An advocate, accomplice, friend, confidant, proud member of the Ina Garten fan club and the ultimate co-collaborator/co-conspirator, Daniel J. Downer is truly remarkable.
Daniel and I started to really get to know each other in 2016, after a National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day event. From then, the co-conspirator/ collaborator/ best friendship took off. It has been an incredible privilege and honor to witness Daniel’s professional growth and bear witness to the impact he and his work have made, and continue to make, on the Central Florida community.
In 2017, Daniel was selected to participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s HIV 360 Fellowship, a capacity building program for young leaders. As a part of his participation, Daniel received a micro-grant and started The Bros in Convo Initiative.
The organization was founded in response to the rising number of new HIV cases among Black and Brown gay, bisexual and queer/same gender loving (GBQ/SGL) men ages 18-35 with a vision to build community among young Black GBQ/SGL while addressing the health inequities they experience.
At the time, Central Florida didn’t have a space or an organization like Bros in Convo, a space built by and for Black and Brown GBQ/SGL men. Three years later and the community that Bros in Convo has helped build and cultivate is beautiful and vibrant.
Daniel’s work has not only made waves locally, but nationally as well, moving the needle on the national dialogue around: health equity, community engagement and the importance of lifting and centering the voices of community stakeholders.
2020 has been quite a whirlwind, but one of the consistent comforts has been Daniel and his leadership. Daniel leads intentionally and centers the community in everything he does, qualities that greatly assisted in his response to everything 2020 has thrown our community’s way (including his Census work and Get Out the Vote activities).
When the pandemic first started, Daniel and The Bros in Convo Initiative helped organize Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ Relief Fund, a fund meant to assist Orlando area LGBTQ+ community members who are most in need as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
Daniel also played a significant role in the launch of Contigo Fund’s ALL Black Lives Fund, an initiative that dedicates funding to frontline LGBTQ+ organizing groups and efforts that are Black LGBTQ+ led in Central Florida to build on the movement for Black lives — particularly those led by and for Black transgender, gender nonconforming and gender nonbinary community and sex workers.
Both funds have helped LGBTQ+ community members tremendously and have elevated the dialogue on the importance of mutual aid and the critical need of funding for Black LGBTQ+ led movements in Central Florida (and beyond). Not only making an impact now, but for years to come.
In one of his most famous quotes, Bayard Rustin said, “we need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers.” The Central Florida community is lucky to have Daniel J. Downer as one of ours.
To view the full list of Watermark’s Most Remarkable People of 2020, click here.
