Closing June 22
This
is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Additional support provided by Arts Fort Worth and the Texas Commission on the Arts
Promotional support provided by
This exhibition has been organized by the Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, in cooperation with the Kimbell Art Museum.
exhibition
Christian Schad, Sonja (detail), 1928, oil on canvas. Neue Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. Acquired by the Freunde der Nationalgalerie with funds from the Ingeborg and Günter Milich Foundation, Berlin, FNG 80/97. ©️ 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / Christian-Schad-Stiftung Aschaffenburg; Photo by Jörg P. Anders
By Anthony Mariani
Anthony Mariani, Editor
Lee Newquist, Publisher
Bob Niehoff, General Manager
Michael Newquist, Regional Director
Ryan Burger, Art Director
Jennifer Bovee, Marketing Director
Clint “Ironman” Newquist, Brand Ambassador
Emmy Smith, Proofreader
Julie Strehl, Account Manager
Sarah Niehoff, Account Executive
Stacey Hammons, Senior Account Executive
Tony Diaz, District Manager
Wyatt Newquist, Account Executive
Wendy Maier, Account Executive
CONTRIBUTORS
E.R. Bills, Jason Brimmer, Buck D. Elliott, Juan R. Govea, Patrick Higgins, Laurie James, Kristian Lin, Cody Neathery, Wyatt Newquist, Steve Steward, Teri Webster, Ken WheatcroftPardue, Elaine Wilder, Cole Williams
EDITORIAL BOARD
Laurie James, Anthony Mariani, Emmy Smith, Steve Steward
COPYRIGHT
By Kristian Lin
Rush Olsen
Vandoliers’ Jenni Rose is making history
By Greg Spicoli and Jennifer Bovee
DISTRIBUTION
Cover photo courtesy of Vandoliers
Pride 2025
Welcome to our third annual Pride issue. It’s the least we can do as a plausibly respectable rag in a formerly red now apparently purpling part of North Texas. We hope our issue especially helps the closeted members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Maybe they can see that a 27-year-old media outlet with a print circulation of 25,000 and with 42.5K followers on Instagram and 23K on Facebook has their back. And we most certainly do.
Some advertisers may slam their doors in our faces and some places of business
may toss our newspaper stands out into the street. But it’s not for those people that we do what we do. We do what we do, including publish a Pride issue every year during Pride Month, because it’s the right thing to do. “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” That’s Matthew: 25:40 from this little book called the Bible. You should read it sometime.
And while we’re not questioning the strength of LGBTQIA+ people, we know they have never been more vulnerable than they are now. The 2022-2023 National Crime Victimization Survey reveals that LGBTQIA+ people are five times more likely than non-LGBTQIA+ people to
be the victims of violent crime and that LGBTQIA+ people are nine times more likely to experience violent hate crimes than non-LGBTQIA+ people.
Anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crime is rising across the country but particularly in the states rolling back LGBTQIA+ protections, like Texas. Based on national data, 61 anti-LGBTQIA+ incidents, including physical assault, occurred here last year. The only other states with as many or more incidents were New York (61) and California (125), according to the Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremism Reporting Tracker (ALERT) Desk, a project of the LGBTQIA+ advocacy nonprofit GLAAD. Our issue is not going to stop the violence, but perhaps it may encourage the most
vulnerable LGBTQIA+ people to seek intellectual solidarity with us and, more importantly, emotional solidarity with others.
Like the Rev. Alan Bentrup, the priest of St. Martin-in-the-Fields who is opening his Keller church to a Pride festival in October (pg. 5). Or Jennifer Zooki Sturges, whose annual Riot Girl Festival brings together femmes and the LGBTQIA+ community over hard rock and punk (pg. 22). Or everyone at Trinty Pride Fest on Sat, Jun 28, on the Near Southside (pg. 13). As the recent No Kings rallies have proven, the bad guys in charge can’t arrest all of us, but that’s only if we stick together. Be loud, be proud. — Anthony Mariani, Editor l
METROPOLIS
Pride Arrives in Kel-So
Despite “a lot” of pushback, a married lesbian couple and the priest at St. Martin-inthe-Fields will celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community with a festival in October — in hyper-conservative Keller-Southlake.
BY ANTHONY MARIANI
The inaugural Keller-Southlake Pride event has experienced some difficulty launching.
Pushback to Pride Kel-So was expected. The wealthy, white, Christian area is a conservative Republican stronghold.
“We’ve certainly had a lot of strangers on Facebook posting hateful comments,” said April Dreyson, who co-founded the event with wife and fellow Kel-So resident Shaina Dreyson. “You know, the insane notion that we are targeting innocent children, sexualizing them, that we’re going to hell.”
And the site of the event, St. Martinin-the-Fields Episcopal Church in Keller, has also been targeted by bigots. The priest, the Rev. Alan D. Bentrup, is an ally. It was he who opened the church’s 13 acres to the event. Along with negative Google reviews, Rev. Bentrup has also received threats of violence.
But the show will go on. Scheduled for 2-6pm Sat, Oct 4, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields (223 S Pearson Ln, 817-431-2396), Pride Kel-So will feature the Oak Lawn Band, food trucks, more than 100 vendors, a drag makeover, kids and teen areas, and more. The event is also sponsored by Badge of Pride, an LGBTQIA+ nonproft.
“At St. Martin’s,” Rev. Bentrup said, “we believe in God’s radical welcome. We believe the church is called to be a place of hospitality and healing, where folks can experience the love of Jesus without condition. When I first met the Dreysons and the idea
of Pride Kel-So came up, it felt like a natural extension of that mission.”
Rev. Bentrup feels that being part of Pride Kel-So is a great opportunity to reach some of the most vulnerable members of
society — exactly like Jesus did in his day.
“We believe all people are made in the image of God and deeply loved by Jesus,” the reverend said, “and we want to be part of an event that celebrates the dignity and
worth of every single person. We hope to create a space where people know they’re seen, valued, and safe, especially for folks who have been hurt or excluded by religious communities in the past. Our goal is not to make a political statement but a theological one: God’s love is wider and deeper than we could ever imagine. If even one person walks away from this event feeling more loved and less alone, then we’ve done something right.”
The Dreysons feel Pride events are more important now than ever.
“Pride allows LGBTQ+ humans to feel seen, to feel normal in a world that tells them they’re not normal,” April said. “Pride events also allow our allies to get a glimpse into our world, who we really are at the core, and receive education that may help them see how their votes and their silence impact us. Pride is especially important now as our rights are being taken away or threatened on a daily basis and cruelty has amped up. As humans, we should never be worried that our rights will be taken from us.”
