OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews): Recent Episodes
Charlotte Robinson
Alexis Stratton talks about the new book “Trans Kids, Our Kids” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ co-authored with Adam Polaski and Rev.Jasmine Beach-Ferrara from the Campaign for Southern Equality and released by Ig Publishing. In these unprecedented times “Trans Kids, Our Kids” provides a narrative look into the challenges facing our transgender young people. This is especially crucial after the recent GOP presidential campaign distorted and targeted transgender issues to regain control of the White House. The new book provides a truthful blueprint addressing trans youth issues by taking a storytelling approach in capturing how people all across the country are meeting the moment to support, protect and live in solidarity with transgender youth and their families. The book is based on more than 50 interviews with transgender youth, their parents and the medical providers, advocates and faith leaders who are leading the fight against the wave of discriminatory legislation that has flooded statehouses since 2022. One primary focus of “Trans Kids, Our Kids” is the attack on trans youth’s access to gender-affirming care. Less than two years ago there weren’t any states that had such bans in effect. Currently there are now 26 states that have bans or restricted transgender youth from accessing hormone therapy with the issue coming before the Supreme Court in the case United States v. Skrmetti with oral arguments on December 4th. Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE) through their Trans Youth Emergency Project have supported more than 1,000 families of transgender youth in navigating healthcare bans. Since the launch of the project in 2023 CSE has distributed more than $600,000 in direct emergency grants to families and community partners across 26 states. We talked to Alexis about what they hope to accomplish with “Trans Kids, Our Kids” and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Alexis Stratton has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. and their stories and essays have appeared in storySouth, Hayden's Ferry Review, Matador Review and Oyez Review among other publications. In 2022 Alexis’ chapbook “Anywhere Else but Here” was published by Fjords Review and in 2023 won the James River Writers’ and Richmond Magazine’s Best Unpublished Novel Contest. Alexis lives in Richmond, VA. and works as a freelance writer and an LGBTQ rights advocate. Campaign for Southern Equality is based in Asheville, NC. promoting full LGBTQ equality across the South. Their work is rooted in commitments to equity in race, gender and class. Through their Trans Youth Emergency Project they support families of trans youth who are impacted by anti-transgender healthcare bans in the South. All royalties from book sales of “Trans Kids, Our Kids” will benefit this project.
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Filmmaker Marco Calvani talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about “High Tide” his feature film debut that stars Marco Pigossi (Lourenço) as a Brazilian undocumented immigrant adrift Provincetown in the late summer. The film is about a young man coping after a break up & left adrift in Ptown with his travel visa running out. Lourenço then meets Maurice a Black American & a romance evolves. Though Maurice’s comes with a circle of friends he’s is also quite aware he’s the minority in a predominantly white queer tourist mecca. Pigossi gives a haunting performance steeped in melancholy & raw pain but delivers moments of openness, optimism & joy with an affective portrait of the depths LGBTQ men experience seeking meaningful connections. As the summer season fades & with his unexpected romance with Maurice together the two reconcile the pasts they’ve left behind & pursue their uncertain futures. The film distributed by Strand Releasing premiered at South by Southwest & was released in NYC earlier this month followed by an expansion to Los Angeles & will begin a run at Waters Edge Cinema in Provincetown & Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, MA on Friday November 1st. The stellar cast also includes James Bland as Maurice, Marisa Tomei as Miriam, Bill Irwin as Scott, Sean Mahon as Bob, Mya Taylor as Crystal, Bryan Batt as Todd, Todd Flaherty as Leslie, Karl Gregory as BJ & João Santos as Dimo with a haunting score by Sebastian Plano.
Marco Calvani is an Italian playwright, director, filmmaker, translator & actor. Trained as an actor since he was a teenager Calvani made his debut as a playwright in 2002 with Quasi commissioned by the European Social Forum. Prior to his first feature film High Tide which had its world premiere at SXSW in March 2024 he wrote & directed the short film The View from Up Here starring Melissa Leo & Leïla Bekhti based on his eponymous play originally commissioned by The Actors Studio & directed by Estelle Parsons. As of 2020 Marco is in a relationship with Brazilian actor Marco Pigossi.
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Activist Rev. Irene Monroe talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about appearing in our issue driven non-partisan VOTE PSA Campaign we’ve launched on social media and beyond to get the VOTE OUT. As early voting has begun in states across the country OUTTAKE MEDIA™ has spearheaded this timely and compelling VOTE PSA Campaign to bring our LGBTQ community and marginalized grassroots groups together about the importance of voting. Not only will this campaign get people to vote it will also address our issues. Whether you’re Christian, Muslim, Catholic, Jewish, Indigenous or LGBTQ we need to come together now or possibly lose our rights. In our VOTE PSA Rev. Monroe addresses these issues including women’s rights and the rise of hate crimes as we head into a presidential election questioning our Democracy. The campaign is directed by C. Fitz (Queen Sugar, One Perfect Shot), West Coast producer Lissa Forehan (More Beautiful for Having Been Broken) and performing the closing tagline song “Vote For A Working America” is Broadway/Cabaret Diva Ann Hampton Callaway. Produced in the historic Calderwood Studio at WGBH in Boston we want to thank our GBH team including Terry Quinn Director of Studio Operations, Phil Reilly Set Design and Lighting Director, Howard Powell Cinematographer, Beth Godlin Lillis Post Production Manager, Editor Deb Holland and Juan José Cadena Duenas Studio Operations Manager. This is a full circle experience for Executive Producer Charlotte Robinson who began her stellar career at WGBH as assistant to Paula Apsell, Senior Executive Producer Emerita NOVA at GBH. We talked to Rev. Irene Monroe about the significance of this VOTE PSA Campaign and her spin on our LGBTQ issues. Rev. Irene Monroe graduated from Wellesley College and Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University and served as a pastor at an African-American church in New Jersey before receiving her doctorate at Harvard Divinity School as a Ford Fellow. She was instrumental in Union United Methodist Church a predominately African American church in Boston's South End becoming a Reconciling Congregation first in New England. Monroe’s syndicated religion columns appear in Bay Windows, Cambridge Chronicle, Dig Boston, Curve and in several cities across the country and in the UK and Canada. Monroe is the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail and History UnErased. Monroe is a founder and now member emeritus of several national LGBTQ Black and religious organizations and currently can be heard on the podcast and standing Boston Public Radio segment “All Rev’d Up” on WGBH-FM. WATCH VIDEO LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES
Mariah Hanson, founder and producer of The Dinah the most renowned annual music festival for queer women that’s celebrating its 33rd year and takes place September 25th through September 29th in Palm Springs, CA talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The Dinah is continuing its legend with a show-stopping entertainment line-up at one of Palm Springs’ most historic hotels the Margaritaville formerly The Riviera. This glamorous venue will host The Black and White Ball in the Grand Ballroom Friday night September 27th with award-winning artist Lauren Jauregui the multi-platinum Cuban American singer-songwriter and former member of girl group Fifth Harmony. Then on Saturday night September 28th performing at The Hollywood Party is the multi-talented Brooklyn native Iniko who will take center stage as a proud non-binary artist. Iniko uses their music on behalf of the queer community after rising to fame in 2018 and amassing a huge following on TikTok crossing the 4 million follower mark. Iniko’s songs “The King’s Affirmation” and “Jericho” achieved viral success by reaching over 25 million Spotify streams. That success led to a nomination for Outstanding Music Artist at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards and a Billboard chart debut. Also bringing glitz and glamour to the Dinah’s Hollywood Party is Lauren Sanderson. Of course during the daytime there will be The Dinah’s legendary pool parties showcasing a string of galvanizing queer emerging performers. Whitney Peyton the multi-Billboard-charting, Grammy Award Winning contributing rapper, songwriter and performer will kick off the pool party weekend series Friday afternoon September 27th. The Dinah will also present world-famous DJs, go-go dancers, red carpet events with celebrity guests, dance parties, meet & greets and so much more. We talked to Mariah about what she hopes to accomplish with The Dinah this year and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Mariah Hanson continues to utilize The Dinah as a platform to mobilize our LGBTQ community around humanitarian and social issues especially during this crucial election year. An exemplary community leader she has single-handedly revolutionized her industry, overturned tradition and raised the bar on female achievement with an event that is entirely produced by women for women. OUTTAKE MEDIA has been a proud Media Sponsor of The Dinah for the last eight years.
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Transgender acrobat Toni Cannon talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about Circus Bella's show "WOW!" that celebrated its 15th annual Circus in the Parks Season in San Francisco, CA. This fabulous exhilarating show that launched last month delighted and astonished audiences of all ages. "WOW!" offered a modern twist on one-ring circus and captivated a blend of circus enchantment and madcap mayhem. Circus Bella’s diverse troupe of acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and clowns from the Bay Area and beyond performed to the lively tunes of Rob Reich and the 6-piece Circus Bella All-Star Band. Circus Bella thrives in its mission to produce and present high-quality Circus Arts entertainment accessible to all audiences. Their vision is to be a classical circus attuned to the present. They pursue excellence in a modern one-ring circus combining past traditions with forward-thinking sensibilities and flair. Circus Bella honors diversity and universal human potential as a proud member of the multinational circus community. In celebrating the beauty of circus art they delight in unifying people with experiences that cross age, culture and language barriers with joyous performances. Circus Bella new show "WOW!" was written and directed by Abigail Munn with music composed by Rob Reich and costumes by Autumn Adamme. We talked to Toni about what he hopes to accomplish performing with Circus Bella and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Toni Cannon is consistently working on finding new ways to express himself through acrobatics. He finds the challenge thrilling and very relatable to life’s challenges. Toni started his circus career later in life however that didn’t stop him from diving deep into his newfound love and passion. He has been lucky enough to train under some great coaches like Master Lu Yi and Dominik Wyss learning disciplines like Chinese pole, partner acrobatics and Hand-to-hand. He has been a part of some amazing companies and productions like Topsy Turvy Circus and Circus Bella where he also performs during their Winter Big Top Spectacular “Kaleidoscope” coming in December.
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LGBTQ Filmmakers at the 26th annual Provincetown International Film Festival talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ in this exclusive audio montage that took place at the Boatslip Resort & Beach Club in Provincetown, MA. First we talked to director Stephen Soucy about his documentary “Merchant Ivory” that pulls back the curtain on the fascinating lives of filmmakers Ismail Merchant and James Ivory. Their unique partnership on and off the camera produced 43 groundbreaking films over 4 decades that left an indelible mark on the LGBTQ and arthouse cinema. The documentary features interviews with Vanessa Redgrave, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Helena Bonham Carter and many others who were lucky enough to move in the orbit of Merchant and Ivory’s fabulous filmmaking. Next we chatted with director Fawzia Mirza and producer Andria Wilson Mirza about their feature film “The Queen of My Dreams”. The film is about a Pakistani Canadian woman who has had a strained relationship with her parents since coming out as lesbian and undergoes an emotional journey after the sudden unexpected death of her father. Her grief plunges her into a Bollywood-style examination of her family’s past and present. Then we talked with director Taylor James, actor Kanoa Goo and producer Katie White about their short film “ILY, BYE” about when an unemployed, down on her luck woman (Megan Stalter) gets a life-changing job opportunity but she can't seem to get her foot out of her mouth long enough to get her foot in the door. Next we talked to Tyler C. Peterson about his short film “Stan Behavior” about a drag queen (Ginger Minj) embarking on a quest for better workplace rights but finds herself in a dicey situation when her new lawyer (Yvonne Zima) a tone-deaf straight woman is revealed to be a drag super stan. Then we talked with director Sarah McCarron and music producer Rascal Miles about their short film “The Bend” about a trans man migrating from Tennessee to Minneapolis who gets stranded in rural Wisconsin and encounters a fisherman. We then chatted with director Marco Calvani about his feature film “High Tide” that was shot in Provincetown about an undocumented Brazilian immigrant searching for purpose when he encounters Maurice creating a memorable tribute to love and loss. We concluded our conversation with veteran producer Christine Vachon who produced the 2023 Oscar nominated film “Past Lives” about what films she has coming down the pike. We also talked with all the filmmakers about their spin on our LGBTQ issues as we approach the crucial 2024 presidential election. The Provincetown Film Society, Inc. (PFS) is a non-profit year-round organization and home of the Provincetown International Film Festival. PIFF creates a unique international platform for the west and east coast entertainment industry to experience the diversity and community of Provincetown. PFS is also dedicated to showcasing the work of acclaimed and emerging directors, producers and actors. For Info…LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES
Filmmaker Kristen Lovell talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the historic Stonewall Riots Reenactment that takes place on June 29th at the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The reenactment is part of a floor to ceiling interactive Stonewall Inn Bar installation that runs now through September 2nd 2024 before kicking off a national tour. Lovell of HBO's “The Stroll" will portray Gay Liberation Activist Marsha P. Johnson for the reenactment. Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of June 28th 1969 when police raided the establishment resulting in arrests, riots and fire sparking the global LGBTQ human rights movement. Johnson was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and co-founded the radical activist group Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) alongside close friend Sylvia Rivera. For the first time NYC’s iconic Stonewall Inn will become a nationwide traveling time machine and the set of the historic Stonewall New York Experience reenactment on Saturday June 29th from 4:30P to 7P with local police and other community members playing a role in the reenactment. Visitors are also asked to dress in their 1960s best and consider wearing gender bending clothing which was illegal in 1969. The Stonewall New York Experience was created to remind us all how important bars like the Stonewall Inn and bar culture are to our LGBTQ community. Many of these establishments were a safe haven, others a place to forge friendships, find love and enjoy the freedom of acceptance. As the beloved Stonewall Inn burned to the ground the Stonewall Riots ignited a united front to ban together, to fight together for the indelible human rights that unfortunately many take for granted. We talked to Kristen about what she hopes to accomplish with this historic Stonewall Riots reenactment and give us her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Kristen Lovell is a trans rights activist, filmmaker and former sex worker. After experiencing homelessness as a teenager in NYC during the late 1990s and early 2000s she went on to work for various organizations advocating for the rights of trans people and sex workers. After studying filmmaking at Lincoln Center she went on to co-direct the documentary film “The Stroll” currently streaming on MAX based in part on her experiences. For over 50 years the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library in Fort Lauderdale has tirelessly fought to tell the stories of our LGBTQ community ensuring it holds its place in the historic record.
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Alison Burgos talks about the 23rd anniversary of Girls In Wonderland with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ that takes place May 30th through June 3rd in Orlando, Florida. Girls In Wonderland was founded in 2000 by the trio Amy Alonso, Yesenia Leon and Burgos the women behind Pandora Events. This powerhouse lesbian event production company from South Beach has created and produced some of the hottest LGBTQ soirées and music festivals in the US. In a little over two decades the iconic event has become a force on its own with over 10,000 attendees coming from near and far representing all colors of the rainbow and taking over a 700-room resort. The event brings together some of the most influential LGBTQ artists, celebrities, athletes, influencers and changemakers from around the country including Leisha Hailey, Kate Moennig, Fortune Feimster and Chante Wayans to name a few. This year’s event kicks off with a Welcome Happy Hour on Thursday May 30th from 6P to 8P for a mix and mingle with live music by Deb Hundseder followed by the Traffic Jam opening party with special guest DJs Pat Pat, Dlux & Zehno. Friday begins with the Wet Pool Party with Chloe Star performing live, followed by Citizen Jane performance at the L-Lounge Happy Hour and then comedian Kristin Key takes the stage who has appeared at The Improv and on the series Last Comic Standing and Bring the Funny. Friday concludes with Snow Tha Product performance and then the Afterhours Afterglow Party. There will be more epic pool parties and fabulous events throughout the weekend. We talked to Alison about what she hopes to accomplish with Girls In Wonderland this year and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Alison Burgos has been a luminary in celebrating lesbian culture, creating spaces like Girls In Wonderland in Orlando, Aqua Girl and the Women’s White Party. Alison's role in advocacy is as dynamic as her event planning. She was a guiding force on the National Advisory Council for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and takes on leadership roles as the Vice Chair of the Kindred Pride Foundation. Pandora Events commitment to advocacy continues donating over $30,000 each year to support our LGBTQ community including Aqua Foundation for Women, HRC, Care Resource, NVEEE and the National LGBTQ Task Force.
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Press conference with LGBTQ leaders, legal experts, civil rights leaders and student advocates that Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ attended about the new Title IX rule. The U.S. Department of Education published its final regulatory updates that clarify Title IX protections for LGBTQ students, student survivors of sexual assault and pregnant and parenting students. Consistent with the reasoning of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Bostock v. Clayton County decision in 2020 the Department now clarifies that harassment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics violates Title IX’s mandate for federally funded schools to prohibit sex discrimination. In March 2021 President Biden issued Executive Order 14021 beginning the process of undoing the Trump administration’s harmful actions undermining Title IX and protections for LGBTQ students and sexual assault survivors. In this virtual press briefing Shiwali Patel, Director of Justice for Student Survivors and Senior Counsel, National Women’s Law Center conducted this intimate informative session joined by Brandon Wolf, Human Rights Campaign, National Press Secretary, Olivia Hunt, National Center for Transgender Equality Policy Director, Kenyora Parham, End Rape on Campus CEO, Kel O’Hara, Equal Rights Advocates Senior Attorney, Emily Bach & Andrew Davis who are student organizers with Know Your IX A which is a project of advocates for youth and concluded with Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, GLSEN’s Executive Director.
As we celebrate this important milestone to protect our LGBTQ youth there’s still much more work to be done. Schools have also been hampered by extremist efforts at the state and local level to target LGBTQ youth especially transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive youth. This year alone we’re already dealing with more than 470 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures nationwide mostly targeting our transgender youth. The new Title IX Ruling also does not protect the rights of transgender athletes to play and be part of a team. Every student including LGBTQ students should have equal access to educational opportunities throughout the entirety of their school experience.
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Author Rossi talks about her new memoir “The Punk Rock Queen of the Jews” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. “The Punk Rock Queen of the Jews” is published by She Writes Press and filled with fabulous rich characters, hilarious dialogue taking the reader on a ride into a secretive oppressive Jewish Orthodox world and beyond to be released on April 23rd. Rossi grew up in New Jersey where she was expected to just marry a nice Jewish boy and to be a good kosher Jewish girl but by the age of 16 the rebellious Rossi was more interested in exploring the punk rock scene of the 80’s and her sexuality. Then her adventure seeking days came to a screeching halt when her parents kidnapped her and dumped her with a Hasidic rabbi known for reforming wayward Jewish girls in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Rossi was forced to relinquish her pink hair and Sex Pistols T-shirt for maxi skirts and long-sleeved blouses in this repressive, misogynistic culture straight out of the nineteenth century where she endured not only bone-crushing boredom but also outright abuse and violence. Fortunately Rossi knew there was a better future for her as she broke free from her oppressors and made her way to NYC where she thrived. Beginning as a bartender the opportunity arose in the catering industry as she talked her way into any cooking job she could get. Rossi a self-taught chef and self-made entrepreneur ended up launching The Raging Skillet one of the most sought-after catering companies in NYC that Zagat dubbed as “the wildest thing this side of the Mason-Dixon Line”. We talked to Rossi about her inspiration for writing “The Punk Rock Queen of the Jews” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Rossi is the catering director, owner and executive chef of The Raging Skillet for over three decades. She has earned a reputation as the go-to company for out-of-the-box catering and weddings. The Raging Skillet has been voted one of New York's Top Five Wedding Caterers by The Knot from 2009 through 2023. Her first memoir, “The Raging Skillet: The True Life Story of Chef Rossi” was published by The Feminist Press in 2015 and turned into a stage production “Raging Skillet” by playwright Jacques Lamarre that toured nationally. Currently Rossi has written two full-length plays, a number of one-act comedies, a one-woman stage adaptation of Queen of the Jews and numerous screenplays.
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Ann Hampton Callaway talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her upcoming performance with the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) on March 16th at Jordan Hall in Boston, MA at 8P. The concert entitled "Melodies for a Movement" will highlight the "Tyler’s Suite" that sheds light on the devastating impact of cyber-harassment and bullying that our LGBTQ youth continue to face. Tyler Clementi was the accomplished violinist who took his life in 2010 after being cyber-bullied by his Rutgers roommate for being gay. This powerful performance will feature a suite in nine movements for chorus with a solo violin performance dedicated to the memory of Tyler Clementi. The "Tyler’s Suite" was created under the leadership of Composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin) and explores the voices and experiences of Tyler and his family through the music of eleven of today’s top composers including Ann Hampton Callaway. "Melodies for a Movement" will also feature a cabaret set by Callaway one of America's most gifted and prolific artists. Through the stirring composition of "Tyler’s Suite" and the mesmerizing performance by Ann Hampton Callaway this fabulous concert event will evoke empathy, foster understanding and promote acceptance. Especially in these difficult times with over 600 anti LGBTQ bills in states across the country, women's rights continue to be on the chopping block, antisemitism and hate crimes on the rise all as we head toward the 2024 presidential election. We talked to Ann about what she hopes to accomplish with her music and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Ann Hampton Callaway is one of America’s most gifted artists in pop and jazz. A leading champion of the great American Songbook she’s made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. Voted by Broadway World as “Celebrity of the Year” and two years in a row as “Best Jazz Vocalist” Ann is a born entertainer. She is best known for Tony-nominated performance in the hit Broadway musical “Swing!” and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series “The Nanny.” Her latest CD “Finding Beauty, Originals Volume 1” premiered number 1 in Jazz on Amazon. Currently Ann is working on “Finding Beauty, Originals Volume 2”. The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus founded in 1982 is one of New England’s largest and most successful community-based choruses consisting of over 200 voices. "Melodies for a Movement" honors Tyler Clementi's memory while igniting the flame of positive change to build a world where every individual is cherished for exactly who they are.
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Jason A. Rodriguez talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ at the 2024 National LGBTQ Task Force Creating Change Conference that took place in New Orleans, LA. Creating Change is the foremost political, leadership and skills-building conference for our LGBTQ social justice movement. There are also fun events especially when Jason A. Rodriguez the talented dancer/actor from the hit FX series “Pose” presented a workshop on the history, importance and elements of Vogue. This year’s conference theme was “Queer Power, Action & Joy” and Jason delivered the joy conducting workshops on New Way Vogue. Jason who played Lamar on “Pose” also served as the movement coach for all three seasons. Currently Rodriguez conducts New Way Vogue classes at the Ailey Studios in NYC. The workshops Jason led at the Creating Change Conference gave the attendees an opportunity to learn the three styles of Voguing. Stretch and precision are key to New Way Vogue allowing the voguers to show off contorted and flexible poses with precision and grace. It’s all accomplished by learning arm controls to show off your control of creating lines, shapes, illusions and face framing movements to the beat of the music in addition to poses, floor work, cat walks, duck walks and dips. Jason also served as one of the judges at the Conference’s “Agents of Change –A Night of a Thousand Stars Mini-Ball” which presented professional and novice Voguers to strut their stuff down the runway. We talked to Jason about his inspiration to carry on the Voguing tradition and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Jason Anthony Rodriguez is a Dominican-American born and raised in Washington Heights in New York City. He was trained in voguing by Benny Ninja, Dorit Koppel and Kevin Wynn. Besides being a series regular on “Pose”, Jason also guest-starred on HBO's The Deuce as Enrico. Rodriguez has taught vogue in various institutions throughout the states as well as internationally in Dominican Republic, Vienna and Japan. Next year’s Creating Change Conference will take place in Las Vegas, NV January 22nd to the 26th, 2025. We want to thank New Orleans and Company for sponsoring our coverage of the 2024 National LGBTQ Task Force Creating Change Conference.
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Peaches Christ, San Francisco's own drag impresario and filmmaker talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her upcoming northeast tour of “Idol Worship: An Evening with Mink Stole and Peaches Christ”. Coming off their sold-out San Francisco shows they’ll be kicking off their northeast Queer theatre tour in Salem, MA on February 14th Valentine’s Day at 7:30P presented by Salem Horror Fest and Cinema Salem. If you're a fan of John Waters' films, Divine, drag history or cult movies you don't want to miss this fabulous event. This heartfelt cabaret show starring living legend and cult film icon Mink Stole alongside Christ who have been close friends for 2 decades will include an evening of storytelling, film clips and performance in a wildly entertaining and uncensored exposé that is as hilarious as it is revealing. The tour then continues on to the Columbus Theatre, Providence, RI on February 15th at 8P, NYC at the Green Room 42 570 Tenth Avenue February 16th & 17th, Punch Line Philly, Philadelphia, PA February 18th and concludes in DC at The Comedy Loft on February 20th. Mink Stole is an original Dreamlander the term for John Waters’ cast and crew regulars across his 50+ years as a filmmaker. Mink has co-starred in every single Waters film dating back to his notorious 1967 short “Roman Candles”. She then created the iconic characters of Connie Marble in “Pink Flamingos”, Taffy Davenport in “Female Trouble” and Dottie Hinkle in “Serial Mom” to name a few. Peaches and Mink will share her decades of cult filmmaking on this intimate tour and more. We talked to Peaches about what she hopes to accomplish with “Idol Worship: An Evening with Mink Stole and Peaches Christ” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Peaches Christ is the alter- ego of writer/director Joshua Grannell whose infamous movie events are self-produced at the Castro Theatre and regularly draw over 1,000 attendees to each new production before they tour. Events have featured special guest stars John Waters, Cloris Leachman, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell, Linda Blair, Bruce Campbell, Apollonia, Barry Bostwick, Pam Grier and more. Grannell is the writer and director of the feature film “All About Evil” the award-winning dark comedy gore film stars Natasha Lyonne, Thomas Dekker, Cassandra Peterson, Mink Stole and Peaches Christ herself. Peaches Christ has been featured in the films Milk, I Am Divine, Diary Of A Teenage Girl, Mansfield 66/67, Tura!, Scream Queen: My Nightmare On Elm Street, You Don’t Nomi and more. “Idol Worship: An Evening with Mink Stole and Peaches Christ” tickets prices vary with VIP tickets including a post-show meet & greet in a private room and a photo with Mink & Peaches, priority seating in the front rows of the theatre and a signed commemorative event poster.
