In this powerful pilot episode, host Jae (Jason Watler) sits down with writer, critic, and cultural worker Juan Michael Porter II for a real, raw, and unfiltered conversation about what it means to navigate grief while still holding space for joy, sex, community, and resistance. Together, they unpack the layered realities of loss—personal, political, and collective—and explore how we show up for ourselves and each other when the world feels heavy. From intimacy in the aftermath of trauma to the radical act of being vulnerable in community, this episode sets the tone for what The Gathering by Jae is all about: honest dialogue, healing truths, and the messy beauty of being human.