Audio Interview, Dantaee Williams, May 8, 2013
- EVELYN BAILEY: Today is Wednesday, May 8th,
- and we're at the Gay Alliance library.
- And I'm sitting here with DANTAEE WILLIAMS,
- who was a member of the youth group,
- and who has graduated high school and is now--
- are you with U of R?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: No, MCC.
- EVELYN BAILEY: At MCC.
- And he has many, many talents and much experience
- in terms of the community.
- So a little background first.
- Were you born in Rochester?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: No, I was born in Middletown, Connecticut,
- which is very small.
- EVELYN BAILEY: I know where Middletown is.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yes, very small.
- EVELYN BAILEY: There used to be a cenacle in Middletown
- that I went to often.
- Yes.
- And when did you come to Rochester?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: We moved to Rochester when I was eight.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And in the city?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yes, in the city.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And what year would that have been?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I'm turning twenty tomorrow, so--
- EVELYN BAILEY: Twelve years ago.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Twelve years ago, yeah.
- So 2013 minus twelve.
- So 2001?
- EVELYN BAILEY: 2001.
- OK.
- And did you go to the Rochester City School District?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yeah, I went to the Rochester City School
- District.
- My elementary school was school thirty-nine Andrew Johnson
- Thompson Elementary School, and then my middle and high school
- were combined.
- I went to School of the Arts for theater and dance.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Now, at the School of the Arts,
- did they have a GSA?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yeah, School of the Arts had a GSA.
- It was pretty set, and it was nice,
- but it was different from what I thought a GSA would be.
- And again, I was new.
- I started going there when I was in the eighth grade--
- eighth, ninth grade.
- So I started checking it out.
- And it was geared more towards the older crowd
- than it was the younger.
- And there was a lot of unanswered questions.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Had you self-identified at that point,
- or?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yes, I self-identified with myself,
- but I didn't make it public.
- And then I came out about 10th grade.
- 10th grade, I came on as a gay male.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And you're also African American
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yes.
- Yup.
- So I came out as a gay African American island boy,
- because I have Jamaican in me.
- EVELYN BAILEY: OK.
- A little different than African Americans
- whose origins are from the South, and so forth.
- But let me ask you.
- Did your family experience discrimination because
- of your racial background?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yeah.
- Definitely, I think that my family
- faced some discrimination of having a more
- feminine child who was a boy.
- But my family was really Americanized
- and with the African American culture.
- And not so much as the Jamaican culture.
- But even in the African-American group,
- it's slightly looked down on to have a gay son, because it's
- a lot of stereotypes that gay and black doesn't go together.
- You're either too black or too gay.
- And a lot of stereotypes don't really mush them together.
- EVELYN BAILEY: But as a black person,
- separate from being gay, did you experience being harassed?
- Not because you were gay, but many African Americans--
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yeah, you definitely
- get harassed within the group.
- When you're black or African American there's
- different shades of your skin.
- So there's light brown, mid-brown, dark brown,
- and then there's dark, dark brown,
- who is around my skin tone.
- I'm a really dark guy, so I always
- get, oh, you're too dark.
- People make jokes about that.
- So like, oh, I can't see you, or certain skin tone
- racial comments.
- EVELYN BAILEY: So would you say in terms of your personality
- and identity, was it more stressful to be black
- or more stressful to be gay?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I don't know if either one is harder,
- because they both come with stereotypes,
- and they both come with a lot of stress and crap
- that we don't need.
- I think to be a person of color and to be
- gay is harder on that group than it is on other groups.
- But then I can't really say that,
- because I'm not in the other groups.
- But socially, what we see is a lot of shift power changes.
- And different organizations are LGBT, most of them
- are ran by powerful women who are not African or black,
- or powerful men who are not African black.
- It's really rare when you see someone in charge
- at a organization who's black and the LGBT community.
- So I think to my preference, is I
- think it is definitely hard to be
- black to be the gay community.
- EVELYN BAILEY: So when you were going to School of the Arts,
- you kind of researched the GSA.
- What kind of support systems were
- in place for you as a gay male?
- But also, I really have to expand that
- into as a black gay male.
- Because we're looking at layers.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely layers.
- We all have layers.
- Finding that GSA at School of the Arts--
- it was good, but there wasn't a lot of knowledge base
- until I took over when I learned so much myself.
