Photographed by Mel D. Cole
This June we celebrate Pride and Juneteenth, two holidays that employ and embrace strength in the face of injustice. Pride is a holiday that triumphs celebratory love and Juneteenth, the oldest national holiday commemorating emancipation from slavery in the United States honors Black culture, achievements and the freedom to be.
At Stashed, we’re celebrating Black Queer creatives who are trailblazers in the creative industry, whose stories are awe-inspiring.
“ I was not born to conform.” – Tru Violet
DJ & Nail Specialist Tru Violet is as ambitious as they come, and has thrived on creative energy since her youth. She talks about how she entered the music world, stating that she bought equipment, locked herself in a room for 3 months to learn the ropes, and landed her first gig shortly after.
For Tru, art is always a challenge she aims to solve, with her own spins and solutions. Even when she was young and learning to braid hair, she sought to test herself and freestyle her own designs.
Photographed by Mel D. Cole
Her pursuit of music had its origins in her childhood, when she asked her parents for cassette tapes, radios, and more, in contrast to the usual toys and dolls other kids her age played with.
While Tru has always embodied a creative spirit, being open as a Queer Black woman was something that took a little more time.
“I had known I was queer since 7 years old. I hid it for a while.”
She recalls how her Black southern family held some homophobic ideologies, and she was in fear of being disowned or ridiculed. Unfortunately her family stumbled upon one of her journals, and she essentially was “forced” to come out.
In the aftermath, Tru stated that being queer actually helped her gain confidence, and that those who judge others for being queer are really in the end just projecting.
“I just really love myself.”
For Tru’s SoundCloud mixes, click here!
