Delvin Jimenez 10/01/2025
ENGL 21002
Prof. Kay
I had the pleasure of interviewing a fellow classmate Kevaya, a 20-year-old African American woman who proudly identifies as part of both the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. Born and raised in the United States, Kevaya is currently pursuing a degree in psychology and hopes to continue her education in graduate school to become a therapist. In addition to her academic goals, she enjoys doing nails as a creative outlet. Her connection to the LGTBQ+ community began in elementary school, and her identity within the Black community has been a lifelong part of her experience. While she has personally faced discrimination and stereotyping as a Black woman, she finds strength in the resilience and unity of both communities. Though she hasn’t directly experienced within the LGTBQ+ space, she recognizes how societal pressures can lead to invisibility, especially from family. For Kevaya, being black and LGBTQ+ is a source of pride- she deeply values her culture, from the music to the food, and celebrates the way her communities come together to advocate for justice & understanding.
Kevaya’s community has always been marginalized. Being an African American herself she has involved more overt and persistent forms of discrimination. She has encountered racial profiling, been unfairly stereotyped, and often feels judged based on assumptions about her appearance and speech. Kevaya is a prime example of the firsthand experiences of how systemic racism had played out in her everyday life. These injustices are not isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern that affects Black Americans in everyday social life such as education, healthcare, and interactions with law enforcement. Despite these challenges, Kevaya finds empowerment in how both the Black and LGTBQ+ communities mobilize for change. She deeply admires how her communities come together through protest, cultural expressions, and digital activism to demand justice and rights.
Both communities have shaped Kevaya’s perspective and it has built the person who she is now. The endurance and upbringing of both communities has shown her she’s not alone in this fight. Even though it doesn’t seem to have an end to many dilemmas going around her marginalized community always try to bound together. By this Kevaya, her communities are not only sources of struggles but also deep wells of strength, culture, and resilience that continue to shape her personal and professional journey.
During my interview, my fellow classmate Kevaya to explain what community she belongs too in which she states “ I am and was born into an African American community also identify with the LGTBQ+, I personally haven’t felt discriminated or left out because of my preference except the sense of my family hiding from her when it comes to being social. But other than this I’ve felt some type of way for being African American. I felt I have been viewed and treated differently” Despite feeling appreciated for being part of the LGTBQ+ community Kevaya still doesn’t seem to know or understand why her family has become distinct from being to share moments with her. Which she claims to be because of her preferences. On the other hand she hasn’t seen any changes in being of color in which she feels targeted at times that changes how she views & thinks of society differently and how old customs haven’t changed despite the many changes done by her community showing it’s still marginalized.
Kevaya’s story is one of many powerful testament to the complexity of identity and the strength that can be found within marginalized communities. As a Black Women and LGBTQ+ community, she navigates a world that often misunderstands and is quick to judge others without seeing the negative outcomes. Despite facing many obstacles she always finds a way to overcome them. Her experiences highlight the ongoing challenges of racism and social exclusion, but they also underscore her resilience as a young woman striving to keep up with today’s significant dilemmas.
This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.
