OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews)

Michaela Mendelsohn Trans Activist

Michaela Mendelsohn, transgender activist, public speaker and businesswoman with over 40 years of entrepreneurial leadership experience talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Mendelsohn is the CEO of Pollo West Corp one of the largest franchisees for El Pollo Loco restaurant in the Western Region of the United States and the founder of the California Transgender Workplace Program to promote transgender employment opportunities. After competing in the Ms. Senior California Pageant and serving as a consultant to Jenji Kohan in the development of Laverne Cox's character on "Orange is the New Black" most people would be content to rest on their laurels but not Michaela Mendelsohn. Instead she launched her important mission to make a difference for our transgender community. Michaela passionately advocates for working transgender women through her efforts with various California trade associations. Her personal mission is to help transgender women find employment, social acceptance and a path to raise families of their own. We talked to Michaela about what she hopes to accomplish with the California Transgender Workplace Program and give us her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few yearsMendelsohn stated, “We’ve made a lot of headway in certain areas but you know what we’re seeing is a lot of pushback. I think the polarity between the two major parties in this country right now exists largely because a) we have an Afro-American President and b) that we have had all this LGBT exposure in the last three or four years and I think we’re getting tremendous pushback from right-wing segments of this society and we’ve got a battle to fight. We know we have to keep pushing forward every attack we have to fend off and we can’t be lazy. A lot of this depends on who gets elected president but this next four years, eight years are going to be a crucial time for us to continue the momentum and this is very Pollyanna-ish but I’m hoping to see an evolution where we get to the point where these labels are just not needed anymore. Even the word trans I think eventually will disappear because it’s just another box we put ourselves into. I think gender nonconforming is a lot more open a term I would like to see.”

Michaela Mendelsohn was born in New York City and moved to Southern California as a child where she has remained. Michaela was married for over 30 years and is the proud parent of three grown children. In 2008 she legally changed her name to Michaela Irvi Mendelsohn and her gender to female. As a parent Michaela is also focused on outreach for our LGBTQ youth, speaking on issues specific to the transgender community and informing the community about the work of the Trevor Project where she serves on the board. Michaela is truly one of those rare individuals who works to make a difference in and for our community. She’s an admirable selfless human being and an inspiration for us all. Michaela lives with her partner Carmel and their two-year old son.
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Fenway Health Honors Maura Healey

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about being this year’s recipient of the Dr. Susan M. Love Award presented by Fenway Health at their annual Women’s Dinner Party fundraising event on April 9th at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. Attorney General Healey is being honored for her crucial contributions to our LGBT community’s civil rights and for being an openly LGBT politician. Each year the Dr. Susan M. Love Award is given to honor and celebrate a woman or organization that has made a significant contribution to the field of women’s health. The Love Award is given in honor of its founding recipient Dr. Susan M. Love a pioneer in the fields of women’s health and breast cancer. Love helped found the Revlon/UCLA Breast Center in 1992 and currently heads up the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation which is dedicated to eradicating breast cancer. Since taking office Maura Healey has championed issues that affect the lives and health of some of Massachusetts most vulnerable residents, including LGBT rights, the heroin and prescription drug abuse epidemic, escalating health care costs, workers rights, criminal justice system reforms and college debt. We talked to Maura about her groundbreaking work, being honored by Fenway Health with the Dr. Susan M. Love Award and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Healey stated, “It’s deeply personal for me not just because I happen to be a lesbian but because I think that civil rights should be on everyone’s agenda. I think it’s so important that we respect one another, that we respect and celebrate difference and that we treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves. It’s as simple as that. Obviously my office continues to be involved in the fight for marriage equality. I was so happy that it turned out that the first brief with my name on it as a newly-elected attorney general was the brief that we filed with the Supreme Court in the marriage equality case and continues to be the work that we need to do. I’m working really hard and strongly supporting the Transgender Accommodations Bill pending right now in the Massachusetts legislation. We got a bill that would ban discrimination against transgender folks in places of public accommodation. Sadly there’s still a gap in our law and while the legislature in Massachusetts took important steps a few years ago to ban discrimination against transgender folks in the workplace, housing and in schools, they did not address places of public accommodation and that’s just not right. We need to fix that so the bill is pending now in the legislature. I’d love to see it get a vote as soon as possible and see it signed into law so that transgender people in Massachusetts and those visiting Massachusetts will have protections under the law.”

