Q&A with Jonathan Lovitz, Candidate for PA House District 18

I am the most experienced public servant; the most endorsed and best funded candidate, ready to help flip seats across PA after the primary; and the most prepared to tackle bipartisan issues with proven results. We can never forget that our community includes too many unsung heroes who are beacons of hope for women, communities […]

Q&A with Arvind Venkat, Candidate for PA House District 30

Telehealth is a game changer in access to healthcare, especially for mental health services. Legislation has not moved in the General Assembly on this topic due to abortion politics, specifically related to the use of Telehealth to give women access to reproductive healthcare. As the only physician in the General Assembly, I will be a […]

Q&A with Deja Alvarez, Candidate for State House District 182

Currently, there has never been an openly trans-state lawmaker in the PA legislature nor has a trans-Latina been elected nationwide. We know representation directly impacts how our voices are heard, budget is spent, and resources are allocated. For the trans community in particular our lived experiences should not exclude us from being part of the […]

Book Review: The Maisie Dobbs Mysteries

This is hands down one of my all-time favorite series of books. In fact, it was in response to a review of Book 1 in the series on NPR that I actually BOUGHT the book. I bought a hardcover book. That was huge for me. I looked up the review and it is online if […]

Don’t Crash Into Me

No Means No

Growing up in emotional, financial, and physical chaos, I learned early on that my saying “no” was at worst, dangerous, and at best, ineffectual. I did not learn the social skills of setting healthy boundaries for myself because almost no one around me modeled that behavior. I grew up in a time when boundaries were […]

A Year in the Life of a City of Pittsburgh Commissioner on the LGBTQIA+ Commission

One year ago, I was among a group of 17 individuals nominated and approved to serve as Pittsburgh’s first LGBTQIA+ Commission. That was February 9, 2021 so a little more than a year. Sue Kerr, Kathi Boyle, Richard Parsakian, Leonard Orbovich, Sarah Rosso, Jam Hammond, Guillermo Velazquez, Denise DeSimone, Luca Salerno, Tiffini Simoneaux, Nekia Burton […]

How Starbucks Helped Me Endure the Pandemic. Until Now.

I used to smirk at people who sat in line, engines idling, for long periods of time at a local Starbucks. I could park, go in, place my order, use the bathroom, collect my order, and walk out while they sat there just waiting. My wife and I spent a lot of time at Starbucks. […]

Here You Go, Steelers

Steelers Fight Song

I am not a fan of the Steelers, most specifically because of Ben Roethlisberger’s history as a sexual predator and the team’s embrace of the ‘he found Jesus/wife/kids’ solution to the fallout. I’ve been quite glad to see that amidst all of the hoopla about his retirement, the stories of his sexual violence are still […]

Do You Have a Hard Copy of the 2003 ‘Voices for a New Tomorrow’ Needs Assessment?

If you were active in the regional community around 2003 (pre-Delta era) – I’d like to talk with you. In January 2003, Persad Center published a community needs assessment in conjunction with the Gay and Lesbian Community Center (now the Pittsburgh Equality Center) and The Seven Project. The researchers were Dr. Sandra Quinn and Dr. […]

#SantaClawsPgh Update – a Cat Strrreeettchhh Goal

The great news is that 24 donors have invested enough to give each of our cat caretakers TWO gift cards ($25 value each.) Excellent way to redirect gift cards you don’t love to your neighbors! The better news is that we are within striking distance of THREE gift cards each – we need $575 total. […]