To our community,

 

As we step into a new year, the Board of Directors of Brothers of the Desert extends our warmest wishes for a 2026 filled with hope, health, and happiness. January offers us a moment to reflect on the journey we’ve traveled together and to envision the road ahead. It is a time to recommit ourselves to the values of brotherhood, support, and community that form the foundation of our organization.

 

In the spirit of renewal, let us embrace the opportunities this year brings to strengthen our bonds and uplift one another. Brotherhood is more than a connection—it’s a commitment to stand together, celebrate our victories, and navigate challenges as one. It’s about creating spaces where every voice is heard, every story is valued, and every individual feels seen and celebrated.

 

This year, we are excited to continue with our Brothers of the Desert scholarship, our monthly discussion group, Barbershop, conduct our 7th annual Wellness Summit and create new programs and initiatives to better serve our members and allies. From thought-provoking workshops to joyful social gatherings, we aim to provide opportunities for personal growth, meaningful connection, and collective empowerment. We invite you to join us, whether by attending events, volunteering your time, or simply reaching out to a fellow brother in need.

 

As we move forward, let us remember that our strength lies in our unity. Together, we can continue to build a community that reflects the best of who we are: resilient, compassionate, and driven by purpose. We are grateful for each of you and the unique contributions you bring to our shared mission.

 

Here’s to a year of possibility and progress. Let’s make 2026 a year to remember— 

 

In solidarity and gratitude,

The Board of Directors

– Alejandro Jodorowsky, filmmaker

 

Whether lured by the driving beat of rainfall or Brazilian-inspired steel drums, 175 people answered the call to celebrate New Year’s Eve at our carnival-themed fundraiser.

 

The tone was immediately set for the masked guests upon arriving at The Riviera Resort & Spa on Dec. 31, as three sensually costumed dancers welcomed them inside and posed for photographs.

 

New connections and reconnections were made as guests mingled in the cocktail lounge and browsed and submitted bids on a robust collection of silent auction items to benefit Brothers of the Desert’s scholarships and other programs. 

 

These incredible features were a prelude to more festivities in the ballroom.

 

Vividly dressed tables, a heated performance by samba dancers, soul-stirring music by DJ Space, and a sumptuous Cajun- and tropical-flavored buffet awaited inside.

Emcee Kimberly Clark and Brothers of the Desert Board President Tim Vincent kicked off the event program from the stage.

 

One of many highlights that followed was the thoughtful, often moving acceptance speeches of this year’s four Legacy Award honorees: Palm Springs City Councilmember Grace Garner, Brothers of the Desert member and LGBTQ+ activist Gil Gerald, community organizer and event producer Joe Hawkins, and author and internationally-known consultant Lauren Nile.

The joy quotient only increased as midnight approached. Ms. Clark, a nationally recognized comedian, had attendees laughing aloud with a comedy set that included popular movie titles renamed through a Black cultural lens. Her hilarious observances were delivered between dance-floor sessions.

 

Celebratory energy flooded the ballroom as DJ Space spun beloved rhythm & blues, pop, disco and funky dance classics. Many guests caught his waves of exuberance and danced (some nearly nonstop) until the countdown to 2026 began. Chanting from 10 to 1, guests erupted in “Happy New Year!” as champagne flowed and well wishes were exchanged.

“It was a beautiful night of Brothers of the Desert members, community allies and friends coming together to show our deep appreciation and love for one another, as well as raise funds to support the education and career goals of Black LGBTQ+ youth,” Board President Tim Vincent said. “While we were challenged by the economy and inclement weather, I am grateful to the event planning committee, our guests, and everyone who contributed to make Carnival in Palm Springs another incredible Brothers of the Desert New Year’s Eve gala.”

Brothers of the Desert is proud to announce our 7th annual Wellness Summit focusing on Black gay men and our allies in the Coachella Valley and beyond in-person on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 8:30 AM-4:30PM in a new location, the Renaissance Palm Springs.  

 

It is important for us in this moment to harness our power and share our strategies for thriving in challenging times. “Building Our Collective Resilience” is the theme of our summit. Join us as we offer the opportunity to learn from a diverse group of health and wellness experts and each other on inspiring ways to protect our health.

 

The one-day event will feature dynamic keynote presentations and innovative workshops on a range of topics, such as spirituality, relationships, mental health, aging considerations, advocacy, physical health, communication, healthy sex, and creative expression as a means of healing. Everyone is welcome to attend.

 

We are happy to announce new featured presenters:  New York Times best-selling author and political commentator, Keith Boykin, founder of the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM), Yolo Akili Robinson, political journalist Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey, and CEO of NMAC (National Minority AIDS Council), Harold Phillips.

 

Returning this year will be our host Nathan-Hale Williams and presenters, Dr. Leo Moore and Dr. Imani Woody. More presenters will be announced in the coming months.

 

Space is limited, registration is required and lunch is provided.  A $25 donation is suggested and any amount given is appreciated. Tickets are available now!

 

Go to  https://www.brothersofthedesert.org/wellness-summit to see videos and photos from our previous summit .

 

Brothers of the Desert is excited to continue our monthly discussion group called Barbershop: A Black Gay Men’s Space for Honest Talk About Wellness, now in our second year!

 

Building upon the tradition of barbershops in Black communities, the discussion group is designed to encourage open and honest conversation. The meetings are welcoming a spectrum of Black men, gay, bisexual, transgender and nonbinary. The wellness topics discussed are diverse, ranging from dating and intimacy, aging considerations, how we get and offer support, and exploring our identities as Black men.

 

The group meets the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-7:00 PM. There is no charge to attend. We begin with a meet and greet with dinner that begins at 5:30PM and the discussion group starts at 6PM. The group is facilitated by Stuart Huggins and Will Dean.

