Goliath v6_i03 Pride In Stride

PRIDE 2020 | V6-i03

PRIDE

More To Love In The Loveseat

A Project to Spread Love in the ATL

in stride Billy Porter’s Queer Experience Black, Gay, and Out of F*cks

Stylishly Stoned

Creating Space With Natural Textures and Colors

EDITOR’S

NOTE When this issue hits the street, the 2020 Atlanta Pride is about to kick off. The Pride festival always coincides with National Coming Out Day on October 11, and this year, it marks the 50th anniversary of Atlanta Pride, which took place for the first time just one year after the Stonewall riots in New York City. What was supposed to be a monumental celebration has taken on a very different look and feel due to the COVID-19 health crisis, the fight to end racial injustice and systemic racism, and the impending general election.

Although Pride may look vastly different this year, it doesn’t change the fact that we still have a lot to be proud of, but also that we need to keep up the fight for equality and even fundamental rights, perhaps now more than ever.

So, even though we don’t get to celebrate in-person this year, Atlanta Pride is an excellent time for reflection and thinking of what Pride means to you right here in this moment.

That way, I think we will make it through all of this even stronger and certainly more appreciative of what we have won – and what we need to fight for, still. That way, we can live more authentically and freely – and that is worth celebrating, fighting for, and voting for.

Billy Porter, the feature interview in this issue, says it perhaps best: “We have to stop thinking that we’re the problem. We’re made to feel like we’re the problem, and we need to be fixed. No. Y’all are the problem. If you have a problem with my authenticity, that’s your stuff that I will no longer take on or receive, and I’m going to make sure that I sit in the fullness of myself and give that 100 percent, no matter where the chips may fall. “ Happy Pride Black Lives Matter Register to Vote

Mikkel Hyldebrandt Editorial Director IG @hyldebrandt IG @GOLIATHatlanta

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We’re surely going to miss you this year for the Atlanta Pride Kickoff.

The time to gather, unite, and celebrate will return.

In the meantime, keep your sparkle, stay safe and dream big.

GET READY ATLANTA!

SHARKS! Predators of the Deep......Opening Soon!

For discount tickets visit georgiaaquarium.org/prideguide

CONTENTS PRIDE 2020

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O P E R AT I O N S Jeff Anderson SALES AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mikkel Hyldebrandt

B I L LY P O R T E R

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Matthew Johnson

B L A C K , G AY, A N D

CONTRIBUTORS Chris Azzopardi Robert Brown Todd Davis Deven Green

OUT OF F*CKS

SALES Andrea Dwyer SALES REPRESENTATIVE DISTRIBUTION Andrea Dwyer N AT I O N A L A D R E P Rivendell Media 908.232.2021

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PRINT At Community Distribution Points Across the City ONLINE GoliathAtlanta.com

EMBRACING HER JOURNEY

COVER Photography: Gastohn Barrios Model: Darién Theller

G O L I AT H M E D I A L L C .

6050 Dawson Blvd, Ste O Norcross, GA 30093 (404) 814-3014

I N T E R V I E W : B I L LY P O R T E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PROFILE: EMBRACING HER JOURNEY ...........................

DEVEN GREEN: WELL HELLO .......................................

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The content of Goliath Atlanta is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. The opinions expressed by any writer, advertiser, or other person appearing in Goliath Atlanta are not necessarily those of this publication, its management or staff.

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IN THIS ISSUE GOLIATH

Chris Azzopardi

Deven Green

Gastohn Barrios

As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey, and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Billboard.

Our comedic muse and chanteuse has been offering her salacious advice ever since GOLIATH’s inception in 2017. For the past couple of issues, she has also conducted interviews with people in her close circle, and this in this issue, she spoke to world-renowned photographer, Magnus Hastings.

Gastohn Barrios is a photographer born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, whose modeling career has taken him around the world to Brazil, where he started moving from in front of the camera to behind it. Gastohn has consistently contributed to GOLIATH ever since its inception in 2012, and we are thrilled to have his stunning work featured in another edition of our magazine.

@chrisazzopardi

Devengreen.com gastohn.com gastohnbarrios.blogspot.com @gastohnphotographer

Todd Davis and Rob Brown

Matthew Johnson

For the past couple of issues, Todd and Rob of Brown Davis Interiors have curated the pages of GOLIATH’s Design & living section. In this issue, their impeccable taste takes takes us on a journey into the natural elements.

This is Matt’s debut as GOLIATH’s graphic designer. Besides being a print designer, Matt is an accomplished fine artist specializing in pen and ink and watercolor. We are thrilled to welcome Matt to the pages of GOLIATH, and we hope you enjoy the journey as well!

@browndavis @browndavisarcitecture browndavis.com

matthewjohnsonportfolio.com @matthewjohnson76

8 PRIDE 2020 • v6-i03

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I N T E RV I E W GOLIATH

*

BILLY PORTER: Black, Gay, and Out of F*cks

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Pose powerhouse on his Black queer experience, upcoming memoir and finally feeling like he’s made it

By Chris Azzopardi Photos by Shavonne Wong, Into Action

“Now that I have a massive platform, and now that the people want to listen to the Black sissy, I’m gonna talk,” Billy Porter says, fired up, leaning into the camera.

On Zoom, Porter commands a computer screen like he does a red carpet.

In this particular moment, his fiery passion stems from a call he received from screenwriter-actress Lena Waithe, who raised an eyebrow after Porter made history as Essence’s first openly gay man to grace the magazine’s cover. Porter says Waithe got him on the phone to talk about the anonymous letter written by current and former Essence staffers calling themselves “Black Female Anonymous.” The letter was published on Medium on June 28 and called out the magazine for its toxic work environment, just before Porter’s cover story hit newsstands. “I had to stop her,” he says.

“I said, ‘I hear you, I see you, I feel you.’”

which he performed on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, to address our current political landscape; he’s also featured on The Shapeshifters’ disco number “Finally Ready,” which reflects, in part, his decades-long journey living through the AIDS crisis. He’s writing two books, his memoir and a children’s picture book.

He also has starring roles in two upcoming films: a live-action Cinderella remake, as the Fairy Godmother, and in out Love, Simon director Greg Berlanti’s big-screen take on Little Shop of Horrors.

es racism in his everyday life, especially from those within the LGBTQ community.

