Lavender Magazine 773

CONTENTS ISSUE 773 January 9-22, 2025

Health & Wellness 16 Odigo Wellness Shares Inclusive, Community-Focused Approach to Wellness at New Center 18 Loving The Skin You’re In: Dermatology & The Queer Community 20 Good Things Come to Those who ‘Weight’: Personal Trainer Lifts Others Up 24 Walking It Like You Talk It!: The Extraordinary Life of Donna Sue Johnson 26 Staying Safe On The Slopes This Winter 28 Minnesota Department of Health Shares How to Stay Safe From Mpox and HIV in 2025

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16 OUR LAVENDER

8 You Can’t Do Everything, You Can Do Something, And That’s Enough 8 Slow-Dancing In Deep Time

OUR SCENE

10 Forepaugh’s Redux 14 Sam Stoll: Minnesota’s Danny Zuko is Home

OUR AFFAIRS

29 Books

OUR HOMES

30 What’s The Buzz All About?

OUR RESOURCES

32 Community Connection 33 The Network

ON THE COVER

José Mendoza. Photo courtesy of José Mendoza 16: Photo courtesy of Marakah Mancini de León, 10: Photo by Mike Hnida, 14: Photo courtesy of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 30: Photo by Randy Stern

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Volume 30, Issue 773 • January 9-22, 2025

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Noah Mitchell 612-461-8723 Editorial Assistant Linda Raines 612-436-4660 Editor Emeritus Ethan Boatner Contributors Layla Amar, Lakey Bridge, E.B. Boatner, Buer Carlie, Natasha DeLion, Arthur Diggins, Alyssa Homeier, Terrance Griep, Elise Maren, Jen Peeples-Hampton, Linda Raines, Alexander Reed, Gregg Shapiro, Randy Stern, Susan Swavely, Carla Waldemar, Todd P. Walker, Emma Walytka, Spencer White

ADVERTISING Vice President of Sales & Advertising Barry Leavitt 612-436-4690 Account Executives Nathan Johnson 612-436-4695 Richard Kranz 612-436-4675 Sales & Event Administration Linda Raines 612-436-4660 National Sales Representatives Rivendell Media 212-242-6863

CREATIVE Creative/Digital Director Mike Hnida 612-436-4679

ADMINISTRATION Publisher Lavender Media, Inc. President & CEO Stephen Rocheford 612-436-4665 Chief Financial Officer Doug Starkebaum 612-436-4664 Administrative Assistant Michael Winikoff 612-436-4660 Distribution Metro Periodical Partners 612-281-3249 Founders George Holdgrafer, Stephen Rocheford

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Inspiration Steven W. Anderson (1954-1994), Timothy J. Lee (1968-2002), Russell Berg (1957-2005), Kathryn Rocheford (1914-2006), Jonathan Halverson (1974-2010), Adam Houghtaling (1984-2012), Walker Pearce (1946-2013), Tim Campbell (1939-2015), John Townsend (1959-2019), George Holdgrafer (1951-2024) Letters are subject to editing for grammar, punctuation, space, and libel.

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Entire contents copyright 2025. All rights reserved. Publication of the name or photograph of any person, organization, or business in this magazine does not reflect upon one’s sexual orientation whatsoever. Lavender® Magazine reserves the right to refuse any advertising. This issue of Lavender® Magazine is available free of charge during the time period published on the cover. Pickup at one of our distribution sites is limited to one copy per person.

OUR LAVENDER | FROM THE EDITOR

BY NOAH MITCHELL

You Can’t Do Everything, You Can Do Something, And That’s Enough For better or worse, I seem to be wired to try to find the best way to do anything I’m doing. I’m not content to just work, cook, get dressed, clean or make a purchase. Each new activity seems to require background research (which may just be an excuse to binge YouTube videos, but that’s beside the point), a spreadsheet or Notes app note to organize my thoughts, and a shopping list crossreferenced with a relevant Wirecutter best-of list.

This extends to my approach to physical fitness and wellness more generally. I’ve heard meditation is good, but there must be a best kind. It’s good to be physically strong, but what good is having the leg and back strength to pick that couch up off the ground if you don’t have the grip strength or stamina to carry it from the parking lot to the apartment?

Now, if you’re a professional athlete reading this, my advice probably doesn’t apply to you. Also, please send me an email, we have a Sports and Outdoors issue coming up and I’d love to talk to you. For the rest of us, here’s my incredibly unpro-

fessional experience and opinion.

When I was in college, it was reasonably easy to attend to all the different aspects of my physical and mental fitness. Sure, I do have three hours in the middle of my day to go lift weights and then play basketball! Strength training, explosive movement, cardio, even some stretching if I was being good that day.

As a working adult, I no longer have that luxury. When I first sat down and tried to schedule out all the things I thought I needed to be doing, the time just wasn’t there. I had to make compromises.

And it turns out…

That’s just fine. I was never an optimal hybrid athlete anyway, or much of an athlete at all. I find that my body and mind both feel better when I make time for something active, whether that’s a programmed full-body strength workout or just a 20-minute jog, than when I don’t, so I try to just get out there and do something instead of stressing about all the things I could be doing.

I say all this as a financially stable man who works on a computer from home and doesn’t have any physical disabilities. For those who have physical ailments that prevent them from being active, spend all day on their feet and come home exhausted, fear unwelcome advances at the gym or work two jobs and don’t have any time to exercise, finding ways to take care of yourself is even more of a challenge.

If you have the time, energy and resources to lift weights for an hour, run for 30 minutes and come home and cook a delicious and nutritious meal, that’s great. If all you have time for is a walk around the block between shifts or 15 minutes of YouTube yoga before bed, that’s great too. The important thing is to do something active that makes you happy.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to start, the new year is as good an excuse as any, even if it’s cliché. If not, I hope this editor’s amateur advice does the trick. 

OUR LAVENDER | A WORD IN EDGEWISE

BY E.B. BOATNER

Slow-Dancing In Deep Time

Two recent books, Marcia Bjornerud’s “Turning to Stone” and Tamsin Mather’s “Adventures in Volcanoland,” explore certain mechanisms of our home planet vital to our existence, adding the caveat that comprehension of their importance requires looking back beyond humanity’s short residence on Earth, back into Deep Time — measured in billions of years.

Rocks (in the broadest definition) and functioning volcanoes are unique systems within our solar system. In place soon after Earth’s inception, soldiering on today, these working systems create, sequester, and re-release the water, carbon and myriad other chemical combinations that foster life, from single-celled to human. There are devastating Pompeiis and tsunamis in human lives, but “Four score and ten” is a human metric, a mayfly wink compared to Deep Time’s 4.4 billion years it has taken to create the planetary plumbing — water collection-retention-renewal, heating-cooling systems — in short, everything that has allowed Mankind to exist and, perhaps, grow too big for its britches.

Ephemeral as individual human lives may be, Bjornerud and Mather remind us that collective Mankind’s decisions on whether to accept or ignore these systems that underwrite our viability

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LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

may well determine whether “We” will continue to thrive or will render Sol’s third planet a bleak, arid ball.

Bjornerud, professor of environmental studies and geosciences at Lawrence University, has been rustling rocks for four decades. In this, and her previous “Reading the Rocks: The Autobiography of the Earth” and “Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World,” she makes the case that Earth, initially fortunate its distance from the Sun, alone of its fellows created renewable systems ensuring a (usually) stable environment for humanity.

University of Oxford Professor of Earth Sciences Mather, like Bjornerud, has travelled worldwide to observe her globe-encircling volcano subjects (of which Iceland, within its scant 39,769 square miles, boasts some 130). She is particularly interested in volcanoes “degassing,” in which the heated magma, once expelled, loses its volatiles to the cooling atmosphere and how, in turn, those emissions affect human life.

Neither sees their subjects as static. Volcanoes in full eruption are easily visible, but majestic mountains rise and fall incrementally. As a structural geologist, Bjornerud thinks of rocks as “very, very viscous fluids. Not liquid, but flow-

ing — in that sense, fluid — in the solid state.”

Time scales alter as well; tectonic plates thrust mountains up and dismantle over eons, while an earthquake is human-tailored, instantaneous and catastrophic.

