HAPPY WORLD PRIDE DAY, EVERYONE! Today marks 50 years since the Stonewall Riots – a moment that sparked what we know now as the LGBT+ Civil Rights movement. As we celebrate and also remember those that paved the way for our advancement, we must embrace our own unique spirits and revel in our own individual beauty. This latest single – written by Stevie Wonder and originally performed by Keith John in the 1988 Spike Lee joint, School Daze – has always been the soundtrack of my very existence. I first performed this song in 2002, when I was a sophomore at The Cooper Union in New York City. Green and new to the city that would refine and define me, this song got me through some tough times in my life – even now, as I’m beginning to embrace my non-binary status. It’s a reminder that no matter how different we are in the eyes of society and even the world, we still matter, and we are still beautiful. My version of the song is my dialogue and love letter to the fans that have embraced my uniqueness all these years. Thank you for loving me for who I am.
Listen to the song, and then share your thoughts by leaving a comment on my Bandcamp page. Please let me know what you think.