#sagetable

Doreena + Jonathan (@j.foulk ) Doreena Wong is a badass. Pardon my savory language but it's the best way I can think to describe her impressive history of standing up for API (Asian Pacific Islander) and all LGBTQ people. I smiled as I heard her and Jonathan Foulk laughing in the background while I was setting up my camera for their portrait. When I turned around I found Doreena with her arm around Jonathan and big smiles on their faces. I thought to myself "this is who they are". Two effervescent souls. Survivors and fighters. Along side his long list of volunteering and community organizing Jonathan works for the Trevor Project (@trevorproject )which is an incredible advocacy and support organization for LGBTQ youth. His courageous story of transformation from victim to champion is heart-wrenching and an important testament to the need for appropriate oversight and care for LGBTQ young people. Having been passed from home to home in the foster care system as a child he understands the need for LGBTQ children to feel welcomed and be understood. At age 10 he was adopted by an abusive parent which forced him to run away at age 18. Jonathan later pressed charges and put this predator behind bars. His past motivates him to work for organizations that represent and protect children like him to find a sense of safety and belonging regardless of their identity. Let's use tender and brave stories like Doreena and Jonathan's to support one another and our future generations. Get to know the heroes all around you in our big diverse LGBTQ family. We come on all races, nationalities, genders, religions and ages and together we can make the world a safe place for Everyone. On May 18th host or attend a #SAGEtable by clicking the link in my bio👉🏼 If you'd like to learn more about Doreena and Jonathan go to @lgbt_history. (at San Francisco, California)

We were so honored to partake in this year’s SAGE Table with fabulous people like @now-this-is-living, artist Joey Terrill, and Gail Rolf from Friends of Project 10. It is so important to listen to the stories of the older generations of the LGBTQ community! They are living proof that it can and will get better.

Source: @sageusa

Love Her! @janetmock and I at #SageTable #DinnerWithBevy #LGBTQ #Legendary #MakeADifference #Authenticity #NativeSon #WorldOfWilbekin #WOW (at Chinese Tuxedo)

"The Families We Make" Brent Nicholson Earle is a name that should be said with gratitude from every queer mouth in this country. When gay men were dying by the thousands he helped organize ACT UP. When our community was feeling helpless and silenced he literally ran around the country on foot to force media attention and support for the AIDS epidemic. His visibility and charm helped shape the national conversation for AIDS in the LGBTQ community and unify the isolated fringes of people devastated by it. When he had nothing left to save his friends he soldiered on foot for everyone. It was only appropriate that @mh0fman , @lgbt_history and I photograph him with another great fighter, Amir Ashour (@amirlemina ) As a gay Iraqi man, Amir created the first LGBTQ organization in Iraq and serves to claim and protect rights of all LGBTQ+ people. I first met Amir through my photo collaboration w/ @Logotv for the United Nations LGBTQ summit "Dear Mr Trump". These two heroes understand sacrifice and perseverance in way that would dare to say most American millennial and generation Z cannot comprehend. Meet your LGBTQ+ family, pioneers and heroes by hosting or attending a #SAGEtable on May 18th. 👉🏼 click the link in my bio now 👉🏼 For more information about Brent and Amir go to @lgbt_history ❤️❤️❤️❤️ #TheFamiliesWeMake

#TheFamiliesWeMake Photographing Rita Gonzalez and Amber Wittington (@amberscloset) was my last shoot of the day in LA and the perfect sum of what #SAGEtable is. After introductions and talking about this project, Rita and Amber began to talk about their work in LGBTQ activism. The conversation quickly evolved into finding all kinds of similarities and opportunities for collaboration in their professions. Rita's extensive experience in sound production from her radio show and podcast perfectly complimented Amber's fashion blogging/ vlogging and video production. I watched both proud lesbians of color sharing their knowledge across the skill sets of their respective generations and thought "I need this in my life". Really we all need this in our lives! We need family, but for some reason we we all live right by each other with this construct of "what age is" dividing us. Break down the wall and meet your LGBTQ family by hosting or attending a #SAGEtable. Click the link in my bio now 👉🏼 To learn more about Rita and Amber go to @lgbt_history ❤️ (at Los Angeles, California)

"The Families We Make" I first met Jenny Pfizer on the phone in a conversation with her, her wife Doreena, @mh0ffman and I. In 20 minutes Jenny made more happen for this series than I had in the previous 3 weeks. That's who Jenny is. A "go getter", community organizer and sharp AF. As an accomplished attorney and senior council member at Lambda Legal she has tirelessly fought for LGBTQ+ marriage, employment, healthcare and education equality. Recently Jenny has shifted her focus to protecting LGBTQ+ people from the deceptive and damaging discriminatory intentions disguised as religious freedoms by rebranded hate groups and lawmakers who toe the line. This quest to protect us from discrimination masked as religion led Jenny to meet Chase Haslam, an SF based, ex-mormon, gay Lawyer whose past has lead him to use his expertise for LGBTQ+ justice in many capacities.  As a gay ex mormon myself, it gave me hope to see these two intellectuals working together to protect people that come from circumstances I can relate to.  Jenny and Chase help give young LGBTQ+ people a voice and life to look forward to instead of a dead end of self loathing, "conversion" therapy and lies. We need their example, we need their stories and I thank them for everything they've done.  To learn more about Jenny and Chase go to @lgbt_history . If you'd like to meet people like Jenny and Chase, they are all around you, in all genders, races, creeds and generations. You just need to sit down, break bread and get to know our big LGBTQ family! Go to http://sagetable.org or click the link in my profile and host or attend a #SAGEtable near you. #TheFamiliesWeMake (at San Francisco, California)

For the last 6 months I've been leaving teasers here and there about a big project with @SAGEusa Well after months of sprinting across airport terminals, making countless late night calls and forming incredible bonding experiences with heroes I had only read about, @lgbt_history, @mh0fman and I are happy to share with you "The Families We Make" - a photo series promoting #SAGEtables aiming to bridge the generational gap in the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ people come in all races, genders, religions and ages and with todays' current political turbulence we must come together as one big family to preserve and continue our progress for universal equality. Working on this project has taught me that our community's pioneers and heroes are a wealth of knowledge and compassion that younger generations can learn from. The people that originated our movement are too often forgotten while we enjoy the benefits of their sacrifices. You and I can make a difference simply by sitting down with someone of another generation and having a conversation. Here we have Edie Windsor (@windsoredie ) whose Supreme Court case (U.S. v Windsor) struck down The Defense of marriage act and paved the way for national marriage equality. Next to her sits Raymond Braun (@raymondbraun )whose LGBTQ social activism and social media presence has led him to meetings with president Obama. Watching these two champions of our movement bond in front of my lens was both an intellectually and emotionally inspiring time. Within a few moments of being welcomed into Edie's home, we were talking about the important work of @SAGEUSA and hugging it out. I must have laughed and cried a dozen times. I think I can safely speak for Raymond and Edie when I say it was a beautiful experience. We need moments like these in our lives. Go meet your heroes. Go meet your family. In our community we can build our family how ever we want to. Click the link in my bio and learn how to host or attend a #SAGEtable near you. If you'd like to learn more about Edie and Raymond visit @lgbt_history and read their post. ❤️❤️❤️ #TheFamiliesWeMake (at New York, New York)