Both ask the reader to consider whether the pace of human activity is altering — foreshortening — our future? Will we, in our haste, ignorant of Deep Time’s checks and balances, tip the scales against ourselves? How little we actually know … only recently (mid-1960s) came our understanding of tectonic plates, how through subduction and continuous movement, they virtually raise and lower mountains, while the slow carbon cycle sequesters carbon dioxide to maintain our viable atmosphere, as certain rocks recycle, restore and renew potable water.

With lay text, authors must thread a path between, “Here comes the airplane!” zooming another teaspoon of peas to a toddler, and “High-professorese.” Bjornerud and Mather succeed, their menus both nutritious and digestible. Remember, catastrophe in human time may, in Deep Time, indicate a simple plumbing glitch requiring merely an adjustment in the viscosity of a mountain-trimming subduction. Perhaps another Extinction.

But Earth abides. Don’t take it personally. 

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OUR SCENE | EAT THE MENU

BY CARLA WALDEMAR

Forepaugh’s Redux Welcome to the crown jewel! That’s how this ornate Victorian mansion was hailed when Joseph Forepaugh built it in St. Paul’s pretty Irvine Park back in 1870. By 1970, however, wilting into disrepair, it was slated for demolition.

Fortunately, a foresighted restaurateur thought otherwise and launched what soon became an ultra-romantic dining destination — until COVID. Doors once again were padlocked and didn’t reopen to serve dining guests until three months ago.

On a recent Tuesday, its cache of dining nooks (fourteen of them, according to our super-server, Gina) was filled with guests eager to savor views of twinkling city lights and a new-old menu conceived by bold-name consulting chef Tim McKee and ably orchestrated by chef Jeremy Wessing.

Forepaugh’s Beef Wellington, Burrata. Photos by Mike Hnida

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Continued on page 12

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Self-directed services—funded by Medical Assistance waivers—offer individuals who want to stay in their homes and communities the ability to receive care from a family member, friend or other person they trust.

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“The key value of PICS is the freedom for participants to direct their own services that best fit their needs,” said Alaina Ericksen, PICS’ senior director.

“Our services empower individuals to live their best lives, supported by caregivers they know and trust.”

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OUR SCENE | EAT THE MENU ies. There’s a technical food-writers’ term for all this: yum! I’ll return to try the meaty ragu and porcini, underscoring the kitchen’s Bolognese.

And the simple-but-better-get-it-right spaghetti alla chitarra (“guitar strings”), sporting classic red sauce and tiny meatballs.

Nine entrees follow ($23 for the Irvine Park burger to $56 for the kitchen’s legendary Beef Wellington, which was our choice to split (plenty for two of us, it turned out). The peony-pink, tender and juicy hunk-o-meat came enrobed with a lattice pie-pastry topping rather than totally entombed in dough, as is usual — a fine improvement. The sweet beef sits upon a rich puddle of mushroom duxelles, all enhanced with a textbook-correct Bordelaise sauce and rich, rich potato confit.

The second-most popular entrée, attests Gina, is the roasted sea bass ($49), served with a miso glaze, farro risotto and cauliflower. Surfand-turfers can combine their beef tenderloin with garlic prawns in a lobster reduction ($56), while burger fans can savor the Irvine Park version starring wagyu and brisket for a slim $23.

There’s also a welcoming menu in the bar for those dining more informally.

Seated at a black-clad, window-side, lamp-lit two-top, we perused a succinctly curated, anti-rambling menu that starts off with small plates $22 and under. “I’ll have the fritto misto,” I declared to Gina … who thought otherwise. “Oh! You really must try the tuna carpaccio; it’s the dish to die for!”

O-kay.

I’m happy to report that I did not perish but rather happily lapped up every last morsel of comehither sweetness on the plate, abetted by curly boutonnieres of shaved fennel with its licorice accent and contrasting dollops of a sassy, bright salsa verde.

We next shared a generous salad of chopped endive laced with plenty of rich, voluptuous Gorgonzola, further enhanced with walnuts and apple — ideal and well-balanced accessories.

Then, pastas! They’re all made in-house and worthy of entrée status if that’s your inclination. (starter portions $17-22; as entrees $25-34). Begin, I urge you, with the demure, creamy, sweet peapuree-filled agnolotti, festooned with even sweeter (and welcome) morsels of blue crab, then spritzed with lemon and dill to keep your palate paying attention.

The orecchiette proved a heartier, almost burly dish, perfect to fend off winter’s wrath. Bits of duck sausage mingled with stems of broccoli rabe abetted by welcome spikes of Calabrian chilIrvine Park Burger, Budino.

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LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

Yes, there are desserts, and yes, they are house-made, but no, we couldn’t manage. Next time. Wines BTG begin at $11; my Manhattan rang in at $15, as did an Oak Manhattan, with acorn listed among the ingredients, waiting for my next visit. Valet parking makes life easy, too.  Forepaugh’s Restaurant 276 Exchange St. St. Paul (651) 666-3636 www.forepaughs.com

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OUR SCENE | ARTS

BY BUER CARLIE

Sam Stoll:

Minnesota’s Danny Zuko is Home Sam Stoll has been cast as Chanhassen Dinner Theatres’ (CDT) latest Danny Zuko. Stoll has been a recurring cast member in CDT shows since being cast in “The Prom” in early 2023, including playing Bob Gaudio in last year’s Spring production of “Jersey Boys.” Stoll is not only a powerhouse on the stage but also an incredibly humble, sweet person with a catching sense of enthusiasm for his craft and his return to Minnesota.

Although Stoll spent the first part of his career in New York and beyond, he was born, raised, and educated in Minnesota.

“I always had a feeling I would settle down in Minnesota,” Stoll says. “Having gone to college at MSU Mankato, I was very aware of the great opportunities to work here in the Twin Cities and knew I would possibly return one day.”

Still, wanderlust and a slew of amazing opportunities — like traveling with the “Jekyll & Hyde” show — kept him occupied for quite some time.

“There are so many great memories over the years and travels. First, meeting and performing with Dolly Parton at Dollywood was unforgettable,” Stoll reminisces. “She rode onstage in a hot rod car, and we performed some classic ‘50s tunes to announce the opening of a new roller coaster. She was so kind when she spoke with us and surprisingly tiny!”

“Grease” photo courtesy of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. Wedding photos by Lydia Evelyn Photography

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LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

The professional opportunities were exciting, but Stoll insists the people he met made the biggest impact.

“Every one of those jobs brought different wonderful humans into my life whom I cherish and taught me so much about what it means to be an artist and a kind human,” Stoll says.

Like a lot of people, Stoll found himself craving a change in 2020.

“When the pandemic happened, my partner and I realized that we wanted a change of pace,” Stoll says, explaining his eventual move to the Twin Cities. “The art, the people, our home, being closer to my family, the summers here and our little puppy. It’s a fantastic place to call home.”

In addition to making a home back in Minnesota, the pair also recently marked a huge milestone together: they got married.

“It has been such an incredible few years, and capping it off with our wedding felt like the perfect sign of us really settling in here,” Stoll says. “We got married in August 2023 at the courthouse with our families there, and it was so special.”

Their wedding rather fortuitously fell on a special date. “We actually didn’t even realize the significance of the time and place we chose until our officiant reminded us that 10 years prior, in August of 2013, the first gay marriage was performed on those very steps!” Stoll says.

Stoll’s first role with the CDT was a special one to him because it spoke to a core part of his identity.

“[‘The Prom’] was particularly special to me for a number of reasons,” Stoll says. “Being a part of a show that celebrates queer love is something that I will deeply cherish. Dancing in that final number as a joyful gay kid was so empowering. Almost every single night, I would tear up.”

Stoll knows how important representation in storytelling is.

“Looking out into the audience and seeing other queer kids, partners and families seeing themselves represented on stage was incredible,” Stoll says. “The greatest joy of being a performer is telling stories that move people … to connect people, empower them, help them escape, or help them understand a differing perspective than their own.”

Stoll is looking forward to his upcoming role in CDT’s “Grease,” although this won’t be his first time playing the man, the myth, the legend, Danny Zuko. In fact, it won’t even be his first time playing the role at a dinner theater.

“Funny enough, I actually played Danny at a different dinner theater in Florida,” Stoll says with a laugh. “But playing this role in my home state and at one of my favorite theaters is an absolute dream! It’s such an overthe-top and electric musical, and getting to be Danny again gives me another chance to dig deeper and bring even more energy and heart to the role.”

Playing a beloved character can be a double-edged sword.

