26-Year-Old Trans Woman Jo Acker Killed in Boise, Idaho

Jo Acker of Boise

A 26-year-old white trans woman, Jo Acker, was one victim of a mass shooting in Boise, Idaho. Jo worked at the mall as a security guard and reports indicate she bravely confronted the shooter while escorting customers out of the building. Jo is the 42nd victim of the campaign of terror and violence targeting the […]

Autoimmune Dysmotility and Me: Part Three

Sue Kerr

I stood on the scale looking at the large digital numbers as the nurse took my blood pressure. I have lost 33+ pounds since May. This wasn’t entirely news to me as I’ve been using an analog scale at home and notice my clothes falling off me and all of those other observations. But now […]

How to Request Toys for Tots in Western Pennsylvania in 2021

Toys for Tots Pennsylvania

This is our annual (9+ year) round-up of Toys for Tots programs in Western Pennsylvania for 2021. I’ve done my best to sort through the available information and provide you what you may need to know. PLEASE click through to the applicable link to doublecheck the details. I will update as information becomes available. Some […]

Announcing Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities (PLC), a 501c3 corporation

Pgh LGBTQ Charities

I am very pleased that I now share my birthday of October 22 with a brand new project, Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities (PLC) which was registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania today. The mission is to raise community awareness and promote grassroots engagement for neighborhood quality of life, animal welfare, anti-poverty and LGBTQ+ issues in Western […]

On Day 592 of the Pandemic, I Turn 51 Years Old

First, let me thank the lovely people who have sent good wishes and gifts for the cats. It makes my heart swell. I have two winter cat shelters to be assembled and some funds chipping in to buy a sturdy feeding station for the colony. Another friend sent batteries that are literally keeping the lights […]

City of Pittsburgh Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs honors LGBTQ History Month

The City of Pittsburgh Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs honors LGBTQ History Month thisOctober. We know that groundbreaking moments, big and small, have shaped the evolution ofour community since long before colonizers arrived on these waters and lands. The history ofour community is deeply intertwined with the histories of Indigenous, Black, and BrownLGBTQ peoples and we […]

Autoimmune Dysmotility and Me: Part Two

A few months ago, I posted about my struggle with dysmotility, basically a disorder where food does not move through the digestive system appropriately. At the time, we thought it was my stomach. That proved untrue – my stomach is fine. Turns out it is my esophagus, specifically the lower third that due to nerve […]