The Tragedy of Dakota James and Overlooking Other Violent Epidemics

This post began as a Facebook post as I reflected on the outpouring of skepticism around the autopsy findings in the death of Dakota James. The autopsy declared his death an accidental drowning, suggesting he fell into the water on his own. His family rejects that finding and insists that there must be more of an […]

More Info in Search for Missing Gay Man in Pittsburgh #FindDakotaJames

Dakota James Missing Person

As we’ve shared, a 23-year-old gay man named Dakota James has been missing for several weeks. His extended family have poured into town, searching tirelessly and drawing other people into their efforts. A reward of $10,000 is offered for information leading to the whereabouts of Dakota. New information has come to light from video footage, […]

Update in Trials for the 2014 Murder of Andre Gray Highlights Epidemic of Violence Against LGBTQ Community

In October 2014, a bisexual black male resident of Lawrenceville was murdered in his home and his body then dumped in the Allegheny River where he remained undiscovered for four months. His name was Andre Gray. In addition to this crime, his dog was killed and his home ransacked, his belongings stolen and his vehicle […]

23 Year Old Black Lesbian Stud is Murdered in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville Neighborhood UPDATED

Pittsburgh Stud Shanique Sanders

Her name was Shanique Sanders.

Pittsburgh Stud Shanique Sanders
Shanique Sanders via Facebook
She was 23 years old and a resident of Homestead. Wednesday afternoon, she became the latest fatality in the epidemic of violence when her body was found at 1:45 PM on McKinley Street in the Knoxville neighborhood of Pittsburgh. She had been shot at least one time when she was found and transported to UPMC Mercy where she later died.

Shanique used the name Loyalty Fashigg in social media and self-identified as a stud, according to local LGBT activist Amber Sloan who was a friend and mentor to Shanique. Amber told me that Shanique was born in Garfield, grew up in Homewood and was a graduate of Westinghouse High School.

AMPLIFY Project, Blog Voted ‘Best GLBT Media Source’ in 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards

It is always nice when someone acknowledges your work, your vision or even just you. I’ve written in the past about my appreciate for the Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter based in the Johnstown area. So I am pleased to be among the honorees in their 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards. What’s really exciting for me is […]

Top Twenty Posts of 2015

best of 2015

I took a look at the most ‘popular’ posts/pages from 2015. AMPLIFY didn’t even crack the top twenty which is interesting because the individual posts do quite well. Clearly, my regular blogging is still driving most of the traffic to the website. So that’s an important lesson for me to keep in mind. And a […]

Victory in the Campaign to Establish a Memorial for Andre Gray

Andre Gray Pittsburgh

With 24 hours to spare, the fundraising leg of the #RememberAndre campaign successfully surged past the $5,000 mark. This project has been established to create a permanent memorial to the life of Andre Gray, a young bisexual man of color who was murdered at the young age of 34 in his Lawrenceville apartment. At the […]

Second Arrest Warrant in the Murder of Andre Gray

Bisexual Pittsburgh

Last night, I learned of a new development in the investigation of Andre Gray’s murder. Police issued a warrant for the arrest of Raymond Schifino also known as Hoover Smallz.  From KDKA: Raymond Schifino, 29, has been charged with arson, theft, abuse of a corpse, animal cruelty and tampering with evidence. According to the criminal […]

Update on the Campaign to Remember Andre Gray

Pittsburgh Bisexual

Last weekend, we were striving to raise $3500 for the memorial bench to honor Andre Gray and his dog, Boss.  Honoring those we’ve lost is an important ritual in our society, almost a necessary part of the healing process. This really powerful piece ran in the Post-Gazette Pet Tales column.  Boss — who was not yet […]

Andre Gray Would Be 35 This Saturday #StoryOfHisLife

Pittsburgh Bisexual

  I can’t remember how we celebrated my 35th birthday (in 2005), but I’m relatively sure it involved dinner with Ledcat and probably my parents or friends. I’m sure there was cake and singing. Probably my then-coworkers gave me a card and treated me to lunch. The things that you do. Looking back, I’d tell […]