Black Trans Woman Bre’Asia Bankz Shot to Death in Arizona

Bre'Asia Bankz photo

Bre’Asai Bankz was born and raised in Crossett, Arkansas. She moved with her family first to Los Vegas and then to Los Angeles, California. After graduating from Crossett High School, she went on to study at the University of Arkansas and then studied hair styling at Beauty Education. At age 27, her life ended at […]

Crowdfund and Life Update

Crowdfund Sue Kerr

I’m still doing okay – safe with friends and taking things one day at a time. I went back to court last week, negotiated and agreed to a continuance, and took a break. Spent a lot of time with my nephews this weekend. We had a firepit fire and made s’mores. Celebrated a birthday and […]

UPDATE: Registration of LGBTQ Youth for Holiday Day Gift Card Drive Exceeds Expectations by 40%

Only three groups have registered so far – Pittsburgh Public Schools, Proud Haven, and Project Silk. When Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities decided to wrap up 2022 with a gift card drive for LGBTQ youth, ages 12-21, connected with community groups – we did a preliminary assessment of how many youth might participate. You’ll remember that we […]

When They Said “Happy Anniversary” and No One Clapped

On our anniversary (July 18), we went on a dinner sunset cruise here in Erie. It wasn’t fancy, but it was nice. They asked for people to share birthdays and anniversaries so I impulsively told them it was our 19th anniversary. Laura looked at me and sighed. She was right. I asked the server if […]

SisTers PGH Statement on COVID-19

SisTers PGH

I’ve reached out to several local LGBTQ organizations, requesting an update on how they are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. These include: Pittsburgh Center for Equality, Persad Center, PFLAG Pittsburgh, TransPride Pittsburgh, Proud Haven, OUTrageous Bingo, Shepherd Wellness Community, SisTers Pgh, and True T Pittsburgh. As I receive their responses, I will publish. Some of […]

Ross Township Commissioner and ACDC Committee Member Patrick Mullin Sharing anti-LGBTQ, welfare-shaming content on Facebook

Content note – homophobia, transphobia, sexism, racism, Allegheny County Democrats, suburban life, ageism, welfare shaming Also please note the original version of the essay contained a pivotal typographical error. That has been corrected. People are sending me Trump social media content shared by other ACDC members. This one gets to me. Patrick Mullin holds two […]

316 Reasons to Add Your LGBTQ Story to the #AMPLIFY Archive

Since 2015, we have been collecting stories from LGBTQ folks with ties to Western Pennsylvania. Some live here now, others grew up in this region. Others still attended college or had a job that brought them here or spent summers with their grandparents in an outlying community. Here includes 26 counties in Western Pennsylvania, from […]

Why I Ended My Fiscal Sponsorship Relationship with Persad Center

Persad Center Shame

My fiscal sponsorship relationship with Persad Center has formally ended. I made the decision earlier in the fall after two specific incidents made me aware beyond a shadow of a doubt that allying the #AMPLIFY and other community art projects with the current incarnation of Persad was both unhealthy and hurtful to my LGBTQ neighbors. […]

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 […]

Is Liberty University Online Targeting Pittsburgh Community Leaders?

Liberty University Online LGBT

Something of concern that I’ve noticed over the past years – an increasing number of regional community leaders have ties to Liberty University via the online school – folks pursuing higher degrees. This article from the New York Times and ProPublica lays out the reasons why that might be the case ($$) and it is concerning. […]