Maya, 20, Identifies as a Black Queer Fat Femme Woman #AMPLIFY

My queerness was never the only thing I had to deal with, and trying to understand who I was in the midst of the rest of my life was so daunting. Name: Maya Age: 20 County of Residence: Allegheny, previously Columbia, MD Pronouns: She/Her/Hers How do you describe your identity? I am a Black, Fat, Femme, cis woman, Jewish, advocate and […]

Mindy, 42, Lives Semi-Open as Trans in Rural Elk County #AMPLIFY

Transgender Elk County

Name: Mindy S. Age: 42 County of Residence: Elk County Pronouns: If I look male, then “he”. If I look like a female, then “she”. How do you describe your identity? I am bi-gendered, attracted to cisgender women. Meaning while I can live and be happy with being a male, I have a feminine side that needs to be expressed […]

Katie, 25, Identifies as Puerto Rican, White, Cis-Female and Lesbian #AMPLIFY

What motivated you to take part in this project? I love surveys. I love when marginalized people are asked to share their stories. I love reading all the stories and remembering how diverse this world is. I love being a part of something bigger than myself.

#CatCar Repainted at #PghPride by the Most Wanted Fine Art Crew

It has been a busy Pride season for us. In less than two weeks time, we: recorded a segment for ‘Burgh Vivant recorded a segment for Into Pittsburgh co-facilitated the first local workshop on LGBTQ media issues raised more than $1,000 to support the Peoples Pride March 2K17 spoke with reporters at The Daily Dot, […]

Dylan, 28, is a Queer, Autistic Transgender Man #AMPLIFY

Name: Dylan Age: 28 County of Residence: Allegheny County, formerly Luzerne County and  Monongalia County, WV as well as Anne Arundel County, MD Pronouns: he/him How do you describe your identity? I’m a queer, autistic transgender man; a bodybuilder and lifelong athlete; a trained neuroscientist/linguist; a musician, dancer, and drag performer who has had the privilege of performing all across the […]

Angie, 32: Out, Loud, and Proud Black Pansexual Mom #AMPLIFY

Black Pansexual Poly Feminist Mom

Name: Angie Age:  32 County of Residence: Allegheny Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? Black Pansexual Female Bodied/Identifying Feminist Poly Mom Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? My coming out experience was a shit storm. I was 15 and my girlfriend at the time forced me to come […]

Sue Visits ‘Burgh Vivant Talk Show

A few weeks ago, I had the best time recording a segment for the local cultural talk show ‘Burgh Vivant. It was just so much fun and so interesting to get a glimpse of how the show is created and produced. You should absolutely subscribe to get a truly original behind the scenes peek at […]

AMPLIFY: How to Help

#AMPLIFY Tee Shirts

Lots of ways to support this blog and the AMPLIFY project in honor of Pride Submit your Q&A to the AMPLIFY archive (takes about 30 minutes) Purchase an AMPLIFY tee shirt via Commonwealth Press Donate directly to the AMPLIFY project Donate to support this blog via Paypal.  Subscribe to the AMPLIFY email list Subscribe to […]

Krista, 28, Lives in Washington, PA as a Pansexual Woman #AMPLIFY

Tell me about the first LGBTQ person whom you met. What impact did they have on your life? My first LGBTQ connection felt like a light bulb going off in a sense, like a bright light shining in a once dark room. I wasn’t alone. Meeting someone else like myself, was refreshing and simultaneously made me realize that I wasn’t the outcast the small town I had grown up in had made me feel like. Meeting my first LGBTQ friend was life changing for me. From being bullied, and told I was some sort of freak of nature – to meeting someone else who understood my life experiences, who had gone through them, was amazing.

AMPLIFYING is most used word in Pennsylvania*

Our friend Vannevar shared this image with us today. Read it closely. We’ll accept this acknowledgement in the spirit with which it was intended.