In this moving episode, we speak with Leo —a gifted jazz vocalist whose voice glides effortlessly over hip hop beats, lush keys, and syncopated rhythms. Echoing the ingenuity of Stevie Wonder and the intimacy of João Gilberto.
Meet the Artist
An autistic, Black, trans artist, Leo (he/him) speaks candidly about navigating identity, burnout, and grief while carving a path in music. From early performances shaped by masking to a pandemic-era return to songwriting and the necessity of community, Leo’s story is one of honesty, emotional wisdom, and fierce creative resilience.
Join us as Leo reflects on the power of unmasking at work, reclaiming his creative voice, and nurturing his inner child. He shares the challenges and hopes surrounding his current creative work, and how reconnecting with collaboration and community has helped him rediscover his worth—both as an artist and as a person.
And what I've come to realize is that it is community and collaboration, which I'm sure that people say a lot, but it, I've kind of, grew up really internalizing a lot and turning to myself to be solitary rather than asking for help or asking for input or just opening myself up to the fact that I didn't have, I wasn't able to provide myself with everything I needed and that I didn't have to be the only person in my life who was giving me what I needed. And that has been a really long journey for me and I'm still working on it, but, , it's very, it's very much, like social and emotional thing in addition to a creative thing…
Dougie’s Donuts? “Sometimes, I find it helpful to have a reminder of how far I’ve come, since it’s so easy to forget when you’re feeling stuck going through the motions. This is not my typical medium (Microsoft Paint) or art style. I created this while working as a bank teller because I was so bored that I nearly wasted away. However, creativity prevails even in the most oppressive conditions!”
I have been around music pretty much every day, which is awesome. Even if I'm not performing, I am seeing other people perform and I'm talking about music and I am talking about like every aspect of music every day, and that has made a really, really large impact in my ability to kind of very gently ease myself into a place where that feels comfortable again.
Musical Stylings
There’s a sense of playfulness, humor, and joy throughout Leo’s music, balanced with the wistfulness and solitude of an amber afternoon. We hope you enjoy these recordings created and curated by Leo.
In October
This is the first version of a love story for my partner. It’s a short but sweet, and I love that I wrote a queer trans love song!
FUN FACT: For some reason, I decided that this was the perfect time to try to improvise a guitar solo. I do not play the guitar. It was very bad. However, it was okay enough to edit into the background until I find someone who can play the guitar.
Monday
by Cecile McLorin Salvant
Here’s a voice memo from when I sang this song for my partner.
This song is the epitome of how I feel about them.
A small moment of joy & T4T love.
Dream Dancing hyperjazz
Inde and I have a habit of taking goofy ideas too far. This monstrosity was borne from one of those goofy ideas — what if we created a new genre of music right now? How about jazz and hyperpop?
That’s why this exists. Listen if you dare.
Creative Inspirations
Upcoming Rooted Resilience Happenings
Community Dialogue Circle *Virtual*
Join us for a virtual community dialogue circle (from anywhere) on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.. We’ll unpack themes unearthed in Episode 4 + 5 of the podcast as a small group, and hold space for one another to share and be heard.
Support for the Rooted Resilience project
2025-2026 Season Sponsor
Lemon Bakery is a queer and trans-owned bakery run by Rori Hanson, providing homemade, locally-sourced, seasonal baked goods with curbside pick-up and delivery service in Amherst, Mass..To order your baked goods, visit them online at lemonbakeryonline.com and follow them on Instagram @lemonbakeryonline.
Community Contributors
Thank you to Luke, Michaela, and Victoria for contributing to our community campaign! We are so grateful for the support of each of the individuals who have donated to help us preserve these histories—and we will thank each of you in the months ahead.
We can’t do this alone!
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Episode Credits
Directors: Luc Abbott and M R
Producers: Bloom Local in partnership with Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity
Episode Sponsors: Lemon Bakery, Mass Cultural Council, Mass Humanities
Podcast Editor: M
Blog Editor and Research Lead: Luc Abbott
Podcast Technical Consultant: Jey Weisgerber
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