Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Dodson.
Jordan Occasionally, or JD, (pronouns they/them) is a non-binary, bisexual, Black Neo-Soul and R&B Recording Artist from Memphis, TN. JD is not just a performer, but a student majoring in Music Business with a minor in African American Studies and a community organizer in Memphis, TN.
Jordan Occasionally gained critical acclaim after their independent EP release entitled, “1998”. This five-song EP is composed of themes strongly rooted in their identity, growing up in the south of the United States. JD’s artistry stems from a space of empathy and understanding with hopes of bringing awareness and justice for marginalized communities, recognizing that historically it is past due. Jordan Occasionally hopes to inspire folks of all backgrounds that their voices and experiences are what make them special.
Has it been a smooth road?
Growing up as a young queer, Black person in the South, there has always been struggles in terms of my identity and what I face in the world; however, my struggles have made me who I am today. There were many factors that made me feel like I would never belong or feel safe anywhere, but that challenged me to create and cultivate spaces that would accept me and uplift me. I think the challenge is recognizing that my differences make me unique and that by standing in my truths, I could encourage other folks that have also felt like they had no home. I learned how to make a home within myself and my story.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
My work is at the intersection of art and activism. I have been a recording artist since 2019, creating music to provide a voice for those that are systematically and institutionally unheard. My music is inspired by the resilience of Black Women, Black Queer and Gender Non-Conforming Folks, and Black Poor Folks throughout history. Being a Black, Non-Binary, Bisexual Artist, I wanted to make sure that I created music for people that could see themselves in me.
I also helped co-found an initiative known as PPEFORBIPOC, an organization that provides FREE PPE (personal protective equipment) every week to marginalized and homeless communities in Memphis, TN. PPEFORBIPOC centers BIPOC folks by providing free reusable masks, sanitary products, and hand sanitizer to help prevent the chances of catching COVID-19. We have given away over 6000 PPE kits since July 2020 through donations that we gathered by fundraising and organizing in our community. We noticed that Low-Income BIPOC are disproportionately affected by the virus and created the initiative as a protest against systems that fail to see all folks as worthy of protection in a pandemic. As a community organizer who helped lead protests for defunding the police, I felt it necessary to create an initiative that meets folks where they are to prove that the re-allocating of funds to communities that need it can actually be life-changing.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Being a Memphis Native, I see a lot of our history in the streets of Atlanta as well. Orange Mound in Memphis, founded in 1890, was one of the first African American communities in United States History. And today, Orange Mound still stands but it suffers from a food apartheid, lack of funding, and free community resources. Simply put, it does not have the same resources that suburbs in Memphis have.
Like Memphis, Atlanta is rich with Black Revolutionary history. If someone wants to start a business there, I would challenge them to recognize how to give back to Low-Income communities, similar to Orange Mound, that have already been there. If there is a Historically Black Community in Atlanta that is suffering from a food apartheid or is demanding the defunding of the police, those that have the privilege of any kind should help uplift their voices and invite them to the tables they helped create. Freedom to me looks like a space where Black Trans Folks, Black Queer Folks, Black Poor Folks, and Black Women are protected, loved, and served. If there are spaces that serve these communities in Atlanta, they should constantly be uplifted instead of overlooked. Freedom is not Gentrification (which I sing about in my song “Dear Broad, Bingham and Beale). Freedom is the spreading of wealth to communities that are historically disadvantaged. Simply put, if you create a business that displaces a community that was already there, you are contributing to a problem that was founded in Imperialism.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jordanoccasionally.com
- Email: jordanoccasionallymusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordan_occasionally
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jordanoccasionally
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jd_occasionally
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/ppeforbipoc
Image Credit:
@shotontheblock on Instagram
@bdillphoto on Instagram
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