DeRay McKesson, Ty Hunter, Darnell Moore, Wade Davis, and Patrik-Ian Polk Join Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative (MOBI) MOBItalks: Harlem

Civil rights activist DeRay McKesson, Beyoncé’s stylist Ty Hunter, Activist and co-organizer of Black Lives Matter Darnell Moore, former NFL player Wade Davis, and film director Patrik-Ian Polk round out the illustrious group of speakers for the final New York city edition of Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative’s (MOBI) “MOBItalks” series on Saturday, Oct.r 21st at 11 a.m. at 213 E 121st St, New York City.

Forgoing the formalities and cliché speeches, each speaker will take turns delivering impactful talks on a specific MOBI core area affecting Black Gay men including sexuality, identity, creative expression, and self-care.

The speakers include:

·      DeRay McKesson is an organizer, educator, and activist in the Black Lives Matter movement. Born and raised in Baltimore, he has been active on issues related to children, youth, and families for more than 15 years. McKesson’s civil rights work has had national impact, leading Fortune magazine to name him one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders in 2015. 

·      Ty Hunter is a fashion director, designer, and widely known as Beyoncé’s long-time stylist. He got his start working in retail in Houston, TX and was later afforded the opportunity to work with Destiny’s Child. Since working with Destiny’s Child and Beyoncé, Hunter is celebrated as one of the world’s most influential fashion gurus.

·      Darnell Moore is an activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matters movement and his advocacy centers on marginal identity, youth development, and other social justice issues in the U.S. and abroad. He is also the Editor-at-Large at CASSIUS and Co-managing Editor at The Feminist Wire. Moore has received numerous accolades for his work including EBONY Magazine's 2015 Power 100, Time Out New York's Eight LGBT Influencers, Be Modern Man 100, and The Root 100 2016.

·      Wade Davis is a retired NFL football player who has turned his focus to helping at-risk gay youth. He’s the Executive Director of the You Can Play Project, a group that works to remove homophobia from sports. Davis also worked with the NFL on Michael Sam’s announcement as a gay NFL athlete.

·      Patrik-Ian Polk is a film director, producer, and screenwriter known for showcasing Black Gay experiences on television and film. In 2006, Polk made his first foray into television with the original comedy-drama series "Noah's Arc." Often described as a gay male "Sex and the City," the show centers around four black gay men in Los Angeles and was the first scripted series for the MTV/Viacom gay and lesbian-themed cable network, Logo, which launched in June 2005. After its premiere, "Noah's Arc" quickly became Logo's highest-rated series.

Hosted by MOBI Founder and award-winning advocate DaShawn Usher and MOBI Celebrity Ambassador and actor Julian Walker, MOBItalks: Harlem is the final installment in a three-part personal and professional development series taking place in New York City. The first MOBItalks event took place in Brooklyn with Emil Wilbekin, Karamo Brown, and Richard Brookshire followed by the Bronx edition with David Bridgeforth, Hari Ziyad, Michael Arceneaux, and Rico Pruitt.

MOBI is peer-led by a group of black gay men to foster connectivity between an often-marginalized group. MOBItalks is an opportunity to promote health and wellness and address other social determinants of health including racism, homophobia, substance use, and mental and behavioral health issues.

Photographer Steven Duarte and Welthē images will be onsite taking headshots and portraits and guests can screen for various services throughout the day including HIV, STIs, PrEP/PEP, health insurance, and primary care at the event. Followers of the series can look forward to MOBIfest in May 2018, a four-day citywide festival celebrating Black queer culture.

To learn more about MOBI, please follow “MOBINYC” on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter: @MOBI_NYC, and visit www.mobi-nyc.com to register for events.

ABOUT MOBILIZING OUR BROTHERS INITIATIVE (MOBI)

MOBI is a series of curated social connectivity events for Black, gay and queer men to see their holistic self. The initiative seeks to cultivate the black, gay community through MOBItalks, a three-part personal and professional development series in Harlem, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. In celebration of Black queer excellence, MOBIfest, is a four-day citywide festival set for May 2018 that gives voice to the convergence of interactive arts, film, fashion, and music in Black queer culture. The initiative is funded by the New York City Department of Health and aims to promote health and wellness amongst black gay men. 

For press inquiries, please contact:

Kenneth Courtney

Kenneth@mobi-nyc.com