Pink Robin, We’re a home for queer millennial voices—no fame, no filters, no perfection required. The stories of queer people are beautiful, bold, and deeply worth telling.
This week I had a great chat with Anissa “Donny” Truitt, the founder and owner of 17th & Granville. We talked about navigating a full time career while running a company, queer community, and why it pays to be your authentic self. You can shop their clothing and accessories here at the Pink Robin Shop.
17th & Granville is a clothing and accessory brand “for anyone who wants to look like the best version of themselves,” especially those in BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. The brand itself, Truitt tells me, was a Covid baby. “I had a lot of time to sit back and think about what mattered most to me,” they explain. “I thought about my own personal journey. I was figuring out how I identified, and I transitioned into identifying as non binary. I thought about my intersectionality being Black and LGBTQ.” Truitt tells it this way: February is Black History Month, but then we roll into March and support dwindles. The same thing happens in June when support for LGBTQ+ swells during Pride Month, but then July 1st arrives and that support disappears. Truitt describes this as “performative,” and tells me that they want to support their community “24/7, 365.”
First, naming the company and designing the logo paid homage to Truitt’s family, and their origins in Queens, New York. Granville is a family name on their mother’s side, and they have family members who were born on the 17th of the month. The A train represents Truitt’s hometown on the last stop of the A train. “I wanted this brand to feel like a destination.” As Truitt began to sketch out concepts, they played with ideas about how to resonate. Truitt uses eco-friendly products and engages in collaborations with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people, also donating some of their proceeds back to those communities. “I’m trying to lead by example,” they tell me, and help their community to create something together. “All of us together can uplift and support one another,” they explain.
I asked Truitt about creating a brand that made their own identity visible, and they told me that they initially went back and forth on this. They wondered if the brand should just speak for itself, but ultimately, Truitt realized that the brand is tied to who they are. “The moment that I started to put myself out there and make my journey visible, the more people started to notice and engage with the brand.”
Truitt believes it’s important to be honest about the ups and downs of creating a brand like theirs. “The biggest struggle is having a full time job,” they tell me. “Doing this can be difficult.” But Truitt also believes in keeping an open mind and taking risks. “There are people that are gonna support you that you wouldn’t have expected,” they tell me. While Truitt acknowledges that a return on investment takes time, and being patient is key, they also believe that “showing up authentically as me … makes it more real and allows people to have a stronger connection.”
This year for Pride month the brand moved back to grassroots efforts. “I want to meet with folks locally,” Truitt tells me. “Portions of my proceeds go back to the community.” You can learn more about their partnerships and community engagement here.
As for queer joy, Truitt believes that they are living it. “I think queer joy means being able to step outside as your authentic self and just exist. Just be. There’s nothing better than putting on something you enjoy wearing and stepping outside and just being yourself,” they explain.
“I am me. Other people may not understand, and that is okay. As long as I’m able to navigate through life comfortably, I’m fine. I wanna make sure that is something that others can feel.”
For Pride 2025, Truitt tells me, “The collection I created was centered around subtlety and safety this year, for obvious reasons.” Featured items include a Polo shirt that highlights trans and bisexual identities, Truitt explains, but the meaning won’t be obvious to everyone. “Maybe you get a smile or a nod, ‘okay you’re safe here.’” Truitt is proud to have a design that someone can wear to work in corporate America, and maybe most of their coworkers won’t know what the shirt means. “But you know.” Wink wink.
Hey there. Laura Leigh here. I’m a wife, writer, mama, small business owner, podcast host, and the Head of Content here at Pink Robin.
I love supporting the queer community and bringing shared experiences to life.
If you have a story to tell, I’m here for it.
la********@***********op.com
Pink Robin, We’re a home for queer millennial voices—no fame, no filters, no perfection required. The stories of queer people are beautiful, bold, and deeply worth telling.
on 10 - 23 October, 2025
Rae Rae's
on 10 - 23 October, 2025
Rae Rae's
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