Jordan Crawford

Tell us about yourself! What do you do for a living? What are your interests? What are your pronouns?

Hi, my name is Jordan Crawford, my pronouns are he/him, and I am a performer. I dance, sing, act, and produce/create visual content.

About how old were you when you came out? How was the climate you grew up in?

This is an interesting question because there wasn’t a specific moment where I came out to everyone at once, but I consider the moment I told my mom I was gay to be the pinpoint and that was around October/November of 2017. The climate I grew up in was an array of things. It wasn’t all good, but it could’ve been a lot worse!

Did you make career choices that allowed you to feel comfortable being open about your sexuality? (Are you out or feel comfortable being out at your workplace?)

I absolutely did! I had to do shows and play roles that I knew would be able to meet me where I was in my personal life, while also enjoying and giving myself permission to be vulnerable on stage. I am out and feel that I can express that freely in the workplace.

If you could tell your younger self something about yourself that you are proud of today, what would it be?

I would tell myself that, “there are going to be who love you for exactly who you are! Don’t worry about the people who made you feel like something was wrong with you.”

Have you tried to surround yourself with like-minded peers/colleagues? If so, how? 

I have made my best efforts these last couple of years to really surround myself with people who are progressive thinkers and believe the world is what we make it. I have conversations and get to see who people are on a personal level and determine if that fits with my energy. Always follow your energy!

Who were your role models growing up? What tv shows/movies allowed you to feel seen?

I had so many great role models growing up! Beyonce has been my biggest role model for years now. On TV, I loved Raven Symone as a kid. That’s So Raven was one of the only shows where I have seen so many black actors on a screen.. As far as LGBTQIA+ representation, Todrick Hall has been my biggest influence. I had never felt fully seen until I discovered him on YouTube. I even got to meet him twice! The movie ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Straight Outta Oz’ have been one of the very films that I have felt so seen and connected to.

Complete the sentence, if I knew ____________ back when I was first figuring myself out, I would tell them _____________________? 

If I knew who I would become back when I was first figuring myself out, I would tell myself to be yourself, everything is okay and the rest will follow.

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