- There were more of like a sense of community, which was great.
- And it was like, oh, this is the Kinsey scale.
- It's OK not to be on the Kinsey scale
- or be many points on the Kinsey scale.
- And that's the most we learn and just building
- relationships friend-wise, and just an alliance of, all right,
- you guys are friends and this is what it means to be friends.
- And just like, teaching you the words
- But I'm just a self leader already, so I take it
- and I run.
- And I'm just like, all right, give me more.
- I need more challenge, and I want to know the stereotypes.
- And I want to know why.
- That wasn't given.
- It was more of a like, games and movie type of thing.
- Which was great until I took over.
- And then we did both more educating and making
- a difference.
- And also doing fun time too.
- EVELYN BAILEY: So what other resources
- did you find in the community to help you with that journey?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I definitely found the Gay Alliance.
- I've been part of the Gay Alliance for a very long time,
- and I am thankful for that.
- And then I also found GLSEN, the Gay Lesbian Straight Education
- Network through the Gay Alliance,
- and I became the student leader for that
- and for the Gay Alliance.
- And just been doing a lot of great work,
- and that has helped me be more developed
- in my character of who I am today.
- And it's just a lot of resources.
- And I have been--
- not really too much--
- but I've seen and got a little help
- from MOCHA, but not as much as I got
- from my other organizations.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Now, when you say the Gay Alliance, what--
- The Gay Alliance is this huge umbrella organization.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: The Gay Alliance Youth drop-in center
- was the most important in a research thing.
- The structure of it was awesome.
- It was for people who wanted to have free time,
- but also people who are naturally
- was leaning to do something.
- And also just be part of the community
- and just have a voice as someone who
- was young and gay, because sometimes our young gay people
- don't have any voices.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And who was in the leadership position
- at that time when you first started to come?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: When I first started to come,
- Jess Collender was there.
- EVELYN BAILEY: OK.
- Did you know Toby?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I did not know Toby.
- I heard.
- And it was a year right before she left.
- So I never got to meet Toby.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Now, when you came to the youth group
- under Jess's leadership, what was it like?
- The first time you came.
- Do you remember what was going through your head?
- What were you feeling?
- What did you expect?
- What did you find?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: The first thing
- that was going through my mind was like, oh my God, there's
- a place like this that exists?
- What, this is amazing!
- And then I was really nervous too.
- I'm not going to tell anyone I'm gay.
- I'm going to be a straight ally.
- Because I didn't know what to expect.
- So it was just like, I don't know if I'm going to fit in.
- And then just walking in and being introduced
- and meeting people.
- I love it, I enjoy it.
- It just made me comfortable being who I am,
- and it's just this feeling you can't explain.
- It's just something that you thought that one day you
- could be happy.
- And then this place made me happy,
- and made me forget all my issues and just hang out
- with people who were like me.
- And there's awesome talented people.
- And then we learned so much, and we grew.
- It was definitely different, and it was definitely
- a life experience that I would never forget.
- Because without the Gay Alliance,
- I don't know if I ever would have as much leadership as I
- have now, or be so successful, or even proud to be here.
- Because like I did go through a period of time
- where I had eating and cutting issues when I was coming out.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Now you would have been seventeen?
- Sixteen.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: When I came out?
- EVELYN BAILEY: In age, when you came to the youth group.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I was sixteen.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And when you said you learned so much,
- what was that about?
- What did you learn?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: You learned culture.
- I don't know if there's a thing such as this,
- but gay etiquette (laughs).
- EVELYN BAILEY: There this.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: There Is!
- You learn gay culture, and people, and authors,
- and bag reading and watching movies
- about these everyday people that just are so successful.
- And it just happened to be they were gay, or lesbian, or trans.
- And it was just amazing to learn that,
- and to know it's just not you.
- And look at everyone before you.
- Look at the normal people who are your volunteers
- are not just normal, because volunteers are great.
- Look at the people who is in your everyday life,
- but then look at the people who are like,
- successful in history.
- So that's what we learn.
- And just how to build and make connections.
- The last two years before I left the program,
- it was college tours, and meeting.
- And just being able to go like, oh,
- these are like some queer teachers.
- These are like programs and there's
- some schools that only are queer,
- and some school that have transgender friendly things.
