What if your name was the gateway to the highest version of yourself? In this episode, host Ross Victory sits down with Zamokuhle Zulu, a South African scholar-activist, lecturer, artist, and writer whose work spans African feminism, decolonial psychology, and building Pan-African LGBTQ+ networks.

Zamo shares how reclaiming his bisexual identity meant reconciling personal truth with collective cultural responsibilities, in a society where family and community remain central to survival. He speaks candidly about growing up in a township, moving to Cape Town, confronting generational trauma, and why “coming out” isn’t always the safest form of queer expression in the diaspora.

Together, they unpack how African feminism became a liberating framework for Zamo to find his voice, and why some Black Americans believe queerness is a colonial import, despite rich pre-colonial histories of fluid identity across the continent.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt torn between tradition and truth, duty and desire. Zamo offers a path toward embracing oneself that resists erasure and reclaims belonging across borders by realizing you don't have to be anything. You get to sit down, be you, and do what you do!

Marginalized Experiences of Black Bisexual Men in South Africa: Voices of Resilience: Centre for Human Rights University of Pretoria

Zamo on Instagram

Email Zamo: zamokuhle.zulu@outlook.com

What does it truly mean to belong, especially when your experiences and identity feel like an anomaly, fragmented and caught between worlds? In this solo episode, host Ross Victory unpacks the complexities of belonging beyond corporate slogans. Through reflections on history, culture, and ancestry, Ross challenges the notion that belonging is a fixed destination. Instead, he offers belonging and the sense of "home" as an active practice, a rhythm of returning to oneself over and over again. If you’ve ever felt not queer enough, not bisexual enough, not something enough, this episode offers insight, grounding, and prioritizes self-reunion over performance.

For deeper discovery, download the Worksheet: Self-Inquiry on Belonging, Place, and Rootedness

Are you interested in using the art of writing for personal development? Fill out the ⁠Interest Form⁠ for the upcoming book "Embracing All of Me: Identity-focused Writing & Self Discovery for Bi+ & Pan Men," so you don't miss it.

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In this moving episode, Pastor Xavier shares his journey from growing up in 1960s South Central Los Angeles to relocating to Altadena/Pasadena area, where he faced the devastating 2025 Eaton Fires that destroyed over 9,000 structures and claimed at least 18 lives. He discusses how spoken word poetry became a lifeline for processing trauma in the face of mass destruction and loss.

Raised in conservative evangelical Christian churches, Pastor Xavier reflects on surviving abuse and the decades long struggle to understand his bisexual identity. He examines how rigid traditions within some Christian institutions can deter critical thinking and hinder personal growth.

Drawing from over 30 years of ministry, he offers insights into identifying affirming Christian churches that uphold both biblical integrity and LGBTQ+ inclusion. With his mother as his biggest advocate and a renewed connection to scripture, Pastor Xavier reimagines his faith as a source of healing, justice, and service to youth at large.

This conversation invites listeners to reflect: Who shaped our beliefs? Can faith and identity coexist? How does questioning authority lead to self-discovery?

And above all, Pastor Xavier reminds us: who we are is God’s greatest gift.

Resources from Pastor Xavier:

• Kathy Baldock – Author of "Walking the Bridgeless Canyon," and former evangelical who explores how cultural and political forces shaped anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and theology. Recommended for: unpacking myths, observing social, political, scientific, cultural timelines, and reclaiming inclusive faith.

• Father Richard Rohr – Catholic priest and author. Quote: “Sin is being complicit in the suffering of the world.” Recommended for: reframing sin through compassion and justice. Suggested Listening: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oprahs-super-soul/id1264843400?i=1000415592929

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – A book on creative recovery through journaling and reflection. Recommended for: healing trauma, reclaiming joy, and nurturing inner creativity.

• Queerfully and Wonderfully Made by Leigh Finke

• The Gospel of Inclusion - Brandan J Robertson

• Outside the Lines - Mihee Kim-Kort

• Changing Our Mind - David P Gushee

Affirming Faith Communities & Organizations

• • The New Evangelicals – Jesus-centered, inclusive, and justice-focused
  • The Reformation Project – Bible-based LGBTQ+ inclusion https://reformationproject.org/
  • Q Christian Fellowship – Community for LGBTQ+ believers seeking truth and belonging - https://www.qchristian.org/
  • Post-Evangelical Collective - https://www.postevangelicalcollective.org/
  • https://www.gaychurch.org/

Biblical References from Pastor Xavier:

• • Matthew 22 – Misuse of scripture and Jesus’ correction of religious leaders
  • 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 – The nature of God’s love
  • Jeremiah 1 :4-8– Affirmation of calling and worth
  • Luke 10:25-37, Parable of the Good Samaritan – Radical inclusion
  • Galatians 1:1-2:10 - Gospel of Uncircumcision = Inclusion for those excluded by the Law
  • Matthew 5-7 - Sermon on the Mount – Reinterpreting law through love