He laid bare his beliefs and opinions, and went off on a variety of other topics too because talking about them, he says, with a rip-roaring laugh, “helps me stay sane.”

My recent interview with Porter was scheduled as an audio-only Zoom call, but because not even Porter’s handlers can stop Porter from setting his own rules, he ap-

What has drawn me to the practice is that it’s a revolt against religion. Religion is man-made. Spirituality is divine. All of the wars that have existed in this world, all of

I read that you’ve gotten into Buddhism.

Lightly. I’m still learning.

What have you learned, and what drew you to the practice?

But Porter simply didn’t know about the letter, he says. Until she called, he hadn’t even seen it. “I don’t give a fuck about social media,” he scoffs, talking about his refusal to be engaged on social platforms.

“I don’t adjudicate my life or humanity in sound bites on social media. I don’t fight with nobody, I don’t have Twitter fights.”

The reason, he says, is “I’m 50 years old.

Everybody has to remember that I built a career before social media.”

PHOTO: INTO ACTION

Porter’s mainstream breakthrough, playing ball emcee Pray Tell on FX’s trans-centric series Pose, is an accumulation of dedication to his craft as a singer and actor that began in his 20s in his hometown of Pittsburgh. He released solo albums that weren’t widely known. He met music industry standards for Black artists (you had to be R&B).

And then, later, he dismantled those standards (he could sing show tunes, and did).

In 2013, he originated the role of Lola in Kinky Boots, which led to both a Tony and Grammy award.

In September 2019, Porter made history as the first openly Black gay man to win in any lead acting category at the Emmys for his role on Pose. Though winners won’t be announced until Sept. 20, Porter recently received another nomination for his portrayal of Pray Tell.

Despite the pandemic, Porter is remaining prolific. He recorded an updated version of the 1966 protest song “For What It’s Worth,”

pears on video in a caftan, casually eating in a rented beach house. A “Vote Betches” sign is propped up in back of him. Expecting to see none of this, I’m in the clothes I went to bed in: a tank top and sweat shorts, with a hat I threw on. I tell Porter that I thought this was an audio-only interview.

Porter responds incredulously; he can’t understand why anyone in their right mind would not use the video feature. “We have Zoom! Why are we not doing Zoom?”

I leap out of my computer chair and run to the closet in back of me, throwing on the first shirt I see. I realize in that moment that Emmy winner Billy Porter is watching me get dressed. “There is no need for you to put a shirt on for me,” he says with a playful smirk.

It’s early July when we speak, and our interview knows no bounds: from Buddhism, which Porter practices now, to how, even with notoriety, Porter still experienc-

the bullshit that we go through, is in the name of somebody’s man-made God. And I’m over it. I’m just over it.

I grew up in the Pentecostal Church. They systematically taught parishioners how to hate, disguising it through Bible verses.

We’re living in a country right now that is being run by people who say they’re Christians and believe in Jesus and God, and they’re letting people die in the streets.

That is not God. That is not Jesus. Y’all can take your Bibles and your religion and shove it. I am so done.

I had people actually say to me back in the day that they were voting for Trump because of his religious values. That motherfucker has been in the church three times, for his three marriages. That’s it. And yet we still sit here every single day and talk about morals. I can’t do it anymore.

Buddhism says life is suffering. That’s use-

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ful to me. You’re not going to get out of life without suffering. That takes me to radical acceptance, that takes me to radical compassion, which allows for me to have a foundation where I can feel what I feel and simultaneously be empowered to be a part of a movement for something different. Otherwise, I am useless.

“

Don’t wait for anybody to give you permission to be who you are. Just be it. Just be it and let those motherfuckers catch up.

You’re a success story. And despite your success and the fact that you are an openly gay leading man and you’ve won major awards and shattered the glass ceiling for queer Black people, you’re still a gay Black man in America right now.

I’m Black first. Which I have to remind my own people of, by the by. But keep going.

Ask me the question.

What experiences of yours as a Black gay man might surprise people who look at you and think, “He’s famous, he’s good, he doesn’t have anything to worry about”?

We were out on Long Island and we were meeting some friends of ours for a social-distance walk at this place called the Hog Farm.

I pulled in with my husband (Adam Smith).

It looked like private property to me. No signs, no real parking lot. There was a farm stand. It looked like a farmer’s market, and there was no one there. And my friends weren’t there and they texted and said they were late. So we sat there for a minute. Then out of nowhere a little white girl comes flouncing out, and she looks around and sees the car, and then she goes back to wherever she came from. I don’t know where it was.

I didn’t see any doors. I didn’t know what was going on, but I was immediately filled with anxiety because: Where is she going?

Where is this little white girl going? And who is she telling that there’s a Black man sitting out front on our property in a BMW? Never mind my white husband beside me. There’s a Black man. That’s where I live. Every day, all day. That’s _before_ the gay. So I deal with that, and then I turn around and my own people are just as violent toward me.

So, I’ve never had anywhere to go. I’ve never really had a place where I have felt comfortable and embraced fully by any community. The racism that exists in the LGBTQ community is at the top of the list. They’re fucking racists just like everybody else. Inside that community, there’s racism. And inside the Black community, there’s homophobia.

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”

Where are you going now as far as music? What do you listen to get you through the moment and help you recharge?

I’m in the middle of trying to figure out what that is. Music was and still is very healing to me. As I reenter the mainstream music market, I’m going back to disco, back to house, back to ’70s funk.

Sylvester?

Sylvester. I’m trying to pick up the torch from where he left off when he passed way too soon. Because there’s something healing inside of that energy, inside of that space as a 50-year-old Black man who came out in the ’80s. We went to the clubs to find fellowship, we went to the clubs to heal collectively, we went to the clubs to party on the weekends so that we could shake the terror and the anxiety and the pain of just having gone to five memorials that week for friends who passed away in their 20s, in a world where nobody cared about you. The

government didn’t care about us. (They thought) we deserved to die simply because of who we are. Something about this coronavirus is mirroring it, mirroring that, giving me a lot of anxiety, a lot of PTSD. The last time we spoke, you told me you were working on a contemporary gospel-musical about your experience of surviving the AIDS epidemic.

I am still.