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Cathy Renna, Communications Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the upcoming Creating Change Conference that takes place Wednesday January 17th to Sunday January 21st at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans, LA. Creating Change is the foremost political, leadership and skills-building conference for our LGBTQ social justice movement. This year’s 36th annual conference theme is “Queer Power, Action & Joy” and Kierra Johnson, National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director will deliver the opening State of the Movement plenary. Raquel Willis the award-winning activist, author and media strategist dedicated to Black transgender liberation will emcee and host the conference. Creating Change continues its long tradition of presenting compelling keynote speakers, presentations, annual awards and more than 100 workshops and caucuses. This year’s Indigenous Leadership Award Honoree will be presented to Jean-Luc Pierite, scholar, advocate and founder of InDigiFab (Tunica-Biloxi). There will also be fun events including special guest Jason Rodriguez the talented dancer/actor from the hit Fox series Pose who will be presenting a workshop on the history, importance and elements of VOGUE. Other fun events will include Gayme Night, Opening Cruise and the Agents of Change Masquerade Ball. Then Big Freedia the nationally recognized hip-hop artist, TV personality and larger-than-life ambassador of New Orleans Bounce music will be dancing her way to Creating Change to perform at the closing plenary. Since 1988 Creating Change has created networking opportunities and inspiration for thousands of committed people to develop and hone their activist skills. We talked to Cathy about what she hopes to accomplish at this year’s Creating Change Conference and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Cathy Renna has been part of the National LGBTQ Task Force’s extended family for decades. Renna is a veteran in the communications industry and serves as the Principal of Target Cue an LGBTQ+ focused communications consultancy. Since her time at GLAAD through the 1990’s Cathy has executed her particular expertise in crisis and strategic communications. She played a central role in shaping nearly all major issues affecting our LGBTQ community from the beating death of Matthew Shepard in 1998 to the fight for marriage equality and the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”. In her 30 years of media relations and activism experience Cathy has garnered placements in every major media outlet in the U.S. and internationally including The New York Times, USA Today, The Associated Press, BBC and the Washington Post. Renna lives in Montclair, New Jersey with her wife Karen. She is the proud Mom of Mars who attends HSPVA High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX. The National LGBTQ Task Force recognizes that COVID-19 remains an ongoing public health concern and complies with all local and federal regulations at their in-person events.
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Rev. Richard Emmanuel talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about The Church, a non-profit organization established in 1968 in East Gloucester, MA that is dedicated to raising individual and collective consciousness while increasing spiritual awareness. We called on Emmanuel a visionary and dedicated political activist to give us his brutally honest spin on where our world may be headed in 2024. With religious wars raging in Middle East and the war in Ukraine among others, we are faced with a global humanitarian crisis. Emmanuel addresses the fact that Christianity, Judaism and Islam are at war with one another causing a younger generation to become both weary of global conflict and wary of hierarchical institutions. Currently in this country we’re under attack by white national domestic terrorists as we fend off over 600 anti LGBTQ bills in states across the country, women’s rights are on the chopping block and antisemitism is on the rise all as we head into the 2024 election. Since 1968 Emmanuel has questioned the uncomfortable truths that the western religions are for the most part a perpetuation of conformity to the patriarchal myth that males are superior to the females of the human species. Richard also addresses the human experience as a life cycle of four stages. The cycle mirrors the planetary earth seasons consisting of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter as the four phases of being human as in childhood, young adulthood, middle age and elder-hood. We talked to Rev. Emmanuel about how we can regain a sense of humanity in a world spiraling downward and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Rev. Richard Emmanuel is a provocateur who creates both concept iconography and multimedia assemblages in 2d and 3d. His work is an exploration of consciousness with great emphasis drawn from the ancient civilizations on this planet and the “aboriginal dream” which spawned these ancient narratives. The practical use of his concepts and “designed environments” have been used in international corporate communications and exhibits. His work has shown at the Baltimore Visionary Art Museum. As a consultant he has envisioned for major international corporations and has had work installed at the American Visionary Art Museum and the Smithsonian Air-Space Museum. Richard understands that the greatest task is to teach each generation the quest for “what is truth?” Emmanuel sees the path and agrees with the greatest of ancient teachers that “one can only point the way” and above all “know thy self”.
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Laury A. Egan talks about her latest novel “The Firefly” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. “The Firefly” published by Spectrum Books begins as an LGBTQ coming-of-age novel set in 1964 and evolves into a woman’s lifelong journey to find fulfillment in both love and career. The story begins with Robin Bennet at fourteen who has been left to fend for herself at a lakeside rental after her parents argue and leave the premises each believing the other has remained with their daughter. Robin then discovers someone has been sleeping in the house and stealing food. That night Robin observes a beautiful blond girl who magically appears on the dock dancing to the light of a lantern. The next day Kieran a fifteen-year-old charming intruder invites himself to dinner. It turns out that he is the brother of the beautiful blond girl Stella who magically appeared on the dock the night before and after he departs the “Firefly” returns. This time Robin is brave enough to approach her leading to Robin’s first kiss but in the morning Stella has disappeared. Robin’s quest to find her is then cut short when Teresa her mother returns canceling their summer holiday on the lake. With Robin’s attempt to find her new friends ending in vain she returns home but never forgets that night of passion on the lake. As she enters adulthood pursuing her dream of becoming an architect she continues to explore her sexuality as she struggles to fulfill her lost desire for Stella. We talked to Laury about her inspiration for writing “The Firefly” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Laury A. Egan is the author of thirteen books of fiction. Her stories and poems have appeared in 85 literary journals and in multiple anthologies. Two full-length poetry volumes Snow, Shadow, a Stranger and Beneath the Lion’s Paw were issued in limited edition as were two chapbooks Presence & Absence and The Sea & Beyond. Egan is also a fine arts photographer, a former book designer and a reviewer for The New York Journal of Books. She lives on the northern coast of New Jersey.
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Executive Producer Paula S. Apsell talks about her new documentary “Resistance - They Fought Back” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The film is having its World Premiere at the Boston Jewish Film Festival November 2nd and 9th. “Resistance - They Fought Back” explores the misinformation that Jews went to their deaths like sheep to the slaughter during the Holocaust. Actually Jews fought back in more than sixty armed rebellions including six in death camps and thousands of Jewish partisans in forests of Europe. Through interviews with historians, survivors and their families the film belies a long-held myth and shines a new light on a lost chapter of history. Apsell co-directed this relevant and timely film with Kirk Wolfinger after a documentary they made for the PBS NOVA series in 2016 which she helmed for 35 years. Told by survivors, their children and expert witnesses from the U.S, Israel and Europe “Resistance - They Fought Back” is a revelation based on extensive research of how the Jews of Europe fought back. It uncovers evidence of non-violent methods which served as crucial tools of resistance and evolved into Jewish armed revolts in ghettos, forests and death camps even as the odds of success were alarmingly small. Today almost eighty years after the Holocaust this story remains largely unknown to the general public. It is important to understand this genocide that wiped out two-thirds of European Jews especially with the global rise of antisemitism, hatred and denial of the Holocaust itself. We talked to Paula about what she hopes to accomplish with “Resistance - They Fought Back” and as a fierce ally her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Paula S. Apsell spent 35 years as the Senior Executive Producer of the PBS NOVA science series responsible for more than 650 documentaries in the sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine which won every major broadcasting award including the Emmy; the Peabody; the duPont-Columbia University Gold and Silver Batons and an Academy Award nomination for Special Effects. She has been recognized with numerous individual awards including the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Emmy of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Currently she is CEO of Leading Edge Productions, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. “Resistance: They Fought Back” is currently being screened at the Boston Jewish Film Festival and numerous screenings globally and is distributed by Abramorama.
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Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with 14 celebrity women on The Dinah's Red Carpet for its legendary Black & White Ball and Hollywood Party in Palm Springs, CA. We had a blast chatting with these fabulous women about their music, what they hope to accomplish with their work and how they’re coping in these challenging times.
First we talked with Black Box headlining the Friday night Black & White Ball who is passionate about bringing back the 80’s dance sound and talked about the importance of forums like The Dinah bringing people together. Next we spoke to XANA a new rising star on the pop scene who performed at Sunday’s Pool Party who’s currently on her first American tour and recording a new album. Then we chatted with singer-songwriter Ariana Castelli who released her first single “Love is Love” a few years ago and performed at The Dinah with Keeana Kee. Then we talked with The Dinah’s DJ’s Mo, Alex D and China G who are all committed to creating a safe place for women to party and thrive. Next we chatted with Phem one of the most prominent new queer indie singers who performed poolside and just concluded a world tour with Avril Lavigne. Then we chatted with influencer Divinity Ray an LA-based content creator, dancer and hair stylist with a passion for beauty, fashion and mental health. Concluding Friday night’s Red Carpet was Oomy Oomy The Dinah’s Emerging Artist Winner also known as "Porno" a trailblazing force in the realm of futuristic feel-good funk. Then for Saturday night’s Red Carpet at the infamous Hollywood Party we talked to Chef K a private chef who spent the last several years working on the margins of the Kardashians and is now stepping into her own celebrity chef status. Then we caught up with Mackenzie Lansing a French-American television and film actress who was cast in the Hunger Games prequel and “Mare of Easttown” alongside Kate Winslet. Next we chatted with Latvian-born New York based lesbian fashion model turned pop star Keeana Kee who performed at the Sunday Pool Party. Then Rose Garcia from the Showtime docuseries “The Real L Word” talked about her 27th year at The Dinah after beating stage 3 ovarian cancer last year. Rose is now advocating for people to get tested and also shared how practicing meditation helped to get through it. We concluded our Red Carpet coverage with rapper and songwriter Princess Nokia who headlined The Dinah’s Hollywood Party. When asked what she wanted to accomplish with her music Princess Nokia stated, “I want people to feel like they are wonderful, amazing and free and I hope that my music always inspires people to feel awesome and feel relatable.” For Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES
Mariah Hanson, founder and producer of The Dinah talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the most renowned annual music festival for queer women that’s celebrating its 32nd year and takes place September 20th through September 24th in Palm Springs, CA. The Dinah is continuing its legend with a show-stopping all-female entertainment line-up at one of Palm Springs’ most historic hotels The Margaritaville formerly The Riviera. This glamorous venue will host The Black and White Ball in the Grand Ballroom Friday night September 22nd with Doechii one of today’s most magnetic rappers who will take centerstage as the headliner. Doechii rose to prominence in 2021 with the viral Tik Tok success of her song "Yucky Blucky Fruitcake" and earlier this year appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 with her single “What it is (Block Boy)”. The Dinah mix on Friday night will also feature Black Box who has been keeping millions of fans dancing beneath disco balls and neon lights for 3 decades. Then on Saturday night at The Hollywood Party Princess Nokia the electrifying gender nonconforming queer NY Rapper and newest star to be is set to deliver an explosive headlining performance. After nearly a decade as a leader and icon for outsiders and misfits the New York-born Puerto Rican MC, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, style icon, actress and activist Princess Nokia continues to speak up and speak out. Of course, during the daytime there will be The Dinah’s legendary pool parties showcasing a string of galvanizing queer emerging performers. FYI don’t miss The L-Word Pool Party on Saturday September 23rd as Phem one of the most prominent up-and-coming queer indie genre-defying singers will be performing poolside to get your swim on. Throughout the festivities The Dinah will also present world-famous DJs, go-go dancers, red carpet events with celebrity guests, dance parties, meet and greets and so much more. We talked to Mariah about what she hopes to accomplish with The Dinah this year and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Mariah Hanson continues to utilize The Dinah as a platform to mobilize our LGBTQ community around humanitarian and social issues especially in these challenging times. An exemplary community leader she has single-handedly revolutionized her industry, overturned tradition and raised the bar on female achievement with an event that is entirely produced by women for women. OUTTAKE MEDIA has been a proud Media Sponsor of The Dinah for the last seven years and we’ll be onsite broadcasting all the festivities this year for our global LGBTQ audience.
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Randy Roberts talks about his new show “Aging Dis-Gracefully” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. “Aging Dis-Gracefully” is currently at the Post Office Cafe and Cabaret now through August 29th in Provincetown, MA. We caught his fabulous new show last week and were thoroughly entertained with his theme of divas who refuse to grow old gracefully including impeccable performances from Cher, Bette Midler and more. However what makes Roberts show so outstanding is how he brings his own voice to the party. This is not a lip sync show but a Virtuoso performing in drag. Then when he concluded his show performing “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera in his own persona we were blown away especially thinking about the controversy all drag artists are facing in this country with the politicizing of their performances. In Key West, Florida where Randy has performed at the La Te Da Cabaret for 25 years they no longer allow anyone under 18 years old to attend even though Randy’s show is totally appropriate for all ages. In “Aging Dis-Gracefully” he does address Florida being ground zero with the current culture wars specifically drag artists under attack. Yet Roberts manages to address the issue flawlessly with a tribute to Governor DeSantis in a parody entitled “He’s DeSantis” to the song “It's De-Lovely” and a moving rendition of the LGBTQ power anthem “Color Out of Colorado.” We talked to Randy about his inspiration for his new show “Aging Dis-Gracefully” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Randy Roberts is an actor, singer, director and world-renowned female impersonator entertaining audiences for over 30 years. Hailing from Norfolk, VA he started in community theater and found a niche in female impersonation. First in small bars and clubs and then touring the country in the review “Masquerade a La Cage”. During this run he caught the eye of the producers of the long running Las Vegas drag revue “Boy-Lesque” at the Sahara Hotel and Casino. Roberts was also featured on the tenth season of NBC television’s “America’s Got Talent” and appeared on ABC television’s “One Life To Live” as “Cher”. Randy made his film debut in the award-winning indie film “Any Day Now” starring Alan Cumming, Garret Dillahunt and Frances Fisher. Randy is currently celebrating his 25th year headlining in the Crystal Room Cabaret at La Te Da in Key West, Florida and in Provincetown at the Post Office Cafe and Cabaret where he is currently performing. Upcoming performance dates include September 22nd at the Sun Festival in Rehoboth Beach, DE & September 14th, 15th and 16th at the Crazy Coqs in London, UK.
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Jason Stuart and Mitch Hara talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the second season of their must-watch comedy series “Smothered” currently available on all major streaming services including Amazon, Apple, DirecTV and Revry. Jason Stuart (The Birth Of A Nation) and Mitch Hara (Mutant Olive) have co-written, co-starred and co-produced this series about a longtime gay couple that can’t stand each other but can’t afford to get divorced. With the success of the first season that was named one of the best comedy series by Amazon and was nominated for the Spotlight Award at the Indie Series Awards Jason and Mitch have upped their game. Season 2 of “Smothered” boasts an impressive cast of guest stars that include Amanda Bearse (Married w/ Children/Bros), Jai Rodriguez (Bros/Queer Eye), Carole Ita White (Laverne & Shirley), Armand Fields (Queer as Folk) and more. “Smothered” second season follows the boomer-aged gay couple Randy and Ralph who still can't stand each other and still can't afford to get a divorce so they attempt to salvage their hideous relationship in therapy hell before they kill each other and everyone else. Both Stuart and Hara were also nominated for Best Actor and the series for Best Digital Series at the Queerty Awards. “Smothered” season 2 is directed by acclaimed theatre director Carlyle King who is making her Television début. We talked to Jason and Mitch about what they hope to accomplish with Smothered and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Jason Stuart is one of the most prolific character actors who’s also an outrageous openly gay stand-up comedian. With over 150 credits his film work includes “The Birth Of A Nation” “Tangerine”, “Love Is Strange”, “Gia”, “Kindergarten Cop” and “Vegas Vacation” among his fan favorites. His TV work has wowed audiences with guest roles on such shows as “Sleepy Hollow”, “Entourage”, “The Closer”, “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, “House”, “Everybody Hates Chris” and “Will & Grace” among others. Recently he won The Indie Series Award for Best Actor In a Comedy Series for the first season of “Smothered”. Jason also serves as the National LGBTQ Co-Chairman of the SAG-AFTRA LGBTQ Committee a role he co-created in 2004. For More Info… Mitch Hara is an actor/writer/director who joined the acclaimed Actors Studio when he was just 19. Mitch won Best Actor Award for his portrayal of “Sister Coco Call-Me- Ishmael” a mental-patient-drag-queen-nun. He also co- wrote and directed Joe Manganiello in “One Night Stand.” Hara’s award-winning solo show “Mutant Olive” is currently playing to sold out houses in LA and is currently touring globally with rave reviews. For More Info…
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Latina filmmaker Sue Zarco Kramer and cast members of “Swipe NYC” talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the dramedy featurette that has already won film festival awards across the country. First we talked to Sue and the film’s star Lisa Edelstein (House, Girlfriends Guide to Divorce) who plays Syd a newly divorced empty nester who throws herself into the vulnerable, scary, sexy world of online dating. Each date serves as a metaphor of Syd picking up the broken pieces of her life and regaining her sense of sexuality, confidence, empowerment and independence. Along the way she encounters her stellar cast of supporting actors including Richard Schiff (Wakanda Forever, The Good Doctor, The West Wing) and Bridget Moynahan (Blue Bloods, I Robot) among others. We also had the opportunity to get their spin on the current WGA Writer’s Strike and address our LGBTQ issues. Then we talked to Richard Schiff who plays Steve about how he got involved in the film and what he hopes to accomplish with his career. Next we chatted with Angela Wong Carbone who plays Jane and David Kelsey who plays Luke about their roles and how David would like to see “Swipe NYC” developed into a streaming series. The film is also produced by Kelsey along with Bridget Moynahan, Heather Sederquist, Cheryl Bayer and Sue Zarco Kramer.
Filmmaker Sue Zarco Kramer is a graduate of UCLA Film School. She graduated winning the coveted Jim Morrison Award for Outstanding Direction and Writing. Kramer has written for almost every studio and made her feature directorial debut with her original feature "Gray Matters" which pays homage to 1940's screwball comedies with one big bang of a modern twist. The film starred Heather Graham, Tom Cavanagh, Alan Cumming, Sissy Spacek, Bridget Moynahan and Molly Shannon in the romantic comedy about a brother and a sister who fall in love with the same woman. "Gray Matters" not only closed the 2007 Santa Barbara Film Festival but was chosen as the Spotlight Film of The Hamptons Film Festival. "Gray Matters" has remained on the top 25 Netflix list of "gay and lesbians hits" of all time. “Swipe NYC” premiered at The Beverly Hills Film Festival in April 2023 winning the best audience award and will be in San Francisco at the Jewish film festival on July 29th & August 4th winning the coveted freedom expression award. For More Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES
LGBTQ Filmmakers and activists at the 25th annual Provincetown International Film Festival talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. First we spoke with director Sophia Castuera and writer Ali Edwards about their first feature film “August At Twenty-Two” that’s receiving a lot of buzz and will be available on most VOD streaming outlets next month. The film is about actress Cal (played by Edwards) who is floundering after college and is shocked to discover that her childhood soulmate has a serious girlfriend Em (Lilli Kay) who Cal unexpectedly falls in love with. “August At Twenty-Two” is an evocative and deeply felt portrait of young artists struggling to find their way in their craft and their lives. We also talked to Sophia and Ali about their inspiration for creating this film and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Next we chatted with producer Fermin Rojas and director Mike Syers about their short film “There Are Things To Do” about LGBTQ activist and author Urvashi Vaid who passed away last year. Vaid was an outspoken immigrant, lesbian and woman of color who was an LGBTQ superhero and believed in human rights for all people. Urvashi led the charge in shaping the modern-day LGBTQ rights movement as Executive Director of National LGBTQ Task Force from 1989 to 1992 to founding LPAC the first lesbian Super PAC raising millions of dollars for candidates who are committed to social justice. The film chronicles her life in Provincetown and 34-year relationship with partner/wife comedian Kate Clinton who inspired her call to action resulting in achieving equality for our LGBTQ community. We concluded our montage with director Sam Shahid whose documentary “Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes” uncovers the life and work of photographer George Platt Lynes. Best remembered for his dazzling celebrity and fashion photographs of the 1930’s and 1940’s, Lynes was forced to keep his male nude photos hidden from the public. Shahid hopes his film will help reclaim this gifted artist’s full legacy and lasting influence as one of the first openly gay American artists.
The Provincetown Film Society, Inc. (PFS) is a non-profit year-round organization and home of the Provincetown International Film Festival. PFS is dedicated to showcasing new achievements in independent film and honoring the work of acclaimed and emerging directors, producers and actors. For More Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES
Andrew Peterson, Director of Programming of the Provincetown International Film Festival that takes place June 14th to June 18th in Provincetown, MA talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. PIFF is celebrating its 25th year with over 100 films that include diverse BIPOC and LGBTQ filmmakers as well as wildly talented first-time filmmakers along with PIFF’s longstanding commitment to gender parity. The opening night film will be “Cora Bora” starring Megan Stalter and directed by Hannah Pearl Utt. Written by Rhianon Jones “Cora Bora” follows the story of Cora a messy millennial and struggling musician. When she goes home to Portland to win her girlfriend back Cora realizes there’s a lot more than her love life that needs salvaging. As we announced earlier Stalter will receive the festival’s Next Wave Award this year. “Theater Camp” from directors Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman is set to close the festival. It tells the story about staff members of an upstate New York theater camp who must band together when their beloved founder falls into a coma. Also honored this year will be Bruce LaBruce with the Filmmaker on Edge Award, Billy Porter the Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor will be honored with this year’s Excellence in Acting Award and along with Megan Stalter, writer, director and actor Julio Torres will receive the Next Wave Award. There will also be lots of fabulous special events and parties. We talked to Peterson about what he hopes to accomplish at the 25th annual Provincetown International Film Festival and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Andrew Peterson has served as the Director of Programming for the Academy Award Qualifying Provincetown Film Festival for the last 21 years. Peterson is also the Executive Director of FilmNorth one of the largest filmmaker service organizations in the country. Previously he was Vice President of Production for Werc Werk Works where he co-produced Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s “Howl”, Todd Solondz’s “Life During Wartime”, Jill Sprecher’s “Thin Ice” and Lawrence Kasdan’s “Darling Companion”. Andrew holds an MFA from New York University Graduate Film School and has taught filmmaking at Macalester and Middlebury Colleges. The Provincetown Film Society, Inc. (PFS) is a non-profit year-round organization and home of the Provincetown International Film Festival. PFS is dedicated to showcasing new achievements in independent film and honoring the work of acclaimed and emerging directors, producers and actors. This is our 16th year covering PIFF for OUTTAKE MEDIA™.
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Alison Burgos, Co-Founder and Vice President of the KindRED Pride Foundation talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the launch of “Red Shirt Pride Day” an annual global movement on the first Saturday of June to get a million LGBTQ individuals and allies to wear a red shirt not only in celebration of Pride Month but as a message of “KindRED” spirit in these challenging times. The link between red and Pride originated in 1991 when Disney cast members and the Central Florida LGBTQ Community decided to meet socially on the first Saturday in June in front of the Castle at Magic Kingdom. They wore red t-shirts as an expression of pride and to identify their “kindred spirits” since they had only met on a bulletin board and never in person. “Gay Disney” flourished and quickly grew to be one of the largest LGBTQ annual gatherings in the world. The growth was in part the result of the national exposure brought on by the protests of far-right groups threatening to boycott. The LGBTQ community responded in droves and year after year have journeyed to Disney World Resorts from around the world. Red is also the first color of the rainbow flag and stands as a symbol of life and passion. Burgos hopes to start a yearly worldwide tradition with Red Shirt Pride Day building connections with LGBTQ communities and allies around the world as a sign of solidarity for those who believe in diversity, inclusion, equality, safe expression and kindness. The KindRED Pride Foundation will inaugurate its Red Shirt Campaign at the official kickoff of Pride Cup the annual LGBTQ multi-sport competition held during Gay Disney weekend that takes place June 1st to June 4th in Orlando, Florida. We talked to Alison about what she hopes to accomplish with Red Shirt Pride Day and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
KindRED Pride Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization whose mission is to support the endeavors of like-minded charities for the education, promotion and celebration of Diversity, Inclusion, Equality, Safe Expression and Kindness. The organization is aligning with national, regional and local non-profits who provide valuable resources to fight bullying, teen homelessness, HIV services and legal/business/housing services to the LGBTQ community.
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Boze Hadleigh talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his fabulous new book “Game Show Confidential” published by Lyons Press and distributed by the National Book Network. At a time when books are being censored across the country this must-read LGBTQ inclusive book covers a fascinating history of the game show genre. Since first appearing on radio broadcasts in the 1930’s to the current phenomenon dominating our broadcast culture, game shows continue to draw huge audiences. We especially saw an insurgence of this popular programming during COVID providing TV audiences with its “feel good” entertainment. “Game Show Confidential” describes the evolution of the game show with its larger-than-life producers and hosts as well as the scandals that have rocked it from time to time. Back in 1954 the FCC tried to ban television game shows but the Supreme Court disagreed. Then came the 1958 game show scandals that led to a Congressional investigation into the rigging of game shows which director Robert Redford zeroed in on in the film "Quiz Show". During that time an interesting fact was ex contestant and child star Patty Duke appeared before a Congressional investigating committee and broke down crying admitting she'd been coached by adults to lie. “Game Show Confidential” also addresses the misogyny, bigotry and homophobia that have dominated the genre until recently. Though we now have women hosting primetime games show like Jane Lynch, Ellen Degeneres and Elizabeth Banks, when Betty White was set to host a 1960’s game show, ABC vetoed having a female host. We talked to Boze about his inspiration for writing “Game Show Confidential” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Boze Hadleigh has published 29 books primarily on show business that are all LGBTQ inclusive though they’re not all gay-themed. Hadleigh is the #1 author on our LGBTQ presence in the entertainment industry especially Hollywood. The Los Angeles Times dubbed him a "pop culture phenomenon." Hadleigh holds a Master's in journalism, speaks five languages and won on the TV game show "Jeopardy!" Boze’s LGBTQ inclusive titles include Hollywood Gays, The Lavender Screen, Sing Out!, Broadway Babylon, Celebrity Lies!, Marilyn Forever, An Actor Succeeds, “Hollywood Lesbians: From Garbo To Foster, Inside the Hollywood Closet: A Book of Quotes and currently Game Show Confidential.
