Tucked away in Charlotte’s vibrant NoDa neighborhood is a warm, witty and creative community builder whose passion for authenticity has helped strengthen connections throughout the local LGBTQ+ community. For the past decade, Adrian Parrish has called Charlotte home, embracing the city’s creative spirit while organizing events that bring people together, celebrate identity and encourage belonging.
They spoke with Qnotes for a conversation about artistic endeavors, community and the journey that led from Virginia’s Liberty University to becoming a familiar and valued presence in Charlotte’s LGBTQ landscape.
L’Monique King: Are you a native Charlottean?
Adrian Parrish: No. I moved here about 10 years ago from the Chicago area; I’m originally from a little town in Missouri.
LMK: What did you major in while in college?
AP: In a different life I was hyper religious, conservative and graduated from Liberty University [a hotbed of conservatism] in Virginia with an interdisciplinary studies degree. I grew up in a conservative Baptist home and went to Christian [primary] schools. Then I met and married my wife at the time and gradually got out of that bubble, experienced the rest of the world and realized the people I was told were monsters actually weren’t – and were typically a lot nicer than the people who told me that. About six years ago my wife at the time had made a lot of friends in the [LGBTQ] community. We were aggressive allies at that time and came out to each other. She came out to me as bisexual and I came out to her as non-binary. About a year later we decided to open up our relationship. She’s now married to someone else and she [my ex-wife] and I are now platonic life partners. I’m good friends with her current partner and their children – we even vacation together as extended family.
LMK: Wow! So, what are your pronouns?
AP: They, them, theirs.
LMK: So, would you say you’re currently single or do you currently have a partner?
AP: I’m solo polyamorous, with a few partners. One of 27 years, one of a little over a year and most recently another of about nine months. I’m not single or looking, I am full of love right now.
LMK: How do you make your livelihood?
AP: I’m a software engineer. It’s very boring.
LMK: As someone involved in the arena of technology, what are your thoughts on AI?
AP: I think it’s terrible overall. AI is being pushed on us by corporate executives who aren’t technical people. Employers are trying to get staffers to use AI without a lot of direction on how. As a creative person I just think it is stealing people’s work. It’s taking their work and refactoring it in a way that’s not fair or equitable. Someone can now have ChatGPT write a novel or a story. ChatGPT will go through stories that already exist by stealing different pieces of different work to create something new. No credit is given to the original work. I just think it’s devoid of creating from human experience.
LMK: We’ve seen you around town hosting and engaging in local events. Can you share with us your involvement and goals regarding community events?
AP: The last few years [2024-2025] I’ve been organizing shows for queer audiences using queer artists – and I’ve really enjoyed doing that. I really love hosting and organizing events. However, one thing I’m looking forward to is hosting more community events, with less organizing around capitalism and more focus on free family-oriented events like picnics in the park. I’ve recently been in conversation with lots of parents of queer kids and queer parents with kids. In those conversations, I’ve come to understand that there’s not a lot of support in our community regarding queer events that are centered around kids. So, I’ve been thinking about more ways that we can provide more mutual aid, especially for queer parents who don’t always have the support of their biological families.
LMK: As an artist yourself, would you say you’re a poet, a comic or both?
AP: I would consider myself all of the above, though I would say I consider myself first and foremost a storyteller, and everything flows from that.
LMK: What drew you to poetry?
AP: I’ve been writing poetry since I was a kid. I wanted to write songs and sing when I was younger, but I learned I wasn’t very good at singing the way I wanted to. I’ve always wanted to be a gospel singer, or rock or jazz singer. But I was given a very show-tunesy voice [chuckles]. But the freedom of writing poetry outside of music really spoke to me. It’s the distinctness of thought that really appeals to me. It’s the economy of words that’s really important when it comes to poetry. It’s similar to comedy and what I enjoy about the interaction of the two.
For a while I would do poetry or comedy or storytelling. I’d tell a true story about my life in a way I hoped was impactful. For a while they were very separate disciplines for me, but in the last few years I’ve practiced weaving the three together. Going from stand-up to poetry to storytelling – talking about myself, my identity and experiences. Last year, I did a one-person show for Boom. It was an hour long and it was pretty much equal parts – it was amazing. I loved it!
LMK: Who are your top three favorite poets?
AP: Andrea Gibson is probably my favorite poet. They just passed away about a year ago, an incredible poet and someone I really loved. Mary Oliver is another poet whose work has really meant a lot to me. Bell Hooks would be the third person who has highly influenced my poetry in different ways.
LMK: And your top three favorite comedians?
AP: The ones that come to mind are Mike Birbiglia, Taylor Tomlinson and then I would say – recently Josh Johnson.
LMK: We’ve heard you’ve published a book; would you mind telling us about it?
AP: In 2021 I self-published a book called “Shackled to the Sky.” It’s a book of poetry, but I’m working on a new book, a novel that I anticipate being released in the fall. I love deadlines, I love the whooshing sound they make as they fly by [laughing]. That’s a quote by Douglas Adams [that really resonates with me] when I needed to create a new deadline because I originally thought my novel would be out in the spring.
LMK: What’s the novel about?
AP: It’s called “One Day This Will All Be Beautiful” and it’s a queer young adult coming-of-age novel about a kid who grows up in a religious nationalist amusement park called Trump Land. One summer he meets a tomboyish girl and the child of an immigrant. The two challenge and change his world view. There’s also a magical realism theme involving a monster in the woods as well. It’s metaphorically autobiographical.
LMK: Sounds like you’re quite busy. Any Pride season plans?
AP: I am hosting the Flourish stage for Charlotte Pride where I’ll also be performing poetry. Last year I did a lot and it was really too much [at least six different performances], so I’m scaling back this year. I want to enjoy Pride and not just end up exhausted.
LMK: What’s on your bucket list?
AP: I have about three other novels besides the one I’m working on that I want to write. So, writing some more novels. I’ve also made some short films, and I would really love to make a feature-length film one day. And, I’d also like to add, a bunch of travel.
LMK: Is there a favorite place you see yourself traveling to?
AP: Probably Edinburgh, Scotland. It’s a beautiful city that feels very old and very new at the same time. There are all these really old buildings with all the modern technology of a newer city. I also see myself going to Peru one day. I planned a trip to Peru that was supposed to take place in April of 2020, but you can imagine what happened [because of the COVID Pandemic]. I fortunately got all my money back, but I still really want to do that trip.
LMK: What would you like your life to look like 10 years from now?
AP: Well, I think I have this crazy dream that a lot of queer people have of living in some type of queer community. I would love to do that while doing more writing, speaking and performing.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