As you work on that while living through another pandemic, what is that experience like for you?

I am just trying to get a handle on the full landscape. This time it’s different. And first of all, the reason why we’re in the position that we’re in in terms of this pandemic is due to whiteness. It’s due to white supremacy. It’s due to the fact that everybody knew going in that Orangina 45 was not

the choice. But whiteness overrode any consequences – that’s not quite the word.

It overrode anything, because, “It’s still Republican, it’s still white, and whatever he’s doing, he’s doing what we want to get done so it’s not so bad. We’ll just deal with him for four years, get all of this shit we want to get done, done: appointing the courts, taking away healthcare from citizens, rolling back all of the work that we’ve fought for the last 400 years. Let’s just roll all of that back. Because we know we can’t stop it, but we can roll it back enough that it will take another 40 years to get back to where we’ve already gotten, or more. So let’s just roll everything back.” He represented that to white people.

that for the whole time. So I don’t have a first time, but I do know when my manager suggested it I had to look at it and look at the lyrics and figure out, because I hadn’t really listened to the lyrics: What does this mean to me today? How do we take this song and make sure we’re speaking in the present? And not just as an observer, because it’s a very observational lyric, but how do we ignite the spirit of engagement and change with this song? And so that was the goal for that one. I recorded that the day after the Emmys, before all of this mess was happening. So my goal was to always have this ready for this political season.

Right. So he can look at this administration and have the anemic response that he had and allow this country to continue to sink because in the sinking, whatever it was, whatever this bitch does, was never gonna affect him.

Do people realize that you had to put that time in before you became Emmy winner Billy Porter?

Now we’re 50 million unemployed, motherfuckers are in the street every day, 60,000 cases of the virus that could have been contained, and in an economy that’s tanking but we’re still, in our whiteness, talking about books on the news that are written about him by his niece.

No, they don’t. Because I’m Black and Black don’t crack. It’s all good. But like, no, I’m 50. And as a result of that I have no more time to give any fucks about what other people think about what I’m doing.

I don’t have time. I am middle-aged! Ha! I have to say exactly what I want to say and do exactly what I want to do. Period.

In 2014, I asked you if you were the kind of artist you want to be. You said, “I’m not sure that there is ever a scenario where I will feel like I have arrived or like I’ve made it.” Can you answer that more definitively now?

“For What It’s Worth” was written in 1966, but is obviously still relevant today. What memory do you have of hearing Buffalo Springfield’s version for the first time?

It’s so ubiquitous, I don’t have a memory of the first time. It’s everywhere, it’s always been everywhere. Any war movie you watch, that’s what they play. It’s just been

Don’t wait for anybody to give you permission to be who you are. Just be it. Just be it and let those motherfuckers catch up. I said, “When you catch up, you’ll figure it out.” But that’s not _my_ journey. Y’all need to catch up. I’m not the problem. We have to stop thinking that we’re the problem. We’re made to feel like we’re the problem and we need to be fixed. No. Y’all are the problem.

If you have a problem with my authenticity, that’s your stuff that I will no longer take on or receive, and I’m going to make sure that I sit in the fullness of myself and give that 100 percent, no matter where the chips may fall.

And I’m living proof that that actually works out. It’s not fast. It’s not always fast. And I think that’s a lot of the problem: that we have gotten more and more microwavable in the way we live, in our expectations. We live this microwaved life; everything is instantaneous. It’s like, I’m 50 fucking years old, y’all. I’ve been doing this since 1985.

It was at the expense of anyone who’s not a white straight man in this country.

Yeah. I have made it. I’m leaning into that, with as much grace and humility as I can.

And I’m trying to use the space that I’ve created for myself to re-enter the music industry in the mainstream on my terms. That’s what I’m working on. And the two singles that I have out right now, which may seem diametrically opposed, are exactly who I am.

doesn’t allow them to be exactly who they want to be?

The time seems ripe for an entire Billy Porter protest album. Have you considered recording one?

There is no music from Billy Porter without hope and without protest. It all is that.

And I’m working on that new album right now. I’m signing a new deal right now. And I have some shit to say. It’ll be protest, it’ll be dance, it’ll be love, it’ll be all of it. Because those are all the things that I am.

I no longer have to compartmentalize the wholeness and the fullness of myself anymore. I don’t have to do that anymore.

What advice do you have for Black LGBTQ people who are still pushing against an oppressive society that

Reflecting on Kinky Boots and Pose, how do you think those projects changed the conversation when it comes to LGBTQ communities of color?

Well, there are Black people in these spaces. When the LGBTQ stories started being told in the mainstream, it was all about white people. Always. I’m still waiting for my guest spot on _Will & Grace_. Still.

Have you auditioned?

Never a call, never a thought. Never anything. I’m not saying this because I’m angry about it or I’m trying to call them out or anything. We write what we know, and what those white people knew was white people and that’s what they wrote about.

So now, I’m in a position of power and I’m gonna write about my people. I’m going to do it about myself.

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You wrote a TV pilot.

I’ve written several things, but yes, most recently I’ve written a pilot. I’m writing my memoir. It’s in my hands. I can’t wait for other people to give me permission, I can’t wait for other people in positions of power to validate me. I can’t wait to be invited to the table. I’m at the table. I crashed the party. I’m at the table. Here I am.

That’s how you got to where you are – you kept crashing the table.

I crashed the party. I crashed the dinner party. And I’ma keep doing that.

I think the deadline for the memoir is in October, right?

You really do your research.

What can you share about it with me at this point?

It’s in transition. What’s really interesting is that, because of COVID, because of the lockdown, because of the work that I’ve been doing in lockdown on myself, it’s not a memoir just about recounting my disappointments and my successes. It’s deeper than that. And I’m trying to figure out what that is. And I’m just trying to allow myself to let it come and not be so Virgo about it, so planned about it. It’s like, yeah, I wrote the proposal; but what I’m feeling in my spirit is connected to that but also much deeper and much different than what it originally started out to be. So I’m literally in the space of trying to just let it come.

tually, to be wherever I am creatively and move through it, not compartmentalize it, not put the pain away, not ignore it. None of that. Move right directly through all of it. That’s what I’m trying to do.

You recently got some backlash for telling Black people to stop killing Black trans people. How do you respond to those who have an issue with what you said?