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David Zimmerman, Publisher of Boston Spirit Magazine and a fierce LGBTQ ally talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the 15th Annual LGBT Executive Networking Night on May 17th in Boston, MA. This year's event will feature keynote speaker Jonathan Knight the popular HGTV star and “New Kids On The Block” member. Knight is both a local and LGBTQ icon capturing the hearts of millions of fans with his incredible farmhouse renovations on HGTV’s “Farmhouse Fixer” and during his Grammy-nominated career in pop music with NKOTB. As keynote speaker Jonathan will share his story and celebrate his remarkable career. The evening promises to be a fabulous night of networking, mingling and making valuable connections with the Greater Boston LGBTQ corporate professional community and business leaders. The event will take place at the Marriott Boston Copley Place Ballroom from 6P to 9P. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, share insights and build lasting relationships. There will also be a special presentation by the LGBT History Project on the history of the LGBTQ community in the region. Since its founding in 2006 Boston Spirit Magazine has become an indispensable resource for Boston's LGBTQ community covering a wide range of topics including business, arts and entertainment, travel, health and wellness and more. Boston Spirit Magazine is dedicated to producing high-quality content that informs, educates and inspires its readers. We talked to Zimmerman about what he hopes to accomplish with the 15th Annual LGBT Executive Networking Night and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
David Zimmerman launched Boston Spirit Magazine 17 years ago after a stellar career in both public relations and advertising. For nearly 20 years David worked at both the Boston Business Journal and Boston Magazine. The 15th Annual LGBT Executive Networking Night on May 17th at the Marriott Boston Copley Place Ballroom is an opportunity to network with other LGBTQ professionals from the Greater Boston area and meet with over 50 exhibitors. Many of the attending exhibitors are hiring so if you are in the market for a new career be sure to bring business cards. There will also be fabulous free appetizers and a cash bar with your $15 cover (cash or check only) at the door.
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Victoria Kirby York, Director of Public Policy & Programs for the National Black Justice Coalition talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Since 2003 the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has been America’s leading national civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black LGBTQ people including people living with HIV/AIDS through coalition building, federal policy change, research and education. Their mission is to end racism, homophobia, LGBTQ bias and stigma. NBJC supports Black individuals, families and communities in strengthening the bonds and bridging the gaps between the movements for racial justice and LGBTQ equity. Recently NBJC unveiled its Federal Policy Agenda for the 118th Congressional Term offering its recommendations for urgently needed action to address pressing public policy issues facing our Black LGBTQ community ensuring their freedoms and equal protection under the law. NBJC is prioritizing three policy pillars this legislative session addressing Awareness, Access and Accountability. Black LGBTQ Americans represent a significant subset of Black families with over one million people (3.7 percent of all Black Americans) identifying as LGBTQ. The community's challenges are compounded partly by the stigma and marginalization resulting from social constructions of race, normative gender and sexuality. NBJC will also continue to fight and campaign for the Equality Act, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the Student Loan Debt Relief Act, the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2019 and several Biden-Harris Administration executive actions. We talked to Victoria about what she hopes to accomplish at NBJC and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Victoria Kirby York is responsible for leading NBJC’s advocacy and action strategies to maintain the org’s position as a recognized public-policy leader especially concerning Black trans, queer and non-binary/non-conforming people, families and communities as well as other multiple marginalized communities. Previously she served as the Deputy Director for the Advocacy & Action Department at the National LGBTQ+ Task Force where she managed the policy, organizing and faith team to queer advocacy around faith, equity and democracy. For over 20 years Victoria has been working in a variety of capacities regarding a number of progressive issues and candidates as well as in the private sector.
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Carine de Mesmaeker, the creator and founder of Velvet Ibiza talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the fab all-inclusive five-day party for LGBTQ women that takes place May 2nd to May 7th at Cala Martina in Ibiza, Spain. De Mesmaeker rents out the entire resort so there’s no need to venture anywhere, the party is literally on your doorsteps. Velvet Ibiza is an all-inclusive five-day and five-night party which includes transportation from the airport, a bungalow, meals, activities, all parties and drinks until around 10:30P. Celebrating its 7th year Velvet Ibiza attracts a vast international crowd with LGBTQ women traveling from all over the globe for one big giant celebration for our community. From the pool parties, sports tournaments, yoga classes, club nights and now the infamous duck race to the top queer female DJs from Europe and America dropping the sickest beats, Velvet Ibiza has it all. This year Velvet Ibiza is focusing on single women adding speed dating to the mix. All the dance parties and special events take place at the host hotel Cala Martina located in the historical Hippie Market one of the few places in Ibiza where you can still find the retro hippie essence. It was founded in 1973 and for that reason it is currently the largest and oldest market on the island. A second hotel Paraiso Beach right next to Hotel Cala Martina has also been retained as well so there’s no reason to go anywhere unless of course you want to go shopping, head to the beach or explore the island. We talked to Carine about her inspiration for creating Velvet Ibiza and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Carine De Mesmaeker is the mastermind behind Velvet 69 one of Europe’s biggest queer Women’s Party in Brussels, Belgium founded in 2010. Since 2015 Velvet Ibiza has made history being the first ever queer women event held in the small Balearic Island famously known for its LGBTQ friendly culture, its vibrant nightlife scene and celebrity sighting. Carine has been producing parties in bars and clubs since the early 80s. She owned and operated her own club “Gate” from 1999 to 2004. Her goal is to create a safe space for queer women and to throw amazing parties. Velvet Ibiza the all-inclusive 5-day and 5-night event is becoming a holy ground for queer women who continue to descend on this fabulous isle to enjoy one the most life changing and bonding experience.
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Emma Chinn, Special Projects Coordinator at Campaign for Southern Equality and a proud LGBTQ Tennessean talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Recently Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law 2 LGBTQ discriminatory bills that go into effect on July 1, 2023. First is HB/SB 9 that bans drag performances from taking place on any public property in the state as well as in any location where people under 18 could be present. This law unfairly places male or female impersonators in the same adult cabaret performance category as topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers and strippers. The second Bill signed into law was HB/SB 1 that bans lifesaving medical care for transgender youth under the age of 18. Although legal groups including the ACLU of Tennessee have announced intentions to challenge the law in court young people who have begun accessing gender-affirming hormone therapy or puberty blockers prior to July 1st will be able to access care until March 31st 2024 at which time this care will no longer be available in Tennessee. Prior to the passing of Tennessee’s anti LGBTQ legislation Chinn co-authored a report entitled “Coming of Age as an LGBTQ Southerner: Family, Faith, Education & Health” detailing the life and health experiences of LGBTQ Tennesseans. The research found that approximately 84% of transgender respondents from Tennessee reported that when they were under the age of 18 having access to gender-affirming care was important to their overall well-being. Yet among respondents who reported currently using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) only 18% reported using HRT prior to the age of 18 and only 5% reported using hormone blockers prior to the age of 18. We talked to Emma about Tennessee’s aggressive attack on our transgender community and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Emma Chinn in addition to her work with the Campaign for Southern Equality is currently a Master of Public Policy student at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Her thesis is based on the effect state policies have on LGBTQ Tennesseans. Southern Equality based in Asheville, North Carolina promotes full LGBTQ equality across the South. Their work is rooted in commitments to equity in race, gender and where everyone is free to be who they truly are and love who they truly love.
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Annise Parker, President and CEO of the Victory Fund and Victory Institute talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the importance of endorsing openly LGBTQ political candidates for local, state and federal elective offices. Currently there are 1200 openly LGBTQ people serving in offices across America but we need at least 30,000 to come close to leveling the political scope in this country. The LGBTQ Victory Fund works to achieve this goal and sustain equality by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government while ensuring they reflect the diversity of those they serve. We all know how successful the religious right has been in stacking the political field against our community. Now is the time to support LGBTQ candidates in their quest to advance our progressive values. To be considered for endorsement by the Victory Fund and Victory Institute candidates must be openly LGBTQ, pro-choice and support an individual’s right to privacy. It’s also crucial that they support the rights of transgender individuals, demonstrate community support and have a realistic plan to win. Candidates must additionally demonstrate support of federal, state or local efforts to advance LGBTQ civil rights through the legislative or regulatory process and demonstrate support of federal, state or local efforts to safeguard privacy and reproductive freedom. Victory Fund was founded in 1991 by LGBTQ activists and donors who recognized the success of EMILY’s List at attracting attention and support for women candidates for public office and applied the success of this model to advance equality for our LGBTQ community. We talked to Annise about what she hopes to accomplish at the Victory Fund and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Annise Parker is the first former elected official to lead the Victory Fund and Victory Institute after serving six years as a Houston City Council member, six years as City Controller and six years as Mayor of Houston becoming the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city. In the private sector Annise spent 20 years working in the oil and gas industry including 18 years with Mosbacher Energy Company. She also co-owned “Inklings” a lesbian/feminist bookstore for 10 years. Mayor Parker and her wife Kathy Hubbard have been together since 1991 and are advocates for adoption with three daughters, a son and three grandchildren.
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Virginia (Ginny) Apuzzo who served as Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force from 1982 to 1986 talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The Task Force is the country’s oldest LGBTQ advocacy group celebrating 50 years of advancing freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. This milestone year will recognize and celebrate the Task Force’s rich history of driving progress within the LGBTQ community from its early days lobbying the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality as a mental illness and advocating for AIDS funding to longstanding campaigns to Queer the Census, Queer the Vote, work for trans rights, fight for reproductive justice and bringing an intersectional approach to the LGBTQ movement. The celebration kicks off this month with their Creating Change Conference from Friday February 17th to Tuesday February 21st in San Francisco, CA at the Hilton Hotel Union Square. This year’s theme is “The State of the Movement: Our Past. Our Present. Our Future”. Creating Change is the foremost political, leadership and skills-building conference for our LGBTQ social justice movement. The event will include speakers Angelica Ross, activist X Gonzalez and more. Then the 50th celebration will continue next month in Miami Beach, Florida at the 30th Annual Winter Party Festival with this year’s theme “Live Free Play Hard Give Back” that takes place Wednesday March 1st to Tuesday March 7th. Other events related to the 50th celebration will include the Task Force Gala on October 22nd, its premier annual celebration of South Florida’s LGBTQ community with more details to be announced as they are confirmed. We talked to Ginny about what it was like when she led the National LGBTQ Task Force in the 1980’s and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Virginia "Ginny" Apuzzo became a nun in 1967 at the Sisters of Charity in the Bronx and left the convent in 1969 after the Stonewall riots. During the 1970s she became a member of the Coordinating Committee of the Manhattan Women's Political Caucus and earned a Master of Science in Urban Education from Fordham University. In 1978 she co-founded the Lambda Independent Democrats and ran for the New York State Assembly. In 1979 she served as the assistant commissioner for operations in the New York City Department of Health and became a strong advocate for people with AIDS. She then served as executive deputy of the New York State Consumer Protection Board and as the vice chair of the New York State AIDS Advisory Council. She was also President of the New York State Civil Service Commission and Commissioner of the New York State Department of Civil Service. In 1996 she became the Associate Deputy Secretary of Labor at the United States Department of Labor and in 1997 she became the Assistant to the President for Management and Administration under the Clinton administration. In 2007 she began serving on the Commission on Public Integrity where she worked until her retirement. The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. They are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives.
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Craig Coogan talks about his new documentary "Music Triumphs Homophobia" with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ that’s available on Amazon Prime Video. The film chronicles the impact of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) as they perform for audiences in New England and around the world. Using archival material, news footage and interviews “Music Triumphs Homophobia” documents how a small Boston-based chorus became global cultural ambassadors educating people about LGBTQ lives and encouraging acceptance and respect for our LGBTQ community. Written and directed by multiple award-winning filmmakers Michael Willer and Craig Coogan the film is scored with original compositions by Chad Weirick BGMC’s Principal Accompanist and Assistant Music Director and features choral cover performances of songs by Katy Perry, Janet Jackson, Andrea Day, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Stephen Schwartz and Benji Pasek. Since 1982 BGMC has created musical experiences to inspire change, build community and celebrate difference. It’s a mission that has brought BGMC to some unlikely venues including a Congregational Church in rural Vermont, Worcester’s College of Holy Cross, Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, conservative Catholic-dominated Poland, a kibbutz by the Dead Sea, a university parking lot in Istanbul and the shores of South Africa. In South Africa the city of George welcomed BGMC for a free community concert as part of its inaugural Pride celebration. The invitation by George’s city council was marred when George Mayor Melvin Naik took to the airwaves to lambaste BGMC and the city’s support for its LGBTQ residents. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded by inviting BGMC to join him for the country’s annual Youth Day march where he personally greeted each member of the chorus and publicly welcomed them to South Africa. We talked to Coogan about what he hopes to accomplish with "Music Triumphs Homophobia" and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Craig Coogan served as Executive Director of the Boston Gay Men's Chorus from 2012-2022. Currently he is the Interim Executive Director of the Seattle Choruses. Coogan’s expertise is in developing strategies and programs to help LGBTQ and other nonprofit organizations achieve their operational and artistic goals. A graduate of Syracuse University he brings experience in both the for-profit and non-profit arenas. Craig has also produced independent films, award-winning documentaries and acclaimed original plays that tell the LGBTQ experience.
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Writer-filmmaker and fierce LGBTQ ally Joe Gantz talks about his new book “A Secret I Can’t Tell” available on Carpenter Hill Publishing with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Originally published in 1983 the nonfiction book was the only record of American gay and lesbian headed household family life during the heyday of the homophobic Moral Majority. In republishing the book Gantz revisits the families 40 years later with new interviews and a new unparalleled look at how far we’ve come and underscores how close we are to returning to a dark past. In Florida in 1977 a county ordinance was passed which banned discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation based on sexual orientation. After Anita Bryant’s successful “Save Our Children” campaign which demonized gays and lesbians the law was overturned and it launched a wave of repeals of civil rights for gays and lesbians in other states. Though in 2020 the United States Supreme Court finally ruled that 1964 Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ employees from discrimination based on sex our LGBTQ community is still dealing with over 300 discriminatory bills this year alone including Florida’s recent “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” law that has made 2022 the worst year ever for legislative attacks on LGBTQ people. The updated 2022 version contains fascinating new interviews with some of the children who are now adults in their 50s with children of their own. The new foreword written by Scott Gatz founder and CEO of Q.Digital tracks the effects of keeping their parents’ relationships a secret in a time when it was dangerous to be out particularly as a gay or lesbian parent who could lose custody of their kids. The book shows that parents also struggled coming out to their children without any community or legal support or even representation in the media at that time. The secrecy these families had to maintain forced the kids into a kind of a closet along with their parents and the effects lasting for decades. We talked to Joe about his inspiration for republishing “A Secret I Can’t Tell” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Joe Gantz is an Emmy-winning writer and documentary filmmaker known for examining personal stories with honesty, humor and depth. He is the producer of Taxicab Confessions which was on HBO for 16 years as well as many feature length documentaries including American Winter, Ending Disease and The Race to Save the World.
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Dale Dickey talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her new film “A Love Song". It's now streaming on Paramount+, Showtime and Hulu after premiering at Sundance in 2022 and distributed by Bleecker Street and Stage 6 Films. It’s a gorgeous film rated as one of the ten best in cinematography for 2022 shot by Alfonso Herrera Salcedo and written, directed, produced and co-edited by Max Walker-Silverman in his feature directorial debut. “A Love Song” is about two childhood sweethearts Faye (Dale Dickey) and Lito (Wes Studi) now both widowed who share a night by a lake in the mountains. Reuniting after 40 years the pair share childhood memories make small talk and shelter together from loneliness. The film also features Michelle Wilson (Jan) and Benja K. Thomas (Marie) as a lesbian couple contemplating marriage. Love Song is Dickey’s first leading role in a feature film.
Dale Dickey is a superbly talented veteran character actor of film, television and the theater with over 60 film credits. Her career spans decades including recent recurring roles on the TNT comedy-drama series “Claws”, appearing in the Netflix miniseries “Unbelievable”, we loved her recurring role in the Amazon series “A League of Their Own” and appearing in such films as “Hell or High Water”, “Leave No Trace”, “Bloodline” and “Flag Day”. Last summer at the Provincetown International Film Festival where she was being honored with the Excellence in Acting Award we talked to Dale about “A Love Song” and as a fierce LGBTQ ally her spin on our issues.
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Dr. Jason Peplinski, Commissioner of the Greater Los Angeles Softball Association (GLASA) and Co-Executive Director of the Sin City Classic Sports Festival talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about their event that takes place January 12th to 15th in Las Vegas, Nevada. GLASA created the Sin City Classic in 2008 as an LGBTQ softball tournament meant to provide a safe and competitive atmosphere for LGBTQ athletes. Over the past 16 years the tournament has grown into the largest annual LGBTQ sporting event in the world including 24 sports and approximately 10,000 athletes and fans. As the Sin City Classic continues to grow and evolve this year they’re adding two new competitions: pickleball one of the fastest growing sports globally and sand volleyball. Hosted at the Flamingo Las Vegas GLASA remains committed to creating the best experience possible for a diverse roster of dedicated athletes who participate and the fans and allies who come to enjoy the festival. The Sin City Classic Sports Festival kicks off with the Opening Night Registration Party held at the Flamingo Las Vegas. Competitions and nightly social events then take place around the city with the weekend culminating in the Closing Night celebration to be held at the LINQ Promenade’s Brooklyn Bowl as a way to celebrate the weekend’s activities. The festival will also be presenting the second annual Ken Scearce Leadership Award. The award was created in 2022 to honor the memory and legacy of Ken Scearce the Executive Director of the festival who passed away in 2021. The award recognizes athletes, leaders, coaches, referees and other volunteers who dedicate their time and skills to promoting the value and importance of LGBTQ sports. We talked to Jason about what he hopes to accomplish at this year’s Sin City Classic Sports Festival and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Dr. Jason Peplinski began his stellar teaching career in Lancaster, California. In 2004 he accepted a job as the Assistant Principal of Royal High School and from there he served as Principal of Abraham Lincoln School in Simi (2004-07), Moorpark High School in Moorpark (2007-09) and then Santa Susana High School from 2011-13. He then became Director of Educational Services at the Simi Valley Unified district office and was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. In October of 2014, Dr. Peplinski was named Superintendent of the Simi Valley Unified School District. In June of 2022 Dr. Peplinski retired from his superintendency with the Simi Valley Unified School district and began a full-time faculty position with California Lutheran University. The Sin City Classic Sports Festival takes place annually in Las Vegas Nevada over Martin Luther King weekend with presenting sponsor Lexus as well as Caesar’s Entertainment, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Piranha Nightclub, the Los Angeles Dodgers, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority.
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Sarah Shoffner the new Executive Director of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about their upcoming holiday concert series entitled “Joyful & Triumphant & Gay.” Founded in 1982 this fabulous 200+ voice ensemble is presenting their first live holiday concert since 2019. Upcoming performances under BGMC Music Director Reuben Reynolds are December 16th, 17th and 18 at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston, MA. The title of the show is a tribute to Dean X. Johnson the accompanist and assistant director of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus (NYCGMC) who died of AIDS in 1998 at age 42. Johnson composed “Joyful and Triumphant!” with fellow NYCGMC member Jeff Baron at the height of the AIDS crisis in 1992. “Joyful & Triumphant & Gay” opens with the traditional French carol “Sing We Now of Christmas” and features classics like Bruckner’s “Ave Maria” and “Locus iste” alongside modern holiday fare that includes Cyndi Lauper’s “Christmas Conga”, “A Place Called Home” from “A Christmas Carol: The Musical” and Kylie Minogue’s “Christmas Isn’t Christmas ’Til You Get Here.” The concert will also feature two pieces by American composer Jacob J. Narverud including “Sisi Ni Moja” which means we are one in Swahili and a performance of the powerful “Ukrainian Bell Carol” as a reminder of the horrible human costs of war and our capacity for joy despite them. The chorus will also debut a new suite by BGMC Principal Accompanist and Assistant Music Director Chad Weirick which draws on classic carols and Christmas music to reflect his experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. We talked to Sarah about what she hopes to accomplish with BGMC and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Sarah Shoffner joined BGMC as Executive Director in September 2022. Sarah’s expertise is in developing strategies and programs to help arts and other nonprofit organizations achieve their operational and artistic goals. Shoffner most recently served as Boston Ballet’s Benefactors’ Circle Development Officer. Previously she served as BGMC’s Engagement Manager for six years where she modernized the organization’s development systems including ticketing processes and launched the Ovation Society, BGMC’s donor loyalty program. In addition to the leadership roles Shoffner has held in nonprofit arts organizations Sarah holds a Master of Science in Arts Administration from Boston University and two degrees from the University of South Florida in Business Management and Dance Studies. BGMC’s fabulous holiday show “Joyful & Triumphant & Gay” celebrates the season with traditional favorites, modern classics and just lots of gay camp fun.
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Filmmaker Kimberly Peirce talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her award-winning film “Boys Don’t Cry” that was featured on the second season of Turner Classic Movies series “Reframed”. “Reframed” addresses famous/classic films that may have been controversial when they were released due to their themes like homophobia, misogyny, racism etc. The series that aired throughout November also took a look at pioneering LGBTQ films from an historical perspective. Each film is shown along with a discussion from film experts about these issues. Peirce co-hosted the show with Ben Mankiewicz who engaged in a conversation about how this 1999 breakthrough film raised awareness to the lives of our transgender community and the discrimination they faced that unfortunately continues today. “Boys Don't Cry” was directed by Kimberly and co-written by Peirce and Andy Bienen. The film is a dramatization of the real-life story of Brandon Teena played by actress Hilary Swank who won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance. The story is about a trans man who attempts to find love in Nebraska but falls victim to a brutal hate crime perpetrated by two male acquaintances. The film co-stars Chloë Sevigny who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress as Teena's girlfriend Lana Tisdel. We talked to Kimberly about what she hopes to accomplish with her work and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Kimberly Peirce received a BA from the University of Chicago and an MFA from Columbia University Graduate Film. She also graduated from Sundance Institute's Writing, Directing & Producing Labs. Her unflinching debut feature “Boys Don’t Cry” earned numerous honors and was inducted into the Library of Congress as a National Treasure in 2020. Her second feature “Stop-Loss” was released by Paramount Pictures in 2008. In 2013 she directed a remake of the horror film “Carrie”. Kimberly is a Governor of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and a National Board member of the Directors Guild of America. Recently she co-founded the first ever DGA LGBTQ+ Committee to expand the rights, representation and protections of LGBTQ+ people at the DGA and the industry.
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Erin McHugh talks about her new must-read book “Pickleball Is Life: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Obsession” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. It’s easy to learn but impossible to master making it the sports craze that’s sweeping the nation. Nearly 5 million people nationwide have picked up their paddles and taken to the court. In her new book McHugh highlights the rules and the fun of the game in a fabulous user-friendly handbook published by HarperCollins and illustrated by Jackie Besteman. “Pickleball Is Life” is the first book of its kind celebrating the wild and wonderful world of pickleball taking the readers on a journey from the sport’s quirky origins to its modern-day cult following. Erin shares a vast pickleball history and knowledge including etiquette tips, a DIY court, obscure rules and pointers for good-natured trash talk. Along the way with its visual graphs and illustrations you’ll be inspired to get on board to the current trend that has embraced everyone of all ages and attracted a huge celebrity following. Erin also includes interviews with members of the three founding families from Bainbridge Island, Washington who are still very much involved in the sport and its growth. People of all athletic abilities and backgrounds have fallen in love with pickleball but it’s also an excellent way to exercise, interact and socialize with others something we’re all craving now more than ever. We talked to Erin about her inspiration for writing her new book and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Erin McHugh is the author of 30 books of humor, inspiration, trivia, children’s, history and LGBTQ topics. A former publishing industry executive she has worked for various publishers and was Executive Vice President and Creative Partner at Franklin Spier the publishing advertising agency. McHugh also has enjoyed a second career as a Barnes & Noble bookseller in New York City, a judge in Barnes & Noble’s national Discover Great New Writers program and the moderator of a popular local book group. A devoted pickleballer Erin was recently featured on a CBS Saturday Morning segment about the sport. “Pickleball Is Life: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Obsession” shares the passion behind this global sport sensation.
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Cathy Renna Communications Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about joining forces with Equality Florida and Equality Texas to fight anti-LGBTQ extremism ahead of midterms including a new election animated ad campaign. The ads are adapted from an innovative campaign developed by Wide Angle Research inviting voters to fight extremism and fight for our freedoms. Equality Florida is targeting Governor DeSantis for his repeated attacks against our LGBTQ community, especially highlighting his signing of the vicious "Don't Say Gay" legislation and his repeated attempts to censor school curriculums and ban books. Equality Texas is focusing their efforts on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and promises to defend the Supreme Court with any law criminalizing sodomy enacted by the Legislature. The ads are in English markets and also target Latino audiences with Spanish subtitles. These ads raise awareness around the increasingly aggressive attacks on our LGBTQ community and communities of color including legislation that bans hundreds of books and censors curriculum covering slavery or mentioning LGBTQ people. As extreme politicians strip away freedoms by banning abortions even in cases of rape and incest they’re also working to criminalize and charge parents with child abuse simply for supporting their transgender child. Renna also talked about the National LGBTQ Task Force “Queer The Vote” campaign that builds grassroot efforts in key battleground states to inform voters of the crucial issues they’re facing in the midterm elections as well as driving LGBTQ people and allies to the polls. We talked to Cathy about what she hopes to accomplish with these campaigns and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Cathy Renna has been part of the Task Force’s extended family for decades. Renna is a veteran in the communications industry and serves as the Principal of Target Cue and LGBTQ focused communications consultancy. Cathy has played a role in shaping nearly all major issues affecting the LGBTQ community from the beating death of Matthew Shepard in 1998 to the fight for marriage equality and the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” to the increasing visibility of trans and non-binary people. She also worked with the team that coordinated historic coverage for the 50th anniversary of Stonewall in 2019 with NYC Pride. Renna lives in Montclair, New Jersey with her wife Karen and is the proud Mom of Mars who attends HSPVA High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas. For More Info…
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Cheryl Osimo, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the 25th anniversary of their premier fundraising event the Lesbians and Friends LGBTQ Dance Party For Prevention that takes place in person at Club Café in Boston on October 22nd from 6P to 9:30P and virtually via Zoom. This year they’re honoring the event’s founder Attorney Susan Wilson. Osimo stated, "Susan is a true humanitarian, scholar, visionary and friend to MBCC and all of those who have been touched by breast cancer. I don’t know of anyone who excels beyond Susan in the spirit of service and leadership – she is truly a remarkable person." Funds raised from the Party for Prevention help support MBCC’s education programs designed to provide our communities with vital health information on ways to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals in the products they use and in the environments in which they live, learn and work. MBCC is the only breast cancer non-profit working closely with a research and sister organization Silent Spring Institute to investigate preventable environmental causes of the disease. This work is funded through annual fundraising events like the upcoming Lesbians and Friends LGBTQ Dance Party For Prevention. The in-person Dance will be held at Boston’s best LGBTQ venue Club Café with DJ Andrea spinning and there will also be a dance lesson from OUT to Dance’s founder and director Liz Nania. We talked to Cheryl about what she hopes to accomplish with her work at MBCC and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Cheryl Osimo is a fierce LGBTQ ally and devoted breast cancer activist and advocate since 1991 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 41. She has been a catalyst in raising public awareness of the possible environmental links to breast cancer. Her commitment to breast cancer prevention and awareness benefits women worldwide. Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition is the leading breast cancer organization dedicated to preventing the environmental causes of breast cancer through community education, research advocacy and changes to public policy. Tickets for the in-person Club Café 21 years or older event are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Student tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door for 21 years or older with a student ID. Tickets for the virtual event are $20 via Zoom.
