Welcome to DBQ. This publication, now entering it’s10th year was established to not only document the culture, experience, and work of LGBTQ+ people of color, but to affirm, celebrate and to garner visibility for community.
MISSION STATEMENT
David Bridgeforth Quarterly exists with the intention to celebrate, affirm, showcase and promote the culture, experiences, stories, people, imagery, and work of LGBT people of color. DB Magazine represents the gay man of color primarily and seeks to unify the rest of the LGBTQ community by giving better visibility to minorities, holding to an empowerment narrative and affirming our endless potential and possibilities. As a publication that was created for and by members of the LGBT community of color, our greatest assets are our grassroots community relationships and our cult-like following of readers and fans. DBQ’s subscribers are 20 to 30 something trend-setters, taste- makers, influencers, and movers & shakers of LGBT experience and of color. They are the loyal followers and contributors that help make up DB Magazine’s magic.
It is our intention to create thought provoking experiences with DBQ’s print, digital, and live platforms and to influence the conversation on culture, lifestyle, sexuality, and political issues concerning LGBT people of color. DB Magazine is about inspiration.
“When black and brown gay boys and men are given visibility, it evolves the pride and presence of colored gay boys everywhere ” — Dave Bridgeforth , Publisher | Creative Director | Editor in Chief
DB Magazine is a New York City based, quarterly print and digital publication focusing on LGBT Lifestyle, Culture, Empowerment, and Trends.
David Bridgeforth Quarterly represent one of the nations leading LGBT publication for people of color. As the first lifestyle magazine branded after a young black gay man, DBQ has become the pulse of the young black queer experience, as well as, a quarterly snapshot of the rich trending culture the LGBT community of color creates. Each issue of DBQ offers its readers the best each season has to offer featuring the brightest personalities, the most compelling stories and articles, as well as, photography and visuals that stimulate and inspire —all with the intention of informing, entertaining and celebrating the powerfully creative LGBTQ community.
At the age of 28, David Bridgeforth is a rockstar of a force in the LGBT community of color and a renaissance man. Celebrated public speaker, personal life coach, poet, television personality, Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of an award winning national magazine, noted HIV activist, and essayist, Mr. Bridgeforth has come a long way in a very short time since his October 15, 1987 birth, in Voorhees, New Jersey.
But growing up in a life of poverty in Indianapolis, Indiana and facing the challenges of his mother’s near-death battle with HIV girded him with unshakable faith, immutable tenacity, and a fighting spirit for community and culture.
Barely in his teens David was appointed Student Representative for the Indianapolis Public School System, speaking on behalf of over 80,000 students in multiple public television specials broadcast throughout the city.
His professional speaking career began at the age of 16, when he caught the attention of Les Brown and was invited to tour nationally with the world-renown communicator.
At the age of 22 Bridgeforth discovered his passion for writing when Maya Angelou affirmed his status as a poet when, at her North Carolina home, he presented her with a piece specifically written by him to celebrate her 81st birthday. Since then, he’s writings and work has been greatly sought after and followed.
While in college, Mr. Bridgeforth opened up publicly about his sexuality and began doing grass roots work in Indianapolis’ LGBT community, assuming the position of Entertainment and Events Chairman for the state's annual Black Pride celebration and conducting safe sex and HIV/AIDS awareness promotional campaigns for Brothers United Indianapolis.
In the summer of 2010, the 23-year-old visionary used the Internet to post reviews, commentary and notices about social, cultural and entertainment events in and around the Indianapolis area.
A year later he founded the highly acclaimed Indiana local quarterly, DBQ Magazine, for which he serves as Publisher and Editor-In-Chief. After only 5 years, [David Bridgeforth Quarterly] is now a national numerous award winning bimonthly lifestyle [Print + Digital] publication most popular with gay men of color ages 18-45—with a reach of more than 75,000 unique readers, followers and fans.
In 2012 , Mr. Bridgeforth was contracted by the Washington, D.C.-based Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc to help establish the first empowerment center committed to cultivating black gay genius in the nation’s capital. At 24 years of age, David Bridgeforth became the youngest individual ever inducted into the International Federation of Black Pride's "Black LGBT Hall of Fame", for his contributions and creating projects and event that influenced the culture and reality of LGBT people of color.
David Bridgeforth's essay, "Luckiest Gay Son In The World," was published in the Keith Boykin-edited anthology “For Colored Boys” (Magnus Books) in 2012.
In 2014, DBQ Magazine received awards both from Chicago Black Pride and New York Black Pride.He is a Harlem Pride board member and a NYC Black Pride committee member.
Today, Mr. Bridgeforth is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of DBQ Magazine Magazine, educates LGBT homeless and at-risk youth, along with juggling many difference national LGBT community projects. He lives in New York City with offices in NYC, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
