OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews)

“Maybelle” New LGBT Web Series

Bridget McManus talks about her new romantic web series “Maybelle” that premiers on tellofilms.com on Sunday December 13th with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The story is about Maybelle Garris (Bridget McManus) who must learn to live for herself as a gay woman in the South and address the fact that she is still in love with her best friend from high school, Della Cain-Cumbee played by Frances Nichols. Maybelle quit school 20 years ago to take care of her ailing mother Ida, focusing all of her attention at home, detached from her first and only love Della. When her mother passes away Maybelle is left to reflect on her stunted life. Della married her college beau JW Cumbee but has always held a flame for Maybelle. In this original web series set in rural Virginia, Maybelle discovers herself for the first time and fights for the woman she loves. Bridget wrote and stars in “Maybelle” directed by Christin Baker. We talked to Bridget about her inspiration for this fabulous six episode series and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights McManus stated, “I think being out is one of the most important things that an LGBTQ person can do for civil rights. Obviously not everybody has the ability or feels safe enough to be out in their life and I’m not directing this at them because I think everyone should come out in their own time whenever they feel safe and supported. But I think the more you’re out the more people realize, wait a minute there’s nothing wrong with people who are different. My mind is always blown when people find out that I’m gay and find out I’m married. They almost switch their tone how they talk to me like their voice goes into a falsetto, why that’s nice you’re married to a woman like its kind of an alien thing. Being out is so important because the more visibility we have the more we let people know we are here and not going anywhere. I’m a stand up comic and I’ve done work all over the world. I was a correspondent for the 8th International Gay Games in Cologne, Germany. I hosted the 40th anniversary at Stonewall in New York. So I think doing as many gay events and representing and being visible is such an important thing to change the world.”

Bridget McManus is a television host, screenwriter and award-winning comedian. She hosted two television shows for the Logo Network “Bridget McManus Presents: That Time of The Month” and the award-winning comedy talk show “Brunch with Bridget”. McManus is one of the few female warm-up comedians in television. She was the warm-up comedian and the host's sidekick on CBS’s “The Queen Latifah Show” for two seasons as well as the warm-up comic for NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”, CBS’s “The Jeff Probst Show”, Fox’s “The Boris & Nicole Show”, ABC’s “Family Fortune”, HLN’s “Heads Up!”, ABC's “The FABLife” and CBS’s “Friends With Benefits”. “Maybelle” which debuts on December 13th will be the 4th scripted project Bridget has worked on with tello films known as the lesbian Netflix that leads the industry in developing new strategies for alternative distribution for not only lesbian-themed content but for all women in film.
For More Info: tellofilms.com
Hear 400+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

Migguel Anggelo Gay Entertainer

Migguel Anggelo talks about his new CD entitled “La Casa Azul” and upcoming December 1st performance of “Another Son of Venezuela” at Joe's Pub in NYC with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. In a similar genre to Justin Vivian Bond, Migguel has created a brand new production under Obie Award-winning director, David Drake which addresses his thoughts through music on national pride and a belief for a better future. Migguel has previously sold out seven shows at this fabulous venue. His second album, “La Casa Azul” was co-written and produced by music director Mau Quiros and is mixed by Grammy Award-winner Felipe Tichauer which was selected as a recommended favorite in People En Español. We talked to Migguel about how artist Frida Kahlo was the inspiration of his new CD and his spin on our LGBT issues.

