From HBCU Pushback to Power: Hope Giselle on activism, survival, and writing your own script

Описание: The room laughed—and Hope chose to build a bigger stage. That’s the energy we bring into this conversation with author, artist, and activist Hope Giselle, a world-changer who turned rejection at a conservative HBCU into a blueprint for queer visibility, campus safety, and unapologetic self-worth. We trace the path from “you’ll never perform here” to founding a student organization, producing a two-hour AIDS benefit in drag, and facing the hidden fees and institutional traps designed to shut it all down. What could have been an end became a playbook: document everything, gather allies, anticipate gatekeeping, and refuse to shrink.

We go deeper at a dorm window where despair almost won—and two Black men from student affairs broke the door off its hinges to pull Hope back. That moment complicates the easy narratives and shows what real allyship can look like in Black communities. From there, we explore the “free” chapter of Hope’s life: a marriage that holds her accountable with love, a circle that won’t let her shrink her height or her light, and a boundary with family that protects her peace. If you’ve wrestled with body image, gendered expectations, or the pressure to be smaller to make others comfortable, this is a practical guide. Hope’s line will stick with you: “Everything exclusive goes on sale.” Set your price. Run your race. Keep your pen.

We also preview Not Your Average Girl—Hope’s new documentary with grassroots screenings in Atlanta, Miami, LA, and DC—and her expanding HIV and AIDS advocacy, including USCHA in Washington, DC. Come for the story; stay for the frameworks you can use today: how to navigate hostile systems, build chosen family, and live out loud without apology. If this conversation moved you, tap follow, share it with someone who needs the reminder, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your voice helps us reach the people still standing at their own window.

‪@HopeGiselle.‬