- Where else do you learn that from?
- Because on a regular college tour, you don't get that.
- So definitely all our needs were pretty much met.
- They have tutoring programs, we have
- volunteers that helped us with our homework,
- we did arts and crafts.
- It was just definitely well stable.
- And whatever you need it, it was here.
- And if we couldn't get it, we would
- have tried to get it, or connect you with someone who can.
- EVELYN BAILEY: When you talk about the youth
- group, what kind of--
- and you became more of a leader in your junior and senior year
- of high school.
- What kind of activities did the youth group
- have that would be more than just
- what happened on a Sunday afternoon,
- or a Thursday afternoon, or whatever?
- What kind of events--
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Day of Silence, Big Gay Prom.
- And then we did beginning of the school year party,
- we did conferences, and we did a lot of different things
- that got the youth involved.
- But mostly it was basically ran by the youth.
- And if the youth wanted something, they invested in it,
- and then just signed off and guided us.
- But it was more of what would you guys like to do?
- So the schedule was made by the leaders.
- And some people didn't care, some people cared.
- And if you were a leader you had your two cents in,
- and we definitely worked with it.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Talk to me a little bit about the first time
- you experienced the Day Of Silence Do you remember that?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I do.
- The first time I experienced the Day of Silence, I was scared.
- I had no idea what to expect because it was recently
- right after I came out.
- So I was like, oh, everyone hadn't known about me.
- So I was really scared to even take part in school.
- But then after school at this rally,
- I was sitting on the floor waiting
- and waiting to see what's going to happen next,
- and how are we going to break the silence?
- And just see how many people do the Day of Silence in Rochester
- alone.
- And Day of Silence is way bigger than Rochester, so it was huge.
- You had different schools and hundreds of students,
- and it was just this impact of like, wow.
- I am part of history.
- I'm important. and I'm valued.
- I get to experience this with so many other people.
- So that was great.
- And then once we broke the silence,
- my heart just burst with happiness and a sense
- of my story coming out.
- And then now that we did the Day of Silence, now I get to plan,
- and I'm the adult in charge of the Day of Silence.
- And we just had it, and so many youth
- are like, this is amazing, the way
- you set it up as the best one ever.
- It's just like, thank you so much,
- because this was the only way I can be myself.
- That just makes me feel like I'm completed
- and I have a purpose as an adult.
- And I'm listening to my youth, and I'm
- doing the right thing, because sometimes it gets really hard.
- And you're just like, what is my purpose of leading this?
- You question yourself.
- And then when you get your moment and someone tells
- you you make a difference, it means so much to you.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Can you share with me a little bit
- about how instrumental in your life was Jess?
- Or was she?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: She was.
- She was definitely a big part of my life.
- She was really important to me as an adult,
- as someone who was caring and respectful.
- She was professional.
- We, as youth, didn't get to see that every day.
- And knowing Jess got paid decent,
- but probably not as much as she wants to, like the cost.
- I'm a thinker, so I think of all this.
- The cost of everything and the time that she put into it,
- and that she cared for us, that made it worth so much more
- than, like, I feel like my teachers.
- I love to appreciate organizations and leaders who
- do this, because they do the same thing as what teachers do,
- honestly.
- And she played an important part in my life
- because she's the only one that--
- not the only one, but a really main core
- person that helped me with my eating disorder and my cutting.
- And then that kind of showed me, like, this is your potential,
- I see so much and you.
- And I think she did that for many youth.
- Her heart was a pot of gold.
- And I've never met Toby, so I never know what they had.
- But when you are young, and gay, and don't
- have a lot of experience with positive people,
- when you meet someone, it's like, you're overtaken.
- You may be like, oh my god, this is way too much at once.
- But when you realize and you grow,
- you're like, that was, like, everything.
- Like that was my, you know--
- EVELYN BAILEY: Mm-hm.
- Now, while you were at the alliance in the youth group,
- you received an award.
- Was it the presidential?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: No, I got to meet the president.
- And it was through GLSEN for anti-bullying
- and the bills were being passed, and the don't ask don't tell.
- It was really important because it
- was one of the heights of being an LGBT person
- and being a youth.
- It was the safe school don't ask policy was just passed.
- So for me being part of it, I got an award from GLSEN
- for being outstanding youth activist, and I came in second.
