Roy Gonsalves ~ Obituary | Poem | Inscription

Roy Gonsalves was one of B.Michael’s Black Gay brothers whom he met in Boston in the mid ’80s and, subsequently, in New York through Other Countries in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

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REMEMBRANCE

When my voice does not speak
And my tears no longer fall
Sew my spirit into a quilt
Add silk for the woman
I used to be
Rhinestones for my arrogance
But whatever you do
Sew one of my poems
With red thread
And remember me.

~ Roy Gonsalves, Perversion, 1990


B.Michael’s copy of Perversion, Roy’s collection of poems and three stories with an inscription:

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Dwayne H. McKinley ~ Rest In Power

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!

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Denise Carty-Bennia ~ Rest In Power

Denise Carty-Bennia, B.Michael’s dear friend and mentor from law school, died tragically at the age of 43. Her obituary appeared in the New York Times.

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At Northeastern’s memorial for Denise, B.Michael was one of two Alumni Tributes; he read a poem he wrote called “Shades of U.”

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The Northeastern University School of Law created the Denise Carty-Bennia Memorial Bar Award in her honor.


A year after her death, the City University of New York School of Law at Queens College dedicated the Denise Carty-Bennia Auditorium:

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Just a few examples of Carty-Bennia’s legal scholarship and leadership that B.Michael kept in his files.

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A discussion on “Affirmative Action: Where Are We Headed” held by Carty-Bennia at Barnard College, her undergraduate alma mater, was recorded in 1990.


One of Carty-Bennia’s Constitutional Law lectures was recorded at Northeastern some time in 1981-82.