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I became a fan of Jacen Zhu thanks to the wonderful green and black app on my phone. His smile while performing and his charming spirit made me wonder what he was like off screen. After I started following him on IG (@jacen.zhu), I kept seeing messaging for #TakedownTina, and I was intrigued. Tina, parTy, PNP, and Crystal are all street names for methamphetamine, or meth. On Jack’d & Grindr I started to notice more people saying they parTy, and at first I was hype ‘cause I thought the Atlanta party scene was reviving, but this is a different type of party. I started to hear more friend’s stories about going over to a guy’s house, expecting to get it in and the guy pulls out and offers a needle. I wondered (1) how did this begin to happen in communities of color and (2) is there anyone doing anything about it? Jacen is one of those people doing something about it. He’s started the Takedown Tina campaign which is a social movement aimed to “spread awareness about Crystal Meth use within Queer & Trans communities of color.” Jacen is vocal and open open about his previous struggles with meth, and he uses his platform to spread awareness about being HIV healthy and living undetectably. I’ve watched interviews and listened to him speak candidly about the very real reality that no one is bold enough to talk about. I think we all have the chance to use our voices and influence our communities. Jacen Zhu uses his onscreen fame, and his personal life experiences to speak up and speak out on real problems within our community. Jacen is a #BlackQueerPioneerbecause he uses his platform to form a more inclusive, aware, and stigma free environment for all Queer people. 

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Intersectionality for me means not having to choose to be Black or Gay in any giving space ... It means I can show up as both. It means that I can fight for my rights as a Black man and a Gay man with out forsaking both of my identities. Not every person is awarded that privilege, and it took pioneers before me to work hard so that i could have that right. Bayard Rustin, a Civil Rights visionary, refused to yield on either of his identities; even when he was silenced and removed from the history books. Today we honor his bravery and courage to stand with his community even when they didn’t always stand with him!

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I board the train today, as I do every day, and put on my bluetooth headphones to drown out the noise of my fellow MARTA patrons. I tap the podcast app, and start listening to the newest episode of the queer-affirming podcast; The Read. As soon as I hit play, I get my life. Kid Fury (@kidfury), and his co-host Crissle (@crissle) talk about the excellence of being Black, and the importance of embracing your inner queer. They urge you to not take any bullshit, and give respect when respect is due. The most important lesson tho is that Beyoncé is #1 (lol). It's listening to these queer Black leaders that helps me feel like I'm not alone with my views. That it's ok to be black, queer, educated, and bold. It uplifts the man I'm becoming. Kid Fury inspires me with how open he is about his life, especially because he’s of Jamaican descent, like me. His “I don't give a fuck what you think“ attitude helps me with my own confidence and gives me the motivation to keep moving. Using his personality, dedication and creativity, he’s grown from a commentary show on YouTube about pop culture, to one of the top podcast out there today. He’s currently working on a show with Lena Waithe about a gay man in his 20’s trying to navigate life, friends, family and s career. It's very seldom that we have queer representation. Especially not Black queer folk who are willing to come out and live in their truth. I applaud people like Kid Fury because it's people like him that makes it easy for me to be comfortable and live my truth. I show him Affirmation by sending him an AfroMation. - @myles_tha_sixteenth

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When was the last time someone said something worth listening to? How often do you talk to your friends?

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Black Queer Kings 

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some black queer love for ya timeline on this Thursday afternoon ... show love, more love.  #HeIsValuable

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catch us at Chit, Chat & Chew on Tuesdays!

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Pictures from Chit, Chat & Chew! Join us every Tuesday! <3 

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more love. 

some of our #Valuable Men at Chit, Chat & Chew! Join us every Tuesday for another soul-filling conversation!

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Today is #MCM and we have a special one, show ❤️ to the Co-founders of He Is Valuable, Richard and Kendall!! These two brought He Is Valuable to life in order for other Queer Black Men to feel VALUABLE!! SO POST a Pic that you have with either Richard or Kendall AND RT! #BlackGayMagic #hivadvocates #communitymobilization #heisvaluable #loveyourself #blackhgaymen #HeIsValuable #socialentrepreneurship (at Atlanta, Georgia)

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An enormous trove of evidence has just been released that supports the increasingly solid global consensus that having an undetectable viral load thanks to antiretroviral (ARV) treatment is associated with effectively zero chance of transmission.

The long-awaited results from the PARTNER2 study of mixed-HIV-status gay male couples are finally in. Presented today at the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam (AIDS 2018), the prospective observational study saw zero transmissions between study partners when the HIV-positive partner had a fully suppressed viral load, even after nearly 77,000 condomless anal sex acts. Together with the 12,000 condomless sex acts documented between such partners in the Opposites Attract study, researchers now have data on 89,000 such acts between male partners.

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Dear Black Same-Gender Lovers, On this #AffirmationFriday, we give you permission and grant you the space to heal unapologetically and love on each other as you do it! We love you! #HeIsValuable #selflovejourney #blackgaymagic #blackgaymen

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So this Tuesday, we’re starting something new! Welcome to #TagEmTuesday !!! We want to create a space for dialogue, love, referrals and more that surround Black Queer men! Now get to Taggin Em!

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#MCM The newest addition to our He Is Valuable staff. AJ was appointed as one of our Events Specialist.  AJ is a native of Atlanta personality full of divinity, humor and sass. AJ can read the girls and inspire greatness in the same setting.  Y’all say hey AJ!!!

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Today is TUESDAY!! #ChitChatandChew and it’s also #twodollartuesday the topic of discussion is “Talk To Me Dirty” Come and show some love!!

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Hey He Is Valuable Family! We are back at it again for Chit Chat and Chew Tonight’s topic is “Talk To Me Dirty!” 🤗😝Are you a good lover? How do you know? Does everyone like that? There’s more than one way to be a good lover and let’s get down and dirty! Remember it’s #BYOB and bring ya friends! Or you can donate for $2 Tuesdays (@heisvaluable) Same Place! Same time!! See you there #HeIsValuable #SexPositive #TalkToMeTuesdays #BlackQueerSex #BringAFriend

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Hope you are going to join us next Saturday (7 Day always) for #RandomKickBacks: CAKES GALORE!!!! 2pm - 9pm Piedmont Park #heisvaluable #blackboyjoy #him #communityhealth #heisvaluable