Meet the Native Sons 101 Class of 2025
Since 2020, Native Son’s 101 List has annually honored 101 Black queer men who impacted culture that year through film, television, legislation, music, art, public health, and more. The class of 2025 includes two-time Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo, DJ and producer Kaytranada, R&B star Khalid, Emmy Award–winning actor Tramell Tillman, political leaders including Chi Ossé, Brazilian tennis star Joao Lucas Reis da Silva, Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell, Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, and more.
“2025 has been a year where our community has been tested in unprecedented ways,” said Native Son founder Emil Wilbekin. “We witnessed aggressive rollbacks of DEI programs, erasing LGBTQ+ protections and policies — legislating against the very existence of queer and trans people.”
The unranked list also chronicles Black queer men who positively influence spaces such as fashion, photography, literature, arts, film, and politics. Founded by a former Vibe editor-in-chief as a means to reckon with the global pandemic and racial upheaval, the list recognizes Wilbekin’s peers. Other notable names on the list include fashion designers Brandon Blackwood and Olivier Rousteing, stylist Law Roach, photographer Campbell Addy, and creative director Jason Bolden.