KindRED Foundation’s Pride Cup Team Aims to Register One Thousand Runners for the onePulse Foundation’s CommUNITY Rainbow Run/Walk

The KindRED Pride Foundation is seeking one thousand participants to join its Pride Cup Team to raise funds during the onePulse Foundation's CommUNITY Rainbow Run/Walk in Orlando June 4. The Pride Cup hopes to raise $49,000 in honor of the 49 victims killed in the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in 2016. 

 

Individuals joining the 4.9K run/walk, benefiting the onePULSE Foundation and the National Pulse Memorial and Museum, will start at Wadeview Park, 500 East Harding Street. The virtual run can be done at any location and at the runner’s pace. All participants will receive an official race T-shirt, tote bag, downloadable race bib, and finisher medal.

 

“We are proud to support this worthy cause and seek others who can join us here in Orlando or virtually from anywhere in the world,” said Billy Looper, President of Kindred Pride Foundation. “We lost friends that night and we will be walking in their honor. We are encouraging the Pride Cup team members to please show their KindRED Pride spirit by wearing RED as a sign of solidarity.” 

 

Members are also urged to use #thepridecup and #rspd when posting images. To register for The Pride Cup Team, please visit: www.thepridecupteam.com

Parents of LGBTQ+ Youth Get a Boost on May 22 with “PFLAG Parent Day”

Fifty years ago, a mother’s letter to the editor was published in a New York City paper doing the unheard of: she denounced the harmful actions of elected officials against LGBTQ+ people and called for support for LGBTQ+ equal rights. On Sunday, May 22, PFLAG National celebrates the parenting people who continue that mother’s legacy and who rise up in support of rights for LGBTQ+ loved ones and for their communities with PFLAG Parent Day (PFLAG.org/ParentDay). 

“It took an enormous amount of courage to be openly LGBTQ+ fifty years ago, and it took guts to be an LGBTQ+-affirming parent and school teacher then, too. But Jeanne Manford showed us not only that LGBTQ+ allies can speak up and speak out, but that they should. In a year when officials from the State House to the school board have criminalized parents of LGBTQ+ people, PFLAG National is proud to celebrate loving parents and caregivers who fight the good fight. We hope everyone who loves an LGBTQ+ person will join us on May 22nd to feel the love and to get inspired to lead like Jeanne did,” said Brian K. Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National.

The second annual PFLAG Parent Day event will feature the stories of courageous LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, parents and caregivers, plus appearances by Big Freedia, Cody Rigsby, George Takei, Matteo Lane, MUNA, Tommy DiDario, cast members from Hulu’s LOVE, VICTOR and many more to be announced at a later date. 

PFLAG Parent Day will also be an opportunity to contribute to PFLAG’s life-saving programs that provide support, education, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ people, their parents and families, and allies across the country. The live virtual event will serve as a touchpoint to engage and inspire advocates and allies who believe all kids, no matter their race, genders or sexual orientation, should be free to be themselves. 

This June 25 marks 50 years since Jeanne Manford became the mother of the LGBTQ+ ally movement. It is the day when she first marched alongside her son Morty in the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, bearing a sign to urge other parents to join her as advocates and supporters of LGBTQ+ rights. PFLAG chapters across the country will be harnessing this legacy to lead like Jeanne as they march and advocate for LGBTQ+ people during Pride month and throughout the year.

'Nuclear Family' Premieres September 26 on HBO Max

 

In Nuclear Family, Ry Russo-Young reexamines the landmark legal decision that would change the way gay families were perceived forever. The HBO original documentary series premieres September 26 on HBO Max.

How do you survive a threat to destroy your family? This three-part documentary series begins in the late 70s/early 80s, when the concept of lesbian and gay families was inconceivable to most. Director Ry Russo-Young examines how the power of love, the terror of loss and the universal pull of family sent a shockwave through her life as a young girl – and how its echoes have reverberated through all the way up to today.

At a time when being gay or lesbian seemed to mean you had given up the right to have children and a family, Ry was born to two lesbian moms through a sperm donor. Their idyllic life was threatened by an unexpected lawsuit, culminating in a landmark decision that would change the way gay families are viewed evermore.

Featuring a lifetime of home videos, press and interviews, the series tracks the arc of Ry’s relationship with her donor — from idealization to villainy and, ultimately, to loss and understanding. Her story, in all its particularity, is also a universal exploration of love, hate, and the universal pull of family.

New Survey: Impacts of Discrimination on LGBTQ Community

Please participate in this special survey on how the many forms of discrimination impact LGBTQ community members.

The research is a partnership with a national LGBTQ nonprofit looking to make positive change for our community.

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Netta - I Love My Nails

Netta releases “I Love My Nails” (via S-Curve/Hollywood Records), an anthem that rivals her Eurovision-winning breakout hit “Toy” in pure unbridled passion and empowerment. Inspired initially by a bout of deep heartbreak, Netta uses her passion for her nails as a metaphor for the things in our lives that remind us of who we are. It’s a triumphant reclamation of the things we do just for ourselves that get us back on our feet when we are at our lowest.

 

Of the song, Netta said “Loving your nails is about loving yourself. Painting and building my nails is self-care for me. It’s my color therapy. It helped me this year with rejection and put the color back in my life. I paint a picture of myself on them. I put my heart on my sleeve, they say, so I put mine on my nails.”

 

She added, “When I was young, I used to go with my mother to the beauty salon. Beauticians are the best therapists, if you didn’t know. The process of building her nails was actually about building herself once again every week. This ritual became her medicine for her, and I guess it runs in the family. Show up for you. Love your nails. Love yourself.”

 

Netta recently came stateside for two sold-out shows in New York and LA respectively. She also is set to appear and perform at Chicago Pride Fest on June 18,  The Foundry (Philly) on June 22, Union Stage (DC) on June 23 and NYC Pride on June 25 over the next few months.

ICYMI: HRC Interim President Calls Out Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kay Ivey, Ron Desantis for Hypocrisy in Spreading Anti-LGBTQ+ Misinformation

Saturday night, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, hosted its Greater New York Dinner. The event featured speeches from HRC’s interim president Joni Madison, who used her remarks to directly confront the right-wing anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation campaign and called the current moment – when a slate of anti-LGBTQ+ bills are passing in states across the country and misinformation is rampant-- – an “emergency.”

“These lawmakers are simply pouring gasoline on a wildfire,” Human Rights Campaign Interim President Joni Madison said in her remarks of anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers. “They’re going on Fox News and reclaiming vintage hand-me-down hate -- calling us predators and groomers. Marjorie Taylor Greene has called our community ‘pro-pedophile.’ But at the exact same time, one of her staunchest allies -- Matt Gaetz -- is under federal investigation for alleged sex crimes with a minor. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey went out of her way to attack trans kids under the guise of “protecting the children.” But she supported Roy Moore even after news came out that he engaged in sexual misconduct with 14-year-olds. It’s disgusting.

“It is clear that these leaders do not care at all about protecting children. Their hypocrisy is vile. Their actions are vile. Their rhetoric is vile. They are painting a target on our back -- and then telling folks it is okay to go ahead and shoot.”

The event also featured remarks from New York Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Revered British Actress Golda Rosheuvel was honored with the HRC Equality Award and multi-platinum pop superstar Jessie J gave a show-stopping performance. Actors Tituss Burgess and Ian Alexander, actress and transgender rights activist Nicole Maines, and comedian Dana Goldberg also spoke at HRC’s event.

National Association of County and City Health Officials Applauds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Updated Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Recommendations

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the voice of our country’s local health departments, applauds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updating its hepatitis B vaccination guidelines. The CDC is recommending universal hepatitis B vaccination for all adults aged 19 to 59 in the United States. The CDC announced these updated recommendations in a recent edition of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, following a recommendation from its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice in November 2021.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a significant public health threat in the U.S. An estimated 862,000 people are living with HBV, and there are 21,600 new cases each year. HBV can cause significant damage to the liver, resulting in cirrhosis and liver cancer. HBV is primarily spread through sexual contact, through the sharing of syringes and other injection equipment, or through parent-to-child transmission at birth. The previous vaccination recommendations were based on risk factors for HBV. However, the stigma associated with key risk factors, including injection drug use, could deter patients from disclosing their risk and consequently limit opportunities for vaccination.

The expanded recommendations will help to close the gap. Currently only 25% of adults are vaccinated against HBV in the U.S. Furthermore, the updated recommendations support our national goal to eliminate viral hepatitis in the U.S.
by 2030.

The updated vaccination recommendations will complement existing recommendations for universal infant vaccination, which began in 1991. Expanded vaccination will be critical to addressing the burden of HBV in the US and the inequitable impact of HBV on people who inject

drugs; men who have sex with men; people with a history of incarceration; refugee, immigrant, and migrant populations; and Black, Indigenous and other people of color in the U.S. Notably, the updated recommendations will ensure expanded health insurance coverage and the elimination of financial and other barriers to HBV vaccination for many adults.

Local health departments (LHDs) are ideally situated to support the implementation of the new recommendations, and they will play a key role in increasing adult HBV vaccination coverage nationwide. According to NACCHO’s 2019 Profile assessment, 88% of LHDs provide adult vaccination, making vaccination the most frequently provided clinical service. LHDs also coordinate with a variety of local stakeholders to prevent and eliminate viral hepatitis. They provide and assure access to HBV vaccination, testing, and treatment; conducting outreach to healthcare providers and populations at high risk for hepatitis and providing hepatitis services in STI, harm reduction, and correctional settings. The expanded recommendations will enable LHDs to offer the HBV vaccine more widely and encourage more providers to offer the vaccine, expanding access in a variety of settings.

