To me, you are Beloved – Miss Jason and chosen family

Roundtable collaborates with GUCCI and agency A Vibe Called Tech on a photo and essay series capturing the essence of Black British identity and family history – in celebration of GUCCI’s Beloved line of handbags. For To Me, you are Beloved Miss Jason poses with his chosen family – a close group of friends – and talks to us about the joy of forming life-long bonds in the queer community.

Miss Jason for Roundtable Journal x GUCCI

For this series four sets of creatives and entrepreneurs were invited to recreate a moment in time, using old family photographs as creative inspiration, whilst incorporating pieces from GUCCI’s Beloved line. At once meaningful and playful, these portraits by Delali Ayivi have been styled and shot to allude to fond memories captured in family archives. Led by a team of women of colour, To me, you are Beloved is a love letter to Black British identity and family history.

When we look beyond the traditional notions of ‘family’ – those constructed around biological or marital ties – we see that family is found in those who show up for us and love us unconditionally. Chosen family is, as the name suggests, a family you create for yourself. They are constructed by hand and by heart, and built on shared experiences and intimacy. Miss Jason has formed his chosen family on these very tenets.

Miss Jason is, simply put, a sensation. His boisterous laugh fills the room, bounces off the walls and attaches itself to anyone within earshot. It’s this energy, this ability to speak to everyone and anyone, that has led to the success of his web series Jason’s Closet – an energetic show that follows him as he bounces around London’s underground parties, meeting the people who keep club culture alive.

Miss Jason Roundtable Journal x GUCCI by Delali Ayivi

*Jason’s family at a birthday party in South London, 1996*

Jason’s confidence is genuine and unapologetic, and it’s easy to tell that he’s sure of himself and his community, although it wasn’t always this easy. He explains: “If I’m being honest, I don’t think I came into my queerness fully until I got to university, and even then at the beginning it was touchy. But as I started to accept myself more and find people that were exactly like me, people that love, accept, and care for me unconditionally, that’s where I began to blossom.”

Jason has spent years carefully weaving together the bonds that make up his chosen family. They are friends who he sees as family, who provide an unwavering foundation of love, trust and support. He met Zoe most recently – two years ago to be exact – and she instantly recognised his talent for making people feel seen. She now works as his manager and is the driving force behind his career, as she continuously reminds him of who he is at moments he may experience imposter syndrome.

Miss Jason for Roundtable Journal x GUCCI.jpg

Jason met Pedro when they were just 16, both still questioning their sexual identities. Pedro paved the way by coming out first and giving Jason the confidence to eventually come out himself. Shortly after, Jason met Annie at university, and although they didn’t like each other at first (much in the same vein as a sibling rivalry) they grew to build a deep connection as friends who grew up with strict Christian parents. Annie is now mother to two-year-old Eli who Jason adores and hopes grows up with the values he and his friends embody. “What he learns from us right now is him seeing so many people of different races, religions and sexual orientations – we’re drumming that [acceptance] into him so that as he grows up, he can be the change we want to see.”

For this series in collaboration with GUCCI, Jason chose to recreate a photograph of his family taken in South East London in 1996. In this photo, a young Jason sits with his pregnant mother and other relatives at a cousin's birthday party. There is cake and decorations and balloons. The family looks comfortable and entirely at ease. It’s the desire for this feeling that births many chosen families. The plain, powerful desire to feel secure and reassured with the people you keep around you.

At its core family is an action. It is a verb and a practice. It is something we do together. It comes alive in the trust, acceptance and unwavering support you find in your people. It lives in the shared experiences and memories created together. Yes, you’re born into your biological family, but you blossom in your chosen one.