Filmscreening and Discussion of Move Ya Body: The Birth of House

Marking Pride Month at Roosevelt House, the LGBTQ Policy Center at Roosevelt House and Queer Voices NYC are pleased to present a screening of Move Ya Body: The Birth of House. The screening is followed by a conversation with the director Elegance Bratton and producer Chester Algernal Gordo, moderated by Emil Wilbekin. Welcoming remarks by LGBTQ Policy Center Director Erin Mayo-Adam and by Queer Voices co-founders Brandon Smith and Ronald Hinton. (The film screening is in-person only.) Elegance Bratton (Director, Producer) is an award-winning director, writer, and producer who began making films as a US Marine after spending a decade homeless. His films have been featured in over 200 film festivals worldwide, and have earned acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, and Sundance. Named one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch in 2023, Bratton made his television debut as the creator and executive producer of Viceland’s My House, a chronicle of underground competitive ballroom dancing that was nominated for Outstanding Documentary at the 2019 GLAAD Media Awards. The Inspection, his semi-autobiographical narrative fiction debut, had its world premiere on the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival Discovery section, and was the closing night film of the New York Film Festival. The critically-acclaimed A24 film centers around a young homeless gay man who joins the Marine Corps to win back his mother’s love, and learns how to respect himself at bootcamp. The film has garnered numerous award nominations including from the Golden Globes, Gothams, and Film Independent Spirit Awards. Chester Algernal Gordon (Producer) is a producer, costume designer, and stylist with a passion for making powerful stories that capture the imagination and inspire. They began working in film production in 2016, and since then Gordon has costumed three Lionsgate feature films, 17 short films, and has produced award-winning films that have played in festivals worldwide including the New York Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, BFI, Outfest, Reykjavik International Film Festival and New Orleans Film Festival. Their work as a stylist has been published in magazines such as Glamour, Galore, Esquire, and they have worked with noted photographers including Mick Rock and Pari Dukovic. Emil Wilbekin (Moderator) is an Associate Professor of Journalism at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He is a multimedia “maverick” who has contributed to the New York Times, Vogue, The Cut, Architectural Digest, Time, Essence, Ebony, and Town & Country. He is a co-producer and co-writer of the documentary The Remix: Hip Hop X Fashion (Netflix). He is also the founder of Native Son, a platform created to inspire and empower Black gay and queer men. Wilbekin has served as Chief Content Officer at Afropunk, Editor-at-Large at Essence, Managing Editor of Essence.com, Editor-in-Chief of Giant and Giantmag.com, Style Guru at Complex Media, VP of Brand Development at Marc Eckō Enterprises, Editorial Director/Vice President of Vibe Ventures and Editor in Chief of Vibe Magazine. Under his leadership, Vibe won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 2002. Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, June 8, 2026.