Occasional Ask for Donations

Occasional Ask for Donations

Remember, my blog is not a source of income. No one covers my expenses to do all this thinking and ask these questions except me (and Ledcat). So if you are feeling the impact of the work we do, you can chip in to help us continue. You can donate directly to AMPLIFY or the […]

Anger & Disappointment: Statements From People Who Attended the Meeting with Turahn Jenkins

The compiled public statements from multiple LGBTQ folks and allies who attended the meeting Friday afternoon with candidate for District Attorney Turahn Jenkins. You can read my summary of the meeting in this post. Here I am simply signal boosting the words of the individuals who were part of the meeting. I do not have […]

Pat Benatar Rocks My Favorite Independence Day Song

Pat Benatar Martina McBride

A new-to-me version of one of the best songs, this time featuring Pat Benatar singing with Martina McBride from 2003. In Pat Benatar’s hands, I really noticed the lyric “Let the right be wrong’” which can sometimes sound like “Let the hurt be wrong” but Pat really hits that phrasing. And I need that. We […]

Is The Fourth of July the Perfect Holiday?

Perfect 4th of July

I have a half-dozen blog posts started, but lack the energy and attention to detail necessary to complete and publish that content. But I feel like lack of posting, this lag, each time I glance at the blog. So here goes something. I remember quite vividly as a child that the 4th of July would […]

I Unfriended You Because You Posted White Supremacist Nonsense and I’m Done

I have a few ‘legacy’ Facebook friends whose politics and personal statements I find difficult to understand, but whose personal actions reflect beliefs that I support. I’ve tried, unsuccessfully, to maintain those relationships out of respect for my partner, family, etc. I wanted to believe that the people who do the good works are the […]

Stop the Violence McKeesport Rally Friday, 12 PM

A statement from Christian Carter’s family

You may recognize Christian from his tireless work on the frontlines of recent actions seeking #Justice4AntwonRose. On Wednesday afternoon, 18-year-old Christian was taken to a local hospital for what his mother thought was exhaustion, dehydration and malnourishment. It turns out he was having an appendicitis attack and is scheduled for immediate surgery. His family is […]

I’m a Columnist at the Pittsburgh Current!

If you’ve read my blog, you know that I repeatedly clarify that I am *not* a journalist. I’m a social worker with a degree in politicsl science. I write. I blog. But I am not trained in journalism. I am trained in community organizing and Constitutional Law. But I am now a columnist for the […]

Brian, 32, is Trans, Nonbinary, and Queer in Westmoreland County #AMPLIFY

Name: Brian Kleber Age:  32 County of Residence:  Westmoreland County Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs How do you describe your identity? Trans nonbinary masculine presenting queer sexual Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I originally came out as a cis-gender lesbian because I didn’t have the words for what I was feeling […]

Concrete Ways to Support Pgh Protestors #AntwonRose #Justice4Antwon UPDATED AGAIN

SPECIAL NOTE – We’ve had a recent problem with Amazon deliveries. With the help of some great allies, we’ve worked it out. Your deliveries should be back on track. If you get a message from Amazon, please use their chat feature to make sure that is the case. We apologize for the confusion and REALLY […]