Originally from Venezuela, when asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Anggelo stated, “I’m very proud to be gay and actually I told my mom when I was twelve years old. My mom she understands me a lot because she was a ballet dancer but my father no. My father was a very macho man for the farm and I don’t think he was happy that he had a gay son but he died when I was thirteen years old so we don’t have a good connection me and him, but I respect him. My mother always supported me. I told my mother when I was twelve years old I said, ‘Mom I like my neighbor’ and she said, ‘Your neighbor, who’s your neighbor?’ And I said, ‘My friend Juan Carlos.’ And she asked, ‘Why do you think you like him?’ And I said, ‘When I see him I feel butterflies in my heart.’ She hugged me and kissed me and said, ‘Well honey I know you’re very young right now but I will support you right now and forever, whoever you decide to be in your life.’ I was very lucky to have my mom. I’m very happy for example last year I got married to my partner and we are very happy so I hope everyone the same. When you love someone you want to decide to be with someone, I hope people can do it. In my country Venezuela, it’s a very beautiful country but right now they’re under the regime of Communism so I don’t think it will happen right now. It’s very difficult for gay people in Venezuela so whenever I am here, in Europe or in Africa or wherever, I will open my mouth to hear my voice to gay people and the LGBT community.”

Migguel Anggelo first fell in love with the theater as a child playing Pinocchio in a touring production of the show. As a Latin American theater star, Migguel perfected his commanding stage presence and electric performances after studying opera at the Conservatory of Music in Cologne, Germany. He received an invitation to attend after being discovered performing on the street and trained for a dozen years in classical ballet, falling in love with the drama and discipline of opera and the explosive whimsy of pop. His greatest influences are Luciano Pavarotti and Freddy Mercury and with his multi-octave voice, pays homage to them by jumping easily from operatic aria to rock anthem. Recently, Migguel completed a tour of the Midwest with Nuevo Tango group, “The Oblivion Project”, bringing to life the music of Argentine tango master, Astor Piazzolla. He’s currently working on this third CD to be released in the summer of 2016 and he will be performing at Joe's Pub on December 1st at 7P in NYC.
For More Info: migguelanggelo.com
Hear 400+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

White Party Week In Miami

Jonathan Welsh, Marketing and Development Manager with Care Resource talks about their event the White Party Week in Miami, Florida that takes place November 25th to November 30th with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Since its inception in 1984 the White Party Week has raised millions of dollars for Care Resource, South Florida’s oldest and largest non-profit community health care focusing on HIV/AIDS research, prevention and currently extending medical services to encompass children, youth, families and seniors with an emphasis on our LGBT community. White Party Week is a series of fundraising events over the long Thanksgiving weekend. This year they’re pulling out all the stops, bringing in guests from all over the world, premiering a mega-yachting White Party and once again raising this dance party event to a whole new level. On Saturday November 28th at 6P guests will board the Grand Floridian Mega Yacht, the largest, newest and most elegant yacht in South Florida for the premier event of the year, the 31st Annual White Party “Anchors Away” fundraiser benefiting Care Resource.

We talked to Jonathan about the fabulous White Party Week of events and his spin on our LGBT issues. When asked what he would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Welsh stated, “I am very proud of the community for what we’ve done regarding marriage equality. It was a long battle; it was a hard battle but we stayed committed and so much was done. Now we have an opportunity to focus on other issues in the LGBT community like transgender issues. Transgender issues are huge here in South Florida when it comes to employment, when it comes to health, when it comes to a whole array of issues and this is an opportunity for us to really focus on that group because the LGBT community, it’s different groups coming together for a united purpose and maybe for too long the ‘T’ transgender issues under that umbrella of LGBT perhaps took a back seat for awhile. This is an opportunity now to focus on those issues and do some good stuff for that community as well.”

