Going Retro: BIG ROD to LITTLE ROD

About me:

Wassup y'all? Brutha ROD here, an African-American Same-Gender-Loving (SGL) brutha. My African family roots lead back to Columbia, South Carolina on my Mom's side, and my father's lineage leads back to Barbados.

I'm a CADD [Computer-Aided Drafting and Design] professional. Basically what I do is draft/design engineering drawings as a consultant for different engineering firms. The biggest projects I'm working on is the EAST SIDE ACCESS Project which is bringing the Long Island Rail Road train system into Grand Central Station on the east side of NYC. The other big project is the 2ND AVENUE train line ("T" train) Project which will run north and south along 2nd Avenue in NYC to alleviate the current overcrowding on the 4, 5 & 6 trains which is also on the east side of NYC.

I'm transitioning out of the CADD field and into filmmaking. FILM has always been a PASSION of mine since I was a kid. I'm currently enrolled at New York University and studying Cinematography as a particular focus and vocation in film. Check out my student short film right below...







I'm heavenly involved in humanitarian socio-political activism for the Black [same gender loving] community. For 3 years I was a Developmental Committee member of the Black Men’s Xchange-New York [BMX-NY] which is a cultural affirmation and leadership empowerment collective for Black SGL men.

Creatively, I love to capture still moments in life as a photographer, doing graphic design work, and was previously a producer at Brooklyn Cable Access Television [BCAT] working on a select number of progressive television shows. I love networking with other bruthaz and sistahs via the Internet and off-line in person here and there. Some future goals include someday self-publishing some fictional novels that reflect Africentric people in the mystery, drama and science-fiction genres.

I'm into diverse (especially Afrocentric cultural stuff) like museums and go on the annual ADODI Summer Retreats for Black SGL men. I'm into sports and a HUGE Washington Redskins fan.



A large part of my morality or belief is in KWANZAA which is celebrated from December 26th thru January 1st every year. KWANZAA is a unique African-American celebration with a focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement. KWANZAA is neither political, nor religious, and despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas. It is simply a time of reaffirming people of the African Diaspora, their ancestors and culture. Kwanzaa, which means "first fruits of the harvest" in the African language Kiswahili, has gained tremendous acceptance. Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga.

Kwanzaa consists of seven Kwanzaa Principles (Nguzo Saba) and should be put into practice every day, and not just celebrated for 7 days and then forgotten about. The Kwanzaa Principles are:

(1) Umoja (oo-MO-jah): Unity

(2) Kujichagulia (koo-GEE-chah-GOO-lee-AH): Self-Determination

(3) Ujima (oo-JEE-mah): Collective Work and Responsibility

(4) Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah-AH): Cooperative Economics

(5) Nia (nee-AH): Purpose

(6) Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah): Creativity

(7) Imani (ee-MAH-nee): Faith





Now, reboundin' back to "Same-Gender-Loving" or "SGL" for short, its meaning which was coined and derived out of the Black community "...emerged in the early 1990s to offer Black women who love women and Black men who love men (and other people of color) a way of identifying that resonated with the uniqueness of Black life and culture". Basically, it's a CULTURAL AFFIRMATION to PEOPLE OF COLOR. And I live its ideology through LOVE and ACCEPTANCE. So any potential special bruthaz out there that want to get to know me better will know how I roll. Aiiight! We qool on this point? LOL!

And in case you're wondering what my screen name "BIG ROD" means... well, I'm 6'-3" in height and have always been tall going back to my childhood. During public school in class I was always last in line when we lined up in size order. My friends have been calling me BIG ROD for over 20+ years. So there! It's not the other thing you might be thinkin' - LOL! I weigh 200 lbs and have black hair and brown maple syrup eyes. LOL!

On the freaky deaky side, I have a huge fetish for UNDIES(men's briefs, boxers and boxer briefs) and have something like 50 pairs. LOL! I feel sexy no matter which ones I have on and I LOVE lookin' at bruthaz in their UNDIES! An afrodisiac FO' SURE, YO! LOL!

My 4 favorite colors are ironically funny because they all start with the letter "B": BROWN, BLACK, BLUE AND BURGUNDY.

My 5 favorite dishes (you bruthaz dat cook, are U listenin' out there? LOL! A brutha has got to eat guud, YO! LOL!) are SEA FOOD, SOUL FOOD, INDIAN, THAI & ITALIAN.

I'M NOT INTO ADDING PEOPLE ("FRIENDS") TO MY PAGE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF ADDING PEOPLE, so please message me here on MySpace, or Yahoo Instant Messenge me (my screen name is BIG_ROD01), or hit me directly by email at BIG.ROD02@GMAIL.COM so we learn something about each other. Aiight? Thanks!

And lastly, I'm a Brooklyn, New York native! Be qool and much LOVE, y'all!