Diversity Rules Magazine

At that point I reached out to several adult stars to be a part of it, and we got a ton of no's but 3 of my friends said yes. They were then given the task of cre- a ng an authen c few days in their city that we could capture. We didn't want anything staged. We then got to connect with their friend circle (who mostly work in the business) to capture their day to day life and hear their stories. Some addi onal people that were added were friends and people we have all ad- mired in the business. Dwight and the team were literally heading to the airport when Breion Diamond was added to the cast. Dwight called up Breion made him run out and get a covid test and added him into the film. As a veteran we could do this documentary without his insight. JRK: There are some in the adult film industry that regre ed their ge ng into porn. You have no re- grets. What makes you different from the others in the respect that you have embraced your porn ca- reer? DJ: I trust the process of life. I know every experi- ence I have encountered makes me the man I am to- day. It is all a part of a master plan for my journey. I am not saying everything has worked out magical, but I keep moving. I strive to make today be er than yesterday. JRK: How much of an impact do you think your documentary film will have on producers of adult films? Have you seen any no ceable change yet, albeit the documentary just came out? DJ: To be honest it's too soon to tell. We just released the trailer, however what I will say is this. The conversa on is being had and I'm hopeful. I'm not at- tacking anyone, we are crea ng a safe space where BIPOC industry profession- als can share their experiences. I hope this lays the blue- print of a new safer energy within our field. JRK: What are some of the reac ons you received when you started mak- ing the film? Were there some in the industry who were trepida ous, hesitant to speak with you, or fearful of being exposed for using racist story plots and character roles? DJ: I didn't think it would be a film. This industry has created an energy of fear. In the beginning there were a ton of no's, then a ton of "Hell No's" then a bunch of "off the records," and even while shoot- ing some mes we had to turn the camera off to not reveal too much of someone's story. This is a very sensi ve subject. Many performers don't want to be blacklisted and I get it, but its not fair to have to work and live in a space of fear. JRK: You were the first black man to win a GAYVN Best Actor Award in 2020, equivalent to the Oscars of Porn. How did that change the trajectory of your career in the porn industry? DJ: It definitely did have a huge impact on my career, and I think it shed some light on the careers of my peers as well. I didn't feel like I was winning, it felt like WE were winning. JRK: Many look down upon the porn industry and the adult entertainment industry, generally. To many, like this editor/publisher, it simply is another career like any other, where men and women do Jackson - Con't on page 16 Diversity Rules Magazine | July 2021 | 5

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