- And it was only two awards, and it was amazing.
- And I got my picture taken.
- People at number one got to meet Chaz Bono,
- and it was out of thousands of students.
- And then cut notch was like, break it down to 1,000, to 500,
- to 200.
- And then to be in the final two, and for me to know the winner,
- I was like, I'm so honored.
- I don't think I did as much as this person,
- but obviously I'm doing something right.
- And I won so many awards for being a great activist
- and just being involved in my community.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And how did you come to meet the president?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: The president was through GLSEN.
- I did a workshop with Eliza, who is
- the CEO, the executive director of GLSEN.
- And we did a workshop together, and she got invited.
- And she was going.
- Normally GLSEN invites other people.
- And she pushed my name out there on the table,
- and they invited me a few weeks after me meeting Eliza.
- And it was awesome, because
- I didn't know that I got invited to the White House.
- I got an email from GLSEN saying you've been invited.
- I was like, I didn't get anything!
- And then I checked, and it was crazy.
- I was wild, I was like, what, I got invited to the White House!
- A young gay black man.
- I was just excited to have a president who's
- of color and who's like, support and just wanting
- to make a difference--
- how much he'd done.
- I'm so honored to meet him, or so honored
- even to meet the president.
- And for the reason was amazing.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And when you met him, what was it like?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: It was a moment you won't forget.
- It's just breathtaking.
- Kind of that moment where you just think,
- wow, I can't believe I did this.
- I'm at the White House.
- OK, I'm at the White House.
- It's fine, you know.
- Oh, God, I'm going to this private room
- with four other people and security.
- Is that the president walking in?
- I had to not panic, but I had to catch my breath.
- I'm like, this is really happening.
- This is crazy, this six foot man is the President Barack Obama
- walking into the room.
- It was phenomenal.
- And then we got to chat, and I got to thank him.
- And we talked about like why it's
- important to have safe schools, and why
- he thinks it's important, and how he supports.
- Just stuff that the public didn't even know yet.
- And when he finally came out, I was like, I knew this.
- And it was just amazing to have that information,
- just to know that he supports.
- And he's like, it doesn't matter.
- My job is not to judge people on who they are.
- It's to make everything safe.
- And that at that time was the most important thing
- I can ever hear from anyone.
- From a president, from another male figure--
- it completed me.
- It made me understand I can do this.
- I can be president if I want to one day.
- I can do anything I want.
- Because it's not about who or what you are,
- it's about making it safe and doing what you like.
- EVELYN BAILEY: When you met him, did you shake hands?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yes, we shook hands.
- We took a picture together.
- And our handshake was slightly awkward,
- because he's really tall, and I was nervous.
- So it was more of a handshake, but it turned into like a hug.
- So he just went right in to hug me.
- So I was like, oh, OK.
- I didn't know he was going to do.
- But it was definitely I'm the only one who got a hug,
- and everyone just got handshakes.
- I was kind of like, wow, yes.
- EVELYN BAILEY: So when you came back to Rochester
- after this experience, how did you translate that experience
- into your everyday life?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I live my life to the fullest.
- And I went and tried to do everything
- I can do in the community, and be part of the youth,
- and to share my story with them.
- Because I think getting to hear the story,
- even though they didn't get to experience it first hand,
- it still amazes them that someone they know got to meet.
- And that things like this and opportunities like this come.
- So you just have to hold on, keep doing what you're doing,
- you will be rewarded for being a leader.
- And anything I could do to help the youth, or anything that
- had a good reason and I was for it,
- I tried to not just be part of it--
- because anyone can be part of it--
- I try to take leadership.
- I try to be front of the line help
- or even get something started.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And when you begin MCC,
- is there a LGBT student group?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yes, there as a group.
- I don't know their name.
- I'm bad.
- I'm guilty.
- I'm not as involved in it as I want to be,
- because I am a freshman.
- So I get overwhelmed with a lot of school work.
- Schoolwork first, and then that can come later
- in my second year.
- I was going to run for president,
- but I just wasn't ready yet.
- There's a lot of work.
- And my majors are not the most easy majors I can pick,
- so I definitely have to focus on that.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Now in the past year or so--
- maybe a little longer--
- you shared with the community another talent for drag.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Yes, it has been a year and two weeks
- (laughs).
