Mercellas Reynolds’ art book “Supreme Sirens”

Beautiful art books from a multi-talented Los Angeles resident with his own LGBTQ+ backstory. As a gay teenager, Marcellas Reynolds says he has found acceptance in the fashion world.

This Pride Month, we celebrate Reynolds as an example of how to succeed despite childhood tyranny and abuse.

The multi-talented Reynolds made his television appearance in the third season of Big Brother and points out that he was the first openly gay black man to be cast in a major network reality series.

His art books are about black icons, women who revolutionized music, acting and modeling. It is a three-volume series called Supreme Sirens.

About Hollywood he says: “There is no (art) book about black actresses.”

Earlier this year, Reynolds appeared – not in his usual role – as a fashion critic on FOX 11’s Good Day LA. He was there to be interviewed about Book No. 3 on Women in Music: The cover features Missy Elliot, the first female rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He has been signing books across the country. One buyer said, “It helps us get to know the women in our culture better and realize the pride we should have in them.”

A young African American woman said, “I think my life would have been so much better if I had grown up with these books.”

Reynolds’ LGBTQ backstory is raw and real. In Supreme Models Book #1, he writes, “I grew up on the south side of Chicago… there were drugs, gangs, and violence. There’s nothing worse in an African-American neighborhood than being a gay boy. A good day was not getting beat up or bullied.”

Reynolds has long been an advocate of gay pride.

He says of the books: “I hope that people read them and not just look at them.”

He writes about women who have inspired him.

“The words are so beautiful and so important,” he said.

Supreme Models led to a six-part documentary about the black model on Vogue’s YouTube channel. In his introduction to the book, he writes: “In the fashion world… I found acceptance as a gay teenager.”

Marcellas became a model herself and traveled the world.

The Supreme Sirens series is intended to “especially inspire little black girls who need to see these books, who need to see themselves represented.”

Book 2 is about outstanding actresses and features EGOT winner Viola Davis on the cover.

“Viola is the gold standard,” he exclaims.

What’s next for Supreme Sirens? Reynolds says he’s working on museum exhibits in collaboration with artist Mickalene, which FOX 11 also covered.