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Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talked with The Dinah’s all-female celebrities on the Red Carpet at the legendary Black & White Ball and Hollywood Party in Palm Springs, CA in this exclusive audio montage. We had a blast chatting with these fabulous women about their music, what they hope to accomplish with their work and how they cope in these challenging times.
First we talked with singer-songwriter Cassidy King who has built a reputation as a solo artist with her singles “Professional Smiler” and “Wasted”. Then we spoke to singer songwriter Riela who is the daughter of Cuban and Panamanian immigrants about performing at The Dinah. Next we spoke to entrepreneur Nik Kacy creator of footwear and accessories for all gender identities who was attending The Dinah for the 20th time. Then we chatted with Jeopardy! winner Amy Schneider about how she would like to see more federal protections for our LGBTQ community. Next we talked with content provider Breanne Williamson who is working on her first feature film after her short film "Coming Out" gained over 2 million views. Then we caught up with Rose Garcia from the Showtime hit “The Real L Word” about the importance of LGBTQ visibility. We were thrilled to talk with Taylor Dayne 80s pop icon who was headlining the Black & White Ball about her music and upcoming projects. Up next was Mariah Hanson founder and producer of the 31st Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend and her partner Maureen Vanderpool, Director of Special Education at Sonoma Valley Unified School District. Then we chatted with Canadian rapper Haviah Mighty who co-headlined the Black & White Ball.
Next we talked with rapper Siya followed by queer pop sensation Zolita. Then we chatted with reality stars Cuppie, Haley Grable and Brianna Murphy from the hit lesbian series “Tampa Baes” currently on Amazon Prime. Next we talked with singer-songwriter IV4 who has signed with Warner Records followed by Siena Liggins who is one of Billboard’s Top Ten new LGBTQ artists of the year. Then DJ Alex D talked about spinning at The Dinah followed by the fabulous artist Melanie Posner who also appears on the hit lesbian reality series “Tampa Baes”. We concluded our coverage with singer songwriter Fletcher who headlined The Hollywood Party and just released her debut album “Girl Of My Dreams” on Capitol Records. (Photos by Marilyn Rosen) For More Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES
Cory Silverberg talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his new children's sex education book “You Know, Sex” that’s aimed at kids aged 10 to 14. “You Know, Sex: Bodies, Gender, Puberty And Other Things” is the first thoroughly modern sex ed book for any child navigating puberty and adolescence. Silverberg is a certified sex educator and former chair of sexuality educator certification for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. He’s created this fabulous manual that’s presented in a comic book genre illustrated by Fiona Smyth. This 400-page comprehensive work looks at sexuality, body differences, reproduction, hormones and development with an emphasis focusing on our LGBTQ teens and also addresses power, pleasure and how to be a decent human being. This is Silverberg and Smyth’s fourth collaboration following their other publications including “The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability”, “What Makes a Baby” and “Sex is a Funny Word” all available on Seven Stories Press. In “You Know, Sex” Silverberg focuses on young people’s thoughts and experiences exploring sex. Cory also includes chapters on body autonomy, disclosure, stigma, harassment, trauma, consent, boundaries and safety as well as puberty and reproduction that includes trans, non-binary and intersex bodies experiences and more. Fiona Smyth illustrations include racially and ethnically diverse characters providing an inclusive cross-disability experience that makes “You Know, Sex” a book for every kind of young person and every kind of family especially in these challenging times when the mere discussion of sexual orientation is being banned in states across America. We talked to Cory about what he hopes to accomplish with his timely new sex education book and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Cory Silverberg was raised in the 1970s by a children's librarian and a sex therapist and grew up to be a sex educator, an author and queer person. Cory received a master's degree in education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Illustrator Fiona Smyth was inducted into the Doug Wright Awards' Giants of The North Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame alongside Alootook Ipellie in 2019. She teaches illustration and cartooning at OCAD U and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Cory and Fiona’s collaborations have been honored by ALA Stonewall Book Award and 2016 Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction.
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Travis Shumake the first openly gay professional drag car racer who made his national racing debut during the Menards National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Nationals at Topeka’s Heartland Motorsports Park last month talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Shumake in partnership with Visit Topeka and Pride Kansas crossed the NHRA Nationals finish line in a Pride Kansas-themed dragster to represent the state’s inaugural week-long Pride celebration that happens in Topeka September 17th to 24th. His 24-foot, 4,000-horsepower, nitromethane burning rocket also featured a modern geometric rainbow hood and matching rainbow parachutes. As a second-generation racer Travis grew up in competitive shifter-kart racing with his father Tripp Shumake who was a nationally renowned Funny Car racer who also competed in the NHRA. Last February Travis fully committed to the sport has spent the last several months finalizing his sponsorship opportunities and completing his vehicle licensing making him eligible to race at NHRA-sanctioned tracks and national events. One of those new sponsors is Grindr the gay dating app and when $8,000 of safety gear was stolen from Shumake’s pit Grindr stepped up and replaced the equipment. Shumake states that at 280 MPH he’s proud to be turning heads and raising eyebrows with Grindr as a partner and to represent our LGBTQ community in this sport that draws 30 million American drag racing fans each year. He’s also especially proud to serve as a role model for our LGBTQ youth. We talked to Travis about what he hopes to accomplish with his drag car racing career and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Travis Shumake was born into a family forged at the racetrack. “Tripp” Shumake was a dominant force in Funny Car in the 70s and 80s winning multiple NHRA titles. His mother Susie was a mechanic and a member of the Arizona Drag Racing Hall of Fame in her own right. Tripp and Travis kept the family tradition alive racing competitive shifter karts until Tripp’s death in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in 1999 when Travis was just 15 years old. Travis stayed close to racing always hoping he’d find a way into the driver’s seat. Then earlier this year he declared his intentions to challenge the status quo and continue the family legacy in drag racing while bringing visibility to the LGBTQ+ racing community. As a single foster parent and longtime advocate for homeless youth Travis hopes his passion for the next generation will open new channels of corporate social responsibility and educate a new segment of sports fans to the importance of equity and inclusion.
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Mariah Hanson, founder and producer of the legendary Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about celebrating The Dinah's 31st year that takes place September 21st through September 25th in Palm Springs, CA. The Dinah is continuing its legend with a show-stopping all-female entertainment line-up and has moved to one of Palm Springs’ most historic hotels The Margaritaville formerly The Riviera. Built in 1959 this newly renovated establishment will serve as party central infamous for its role of drawing iconic celebrities like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sonny and Cher. This glamorous venue will host The Black and White Ball in the Grand Ballroom Friday night September 23rd with 80s pop idol Taylor Dayne who is exclusively bringing her full band to put on a rare and unique show for Dinah goers. Also headlining the Friday night event will be Haviah Mighty who just won a Juno for “Best Canadian Album of the Year” and is now on her way to take the U.S. by storm. Then on Saturday night Fletcher one of the most electrifying queer artists to burst onto the scene is taking centerstage at The Hollywood Party also in the fabulous Grand Ballroom. Of course it wouldn’t be The Dinah without the next level of epic pool parties. The weekend pool parties will be highlighted with exclusive live performances by four exciting emerging queer artists Zolita, IV4, Cassidy King and Siena Liggins who are making themselves role models as visible members of our LGBTQ community. DJs spinning throughout The Dinah this year will include DJ Leslie Ortiz, DJ Alex D, DJ Gracy D, DJ China G and DJ Tatiana. We talked to Mariah about what she hopes to accomplish with The Dinah this year and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Mariah Hanson has continuously utilized The Dinah as a platform to mobilize our LGBTQ community around humanitarian projects and social issues. An exemplary community leader she has single-handedly revolutionized her industry, overturned tradition and raised the bar on female achievement with an event that is entirely produced by women for women. OUTTAKE MEDIA has been a proud Media Sponsor of The Dinah for the last six years and we’ll be attending all the festivities this year. Note: In compliance with the City of Palm Springs COVID safety protocol, all attendees, entertainers and staff are required to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test result or proof of full vaccinations to attend the festival.
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Darwin Del Fabro, Brazilian actor and musician talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the new horror film “They/Them” (pronounced “They Slash Them”) he’s featured in. The slasher film is written and directed by John Logan and produced by Blumhouse Productions. “They/Them” had its world premier at the Outfest film festival in Los Angeles last month and will have its streaming premier on Peacock beginning August 5th. “They/Them” is a queer empowerment story set at a controversial LGBTQ conversion camp and stars Kevin Bacon as Owen Whistler the camp director, Carrie Preston as Dr. Cora Whistler Owen’s wife, Anna Chlumsky as nurse Molly and joined by seven campers played by Theo Germaine, Quei Tann, Anna Lore, Monique Kim, Darwin, Cooper Koch and Austin Crute. The campers come from all different backgrounds. Kim (Anna Lore) and Stu (Cooper Koch) come from affluent families and are reluctant to address their sexual orientations. Then there’s Quei Tann’s Alexandra who faces being disowned by her family unless she successfully completes the camp’s regiment and Toby (Austin Crute) who negotiated a free trip in trade for his stay as camper Veronica (Monique Kim) attempts to work through her bisexuality while Gabriel (Del Fabro) wants to feel accepted after being bullied for so long. As the camp's methods become increasingly more unsettling the campers must work together to protect themselves especially when an axe murderer begins covertly claiming victims and they must figure out if perhaps this butchering culprit could be one of them. We talked to Darwin about what he hopes “They/Them” will accomplish and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Darwin Del Fabro is a proud queer Brazilian actor and musician. In Rio de Janeiro Darwin was featured in the original Brazilian productions of “Shrek The Musical”, “Fiddler On The Roof”, “The Wizard Of Oz” and appeared in the hit Brazilian soap opera "Ligações Perigosas" (based on Les Liaisons Dangereuses) and “Novo Mundo.” Darwin has recorded three albums including the cast recording of the Irving Berlin revue "Be Careful, It's My Heart", "Darwin Del Fabro in Rio” and the recently released “Darwin Del Fabro: Revisiting Jobim.” Currently he is working as a producer on another film with writer/director John Logan and very excited about his personal and professional journey that brought him to this moment with the network premier of “They/Them” now streaming on Peacock.
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Artist Jumper Maybach talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his mission to be a part of the solution to help end hate, bullying and intolerance globally. Jumper believes that a person’s trauma defines the individual. Maybach’s journey came to a head in 2010 after suffering decades of emotional abuse and being marginalized for his sexual orientation. He found himself on the brink of an emotional precipice which was instrumental and vital to his healing process by releasing his pain as well as his joy into his artwork. The art is a constant evolution of color and complete abandonment of the paint. The complexity of the abstract style comes from deep within. Jumper is unashamed to teach the world a lesson in compassion. His art is a beacon for ending hate, bullying and intolerance in the world. Maybach’s art is about turning darkness into light. Not long after Jumper began his career as an artist he started to receive national and international recognition for his work. In 2013 Jumper held his first gallery show which ultimately led to an invite to attend Art Dubai 2013 as a VIP guest. Jumper exhibited in Dubai, UAE in 2015 and in 2017 at the prestigious Alliance Française. It was there that he received a documentary film opportunity and was dubbed the Jackson Pollock of the 21st century. Now Maybach has partnered with 4 distinct companies in an effort to expand their product line across multiple consumer retail segments as well as bring new audiences to the brand and mission. The companies are BIG LOViE, Ahdorned, OPR Eyewear and V. Fraas with retail products launching now through September 2022. We talked to Jumper about what he hopes to accomplish with his work and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Jumper Maybach (born Ben Workman) is an American artist originally from Corpus Christi, Texas. Jumper appreciates the opportunities he has been given and is committed to giving back to multiple organizations through both financial and artistic contributions. He and his partner David Sanford actively support GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, the Matthew Shepard Foundation, AIDS Foundation Houston and the Trevor Project in addition to many other local and national charities.
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Tammy Shaklee a leading LGBTQ Relationship Expert and President of H4M one of the country’s top LGBTQ certified matchmaking companies talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Since founding the national offline matchmaking company ten years ago Tammy and her team have successfully paired thousands of LGBTQ clients across the country that were seeking long-term committed relationships. As a fierce LGBTQ ally and advocate Tammy understands the challenges singles face when looking for a suitable mate since she met her husband through a matchmaking service herself. Then when she called the same matchmaker to refer a gay friend she was appalled that not only did that company not take LGBTQ clients but they actually hung up on her for merely asking. This experience led Tammy to eventually start her own LGBTQ matchmaking company after months of focus group inquiries. Her unique process centers on traditional introductions and dating for LGBTQ singles who are interested in achieving relationship success that rivals their professional success. H4M introduces quality vetted eligible singles seeking a long-term sustainable and committed relationship. Clients range in a variety of ages, ethnicities, education levels, professions and interests. Here’s how H4M works. First step is to book a complimentary oral consultation with one of H4M certified matchmakers since H4M conducts their business completely offline. Following background check approval candidates will be invited to become a client and are granted access to review potential matches. Next step will be a date coordination introduction that will be followed by a post-date inquiry and if needed a next date coordination. We talked to Tammy about what she hopes to accomplish with H4M and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Tammy Shaklee is a former broadcast journalist, political director and philanthropy CEO who now works her passion as a leading relationship expert and founder of one of the country’s top LGBTQ+ certified matchmaking companies. Tammy utilized her skills as a broadcast journalist with a reporter’s objective instincts and acute listening skills providing her the ideal foundation for identifying true compatibility. When not actively pairing her clients Tammy is a regular relationship contributor to several LGBTQ media outlets and mainstream publications and is currently working on the completion of her first book.
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Sarah Schulman talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the world premiere of her new play “The Lady Hamlet” at The Provincetown Theater in Provincetown, MA. that runs for 16 performances now through July 21st. It took 17 years for Schulman’s daring and romantic farce to come to fruition and we can’t wait to see it. “The Lady Hamlet” is a rollickingly smart, gender-defying comedy with big heart, deep curiosity and with serious laughs. The play is about two women born to play Hamlet set in 1920s New York City as they engage in a war of wits that leaves their colleagues and lovers caught in the crossfire. This hilariously smart and farcical costume comedy with one foot in screwball and the other in a fencing match creates a duel of divas in a fierce battle to see who will be the first and best female Hamlet on Broadway and win the off-stage hand of the fair Ophelia. Directed by David Drake, Artistic Director at The Provincetown Theater the cast of 6 includes Jennifer Van Dyck (Bway: Two Shakespearean Actors, Hedda Gabler, Dancing at Lughnasa), Kate Levy (Bway: Bernhardt/Hamlet). John Shuman (Bway: La Cage Aux Folles, TV: “Boardwalk Empire”), Anne Stott (Film: “Don't Look Up,” “The Mothership,” “Crookedfinger”) Laura Scribner (“Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and Brandon Cordeiro (Bway: The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me). “The Lady Hamlet” was developed in part through the Provincetown Theater's new play development program The Stephen Mindich Literary Project. We talked to Sarah about the inspiration for her fabulous new play and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Sarah Schulman is a novelist, playwright, nonfiction writer, journalist and AIDS historian. Her 20th book, LET THE RECORD SHOW: A Political History of ACT UP, New York 1987-1993 has been called a "Masterpiece" by The New York Times and won the Lambda nonfiction Prize, the Publish Triangle Nonfiction Prize and was a finalist for the PEN John Kenneth Galbraith Award in Nonfiction. The Provincetown Theater has been presenting impeccably crafted American plays and providing a lively sanctuary for Cape Cod and the LGBTQ+ community for over 50 years including during the race riots of the 1960s, the AIDS epidemic and so many other social and political challenges. COVID-19 safety protocols for the performance include mandatory facemasks for all patrons except while actively consuming food or drink and proof of vaccination.
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Veteran filmmakers, honorees and activists Dale Dickie, Jean Carlomusto, Esther Newton and Jay Critchley talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ at the 24th annual Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) press luncheon that took place at Lands End Inn Provincetown, Massachusetts. First we spoke with actress Dale Dickie who was being honored with PIFF’s 2022 Excellence in Acting Award. Dale is a superbly talented veteran of film, television and the theater with over 60 film credits. Dale talked about her leading role in the feature film “A Love Song” that premiered at Sundance and won the John Schlesinger Narrative Award at PIFF. “A Love Song” is about two childhood sweethearts Faye (Dale Dickie) and Lito (Wes Studi) now both widowed who share a night by a lake in the mountains. Reuniting after 40 years the pair share childhood memories make small talk and shelter together from loneliness. Dale a fierce LGBTQ ally also addressed our LGBTQ issues and her own survival in the entertainment industry. Then we chatted with director Jean Carlomusto a filmmaker, activist and interactive media artist whose film “Esther Newton Made Me Gay” made its North American Premiere at the festival and won the Warner Bros. Discovery Audience Award / Best Documentary Feature at PIFF. She was joined by the subject of her film anthropologist and author Esther Newton who throughout her career has questioned and challenged the status quo on gender, sexuality and anthropological methods. Her work has inspired generations of scholars to pursue research in what would eventually become the field of LGBTQ and Gender Studies. Esther talked about her work and what she hopes the film will accomplish and then gave us her spin on our LGBTQ issues. We concluded our montage with Jay Critchley a visual, conceptual and performance artist whose work and environmental activism has traversed the globe. Jay was honored in 2017 for his commitment to PIFF and to Provincetown. Jay’s 2022 PIFF short film selection “Cheeky: Not For Tea Dance” edited by Vanessa Vartabedian can be viewed virtually at PIFF now through June 26th.
The Provincetown Film Society (PFS), which began as the Provincetown International Film Festival in 1999 is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to showcasing new achievements in independent film and honoring the work of emerging as well as acclaimed directors, producers and actors. Their mission is articulated through three primary activities: the annual Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF), their year-round theater operation of the Water’s Edge Cinema and the Gabrielle A. Hanna Provincetown Film Institute for film and media artist residencies and conferences. As a substantial contributor to the economic and creative vitality of America’s oldest art colony PFS is dedicated to becoming a sustainable year-round cultural organization that brings film education, genre-specific festivals and cultural partnerships to the outer Cape. For More Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES
Anne Hubbell, Executive Director of the Provincetown International Film Festival that runs in person from June 15th to June 19th in Provincetown, Massachusetts talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Celebrating its 24th year the opening night film will be Sophie Hyde’s “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” starring Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack. The 2022 “Filmmaker on the Edge” is Academy Award nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name). Guadagnino will be in attendance to accept the award in conversation with resident artist John Waters on Sunday June 19th. Actress Dale Dickey will receive the festival’s Excellence in Acting Award and will accept the award on Sunday June 19th in conversation with journalist and novelist Thelma Adams at Provincetown Town Hall. The recipients of this year’s “Next Wave Award” will be presented to Jenny Slate and Bowen Yang on June 16th. Yang will be in attendance supporting his film “Fire Island” which is playing at the festival. This year’s film fest will also welcome past honorees Parker Posey and John Cameron Mitchell’s return to PIFF. Posey will be presenting Christopher Guest’s timeless classic 1996 mockumentary comedy “Waiting For Guffman” which will screen free to the public on MacMillan Pier on June 17th. Cameron Mitchell will be presenting the New 4K Criterion Collection digital restoration of “Shortbus” at Town Hall on June 18th. There will also be lots of fabulous special events and premiers. We talked to Anne about what she hopes to accomplish at PIFF this year and as an ally her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Anne Hubbell is a respected film industry veteran with over 20 years of extensive corporate, not-for-profit and production experience. She co-founded Tangerine Entertainment in 2012 the first production company and community builder dedicated to working exclusively with women creators. Anne has served on the boards of New York Women in Film & Television, the New York Production Alliance and Rooftop Films. She is a member of the Producer’s Guild of America. As Executive Director of the Provincetown Film Society she supports their mission to advocate for diverse representation in film, providing year-round programming and platforms that allow voices of all kinds to be heard via film. PFS works to have a better understanding and appreciation for the human struggle and triumphs by showcasing our similarities and differences in today’s diverse culture.
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Rev. Nicole Garcia talks about her new role as Faith Work Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Nicole is an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). She firmly believes that her experience as a transgender and Latina seminarian has prepared her for this new position at the Task Force to help bring all denominations of our community together. This comes at a time when LGBTQ people are under attack with hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills pending across state legislatures and 7 states have banned transgender women and girls from competing in sports teams consistent with their gender. Four years ago there were 41 expressly anti-LGBTQ bills introduced across the country and today we are dealing with a barrage of over 300 bills rooted in hate. Then we’re dealing with states like Arizona, Texas and Alabama moving to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Thankfully in Alabama a federal district court judge has issued a ruling blocking enforcement of Alabama SB 184 while a legal challenge to the law that criminalizes parents who seek to get essential medical care for their transgender children’s needs has its day in court. Not to mention other states following Florida's lead which passed the "Don't Say Gay" bill and are eyeing restrictions on teaching LGBTQ topics in schools. Though President Biden has stated that the onslaught of state laws targeting transgender Americans and their families is simply wrong nothing has been done nationally to stop these malicious bills that are spiritually and physically dividing our country by radical rightwing conservative politicians and religious leaders preaching hate from their bully pulpits. We talked to Reverend Garcia about what she hopes to accomplish at The Task Force and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Reverend Nicole M. Garcia, M.A. LPC identifies as an out and proud queer transgender Latina. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado. Nicole has been practicing as a therapist and a clinical supervisor at the Umbrella Collective in Boulder CO since 2018. She is a former member and faculty emeritus of the Trans Seminarian Leadership Cohort. Nicole currently serves on the board of directors of Out Boulder County a nationally recognized LGBTQ advocacy organization and the Boulder County Wildfire Fund Advisory Committee of the Community Foundation of Boulder County. The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. They are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today despite all the progress that has been made to end discrimination millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives including housing, employment, healthcare, retirement and basic human rights. For More Info…
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Father James Martin and director Shannon Post talk about their documentary “Building a Bridge” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks. The documentary named after the book by Father Martin “Building a Bridge” follows a priest on his mission to make the Catholic Church more accepting of our LGBTQ community despite loud opposition from both inside and outside the Church. The film tells the stories of people whose lives intersect in emotional and complicated ways with Father Martin’s journey as a voice for acceptance within the Church and the conflict between conservative and liberal Catholics over LGBTQ issues including Pope Francis. One of the highlights of the film is when Father Martin talks about how horrified he was by Catholic leaders’ silence in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub Massacre. He addresses this issue with a grieving Pulse mother Christine Leinonen whose son Dru was killed in the massacre. The film also follows Father Martin and the lives he has impacted including a family with three LGBTQ siblings and a college student trying to reconcile his gay and Catholic identities. Shannon co-directed and produced the film with Evan Mascagni a Catholic who was disenchanted by the Church but inspired by Father Martin’s message of building a bridge between the Church and our LGBTQ community that also resonated with Shannon as a queer person. The film came to the attention of Martin Scorsese who served as Executive Producer of “Building a Bridge” which premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. We talked to Father James and Shannon about what they hope to accomplish with this film and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Father James Martin is a Jesuit priest, editor at large of America magazine, consultor to the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication and the author of many books including the New York Times bestsellers “Jesus: A Pilgrimage”, “The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything” and “Learning to Pray”. A graduate of the Wharton School of Business Father Martin worked in corporate America before entering the Jesuits. Currently he recently launched Outreach a new website designed to help LGBTQ Catholics, their families and friends with respect, compassion and sensitivity. For More Info… Shannon Post is a queer documentary filmmaker and is currently producing a documentary feature supported by The Redford Center. She co-founded the film production company Player Piano Productions which creates social impact documentary films. "Building a Bridge" is now available on Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vimeo and YouTube. The film will launch on AMC+ on June 21st and have its broadcast premiere on Sundance TV on June 26th.
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David Millbern, Emmy winning actor-producer talks about his fabulous must-see documentary “100 Years Of Men In Love: The Accidental Collection” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The film focuses on Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell’s extensive collection of vintage photographs of men in love from 1859 to 1959. They accumulated their vintage photos over the years from flea markets, family archives and estate sales across the country. The film captures a time period when male partnerships were illegal so the poses were often subtle but still a bold statement of their bonds. It’s also a history of photography from professional portraits created on tintypes to amateur snapshots taken by these brave gay couples who wanted to capture their relationships in this new medium regardless of the possible consequences. Millbern was attracted to this subject matter after discovering an old tintype of his great uncles that he has now framed and proudly displays in his home. The project was a huge undertaking for David chronicling Nini and Treadwell’s collection of over 3700 photos into an hour long moving documentary that reflects our LGBTQ community’s history of loving relationships spanning over 10 decades. It’s crucial for all generations from all races and sexualities to see this fascinating film to further understand that our LGBTQ community has always existed and that love is universal. Set to music with narration by Millbern and interviews with the curators of the collection Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell, “100 Years Of Men In Love” was produced by William Clift, Paul Colichman and Millbern. We talked to David about his inspiration for creating this film and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
David Millbern first emerged as a child actor and by the age of 17 he had already studied and worked with famed acting guru Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in NYC. After graduating from Northwestern University a role on ABC’s “General Hospital” brought him to Los Angeles where he was discovered by Roger Corman who starred David in his first feature film “The Slumber Party Massacre” which became a cult favorite and produced 2 sequels. Many more feature film roles followed including Sir Ian McKellen’s doctor in the Oscar-winning “Gods and Monsters”. He has also appeared in numerous Lifetime Network movies. In 2021 Millbern won the Daytime Emmy Award for “Girls' Voices Now” in the Outstanding Short Form Children's Programing Category. “Girls' Voices Now” amplifies the voices of young women from underrepresented communities in Los Angeles by teaching documentary filmmaking. “100 Years Of Men In Love: The Accidental Collection” is currently available on HERE-TV. For More Info...