Jonathan Welsh, a University of Miami alumnus, has served in South Africa with the United States Peace Corps and has campaigned for various environmental and health initiatives both in Washington D.C. and in Tallahassee before joining Care Resource. The White Party Week fundraiser features one week of amazing events with superstar DJs beginning on Wednesday November 25th with “White Heat” at Bailo Nightclub and for women there’s the “Wonderlust Kick-Off Party”. On Thursday November 26th the party continues with “White Journeys” at Heart Nightclub. Then on Friday November 27th witness a stellar night with “White Dreams” at Club Space and for women there’s the Freza Dance Party. Saturday November 28th kicks off with “White Splash Pool Party” at the Aloft South Beach Hotel followed by The White Party Anchors Away and “White Starz” at Score Nightclub. The Official Women’s White Party “Cirque Blanc” takes place on Saturday November 28th at Nikki Beach in Miami. Then on Sunday November 29th there’s the “Muscle Beach Party” on the sands of South Beach followed by the infamous “Noche Blanca” party at Story Nightclub in Miami Beach. All the events benefit Care Resource, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit community health care provider with offices in Downtown Miami, Little Havana, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale.
For More Info & Tix: whiteparty.org
Hear 400+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

Ann Hampton Callaway New CD & More

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with singer/songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway about her upcoming concerts and new jazz CD entitled The Hope Of Christmas. Ann will be performing at The Tyler Clementi Foundation’s 2015 Upstander Legacy Celebration on Monday November 16th at Studio 450 in NYC. Tyler Clementi was the accomplished violinist who took his life after being cyber-bullied by his Rutgers roommate for being gay. Callaway’s concert schedule is non-stop including returning to Feinstein's/54 Below with her new show Feminine Persuasion: Ann Hampton Callaway Celebrates Women Songwriters from November 22nd through the 28th in NYC. We talked to Ann about her new CD, upcoming tour and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Callaway stated, “Well I don’t think it gets more personal than getting married. November 7th last year I married the love of my life Kari Strand and that was a big decision for us because I think both of us never thought Oh I need a piece of paper to prove I love someone, and we went through eight years together thinking that. But when we realized we were in this point of history and how much we love each other and what a gift it was, we had to step into this commitment in a historical, politically active way and say This is our moment to stand and shine and be part of something that will hopefully inspire a new wave of courage and joy for other couples. And it’s had a much more powerful effect in our relationship than we realized. It was such a sense of giddy joy about it and also a renewed responsibility and I don’t mean that in a serious way like Oh now I must do my duty as a wife, I mean that in the sense that I really want to be the best partner I can possibly be and the intention behind that and I know Kari shares that it is something that has really touched our lives in many ways. We had an amazing celebration that I’m glad that you and Marilyn could be part of. It was just an incredible experience to share that. I feel living your life out loud and not being afraid to share what matters to you is a great quiet revolution for this time when we’re really trying to make a world more inclusive for everyone and a world that accepts that love belongs to everyone. In fact I recently wrote a song with Michelle Brourman called Love & Let Love and I think it comes out of the spirit of this that each of us is here to be exactly who they are and Kari and I getting to share our relationship in a bigger way with marriage has been quite a ripple effect.”

Ann Hampton Callaway is a champion of the great American Songbook whose gifts as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator and producer have given her one of the most unique careers in music today. Callaway won the Theater World Award and received a Tony nomination for her starring role in the Broadway musical Swing! Known for writing and singing the theme of the hit TV series The Nanny, she’s written over 250 songs including the Platinum Award winning hits for Barbra Streisand At the Same Time, I've Dreamed of You and Christmas Lullaby. Currently Ann and her sister Broadway star Liz Callaway have been nominated for their London engagement of Sibling Revelry for a Broadway World UK Award for Best Theatrical Event of the Year.
For Tour Info & CD: annhamptoncallaway.com
Hear 350+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

