GLAAD VP DaShawn Usher Steps Down After Seven Years Leading Communities of Color & Media Work

DaShawn Usher, Vice President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s (GLAAD) Communities of Color and Media department, is leaving the LGBTQ media advocacy organization after seven years.

Usher first shared the news of his departure on Instagram, writing that he was “closing my chapter at GLAAD with deep gratitude, pride, and appreciation.”

In an exclusive statement given to Gaye Magazine, he elaborated on the decision, calling it “the right moment” for him after realizing that his greatest joy comes from building community and telling stories “in ways that extend beyond any one organization.”

“Sometimes the next chapter calls you before you’re ready, and I’ve learned to trust that feeling,” Usher said.

That next chapter, he said, centers on MOBI, the community organization he founded, and a new consulting practice focused on brands and storytelling.

“I’m excited to dedicate more of my energy to MOBI as we celebrate ten years of programming, impact, and community,” Usher exclusively shared with us in the statement.

“While I’m stepping away from GLAAD, I’m not stepping away from the work. If anything, I’m stepping more fully into my purpose. Community has always been my greatest teacher, and I’m excited to continue building with and for our communities beyond the walls of traditional institutions.”

Usher founded MOBI in 2017 while working in HIV research at the New York Blood Center’s Project ACHIEVE, where he said he identified a gap between research and the lived reality of Black gay men. The organization launched with MOBItalks, a peer-led discussion series addressing HIV awareness, wellness and professional development, and later grew to include MOBIfest, an annual celebration now in its seventh year. 

Usher held a series of titles during his tenure at GLAAD, including director, senior director and vice president of Communities of Color and Media, according to the organization.

Usher founded the Black Queer Creative Summit in 2023, which created space for Black LGBTQ creatives, executives, storytellers and cultural leaders. The inaugural summit drew more than 150 participants and featured over 60 industry leaders, including Michelle Buteau, Angelica Ross and Ts Madison. 

By its second year in 2025, the event had grown to include partners such as BET, P&G, Starz and Spotify, and featured a session with “Master of None” producer Lena Waithe. The summit has since expanded to include a television pilot pitch competition presented with Starz, which awarded winning creators cash prizes and mentorship lab placements. The program’s impact has been formally recognized as well: it won two Gold Anthem Awards and a Silver Anthem Award in 2024 for diversity, equity and inclusion work.

Usher also created the Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative, a pipeline program launched in 2022 with support from Gilead Sciences designed to close gaps in representation for Black LGBTQ storytellers and people living with HIV. The three-year initiative supported a different group of Black LGBTQ creatives each year, beginning with short-form filmmakers, moving to music artists, songwriters and producers, and concluding with choreographers.  Usher said the initiative delivered a combined $400,000 in direct funding to 40 artists working across film, music and visual arts.

GLAAD’s Communities of Color Department, under Usher’s leadership, was named an Anthem Award honoree for Nonprofit Leader as part of a year in which the organization won 12 Anthem Awards and was named Nonprofit of the Year. GLAAD’s “Where We Are on TV” report also won an Anthem Award for Best Impact Report during his tenure.

A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where he majored in mass communications and public relations, Usher began his advocacy work as a student, serving as the Young Brothers United coordinator at Nashville CARES, supporting LGBTQ youth of color. 

Read Usher’s full statement below: 

“Seven years later, I leave with immense gratitude for the work and the people who made it possible. We created spaces for stories that deserved to be seen, challenged stigma through culture and media, and invested in communities that have long been overlooked. I’m incredibly proud of what we built together and the impact those efforts will continue to have.

At the same time, I know this is the right moment for me. Sometimes the next chapter calls you before you’re ready, and I’ve learned to trust that feeling.

Over the past several years, I’ve realized that what brings me the greatest joy is creating spaces, telling stories, and building community in ways that extend beyond any one organization. That’s where my heart is leading me.

I’m excited to dedicate more of my energy to MOBI as we celebrate ten years of programming, impact, and community. Reaching this milestone is deeply meaningful, and I’m looking forward to expanding what MOBI can be while sharing our story through our forthcoming documentary, which captures not only our journey, but the power of Black queer community, joy, and belonging.

I’m also looking forward to consulting with organizations, brands, and creatives who are serious about creating meaningful cultural impact, executive producing more film and television projects that move conversations forward, and collaborating with people who believe that storytelling can transform communities. Some of the most meaningful work happens when we come together across sectors, disciplines, and lived experiences, and I’m excited to build alongside others in new innovative ways.

While I’m stepping away from GLAAD, I’m not stepping away from the work. If anything, I’m stepping more fully into my purpose. Community has always been my greatest teacher, and I’m excited to continue building with and for our communities beyond the walls of traditional institutions.

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey and to everyone who will be part of what’s next. This isn’t a goodbye to the work. It’s an invitation to imagine what’s possible when we continue building together.”

GLAAD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.