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Amberlyn Boiter, human rights activist talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the South Carolina House passing H.4608 a bill that seeks to restrict transgender students in middle school, high school and college from participating in school athletics. Even after powerful testimony from community members opposing the bill the subcommittee voted 3-1 to advance S.531 to the full committee with a favorable ruling. The bill is now awaiting discussion on the South Carolina Senate floor. This year marks the first time in years that explicitly anti-LGBTQ legislation has passed a full chamber in South Carolina. This is not the only state to consider or pass harmful legislation against our LGBTQ community. So far in 2022 legislative session dozens of states are considering similar legislation related to LGBTQ discrimination including Florida that passed House Bill 1557 known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law and Alabama’s governor signing a bill criminalizing transgender health care for minors. This marks the third state in the country to pass a restriction on gender-affirming care for minors and the first to include criminal penalties. The Alabama bill could put doctors in prison for up to 10 years for prescribing puberty blockers or hormonal treatment to trans kids under 19. It is crucial that our LGBTQ community and straight allies speak out against these horrific hateful bills and call out the hypocrisy of anti-transgender legislators. Already in Florida legal action has been filed challenging the “Don’t Say Gay” law. In his State Of The Union President Biden stated, “The onslaught of state laws targeting transgender Americans and their families is simply wrong.” More affirmative action is needed and The Equality Act must be passed. We talked to Amberlyn about what action needs to happen to make this country safe for our transgender community and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Amberlyn Boiter is the Vice President of PFLAG Spartanburg, SC and a facilitator for Uplift Outreach Center - an LGBTQ+ youth center and safe space in the upstate of South Carolina. She is a fervent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and regularly works with various coalitions to affect policy in her home state of South Carolina. A trans woman who came out later in life Amberlyn was stalled by her upbringing in fundamentalist evangelical churches and encourages others to share their stories of religious trauma to bring more attention to the issue. She lives in South Carolina with her wife and daughter. For More Info… South Carolina United for Justice and Equality advocates for the passage of legislation to protect LGBTQ community members and opposes anti-LGBTQ legislation. For More Info…
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LGBTQ ally Aron Solomon chief legal analyst at Esquire Digital gives his spin to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about WNBA star Brittney Griner’s detainment in Russia. A short summary of this unfortunate situation is that Brittney Griner was arrested on February 17th 2022 in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport upon arrival during her seventh season playing professional basketball in Russia during the WNBA’s off-season. Griner was arrested for allegedly possessing cartridges containing 'liquid with hashish oil' according to the customs service. She is currently facing charges that could carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Since her arrest Griner's legal team has had access to her and been able to see her several times a week. Last Thursday it was announced that she would be held without trial until at least May 19th and then finally after over a month an official from the US embassy in Moscow was granted consular access to check on her condition. What they reported is that she is being held with two other first time detainees and in good condition. Of course we all fear that Griner is being used as a political pawn especially with Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and that this case did not get the attention it deserved because Brittney is a Black LGBTQ athlete. If this happened to a high profile male professional basketball player like Kyrie Irving or Stephen Curry it would be an entirely different situation. It’s also extremely concerning with Russia’s notorious treatment of our LGBTQ community when Brittney will be safely returned to the United States and her wife. We talked to Aron about how this case has been handled up to now and where it may go from here.
Brittney Yevette Griner is a professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Griner led the United States Women's Olympic team to a gold medal victory in 2016 at the Rio Olympics. In 2021 Griner was named to the United States Women's National Team for the 2020 Olympics where she won her second gold medal. Griner married Cherelle Watson in 2019 who changed her name to Cherelle Griner. Aron Solomon, JD has taught entrepreneurship at McGill University and the University of Pennsylvania and was elected to Fastcase 50 recognizing the top 50 legal innovators in the world. Aron has been featured in CBS News, CNBC, USA Today, ESPN, TechCrunch, The Hill, BuzzFeed, Fortune, Venture Beat, The Independent, Fortune China, Yahoo!, ABA Journal, Law.com, The Boston Globe, NewsBreak and many other leading publications.
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Award winning poet Eileen Myles (they/them) talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about their work and appearing in the new documentary “Queer Genius” distributed by Frameline. Directed by award winning filmmaker Chet Pancake “Queer Genius” chronicles five visionary queer artists including the late iconic lesbian filmmaker and producer Barbara Hammer, performance artist and actor Jibz Cameron, Black Quantum Futurism (Rasheedah Phillips and Camae Ayewa A.K.A. Moor Mother, literary and artistic creatives) and Myles who unapologetically break down barriers in their creative fields outside of mainstream culture. These intimate portraits resonate across generations as critically acclaimed and notoriously radical queer artists who have overcome personal and political obstacles to find new ways to live and share their visionary creative practices. In the lens of queer women and our LGBTQ culture the film confronts fame, failure, censorship, family, gender and sexuality. The documentary explores each artist’s “Genius” sharing their thought process, creativity and experiences as expressed through their art and embraces communal possibilities of “Genius” from a queer and generational perspective. “Queer Genius” won the Boundary Breaker Award at Buffalo International Film Festival (2020) and the Audience Award-Best Picture at Q-Fest Houston (2020). “Queer Genius” is currently available virtually at San Francisco’s Roxie Theatre nationwide. We talked to Eileen about their involvement with “Queer Genius” and spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Eileen Myles came to NYC from Boston in 1974 to be a poet. Their books include “I Must Be Living Twice: New and Selected Poems” and “Chelsea Girls”. Myles is the recipient of four Lambda Literary Awards and was honored with Lambda’s Pioneer Award in 2016. Recently Eileen edited “Pathetic Literature” an anthology which includes the work of over 100 writers that will be released from Grove Press in November 2022. Eileen has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and in 2021 was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts & Letters. They live in New York and Marfa, TX. (Photo credit: Peggy O'Brien)
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Actor-activist Yuval David talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his involvement with The Shoah Foundation. Yuval is the first descendant of Holocaust survivors to be interviewed by The Shoah Foundation for its Next Generation Project a series telling the survivors' stories from their children and grandchildren's perspective. The Shoah Foundation was founded by Stephen Spielberg in 1994 to videotape and preserve interviews with survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust. In his video testimony Yuval a celebrated and award-winning actor, host, director and filmmaker shares how his grandmother and grandfather told their Holocaust survival story to The Shoah Foundation while he was growing up with a special focus on how their lives and experiences inspired his own. The Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive is one of the largest digital collections of its kind in the world and the Next Generation Project tells the stories passed down through generations emphasizing the power of history and how the experiences of survivors affect the lives of their descendants. Inspired by his grandparents and family Yuval has engaged in Jewish advocacy and helping other marginalized and victimized people as his duty to help his people, his community and all those in need. As an impassioned public speaker, social and LGBTQ activist he has partnered with US, Israeli and international organizations as a keynote speaker, ambassador and advocate collaborating in their mutual initiatives. We talked to Yuval about his impression of the rise of Anti-Semitism globally and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Yuval David’s creative mantra is "to entertain, uplift and inspire." As a filmmaker Yuval directs and writes short and feature films, documentaries, web-series as well as digital and TV content. In addition to his work in entertainment and media, Yuval is a passionate advocate and activist. Advocacy for the marginalized and underrepresented is a driving force along with his focus on Jewish, LGBTQ, humanitarian, arts and creative initiatives. The Shoah Foundation based at the University of Southern California is a nonprofit org dedicated to making and sharing an audio-visual library of testimonies that include personal history before, during and after firsthand experience with genocide. Yuval uses his creative work as a vehicle for the greater good on behalf of highly respected American, Israeli and international organizations. For More Info…
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Chris Baker talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his new film “The Estate” a dark comedic thriller about real people doing despicable things. If you love movies like John Water’s “Serial Mom” this must-see film delivers in the same guilty-pleasure vein. Written and starring Baker the film centers on the spoiled son and the newest wife (Eliza Coupe) of a billionaire patriarch (Eric Roberts) who plot to murder him forming a psychosexual bond with their brutally handsome hitman (Greg Finlay) as they kill in their quest for wealth and recognition. Baker also talks about when he was growing up all he ever wanted to do was to make movies and while he was an avid consumer he noticed the lack of films that reflected our LGBTQ community. When his director and producer asked what kind of film he wanted to do he remembered all the movies like “Cruel Intentions” and “Wild Things” and “Scream” and movies that had that balance of tone where things could be very funny but they could also kill people so Chris came back with the script for “The Estate”. The stellar cast also includes Heather Matarazzo, Rif Hutton, Alexander Billings, Kyle Rezzarday and Ezra Buzzington. The film is directed by James Kapner and produced by Rod Hamilton, Adam Makowka and Alixandra von Renner. We talked to Chris about his inspiration for writing “The Estate” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Chris Baker is a New York City native and Harvard graduate where he completed his thesis on the works of the New Queer Cinema auteur Todd Haynes. Baker first found success as a pop singer collecting millions of views on YouTube. He then studied with LA’s best at the Upright Citizens Brigade and the Groundlings and had bit parts on Shondaland’s “The Catch” and the NBC series “Marry Me” before writing and starring in his 2017 Funny or Die web series “Baker Daily” where he plays an inept cable news anchor who inadvertently gets Trump impeached. “The Estate” is available on Hulu and most VOD streaming outlets.
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Portia Wood a generational wealth-planning attorney based in Los Angeles, California talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Portia leads the Wood Legal Group a woman-owned and operated law firm specializing in estate planning, probate and elder law that she runs with her mother and law partner Robin Wood. They’re on a quest to normalize the idea of Black, Latinx and LGBTQ families using trusts to build generational wealth. They serve all communities with special attention to the unique needs of Black, Brown and our LGBTQ families. Of course people of color who are also LGBTQ face a unique set of challenges and the Wood Legal Group is passionately focused on helping marginalized communities grow and protect wealth by being a trusted resource for accurate information and comprehensive, culturally competent estate planning. No one likes to address our mortality but with COVID taking its toll these past few years it is crucial to get proper estate planning that will ensure we all get the state and federal benefits of our marriages while avoiding probate, maintaining our privacy and protecting our assets. An LGBTQ couple can avoid numerous problems through proper estate planning and Portia explains that trusts aren't reserved just for the wealthy. They're for a variety of people and can solve many estate-planning problems. So if you’ve been avoiding getting your life in order during these challenging pandemic times perhaps this may help you to become more proactive for yourself and your families. We talked to Portia about her inspiration for creating the Wood Legal Group and as a fierce ally her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Portia Wood is a member of the California State Bar, the Maryland State Bar, the American Bar Association, the California Association of Black Lawyers and the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys. She is also a frequent speaker at legacy wealth planning seminars. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from University of Maryland in 2011 where she served as president of her class. Portia also earned a Master of Law and Letters from the Pepperdine University School of Law. She was awarded a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Pan African Studies from California State University, Northridge. She is committed to closing America's wealth gap for marginalized communities.
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Susie Mosher talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her fabulous live weekly show The Lineup at the world famous Birdland at 315 West 44th Street in New York, NY Tuesday nights at 8:30P. The Lineup is a wild anything-goes variety show featuring entertainers from the Broadway, cabaret and comedy scenes. Mosher hosts this spontaneous extravaganza every Tuesday and each week the show is unique and promises to deliver an unforgettable night of quintessential NYC entertainment. Broadway veteran Jim Caruso approached Mosher and asked if she would be interested in creating an original show at Birdland and Mosher jumped at the opportunity. A contrast from Caruso’s Cast Party the long running songfest that plays Birdland every Monday night, The Lineup has a hand-picked roster hosted by the versatile and hilarious Mosher with musical director Brad Simmons and featuring Jon Miller on bass and Clint De Ganon on drums. The next show is on Tuesday January 18th with Donna Vivino, Gianmarco Soresi, Christina Wheeler, Connor Antico, Ari Axelrod, Benny Benack The III, Pascal Pastrana and Robbie Rozelle. There is a $20 cover and a $20 minimum so come early and enjoy their food and beverage menu. Birdland is a fully vaccinated venue and all patrons must bring and show proof of vaccine to attend the show. We talked to Susie about her inspiration for creating The Lineup and her spin on our LGBTQ Issues.
Susie Mosher has been performing professionally since she was sixteen in the west coast premiere of Godspell at The Old Globe Theatre. Nightclubs, theater, television and movies have been along her checkered path including films Lost Souls, View from The Top, It’s Pat, The Wedding Planner and Bear City 2. She has been seen on television in Beverly Hills 90210, Snoops, Veronica’s Closet, The L Word and Nurse Jackie. Susie finally obtained her childhood dream of being on Broadway when she was cast in Hairspray playing Prudy Pingleton for the last two years of its amazing six-year run. Mosher lives in NYC with her wife of twenty-seven years and their two-year old son. (Photo by Gene Reed)
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Urvashi Vaid, President of The Vaid Group talks about the National LGBTQ+ Women’s Community Survey with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. This groundbreaking survey is a long overdue effort to learn and collect data from the experiences of women who partner with other women. Garnering over 5,000 respondents to date this unique effort is led by veteran queer, lesbian, bi, trans, non-binary, researchers and activists. The survey is designed to discover all we know and what we need to know about the life experience of LGBTQ women. Their goal is to reach 20,000 participants for the study by the end of March 2022. The survey will help us better understand the unique and amazing ways we form and support our families and how our community is surviving discrimination and harassment at work. The survey also addresses what forms of economic and social safety nets we create for ourselves given that the government, corporations and even non-profit employers largely do a poor job of this for black and brown LGBTQ+ women who love women. It also covers surviving the policing of our family members and ourselves as well as how racism, sexual violence and gender discrimination come together in our lives in ways that feel like gaslighting and can seem unimportant to our allies. This is an extremely important survey that will provide information our nation needs to understand so we can evolve and bring forward real life experience to inform policy change, service delivery and action to support LGBTQ+ women. We talked to Urvashi about her inspiration for creating the National LGBTQ+ Women’s Community Survey and give us her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Urvashi Vaid is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and Vassar College. She created The Vaid Group LLC that works with global and domestic organizations to advance equity, justice and inclusion. Vaid is co-founder of the Donors of Color Network, the first cross-racial network connecting individuals of color to leverage their giving for racial equity; co-founder of the National LGBTQ Anti-Poverty Action Network, the National LGBT/HIV Criminal Justice Working Group, LPAC, the Equality Federation, the National Religious Leadership Roundtable and the Creating Change Conference of the National LGBTQ Task Force, among other networks and projects. Urvashi Vaid will be honored with the Susan J. Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement at the 34th Creating Change Conference.
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Mayra Hidalgo Salazar, Deputy Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force talks about their upcoming events with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ including the 34th Creating Change Conference entitled “Reunite Reignite” that takes place in person in New Orleans, Louisiana from January 12th to 16th at the Hilton Riverside. The Creating Change Conference is the foremost political leadership and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ social justice movement. Since 1988 Creating Change has created networking opportunities and inspiration for thousands of committed people to develop and hone their activist skills. With the continual impact of COVID-19 the Task Force invites their Creating Change family prepare for a new and different conference experience. Conference attendees will be required to always wear a mask in all shared conference spaces except when actively eating or drinking and all attendees, media and other participants will provide valid proof of COVID-19 vaccination upon arrival and check-in. At Creating Change 2022 though it will be a bit smaller with the capacity set at 2000 participants, there will still be plenty of opportunity to attend workshops, training sessions, meetings and special events. Non-binary writer, performer and public speaker ALOK will be the keynote speaker and new this year there will be a day-long program focused exclusively on queering climate justice as well as a conference schedule with over 100 workshops and caucuses. We talked to Mayra about what she hopes to accomplish at the National LGBTQ Task Force and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Mayra Hidalgo Salazar comes to the Deputy Executive Director role at the National LGBTQ Task Force with over 13 years of experience working for social justice. Originally from Naranjo, Alajuela, Costa Rica her journey as a queer and formerly undocumented woman laid the groundwork for her commitment to organizing spear headed by queer, immigrant youth of color. A former board member and youth organizer for the Florida Immigrant Coalition Mayra is part of the first generation of undocumented youth in Florida that began publicly sharing their stories. She is a Co-founder of United We Dream Action and has served on both the United We Dream and United We Dream Action Board of Directors for 10 years combined. The National LGBTQ Task Force was founded in 1973 and works to advance full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people.
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Filmmaker Jesse Moss talks about his new documentary “Mayor Pete” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. “Mayor Pete” is available worldwide on Amazon’s Prime Video. This riveting film takes viewers inside Pete Buttigieg’s historic campaign as the first openly gay democratic Presidential candidate’s bid for the highest office of the United States. From the earliest days of the campaign to his unexpected triumph in Iowa and beyond, this documentary reveals an intimate insider’s inquiry of what takes place behind the scenes in a significant political campaign and how it impacts the lives of those involved. We all know Buttigieg’s story from a little known Mayor from South Bend, Indiana to his Presidential bid for the White House and his Biden Administration appointment as the first openly LGBTQ Cabinet member in U.S. history as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. In this film Moss provides a modern cinéma vérité experience that explores the reality of what takes place behind the curtain in a high profile political campaign including the emotional roller coaster ride it provided for Buttigieg’s staff, family, friends and especially how it affected his relationship with his husband Chasten. “Mayor Pete” has been making the film festival circuit to rave reviews and is directed, written and produced by Moss in collaboration with writers Jeff Gilbert, Amanda McBaine and produced by Dan Cogan, Amanda McBaine, Jon Bardin and Laurie David. We talked to Jesse about his inspiration for taking on this must-see film “Mayor Pete” and as a fierce gay ally his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Jesse Moss is an Emmy and Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning director. His last film “Boys State” co-directed with his wife Amanda McBaine premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The film was awarded the Grand Jury Prize and released by Apple Original Films and A24. The film was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary and nominated for two Primetime Emmys. It won the 2021 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Documentary. Moss has twice been nominated by the Directors Guild of America for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. “Mayor Pete” will be released globally by Amazon Studios on Prime Video November 12th.
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Ryan Bauer-Walsh talk about “The Rainbow Lullaby” the world’s first LGBTQ lullaby album released on Broadway Records with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The recording includes songs by fifteen LGBTQ writers including Bauer-Walsh, Marc Shaiman (Hairspray) and Debra Barsha (Radiant Baby) with performances by over thirty LGBTQ artists. “The Rainbow Lullaby” features performances by Michael Buchanan (The Book of Mormon), Klea Blackhurst (Party Face), Jonathan Burke (The Inheritance), Jamie Cepero (Smash) Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk winner Jenn Collela (Come From Away), Madge Dietrich (Kinky Boots), Matt Doyle (Company), Christine Dwyer (Wicked), Taylor Frey (The View Upstairs), Zachary James (The Addams Family), Natalie Joy Johnson (Kinky Boots), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Our Town), Aury Krebs (A Letter To Harvey Milk), Chilina Kennedy (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Tony Award nominee Caitlin Kinnunen (The Prom), Jo Lampert (Hundred Days), L. Morgan Lee (A Strange Loop), Richie Leone, Michael Longoria (Jersey Boys), Kyle Dean Massey (Wicked), John Charles Mclaughlin (Crackskull Row), Susie Mosher (Hairspray), Shakina Nayfack (Musical Theatre Factory), Kyler O’Neal (Pity Party), Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill), Ernie Pruneda (Sister Act), Jelani Remy (Ain’t Too Proud), Chris Rice-Thomson (Pretty Woman), Clay Rice-Thomson (Matilda), Marissa Rosen (Kristin Chenoweth: For The Girls), Marty Thomas (Wicked), Katie Thompson (R.R.R.E.D.) & The First Presbyterian Church of New York City Choir. We talked to Ryan about the inspiration for creating “The Rainbow Lullaby” album and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Ryan Bauer-Walsh is a New York based artist that has appeared in numerous stage shows including Billy Elliot (National Tour), Most Happy Fella (Encores), Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. Ryan has originated multiple roles off-Broadway including the internationally acclaimed production of Death For Five Voices with Prospect Theater Company. In addition to performing Ryan is also a writer, composer, artist and community activist. Ryan’s artwork can be found in private collections, publications including The New York Times and in children’s literature. Ryan’s most recent children’s books include “Rusty The Rescue” and “Three Men in a Boat.” Working in their signature Retro Vintage Surrealist style, Ryan’s paintings have recently been made into a gender-neutral clothing line for adults and children in collaboration with TinPin. “The Rainbow Lullaby” is available on Broadway Records.
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Omar Sharif Jr. talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his new memoir “A Tale of Two Omars: A Memoir of Family, Revolution and Coming Out During the Arab Spring” published by Counterpoint Press. In this must-read memoir Omar shares intimate details of his personal story along with the lessons he inherited from his family that have helped prepare him to become a global leader in our fight for LGBTQ equality. He writes with brutal honesty about his upbringing and adolescence as well as the traumas and heartbreaks of his adult life. From bullying and sexual assault to being unable to return to Egypt after announcing he was gay this is a powerful and highly readable personal story from a writer with such a diverse background. The grandson of Hollywood royalty Omar Sharif on his father’s side and Holocaust survivors on his mother’s, Sharif learned early on how to move between worlds from the Montreal suburbs to the glamorous orbit of his grandparents’ Cairo. His famous name always protected him wherever he went. Then in the wake of the Arab Spring he made the difficult decision to come out in the pages of The Advocate in 2012 that changed his life forever. “A Tale of Two Omars” also provides lots of Hollywood insider stories and intriguing gossip over the decades. We talked to Omar about his inspiration for writing “A Tale of Two Omars: A Memoir of Family, Revolution and Coming Out During the Arab Spring” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Omar Sharif Jr. is an Egyptian Canadian actor, model, author and LGBTQ activist who currently lives in the United States. He is the grandson of actor Omar Sharif and actress Faten Hamama. He appeared in the 2017 short film “11th Hour” at the Tribeca Film Festival and was the face of Coca-Cola for the Arabic world and appeared in a major Calvin Klein print campaign in Egypt. Currently, he is appearing in Assi Azar’s hit TV Series “The Baker and The Beauty” that’s airing on Keshet in Israel and on Amazon Prime globally. “A Tale of Two Omars: A Memoir of Family, Revolution and Coming Out During the Arab Spring” is available on Counterpoint Press.
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Activist Robin J. Schwartz talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about receiving the 2021 Eddy McIntyre Community Service Award at the 25th edition of the National LGBTQ Task Force Gala in Miami, Florida on Saturday October 23rd. The Eddy McIntyre Community Service Award is named after the late activist and founding board member of the Dade Human Rights Foundation. Robin is an activist and community leader who has served the LGBTQ community in multiple capacities over the past 20 years. Throughout her professional life whether it be for profit or non-profit Robin takes great pride in being proactive and driven to achieve results all with a big heart and a strong voice. Robin founded Aqua Foundation for Women where she served from 2010 to 2019. Currently she is the Donor Relations and Program Manager at Equality Florida and serves on the LGBTQ Advisory Committee for the City of Miami Beach. Also being honored will be activist and entertainer Billy Eichner who will be awarded the 2021 National Leadership Award. The Task Force Gala will be held in-person at the newly renovated Grand Ballroom at the Miami Beach Convention Center. This fundraising event promises great company, delicious food and drinks, a silent auction, live entertainment, the awards ceremony and an after-party. All guests will be required to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the event, sign a liability waiver prior to check-in and will be temperature checked upon arrival. We talked to Robin about what it means to her to be honored at the National LGBTQ Task Force Gala and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Robin J. Schwartz has been an outspoken advocate for marginalized communities lobbying LGBTQ leaders and organizations to give them a seat at the table for decades. The many causes she has championed include the advancement of LGBTQ women, support for young people who find themselves homeless and racial justice. Proceeds from the 2021 National LGBTQ Task Force Gala will support The Miami Foundation’s LGBTQ Community Fund where like-minded community service organizations are funded through a grant-making process and The Task Force’s “All of Me, All the Time” campaign a nationwide effort to educate elected officials and the general public about the urgent need for federal non-discrimination protections.
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Leslie Cohen talks about her new must-read memoir “The Audacity of a Kiss: Love, Art and Liberation” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ that's published by Rutgers University Press. This is an important read that tells the historic love story of a gay woman who broke through the oppressive roles expected for women in the 1950’s and 1960’s and came out on top in the 1970’s. Not only for women but remember in the 1950’s being LGBTQ was illegal and listed as an illness by the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). It was not until 1973 that the American Psychiatric Association (APA) finally removed the diagnosis of “homosexuality” from the second edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). It was at this time that Cohen with three of her friends Michelle Florea, Linda Goldfarb and Barbara Russo created New York City’s first upscale women’s club Sahara that showcased women in art, politics and music. From May of 1976 to December of 1979 on Manhattan’s fashionable Upper East Side Sahara was the first club fronted by lesbian women instead of being controlled by Mafia Bosses. Creating a safe space for women attracted many celebrities and luminaries of the era including Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Pat Benatar, Ntozake Shange, Rita Mae Brown, Adrienne Rich, Patti Smith, Bella Abzug, Jane Fonda to name a few who performed and held special events at Sahara. This led to Leslie and her partner Beth Suskin becoming the models in 1979 for the iconic sculpture “Gay Liberation” in Greenwich Village that commemorates the Stonewall Riots and was declared a national monument by President Obama in 2016. We talked to Leslie about how Sahara changed the course of her life and her spin on the future of our LGBTQ civil rights.
Leslie Cohen has been a museum curator, a nightclub owner and promoter, a limousine driver and a lawyer, as well as a writer whose work has appeared in such publications as Curve and The New York Times Style Magazine. Now retired she and her wife Beth live in Miami, Florida with their cat Birdie.