A universal adult HBV vaccination recommendation is an important step toward increasing access to HBV vaccination and reducing preventable morbidity and mortality. However, scaling up HBV vaccination and implementing tailored and innovative approaches to outreach and messaging will require a multidisciplinary effort ranging from the local to national level. Coordination at all levels will be necessary to incorporate universal HBV vaccination into routine vaccination programs, especially as immunizers continue to provide COVID-19 vaccination and strive to improve vaccination rates that have decreased during the pandemic. It is imperative for policymakers to ensure that all partners and stakeholders, including LHDs, receive the needed resources and support to efficiently and effectively operationalize this critically important recommendation.

Dallas Southern Pride Announces the 2022 Juneteenth Unity Weekend June 16-19

Dallas Southern Pride will host its Juneteenth Unity Weekend celebration, June 16-19, 2022. This year's celebration will include a myriad of events, including health and wellness screenings, COVID-19 vaccinations, concerts, their annual Juneteenth unity festival and pool party, various local club events, parties and The Emancipation Ball. 

Some of the biggest stars in hip-hop and entertainment are confirmed for this unforgettable four-day weekend of festivities, including the City Girls, Saucy Santana, and Moneybagg Yo, who will perform at the Juneteenth unity  festival and pool party on Saturday, June 18 from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Samuell-Grand Aquatic Center, 3201 Samuell Blvd., Dallas, Texas;  and Dallas' own superstars Erica Banks and Yella Beezy, who will perform at the Mega Party that Saturday at 10 p.m. at Amplified, 10262 Technology Blvd E, Dallas, Texas. The weekend of events will conclude with a signature brunch on Sunday, June 19, hosted by Kirk Myers-Hill, president of Dallas Southern Pride.

More than 20,000 people from across the United States and internationally are slated to attend this year's Juneteenth Unity Weekend celebration, which was created to celebrate the brilliance and culture of Black people. An idea birthed by community leader, businessperson and activist, Kirk Myers-Hill, the Juneteenth Unity Weekend is the official annual celebration for Black Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ+) people to come together and celebrate their contributions to both American and Black culture, liberation and community.

"Juneteenth Unity Weekend is a celebration and representation of the many intersections and beautiful mosaics within the Black community," said Kirk Myers-Hill, president of Dallas Southern Pride. "The Black community is only as strong as its Black Gay brothers and sisters. Juneteenth is an opportunity to showcase unity and display the belief that we are all stronger together."

Juneteenth became a federally recognized national holiday in 2021. However, long before the nation started celebrating this holiday, Black people in Texas were celebrating this day, as it originated in Texas. The Emancipation Proclamation, which granted freedom to slaves, was signed 1863. However, it wasn't until two years later on June 19, 1865, that slaves in Texas first learned of their freedom. Union troops entered Galveston, TX, announcing that all slaves were free. This marked the beginning of Juneteenth as it is known and recognized today. Since 2017, the Governor of Texas has submitted a proclamation recognizing the Juneteenth Unity Weekend. Additionally, Congresswomen Eddie Bernice Johnson continues to show her support by issuing welcome letters for the past five years. The Juneteenth Unity Weekend is a family-oriented celebration with events and programming for the entire community and is excited to bring the celebration of Juneteenth back home to Texas. June is also Pride Month and the Juneteenth Unity Weekend has been a staple event in the city of Dallas during Pride month for many years.

"VisitDallas is excited to support the 2022 Juneteenth Unity Weekend hosted by Dallas Southern Pride and Abounding Prosperity, Inc. Events like this continue to make Dallas a better place to live and visit," said Craig T. Davis, president and CEO of VisitDallas.

Since its inception in 2008, the Juneteenth Unity Weekend continues to make a positive impact in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex by unifying the community, celebrating freedom, providing a safe space for community gathering, and infusing millions of dollars into the local economy. The 2021 Juneteenth Unity Weekend brought thousands of visitors to the Metroplex, and sold-out all its host hotels. The event generated more than $2.2 million dollars for local business hit hard by the global COVID-19 pandemic and created hundreds of jobs for "gig" workers. The event and leadership team also created other historic moments for the city of Dallas. As a result, the HIV positivity rate dropped below 10 percent for the first time in the event's history among more than 200 attendees tested; the Dallas Police Department held a recruitment drive targeting LGBTQ+ applicants; the Dallas skyline was lighted in the Juneteenth and Black Pride colors for the first time and The Dallas Southern Pride Official Pride flag was debuted and flown for the first time at the Sheraton Market Center.

The Juneteenth Unity Weekend is a collaborative celebration made possible by the support of the many companies and organizations that share the collective vision for this impactful event that advances the entire Black family and social justice movements and celebrates unity and peace. The 2022 presenting sponsors thus far are Gilead Sciences and Abounding Prosperity, Inc., along with Black Entertainment Television (BET) and ViiV Healthcare as diamond sponsors. Other key sponsors include the Dallas Mavericks, Radio One Dallas, Dallas TPID, AHF, Yale School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, HVTN, SBPAN, AIDS United, VisitDallas, Hilton, Center for Black Equity, United Black Ellument, Crawford Jewelry, and Don Morphy.

