Heather Refuses To Marginalize Herself As a Bisexual Woman #AMPLIFY

Allegheny County Bisexual

Name:  Heather Age: 40 County of Residence:  Allegheny, formerly Washington County Preferred Pronouns:  she How do you describe your identity? I’m white, bisexual, female, italian-american, monogamous, a wife, and a mother. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I was villified by my family for being good friends with […]

As a Lesbian, Shelly Values Her Ties To Rural Indiana County #AMPLIFY

Indiana County Lesbian

Name: Shelly Age: 33 County of Residence:  Indiana, previously Butler Preferred Pronouns: She, her How do you describe your identity? I am female, and I feel feminine on the inside. I identify as lesbian, gay, or queer. My outward presentation is much more masculine. I do not feel comfortable in female clothing and prefer to wear men’s clothing. I […]

What Question Should I Have Asked? #AMPLIFY

Pink House

Finally, what question should I have asked?  This is one of my favorite questions in the #AMPLIFY survey. I have used this information to modify the questions as the project has unfolded. As I look over the responses now to consider how to incorporate even more suggestions in to the survey, I thought I would […]

Elliot is Bi, Trans and Wishes Westmoreland County Was Talking More About Queer Youth

Westmoreland transgender bisexual

Name: Elliot Age: 20 County of Residence: Westmoreland, attends college in Allegheny county Preferred Pronouns: he/him How do you describe your identity? I am a bisexual transgender male Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? Most of my friends had said in terms of their sexuality that they “always knew”, but for […]

Gloria is a Happy Black Lesbian #AMPLIFY

Gloria Bigelow

Name: Gloria Bigelow Age:  Old Enough County of Residence: Grew up in Allegheny, now lives in California Preferred Pronouns: she How do you describe your identity? Happy black lesbian. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I found support in my friends and in other people in my community. I also […]

Moira Describes the Toll of Gatekeeping on The Trans Community #AMPLIFY

Transgender Beaver County

  Name: Moira Age: 33 County of Residence:  Beaver County, previously lived in Allegheny County Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers How do you describe your identity? I am a transgender woman 100%. That’s the easy part. My sexuality is a convoluted mess. I am demisexual. I wasn’t real sexual before starting HRT. Now there is little interest. However I have a […]

Of Art, Death and Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol grave

I was in a bit of a funk earlier today – not really down, just a little out of sorts. The phone rang and I saw that it was my friend Kerry Kennedy, proprietor of K.S. Kennedy Distinctive Floral, and he had a very unusual request – would I come along to help him deliver […]

Northside Food Pantry Launches Food Drive Blitz To Meet Holiday Needs

The food pantry hosted by Northside Common Ministries on Brighton Road is the largest pantry in Western Pennsylvania. Each month, they distribute food to over 1,000 families and households in the Northside zip codes. The pantry is set up in a ‘shopping model’ which allows clients to select the items they prefer from whatever is […]

Sara, 35, on Her Reality as a Lesbian in Western PA #AMPLIFY

Allegheny County lesbian

Name: Sara Age: 35 County of Residence: Allegheny Preferred Pronouns: Me, herself, someone, somebody How do you describe your identity? Female, white, lesbian Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? It’s funny now but back in 1993 it was scary. I came out to my mother after listening to the Melissa Etheridge […]

Christmas Spirit Trumps Scrooge In Pittsburgh

Bill Peduto Toys for Tots

Yesterday, the Marines kicked-off a two-day ‘Open House’ for families throughout the region who wanted to access the Toys for Tots donations. This annual distribution is open to members of the community who have the necessary paperwork and the means to get to the Strip District location, as well as to transport their items home. […]