Maura Healey graduated from Harvard in 1992 and made history when she was sworn in as the nation’s first openly gay Attorney General on January 21st 2015. Prior to that Healey was the architect of the state’s successful challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which she argued and won twice in federal court before the Supreme Court finally struck DOMA down. Healey will be honored at the Women’s Dinner Party, an elegant attire fundraiser for Fenway Health that brings together more than 1,100 lesbian, transgender and bisexual women and their friends and allies for a night of dinner and dancing on April 9th. This year’s event is made possible thanks to the hard work of event co-chairs Lauren K. Matysiak, Kendra E. Moore, PhD, and Carol A. Roby as well as the support of their generous corporate sponsors.
For Info & Tix: womensdinnerparty.org
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Palm Springs LGBT Garden Party

Kate Kendell, Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights talks about their fabulous Palm Springs Garden Party on April 2nd during The Dinah Shore Weekend with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. NCLR continues to be one of the nation’s leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender legal organizations that has been at the forefront of the fight to achieve LGBT equality for nearly four decades and was instrumental in achieving marriage equality nationally. The National Center for Lesbian Rights’ Garden Party attracts more than 300 people each year and celebrates the progress that’s been made so far to secure LGBT equality. This year NCLR is honoring two political pioneers who have played significant roles in our LGBT community’s advancements. First is California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom a fierce LGBT equality ally who made history as San Francisco’s mayor in 2004 by issuing marriage licenses to same gender couples and is being honored with the Champion Award for his long-time LGBT support. Secondly is Salt Lake City’s Mayor Jackie Biskupski who made history as Salt Lake City’s first openly LGBT mayor and is being honored with the Trailblazer Award for paving the way for more LGBT people to pursue elected office. We talked to Kate about NCLR’s important work, their Palm Springs Garden Party on April 2nd and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Kendell stated, “I feel like it’s been such an enormous privilege to really interweave the personal and the political. I mean I am a lesbian; I identify as a queer woman in a longtime relationship, married to my wife and raising two kids. So I feel everyday I have to walk the talk of what it means to do this work at the highest level, at the most effective level. I am part of the very community that I am serving so I feel particularly accountable. I feel accountable to my soul at the same time I feel accountable to my community to really always be a very fierce advocate and even though I live in a relative privilege as a white woman with a decent job with a good income and a good education I know a lot of people in our community don’t have that and I feel like our charge doing these jobs is to be there for the vulnerable in our community. So it feels every day very personal to get it right.”

Kate Kendell joined the staff as Legal Director in 1994 and became Executive Director in 1996. In this capacity she assists in the development of litigation and strategy and is responsible for all aspects of organization operation. She is also responsible for executing a broad and forward thinking vision around policy and project initiatives. NCLR has been a leader in the movement furthering the civil and human rights of our LGBT community since its start in 1977. It was the first organization in the country to launch projects advancing parent, youth, immigrant, transgender rights and many others. The Garden Party will be held on April 2nd in Palm Springs with a VIP champagne reception beginning at 5P and the party starting at 5:30P. Individual tickets are $75 and sponsorship packages start at $250. All 100% of proceeds will go to support NCLR’s crucial work.
For Info & Tix: nclrights.org
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“We've Been Around” Documentary Series

Producer Christine Beebe talks about her new digital documentary series “We've Been Around” that shares five previously untold stories of transgender pioneers with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The series is directed by Rhys Ernst, co-producer of “Transparent” and is presented in partnership with Focus Features, Time Inc. and The Advocate. Beebe teamed up with Ernst and a number of creative collaborators from the transgender community to research, produce and create these important films. From the narrators to the composer to the animator, the series was made with a range of talent from the transgender community. The team includes “Transparent” actress Alexandra Billings, writer and filmmaker Susan Stryker and trans historian Monica Roberts. The episodes each run under six minutes and include “S.T.A.R.” that tracks the modern transgender rights movement from the activism of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera who were participants in the Stonewall Riots of 1969. Then “Little Axe” profiles trans man Wilmer Broadnax a popular gospel singer and his brother Willie Broadnax as they sang their way to success from the 1940s to the 1970s. “Lou Sullivan” recounts the life of Lou Sullivan a pioneering transgender gay man and AIDS activist. “Albert Cashier” illuminates the 19th-century trailblazing of Albert Cashier a transgender man who fought in the Civil War and “Lucy Hicks Anderson” that recounts the story of Lucy Hicks Anderson a woman of color who thrived during Prohibition and stood her ground to protect her marriage rights after being exposed as a transgender woman. We talked to Christine about this groundbreaking digital documentary series and her spin on our LGBT civil rights.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Beebe stated, “I would say that my goal is to use storytelling like this series is personal storytelling, and I find that to be very compelling and I hope it resonates with people on a level that they feel like they understand the subject now that they might not have known otherwise. And with this series and other work that I want to do, I want to use the medium to share struggles of those who came before us and this will help lead the LGBT community in the future. I hope that this does that and so a project like this is really fantastic for me on a personal level and on a work level to be involved with something like this.”

