Interview with Mark Johnson, December 8, 2017

Partial Transcript: Well thank you for coming Mark.

Segment Synopsis: Mark Johnson is introduced. He talks about growing up in Owingsville, Kentucky and his experiences in school just after integration. He talks about being called various names because of his racial identity as well as his sexuality. He talks about his struggles in college due to discrimination and harassment, including a burning cross being put on his door. He mentions coming out to his mother, and creating an LGBT organization at the University of Louisville.

Keywords: 1983; Beat up; Colleges; Coming out; Depression; Different; Effeminate; Fears; Fraternities; Gay community; HIV/AIDS; Harassment; Kent School of Social Work; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Morehead State University; Mothers; Name calling; Names; Prejudice; Racial slurs; Siblings; Slurs; Struggles; Suicide; Support groups; University of Louisville; Unwelcome

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Childhood; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Families.; Gays--Mental health.; Gays--Violence against; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Owingsville (Ky.); Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; School integration; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority college students; Violence

Partial Transcript: Um, so you touched a bit just a second ago on this--

Segment Synopsis: Johnson talks more in detail about coming out to his mother. He talks about his fears of being out in the Black community, and talks more about the discrimination and violence he faced in college, including more about the cross burning incident.

Keywords: African American community; Assumptions; Black community; Children; Colleges; Coming out process; Cross burning; Crushes; Derogatory; Fears; Harassment; Ku Klux Klan (KKK); Mothers; Name calling; Names; Ongoing; Prejudice; Relationships; Slurs; Uncomfortable

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Families.; Gays--Mental health.; Gays--Violence against; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Morehead State University; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority college students; Violence

Partial Transcript: So, uh, you've also touched a bit on this but I think I--there's certainly a lot, a lot more there.

Segment Synopsis: Johnson talks about the unique struggles of being in an interracial relationship. He discusses places in Lexington where he feels comfortable as a Black gay man, especially the Bluegrass Black Pride organization. He discusses places in Lexington where he feels uncomfortable, especially Black churches.

Keywords: Black churches; Bluegrass Black Pride, Inc.; Friends; Gay community; Interracial relationships; LGBTQ community; Organizations; Partners; Prejudice; Religion; Uncomfortable; Unwelcome

Subjects: African American churches; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Gays--Mental health.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Lexington (Ky.).; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; Sexual minorities--Identity.

Partial Transcript: So you mentioned in, in talking about one of the places that was most comfortable--

Segment Synopsis: Johnson talks more about Bluegrass Black Pride, Inc. and his leadership role within the organization. He talks about why there was a need for a specifically African American organization within the LGBTQ community. He talks about how progress has been made in terms of race relations but there is still much work to be done.

Keywords: African American community; Allies; Bars; Black community; Bluegrass Black Pride, Inc.; Clubs; Ebony Male; Gay community; Identities; Kentucky Black Pride; LGBTQ community; Leadership; Ongoing; Organizations; Separate; Terms

Subjects: African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; African Americans--Societies, etc.; Gays--Mental health.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Lexington (Ky.).; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; Sexual minorities--Identity.

Partial Transcript: Uh, so tell us a bit about your professional life.

Segment Synopsis: Johnson talks about his career in the field of social work and the discrimination he has faced in the various places he worked, despite social work's reputation as an accepting field.

Keywords: Careers; Counseling; Cultural competency; Cultural sensitivity; HIV/AIDS; Identities; Jobs; Mount Sterling (Ky.); Prejudice; Professions; Social work; Supervisors; Therapists; University of Louisville

Subjects: African Americans--Social conditions.; Gays--Mental health.; Homosexuality in the workplace.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Lexington (Ky.).; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; Sexual minorities--Identity.

Partial Transcript: So what are you doing now?

Segment Synopsis: Johnson briefly discusses his current life and his work at the Lexington Housing Authority, mentioning his influence in helping seniors feel comfortable about coming out.

Keywords: Lexington Housing Authority; Pride Community Services Organization (PCSO); Retired; Senior citizens; Seniors

Subjects: Coming out (Sexual orientation); Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Older people; Sexual minorities--Identity.

Partial Transcript: So I'm, I'm also reminded as you're, uh--as you've been telling your wonderful stories, that, um, another significant, uh, mark you've had in this community has been on the stage as a performer.

Segment Synopsis: Johnson talks about performing as Latoya Bacall and the thrill of competition. He talks about using this persona to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS issues. He talks about an event held by Bluegrass Black Pride, Inc. honoring one of Lexington's trailblazing drag performers.

Keywords: Bluegrass Black Pride, Inc.; Celebrity; Competitions; Drag queens; HIV/AIDS; Latoya Bacall; Lyric Theater; Mr. Willy; National titles; Performers; Retired; Stage; Trailblazers

Subjects: Drag shows; Female impersonators..; Gay community; Gay culture.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Lexington (Ky.).

Partial Transcript: So, uh, thinking about wrapping our, our session up today, um, what haven't we asked that you want to tell us about or that you wish we'd asked?

Segment Synopsis: Johnson talks more about how there is still much work to be done in terms of race relations in Lexington. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: African American community; Black community; Cultural competency; Future; Gay community; LGBTQ community; Organizations; People of color; Work to do

Subjects: African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Lexington (Ky.).; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky