Greater Cincinnati’s about to be blessed by the presence of one the Fab Five. For the uninformed: Netflix’s reality series Queer Eye is fresh off three Emmy wins. CAN YOU BELIEVE? And now, Karamo Brown (aka the culture expert) is coming to Northern Kentucky University early next month.
The reality series premise follows five men — who are experts in their respective fields and just so happen to be gay — to communities often different from their own. It’s steeped in real conversations, layered in social commentary and tear-inducing, sentimental scenes and completely breaks down tough issues, like toxic masculinity and religious disparity.
Brown’s appearance comes with good reason: October is LGBTQ History Month, and he will serve as the keynote speaker at the regional university before it kicks-off a host of educational, social and reflective events surrounding the month.
A social work graduate of Florida A&M University, Brown hopes to use his platform and clinical experience “to help his audience have the hard conversations with themselves so that they can engage in the hard conversations with others,” according to a post on NKU’s LGBTQ Programs and Services Facebook.
Aside from Queer Eye, Brown is also an active member of Never Again MSD, a student-led political committee that advocates for tighter gun control — in 1999, he graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the same school at which, earlier this year, 17 students and staff members were killed by a former student who was armed a semi-automatic rifle.
“Karamo believes by addressing those personal yet universal topics that affect us all, in an entertaining and digestible way, we can all learn live more stimulating and accomplished lives together,” the post reads.
After eight years, he and his partner, director Ian Jordan, became engaged. Brown is also the father of two. Together, they all live L.A. He’ll speak at NKU at 7 p.m. on Oct. 8 in the Student Union Ballroom (100 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, Ky.).
Don’t fret: Though NKU is hosting the event, it’s open to the public. Tickets go live after Sept. 24 in the Student Union, room 111. For more information, peep LGBTQ Programs and Services at NKU’s Facebook. To RSVP, click here.
Anybody ready to binge both seasons in preparation? Hmu.
This article appears in Sep 5-12, 2018.