A portion of the proceeds from this year's Juneteenth Unity Weekend will be used to support the free health, and wellness activities of its partner agencies, which offsets the cost of essential services to Black and Brown communities, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ communities and their families in the DFW metroplex.

Hulu Acquires U.S. Streaming Rights to Schitt’s Creek

Today Hulu announced that it will be the dedicated subscription video on-demand destination for critically acclaimed and fan favorite series “Schitt’s Creek” in the U.S. beginning October 3, 2022.

 

“Based on the number of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ GIFs we Slack every day, it’s no surprise that we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Johnny, Moira, Alexis, ‘Daviiid’ and the wonderfully unique residents of Schitt’s Creek to Hulu,” said Joe Earley, President of Hulu. “We can’t wait to share the award-winning, blisteringly-funny, yet heartwarming series and characters with our subscribers. We know they’ll fit in nicely.”

 

“Schitt’s Creek” centers on an outrageously wealthy video store magnate, Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy); his former soap-star wife Moira (Catherine O'Hara); and their two adult children – the self-described black sheep of the family David (Daniel Levy) and career socialite Alexis (Annie Murphy). When the family suddenly find themselves broke, they have no choice but to move to Schitt's Creek, a small-town Johnny once bought as a joke. Forced to live out of a motel, with their pampered lives a memory, they struggle to find jobs and relationships and, most importantly, figure out what it means to be a family in the loveable town they’ve reluctantly come to call home. 

 

Since its debut, “Schitt’s Creek” has garnered scores of award nominations and appeared on dozens of 'Best Of' lists. In 2020, the series made history by sweeping all Primetime Emmy® Awards comedy categories with the most wins in a single season for a comedy including Outstanding Lead Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series for Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy; Outstanding Supporting Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series for Annie Murphy and Daniel Levy; Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for Andrew Cividino and Daniel Levy; and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Daniel Levy. 

Human Rights Campaign Commends Biden-Harris Administration for Releasing Report on Efforts to Support Global LGBTQ+ Rights

Today, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, commended the release of a report from the Biden-Harris administration that examines the efforts of each federal agency with an international portfolio to advance LGBTQ+ equality around the world. The report points both to the progress that the administration has made, as well as obstacles that agencies face.

 

“We welcome this first-ever effort from the Biden-Harris administration to document our nation’s progress on protecting and promoting LGBTQ+ rights around the world. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the steps the administration has taken to restore LGBTQ+ rights as a central tenet of our U.S. foreign policy goals,” said David Stacy, Director of Government Affairs. “Too many LGBTQ+ people around the world are under threat every day, many of them from their own governments. In conflict zones like Ukraine, Afghanistan and more, LGBTQ+ people routinely bear a disproportionate brunt of the horrible effects of violence – violence that in many cases deliberately targets LGBTQ+ populations. HRC is grateful that from Washington, DC to U.S. embassies around the globe, the human rights of LGBTQ+ communities are a priority and that the administration is following through on its promise to support global LGBTQ+ equality.

 

"It is clear that more remains to be done to bolster global LGBTQ+ rights. We hope that this report will spur the administration to adopt and strengthen non-discrimination protections across all of its international agencies, ensure adequate and inclusive funding for LGBTQ+ programs at the State Department and USAID, and rebuild the nation's broken refugee and asylum system.”

 

Today’s release is a progress report  on a memorandum signed by President Biden in February 2021, shortly after he took office, that laid out steps his administration would take to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people worldwide. LGBTQ+ people around the world continue to face discrimination, violence, and bigotry. Sixty-eight countries -- more than one third of the world’s nations --  criminalize consenting same-sex sexual relations. In up to nine countries, same-sex sexual relations may be punishable by death, and so-called anti-LGBTQ+ “propaganda” laws inhibit LGBTQ+ advocacy in at least three countries.

Campus Pride Joins 36 Orgs Urging The NCES to Incorporate Nonbinary Students Into IPED System

Today, Campus Pride along with 36 other national/regional organizations requested that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) incorporate nonbinary students into all categories of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

A letter from Campus Pride on behalf of the signatories was sent to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) who has oversight of NCES. A separate request for comment was also filed with the DOE online in the public request for comments.

The organizations are recommending that NCES add a “nonbinary gender identity” category to all tables. As colleges are becoming more detailed in identifying the gender identities of their students, NCES should consider including additional gender options, such as agender, gender fluid, genderqueer, questioning, trans man, and trans woman. These would allow for a more comprehensive understanding of their students across gender identities.

