PHOTO: Rod McCullom
Poet and performance artist Yolo Akili performed at the 2011 Esteem Awards in Chicago over Black Pride Weekend. Akili performed his poems "Purple Galaxy", "It's About God" and a tribute to Sakia Gunn, the 15-year old Black lesbian who was murdered in Newark in 2003.
"I was an honor to perform at the awards," Akili told R20. "I wanted to help honor the amazing work of so many talented individuals and organizations in our community. I love helping us celebrate each other as Black LGBTQ people. We need to do it more."
Earlier this year, the New York City-based performance artist sparked a provocative dialogue on masculinity and sexual attraction in his new video "Are We the Kind of Boys We Want?" This was a video installation of Akili's spoken word poem "We R Not the Kind of Boy’s We Want—listen on iTunes—and included a montage of interviews with Black gay men about masculinity and attraction.
Watch the performances AFTER THE JUMP ....
i really am enjoying yolo akili's work. when i heard he would be performing at the awards i knew i definitely wanted to attend.
Posted by: M Mark | 09 July 2011 at 21:33
Very nice
Posted by: Taylor | 09 July 2011 at 21:47
He is talented and PHINE...
Posted by: BLACK | 10 July 2011 at 11:04
Thanks for posting this, Rod!
Posted by: jstheater | 11 July 2011 at 19:35
LOVE what he stands for.
Posted by: thegayte-keeper | 13 July 2011 at 17:04