Dock Your Boat at Queerport!
Dudgrick Bevins chats with Derick Stevens-Jones About Queerport 2020 – a Week-Long Digital Festival Centering on Queer Creators of All Kinds!
Dudgrick Bevins: Tell us a little bit about Queerport and the work it does.
Derick Stevens-Jones: Queerport was formed in 2019 in response to the lack of queer inclusion within our LGBTQ community in Shreveport, Louisiana. The thing is, Queerport has always been here, it just didn’t have a name. Outliers within the community have been creating art, drag, music, etc. in the underground for quite some time.
Juxtaposed with a more radical mindset than our predecessors and current LGBTQ organizations, we decided to start something on our own. We originally based everything on the idea that we would have a major yearly event we would “gift” to the community by having it free and open to the public.
DB: How did it go?
DSJ: Our event went off without a hitch and featured over 40 queer creatives. We saw about 200 people come through the doors. We realized then that we truly did have a bigger mission, and our main goal from that day forward has been to create the area’s first LGBTQIA+ arts and resource center.
We would love to have a safe space in our community, especially for queer youth, where they can create and mentor with other creatives. The emphasis for too long has been on “mainstream” gay culture and it often overshadows the trans, queer, and gender non-conforming communities. We also want to always take into consideration the intersectionality of BIPOC and differently abled communities, as well.
DB: How have things changed since COVID hit?
DSJ: We began the year committed to our promise to have at least one event per month. Our plan was to kick-off on March 31, Trans Day of Visibility. Sadly, due to COVID-19, all of our in-person events were halted; we had to pause everything. We were all devastated.
We took a step back and tried to reimagine how things could look, and we decided to spend the summer fundraising for our now digital event happening October 26-31. We were fortunate to raise nearly $1,300 over the past few months to pay our creatives. We are providing mini grants to 20 individuals. Last year we were able to pay one person! Definitely amazing to see that support, primarily from our allies.
DB: How did you get involved in Queerport and can you share a little about your artistic practice?
DSJ: I am one of the co-founders. My background is journalism, fashion, and event planning. My fashion brand is Vessel Vintage (vesselvintage.com) where I specialize in vintage clothing and styling.
DB: I’m a southern boy living in NYC, so I immediately felt a kinship with your program. How might non-southerns connect with Queerport’s mission and work?
DSJ: What we’re doing is universal. If you’ve never felt accepted by the LGBTQ community at large, or you don’t feel like there’s a space for you, throw a little glitter on and head right down to Queerport! We’ve got space for you. We celebrate the weird and wild. We put trans folx first, and we try to give opportunities to people who might not get them otherwise.
DB: This year, you’ve taken the event virtual! One of the only good things about the pandemic is the growth of virtual spaces! What do you get to do now that you couldn’t do before?
DSJ: Connect with SO MANY creatives! Last year we 100% focused on our hometown. We had a sprinkle of people from south Louisiana, but everything else was homegrown. And don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of that. Beyond proud!
But having the option to bring in some outside perspectives, that’s how we grow. This year we have an almost 50/50 lineup of local and out of towners, and we couldn’t have done that otherwise. We are fortunate this year to have content creators and performers from Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, and New York.
We are especially excited to host a discussion with transfeminine performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon. They are internationally known for their poetry, fashion, and activism. They’re originally from College Station, Texas, so inviting them felt like a natural fit for our southern fête.
DB: What are some other parts of the program you’re looking forward to? I know it’s hard to pick!
DSJ: That’s a hard question! I appreciate all of the hard work everyone has put in, but I’m a shopper at heart and love the marketplace we’ve curated. That was my favorite part last year, too! Jewelry, art, clothing, patches, decor — it was all up for grabs, by ALL queer people. That was something we always noticed at a lot of “pride” events, that they had a lot of allies creating and profiting on LGBTQIA art. NOT IN OUR HOUSE!
DB: I see you are wrapping up the week of events with a 10 Queen Drag Show! Tell us more?
DSJ: Well, it’s really a 10 person drag show. We have kings, queens, and non-binary dreams! It’s really a spectacular show. We try to feature performers who might not grace the stage at local establishments.
Oftentimes “drag bars” in the circuit can be quite competitive and hard to break into, so we offer a platform for folx starting out and those who think outside the box. This year, obviously, we’re celebrating on Halloween, so we’ve got a few fun things coming. The show not only features drag performers, but live drag singers and drag burlesque performers. We’d like to note that this show does cover adult themes and has partial nudity.
DB: Where can I get access to the festivities and how much does it cost?
DSJ: A great question! We are asking that everyone meet us on Facebook that day, and if they’re not on Facebook, visit us online at queerport.org. We’re quite DIY with things, but we are very social media savvy. If you follow us on FB, Instagram, or Twitter, we’ll be pushing out our content all week long on all platforms. Our drag show will be hosted at twitch.tv/queerport.
DB: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us today! I’m really looking forward to opening night!
Derick Stevens-Jones (they/them) is a mass communications graduate of Louisiana State University in Shreveport. They are a 10-year journalist, having written regionally for The Shreveport Times and Gannett, and nationally/internationally for USA Today and The New York Times. More recently, Derick has shifted their focus to social media consulting and content creation.
Aside from communications, Derick has a self-taught background in fashion (specifically vintage styling and curation) and event planning. While no longer affiliated with the organization, Derick is the creator of SB Fashion Week and was instrumental in the inaugural production. They have served as creative director for multiple fashion shows, photo shoots, and model castings, along with curating their own vintage clothing collection available for sale to the public. They have hosted and produced a number of community events including shopping, entertainment, and art. Derick is also the co-creator and manager of Queerport, a non-profit organization aimed at providing creative resources to the regional LGBTQIA+ community.
