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The LGBTQ Task Force interim communications director Cathy Renna
We speak with Cathy Renna, interim communications director of the National LGBTQ Task Force. Cathy Renna joins the National LGBTQ Task Force as Interim Communications Director but is no stranger to the organization and its incredible staff. As a longtime supporter and contractor on projects over the years and a regular presence at Creating Change, she has been part of the Task Force’s extended family for decades. The first real media training she ever attended was in fact at Creating Change in the early 90’s, a new activist finding her way as a volunteer at the then glaad chapter in Washington, D.C. She has stayed close to the Task Force ever since.

Renna is a veteran in the communications industry, and currently serves as the Principal of Target Cue. Since her time at GLAAD in the 1990’s and early aughts, Cathy has executed her particular expertise in crisis and strategic communications, playing a central 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”. She most recently worked with the team that coordinated historic coverage for WorldPride/Stonewall 50, working with NYC Pride.

After leaving her position at GLAAD as National News Media Director, Cathy joined Fenton Communications, where she served as its New York office Media Director from 2004 to 2006 and worked with clients ranging from MoveOn.org to the American Lung Association to Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai.

She went on to found Renna Communications and then co-founded Target Cue in 2013. In her near 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, The Guardian and the Washington Post. She continues to be a sought after spokesperson for LGBTQ+ issues, and has appeared on the O’Reilly Factor, CNN, MSNBC, and Good Morning America.

Renna lives in Montclair, New Jersey with her partner Karen and their ornery but lovable cat Winston. She is the proud Mom of Rosemary, just starting high school and living in Houston, TX, where she is a budding artist and part of the local LGBTQ community, helped start a GSA in her middle school and attends the HATCH program at the Montrose Center.

The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. We 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 we’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. These barriers must go. That’s why the Task Force is training and mobilizing millions of activists across our nation to deliver a world where you can be you.
Guest: Cathy Renna
https://www.thetaskforce.org

Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:
https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ and
https://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

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How does LGBTQ+ representation shape the business and civic landscape of Houston? Discover the compelling narratives and insights from Ryan Wilson of the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce, as he shares the Chamber's mission and the diverse businesses it supports. We'll discuss the growing importance of LGBTQ+ voices on city and county boards and commissions and how you can join this influential movement.
Learn about the Harris County LGBTQIA+ Commission's public listening sessions and the critical issues they address with Victoria Cordova and Talya Morris. We highlight their mission, formation, and the diverse representation they aim to achieve. From the "Out for Good" gala to an upcoming band book fair, you'll get a firsthand look at the exciting events fostered by community engagement and local partnerships.
Ever wondered what it's like to be a Texas delegate at the Democratic National Convention? Hear Louis Adame's inspiring journey and his experiences amidst pivotal political moments, including reflections on President Biden's campaign challenges and triumphs. Brett Cullum finishes off the episode with a lively community calendar, listing events that promise to energize and engage. This episode is packed with insights, inspiration, and opportunities for involvement like never before.

Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:
https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ and
https://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

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Club Q Shooting -- Arden Eversmeyer Passing -- Texas Pride Impact Funds 5 year anniversary -- Juan Palomo Part 2
We discuss the life and times of Arden Eversmeyer, Houston activist. Jean Arden Eversmeyer, known as Arden (1931-2022) founded both Lesbians Over Age Fifty (LOAF) and the Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project (OLOHP) and was a mayoral appointee to the Houston, Texas Agency on Aging. After retirement, she dedicated her efforts to ensure that older lesbians have access to community resources and that their unique life stories are recorded and celebrated. Arden Eversmeyer died in Houston TX on 14 November 2022.
Then we speak with Ron Guillard, executive director of Texas Pride Impact Funds. Texas Pride Impact Funds exists to propel the LGBTQ+ movement in Texas by supporting nonprofits that help thousands of our citizens across the state every day. Our work strengthens community organizations and their leaders, mobilizes donors and funders, inspires giving, and actively secures our LGBTQ+ community's future for generations to come.
Guest: Ron Guillard
https://txpif.org
Finally, we have the second part of an interview of activist Juan Palomo. Juan R. Palomo was born in Grafton, North Dakota to Mexican immigrant parents and grew up in Crystal City, TX, spending much of his first 20 years with his family on the migrant farm worker trail to midwestern states.
He moved to Houston In 1990 as a columnist for The Houston Post, to write three columns per week, with free reign to develop content. Palomo had been with the Post nine months when Paul Broussard was murdered during a gay bashing incident (July 4, 1991). Palomo was horrified, even more so, when Broussard's mother said she was unable to understand why someone would murder her son. Palomo concluded it was because people like him remained silent. He wrote, "I feel a special responsibility to speak out because I have this forum and, more important, because like Paul Broussard, I am gay." The column ended: "I didn't know Paul Broussard, but silence does equal death and I have a responsibility to ensure that Houston does not forget him, or how he died, or why."
Guest: Juan Palomo
https://www.houstonlgbthistory.org/banner1990b.html

Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:
https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ and
https://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

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Pride 2023 Update -- Robert Gallegos for Houston mayor -- Montrose Blvd. Project
We speak with representatives from Pride 365 about the 2023 Pride events and what will be different this year. Historically, Pride Houston is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) non-profit that has organized the official Houston LGBT Pride Celebration® every year in Montrose or downtown Houston. As of 2022, no longer will we only celebrate in June. Introducing Pride Houston 365. We will continue to strive to promote equality and inclusion through celebration and plan for numerous LGBTQIA+ events all year long to support our community. Why rebrand? Full transparency coupled with a goal of celebrating Houston’s LGBTQIA+ community year-round, raising critical funds for youth scholarships, and offering ongoing health and wellness education takes time.

And it equals a 365 days-a-year commitment.
Guest: Lavender Lee
https://pridehouston365.org
Then, we speak with Houston's lone LGBT city Councilmember Robert Gallegos who is announced he is running for Houston mayor. Robert Gallegos is a native Houstonian. He was elected in 2013 to the Houston City Council, representing District I – an area that encompasses downtown, EaDo, Clinton Park, parts of northeast Houston, the greater East End and the Houston Ship Channel, as well as communities along I-45 south from downtown to Hobby Airport. Robert was born at Parkview Hospital on 75th and Harrisburg and was raised in Magnolia Park. He is the son of immigrants, working class parents, and proud labor union family.

Before being elected, Robert spent over 30 years volunteering and working in the community he now represents on city council. He was the founder and first president of the Eastwood/Lawndale Super Neighborhood Council and served as president of his neighborhood’s civic club (Houston Country Club Place) for over 15 years.
Guest: Robert Gallegos
https://voterobertgallegos.com
Finally, we speak with Nelson Vergel and Robert Snellgrove about the project to rebuild Montrose Boulevard with the possibility of adding historical markers to commemorate the LGBT community. The project spans a roughly 2-mile section from Allen Parkway south to I-69. It will involve a full roadway and drainage reconstruction with hard construction costs estimated at $52 million, Gauge Engineering Principal Mohammed Ali said.
Improvements will focus on improving mobility for all roadway users by widening sidewalks, making intersection crossings safer, replacing traffic signals and improving lighting.
Guests: Nelson Vergel and Robert Snellgrove
https://montrosehtx.org/

Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:
https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ and
https://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/

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We speak with the Montrose Center's Executive Director Ann Robinson. She will be retiring soon and we catch up with her about her 35 years at the Center and what is next. The Montrose Center opened in 1978 as Montrose Counseling Center (MCC), after the widely successful Town Meeting I at the Astro Arena.

The Center faced many financial burdens in its formative years, particularly because of the high cost of providing health insurance for its employees living with HIV/AIDS. In the 1990s the Center became one of the first places in Houston to offer temporary housing to gay men and transgender people. In 2013, the Center changed its name from Montrose Counseling Center to the Montrose Center, as services had evolved beyond just counseling and wanted people to feel they could come to the Center for services other than mental health.

Today, the Montrose Center serves as a community hub, with a long, proud history of empowering LGBTQ Houston since 1978.
Guest: Ann Robinson
https://montrosecenter.org/

We get up close and personal with Kendra Walker, a dynamo businesswoman, entrepreneur, and community leader hailing from Jackson, Mississippi. Rising from her humble beginnings to the top, Kendra opens up about her dedication to self-care and how her unstoppable work ethic has catapulted her to success. Uncover more about her upcoming events in Houston, her unprecedented contributions to Pride Houston, and her tireless initiatives aimed at supporting the LGBTQIA+ community.
And as we wrap up, we cast a lens onto the grim reality of Anti-LGBTQ Abuses in Uganda, providing a broader perspective on the global challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. Kendra’s thoughts on this issue, and her challenges to us all to step up as active change-makers, are not to be missed. Join us as we celebrate the resilience of the Montrose Center's staff and emphasize the importance of continuous support for the LGBTQ+ community. An episode brimming with inspiring stories, insights, and calls to action, this is one you wouldn't want to miss!
Guest: Kendra Walker
https://pridehouston365.org/

Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:
https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ and
https://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/