Lovely Bouquet of Flowers
Lovely Bouquet of Flowers: Anthesis began in 2012 with a conversation, a play, and a shared recognition: our stories; our spoken truths continue to beat at the heart of the LGBTQIA2+ community. We did not want mere representation, we wanted to resonate! We were not looking for a seat at the table, we set out to build our own! From the truths we carried and the flowers we named, more than a decade later, we are still here, still blooming! Still building! Still captivating …
Who We Are
Meet Jazzmun Nichcala Crayton and David Hays Gaddas: creative partners, co-directors, and community members. This work is not academic to us. It is personal! We are not theorizing from a distance. We are breathing it, surviving it, offering what we can from decades of practice, collaboration, and care.
Jazzmun Nichcala Crayton
Co-Creator & Executive Director
Meet Jazzmun: a Black trans woman who shines as an activist, actress, and cultural force in the LGBTQIA2+ community. With a stunning presence in over 50 film and television projects, she captivates audiences both on and off screen. As the Associate Director at APAIT, she crafts transformative programs that champion wellness and empowerment for trans women of color and communities grappling with HIV, stigma, and systemic neglect. Beyond that, she is the visionary behind The Midnight Stroll, a grassroots outreach initiative that stands as a beacon of hope and safety for street-based sex workers, building bridges of support where they are needed most.
David Hays Gaddas
Co-Creator & Executive Director
Meet David: a vibrant force in the storytelling world, a queer actor, director, educator, and writer across the realms of theatre, film, and socially conscious performance. For over two decades, this Los Angeles–based artist has brought characters to life on stage and screen, while also crafting and directing original works that dance between modern innovation and timeless Shakespearean tradition. Through his acting workshops, he guides others to unlock emotional truth and embrace transformation. Right now, you can catch David shining in the powerful stage production What the Constitution Means to Me, sharing the spotlight with Robyn Cohen at both Electric Lodge and the enchanting Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum in Los Angeles.
We met over a decade ago and haven't stopped collaborating since. Together, we co-wrote the original play Lovely Bouquet of Flowers and co-produced the feature documentary In Full Bloom… Transcending Gender. This project is our shared heartbeat. It's a love letter. It's a rally cry. -Jazz and Dave
What We Offer
Each stop on the Anthesis Tour offers a tailored event, shaped in collaboration with our host partners. Programming includes:
Documentary Screening
A screening of In Full Bloom… Transcending Gender
Stage Performance
Excerpts or full performance of the stage play
Panel Discussion
A panel discussion with the actors, directors, and community leaders
Transformational Workshop
A workshop designed for reflection, transformation, and collective voice
Community Engagement
Interactive sessions connecting communities through shared experiences and dialogue
Educational Resources
Comprehensive materials and tools for learning and advocacy
Why Now
Across the nation, trans lives are under siege. From the cruelty of bathroom bills to the silencing of book bans, from the criminalization of life-saving care to the quiet erasure on our screens. We are not vanishing! We are blooming! This project is our joyful defiance. It is a radiant reminder that our existence is not a problem to be fixed, but a masterpiece to be cherished. This work goes beyond visibility; it is an act of liberation. We rise for connection, toward reckoning, to revolution.
Come With Us
This project is a collective bouquet. Each flower a story. Each voice a bloom. Each audience an opportunity. We invite you to walk with us. To listen deeply. To share what grows.
