Catching Up With Our 1st Blaque/OUT Cover Model, Aziza Bijou

CATCHING UP WITH

OUR 1ST BLAQUE/ OUT COVER MODEL

AZIZA BIJOU

TWO YEARS AGO WE STARTED ON THIS BLAQUE OUT JOURNEY AND THE VERY FIRST FACE OF IT WAS AZIZA BIJOU. SO WE TRACKED HER DOWN LIVING HER VERY BEST LIFE OUT IN L.A. TO TALK ABOUT THEN AND SEE WHAT SHE'S UP TO TWO YEARS LATER .

B.O: You were the very first BlaqueOUT Magazine cover September 2020... where were you then and what was your life like? And two years later where is Aziza Bijou in the world and in your life?

A.B: Back in 2020, I was doing ALOT of self-discovery as I was stepping into my power as a Black, Trans woman. Back then, I had allowed so many of the sources around me influence me in ways that did not coincide with who I was beginning to see myself as during this time.

I would also become a lot closer to certain people in my life that really supported me and pushed me to reach my highest potential and that would really help out a lot as I was planning on making a huge move from Rochester to Los Angeles.

Two years later, I’m living in Los Angeles around tons of other extremely power black and brown people of trans experience. Building community and SLAYING the drag scene here. If it weren’t for the folx I grew close to during the marches in 2020, I wouldn’t have as much of the capacity or the

knowledge to discern the right environment/people to align with. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a struggle for life; but I’ve been able to build with others experiencing the same struggles and that’s has made all the difference bc I finally feel like I’m not alone

B.0.: WHERE WAS THE COVER PHOTO TAKEN? A.B: THE ORIGINAL PHOTO WAS TAKEN AT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR PARK IN DOWNTOWN ROCHESTER, NY WHEN I WAS PERFORMING AT AN ABLM EVENT