Inside Symphonii Smith-Kennedy’s art exhibit ‘Interwoven Layers’
Symphonii Smith-Kennedy is a 23-year-old Jamaican-American artist from South Florida, exploring themes of identity, race, and queerness through her painting. A graduate of New World School of the Arts, she creates art to reflect on her experiences as a Black queer woman and aims to build connections through her work. Symphonii’s debut solo show Interwoven…
Out in Tech is supporting queer people in the technology sector
Almost any job today requires knowledge of technological skills from things as simple as sending emails to coding complex programs. Yet for members of the LGBTQ+ community, it can feel like there is an absence of inclusive tech spaces. The nonprofit Out in Tech is seeking to remedy this by creating a community of LGBTQ+ tech leaders…
How queer Baltimore tattoo artists are building strong community spaces
Fruit Camp, a tattoo and art studio in the Remington neighborhood of Baltimore, opened with a bang in February of 2020. “We had a big opening party. It was really fun. Everybody came,” says Geo Mccandlish, one of the co-founders. “It was the last rager I went to,” they said. The pandemic shut down their shop—alongside…
LGBTQ+ Business Bootcamp aims to uplift and guide queer entrepreneurs
With the Trump administration’s harsh rhetoric and policies coming into effect, it’s a difficult year to be queer or a business owner. Kristina Wynne hopes to alleviate some of that. Now entering its sixth year, the Illinois LGBT Chamber of Commerce LGBTQ+ Biz Bootcamp aims to lift up and prepare LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs for a successful…
Indigiqueer artist Tricia Rainwater digs deep into personal, cultural histories
In one of her Instagram posts, multimedia artist Tricia Rainwater stands inside a picnic shelter at Cadron Settlement Park in Cadron, Arkansas. She wears a red plaid dress and black laced-up boots, with some of her tattoos visible on her legs and left hand. Her long, dark hair frames her face, and large hoops hang…
Finding an ally in AI
With the increased use of AI technology in everyday life, people have been raising concerns about inclusivity and safety. LGBT tech, a national nonpartisan group, is advocating for the community by creating AllyAI, the first certification for AI systems to ensure bias is identified and mitigated against LGBTQ individuals. LGBT Tech was founded by Chris Wood…
Building queer community through bicycles
Fairmount Bicycles, a queer-owned bike shop focused on social justice through their programs and partnerships, began when its owner, Shelly Walker, rode from her home in West Philadelphia to Kensington. Before she arrived at the warehouse where she and a friend sold bicycles, she took in the sights of dense, vibrant Fairmount and wondered where…
Could AI bolster mental healthcare for LGBTQ+ BIPOC youth?
Content Warning: This article discusses topics related to mental health challenges, systemic inequities, and suicide rates among marginalized communities. If you find these topics distressing, please prioritize your well-being and seek support as needed. The mental health challenges of BIPOC and queer youth continue to grow, yet existing support systems often fail to meet their needs.…
Queer social media experts weigh in on AI content moderation
Social media platforms commonly use artificial intelligence for content moderation, with the AI software itself relying on algorithms to screen content posted by social media users. Ultimately, the AI determines whether content adheres to or breaches platform guidelines. But issues can arise when a social media company loosens its restrictions on content, or if the…
Queer art in the age of AI: Challenges, ethics and the future
Although the debate around AI and its potential effects on creative fields is relatively recent, the technology at the center of the controversy has been around since the 1950s. There are two main forms of AI; predictive and the currently more controversial, generative. According to IBM, generative AI “refers to deep-learning models that can generate…
Generative AI in journalism: Preventing harm and enhancing news consumption
As AI seemingly seeps into every area of consumers’ lives, especially media, it’s now vital to find proper ways to engage with it. AI-generated media content can often further stereotypes or only push user-frequented content about marginalized communities. However, experts say a few tools can be used in order to benefit consumers and increase their news consumption. …
Preserving history through The Dallas Way archives
What started more than 10 years ago as a simple suggestion has grown into one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ archives. Since 2011, The Dallas Way has led the effort to preserve the stories of Dallas’s LGBTQ community. The idea for the organization was sparked when a Dallas Voice reporter was interviewing community leaders Jack…
Lived experience guides Tate Smith’s trans and DEI consulting firm
Five years ago, Tate Smith, then a legal secretary, decided it was time to share something about himself at his workplace, Clifford Chance, a major law firm in London. “I was like, ‘OK, I haven’t spoken publicly since I was in high school, and I don’t know if I can do it.’ But then I…
The queer couple fighting for DEI — with math
When faced with questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion, detractors often respond with demands for evidence or complaints about cost. Husbands Chad Topaz and Jude Higdon spend their time trying to find answers to those questions — on top of their other jobs as math professor, university administrator, and parents to a son and two dogs. It started when Topaz,…
Queer Chicana artist Jaqui Almaguer uses traditional styles to highlight immigrant experiences
For many children, an introduction to art comes from museums or kindergarten art classes. For Jaqui Almaguer, it was Little Village graffiti. Almaguer, a 42-year-old self-taught Chicago-based artist, had a lifetime of experiences before committing to an art career full-time. Now, she’s putting her Chicana heritage and spiritual beliefs into her vibrant traditionally inspired painted…
Why inclusive design in tech is critical for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC folks
