JUNE Newsletter
Read | Watch | Listen | Follow
Merry Pride!
My dream is to share the somatic and corporeal weight of liberation with levity.
This collection is a meditation on the struggle to be seen, heard, valued, understood, and nurtured.
When your very existence defies the world order, you hold a special power to illuminate the limits of the system itself. Unfortunately, this birthright requires queer folks to routinely declare and defend our humanity. This year, I’m reveling in our influence. We will bask in how we love ourselves louder.
Read
Essex Hemphill, in an all-white outfit, sitting in a blue chair, holding a cigarette, looking directly at the camera, lips parted as if he’s on the verge of playfully exclaiming “what?”
The Ass Splitting Truth
Essex Hemphill’s funny, sad, profane, sexy poetry.
By James Hannaham
This delightful feature honors one of my favorite poets, Essex Hemphill. I first encountered Hemphill's poetry as the narrative glue in Issac Julien’s dreamy Looking for Langston (1989. Bold is a gross understatement in expressing the spirit of Hemphill’s irreverent body of work. Just read the feature!!!
Watch
Short afro person sits in front of a pink glowing TV screen text reads “I saw the TV Glow”
I saw the TV glow (2024)
I watched this film in the back of a VHS store dedicated to preserving physical media. Sitting on folding chairs, with 10 strangers, I watched this heart-wrenching coming-of-age story that underscores the crushing weight of stepping into your full power when the odds are stacked against you. The pain of transforming yourself and breaking cycles of avoidance is universal. When the film finished, I sat silently weeping for 30 minutes. The film is worth every minute of your time, but I am most proud of the creators who endeavor to represent the personal grief of transitioning through a powerful visual metaphor. I wish I could share this art with my queer ancestors. I dream we could sit together in a theater without fear to watch a film about their rich inner worlds.
Summary:
The film follows two teenagers who bond over a mysterious late-night television show called The Pink Opaque. As their obsession with the series grows, the line between the show’s supernatural world and their own reality blurs. Blending coming-of-age drama with psychological horror, the film meanders through themes of friendship, gender identity, and the search for belonging.
Listen
Black masc person with a short yellow mullet, dressed in a sparkling blue cropped two-piece suit with a silver thong peeking out, leans back on their zebra-print heeled boots, eyes closed, yellow-gloved hands over the pelvis.
Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply Hot Between Worlds) by Yves Tumor
I love this album. Tumor’s soundscape is ethereal and grungy at once. The work bends gender and sonic expectations in a way that queers sound. Dive into this timeless masterpiece if you like the edges of rock, electronic, and Afro-futurism (or if you want to feel closer to me, as I return to this weekly).
Follow
Ashtin Berry (@Thecollectress)
Screenshot of Ashtin Berry’s Instagram Bio. “Hospitality Activist, Bev Expert, Anti-Oppression, Professional Reader, Venmo Ashtin-Berry”
Ashtin Berry is a hospitality activist who applies an anti-oppression lens to service and beyond. Her sharp perspective makes way for the deepest level of care in every aspect of relationships. Naturally, I value her ability to get to the heart of any matter, identify who needs care, and chart a clear path to alignment, especially when it’s muddy.
Follow @thecollectress on IG or X (formerly Twitter).