Pride events, the Dreysons feel, are especially important in highly conservative areas. Growing up in Keller and graduating from Keller High School, April and Shaina spent their formative years in the closet because they “had to be,” April said. Once they fell in love and got married, they decided to continued on page 6
Scheduled for 2-6pm Sat, Oct 4, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Keller, Pride Kel-So will feature the Oak Lawn Band, food trucks, more than 100 vendors, a drag makeover, kids and teen areas, and more.
Rachel Sakakeeny/@rachelsakakeenyphotography
April Dreyson (right), shown with wife Shaina Dreyson and St. Martin-in-the-Fields’ Rev. Alan Bentrup: “Pride is especially important now as our rights are being taken away or threatened on a daily basis and cruelty has amped up. As humans, we should never be worried that our rights will be taken from us.”
Rachel Sakakeeny/@rachelsakakeenyphotography
stay in Keller, where they started a family and launched a corporate events business. The Dreysons knew that if they wanted their company, The Dreyson, to grow, they would have to simply be themselves while interfacing with clients or networking.
“It’s been interesting,” April said. “Everyone has been nice, of course, but didn’t take us seriously for a long while. Now, with us announcing Pride Kel-So, you can tell a shift. You can tell they don’t agree with it and are distancing themselves from us.”
While the hate directed at Pride Kel-So has been expectedly sizable, April says the support has been surprising and not that all small. She, wife Shaina, and their team have
“It’s been very interesting,” said April, who grew up in a Southern Baptist environment. “It’s difficult for us to say how we really feel about it. I think I, myself, am still working through it and trying to reconcile it. I will say this: For the first time in many years, I am considering trying church out again. I never thought I’d say that.”
The biggest explanation for April’s new attitude toward spiritual worship is Rev. Bentrup, “one of the most amazing humans I’ve ever met,” she said.
Originally from Fort Worth, Rev. Bentrup worked in PR and marketing here and in Houston before becoming a pastor about a decade ago. He has served churches in Washington, D.C., Houston, and South Carolina before returning home to be the priest of a flock of 200-plus at St. Martinin-the-Fields in 2021. His message to the bigots, many of them so-called Christians, is clear.
EASY-TO-
GET-TO EATS
Take a bite out of tra c and parking hassles on the new, FREE Trinity Metro Blue Line! Just find the blue buses circling Downtown Fort Worth every 7 minutes, 7am–7pm, 7 days a week. Then hop on for easy trips to breakfast, lunch, happy hour and more! Plan your trip today at RIDETRINITYMETRO.org/BLUELINE.
Rev. Alan Bentrup: “I understand not everyone sees this the same way, but I invite fellow Christians to remember how Jesus responded to people who felt excluded in their communities. It’s right there in the Bible. He showed compassion, not condemnation. Mercy, not malice.”
METRO
God Save the ‘Repubic’ Party
Or “sheeple believe what they want to believe.”
BY E.R. BILLS
About a month ago, I had a very demoralizing LGBTQ+ discussion with a longtime friend of mine, a guy who was almost like a brother, a man whose opinion I usually respected and whose views on the world had sometimes informed mine. He condemned and continues to condemn January 6 as an act of insurrection. He also disagrees with Donald Trump’s pardon of the J6 perpetrators. But he voted for Taco and still supports Taco because he claims he currently has one teen and one preteen child upon whom the “Democrat” party is “forcing” transsexuality.
“ ‘Forcing,’ ” I responded.
“Yes,” he said. “In school.”
“Your kids are being forced to be transexual at school,” I stated, just to be clear.
“Yes,” he said.
This is why Kamala Harris lost, I thought.
Conservative pundits — as they are so brilliantly wont to do — turned a minor, marginalized group into a major political football, and Republican voters kicked it through goal posts that could not have been over 3 feet high. I had tired-head already.
But this was a guy I respected, cared about.
“The use of force is what conservative zealots resorted to in the January 6 incident,” I attempted to clarify. “Are you saying that a group of LGBTQ zealots stormed your children’s school and forced them into unconventional relations?”
“Well, no,” he said. “It’s the teachers. It’s the state.”
“The state legislature is Republican,” I said.
“It’s the federal government,” he corrected himself.
It was reminiscent of a South Park episode. Normal, good people, I thought, exposed to an incapacitating strain of xenophobic delusion. I loved this guy, almost like family. He was that good a guy. Though typically more traditional than I am, he had previously voted for Obama. Twice. And now he swayed with the prevailing whines that littered conservative podcasts and conformist YouTube rants.
I challenged his charge of a “transexual” insurrection and appealed to his
‘forcefully’ coercing kids to be homosexual, transexual, whatever.”
“But they expect us to accept it or recognize it,” he countered. “Like it’s normal. Like it’s OK.”
“Like it’s OK for them,” I tried. “They’re simply asking that we let them be comfortable in their own skin.
“Them, they, he, she — it. That’s what I mean.”
“I don’t think you know what you mean,” I asserted.
“But I understand. There will be a transition, just like in the 1960s and even the 1970s. Lots of Americans had to get their heads around the idea that Blacks were human and shouldn’t be treated like second-class citizens. And then lots of men had to get over themselves in terms of rights for women. There was a transition, and we were part of it. Where our wives were concerned, we couldn’t get away with acting like our fathers did. And that being the context of our upbringing, it wasn’t always easy. But things needed to change. And they have.”
“Not for the better,” he said.
“Depends on who you ask. But there’s a general consensus. And we’ve had two women stand for president.”
“Yeah,” he said with a laugh but didn’t expound.
“Yeah,” I reiterated for effect.
manhood and redneck pride. “You really think your kids would be susceptible to that? I find that hard to believe.”
“That’s not the point,” he replied. “There’s a lot of pressure. I’d just like things to go back to the way they were, like when we were growing up.”
I became frustrated. “You mean like when gays were terrorized and Reagan scoffed at them dying of AIDS? Or when Matthew Shepard was tortured and crucified on a barbed-wire fencepost?”
“You know that’s not what I meant,” he said. “It was just simpler then.”
And of course it was. But things change. People evolve. Or they’re supposed to evolve.
I tried to find common ground.
“Look,” I said. “You know my kids were big tracksters, and I wouldn’t have agreed with high school-age genetic males running against my daughter. I think it’s ludicrous. And I think folks are coming around on this, but I don’t think anyone’s
“Both on the Democrat ticket,” he said.
“Yes,” I agreed. “It’s called progress. But calling the Democratic Party the ‘Democrat’ party isn’t progress. It’s calculated regression. It’s a clever retro-activist soundbite, but it’s inaccurate. Our two-party political system is composed of the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, and we don’t refer to the Republican Party as the ‘Republic’ Party.”
I didn’t really get anywhere with my old buddy, and I really wonder if we’ll stay friends. But I did come up with another retro-activist soundbite.
