I was 16 when I saw @keithboykin compete on the Showtime reality series American Candidate.

I’d never seen a black gay man on television before. He was handsome, educated, smart, worked in the Clinton WH, had a quick wit, and the other contestants were intimidated by him. https://twitter.com/keithboykin/status/1259121650324443136">https://twitter.com/keithboyk...

He had a boyfriend who was also a black gay man, and appeared on the show. Something I’d never seen before. Finally seeing myself represented by a positive role model in the media was a huge boost to my self esteem as an insecure teenager.

I wrote him a letter an in email which he graciously responded to with the kindest words. It meant a lot to me. Thank you Keith for making the world an easier place for me to grow up in than it was for Little Richard. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤗" title="Hugging face" aria-label="Emoji: Hugging face">