remember the late, great Lady Red Couture, and discuss I May Destroy You and some queer Emmy noms.Our guest this week is the very talented (and hilarious) writer Michael Arceneaux, author of I Can’t Date Jesus and his latest book, I Don’t Want to Die Poor. We talked about the racial disparities with student loan debt, his writing career, what it takes to write a book and get it published, and how to excel during a pandemic. ******** Interview starts at  00:19:45 ********Video version at https://youtu.be/bvZjRkR_cSYEpisode links:Michael Arcenaux: https://www.michael-arceneaux.comBuy I Don’t Want to Die Poor: https://www.michael-arceneaux.com/booksFollow Michael on Twitter and Instagram: @youngsinick  / https://www.instagram.com/youngsinick  /  https://twitter.com/youngsinickGoFundMe (the legit one) for Lady Red Couture: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-lay-lady-red-to-rest?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet+expWdVCharities: AIDS Foundation Houston (aid

Today we discuss how NOT to store keepsake infant bellybuttons, the ignorance of non-mask-wearing Americans, and the fabulous queer shows Betty, Euphoria, We’re Here, Legendary, and Gentleman Jack.  Our wonderful guest is writer Tana Wojczuk, author of the new book, Lady Romeo: The Radical and Revolutionary Life of Charlotte Cushman, America's First Celebrity. It’s an enthralling biography of 19th-century queer actress Charlotte Cushman, and portrays her radical lifestyle that made headlines across America. We LOVED this book and really enjoyed hearing all about Tana’s extensive research process and dedication to telling Cushman’s story with such love. INTERVIEW BEGINS AT 00:21:56Episode links:Tana’s website: https://tanawojczuk.comBook events: https://tanawojczuk.com/events/Buy Lady Romeo: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Lady-Romeo/Tana-Wojczuk/9781501199523Tana on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TanaWojczukTana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twojczukQmmunity Updates links:Kenyth: @KenythOf