Maybe the Republican Party should be called the Repubic Party because they’re awfully concerned with all things pubic. And pubescent. And prepubescent.
Plus, “Repubic” sounds better. l
Fort Worth native E.R. Bills is the author of seven nonfiction titles, including TellTale Texas: Investigations in Infamous History
Homophobia has no place in civil conversation let alone society. Courtesy Wikipedia Commons
commemorates the Juneteenth holiday highlighting our rich African-American cultural history.
STAGE
Ushering In A
nonbinary voice actor headlines Circle Theatre’s production of the Tony- and Pulitzerwinning
A Strange Loop.
BY KRISTIAN LIN
Kiba Walker has done community events in Fort Worth before but never a theater show. The nonbinary actor says they love working with Circle Theatre, the downtown space where the show they’re referring to will open this weekend and run through mid-July.
Circle, Walker said, is “so professional, and [Artistic Director] Ashley White has made a safe space for a sensitive show. I get to show off my acting ability and build something incredible.”
In this regional premiere of A Strange Loop, Walker stars as a Broadway theater usher named Usher who’s working on writing a stage musical about life as a fat, queer Black man much like himself. The show by Michael R. Jackson not only won the Tony for Best Musical but made the select company of musicals that have also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. (That company includes Hamilton, Rent, A Chorus Line, Sunday in the Park With George, and South Pacific.)
“You’re told you have to do things a certain way because of your background,” Walker said. “Usher wants to break the norms, but because of his physical appearance, he always finds himself falling back into what his family or society thinks of him.”
Thus, Usher’s song “Exile in Gayville” (which contains Liz Phair references beyond the title) satirizes the gay community for unrealistic standards of male beauty, and his number “Inner White Girl” expresses Usher’s envy of white women for their freedom to stay desirable while being neurotic and messy.
When Black filmmaker Tyler Perry offers Usher a job ghostwriting a “spiritual urban drama” for the stage, Usher reconsiders his hatred of Perry’s plays in “Tyler Perry Writes Real Life,” which features the ghosts of Harriet Tubman, James Baldwin, and Whitney Houston rising from their graves to call Usher a traitor to his race.
The 30-year-old Walker found it easy to relate to the character’s struggle for identity. After growing up in Tacoma, they discovered
their singing voice during a brief stint in Los Angeles, which resulted in a permanent move there to find work as a child actor.
“The fluidity of [my identity] did mess with me because people told me I was not masculine enough to play heroes,” they said. In musical theater, “I did like to sing some songs for women because they fit my voice, but I wasn’t allowed to play those because I wasn’t female.”
A Strange Loop
Jun 19-Jul 12 at Circle Theatre, 230 E 4th St, FW. $40-45. 817-877-3040.
Walker cited the support they received from their parents and teachers as the reason why they stuck with a career in the arts. Selling their musical instruments funded a move from Hollywood to North Texas, where Walker (a longtime fan of anime) had a job lined up voicing characters for Flower Mound-based Funimation’s Englishdubbed versions of Japanese
anime series. Their credits include leading roles in Witch Hazel and I Am the Darkness: Intermine Legacy. Walker also got into the drag scene in North Texas, and, under the name of Salem Moon, has won Best Drag Performer in our Best Of Fort Worth issue
Of course, this is a parlous time for a show about queer identity, with the current White House doing its best to roll back protections for LGBTQIA+ people.
“This is the perfect time to tell trans and queer people that they are not alone,” said Walker, who added that A Strange Loop could work just as well with a trans actor in the lead role. “Theater has always been a form of storytelling and protest. If we stop talking about [religion, politics, and homophobia], we stop evolving. I’m glad this show is happening in North Texas at a time when it’s scary for some people. These stories are not being pushed into the closet.” l
North Texas’ Kiba Walker stars as an artist struggling with Black gay identity in Circle Theatre’s A Strange Loop.
Courtesy Taystan Photography
Fly the Colors
For the Dallas Wings, Pride Night lasts all year long.
BY RUSH OLSON
At the end of a Dallas Wings’ recent practice, Head Coach Chris Koclanes gathered his team at center court. He instructed them to continue to “build” their “identity.” He urged the squad to play unselfishly, share the ball, and do all the things he felt necessary to make that identity a winning one.
That Sunday, the franchise that employs Koclanes and his players was hosting an event they hoped would be indicative of the organization’s identity as a whole. They staged their annual Pride Game.
The Pride Game, said Wings guard JJ Quinerly, “shows the people on the outside that the organization is committed to just their players in general and making sure that everybody is comfortable within their own selves.”
The proceedings on June 8 featured several Pride-themed activations. The scoreboard video screens’ Pride Cam showed off the varieties of rainbow imagery fans had worn to the game, including special Wingsbranded Pride shirts on sale in the arena. The club also recognized their LGBTQ+ Champions of Change, one of three such groups who serve as ambassadors and sounding boards for the Wings’ efforts to connect with minority cohorts.
“Sports is a convener,” said LaDondra Wilson, the Wings’ VP for social responsibility and executive director of the team’s
gold medal. He sees the attitude embodied in a Pride game as a facilitator for positive results once the games start.
“Any time you have an organization, a workplace, that you can be your authentic self and be comfortable, I think it’s a recipe for success,” he said.
LIVING LOCAL
STUFF Upcoming Dallas Wings Matchups
Wilson agrees, saying, “We want to have an inclusive, safe place for all of our fans, for our staff, and obviously for our players. We want them to feel comfortable, so they can win.”
Any player who has made it to the WNBA possesses advanced basketball skills. To Quinerly, adding a level of security with one’s identity represents a path to making the most of those abilities.
“Being able to just be comfortable in your own body, I think that makes you play even better,” she said.
Community Foundation. “You may have different political beliefs. You may have different socioeconomic class, different races, different beliefs, and even sexual orientation. But when you come into this arena, we all love the Wings. Some may like the other opponent, but we’re all here for a basketball game. We want to see good basketball.”
The Wings lost to Minnesota 81-65 that Sunday but did play some good basketball in stretches. The home team had battled to make it a 1-point game after three quarters before the first-place Lynx pulled away. Though the evening may have been about more than basketball, even in a Pride game, you still want to win.
The man who runs the department ultimately charged with winning basketball games joined the Wings prior to this season. Executive VP of Basketball Operations and General Manager Curt Miller has worked in the WNBA since 2015. Visiting Arlington while employed with the Connecticut Sun and Los Angeles Sparks, he had noticed that the Wings drew perhaps the league’s most diverse crowd. Miller has long had an interest in seeing teams create events like the Pride game his franchise executed.
“For years at the collegiate level,” Miller said, “I used to advocate for an opportunity to have a Pride game and to see in my two-decades-plus as a head coach and 30-plus years in women’s basketball, both at the collegiate level and the pro level, organizations and athletic departments have Pride games now is really heartwarming for me and fulfilling.”