- And three days.
- I count down because it's crazy, it's epic.
- It's another part of theater, and it's just
- another part of me being me.
- Me being Dantaee.
- And then recently I came out again as genderqueer.
- As someone who's just like--
- I don't like how genders are, like--
- People refer as they want to be more like this, or the gender--
- I'm like, oh, gender?
- Just break it.
- If you want to identify as a woman,
- but you have like, masculine tendencies, that's fine.
- If you want to identify as a man and have feminine, that's fine.
- But society is just like this is man
- and this is woman, black and white.
- And I'm like, no, cause I'm still a man, but I dress up.
- And I perform as theater and as entertainment.
- And also I think I'm telling my story within drag.
- EVELYN BAILEY: When was the first time you performed?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Performed for fun
- or performed professionally?
- EVELYN BAILEY: For fun.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: The first time was at mother's when
- we did a youth Halloween dance.
- And there was a mini drag show slash a talent thing.
- And I was like, oh, a drag show.
- I want to do it.
- I watch Ru Paul, I know this.
- I didn't have anything.
- My friend had a dress, and my friend had a shirt.
- And I had no shoes, I was sockless.
- It was a hot mess, and I just did it.
- And I did a song and I danced to it.
- And I was like, this is really cute.
- And then I was like OK, and I didn't do anything about it.
- And then someone's like, oh, this is drag queen.
- I started hearing more about the night life
- because I was getting older.
- And about mothers and stuff.
- And my friends are older, most of my friends are older.
- So they go out and they're like get him a drag king.
- And I'm like, this is awesome.
- And then professionally, a year ago.
- From April, right after Day of Silence, actually.
- So the 22nd of April was my complete year.
- And that's when I performed at Tilt night club
- on Fresh Meat Friday with Kyla Minx.
- And I was so scared.
- I just danced at school, I don't know.
- And it's just like, wow, that was amazing.
- And I ran for the youth pageant, and I won the youth pageant.
- And then she's like, you're awesome,
- and she booked me again.
- And then she taught me a few things.
- Your legs, and pantyhose, your hair and make up.
- And I learned so much from Kyla and so many other queens.
- And Samantha Vega, they just teach you these things.
- And how to also perform and tell your story,
- but also perform to give them a show in this break away
- from society, and break away from normal.
- And it's just where people can go in to see different things,
- and just be comfortable, and just see something out
- of the normal.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Who would you say is
- your idol in the drag circuit?
- Or is it possible to say there's one person, or are there many?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: There's many, but I
- will break it down easily.
- Professional and TV superstar, of course Ru Paul.
- Locally, who got big?
- Pandora Box.
- Locally who not struggles, but performs, and she's great,
- I would say--
- there's so many.
- I'm just going to name three.
- Ready?
- Samantha Vega, Kyla Minks, and Dede Dura,
- because they all had different styles, and they all
- had different ideas, and looks.
- You're like, wait, I thought this was drag,
- and then you see someone who's face
- is more painted and the bright colors.
- You're like, wow, this is so different.
- And everyone has different styles.
- This one dances crazy like me, and this one doesn't dance
- as much, but she has props.
- It's just different.
- So it's cute.
- And I like to say that I'm my own superstar, because I'm big.
- I am.
- I'm one of the youngest drag queens in Rochester
- that performs the most.
- Right now, there's another one who's young too,
- and she just started performing as much as I did,
- and we're awesome.
- We love it.
- A lot of young drag queens want it handed down to them.
- And you can't.
- You have to work it, honey.
- You have work for it, and it takes time,
- and you have to invest.
- And my drag mother is delicious, and her name is Cam.
- She is a trans woman who's awesome.
- And also Chastity Dee is my drag mother.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Have you competed in the Miss Gay Rochester
- pageant?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I have not.
- I am not there yet to compete.
- I do not want to step on toes--
- no (Bailey laughs).
- I just don't think I'm ready.
- I don't think Rochester's ready for all this goodness.
- I think I'm not prepared yet.
- I am running in Scoop Ready.
- Next year, 2014, I'm running for my first title.
- It's the Queen of Hearts pageant.
- And she's in the parade, and that's
- going to be my first pageant, in 2014.
