MARCH 2026 by OutSmart Magazine

OUT AT THE RODEO IS BACK

David Armendariz talks

LGBTQ inclusion Pg.30

MARCH 2026

TAMMI WALLACE

CEO OF THE GREATER HOUSTON

LGBTQ+ CHAMBER MARKS

A DECADE OF LEADERSHIP Pg.47

TRANS VISIBILITY

Local voices creating change in Houston Pg.38

PLUS BLISS MAYON & KAAMIL AL-HASSAN

Bliss Sundays creates spaces for queer women Pg.52 MAGGIE SEGRICH

Sesh Coworking’s a rming community hub Pg.54

Four

FEATURES

Autumn

Tony

Sarah

TUTS’

Juecee

Winner

AUSTIN

Finalist

JACQUELINE

MELISSA

HouseMargarita

COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

— KENNETH JONES, Pharmacist

A successful retirement in the future can often depend on having a solid plan now. If your money isn't working as hard as you are, it may be time to act—there are no do-overs in retirement planning. Now is the time to consider developing a strategy that can help you work toward your ﬁnancial goals. I specialize in providing comprehensive, ﬁnancial guidance with the goal of maximizing every remaining moment of the retirement countdown.

APRIL 2026

Real Estate Guide: Realtors, lenders, and home service professionals

DineOut Smart: Restaurant & Entertainment

MAY 2026

The Travel Issue

JUNE 2026

OutSmart Pride Guide

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Greg Jeu

Creative Director Alex Rosa

Copy Editors Howard Maple, Janice Stensrude

Copy Editor Howard Maple, Janice Stensrude

Contributing Writers

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Photographers/Illustrators

Edgardo Aguilar, John-Paul Arreaga, Victor Contreras, Dalton DeHart, Yvonne Feece, Frank Hernandez, Ashkan Roayaee, Alex Rosa

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Dr. Robert Hines

Dr. Adrian Reyes

Dr. Jose Ibarra

Dr. Marcus de Guzman

Dr. Brooke Rebenschied

Our March issue highlights Women’s History Month with profiles of four local women whose work is being noticed and celebrated by LGBTQ Houstonians. Tammi Wallace kicks off our March cover story by reflecting on her decade of accomplishments at the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. Wallace frames the Chamber as economic infrastructure, with 577 members, certification pathways, supplier opportunities, and intentional networking that gives more LGBTQ entrepreneurs a seat at the table. Then we meet Bliss Mayon and Kaamil Al-Hassan, whose Bliss Sundays network engages queer women, lesbians, and sapphics with social events that prioritize real community-building. Finally, Maggie Segrich describes her success in creating Sesh Coworking, an inclusive Midtown space that welcomes LGBTQ and BIPOC professionals looking for a warm and secure coworking environment.

This month’s Out for Change series highlights two LGBTQ candidates looking to make a difference on the City Councils of Houston and Rosenberg. Patrick Oathout is running for Houston’s District C seat in the April 4 special election on a platform of improving infrastructure and constituent services. LaToya “Hunny”

Phillips, a founder of Fort Bend County Pride, is campaigning for the At-Large Position 1 seat in Rosenberg. With deep community roots and a commitment to civic engagement, she hopes to become the first openly lesbian council member in Rosenberg.

In community news, we celebrate the International Transgender Day of Visibility with a look at Lou Weaver’s Trot for Trans Visibility, now in its third year. Weaver is thrilled with the event’s growing community support and the expanded vendor booths and entertainment options you’ll find at the March 21 event. Then we visit with two other local advocates for trans rights—Autumn Lauener, whose work combines trans and disability advocacy; and Jevon Martin, who leads both the Monica Roberts Resource Center and the Houston chapter of FLUX. And don’t miss our Out at the Rodeo feature that spotlights David Armendariz, an enthusiastic supporter of that annual LGBTQ event at the Houston Rodeo.

Our arts coverage begins with Tony & The Kiki, the glam-pop duo that will headline this month’s Diana Awards gala. Then director Sarah Shin shares her insights on Stages’ new production of The Chinese Lady, which artfully challenges audiences to look beyond ethnic stereotypes. We also visit with Theatre Under

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The Stars’ artistic director Dan Knechtges, who describes a 2026-’27 season with fresh takes on Broadway classics and a new production of Oh, Mary!—a wildly imaginative comedy that is currently the hottest ticket on Broadway.

And for readers looking for some empowering financial advice with a gay twist, former Houstonian Nick Wolny’s new book Money Proud offers practical encouragement that promises a little fun along the way.

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Be ahead of your Health

Welcome

Dr. Bethsheba Johnson, DNP, MSN, BSN, NEA, GNP-BC, CNS

• Primary Care and Chronic Disease Management

• Gender Aﬃrming Care

• Sexual and Reproductive Health

• Mental Health

• General Gynecologic Care

• Hair and Skin Concerns

• Weight Management

• HIV Treatment and Prevention

• Gerontology

"My mission at Crofoot MD and Research Center as DNP, is to utilize use evidence-based, compassionate care and joint decision-making to partner with patients in achieving their health care goals and becoming or staying at the healthiest version of themselves."

Catering to all ages, we leverage the latest technologies to maintain and protect your health.

COMMUNITY

Sunday, March 21

Out at the Rodeo 2026

Houston’s LGBTQ community will gather at the iconic Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for a Queens of the Rodeo drag show, giveaways, delicious food, and your favorite DJs. tinyurl.com/3jxuwdx5

STAGE

Friday, March 20

Out at the Ballet for Broken Wings

Houston Ballet and OutSmart magazine host a special reception for LGBTQ ballet lovers and friends. Get 25% off select seats, a complimentary drink voucher, and access to the reception area before the show and during intermission. tinyurl.com/2w3jnnt5

COMMUNITY

Sunday, March 21

Third Annual Trot for Trans Visibility Celebrate Trans Day of Visibility with these 5K and 10K fun runs, as well as a family-friendly 1K. Proceeds benefit the Trans Legal Aid Clinic and Triple A Alliance. tinyurl.com/45zcptpf

QUEER THINGS to DO

COMMUNITY

Saturday, March 21

73rd Diana Awards

The Diana Foundation hosts its 73rd Annual Awards Gala, a celebration of laughter, legacy, and LGBTQ excellence. The event brings together friends, community leaders, and Diana members for an unforgettable evening of glamour, entertainment, and good old-fashioned fun. Musical guests for the awards show include Tony & The Kiki, Janan, and Sister Helen Holy. tinyurl.com/429xj8ak

COMMUNITY

Sunday, March 8

Allies in Hope 2026

Walk to End HIV

Hosted by Allies in Hope, formerly AIDS Foundation Houston, this fundraiser advances the fight against HIV while supporting a broader mission centered on compassionate care. tinyurl.com/yc2y6ebk

COMMUNITY

Sunday, March 8

Rodeo Brunch at Postino Montrose

Postino Montrose hosts this fundraiser for Out at the Rodeo featuring live DJ entertainment, delicious food, and exciting giveaways. tinyurl.com/bdz36kvp

COMMUNITY

Thursday, March 12

Bringin’ in the Green 2026

This Montrose Center fundraiser features an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction of luxury items. It’s one St. Patrick’s Day party you won’t want to miss. tinyurl.com/4unjjxbz

STAGE

Thursday, March 19

Alley Theatre ActOUT for The Importance of Being Earnest Ticket holders for the March 19 performance can enjoy a preperformance mixer with music, socializing, light bites, and drinks. tinyurl.com/4rzajj7d

STAGE

Sunday, March 22

Rainbow Kitten Surprise: bones North American Tour

The indie-rock darlings bring their tour to White Oak Music Hall. One dollar per ticket goes to local organizations delivering mental-health treatment and access to care.

tinyurl.com/yjrmd3dd

STAGE

Friday, March 27

Grant and Ash:

A Twink and a Redhead

The self-described “iconic duo” bring their show to White Oak Music Hall this month. tinyurl.com/2p9nvjcz

STAGE

Friday, March 27

Bianca Del Rio at South Beach Houston RuPaul’s Drag Race winner and global superstar Bianca Del Rio comes to Houston for a show hosted by Mistress Isabelle Brooks.

STAY CONNECTED!

April 5

COMMUNITY

Bunnies on the Bayou 47

QUEER THINGS to DO

Bunnies on the Bayou returns to Sesquicentennial Park in downtown Houston. The outdoor fundraising party features live DJs, entertainment, food and drinks, dancing, and sponsor booths. tinyurl.com/mrms7jm3

STAGE

Friday, April 10–Saturday, April 11

Jaboukie Young-White at Punch Line Houston

Queer actor-comedian Jaboukie Young-White (Only Murders in the Building, Strange World ) brings his standup show to Houston for four shows. tinyurl.com/3f8fhnuv

COMMUNITY

Friday, April 17–Sunday, April 19

Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market

The traditional Nutcracker Market now happens twice a year. This spring edition of the market lets shoppers explore hundreds of merchants from across the country. tinyurl.com/4jntkv47

STAGE

Thursday, April 23

Out@TUTS for Monty Python’s Spamalot

Theatre Under The Stars’ Out@TUTS reception for LGBTQ theatergoers and friends features light bites, drink specials, and live music. tinyurl.com/4z7d9btp

COMMUNITY

Saturday, April 25

Montrose Center’s “Empowering Our Future” Gala

With the theme of “Once Upon a Time,” this enchanting evening will celebrate the organizations and leaders who empower our youth to feel seen and supported. tinyurl.com/mtk2k2wp

SCENE OUT

Photos by DALTON DEHART AND CREW

The Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber presented The THRIVE Matchmaker at The Ballroom at Tanglewood on January 29, 2026. Pictured are Kel Victor and Corey Corbett .

On February 5, 2026, Pride Houston 365 presented the 48th Annual Pride 2026 Reveal of Grand Marshal Nominees and Logo Reveal at Play Nightlife. Pictured are Pride Houston 365 President Kerry-Ann Morrison and Grand Marshal nominees.

The StellaNova Foundation presented Bravo Broadway benefiting the Montrose Center at Pour Behavior on February 1, 2026. Pictured is Doug Harris presenting Avery Belyeu with the StellaNova Foundation 2026 Shining Star Award.

