We Are #BlackLove : Meet Daniel and Justin
theGrio’s We Are Black Love series is designed to celebrate the inspiring stories of couples in our community that may be underrepresented in media.
Justin Dominic, 30, a professional dancer with The Met Opera and educator, briefly met Daniel P. Calderon, 33, a brand strategist for The Tenth Magazine and entrepreneur at his own branding and marketing consultancy, three years ago while they lived in the same apartment complex. After Daniel introduced himself to Justin, the two didn’t see one another until the following year, when Justin was finishing his thesis for his MFA in Dance by the pool area. Daniel reintroduced himself and started a conversation. That conversation and subsequent dates turned into dating months later. With Justin traveling to dance around the world, combined with his busy teaching schedule and Daniel’s alway-on-the-go life as an entrepreneur, they decided to build an exciting life on their own terms.
They combined their talents to create a film – unapologetic me: Black | Gay | Man that delves into their lives and other Black gay men’s experience and inter-sectionalism. The film enjoyed success with its partnership with the Samsung Experience and at over seven film festivals across the country.
The happy couple look forward to continuing their activism, dancing, and sharing more film projects individually and as a unit.