The letter states: “While we appreciate that the NCES is proposing to add a single question to IPEDS that asks colleges about the number of students at their institutions who identify as other than female or male, this change is not enough. Nonbinary students need to be included in all gender breakdowns so that their experiences, which are often very different from female and male students, can be recognized and fully accounted for in order to ensure a safe, inclusive learning environment. The value of nonbinary inclusion should outweigh any added reporting burden on colleges.”

According to the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment (NCHA), the number of students identifying as trans or nonbinary has nearly tripled in the last five years, with most of this increase because of the growth in respondents identifying as nonbinary.

The Common Application, the Coalition Application, and the Universal College Application, which manage the admissions applications for more than 1,200 colleges and universities, enable students to identify their gender identity and include a “nonbinary” option. In addition, “nonbinary” is a category for “legal sex” in 24 states, where individuals can have an “x” as their gender marker on their driver’s license and/or birth certificates.

Signatories include:

ACPA - College Student Educators International

Advocates for Youth

American Association of Colleges and Universities

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers

American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Association of College and University Housing Officers - International

Athlete Ally

Campus Pride

Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research (CLEAR)

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers

Common App

Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals

Equality Federation

FORGE, Inc.

GLSEN

interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth

Mazzoni Center

Modern Military Association of America

Movement Advancement Project

NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators for Higher Education

National Association for College Admissions Counseling

National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO)

National Black Justice Coalition

National Center for Transgender Equality

National LGBT Cancer Network

National LGBTQ+ Bar Association

National Women’s Law Center

Oasis Legal Services

Oklahomans for Equality

PFLAG National

Phoenix Pride

PowerOn, a program of LGBT Technology Institute

Resource Center

TransAthlete.com

Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico

URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity

Woodhull Freedom Foundation

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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and NY Governor Kathy Hochul to speak at Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Greater New York Dinner

Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization – announced that NY Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will deliver remarks at the 2022 HRC Greater New York Dinner. Actors Tituss Burgess and Ian Alexander, actress and transgender rights activist Nicole Maines, and comedian Dana Goldberg will also speak at HRC’s event. HRC’s official DJ and youth ambassador, Nico Craig, will play music throughout the night. The dinner will take place at the New York Marriott Marquis on April 30. As previously announced, HRC will also honor revered British Actress Golda Rosheuvel with the Equality Award and is proud to host a performance from multi-platinum pop superstar Jessie J.

Governor Kathy Hochul is the 57th and first female Governor of New York State. Hochul began her career in public service on her local Town Board before serving as Erie County Clerk, and then as a member of Congress for New York’s 26th Congressional District. She more recently served in statewide office as Lieutenant Governor. As Governor, Hochul has spent much of her time in office supporting the LGBTQ+ community. She has rolled out a $22 million housing program creating LGBTQ+ affirming spaces for formerly unhoused queer youth, expanded legal LGBTQ+ protection bills in the state, and has announced major advancements in LGBTQ+ equity as part of New York state’s FY 2023 state budget.

A strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was one of the first national politicians to march in the New York City Pride Parade. Throughout his career, Sen. Schumer has been a tireless advocate for equal rights for those in the LGBTQ+ community. Elected to the Senate in 1998, he had previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2017, Sen. Schumer was elected Senate Democratic Leader by his colleagues and he has helped lead the fight against the Trump-Pence Administration’s efforts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights.

Golda Rosheuvel is a well-revered British actress best known for her stage work and more recently her role as Queen Charlotte in the hit Netflix series “Bridgerton.” Last year, she starred in the hugely successful sci-fi epic Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve. Golda has been in a relationship with her partner, Shireen Mula, for nearly a decade, and has been authentically out and proud as a lesbian woman for most of her career.

Back in 2011, Jessie J quietly emerged with the biggest voice in pop. The UK-born powerhouse introduced herself with Who You Are, which not only went platinum but also yielded the quadruple-platinum “Price Tag” and platinum “Domino.” Not to mention, the record made history as “the first album by a British female artist to produce six or more Top 10 hits in the UK,” while she picked up the 2011 Critics’ Choice BRIT Award and BBC’s Sound of 2011. On its heels, 2014’s Sweet Talker crashed the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 and housed the eight-time platinum “Bang Bang” with Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.

Tituss Burgess is perhaps best known for his role in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, for which he has received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Before that, he was a stage star. Past credits on Broadway include Guys and Dolls, The Little Mermaid, Jersey Boys, and Good Vibrations. In June 2016, Burgess reprised his role of "Sebastian the Crab" during the Hollywood Bowl concert event of The Little Mermaid. Burgess can be seen in the AppleTV musical cartoon series Central Park as Cole Tillerman. Burgess most recently starred as Remy in a benefit concert presentation of Ratatouille the Musical, which originated on TikTok, inspired by the 2007 Disney Pixar film.

