How do queer Black men want to be seen and express themselves? And how can exploring these topics and centering the lives of these men help fight HIV stigma? Leading cultural figures of the African-American community seek to answer these questions in the podcast Being Seen, which kicked off its second season May 11 with an episode on the topic of fatherhood.

Presented by the HIV pharmaceutical company ViiV Healthcare and hosted by actor Darnell Moore, the series examines the power of cultural representation. Each episode focuses on one topic, ranging from mental health and sports to faith, intimacy and HIV/AIDS.

You can listen to it on BeingSeenPodcast.com as well as on Apple and Spotify.

The first episode of season 2 is titled “Fatherhood” and features Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Jericho Brown (who is on the June 2021 cover of POZ magazine); Dennis Williams, a senior vice president at WarnerMedia; and Calvin and Tim, who are fathers and advocates, and their daughter, Grady.

Future episodes will feature writer, producer and actress Lena Waithe, drag star Shangela and other notables.

“There is nothing else like Being Seen in the podcast universe for Black gay and queer men—it’s a safe space and platform for them to express themselves, share their experiences and bare their souls and identities freely and uncensored,” said Marc Meacham, head of U.S. external affairs for ViiV Healthcare, in a press release. “We think it will reduce stigma and bring hope to Black gay and queer men who may find their story in the stories being shared on the podcast and know they are not alone; they are being seen—and we hope it encourages them to write or tell their own story even if it’s just for themselves.”  

“We have to share our stories, as different and complex as they may be, to push back against the erasure of our work and voices,” added host Moore. “I hope that audiences end every episode a bit more committed to cocreating a world where the lives of all Black people matter.”

Being Seen is an outgrowth of ViiV’s research into the lives of queer Black men in Baltimore and Jackson, Mississippi. Findings showed that these men wanted to create their own experiences and programs. This led ViiV to help produce the theatrical experience As Much as I Can. To learn more about that, see “100s of Black Gay & Bi Men Helped Create This Theater Piece [VIDEOS].” 

Did you know that in 2019, African Americans represented 13% of the U.S. population but 43% of new HIV cases? In the South, they accounted for 52% of HIV diagnoses. You can learn more about HIV among African Americans—and several other minority populations—by visiting the HIV/AIDS Basics on POZ.com and clicking on the “HIV in Specific Populations” section. And check out the information in the write-up for 2021’s National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (#NBHAAD).

For other POZ articles about HIV-related podcasts, see “Doctor as Friend,” about an episode of Queer Meets Queer that explores a long-lasting friendship between an HIV-positive man and his doctor, and “Uncovering Untold Stories about AIDS and the Catholic Church,” about the podcast series Plague.