Being the only out gay male head coach at basketball’s highest levels certainly fueled Miller’s desire to endorse theme days like the one the Wings held on their home floor Sunday. But he also has a passion for winning on that same court, having recorded more than 450 Ws as a head coach across the Division I and WNBA levels. USA Basketball Women’s National Team Director Briana Weiss recognized Miller on the logo before Sunday’s game for his scouting and coaching contributions to 2024’s Olympic
Quinerly contributed energy to the Wings lineup that Sunday. She played 19 minutes, her most in any game this season and not long after scoring a season-high 14 points Friday against Los Angeles. The rookie from West Virginia noted after the game that she “definitely” feels “comfortable” in her adjustment to pro ball with the Wings. That her development might coincide with a welcoming atmosphere would come as no surprise to her GM.
“You can just concentrate on getting better,” Miller said, “and not the fear of being someone that you’re not or trying to conform to what other people want you to conform to.”
Miller suggested that his current employer offers “a tremendous work environment in terms of support from top to bottom.” As part of that effort, Wilson’s department doesn’t stop at a Pride celebration. Themes like AAPI Heritage Night, AfricanAmerican Heritage Night, and Celebración Latina dot the home schedule. Alongside those, there’s also Back to School Day, Rock the Pink, and Celebrate Arlington. Wilson believes that making all their fans feel welcome — including different ethnicities, children and families, breast cancer survivors, and Arlington residents — makes the organization stronger.
“We’re not just doing this on Pride Night, but we’re doing this year-round,” she said. “No matter what community you’re a part of, we all are family, and we want to make sure that no one feels siloed or excluded.”
Wilson’s sentiment mirrors that of Coach Koclanes. They both want to share the basketball. The Wings organization hopes that’s an identity that leads to wins on and off the court. l
BY GRANT CHEN
The Dallas Wings enter their upcoming stretch of games with one of the most challenging storylines in basketball. They are 1-9 overall and sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Their recent struggles have included key player injuries. Understanding the underlying trends becomes crucial as the Wings face a mixed schedule of home and away contests against varying levels of competition. The combination of coaching adjustments, player health updates, and venue-specific performance patterns will all play a role.
The Wings’ 1-9 record reflects deeper issues that extend beyond simple win-loss metrics. Their defensive struggles rank among the league’s worst, as they allow 88.1 points per game while managing just 81.6 points offensively. However, their offensive rebounding percentage and three-point attempt rate suggest a modern approach that could eventually translate to more competitive performances.
Teams with engaged fan bases and familiar surroundings tend to perform well at home. However, away games present a different challenge. The Wings’ venue-specific performance aligns with broader WNBA patterns where home-court advantage carries significant weight in performance. Their Commissioner’s Cup record of 0-3 further illustrates struggles in meaningful games, though these contests often feature different rotations than regular-season matchups.
Recent injury concerns have a significant impact on player availability. Tyasha Harris underwent season-ending knee surgery, removing a key rotation player from all future contests. Paige Bueckers cleared concussion protocol but missed multiple games, creating uncertainty around her consistency and minutes distribution. Bueckers demonstrates more consistent production when healthy, averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 assists while shooting 43.7% from the field. Meanwhile, Teaira McCowan’s absence for EuroBasket participation eliminates interior production and rebounding props until July.
These roster changes necessitate an increased reliance on the remaining healthy players. The Wings’ pace of play creates additional opportunities, particularly in assists and rebounds. DiJonai Carrington averages 12.6 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 37.9% from the field. Maddy Siegrist contributes 10.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game with improved efficiency, shooting 44.6% from the field. Their combined production often exceeds expectations when facing weaker defensive opponents.
The next eight games present a mixture of challenging road contests and potentially competitive home matchups. Dallas faces Phoenix and Las Vegas on consecutive road games, where they enter as 7-point and 6.5-point underdogs, respectively. Their remaining schedule includes four home contests against varying levels of competition, with spreads ranging from 10-point underdogs against Indiana to 2.5-point favorites against Atlanta…
Dallas Wings guard JJ Quinerly: The Pride Game “shows the people on the outside that the organization is committed to just their players in general and making sure that everybody is comfortable within their own selves.”
“We want to have an inclusive, safe place for all of our fans, for our staff, and obviously for our players,” said LaDondra Wilson, Wings VP for social responsibility and executive director of the team’s Community Foundation.
At the Wings’ Pride Night game, rainbow imagery was everywhere.
Dallas Wings
NIGHT & DAY
Proud All Night & All Day
In celebration of Pride Month, many North Texas organizations are hosting events over the next couple of weeks to support the LGBTQIA+ community and raise awareness about some very real issues. A few local events have already happened — sorry we’re a little late to the party — so we’re including some of our favorite pictures from those as well.
Dang it, Dallas. You outFort Worthed us on this one. This year, the Dallas Museum of Art (1717 N Harwood St, Dallas, 214-922-1200), along with the neighboring Nasher Sculpture Center and Crow Museum of Asian Art, is presenting the Texas cowboy as its Pride 2025 theme. The Texas Gay Rodeo Association (with a chapter right here in Fort Worth)
born. Among the many special events the group hosts, one of the most popular is the annual Youth Pride Picnic. Intended for LGBTQIA+ people 24 and younger, it’s a free picnic lunch with family (or chosen family). This year’s picnic is from 10am to 4pm. Once you register via Eventbrite.com, the location information will be sent to you. From 6pm to 8pm is also Queer Craft Night at The Welman Project (3950 W Vickery Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-924-4000). This event is for LGBTQIA+ members 18+ to have a sober, safe place to “hang out, make a mess, and build community.” There is no cost to attend, but donations are always welcome.
Block Party 6pm-11pm on the museum grounds. For more information, visit DMA. org/programs/events/pride-block-party. There is no cost to attend.
In September 2010, several publicized suicides of LGBTQIA+ youth reminded educator Sharon Herrera of the pain she had experienced earlier in life, and that’s when she decided to build
Tulips FTW (112 St. Louis Av, Fort Worth, 817-367-9798) is hosting a Pride Market, presented by Wandering Roots, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Trinity Pride, the nonprofit that produces the annual festival of the same name. From noon to 4pm, there will be food, drinks, flash tattoos, and items by local vendors. Admission is free.
