Adja Gildersleve

Photo by Anna Rajdl

“To be LGBTQIA+ inherently makes us innovative, creative, and resilient,” opines Adja Gildersleve, the filmmaker, futurist, and educator who’s based in Minneapolis. Having spent years on the frontlines as an organizer and self-described agitator, Gildersleve co-founded Black Lives Matter Minneapolis and is “fully committed” when it comes not only to fighting oppression but to also supporting youth and adults in accessing tools that help them build as well as maintain agency and power. Reflecting Gildersleve’s belief that media is a powerful tool to imagine and inspire, Gildersleve is also the co-director of Free Truth, a media company that uses art as a tool for liberation. While their dream is to work on a sci-film with Issa Rae (preferably one where two Black women time travel to save the world from the zombie apocalypse, aka colonization), Gildersleve is poetic in their philosophy. “It is a blessing to be queer/trans,” they say. “Our struggle leads each of us to uniquely move in ways that create so much beauty. In just surviving and existing, we transform spaces and culture in ways that are unimaginable.” In addition, “we must continue to boldly hold space for ourselves, our elders, our youth,” Gildersleve advises, “and especially uplift and protect Black Trans Women. There’s hope that we can build towards collective liberation for all oppressed people and thrive.” —JDG