When I speak with Verniss McFarland III, founder of The Mahogany Project, the excitement is palpable. On February 26, the Houston-based non-profit will celebrate the grand opening of its new physical space, The Mahogany Project Center and, in turn, will become the first Black trans-led organization to open a brick-and-mortar location in the city.…
Verniss McFarland III is tired of queer Black and Brown stories taking a backseat. For the past year, McFarland has worked to uplift these voices through their work as founder of The Mahogany Project, a Houston-based nonprofit focused on bridging the gap between empowerment and education in Black and Brown LGBTQ communities. McFarland now seeks to bring these narratives to the forefront with the launch of the organization’s new visibility campaign, Dear Somebody: The Voices Once Unheard.…
Houston Splash, often referred to as Black Gay Pride, is an unapologetic celebration of Black and Latinx LGBTQ Pride. In a world where Black and Brown bodies, especially queer Black and Brown bodies, are blatantly targeted and demeaned, spaces like Houston Splash provide our community with the opportunity to embrace our holistic selves. Consequently, this challenges the oppressive norms prevalent in our everyday lives. Therefore, every year during the first week of May, generations of Black and Latinx LGBTQ community…
