Why JaVonne Is In The Basement
The struggle for full LGBTQ equality spans the past half century, and has always been one that merges the soulful statements of art with the strident militancy that keeps the New York City Pride March a March instead of a parade. There have been great leaps forward in recent years, albeit curbed by the current administration, whose rollback of LGBTQ rights has only underscored how far we still have to go. At the vanguard of this quest for full equality is one woman, whose voice, songs, and concerts have helped make some major milestones a reality for the LGBTQ community. Her name is JaVonne Armstrong, and she has been raising awareness of LGBTQ issues for many a season. I first met this gifted songstress a dozen years ago in New York City, where even then, she was speaking to our needs in rhythm and harmony. JaVonne was clearly passionate about the future of the rainbow, and as I got to know her, I realized that here was an advocate in tune with the tenor of our times.
JaVonne and her then-partner (now wife) Cheryl Barclay lovingly lyricized what we all sought: marriage equality, a true, full seat at the American table, the right to love who we love without fear or shame. As the musical duo Cheryl and JaVonne, their duet, “Waiting All My Life”, became an anthem of the fight for same-sex marriage. “I always believed we would one day have marriage,” JaVonne tells me, “and I could marry my love for real!” Working with Rev. Elder Kevin E. Taylor, an out (and outspoken) Newark, NJ pastor of an LGBTQ-affirming church, JaVonne put on a whole series of annual Equality Concerts at Rutgers University, that highlighted the spirit and talent of the community far beyond the confines of its theater.
“That was such an important thing for me to do,” JaVonne recalls of the shows, “and it was fun, too!” Notable performers, including Kenny Bobien, Monifah Carter, and Harmonica Sunbeam all appeared in these gatherings, and moved public perception forward on marriage equality, which the Supreme Court finally made legal four years ago. That wasn’t the end of JaVonne’s work; the striving went on. Founding the nonprofit Emancipation Foundation, which fights sex trafficking in the United States, JaVonne and her board of directors address this scabrous social problem every day. As a social worker, JaVonne is keenly aware of the horrors that come with this criminal enterprise, especially when it preys on defenseless children. Her work with the Foundation is just one more facet in JaVonne’s civic engagement, which also leads her to a different, and unexpected place — the basement of her own New Jersey home.
At JaVonne’s wish five years ago, I joined her in a new undertaking, a radio program I would look forward to being on every Saturday. It’s called Brunch In The Basement With JaVonne & Terez (today co-hosted by Terez Mychelle, Monifah’s beloved wife). I did What’s Going On, a little segment on the major news and LGBTQ items of the week, amidst JaVonne’s many stellar interviews with such big names as Caron Wheeler, Peabo Bryson, and Evelyn Champagne King, all of whom populated the soundtrack of my younger days. The show continues to this day, and I still occasionally poke my head in the door to say a few words. Working with JaVonne over the years has always been delightful, and in the metonymy of our journey forward from the Stonewall Rebellion, hers is a pioneering presence that is not to be overlooked. Even from the basement, JaVonne’s voice carries upward, true, clear, and insistent, keeping us all sharply focused on the goals ahead.
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