On February 7 and 8, 2026, the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ 2026 Community Summit was held at the Montrose Center. Pictured are Avery Belyeu and Joelle Espeut

The Mystery and Fantasy Mardi Gras Party, themed Medieval Fantasy Quest, was held at Rich’s on February 7, 2026. Pictured are Lee Ingalls, Leslie McKelfresh, Robert Harwood, and Scott Miller.

The Houston Bar Association LGBTQ+ 5th Annual Mardi Gras Party was held at Brennan’s Houston on February 25, 2026. Pictured are Hon. Barbara E. Hartle, Hon. Charles A. Spain, Arabia Vargas, Pamela Brantley Dunnings, and David Davis Jr.

On January 31, 2026, the Krewe of Olympus held its ball at the Wyndham Houston. Pictured are King Olympus LIV JJ Fulton and Queen Olympus LIV Clint Harwell.

On February 12, 2026, OUT in TECH Houston held a Pre-Valentine Day Mixer at Second Draught. Pictured are attendees.

The Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber presented its 10-year anniversary reception at POST Houston on February 26, 2026. Pictured are Fidel Deaquino, Ross Miller, Zozo Garcia, Elizabeth Hale, Matthew Finnan, Raed Gonzalez , and Carlos Gonzalez .

On February 22, 2026, the Diana Foundation held a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at the home of Broderick. Pictured are contestants for the best hat; all won.

An OUT at the Rodeo Pink Pony Pearl Heated Rivalry Party with a Drag King Hockey Show was held at Pearl Bar on February 19, 2026. Pictured are Ashlee Creath, Juecee, Hugh Dandy, and Jacquey Creath

On February 11, 2026, the University of Houston LGBTQ Alumni Community Meeting was held at the Montrose Center. Pictured are members of the UH LGBTQ+ Alumni Network board and community.

Debra Denny and Shelley Kennedy took O ut S mart to Nosara, Costa Rica.

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Take O ut S mart along. Snap a high-res pic of yourself with the magazine and send it to us.

Send to: Letters@O ut S martmagazine cOm Tag us on Facebook or hashtag us on Instagram #OutSmartTimeOut

OutSmart supports community organizations as a media sponsor and marketing partner, proudly promoting events throughout Houston’s LGBTQ community.

Sunday, March 8: Out at the Rodeo Brunch at Postino’s Montrose 805 Pacific St. Enjoy a lively afternoon on Postino’s patio with Out at the Rodeo, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Live DJ, great food, giveaways, brunch cocktails, and community celebration. Info: linktr.ee/outrodeo

Sunday, March 8: Allies in Hope Walk to End HIV 2026 at Sam Houston Park, 1000 Bagby St., 9 AM–2 PM. Join this annual community walk raising awareness, honoring lives, and supporting efforts to end HIV in Greater Houston. Info: walktoendhivhouston.org

Thursday March 12: The Montrose Center’s 34th Annual Bringin’ In The Green Don’t miss this longtime LGBTQ Houston favorite. St. Patrick’s party with open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and silent auction benefiting the Montrose Center. Tickets $50+.

Info: montrosecenter.org/event/bringin-in-the-green-2026/

March 14-15: Montrose Softball League Association’s Lone Star Classic Tournament at Centennial Park, 3219 McLean Rd., Pearland. Houston hosts a weekend of competitive softball. Cheer from the stands, gather with friends, and enjoy the lively tournament atmosphere. Info: houstonmsla.org/lone-star-classic

Saturday, March 21: The 73rd Diana Awards Gala, 6–10 PM. Seated dinner, open bar, roast-style honors, and live entertainment featuring Janan, Tony & The Kiki, and host Sister Helen Holy. Info: thedianafoundation.org

Saturday, March 21: 3rd Annual TROT for Trans Visibility 2026 TROT for Trans Visibility 2026 begins at 9 a.m. at Frost Town Brewing, 100 N. Jackson St in Downtown Houston.. Join this joyful, family-friendly run, walk, trot, or sashay celebrating Trans Day of Visibility.

Info: raceroster.com/events/2026/108671/trot-for-trans-visibility

Saturday, March 21: Stages 2026–27 Season Announcement Open House at Stages, 800 Rosine St. 10 AM–Noon. Q&A with Artistic Director Derek Charles Livingston, complimentary refreshments, and a behind-the-scenes preview of the upcoming season. Info: stageshouston.com

Saturday, March 21: Old Weird Houston at the Orange Show World HQ From Noon–5PM. A free alternative history fair celebrating Houston’s hidden stories, presented by Archivists of the Houston Area and the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art 2334 Gulf Terminal Dr., Info: orangeshow.org/old-weird-houston

Saturday, March 21: Out at the Rodeo 5th Anniversary Celebration at NRG Park, Rodeo Champion Wine Garden, 5–11 PM. Join Houston’s LGBTQ community for rodeo action, food, music, and carnival fun. Info: linktr.ee/outrodeo

March 20-April 12: Choir Boy at The Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main St. This coming-of-age drama follows students at a Black prep school as they confront identity, sexuality, and belonging, woven with powerful choral music. Recommended for ages 15+. Info: ensemblehouston.com

Partner with OutSmart and promote your event. Call 713-520-7237 or email: Marketing@Outsmartmagazine.com.

By GRACE YUNG, CFP

Where Should Your Tax Refund Go?

Saving, investing, or paying down debt are important options to consider.

For many households, a tax refund feels like a small windfall—a welcome check that shows up just as winter is ending and spring plans are starting to take shape. It can be tempting to treat that money as “found” cash and spend it quickly. But a tax refund is really just your own money coming back to you, and how you use it can have a meaningful impact on your financial life over the next year and beyond.

So what’s the smartest move: save it, invest it, or use it to pay down debt?

The honest answer is: it depends on your situation. Each option can be a good decision when it matches your goals, your cash-flow needs, and your overall financial plan. The key is to be intentional instead of reactive. Let’s walk through how to think about each choice, and how to decide what makes the most sense for you.

What a Tax Refund Really Is

A tax refund usually means you paid more in taxes during the year than you ultimately owed. In other words, you gave the government an interest-free loan and are now getting the excess back. That’s not necessarily bad, but it does mean this money isn’t a bonus. It’s your own money returning to your balance sheet.

That perspective is useful, because it encourages you to treat your refund like any other financial resource: something to allocate thoughtfully based on priorities.

Using a Refund to Boost Savings

For many people, the most practical and stress-reducing use of a tax refund is strengthening their cash reserves. If you don’t have an emergency fund—or if yours is thin—your refund can be a great way to build one without changing your monthly budget overnight. A solid emergency fund can help cover unexpected medical bills, car or home repairs, temporary income disruptions, and other “life happens” expenses. Without cash reserves, these events often end up on credit cards or personal loans, which can create a longer-term debt problem.

A common rule of thumb is to aim for three to six months of essential living expenses in readily accessible savings, though the right number depends on your job stability, household situation, and overall financial complexity.

If you already have an emergency fund,

consider using your refund for a dedicated home repair or maintenance fund, a future car replacement fund, a short-term goal like a wedding,or a “sinking fund” for irregular expenses such as property taxes.

Savings don’t have to be boring. They’re a tool for reducing stress and increasing flexibility in your life. And they’re a good choice when you have little or no emergency fund, your income is variable or less predictable, you rely on credit cards for surprises, or you’re facing known upcoming expenses. In these cases, prioritizing savings can actually prevent future debt and give you more control over your finances.

Using a Refund to Pay Down Debt

If debt is weighing on your monthly cash flow or your peace of mind, using a tax refund to reduce balances can be a powerful move. Paying down high-interest debt offers a “guaranteed” return in the form of interest you no longer have to pay. For example, paying off a credit card charging 20% interest is roughly equivalent to earning a 20% return, risk-free. That’s hard to beat with most traditional investments.

Beyond the math, reducing debt can free up monthly cash flow, improve your credit profile, reduce financial stress, and make it easier to save and invest going forward.

Which debt should come first? Not all debt is created equal. Many planners suggest priori-

tizing high-interest credit cards and personal loans, a variable-rate debt that could become more expensive, and smaller balances that create mental or budgeting friction.

Lower-interest, long-term debt, like some mortgages or federal student loans, may be a lower priority, especially if your cash reserves are thin or you’re behind on saving for the future.

Paying down debt makes the most sense when you carry high-interest credit card or consumer debt, your debt payments strain your monthly budget, you’re close to paying off a balance and can eliminate a payment, or the psychological relief of less debt would meaningfully improve your financial behavior. And in many cases, using at least part of a refund for debt reduction can create momentum that lasts well beyond tax season.

Using a Refund to Invest for the Future

If your short-term finances are stable—meaning you have a reasonable emergency fund and manageable debt—investing your refund can be a way to put that money to work for longterm goals. Depending on your situation, this could include contributing to an IRA or Roth IRA, increasing contributions to a workplace retirement plan, investing in a taxable brokerage account for long-term goals, or adding to a college savings plan or similar goal-based account.

Investing is about aligning your money ➝

with future priorities like retirement, financial independence, or legacy planning—not about chasing short-term market moves. One of the biggest advantages of investing a lump sum like a tax refund is time. Money invested earlier has more opportunity to benefit from compounding over the years or decades ahead. Even a few thousand dollars invested consistently over time can make a meaningful difference in long-term outcomes—especially when combined with regular monthly contributions.

Investing may be the right choice when you have a solid emergency fund, high-interest debt is under control, you’re already covering your monthly obligations comfortably, and you’re behind on long-term goals like retirement or education funding. In these cases, directing a refund toward investments can help close gaps and reinforce good financial habits.

Consider Adjusting Your Withholding

If you consistently receive large refunds, it may be worth reviewing your tax withholding. A very large refund could mean you’re overpaying taxes throughout the year and living on less cash flow than necessary. Adjusting withholding doesn’t change your total tax bill, but it can increase your monthly take-home pay, reduce reliance on credit cards or short-term borrowing, and help you save or invest gradually instead of in one lump sum.

This is a planning conversation worth having with your tax professional or financial planner, especially if cash flow feels tight during the year.

Splitting a Tax Refund

One of the most overlooked options is simply splitting the refund. For example, you might decide to put 40% into savings, use 40% to pay down a credit card, and invest 20% for long-term goals. This kind of blended approach acknowledges that most real financial lives have multiple priorities at the same time. It can also make the decision feel less all-or-nothing and more sustainable.

This is a planning conversation worth having with your tax professional or financial planner, especially if cash flow feels tight during the year.

