Ebo Barton, Artist and Housing Services Director, joins We Live In Color
Deaunte Damper was joined by Ebo Barton on this week’s episode of We Live In Color. Barton is a renowned poet and community activist, working with the Lavender Rights Project. They found poetry through necessity, growing up in LA as “a confused young person.”
“I think we often oppress young people by not letting them speak,” Barton said. “Poetry became my way to speak.”
Barton then served in the Navy for two and a half years, a decision which they said was difficult.
“I felt forced because of my circumstances,” Barton said. “I don’t think I met anyone who stayed in the military because they wanted to serve their country. I think people sign up because there is a promise of a paycheck and a promise of an education.”
That time in the Navy, though, led Barton to the Pacific Northwest. They found a weekly poetry slam, which opened the door to community and world which they didn’t even know existed.
“Everything I have is because of the Black Seattle artist community,” Barton said. “Those are the folks that invited me in, taught me how to act.”
That was when Barton’s activism work started as well. They credit the artist community with encouraging their voice and pushing them forward.
“I had great friends and teachers who kept asking me ‘what are you doing next’,” Barton said. “Having that support made me both want to do better in my own art, and also create outlets for others to share their voices.”
Barton now produces shows and works to ensure others have the same support they felt upon their arrival in Seattle.
They’ve also found their voice within the Lavender Rights Project, which works to elevate the power, autonomy, and leadership of the Black intersex & gender diverse community through intersectional legal and social services. Barton is the director of housing services with the organization, a role they have found fulfilling.
“Once you’re able to not worry about housing, you can focus on the rest of your life,” Barton said. “Young Black Queer folks are statistically the first to be homeless. We are trying to solve that by working to understand and engage with folks and bring them inside.”
Currently, Barton is working with the county to build permanent supportive housing facility in the Central Seattle/King County area.
“We’re hoping we can make the program within the house dynamic enough to provide healthcare resoures, private units, private plumbing,” Barton said. “We want folks to have a quality of life that serves them.”
You can follow along with Barton on their website, and learn more about the Lavender Rights Project here.