I’ve triggered you is what you’re saying.

The African American community’s relationship to the LGBTQ community is horrible. It always has been. The Black community is the most homophobic, in my experience, and so the backlash was not a surprise to me. And I was called out by some friends – some really lovely friends – who said in this moment of heightened sensitivity the specificity of language is very important. I said “Black people.” I didn’t say homophobic Black people. I didn’t say homophobic, transphobic and xenophobic Black people. So I actually recorded an addendum to my message so that I could deal with the semantics of that. Even though y’all know what I’m talking about, I will deal with the semantics of it in this moment.

Yes, you have! No, it’s all good. I’m just trying to be compassionate with myself and give myself the space to be wherever I am emotionally – to be wherever I am spiri-

Please understand: I hear you, I will be more specific on who I’m calling out. I’m calling out homophobic, transphobic and

Is it tough to keep up with what’s happening internally at this moment while working to meet your October deadline, as we move through the Black Lives Matter movement?

(Sarcastically.) Oh, it was easier to deal with it until you have brought it up three times today.

That’s fair.

I was actually doin’ all right until the three times you brought it up today.

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xenophobic Black people who are in the streets killing their own. That’s who I’m calling out. And I meant it. I am comparing it to white supremacy. I am because it is. Everybody has to look in the mirror at themselves. We all have to do it. We all have blind spots. The blind spot in the African American community, one of them, is that. It is. I created a simple do-unto-others metaphor that people had problems with. If you have a problem with it, you need to look at yourself and ask yourself why you have a problem with that.

One of the things my friend told me – because I don’t read comments – was that with all of the pushback, there was pushback to the pushback, (people) saying, “But did he lie?” That was a phrase that I heard that kept coming up in these comments when people were trying to drag me. I’m not lying. Deal with it however you want to. But this is the truth. And I’m a truth-teller.

As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

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PROF I L E GOLIATH

MAGNUS HASTINGS Out of The Box

by Deven Green You and I first met judging a drag competition. I adore your sharp tongue, British accent, and keen eye. Your active portraits in a simple white box have been a visual anthem that celebrates the expanding queer identity and visibility.

work. There is a lot of storytelling and drama in it, which can also be confrontational and angry - basically, it’s an extension of my madness. I guess that is influenced by everything you grow up with.

How did your upbringing in London shape your fascination and love with the images you capture today?

Why the white box? What did that represent to you?

I have always been fascinated by faces. I grew up watching my dad developing pictures in his darkroom, and it seemed magical. His photography also focused on people. Portraits are a way to grab a moment and make people look great, tell a story, etc. I have always said that a photo, say, of the Grand Canyon is going to be a let-down compared to actually seeing it, whereas a portrait can be the exact opposite.

I grew up wanting to be an actor, and I ended up at drama school so that influences my

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My PR answer used to be: it represents equality. Everyone starts with the same blank box, and what they do with it tells their story, but, clearly, we don’t all start from the same place, so I better scrap that nonsense.

I came up with the box idea when I was actively trying to come up with a new project.

My thought process was this: I want to do a project where I shoot a diverse selection of queer people - as I had just finished promoting my last book “Why Drag?” I had been so immersed in drag for four years I

wanted to open up my work, especially to trans folks, but also look at the whole rainbow spectrum. I also thought, “whats the best social media shape? “A square. What if I build a square white box and people can have free reign to showcase themselves - tell their own story. A mini-theater. The box was white because it needed to be a blank canvas. I knew the white walls would bounce light in a very flattering way.

Basically, it was an aesthetic idea I found exciting. Just the shape you make divides up the space and creates drama. Or the box can be utterly transformed.

If you were asked, “WHY DRAG?”, which is the name of your first coffee-table book, how would you answer?

Because drag is my family and my world and where I belong. I may choose not to get into drag myself (I did constantly as a child), but my drag comes through my photography. I am not an observer but a participant.

You deal with the energy of so many creative artists/performers all the time.

How do you spend your time alone?

“

PORTRAITS ARE A WAY TO GRAB A MOMENT AND MAKE PEOPLE LOOK GREAT, TELL A STORY, ETC.

”

I spend a lot of my time alone. One could say I isolate. I have been so emerged in my work for so long to the detriment of relationships. I am trying to get some balance now and forge some proper friendships here. Everything has been so much about work I have had tunnel vision, always planning my next shoot so not really letting myself stop and just be. I am a riot on a shoot, I guess because I am “on,” but I feel very socially awkward in real life.

All of your images have so much movement in them, a real sense of space. Do you create the narrative before-hand or in the moment?

Nearly always in the moment. I will plan the general idea, but that is a starting point, and it can go anywhere from there. I am glad you see that. I always describe it as: My shot is the moment after the moment you expect. So the first click comes. Then that quick second click, when the subject has exhaled, is where my sweet spot is.

Do you think your book made you reconsider how you label yourself?

It actually didn’t. I personally am a gay man.

It took me a while to get there. But, after much confusion growing up, when I found my gay grail, it felt completely correct, and that hasn’t changed. It has, however, been an absolute joy and honor to hear other people’s stories, many of which are featured in my book, as is mine. I consciously asked a diverse group to answer questions about their lives to give a real insight into all the different identities, both sexual and gender, and I am extremely proud of that aspect of the book.

There are over 300 images for your book “Rainbow Revolution.”

How do we get a copy?

MagnusHastings.com/RainbowRevolution I look forward to everything you do, Magnus.

Follow: @MagnusHastings

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GROOM I NG GOLIATH

THE POWER OF BOTANICALS

Philip B.’s favorites for healthier hair Peppermint and Avocado Scalp Scrub

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt Hollywood’s leading hair and scalp treatment expert, Philip B., was discovered by Vogue magazine when he was a young colorist creating botanical blends for his actress clients – formulas that let them see and feel a dramatic difference in their hair right away. Since then, he’s spun his initial four products into a full range of high-performing hair and scalp treatments with a global following. GOLIATH spoke to Philip B. about how the pandemic has changed how we use and view beauty products. And how isolation has sparked a creative nerve!

First of all, how have you been holding up during this pandemic? I can’t imagine anything stopping you!

Thanks. Socially isolating has been hard!