 

To register to attend the meetings email: willdean.boardmember@brothersofthedesert.org

For questions email Tim Vincent at president@brothersofthedesert.org

 

Brothers of the Desert members meet monthly to discuss recent and upcoming events, share updates on the organization, celebrate our accomplishments, and have an opportunity to connect with new and existing members.

 

Join us for our Monthly Members & Allies Lunch at El Taco Asado!

Both members and allies are welcome to attend (Cash and Carry).

RSVP with DavidMaurice.Jones@gmail.com before January 9, 2026.

 

January has a particular spell. The calendar flips, and suddenly it feels like the universe is handing us a permission slip to become someone new.

 

New year. New body. New discipline. New love life. New everything.

 

And part of me loves that energy. There is something tender about the human urge to begin again. It says, I still believe in myself. I still want more. I still want to feel alive.

 

But January also carries a quieter message, the one we do not say out loud. Hurry up. Catch up. Fix it.

 

I feel that pressure in my body before I even name it. A tightening in my chest. A subtle bracing, like I am about to be assessed. Like my life is being reviewed by an invisible committee with clipboards and big opinions.

 

Did you improve?
Did you glow up?
Did you finally get it together?

 

When that pressure kicks in, it does not always inspire action. For a lot of us, it does the opposite. It makes us numb.

 

Because numbness is not laziness. Numbness is often protection. It is what happens when the nervous system hears, You have to change, or you are not enough. It is what happens when self growth turns into self surveillance.

 

So we scroll. We snack. We fantasize about reinvention while secretly feeling exhausted by the very idea of trying.

 

Here is the myth of the fresh start: that you need a new self to deserve a new life. That the current version of you is somehow unworthy of moving forward.

 

But the most real transformation I have witnessed, in myself and in the men I work with, does not begin with a dramatic reinvention. It begins with honesty.

 

Not the performative kind, but the quiet kind.

 

What is true right now?

 

Sometimes the truth is, I am lonely. Sometimes it is, I miss being touched. Sometimes it is, I am tired of pretending I am fine. Sometimes it is, I want intimacy, but I do not know how to ask for it without feeling needy.

 

That truth does not demand a new you. It invites you back to yourself.

 

So if January is making you feel behind already, try this: stop starting over. Start small. Start real. Start with one gentle act of care that your body actually believes.

 

Not a fresh start. A true one.

 

Join us for bingo! Brothers of the Desert is  the beneficiary 5th year running for February bingo at the The Roost Lounge presented by GED Magazine and hosted by Ethylina Canne

Get your tickets  https://ethylsplacebingo.ticketbud.com/

And special thank you to our sponsor H.I.M-istry Naturals thank you for always supporting us!

 

I love the night – the stillness, the crisp air that’s a reprieve from the heat of the day, a silence that is only broken by melodies of nature: leaves in the wind, waves lapping against each other or the shore, a bird chirp from a great distance. The pseudorealism pieces of this pop-up exhibit – drawn in black, archival ink set against a heavy, white watercolor paper – show my favorite time of darkness, well after the sun has set, yet still long before it returns. For each piece, I start with a treasured thought of nature – that comes from a dream, a noted passage, a hope shared with a friend, a need for my future – and begin with a loose, but recognizable sketch of a respite moment. With slow, patient breaths and sometimes unfocused hand motions, I fill in the image. Details are sometimes exactly what one might expect. Often, they are only a concept of what might be. Each image is the sum of a crowded pattern of notations that I hope takes viewers on a special, personal reflection of what might be in the depicted moment.

There is a question I have started asking myself more often, especially on the nights when I feel a little restless and a little too online.

 

What am I actually hungry for?

 

Because hunger is sneaky. It rarely announces itself with perfect clarity. It shows up as a vibe. A itch. A sudden urge to text someone you should probably not text. A desire to be in somebody’s arms, or under somebody, or simply in the warm radius of another human being who is not judging your life choices.

 

And here is what I have learned. Not all cravings are sexual, even when they look sexual.

Sometimes I crave sex. That is the straightforward one. The body says, let’s go. The blood wakes up. The imagination gets loud. That kind of desire has a certain clean heat to it, and honestly, I respect it. It is honest. It is alive.

 

But sometimes what I crave is touch.

 

Touch is quieter than sex, but it can be more intense. Touch is the nervous system asking to be soothed. It is the part of me that wants a hand on my back, a steady presence, a slow exhale. Touch says, I want to feel safe enough to soften. And if you have ever confused touch hunger for sexual hunger, welcome to the club. We have robes and snacks.

 

Then there is validation. She is the messy one.

 

Validation hunger is not really about the other person. It is about the mirror they become. It is the craving for proof that I am still desirable, still wanted, still chosen. It is the part of me that wants a message that says, you are hot, you are special, you are not alone. Validation can look like flirting, hookups, thirst traps, or that particular brand of attention that feels amazing for ten minutes and then leaves you staring at the ceiling like, okay, now what.

 

And finally, there is peace.

 

Peace is the craving that gets ignored because it is not exciting. Peace does not come with fireworks. It comes with a regulated nervous system, an unhurried morning, a clear boundary, a phone left in another room. Peace is the hunger for life to stop feeling like a chase.

The tricky part is that we often go looking for peace through sex, touch, or validation. Sometimes we find something beautiful. Sometimes we just find a temporary distraction.

 

So here is my practice lately. When the craving hits, I pause and ask the question again.

 

What am I actually hungry for?

 

And then I try to feed the real hunger, not the loud one.

 

Sometimes that means reaching out for a cuddle instead of a conquest. Sometimes it means asking for reassurance instead of pretending I am chill. Sometimes it means taking myself to bed like a responsible adult.

 

Not because desire is bad, but because I want my desire to feel like aliveness, not like abandonment.