What does Pride mean to you?
Jeka:Pride to me is a celebration of living your authentic and true self. Being able to go out in the streets and being able to live life, celebrate and have fun!
Mollee: Pride to me is the word. It’s being proud. A lot of times in our community, when you come out someone says “I’m proud of you,” and many times people in our community don’t feel proud of themselves because they feel like they’re hiding something and the second they are able to release, that it’s immediate wings that fly. I feel like it’s a sacred feeling that people get to hold in the month of June. Pride is being proud of who you are and your community around you.
Garrett: Authentic and confident. Supportive of everyone in our community: people from different backgrounds, who have different ideas. Comfort in difference and supporting others, that is really what it is about.
Kent: Pride to me means, I love being gay. It’s about expression, not impressing. It’s about being proud of who you are. Different is cool.
What does Beauty mean to you?
Mollee: Beauty, to me, is very very deep on the inside. I have met a lot people who are stunning on the outside and then just nasty. And I have met people who may not get noticed so much by the “Hollywood type” and just become the most beautiful person you can know.
Jeka: Beautiful. I second that.
Garrett: Beauty to me is a kind of unconditional love where there is no expectations and you love people for exactly who they are. It really is about loving people for why they are unique and making them feel special because of it.
Kent: Obviously beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say but I feel like beauty is confidence. Beauty is originality and beauty is to me, cooky and weird. I love the word queer because I feel like it means beauty. Also, don’t be afraid to be the best-dressed person in the room. That’s beauty baby, too. Confidence.
Favorite way to Express yourself?
Jeka: Through clothing. We also teach dance for kids and teach them how to express themselves through movement and choreography, improv, music…
Mollee: I express through my clothing, through how I communicate with my supporters and fans, and how I try to educate the youth. I am a big advocate for mentoring kids so I try to always exude that kind of positive energy, educational energy.
Garrett: It’s really about creative expression whether it be singing, dancing, dressing up, acting. If you want to wear makeup that day, you wear whatever you want. Whatever makes you feel confident that is really is the most beautiful thing to me.
Kent: I like to express myself through dance. I love moving my body, listening to music, and I feel like he we dance and are authentically who we are, it rubs off on people.
A moment in time where you made a 360 in your life?
Jeka: For me, it was coming full circle. Growing up I was put in a box, and coming to terms with being transgender has kind of been very full circle where I realized this is me, my authentic self.
Mollee: I used to always be a people pleaser. I still like to make sure everyone is happy but I would let that guide my choices and I think I lead with who I am now. It has really impacted the way that my circle has become, the jobs I am getting… I am happy doing this now.
Garrett: It was the first time I did a Burlesque show with Cherry Poppins which is a Burlesque troop in L.A. and it reminded me of when I was a kid and I used to love wearing all types of gender clothing, gender-bending. I would want to wear all clothing, and I got some flack from some people in my family but when I did that show, I had just come out and it really made me feel more confident. I can really wear what I want and I can feel confident in those things. If you don’t like it, well… I really love self-expression and full freedom in it. I got on stage in front of 150 people that night in fishnets, corsets, and wigs and I was playing the matron of it all. Ever since then I have felt as free as a bird.
Kent: I was 18 years old, leaving High School, and literally did a 360 from being in a small town in Ohio to Los Angeles filming a television show. I remember passing Chanel and being like,“What’s Chanel?” That’s a 360.
What message do you want to give to our viewers?
Jeka: Love yourself fully to your full capacity. Always hit negative comments with kindness. Love yourself first. Educate.
Mollee: You never know who needs an advocate so if you believe in something, push for it. Especially right now for Pride month for our youth LGBTQ community, a lot of people try to take away and strip back who they are as people and make them wait until they are an adult to decide. Be an advocate for those who aren’t able to have a voice, especially for our youth. I love our kids and get worried that there isn’t enough representation for them. Don’t hide behind something because you are afraid. Fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.
Garrett: Love yourself for exactly who you are and if somebody doesn’t like it, then they weren’t mean to be in your life.
Kent: And this summer, get off your couch and shake your ass!
Special Thanks to the full team!
@BELLOmag
Photography @jesseashtonphotography
Photography Assistant @chrismarroy
Makeup/Grooming @christine_pro_makeup
Pride House LA @pridehousela
Talent @garrettclayton1 x @molleegray x @kent_boyd x @jekajane
Interview @alexbonnetwrites
Production @alexbonnetwrites x @maisonpriveepr_la x @bellomediagroup x@katzpublicrelations
Floral Arrangement@shibusaflorals