The annual summer arts festival at Amphibian Stage (120 S Main St, Fort Worth, 817-923-3012) is dedicated to uplifting underrepresented communities. For SparkFest 2025, the theater is celebrating Native Americans and peoples indige-
now thru Sunday. The lineup includes Oak Cliff native Ryan Matthieu Smith, who identifies as Lipan Apache and TwoSpirit and is involved in various artistic endeavors, including theater, drag, and circus. While the term “Two-Spirit” refers to Indigenous individuals who embody both masculine and feminine spirits, it is not synonymous with LGBTQIA+. Still, it does represent a specific and valued gender identity within certain Indigenous cultures. For more info and SparkPass tickets ($75), visit SparkFestFWTX.com. continued on page 15
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25 5:30–7:30
Capture some summer fun at a snappy soiree with tasty food, signature cocktails, and great company as we celebrate summer in style inspired by the Carter’s photography collection.
The Texas Gay Rodeo Association will celebrate and honor gay cowboys and cowgirls at the DMA Block Party Friday.
Queer Craft Night at The Welman Project is a safe space for LGBTQIA+ young adults (18+) to “hang out, make a mess, and build community.”
For Pride Month this year, Rooftop Cinema Club, located on the roof of the Worthington Renaissance Hotel (235 Throckmorton St, Fort Worth, @ RooftopCinemaClubDowntownFortWorth), presents a curated collection of either films made by LGBTQIA+ storytellers or works that hold special significance for their community. Two of the screenings — Set It Off (10:15pm Fri) and Jennifer’s Body (10:15pm Sat) — will serve as fundraising events for LGBTQ S.A.V.E.S., with 15% of the proceeds benefiting the local youth nonprofit. Tickets start at $19 at RooftopCinemaClub.com.
There will be a Gay & Lesbian Singles Night at Rooftop Cinema Club at 10:30pm. The club has teamed up with Matchbox Dating to shake up the usual singles scene with curated matches and spicy mini-dates. Think: sspeed dating meets personality quiz — but make it queer and iconic. This event is for 21+ only. Tickets are $25 at RooftopCinemaClub.com.
This year’s theme for the Higher Purpose Pride fair at Ridglea Theater (6025 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-738-9500) is Baba Yaga’s Night of Pride, and it will be an evening of expression, fun, and whimsy 3pm-1am. That
evening, there will be craft activities, spell stations, tarot readers, and vendors. The event is for all ages before 8pm, then it becomes adults-only (21+) 8pm-1am. During the adult portion of the evening, there will be live music and local drag talent competing for cash prizes for first and second places. This festival brings together a diverse range of marginalized groups, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, pagans, Wiccans, and others. Read more about Baba Yaga, the legend from Slavic lore, in Night & Day/ Memorial Day & Beyond from Summertime 2025 at FWWeekly.com.
The sixth annual Trinity Pride Fest (@TrinityPrideFW) has moved to South Main Village this year, specifically along South Main Street between West Broadway Avenue and West Vickery Boulevard, and it’s 6pm-10pm. Organizers promise an evening that balances celebration with purpose and wisdom with whimsy. There will be family-friendly activities, live performances across multiple entertainment zones, a nonprofit row showcasing community organizations like YesterQueer: The Tarrant County LGBTQ History Project — their pop-up will be at Amphibian Stage — and a Vendor Pride market by Wandering Roots with local makers. As for eats and drinks, the new event location allows culinary adventures at local businesses already on-site and food trucks and vendors in tents. For more about that, read this week’s Ate Days column. There is no cost to attend.
You may want to start your Trinity Pride Fest day at the annual Pride Brunch at the Bearded Lady (300 S Main St, Fort
Jennifer’s Body will be screened at Rooftop Cinema Saturday as a fundraiser for LGBTQ S.A.V.E.S.
Worth, 817-349-9832) 11am-3pm. This local favorite serves scratch-made pub-style food, cocktails, and wine, plus there are 25 rotating taps of craft beer and tons of bottled and canned options from all over. Later that evening, come back to the Lady for live music by the Bikini Whales (8pm and 9:15pm) and TRVR (7pm).
Amphibian Stage is quite busy this month. Along with the two events mentioned above, Amphibian Stage will also be the location of Claws Out Comedy & Drag Pride Show at 8pm during Trinity Pride Fest. This year’s slogan is epic. “Love
is love. Funny is funny. ‘Y’all’ means ‘all.’ ” This troupe celebrates authenticity and individuality, and its mental health “advoCATS” use humor to tackle dark subject matter and normalize conversations surrounding mental health. The show celebrates diversity, offering a platform not only for overlooked performers to shine and underrepresented voices to be heard but also for audience members to find community and connection. Due to adult content, this show is recommended for audiences 18+. Tickets are $27 at ClawsOutComedy.com.
JUNE
thru September
Irving Archives & Museum (801 W Irving Blvd, Irving, 972-721-3700) is presenting a new Pride-tastic exhibit. Up now thru Sun, Sep 28, Badge of Pride: From Silence to Celebration offers one of the first (and most comprehensive) artifact-driven explorations of LGBTQIA+ history in Texas. Along with a panel from the National AIDS Memorial Quilt, the collection features archival materials, historical narratives, and personal artifacts, everything curated by the North Texas nonprofit Badge Of Pride. Visitors can connect with history through the objects and stories of those who lived it. This exhibit and its accompanying speaker series, Say It Loud: From the Shadows to the Mainstage, are meant to serve as a reminder of how far the LGBTQIA+ community has come and the work still ahead to build a more inclusive future.
By Jennifer Bovee
Ate Days of Trinity Pride Fest
Trinity Pride Fest returns to the Near Southside with a reimagined celebration in South Main Village on Sat, Jun 28. Along with live performances, local vendors, and community events, there will be a variety of delicious eats and drinks. Here are way more than eight for your consideration.
But First, Coffee
Ostara Coffee Roasters (208 E Broadway Av, Fort Worth, 817-678-7922) is keeping the love going through the end of the month with its annual Pride bottle promotion. For all of June, Ostara is donating $1 from every oat milk latte bottle sold to support access to culture, events, and resources for the LGBTQIA+ community. You can pick up your bottle anytime this week or find the Ostara booth in front of Amphibian Stage (120 S Main St, Fort Worth, 817-923-3012) during Trinity Pride Fest.
Keep on Truckin’
With their food trucks in tow, these vendors should be easily identifiable.
Chile Pepper Grill (@ChilePepperGrill, 817-908-9493) serves large deluxe tacos for $4 each and street tacos for $2.75, available in beef, chicken, pork, veggie, and more. Typically, there are a dozen or so choices on the truck’s event menu.
Along with its namesake burger with guacamole and double cheese — which you can double, add bacon to, or make Hawaiian — Crazy Burger (@CrazyBurgerFW, 817-583-3751) offers chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, jumbo hot dogs, and fries.
How about a snow cone? Kona Ice (@KonaIceofFortWorth, 817-808-9844) is bringing the Flavorwave to Trinity Pride Fest. This self-serve system features 10 of Kona’s most popular shaved ice flavors, allowing you to enjoy endless combinations of your own choosing.
