By Alter New Media | July 2025 | LGBTQIA+ Entrepreneurship= Small Business Saturday | Tech for Good
As cultural tides shift toward more inclusive economies, it’s impossible to ignore the entrepreneurs and artists at the forefront of transformation. This summer, Alter New Media had the privilege of witnessing brilliance in motion at the SPICE NYC LGBTQIA+ Small Business Expo, held on June 28th, 2025,
in New York City. The event was a kaleidoscope of queer creativity, future-facing technology, and unapologetic self-expression.
Among the innovators who captivated the rooftop crowd were Joseph Tito, Shane Graffiti, and Keeana Kee—each pushing boundaries in their industries while redefining what it means to lead with purpose.
🎤 Joseph Tito: The Unfiltered Voice Behind Random Thoughts
Filmmaker, producer, and now celebrated author, Joseph Tito, attended the event not with a pitch but with a truth bomb. His latest memoir enables readers to delve into the publisher’s innermost thoughts through the written word. Random Thoughts has become a beacon for readers navigating identity, parenthood, and the healing process. During a panel discussion at SPICE NYC, Tito candidly shared:
“Most people aren’t just one thing. We’re parents and dreamers, hot messes and healers, queer and questioning and quietly hopeful. I wrote this book for all those who feel like they’re too much, not enough, or both at once.”
This authenticity resonated deeply with expo attendees, particularly queer entrepreneurs forging paths in spaces not built with them in mind. Tito stayed after his talk to connect with vendors, sign copies of his book, and offer words of encouragement that many called “soul-level real.”
From a storytelling perspective, Tito reminds us why Alter New Media champions visibility: because stories like his aren’t just personal—they’re powerful.
🧠 Shane Graffiti: The Brand Where Tech, Fashion & Safety Intersect
If Tito’s message opened hearts, Shane Graffiti expanded minds. The queer-led R&D fashion house stunned attendees with a double punch of style and safety innovation.
Known for their gender-inclusive, masc-leaning designs, Shane Graffiti debuted two groundbreaking technologies:
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AI-Powered Smart Glasses that detect and document signs of abuse in real time, blending biometric sensors with AR trauma intervention tools and decoy privacy modes.
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A Self-Guided AI Mental Health Tool, offering trauma-informed journaling and emotional resilience training—designed by queer minds, for queer minds.
Their approach? Tech can be bold, beautiful, and radically protective. At Alter New Media, we see Shane Graffiti as a model for intersectional impact—a brand that’s as committed to aesthetics as it is to advocacy.
🎶 Keeana Kee: Pop Star & Pride Icon
No expo recap is complete without a nod to Keeana Kee, and Mila Tina the electrifying queer artist who headlined the evening with a performance that left the rooftop buzzing.
Draped in rhinestones and pride, Keeana delivered hits like “Coconut Rum and Coke” and “You’re Real,” transforming the crowd into one pulsing wave of joy. Her artistry is a performance of pleasure and pure freedom. Her set reminded everyone why LGBTQIA+ creativity is central to cultural progress.
As an agency that builds brands rooted in authenticity and influence, Alter New Media celebrates artists like Keeana who use their platform to uplift and inspire.
🌈 Why Alter New Media Amplifies LGBTQIA-Led Innovation
At Alter New Media, we don’t just watch the wave of inclusive entrepreneurship; we’re part of it, we ride it, and build platforms for it.
From authors like Joseph Tito who lead with truth, to visionary brands like Shane Graffiti that redefine safety and style, to performers like Keeana Kee who electrify and empower, we are witnessing the future of business.
A future that is creative, tech-forward, musical, and deeply human.
As we head toward Global Entrepreneurship Week this November, we’re honored to spotlight the voices leading that charge, and we’re here to help tell their stories.
Major shout out to NYC Affirmative Psychotherapy for their sponsorship for the event! NYC Affirmative Psychotherapy helps LGBTIQA+ patients find therapists who understand. No judgments just healing! They offer remote weekly psychotherapy sessions for adults in New York AND New Jersey. Their care is affordable, high-quality, and provided by experts within the LGBTQIA+ community.
In-network with most insurances with a straightforward online intake process.
📢 Interested in amplifying your LGBTQIA-owned or impact-driven brand?
Alter New Media specializes in culturally intelligent digital strategy, PR, content, and creative production for founders and changemakers. Let’s make your story the next one we celebrate. #SmallBusinessSaturday
💌 Contact us at info@alternewmedia.com or visit alternewmedia.com to start your journey.