“Playing an iconic character can be tough because people have their own idea or image of who Danny should be,” Stoll says. “I want to make sure Danny is the character they know and love while also infusing a bit of myself into the role, too.”

Because “Grease” is such a popular show, it is slated to have an extensive run time — from January through October of 2025.

“Putting on a musical for audiences over the course of 8 months requires many humans hard at work to make every show shine and to keep it thriving,” Stoll explains. “Every person from the greeters to the waitstaff, from our spotlight crew to our marketing team, and everyone in between makes it possible to deliver on a great night of theater.”

In addition to the staff and creative team, Stoll is excited about the actors at the helm of the show.

“Every single person brings their character to life in their own fresh way while still staying true to the classic movie,” Stoll says. “It’s such an electric show with immense talent!”

This is especially true when it comes to his co-star.

“My dear friend and scene partner, Dayle Theisen, is just a delight on and off the stage,” Stoll says. “Not only does she bring such warmth and heart to Sandy, but she is a true triple threat. I’ve loved seeing her really step into her own, and I think she is one to watch here in the cities.”

Above all, Stoll is just grateful to be back here in his home state, fully engaged in his craft.

“I just want to thank people for supporting art of all kinds,” Stoll says.

“Without theatergoers, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love, so thank you! … I’m so thrilled to be doing this show again and to rock out on that stage!”

See Sam performing as Danny in “Grease” at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres! Show and ticket information can be found at Chanhassendt.org. 

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OUR LIVES | HEALTH & WELLNESS

BY LAYLA AMAR

Odigo Wellness Shares Inclusive, Community-Focused Approach to Wellness at New Center Odigo Wellness recently opened its new wellness center in Minneapolis.

This BIPOC-, queer-, immigrant- and woman-owned center is committed to sharing wellness tips, offering a variety of classes and supporting the overall well-being of its community. The dedicated team of workers, practitioners and staff at Odigo is passionate about helping people move their bodies and nourish their spirits.

Odigo Wellness offers a diverse range of services to meet the needs of the Minneapolis community. The center provides chiropractic care, acupuncture, therapeutic massage and yoga classes. In addition, they offer specialized wellness approaches such as Somatic Experiencing, functional medicine, manual lymphatic drainage and dance movement psychotherapy. These services aim to help regulate the nervous system, among other wellness benefits. The practitioners at Odigo prioritize delivering high-quality care to their clients and patients.

Marakah Mancini de León, the Director of Cooperative Strategy at Odigo Wellness, describes the center’s opening as a dream come true. De León loves having a range of clients from any gender or cultural background. She truly appreciates when her clients want to heal themselves and feels really grateful to be able to help them on their journeys.

She deeply appreciates the other practitioners, many of whom also describe working at Odigo as a dream job.

Photos courtesy of Marakah Mancini de León

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“Buying our building was a huge leap of faith and a very heavy lift — but we feel strongly about the level of agency it gives us,” de León says.

The wellness center is collectively owned by a group of individuals committed to promoting health and wellness. This model of communal ownership represents an innovative approach to community care, one that emphasizes health and wellness for all. The development of Odigo Wellness was also made possible through the support of partners such as Vision Bank, Fortis Capital and the City of Minneapolis’ Two Percent Loan program.

“Community care means that we take care of each other. That is baked into the recipe at Odigo and has evolved naturally in so many ways,” de León says.

Odigo Wellness is particularly proud of its support for the LGBTQ+ community in Minneapolis. The center offers a range of services for individuals who have undergone gender-affirming surgeries. Many of Odigo’s providers are queer and LGBTQ+-affirming, ensuring that clients feel supported and cared for in a safe environment.

“Some of our offerings are particularly useful for re-balancing the nervous system during times of stress, overwhelm or uncertainty,” de León says.

“Other modalities are especially helpful following surgery, such as manual lymphatic drainage, which I love offering after gender-affirming surgeries.

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porating craniosacral therapy into the long-term care plan. This gentle approach can help the tissues of the cranium find their new place of balance after such significant work.”

In a recent press release, Marakah Mancini de León shared the journey that led to the creation of Odigo Wellness: “This space and this dream would not have been possible without the support of the brilliant people who have dedicated their careers to fostering genuine community development … we were committed to creating stability for practitioners and building programs that serve our incredible community. This was only possible because of community-minded funding streams and the individuals who do the work.”

The newly renovated building was inspired by a small group of practitioners who wanted to create a center that provided care aligned with their values for the community. Odigo Wellness also partners with organizations such as Queermunity and Justicia Law to strengthen their community connections.

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Understanding the importance of accessible wellness services, Odigo offers classes such as Community Acupuncture and Community Reiki at affordable prices. They also provide a sliding scale to make their services more accessible, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. The wellness center is BIPOC-, queer-, immigrantand women-owned, which guides their commitment to offering culturally aware and accessible services. Odigo is also inclusive because it recognizes that chronic pain and other disabilities disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

“A huge part of our mission is to support both community members and providers alike — which means finding creative ways to balance affordability for clients with sustainability for the people doing the work,” de León says. “Community acupuncture and community reiki are great examples of this approach: both are offered on a sliding scale, with clients sharing space.”

To learn more about Odigo wellness and sign up for their wellness classes, visit OdigoWellness.com. 

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OUR LIVES | HEALTH & WELLNESS

BY SUSAN SWAVELY

Loving The Skin You’re In:

Dermatology & The Queer Community When it comes to loving yourself, we know that the most important things aren’t skin deep … but that doesn’t mean we don’t also want our skin to look (and feel) amazing! And that’s just what Uptown Dermatology and SkinSpa provides: comprehensive skincare that makes you feel good inside and out! And the best part? Located in the heart of Uptown, just down the hall from leading HIV specialists, Uptown SkinSpa has had a wonderful relationship with the queer community for two decades, delivering accessible, welcoming and thorough care!

At Uptown Dermatology and SkinSpa, they recognize the importance of both great, healthy skin and loving the skin you’re in.

Board Certified Dermatologist & CEO/Medical Director of Uptown Dermatology & SkinSpa, Dr. Jaime Davis, has created the perfect space for everyone looking to take the next step in their skincare routine … or start the journey altogether! She recognizes that skincare is a crucial part of self-image and can be an extremely vulnerable thing. Her goal is to help everyone feel confident, healthy and cared for, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community.

Davis knows that skincare can feel overwhelming — that’s why she and her team are here to help.

“Coming to medical appointments can make patients feel vulnerable. In dermatology, patients can feel especially exposed, literally & emotionally,” Davis says. “We recognize that the LGBTQ+ community already feels parPhoto courtesy of BigStock/AndreyPopov

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ticularly vulnerable, and we have taken care to cultivate an inclusive space within which to receive respectful & compassionate care.”

The staff at Uptown Dermatology & SkinSpa isn’t just all talk, either.

They are committed to providing the best care for you!

“I have specialty training in LGBTQ+ care, including management of issues relating to our trans patients,” Davis explains. “This includes hormone management, excess hair loss or growth issues, & cosmetic procedures — Botox, fillers, laser, et cetera.”

In other words, she understands the importance of cosmetic procedures to help you feel the proudest and best in your own skin. When you step through the doors to Uptown SkinSpa, you don’t have to worry about anything. The knowledgeable staff is there to make sure you get incredible care.

“As a medical, surgical, & cosmetic dermatologist, I am educated & experienced in providing comprehensive care for conditions of the skin, hair, nails, mouth, & genitalia,” Davis elaborates. “This means we can help anyone with just about any concern.”

No matter what you need to feel good, Uptown SkinSpa is the perfect spot to check out!

Of course, a huge deterrent in seeking medical care for many people, especially members of the LGBTQ+ community, is cost. Davis and the team at Uptown SkinSpa know this and work diligently to make sure skincare is accessible to all.

“Our staff are experienced in wrangling insurance companies as well as accessing free resources available to keep visit & prescription costs reasonable,” Davis says.

“We also offer discounted self-pay rates for patients without insurance.”

Don’t let your fear of the bill scare you off before you’ve even checked it out!

There’s a care plan that’s perfect for you.

Skincare routines are all the rage right now (hello, TikTok nighttime routines!), and Davis has tons of tips to help you start or enhance your skincare routine.

