American writer and novelist Doug Jones is a Morehouse College alumnus, Columbia University MFA graduate, and Lambda Literary fellow. His 2025 debut novel, The Fantasies of Future Things, centers around the lives of Black gay men and the gentrification of Atlanta during the 1996 Olympics. Jones’ work explores the intersection of Black same-gender-loving identity, intimacy, and social issues. His writing has appeared in the anthologies Sojourner: Black Gay Voices in the Age of AIDS, Role Call: A Generational Anthology of Social and Political Black Literature & Art, and Black Love Letters.

Seattle-based Brad Blackburn III is “a public service professional, strategist, and community advocate committed to advancing equity, civic engagement, and systems change.” He is also the co-host of Identity Unboxed with Tiana Cole, a podcast featuring candid conversations with Black professionals about their career journeys, identities, and resilience.

Jonathan Mathias Lassiter, PhD, is an American psychologist, African-centered scientist, award-winning author, and on-air mental health expert. His New York-based private practice, Lassiter Health Initiatives, provides “culturally informed therapy & mental health services.” Dr. Lassiter’s book, How I Know White People Are Crazy and Other Stories: Notes from a Frustrated Black Psychologist, highlights the hurdles faced by Black psychologists and students.

Master Dominion ONYX is an American leatherman, kinkster, sadist, writer, and podcaster. He chairs the ONYX National Council and is the current President and a co-founder of ONYX Mid-Atlantic, “an organization formed and operated by People of Color who enjoy the leather lifestyle.​​” Master Dominion ONYX lectures on Fetish/Kink Play, Sex Positivity, and Diversity, and spearheads ONYX’s partnership with Widener University’s PhD Human Sexuality Program. He is also the co-host of the YouTube channel, The BGKH Show with Dominion & Epic, and he writes erotic and educational pieces for Recon, BearWorld, and his blog, Dominion's Opinions.

Marvin Bowser is a Washington, D.C.-based photographer whose company, Marvin Bowser Photography, specializes in creating headshots, portraits, event photography, and behind-the-scenes images. With identity, belonging, and cultural heritage being at the forefront, another focus is “capturing the African diaspora experience through stunning and thought-provoking photography.” Bowser is also the founder of MBP Apparel.

Dakarai Larriett is an Alabama U.S. Senate candidate and the founder of Gerrard Larriett Aromatherapy Pet. With over 20 years of experience in team management across diverse industries, Larriett is the son of a U.S. Army veteran, a successful entrepreneur, and a longtime community volunteer. He is the author of DON’T FLUSH!: From a False Arrest to a Political Awakening: My Journey to Making a Difference (2025). It recounts the night in April 2024, when he was wrongfully arrested in Michigan for suspected DUI.

Bennu Byrd is an American hip-hop artist and songwriter whose signature Millennial Soul sound innovates hip-hop by fusing it with electronic dance music and Go-Go style instrumentation. Known for its high-energy, percussion-heavy sound and call-and-response elements, Go-Go is a funk-based music genre that originated in Washington, D.C. Byrd's song Fearless was the 2023 official anthem for the Washington Mystics basketball team. 2025's All In was the anthem for the Las Vegas Aces basketball team.

David Roussève is an American choreographer, writer, director, and filmmaker. His most recent work is titled Becoming Daddy AF, his first solo project in over 20 years. With a career spanning over four decades, Roussève has written, directed, and choreographed 14 full evening works for David Roussève/REALITY. These include three commissions for the Next Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Halfway to Dawn. Halfway to Dawn explores the life and music of Black gay jazz composer Billy Strayhorn. Roussève's commissions for other companies include Ballet Hispanico, Dancing Wheels, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theater, and the Atlanta Ballet.

Eric Gyamfi is a Ghanaian photographer whose exhibitions have been shown in Ghana, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, the United States, and other locations. Gyamfi’s work has been featured in A Diagnosis of Time: Unlearn What You Have Learned, a collaborative effort of Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (Ghana), ARoS Art Museum (Denmark), and in Ecologies and Politics of the Living in Vienna, Austria.

Benjamin Coy is an American digital creator and media personality. I met Benjamin during a 2025 family visit to Maryland. And I can attest that their on-camera vivaciousness goes beyond the screen. Benjamin is also the co-host of the Cocktails & Culture Podcast. They are a Black queer creative who uses their talents, personality, and interests to celebrate and uplift the community.