I’m used to traveling nonstop – between California, Europe, and Asia – and I love helping people. I’m always happiest when I’m creating formulas to solve a particular hair or scalp issue, or when I’ve just given someone a hair treatment and see their excitement at the results firsthand. For now, I’ve really thrown myself into innovating new formulas, all plant-based, ethically sourced, and more effective than anything else out there.

This whole time has been a reminder of how precious our health is. I feel like finding natural ways to clean and condition our hair and skin without stripping, dehydrating, and aging is more important than ever.

Have you seen a shift in what people want from a beauty product in light of the pandemic?

Yes, with all this time at home, people realize that it’s more important to feel healthy than to mask an issue. We’ve seen a growing interest in clean, plant-based formulas; people are more aware of the dangers of parabens, phthalates, and other toxins in their personal care products. And given what a tumultuous, isolating period we’re in, self-care has become paramount. Our clients love that our products not only get results but also create an experience, all through the power of botanicals.

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And has this shift affected how you approach developing new products?

Yes, I’m always pushing to find the cleanest, most modern, and ethical way to develop new products.

For me, it’s all about finding the right balance of natural healing ingredients and hightech delivery systems. I want my products to feel and smell wonderful while you’re using them, and for the results to surpass your expectations. My new CBD Scalp & Body Oil has been helping people with skin and scalp disorders, which have arisen from – or been exacerbated by – the stress of living in this pandemic atmosphere we’ve all been immersed in. We’re getting amazing feedback for that product. The new Peppermint & Avocado Scalp Scrub, made with Australian sea salt, arnica, and shea butter, is also deeply therapeutic. It revives your scalp, boosts circulation, and clears blocked follicles to promote the growth of thick, healthy, bouncy hair. As I always say, healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp – and this is a very clean and luxurious way to get there.

At the same time, it’s easier than ever to promote existing products like my Peppermint & Avocado Clarifying & Volumizing Shampoo, Nordic Wood Hair & Body Shampoo, and my Scent of Santa Fe Hair & Body Wash. They’re all herbaceous blends that perform beautifully, leave your scalp tingly-clean, and treat you to a mood-boosting aromatherapy moment. Who doesn’t need that right now, along with a great hair day?

What should we look for when caring for our hair and scalp?

It used to be that you could simply look for pure, active plant-based ingredients at or near the top of a product’s ingredient list. These days, just because an ingredient appears at the top of the list doesn’t mean that it’s active. It’s become common in the

Nordic Wood Hair & Body Shampoo

Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo

Exclusive CBD Scalp & Body Oil PHOTOS: PR

industry to dilute plant extracts in water and call that watery blend an extract. It’s something I never do! When in doubt, just smell the product. Your nose should tell you if the formula is filled with pure botanical ingredients at active levels. With my shampoos and conditioners, you’re never in doubt.

Look for gentle conditioning agents like Shea Butter, which revitalize hair without weighing it down. Also, take advantage of the latest, cutting-edge hair-care technologies.

My Forever Shine Shampoo, for instance, is made with natural safflower nanosomes – tiny spheres filled with weightless botanical conditioning agents that release over time.

So your hair just gets shinier and bouncier and healthier as the days go by.

Anything you’d like to add?

This pandemic has been an interesting experience. As a formulator, it’s driven me to create even more supremely effective and unique products, all designed to give anyone their best hair ever – and bring them joy!

FA SH ION GOLIATH

Leading

MAN Photographer: Kenny Thomas Styling: Jim Moore Model: Rhys Pickering

Todd Snyder’s pre-Fall collection invokes mental images of 50s leading men like Cary Grant and James Dean. The collection puts a modern spin on the Hollywood rebel and how they dressed to express their unique personality.

The collection boasts a variety of items that are perfect for those dog days of late Summer that are ideal for layering when a chill hits the evening air.

Learn more at toddsnyder.com

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Images courtesy of Todd Snyder New York. All styles are available at ToddSnyder.com.

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Images courtesy of Todd Snyder New York. All styles are available at ToddSnyder.com.

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Images courtesy of Todd Snyder New York. All styles are available at ToddSnyder.com.

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FA SH ION GOLIATH

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HAPPY ATLANTA PRIDE! As the 60th Mayor of Atlanta, I am thrilled to wish everyone a happy Atlanta Pride!

As we commemorate 50 years of bravery, visibility, and progress, we must continue fighting to move LGBTQ equality forward.

It is my hope that our continued commitment to Atlanta’s LGBTQ community, alongside our work to better our city for all people, will move us closer to truly becoming One Atlanta.

M AY O R K E I S H A L A N C E B O T T O M S

DESIGN & LIVING GOLIATH

Timeless Beauty

By Todd Davis and Robert Brown, edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt Photos: PR, Nick Garcia, Moris Moreno, Kris Tamburello

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Nothing says timeless, like using natural stones in the creation of inner or outer spaces. Stone exudes strength and durability, and its aesthetic appeal reaches beyond what any other material can provide in creating beauty with eternal depths.

Showstopper Stone is ideal to use as an accent wall that can introduce a natural color palette or act as a showstopping highlight in the space.

Floor It Stone floors add natural beauty and timeless elegance to any room. Play with infinite textures, colors, and finishes, and jump between large slabs and smaller tiles to create a luxurious dynamic.

W

hen using stones, the myriad of possibilities can enhance any exterior and interior, or even serve as a perfect accent piece with charm, character, and that certain heft only stone can emanate.

Natural stones have come a long way in the past several years. The quarries are

cutting stones in different directions to get new and unique graining patterns, and selections are no longer just marble and granite. There are beautiful onyx materials as well as natural quartzite that will match any high-end marble or granite.

When we are creating spaces for our clients at BrownDavis Architecture & Interiors, we use a great deal of quartzite in

kitchens and bathrooms because it is not only beautiful, it is also as durable as granite. These are beautiful stones that avoid the pitfalls of marbles that are much easier to etch and stain with even regular use.

The manufacturers also offer different finish techniques, including honed, flamed, water blasted, and many other amazing finishes. Because there is so much variety, we rely on our sources to guide us through the latest stones, trends, and finishes. One of our long-time partners is Opus in Miami (opustone.com/miami), where we can take clients to touch and feel the stone and get inspiration for how we can incorporate stone in our work. The examples on these pages are all from BrownDavis design projects where stone played a defining role.