“My top tip is, you guessed it, sun protection! Avoiding indoor UV tanning & protecting your skin from the sun are as important as avoiding smoking when it comes to preventing cancer,” Davis says. “We are happy to help navigate the sunscreen aisle & assist in choosing a sunscreen. My favorites are illuminating SPF 30+ primers — several brands have great products. They go on silky & give skin a subtle glow while protecting from skin cancer & premature aging from UV exposure.”

And if you’re worried that skincare needs to be pricey and complicated, Davis reassures us that this is definitely not the case!

“Daily skin care programs do not need to be elaborate or expensive to be effective,” Davis says. “We can help simplify the overwhelming process of establishing a routine

EXPRESS YOUR IC AUTHENT SELF

by suggesting the best prescription & overthe-counter products specifically suitable for your skin & lifestyle.”

Loving your skin is a massively important part of loving yourself, and Davis and the Uptown Dermatology and SkinSpa team are here to help you on your journey. Oh, and they’ve got good taste in reading material, too, as Davis says, “We always have several copies of Lavender Magazine to peruse!”

Don’t wait — your comfiest, healthiest skin is waiting for you, and Uptown SkinSpa can help you get it!  Uptown Dermatology & SkinSpa 1221 W. Lake St., Ste. 208 Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 455-3200 www.uptowndermatology.com

Hundreds of unique designs customized to tell your story Handcrafted in Minnesota with unique materials, including real meteorite. Schedule a free online video consultation today to start designing your dream rings!

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19

GOOD THINGS COME

TO THOSE WHO

‘WEIGHT’ PERSONAL TRAINER LIFTS OTHERS UP

OUR LIVES | HEALTH & WELLNESS

BY EMMA WALYTKA

PERSONAL TRAINER AND BARRY’S INSTRUCTOR JOSÉ MENDOZA

TOOK A CHANCE ON MINNEAPOLIS BACK IN JUNE 2023. AFTER SAYING GOODBYE TO THIRTY IN-PERSON CLIENTS, HAVING TO LOOK UP MINNESOTA ON A MAP WHEN HE FIRST GOT THE INVITATION, AND LEAVING HIS ENTIRE FAMILY FOR A NEW STATE AND JOB, MENDOZA TOOK A RISK AND A BET ON HIMSELF. Growing up in Atlanta, Mendoza was first introduced to the world of fitness when he was a student at Tri-Cities High School. He eyed someone with a jacket that read “cross-country.” Mendoza says he remembers asking them shyly, “Hey, what is that?”

“It’s a running club,” said the stranger.

“I remember thinking — oh my God, I would love to do that,” Mendoza says.

Attending a school an hour away from his home, Mendoza says he felt alone. He didn’t know anyone at his school and wanted to be more than the “totally random guy” from south Georgia. He grew up in a different demographic than most of his classmates, coming from the lower middle class.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing when I first started,” Mendoza admitted. “But when I first joined the team — it was through running where I just found myself, and my confidence grew.”

Though now he runs with music, Mendoza used to never run with headphones because he would always envision himself as a character in a grandiose scene: a crowd of people racing to win first place — to break through the finish line and the vision of his family being there in the stands.

The reality? His parents never got to see him race because the commute was so far from home.

“It was always me cheering myself on,” Mendoza says. “It’s almost like you’re teaching yourself with this compilation of your life experiences.”

Mendoza eventually went off to college, attending Georgia State University on the path to becoming an architect. After his first year, though, he changed his major to a sports-oriented field and got his bachelor’s in exercise science in 2015.

“I didn’t see any other Latino people, any gay males that look like me, doing what I was doing, so I wanted to be that person that sets an example so other people can identify with me.”

Jumping into the Fitness World “You can’t just join Barry’s, you have to either get scouted or asked personally by someone in the company,” Mendoza says.

It was this exclusivity that the average person would have feared, but even Mendoza’s old boss at his first job in the industry at BLAST900 told him from the very beginning: “Why are you not at Barry’s? You have it — and this is not something you can just teach someone — you have the Barry’s.”

Not thinking too much of it at the time, Mendoza told himself “One day”and continued to work at BLAST900 as a fitness manager until the Atlanta location closed in 2021.

Two months after the closure, Mendoza remembers the initial doubt that crept into his mind, as he had already tried getting into Barry’s and didn’t make it in. But he told himself, “If it was meant to be, they will reach out to me.”

Lo and behold, Mendoza received an email in the fall of 2023 with an invitation to join Barry’s, getting an interview, an audition and eventually a part-time spot working as a fitness instructor in January.

Not only was Mendoza also a personal trainer at the time, but he was also training 30-plus clients and was burning himself out, training nearly 12 clients daily, Monday through Friday.

“I was hungry for more, but I noticed that my fire was going down, and I was confused why that was happening,” Mendoza says. “Being in Atlanta my whole life, I’ve always wanted to live elsewhere, but also, being Latino, it’s not something you do; leave your family behind.”

Ultimately, Mendoza ended up moving to Minneapolis, leaving behind nearly 30 of his clients and a solid source of income to be a fulltime instructor at Barry’s, teaching 15 classes a week.

Continued on page 22 LAVENDERMAGAZINE.COM

21

OUR LIVES | HEALTH & WELLNESS “I remember when I was here, I was just, like, in prayer mode, and I was asking the universe to please just give me all the signs if this is the right decision,” Mendoza says.

Building his own business simultaneously, Mendoza now has 12 of his own clients from personal training while working at Barry’s and residing in North Loop with his pup, a bike for transportation and his boyfriend.

Coach Mode On: Mendoza’s Approach to Personal Training and Coaching

When Mendoza is working as a personal trainer, he starts by asking his clients: “Are you clocked in, or are you clocked out? Because if you are clocked in, I want to engage with you, and I want to train you. If you’re clocked out, maybe you should just cancel, and we’ll see you another day.”

Mendoza says results are at the top of his priorities and uses three core concepts that are what he believes are the three keys to success in the fitness world: strategy, mindset and accountability.

Strategy falls under clients’ fitness and nutritional programming, while mindset is about keeping a mentality that is working toward breaking the cycle of old habits, and accountability can look like having a friend join a class and being honest with yourself.

“When clients tell me I don’t have the money, here’s how I relate to it: When I hired a coach, I paid $7k for this coach to train me for a whole year, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a lot of money,’” Mendoza says. “But, then I was like, this is an investment, this is going to help me out, loving myself to the next level.”

If someone is unable to afford personal training even after they make adjustments to their everyday purchases, Mendoza says simply taking 10,000 steps a day and trying out free videos on YouTube with a balanced, mindful diet is a good place to start to work toward getting a personal trainer in the future.

Combating Fitness and Health Misinformation in a Digital Age

One of the biggest changes Mendoza has observed from Atlanta to Minneapolis is how much harder it has been to get his own clients because many Midwesterners use the outdoors as a venue for cardio.

“I am extremely vocal on Instagram about the fact that people have to lift weights and do so properly to reduce injury,” Mendoza says. “I would be lying if I told you all I did was Barry’s.”

Mendoza stressed that going on YouTube and watching a workout video by an influencer is not the same thing as hiring a personal trainer because the people behind the videos don’t always have certifications or educational backgrounds and, most importantly, are incentivized by subscribers and viewership.

Photos courtesy of José Mendoza

22 LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

“For some people, I’m like, ‘I hope you realize that this person doesn’t look that way because this is all they do,’” Mendoza says. “These people are actually lifting outside on their own time, but they’re not disclosing that — and that’s just the fitness world these days.”

Whether it’s overconsumption through fitness equipment or habits that claim they lead to fast results, Mendoza says you have to be aware of what you are buying and make sure you are doing your debt list rather than choosing “quick and easy.”

“My own Instagram feed is overwhelming,” Mendoza says. “It’s always, do these movements ‘X’ amount of times, and you’re going to look this way — and that is simply untrue.”

The gaps in many programs found on online apps lie in the fact that they do not take age group, physical limitations, injuries, or future life plans into account, Mendoza says.

“Many of the young’uns are like, ‘I’m just going to do the $30 for 30 days sort of ordeal,’ and I am like, ‘You are wasting your time,’ because at the end of the day with fitness, you have to get back to the basics,” Mendoza says. “You have to keep it simple and know it’s all about progressive overload, adding a little more each week in weight and reps.”

On his own fitness account, Mendoza says he defers from posting content that promises quick results across the board and instead posts his favorite movements for the upper body, examples from his lower body workout circuit or a combo he enjoyed that day.

