The Gatekeeper's Collective (TGC)

IGNITING THE POWER OF BLACK SAME GENDER LOVE

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OUTING: Invisible Life The Musical: Join The Gatekeepers Collective (TGC) 

JOIN The Gatekeepers Collective (TGC) on Saturday, June 27th at 7:00pm at Harlem's World Famous Apollo Theater's Soundstage for the premiere run of E. Lynn Harris' Invisible Life the Musical. SEAT ARE LIMITED.

Purchase Tickets: HERE


 Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of New York Times best-selling author E. Lynn Harris’ classic American love story INVISIBLE LIFE. This explosive Musical adaptation addresses the conflicts of Sexuality, Religion, HIV/AIDS and Family in America. Soul-stirring R&B mixed with Paradise Garage grooves, everybody will Sing, Vogue & Live!! RAYMOND, a college football player, dreams of a future as a lawyer and family man with his childhood sweetheart SELA, but is seduced into a Down-Low romance by star Quarterback, BASIL HENDERSON. Pressured by his Father to continue his NFL legacy, Raymond escapes to New York City and falls madly in love with a Broadway Diva, NICOLE. Raymond's scandal-reunion with Basil, and fashionista best friends KYLE & JJ, threatens his Perfect World and forces Raymond to Live his Life in Truth… 

A Broadway bound “promising musical-theater work-in-progress” praises Stephen Holden of The New York Times.

AEA Showcase Production
Casting by Wojcik | Seay Casting

Based on the novel Invisible Life by E. Lynn Harris
Book by Proteus Spann & Javon Johnson
Music & Lyrics: Motown Legends Ashford & Simpson
Additional Lyrics: Stanley Bennett Clay
Musical Director: e’Marcus Harper
Directed by: Proteus Spann & Javon Johnson
DJ: Teddy Douglas
Apollo Theater
253 West 125th Street
(between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. & Frederick Douglass Blvd.)
Harlem, New York City
GOOGLE MAPS

 Purchase Tickets: HERE
or RSVP Tickets with Richard Pelzer at PelzerMEGA1@gmail.com



MORE ABOUT E. LYNN HARRIS
Everette Lynn Harris (June 20, 1955 – July 23, 2009) was an American author. Openly gay, he was best known for his depictions of African-American men who were on the down-low and closeted. He authored ten consecutive books that reached The New York Times Best Seller list, making him among the most successful African-American or gay authors of his era.

Harris' first novel, Invisible Life finished in 1991, was a coming-of-age story dealing with then-taboo topics. Most important was that it openly questioned sexual identity and told the story of main character Raymond Tyler. Tyler, torn between his married male lover and girlfriend Nicole, is a New York attorney struggling with identifying as a bisexual black man. He ultimately settles into a gay lifestyle, while much of the novel is dedicated to Tyler's reflection on that choice.
Watch Video Interview of E. Lynn Harris (October 2000)



Listen to Proteus Spann Producer & Director of Invisible Life The Musical 

Topic For Friday, June 12th, 2015:
FILM SCREENING | PIER KIDS: The Life


On Friday, June 12, join The Gatekeepers Collective with filmmaker Elegance Bratton @ 8:00 PM @ JMG’s Safe Space for a screening of PIER KIDS: The Life.


The film follows the stories of three young people: DeSean, Krystal, and Casper. Together, these three people weave a surprisingly complex story of love, family, exploitation, beauty, and hope. 

“More than 1.6 million homeless teens between the ages of 12 and 17 sleep in public areas or shelters in the country. According to a report (click here), LGBT youth make up 40 percent of the homeless youth population. Homeless teens in New York City account for 3,800 and Black LGBT teens account for 1,600.” *

* SOURCE: ABC News

About the filmmaker:
Unable to be who he was at home, film-maker, Elegance Bratton joined the ranks of homeless, gay, Christopher Street youth at 16.  In the ensuing years, he would enlist in the Marines, become a film-maker, attend Columbia University, and NYU film School.

To shed light on Black SGL/LGBT homeless youth, Elegance began making PIER KIDS: The Life.
Together, we will consider:

- As SGL Black men, do we bear any responsibility to SGL/LGBT Black youth who have been discarded by their families and by society?