There’s no single “right” answer to the question of saving, investing, or paying down debt with your tax refund. The right choice is the one that improves your financial position, reduces stress, and moves you closer to your long-term goals. What matters most is being intentional. A thoughtful plan for your refund can turn a once-a-year event into a meaningful step forward in your financial life.

If you’re unsure where your refund should go, try this order of operations:

1. Cover immediate cash needs and build basic emergency savings

If you’re unsure where your refund should go, try this order of operations:

2. Pay down high-interest debt

3. Invest for long-term goals

1. Cover immediate cash needs and build basic emergency savings

2. Pay down high-interest debt

Your personal mix will depend on your balance sheet, your goals, and your comfort level, but this framework helps ensure you’re not skipping important foundations.

3. Invest for long-term goals

Your personal mix will depend on your balance sheet, your goals, and your comfort level, but this framework helps ensure you’re not skipping important foundations.

The Bigger Picture

Your tax refund decisions shouldn’t live in isolation, but instead be part of a broader financial plan that considers cash flow, debt structure, savings needs, investment strategy,

The opinions voiced here are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Grace S. Yung, CFP®, is a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner and the CEO & Founder of Midtown Financial Group, LLC, in Houston. Since 1994, she has helped LGBTQ individuals, domestic partners, and families plan and manage their finances with care and expertise. She is a Wealth Advisor offering securities and advisory services through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Grace can be reached at grace.yung@lpl.com.For more information, visit www.midtownfg.com or www.midtownfg. com/lgbtqplus.10.htm.

Rocky Hollub

Victor Lopez

Stand Up and Be Counted

The L.O.V.E. Survey will document the lived experiences of LGBTQ adults across the region.

by OSM STAFF

For decades, LGBTQ Houstonians have organized, built institutions, supported one another, and advocated for change. But despite that long history of activism and community leadership, one thing has been missing: comprehensive local data about LGBTQ life across Greater Houston. Last month, that began to change.

Launched at the 2026 Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Community Summit, the Houston Area L.O.V.E. Survey is the first large-scale, community-driven effort to document the lived experiences of LGBTQ adults across the region. Organizers say the project represents a critical next step in strengthening advocacy, improving services, and ensuring that LGBTQ voices are reflected in policy decisions that shape everyday life.

The survey’s name stands for LGBTQ Opinions, Voices, and Experiences. Its goal is ambitious but clear: gather responses from at least 5,000 LGBTQ adults living in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria, Chambers, Liberty, and Waller counties.

“There’s no existing dataset that really reflects the full lives of LGBTQ+ people here,” says Avery Belyeu, CEO of the Montrose Center. “Without that, decisions about services, resources, and policy are made without us. This survey changes that.”

A Regional Partnership

The L.O.V.E. Survey is a collaboration among three anchor institutions: the Montrose Center, the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, and Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. More than two dozen additional LGBTQ organizations across the region are helping to amplify the effort. This partnership combines deep community roots with trusted research infrastructure. The Montrose Center brings decades of experience serving LGBTQ individuals and families. The Chamber represents LGBTQ-

owned businesses and professionals. The Kinder Institute, widely respected for its longrunning Houston Area Survey, is overseeing the research design, data collection, and analysis. All findings will be made publicly available through the Kinder Institute later this year.

“We know good data leads to better policy,” says Tammi Wallace, the president and CEO of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. “This isn’t just about information. It’s about power, and making sure our community has the numbers to back our needs.”

Why the Data Matters

While national surveys provide broad snapshots of LGBTQ experiences, organizers

say Houston has never had a comprehensive regional baseline survey. Without local data, it becomes harder to demonstrate gaps in healthcare access, housing stability, workplace inclusion, or mental-health support.

The survey explores a wide range of topics that shape daily life in addition to healthcare access and mental-health concerns. Financial security, housing stability, workplace culture, school experiences, discrimination, social connectedness, and access to basic needs are all included in this effort.

The results will help community leaders identify priorities, measure disparities, and track progress over time. Organizers also hope the survey will strengthen funding ➝

applications, inform public policy, and guide programming decisions across nonprofits, businesses, and advocacy groups. Equally important, they say, is representation.

More than two dozen organizations are helping ensure the survey reaches LGBTQ residents of every age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ZIP code across the eight-county region. The goal is to reflect Houston’s full diversity, not just its urban core.

“This is about hearing from people in every corner of Greater Houston,” Belyeu says. “Whether you live in Montrose, Katy, Galveston, or Conroe, your experiences matter.”

How It Works

Participation begins with a brief eligibility screener that takes about two to three minutes to complete. Those who qualify receive a secure link by email or text to complete the full survey, which is available in both English and Spanish and takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

To be eligible, participants must be 18 or older, live in one of the eight specified counties, and self-identify as a member of the LGBTQ community.

Organizers emphasize that responses are

“THERE’S NO EXISTING DATASET THAT REALLY REFLECTS THE FULL LIVES OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE HERE.”

—Avery Belyeu, CEO of the Montrose Center

confidential and cannot be traced back to individuals. Rice University manages the data, and identifying information is separated from survey responses before analysis. Contact information collected during the screener is used only to deliver the survey link and improve data integrity. All research produced by the Kinder Institute will be made publicly available and used exclusively for research purposes.

Building on Houston’s Legacy Houston has a long history of LGBTQ organizing, from the 1978 Town Meeting 1 to

the decades of advocacy that followed. The L.O.V.E. Survey builds on that legacy in a new way. Rather than relying solely on stories and testimonials, the community is now seeking measurable data to accompany those lived experiences. Organizers say that pairing narrative with numbers strengthens advocacy and helps ensure that LGBTQ residents are included in conversations about the region’s future.

The hope is that the survey will not only create a snapshot of where the community stands today, but also establish a benchmark that can be revisited in future years to track change and progress. For many involved, participation is about more than answering questions. It is about visibility, representation, and collective power.

The survey is currently open to LGBTQ adults across Greater Houston. Organizers are encouraging individuals, businesses, faith groups, schools, and nonprofits to help spread the word, so the results reflect the full scope of the region’s LGBTQ community.

To participate in the survey, click the following link: tinyurl.com/3haedhme

ROPING IN TALENT

Out at the Rodeo supporter David Armendariz also celebrates inclusivity in his recruiting business.

by BENJAMIN LEGER

photo by ALEX ROSA | style by APRIL ANN PEARSON

The feeling of being out of place in traditionally straight spaces is all too common for members of the LGBTQ community—be it a sports event, a business meeting, or even at the rodeo.

David Armendariz understands this well. He’s worked as a talent recruiter in Houston’s major industries like oil and gas and manufacturing for nearly two decades with the Lucas Group, and he was often the only gay person or minority in the room. But that didn’t stop him from sharing the unique perspectives that he brought to the office each day.

It was in those rooms that he met his nowbusiness partner, Sara Luther. As a Hispanic gay man and a first-generation Lebanese American woman, they were hungry for a more forward-thinking and inclusive approach to talent recruitment. Together they launched their own firm, Relate Search, in 2023.

“All those things about us combined to make for a unique situation,” Armendariz says. “We were the only people at the table who looked like we did and had the experiences we did.”

As Relate Search has grown, so has its impact on the Houston business community. It’s been a champion of local businesses that still put diversity and inclusivity first, despite the current political pushback.

Armendariz and Luther have also gotten serious about the community-service aspect of their business. For the second year in a row, Relate Search is one of the main sponsors of Out at the Rodeo events at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

It’s not lost on Armendariz that Out at the Rodeo is designed to let LGBTQ

Houstonians feel a sense of belonging in a traditionally straight environment.

“You get the very best of what the rodeo offers, and you get to see a different side of it in a way that’s truly inspiring,” Armendariz says. “People are celebrating each other and enjoying themselves in a way that I don’t think people always felt before at the rodeo.”

For professional organizations and businesses, the rodeo is a huge networking opportunity in front of more than 2.5 million annual visitors. For businesses like Relate Search to show up in a big way helps put a spotlight on the diversity of Houston’s rodeo-loving crowd.

“We had such an incredible experience last year as a sponsor, so they didn’t even have to ask us to participate again this year,” Armendariz says.

Giving back to the community has always been important to Armendariz and his husband, Nathan Wellborne. Armendariz met

Wellborne through University of Houston college buddies and was initially excited to find a new friend who shared his love of the Houston Astros. They’ve been together 19 years and married for nine years. They also volunteer together for organizations like the Houston Food Bank and the Montrose Center.

His personal passion for increasing the visibility and acceptance of Houston’s LGBTQ community is intertwined with the values of the business he’s building with Luther at Relate Search. And as many companies walk back their Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives— often in response to political pressure—Armendariz aims to support those that stay strong.

“Standing up for your values is even more important now, in the face of everything that’s going on. It’s just fueled us to say even more strongly that regardless of what those obstacles look like, we are going to stand for what we believe,” Armendariz says.

He points to case studies and research that show diversity impacting not just the morale of a company’s employees, but also the bottom line. “Organizations that truly value diversity of thought and experience and background are seeing a positive impact from a profitability standpoint, there’s no question about that. Besides, it’s just the right thing to do.”

Armendariz will be walking the walk at Out at the Rodeo on March 21, and he’s excited that Relate Search can continue being part of the celebration.

“We feel like this organization means something, and the work they are doing is important to both the LGBTQIA community and Houston as a whole,” he says. “It benefits everyone.”

WHAT: Out at the Rodeo 2026 WHEN: March 21, 5:00–11 p.m.

WHERE: The Champion Wine Garden at NRG Stadium

INFO: linktr.ee/outrodeo

At Out at the Rodeo 2025, Billy Whitaker (left), Brand manager at Relate Search, joins Anthony Ferrell, Out at the Rodeo vice president, and Eric Hulsey, founder and president, with David Armendariz, founding partner and executive recruiter at Relate Search. COURTESY

“OUT AT THE RODEO ATTENDEES ARE ENJOYING THEMSELVES IN A WAY THAT I DON’T THINK PEOPLE ALWAYS FELT BEFORE AT THE RODEO.”

— David Armendariz

A New Vision for District C

Patrick Oathout campaigns for Houston City Council with an emphasis on infrastructure improvements and inclusivity.

by BRANDON WOLF

photos by NORA DAYTON

Patrick Oathout, a Houston native and longtime District C resident, has stepped up to run for the open Houston City Council seat in that district in a special election on April 4. At 34, Oathout’s journey reflects a dedication to community, courage, and making Houston inclusive for all.

