Karamo Brown

As one of the first African-Americans to be out on a reality program, MTV's 'The Real World: Philadelphia,' I understand the courage it takes to live your truth on a national platform, the importance it holds to LGBT communities of color, and the power it has to create a greater conversation within American culture.

Literally, I look back on it now, and I often think to myself, 'Karamo you should have done better.' But that's the thing: when you're in that dark space, you can't do any better. And it's for people around you to say, 'You know what? I need to check in with you and be there to support you.'

What defines someone as a 'man' should not be the clothes they wear or how deep their voice is. It should be the content of his character, his strength in the face of overwhelming adversity, and his ability to still love and help others when the world has turned its back on him.

The worst thing about our political system is that people debate; I wish our politicians were able to talk to each other rather than scream while trying to gain sound bites.

When you break finances down in a way that kids can understand, it creates financial literacy that grows with them as they become adults.

My household runs the same way it was with my parents, who were a mother and father with their kids.

A lot of times, we look at people who have disabilities as, 'Oh, we can't invite these people here or there.' And I hate that, because it's inappropriate. It's so weird to me when people say they don't have friends who have disabilities.

I own about 70 L.A. Dodgers snapbacks in different colors.

I hate when I see someone who speaks English speaking to someone who speaks a different language, and they're screaming as if going louder is going to help the other person understand.

We're so divided as a world that we don't often have the opportunity to sit down and talk to people who are different to us. We're so ready to always be right that we sometimes forget it's OK to listen.

For many gay and bisexual men of color, economic inequalities add to the pernicious effects of oppression and homophobia.

Hollywood, at the bottom of it, is about money.