(New York, New York – June 14, 2024) – Native Son – the premier organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black gay and queer men – today announced that it has partnered with Q.Digital, the #1 Comscore Ranked LGBTQ+ media company, to launch the Native Son Channel set to premiere this summer on Q.Digital’s immensely popular LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment site, Queerty. The innovative new partnership signals a major expansion for Native Son and will extend the company’s influence as the preeminent platform for the Black gay and queer voice.
Since its inception in 2016, Native Son has become an intergenerational movement and force with the goal of connecting and creating a safe space for those within an often under- and/or misrepresented community. In addition to empowerment, Native Son’s programs and initiatives have always been designed to celebrate the achievements of Black queer and gay men in the arts, business, media, fashion, politics, and healthcare. With the launch of the Queerty Native Son Channel, the organization’s mission will heavily inform and be interwoven throughout the channel’s content which will include original programming intersecting politics, lifestyle, culture, and entertainment to center the Black gay and queer experience.
Under the partnership, Queerty will launch the new content channel supported by social promotion and a new Queerty Native Son email newsletter. Native Son’s Founder Emil Wilbekin – who is also a renowned journalist and media guru – will lead content creation for the channel alongside Queerty’s Editorial team. Q.Digital will lead sales efforts for the Native Son channel, and will partner closely with Native Son on tentpole programming including its signature event – The Native Son Awards. The alliance underscores Q.Digital’s ongoing commitment to centering underrepresented queer, trans, and BIPOC voices across its five popular platforms – Queerty, LGBTQ Nation, GayCities, Into and Outsports.
“Native Son’s mission is to amplify the voice and visibility of Black gay/queer men. Our media partnership with Q Digital supports us in activating our core mission and serving our community,” said Wilbekin. “This strategic partnership enables Native Son to become the premier storytelling platform for Black gay/queer men.”
“We are honored to be working alongside Native Son and Emil to amplify and celebrate the Black gay and queer experience. Q.Digital will bring scale and drive audiences to Native Son content like never before – ensuring these vital voices are heard across our network of 11 MM + monthly readers,” said Scott Gatz, Founder and CEO, Q.Digital. A partnership like this among underrepresented media is integral in a climate where increasing attacks on DEI efforts are happening all over the country.”
For additional information on Native Son, please visit: www.Nativeson.us
For exclusive photos, updates and more, follow us on social: @EmilWilbekin @NativeSonNow #NativeSon #NativeSonAwards
ABOUT NATIVE SON
Native Son is a movement that exemplifies the duality of being Black and gay in a society that often shuns and belittles their unique experiences. This movement aims to create a safe space where the Black gay male community can fellowship, celebrate and empower each other, and—most importantly—see themselves. From the world-renowned to the up-and-coming, Native Son aims to connect and celebrate the members of this influential, yet long ignored community in the realms of arts, business, media, fashion, politics and healthcare.
ABOUT EMIL WILBEKIN
Emil Wilbekin is an Associate Professor of Journalism at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He is a multimedia maverick who contributes to The New York Times T Magazine, Vogue, The Cut, Architectural Digest, Time, Essence, Ebony, and Town & Country. He is the Co-Producer and Co-Writer on the documentary The Remix: Hip Hop X Fashion (Netflix).
He is also the Founder of Native Son, a platform created to inspire and empower Black gay and queer men.
Wilbekin has served as Chief Content Officer at Afropunk, Editor-at-Large at Essence, Managing Editor of Essence.com, Editor-in-Chief of Giant and Giantmag.com, Style Guru at Complex Media, VP of Brand Development at Marc Eckō Enterprises, Editorial Director/Vice President of Vibe Ventures and Editor-in-Chief of Vibe Magazine. Under Wilbekin’s leadership, Vibe won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 2002.
He holds a B.S. in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University, and an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University
ABOUT Q.DIGITAL
Q.Digital is a fast-growing LGBTQ-owned and operated media company that helps queer people everywhere get the most out of life. The company operates GayCities, the location based social network that helps people uncover the best of what’s happening, Queerty, the entertainment site that’s “free of an agenda, except that gay one,” LGBTQ Nation, the world’s most followed LGBTQ news site with more than 1.6 million Facebook fans, Outsports, the leading sports site focused on LGBTQ+ athletes and fans, and INTO, the welcoming space that celebrate thinkers, fighters, new voices, and the unapologetic authenticity of Gen Z
Together the media sites reach over eleven million consumers each month, making it a first stop for advertisers looking to reach a valuable, highly targeted audience.
For more information, please visit http://www.q.digital.
ABOUT QUEERTY
Queerty is the popular site that’s “free of an agenda, except that gay one.” It is the cheeky cocktail conversation that covers what the queer community and its allies are talking about now: news, politics, arts, celebrities, culture and entertainment through video, interviews, lists, breaking news, and reporting. The Queerties awards program, culminating in a huge party in Los Angeles every March, celebrates the best in media, film, and celebrity.