Native Son, the premiere content and storytelling platform for Black gay and queer men, released its annual Native Son 101 list honoring its 2024 honorees of “change agents and mavericks” making a positive global impact.
The honoree list, which includes theGrio’s own White House correspondent and Managing Editor, Gerren Keith Gaynor, features leaders and innovators in media, social justice, politics, fashion, music, and academia, among other industries.
The 2024 class of Native Son 101 includes actor and musician Jeremy Pope, Emmy Award-winning comedian Jerrod Carmichael, fashion designer Telfar Clemens, actor Colman Domingo, producer and director Lee Daniels, rap star Lil Nas X, renowned stylist Law Roach, and others.
“We created the first Native Son 101 list in 2020 as a reaction to the racial backlash from the murder of George Floyd and the great LGBTQ+ identity revolution. There were so many Black gay/queer men who were having impact globally, but weren’t being recognized by mainstream media,” said Emil Wilbekin, founder of Native Son, in a public statement announcing this year’s honorees.
The legendary journalist and former editor-in-chief of Vibe magazine continued, “We wanted to shine a spotlight on these champions, way makers, and innovators. We wanted to speak their names and represent them as works of art so that their legacies would be remembered, recognized, and revered.
Wilbekin added, “Unlike the Native Son Awards, the 101 List isn’t just about career achievements, but also uplifts people who have made a difference and had impact in their community, industry, or profession in this calendar year. It’s their moment to shine!”
Adrian Armstrong created illustrations of the 101 List awardees, which are prominently featured on Native Son’s second digital cover, hosted on its new channel in partnership with Queerty, the LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment platform by Q.Digital.
“Queerty and Q.Digital are proud to amplify The Native Son 101 List and the excellence of each and every one of these amazing Black gay and queer men,” said Scott Gatz, founder and CEO of Q.Digital. “Our partnership with Native Son helps us grow in our mission to entertain, enlighten, and amplify the voices of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.”
The digital cover features journalist Don Lemon in conversation with activist Rashad Robinson, the former president of Color of Change. Lemon and Robinson discuss various political and cultural topics, including the results of the 2024 election, the state of the media, and the impacts of misinformation. The video interview is inspired by the famed 1971 TV interview between famed poet Nikki Giovanni, who died on Monday, and author and writer James Baldwin.
Native Son notably gets its name from Baldwin, who penned “Notes of a Native Son,” a collection of essays exploring race in the U.S. and Europe published in 1955.