Ian Alexander (they/them, he/him) is the first out transmasculine Asian American person to act on television. He is also an advocate for transgender equality, racial justice, and mental health awareness for LGBTQ+ youth. He is best known for his role as Buck Vu on The OA (Netflix), Lev in The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog), and Gray Tal on Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+).

Nicole Maines is an actress and trans rights activist, best known for being the first person to portray a transgender superhero on television in her role as Nia Nal on The CW superhero series Supergirl. As a teenager, Nicole was named one of Glamour Magazine’s 50 Inspiring Women of the year. She guest-starred in the USA comedy series, Royal Pains, has appeared in the documentary feature, The Trans List for HBO, and Nicole and her family have a NY Times bestselling book, “Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family” by Pulitzer Prize author Amy Ellis Nutt.

In 2014, Nicole won a State Supreme Court decision against the Orono school district in Maine, which ruled that the school district had violated the state’s Human Rights Act. The case marked the very first time that a state’s highest court ruled that a transgender person has the right to use the restroom of the gender with which they identify.

Dana Goldberg is a comedian, activist, actor, writer, and a lesbian woman known for her LGBTQ+ comedy. Among her many other career accomplishments, she hosts Out in Left Field With Dana Goldberg on Advocate.com.

Set to take place at the New York Marriott Marquis on April 30 at 7:00 PM ET, the 2022 HRC Greater New York Dinner brings together HRC’s most active members and supporters in the greater New York area to raise crucial funds in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality. Tickets and further information are available at http://www.hrcgreaterny.org/dinner.

Now is the Time to Plan a Bucketlist Summer Roadtrip Through Colorado

Summer is for road tripping, and what better place to turn up the tunes, take in the unparalleled views and explore than Colorado? From active adventure themed roadtrips highlighting watersports, cycling and summer ski resort activities to trips that immerse travelers in history, wine and roadside attractions, Colorado has a trip itinerary for every traveler’s taste.

This summer, Colorado welcomes exciting new experiences that will inspire roadtrippers to “Shine a Little Brighter.” The first-ever Colorado Historic Opera Houses Circuit is a joint promotion of five historic Colorado mountain opera houses and will share the performances, programs, history and stories of these historic venues making it an exciting new roadtrip itinerary. The Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop expanded this year adding three more destination partners to this iconic roadtrip loop that showcases the state’s premier hot springs destinations. For roadtrippers looking to make a lighter impact by exploring via electric vehicle, an eighth Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway was recently certified as a Colorado Electric Byway, and the state is committed to electrifying all 26 of its byways over the next several years. Colorado is home to eight International Dark Sky Parks and five International Dark Sky Communities, many of which were newly designated within the last year. Colorado’s self-guided stargazing tour added three new locations to its roster in preparation for the 2022 summer travel season making for an epic celestial-inspired roadtrip.

For those looking to take learning on the road, the Colorado Tourism Office, in partnership with educators, recently launched a series of Schoolcations educational roadtrip itineraries. The trips are crafted with plenty of hands-on learning, educational adventures and, of course, stops for ice cream. Each was designed with kids from kindergarten to 5th grade in mind, but the activities, outings and accommodations can be enjoyed by children, and adults, of all ages.

Below is a sampling of unique roadtrip itineraries that will take travelers to various regions of the state to immerse in the culture of the communities. For more inspiration, the “Colo-Road Trips” microsite on Colorado.com is a searchable, online collection of hundreds of multi-day itineraries aimed at inspiring travel in less-visited destinations.

Splash Through Northern Colorado:

For roadtrippers who love all things water, start in Steamboat Springs, where rivers, streams, waterfalls and hot springs are a vital part of what sets the destination apart. Fly fish, tube or paddle the Yampa River, the wildest (most free flowing) river in the entire Colorado River system. Visit Fish Creek Falls and explore seven natural mineral springs within walking distance of downtown on a self-guided mineral springs walking tour. After these adventures, travel southeast on Hwy 40 over Rabbit Ears Pass and head toward Walden onto Hwy 14. Stop at State Forest State Park for camping and fishing in the park’s alpine lakes and rivers.​ Watch for the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, a managed waterfowl nesting area and lush wetlands complete with meandering streams, just outside of Walden. Continue into the Poudre Canyon, a Colorado Scenic Byway. Be sure to stop and see the 100-year-old Mishawaka, a bucket-list music venue offering “classic eats and river beats.” Look for fly-fishers, rafters, kayakers and stand-up paddleboards along the Cache la Poudre, the state’s only designated Wild & Scenic River. Head to Fort Collins and cool off at City Park Pool, the Poudre River Whitewater Park located in the up-and-coming River District neighborhood or Horsetooth Reservoir for boating fun.

