Help find Taylor Casey, Liara Tsai we speak your name, and President Biden pardons LGBTQ veterans – July 1, 2024

[00:00:00] There’s no place like the Qube.

Hello, community. Hola, mi gente. My name is Alma Izquierdo, calling from Chicago. My pronouns are she, her. LGBTQ plus pride is a powerful expression of visibility and self affirmation. It’s a celebration of love and of our vibrant, vibrant community. and diverse community. It’s a time for us to [00:00:30] immerse ourselves and share in the exhilaration of self expression.

It’s also a moment to demonstrate strength, resiliency, community, and unrelenting perseverance in the fight for equality and freedom. For me, It’s a time to celebrate my journey as a queer Latina with my birth family, chosen family, and friends. It’s a time to acknowledge and be grateful for the many beautiful people that supported me, [00:01:00] mentored me, and loved me unconditionally throughout that journey.

It’s a reflective time when I accept and embrace my authentic self with love. Pride is part of who I am. It’s a source of strength and a deep conviction that as a queer Latina woman, I am worthy and deserving of love, dignity, respect, self expression, and joy. Happy Pride![00:01:30]

Family, it’s your favorite queer radio personality, Anna Deshawn, and this is Queer News, your favorite weekly news pod where race and sexuality meet politics, [00:02:00] culture, and entertainment. I got to give a big thank you to Alma for sending in her pride message this week. Hola to all of our Queer Latinas and Queer Latinos listening to this podcast.

I mean, I’ve known Alma for so many years and she’s did so much and she continues to do so much great work in the community, especially for Latina women here in Chicago. And she actually served as part of an organization that was called Amigas Latinas. And we did a lot of work in collaboration together.

I love Alma. [00:02:30] So thank you so much. for your encouraging and inspiring Pride message today. Family, now don’t forget we got the Queer News tip line open. I want to report on stories that are happening locally in your community that are not making a blog, that don’t make the news, you know? Those stories are important to a link is in the show notes cute crew was going on family Thank you so much for helping to financially sustain this podcast.

I appreciate you. I appreciate you for real I [00:03:00] appreciate you y’all are helping to cover hosting editing marketing PR travel all the things and if you are not a monthly giver But you believe in this work. Yeah, you believe the stories of LGBTQ folks need to be amplified. And if you love and respect how I report on the news and tell our stories, could you join the Q crew for me?

I’d really appreciate it. And you already know, a link is in fact in the show notes. And family, don’t forget our YouTube channel, E3 Radio, E the number [00:03:30] three radio, turn on the notifications so you don’t miss a thing. Now for the news, our top stories about my Chicago comrade, Taylor Casey. She’s gone missing in the Bahamas, and there are ways you can help.

Leara Sy, a white trans woman, was found dead because of a car accident. And her family says that that, in fact, was divine intervention. LGBTQ veterans are getting pardoned. I got [00:04:00] to attend a Pride press conference put on by our very own Senator Simmons, and I’d love to tell you all about it. Let’s go.

Family, for our top story today, one of our very own here in Chicago is missing, and we could really use your help. I’m telling y’all, Taylor, It’s just such a sweet person. I can’t even tell y’all how long I have known her because it’s been that long. I was looking back through Facebook messages we’ve exchanged.

She was just always so supportive. [00:04:30] She wanted to do a fundraiser for the Qube when I first founded it. She was going to be a curator, um, listening to podcasts and she just wanted to learn. And be supportive. That was just the spirit in which Taylor moved throughout the world. And so it’s really hard for me to be reporting about her missing.

It just feels surreal. And to know the people who are organizing on her behalf and her family’s behalf and advocating for her right now, and also wanting to hold space for them. [00:05:00] Because this is the work we do in the queer community. This is what we do. And we do it so well. And so if you haven’t heard about Taylor Casey’s story, let me just tell you a little bit.

She went to the Bahamas for a yogurt retreat. Okay. She’s been practicing yoga. For 15 years or so. And so she went to this month long retreat to really deepen her practice and bring those lessons back to us here in our community. Now the retreat noticed that she didn’t show up. And on that day, they notified the authorities and they notified her family.

Now [00:05:30] it has been over a week and no one has seen or heard from Taylor. We are holding on to hope. Okay. Um, her mother and her best friend went to the Bahamas. To be on the ground with authorities, to advocate, to fight, to oversee, to help in the investigation, to bring Taylor back home. And now the organizers are saying there are three things, three things that you can do here.

I know these are situations where we can feel so helpless. We can feel like, what [00:06:00] can I do? What can I do here? But there are three things that they are asking all of us to do. One. It’s to amplify posts that you see on the app, find Taylor Casey. Okay. Find Taylor, T A Y L O R, Casey, C A S E Y, okay. Amplify those posts.

