<LGBTQIA2+>
curated and conceptualized by @1800NASI OR “Nasir Anthony Montalvo“
[as featured in KCUR/NPR and The Kansas City St4r]
Black/queer Kansas City {B/qKC} is a digital archive educating the Kansas City community on the contributions of local Black LGBTQIA2S+ community members–in turn, liberating their histories from racism and homophobia-fueled erasure.
Born in May 2022, Nasir Anthony Montalvo began researching various Black queer Kansas City figures and organizations in hopes of finding community themselves, and released a series of pieces each focusing on a different aspect of local Black LGBTQ+ community. After writing Volume 1, Montalvo morphed the anthology into a multi-location, self-service exhibit from February 27th – March 4th, 2023 hosted at PH Coffee, BLK + BRWN, and Café Corazón.
Through researching these histories–and dually sharing them in the digital and physical realm–Montalvo is building an accessible, living database of Black queer history, and share a widely unknown plight of Midwesterners living on the ‘fringe.’
Volume_1
Remembering Edye and Ray: The First (Documented) Black Drag Queens of Kansas City
READ_NOW
Edye Gregory and Ray Rondell are some of Kansas City’s first documented Black Drag Queens and, more broadly, part of the only recorded histories of Black, Queer Kansas Citians at large.
Men of All Colors Together: The Kansas City organization fighting racism amidst gay men in the 80’s–90’s
READ_NOW
In 1980, this group of Kansas Citians founded a social club and safe space for those seeking to fight racism amongst queer men of all races.
Kansas City’s “Out There”: The 90’s Gay & Lesbian Variety Show Featuring Lea Hopkins
READ_NOW
In 1993, a group of 16 people came together to launch Kansas City’s first-ever Gay and Lesbian Variety Show on American Cablevision in light of statewide, anti-queer legislation.
PRESS RELEASE: “Black/queer Kansas City”: a public exhibit and historical anthology for viewing from Feb. 27th – March 4th
READ_NOW
Promotional flyer for the Black/Queer Kansas City exhibit.
PRESS RELEASE: Ticket sales open for Black/queer Kansas City {B/qKC}: Exhibit Grand Opening (Volume_1) on May 12th, 2023
READ_NOW
View our City’s history of Black LGBTQIA2+ community through this temporary exhibit display––hosted @ BlaqOut on Main. Curated by @1800NASI.
Media_Features
This project is supported by Vivent Health, the Gay and Lesbian Archives of Mid-America, Fountain Haus Queer Black KC, Astringent Press, and the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
We’d like to thank PH Coffee, BLK + BRWN, and Café Corazón for being Volume I’s exhibit hosts.
Backer_
Keep the archive growing.
– Logo on {B/qKC} landing page
– Two (2) free tickets to attend the {B/qKC}: Exhibit Grand Opening (Volume_2) | Date TBD.
Supporter_
Support any special exhibitions.
– Logo and “supported by” at bottom of all Volume_2 articles, and {B/qKC} landing page.
OR
– Supporting sponsor of {B/qKC}: Exhibit Grand Opening (Volume_2) | Date TBD. includes:
Logo at bottom of Eventbrite page.
Shoutout during event.
Two (2) free tickets to attend.
Defender_
Fight against Black/LGBT+ erasure.
– Logo and “supported by” on top of all Volume_2 articles and {B/qKC} landing page.
– Logo on social media posts sharing Volume_2 articles.
– “Supported by” in newsletter sharing Volume_2 articles.
OR
– Presenting sponsor of {B/qKC}: Exhibit Grand Opening (Volume_2) | Date TBD. includes:
– Logo at top of Eventbrite page and marketing materials.
– Shoutout during event.
– Two (2) free tickets to attend.
Download a PDF of this sponsorship packet here.