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DESIGN & LIVING GOLIATH

Yard Signs Playing with textures and the natural or geometrically cut shapes of stones is a remarkable way to create beautiful patterns and shapes throughout your outdoor space.

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Natural Element Stone for outdoor spaces is the obvious choice. The natural durability, paired with intuitive textures, puts the natural element into a gorgeous perspective that can blend in or stand out.

STONE GEMS Adding stone to your space doesn’t necessarily mean refurbishing floors and walls. Stone is also a popular material for living accessories that bring natural beauty along with that luxurious heft only stone possesses right into your home.

Marble Foundations Trays

by West Elm

D1 Gueridon Marble Table Limited Collection

by Francesco Balzano for STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN

Ostinato L Coffee Table

By Cristian Branea Ostinato Collection for STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN

Tubular Marble Lamp by CB2

Geometrik Nesting Coffee Table

by Alexander Díaz Andersson for ATRA

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Outside the Box Photography Gastohn Barrios | @gastohnphotographer

Model Darién Theller | @darotheller

Executive Production Matias Santos

Assistant Martín Konradi

Location Los Dinamos Park, Mexico

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PROF I L E GOLIATH

The Love(seat) Project MORE TO LOVE IN THE LOVESEAT

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt

For more than five years, Chad Wick has spread the love in Atlanta with his organization More To Love.

What started as fundraising at parties and events has grown into international outreach initiatives and now the Love(seat) Project - and online platform where the love can be spread virtually.

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First, give us the background on More To Love.

More To Love (MTL) started five years ago as a yearly event focused on love, charity, inclusion, and diversity. It has transitioned over the years and has grown into what it is today. MTL has four foundational pillars: • Love Yourself (we are a big advocate of self-care and mental health. We believe love starts from within us and from that overflowing we can better love others) • Love Your Neighbor (those that are closest to us) • Love Your Community (get involved giving back) • Love Beyond (help those that are in need outside our community) We try to live by the motto ‘do what you can, where you can.’ We organize Community Care Days, where we give back to our community to help in various ways.

We host an annual, immersive experience charity event, where we give back to a local charity. We take a team and do a global outreach project every other year. More To Love is open to anyone and everyone.

The next More To Love endeavor is The Love(Seat) Project. Tell us about the idea for it and what it entails?

More To Love has wanted to have an online platform for a while now. A way that we can be inclusive and diverse, a way that no matter who you are or where you are, you can feel loved, accepted, and proud.

It was always in the back of our minds, but once COVID happened, we thought there is no better time than now. A time where many are discouraged and afraid, and a time where we are physically distant from the ones we love. We need something to unite us, to help us feel and express love, to be hopeful and proud of who we are, where we are, and excite us about the future ahead. The Love(seat) Project wants to be just that.

The Love(seat) project is a space where you will hear the heart of others within our community. Everyone has a story, and everyone’s story is completely different. We are giving space to those stories. To the Atlanta legacies, the Atlanta newbies, the ones in the spotlights, and the unsung heroes. We are all unique individuals, and together we are Atlanta. A loveseat is a place where you can have an intimate conversation with others. We need to talk during these times and create spaces for love and intimate conversations. It’s a love letter of sorts written from our community to our community.

Since The Love(seat) Project is a love letter to Atlanta and its inhabitants, what is something that you love about Atlanta?

There is so much that I love about this community; It is very difficult to pick just one. I love the location, the trees, the seasons, the history, the platform for proper diversity and inclusion, the food, the potential, the artistic vibe, but above all, I love the people. There are some good, amazing people here.

Who are you working with on this project?

The Love(seat) Project is a complete collaboration effort. Miko Evans from Meak Productions, Lynn Barfield from Atlanta Pride, and Mikkel Hyldebrandt from Peach Media are all coming together with More To Love to make this a reality. Each has been doing some amazing work already, and I could not be prouder of a team that simply wants to give back and help our community.

THE LOVE(SEAT) PROJECT IS A SPACE WHERE YOU WILL HEAR THE HEART OF OTHERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY

What are your hopes and aspirations for The Love(seat) Project? Do you want it to continue in a non-virtual, in-person world post-COVID? Absolutely, I feel like we as a team provide something that is very much needed within our community, especially during this time. We are basically giving space to this, and I, for one, want to watch as it unfolds into whatever it needs to grow into. But yes, the loveseat will make its way into the physical world and not just online. I want the community to feel proud of Atlanta and feel loved and accepted whenever they see the Love(seat) Project, whether online or in person.

Switching back to More To Love: Can you tell us about any future projects for MTL? We just had our Community Care Day with the mission of helping Lost-N-Found Youth and Thrift Store. We will continue to have Community Care Days moving forward, so continue to be on the look-

out for them. We still have plans for our yearly local charity focused event at the beginning of next year. Before COVID, we started the process of our next global outreach in Peru, 2022. Exciting stuff ahead.

How do you think the landscape of the Atlanta LGBTQ community will look after this global pandemic is over?

For me, this is a tough question; part of me feels like this pandemic has brought some of our community together. We will have gone through this crazy time, supporting and loving each other. However, at the same time, I have seen some surprising and sad behavior within our very own community towards one another. Increased stress, loss of income, loss or change of career, frustration, confusion, anxiety, fear – many of us have experienced it all and react differently to it. I just hope that because of this global pandemic, we come together, realize our own faults, and where we could have done better, could have been better, and that we unify stronger and better than before. This will require us to be understanding, selfless, openhearted, and good listeners. I hope it puts things into perspective for us. I hope that we cherish more and love even harder. By being different and identifying as LGBT, I think we all have something in common. We have all felt the desire for others to try to understand us, to open their hearts and minds, to extend love no matter what. I only hope we can now do that for each other, for our own community. Loving Is easy when you are on the same page having fun on the dance floor, but how about now? When we disagree with each other and feel so strong that we are in the ‘right.’ We need love now more than ever.

Tell us how we can support More To Love.

Follow us and share on social media.