Under the Big (or Small) Tent
Caterers, street vendors, and the like will also be on-site to keep you well-fed. Yum!
Chef Victoria-Lee (@ TheVeganBlackPinUp, 469-679-4985), who specializes in vegan sushi and soul food, has some special offerings at her booth located at Food Tent 11. She’s serving continued on page 19
Trinity Pride Fest is back and with it comes festival food.
Canva
Chef Victoria-Lee will be on-site with her vegan sushi and soul food.
Hot Deals At Cool Prices
Stock your Kitchen at Mission!
Small wares, pots & pans, and all kitchen essentials available to the public.
Come see our showrooms! MON-FRI 8am-5:30pm
ATE DAYS a Week
continued from page 17
barbecue chopped vegan beef sandwiches (made with jackfruit), or make it a Sashay & Slay Sampler, which includes Dirty Dancing baked barbecue beans, spicy kale greens, and gluten-free mac ‘n’ cheese. If sushi is more your thing, try her signature Pride roll. Love Is a Rainbow is made with tomato tuna, cucumber, crispy garlic chile
sauce, and vegan mayo, then topped with microgreens and edible gold flakes. For dessert, she has Chocolate With a Chance of Rainbow, a soy-free milk chocolate cake with colorful marshmallow frosting, plus
some old-fashioned banana pudding. Others out in force next Saturday include 3F Premier Catering (corn cakes, empanadas), Compatible Delights (vegan, vegetarian), Gus’s Famous Fried Chicken,
It’s Food (plant-based), Kajun Grubbin (Cajun), MELT (ice cream), Smackin Mac (mac ‘n’ cheese), and Sweetland FW (baked goods, ice cream, snow cones).
For updates on the food and fun coming to Trinity Pride Fest, follow Facebook.com/ TrinityPrideFW.
By Elaine Wilder
How about some fried chicken? Find the Gus’s food tent during Trinity Pride Fest.
For a Mexican street food fix, look for the Chile Pepper truck next weekend.
Ostara is keeping the love going through the end of the month with its annual Pride bottle promotion.
MUSIC
Some Birds Can’t Be Caged
With Vandoliers frontperson Joshua Fleming coming out as the trans woman Jenni Rose, the band is stronger than ever.
BY THE SPICOLIS
The Vandoliers welcome change. In their 10 years as a band, they’ve transitioned from Fort Worth to Dallas, from local success to national acclaim, and now, on the eve of the release of the cowpunk group’s fifth album, Life Behind Bars, a transition no one saw coming: Frontperson Joshua Fleming is now trans woman Jenni Rose. Well, not exactly no one. A little publication called Rolling Stone recently came a-calling, and just like the Weekly, they dialed an 817 number to reach her.
For this interview, I enlisted the help of my husband, Greg Spicoli, an avid local music advocate with a background in broadcasting who’s done a ton of artist interviews. There’s a lot to unpack. — Jennifer Bovee
Fort Worth Weekly: Your last local Vandoliers show was with The Toadies at Billy Bob’s in December, and, wow, there’s been a lot to unpack since then, right? You’ve been up to a lot.
Jenni Rose: I was up to it then, too. I just didn’t know it. The wheels were turning. The band had already known. Backstage, I was Jenni. Onstage, I wasn’t.
You’re coming up on your fifth album. Why go the album route in an era when bands are really not doing many albums anymore?
We make records because I write a lot of songs, and other people write songs (or I write songs with other people), and I end up finding these awesome tunes, and then I get excited about them, and I want to put them down. I’m also a producer. I went to school for that and love being in the studio, so I use our albums as a way to learn. This time, I had the opportunity to work with Grammy Award-winning producer Ted Hutt, who has produced many of my
favorite records, including Flogging Molly’s Drunken Lullabies [and Lucero’s 1732 Overton Park]. You know, these are massive records for me and in my life.
Life Behind Bars is coming out on Fri, Jun 27. This album art is something right out of a Salvador Dali painting. The title, Life Behind Bars, can be interpreted in many ways. It states that the Vandoliers are now a touring band that no longer has to play in bars. “Behind bars” could also mean jail time. Is someone in legal trouble?
You know, all of it, all of it. No, I wrote the title song with Corey Graves, who plays trumpet and piano, Joshua Ray Walker, and John Pedego. We did it right before we went to record at Sonic Ranch [in Tornillo, Texas]. Before we left, I had a co-writing session with Josh, who has always wanted to write a song with Corey. We just started talking about life behind bars, which is one of the lines we had written. And then John asked me how I was doing.
I hadn’t come out yet. I hadn’t told anybody what I was going through. I’m in the leadership position, and my band was white-knuckling through all of this. And I was just like, “Man, I feel like I’m on the edge of oblivion.” That was the first line. Everybody added lines, but every time I had one, I threw in what I was dealing with. By the end of it, we had the song, and it was just kind of malleable and relatable. I guess everybody feels trapped sometimes, right? You feel like you can’t escape the situation. Even if the door is completely unlocked, which it always is, you still feel trapped. I think that’s just kind of the sentiment of the song, like, whether you’re a band on the run or a bartender or in jail, or you’re a trans girl with gender dysphoria, you know, I think it all applies.
On the two tracks available right now before the album comes out, I’m not hearing a lot of the cowpunk-forward attitude that I’m used to hearing on your previous records. Is there going to be any of that? Or is the band
transitioning as well into a more mature sound for the Vandoliers?
It’s definitely a more mature sound on the record. But there is a song called “Jim Sparring” that’s a cowpunk song with trumpets, fiddles, and the whole bit. I feel like we’ve made those songs, though, and you gotta grow. I wasn’t in Dallas, Fort Worth, or Memphis, where we recorded before. I was at Sonic Ranch, in a magical, multimillion-dollar studio located next to a beach house, for this one. There was a pecan orchard, a desert, a sunset, and a lot of battling inward. Many of the songs are introspective. This album is probably my most serious work, as cliche as that sounds. I’m just going through a lot of shit, and this is my outlet. It’s the beginning stages of me opening up. “Dead Canary” is very much about my dysphoria. “Life Behind Bars,” my portion of it, is about changing and missing someone and changing and being away. “Bible Belt” is about the indoctrination that I felt and the alienation that I felt as a closeted trans woman.
You’re going in deep about the indoctrination that we all experienced growing up in North Texas. You had some of it, too?
Yeah, you got it. It’s probably one of the songs I’m the most afraid of. If we weren’t already such an outspoken band and were pandering to the country music machine, I feel like that song would get us “Dixie Chick-ed,” but we’re not, so hats off to us.
When I saw your show with The Toadies back in December, I had just heard about your protest performance in Tennessee the day they signed that anti-drag bill. Hats off to you for that. Now, you’ve just recently come out as trans. How does it feel? Are you doing well, and do you feel like a boulder has been lifted off your chest, so to speak?
