Boman Martinez-Reid is an actor and artist from Toronto Canada. He has been studying theatre and media production for the last eight years and recently graduated from Ryerson Universities Media Production program. Boman loves to use his skills to make very absurd TikTok parodies of reality TV.
What's important about PRIDE to you and why?
I am fortunate enough to have had a very accepting support group around me. I am also rather privileged - growing up in a very accepting and uplifting city like Toronto. However, that is not the case for many. It is my belief that pride changes minds. Every year that I attend Toronto’s pride parade, I am moved by the sheer amount of people that show up to celebrate one thing - love. Every year, I am reminded that I am not alone - that we are not alone. All around the world, as we continue to be vocal and proud of our pride - as we continue to have pride celebrations that grow larger and larger every year - we continue to open up important dialogues and break down walls.
When do you feel the most invincible?
In the shower. I’ve performed so many sold-out world tours in the shower. ut on some Britney or some Madonna.
How did your relationship with TikTok change in quarantine?
Before quarantine, TikTok was a fun way for me to express myself when I had nothing else to do. When quarantine happened, TikTok became a tool that helped me make so many people feel better and brighter about their situations. Although I couldn’t do much to help the Covid-19 situation, I was still helping others get through it by providing a healthy distraction from the madness. As well, It gave my days some much-needed purpose. I focused my days on planning and creating fun little videos - it was a healthy outlet for me to stay busy and focused while being locked in my house.
If you could create your own superpower, what would it be?
I think I would like to make things levitate. With other superpowers, there always seems to be a downside I can’t think of a downside to a good ol’ levitation trick.
If you have to eat one thing for the rest of 2020, what is it?
Avocados. I think I’ve already eaten an avocado a day this entire year—so I will gladly continue on with my avo self-discovery journey.
When have you overcome doubt in yourself recently?
When the Black Lives Matter movement began to roll earlier this month, I began to lose confidence in my blackness. The week before all of the riots, I had posted a TikTok calling myself a soaring black eagle; I felt a grand self-discovered confidence. As the next few days unfolded, I was surrounded by images of black suffering and police brutality. I was reminded of the harsh realities that surround me and felt shot down. As the last few weeks unfolded. I grew back my confidence and remembered that my blackness makes me unique and beautiful—I want to share that with those who follow me.
Do you think you're still finding out who you are? What are the clues around you as to who that is?
Who is Boman you ask? I’m not sure. How does one even live up to a name like Boman? I’m not sure. I stopped trying to find out who I am a while ago and decided to simply ‘be.’ I decided to forgo the constant self analyzations on who I am and focus my energy more so on living in the moment. If anything, I focus on studying who I already am rather than researching what I could be. That way, when I am tested, I will know the answer.
Why do you think self-expression is more important than ever?
Self-expression had always been important to me but It was not until a pandemic locked me in my home that I realized it’s true significance. As I began to create content for larger masses of people, I quickly realized that my self-expression resonated with so many - whatever experience I was creating a TikTok about, so many others were experiencing the same thing. I have come to realize that self-expression is just human expression.
Give some advice to the you of last year?
I would tell me of last year: Don’t worry. As I entered my final year of university, I had no idea what I was doing. I constantly worried about who I was, where I was going, and what I was to become. At the time, I had no idea I was on a large journey of self-discovery - one that would lead me to this moment (one that would lead me to become a trailblazing LGBTQ TikTok Creator) and change my life completely.
What are three things that make you feel fortunate?
My beautiful family, My silly friends, and my colourful past.
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