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Mariah Hanson, founder and producer of the legendary Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about celebrating The Dinah's 30th anniversary that takes place September 29th through October 3rd in Palm Springs, CA. The Dinah is back on track for an exceptional 5-day event with an epic slate of Top Ten Billboard headliners, rising pop stars and celebrities. In compliance with the City of Palm Springs COVID safety protocol, all attendees, entertainers and staff are required to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test result or proof of full vaccinations to attend the festival. That said headlining The Dinah is Grammy-award winner Macy Gray on Saturday October 2nd at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Gray’s unmistakable rasp, unshakable grasp on soul and funky spirit has ensured Macy’s status as a 21st century icon since her arrival with the triple-platinum How Life Is in 1999. Selling over 25 million total albums globally, winning a GRAMMY® Award and two BRIT Awards and collaborating with everyone from Ariana Grande to Galactic her voice has consistently resounded throughout pop culture. Sharing the stage with Gray is another Grammy-award winner, Yung Baby Tate. Tate may have inherited some of her mother’s musical gift with her mother, Dionne Farris best known for being a member of Arrested Development but she’s built her own path to pop stardom using her own creativity and talent. Making a splash at the Girl Spot Pool Party on Friday, October 1st is leading non-binary artist and actor Kat Cunning with a traffic-stopping voice and powerful presence. The Dinah has discovered so many emerging talents and is now excited to present two bands to watch in 2021 including Boi Band and Smeared Lipstick who will respectively headline the opening and closing parties at AsiaSF Palm Springs. Both bands are part of The Dinah's “Emerging Artist Contest” created as a commitment to the community to offer women and non-binary talents coveted stage time and exposure. We talked to Hanson about what she hopes to accomplish with The Dinah in these difficult times and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Mariah Hanson has continuously utilized The Dinah as a platform to mobilize our LGBTQ community around humanitarian projects and social issues. An exemplary community leader she has single-handedly revolutionized her industry, overturned tradition and raised the bar on female achievement with an event that is entirely produced by women for women. OUTTAKE MEDIA has been a proud Media Sponsor of The Dinah for the last 5 years.
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Author Sarah F. Pearlman talks about “Bar Time: A Lesbian Rite of Passage: Bar Stories by Older Lesbians” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. "Bar Time" is a new collection of writings by twenty-six older lesbians telling their not-to-be-erased lesbian history through stories, poetry, a play and a collection of beloved disco songs. “Bar Time” is produced by the Boston OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing for Change) editorial team including Alice Fisher, Sarah F. Pearlman and Sue Reamer. The stories mostly come from the Boston area but also include contributors from New Hampshire, Connecticut, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Minnesota, California, Washington and Melbourne, Australia. Pearlman stated, “Some of our writers were adolescents when they entered their first lesbian bar. To our generation, lesbian bars were a part of our lives and an opportunity to meet women different than ourselves. Where lesbian-feminists met bar dykes.” For most lesbians of our older LGBTQ generation bars were the only place to go to connect with other women to have their first meeting of other lesbians and connect with a lesbian social world. Before Stonewall since it was illegal to be LGBTQ, bar owners had to pay off the police to keep bars from being raided because selling liquor to gay men and lesbians was also illegal. After Stonewall things slowly changed for our LGBTQ community and by 1987 there were an estimated two hundred lesbian bars nationwide. That number has dwindled to a mere fifteen lesbian bars left in 2021. We talked to Sarah about what she hopes to accomplish with “Bar Time: A Lesbian Rite of Passage” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Sarah F. Pearlman is a teacher, writer and lesbian-feminist activist, nationally recognized for her pioneering role in establishing a psychology of lesbians. She was a founder and the primary coordinator of Boston OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing for Change), coordinated the Boston-based conference “To Bed or Not to Bed: Sex and the Older Lesbian” and was a member of the OLOC editing team that produced the booklet of the same name along with subsequent booklets of writings by older lesbians including “Erasing Lesbians and Virus Time”. She is the author of “Mother-Talk: Conversations with Mothers of Lesbian Daughters and FTM Transgender Children” (2012), “The Lesbian Erotic: Bad Girl Persona and Other Poems” (2013) and must-read novel about pre-historic lesbians “Where There Are Mountains” (2019). The booklet for “Bar Time: A Lesbian Rite of Passage” will be released in a few week but you can request a PDF.
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Ann Hampton Callaway one of America’s most gifted artists in pop and jazz talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her upcoming live performances as COVID restrictions continue to be lifted. First up Ann will be performing her very popular one woman show "The Streisand Songbook" on July 13th at 8P at a new venue on Cape Cod, The Music Room Gallery & Wine Bar in West Yarmouth, MA. With over 100 Symphony performances to rave reviews, this show is 90 minutes of soaring, sizzling hits and gems of the diva of divas so definitely check it out. Then it’s on to the Patio Stage at Strathmore in Bethesda, MD where she will be joined by Billy Stritch to perform “The Linda Ronstadt Songbook” on July 16th. Ann will then be traveling across the country to Costa Mesa, CA to perform “The Linda Ronstadt Songbook” on July 25th at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. On July 29th she will perform at the Vail Jazz Festival and finish the month with her popular virtual show Callaway Hideaway live stream "Ann Hampton Callaway Sings The 70's" on July 31st. Continuing her national tour on August 13th and 14th she will be performing "Ann Hampton Callaway - Broadway Classics" at the Arts Garage in Delray, FL and will end the month virtually with Callaway Hideaway live stream on August 29th presenting "Ann Hampton Callaway - Songs I Wish I'd Written". Then if COVID restrictions continue to lift globally she will be off to the UK to perform “The Judy Garland Songbook" and "Ann Hampton Callaway - Cinematic Serenade" in London. We talked to Ann about what she hopes to accomplish with her work and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Ann Hampton Callaway is a leading champion of the Great American Songbook. She’s made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. Voted by Broadway World as “Performer of the Year” and two years in a row as “Best Jazz Vocalist” Ann is a born entertainer. She is best known for her Tony-nominated performance in the hit Broadway musical “Swing!” and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series “The Nanny.” Callaway’s performances and recordings have garnered her The Theater World Award, 15 MAC Awards, several Bistro Awards, The Mabel Mercer Award, The Johnny Mercer Award for Songwriting and The Blanton Peale Award for Positive Thinking.
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Marc Smolowitz a multi-award-winning independent filmmaker based in San Francisco talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his company 13TH GEN. 13TH GEN is an entrepreneurial boutique company with a current slate of some 10-15 high quality projects both fiction and nonfiction all at different stages. 13TH GEN works with a dynamic range of independent film partners to oversee the financing, production, post-production, marketing, sales and distribution efforts of a vibrant portfolio of films and filmmakers. Recently his documentary “Being BeBe” directed by Emily Branham was showcased at the Tribeca Film Festival and will be the closing film at the Provincetown International Film Festival on June 24th. “Being BeBe” is about Marshall Ngwa (a.k.a. renowned drag performer BeBe Zahara Benet) who travels to the United States from homophobic Cameroon with dreams of a better life and became the first winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2009. With over 15 years of unfettered and intimate access to Marshall’s story, the film presents his unique love affair with performance alongside his unstoppable sense of persistence and purpose, offering an unprecedented portrait of an artist who chooses to live a creative life against all odds. Smolowitz's career focuses on powerful social issue films and filmmaking across all genres. We talked to Marc about what he hopes to accomplish with his company 13TH GEN and his commitment to our LGBTQ issues.
Marc Smolowitz is a director, producer and executive producer who has been significantly involved in 50+ successful independent films wearing many hats across the entertainment industry. The combined footprint of his works has touched 200+ film festivals and markets on 5 continents, yielding substantial worldwide sales to theatrical, television and VOD outlets, notable box office receipts and numerous awards and nominations. His long list of credits includes films that have screened at top-tier festivals including Sundance, Berlin, Tribeca, Venice, Chicago, SF FILM, Palm Springs to name a few. In 2016 he received one of the prestigious IFP Fellowships to attend the Cannes Film Festival's Producers Network and Marche du Film marking him as one of the USA's most influential independent film producers. 13TH GEN believes strongly in the power and potential of beautifully produced social issue films to speak to every generation.
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Lisa Viola, Artistic Director for the Provincetown International Film Festival talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the 23rd PIFF that takes place June 16th to 25th both virtually and in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The newly re-envisioned hybrid festival came together with the ingenuity and sheer determination of a world-class team of programmers including Andrew Peterson, Heidi Zwicker and Valérie Déus. Celebrating its 23rd year Richard Linklater will be this year’s Filmmaker on the Edge recipient in conversation with resident artist John Waters. Riz Ahmed, Academy Award Best Actor nominee for “Sound Of Metal” will receive this year’s Excellence in Acting Award in conversation with Vanity Fair Chief Critic Richard Lawson and queer actor/filmmaker Natalie Morales PIFF will receive the Next Wave Award in conversation with musician Holly Miranda. The hybrid festival will open with Jon M. Chu’s “In The Heights” at the Wellfleet Drive-In on June 16th and the festival will close with Emily Branham’s BeBe Zahara Benet documentary “Being BeBe” with guests of honor including director Emily Branham, producer Marc Smolowitz and the film’s subject and star BeBe Zahara Benet, the winner of the very first RuPaul’s Drag Race. Some other highlights will include a Filmmaker Celebration at Truro Vineyards with Christine Vachon who co-founded the impactful independent film and television production company Killer Films joined by director and writer Daniel Minahan on June 19th from 6P to 7:30. We talked to Lisa about what she hopes to accomplish at this year’s Provincetown International Film Festival and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Lisa Viola is the Artistic Director for the Provincetown International Film Festival and has been affiliated with the festival since its inception in 1999. Lisa also serves as the Director of Programming for the GlobeDocs Film Festival produced by The Boston Globe. Through January 2020 she was a Programming Associate for the Sundance Film Festival and has been programming there since 1992. Lisa graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Communication Arts and has consulted for other film festivals including the Nantucket Film Festival, True/False and served as a documentary juror at SXSW. The Provincetown Film Society (PFS) is an advocate for diverse representation in film, providing year-round programming and platforms that allow voices of all kinds to be heard via film. Through PFS’s work they have an ability to better understand and appreciate human struggles and triumphs by showcasing our similarities and differences in today’s diverse culture. Provincetown International Film Festival will be closely monitoring federal, state and local COVID-19 safety guidelines and will continue to adjust safety policies accordingly throughout the festival.
For Info & Tix: ptownfilmfest.org
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Filmmaker Jen Rainin and Curve magazine founder Franco Stevens talk about their new documentary “Ahead Of The Curve” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The film was release on digital platforms and Wolfe Video DVD on June 1st. The award-winning documentary features Melissa Etheridge, Lea DeLaria, Jewelle Gomez and Franco Stevens. “Ahead Of The Curve” tells the story of how Franco launched Curve, the best-selling lesbian magazine ever published with a fist full of credit cards, a lucky run at the horse track and chutzpah for days. The film tracks the power of lesbian visibility and community from the early ‘90s to the present day through the story of Stevens founding of the magazine. Decades later in the wake of a disabling injury Franco learns that Curve will fold within the year and questions the relevance of the magazine in the face of accelerating threats to our LGBTQ+ community. To forge a path forward Franco reaches out to women working in today’s queer spaces to understand what queer women need today and how Curve can continue to serve the community. “Ahead of the Curve” is directed and produced by Jen Rainin and Rivkah Beth Medow on behalf of Frankly Speaking Films and executive produced by Lindsey Dryden. We talked to Jen Rainin and Franco Stevens about what they hope to accomplish with “Ahead Of The Curve” and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Franco Stevens is the founder of Curve magazine that created the lesbian market for advertisers, helped the lesbian community accept femme-identifying lesbians, changed the way lesbians are seen by the mainstream, highlighted the transgender experience, brought attention to lesbian families, raised awareness of attacks on LGBTQ rights and amplified the work of lesbian activists. Her wife Jen Rainin founded Frankly Speaking Films with Rivkah Beth Medow in 2020 focusing filmmaking on building community, deepening understanding of social justice issues and telling great stories. Currently Curve has launched The Curve Foundation whose mission is to empower lesbian, queer women, trans women and non-binary people to share our culture and our stories, connect with each other and raise visibility. "Ahead Of The Curve" is now showing in select theaters and on Starz, Apple, Amazon and everywhere you watch movies in time for Pride Month.
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Stephanie Battaglino talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her new memoir “Reflections From Both Sides of the Glass Ceiling: Finding My True Self in Corporate America” published by L’Oste Vineyard Press. After many years in the corporate world struggling to find her true self Battaglino went on to become New York Life’s first transgender officer. Her memoir delves into her journey to fulfillment both personally and professionally highlighting her efforts in fighting for gender equality and calling to attention the work that still needs to be accomplished. Stephanie now leads Diversity & Inclusion workshops, presentations and trainings sharing over 40 years of professional experience working with and within Fortune 100 companies. Retiring in 2019 from her position as Corporate Vice President at New York Life Insurance Company she is well versed in the ways of corporate America and has become a leader in the conversation surrounding workplace equality for transgender and non-binary people. Unfortunately the reality still remains that many of our LGBTQ community must make a choice between coming out in the workplace and assuring their job security. “Reflections From Both Sides of the Glass Ceiling: Finding My Authentic Self in Corporate America” is part memoir and also part cautionary tale of what it is like to experience a career on both sides of the gender divide. Stephanie's honest and vulnerable storytelling paints a vivid picture of what the intersection of gender and gender identity looks like from a decidedly unique point of view. We talked to Stephanie about her inspiration for writing this book and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Stephanie Battaglino is a major voice in the LGBTQ workplace equality movement focusing specifically on transgender and non-binary individuals. She currently sits on the Board of PFLAG National and is the Chair of their Business Advisory Council. Actually Brian K. Bond PFLAG National Executive Director wrote the forward to “Reflections From Both Sides of the Glass Ceiling: Finding My Authentic Self in Corporate America”. Battaglino has proudly served on the boards of the LGBT Community Center of New York and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF). She is also a past member of the Transgender Advisory Committee of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. Stephanie resides in Palm Desert, California with her wife Mari.
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Author Lee Wind talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his new book “No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves” a Queer History Project published by Zest/Lerner. In “No Way, They Were Gay?” Wind takes the reader on a fascinating journey through primary sources of poetry, memoir, news clippings and images of ancient artwork to explore the hidden and often surprising Queer lives and loves of two dozen historical figures. History has often left out so many stories of our LGBTQ community and people who lived outside gender boundaries. Historians have even censored the lives and loves of some of the world's most famous people from William Shakespeare and Pharaoh Hatshepsut to Cary Grant and Eleanor Roosevelt. Wind skillfully revisits famous figures in the USA and world history by delving into primary sources and reassesses what's made legible about people's sexual and gender identities when the present and past are allowed to collide. The book is divided into three categories: men who loved men, women who loved women and people who lived outside of gender binaries. Wind not only delivers a long overdue education for everyone that reads this book but also helps our LGBTQ youth by providing role models that are among the most revered of leaders. We talked to Lee about what he hopes to accomplish with “No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Lee Wind is the founding blogger and publisher of “I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?” an award-winning website about books, culture and empowerment for LGBTQ youth and their allies. For over 11 years readers from 100-plus countries have racked up 2.6 million page views and counting. Lee’s debut novel “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” addressing the theory about Abraham Lincoln's close relationship with Joshua Fry Speed a Springfield, Illinois merchant who met Lincoln in 1837 one of Publishers Weekly’s top five independently published middle grade and young adult books of 2018. Currently Wind is Director of Marketing and Programming at the Independent Book Publishers Association and the official blogger for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Lee’s passion is writing stories to empower LGBTQ youth and their allies. Lee Wind lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their teenage daughter. “No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves” is available everywhere books are sold.
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Filmmaker Ondi Timoner talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the recently released “Mapplethorpe, The Director's Cut” featuring an all-new soundtrack, previously unseen footage and also addresses Robert Mapplethorpe’s important relationship with Patti Smith and his subsequent pivotal romance with powerhouse art collector Sam Wagstaff. The film stars Matt Smith in the title role, best known as Prince Philip in the Netflix series “The Crown.” The stellar cast includes Marianne Rendón as Patti Smith and John Benjamin Hickey as Sam Wagstaff. LGBTQ icon and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe was one of the most important and controversial artists of the 20th Century living his life boldly and authentically until his untimely death 1989 at age of 42 due to complications from HIV/AIDS. Mapplethorpe’s most controversial works documented and examined the gay male BDSM subculture of New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His historic and provocative 1989 exhibition entitled “Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Moment” generated controversy and even sparked a Congressional debate when Senator Jesse Helms introduced legislation that attempted to stop the National Endowment for the Arts from funding artwork he considered “obscene.” Though Helms’ extreme measures did not pass, a compromise was reached in Congress placing restrictions on NEA funding procedures that’s still in effect today. “Mapplethorpe, The Director’s Cut” also includes restored scenes depicting Mapplethorpe’s childhood love of photography, his embattled relationship with his father and his lingering ambivalent connection to the Catholic faith. We talked to Ondi about her inspiration for creating “Mapplethorpe, The Director's Cut” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Ondi Timoner is one of the most outstanding talents in non-fiction filmmaking. She often takes on the stories of visionaries fighting against all odds with a gripping and unique mixed-media, narrative style. Ondi wrote, directed, produced and edited “Mapplethorpe” that won an Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released theatrically by Samuel Goldwyn in 2018. “Mapplethorpe, The Director’s Cut” is now available on Hulu, Amazon and various digital platforms. Currently she’s putting the finishing touches on a new screenplay “A Stroke of Genius” about the life and career of her late father Eli Timoner who in 1971 founded Air Florida an airline that saw remarkable rapid growth both at the time of its inception and afterwards before suffering a stroke and living the next forty years as a hemiplegic. Timoner is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the DGA, the PGA, the International Documentary Association, Film Fatales and Women in Film.
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Award-winning Canadian rock icon Carole Pope talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her new single “World’s a Bitch” a collaboration with Canadian electro synth pop trio Church of Trees consisting of band members Bernard Frazer, Tara Hope and Allison Stanton. The song and music video relay a stirring sonic snapshot of the angst felt and coping mechanisms tapped when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic and the world’s desperate need for vaccine distribution. The song is mixed and mastered by Jordon Zadorozny whose credits include Blinker the Star, Courtney Love, Chris Cornell and Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac. The pairing of Pope with Church of Trees came by way of former Spoons/Honeymoon Suite keyboardist Rob Preuss. While working directly but separately with each artist he had a light bulb moment & suggested Frazer write something that might suit Pope’s voice. With her hit “High School Confidential'' recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Carole Pope is the award-winning vocalist of Rough Trade and also known for leveraging her iconic status to openly table discussions around LGBTQ sexuality in her lyrics starting in the ‘70s. “World’s a Bitch” is one of several musical projects Pope is currently working on including “Attitude: The Art Rock Musical” a stage production based on the life of her late brother Howard a New York-based musician who passed away of AIDS in 1996. We talked to Carole about what she hopes to accomplish with “World’s a Bitch” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Carole Pope has won three Juno Awards (Canada’s version of the Grammy), a Genie (Canada’s Oscar) and multiple gold and platinum records to her credit. Pope is a certified rock legend fronting the infamous post-punk band Rough Trade in the 1980’s and is now a successful solo artist. Throughout her career she's been known as a musical agent provocateur writing and performing songs that make you "think and dance at the same time." Pope has performed at the Brooklyn Museum, Joe's Pub and the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival as well as LGBTQ Pride festivals around the world. Her music has been featured in movies and television shows including Transparent, The L Word and Queer as Folk. “World’s A Bitch” with Church of Trees is now available everywhere.
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Jennifer Cooney about her new feature film “Rain Beau's End” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. “Rain Beau's End” is an intimate drama set in the late 1990's depicting how a progressive lesbian couple's relationship is tested when their adopted son is mislabeled with a genetic predisposition for violence. The stellar cast includes Janelle Snow, Amanda Powell, Ed Asner, Sean Young, Christian Stolte, Melanie Chandra and Kirk Kelleykahn. The film tells the story of an evolving lesbian couple Hannah Driver and Jules Paradise who adopt a child named Beau who is subsequently diagnosed with 47, XYY - which was believed at that time to make boys more prone to aggressive behavior and years later was proved false. The couple rides the rough journey of Beau's apparent behavioral issues and how it not only affects his life and the small community they inhabit but markedly their relationship and their lives. As Beau gets older and research of his condition grows Hannah and Jules must face the reality of a self-fulfilling prophecy and the ghosts of their past. The film was directed by Tracy Wren and screenplay by Cooney from a story by Joe Orlandino. “Rain Beau's End” will have its global premiere online on Lesflicks Video on Demand platform Monday March 8th 2021 in celebration of International Women's Day. We talked to Jennifer about what she hopes to accomplish with “Rain Beau's End” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Jennifer Cooney received her education at the prestigious Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA where she received a Bachelor of the Arts Degree with a double major and two minors graduating with Honors. Post-graduation she received further accreditation by completing professional certification programs in screenwriting and photography. “Rain Beau's End” is her first feature film and she intends to produce and direct her original scripts all of which are in various stages of development through her production company HalfJack Generation. Aside from her passion for filmmaking and the arts she also owns and operates a small wellness center Wellness at Golden Pond in her home state of Pennsylvania where she lives with her wife and two dogs.
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Kierra Johnson the new Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about their upcoming virtual events and what she would you like to see happen for our LGBTQ community in the Biden-Harris administration. To begin with The National LGBTQ Task Force has announced that the 2021 Winter Party Festival, their largest annual fundraising event will be held virtually from March 4th through March 6th, 2021. Funds raised from the Festival will support the Task Force’s “All of Me, All the Time” campaign to secure nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. The Winter Party Festival will be hosted by Tina Burner a New York-based drag performer and comedian currently appearing on the 13th season of the hit VH1 series RuPaul’s Drag Race. The Festival will also feature a special appearance by Melbourne-based dance-pop diva Zoe Badwi debuting her new song “We Are” a collaboration with DJ Dan Slater who will open this year’s Main Event. Throughout the three-day festival Burner and other special guests will talk about the Task Force’s “All of Me, All the Time” campaign aimed at persuading people to contact their U.S. Senators and Representatives to pass the Equality Act. We talked to Kierra about what she hopes to accomplish at the National LGBTQ Task Force in her new role and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Kierra Johnson joined the Task Force in 2018 as Deputy Executive Director but was already engaged with the organization previously serving on the National LGBTQ Task Force’s board of directors and its National Action Council. As a bisexual Black woman, Johnson will become one of few out queer-identified women of color at the helm of a national LGBTQ organization. The National LGBTQ Task Force is building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today despite all the progress they’ve made to end discrimination millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement and basic human rights. By training and mobilizing millions of activists across our nation and fundraising events like the National LGBTQ Task Force Winter Party Festival they are committed to deliver a world where you can be you.
For More Info & Tix: thetaskforce.org
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Erin Uritus, CEO of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the world’s premier nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving LGBTQ workplace equality. Celebrating 25 years Out & Equal partners with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies to provide executive leadership development, comprehensive training, consulting and professional networking opportunities that build inclusive and welcoming work environments. They work with executives, human resources professionals, employee resource groups and individuals to provide leadership and professional development, education and research to create workplaces free of discrimination. Out & Equal also hosts annual events and programs where employees and experts can share strategies and best practices to create workplace equality inclusive of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. Due to COVID-19 these events are being held virtually including their 2021 Executive Forum that will convene online April 13th to 15th for three days of interactive virtual learning and networking. The 3-day program features daily plenaries and networking opportunities. Attendees will have access to 9 sessions across three tracks: LGBTQ Leadership, DEI Best Practices and Intersectional Allyship. Their Workplace Summit, Brazil Forum, Southern States Forum, India Forum and China Forum will also be held virtually in 2021 with dates to be announced. We talked to Erin about what she hopes to accomplish at Out & Equal during the pro-equality Biden Harris Administration and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Erin Uritus has a Masters Degree in Organization Development (OD) from American University and two Masters certificates in Change Management and Performance Management from Johns Hopkins and Georgetown University. Erin has served on the board of directors for Out & Equal, co-found the Out & Equal DC Chapter Affiliate and served as Co-Chair for the Out & Equal Summit in 2007 before becoming Out & Equal’s CEO in 2018. Currently she lives in Washington DC with her two beautiful daughters Amira and Haneen.
For More Info: outandequal.org
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I was very sad to hear that the legendary singer Mary Wilson had died. I talked to Mary in this exclusive audio interview when she was appearing at the Richmond Ermet Aid Foundation’s event “Help Is On The Way 24 Celebrating Music, Legends & Icons” in 2018. Wilson was a founding member & longest member of the legendary singing group The Supremes. Wilson remained with the group following the departures of other original members Florence Ballard in 1967 & Diana Ross in 1970 until the group disbanded in 1977. Since then she released three solo albums, five singles & two best-selling autobiographies, “Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme” & “Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together”. Wilson also used her fame & flair to promote humanitarian efforts to end hunger, raise AIDS awareness & encourage world peace. When I asked what her personal commitment was to LGBTQ civil rights Wilson stated, “I have been involved in this fight against AIDS & HIV for years & now you know obviously it’s become something that we all are aware of. So a lot of my friends are in that community & so I want to be a part because they are my friends, my very dear friends. For me it wasn’t even a no brainer. I do it because it’s part of what I do for the people I love.” We also talked about the civil rights movement in this country & the heartbreak of LGBTQ teen suicide which as a mother & grandmother she addressed beautifully about the importance of strong family values in these difficult times. Rest In Peace Mary Wilson.
For More Info: reaf-sf.org
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Andy Garcia, Director of Creating Change at the National LGBTQ Task Force talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about their 33rd annual conference entitled “The Power Of You” that takes place virtually from January 28th through January 31st 2021. Every year the Creating Change team curates a diverse, timely and provocative set of workshops and this year will be no exception despite the challenges of having the conference online. From activism to faith to fundraising with some timely twists on popular workshops like “Sex in the Times of COVID” the Creating Change Conference will have programs of interest to diverse activists and cover a lot of ground in this unique time for LGBTQ+ communities. There will also be keynote speakers and celebrities. Dominique Jackson best known for her leading role of Elektra Abundance on the FX television series Pose will be this year’s opening keynote speaker and there will be several performances by Big Freedia. Closing Keynote Speaker will be activist author adrienne maree brown and Sandra Valls will host the event. This will be the third Creating Change Conference managed by Andy and the first held virtually that will include four plenary sessions, 16 day long institutes and 48 workshop and caucus sessions. The four day long event run by the National LGBTQ Task Force is a space for learning, connecting and growing as LGBTQ activists, leaders, allies and changemakers. With all the insanity going on in our country this is a fabulous opportunity to connect with our community and help move our LGBTQ civil rights forward. We talked to Garcia about what he hopes to accomplish with this year’s Creating Change Conference and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Andy Garcia has been the Director of Creating Change at the National LGBTQ Task Force since 2018. Andy is a seasoned activist with over 25 years of experience working for social justice and LGBTQ movements. Creating Change is the country’s largest LGBTQ advocacy and activism conference with thousands expected to tune in globally to this unique virtual event. Creating Change is a place for our LGBTQ community to come together to learn and connect with each other and strives to ensure a welcoming space for queer and trans people. The National LGBTQ Task Force was founded in 1973 and works to advance full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. The Creating Change Conference is instrumental in their goal to train millions of activists across our nation to deliver a world where you can be you.