I’ve known for a while. I’ve spent a lifetime denying it and the last two years trying to
hide it while also trying to alleviate the pressure. First, I was honest with my family and then with my band and team. Every time I opened up to someone about it, I felt better, and our relationship with each other became more vivid, open, and transparent. That happened slowly over a year. Now that the Rolling Stone article has hit, I am vivid with a mass amount of people. Outside of the fears of violence and harassment and then just being an outwardly visible trans woman, I feel great. When somebody’s talking to me, they’re really talking to the person. They’re seeing the person inside from the outside, whereas before, I wouldn’t have shown this to anybody.
Before, I felt like there was a disconnect because I wasn’t fully present for other people. I was at arm’s length. I would be kind or nice, but I wouldn’t let you really get to know me. I wouldn’t really let you in. And then, all while doing that, I was destroying myself at any point in time possible with drugs and alcohol. Once I got sober and started changing my life, this was something I had to confront with the people who were close to me, and I healed my relationships within my circle by facing it and being accepted. Now, I am fixing my relationship with the world. This is who I am. Like, this is what I’ve been dealing with. This is what my journey looks like. This is me being completely open and honest about what I’ve been going through, the things I didn’t tell you about, and the reason why you might have thought, “Why is this person so weird?” Or, “Why are they so standoffish?” These questions may have lingered after our previous interactions. Now, I don’t have to do that shit. I can just be me.
Were the drugs and alcohol a coping mechanism, or was it just the party getting out of hand?
I think it’s all of it. I think the party was the base level, a way to dissociate from my inner feelings. And I used that from my
continued on page 21
On the eve of the release of the cowpunk band’s fifth album, Life Behind Bars, Vandoliers frontperson Joshua Fleming has come out as a trans woman. Meet Jenni Rose.
Courtesy Vandoliers
early teenage years into my 30s. That’s a long bit of time. By the end of it, it wasn’t really a party anymore. It was really a shame, and once I got through that, nothing really had much control over me. Those who are struggling with addictions and substance abuse are really struggling more internally than externally. I know that it manifests externally, but what I was going through was very internal. I was trying to hide it. I was trying to project it onto other people so that they wouldn’t look at me, and I tried to deny it up to a point, but then it just got too heavy. It got too hard, and I just couldn’t anymore. I was going crazy. And so I came out to one person: my wife. Then, I couldn’t put it back in the bottle, and I had to come out to my best friend. Then, I had to keep coming out, one step at a time. And then the Rolling Stone article was published. There were so many people I didn’t get a chance to talk to before it came out. Some of them I wanted to talk to. Some of them I did not.
For the Weekly readers who may be unfamiliar with trans issues, what can they do to become more accepting and learn more about them? Some people will be strongly against the trans community just because they were told to be via religious indoctrination, even though they don’t really know why.
Figure out your own feelings, and ask yourself, “Are these feelings or facts?” With feelings, were you told to feel this way, or is it because of an interaction or an experience? If it’s because you were told to feel that way, then it’s very likely those feelings are not based on reality. Within the queer community, and within the trans community specifically, we are being dehumanized. If the feelings come from an experience, try to remember that empathy is real and is something to hone and practice.
I might be the first trans person in someone’s life. Thus, I am a human interaction that many people have had, especially in Fort Worth, some good, some bad. Now, people have to decide, well, do I still like this person in spite of them being trans, because they’re trans, or do I even give a fuck that they’re trans at all, you know? Or do I hate them because they’re trans? I would love to give people a reason to see the humanity in a trans woman. Billionaires are spending millions and millions of dollars on advertising a narrative that trans people are dangerous and against women’s rights, you know, when in reality, we’re kind of the crux of human rights. If I’m not allowed to express my spiritual self and identity, then what freedom do we really have?
Has there been any backlash from loved ones or fans?
No, everything’s been cool. Everybody’s like, Yeah, whatever. I mean, not that I’ve seen, and if there was, it was quickly deleted and blocked, or I didn’t catch it, or it was at such a low vibration, it didn’t fucking matter. The Vandoliers have pruned our
Preorder the Vandoliers’ new album, Life Behind Bars, at Vanndoliers.com or pick it up in stores on Fri, Jun 27.
fan base. Any respectable country music aficionado knows that we opened for Bernie Sanders in 2019 and we were the first band to go against the drag bill in Tennessee. The fans have had plenty of reasons to check out our views on issues over the years. However, we are susceptible to new hate. Hopefully, articles like this one won’t bring that out, but if it does help soften hearts — and it does allow a little humanity to seep into a conservative space — I can take it. When they see someone transitioning and realize that it’s not hurting anybody, then maybe that spell can be weakened a little bit.
You’ve got a side project that played recently at Denton Pride at Rubber Gloves. Who are the Tom Girls?
I just needed a palette cleanse, so I wrote a pop-punk record in October before I came out to my band. I was scared that the Vandoliers might kick me out and I would need to find another band. I was really fucking worried. Again, feelings aren’t facts, but I had a lot of fears not based on reality. I was also afraid my wife would leave me, not because she gave me any reason to believe that but just because I do have an inherent fear and shame that I’m really working through every time I come out to someone.
But let’s say I did come out to you, and let’s say you did accept me, and you were added to my inner circle ... you would receive a private SoundCloud link with the Tom Girls demo record “Sissy,” and that would be my little gift basket to the people that I came out to. I’d be like, “Hey, I’m trans.” And they’d be like, “Oh, cool. I love you.” I’d be like, “Sweet. Here’s a pop-punk record.” I wrote this, not knowing if anyone else would ever hear it, but then, we played a show in Austin. People showed up, like a lot of people did, and then they really liked it.
And any parting words? Trans rights are human rights.
The Vandoliers’ next shows are in August at Kessler Theater (1230 W Davis St, Dallas, 214-272-8346, Sat 8/16) and in July at Gruene Hall (1281 Gruene Rd, New Braunfels 830629-5077, Sat 7/19), where Jenni Rose will be the first trans woman to headline that historic venue. l
7/26 KE’ASHA AND SCOTTIE “MUDBONE” JONES
FRI 7/11 AVRY, I LEARNED TO TALK IN SPRING, WIRE RIMS& MORE! FRI 6/27 GLOCKS, YANDERE, THE EZRA EBBESEN BAND
HearSay
Riot Girl Fest Expands
From rocking out to Bikini Kill, L7, and Sleater-Kinney in the ’90s as a teen, Fort Worth’s Jennifer Zooki Sturges has been doing her music idols proud, not only as the frontperson of a queer-forward rock outfit (Ex-Regrets) but as the producer of an annual festival celebrating all things femme and LGBTQIA+. Now in its eighth year and inspired by the global Riot Grrl movement of the 1990s, Riot Girl Fest is set for Sat, Oct 4, at Growl Records in Arlington (509 E Abram St, 682-252-7639) with Oddly Ginger, Jennifer Savage Hurley, Gluestick, and many more. The point is to raise money for local female-centric and LGBTQIA+ nonprofits while empowering, educating, and entertaining the local femme and queer communities.