“The Raging Skillet” New Book

Chef Rossi talks about her new must-read memoir “The Raging Skillet” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Chef Rossi’s story is a fabulous journey of cooking her way through some of life’s biggest challenges in New York City’s most unlikely kitchens. Talking her way into any cooking job she could get, Rossi is a self-taught and self-made entrepreneur who ended up owning one of the most sought-after catering companies in the city. Zagat dubbed her as “the wildest thing this side of the Mason-Dixon Line”. The book features anecdotes from a life of food spanning decades in NYC plus easy to follow recipes ranging from pizza bagels to tuna tartare completing each chapter. We talked to Chef Rossi about the inspiration for her new memoir and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Rossi stated, “I would love it if it wasn’t a question anymore. Now of course we have marriage equality but I would like it just to be so normal. Like you don’t really say ‘Oh I’m gay’ just like people don’t really say ‘Oh I’m straight’. I would love it just to be part of the fabric of our lives. You’re gay, you’re straight, you’re black, you’re white, it’s all of one. We’re all equal, we’re all happy, we’re all loving, we all have the same rights. You know here in New York we’re spoiled because I can walk down the street holding my girlfriend’s hand and not have to worry. It was not always like that. There was a time even in New York when in Central Park men were throwing rocks at me and my girlfriend because we kissed. Nowadays I see young couples, gay couples, happily holding hand, not even thinking about that. They don’t have that trauma and I would love it if no one had that trauma. Generation after generation of nobody knowing what it’s like to be gay bashed. I’d like to go to Oklahoma and Arkansas on my book tour. I’m going to all these places, I just got back from Denver and I’ll be going to St Louis. I’d like to travel around the world and around the country and have it not be an issue. You know we’re all just people.”

 Chef Rossi is the catering director, owner and executive chef of The Raging Skillet catering for the past twenty-three years. She has earned a reputation as the go-to company for out-of-the-box catering and weddings. The Raging Skillet has been voted one of New York's Top Five Wedding Caterers by The Knot from 2009 through 2015. The release date for her new Feminist Press memoir “The Raging Skillet” is scheduled for November 10th then kicking off the book tour at Henriettas in NYC on Nov 11th, followed by November 12th at WORD Bookstore in Jersey City, NJ at 7:30P, then November 17th at Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn, NY at 7P, next November 19th at Trident Bookstore & Café in Boston, MA at 7P, followed by November 22nd at Preservation Hall in Wellfleet, MA at 3P and December 3rd at The Green Building in Brooklyn, NY at 6P for the Feminist Press Challahday Party. Chef Rossi is also currently touring with the
Jewish Book Council.
For More Info…
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Melissa Ferrick New CD & US Tour

Singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick talks about her current tour and brand new CD which is her 12th original album to date with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Ferrick has been performing her deeply personal brand of "rock folk" (as she calls it) for more than two decades. The self-titled album in many ways marks a new beginning was officially released with her two singles “Careful” and “Scenic View” and will soon be available in Vinyl on her own Right On Records label. In her new recording Melissa has simply delivered an eloquent and honest acoustic album with an undeniable level of maturity. For long-time fans this will be a welcome new arrival and for those who are just discovering Ferrick this is a fabulous introduction. Melissa is marking the middle of her career with a perfect solo return to songwriting and to herself as she begins a 16 city US tour from Maine to Florida. We talked to Melissa about her new music endeavors and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Ferrick stated, “I would like to see more acceptance, certainly. I would like to see also the inclusion of our trans brothers and sisters more integrated. I’ve felt this way for a long time. I remember when I was part of a lot of the AIDS awareness that was going on, a lot of dinners and fundraisers. I lived in New York in 1989 and I became part of the Act-Up group down there in The Village but I remember there weren’t a lot of women and I remember thinking to myself, you know if we all just came together supporting each other more we could get more done. So I think inclusion and crossing the boundaries between each other would be huge. Less separation and more combining our populations. So I’d love to see more coming together.”