Christine Beebe produces documentaries, episodic web series, branded content, multi-media spots and music videos. Christine holds her MFA in Film Directing from CalArts. A pioneer in her own right just by living her life, Beebe was one of the few to be officially married in 2007 during that small window of time in California before Prop 8 when marriage equality was legal. She is a mother of two young children. “We've Been Around” which tells previously untold histories of transgender trailblazers premiered earlier this month exclusively across three Time Inc. websites People.com, EW.com and Essence.com as well as on Advocate.com.
To Watch Series: advocate.com
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Lesbian Political Action Committee

Beth Shipp, Executive Director of LPAC the Lesbian Political Action Committee Super Pac that was formed to make a true impact for lesbians in politics talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Since the creation of LPAC in 2012 the Super Pac has distinguished itself by raising over $2 million from supporters in 48 states and has been involved in over 40 races and independent expenditure campaigns across the country. Lesbian and queer women have made it known through LPAC that they are a force to be reckoned with. LPAC has been instrumental in electing candidates whether they be gay or straight women or men who are pushing forward their progressive, feminist and pro-LGBTQ policies, including the fight for pay equality, LGBTQ nondiscrimination laws, reproductive justice and voting rights. LPAC has endorsed Hillary Clinton for President in the 2016 election. LPAC will be hosting an exclusive conversation about what’s next in this race to the White House on Thursday March 10th from 2P to 3P EST at LPAC’s 2016 Virtual Political Summit. They’ll be providing an insider’s view of the 2016 race for president featuring Shipp and LPAC Board Member and CNN political contributor Hilary Rosen and invited commentators Hillary For America’s Brynne Craig and Aditi Hardikar. We talked to Beth about LPAC’s strategy planned for this crucial election year and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her commitment is to LGBT civil rights Shipp stated, “I have the dream job to live the personal and make it political. I actually started out in democratic politics and worked in democratic politics for about 15 to 20 years between working for campaigns and then I joined NARAL Pro Choice America and worked as their political director for 10 years in the women’s reproductive rights movement. So when this job came up for executive director of LPAC it brought the personal to the political for me in a way that no other organization has and so I think that really is where my personal meets the political is being the executive director of LPAC because all of the things that I have worked for in my adult life whether it’s social justice, whether it’s women’s equality and reproduction rights and health or LGBT equality it’s encompassed in the mission of LPAC and I couldn’t be prouder and happier than to be executive director of this organization right now.”

Beth Shipp is the first Executive Director of LPAC, the lesbian Super PAC that builds the political power of lesbian, queer, bisexual and transgender women by electing candidates who champion LGBTQ rights, women’s equality and social justice. She is a political strategist with more than 20 years of experience working for progressive causes. LPAC has announced “Levity & Justice for All” a first-of-its-kind benefit performance featuring top lesbian and queer comics and women’s rights champions that takes place at the historic Town Hall on June 16th in NYC. The A-list celebrity line up will include Rosie O’Donnell, Billie Jean King, Lea DeLaria, Karen Williams, Cameron Esposito, Judy Gold, Marga Gomez, Jes Tom, Marsha Warfield, Rhea Butcher and hosted by Kate Clinton. Former Late Show with David Letterman Executive Producer Barbara Gaines will produce the show. Award-winning cartoonist and author Alison Bechdel will be designing an original poster for the event. “Levity & Justice for All” will celebrate the political voices, humor, and activism of LGBTQ women, inspiring and motivating those in attendance to actively participate in the 2016 election.
For More Info: teamlpac.com
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The Dinah Palm Springs Weekend 2016