The seat became vacant when Council Member Abbie Kamin resigned under Texas’ resign-to-run law to pursue the Harris County attorney position, paving the way for new leadership. Seven candidates are in the race, including Oathout, who brings a unique perspective and deep local roots.

If no one receives more than half of the votes, the top two advance to a runoff and the winner serves through January 1, 2028. Early voting this month is from March 18 to March 31, giving the community ample opportunity to participate.

Oathout’s connection to District C is lifelong and personal. Raised in that district, he attended Poe Elementary, Lanier Middle School, and Lamar High School, then graduated from Duke University with honors in public policy and philosophy—the foundation of his passion for civic engagement.

His family’s acceptance was crucial when he came out as a gay man in high school, and he likewise supported his younger sister as she came out as a trans woman. These experiences underscore the importance of family, compassion, and safe spaces for all.

To Oathout, District C is a vibrant, diverse tapestry— home to Montrose, the Heights, and Midtown—where culture, creativity, and community thrive. He celebrates the district’s unique attractions, from local eateries to inclusive events. “You can walk to your favorite Vietnamese restaurant, go to a drag show, then grab a beer. People here really care. They show up to civic association meetings and they know their neighborhoods.”

The removal of Montrose’s rainbow crosswalk in District C, ordered by Governor Greg Abbott, is a reminder for Oathout of why local elections matter—especially for the LGBTQ community. He believes elected officials are essential in protecting inclusion and dignity.

Oathout is running because he cares deeply about District C’s future. He’s witnessed rising costs, neglected infrastructure, and threats to local autonomy and LGBTQ rights.

He notes that affordability has declined, City services need improvement, and the district faces increasing challenges from state and national politics.

His motivation is clear: to safeguard the community and ensure every resident feels welcome and supported.

Inspired by the events in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021, Oathout joined the Army, motivated by a desire to serve during a pivotal time. His City Council run is another act of service rooted in resilience and hope.

If elected, Oathout would be the third openly LGBTQ member of Houston’s City Council, joining Mario Castillo and Alejandra Salinas. He emphasizes the significance of Proposition A, which allows three council members to place items on the agenda without the mayor’s approval. This may result in another City non-discrimination ordinance to protect the LGBTQ community.

Oathout’s priorities are infrastructure, affordability, public safety, and courage. He’s committed to addressing flooding and potholes, keeping District C affordable, ensuring safety, and defending local values amid outside pressures. He’s passionate about providing excellent constituent services. These aren’t just policy points; they reflect Oathout’s genuine concern for his neighbors and his vision for a thriving, harmonious Houston.

Professionally, Oathout is a leader in AI safety with a focus on preventing the misuse of artificial intelligence and ensuring this technology benefits society. He sees AI as a force

shaping the future, and he wants to contribute to its responsible development.

Oathout’s worldview has been shaped by overcoming discrimination as a gay teenager, teaching refugees in Jordan, and commanding a NATO tank platoon in Poland. These lived experiences taught him responsibility, empathy, and the impact one can have on others’ lives. They also reinforced his belief that courage means acting in the face of fear—whether coming out, joining the Army, or running for office.

Oathout’s hero is his middle-school debate coach, Jim Henley. “We were national debate

champions for years when I was there. He taught us that using your voice to fight for what you believe in is powerful—when you know how to frame your position.”

Oathout recognizes serious threats facing the LGBTQ community in Texas, from bathroom bans to healthcare restrictions. He is especially concerned for trans individuals. Despite challenges, Oathout finds hope and energy in campaigning, connecting with neighbors, and hearing their stories. He believes everyone deserves dignity and a voice, and his campaign is about lifting up those voices at City Hall.

Recently, Oathout attended the Houston LGBTQ+ Community Summit, which focused on unity amid attacks on LGBTQ rights. “I think it was pretty amazing. With so much going on in the world, I think it’s really important to have a singular vision about what we’re striving for,” he says. He encourages supporters to vote, volunteer, donate and, most importantly, talk to neighbors about the importance of local leadership.

Oathout draws strength from the words of Black gay activist and author James Baldwin: “The place in which I’ll fit will not exist until I make it.” For Oathout, that place is being an effective leader for the residents of District C.

For more info, visit patrickforhouston.com.

A Historic Run in Rosenberg

LaToya “Hunny” Phillips is campaigning for the City Council At-Large Position 1 ahead of the May 2026 election.

by BRANDON WOLF

“I DON’T JUST WANT A SEAT AT THE TABLE; I WANT TO BUILD LONGER TABLES SO EVERYONE IN MY COMMUNITY HAS A PLACE.”

—LaToya “Hunny” Phillips

LaToya “Hunny” Phillips, age 42, a candidate for Rosenberg City Council At-Large Position 1, is seeking to make history. Should she win in May, Phillips would become the first Black woman and the first openly lesbian member to serve on the council—a milestone that fuels her campaign. “My goal is to mirror the true diversity of Rosenberg and provide community-centric local leadership,” she shares.

The race for the two-year council seat has three contenders: Phillips, who is a Democratic precinct chair; Richard Olson, who identifies as a “constitutional conservative;” and Alice Jozwiak, a MAGA Republican. Phillips stands out as the only candidate prioritizing progressive values and inclusive representation.

Early voting takes place next month from April 20 to April 28, with the general election on May 2. Securing more than 50% of the vote is essential for Phillips to win outright and avoid a runoff.

Born in Houston, Phillips moved to Rosenberg in 2016 with her nonbinary wife, Tip Phillips. They were drawn by the small-town charm, affordable housing, and a welcoming environment. The couple, married for over ten years, have built a life rooted in Rosenberg’s blossoming diversity.

“Hunny,” a nickname inspired by the Hunny Pot from Winnie the Pooh stories, captures Phillips’ warmth and approachability— qualities that define her professional and civic life. The moniker is now inseparable from her public persona, making her both memorable and relatable to Rosenberg residents.

Phillips and her wife are deeply involved in community-building. Together, they launched Fort Bend County Pride, an annual festival that uplifts LGBTQ visibility and celebrates diversity in the region.

Held each August, the event is familyfriendly and inclusive, offering a variety of musical artists, a pet parade, bounce houses for young children, organizational booths, scholarships, and much more. It fosters partnerships with a variety of sponsors. Under Phillips’ leadership, Pride has become

a cornerstone of local engagement in the past three years.

Beyond Pride, Phillips and Tip also operate a photo booth business that caters to all sorts of events. Visitors can have their pictures taken and instantly receive them via email or text.

Phillips is a regular presence at local meetings, continually researching citizen concerns and advocating for increased accessibility in government. She believes true leadership means being visible and approachable—traits she finds lacking in current officials.

After years of seeing the same individuals rotate through City positions without meaningful community connection, Phillips decided it was time to run. Her motivation is to bridge the gap between City Hall and everyday people, striving to make all residents feel seen and heard.

Phillips’ campaign is built on economic development, support for small businesses, and strategic infrastructure growth. She envisions modernizing downtown Rosenberg, simplifying City regulations for new entrepreneurs, and promoting tourism. She also aims to connect local youth to paid internships and expand opportunities for seniors, including restoring funding for Meals on Wheels and

enhancing community programming for older adults.

Mental health and social services are also central to Phillips’ platform. She believes law enforcement should receive specialized training to address mental health crises and that the City should work closely with nonprofits to fill service gaps. “If the City can’t provide a service, we should connect residents with those who can.”

As Rosenberg’s population exceeds 43,000, Phillips insists that the City Council must reflect the community’s diversity. She champions accessibility, increased transparency, and genuine collaboration, calling for City leaders to be present at community gatherings and open to constituent feedback.

Phillips’ leadership style is grounded in sincerity, empathy, and hard work. Having grown up without privilege, overcoming toxic relationships, and building a life with her spouse through perseverance, she knows firsthand what it means to struggle and rise above. “I want to advocate for those who haven’t had everything handed to them,” she says.

Inclusion, for Phillips, is both personal and political. Outspoken about the need for LGBTQ representation, she stands firmly with marginalized communities—and especially

the trans community—advocating for education, empathy, and action against bigotry.

Phillips credits her mother and her wife as her greatest inspirations. Her mother, who became a teen mom at 15, overcame significant obstacles, completed her education, attended college, and became a surgical technologist. “She taught me that with hard work, you can get through any situation,” Phillips says. From her wife, she’s learned the values of patience and delegation.

Phillips encourages residents to support her campaign through volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word. Her campaign is deeply grassroots—she’s block walking, phone banking, and hosting meet-and-greet events to connect with voters face-to-face.

Committed to breaking barriers and building bridges, Phillips’ journey from overcoming adversity to leading community initiatives is one of perseverance and progress. She invites Rosenberg residents to help shape a more inclusive, vibrant, and responsive city. “I don’t just want a seat at the table; I want to build longer tables so everyone in my community has a place,” Phillips says, encapsulating her vision for the city’s future.

For more info, visit voteforhunny.com

The

RUN TOGETHER, THRIVE TOGETHER

annual Trot for Trans Visibility continues to demonstrate advocacy in action.

by MARTIN GIRON | photos by NORA DAYTON

As the Trot for Trans Visibility officially enters its third run on March 21, the goals of the event have expanded to include new vendors, a variety of resources and entertainment, and an evergrowing sense of community. For founder Lou Weaver, the run’s growing community presence that he’s seen has been emotional to witness.

“The first time we did this, I almost cried because every time I refreshed the screen, we had more people registered,” Weaver recalls. “We had 125 people sign up that first year, 200 the next, and then 350 —we hit capacity for the space we had last year, so we’re blocking off the street this year because we’re anticipating over 400 people.”

Proceeds for the run will go to the Trans Legal Aid Clinic of Texas and the Triple A Alliance, two organizations that Weaver has co-founded in response to issues faced by the transgender and nonbinary communities. Though recent Texas legislation has restricted the revision of gender markers on identification documents, the Trans Legal Aid Clinic of Texas is still able to assist with legal name changes and other services.

“ We’ve been around for around 11 years and have helped close to 3,000 people,” Weaver says. “ We’re still helping with name changes because that can make a huge difference for folks, and we also provide financial assistance for the court fees that come with a legal name change.”