Melissa Ferrick has shared the stage with Bob Dylan, Morrissey, Marc Cohn, Paul Westerberg, Dwight Yoakam, John Hiatt, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, G-Love & Special Sauce, Dan Bern, Ani DiFranco, k.d. Lang, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Joan Armatrading, Mike Doughty, The Indigo Girls and many others in her twenty year career. Ferrick was also a featured music honoree in OUT Magazine’s OUT100 focusing on artists who make an impact on our community. She is currently embarking on her US tour appearing October 23rd at The Falcon in Marlboro, NY, October 29th at South Orange Performance Art Center in South Orange, NJ, October 30th at Infinity Music Hall, in Hartford, CT, November 6th at One Longfellow Square in Portland, ME, November 7th at Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA, November 8th at Higher Ground in South Burlington, VT, November 9th at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY, November 15th at Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA, November 21st at New Hope Winery, in New Hope, PA, December 10th at The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, FL, December 11th at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Ponte Vedra, FL, December 12th at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL, December 13th at Cafe Eleven in St Augustine, FL, December 15th at Cats Cradle Back Room in Carrboro, NC, December 17th at Town Crier, Beacon, NY and concluding at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA on December 26th & 27th.
For More Info: melissaferrick.com
Hear 350+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

Susan Claassen Channels Edith Head

Susan Claassen talks about her fabulous play “A Conversation With Edith Head” that runs October 21st to October 24th in Palm Springs, California with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. For six decades the legendary costume designer Edith Head worked on over eleven hundred films, dressed the greatest stars of Hollywood from Mae West to Grace Kelly, received 35 Academy Award nominations and won an unprecedented eight Oscars. “A Conversation With Edith Head” based on the book “Edith Head’s Hollywood” by Edith Head & Paddy Calistro continues the legacy of Hollywood’s iconic costume designer. The play is filled with behind the scenes stories about great movie legends and their delicious intimate encounters with Miss Head during their costume fittings and other personal recollections. As Lucille Ball stated, "Edith knew the figure faults of every top star. And she never told. Edith always knew how to keep a secret." However in this one-woman show some secrets just might be revealed and fashion tips freely given. The play is interactive allowing the audience to ask questions that pertain to the era, fielded by Stuart Moulton. Claassen’s portrayal of Edith Head is uncanny and riveting. We talked to Susan about the inspiration for her play “A Conversation With Edith Head” and her spin on our LGBT Issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Claassen stated, “I’ve always been involved by how I live. I’ve been with my partner for 26 years and I’ve always been associated with endeavors that utilize the arts to raise awareness and to raise funds. Way back in the 1980’s we were the first organization to do Tucson AIDS Project. We raised money and tried to organize all the arts in Tucson (Arizona) to do that. So awareness is still there. We do programing that has specific themes, our guidance in that is that they are universal. You know, marriage is marriage, love is love, but we try to make stories as diverse as possible.”

Susan Claassen has been a member of Actors’ Equity Association for 46 years and is celebrating her 40th anniversary as Managing Artistic Director of the Invisible Theatre in Tucson, Arizona. Her production of “A Conversation With Edith Head” is currently touring nationally and was featured in the 2006 Republic of Georgia International Theatre Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival August 2007 and played London’s West End in 2008. She received a prestigious LA Stage Alliance Ovation Best Actress Nomination in 2011 for her portrayal of Edith Head and Phoenix New Times Best Actress 2012. As Managing Artistic Director of the Invisible Theatre, she has produced over 400 productions and directed over 90 productions. In addition to her work with the Invisible Theatre she has been a consultant and director for the Waterfront Playhouse and Red Barn Theatre in Key West, Florida. She was most recently seen as Olive in Invisible Theatre’s “Olive and The Bitter Herbs” and won the 2014 MAC Award for Best Actress in a comedy. Susan has been honored as one of Arizona’s “48 Most Intriguing Women”. Susan Claassen will be appearing in “A Conversation With Edith Head” from October 21st to October 24th at Palm Springs Woman’s Club 314 South Cahuilla in Palm Springs, California.
For More Info & Tix: edithhead.biz
Hear 350+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

