BLACK, GAY, stuck at home

 

Foreground is a platform co-founded by Michael Ward and Joshua Henry Jenkins that preserves and amplifies Black queer storytelling across film, theatre, and television. Originally launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as BLACK, GAY, stuck at home (BGSAH), the project began as an online gathering space to provide community and affinity during isolation. What started as a series of screenings has grown into a broader initiative for preservation, dialogue, and cultural advocacy.

The inaugural BGSAH screening and live chat featured Patrik-Ian Polk’s 2000 feature debut Punks — a landmark film long out of print — and drew more than 500 registrants. Since then, the platform has welcomed Rodney Chester, Jazzmun, Doug Spearman, Vanessa L. Williams, James Ijames, Sampson McCormick, Darryl Stephens, and many others across 25+ screenings and conversations.

Foreground has forged partnerships with organizations including National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, The Counter Narrative Project, Black AIDS Institute, Black in Media, The Wilma Theater, and the Black Theatre Network. Together, these collaborations have expanded visibility and credibility, ensuring that Black queer narratives are celebrated, preserved, and accessible for future generations.