The Triple A Alliance was established

five years ago as a counterpart to the Trans Legal Aid Clinic of Texas, aiming to provide more social opportunities for transgender and nonbinary folks to connect and build community through field days, dinners, and fundraisers aimed at assisting with surgical transitions. The organization’s goal is to move allyship and advocacy into action—a mission statement reflected directly in the Trot for Trans Visibility.

Weaver works alongside co-leads Sarah Cardnell, Emory Powers, and Hann Schaible to organize the charity run, which will include a market that includes free breakfast, mentalhealth resources, HIV/STI testing, drag performances, sports clubs, tattoo artists, bookstores, and other queer-affirming groups, reaching over 30 vendors in total. Inspired by

Cal Dobbs’ Trot for Trans Lives in Austin four years ago, Weaver says that making the run accessible for Houstonians was the motivation for coordinating the event with so many community organizations.

“We need visibility, but we also need to know where we can go to the doctor and what businesses we can go to that are not going to discriminate against us,” Weaver says. “This run brings us together, but it also highlights other safe spaces to carry forward with us after the run.”

The inclusion of HIV/STI testing, mentalhealth resources, rent and utilities assistance, and other resources is intentional, Weaver says. “The purpose of having these at our run is to reduce the stigma of getting tested and help people who may not normally have access to learning about these resources get them.”

Last year, the run received just over $10,000 in proceeds. This year, they have already accumulated over $4,000 for their current goal of $15,000. Despite not having many corporate sponsorships, Lululemon has supported the Trot for Trans Visibility since its initial run and will provide free merchandise for the first 250 people registered for the event.

Through growing collaborative efforts with queer and ally organizations alike, the Trot for Trans Visibility has been able to provide

“I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THEY’RE NOT ALONE AND THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN FEEL AUTHENTICALLY THEMSELVES IN A GROUP THAT’S ROOTING FOR THEM.”

—Lou Weaver, founder of the Trot for Trans Visibility

scholarship opportunities for transgender and nonbinary athletes who would like to participate in the run. Weaver says that this is an aspect of the run that truly showcases how the community can show up even when they’re unable to do so physically.

“The mom of a trans kid who couldn’t be here this year has sponsored five athletes,” Weaver reveals. “And that’s the amazing thing when you see a person saying, ‘I wish I could be there but I can’t, so let me find another way to support you,’ that is huge because we can turn around and share that with the community.”

As the run continues to grow, Weaver envisions a future where the Trot for Trans Visibility becomes a destination charity run for all allies and queer folk throughout Texas and its neighboring states.

“We want more visibility we have space and we should be taking up space,” Weaver says. “I want people to know they’re not alone and this is a place where they can explore what it means to feel authentically themselves in a group that’s rooting for them.”

WHAT: Third Annual Trot for Trans Visibility WHEN: Saturday, March 21, 8:00 a.m. WHERE: Frost Town Brewing, 1719 Ruiz St. INFO: On Instagram, @trot4transhou or register at bit.ly/40InH4x

PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHTS COME AS YOU ARE

Christen Coco Valentine Event emcee

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Christen Coco Valentine has always been a part of activism and politics. “My mom used to have me at the polls passing out flyers,” Valentine says. “Community has always been something that’s been embedded in my soul.”

After taking the reins of emcee last year, Valentine has been exploring what it means to work behind the scenes and in front of the camera. As a freelance makeup artist, podcast producer for Our Point of View with Chevelle Brooks, a researcher with the Transgender Allyship Collective, and a former healthcare navigator, Valentine says stepping into the limelight as emcee has given her an opportunity to affirm herself as an entertainer. It’s also a sign of the progress that the Black transgender community has made in Houston.

“When I first moved here, I didn’t feel like there was a big sense of community around Black trans women,” Valentine says. “After meeting Lou and seeing the work the Trans Legal Aid Clinic of Texas has done, we’ve really flourished in spite of the way the administration has treated us. T hat’s why I love events like this that give people a chance to come and see that we’re just as human and deserving of respect as they are.”

To keep up with Valentine, follow her on her Facebook @coco.love1.

FINDING COMMUNITY THROUGH SPORT

Gina de la Garza

Event sponsor with Space City Pride FC

PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHTS MINDFULNESS MATTERS

Anna Eastman

Event vendor representing Autumn Counseling

As the Ally grand marshal in Houston’s 2015 Pride parade, Anna Eastman has a long record of advocating for the LGBTQ community. The former Texas State representative (and a practicing social worker in clinical supervision with Autumn Counseling) has worked with Lou Weaver on a nondiscrimination policy inclusive of gender and sexual identities for the Houston ISD School Board. But Eastman’s relationship with Weaver came full circle after her daughter came out to her as trans.

“Lou was one of the people I went to when she first came out to me,” Eastman recalls. “We’ve been there for each other throughout the years, so I have loved being able to support this annual trans-visibility run.”

Through her Autumn Counseling practice, Eastman offers traumainformed, queer-affirming care to queer individuals and their families. She is also a member of Nurturing, Empowering, and Supporting Together (N.E.S.T.), the parent support-group counterpart to the Montrose Center’s Hatch youth group.

Eastman believes mindfulness is a key aspect of both her practice and the charity run. “As human beings we suffer, and that’s inevitable,” she says. “But giving ourselves an opportunity to pause and build the muscle to walk through suffering and support other people when they’re going through it too is important, because it’s how we get through these hard times together.”

For more info, visit autumncounseling.com.

As a queer Latina woman from McAllen, finding community in Houston came about serendipitously for Gina de la Garza. “I was lonely when I first came to Houston in 2022, so my therapist encouraged me to join a soccer club since I had played in college,” de la Garza recalls. “I ended up finding Space City Pride FC by accident—they weren’t called that at the time, but I started to realize everyone in the club was queer like me. I ended up joining the club’s board of directors.”

Coming to Houston for work as an accountant, de la Garza was able to help Space City Pride FC gain nonprofit status, which has led to a variety of community events and fundraisers for the club, including crawfish boils, underwear auctions, and drag shows. The club has also co-run a benefit with the Trans Legal Aid Clinic of Texas, ultimately leading to Space City Pride FC becoming a vendor for the Trot for Trans Visibility.

“Our missions support each other,” de la Garza says. “Last year we won the title of Biggest Team, and we’re so proud to be able to support their cause.”

In addition to their tournament on April 4, de la Garza says Space City Soccer FC hopes to continue building community through events like the Trot for Trans Visibility. “ I hope people feel a sense of community—whether they’re a trans person or an ally—so they have people in their corner who will fight to back them up.”

Keep up with Space City Pride FC on Instagram spacecitypridefc.

VISIBILITY IN ACTION

Autumn Lauener brings disability advocacy to Houston’s trans community.

by DAVID CLARKE photos by NORA DAYTON

When you ask Autumn Lauener to describe their work, they pause. Not because they don’t know, but because the answer runs deep.

“There’s this idea of collective liberation, the idea that none of us are free until all of us are free. And to me, that’s really the approach that I feel helps connect everything together.”

That through-line of collective liberation threads through everything Lauener does, from disability advocacy and transgender visibility to disaster preparedness, DEI and nondiscrimination policy work, and legislative testimony at the Texas Capitol. It’s also rooted in lived experience.

Growing up in Oklahoma, Lauener says, they were “definitely always one of the more intelligent kiddos,” in spite of sensory problems, anxiety, and struggles with social skills. As a student coping with schools becoming larger and less accommodating, “it really started getting overwhelming. I always felt like I should have been able to do more but couldn’t. It was just really frustrating not having the structural support in place.”

Eventually, they ended up dropping out of high school. That experience, “stuck with me in a way,” they admit.

Years later, Lauener graduated college with a cumulative 4.0 GPA across bachelor’s and master’s programs. “I think part of that was that chip that kind of stuck on my shoulder,” they reflect, “that vendetta of ‘No, I should have known these things. I don’t like that I ended up dropping out.’”

One aspect that helped Lauener through their college experiences was the ability to learn in different environments. More importantly, though, college also offered policy protections and the space to live authentically. “Having that protection was really one of the things that helped to reassure me that it was safe to start going back to school,” they say.

That clarity shaped Lauener’s approach to social work. “If we have a system that’s causing harm to people, something that’s just spilling over and causing harm everywhere, usually some people are going behind it and trying to

clean up,” they explain. “Conversely, the macro pieces are trying to stop the system causing that harm.”

In Houston, that macro lens includes disability-inclusive disaster preparedness.

“Houston is kind of a perpetual disaster city,” Lauener notes. “Houston’s propensity for disasters, mixed with Texas’ very poor disability policy, all culminates together, and people just don’t have the support they need.”

For example, they describe power chairs failing in floodwaters and the sensory overload of emergency shelters—situations where the lack of disability-inclusive disaster preparedness and support systems becomes inherently challenging.

“As an autistic person, sensory stuff can be really overwhelming,” Lauener points out. “Whenever you’re going into shelters during a disaster and it’s this huge stadium with all these noises, it’s total chaos. That’s enough for anybody, but when you add in those extra sensory pieces like communication and differing rates of processing your environment, it really becomes problematic.”

One initiative Lauener values is a simplified disaster preparedness kit for people with intellectual disabilities and low reading levels. “It helps with having that preparedness ready to go,” they say. But good preparation doesn’t always happen, often because people assume someone else will step in.

As an advocate, Lauener testified at the Texas Capitol 17 times during the 89th Legislative Session. The first time, in the Senate chamber, “was hugely intimidating—like trying to take a cup of water out of the ocean, in an attempt to try and drain it.”

Still, Lauener kept showing up. “The laws that you’re passing don’t change who we are as people,” they proudly told legislators.

For Lauener, meaningful allyship requires action. “Everybody has some level of privilege,” they say. True solidarity is “that point of going from ally to co-conspirator, risking something in terms of joining that fight.”

Recently, Lauener was honored with the Monica K. Roberts Trans Advocacy Award

“EVERYBODY HAS SOME LEVEL OF PRIVILEGE. TRUE SOLIDARITY ...MEANS RISKING SOMETHING IN TERMS OF JOINING THE FIGHT.”

—Autumn Lauener

from the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus. “That was really surreal, and still feels surreal in a way,” they say. “It was really incredible to be recognized by the community that way.”

The award offered a valuable platform that allowed Lauener to say, “Hey, here’s what our community, especially trans people, are experiencing. Here’s what people want from you.”

