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The Negus Project: Ron – A Vintage Man
The Negus Project: Ron, Vintage Man
Black men deserve their flowers while they are alive. Ron is a sweetheart and was so gracious. I was so honored that he allowed me to capture him. Enjoy!
What brings you joy?
FASHION! As a vintage reseller I have a passion and love of vintage clothing, really all clothing! My business has allowed me to branch into personal styling and now I have the pleasure of bringing joy and happiness to others through fashion.
What does vulnerability mean for you as a Black man? Do you feel you can show your vulnerability as a Black man?
Being able to clearly communicate my feelings and emotions is vulnerability. As a black man, I have to be very careful who I allow to see me in a vulnerable state. Many times the feelings and emotions of black men misunderstood. Showing strength and pride makes you aggressive, showing compassion and love makes you weak! I feel most comfortable being vulnerable when I trust the people around me. If the trust is not there I will have my guard up.
What makes you proud of being a Black man?
Being apart of culture of people who continue to strive for greatness in a world that is not set up for us to win.
How do you show up for yourself?
Going to the gym allows me to start my day with a clear mind to start my day. I have made my health a priority for the last 10 years.
Has this experience impacted you in some way?
This experience was a step out of my comfort zone, which actually very eye-opening. It’s not often as a black man, am I asked what makes me happy or how do I feel about myself or my life. Also taking photos showing my body was something that I was never really comfortable with, but this shoot allowed me to show or not show, and that made me open up even more.
What do you want other Black men who are considering doing the project to know?
Be open to something different! This opportunity allows you to be you with out strings attached.
To view the other men in the project click on their names:
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The Boudoir University
Over the last 3 years, I have been on some fantastic podcast and had the honor of being an educator at some amazing virtual events. I have literally been talking about the same thing, intimacy, self-empowerment, and creating safe places for Black and Brown bodies. In December I was invited by the amazing Teri Hofford to create educational content for The Boudoir University . Of course, I said hell yea!
She asked me to speak about my personal project, The Negus Project for Black mxn. I cannot deny I was nervous as hell! Imposter syndrome crept in something fierce. I can talk all day about creating safe spaces for Black and Brown womxn. This was new territory for me. Check out the video or listen to the blog here.
