WYATTEVANS.COM is proud to present an array of authors and writers who bring their distinctive, compelling voices—along with their unique “flava”– to the table for the reader to savor. Having been carefully selected, these Guest Columnists craft thought-provoking prose that engages the mind, inspires the spirit…and fills the heart! Give yourself a literary treat by doing a deep dive and immersing yourself…
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“To Thine Own Self” Guest Writer: W.D. Foster-Graham June 2021 was certainly a big month in this household. Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. Father’s Day has special meaning for me. My husband and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. And on a local level, I and another LGBT congregant had the honor of speaking [...]
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Now and then, a talent graces the world with its appearance. It’s like a shooting star! And those who catch a glimpse are forever changed. This was the life of Franklyn Vincent Ellison Seales. Born on July 15, 1952, he was the fifth child of eight to Francis Seales, a government [...]
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“It Never Stops” Yes, June is Pride Month, in commemoration of the Stonewall riots that took place on June 27, 1969, and lasted three days. It was a time when LGBT folks said, “Enough,” and fought back against the police harassment that was a common practice for far too long. And leading the pack of [...]
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“Speaking in Retrospect” Recently on my Twitter feed, I was invited to do a “Quote Retweet,” attaching a black-and-white photo myself. I had to dig deep to find one; it is included in this post. From time to time, I have been asked variations of the following question: “If you could tell your younger self anything, [...]
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“America’s Only Male Torch Singer” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love--either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affected the relationship. [...]
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“It’s Never Too Late” Spring is now in the air, and I am excited to have my first male/male romance novel, The Right to Be: A Christopher Family Novel, launched. As with the previous five novels in the series, it will be available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For those who have been following my [...]
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“The Unimaginable” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley Emile Alphonse Griffith was born February 3, 1938, in St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands. In his teenage years, Griffith worked at a hat factory. On one particularly steamy day, the owner allowed him to work shirtless. That owner, a former amateur boxer, noticed Emile’s promising physique and [...]
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“Do You Have Your Membership Card?” Guest Writer: R. L. Norman We were sitting at my home in the living room having a nightcap. In the olden days, a nightcap was another name for a booty call after a date. And we’d just returned from a date. We went to dinner at a rooftop [...]
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“Believe in Dreams” Guest Writer: W.D. Foster-Graham Thank you, Wyatt, for the wonderful opportunity you have given me to be one of your guest columnists. Not only is this my 20th post with you, but it is also my second anniversary in that capacity. Indeed, February 2019 marked my debut as the Old School New Kid. [...]
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“Pretty Baby” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley Throughout the Great Migration (1916-1970), roughly seven million Blacks from the southern United States traveled to the North, Midwest, and West to escape racism, seek work in manufacturing cities, and obtain better educational opportunities. Bronzeville, an area of Chicago near Hyde Park, attracted a Black gay population—which snowballed. The [...]
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“Lookin’ Thru the Looking Glass” Guest Writer: R. L. Norman As I sat there, I just stared into space, oblivious to my situation for a brief moment. I felt like I was in a dream; as a matter of fact, a dream that was a nightmare that I wanted to wake up from. I [...]
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“Didn’t You Know” Guest Writer: W.D. Foster-Graham My brothas and sistahs, it has been a pleasure to see The Right To Be: A Christopher Family Novel (my first full male-male romance novel) come to fruition. Then again, when you’re doing something you love doing, it’s not work. Following your passion surely has its rewards; since my [...]
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“On the Field” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley HUT ONE! HUT TWO! HUT THREE! HIKE! Whispers. Secrets. Conceal and hide! So goes life if you’re gay in football. And enthusiasts of one of America’s favorite pastimes rejecting homophobia appears to be as complicated and difficult as it is for bigots to reject racism. Roy Franklin [...]