Despite the awards and recognition, burnout is real. “I hit burnout pretty hard,” they admit. But they return to a line from The Lord of the Rings to provide the push they need to move forward. Early in The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf says, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us,” which Lauener interprets to mean “we don’t get to choose what happens. We only get to choose what we do with our time.”

For March 31’s International Transgender Day of Visibility, Lauener frames visibility as a mirror.

They recall “not really having anybody to look to growing up and not being able to say, ‘Oh, that’s somebody who I could see myself being.’”

Lauener acknowledges that they have the privilege to be visible, and that it allows them “to provide that mirror for people who might not be in a position to live how they want,” and who are searching for proof that it’s possible to live authentically.

“I can be who I want to be.”

Autumn Lauener speaking at the inaugural Revolution of Joy Festival at Rothko Chapel last year, accepting the Monica K. Roberts Trans Advocacy Award at the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus’ Equality Brunch in December, and visiting the Equality Texas booth.

STARTING OVER IN TEXAS

Jevon Martin works to empower the trans community at FLUX Houston and the Monica Roberts Resource Center.

by ALEX MENDOZA | photos by NORA DAYTON

Launched in 2017, FLUX is an affinity group with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation that aims to “raise the profile of the trans and nonbinary community by leveraging social events, creating safe spaces, and innovative advocacy initiatives.” Since its inception, FLUX has cemented itself worldwide, with chapters located from the United States to Puerto Rico, United Kingdom, and India.

Jevon Martin, president of the Houston chapter, points out that the situation regarding anti-trans legislation in Texas is different from his home state of New York, with much more work needing to be done here.

“I feel like Texas is behind the times. A lot of the work I’ve done in New York, such as helping pass marriage equality, has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve been a part of. Coming to Texas and seeing that trans rights are being taken away, I feel like we’re starting over from square one here,” he explains.

Born in 1970 in Harlem, Jevon has always been acquainted with advocacy work. Just a year before his birth was the Stonewall uprising, which marked a significant shift in queer liberation. 1970 was also the year of the first Pride parade in New York City.

“The ’70s was, like, unimaginable,” he says. “Bell bottoms, turtlenecks, platform shoes, Afro wigs, pro-Black, you know? That was the ’70s for me.”

Even though Jevon grew up surrounded by progressive values and came from a middle- to upper-class household, he and his family became a target of racial violence when they moved into a Jewish neighborhood in the Bronx. It was a stressful time, and he yearned to fit in somewhere. Obtaining his early education in private schools made it more difficult. He remembers being called “Sasquach” by his schoolmates for being “big.”

Jevon credits Monica Roberts for his

move to Texas in 2021. Roberts, a transgender journalist and activist who empowered Black trans voices through her writing and advocacy, tragically passed away in 2020. Jevon and his wife, Christina, attended Roberts’ funeral during the time when they were looking for a house for themselves and their family. The inspiration they felt during that funeral led them to consider Texas as a place to call home.

“We ended up buying a house online during the pandemic. We never even saw the house in person—only through a video. It was all for

Monica,” Jevon recalls.

Landing in Texas with the goal of continuing Monica Roberts’ legacy led Jevon and other trans advocates to create the Monica Roberts Resource Center. Jevon was also aware of the need for a FLUX chapter in Houston, having previously attended events sponsored by the New York chapter.

As FLUX Houston’s president, Jevon recruits people for its board, runs board meetings, and assists in producing events that celebrate community while promoting sexual health and equality. He also emphasizes his role in partnering with other trans-led organizations and amplifying their reach by publicizing events they may be hosting.

March 31 is International Transgender Day of Visibility, a day dedicated to celebrating transgender people, raising awareness about discrimination, and acknowledging their contributions to society. FLUX works tirelessly to raise visibility and provide support to trans folk all around the world, and Jevon takes pride in having been a part of it for so long.

Before coming to Houston, Jevon volunteered for Lambda Legal, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Empire State Pride Agenda. When asked what he envisions trans visibility to be, Jevon defines it as the ability for trans people to access resources without difficulties. “Being able to thrive in a world that was not built for us. That would definitely show me that we’ve succeeded,” Jevon emphasizes.

Currently, Jevon is in charge of FLUX Houston, the Monica Roberts Resource Center, and Princess Janae Place, a New York-based nonprofit helping unhoused trans individuals. He is also a grand-marshal nominee for this year’s Pride parade. Next up for FLUX Houston is its first-ever Poetry Slam event on March 29, and an annual pool party in September.

For more info, visit bit.ly/FLUX24.

“COMING TO TEXAS AND SEEING THAT TRANS RIGHTS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY, I FEEL LIKE WE’RE STARTING OVER FROM SQUARE ONE HERE.”

— Jevon Martin

with future priorities like retirement, financial independence, or legacy planning—not about chasing short-term market moves.

One of the biggest advantages of investing a lump sum like a tax refund is time. Money invested earlier has more opportunity to benefit from compounding over the years or decades ahead. Even a few thousand dollars invested consistently over time can make a meaningful difference in long-term outcomes—especially when combined with regular monthly contributions.

Splitting a Tax Refund

Consider Adjusting Your Withholding

This is a planning conversation worth having with your tax professional or financial planner, especially if cash flow feels tight during the year.

If you’re unsure where your refund should go, try this order of operations:

tax planning, and long-term goals. A financial planning professional can help you step back, look at all of these pieces together, and decide how a refund—or any other financial opportunity—fits into your overall strategy. There’s no single “right” answer to the question of saving, investing, or paying down debt with your tax refund. The right choice is the one that improves your financial position, reduces stress, and moves you closer to your long-term goals. What matters most is being intentional. A thoughtful plan for your refund can turn a once-a-year event into a meaningful step forward in your financial life.

1. Cover immediate cash needs and build basic emergency savings

2. Pay down high-interest debt

3. Invest for long-term goals

Your personal mix will depend on your balance sheet, your goals, and your comfort level, but this framework helps ensure you’re not skipping important foundations.

The Bigger Picture

Your tax refund decisions shouldn’t live in isolation, but instead be part of a broader financial plan that considers cash flow, debt structure, savings needs, investment strategy,

Voted

WOMEN in POWER

FOUR WOMEN SHAPING HOUSTON’S LGBTQ FUTURE

This Women’s History Month, OutSmart highlights four local leaders whose day-today work is tangibly shaping LGBTQ life across Greater Houston.

Tammi Wallace, the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, is a driving force for LGBTQ inclusion in the local economy.

We also speak with partners in life and

business Bliss Mayon and Kaamil Al Hassan, the founders of Bliss Sundays—an intentional space connecting queer women, lesbians, and sapphics through social events that build real community.

Then we spend time with Maggie Segrich, founder of Sesh Coworking in Midtown, an ally who is creating a safe, inclusive community hub embraced by LGBTQ professionals and local organizations.

A DECADE

“RESILIENCE IS IN THE DNA OF THE CHAMBER.”

— Tammi Wallace

of IMPACT T

Tammi Wallace , CEO of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, focuses on economic empowerment.

by DAVID CLARKE

en years ago, Tammi Wallace helped launch what would become one of the most influential LGBTQ business organizations in the country. Today, as the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, she’s celebrating what she calls “a decade of impact” as well as her recent Houston Business Journal cover story.

Wallace brings nearly 15 years of corporate experience at Bank of America and Mellon Bank, a background in grassroots politics (including serving as the chief of staff to former State Rep. Ellen Cohen), more than two decades of LGBTQ community leadership, and entrepreneurial experience of her own. That intersection, she says, is what allows her to see not just the tactical work, but the long game of LGBTQ economic inclusion.

Ten years in, Tammi Wallace sees clearly that the Chamber represents not just connection, but power—something that motivates her to help Houston’s LGBTQ community thrive economically in the coming decades.

David Clarke: What does the LGBTQ+ Chamber’s 10-year anniversary mean to you personally?

Tammi Wallace: We are calling this a “decade of impact,” particularly when you think about everything we’ve been through.

It means resilience. Resilience is in the DNA of the Chamber. Think about the last 10 years: political headwinds, Hurricane Harvey, the Texas freeze, celebrating our 5-year anniversary during the pandemic, then Beryl, the derecho. There’s been literally so much every year.

But we have grown, and grown stronger. We do this for the community. If there’s one thing this anniversary means to me, it’s resilience and always showing up, especially when times are hard. That’s the most important time to lead. This is my “mission match,” and it’s literally what gets me up every day.

When you think back to your first year, what did you not expect?

I didn’t expect everything we would face. We certainly expected political headwinds, but not to the scale we experienced. We’re an LGBTQ+ organization in Texas, so this is what you do—you show up for the community, even when times are hard. ➝

photo by ALEX NIALL FOR DALTON DEHART PHOTOGRAPHY

Of all the impact you’ve had over the past decade, what are you most proud of?

Part of the magic we’ve created is a space where people can walk through the door and that armor we wear every day as LGBTQ+ people just drops. You don’t have to worry about that.

We hold multiple events monthly. At a recent Third Thursday breakfast, we had a record-breaking 163 people in the room. People know they can count on the Chamber. They can show up, be in community, be supported, and be who they are. I’m incredibly proud of that.

Then there’s intentional spending. We’ve worked to educate large companies about reaching back to support small businesses— keeping dollars circulating in our community, which creates economic power.

What has been the toughest moment?

Hurricane Harvey. We weren’t even a year in. We had around 100 members. My co-founder, Gary Wood, and I said, “We’ve got to reach out to every one of them. ‘Are you okay? What do you need?’”

We made our members front and center, and we still have members who remember that the Chamber called them during Harvey.

How has Houston’s LGBTQ business landscape changed?

We’re at tables and sitting in seats and have a voice in places we didn’t before, whether it’s the FIFA Human Rights Committee, the Final Four Strategic Committee, or roundtables with city and congressional leadership. People understand that when it comes to business in this city, the LGBTQ+ Chamber is driving economic impact.

We’ve also created what we call an LGBTQ+ economic ecosystem, which is 577

members strong. That includes corporate partners, small- and medium-sized businesses, professionals, young professionals, and about 55 nonprofits.

What does economic opportunity and equity look like in practice?

It looks like the City of Houston recognizing LGBTBE® Certification. It looks like working with City Council members to create an LGBTQ+ economic empowerment coordinator in the Office of Business Opportunity. It looks like promoting supplier inclusion so our businesses have access to real contracts and opportunity.