“I’ve had a really great response to Riot Girl Fest,” Sturges said. “There was such a plethora of talent to choose from. This year, eight bands are supported by five nonprofits related to trans legal libraries, voter registration, and NARCAN distributors. I’ve always enjoyed the opportunity to create spaces for people to feel included and be entertained. At first, I wanted to highlight women in the music scene, and now there are so many that you’re going to listen to what we have to say.”
Platforming trans and queer musicians at Riot Girl Fest now “compared to when I was making music 10 years ago makes a big difference,” Sturges added. Sturges is creating quite a scene within a scene. Venues like The Cicada, Caves Lounge, and Deep Ellum’s Double Wide have been hosting femme- and queer-forward acts like Ex-Regrets, Fort Worth’s mod-rocking Darstar, and politically charged punks BOOF with regular frequency. These bands and others like them tackle issues like bodily autonomy and gender naturally.
Adding to this scene is a new project of Sturges’: a 12-page zine. She will publish the first edition of riot girl manifesto in print and online in September, and if it gains traction, Sturges will make it quarterly.
“I really wanted to bring back the zine culture of the ’90s because you know the kids are into it,” she said. “It’s an effective grassroots way to spread information and ideas in a format that’s nostalgic for some.” Ex-Regrets’ next show will be Sat, Jun 28, at Double Wide (3510 Commerce St, Dallas, 469-872-0191) and at Riot Girl Fest. You can also catch Dartsar on Fri, Jun 27, at The Cicada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth).
“There is a core part of my personality that enjoys rallying people,” Sturges said. “I feel like [Riot Girl Fest] is an opportunity to have a collected group onstage as a rewarding experience.” — Anthony Mariani and Juan R. Govea
Jennifer Zooki Sturges: “I’ve always enjoyed the opportunity to create spaces for people to feel included and be entertained.”
Juan R. Govea
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CELEBRATION
Located at 908 Pennsylvania Av (817-335-3222), Celebration Community Church has services on Sundays at 10am. Want to check out a nonjudgmental, inclusive church at home before attending in person? All services can also be viewed on YouTube! (@ CelebrationCommunityChurch130)
DENTAL INSURANCE
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EMPLOYMENT
Ft. Worth, TX. Bedabox, LLC d/b/a Shipmonk seeks Sr. Process Engineer w/ 5 yrs exp. in job offered or in indus. engr. role in warehouse or logistics envr. Resp. for dev. and optimizing mfg process methods to improve safety, quality, delivery, & cost across all process lifecycle. Must hold bachelor’s in mfg. engr., indus. Engr, supply chain mgmt. or closely related field. 5 yrs exp. Process mapping, data/ statistical analysis, & CPI using Lean Six Sigma; training in safety regs. & best practices in warehouse env’ts; working w/ AutoCAD or SolidWorks; & WMS req’d. Resume to recruiting@shipmonk.com. Ref job code: SPE-SMK.
GET YOUR GED?
Goodwill Can Help!
GoodwillNorthCentralTexas.org/Education
HISTORIC RIDGLEA THEATER
THE RIDGLEA is three great venues within one historic Fort Worth landmark. RIDGLEA THEATER has been restored to its authentic allure, recovering unique SpanishMediterranean elements. It is ideal for large audiences and special events. RIDGLEA ROOM and RIDGLEA LOUNGE have been making some of their own history, as connected adjuncts to RIDGLEA THEATER, or hosting their own smaller shows and gatherings. More at theRidglea.com
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NOTICES: BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
LET IT BE KNOWN TO ALL PEOPLE OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – This is public notice and affirmation that a baby girl, Magnolia Joye Anderson Buresh, has been born on the land in a mortal body. She is a living female and the result of love, and the physical embodiment of her biological father, Riley Blake Anderson and biological mother, Rose Lea Buresh. She is their first-born daughter and from the moment of conception, a combination of their unique genetic codes. The Anderson Buresh family welcomed their baby earthside on the land of the geographical location commonly known as [Fort Worth, Texas Republic, united states of America] North America on the 1st day of March in the calendar year 2025 AD Anno Domini at the hour and minute of 1:40PM, weighing 8 lbs and 4 oz and 20.75 inches long. She is happy, healthy and thriving!
PUBLIC NOTICE
Members of the Mansfield-Johnson Amateur Radio Service will hold their annual Field Day event on June 28th from 1-9 pm. They will be stationed at the Mansfield Fire Station #3, 3100 East Broad Street (under the water tower) Mansfield, Texas 76063. They will be using a three-element beam for 10m, 20m and 15m as well as an end fed dipole for 10-80m. Members will also demonstrate sending and receiving email via ham radio airwaves. For more information about Amateur (ham) radio please visit www.MJARS.org.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The following vehicles have been impounded with fees due to date by Texas Towing Wrecker, 205 S Commercial St, Fort Worth TX 76107, 817-877-0206 (VSF0000964): Ford, 1990, E-350, VIN 1FDKE37G4LHB08637, $470.41; Hyundai, 2021, Translead Trailer, $453.05; and UHaul, 2022, Tow Dolly, VIN NA, $954.58
PHYSICAL MEDIA ROCKS!
Looking for Cassettes, CDs, DVDs & Vinyl? Come dig around, we have TONS! The Published Page Bookstop (10 E Chambers St, Cleburne, 817-349-6366) is open 10am-6pm Wed-Sat and 1pm-6pm Sun. An authentic “Old School” bookstore on the courthouse square of Historic Downtown Cleburne, TX, just 20 minutes south of FW, it’s a true Texas treasure. For more info, visit PublishedPage. com or find us on Facebook (@BiblioTreasures).
POTTER’S HOUSE
Join the Potter’s House of Fort Worth (1270 Woodhaven Blvd, 817-446-1999) for Sunday Service at 8am and Wednesday Bible Study at 7pm. For more info, visit us online at www.TPHFW.org.
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SIP & SHOP EVENT!
Second Treasure Resale store (6620 Meadowbrook Drive, FWTX) is celebrating its 5th Anniversary and you’re invited! This Sat, Jun 21 from 10am to 4pm, enjoy complimentary non-alcoholic drinks while shopping for unique treasures. Clothes and shoes are 50% off. Household items are 30% off. See you there! For nore info, visit Facebook.com/SecondTreasureResale
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