Being Held, Being Chosen: Healing and Building Community

About this episode

The episode features a dialogue with Dr. Van Bailey on the importance of chosen family and community support for mental well-being, particularly for Black trans individuals.

In this intimate episode (32) of season four of In the Telling, co-hosts Miranda Mims and Steven G Fullwood engage in a meaningful dialogue with Dr. Van Bailey, a fashion curator and advocate for LGBTQ+ representation. Together, they examine the concepts of safety, care, and intimacy beyond conventional family dynamics. The conversation addresses mental health challenges, the vital role of a support network, and how these connections contribute to our ability to endure and flourish. Dr. Bailey recounts his experiences as a Black trans individual, highlighting the importance of his chosen family in his life and the influence of community support on mental well-being and resilience. The discussion navigates the intricacies of intimacy, accountability, and the healing required to cultivate robust, affirming relationships—particularly for Black trans individuals. The dialogue underscores the necessity of love, acceptance, and the bravery to dismantle barriers in order to nurture deeper bonds. This episode serves as a meditation on love, trust, and the individuals who stand by us in our times of need. Whether it be a close friend, a mentor, or a community that fills the gaps left by…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sean Bempong, Christopher Stalling, Tanya M. Beltran

Guest: Dr Van Bailey

Topics covered

• mental health
• LGBTQ+ representation
• community support
• intimacy
• Black trans individuals

Keywords

• healing
• accountability
• love
• trust
• resilience

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: In the Telling, the Full Conversation

More episodes of In the Telling

• Holding onto Memory: a life shaped by intuition, reinvention, caregiving, and forgetting · June 9, 2026 · 50 min
• Holding Dignity: Family, Memory and a Mother's Defiance · April 24, 2026 · 37 min
• We Are All Libraries Burning - Louie on Radical Love and Why Our Stories Are Worth Preserving · March 18, 2026 · 56 min
• From Plantation Roads to Seven Streets: Land, Faith, and Family · February 10, 2026 · 45 min
• A Father’s Pride, a Daughter’s Lesson: Roller Coasters and Family Bonds · December 29, 2025 · 34 min
• A Journey in Education and Music: Family as the Ultimate Motivator · November 25, 2025 · 47 min