Come to and promote our events. Have ideas on when, where, and who we can love? Please Share! Talk with us about how we can do things better. Get Involved in your own unique way. We all have different skills, stories, platforms; let’s join together to do good in our community and the world. moretoloveatl.com facebook.com/ATLMTL

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PROF I L E GOLIATH

Embracing Her Journey

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt Born and raised in metro Atlanta, Gabrielle Claiborne and her younger sister grew up as fourth generation Pentecostal preacher’s kids. Her upbringing came with the privileges of an education from Emory University and Georgia Tech. She married in her 20s and had three children by the time she was 30. Gabrielle had a successful entrepreneurial career in the construction industry and was a leader in a large, prestigious Atlanta church—until her life turned upside down ten years ago when she came out as a transgender woman.

Since then, Gabrielle has become deeply involved in the community as an activist and as an inclusion specialist. Now, she has taken yet another leap into what she defines as the ongoing journey of embracing her truth by publishing a candid and deeply personal memoir that also serves as guidance for anyone wanting to live a more authentic life.

As a very prominent and active figure in the Atlanta LGBTQ community and beyond, tell us a little bit about the many hats you wear – and how you find the time and energy for it all?

I am the co-founder and CEO of Transformation Journeys Worldwide, an inclusion training and consulting firm with a transgender focus. We help cutting-edge organizations position themselves to attract and retain the best talent, foster collaborative working environments, and drive innovation by creating fully trans-inclusive cultures. I’m also an author, TEDx and keynote speaker, and community activist. My volunteer work includes serving for five years on the Executive Board of Atlanta Pride, and currently serving as Co-Chair of the Mentorship Committee on the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s Trans Inclusion Task Force, as Co-Chair of the Trans Affairs Committee on the City of Atlanta’s LGBTQ

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Mayoral Advisory Council, as the Secretary and Inclusion Board Chair of the OUT Georgia Business Alliance, and a member of the Out Front Theater Group’s Advisory Board.

As someone who is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion work, I am a member of the Georgia Diversity Council, the Atlanta Diversity Management Advocacy Group (ADMAG), and the Georgia Chapter of the International Women’s Forum.

In 2019, I was honored to receive the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Outstanding Voice for Diversity and Inclusion Award.

I find the energy to serve in all these capacities by making sure that my volunteer work is in alignment with my community activism objectives and entrepreneurial passions. I believe that when working for equity for the trans and gender nonconforming (TGNC) community—whether it’s within the LGBTQ community or related to employment, housing, healthcare, the arts, and beyond—having TGNC voices at the table is key to ensuring that our needs are not overlooked, and our visibility is front and center.

You have just published your book, EmPhotos byAMike Ruiz brace Your Truth: Journey of Authenticity. The book is not only a memoir of

your journey as a trans woman but also offers some sound guidance for anyone who wishes to live their authentic truth.

How was the journey of writing a book?

The journey of writing this book has been one of the most raw and vulnerable steps I have ever taken. More than once, I asked, “Should I be putting myself out there like this?” But I kept going because I believe there is a real need to get more stories about TGNC individuals into mainstream media in hopes of educating our culture about TGNC people and normalizing our existence as just another beautiful facet of the diverse human experience. And while I have done much personal growth work over the course of my journey, writing this book provided opportunities for me to grow even more and to process deeper layers of grief around losses I thought I had finished grieving. Fortunately, my business partner, Linda Herzer, is not only a published author, she’s also an amazing life coach. Thanks to her writing assistance and emotional support, I was able to navigate the many ups and downs of this authoring journey. At the end of the day, while the process hasn’t been easy, I’m grateful for the additional growth in my own life that’s resulted from taking this courageous step of vulnerability and putting this book out into the world.

How has the process of writing this book helped you on your own journey of authenticity?

Writing this book has given me a whole new perspective on the value of my past.

The things that I once perceived as failures, those things I felt the most guilt and shame around, have now become a part of my story that no longer keeps me bound or entangled.

In chapter 4, I talk about an important lesson I learned from Brené Brown, that “when we speak to shame, it begins to wither.” The process of writing this book has been a continuous effort of speaking to the shame of my past and reframing it as something that happened “for” me rather than something that happened “to” me. Doing this has allowed me to own my story for the first time in such a way that my story no longer owns me. I can now share my experiences, trusting they will be an inspiration to others and that they will help people navigate their own challenges, whatever those are for them.

Without revealing too much of the book, what are some important lessons about living your truth that are universal to us all?

One of the universal lessons I share is about having the courage to acknowledge the fears in our heads but act on the truth of our hearts. To do this, we must understand the five languages through which our hearts speak to us –more about those in chapter 1—and then take courageous first steps, often without knowing where they will lead. Another universal lesson I share with readers is that stepping into our authenticity is a journey, not a destination.

As we realize one aspect of our authenticity, our hearts will call us to embrace yet another beautiful facet of our truth. This may require creating a vacuum, that is, opening up space for new things we desire to come into our lives by letting go of old things that no longer serve us. Readers can learn more about all this in chapter 7.

We are experiencing a renewed and extremely important focus on trans folx’ stories in entertainment and media.

Why do you think that is?

I believe we are experiencing a focus on trans stories because, for the first time, our stories are being produced, directed, and portrayed by TGNC individuals. The hit TV series, POSE, and the documentary, Disclosure, are two examples of recent productions that have allowed our community’s

storytelling and acting skills to emerge and be valued. They have also provided opportunities and invitations for non-TGNC people to engage in our deeply nuanced and authentically textured stories with empathy and compassion, to feel our shared humanity. As our visibility continues to increase, I trust it will also inspire TGNC individuals who are just starting out on their journey of authenticity to embrace their truths fiercely and live them courageously.

ant book and story to shed even more light on the trans experience. What are your hopes and dreams for this book?

And yet, trans folx are still being targeted and even killed at an alarmingly high rate. What do you think it is about being trans that can be so threatening to some people?

Secondly, I hope readers will be inspired to embrace their own truths more fully, to ask, “What’s next for me?” “What aspect of authenticity is my heart calling me toward?” I also hope they will use the exercises included in the book, and the universal lessons shared to help them take steps toward living more authentically – for their own well-being and for the healing of our world.