Mariah Hanson, founder and producer of the legendary Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend that’s in its 26th year and takes place in Palm Springs, California from March 30th to April 3rd talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. In 1990 Mariah Hanson launched what would become her enduring legacy to both the city of Palm Springs and the LGBT community. From a small one-night event at a Palm Springs museum with 1,500 participants 26 years ago to booking lavish locations at deluxe hotels over five days of epic pool parties and world-class entertainment, The Dinah has evolved into one of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley’s largest tourism boosters. Today Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend rallies over 15,000 attendees not to mention major corporate sponsors and has cemented its status as the undisputed biggest lesbian event of its kind in the world. The legendary 5-day Palm Springs extravaganza is packed with non-stop activities, spectacular comedy shows, live concerts headlined by top 10 Billboard recording artists, activism, massive pool parties, and premier talent in music, film and television. This year pop sensation and 2016 two-time Grammy nominee Elle King known for her hit single “Exs & Ohs” headlines the White Party on Friday night April 1st at 9P. We talked to Mariah about all the festivities planned for this year’s Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Hanson stated, “I’ve always been very committed to our work in obtaining civil rights. I was on the board of Equality California for six years and fought with other board members to achieve the right to marry in California and that was a huge victory for all of us because it was a lot of work and had a lot of ups and downs where we felt like at times it would never happen and then at times we were so close and then we finally made it. So that was a huge achievement for me and my life but I’ve also been very concerned with bullying and we’ve done a little bullying work at The Dinah just in terms of working with organizations that have really strong messages like ‘It Gets Better’. I think when you have a venue like The Dinah when people are coming to enjoy themselves and celebrate and party for five days that we kind of weave in subtly a social message and we try to do that every year.”

Also appearing for this epic 5 day event will be “Orange is the New Black” stars DJ Taryn Manning and comedian Lea DeLaria, celebrity DJs Samantha Ronson, “The L Word” iconic star Kate Moennig and UH HUH HER’s lead singer Camila Grey who together form The X-Names, international top model Madison Paige and one of the most exciting figures of today’s rap scene Angel Haze. They’ll be joined by pop newcomer JoLivi and Hunter Valentine the all-female power pop/punk band and “The Real L Word” Season 3 cast members who will be performing their farewell show. Then there’s the “Hot as L Party” bringing back the magic of Showtime’s hugely popular lesbian drama series and reality TV show, “The L Word” and “The Real L Word”. “Hot as L” will feature some of our community’s most beloved and popular stars including Elizabeth Keener, Clementine Ford and Tracy Reyerson. tello films is also sponsoring an event that takes place Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6P pool side. It will showcase some of the community's hottest films and webseries with actors and filmmakers onsite including Bridget McManus and Fran Nichols from “Maybelle”, Amanda Bearse from “Skirtchasers” as well as Tucky Williams and Amanda Morales just to name a few. All official events take place at the Hilton Hotel, the Palm Springs Convention Center and Zelda’s Nightclub.. This will be the second year we’ll be covering The Dinah for OUTTAKE VOICES™ as an official media sponsor.
For More Info & Tix: TheDinah.com
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LGBT Nondiscrimination Campaign

Brian Silva, Executive Director of Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) that will be closing down later this year after accomplishing their mission of marriage equality in all 50 states and at the federal level talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Silva will then shift his efforts as director of grassroots engagements for Freedom for All Americans (FFAA), an organization focused on achieving national nondiscrimination protections for our LGBT community. In 33 states LGBTQ people are still not fully protected from discrimination whether in employment, housing or in public spaces like restaurants or hotels. The National Equality Action Team (NEAT) developed by MEUSA in 2012 will now have a new home at FFAA. Through NEAT, volunteers will continue to be able to make phone calls to residents in states with pending legislation, knock on doors to urge residents to contact their lawmakers and assist with a variety of other actions that places NEAT volunteers right in the middle of these important historic campaigns. We talked to Brian about his transition to FFAA and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Silva stated, “It starts with the personal as a gay man who is about to marry his partner this year. Having equality and being treated equally is something obviously very personal to me and my fiancé and something we will definitely benefit from. But I think in addition to that the idea that we would have a two tiered system for just about anybody in our community or in our nation is to me highly offensive and really goes against what I think the majority of Americans believe what our country is about. I think it’s also important to make sure that we’re looking at our community and our community’s issues not just from the traditional LGBT lens, you know marriage, nondiscrimination and conversion therapy, things that just effect the LGBT community. Those are all very important but the members of our community are also people of color who are affected by a discriminatory criminal justice system. They are women who are having their access to reproductive health and rights attacked. They are undocumented families and kids and parents whose families are being torn apart by a broken immigration system. So my commitment is to look at our community and the people in it holistically and to use some of the privileges I have been given and the opportunities I have been given to make sure that other people have opportunities and privileges and I’m fighting for all of those things in our community that need to be fought for to really create the American dream for each of us.”

