Meet Carlton Taylor and Sean Brinkley, Co-hosts of BLK GAY + OKAY : A Podcast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carlton Taylor and Sean Brinkley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlton and Sean, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
Carlton Taylor: “Suck it up.” Sean and I believe in our nature as emotional and spiritual beings. Black men are often expected to suppress themselves in an effort to advance societally, leaving us vulnerable to internal distress incomparable to those of our white counterparts. This suppression could lead to issues with temperament, violence, crime, poverty, substance abuse and suicide. Phrases like “suck it up,” “man up,” and “because I said so,” especially when said as a response to a cry for help or statement of emotion, reinforce the problematic tendency to actively disregard and disengage with someone’s feelings – feelings that are valid and deserve to be acknowledged, especially by those who claim to love you. The Boys of BLK GAY + OKAY : A Podcast (#BGOPOD) stand firmly in the complete opposite. “Let it out.” The premise of our podcast is to offer a safe and transparent space for ourselves, our guests, and our listeners alike. We recognize the value of speaking candidly through your emotions and welcome it with open arms. Simply saying “suck it up” is not enough. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Carlton Taylor: Sean and I are best friends. We started #BGOPod to establish a platform for our very Black, very queer voices. We craved the representation and, instead of complaining about the lack thereof, we became it. I’m a communications professional by trade. I develop brands from scratch and maintain them, produce brand content and position brand visibility, and have used these skills to benefit the organic development of our passion project. Sean is a higher education professional with a background in music composition and dance. His aural skills come in handy when handling post-recording edits and transitions. Together, we consider ourselves quite the force to be reckoned with, but it didn’t come easy. It took us nine months to drop our first season. We were novice but we were intentional and authentic, and the final product made us proud fathers. As we prepared for Season II, we evaluated ways to extend our reach. We realized that Season I, as great as it was, held a certain bias and we wanted to host more inclusive conversation featuring some of our favorite intellects.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Sean Brinkley Jr: Carlton and I are the biggest people pleasers on this planet. We both understand the importance of feeling comfortable when you are in spaces that are unfamiliar, so we would develop an itinerary that would encompass the best of our personal experiences and the wants of our visiting friend. If one were to listen to our podcast , they would know that the BGO Boys love a good meal, adult beverage, and vibes. Carlton takes the lead when it comes to knowing the flavor profile of Atlanta. The Flying Biscuit, Venkmen’s, and The Vortex are non negotiable. My life close to the city, The Battery at Truist Park, Joystick on Edgewood, and Hole in the Wall in Buckhead are great for night time adventures. To add diversity to the trip, we would probably include causal walks around our favorite sceneries such as Little 5 points, Downtown Marietta, and Piedmont park. We party hard but we rest harder! Our homes are top tier when it comes to recouping and reenergizing so sending our friends an airbnb or hotel wont fly. Our ultimate goal is to be that best host that we can and to ensure our friend has a worth while Experience

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Sean Brinkley: We want to take this time to shoutout our mothers – the most beautiful, powerful, and resilient humans we know. Carlton and I wouldn’t be here to tell our stories if it weren’t for the sacrifices our mothers made and continue to make. Their ambition teaches us ambition. Their strength teaches us strength. Their mistakes help us grow. And their wit keeps us humble. We love you dearly and can not thank you enough.

Website: N/A
Instagram: @Bgo_Pod
Linkedin: N/A
Twitter: N/A
Facebook: N/A
Yelp: N/A
Youtube: BLK GAY & OKAY
Other: Sean Brinkley Jr (Personal Social Media Handles) – Instagram / Twitter @Goldenlocks101 Carlton Taylor (Personal Social Media Handles) – Instagram / Twitter @CarltonKTalyor

Image Credits
Rickey Jones (All Photos with Blue couch White Backdrop)