B.Michael and Sheilah Mabry performed their individual works — as well as the piece, Cousins, which they wrote together — at the now shuttered A Different Light Bookstore in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.
Do you remember A Different Light? Send us a message here!
When B.Michael and John decided to cohabitate, at 34 and 27 respectively, each had had ample experience with roommates. It was, however, the first time for either of them to live with a lover.
Romantic bliss aside, there was the business of maintaining a household . . .
. . . and shopping for food . . .
. . . and managing money jointly!
These nights, I close my eyes to visit the dead.
They are here,
Donald for strategy, breaking patterns, family love
Bill for
Allan for tall stories
Haffiz for
These nights
(Tonight close yours and say hello)
When I go, close your I and visit men
Attitude — Guilt — Shame — Denial
I mad at you
Visualization
Every day is a new experience
glad to be here
Tears fall
People talking to you — in off, off to the time when
off to the P
Always did like you smile, all them teeth.
Denial
Take this respirator out of my nose
The hospital to die
Ain’t gonna make it
[B.Michael most likely wrote this some time after the deaths of Donald Woods (1992) and Allan B. Robinson (1991).]
Per B.Michael’s bio, what, pray tell, is an “Editorial Editor”?
B.Michael was a participant in this gathering along with Ronald K. Brown, Craig Harris, Rod McCoy, Len Richardson, Steve Williams, Donald Woods, and What I Miss? contributor, Robert E. Penn, among others.
The workshop was most likely creative in nature, though the venue, date, and names of the other participants are not known at this time. We do know that B.Michael was present since these photos appear on the same roll of film, in his possession, that contains images from another retreat that B.Michael also attended. The latter retreat took place circa 1990-91. If you were in the room and can shed some light on the details, please let us know!
There is much to say — and even more to keep under wraps! — about this extraordinary gathering of Gay Men of Color activists (nicknamed the Booty Commission) in upstate New York, which took place some time between 1990-91.
B.Michael took these black & white images, which represent only some of the Native, Black, Latino, and Asian retreatants. Click each photo to put names to faces, and kindly let us know if you recognize those brothers whose names are omitted.
Other attendees not pictured, besides B.Michael, include Charlie Fernández, and What I Miss? contributor Colin Robinson.
B.Michael often volunteered, or was asked by others to do so, to be a community point person for information, communication, and coordination. During the late 80s and early 90s, he would play this role when people died, as with his friend, fellow Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD) member and community co-conspirator, Michael Griffith. Michael appears above, at right, wearing a GMAD tank top on Pride Day, June 26, 1989, in New York City (somewhere along the M10 bus route), together with B.Michael, whose t-shirt identifies him as a volunteer marshal for the march.
Did you know Michael Griffin? Please leave a remembrance or send us an email.
B.Michael attended Dwayne’s celebration of life and would have known him through Gay Men of African Descent and other community networks.
Did you know both B.Michael and Dwayne? How else might they have known each other? Send us a message here if you’ve got the T!