“If people proceed to ask me, ‘Oh, how many sets and stuff did you do?’ that is when I choose education and maybe even invite them in for a free workout.”

Functionality over Aesthetic: Changing Lives and Mindsets

Happening all in Minneapolis, Mendoza shares how two clients found success through his work as a personal trainer:

From Peloton to … Barbie?

Mendoza has a client who was doing strictly Peloton workouts and asked Mendoza to be her personal trainer the second time they met.

“When I first started training her, it was kind of hard because she had this mentality of, ‘We need to go fast, no breaks and quick movements,’” Mendoza says. “She wanted me to change her workouts every week, like Peloton style.”

With this client, Mendoza says he had to be honest with her — and that meant telling her to take breaks and change her way of thinking from fastpaced and entirely cardio-based to weighted sets and reps.

Just weeks ago, it was her birthday, and upon arriving, Mendoza remembers being outside the Hewing Hotel and seeing a woman in a red, beautiful dress. He looked out the window and gasped: ‘Oh my god, that was my client,’ while Mendoza’s boyfriend exclaimed that she ‘looks like a Barbie.’

Mendoza walked into the room and told his client about their reactions, and immediately felt a rush of joy because, for him — she was a client and a project he had the pleasure of working on.

“Just to see her, looking so gorgeous and confident — that was something that made my day,” Mendoza says.

Functionality is so back

Imagine having nearly every injury a person can think of. Well, for Mendoza, that is the life of one of his clients, who is a retired pro gymnast and, according to Mendoza, was “very scared” of him prior to training.

“She kept telling her friend, ‘Please tell him to take it easy on me,’ and for me, I knew that she was going to be okay because I modify and curate plans that are specialized,” Mendoza says.

Seeing her twice a week and doing mostly bodyweight exercises, Mendoza says she came in nervous and arrived at her next session with uplifted energy while they laughed nearly the whole time.

After a couple more sessions, she was able to do laundry without struggling to pick up her clothes from the basket and was able to stand up and bend down without excessive pain.

“It’s not just about having the six-pack, it’s not just about the number of the scale,” Mendoza says. “A win for me, it’s being able to hold dumbbells for a longer time, maybe your heart rate doesn’t go up as high or as fast as it used to because your cardiovascular is responding well and you’re getting healthier and your heart is getting stronger.

Sometimes Mendoza trains five people in a row, each of them one-hour sessions. Mendoza admits, “It can be exhausting, but these stories of success make it all worth it.”

Looking into the future, Mendoza says he would love to have more clients who are a part of the gay community to train with him because “It’s better when you have someone that you can relate to, with a similar lifestyle.”

At age 32, Mendoza says how he views his own body has changed drastically over the years, as now he prioritizes being able to simply do the things he enjoys.

“When I was in my 20s, the vanity was more real, and I was all about having a six-pack and looking super lean,” Mendoza says. “Now, after having my shoulder dislocated, I still obviously want to look good, but I also want to be able to wake up the next day and do the things that I enjoy doing, so I don’t push myself beyond the point where I’m gonna wake up tomorrow super sore.” 

LAVENDERMAGAZINE.COM

23

OUR LIVES | HEALTH & WELLNESS

BY ARTHUR DIGGINS

Walking It Like You Talk It! The Extraordinary Life of Donna Sue Johnson

Donna Sue Johnson isn’t just a person. She isn’t just a social worker or advocate for the mentally ill and the LGBTQ+ senior community via the SAGE organization. Donna Sue Johnson is an event.

To begin my interview with her, I ask the insightful and well-considered question: “How are you doing?”

“I’m doing spectacular!” she replies enthusiastically. “I’m six feet above ground without dirt on my face! It’s a good day!”

I ask about her origins. Johnson was born September 5, 1956, in Valley Forge, Pa., but puts on a broad Georgia accent when she proudly says, “I’m from the South — South Jersey!” She relates that her grandmother was one of the first Black Americans to own a home in Willingboro, N.J., one of the first pre-planned communities of its type. This sense of place and identity carries over into her self-description as “A Big Black Beautiful Bohemian Bougie Buddhist Butch!”

“I was blessed to be in a family that celebrated academic excellence, that celebrated reading, that celebrated learning new words,” Johnson recalls. Her grandfather, a physician, was the first president of the NAACP in BurPhoto courtesy of Donna Sue Johnson

24 LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

lington County, N.J., and helped desegregate restaurants and schools there. Her mother graduated from Fisk University, her aunt graduated from Tuskegee University, and her grandfather graduated from Lincoln University alongside such luminaries as Langston Hughes and Thurgood Marshall. The personal legacy of these historically Black schools helped cement Johnson’s love of learning. Her father was a police officer, and her mother was a Special Education teacher.

Johnson herself is a Special Education graduate of Virginia State University. “I got a very low-paying Special Education job right out of school,” she recalls, “then I went into the military as an officer,” following a rigorous 90-day officer training school. She was stationed at Travis Air Force Base in California and was in and near San Francisco during the first years of the AIDS epidemic.

“It was just after the bathhouses had just closed,” she recalls. “I saw Sister Boom Boom and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” iconic gay figures of the era. “I remember the history of AIDS,” she says.

The service, Johnson recalls, “was very, very rough for me.” An on-base speeding ticket led to a power-play situation with a sergeant who sexually assaulted her after she (“I was very naïve,” she says) agreed to meet him after hours to resolve the ticket.

The trauma resultant from this assault turned Johnson into a “workaholic,” gaining a mental health screener designation at The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and working as a New Jersey State Screener. Her time at various psychiatric crisis centers located in emergency rooms involved evaluating mentally ill people for admission to psych wards or other treatment options.

But her educational journey continued after a state representative said to her, “The fact that you don’t have your MSW,” or master’s degree in social work, “is unconscionable.”

This bold statement “stuck in my mind,” Johnson recalls, and inspired her to attend a Saturday MSW program at Fordham University from

1997-2001. “It turned out to be a magnificent academic experience,” she says, and this led to work as an emergency room psychiatric clinician where she evaluated patients for level of care, an occupation she continued for 20 years. It also led to further work with the homeless and mentally ill.

In this role, she learned the ins and outs of social services agencies in Burlington County and was able to get her “folks” food, emergency housing and other services. Continuing, she worked with three mental health centers in Burlington County. Johnson, in a nutshell, has been of service.

During her career, she says she developed a particular fondness for working with “co-occurring disorder,” which is a newer term for people experiencing “MICA — mentally ill, chemically addicted — or dual diagnosis.”

She was one of the first workers on Catholic Charity’s PACT team (Program of Assertive Community Treatment), which she describes as a “hospital without walls,” which deals with people with an “extremely high recidivism rate” who have been going in and out of the hospital because they were not able to connect with community mental health services. The PACT team consists of a psychiatrist, RN, vocational specialist, substance abuse specialist and peer specialist, all working together to support individuals in need of acute care.

Johnson is particularly concerned with the stigma that attends relapse on alcohol or other drugs. “If you relapse on cancer, you’re given compassion and care,” she notes. But people who arrive at emergency rooms multiple times intoxicated often find a far different greeting.

She describes the treatment of people addicted to alcohol and other drugs in the US as “deplorable.”

She’s a strong advocate for “talk therapy” as a “powerful tool for wellness” for people learning to process stressors without self-medicating with chemicals. She paraphrases one of her mentors, saying, “Self-care is not self-indulgence — self-care is self-preservation, which is an act of political warfare.”

She typifies the current political climate as “dangerous” and “frightening,” one in which VA benefits and social security are threatened.

“My VA benefits and my social security benefits are my foundation.

It’s important for us to keep that oxygen mask on ourselves and maintain good physical health, good mental health, good spiritual health, and that is an act of political warfare — that’s how you can fight to stay alive because things will get better. My grandmother would say everything happens for the best, so I was disciplined at a young age to look at obstacles as a blessing,” Johnson says.

In more recent years, Johnson has worked as a consultant for SAGE, an organization that advocates and provides services for LGBTQ+ seniors. Her groups often focus on anger management and depression.

“Depression is about feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless and powerless,” she says, and combating this group of negative feelings and states can be challenging. “I enjoy my work with SAGE — it has been wonderful to be able to provide education,” she says.