Brian Silva’s leadership expanded MEUSA’s grassroots education and advocacy work into communities across the nation contributing to the passing of marriage equality in all 50 states especially with the establishment of the National Equality Action Team (NEAT) coalition. NEAT’s work is already underway in Massachusetts where a bill is pending that would ensure that transgender people cannot be turned away or denied service at a public place on the basis of their gender identity and in Florida where advocates are working to update Florida’s nondiscrimination laws to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
For More Info: theneat.org
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Groundswell LGBT Retreat & Ecovillage

Kyle DeVries one of the founders of Groundswell, a new LGBT retreat center and ecovillage two hours north of San Francisco talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Just over a year old, Groundswell is about to begin its first full lineup of queer-focused programs starting with a forestry camp and an artists gathering. Groundswell’s retreat center is a rustic former kids camp set in a stunning natural environment. Across a year-round creek from the campus is Groundswell’s ecovillage, a residential and agricultural complex that aims to model sustainable queer-spirited living. The first program of the year is Forestry Camp held February 18th to 22nd which is an opportunity for people to learn about sustainable forest management and some woodsy crafting projects. In addition there will be an exploration of the connection between our LGBT community and nature around a roaring fire pit with s’mores. Then March 3rd to 6th Groundswell is organizing MUSE: Inspire which is an LGBT creatives retreat. A gathering for LGBTQ artists of all types, MUSE offers skill sharing, artistic inspiration, creative collaboration and plenty of time to connect with other LGBT creatives. This year’s focus is on who or what sparks inspiration and how LGBTQ people inspire the world. MUSE is a community creation and each year extends the opportunity for people to present their passions as an artist. We talked to Kyle about his inspiration for Groundswell and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights DeVries stated, “As a gay man myself I feel full accomplishment of LGBT civil rights is a very personal means of legal protections for what I consider my extended community. I’ve been doing activism in the LGBT community for over a decade now starting with civil disobedience and community organizing actions like the equality ride and then continuing to do community organizing once I moved to California more in the arts spectrum. And Groundswell is another part of my commitment to LGBT equality because again we are trying to create a space that is advocating for the celebration of that otherness of being gay, or lesbian, or transgender or bisexual.”

Kyle DeVries also manages the nonprofit retreat center, helps care for the many animals and works with wood. Its non-human domestic residents include goats, alpacas, llamas, sheep, chickens, pigs, rabbits, guinea fowl and dogs. In addition to their content another unique aspect of Groundswell’s programs is their accessibility for people of all incomes. Every event offers work trade and scholarship opportunities for those who cannot afford the event registration fees so that financial means are not a barrier to access. The programs and retreat center are run by Groundswell Institute a non-profit that manages this accessibility through donations and renting out the facilities to other groups. The non-profit retreat center is just one aspect of Groundswell. The other is a residential community committed to sustainable, queer-spirited living. Currently with four full-time residents, the community plans to grow to become as many as 30 over the years.
For More Info: groundswell.institute
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LGBT Academy of Recording Arts

Diedra Meredith, CEO of OUTmusic Inc and Chairwoman of the LGBT Academy of Recording Arts talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about recently presenting their 9th annual OUTmusic Awards. OUTmusic Inc. a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization was founded in 1990 by life partners Daniel Martin and Michael Biello in their East Village Apartment in New York City. They wanted to create a place where LGBT and queer music people could exercise their authentic freedom of expression openly and proudly. For 17 years Dan and Michael headed the organization until they sought new leadership in 2006. In 2007 Diedra Meredith, aka Deepa Soul, Billboard chart topping recording artist, was appointed as the new Chairwoman. Under her new leadership OUTmusic was re-founded as the LGBT Academy of Recording Arts creating the acronym LARA. LARA defines what OUTmusic is as the alliance of LGBT recording artists, creative industry professionals and patrons of the arts. We talked to Diedra about what she hopes to accomplish with LARA and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Meredith stated, “I am a person who sits on the great intersect because I’m Afro-American, I’m a woman, I’m openly lesbian and I can’t imagine not doing the work that I’m doing without bringing to the table the way I was raised in the deep south of New Orleans. We were born into the civil rights movement; there wasn’t a choice from the first breathe that we took we became civil rights activists just because of what we were up against. I still saw signs when I was a little girl No Coloreds Allowed. In 1970 I still saw atrocities of what happens to people like me and it’s still happening. So when it comes to LGBT civil rights I don’t have a division but unfortunately in the Afro-American community I sit at the intersect where they don’t want me to bring up that I’m a lesbian but I do because it is a civil right. I’m an American. I’m a law-biding citizen. It is my right and I am right. I’m Afro-American, I’m a woman, I’m lesbian and I deserve every civil right that every man has. It’s my commitment to human civil rights period”.

