the braid boy diaries

On an episode full of laughs, Matty Draughter catches up with Quincy Jay, Personal Trainer & Influencer, for an in-depth conversation on growing up Bi-Racial & Gay, what relationships with Barbers can look like for Queer men of color, and the importance of self-identification. We also dig into his Influencer career &  family, as he explains how he learned to find self-confidence; and, of course, we had to have a moment for the Lambily. Make sure to check out Quincy's visual diary for this episode at heydraugher.com/braid-boy-diaries.

Diary, No. 11 (:Eleven), is all about hair. In an in depth interview with hair stylist, Karlito Payton, we joce about hair from the technician's perspective. We see how Karl's life growing up in the salon shaped his passion for hair & self care; how his 11 years in the industry helps him navigate working with major clients like Harper's Bazaar & HBO, and breakdown the social confines of image and style that LGBTQIA+ men of color still dissect today. Visit & subscribe at heydraughter.com/braid-boy-diaries to view Karl's full diary! 

Diary no. 10 is all about "Keeping That Same ENERGY." We joce with long time friend, frat brother, and DJ, ANTWIGADEE about his DJ career, ties to New Orleans, and creating space for people through musical experiences. We also get into his hair journey, how life has influenced his views on style, and the essence of blackness through a deep conversation about music. ANTWIGADEE also shares a snippet of one of his last DJ sets from his residence, ENERGY! Check out ANTWIGADEE's full diary at heydraughter.com/braid-boy-daires.

For diary, no. 6, we chop it up with Benjamin C. Fields, financial services professional, business manager, business manager to Aha Gazelle, and my frat brother. We dig into Ben's roots as a PK, discover his process of going bald in college, how he's found confidence over the years, and  hispersonal and spiritual growth as a man. Ben's convo brings us back full circle from college days to today, helping us reflect on how we  have learned new definitions of blackness & masculinity over the past eight years. 

After a much-needed self-care hiatus, we are back and better than ever. Episode 5 and the next few episodes are going to be all about brothers. Literally. For this diary, we open up with Matthew Draughter's younger brother, Joshua Green. Josh is currently a junior at Xavier University New Orleans studying computer science with a second internship at Microsoft underway. Sit in on our joce where we discuss our hair journeys, what college can be like for black men at the end of a panny, and ultimately, how we learned to define unconditional love after living in a toxic space for most of our childhood. Subscribe to our podcast & explore bonus content at https://www.heydraughter.com/braid-boy-diaries. 

Diary, no. 4 is all about Drexston Redway, Visual Designer at Square. During our episode, we catch up with Drex about growing up Jamaican-American, haircare as a form of self-care, and mostly what it's like to be the last Black man in San Francisco. We'll also dig into why I decided to dye my hair blue in the middle of Season 1. To explore Drex's portraits & additional content, visit heydraughter.com/braid-boy-diaries.

Episode 2 is here. We’re talking about the tea from the past & spiritual awakenings through hair. From church to the barbershop, to taking chances with musician & lyricist Sam Loid. We unpack his understanding of manhood, blackness, and his trials and tribulations that have led him to his rebirth. Listen to Sam’s story about his hair starting from a youngin' in New Orleans to a full-blown recording artist. Make sure to check out Sam's portraits & additional content at heydraughter.com/braid-boy-diaries.