The equity piece is an uphill battle. While we are building an economy where everyone belongs, we have a lot of work to do to create economic parity and address economic gaps. But that fuels us to keep going, no matter who is in the White House or the governor’s mansion.

What’s next for the Chamber?

We’re working on a broader economic inclusion model that will expand our ecosystem even further. The goal is driving economic opportunity, closing economic gaps, and building economic power.

Consumer buying power is one example of how marginalized communities move from being marginalized to being recognized as a power. It’s not power for power’s sake. It’s power to move the community forward.

How can Houston’s businesses and allies show up now?

Become a member of the Chamber. We have options for everyone. About a third of our members are allies, and we welcome them.

For more info, visit houstonlgbtchamber.com

RECLAIMING CAPITALISM AS COMMUNITY POWER

In our conversation, Tammi Wallace didn’t shy away from a critique of our nation’s economic engine. “Capitalism is who we are as a country,” she said plainly. But what she’s building through the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce feels less like extraction and more like reinvestment. For Wallace, the ideal expression of capitalism isn’t about unchecked accumulation. It’s about participation. “When we give all entrepreneurs the tools to succeed, and then when they succeed—when everyone succeeds and has a seat at the table—that’s good for our economy.”

In practice, that means intentional spending. It means corporations buying from LGBTQ-owned businesses. It means supplierinclusion programs that actually open doors. Wallace believes that “the purest form of power is economic power,” and that power must circulate within marginalized communities rather than bypassing them.

Wallace often reminds people that she and the LGBTQ+ Chamber are “building an economy where everyone belongs.” That vision reframes capitalism not as a zerosum competition, but as a shared engine—one that, when structured intentionally, can move entire communities from the margins to the center.

Tammi Wallace and the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce at a rooftop celebration at POST Houston.

June 6, 2025: Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce Pride in Business Celebration Luncheon and After Party.

SCOTT JULIAN VISUALS

DALTON DEHART

BEYOND the PARTY

Bliss Mayon and Kaamil Al-Hassan are turning Bliss Sundays into the go-to hub for Houston’s queer women.

by DAVID CLARKE

When Bliss Mayon (she/they) and Kaamil Al-Hassan (she/her) talk about community, they speak less about parties and more about infrastructure.

For Al-Hassan, whose background spans higher education, tech, and biotech, the throughline has always been people. “All things were people-related—building communities, building strategies to better connect people,” she explains. As a former senior DEI business partner responsible for internal communications, programs, and events, she worked at the intersection of corporate strategy and human connection. Years earlier, she had founded a nonprofit brunch series for Black women. “I’ve always had both a knack for building communities and then working with people and developing programs,” she says.

Mayon’s path began in hospitality, including working as a hostess, bartender, server, and general manager before pivoting into tech recruiting. When the pandemic pushed her new role fully remote, isolation hit. “I felt a little lonely, so I founded and led our Black Employee Network at that particular company,” she recalls. As a Black queer woman, she says, “It was always really important to me to have that sense of belonging.”

Hosting, it turns out, was their shared love language. “We are the hosting friends,” Mayon reveals. Their first event together was Al-Hassan’s birthday, which was a merging of their circles of friends.

After meeting and living in Oakland— where, as Al-Hassan describes, there were “so many dedicated queer spaces”—the couple relocated to Houston, Mayon’s hometown. What

they found here offered little variety. “Queer nightlife was pretty much the main thing that we saw,” Al-Hassan says. So they decided to build what was missing.

That first offering was a monthly 4:00 to 9 p.m. Sunday party. It was intentional, elevated, and finished in time for attendees to be ready for Monday morning. But what began as a single recurring event quickly expanded. “We actually transitioned from the monthly day party into it being this queer ecosystem that is now offering social experiences,” Al-Hassan says. Bliss Sundays offers “professional networking, coworking, and also wellness-centered activities.”

The name stuck, even as the programming evolved. “Bliss Sundays is really an energy and a feeling,” Al-Hassan explains.

For Mayon, the goal is simple: “We want people to leave feeling grounded, full, and safe.”

Centering queer women, lesbians, and sapphics 25 and older was intentional. “After a certain age, they tend to nest. You never see them again,” Al-Hassan admits. Rather than lament the loss of lesbian bars, the founders asked how to serve women navigating careers, partnerships, children, pets, entrepreneurship, and shifting priorities. “It’s just a certain energy that exists when you get a little bit older; you have other priorities,” Al-Hassan notes.

Mayon explains that Houston has never lacked Black lesbians and sapphics, only consistency. “There was a lack of infrastructure and consistent spaces for them to be in. That’s where the ecosystem comes in.”

“It’s not just a one-off experience,” Bliss emphasizes. “The goal isn’t attendance, it’s familiarity. Because real community is something that consistently happens.”

That consistency has yielded trust. “One

of the biggest things is that our community trusts us,” Mayon says. They’ve hosted more than 50 activities in nearly three years and partnered with more than 30 local venues, circulating dollars intentionally among queer, women-owned, and POC-owned businesses.

“The impact is seen from the numbers,” Al-Hassan adds, “but I think the main piece is that our community trusts us.”

Some of their proudest moments were surprisingly simple. Al-Hassan recalls a field day they expected would draw 50 people; 250 showed up. “It was all of these lesbians playing kickball, playing tug-of-war, and just genuinely letting loose for the day to activate their inner child,” she beams.

Mayon remembers looking around at an event and thinking, “Wow, so it worked!”

As founders, their definitions of power are telling. “Power means audacity,” Al-Hassan says. “The courage, boldness, and audacity to execute a vision despite the doubts.”

In Mayon’s view, power is “the ability to create meaningful and lasting positive influence, including creating long-lasting core memories.”

Soon to celebrate the third anniversary of Bliss Sundays, the entrepreneurs look forward to going deeper. A membership model is expected to launch in March, unlocking new benefits. “We’re excited this year to launch that membership model and give our members the opportunity to unlock different things like group travel,” Al-Hassan says.

In a city as vast as Houston, Bliss Mayon and Kaamil Al-Hassan are proving that visibility isn’t just about being seen. It’s about being known, again and again, inside a space that the community trusts.

Follow Bliss Sundays on Instagram and TikTok @blissxsundays.

“THE GOAL ISN’T ATTENDANCE, IT’S FAMILIARITY. BECAUSE REAL COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT CONSISTENTLY HAPPENS.”

—Bliss Mayon

Bliss Mayon (l) and Kaamil Al-Hassan founders of Bliss Sundays

COWORKING SPACE with SOUL

Maggie Segrich has created an LGBTQ-affirming Midtown coworking hub rooted in positive energy.

by DAVID CLARKE

by MADISON AVERY STUDIO

When Maggie Segrich moved to Houston in 2018, she wasn’t planning to launch a coworking space. She was looking for one.

“I couldn’t find a place that had the creative vibe with other people around me where I could ask questions and feel as though I belonged,” she recalls. “That’s how I ended up building a coworking space in Houston. I couldn’t find it, I didn’t feel like it existed, and I wanted it.”

The instinct to build what doesn’t yet exist has defined Segrich’s career. From surviving the 2008 financial crisis (“My first day in finance was the day Lehman Brothers closed”) to running her family’s Midwest farm, she has repeatedly stepped into rooms where she was told she didn’t belong.

“When people tell me I can’t, I’m kind of like, ‘Oh yeah? Hold my coffee and watch this,’” she says.

Today, as the founder of Sesh Coworking in Midtown, Segrich has created more than just an office space. She has built a safe and inclusive environment for women, LGBTQ professionals, and BIPOC entrepreneurs. Sesh is an intentional alternative to today’s corporate coworking culture.

For Segrich, safety begins with the physical. “I look at it from a very physical, materialistic point of view: having the most advanced locking system, having cameras, making people sign in, making sure that clients are a good cultural fit,” she explains. But it also means rejecting environments that signal exclusivity.

To that end, Sesh is filled with plants that she personally cares for, art from local creators, and books donated by community

members. “I want you to know that this is what the community has read, and they’re sharing it with you,” she says. “Everything at Sesh has an authentic and quirky kind of feeling, and it works.”

Yet the weight of leadership is real. “I feel so responsible,” Segrich admits regarding the challenge of protecting her team and community members in an increasingly volatile climate. “It’s really scary.”

That ethos has made Sesh an anchor for Houston’s LGBTQ community. Though not queer herself, Segrich is deeply involved with the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce—a partnership she calls “mindblowingly amazing.”

That relationship began during the uncertainty of early 2020, when a clause in Sesh’s lease threatened to derail the business. “I called Tammi Wallace at the Chamber and said, ‘Tammi, here’s the situation,’” she remembers. With the Chamber’s help, Segrich navigated the crisis and the partnership grew organically from there.

When she later learned the Chamber didn’t have an office, she responded simply: “I said, ‘Well, I can solve that.’”

Through Sesh and its nonprofit arm, Segrich now provides a space for community organizations to gather and grow. “Sesh is kind of like the springboard,” she says. “When those community organizations come in and we build a partnership with them, their ability to support the community goes further. And it’s so cool.”

With many queer Texans still questioning whether they are safe in this state, the impact of an LGBTQ gathering space is tangible. “It has not been safe to be out in Texas,” she says candidly about the state’s current political situation and recent legislative cycles. Having a consistent, affirming physical space matters not just for business meetings, but also for life’s

most personal milestones.

“We don’t want to be there just for the business and work life. We want to be there for the whole human who shows up day after day,” she says, referring to clients hosting events like baby showers in the space. “Just because I go into the office doesn’t mean I’m not still a mom, a wife, a daughter, or the caregiver to a parent.”

Segrich has also wrestled with what allyship looks like in practice. “How do I show up as a straight white woman and not be a Karen? And how do I gain the trust of communities that innately don’t trust me? And I understand why they don’t trust me,” she says with tangible grace and empathy.

Her answer is to use her voice. “Personally, as a white straight lady, it’s using my privilege,” she explains. “That includes having awkward conversations with people, to let them know, ‘Actually, you’re wrong. We don’t act that way here.’”

Watching Sesh members thrive is what makes her most proud. “When people come in our doors and start with a coworking membership, first they’re at a dedicated desk, then a small office, and then a bigger office. That’s what makes me proud,” she beams. “The best metric of Sesh’s success is the success of the people who have been with us for years.”

