I Was Born This Way - Co-directors Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard and Co-producer Wellington Love

Surviving racism, homophobia and childhood trauma, Carl Bean found his voice through song – first as a gospel singer in Harlem’s Christian Tabernacle Choir and then later performing with his group Carl Bean and Universal Love on their 1974 album “Universal Love.” But it was the recording of the 1977 Motown hit “I Was Born This Way” that would earn him fame; the song was celebrated as the world’s first gay anthem. Even today, club DJs have this song in heavy rotation bringing this anthem to a new LGBTQ generation world wide. However, Bean eschewed a mainstream music career…instead choosing a vocation in activism. He started the Minority AIDS Project -- serving a vital role for underserved populations of Black and Brown men and women during the AIDS Crisis. Simultaneously, he founded Unity Fellowship Church — the first LGBTQ+ ministry in LA and now boasts of churches across the nation from LA to Baltimore to Texas to New York Harlem. An all-star line up of filmmakers join us to talk about a truly inspirational and charismatic leader Archbishop, singer, activist, humanitarian Carl Bean.