Women's Week In Provincetown 2015

Jeanne Leszczynski co-owner of the Sage Inn in Provincetown Massachusetts talks about Women’s Week in Ptown that takes place October 12th through the 18th with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. In 1984 several entrepreneurial and fabulous lesbian innkeepers came together to talk about ways to bring gay women back to Provincetown during the fall. This small discussion blossomed into the idea of a clambake on the beach for one weekend in October that would be called Women's Weekend. The event was a resounding success and today is one of the largest and longest running lesbian events in history. For over 30 years Women's Week has grown far beyond anyone's expectation. There are over 150 events including workshops, film screenings and performances by comedians, jazz, blues and contemporary musicians to entertain those celebrating during this special week. We talked to Jeanne about what’s happening this year at Women’s Week in Provincetown and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Leszczynski stated, “Well mostly I’d like it to become a non-issue. I would like for everyone to be treated equally. I’m not that naive to think that is going to happen anytime soon so we will have to continue to support GLAD and MassEquality in maintaining the law of the land and of course keeping government attuned to our issues and so we know that has to continue for awhile. There’s a lot of maintenance to be done. When that day happens what I would like to see us do and I would like us to do now is to extend what we have learned about our equal rights to other minority groups and help them achieve what gay people have achieved in the acceptance in society of differences. I think we also should help in the conversation about drawing a line between government and religion. Sometimes that line gets a little grey and it takes a little wisdom to sort that through. We don’t want to intrude on anyone’s religious rights but yet government is for the whole society and not for any individual’s belief. So that I think is going to be a very interesting conversation in the next few years.”

Jeanne Leszczynski and her partner Diane DiCarlo are major donors to the Provincetown Film Society, the Center for Coastal Studies, the Human Rights Campaign, the Freedom to Marry Coalition, GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) and the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. They purchased the former Pilgrim House and Vixen Night Club in 2011 and opened the Sage Inn & Lounge in May 2012 as a center of hospitality in Provincetown throughout the year. During Women’s Week some of the concert performances at Sage Inn will include the legendary Alix Dobkin, Tret Fure as well as jazz pianist and singer-songwriter Barbara Higbie with Ptown’s own Zoë Lewis. Performing in other venues around town will include concerts by Cris Williamson, Suede and Linda Eder to name a few. Some of the fabulous comedians appearing throughout Women's Week include Kate Clinton, Jennie McNulty, Poppy Champlin, Vickie Shaw, Mimi Gonzalez, Kristen Becker, Maggie Cassella, Suzanne Westenhoefer and more.
For More Info & Tix: womensweekprovincetown.com
Hear 350+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

Jennifer Finney Boylan Honored & More

Jennifer Finney Boylan, the first best-selling transgender author in the U.S. whose writings, teachings and activism have significantly illuminated and articulated the transgender experience talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about being honored by GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders) with the Spirit of Justice Award on October 16th at Boston Marriott Copley Place in Boston, Massachusetts. Jennifer Finney Boylan is the author of the best-selling memoir “She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders” and a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times. A novelist, memoirist and short story writer, she is also a nationally known advocate for transgender rights. She sits on the board of trustees of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction as well as serving as the National co-chair of the board of GLAAD, the LGBT media monitoring organization. Recently Jennifer had an ongoing role on the groundbreaking E TV Network Reality Show “I Am Cait” and serves as a consultant on the Amazon Emmy and Golden Globe award winning show “Transparent”. We talked to Jennifer about being honored by GLAD with their Spirit of Justice Award and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Boylan stated, “It’s what I’ve given my life to. After raising my children and being married to my wife I feel like LGBT rights are achieving the goal of a fair world. Especially for transgender people, it’s the mission that I have undertaken. Look, things went relatively well for me here in this little state of Maine in my town of Belgrade Lakes. I didn’t lose my family, I didn’t lose my job and I was able in fact to publish a book about it and tell that story and tell it the way I wanted it told. My experience especially in the first decade of this century may well have been atypical. The stories we tend to hear of transgender people are often the other kinds of stories. Particularly when we talk about transgender people of color, we’re talking about people who are on the receiving end of violence, who are likely to be homeless. All across our community you hear stories of people who have suffered loses and abuse of one kind or another and it’s intolerable and it has to stop. So I’m hoping to use my power as a storyteller to bring about that end. It can be a frustrating end and discouraging fight sometimes because there’s so much work to do and there’s so much hatred out there; but in my own experience there’s also love and understanding as well and what I would hope is true for me can be true for everyone.”