I believe that the very existence of my community challenges our cultures deeply held, but unconscious assumptions about gender. The reality is, TGNC individuals have existed though out all time and across all cultures. Nonetheless, it hasn’t been until the last 10-20 years that we have become consistently visible. Our increased visibility has brought the complexity of gender to the forefront of our culture’s consciousness. People are now aware that one’s gender identity (that is, one’s internal knowing of their gender) may not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. And this reality challenges those who were domesticated to believe that gender is a binary: that there are only two genders, male and female.

This confrontation to bedrock beliefs results in TGNC people becoming the “them” in an us-and-them paradigm. Once a group becomes “them,” history shows how easy it is to make that group bad, wrong, and even expendable. It is this thinking that leads parents to disown their TGNC children, spouses to divorce their TGNC partners, and adult children to walk away from their TGNC parents. Even more alarming, it is also what leads to TGNC individuals, especially my trans sisters of color, to not just be killed, but to be brutally murdered at alarming rates. To overcome this “usthem” polarity, I encourage people to sit down face-to-face with a gender diverse person, read a TGNC memoir, or book a transgender speaker for your workplace or organization, to get to know us. It’s only by sharing stories that we will come to see that we’re all unique members of the same diverse human family.

Your book “Embrace Your Truth: A Journey of Authenticity” is such an import-

From the beginning, I’ve had two clear goals for what I want this book to accomplish.

First, I want it to give readers a glimpse of the TGNC experience in hopes of normalizing our existence. I want cisgender (nonTGNC) people to recognize that what we have in common, as human beings, is much greater than our differences.

How has it been to release a book during a global pandemic?

It’s been challenging, to say the least, and I’ve definitely had to get creative with the book’s launch. But I’ve been surrounded by an unbelievable support system that has allowed this experience, from start to finish, to be one of the most rewarding seasons of my life. I’ll be excited when I can have my first safe book signing. That will be another celebration to look forward to!

What is next is next for Gabrielle Claiborne? Any new and exciting projects you can disclose?

The release of my book is allowing me to step into even bigger arenas than I ever imagined. I’m now booking more keynote speaking opportunities where I share wisdom from the book. Another door opening up for me is advocating for women’s equity to ensure that all women’s voices are included in the conversation. I’m also entering into the dating scene after a recent divorce, looking for that tall, handsome man who is looking for that special woman in his life! More on that to come!

Embrace Your Truth: A Journey of Authenticity by Gabrielle Claiborne is available on Amazon and all other platforms.

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AT L A N TA MOM E N TS GOLIATH

GOLIATH

ON THE SCENE LIPS ATLANTA SERVES AGAIN After being closed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lips Atlanta reopened in mid-July to once again serve the ultimate in drag dining. Adhering to health and safety guidelines, the dining room is spaced out for social distancing and the drag queens presented a wonderful show serving not only face but also effective solutions to keep themselves and their audience safe. lipsatl.com Photo by Snow

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PrEP ACCESS may be closer than you think.

PrEP is a daily pill that is 99% effective against HIV. Get enrolled in PrEP at PIHC’s Decatur or Duluth locations or at PIHC’s partner agencies:

GET PrEP AT GNR HEALTH CENTERS • Lawrenceville Health Center – 455 Grayson Highway, Suite 300, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 • Norcross Health Center – 5030 Georgia Belle Court, Norcross, GA 30093 • Buford Health Center – 2755 Sawnee Avenue, Buford, GA 30518 • Newton Health Center – 8203 Hazelbrand Road, Covington, GA 30014 • Rockdale Health Center – 985 Taylor Street SW, Conyers, GA 30012 Make an appointment by calling 770-339-4260. Visit: GNRhealth.com for more information.

GET PrEP AT CDPH • Marietta Health Center – 1650 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008 • Smyrna Health Center – 3001 South Cobb Drive, Smyrna, GA 30080 • Acworth-Kennesaw Health Center – 3810 Old 41 Highway NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 • Douglas Health Center – 6770 Selman Drive, Douglasville, GA 30134 Make an appointment by calling 770-514-2300.

Visit: CobbAndDouglasPublicHealth.com for more information.

GET PrEP AT PIHC • PIHC Decatur – 523 Church Street, Decatur, GA 30030 Make an appointment by calling 678-365-4300.

• PIHC Duluth – 3350 Breckinridge Boulevard, Suite 200, Duluth, GA 30096 Make an appointment by calling 470-361-2724.

Visit: PositiveImpactHealthCenters.org for more information.

STAY Safe.

Mask Required

Curbside Pharmacy Pick-up Available

AT L A N TA MOM E N TS GOLIATH

GOLIATH

ON THE SCENE THE LAST SHOUT FOR AMSTERDAM After 15 years on Amsterdam Ave on the Beltline’s Eastside Trail, the bar decided not to renew its lease. The community has lost a great LGBTQ neighborhood bar and venue for many significant events and a hub for many friendships and memories over the years. Amsterdam Atlanta will always be remembered. The photos are from the last day of business – September 13.

Photo by Snow

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A DV ICE GOLIATH

WELL HELLO.

IT’S DEVEN GREEN DEVEN GREEN is an award-winning comedic chanteuse who happily plays online shows.

Are you your best company?

YES / NO

Do you have fun with food?

YES / NO

Do all your pants have zippers?

YES / NO

Have you ever ended a relationship because your partner wore clogs?

YES / NO

Is it always their fault?

YES / NO

Do you think there is a correct answer?

YES / NO

Do you swear more than once a day?

YES / NO

Are you a little dirty?

YES / NO

Have you ever been guilty of emotional infidelity?

YES / NO

Are you smarter than everyone else?

YES / NO

Do you smile in front of others even when you are sad?

YES / NO

Do you know what you are waiting for?

YES / NO

Do people know how funny you are?

YES / NO

Do you feel guilty about something every day?

YES / NO

Time for a change?

YES / NO

Do you really know what you want or need?

YES / NO

Does the number 42 mean anything to you?

YES / NO

Do you have it all together?

YES / NO

Are you coming undone?

YES / NO

Have you told multiple people they were the best in bed?

YES / NO

Do you know where your time went?

YES / NO

Are you doing all you can?

YES / NO

Do you know that you are loved?

YES / NO

Do you need a hug?

YES.

RESULTS: You are human.

Photo: Ned Douglas

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This quiz is for entertainment purposes only. Deven Green offers streaming weekly music shows only at DevenGreen.com

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