Draft:Chaaz Quigley

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Chaaz Quigley is a Black American community organizer, writer, and activist known for his work in promoting the rights and well-being of queer communities, particularly those of color. He has been involved in various initiatives advocating for health equity, HIV/AIDS awareness, and grassroots artistic expression.

Early life and education

Chaaz Quigley was born in 1985 in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, to Sandra Quigley, a civil servant, and Paul Quigley, a factory worker. During his adolescence, he relocated to Sherman, Texas, where he became an alumnus of the gifted program at Sherman High School. An avid reader from an early age, Quigley developed a deep passion for writing, which was first cultivated when he won a school-wide poetry competition in the fifth grade. He went on to earn three associate degrees from Trinity Valley Community College before attending the University of Texas A&M in Commerce, Texas.

Career and activism

Quigley’s work spans community health, HIV/AIDS awareness, and social justice movements. He formerly worked as a Community Health Worker for the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies and co-founded the HIV/AIDS organization United Black Ellument, serving as its project coordinator. His activism also extends to the LGBTQ+ community, where he has advocated for non-corporate Pride movements, co-founding the organization QueerBomb Dallas, a non-corporate, community-funded Pride event in response to the corporate influence in mainstream Pride events in Dallas. Additionally, he served as a chief organizer for the Occupy Movement in Dallas, Texas.

Quigley’s contributions to queer studies have been recognized in academic research, notably by C. Winter Han in Racial Erotics: Gay Men of Color, Sexual Racism, and the Politics of Desire, where Han examines Quigley’s insights into the politics of desire within queer communities.

Involvement with organizations

Quigley, who identifies as a revolutionary socialist and anarchic communist, has been loosely affiliated with various socialist and leftist organizations, including the International Socialist Organization. Despite his involvement, he is a strong critic of Marxist-Leninism and democratic centralism. His experiences in these groups have shaped his perspectives on power dynamics, particularly concerning leadership roles, gender, and queer identities within activist spaces. He has been outspoken about the need for more inclusive and egalitarian structures within social movements.

IRCCC and grassroots support

Quigley is involved with the Ink & Revolt Chaos Collectivist Consortium (IRCCC), an initiative focused on supporting grassroots artists and creators through micro-grants. The IRCCC emphasizes anarchic creativity, self-empowerment, and resistance to commodification. The consortium, inspired by collectivist principles, aims to empower Black communities by fostering a space for creative and revolutionary artistic expression.

Writing and creative work

An accomplished writer, Quigley has explored themes of queer resistance, health, and social justice. His writing often emphasizes the nuances of queer experiences, particularly those of queer men of color. He has contributed articles to Hornet.com and is currently a contributor at LGBTQ Nation. He focuses on topics related to capitalism, queer resistance, and the pressures faced by queer individuals in an increasingly commercialized world.

Quigley is also working on several creative projects, including a young adult novel tentatively titled Ministry of the Oracle. The novel revolves around themes of autonomy, power, and the struggle for freedom. Additionally, he has been developing a series of stories that blend horror and queer themes, drawing inspiration from iconic cultural works. In 2018, Quigley had a small role in the short film Heavy Chemistry, directed by Blair Rowan, which was nominated for the 2018 SXSW Grand Jury Award.

Personal life

Chaaz Quigley is of Afro-Mexican descent and converted to Judaism in his early adulthood. He identifies as an anti-Zionist. Quigley is openly queer and resides with his husband, Christopher Lee Colliers, who works in healthcare. He manages various aspects of his health and well-being, including the use of medical technology to address issues such as weight loss. He has written about the death of his Rhodesian Ridgeback senior rescue, Quaker. Quigley is also a dog owner, caring for a 14-year-old Lancashire Heeler named Barnabas.

See also

• HIV/AIDS activism
• Community health workers