09/13/2026
Today, as we celebrate the fourth incredible year of Q***r Voices NYC, we want to take a moment to celebrate the person whose heart, vision, and dedication make all of this possible: our Founder and CEO, Brandon C. Smith.๐
Four years of Q***r Voices NYC and four years of creating space for q***r and BIPOC filmmakers to tell stories, celebrate art, find one another, and be seen exactly as we are.
The care and precision he pours into every detail of this festival is unmatched, and it does not go unnoticed by anyone who steps into the sacred space he has created.
Whether you come to Q***r Voices NYC as a filmmaker, an attendee, a team member, or a volunteer, Brandon has a way of making you feel seen. Truly seen. And in a world where so many members of our community have had to fight for that feeling, it is something priceless.
The work Brandon does goes far beyond putting films on a screen. He has created a home for stories that have too often been overlooked, underfunded, or left out of the conversation entirely. He has built a space where Black, Brown, q***r, trans, and LGBTQIA+ storytellers can share their work on their own terms and where our community can gather around those stories together.
Because without our stories, pieces of our history disappear. And without community, we have nothing.
Brandon, thank you for believing so deeply in the power of q***r storytelling. Thank you for the countless hours, the care behind the scenes, the attention to every detail, and most importantly, the love you continue to pour into this community.
Congratulations on an incredible 2026 Q***r Voices NYC Film Festival and four beautiful years of Q***r Voices. We are so grateful for the space you dreamed of, the space you built, and the space you continue to protect and grow.
Hereโs to Brandon. Hereโs to four years. And hereโs to everything still to come. ๐๐
***rVoicesNYC ***ringTheWorld ***rFilm BIPOCFilmmaker