Immerse in Native American History and Culture in Southwestern Colorado:

A roadtrip around southwest Colorado leads travelers through the history of the Ancestral Puebloan, Ute and Navajo people. Start at the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park where tribal members interpret tribal culture, pictographs, cliff dwellings, surface ruins and artifacts. From there, head to the Cortez area and visit the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center & Museum, an archaeological museum and the headquarters for the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, containing the highest known archaeological site density in the U.S. Attend free Native American dances and cultural programs at the Cortez Cultural Center in the evening. Overnight at the Canyons of the Ancients Guest Ranch and enjoy a traditional Navajo dinner. Just east of Cortez, visit the spectacular cliff dwellings and mesa-top villages in world-renowned Mesa Verde National Park. The park protects the rich cultural heritage of 26 tribes and offers visitors a spectacular window into the past. Overnight at the Far View Lodge in the park. From there, drive east to the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum in Ignacio and learn about the unique origin, culture, language, history, and way of life of the Ute people. End the roadtip by visiting Chimney Rock National Monument, once home to the ancestors of the modern Pueblo people and travel on to Pagosa Springs, whose name is a Ute word meaning “healing waters.” The hot mineral springs of the area are renowned for their healing qualities. Give them a try and learn the lore of the fight for ownership of the hot springs between the Ute and Navajo people.

Experience Summer in Ski Resorts Through the Rockies Playground:

Colorado’s Summit and Eagle Counties are home to some of the best known ski areas and resorts in the world, and these ski destinations transform into summer playgrounds worth the roadtrip. Start at Arapahoe Basin to experience the highest via ferrata climbing route in North America. Head to Keystone’s bike park with progression-focused terrain for riders of all abilities or hit the greens and enjoy a round of golf at one of Keystone’s two 18-hole golf courses. Drive over Swan Mountain to the historic mining town of Breckenridge that offers endless hiking and mountain biking adventures set against the backdrop of the ski area's massive five peaks. From Breckenridge, head to Copper Mountain and experience Woodward Copper’s on-snow, skiing and riding summer camps. Keep heading west on I-70 and Vail Mountain is hard to miss. Spanning more than 5,000 acres, take a gondola ride from either Lionshead or Vail Village to take in the gorgeous mountain views. Then hit up Epic Discovery featuring the Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster, tubing hill, climbing wall, mini golf, zip lining and more. Just 10 miles down the road from Vail, Beaver Creek sits above the town of Avon. Hike, bike, horseback ride or 4x4 to Beano’s Cabin, high up on the slopes of Beaver Creek Mountain to devour delectable Colorado mountain cuisine.

Taste the Wines of Western Colorado:

Colorado boasts two federally designated American Viticultural Areas (AVAs): the Grand Valley AVA along the Colorado River between Palisade and Grand Junction, and the West Elks AVA along the North Fork of the Gunnison River between Paonia and Hotchkiss. Together, these regions produce 90 percent of the wine grapes grown in Colorado. Start a wine-inspired roadtrip in the charming town of Paonia stopping in Azura Cellars & Gallery and Alfred Eames Cellars. From Paonia, head to Hotchkiss to taste wines at The Storm Cellar and Mesa Winds Farm and Winery and indulge in their wine and farm to table small plates. Stopover at Big B’s Delicious Orchards for farm fresh produce, area cuisine, live music, hard cider and camping in their orchard. From there, head to Palisade. Shaded by the majestic beauty of the red rock cliffs and mesas that surround Grand Junction and Palisade, Colorado's Grand Valley is home to 30 wineries and vineyards that serve up some of Colorado’s best wines. In Palisade, stop at the Ordinary Fellow that opened in late 2021, taste sparkling wine at Sauvage Spectrum, enjoy a selection of curated Colorado wine at the Colorado Vintner's Collective, taste the flavors of the area alongside Colorado wine at Peche and overnight at the Wine Country Inn. Head to Grand Junction and experience the new Carlson Vineyards tasting room. End the wine tour at Two Rivers Winery and Chateau, located near the Colorado National Monument, for a wine tasting, lodging and incredible views.

Travel Back in Time Through the Canyons and Plains:

Southeast Colorado is shaped by its rich heritage of Hispanic and Native American culture. It’s a special place to enrich perspective, meander country roads and experience fascinating moments in the nation’s history firsthand. Frontiersman Kit Carson, folk hero “Wild” Bill Hickok and explorer Zebulon Pike also followed this path on their fortune-seeking quests, leaving their mark on locations with important historic ties such as Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site and Boggsville Historic Site. And though they’re a tragic reminder of some of the darker sides of history, Amache National Historic Site, America’s newest National Park/Historic Site, and the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site also present an opportunity to learn from the past. Travel even further back in time to Picketwire Canyon, where a guided auto tour shows travelers the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America and the other prehistoric, historic and natural features of the canyon along the Purgatoire River. To the northeast, Vogel Canyon offers four hiking trails and is the site of rock art left behind by Native Americans who lived in the canyon 300 to 800 years ago. Both gems are found within the Comanche National Grassland, whose vast and sprawling short-grass prairie makes it a haven for nearly 400 bird species.Throughout the year, more types of birds can be seen in this region than any other in North America. Thousands of geese descend on the lakes near Lamar annually, and John Martin Reservoir State Park is a hotbed for wildlife. Thanks to an extended growing season, the region is also known for its agricultural side. Rocky Ford in particular is famed for its cantaloupe and watermelon — stop by a roadside farm stand or farmers’ market for a true taste of summer.