She says SAGE’s work in providing socialization opportunities for LGBTQ+ seniors is also important to her: “Having a community where you can have fun and go to parties and go to plays — it is phenomenal!

And it also provides a community where you can provide wisdom and education to LGBTQIA+ youth.”

After her lifetime of service, ongoing, Johnson concludes: “Life is precious!”

“Life is precious: It’s a damn lie that you have enough time — no you don’t! If you’re going to write the book, write the book, if you’re going to travel, travel, if you’re going to go back to school, go back to school! Tell that person you love them!

“Get it done!” 

Make sure your Business, Organization or Event is part of

Lavender 2025 Pride Edition Deadline: May 9, 2025 Published: May 29, 2025 To reserve ad space, call

612-436-4660 Available in print, online, and on Issuu.com.

Lavender is distributed at more than 430 sites, including around all major Pride events.

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25

SPONSORED CONTENT

OUR LIVES | HEALTH & WELLNESS

BY NATASHA DELION

Dr. Timothy McManus, a sports medicine surgeon at Summit Orthopedics, says a lot of injuries tend to happen at the end of the day when muscles are most tired, so make sure to spend time between runs and build up your stamina at the beginning of the season.

Sprains and strains often occur because of falls. Although they sound the same, a strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon, such as stretching or tearing, whereas a sprain is an injury to the area that connects bones at a joint.

Falls are one of the most common instances that cause injuries, but knowing the conditions, preparing for potential ice and taking your time can help avoid them, McManus says. It’s also important to learn fall safety and techniques to get up from a fall.

To avoid dealing with injuries, try wearing a helmet, warming up and ensuring your gear fits properly.

Helmets and well-fitted gear can help you avoid or lessen the severity of injuries, according to McManus. If you need some additional support, wrist guards can offer some more safety on top of proper form.

“It’s all exciting to get out on the slopes and to get down with your ski or snowboard run, but taking a few minutes, especially as we get older, to warm up and stretch is something that’s pretty helpful to get your body ready for an athletic day,” McManus says.

He also suggested going with experienced friends, being cognizant of your surroundings to prevent collisions and anticipate obstacles, taking breaks and knowing your skill level. Also, remember to stay hydrated before, during and after runs.

“It’s fun to challenge yourself, but doing so within that control and responsible manner,” McManus says.

If it’s your first time on the slopes, remember to prepare ahead of time.

Staying Safe On The Slopes This Winter Winter is here, meaning it’s time to hit the slopes!

With Minnesota winters being filled with snow, often for longer than we wish, there are a plethora of places to go skiing or snowboarding. The biggest ski resort in the state is Lutsen Mountains, located in the Northeast area. You can also check out Afton Alps in Hastings, which also offers night skiing, if you’re closer to the Twin Cities.

Regardless of where you decide to go, Summit Orthopedics has some advice for staying safe on the slopes. While you ski or snowboard with your partner, family or friends, keep these safety tips in mind.

Some common injuries that occur are strains, sprains and falls.

A common injury area is your knees, where a torn or ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) can occur. With lots of twists and turns in skiing, a lot of pressure can cause some of these injuries.

Photos courtesy of Dr. Timothy McManus

26 LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

Go with someone experienced, take some lessons and take it easy with some easier runs as you’re getting started, McManus says.

Make sure you have proper gear, such as a helmet, goggles and well-fitting boots. Dressing in layers can help you prepare for changes in weather while you’re on the slope.

“It’s exciting, but also can be a little bit nerve-wracking going on for the first time,” McManus says. “There’s a lot of people willing to help; there’s a strong community and strong outreach out there.”

See a doctor when you’re experiencing persistent pain or discomfort.

If you do sustain an injury, it’s better to catch it early on. If you feel lingering pain after a trip to the slopes, head to urgent or primary care.

“Sometimes the urgent care is a nice in-between spot where you can get that initial, more immediate feedback and then channel to the proper specialists that help you further along in the treatment plan,” McManus says.

The key to getting back on the slopes is catching an injury early and working through a recovery plan. When recovering, physical therapy can help to restrengthen the muscles of and around your injury.

The healing process is gradual and takes time, McManus says, but having a specialist by your side along the way can really help.

“Oftentimes, that’s kind of an intimate time in someone’s life where they’re feeling down and not quite themselves,” McManus says. “So having someone that’s invested in them and also understands their injury and invested in their success, … having that teammate that’s really along for the journey.”

Summit Orthopedics has experts and urgent care outreach that can help with injuries beyond the slopes. Beyond being experts, they’re also people who are always willing to help.

“You’re going to meet people that really care about the person,” McManus says. “Then it’s also about getting expert care with whatever injury they might have and meeting people where they’re at to accomplish their goals.”

Are you ready to return to the slopes?

The best way to decide if you’re ready to return is to see if your pain is gone, you’ve built up your strength where the injury was and you can comfortably move in the ways you need to for skiing or snowboarding.

It’s easy to determine on your own, but a healthcare professional can help make those assessments through a “return to sport” test and by ensuring there will be no re-injury or injury somewhere else, according to McManus.

Whether it’s your first time or you’ve been on the slopes since you could walk, keep these safety tips in mind and enjoy the winter activities! 

LAVENDERMAGAZINE.COM

27

SPONSORED CONTENT

OUR LIVES | HEALTH & WELLNESS

BY NOAH MITCHELL

Minnesota Department of Health Shares How to Stay Safe From Mpox and HIV in 2025 Cases of mpox have come down significantly since 2022, according to Jose Ramirez of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). While there were 234 reported cases of mpox in Minnesota in 2022, there were only 18 reported cases in the state in 2023 and 20 at the time of reporting in 2024, according to MDH. Ramirez wants to make sure it stays that way. That starts with dispelling common misconceptions about mpox, formerly known as monkeypox.

“One of the biggest misconceptions right now is that mpox is an STI, it isn’t,” Ramirez says. “Mpox is a variant of the smallpox virus. It’s not only transmitted through sexual contact, but also other physical contact.”

That physical contact can be something as simple as a hug, according to Ramirez. He recalls when MDH was at Twin Cities Pride and they came across a booth of moms offering hugs. He asked if they had received the mpox vaccine, and when they said they hadn’t, he explained the ability of mpox to spread through physical contact. By the end of the day, the moms at the booth had joined the many people who received the mpox vaccine at Pride festivals over the summer.

The mpox vaccine is a two-dose series, and the CDC recommends getting the second dose four weeks after the first dose. If someone can’t get the second dose at four weeks, they should still get it as soon as possible.

“Lots of people got their first dose at TC Pride 2023 and their second dose at TC Pride 2024,” Ramirez says.

Photo courtesy of BigStock/New Africa

28 LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

Ramirez and MDH recommend the mpox vaccine to high-risk individuals: those with many sexual partners, taking PrEP or who are immunocompromised.

The vaccine is covered by most health insurance providers, according to Ramirez. For those concerned with the cost of the vaccine, he recommends they check out Red Door Clinic in Hennepin County or Clinic 555 in Ramsey County for low- or no-cost options.

“We had a lot of efforts over the last year to get the vaccine out into the community,” Ramirez says.

Those efforts, including vaccination clinics at large events like Pride festivals, drew on a national vaccine stockpile, according to Ramirez. That stockpile has since been depleted, which means the best way to get the vaccine is through primary care providers rather than mass clinics.

In 2025, MDH wants to “get social awareness out around STIs, HIV and the mpox vaccine,” Ramirez says. Like with mpox, there are common misconceptions surrounding STIs including HIV. For example, Ramirez says that many people are unaware that Minnesota is in the midst of an HIV outbreak that was declared in 2020.

Ramirez says that MDH is reevaluating their data to get a better picture of the outbreak. MDH currently estimates that 1,100 people in Minnesota are living with HIV and are unaware of their status. They also note that almost two-thirds, 65%, of new HIV cases affect people of color, and that “Social and structural issues like racism, HIV stigma, homophobia, poverty and access to insurance and high-quality health care continue to drive health disparities,” according to an MDH statement.

As part of combatting this, Ramirez recommends getting tested. For those who do sex work or are taking PrEP, he recommends testing every three months. For people with many sexual partners, who are immunocompromised or who inject drugs, he recommends testing every six months.

Even those who aren’t in any of those categories should get tested at least once in their life, according to Ramirez.

“Early diagnosis of HIV is critical in order to start treatment and live a long and healthy life with HIV,” according to the MDH statement.

