Ep. 13 - It’s Complicated: Being Yourself with Mycall Akeem Riley

We know it’s important to be ourselves, but for many of us, it’s complicated.  On this week’s episode of Love Space, we joined Mycall Akeem Riley to talk all things queerness, gender, style, safety, intersectionality, and self-expression.  We covered:

• Mycall’s experience growing up as a queer Black person in the Minneapolis suburbs;
• How we can learn to trust ourselves, even when society seems to tell us we shouldn’t; 
• Getting clear and intentional about what we need, and setting boundaries about the people and places we choose; 
• Dismantling hegemonic structures; 
• Intersectionality, privilege, and the nuances of all of our various identities and experiences; 
• Visibility, representation, and safety; 
• “Possibility models” who can inspire new forms of expression and how we carry ourselves; 
• Style, self-expression, and feeling powerful;
• Why it’s time to stop commenting on people’s bodies, and let people live; 
• Mycall’s hopes for the future… and more.  

Mycall Akeem Riley is a liberatory inclined educator and style consultant based in Chicago, Illinois. Currently serving as the inaugural LGBTQIA+ Resource Center Coordinator for DePaul University, Mycall works to uplift and support those who hold marginalized genders or sexualities. Mycall also is an adjunct faculty in the LGBT Studies minor program. The interplay of gender identity, sexuality, and Blackness continues to be a major focus in his work. Outside of the academy, Mycall works to continue to uplift marginalized communities rather than consulting or creating.  A major focus has been the Blaq Agenda Project, a multiform project highlighting Black Queer experiences. Mycall can find joy in thrift shopping, conversations on taboo topics, artfully curated playlist, and striving for a re-imagined world.  To connect with Mycall, follow him on Instagram @mycallakeemriley. 

Have you subscribed to Love Space?  Follow the show to receive new episodes as soon as they become available, and please leave a review (especially if you’re enjoying the show!) ✨  To connect with us more:  @itsarynlove  and @lovespacepodcast on Instagram.  

[Intro music by Coubo, vocals by Aryn]