- If we wanted to, how might we help to bring them out of invisibility and provide them adequate support and encouragement -– a platform and resources by which to become as powerful as they can be?
The Gatekeeper's Collective
@
JMG's Safe Space
730 Riverside Drive (@ 150th Street)
Suite 9E
Harlem, New York City
8:00 PM

TRAVEL DIRECTIONS:
TAKE THE #1 TRAIN TO 145TH STREET STATION
OR THE M4, M5, M100 OR M101 BUS TO
149TH STREET & BROADWAY

BROTHERS ARE ASKED TO BRING A POTLUCK DISH AND / OR BEVERAGE

OUTING: The Gatekeepers Collective  at The Schomburg Center’s  In The Life Archive


On Friday, June 5th, join The Gatekeepers Collective  at The Schomburg Center’s In The Life Archive as they present First Fridays: Black Gay Pride Edition in honor of the Black LGBT community and LGBT pride celebrations that occur nationally each June. Join us as we celebrate our great LGBT pioneers and the rich history housed in our In The Life Archive!
Groove to the music of DJ Missy B and Craig Nice in the Langston Hughes Lobby and jam to DJ BYRELL The GREAT in our courtyard as you enjoy our signature drinks and extended viewing hours in our galleries, and enjoy a special guided tours of "Curators' Choice: Black Life Matters" by Steven G. Fullwood, founder of the In the Life Archive!

Legendary drag performer Harmonica Sunbeam will host and perform at the event.  
  
Friday, June 5th, 2015
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (EDT)
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Blvd
(NW corner of 135th Street & Lenox Avenue)
Harlem, New York City 10030
GOOGLE MAPS 

SUMMARY: “Tops” & “Bottoms”?: On Cultivating Shamanic Wisdom with Language As Conjuration Workshop

In recognizing the power of language as cultural bearing, as means by which we shape our relationship to the universe, and assume control within it; and in observance of that part of The Gatekeepers Collective’s mission which entails honoring our uniqueness as same gender loving people, The Gatekeepers Collective (TGC) conducted a language workshop.

Following check-ins, the facilitator shared, “TGC operates as a self-reclamation, historical trauma relief, and community development center where we unlearn internalized racial and sexual oppression, commit to valuing and integrating our multiple identities, including celebrating our sexualities, and building our communities.
“As we discover what it means to be Twenty-first Century Urban Gatekeepers; magical beings with the power to restore balance and harmony to the collective where it is lacking, what might happen if we were to practice using language that grounds us in our power, as distinct from all others?

“Is everyone aware that, periodically the dictionary is updated, including slang?”

The community answer, “Yes.”

“What if we updated our own dictionary?  As African Americans, we have long turned language that was used to devalue us into language that affirmed us.  We thought it might be fun, if we created a workshop where we flip the script, and take a pass at creating a new narrative for ourselves.  Do you think this might be a worthwhile use of our time and energy?”

A consensus is formed to do a language workshop.

Over the next three hours, the men engaged in a fun-filled series games and exercises designed to access and tap their creativity during the first “Tops” and “Bottoms”?: On Cultivating Shamanic Wisdom, with Language As Conjuration Workshop.

At the climax of the workshop, one man says, “I don’t see why we would need to reframe the terms “top” and “Bottom”. Who said they came from a White gay lexicon? Everywhere I go, that’s what people say...”

To this, another man responds, “We have to remember, we are the first people! We don’t have to follow behind everybody else…We are the first people!...and they don’t want us to remember that…”

Facilitator says, “That is absolutely the case…And, it is as we remember that fact that we begin to reclaim ourselves…And, as we reclaim ourselves, we tap into our power [as distinct from that of any others] And, that is the reason why we are doing this…”

The Gatekeeper

The Gatekeeper

The Gatekeeper's Collective Venue



FIRST FRIDAYS
EVERY MONTH
730 RIVERSIDE DRIVE
(@ 150TH STREET)
SUITE 9E
HARLEM, NEW YORK CITY
8:00 PM

TRAVEL DIRECTIONS:
TAKE THE #1 TRAIN TO
145TH STREET STATION
OR THE
M4, M5, M100 OR M101 TO
149TH STREET & BROADWAY
GOOGLE MAPS

BROTHERS ARE ASKED
TO BRING A POTLUCK
DISH AND / OR BEVERAGE

Contact Us

thegatekeeperscollective@gmail.com

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