Explore Roadside Attractions and Curiosities in the Mystic San Luis Valley:

Colorado’s San Luis Valley is a valley of hidden treasures including quirky roadside attractions (UFO Watchtower, Colorado Gators Reptile Park and Stations of the Cross), incredible scenery and outdoor adventures, interesting towns, unique ranches and agriculture, wildlife viewing and the tallest sand dunes in North America at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. And the area is getting more exciting. Opening this summer, the historic Frontier Drive-In/n is a 1940s-era drive-in movie theater that has been reimagined with nightly film screenings on a fully restored movie screen, overnight accommodations in steelmaster sheds converted to luxury hotel suites and glamping yurts and one-of-a-kind spas located inside signature 3D-printed adobe structures open to the sky. Zapata Ranch, owned by the Nature Conservancy, is offering a slew of exciting new summer workshops. These new offerings come on the heels of the recent renovations and expansion of the hip Mellow Moon Lodge and bike shop in Del Norte, last summer’s opening of the Rustic Rook glamping resort and the purpose built singletrack mountain bike trails emerging on the west side of the valley.

Rumble Like a Pioneer Through the Plains:

While the Rocky Mountains are synonymous with Colorado, so are the rolling plains that make up nearly half of the state. After the Louisiana Purchase, pioneers flocked to Colorado by the thousands, traversing the land in covered wagons, finding the plains a place to farm. Start this roadtrip near Orchard for camping, one of the best beaches in Colorado and activities for anglers, boaters and naturalists at Jackson Lake State Park. From there, search for mule deer, coyote and pronghorns (antelope) near the twin 300-foot-tall Pawnee Buttes in Pawnee National Grassland. Head to Sterling to learn about the pioneers at the Overland Trail Museum, once the most traveled road in America and drive across tracks laid by early railroad pioneers. Drive south to experience the Yuma Irrigation Research Farm where travelers can learn about government tested methods of soil conservation. Head east to hunt deer, quail and turkeys near Wray. From there, drive south to Burlington to ride hand carved wooden horses, giraffes and lions while whirling to the music of a 1909 Wurlitzer Monster Military Band Organ on the 1905 Kit Carson County Carousel. End the trip with some birding. Experience the Mountain Plover Festival in Karval, celebrating a unique bird of the region. Or go bird-watching in Limon’s wetlands area. The Pioneering Plains offer a glimpse of the life of those early trailblazers against backdrops of picturesque vistas, star-filled skies and the sweetest of people.

Go Electric Through the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway:

For breathtaking views, a taste of the west and opportunity to travel one of Colorado’s newly electrified Scenic and Historic Byways, plan your roadtrip along the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway. This stretch of highway offers stunning scenery and stops at some of Colorado’s best-kept secret towns. Drive east of Aspen on Highway 82 over Independence Pass to the historic town of Twin Lakes. Pick up a walking tour map of the historic district at the Twin Lakes Visitor Center. Head to Leadville, the highest elevated city in North America. Leadville is a must-visit with its unique mining heritage, elevated beauty, and world-class outdoor recreation. While charging an electric vehicle, take a tour of the historic Tabor Opera House, learn about mining at the National Mining Museum and Hall of Fame and ride back in time on the Leadville Railroad. For adventurous and iconic Colorado accommodations, try a backcountry hut. At 11,950 feet, Weston Pass Hut boasts the highest elevation of any Colorado backcountry lodging of its kind. 10th Mountain Huts manages a system of backcountry huts, many along this byway, connected by 350 miles of suggested routes. Head over Tennessee Pass past the Camp Hale National Historic Site (where the U.S. Army trained during World War II) and Holy Cross Wilderness Area. Pass through Red Cliff and end in the charming town of Minturn where the Minturn Market and Blue Starlight Drive-In are summer highlights to be enjoyed while charging an electric vehicle.

Bike Through the Roaring Fork Valley:

Take a road trip, or rather a bike excursion, through the Roaring Fork Valley, home to Aspen, Snowmass Village, Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. The 40 mile stretch of highway links all five towns via Highway 82 from I-70 to the base of the famed Independence Pass. Together, the region makes up the Aspen Snowmass / Roaring Fork Gold Level Ride Center, the first Gold-Level IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association) Ride Center™ in Colorado, only the fifth in the United States, and one of only seven in the world. With more than 300 miles of high quality singletrack to explore, the Roaring Fork Valley provides an incredible breadth of experiences for mountain bike enthusiasts seeking beauty and exhilaration. Guests can choose to drive and explore the trail systems within each town and ride the trails between each destination.