What can one experience at a Brave Soul Collective event?
They can experience a whole host of things. They can plan to laugh, think, to feel something, maybe cry,
maybe just sit and observe. Any and all of those things have happened at past discussion gatherings and performances. The most important thing I can say someone needs to bring with them should they attend
anything we do is an open heart and mind. I don’t say that because we’re some kind of ‘strange, oddball’
bunch, but because I am very clear that I am NOT in control of what happens. As much as I have my ideas
of what I’d like to accomplish and how I’d like things to go, I have been reminded REPEATEDLY that I have
nothing but intentions (all of which are rooted in things of a loving, healing, positive nature) and my goals are
much more likely to be achieved when I focus on those rather than trying to manipulate what happens and/or
how it all unfolds.
A typical Brave Soul audience consists of?
A ‘typical’ audience (if there is such a thing) will definitely consist of black gay men from all different walks of
life and age ranges. We’ve also had heterosexual men attend our performances and gatherings as well. There
are also plenty of women that attend our discussion gatherings and performances which I encourage because
NONE of us live in a world where there is only one kind of person or gender. In one way or another we all wind
up encountering and interacting with a wealth of different kinds of people, so I feel it’s important for our
audiences to reflect that.
How is the work transformative for the spectator and for the performers? Any personal testimonies you
would like to share?
I have to say again here that I can only go by what others have told me after being present at something
we’ve done. There have been countless instances when people have come to me after a show and said
thank you. My usual response is to thank THEM for coming, & for sharing their energy and time with us.
On several occasions at that point the said individual has either looked me directly in my eyes, held my
hand, or touched me and said…”No…thank YOU. Thank you for being so honest and sharing in the way
that you have because you’ve helped me to see things in a different way” or, “…you inspired me to get up
off my ass and DO what I know I love to do, but was afraid (for whatever reason before now) to do”. In a
sense, I think in me doing what I do, it gives others permission and COURAGE to do the something similar
that will help them in one way or another. As far as performers who’ve we’ve worked with go, I know that many
of them are inspired and transformed every time we do something mainly because they keep coming back
to work with me whenever I call them! Lots of my friends and fellow artists come to me with work that is
AMAZING, which needs to be heard and experienced by the masses & anytime I’m able to play any kind
of part in assisting them in making that happen, I’m blessed and happy to do so.
Name one book that transformed how you saw the world and your place in it.
One book that has been of the most importance to me is “Conversations With God” by Neale Donald Walsch.
The books in that series helped to facilitate a MAJOR shift in how I viewed and came to understand my
relationship with, and connection to God. Those books enabled me to ALWAYS LOVE, and NEVER FEAR
the God of my understanding.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Iyanla Vanzant and all of her books here as well because I’d have to say
that it was reading “Acts of Faith” in 1995 that started me on the spiritual path that led me to First Sunday
(the gathering I attend where the inspiration for Brave Soul Collective came forth).
What is your plan in the next 5 years for the collective?
I plan to continue producing Brave Soul performances, & in turn continuing to assist other talented individuals
in getting their work out to those who need to be exposed to it the most. I would love to do some kind of Brave
Soul youth outreach as well so that we can start reaching children & teenagers at a younger age in order to
assist them in moving through some of the experiences they face. It is my primary intention to turn Brave
Soul Collective into a ‘brand’ of sorts in order to create other spaces and platforms to affect personal,
spiritual, artistic growth and change, as well as continued mental, emotional health & wellness.
How long will you continue to do this work, even if you don't achieve the celebrity notarierty? This
question, again is asking, why do you tirelessly pursue work that doesn't have a huge pay off financially?
I’ll do this work as long as there is breath in my body. I’m very clear about why I do what I do. While it is
my intention to make a living as an artist and Artistic Director/Founder of Brave Soul Collective, the reward
I get from all of the work I’ve been involved with means more to me than any amount of money.
I can’t take the money with me when I transition. The worth & value I’ve gotten and continue to get from
doing this work however, I’ll carry with me into the spirit realm whenever my work is done here, since it is
my belief that ALL of it is deeply rooted in spirit from the onset.
This is a Future Forward favorite: Name 1 guilty pleasure.
LOL…I never want to feel guilty about anything that gives me pleasure.
(FEEL FREE TO PRINT THIS EXACTLY THIS WAY….)
(PG-13 Response): eating sweets late at night while laying in my bed watching television; The Golden Girls, Roseanne, Will & Grace, The Office, etc…
(GrownMan Response): Ass watchin (men of course). At the gym, out in public, wherever. I’m a Scorpio.
YOU do the math…LOL.
In closing…
The only thing I’d like to add is that somehow, some people have come to believe that Brave Soul Collective
is only ‘for’ black gay men, who are living with HIV.
THAT IS A MISCONCEPTION. I think because the organization was founded by three black gay men
who are HIV positive, people started to assume that we were only speaking to a specific group of people.
While our primary intention is always to speak from the perspective of LGBT people of color, we are not a
black gay, HIV positive
organization. I pride myself on the fact that when people who are NOT black, gay, or HIV positive attend anything we produce or host, they always feel WELCOME, at home and like they belong as much as anybody else. Part of the reason I felt the need to create the organization in the first place was because I got so tired of feeling isolated and not feeling like who I am wasn’t entirely accepted or welcomed. Therefore, the only way to combat that kind of energy and those kinds of ideas is with energy of a different kind. We all have a LOT more in common than we do different about us. Pain is PAIN, love is LOVE, healing is HEALING…however and wherever it happens.
Thank you for the opportunity to be profiled.
Monte J. Wolfe
WHAT: Brave Soul Collective presents: Personifications
WHEN: Monday December 13th, 2010 at 8pm
WHERE: The Warehouse Theater
645 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001 US
COST: $15 (in advance)/ $20 (at the door-CASH ONLY)
TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE ONLINE!!!!
To purchase tickets in advance ONLINE (& save on the cost of admission & raffle tickets) please visit:
BUY ADVANCE TICKETS ONLINE
BraveSoulGiveaway Raffle Tickets will be available for sale at the door/during the event
(CASH ONLY)
For additional information about this performance, to purchase discounted tickets for groups of 10 or
more, or to make a donation, please feel free to email us at bravesoultix@gmail.com
A.A+W
with Cornelius Jones Jr.
Tune in next Wednesday for more
Arts.Advocacy+Wellness with Cornelius Jones Jr.
Stay connected with me:
FaceBook: Cornelius Jones Jr.
Twitter: CorneliusJonesJ
FaceBook Fan Page: FlagBoy Official Fan Page of the Actor
Saturday June 18th, 2011 at 8pm
BSC, which celebrates its 5 year anniversary this month is honored to be one of the few LGBTQ performing arts organizations participating in the second annual DC Black Theatre Festival.
I’m originally from Racine, Wisconsin & I currently 
