"Who You Are Have Made Me Possible"; An Open Letter to Joseph,Marlon& Essex on World AIDS Day

Selah: An Online Meditation Journal - "Who You Are Have Made Me Possible"; An Open Letter to Joseph,Marlon& Essex on World AIDS Day

I remember when I first came across “In The Life” and watched “Tongues Untied”. I cried both nights after. I cried because I had lived too long to never know you.

I was 23 then, struggling with my own sexuality and politics, working at AID Atlanta as an organizer, taking Women’s studies & African American studies courses at Georgia State University; unknowingly continuing the work each of you were apart of.

But before then.. ..

I didn’t know you existed ; and it hurt me…


I went to high school in rural Georgia, my home less than 4 miles from the high school you attended Marlon. When my same sex desires arose within me there were no models around me to know how to navigate the slurs. I didn’t know how to dodge the dangerous desires of homophobes or how to circumvent the chaos of conundrums which would become my identity. I thought I was the only one.


I didn’t know you existed Marlon; and it hurt me….