Diedra Meredith in her early years as a recording artist landed twice in the top 4 on Billboard Club Play Charts. She hit instant success with her first record when she was discovered and produced by Superstar DJ/Producer Junior Vasquez who is responsible for producing mega crossover dance hits for Cher, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J Blige, Elton John and many more. She is currently in discussions to obtain a broadcast or streaming deal for the 10th Annual OUTmusic Awards in the same cultural vein as The Grammys, Country Music Awards, The Black Music Awards and the Latin Grammy Awards. Diedra believes that with a more commercial presence, LARA will help support the growing LGBT music and entertainment industry.
For More Info: thelara.org
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SAGE & Friends LGBT Miami Event

Elizabeth Schwartz, Co-chair of the Board of Directors of SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) talks about their upcoming event with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The event takes place February 6th in Miami at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables from 6P to 8P. The evening will be honoring LGBT Pioneer Activists Ruth Berman and Connie Kurtz. The SAGE & Friends Miami fundraising event supports SAGE's important work on behalf of LGBT older adults locally and nationally. This generation of gays and lesbians who are now approaching their 70s and 80s are unfortunately facing new discriminations as they age. Entering independent and assisted living facilities as well as receiving other services has presented enormous problems for some elderly gay and lesbians who must confront a still existing ignorance that forces them back into the closet. One of SAGE’s missions is to educate these facilities and all services offered to our older LGBT population so that they can continue to enjoy this stage of their lives with a sense of openness and acceptance. The SAGE & Friends Miami event will be an evening of cocktails and delicious snacks at a gorgeous venue, all for an effective organization and critical cause. We talked to Elizabeth about this fabulous event and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Schwartz stated, “I’ve always been committed to this cause. I’ve been involved in LGBT activism for decades and on various issues but especially since I’ve seen older people in my life get exploited and taken advantage of and left destitute, it’s definitely been a real call to action. But I’ll say even through action, I worked to repeal the marriage ban and to repeal the adoption ban in the state of Florida and to do lots of work to agitate for change, I’m very mindful that marriage equality came too late for many people in our community and definitely came too late for a lot of older adults who perhaps might have been with their partners for decades but weren’t married long enough to get social security survivor benefits, weren’t married in the right jurisdiction or died too soon or lost parental rights because they weren’t able to adopt soon enough. So I feel like while many people seem to be thinking that marriage equality means, we’re done, we’re out, I feel like doubling down now and I feel like now is when we really need to ramp-up and tweak the rights for the rest of everyone else for whom marriage came too late or it doesn’t solve the problem. You know like folks who are still working and so you get married on Sunday and Monday get fired from their job, treatment that LGBT older adults are receiving in nursing homes and facilities are so abominable and there is so much we can do and I feel since we got the momentum from our marriage win and folks are starting to wake up and see like, OK maybe LGBT people are humans deserving rights and dignity that now is our opportunity to keep that momentum going and to really ramp-up the protections that we provide for everyone in our community.”

Elizabeth Schwartz has been practicing law since 1997 and is one of Florida's best-known advocates for the legal rights of our LGBT community. While her firm equally works with straight and gay clients in matters of family law, estate planning and probate, she has been at the forefront of providing crucial legal protections for LGBT families. Elizabeth lectures locally, nationally and internationally about the impact of nationwide marriage equality and the continued importance of LGBT couples protecting their loved ones through estate planning, stepparent and second parent adoption.
For Sage & Friend Event Tix: giveto.sageusa.org
Hear 400+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES