2.27 Frank Ocean, First Kisses & George Floyd: Steven Underwood on Becoming

Steven Underwood, award-winning writer, cultural critic, and digital worldbuilder, joins Embracing All of Me for a conversation that unfolds like a map of survival, imagination, and becoming. From a misunderstood tweet that led to a traumatizing arrest, to the grandmother who infused his life with art, to Frank Ocean’s influence on his queer awakenings, Steven breaks open what it means to create in an era where vulnerability is often punished and Black creativity is endlessly consumed and forgotten.

Together, we trace the rise of the “New Black Digital Renaissance,” unpack the myth of Black excellence, talk about the politics of first kisses, and explore why introverts, dreamers, and digital kids have every right to be taken seriously as artists.

Steven’s book, Forever for the Culture, drops January 27, 2026 in print and audio. Preorders now open.

Steven Website:https://www.blaqueword.comPlease rate and review to grow the Embracing All of Me community!