Born in Los Angeles and raised on the south side of Chicago in Englewood, Eugene Robinson, Jr., realized that despite his multilayered identity, society would always view him as black man first. He worked to strengthen his identity as a black male.

In the late nineties, Eugene discovered that the Black gay community in Chicago was small and invisible compared to the white gay community. With the exception of the occasional gay night at a few venues and Jeffery Pub, one of the only Black gay clubs in Chicago, there were very few spaces where Eugene could freely express and explore his sexual identity. Eugene found himself immersed in a gay culture, centered around Boystown, which primarily catered to a white audience.

It wasn’t until his mid twenties that Eugene began to uncover the black gay community he so desperately craved. Over dinner one evening with fellow creator, Ladu Pearson, Eugene felt empowered to speak freely about his experiences as a Black gay male for the first time in his life. Realizing that there were others who had similar stories of negotiating questions of identity and navigating relationships with family and romantic partners was incredibly cathartic. Since that initial conversation, Eugene has worked tirelessly to create safe spaces for others to also explore what it means to be Black, gay, and male.

In 2008, as a member of the Windy City Black Pride planning committee, Eugene facilitated an interactive panel discussion called The BlackOut, the year’s most highly attended session. That the room was packed to capacity is a powerful testament to the need and desire within the Black gay community to have these richer conversations. Eugene continues to foster connection and community across the country through The BlackOut workshop series and speaking engagements to ensure that the diverse voices of gay Black men are affirmed and celebrated.

“The first person I told I was gay was myself.”

Ladu Pearson was born in Brooklyn, New York, but spent his formative years moving between six different states throughout America. Growing up in a military family profoundly shaped his childhood and provided him with a unique perspective from which to understand the world. Relocating every couple of years taught him how to quickly adapt to new environments and deepened his passion to see how love, happiness, fear, and oppression are expressed all around the world. His international travel has also allowed him to view the development of his identity within a broader context. Ladu believes that every person is molded by their experiences which change their perspective and help them define their place in the world.

Ladu’s journey to self discovery began after the death of his mother when he was just eleven years old. Her death forced him to look inward, into the dark and previously unexplored and unknown spaces of himself. Though it was an incredibly painful process, Ladu now celebrates the fruits of his emotional labor and has grown to love and appreciate every facet of his being. 

Growing up, Ladu wasn’t exposed to gay people or the diverse community of gay black men. It wasn’t until he moved to Chicago to attend college, and had his first intimate relationship with a man that he felt the freedom to explore the possibility that he was gay. Coming out gave Ladu a sense of freedom and confidence to explore his sexuality and to become his most authentic self. Though he identifies as both black and gay, Ladu’s sexuality does not define him, nor does it represent the totality of his identity. He sees himself simply as another human being who experiences love and pain like everyone else. 

When Ladu finally decided to speak his truth, he had no idea how dramatically it would impact his relationships with himself and those closest to him. One relationship that has deepened as a result of sharing his truth, is his relationship with his father. Although his father wasn’t pleased about him being gay, over the years, they have worked hard to acknowledge, understand and respect one another. Ladu’s father has always been one of the greatest influencers in his life and has contributed greatly to the man Ladu has become; despite the narrative that there is a lack of positive male influences for gay black men.  

As co-founder of Stories In Black (SIB), Ladu understands the importance of exposing black gay men to the diversity within the community. He has witnessed the beauty and power of vulnerability in black gay men, and believes that these stories have the power to heal and save. Ladu is on a quest to cultivate an unwavering stillness and inner peace for himself and everyone he interacts with. He believes that encouraging self love and acceptance is a direct path to spiritual fulfillment. With Stories in Black, Ladu hopes to continue to create a sense of community and a brotherhood, where black gay men can can feel safe to be themselves without judgment, to explore commonalities, and to support one another in discovering true joy.