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Chuck Latovich talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his new must-read thriller "The Girl In The Boston Box" that follows two narratives linked by the urban legend of hidden rooms in the city’s historic buildings used for shocking crimes. First we meet Caitlyn Gautry pursuing a Harvard doctorate in architecture who chooses a controversial subject for her thesis based on the architectural myth of "The Boston Box". As she investigates this folklore she takes the reader on a contemporary and historical journey through the city of Boston as she uncovers this underlying mystery. The other narrative is Mark Chieswicz rejected by his family over twenty years ago because of his sexual orientation struggles to understand a cryptic clue about his estranged brother’s murder in a dangerous attempt to hold onto a life-changing but tainted inheritance. Eventually these two seemingly unrelated narratives cross paths as they expose tales of sex, death and scandal. "The Girl In The Boston Box" gives all readers whether heterosexual or LGBTQ a good time through a balance of an intriguing story with atmosphere, character and solid writing. One of the interesting factors about Mark Chieswicz’s narrative is that being gay is just part of the complexities of his character, not the story itself. We talked to Latovich about what he would like to accomplish with his new mystery novel "The Girl In The Boston Box" and his spin on our LGBTQ Issues.
Chuck Latovich moved to Boston after growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania to attend Boston University where he earned degrees in both Journalism and Education. Latovich has worked as a diversity and communications executive during his corporate life. Chuck has lived in the metropolitan Boston area most of his adult life and currently resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He loves to travel and often before visiting a country or city he likes to read books about his destinations which is one of the inspirations for writing his first published novel "The Girl In The Boston Box". Anyone who is interested in Boston for whatever reason will learn a good deal about the city by reading this captivating and entertaining book.
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Sam Harris talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his new must-see film “Ham: A Musical Memoir” based on the Tony Award nominee and multi-platinum recording artist’s critically acclaimed book. The Global Digital Releasing film is currently available on Laemmle’s virtual platform before heading to BroadwayHD the premiere subscription service for live theater where it will begin streaming exclusively January 7th, 2021. “Ham: A Musical Memoir” is produced by Suzi Dietz, directed for the screen by Andrew Putschoegl, directed for the stage by Ken Sawyer and features musical director/co-composer Todd Schroeder. The original stage production in which Harris plays twelve different characters was developed and directed by Tony and Emmy-Award winning actor Billy Porter. “Ham” ran in New York and Los Angeles and was filmed at The Pasadena Playhouse. The play received Ovation Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Musical Director. “Ham: A Musical Memoir” is the comic and poignant true story of Sam Harris’s life growing up gay in Oklahoma’s Bible Belt during the 60s and 70s as a sensitive and prodigiously talented kid who dreams of playing Helen Keller at age 5, wishes he was Jewish at 10, finds his voice in the black church at 15 and falls in love with a boy who looks just like Cary Grant which led to depression and a suicide attempt. Sam then fled to Los Angeles where he sang at every dump and dive in town until finally ending up on a new TV show called “Star Search” winning the hearts of America which led to opportunities on Broadway, television, albums and Carnegie Hall. But after the highs and lows of a life in show business Sam is finally forced to confront the merciless question: what is enough? We talked to Harris about what he hopes to accomplish with “Ham: A Musical Memoir” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Sam Harris' career has spanned more than two decades from a singer/songwriter on stage, screen and television to acting, writing, producing and directing. Harris is a multimillion selling recording artist with nine studio albums to his credit. He can also be heard on numerous concert, guest artist and cast recordings. He has toured extensively in concert and has played to sold-out audiences at major venues including New York's Carnegie Hall, Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheatre and London's West End. Harris has also had a stellar career on Broadway receiving a Tony, Outer Critic’s Circle and Drama Desk nominations for his work in Cy Coleman’s “The Life” along with a Drama League Award and Drama Desk nomination. Sam has recently released his first book of fiction “The Substance of All Things” to rave reviews. Harris lives in Los Angeles with his husband Danny Jacobsen and their son Cooper Atticus Harris-Jacobsen.
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Boze Hadleigh talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his new book “Inside the Hollywood Closet: A Book of Quotes” a fabulous gift for the holidays no matter what your sexual orientation may be. Hadleigh brings us inspirational quotes and statements from such stars as Rock Hudson, Truman Capote, Cary Grant, Neil Patrick Harris, k.d. lang, Ellen DeGeneres, Jodi Foster, Queen Latifah, Little Naz, Oscar Wilde, Sammy Davis Jr., Ellen Page, Rosie O’Donnell, Ian McKellan, Bea Arthur, Butterfly McQueen, Chaz Bono, Elton John, Remi Malik and Wanda Sykes among others. This is also a great book for every LGBTQ generation to reflect on what queer life in America use to be like and a reminder of just how far we’ve come. You can read this book from cover to cover or just open it anywhere for daily encouragement. Join legendary Hollywood scribe Boze Hadleigh in this journey back in time as he examines what it was like to be LGBTQ in Hollywood during Tinseltown’s heyday and what LGBTQ Hollywood looks like today. Boze examines both the obvious and hidden costs of being queer in Hollywood from both as an insider looking out and the outside looking in. This is a fascinating intimate exploration of our LGBTQ community’s survival in the entertainment industry over the past century. We talked to Boze about his inspiration for “Inside the Hollywood Closet: A Book of Quotes” a project that took him nineteen years to complete and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Boze Hadleigh has published 26 books primarily on show business. Though most of his books aren't gay-themed they are all LGBTQ inclusive. Boze is the #1 author on LGBTQ presence in and contributions to entertainment industry especially Hollywood. As he says #1 in quantity but quality is for others to judge. The Los Angeles Times dubbed him a "pop culture phenomenon." Hadleigh holds a master's in journalism, speaks five languages and won on the TV game show "Jeopardy!" “Inside the Hollywood Closet: A Book of Quotes” is published by Riverdale Avenue Books and is also available on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles Nook, iTunes and Kobo.
For More Info: riverdaleavebooks.com
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Life coach and author Opa Hysea Wise talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her timely novel “No Place To Hide” a suspenseful page-turner that examines personal transformation amid violence and racial injustice. "No Place To Hide" besides being a must-read for mystery fans and crime junkies is also an unexpected source of inspiration and self-help. Heroine Smythe Windwalker Daniels anonymity is compromised when a threat is made against her life. She is soon confronted by the reality that this danger not only impacts her life but also the lives around her. She reluctantly accepts the FBI’s protection hoping that by doing the right thing her testimony will bring a promise of justice to a community. Then by learning from her past experiences new meaning enters into her present life and beauty appears in the midst of chaos. This kicks off a series of misadventures where she learns how all events are all woven together in this tapestry called “life.” In these challenging political times as a life coach Opa also sheds some light on how we all need to move forward together. It’s time that we all begin to dream again without fear and examine what we want out of our lives. Opa addresses how most people know what they don’t want in life but rarely tackle what they do want. This is also an opportunity to address belonging. Don’t buy into the fear that we don’t belong because we all belong. Stay in the present moment, focus on the moment and don’t get too far ahead of yourself. We talked to Opa about what she hopes to accomplish with “No Place To Hide” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Opa Hysea Wise is an American author born to mixed race parents. She grew up across the fabric of the United States and currently resides in Nevada. As an adult Opa understood the deep need for connection that we as humans have. Like so many people of color she came to experience a sense of “otherness” the longer she remained in the States. Those experiences fueled her desire to discuss diversity as the woven fabric within the American tapestry. She worked as a Training and Development specialist and manager in Government and Corporate organizations. Often tasked to develop and deliver diversity courses, Opa brought a sense of understanding, compassion and a call to action to her audience with the firm knowledge that returning to the connection we all have as one body in this universe would be but one step to returning to love. Whether you want to embark on a personal quest for self-discovery or just want to curl up with an action-packed mystery "No Place To Hide" delivers something for everyone.
For More Info: opahyseawise.com
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Kent Ian Paterson a producer at KUNM-FM in Albuquerque, New Mexico talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her early years as a Progressive Rock DJ that kicked off her broadcasting career. Paterson contacted Robinson in August about a history he was compiling at KUNM to celebrate the station’s 54th anniversary. Once it was confirmed she was the same person that worked at KUNM back in the early 1970s the conversations began. When asked how she originally came to the University of New Mexico in 1969 and became involved with KUNM Robinson stated, “I went to UNM because they listed available courses in Radio & TV but when I got there I found out that those classes wouldn’t be offered for a few years. So I answered an ad on KUNM-FM looking for 'chicks to sharpen pencils'. When I applied they suggested I get my FCC license so I did. When I returned with my license they gave me a weekly shift on Thursdays from 1A to 3A. At the time UNM women had a 12 Midnight curfew and men did not. So the ACLU got involved and the curfew was lifted. I guess that was my first experience in the fight for equality.” It was the beginning of the Women’s Movement who adopted Charlotte as a role model because of the ACLU curfew resolve. Paterson added, “You and the other women who were at KUNM 50 years ago were trailblazers. Women became much more prominent at KUNM after the mid 1970s. The station's first female manager served from 1974 to 1976.” We then talked about how Robinson’s KUNM experience led her to her stellar career in broadcasting breaking the glass ceiling for women at WCVB-TV in Boston and then on to ABC, NBC and CBS TV Networks in New York, NY.
Charlotte Robinson launched OUTTAKE MEDIA LLC in 2007 and OUTTAKE VOICES™ in 2008 with over 500 podcast episodes that include Alan Ball, Ricky Martin, Senator Tammy Baldwin, Rep Barney Frank, Kyra Sedgwick, Kathleen Turner, John Waters, Dustin Lance Black, Tab Hunter, Sharon Gless, Loni Anderson and comedian Margaret Cho to name a few. Ms. Robinson was honored by the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition with the 2018-2019 MBCC Appreciation Award for providing a voice for hundreds of LGBTQ+ organizations and allies including MBCC. Currently Charlotte has partnered with Nicole Conn Films Global and serves on the Board of Women in Film and Video New England. Kent Ian Paterson is an independent journalist who covers issues in the U.S./Mexico border region. He was a 2017 fellow in the Journalist in Aging Fellowship Program sponsored by the Gerontological Society of America and New America Media.
For More Info: kunm.org
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Robin Hopkins and Jaimie Kelton talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about their new book “If These Ovaries Could Talk: The Things We’ve Learned About Making An LGBTQ Family.” In part one of the book Robin and Jaimie cover topics on how you make your LGBTQ family from choosing an egg donor, sperm donor or surrogate to adoption and foster care. Part two of the book covers everything from growing up with gay parents to being out as a family and from talking to your kids about their LGBTQ family to the legalese of LGBTQ families. “If These Ovaries Could Talk: The Things We’ve Learned About Making An LGBTQ Family” is an amazing and humorously in-depth journey that is equal parts funny, serious, happy, sad, celebratory, cautionary and powerful. You’ll learn a lot and laugh even more along the way. Robin and Jaimie met at a Pride Family Picnic with their wives and kids in tow. That’s when then-pregnant Jaimie pitched Robin the idea to make a podcast about LGBTQ families. From doing their award-winning podcast “If These Ovaries Could Talk” they realized the world needed to know there was more than one way to make an LGBTQ family. The book is based on dozens of interviews full of insights and stories addressing recurring questions that came up during their podcast. Robin and Jaimie share their separate personal fertility journeys and their parenting adventures as the book shines a spotlight on all the different ways nontraditional families are made. We talked to Robin and Jaimie about their inspiration for writing “If These Ovaries Could Talk: The Things We’ve Learned About Making An LGBTQ Family” and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Robin Hopkins is an award-winning actor, writer, producer and podcast host. She began her career as a stand-up comic in New York City performing regularly at Caroline’s, Comic Strip Live, Gotham Comedy Club and Stand-Up New York. Her acting credits include Boardwalk Empire, Louie, Hindsight and Mi America. Jaimie Kelton is an award-winning actor, voiceover artist, producer and podcast host based in New York City. She has over 17 years of experience performing on stages in New York City, in Regional Theaters and on National Tours. Her voice can also be heard in Disney’s hit cartoon, The Octonauts (Tweak, Pinto, Twinkle the Sea Star), Amazon’s Bug Diaries (Scarlet Lily Beetle, Ant Leader) and Fairy Tale Forest (Gaby). Their mission with “If These Ovaries Could Talk” is to normalize, elevate and celebrate LGBTQ families confirming they’re just like other families.
For More Info: ovariestalk.com
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Cheryl Osimo, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the 23rd anniversary of their premier fundraising event the Lesbians and Friends LGBTQ Dance Party For Prevention that takes place virtually on October 24th from 7P to 9P via Zoom. This year MBCC will feature a special guest appearance and award presentation to long-time environmental activist, comedian and actress Lily Tomlin. The MBCC Environmental Activist Award will be presented to Ms. Tomlin in acknowledgment of her passion and work on many environmental issues. Osimo stated, “We are constantly inspired by trailblazers like Ms. Tomlin who have fearlessly and relentlessly paved the way of putting the greater good of our planet and families first. Including her in MBCC’s history of individuals dedicated to making a positive impact in the world is thrilling news.” The online event will also include laughs with guest comedian Karen Williams and dance lessons with OUT to Dance's Liz Nania where you can learn to dance the cha-cha, rhumba, salsa or merengue with no partner needed. DJ Shelly Cullen will be spinning the tunes throughout the virtual event with a Silent Auction that will run from October 17th through October 24th. MBCC is the only breast cancer non-profit working closely with a research and sister organization Silent Spring Institute to investigate preventable environmental causes of the disease. This work is funded through annual fundraising events like the upcoming virtual Lesbians and Friends LGBTQ Dance Party For Prevention. We talked to Cheryl about what she hopes to accomplish with her work at MBCC and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Cheryl Osimo is a fierce LGBTQ ally and devoted breast cancer activist and advocate since 1991 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 41. She has been a catalyst in raising public awareness of the possible environmental links to breast cancer. Her commitment to breast cancer prevention and awareness benefits women worldwide. MBCC is currently working on crucial national health projects to address environmental causes of breast cancer including water testing and how PFAS enters groundwater from firefighting foams, wastewater and other pollution sources as well as their impacts on children’s health. The studies will also assess PFAS exposure on a range of health effects including immune response, kidney function, thyroid disease, liver disease, glycemic parameters, diabetes and neurobehavioral outcomes. Funds raised from the Lesbians and Friends LGBTQ Dance Party For Prevention will help support MBCC's community education programs and their local and national work toward breast cancer prevention. Tickets to attend the virtual event for adults are on a sliding scale of $15, $30, or $45 with tickets for students $10.
For More Info & Tix: mbcc.org
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Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about their upcoming virtual events and how The Task Force is adjusting to the new normal in these challenging times with the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin with the 24th annual National LGBTQ Task Force Gala will stream virtually on Saturday October 3rd beginning at 8P EST in lieu of the customary gala held in Miami Beach, FL. This year’s theme is “The Power of US” which will focus on celebrating progress for LGBTQ people and their families. It will also emphasize the critical work of the National LGBTQ Task Force as they work to ensure that our LGBTQ community is counted through their “Queer the Census” campaign and the critical need to "Queer the Vote" in the upcoming election. The National LGBTQ Task Force Gala online event will be hosted by Latrice Royale of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame and the evening will include video messages from Pete Buttigieg, Alan Cumming, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, Sam Champion, Jai Rodriguez of the original “Queer Eye” cast and George Takei among others to be announced. The National Task Force Gala virtual event will also be more accessible nationally and globally for supporters and members of the Task Force family with no fixed ticket price this year so any donation will get you in and tables are not limited to just 10 people with the virtual table host feature there’s no limit to the number of guests at a given table. So put on your tux or your sweatpants and join in the fun that will help support this fabulous organization. Then following the gala the next virtual events will be the “Queering Racial Justice Institute” on October 10th, 2020 and the Creating Change Conference from January 27th to 31st, 2021. We talked to Rea about what she hopes to accomplish with the upcoming virtual events and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Rea Carey is one of the most respected leaders in our LGBTQ movement. Since 2008 through her leadership Carey has advanced a vision of freedom for LGBTQ people and their families that is broad, inclusive and progressive. The National LGBTQ Task Force is building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today despite all the progress they’ve made to end discrimination millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement and basic human rights. By training and mobilizing millions of activists across our nation and fundraising events like the National LGBTQ Task Force Gala they are committed to deliver a world where you can be you. For More Info & Tix: thetaskforce.org
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Filmmaker Cindy L. Abel, Colonel Patsy Thompson and Barbara Brass talk about their documentary “Surviving The Silence” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. In 1992 Colonel Thompson was a decorated Army nurse just two years away from her retirement after serving her country for over thirty years from conflict zones to working inside the Pentagon. At this trajectory of her career she was asked to preside over the military review board that eventually dismissed Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer for admitting she was a lesbian. For Thompson that trial was perhaps the hardest assignment in her long military career because she had to confront her own moral dilemma that she too was a lesbian and living privately with her life partner Barbara Brass for many years. After Colonel Cammermeyer’s dismissal she became a vocal opponent of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and eventually was reinstated thanks to Colonel Thompson’s handling of her military trial. This underlying story remained a secret until 2013 when Thompson and her now wife Barbara Brass decided to go public for the very first time at a college speaking engagement in Northern California. Much to their delight the speech received a resounding standing ovation empowering them to continue their journey as out and proud lesbians who are visibly committed to using their unique life experience in pursuit of social justice and activism. We asked Filmmaker Cindy L. Abel, Colonel Patsy Thompson and Barbara Brass what they hope to accomplish with “Surviving The Silence” and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Filmmaker Cindy L. Abel formed Atlantis Moon Productions to develop projects that launch conversations and impact popular culture. She directed and produced the award-winning “Breaking Through” a documentary in which openly LGBTQ elected officials share their stories of self-doubt and triumph over multiple barriers, revealing a deeply personal, rarely seen side of LGBTQ politicians. Colonel Patsy Thompson’s journey from Troy, North Carolina to nursing school and then a distinguished military career led her to navigate living her life on her own terms. Barbara Brass as the daughter of Holocaust survivors and a pacifist is proud of Thompson’s ascension in the military while also feeling angry that they needed to be silent and invisible to protect her career. Currently they are all working hard to stop the hate in this country and get out the vote for the upcoming 2020 presidential election to protect our democracy. “Surviving The Silence” directed by Cindy L. Abel and produced by Marc Smolowitz with soundtrack provided by Denise Gentilini. For More Info: survivingthesilence.com LISTEN: 500+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES
Jason Stuart and Mitch Hara talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about their new must-watch comedy series “Smothered” currently available on Amazon Prime. With everything that’s happening in the world right now “Smothered” brings much needed comedic relief with a thirty-minute binge session of seven, five-minute episodes of outrageous, irreverent and laugh out loud bliss. Jason Stuart (The Birth Of A Nation) and Mitch Hara (Mutant Olive) have co-written, co-starred and co-produced this series about a longtime gay couple that cannot stand each other but can’t afford to get divorced. They decided to attempt to save their relationship by navigating their way through couple’s therapy. As the series unfolds through their uninhibited and often shocking therapy sessions, viewers discover how the couple of twenty years outrageously nit-pick and push each other’s buttons. Guest stars appearing as assorted brands of therapists include Dalila Ali Rajah (Criminal Minds), Erik Audé (American Sniper), Clent Bowers (Little Fockers), Erika Ervin (American Horror Story), Helen Hong (Silicon Valley), Scott Krinsky (Chuck), Pancho Moler (Ray Donovan) and Carole Ita White (Laverne & Shirley). “Smothered” is directed by Terri Hanauer (Sweet Talk) and won the Audience Award for Best Series in the International Film Festivals in Spain, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin. We talked to Jason and Mitch about what they hope to accomplish with their hysterical comedy series “Smothered” and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Jason Stuart is one of the most prolific character actors who’s also an outrageous openly gay stand-up comedian. With over 150 credits his film work includes “The Birth Of A Nation” “Tangerine”, “Love Is Strange”, “Gia”, “Kindergarten Cop” and “Vegas Vacation” among his fan favorites. His TV work has wowed audiences with guest roles on such shows as “Sleepy Hollow”, “Entourage”, “The Closer”, “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, “House”, “Everybody Hates Chris” and “Will & Grace” among others.
For More Info: jasonstuart.com Mitch Hara is an actor/writer/director who joined the acclaimed Actors Studio when he was just 19. Mitch won Best Actor Award for his portrayal of Sister Coco Call-Me- Ishmael, a mental-patient-drag-queen-nun. He also co- wrote and directed Joe Manganiello in “One Night Stand.” Hara’s award-winning solo show “Mutant Olive” is playing to sold out houses in Beverly Hills, NYC, Chicago, London with rave reviews. For More Info: smotheredtv.com
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Actor and philanthropist Phillip Keene best known as 'Buzz Watson' the tech savvy member of LAPD's exclusive squad on TNT's hit drama franchise "The Closer" and spin-off "Major Crimes" talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his work with Project Wingman USA a COVID-19 charitable initiative mobilizing volunteers from the travel industry to support frontline health care heroes with pop-up lounges in hospitals. First launched with great success in the UK Project Wingman creates an area in hospitals where staff can come in before, during or after shifts to decompress, switch off and be looked after by uniformed aircrew for the duration of their break. Project Wingman crew volunteers provide snacks and refreshments as well as much needed sympathetic support having a shared experience of working in a highly disciplined, regulated and stressful environment. The lounges are located in a secluded, non-patient facing environment and the hospitals provide the volunteers with personal protective equipment such as facemasks and gloves. Keene a licensed pilot and once Pan Am flight attendant jumped on board when approached about the crucial need for Project Wingman programs and volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic to help support the hospital frontline workers including doctors, nurses and staff working to save coronavirus patients. We talked to Phillip about his philanthropic work, LGBTQ representation in Hollywood and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Phillip's love for his past career with Pan Am never faded and he has amassed one of the largest collections of the airline's iconic memorabilia. Since he began collecting in 1996 his collection has grown to over 3,500 pieces and includes matchboxes, posters, uniforms and tableware. Keene lives in California with long-time husband of 27 years James Duff creator of TNT's "Major Crimes” and "The Closer" and they are currently developing a new comedy series. For More Info: projectwingmanusa.com
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Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his work with “Born Perfect” to end conversion therapy. NCLR launched “Born Perfect” in 2014 to protect LGBTQ children and young people by fighting in courtrooms to ensure their safety and raising awareness about the serious harms caused by these dangerous practices. Their efforts have led to banning conversion therapy in 20 states and over 70 municipalities in the United States. For over 20 years NCLR has been working to protect LGBTQ youth from these horrific practices by working with legislators and LGBTQ leaders in dozens of states to help bring similar protections to the rest of the country. They believe that every LGBTQ child is born perfect and that any young person’s identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender should be honored, celebrated and supported. “Born Perfect” is also led by Mathew Shurka, Co-Founder and Chief Strategist who is a survivor of conversion therapy when at 16 years old his father took him to a licensed therapist who claimed he could make gay people straight. It was the start of years of cruel and damaging “therapy” that left Mathew estranged from his family and his own identity. He then decided to take action posting his personal story on YouTube where it went viral. It was the start of his journey to forgive his father and therapist, reconcile with his family and lead a nationwide battle to end conversion therapy. We talked to Shannon about what he hopes to accomplish with “Born Perfect”, his reaction to the historic U. S. Supreme Court ruling that prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Shannon Minter is one of the nation’s leading advocates for LGBTQ people. Minter was lead counsel for the landmark California marriage equality case which held that gay and lesbian couples have the fundamental right to marry and that laws that discriminate based on sexual orientation are inherently discriminatory and subject to the highest level of constitutional scrutiny. Shannon was named a California Lawyer of the Year in 2009 by California Lawyer. He also received the Dan Bradley Award from the National Gay and Lesbian Bar Association for outstanding work in marriage cases and was the recipient of the Cornell Law School Exemplary Public Service Award in 2008. In the United States over 700,000 people have been through conversion therapy. Through “Born Perfect” Mathew Shurka and Minter are working with legislators and LGBTQ leaders to end these dangerous and stigmatizing practices everywhere. For Info: bornperfect.org For More Info: nclrights.org
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Matthew Todd, UK writer-journalist talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his exquisite new coffee table book “PRIDE: The Story Of The LGBTQ Equality Movement” published by Weldon Owen. The book documents the milestones in our fight for global LGBTQ equality from before Stonewall to the victories of activists over the last five decades that have led to the gradual acceptance of LGBTQ people in politics, sports and the media. It also chronicles the winning landmark court cases including marriage equality and significant legislation that have furthered our basic civil rights. This pictorial and wide-reaching text takes you on a journey covering key figures, heroes, notable moments, events and breakthroughs in a wealth of rare images and documents as well as providing moving essays from vital witnesses throughout our modern day movement. Though we still have a long way to go to achieve full equality, “PRIDE: The Story Of The LGBTQ Equality Movement” is a unique and comprehensive account of the ongoing challenges facing our LGBTQ community and a celebration of civil rights that have been won for many of us as a result of the sacrifices and passion of this mass movement. The book includes personal testimonies from many relevant activists and allies including Judy Shepard mother of Matthew Shepard, legendary photographer Nan Goldin, Reverend Troy Perry founder of the Metropolitan Community Church, novelist playwright essayist Darryl Pinckney, Jake Shears of The Scissor Sisters, activist and former Pride Award-winner Jonathan Blake, New Zealand politician Georgina Beyer the world’s first openly transgender Mayor and transgender member of Parliament, Deborah Brin one of the world’s first openly gay Rabbis and many more. We talked to Todd about his passion and inspiration for creating “PRIDE: The Story Of The LGBTQ Equality Movement” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Matthew Todd is a multi award winning writer and previous editor of “Attitude” a British gay lifestyle magazine from 2008 to 2016. His first book "Straight Jacket - Overcoming Society's Legacy of Gay Shame" was shortlisted for the Polari Prize in 2017 and was voted winner of the Boyz LGBT Book of the Year Award. His play “Blowing Whistles” has been performed in the UK, Australia and the United States. Todd’s fabulous new work “PRIDE: The Story Of The LGBTQ Equality Movement” (Weldon Owen) is currently available online and in stores. For More Info: matthewtodd.net
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Equality Florida hosted a virtual Town Hall with Black LGBTQ leaders in response to a rash of attacks that have claimed Black lives including the brutal killing of George Floyd by white police officers in Minneapolis. The Black LGBTQ leaders included Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President, Michele Rayner, Civil Rights Attorney who represented the McGlockton family following the murder of Markeis, Imani Rupert-Gordon, National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director, Andrea Jenkins, Minneapolis City Council Vice President and moderated by Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director. The Town Hall came after more than 500 LGBTQ organizations from across the country signed onto a letter condemning racial violence and committing to the fight against it. This important dialogue also comes on the heels of the murders of seven Black transgender women in Florida in less than two years, the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery by white vigilantes in Georgia and the weaponizing of race by a white woman against Christian Cooper a Black gay man bird watching in New York City’s Central Park and the disturbing questions raised in the recent police shooting death of Tony McDade a Black transgender man in Tallahassee. All the leaders during the Town Hall also addressed the fact that since 2013 over 170 transgender women and men have been murdered in this country with over 70% being of color. This is another stark reminder of the need for all civil right leaders who are speaking out against systemic racism and hate violence claiming Black lives must be LGBTQ inclusive.
Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director has been named one of Florida’s "Most Powerful and Influential Women" by the Florida Diversity Council. She has received the League of Women Voter's Woman of Distinction Award and in 2018 was named one of the 100 Most Influential Floridians by Influence Magazine. She currently serves as chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Florida Advisory Committee. She lives in St. Petersburg with her wife Andrea and son Logan. Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s LGBTQ community. Through education, grassroots organizing, coalition building and lobbying they are changing Florida so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
For More Info: eqfl.org
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Wendy Jo Carlton talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her new feature film “Good Kisser” available now to purchase or rent on Wolfe Video. Kathy Wolfe, CEO & Founder at Wolfe Video stated, “We have wanted to work with Wendy Jo Carlton for years and are glad to have that opportunity with the release of her sexy new film ‘Good Kisser’. We are excited to share her portrayal of an authentic lesbian experience with our loyal Wolfe audience." “Good Kisser” features an ensemble cast starring Kari Alison Hodge (Jenna), Julia Eringer (Mia), Courtney McCullough (Yuka) and the feature debut of Rachel Paulson (Kate), who is the younger sister of actor Sarah Paulson. “Good Kisser” is about Kate and Jenna who want to spice up their relationship by opening it up to a third and plan a date with the enchanting Mia. Jenna becomes enthralled with Mia’s sexual confidence and charm and as they spend the evening dancing, drinking tequila and sharing secrets the women become entangled physically and emotionally. However what was intended as a night of fun soon exposes the cracks in Kate and Jenna’s relationship redefining being careful what you wish for. “Good Kisser” will have its DVD release June 16th and will stream on a variety of digital platforms including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and more. We talked to Wendy Jo about what she hopes to accomplish with “Good Kisser” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Wendy Jo Carlton directed her first feature “Hannah Free” starring Emmy-winner Sharon Gless in 2009. Her second feature “Jamie and Jessie are Not Together” is said to be the first lesbian RomCom musical with film critic Roger Ebert giving it a glowing review, and AutoStraddle.com listing “Jamie and Jessie are Not Together” as one of the “Top 100 Lesbian Movies of All Time”. Her award-winning lesbian web series “Easy Abby” received over 50 million views online and is now an Original Series on Revry.tv. Wendy Jo Carlton also served as an Associate Producer on the award-winning documentary “Circus of Books” executive produced by Ryan Murphy and recently released on Netflix. For More Info: goodkissermovie.com
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Adrian Shanker talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about “Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health” the new critically acclaimed anthology that creates a road map for action that could improve LGBTQ health. With essays by twenty-six well-known and emerging LGBTQ activists the book challenges conventional wisdom about healthcare providers and probes deeply into the roots of the health disparities that worsens health outcomes for our LGBTQ community. This book couldn’t be more relevant as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the onset of HIV/AIDS in America LGBTQ people have struggled against healthcare bias and discrimination. Through contributing authors that include Alisa Bowman, Jack Harrison-Quintana, Liz Margolies, Robyn Ochs, Sean Strub, Justin Tanis, Ryan Thoreson, Imani Woody and more “Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health” provides us with crucial information to fight for health equity through clinical, behavioral and policy changes. Though our LGBTQ community has experienced great strides toward civil rights in this country our health as a community still lags. “Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health” provides an indispensable blueprint for change by some of the most passionate and important health activists in the LGBTQ movement today calling on clinicians to up their game when it comes to caring for sexual and gender minority people. We talked to Adrian about what he hopes to accomplish with “Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Adrian Shanker earned a Graduate Certificate in LGBT Health Policy and Practice from George Washington University and serves as Executive Director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in Allentown, PA. A specialist in LGBTQ health policy he has developed leading-edge health promotion campaigns to advance health equity through behavioral, clinical and policy changes. Adrian administered data collection for the 2015, 2018 and 2020 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessments. He co-authored “Queer and Quitting: Addressing Tobacco Use as an LGBTQ Issue” in The Routledge Handbook for LGBTQIA Administration and Policy. Adrian serves as Commissioner and Health Committee Co-Chair on the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs. Previously he served on the Office of Health Equity Advisory Board at Pennsylvania Department of Health. He was named a “Healthcare Hero” by Lehigh Valley Business and twice named ‘Person of the Year’ by Philadelphia Gay News. “Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health” with Foreword by Rachel L. Levine, MD and Afterword by Kate Kendell is published by PM Press.
For More Info: pmpress.org
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Robert Lo, CEO and Founder of Alset talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE about the game changing gig economy app where people can barter or charge for their services or offer them as a favor. With the arrival of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders for nonessential workers our personal lives and careers have been altered. The impact of this pandemic has financially destroyed a large percentage of gig workers in the entertainment industry as well as hair stylists, caterers, party planners, trainers and more as their income has ceased to exist. Now is the time to reconsider what we thought we knew about work and the economy as we create a new normal. Life as we knew it will never be the same. This is an opportunity to take advantage of this universal reset and create a better world. The Alset app was invented to give local communities a chance to expand globally by connecting individuals through the beneficial exchange of their gifts, talents and contributions. If we can redistribute wealth in this country and globally and help enable people to advance their experience perhaps we can shift some cultural norms and hopefully transform our current economic system into a better future. That is what the Alset app is attempting to do. No one can say how long this pandemic will last. However we must choose our collective health over our financial security in order to defeat this pandemic. We talked to Robert about how the Alset app could help reshape our economy in these challenging times and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Robert Lo is an LGBTQ tech founder and entrepreneur based in West Hollywood, California and holds a Masters of Business Administration in Finance and Masters in Organization. Robert has reimagined the future of work in the 21st century through the new app Alset where people can barter or charge for their services or offer them as a favor. Lo stated, “Alset was created and established so we wouldn’t need to rely on the public or private sector in moments of fiscal upheaval. Freedom and autonomy have always belonged to the individuals within a community. Alset’s bartering and favors features are an open source system to allow individuals, communities and societies to define value for themselves and redefine value for successive generations.” As a leading thinker in augmenting the fiat currency, re-shifting the way society defines and redefines value and democratizing work, Robert is the visionary force behind Alset. Currently Robert also serves as the Chair of the City of West Hollywood's Business License Commission. For More Info: yourealset.com
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Actor Michelle Clunie talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the “Queer As Folk” virtual 20th anniversary cast and crew reunion that takes place Friday May 1st at 11A PST/2P EST on YouTube. This must-attend livestream event is a fundraiser for CenterLink and its network of over 250 LGBTQ community centers. It’s hard to believe it was 20 years ago when we first entered the hallowed club Babylon and met Michael, Ben, Ted, Emmett, Melanie and the whole “Queer As Folk” gang. This Friday May 1st they’re back – better than ever - to celebrate the reunion of cast, crew, writers, directors and guest stars to raise awareness of the need to support LGBTQ centers all over the world. Scott Lowell (Ted) will host members of the “Queer As Folk” cast and crew including Clunie, Sharon Gless, Peter Paige, Hal Sparks, Randy Harrison and Robert Gant. Guest actors from your favorite episodes will also be joining as well as “Queer As Folk” creator executive producers Ron Cowen and Dan Lipman and more. During this pandemic LGBTQ community centers have continued to serve their communities providing vital often life-saving services such as medical care, mental health counseling, virtual support groups, filling prescriptions, providing hot meals and check-in phone calls for older adults. They are also serving as shelters for homeless youth, distributing nonperishable food items and hygiene products, case management, HIV testing and hosting virtual engagement activities to decrease social isolation. With cancelled galas, Pride events, fundraisers, etc. our LGBTQ community centers could be forced to shrink services, resulting in thousands of LGBTQ people going without care. We talked to Michelle about what she hopes to accomplish with this livestream fundraising event and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Actor Michelle Clunie is best known for her role as Melanie Marcus on the Showtime groundbreaking hit show “Queer As Folk”. She is a fierce LGBTQ activist and is currently raising her son Dashiell. The livestream “Queer As Folk” Virtual Reunion will give fans an opportunity to chat live with their favorite stars and bid on “Queer As Folk” memorabilia with all proceeds supporting CenterLink. Serving over 250 LGBTQ community centers across the country in 45 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia as well as centers in Canada, China and Australia, CenterLink assists newly forming community centers and helps strengthen existing LGBTQ centers through networking opportunities for center leaders, peer-based technical assistance and training and more. During this challenging time we hope you will tune in for this fabulous May Day Home Stay event Friday May 1st at 11A PST/2P EST on YouTube and please Stay Safe and Healthy. For More Info: CenterLink.org
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Jonathan Calixto talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his part on MTV's new season of “Wrong Distance Relationship” currently on the Snapchat platform. The timely series produced by Hoff Productions follows four couples in long distance relationships balancing careers, everyday life and being away from the person they love as they question how far is too far when it comes to love. Jonathan Calixto and Brandon Reyes are the first LGBTQ couple to be featured on the series. Jonathan Calixto is a fashion and lifestyle correspondent from Bronx, New York and is in a relationship with forensic scientist Brandon Reyes from Manassas, Virginia. They met two years ago on Tinder and are navigating what it means to be 257 miles apart and in love. Jonathan is at the peak of his career as a correspondent and micro-influencer (@ThisisJCali) building his platform and experience in NYC as he aspires to be the next Ryan Seacrest while Brandon received his big break in a small town by landing his dream job in forensic science with no plans to relocate. We talked to Jonathan about what he hopes to accomplish with “Wrong Distance Relationship,” how he’s dealing with social distancing and stay home orders in NYC during the COVID-19 pandemic and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Jonathan Calixto is a Fashion and Lifestyle Correspondent at BELLA Magazine. Staying on top of the latest happenings he has covered events like New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and Miami Swim Week. Currently he’s working on hosting “BELLA Make it Work” sharing content from fashion, lifestyle and a peak into his Peruvian culture. He entered the industry as a styling assistant and has gone on to work in public relations and social media marketing giving him the knowledge to be a true social media guru. With the impact of COVID-19 he is focusing on helping brands and non-profit organizations to create a “new normal” with a solid foundation in social media. New episodes of MTV's “Wrong Distance Relationship” series on Snapchat air on Tuesdays. For More Info: thisisjcali.com
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Filmmaker Nicole Conn talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her new award-winning must-see feature film “More Beautiful For Having Been Broken” was released in partnership with Vision Films and Wolfe Video beginning April 7th talks with “More Beautiful For Having Been Broken” is a story about a distraught FBI agent suspended from her job and struggling with the death of her mother who escapes to the small mountain town she use to visit as a child. She is befriended by a special needs boy who possesses the extraordinary gift of healing others through his unbroken spirit and unique outlook on life. The film stars Australian actress, Zoë Ventoura (Home and Away, Packed to the Rafters), Kayla Radomski of “So You Think You Can Dance” fame and an amazing performance by 11-year-old Cale Ferrin who was diagnosed with Fanconi Anemia a rare genetic disease often marked by congenital defects and short stature. Joining the stellar cast are Bruce Davison (Star Trek / X-Men), French Stewart (3rd Rock from the Sun), Brooke Elliott (Drop Dead Diva), Harley Jane Kozak (Parenthood), Gaby Christian (South of Nowhere), Kay Lenz, Wally Kurth and Gabrielle Baba-Conn (Conn’s real-life daughter) who is making her feature debut. “More Beautiful For Having Been Broken" is very personal to Conn as it pays homage to Conn’s daughter and in particular to her son Nicholas who has special needs and is medically fragile. We talked to Nicole about what she hopes to accomplish with this film and how she and her family are adjusting to these challenging times.
Iconic filmmaker Nicole Conn paved the way for lesbian themed cinema with her cult classic “Claire of the Moon” and also for her acclaimed features “Elena Undone” which boasts the longest screen kiss in cinema history and “A Perfect Ending”. Nicole understands the need for using her talent to change hearts and minds and hopes that “More Beautiful For Having Been Broken” will deliver a much needed message about our special needs community as well as our LGBTQ community and provide encouragement and healing in these difficult times. DVD NOW AVAILABLE For More Info: nicoleconn.com
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Sarah F. Pearlman talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about “Where There Are Mountains” her new novella that’s a perfect escape while hunkering down during the current pandemic. The novella brings to life the early Neolithic life about seven thousand years ago. This was a time of great migrations as numerous tribes left the cold and hunger of their northern homeland to travel a path south as they struggled past tribes that lived near the mountain passes of Mount Olympus. The novella focuses on the Matrilineal tribes that worshiped a female divinity. These tribes were peaceful, wanting only a place where there was food and warmth but others on the path were warrior people. These tribes came to conquer and enslave bringing their male gods and creating the beginning of patriarchal conquests. “Where There Are Mountains” is narrated by three women. The first woman tells her adventures traveling the path south through the mountain passes of what would become Greece. The second is her daughter who is captured by a war tribe. The third is a woman from a female-centered tribe perhaps the precursors of Amazons living in woodlands near the mountain passes. “Where There Are Mountains” is a story of captivity, resilience and escape. It was a time of violence but also love. Love of a mother for her daughter. Love between women of different tribes. We talked to Pearlman about her inspiration for writing “Where There Are Mountains” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Sarah F. Pearlman is a teacher, writer, occasional poet and lesbian-feminist activist, nationally recognized for her pioneering role in establishing a lesbian psychology. She was an editor and author of articles in Lesbian Psychologies: Exploration and Challenges, the first anthology exclusively on lesbianism and psychology that focused on identity, relationship and community issues that was published in 1987 by University of Illinois Press. Sarah completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Antioch New England Graduate School at age fifty-six and was employed at the University of Hartford. She is the author of “Mother-Talk: Conversations with Mothers of Lesbian Daughters and “FTM Transgender Children” (2012) and “The Lesbian Erotic: Bad Girl Persona and Other Poems” (2013). Pearlman has traveled extensively throughout Greece and Turkey which was the inspiration of “Where There Are Mountains” where she sought out goddess temple complexes, sacred caves and Neolithic villages confirming a world that existed long before our era of patriarchal domination. “Where There Are Mountains” is available on Amazon. (Artwork by Greg Spalenko) For More Info: sarahpearlman.com
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Imani Rupert-Gordon the new Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her aspirations leading this important LGBTQ organization which is known for tackling the most pressing issues of race, gender and economic inequality facing our LGBTQ community. Founded in 1977 NCLR is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights for LGBTQ people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy and public education. NCLR is a non-profit public interest law firm that litigates precedent-setting cases at the trial and appellate court levels; advocates for equitable public policies affecting our LGBTQ community; provides free legal assistance to LGBTQ people and their legal advocates and conducts community education on LGBTQ issues. NCLR serves more than 5,000 LGBTQ people and their families throughout the United States each year including LGBTQ parents, seniors, immigrants, athletes and youth. Currently NCLR is suing the State of South Carolina over an anti-LGBTQ Curriculum law around sex education. They are also very proud that their Born Perfect campaign to end Conversion Therapy which had a huge victory in Virginia last week becoming the first Southern state to do so. Earlier this month, along with Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and Meyer Stephenson, NCLR won a landmark medical care lawsuit on behalf of a transgender employee. We talked to Imani about what she hopes to accomplish as the new Executive Director of NCLR and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Imani Rupert-Gordon holds a Bachelors degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Masters degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. For over a decade Imani has worked to advance social justice efforts in higher education and local communities. Previously she served as the Executive Director of Affinity Community Services, the nation’s oldest social justice organization serving the needs of Black LGBTQ people with a particular focus on Black women. From December 2013 until January 2016 Imani was the Director of the Broadway Youth Center (BYC), part of Howard Brown Health in Chicago overseeing the expansion of services at BYC and improving relationships with the community and local government. Imani Rupert-Gordon stated, “I am humbled to build on the legacy of the NCLR leaders like Donna Hitchens and Kate Kendell who have been such fantastic stewards of this mission of this organization. I am proud to be a part of the fantastic work being led by leaders like Shannon Minter who is translating that mission into a groundbreaking legal, policy and public education agenda. We have the privilege and opportunity to fundamentally shift the direction of the LGBTQ movement to once again include more of us and to protect all of us.”
For More Info: nclrights.org
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Filmmaker Astrid Ovalles talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her new film “Road of Bygones” that’s set to be released on Amazon March 15th. “Road of Bygones” is written and directed by Ovalles and stars Sarah J. Lucey, Oriana Oppice and Astrid herself. The dark comedy tells the story of three women who embark on a road trip to retrieve the ashes of a parent hoping to find overdue closure. However at their destination the women are confronted with a series of comedic and emotional events that threaten to destroy all harmony between them. The film also explores the theme of D&S (Dominance and Submission) that's usually displayed with misconceptions and ignorance. Actually Ovalles masterfully goes where no other filmmakers have gone before effectively breaking the stigma associated with lesbian D&S relationships. Above all "Road of Bygones" is an intimate story about humanity that leaves audiences thinking about the film long after they've viewed it. The Amazon announcement comes on the heels of the success that “Road of Bygones” enjoyed traveling the film festival circuit with notable stops at the Big Apple Film Festival and New York Cinematography Awards (NYCA) where it won “Best LGBT Film.” We talked to Astrid about her inspiration for creating “Road of Bygones”, what she hopes to accomplish with her work and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Astrid Ovalles is a Venezuelan-born actor, writer and director who debuted her talent in the award-winning and globally acclaimed short film "Camp Belvidere." As the driving force behind Recluse Films her own independent film company her goal is to use heart and innovation in the film medium to share powerful human stories that benefit our LGBTQ community and minorities by bringing them to the forefront of her work. Astrid continues to collaborate with filmmakers in front of the camera as an actor and behind it as a writer, director, editor and colorist. Beyond shaking things up in her industry Ovalles is changing the game as well as challenging the status quo for not just women but lesbians and Latinas. Having broken many stereotypes Astrid definitely epitomizes the definition of doing it on your own terms and succeeding at it by bringing a unique passion to her craft. As a talented actress, writer and filmmaker Astrid is a new breed of filmmaker to keep an eye on. Astrid Ovalles lives in New York City with her wife. For More Info: roadofbygones.com
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Mariah Hanson, founder and producer of the legendary Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend that’s celebrating its 30th anniversary and takes place April 1st through April 5th in Palm Springs, CA.talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Since 1990 The Dinah has welcomed millions of lesbian identifying queer women from around the world who make the annual pilgrimage to attend this infamous 5-day event to celebrate, unite, empower and live OutLoud at the largest global all-girl music festival. The festivities include high profile performances by nationally renowned recording artists, massive pool parties with world famed DJs, go-go dancers, red carpet events with celebrity guests, dance parties, meet and greets with your favorite celesbians and so much more. This year performing live at The Dinah will be singer/songwriter Layton Greene, Ally Brooke, Saweetie, Umi, Lion Baby and Yung Baby Take. Also new this year will be two nights of comedy showcases that include Dana Goldberg, Dinah Leffart, Gina Yashere on Thursday night and gay icon John Waters who is creating a special Saturday night show just for the occasion stating, “As a proud ‘lezbro’ who’s never been scared of women smarter than me, I’m happy to be the comic relief in a sea of partying ‘all-girl’ music festival fans. Thanks to The Dinah I will finally be a true outsider!” Additional confirmed performers include SWSH, Sophia Messa, Jozzy, Madison Paige with more TBA. Hosting the events will be Kaycee Clark, Rose Garcia and Mikalah Gordon. DJ’s spinning at The Dinah dance parties are Angie Vee, Val G, Alex D, Tatiana, Miss M, China G, Less Ortiz, Zehno and Reesie Cups. We talked to Mariah about what she hopes to accomplish at this year’s 30th celebration of Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Mariah Hanson has continuously utilized The Dinah as a platform to mobilize our LGBTQ community around humanitarian projects and social issues. An exemplary community leader she has single-handedly revolutionized her industry, overturned tradition and raised the bar on female achievement with an event that is entirely produced by women for women. For many, The Dinah has become an annual tradition between friends; for others it is a bucket-list goal or a pilgrimage to our very own mecca that every queer woman should make at least once in her life. OUTTAKE VOICES has been a proud Media Sponsor of The Dinah for the last five years.
For More Info & Tix: theDinah.com
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Actor Brian Edward talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about starring in the world premiere of the new play “Quentin Crisp’s Last Word” directed by Spence Whale at the Hamburg Studio of Pittsburgh’s City Theatre at 1300 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, PA from February 6th through 16th. Quentin Crisp first rose to global notoriety with the publication of his 1968 autobiography “The Naked Civil Servant” detailing his years in London as a nude model and a flagrantly unapologetic homosexual during a time when it was forbidden by law. The book was adapted into a film starring John Hurt in 1975. Crisp then moved to NYC at age 72 living as a resident alien during the 1980s becoming a champion of outsider artists including the likes of Sting and Andy Warhol. He was frequently sought after for late night talk show appearances and empowered audiences with his one-man show expounding his forthright views on current affairs, social manners and personal style. Shortly before his death in 1999 Crisp dictated his final autobiography to author and colleague Phillip Ward. Ward who is also the executor of Quentin Crisp’s estate published the autobiography “The Last Word: An Autobiography” in 2017. (Listen to Ward’s Interview) Brian contacted Ward and out of their conversations the script collaboration developed and Brian was selected to portray Quentin Crisp in this stage premiere. We talked to Brian about what he hopes to accomplish with the theatrical production of “Quentin Crisp’s Last Word” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Brian Edward is a performing and literary artist, director, playwright and an avid scholar of art and film. He is the author of several produced plays including the nationally acclaimed touring musical Amish Burlesque and has been a featured guest lecturer for the Berkshire Playwrights Festival. He has served as host and emcee for numerous charitable and cultural events including the American Institute of Architecture Design Awards and is the host of ‘Burgh Vivant, Pittsburgh’s arts and culture talk magazine. Currently Brian hopes to take “Quentin Crisp’s Last Word” on tour after the Pittsburgh engagement that runs February 6th through 16th at the Hamburg Studio of Pittsburgh’s City Theatre. For More Info & Tix: crisperanto.org
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Actor/filmmaker Yuval David talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about his advocacy work dedicating his time to serving various causes and organizations including The Trevor Project, GLAAD, The Kennedy Center, Stand With Us, The Jewish National Fund, A Wider Bridge, The National LGBTQ Task Force and more. Recently he led various workshops and panels at The National LGBTQ Task Force's Creating Change Conference in Dallas. Yuval stated, “Since my youth I always understood the importance of making this world a better place and helping others. I’ve brought this element into my own work as an actor, host and filmmaker in addition to my efforts in advocacy. I understand how important it is for me and for everyone to use their voices and actions to create change for the greater good. Being at the Creating Change Conference brings me together with so many others who have that same understanding.” As an acclaimed Israeli-American actor, host and filmmaker Yuval understands the larger social ecosystem of the world and how it benefits from the work and the uniquely powerful voice of an artist such as himself and is committed each day to creating work that entertains, inspires and uplifts those around him and around the world. He is especially concerned about the global anti-Semitism crisis which he addresses as a first generation Jewish American whose grandparents were survivors of The Holocaust. We talked to Yuval about what he hopes to accomplish with his work and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Yuval David’s acting credits include “Madam Secretary” ABC’s popular primetime series, “What Would You Do” as well as countless feature and short films and web series. Yuval effortlessly oscillates between roles, changing personas, seamlessly shifting accents and going from loveable lead to malicious miscreant on a dime, making him one of the busiest working actors in film, TV, theatre and voice overs today. He also creates content about environmental and societal issues, creatively exploring the documentary format and how to have social impact through an artistic film format. He can be seen next on HBO’s TV mini-series, “The Plot Against America,” with Winona Ryder and John Turturro. (Photo Credit: Leslie Hassler)
For More Info: yuvaldavid.com
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Trans activist Monica Roberts who is being honored at the 32nd Creating Change Conference presented by the National LGBTQ Task Force that takes place at the Sheraton Dallas in Dallas, Texas January 15th through January 19th, 2020 talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Roberts is a longtime award-winning human rights advocate. She has been advocating for the human rights of transgender people for over 20 years with a focus on the issues affecting Black trans people and will be receiving the Susan J. Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement sponsored by Wild Geese Foundation. This year special focus will address issues facing trans women of color, the work being done to address anti-trans violence and systemic discrimination and moving the movement forward in our work for freedom, justice and liberation. The theme of this year’s Creating Change Conference is “Love, Learning & Liberation” and Rea Carey Task Force Executive Director and Kierra Johnson Deputy Executive Director will host the annual State of the Movement plenary. Though our LGBTQ community and families continue to be under attack by the current administration we know our community is strong, resilient, creative and determined. Since 1988 Creating Change has created networking opportunities and inspiration for thousands of committed people to develop and hone their activist skills. The Creating Change Conference is the foremost political leadership and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ social justice movement. Over 4,000 people from all over the country will attend this five-day program that features over 300 workshops, training sessions, meetings and events. We talked to Monica about what she hopes to accomplish at this year’s Creating Change Conference and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Monica Roberts a native of Houston, Texas is the founding editor of the award-winning TransGriot blog. Her writing has appeared at Ebony.com, the Advocate, Black Girl Dangerous and in the 'Unapologetically Trans' monthly column in Houston's OutSmart magazine. Some of the honors that Monica has received are the GLAAD Media Award, the Robert Coles Call of Service Award from Harvard University's Phillips Brooks House Association, the Virginia Prince Transgender Pioneer Award, the Barbara Jordan Breaking Barriers Award from the Harris County Democratic Party, the IFGE Trinity Award and named to the 2019 OUT100. The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. They are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. For More Info & Tix: creatingchange.org
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