Building Business and Life from Opportunity and Passion

OutBüro - LGBTQ Voices

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Dëv Ramsumair, out gay entrepreneur, fashion event producer, museum curator, foster parent, and much more.

Warning! When Dëv and I have the opportunity to chat we cover lots of ground. This interview conversation is no different. What I love about this is the openness and vulnerability demonstrating the width and breadth of us all as humans in where we have so many facets to our lives. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Leave a comment below about yourself, maybe topics you'd like me to explore in future episodes.

Dëv at the age of 14 started his first company which was a media business focusing on arts, entertainment, and fashion with a focus on diversity and inclusion. At age 16 he started producing events at Fashion Weeks off-site around the world such as in Londo, Milan, Paris, New York, Toronto, and some emerging cities like Berlin with a keen focus on diversity. He was a pioneer and instrumental in bringing diversity awareness to the fashion industry focusing on race, ethnicity, gender, ability, sexuality, and body size/type.

Throughout his life, he has seized opportunities to build a business, his career, and create his life based on seeing opportunities, grading the moment, and running with it. This is about his journey and current projects, and life. Dëv inspires me and I hope he inspires you.

It started at the age of 14 when he was looking at a magazine ad and thought that it is targeted at him and his friends get no one looked like the model. He picked up the phone and called the advertiser and his message was heard by the right people. They asked for his input and from there, his company was formed. Amazing, since most 14 year-olds are more concerned with skateboards and video games.

Currently, he is an art curator at a major Toronto museum again focusing on bringing in and displaying art that represents the full spectrum of diversity. In addition to that and raising a child, he is also launching DestiGaytions, an internet platform for the LGBTQ community to plan those amazing lifetime destination travel tours while remaining safe in all locations. The idea for this was sparked when some friends asked him to go on a once in a lifetime trip to a location. His response was he couldn't because that place has laws where they could arrest him just based on his skin color, faith, or sexual orientation. DestiGaytions aims to inform LGBTQ globe trotter on how to remain safe wherever they go and provide listings of services and accommodations that are safe and friendly that will service you be is attractions, bars, medical facilities, and more. He draws comparisons to the historic Green Book that was used by persons of color during the times when it was not safe for them to travel in all locations. DestiGaytions plans to launch in the Summer of 2021.

We further chat about how he became the guardian of a baby boy and raising him, for now, seven years. As an adoptive parent myself we chatted about the benefits and life changes of raising a child. Consider being a foster parent for an LGBTQ teen. You can provide a safe, loving home and be a mentor giving that teen a new perspective and opportunity in life.

To connect with Dëv find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/dev/

Join me and Dëv on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices. https://www.OutBuro.com

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