Nathan Hale Williams' 'Come Together: Art's Power for Change' Premieres at the World Pride Black Queer Film Festival

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“If your version of the story is not being told…make it” - Nathan Hale Williams, director of Come Together: Art’s Power for Change 

The 39th annual DC Black Pride kicked off Memorial Day Weekend to much anticipation and excitement. Adding to the electric energy this year, Washington, DC was also chosen as the host for the 50th anniversary of World Pride.

Situated in the political heart of the nation and amidst the openly queerphobic and transphobic Trump administration, it’s easy to feel like there’s a target on your back. Nevertheless, this year’s DC Black Pride continued stronger than ever undeterred in the face of hate and uncertainty. 

In his first year as President and CEO of the Center for Black Equity, Kenya Hutton led the charge in curating one of the most dynamic DC Black Prides yet. This year’s celebration featured a vibrant spectrum of events, including Black Trans Pride: The DC Experience, the World Pride Community Conversation Summit, and the Annual DC Black Pride Unity Free Ball. Each event offered abundant opportunities for uplifting, empowering, and celebrating the Black, LGBTQ+ community…our community. 

Following a packed weekend of activities, the Center for Black Equity in partnership with the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center, Black Alphabet, Reel Affirmations, and Howard University’s Office of Intercultural Affairs and LGBTQ+ Resource Center hosted the World Pride Black Queer Film Festival. The festival took place at the Blackburn Digital Auditorium on the hallowed grounds of Howard University, often referred to as “The Mecca” of Black education. Notably, Howard launched a dedicated resource center to support its LGBTQ+ community.

Opening Night featured the documentary Come Together: Art’s Power for Change, directed by filmmaker Nathan Hale Williams. Anchored in the early 2000s, the film examines the lack of Black queer media at the dawn of the 21st century.

Beyond the works of Patrik Ian Polk and Maurice Jamal, nuanced portrayals of Black, queer characters were virtually nonexistent on screen. This absence combined with the overwhelming presence of harmful stereotypes has bred ignorance. This ignorance thrives in a heteronormative society that often reinforces and even rewards the misunderstanding of queer identities. 

The documentary swiftly highlights the stark deficit of authentic Black gay representation compounded by systemic barriers that stalled any momentum for the successful production of Black queer content. It unpacks the outright stigma faced by queer communities, especially within the Black community.

Gay men were often unfairly associated with HIV infection, portrayed as duplicitous “down low” figures, and viewed through a suspicious lens by the Black community, including cis Black women who felt misled and betrayed. The Black, gay stigma was further reinforced by the powerful influence of the Black Church, which widely condemned “homosexuality” as a sin worthy of eternal damnation. Regardless of these deterring forces, the film marks a pivotal turning point towards visibility and change.

By the turn of the 21st century, a Black, queer renaissance began to ignite. Almost out of nowhere, audiences were treated to a wave of Black, queer content injected into the mainstream.

Films like Punks (2000) and Ski Trip (2004) began to bubble in the cinematic consciousness, offering fresh, real stories. Then came Noah’s Arc (2005-2006), a groundbreaking and the first of its kind to feature predominantly Black, gay men as leads on mainstream television. The iconic show is set to return in June 2025, just in time for its 20th anniversary, with Noah’s Arc: The Movie. 

As the onscreen presence for Black, gay men slowly grew, audiences gradually began to normalize their experiences and identities. While change didn’t happen immediately, these portrayals sparked important discussions about the dehumanization of Black, queer people. 

“Art creates a safe space for conversations.” - Nathan Hale Williams 

Come Together: Art’s Power for Change captures the resurgence of Black, queer energy using the film Dirty Laundry (2006) as an educational vehicle of how art can influence culture and drive social change. Executive produced by Nathan Hale Williams and written and directed by the late trailblazer Maurice Jamal, who passed away in 2023.

The film follows Patrick, a closeted, successful New York writer who returns home to Georgia, where he must confront his son, whose existence he was unaware of and his conservative, religious family. Dirty Laundry smashed barriers for its time for its compassionate depiction of Black gay men while showcasing a rare instance of reconciliation between a Black, queer man and his family. 

The film received acclaim, winning the Blockbuster Award for Best U.S. Feature and Best Actor award for Loretta Devine’s performance as Patrick’s mother at the American Black Film Festival. It was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film for a Limited Release. The Human Rights Watch even signed on as a national sponsor, supporting a 10 city tour of the film. Still, Dirty Laundry did not come without hardship. 

Interwoven with the behind the scenes story of Dirty Laundry, the documentary sheds light on the arduous work of independent filmmaking. The uphill battle to secure funding for development, production, and promotion was an unglamorous one.

Through firsthand accounts from producers Nathan Hale Williams and Crystal McCrary, viewers learned how truly difficult this process was. Williams recalls that before bringing on McCrary and Adrienne Lopez, both of whom were instrumental in bringing the film to life, he ran out of money in his initial attempt at making Dirty Laundry.

Though the film received acclaim and a national tour, Dirty Laundry faced institutional neglect. With only a limited theatrical release and little support from major distributors, it was four-walled in the process, and largely denied by the Hollywood establishment. This lack of industry support ultimately stifled the film’s momentum, diminishing the broader impact it could have achieved. 

Ultimately, the making of Dirty Laundry stood as a testament to the power of collaboration and collective vision in the pursuit of lasting, transformative change. The film came to life through a shared commitment to unity. The end result of Dirty Laundry was a celebration of queerness and the humanization of Black families–-functioning through commonality, not difference. This documentary serves as a model for what Black, queer artists and we as Black, queer people must do to spark shifts in reality. 

Altogether, the documentary is an informative and insightful work. Black, queer art has historically been understated and overlooked by the status quo. Yet, this reality does not take away its importance or significance. We live in a white-centric, heteronormative society that demands that our stories be diminished or outright extinguished. However, we go against that grain, and still do. 

“We have to be loud. Have to be unapologetic and know our power” - Nathan Hale Williams 

Despite little to no modern precedent, Patrik Ian Polk, Nathan Hale Williams, and Maurice Jamal still created art—art that centered and amplified their lived experiences in an industry that had long denied them space. The lasting message of the documentary is a call to action for the next generation. In 2025, the tools and community to create art are all around us on a global scale. What’s needed now is the gumption to tell our stories. But hasn’t that always been the case? 

After the documentary screening, a Q&A session was held with Nathan Hale Williams who answered questions about the film. He shared that Dirty Laundry will be released on Youtube on December 5, 2025. Come Together: Art’s Power for Change will also screen at the American Black Film Festival on June 14.