[1] How Do I Look preserves the ball culture, which began in the 1920s during the Harlem Renaissance,[2] and has since influenced mainstream artists and musicians, university students use the film for thesis, community based and not for profit organizations for education and outreach.

As a result, the film was not made widely available in commercial movie theatres or art-houses upon its release in June 2006 during Gay Pride month.

Over the years, however, How Do I Look has earned commercial success by word of mouth recommendations, its numerous appearances in film festivals, Black Prides and Universities, and from its good standing relationship with the Ball community.

The media attention also focused on the African-American and Latino gay subculture, who were known to go to lengths to keep their homosexuality "under wraps," a situation referred to as being on the down low.

In the years following its release, How Do I Look has repeatedly been the subject of reports in the foreign press, including in the French public radio channel, France Inter.

[8] The documentary was noted for its goal of empowering the LGBTQ Ballroom community, in particular following the AIDS pandemic, as was reported in Italian Vogue.

[9] In Spanish Vanity Fair, the documentary was noted for having given new life to the vogue (dance) artistic impression, in particular by having added social, racial, and political conscience to the Ballroom community.

[16] In the years since How Do I Look was released, the documentary has been mentioned by many as providing balance to and/or a follow-up or sequel of content of Paris Is Burning.