Ramirez highlighted the importance of collaboration and the positive impact of partnerships with “really awesome partners” like The Aliveness Project on MDH’s efforts to raise awareness and protect communities from HIV. Ramirez and MDH are also big proponents of PrEP, he says, and want to raise awareness that “U=U,” undetectable equals untransmittable.

MDH also advocates for “correct and consistent” condom use and avoiding sharing syringes, needles, cotton or cookers to prevent the spread of HIV. “We’re encouraging individuals to engage in care because when they’re engaged, the likelihood of passing on HIV is slim to none,” Ramirez says. 

OUR AFFAIRS | BOOKS

BY E.B. BOATNER

Books

“Sleep Well My Lady: An Emma Djan Investigation”

Kwei Quartey Soho Crime $16.95 Lady Araba, a dazzling fashion queen on the eve of her runway show, sprawls in bed, brutally murdered. Accra (Ghana) police imprison (and forget) her driver. Suspicious, an aunt begs Emma Djan to find the killer, a task involving unearthing the secrets of wealthy and warring sets of parents — the Lady’s and her ex’s, a former media personality now lost to alcohol and drugs. He’d shadowed Lady Araba, begging her to return. She’d waffled.

Quartey tackles problems known far beyond Africa: child abuse, misogyny, wealth’s power to buy “justice,” and political and police corruption.

Emma Djan, sole female in the Sowah detective agency, goes undercover, enduring flashes from her own traumatic past, to learn the truth while the penniless but convenient driver, hope fading, languishes in prison.

“Straight Acting: The Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeare”

Will Tosh Seal Press $32.00 Tosh leads with young Will’s student immersion in the Classics and all the queerness with which Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” Cicero’s “De Amicitia,” etc. are imbued, well before he had an inkling of the goings-on in London Town. He arrived there young, curious — married to Anne Hathaway. While boys in that era played women’s roles, Will’s characters threaded mazes where boys played girls playing boys, becoming enamored in skewed passions with quirky gender twists.

No more than anyone does Tosh have proof in hand of Shakespeare’s deepest desires, but as a dramaturg of long standing and head of research at the Globe, he’s fully steeped in things Shakespeare, cunningly able to scatter bread crumbs along the path to lure the reader deeper into the forest on a merry chase.

“Turning to Stone: The Subtle Wisdom of Rocks”

Marcia Bjornerud Flatiron Books $28.99 After decades of geologic studies, Bjornerud champions rocks’ role in maintaining an orderly Earth. Her evidence? Translations of stones’ mute diaries in their varied foldings, joinings and layerings accrued through million-year-long pressures, melting, or ejected in flames. Whether igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic, each has a tale to tell; many have traveled far, ejected from the bowels of a volcano on another continent, a fragment slumbers on a sandy beach waiting for your next stroll. These are not isolated wanderings, and we’re slow learners. Plate tectonics and seafloor spreading weren’t accepted until the late 1960s when individual rocks were recognized as instruments, pieces fine-tuned to release water, store carbon dioxide and keep Earth viable. Are increased human activities endangering this primordial balance? Are we willing to pause and assess?

“Adventures in Volcanoland: What Volcanoes Tell Us About the World and Ourselves”

Tasmin Mather Hanover Square Press $32.99 Geochemist Mather offers a substantive read for lay readers concerning these fiery, explosive entities. Humanity has called them deities and/or destroyers, but a view from Deep Time (through billions of years, not human lifetimes) shows they’ve also been creators. Volcanoes’ eruptions pierced the encompassing global ocean, up-thrusting mountains, whose outpourings created lands, then continents to contain creatures bi-and multipedal. Mather focuses particularly on the gasses volcanoes emit — and they do, daily — examining how they help maintain our atmosphere and affect humanity. Volcanoes cause human devastation, but using a Deep-Time lens, one must acknowledge the eye-blink of humanity’s span against their eons of making their “plumbing” system underground, balancing aspects of handling water availability and carbon management above, functions that assure Earth’s continuing existence and that of its May-fly passengers. 

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OUR HOMES | OUR RIDES

BY RANDY STERN

What’s The Buzz All About?

Eight years ago, Volkswagen rolled out a concept that got a lot of attention, followed by a slew of questions on whether they would build it or not.

If so, how will it be propelled? And will the cute design end up in production as it was presented?

The “cute” design that showed up in Detroit back in 2017 was a tribute to one of the icons of the German automaker’s history — the Microbus.

The happy forerunner of today’s minivans was brought here in the early 1950s. They became symbols of the counterculture in the 1960s and into the 1970s. You could get one as a camper with a pop-up roof. In all, it brought smiles to the faces of its owners, their passengers — and hitchhikers too.

The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz retains the happy essence of the old Microbus. Compared to the concept, most of the design ideas were retained. Yet, something completely different was underneath its cute and happy skin.

We were wondering what all the buzz is about for this new minivan. Pun intended.

The ID. Buzz is the second Volkswagen built on the MEB platform for the American market. It is fully electric, drawing power from a battery pack underneath the cabin. Yes, we have our first fully electric minivan. Simply put, this is the right vehicle for environmentally conscious Rainbow Families.

You can choose between a single-motor version with the drive unit in the rear of the ID. Buzz — just like an old Microbus — or go with a dual motor setup with the 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Each axle gets a drive unit, with both motors drawing energy from a 91-kilowatt-hour battery pack. Our tester was equipped with the 4Motion driveline.

Photos by Randy Stern

30 LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

In terms of energy use, the Environmental Protection Agency rated our Pro S Plus 4Motion tester with a range of 231 miles on a full battery.

To recoup energy from 10% to 80% state of charge, recharging should take 26 minutes from a DC Fast Charger at 200 kilowatts. It is also compatible with Level 2 chargers at a rate of 16 miles per hour of energy returned. Or, you can simply plug it into a 110-120-volt household outlet at a rate of two miles per hour of returned energy.

While we understand how the ID. Buzz works, what is truly in front of us is a “retro-futuristic” design that melds the past with current design trends — the “cute” and “happy” part of this minivan. The past comes from its shape and a few details on its exterior. The two-tone paint job is from the past, as are the trim pieces that look like vents towards the rear of the roofline. The “vents” symbolize the air intakes of the air-cooled engines of the past. Even the front glass area is shaped to resemble the old Microbus from the 1950s.

Everything else about this exterior is modern: LED lighting front and back, big 20-inch wheels with all-season tires, dual sliding side doors with a small power-adjustable sliding glass panel each, a large lower grille on the front fascia, and to top it all off, a liftgate that opens right at the bumper. While it looks like the past, it is as functional as every minivan sold presently.

The interior of the ID. Buzz is also very modern. The driver is greeted by a digital instrument cluster that is attached to the steering column. Because the driver sits far back from the edge of the large windshield, a heads-up display is added to help retain attention on the road. The shifter is on the column and activates through a knob at the end of it. Other controls are elsewhere in front of the driver, using mostly haptic touch.

The space up front can be augmented by moving the center console. It can also be removed if you want it to. Stowage is abundant all around the front part of the cabin, which helps keep you organized on the road.

Dominating the center of the dashboard of the ID. Buzz is a 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. This screen is the hub for not just the audio system and climate control but also has screens for most of the vehicle’s functions.

Continued on page 34

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31

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Community Connection brings visibility to local LGBTQ-friendly non-profit organizations.

To reserve your listing in Community Connection, email advertising@lavendermagazine. com.

ANIMAL RESCUE

Second Chance Animal Rescue

Dedicated to rescuing, fostering, caring for, and adopting out dogs and cats into forever homes.

P.O. Box 10533 White Bear Lake, MN 55110 (651) 771-5662 www.secondchancerescue.org

BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS

Quorum

Minnesota's LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce working to build, connect, and strengthen for a diverse business community.

2446 University Ave. W., Ste 112 St. Paul, MN 55114 (612) 460-8153 www.twincitiesquorum.com

ENVIRONMENT

The Nature Conservancy

TNC is an environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature thrive.

1101 W. River Pkwy., Ste. 200 Minneapolis, MN 55415-1291 (612) 331-0700 minnesota@tnc.org www.nature.org/minnesota

EVENT VENUES

Landmark Center

A classic venue, with a grand cortile and beautiful courtrooms, accommodates celebrations of all sizes.