Jennifer Finney Boylan is currently the Anna Quindlen Writer in Residence at Barnard College of Columbia University. Before coming to Barnard she was Professor of English for 25 years at Colby College in Maine. As an advocate for transgender equality she has addressed the National Press Club, been the keynote or plenary speaker at gender conventions nationwide and spoken on hundreds of college campuses including Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, Barnard, Wesleyan, Amherst, Duke and Dartmouth. Jennifer Finney Boylan will accept the Award at the 16th Annual Spirit of Justice Award Dinner at the Boston Marriott Copley Place at 110 Huntington Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts on October 16th and then on Saturday, October 17th a Reading and Conversation with Jennifer Finney Boylan takes place at Danger! Awesome Event Space at 645 Massachusetts Ave at 11A in Cambridge, MA.
For More Info & Tix: glad.org
Hear 350+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

LGBT Ally Lawrence “Larry” Watson

Lawrence “Larry” Watson who is performing with his Jazz Group “Workforce” and special guest guitarist Shun Ng at the Promise Place School Boston Gala that takes place Saturday September 26, 2015 at the Seaport Boston Hotel talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Larry Watson is an inspiration to many as a master teacher, an activist and a musician. By joining his musical talents with his life-long struggle for human and civil justice, Watson is a soulful messenger for the next millennium. He is currently Professor of Voice at Berklee College of Music. Promise Place School is an initiative of the Foundation For International Justice, Inc., which was founded by Stonewall Veteran Erica Kay-Webster to create a year-round living and learning environment for unaccompanied LGBTQ homeless youth. We talked to Watson about how he became involved with the Promise Place School Boston Gala and, as a fierce LGBT ally, his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Watson stated, “I think that my personal commitment has grown over the years. I’ve written a musical called "Still on the Journey". One of my friends the late John Tucker passed away in the 1980’s and we went to Cornell together. He was a physician at Harlem Hospital and he came to Boston to die because he was ashamed to share who he was with the community and I felt all of his friends, all of us were guilty that he didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk about who he was. I think as I look at growing up as a child and being an artist and being different, it’s so easy for people to label one and it’s so unfair to categorize people sometimes the way they do, only for the purpose of discriminating. I think that people need to step up to the plate whether they be straight or gay or confused or enlightened, what have you, and speak out on any level of injustice and it is an injustice and it is wrong for us to marginalize children that may be transgender or children that may be gay or adults that may be because of our own incorrect reading of scriptures or our own warped politics that doesn’t have us recognize the wonders of humanity.”

Lawrence “Larry” Watson has performed in venues with Al Green, Smokey Robinson, Oleta Adams, Little Richard, Gladys Knight, The Neville Brothers, Tata Vega, Jean Carne and The Boston Pops Orchestra. He has also been the soloist at several events honoring three Supreme Court Justices, President Nelson Mandela, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, The Honorable Reverend Desmond Tutu, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and President Barack Obama. With his Jazz Group “Workforce” Watson will be performing music from the Motown Songbook as well as original works including a piece that he wrote for the Children’s Defense Fund entitled “Blessed Are The Children” which addresses moving our society forward on behalf of all our children. The Promise Place School’s First Annual Spring Gala on Saturday September 26th in Boston will be honoring Congressman Joe Kennedy, Diego Miguel Sanchez, Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, Carl Sciortino, Joe Finn and Elisabeth Jackson for their continued support of the mission to help homeless LGBTQ youth.
For More Info & Tix: promiseplaceschool.org
Hear 350+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES