GLAAD has launched "Changemakers," a four-part video series spotlighting Black LGBTQ+ small-business owners and their impact within their local communities before and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The series, presented by Ally, will be available to watch on GLAAD's YouTube and social-media accounts. A new episode will launch each month through December.
The series premiere spotlights Kingsley Gbadegesina first-generation Nigerian-American and a New York—based creator working to advance liberation for the Black community, the queer community and people of color. Kingsley is the founder and creator behind K.NGSLEY, a Black-owned brand aiming to reclaim and redefine the Black, queer, femme body. (The video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n-KGH_F3uc.)
K.NGSLEY is currently available online at k.ngsley.com and stocked at Nordstrom, Fred Segal, and launches in new doors this fall; see more at https://k.ngsley.com/pages/about.
Ally is donating $10,000 to each "Changemaker" business ($40,000 total) to empower them to continue making positive change through their business into their communities.
NEON, GLAAD's ongoing digital content series that aims to increase the visibility of Black LGBTQ people, is producing the "Changemaker" series. NEON also conducts weekly interviews on Instagram with Black LGBTQ creatives across a variety of industries to speak about the importance of Black LGBTQ visibility and representation; notable interviews over the past year include TS Madison, Shea Coulee, Kalen Allen, George M. Johnson, Tia Kofi, and more.