Ep. 59: "And The Category Is... Inside New York's Vogue, House, and Ballroom Culture" w/ Author Ricky Tucker in Conversation with Icon Ebony Fierce

Ep. 59: "And The Category Is... Inside New York's Vogue, House, and Ballroom Culture" w/ Author Ricky Tucker in Conversation with Icon Ebony FierceAnd the Category Is.: Inside New York's Vogue, House, and Ballroom Community Hardcover A love letter to the legendary Black and Latinx LGBTQ underground subculture, uncovering its abundant legacy and influence in popular culture.What is Ballroom? Not a song, a documentary, a catchphrase, a TV show, or an individual pop star. It is an underground subculture founded over a century ago by LGBTQ African American and Latino men and women of Harlem. Arts-based and intersectional, it transcends identity, acting as a fearless response to the sis-tem-ic marginalization of minority populations.Ricky Tucker pulls from his years as a close friend of the community to reveal the complex cultural makeup and ongoing relevance of house and Ballroom, a space where trans lives are respected and applauded, and queer youth are able to find family and acceptance. With each chapter framed as a “category” (Vogue, Realness, Body, et al.), And the Category Is . . . offers an impressionistic point of entry into this subculture, its deeply integrated history, and how it’s been appropriated for mainstream audiences.Ricky Tucker is a writer, an educator, and a culture critic based in NYC. His work explores the imprints of art and memory on narrative, and the absurdity of most fleeting moments. He has written for the Paris Review, Tenth Magazine, Literary Hub, and Public Seminar, among others, and has performed for reading series including the Moth Grand SLAM, Sister Spit, Born: Free, and Spark London. https://www.instagram.com/rictorscaleIcon Ebony Fierce is a Philadelphia born and based performance artist that has one mission: to change people's perception of artistic expression one subculture at a time. Icon has a background in theatre, dance, and spoken word performance since 2003. Icon also specializes in hosting/emceeing, burlesque, performance art, and drag since 2012. Their content includes sexuality, body positivity, political/social issues, gender equality, etc. They’re also a curator for festivals like Phreak N Queer, Hot Bits Film Festival and more. They are also community based as well with creating a supply hub for protestors and activists at Sankofa house, co-organized the very first Black Philly Queer Town hall to address racial inequality in the drag and burlesque scenes, and is also currently a board member of the William Way Community Center. Professionally, they work as the event and casting manager for Burd Events which is a client of Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar, Drag Diva Brunch and beyond. Always centering QTPOC and making sure there is continuous visibility in the community. twitch.tv/iconebonyfiercehttps://www.instagram.com/iconebonyfierce_Credits Produced and Edited by Otter Castro   Research and Interview by Rich Wexler  Music  Richie by B.J Snowden⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bjsnowdenmusic.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ There Was a light Instrumental  I Never Feel Alone Instrumental by Stephen Bluhm ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.stephenbluhm.fun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vintageannalsarchive.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