The
organization, dedicated to empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
queer students through developmental programs and educational scholarships,
threw a gala this past weekend to celebrate a few 2020 wins.
Hosted
virtually by Hannah Rad, this year's Point Gala was an interactive experience
where attendees could "walk" through the pathways of the Point Honors
Hall, celebrate the 2020 Point Foundation scholars, donate to their great
cause, and watch celebrities including Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, and Elle
Lorraine speak on the importance of LGBTQ+ leaders and innovators. The event
concluded with a special performance from '90s R&B group En Vogue.
Alongside Boys in the Band director Joe Mantello receiving
the Legend Award, Dear White People creator Justin Simien was honored with
the Horizon Award at this weekend's ceremony. And PRIDE caught
up with Simien just before Saturday's Point Gala for a quick chat!
PRIDE: First
of all, how are you doing? How have you been managing this past year?
Justin Simien:
The best I can, you know? [laughs] I don't have to say this, this is not going
to surprise anyone, but there's a lot of conflicting moments. Heavy things
sitting right up next to really sweet things. I've been lucky enough to have
work continue, lucky enough to be able to release a movie and start production
on Dear White People. Just trying to stay positive and stay
productive.
I think that's
all any of us can do right now.
And also give
myself...make it okay when I'm not feeling productive because this is an
unusual time to feel productive.
So you were
supposed to film the fourth and final season of Dear White People earlier this
year but it was halted because of the pandemic. You mentioned you were in
production, so has that started back up again?
We're
shooting! It's crazy, I have to say. It's a very start-and-stop kind
of process and it's really slow because in order to shoot during a pandemic
there's a number of protocols that everyone has to learn. We're all having to
figure out how to learn these new systems. It's been different than normal
production but it's interesting too. At the same time, it's nice to have a job,
to sort of feel like you're able to move forward, but it's very weird. It's a
whole new world.
It would be
nice to have something to break up the day-to-day monotony that a lot of people
are experiencing working from home every day.
The anxiety of
working during COVID is formidable but that's what we do as artists. We take
our crazy and we turn in into stuff for other people to watch and dissect.
There's plenty of that to do at this time.
Anything you
can tease about the upcoming season?
I don't think
yet. I'm definitely trying to reinvent the show, which is what we do every
year, but also continue the story about characters people have grown really
attached to and make them feel like something conclusive has been achieved here
in these past four seasons. Try to keep doing the unexpected. I know that's
vague, but that's really the guiding light at the moment.
This year, the
Point Foundation has honored you with the Horizon Award, which is given to a
young person who has taken a leadership role as an advocate of the LGBTQ+
community. What does that mean to you?
It means a
lot. LGBTQ+ folks are in constant need of advocates. We're constantly getting
lost in blind spots. Particularly being a gay man of color, it's just an honor
to be associated with the Point Foundation and it's great to know that there
are people out there that actually care about not just education, but helping
us be better leaders. Because we have to be leaders to get out of this moment
we're in. Our society is in a chaotic time but the thing about chaos and crisis
is there's this tremendous opportunity. I really do think queer people are the
future, and I think we have to be prepared and we need advocacy and we need
help. I hope that getting this award is going to chip away just a little bit
more at that plight, at that cause.
I agree, I
think LGBTQ+ folks are the future too.
Truth is,
we're the past and the present but people don't like to give queerness their
flowers. The most exciting things about society are queer in my opinion, but
that might be for another interview.
SOURCE: PRIDE DOT COM
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