- EVELYN BAILEY: So, Dantaee, when you look back
- at your four or five years involvement in--
- more active involvement-- in the gay community,
- what would you have wished or wanted to be there for you that
- wasn't?
- Anything?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I don't know.
- There always could be something.
- What I would say is I wish there was
- more adults, positive adults that have a purpose
- or want to do something with their youth
- and want to be part of it.
- A lot of people are were just like, it was volunteering,
- I don't mind No, you have to have the heart.
- So I just wish that if you go into it,
- know the reason why you're going into it,
- and be ready to touched lives.
- But also be ready to learn, because the youth
- can teach you so many things.
- And you can teach the youth, and it's a learning experience.
- And that's what I would say.
- I just wish more people were open minded.
- EVELYN BAILEY: There certainly is legislation
- that's been in place, this Dignity For All Students
- Act, hate crimes legislation, 2011, in June,
- marriage equality passed in New York state.
- What, in your estimation, still needs to change?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: That trans people
- can't get fired for being themselves,
- and that bathrooms should at least have gender
- neutral bathrooms, or bathrooms that people
- who don't agree with their gender
- and in process of transitioning can use the bathroom.
- Because honestly, it's ridiculous
- that you're telling someone they can't use the bathroom.
- That's just going back to slavery time and gay rights
- times.
- And I think as the community and as public, we
- have to remember that we got this far because of everyone.
- And we can't forget anyone.
- And that means the L, the G, the B, the T,
- the Q-I-A. Everyone is invested, and if we
- want to better our community, that's what we need to do.
- And we just have to not have stereotypes within our group,
- because we take so much shit outside of it.
- There's no time, no space to forget about anyone.
- I'm really big on that, because not me just being genderqueer,
- but me having a partner that is trans.
- You don't realize so much.
- I wasn't aware of how much until I started dating.
- Even as active as I was, I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah.
- Oh crap, did I forget this?
- Sometimes, but not all the time.
- And that made me a better person now.
- EVELYN BAILEY: What do you think, or-- let me
- ask you a couple of questions.
- What are you most proud of as a black gay male?
- What are you most proud of?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I'm most proud of people
- in the community knowing me without me knowing them.
- As in myself for being a young black gay man, that I am making
- a difference, and I'm combining the community
- between the blacks and the gays in the community.
- And just joining and showing them
- that you can be black and gay.
- You don't have to choose one.
- And also that there are proving to society
- that there are intelligent young black gay men who
- are efficient, who can do anything
- you want them to do, and have great behavior,
- and who's just so talented.
- And I think that is what I'm most proud of,
- because of my age, and because of being black and gay.
- EVELYN BAILEY: If-- let's say you were sitting here
- talking to a black gay male who was just beginning the journey.
- What would you tell them?
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: I would tell them
- to try to figure out who they are, hold it tight,
- and shoot for the stars.
- Because if you don't know who you are,
- then you're going to try to please everyone,
- and you're not going to be true to yourself.
- And it's something you don't figure out all the time.
- But this hope of who you are, and be comfortable with it.
- Because there's so many things that we get
- told that we can't be and what we want to be.
- And there's so many things just looked
- wrong for being a person of color
- and being gay and combining them.
- And on top of it, if you have any learning disabilities
- or any visual disability, you are a minority
- of a minority of a minority.
- It doesn't get easy.
- So just to have that in you, and have a dream.
- And you have to remind yourself, because you have one bad day,
- two bad days, a bad month, a bad half of a year, don't give up.
- Fight for that dream.
- Know you have a purpose.
- And if you don't feel like you have a purpose,
- find someone and connect with people,
- because someone will keep that fire burning in you when
- you are down and out.
- That's happened to me.
- I have friends who rekindled me so many times.
- When you're just like, I can't take it, why am I doing this?
- Why do I think I can do this?
- I did in three months, I did this.
- It's just knowing your purpose and living for you.
- Just go for it completely.
- The sky's the limit.
- EVELYN BAILEY: Dantaee, you are a wonderful human being,
- and you have tremendous insight for one so young (laughter).
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Thank you so much.
- EVELYN BAILEY: And I hope--
- and sincerely hope-- that you not only actualize your dreams,
- but you never stop dreaming.
- Thank you for this interview.
- DANTAEE WILLIAMS: Thank you so much.