Then they actually want you to go like and follow those handles. Okay. Find Taylor Casey on Facebook and Instagram so you can stay up to date. And then [00:06:30] they have a GoFundMe of sources on chuffed. org. I’ll put the link in the show notes. They’re raising money. They are going to need lawyers. Okay. There are lots of legal fees.

There’s lots of travel expenses, and they just need your financial support. And so I have a link in the show notes. If you’ve got some money to give, please decide to donate. When black women go missing, not only do they not get the media attention they deserve, they are often not found. [00:07:00] And I hope this is a case where we not only find Taylor alive and we can bring her back home and we can restore her.

Yes. And we can restore her. And that’s what community is here for. And so I just want us to keep Taylor’s family and the organizers lifted because this is hard. This is the hard work and I’m just doing my part with this platform to amplify it. So please, if you can visit that link in the show notes and donate.

[00:07:30] ’cause we’ve gotta find Taylor Casey. And of course, I’m gonna keep y’all updated as I hear more. Of course. Of course. Of course. And I just want to say, it really breaks my heart that, you know, our first episode after official Pride Month is leading with these stories. But I also think that this is so apropos, as this is our reality right now.

This is what’s happening. We’re living in these moments where we are celebrating and lamenting all at the same [00:08:00] time. Our next story for today is about Liara is from Iowa, just moved to Minnesota for a new life earlier this year to help pursue her DJ career. And it was a more affirming place for her trans identity.

Well, last week, Leara’s body was found in the backseat of a car. After a high speed chase and an accident. And so after the accident occurred, the police approached and found her body wrapped in sheets [00:08:30] in the backseat. Liera was 35. She was not only a DJ. The community wants you to know she also was a community lover.

She also brought a lot of joy to a lot of folks. And I saw a video of her sisters talking about her. The bright light that she was in their lives. And listen to this statement from HRC’s director of community engagement. Tori says Liera’s killing leaves a void in her [00:09:00] community that will never be filled.

Her activism and her work as an artist and DJ touched many. And our hearts are with those who called her a friend or chosen family. Far too many transgender people have been taken from those who love them through acts of violence. And we must all work together to build communities where all trans and non binary people are allowed to thrive.

And it sounds like that’s what she wanted for her life. That’s why she moved from Iowa. To Minnesota because she wanted a better life, [00:09:30] a more fulfilling life. The police do have someone in custody, the driver of that vehicle, Margo, she is being held in custody right now as they continue the investigation.

And we’ll see how that all pans out for today. Leara, we speak your name.

In politics, President Biden has issued a pardon for LGBTQ veterans. That’s right. So much of this work had been done, but there was still more to do and this [00:10:00] one was specifically around consensual gay sex. There were people who had been dismissed for being caught in this act and they say this pardon will actually affect about 2000 veterans.

And president Biden said this, this is about dignity, decency, and ensuring the culture of our armed forces reflect the values that make us an exceptional nation. I like it. President Biden. I like it. I like it a lot.

[00:10:30] Family as part of my work, I get to attend. Some special events. And this past week, I got to attend a pride press conference is the fourth annual pride press conference put on by Senator Mike Simmons here in the state of Illinois. Now, Senator Simmons is the first out elected official And the Illinois state Senate and child Senator Simmons is the business.

Okay. I love the work he does. I love his advocacy and I love how he shows [00:11:00] up in the community. And they hosted this pride press conference at the Gerber heart library and archives. It is the largest collection of LGBTQ literature and media in the Midwest. Okay. So. So if you’re ever in Chicago, you’ve got to go visit the Gerber Hart Library.

Well, this year for their Pride press conference, they decided not to have folks like me speak again, but they opened the floor to queer youth and the queer youth had a panel and they were discussing their experiences in schools, in their community, why they decided to advocate, why [00:11:30] they decide to use their voices.

In this moment, there were tears, chow, it was all the things and it gave me so much hope. So much hope because they spoke so well and they are advocating and they are lobbying and they are doing the work. You know, some highlights for me is they asked them, who are some of your gay icons that you look up to?

Someone said, Harvey Milk. Somebody else said William Penn. I love that. I love that they’re tapped into history in that [00:12:00] way. And they also were so open about talking about how the anti LGBTQ legislation is affecting them. The bullying that they are experiencing in schools, even here in the city of Chicago.

That is open and affirming. This type of bullying is still happening, but let me tell you, if our future is dependent upon the queer youth I saw on that panel, we’re going to be okay. We are going to be okay.[00:12:30]

And I feel like this is a perfect time to take a quick break. And when we get back, I’m going to drop my word for the week as we close out Pride Month. So stay close. Queer youth, we are the voices missing in the conversation. I’ve been watching straight people kiss since I was five. Sixth and I don’t want to kiss a woman existing as I am should be bare minimum This current generation of queer young people have a lot to teach us I’m celeste lucene and i’m thrilled to bring you [00:13:00] i’m feeling queer today a podcast that amplifies the voices of queer youth Pride means showing the world that we are still here and nothing is going to change that listen now wherever you get your podcasts

The journey toward liberation is not a straight line. Heck, there isn’t even a finish line, at least not in our lifetimes. Yep. The path is messy AF and we’re here for it. Hi, I’m Taina Brown. [00:13:30] And I’m Becky Mollenkamp. And we’re your hosts for Messy Liberation. We hope you’ll join us for weekly or as close to weekly as we can get conversations about life as intersectional feminists and feminist coaches.