We live in a world where technology is always with us, influencing everything we do, from shopping online to staying connected with friends. When tech products and platforms are designed with only one type of person in mind, others get left behind, especially marginalized communities, like BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and LGBTQ+…
For artist Marcel Pardo Ariza, representation matters
It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon in San Francisco’s Mission District – a welcomed reprieve from the more-frequent chilly, overcast, windy and rainy conditions in the city this time of the year. The warmer weather translates to people being out and about, stopping by popular local establishments such as Bi-Rite Creamery and Market, Dog Eared Books,…
LGBTQ+ advocates warn Meta’s policy changes ‘putting us back in the dark ages’
LGBTQ+ advocates have expressed alarm in recent weeks, as Meta has taken steps to undermine protections for queer youth and apparently worked to appease the incoming conservative administration in Washington. Meta, the parent company of popular social media and messaging companies Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is owned by Mark Zuckerberg, who was once considered to be an ally of…
Sustainable, genderless and bold fashion: The vision behind Desoire
At only 17 years old, Neha Sikder founded Desoire, her own fashion line of genderless clothing to inspire femininity for everyone. Desoire strives to be a sustainable brand challenging a fashion industry that often promotes only the masculine side in unisex clothing. Sikder was only 13 years old when the idea for Desoire came to…
How social media age restrictions could impact LGBTQ+ youth
As states similar to Florida continue to propose social media age restrictions, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth face growing barriers to accessing crucial online spaces that support their identities, mental health, and social connections. Digital platforms offer these young people a safe haven where they can find supportive communities, explore their identities, and access resources that…
The impact of social media on LGBTQ+ youth mental health, and why it’s important
A 2023 LGBTQ+ youth report by the Human Rights Campaign found that 55.1% of surveyed LGBTQ+ youth screened positive for depression, and those that were transgender or gender-expansive were screened at 60%. Although 9 in 10 felt proud to be LGBTQ+, more than 4 in 10 of them felt critical of their respective identities. The…
Nonbinary hairstylist gives clients the gender-affirming cuts they want
Every nonbinary and trans person’s gender-affirming care is specific to them. It might include certain personal identity changes, such as one’s pronouns, name, and gender markers on legal documents; weekly injections of testosterone or estrogen (i.e. hormone therapy); surgeries; and mental health support. Another way for a person to feel more comfortable with who they…
Silver Pride Project champions visibility and care for LGBTQ+ seniors in Dallas
It is estimated that there are more than 2 million LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. ages 50 and older, yet their presence in our community is often limited. They face significant challenges, including access to health care and increased isolation. Because of both their age and queer identity, they face extra stigma and discrimination. Portia…
LGBTQ+ representation and inclusion in the tech sector
The technology sphere is in a need for more representation and data regarding LGBTQ+ people, and there are steps being taken to address that. People who openly identify as LGBTQ+ are currently estimated to make up only 2-3% of the tech sector, a startling 2024 statistic from research done by Women Tech Network. As of…
Eli Tea Bar continues to grow as a Chicago non-alcoholic queer haven
When people talk about non-alcoholic queer spaces in Chicago, one of the first places mentioned is often Eli Tea Bar. And although owner Eli Majid didn’t initially open the store with that vision in mind, he’s glad it’s grown into its community role. Eli Tea Bar opened nearly three years ago in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood…
Activist Riki Wilchins tackles New York Times’s controversial coverage of trans issues
The New York Times’ trans coverage has been the subject of strong controversy for the last few years, with the newspaper itself making headlines for how its stories platformed anti-trans groups instead of real trans individuals. Author and trans activist Riki Wilchins set out to chronicle that phenomenon. In Wilchins’s new book, Bad Ink: How The…
How local LGBTQ+ and BIPOC-ran media organizations are at risk, and what is being done to help
A 2023 report from Northwestern University found that local news deserts are occurring at an alarming rate. There are 204 counties in the United States without a local media outlet, and 228 U.S. counties are currently on a watch list for losing theirs out of 1,562 counties with only one local news source. This includes newspapers,…
Queer tech firm CEO takes a nonlinear approach to autism diagnoses
When it comes to a wealth of experience, subject matter expertise, and an interest in solving a complex problem, entrepreneur Amanda “Mandy” Ralston fits the bill. Her work offers a unique solution with the potential to improve people’s lives. “I don’t take myself that seriously, but I do take my ideas very seriously, and most…
Trans artist Nonamey finds community, inspiration in Portland
San Francisco has the first-ever Transgender District, the Office of Trans Initiatives, a designated month to honor trans history, and the status as a sanctuary city for trans and gender-nonconforming people, but there’s another trans-embracing metropolis on the West Coast: Portland. It’s where multimedia artist Nonamey calls home. “It’s the city where I feel, in…
Ambitious arts initiative uncovers ‘treasures’ created by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Chicagoans
Chicago has no shortage of cultural events—with 77 neighborhood areas and an innumerable amount of cultural communities, there’s something for everyone. Financial assistance from Chicago Cultural Treasures, now in the final year of its four-year initiative, has focused on funding BIPOC groups—including LGBTQ+-centered organizations—so they can continue as part of the city’s cultural tapestry. Launched…
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