By Alex Garner Editor-at-Large

Not enough people know who Marlon Riggs was. He was a black gay man who we lost to AIDS. He was a teacher, an artist and an activist and  his narrative is one too often unknown in regards to the AIDS epidemic. He explored, race, sexuality and disease at a time in our country when those most on the fringe  were treated as the least valuable. Though he is no longer with us, his work survives to keep his story alive and to give voice to so many others who share the experience of being a gay man of color with HIV.

Marlon Riggs’ historic film, Black Is...Black Ain’t, will be presented by The California Arts Alliance and the City of West Hollywood on Wednesday June 13th. This event is part of Weho’s One City/One Pride month long events and  will include a panel discussion about the film and Riggs’ impact on being black and LGBT in America.

Struggling to find identity is a key aspect of this film and something we can all identify with. The coming out process was a key part of our journey to define ourselves. We had to discover who we were and then we chose to share it with others. It was an act of self determination and personal liberation.

But choosing to identify yourself with a group can mean being marginalized with that group. And often we don’t have the luxury of choosing. Others simply take a look at us and decide how to classify us and then treat us accordingly.  Even now, our first black president is accused of not being, “black enough,” while at the same time he is branded as foreign and un-American.

We live in a world where all parts of ourselves are politically charged and to be a black man and walk down the street means you risk being stopped by the police. To be a transgendered person out in the open means a risk your personal safety. And to openly admit your HIV status means you risk being stigmatized and ostracized.

The works of Marlon Riggs have never had more resonance. Black gay men are struggling to tell their stories at a time when their narratives have been eclipsed by the “down low” phenomenon and when the fasting growing rate of HIV infections is among gay black men. Our communities have very little sense of what it means to be a gay black man in America unless it involves drugs, crime or HIV.

The experiences of gay men of color are complex and diverse. Riggs’exciting and compelling story is but one example of what it means to be a black gay men with AIDS in America. At the same time, he’s so much more than just a black man who dies of AIDS in America. He was clever, funny and provocative and he fought to be heard. He understand the power of his voice and he worked to help others find theirs.

I urge you to attend this screening of Black Is...Black Ain’t.  You can find all the information here. Don’t miss the opportunity to share in the work of a talented man who helped our community find out who we are at a time when our very existence was in peril. The world has changed considerably from the time of the 80s but black gay men still have stories to tell and all that is required of us, is to listen.

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