We’ll keep it fun, but we’ll also go deep as we talk about current events, politics, and politics. pop culture, and of course, business. Always with an eye on liberation from oppressive systems. And listen, we are not perfect activists or allies, so don’t expect polished, perfectly formulated conversations with [00:14:00] tidy three step solutions.

You’re not going to find that toxic capitalist BS here. Instead, we’re going to share our real time, messy thoughts as we make sense of the world around us. If you are sick of superficial approaches to business and personal challenges, then you’re going to love the nuance that we’re bringing to every discussion.

This show is going to get you thinking, help you feel less alone in the mess of personal development and systems liberation, and we hope educate and inspire you no matter where you are on [00:14:30] the journey. If you also want to create a more equitable world, Please join us on the journey to messy liberation available wherever you listen to podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

family. It’s that time of the show for Anna’s got a word because Anna’s always got a word. And today my word is honored. I am honored to be the host of this podcast. I’m honored to tell our [00:15:00] stories and I’m honored that we’re building this platform together. Today I’m recording on Sunday. I’m going out to the Chicago pride parade and I’m going to be emceeing a float.

I’ve never done this before. I’m going to be emceeing a float for sidetrack and enjoying the Chicago pride parade and being in community today. I can’t wait to tell you all all about it, but I’m honored. That is my word today. So thank you for listening. And I want to leave us with a few pride messages.

Okay. As we [00:15:30] head out of June and into July here in Chicago, we’ve got black pride this upcoming weekend. So I’m not done celebrating just yet, but I want to remember and honor some of the messages we heard this month as a reminder to help carry us through the last of this year. We’ve got a long six months to go.

The world is palpable right now, politically. It’s charged. Our humanity is on the line. And I plan on coming back to these Pride messages often to remind me why I’m doing this work [00:16:00] and why we’ve got to continue the fight. So, family, happy Pride. Happy Pride, okay? And we gon be okay.

Happy gay month! Yes! Um, this is Imani calling in from Chicago. Pronouns they, them. Um, but I’m a Brooklyn baby. Shout out to me. Um, being pride, I think being black and gay in June is just a superpower in itself. But pride to me means [00:16:30] radical authenticity. Um, I am a late bloomer. I came out to my mom right before my 30th birthday.

And, um, The last three years has just been an amazing opportunity to connect to the self that was hidden in shamed into a closet. So pride to me means move on. Gay. What? Um, it means I’m me. It means this is who I am. This is who I was designed to be. This is who I choose to [00:17:00] be. Um, And it’s, it’s just a constant reminder to myself what liberation and freedom looks like because autonomy, exercise, even when the world doesn’t want you to, oh baby, what’s that?

That’s power. Peace, everyone. My name is Derek Holland. Pronouns are he, him and dialing in from Texas and pride to me means being authentic and accepting of yourself [00:17:30] and loving yourself. And loving who you are and knowing that there’s nothing wrong with you and that you are a blessing on this earth. And your spirit is a blessing to any, any person that you come in contact with.

And if they don’t accept you, then that’s their problem. All right. I’m proud to be a black trans man. And I’m proud to represent us in media, proud to represent E3 Radio and the Qube [00:18:00] app, and I’m proud to represent any, any and everywhere I go, because I’m proud to be me. So happy Pride Month, y’all. Pride can be many things to many people.

I’ve always thought it’s kind of like a Rorschach test. For some, it’s a protest. For some, it’s a party. For some, it’s an opportunity to be out. For one or. A few days of the year or even for that month when it’s not possible otherwise. But one of the most important things for me about pride is that it can show anyone in the [00:18:30] LGBTQIA plus community or our allies that they’re not alone, that they’re part of something bigger, that they’re able to join in community and see the full breadth of diversity of who we are.

and understand the love and the power and the joy and the anger and all of the things that come with that as we continue to fight for liberation. So when I say happy pride, it doesn’t mean that we’re all always happy. It means that we can, for at [00:19:00] least that month, at least that day, or even an hour for some people, be together in community, feel that unconditional love and joy And help that be the thing that carries us for the rest of the year.[00:19:30]

If you’ve enjoyed what you heard rate and review us inside your favorite podcasting app. This podcast is written and produced by me, Anna DeShawn. Podcast editing by Ryan Woodhull and brought to you by E3 Radio and distributed on the Qube. We are Queer News Done [00:20:00] Right.