75 W. 5th St. St. Paul, MN 55102 (651) 292-3228 www.landmarkcenter.org

GRANTMAKERS/FUNDERS PFund Foundation

PFund is the LGBTQ+ community foundation that provides grants to students and grants to non-profits.

PO Box 3640 Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612) 870-1806 www.pfundfoundation.org

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Aliveness Project

Community Center for individuals living with HIV/AIDS – on-site meals, food shelf, and supportive service.

3808 Nicollet Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55102 (612) 824-LIFE (5433) www.aliveness.org

Family Tree Clinic We're a sliding fee sexual health clinic and education center, now in Minneapolis.

1919 Nicollet Ave. Minneapolis MN 55403 (612) 473-0800 www.familytreeclinic.org

32 LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

Keane Sense of Rhythm Celebrate your true self with Tap dance!

1st week free, Join us now!

2161 University Avenue W., Ste. 117 St. Paul, MN. 55114 (612) 251-4744 info@tapcompany.org www.tapcompany.org

NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Providing free classes and peer support groups for people affected by mental illnesses.

1919 University Ave. W., Ste. 400 St. Paul, MN 55104 (651) 645-2948 www.namimn.org

Red Door Clinic HIV and STI screening, treatment, education, and referrals. Doxy PEP, nPEP, PrEP, and Reproductive Health.

525 Portland Ave., 4th Fl. Minneapolis, MN 55415 (612) 543-5555 reddoor@hennepin.us www.reddoorclinic.org

LIBRARIES

Quatrefoil Library Your LGBTQ+ library and community center. Free membership, events, and e-books/audiobooks. Check us out!

1220 E. Lake St. Minneapolis, MN 55407 (612) 729-2543 www.qlibrary.org

MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS

Radio K

Radio K is the award-winning studentrun radio station of the University of Minnesota.

330 21st. Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612) 625-3500 www.radiok.org

MUSEUM

Minnesota Historical Society Create your own adventure at MNHS historic sites and museums around Minnesota. mnhs.org

Minneapolis Institute of Art Enjoy masterpieces from all over the world & every period of human history.

Free admission daily!

2400 3rd Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 870-3000 www.artsmia.org

PERFORMING ARTS

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres The nation's largest professional dinner theater and Minnesota's own entertainment destination.

501 W. 78th St. Chanhassen, MN 55317 (952) 934-1525 www.ChanhassenDT.com

Children’s Theatre Company

Children’s Theatre Company excites the imagination with world-class family-friendly theatre for kids, teens, and adults.

2400 3rd Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 874-0400 www.childrenstheatre.org

Guthrie Theater

Open to the public year-round, the Guthrie produces classic and contemporary plays on three stages.

818 S. 2nd St. Minneapolis, MN 55415 (612) 377-2224 www.guthrietheater.org

Minnesota Opera

Plymouth Congregational Church Many Hearts, One Song; Many Hands, One Church. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

1900 Nicollet Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612) 871-7400 www.plymouth.org

St. Philip's Lutheran Church

We invite and welcome those of every spiritual background, ethnicity, gender orientation, or economic situation.

6180 Hwy 65 Fridley, MN 55432 (763) 571-1500 www.splcmn.org

University Baptist Church

World-class opera draws you into a synthesis of beauty; breathtaking music, stunning costumes & extraordinary sets.

Performances at the Ordway Music Theater - 345 Washington St. St. Paul, MN 55102 (612) 333-6669 www.mnopera.org

Creating safe and inclusive spaces for 175 years, UBC stands proudly with our LGBTQ+ family.

1219 University Ave. SE Minneapolis, MN 55414 (612) 331-1768 www.ubcmn.org

Minnesota Orchestra

An open and affirming congregation, welcoming persons of all sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities.

1200 Marquette Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612) 332-3421 www.westminstermpls.org

Led by Music Director Designate Thomas Søndergård, the Minnesota Orchestra, one of America’s leading symphony orchestras.

1111 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612) 371-5656, (800) 292-4141 www.minnesotaorchestra.org

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Leading performing arts center with two stages presenting Broadway musicals, concerts & educational programs that enrich diverse audiences.

345 Washington St. St. Paul, MN 55102 (651) 224-4222 info@ordway.org www.ordway.org

Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus

An award-winning chorus building community through music and offers entertainment worth coming out for!

1430 W. 28th St., Ste. B Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 339-SONG (7664) chorus@tcgmc.org www.tcgmc.org

RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUAL

All God’s Children Metropolitan Community Church

A welcoming, inclusive, safe place to explore and discover God’s love for ALL God’s children.

3100 Park Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55407 (612) 824-2673 www.agcmcc.org

Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church

Everyone is welcome at Hennepin Church! Vibrant Worship. Authentic Community. Bold Outreach.

511 Groveland Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612) 871-5303 www.hennepinchurch.org

Westminster Presbyterian Church

SENIOR LIVING

Lyngblomsten Community Services

Empowering older adults to live well at home through caregiver support, memory-loss enrichment, & wellness education.

1415 Almond Ave. St. Paul, MN 55108 (651) 632-5330 www.Lyngblomsten.org/CommunityServices

Senior Community Services

Providing non-medical services that meet the changing needs of older adults & support their caregivers.

10201 Wayzata Blvd., Ste. 335 Minnetonka, MN 55305 (952) 541-1019 www.seniorcommunity.org/lav

SOCIAL SERVICES

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

Serving all Minnesotans with personcentered services that promote full and abundant lives. lssmn.org | (651) 642-5990 | (800) 582-5260 Employment Opportunities | lssmn.org/careers PICS (Partners in Community Supports) | picsmn.org Pooled Trust | (888) 806-6844 Supported Decision-Making | (888) 806-6844

TRAVEL DESTINATIONS Westopolis

Minnesota’s Sweet Spot! St. Louis Park & Golden Valley offer exceptional dining, attractions, shopping, hotels and event space.

1660 Hwy 100 S., Ste. 501 St. Louis Park, MN 55416 (952) 426-4047 www.westopolis.org

THE NETWORK Locally Owned & Operated Since 1950

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33

OUR HOMES | OUR RIDES

It is not the easiest system to navigate, as it may take a few screens and functions to do exactly what you are asking your ID. Buzz to do.

The touchscreen works well with your smartphone through wireless connectivity. Wireless charging is also available, along with a multitude of USB-C ports throughout the cabin. Harman Kardon offers 14 speakers of beautiful noise on our Pro S Plus tester.

To match the paint job on the outside of our ID. Buzz — orange and white — is one of three interior themes available on this electric minivan. Volkswagen calls it “Dune.” It is a combination of creamy white leatherette and orange accents. It is definitely light and airy — especially with the gray woven floormats on all three rows.

Seven people ride comfortably on the ID. Buzz. This seating configuration is standard on single-motor models. However, the second row on 4Motion models swaps out the second row, a three-seat bench, for two individual captain’s chairs. If you wish to have all seven seats to go along with your dualmotor ID. Buzz, that is available as an option.

The good news is that adults can sit comfortably across all three rows.

The second-row seats are adjustable, with a massive amount of rake available.

Access to the third row is as easy as pushing the button on the outboard side 34 LAVENDER JANUARY 9-22, 2025

of the second-row seatbacks. They slide so far forward for easy access to the far-back seats.

When it came to cargo management in the ID. Buzz, Volkswagen got creative. It starts with a parcel shelf with two collapsable bins behind the thirdrow seats. Using the bins will make shopping a much more manageable task.

Remove the parcel shelf and the bins, and then you can remove the third-row seats by rolling them out. Don’t worry — they’re easy to replace by rolling them back into place.

Overall, the driving experience was fine. The ride is firm overall. This might be a bit of a challenge on road surfaces that are not as smooth as you wish. It handles very well for a vehicle that tips the scales at about 6,200 pounds. The battery pack takes up 1,250 pounds of that weight, yet it serves a purpose: keeping the center of gravity low for this electric minivan.

Maneuverability is just fine with solid steering action. Braking was also fine, with good pedal feel and solid stops in every situation we experienced.

The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz is available in three trim levels — Pro S, Pro S Plus and a 1st Edition model. Pricing starts at $59,995. This Pro S Plus 4Motion tester came with a sticker price of $70,540.

The long-awaited 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a cute electric minivan that will turn heads and start conversations. It is quite buzzworthy, indeed. Perhaps you might want to give it a considerable look if you and your Rainbow Family want a new ride. 

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