Trendy News Report: The New York Public Library and Souleo Collide For A Good Cause

The brilliantly sunny weather provided the perfect backdrop for the soulfully engaging event that took place at the Riverside branch of The New York Public Library on June 16th.

The insightful partnership between Souleo Enterprises, LLC and NYPL was an expectant idea successfully delivered by the brilliantly creative Souleo, whose dazzling resume matches his equally infectious personality. The Brown University graduate has a very diverse and vibrant background that has allowed him foray into some of the most respectable media outlets including MTV, BET.com, the New York Post, the Boston Globe, NPR and Access Hollywood. His unique ability to hone in on his journalistic nature has ultimately led him to establish Souleo Enterprises, a multi-dimensional company that is dedicated to creatively administering events and instigating projects that help enhance a communal understanding of topics that don’t ordinarily get as much attention because of societal stigmas.

The gathering this past Saturday was one of many items on the itinerary attached to the new initiative between Souleo Enterprises, LLC and The New Public Library: Innovative Summer Adult Programming. Starting June 2012, there will be an assortment of fun-filled and interactive programming to help celebrate Gay Pride Month.

MTB had the pleasure of attending one of the programs on the eclectically themed list, The Last Taboo: LGBT Hip-Hop. This thought-provoking session featured a panel of experts (VIBE Senior Editor, Clover Hope, Kathy Landoli, Music Editor of HipHopDX, and LGBT hip-hop artists Foxxjazell and Soce The Elemental Wizard. DJ Baker who is somewhat of a pioneer in the LGBT community thanks to Da Doo-Dirty Show, a thriving urban radio program he created to help give a voice to talented artists who might otherwise remain silenced, served as the moderator.

The discussion covered a range of topics and included a Q&A session. It was enlightening to hear the challenges that LGBT artists face when it comes to cracking the code that allows penetration into more mainstream genres particularly the still phobic world of hip-hop.

We briefly spoke to entertainer Foxxjazell, a transgender, who was the only female representation of the now defunct group 125 but had to drop out due to the distractions associated with her transgendered status. She became a solo artist in 2006 and went on her first tour – The HomoRevolution. That same year she appeared on the Tyra Banks Show and used that as a platform to discuss the politics of hip-hop, a market that she was and still is determined to dominate. Since then, she has released an album, Introducing Foxxjazell, and embarked on a new venture by embracing the world of Electro-Pop Euro dance and performing globally. She has thrived in this new world and acknowledges that it has forced her to be more of a performer than an artist. But she intends to revitalize her buried roots and take it back to where it all began. She is currently working on a new album and promises that it will be laced with hip-hop vibes.

The dream never dies and the struggle continues for LGBT artists that are striving for equal acceptance and Souleo is definitely a sympathizer and we were able to chat with him about his views on this complicated subject.

MTB: What inspired you to create Souleo Enterprises, LLC?

Souleo: I was inspired by many things, firstly the power of media that provides the platform to explore things and promote topics and ideas that are important. So I knew that I wanted to do that and use my platform responsibly and that’s how I got into media. It’s a lot of fun as well which I was aware of, and there are glamorous moments too but they are fleeting. What sustains me is the knowledge that I can create events and pull in people from my resources to invest in something that needs to be explored. Also the support of both my mother who inspires me and my brother who just recently passed away. They both had values of community and social injustice and believed in me and shared my vision.

MTB: How did you end up partnering with The New York Public Library?

Souleo: Well, its funny because it proves why community boards are so important. I met a contact at the community board and that led to me being introduced to someone at the NYPL and then from there I set up a meeting and came prepared with ideas and they were convinced that something like this had to happen and it just went from there. So it was really a lot of networking and so I am excited about the change of direction for the library. They are really trying to focus more on being an educational cultural house and they now have programs and events that are not the norm. I am just so happy they invested and believed in me to be one of the pioneers for that particular style of programming. I think it’s a very important movement they are about to embark on and I think in order to compete with the digital age and all the distractions, the libraries have to create interactive programs like what we’ve seen with the LGBT Hip-Hop and some of the other ones in the series.

MTB: In terms of media do you think we are on track in it being a driving force in changing the course of things for the LGBT community?

Souleo: Definitely. We are seeing a lot of progress in just the coverage of topics relating to the LGBT community especially same sex marriage. I think same sex marriage is doing a great job of putting this agenda out there and has caused all outlets from mainstream to whatever the niche market is to pay attention. But unfortunately that’s the only LGBT topic being focused on and there are so many others that need also need to be addressed like the fact a study was done that proves that a lot of young LGBT young people are having children and abandoning them, and that’s part of their identity issue. There are a lot of things going on that have not reached that mainstream level but hopefully through programs like this and with the help of journalists who are willing to explore topics like this we can. Ebony Magazine  did a story about CeCe McDonald, a transgender who is facing 25 years to life for self defense, so those stories need to come to the forefront and hopefully same sex marriage is the beginning of that.

MTB: What would be the perfect forecast for the state of affairs five years from now?

Souleo: I will take a baby step and say that seeing more coverage of those deeper issues in the gay community get to the forefront will be ideal. I don’t think in the next five years we are going to solve those issues. We know there is a lot of homelessness of youth in the LGBT community and there are still places in the world we can’t travel to because we could get killed or put in jail. I don’t think all that is going to change in five years but the media ground swell, and having those topics out there and being talked about by the President and hip-hoppers will really start the change that needs to happen and get us to the place where we will no longer be ignored.

For more on Souleo and event related info visit: www.souleouniverse.com