The concept of BLKQR TV appears simple: it is an online talk show and social media platform designed to give queer, Black Brits a forum to discuss the issues that matter to them. It was created to cater to a community that Miracle believes is currently being underserved. “I wanted to make something that depicts the Black queer experience with nuance and doesn’t try to conflate our experiences into a single story.” The show takes the format of a talk show; each episode a panel of participants discuss a range of community-centred topics before playing games that focus on themes of culture, identity and society. “We want to keep it lighthearted but also interesting and informative. The aim is to create something for us, by us that is also able to share some insight into what life as a Black, queer person can entail – outside of the hardship that is usually associated with our lives,” Miracle says.

Striking the balance, however, between broaching intra-community discussions whilst remaining inclusive to a wider audience is a challenge that the show must navigate sensitively. “When we were conceptualising discussion points we ran our ideas past trusted straight friends and it was eye-opening. We’d get their feedback and realise that we risked alienating some of our audience because some of the topics that seemed self-evident to us needed to be contextualised for those outside of our community,” Miracle shares. “I think it’s through something like what we’re creating here that we could start to bridge gaps. I don’t mind that we’re sometimes having to take our discussions back to basics because how else are people going to be able to learn about our experience?” 

Though Black, queer voices are emerging through new media forms (Two Twos Podcast, a culture and society show fronted by Black lesbians Nana Duncan and Rose Frimpong boasts a five star rating on Spotify) BLKQR TV is the first UK based web series of its kind. The growth of TikTok has catapulted the careers of some Black, queer figures such as Dréya Mac. However, TikTok’s short form video model has meant that the app’s highest performers are often individual creators rather than collectives, meaning that the gap in Black, queer focused community and culture entertainment remains prominent