And as for what’s next?

“Thriving!” she emphatically responds. “I am so tired of being resilient. I am so tired of just surviving.”

Instead, she envisions Sesh as “this beam of light that’s coming up from deep in the heart of Texas and that is signaling, ‘No, no, look over here. There are good humans here who are fighting for what’s right.’”

And, in Houston, that beacon is already shining brightly in Midtown.

photo

“WE DON’T WANT TO BE THERE JUST FOR BUSINESS. WE WANT TO BE THERE FOR THE WHOLE HUMAN WHO SHOWS UP DAY AFTER DAY.”

—Maggie Segrich

SHIFT INTO FABULOUS

Tony & The Kiki will light up the 73rd Diana Awards with glitter-infused energy.

by CONNOR BEHRENS | photo by CATALIN MEDIA

Birthed in New York City, Tony & The Kiki didn’t just arrive on the music scene—they exploded. A supernova of sequins, sass, and sonic energy, the glam-pop duo channels gritty NYC glamour, disco decadence, and high-voltage anthems into something irresistibly theatrical and defiantly queer. Houstonians will get a chance to see this bombastic duo at the Diana Awards’ Shift Into Fabulous gala later this month.

“It’s an immense honor to be asked to perform,” they say. “Honoring and uplifting our community is everything to us.”

The Diana Awards originated as a spoof of the Academy Awards that has roasted some of Houston’s finest over the decades. Celebrating its 73rd anniversary this year, the nonprofit Diana Foundation is recognized as the oldest continuously active gay organization in the United States. The event is from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, March 21.

For those unfamiliar, Tony & The Kiki is anchored by vocalist Anthony Alfaro and keyboardist Rodney Bush, longtime collaborators whose partnership was years in the making. Though the two met in college, the act didn’t fully take shape until much later.

“We spent years singing or playing other people’s work,” they say. “It reached a point where we needed an outlet that was our own—something we could control, that we really loved doing, and that sparked joy.”

After batting around ideas and navigating a few false starts, the project officially came to life in 2019, fueled by creative autonomy and a shared hunger to make something authentic.

For both artists, music wasn’t a choice so much as a birthright.

Anthony recounts his own origin story: “My father was a DJ, my mother was a disco dancer, and I was born under the glittering mirror ball. I was born into a world of music, screaming and shaking it from day one.”

Rodney’s musical roots are equally deep, though shaped by a quieter upbringing. He remembers pounding out notes on his grandmother’s piano, riding around on farm roads with his grandfather’s country cassettes humming in the background, and family CDs spinning endlessly in a Sony five-disc changer. “I miss those days,” he says.

All of that history collides in the duo’s signature sound: a fearless blend of glam rock, funk, and pop that feels both nostalgic and electrifyingly modern.

“It’s a glitter-infused dance party that will melt your face,” they say.

Their influences read like a pantheon of queer and pop icons: Queen, Prince, Blondie, Elton John, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Cher, Sylvester, and countless others. Rather than mimic these legends, the duo honors them by carrying the torch forward, weaving their spirit into music that feels alive and loud.

That spirit also extends to their creative process. There’s no rigid formula behind a Tony & The Kiki track. Sometimes a song begins with a lyric or melodic fragment; other times, it arrives nearly fully formed. They note that one upcoming release was “birthed just from the concept of a person.”

Much of their inspiration is inseparable from New York City itself. “Nothing beats stomping down a New York City street and having a lyric or a melody come to you while observing the chaos around you,” they say.

At the heart of that creative process is queerness. For Tony & The Kiki, queer music isn’t just about identity; it’s about resistance, imagination, and survival. “We feel a responsibility to amplify queer voices in whatever way we can, especially in this day and age.”

In their eyes, music becomes queer when it boldly claims space in a world that tries to erase it. It’s about “creating a world for yourself,” radiating love in the face of hate and, of course, “looking absolutely fabulous while doing it.”

That ethos shines brightest onstage. Performing live is where everything clicks: the glitter, the sound, and the community.

“IT’S AN IMMENSE HONOR TO BE ASKED TO PERFORM. HONORING AND UPLIFTING OUR COMMUNITY IS EVERYTHING TO US.”

—Tony & The Kiki

“Being onstage and seeing people singing our music with us, dancing and seeing the joy in their faces, that’s why we do it—to bring light to people and make them feel powerful, so that they can face down whatever is in their lives.”

As they bring their electrifying energy to Houston audiences, Tony & The Kiki are ready to do what they do best: connect through movement, music, and shared joy. “We’re excited to dance with you all!”

And what’s next for these two performers who thrive on glittering ambition? “World domination, of course!”

Keep up with Tony & The Kiki on Instagram @tonyandthekiki.

WHAT: The 73rd Diana Awards: Shift Into Fabulous!

WHEN: Saturday, March 21, 2026

WHERE: The Motorclub, 4245 Richmond Ave.

INFO: tinyurl.com/Diana73

Sarah Shin Directs The Chinese Lady

Stages Houston presents Lloyd Suh’s play, confronting centuries of Asian stereotypes.

Powerhouse performing artist Sarah Shin is a multitalented creative whose work as an actor and director has taken her across the country. She now brings her directing talent to Stages Houston for this season’s production of Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady. Afong Moy, the play’s titular character, was brought to the US by the Carnes brothers in 1834 to promote their import goods.

At 14 years of age (or 18 in some historical records), Afong Moy was, for many Americans of that era, their first experience with the exotic other. Moy would appear with her bound feet and promote the Chinese decorative goods that were available for sale after the show. Though accounts exist of audiences being amazed by the show, the historical record is silent regarding Afong Moy’s personal narrative. As is the case when unearthing many histories of women, we are left to fill in the gaps of her story—from consumer goods exhibitor to a sideshow act for PT Barnum. A few short decades later, the US government passed the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, its first racebased restrictive immigration law.

Suh’s play at Stages is timely in its themes of stereotyping, spectacle, and voyeurism. The audience, there to see Afong Moy’s exotic “ethnic” performance, is invited through her words not to appraise her as a foreign import good, but to see her as a living, breathing person. The play blurs the lens between viewer and subject, giving its lead the chance to speak for herself. She questions what it means to be perceived, consumed, and commodified in this new place, and ultimately asks for understanding from her American audience.

Having worked on the play previously, what drew you to this project at Stages? Miranda Cornell, who previously directed Lloyd Suh’s The Heart Sellers at Stages last year, is a cohort mate and colleague who embodies the spirit of hard-working AAPI creatives. She passed the torch to me. After talking with Stages’ director Derek Charles Livingston, I got really excited about how community-oriented Stages is. They chose

by CLEW | photo by ALEX WOHL

“I GOT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HOW COMMUNITY-ORIENTED STAGES IS!”

—

director of

Stages

Sarah Shin,

The Chinese Lady at

this play for its many different elements that share truths of Asian American history and also celebrate Houston’s Asian community. That was so in line with what I love to do as an artist, and in any space. I’ve also never been to Houston before, and getting to see how different people and different audiences would respond to this play was interesting to me.

Any fun discoveries you’ve made during this run at Stages?

I knew from the beginning that the Stages production was going to be set in the round, and the last time I worked on this play it was a proscenium stage, so I also felt like it was a completely different show. In a proscenium, it’s akin to a single camera view, and that’s my angle. Whereas in the round, there’s no hiding for the actors. And because we have two levels of audience seating, it feels like an arena or gladiator ring—like a fight! In the round, when our characters share a secret, they also share it with the audience. The last time I worked on The Chinese Lady was four years ago, pretty fresh out of the pandemic. And I feel like so much has happened between 2022 and 2026 as a country and globally. What does Afong Moy have to say to us now?

What do you think this play tells us about the ways that we can get to know one another?

You get to see Afong Moy’s perspective. You become her audience and perhaps imagine what people during her time might have felt or thought. And over time, you understand more about what it was like for her or for Atung, her translator. I’ve been thinking, too, about characters that we don’t see—the Carnes brothers or PT Barnum—who put her in this position and then discarded her. Or her parents, and what they were going through that led Afong to this point, realizing the masks that maybe we all wear. Cultural identifiers and things that we are proud of can be something that we feel pride in, but they can sometimes contain some shame because of the world we live in. There’s something about acknowledging that mask, and having the power and agency to define what that mask is for us, and whether we want to wear it or not.

The Chinese Lady shows Afong Moy attempting to bridge the divide between her and the audiences who have come to see her. It also identifies some of the stereotypes we may have come to expect. How do you think the play encounters and subverts “the white gaze”?

Great question. It really starts with acknowl-

edging and naming it. What the white gaze does specifically is make her feel not human. It makes her feel like an object, or an animal in a cage, or a museum exhibition. When I think about stereotyping, I ask if it’s coming from a place of exotification or fascination. I feel it’s one thing to have curiosity, which leads to connection and sharing. But that curiosity can be turned into subjugation, which widens the distance between us. We have to remember we are all equally human.

Less than 50 years after Afong Moy appeared in the US, the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese from entering the country and restricted the types of work they could do. What lessons from that do you think still ring true today? Perhaps there’s a response to dehumanizing uses of power. After seeing this play, as you’re consuming content, what are the things that are being said, and what are the things that are being hidden? What is something that might be distracting us from the bigger picture? And just because you’re discovering something doesn’t mean that you’ve discovered it for all people. It might be new to you, but in actuality, there is a whole long history behind it. So let’s not be Christopher Columbus-ing things.

March is Women’s History Month. When the movement toward women’s empowerment and gender equality feels slow, what keeps you going?

Coming back to community and re-grounding myself with people that I trust—my friends of all gender expressions and sexual identities who understand the systems and framework of patriarchy. We can name it and talk through it. And eat together! Laugh together! And still find joy and rest. Even if I’m not always able to attend a protest, or I forget to call my representatives, at least in the rooms and spaces that I am in, I want us to be able to talk about those things. As artists, it’s part of what we do to provide entertainment. But there’s such an opportunity for education and learning as we play.

Which female leaders have you found most inspiring?

Oh wow, so many. In leading up to this show, I’ve been thinking a lot of Chinese American author and civil-rights activist Grace Lee Boggs. She has so many great quotes. Two that are sticking with me now: “A revolution that is based on the people exercising their creativity in the midst of devastation is one of the great historical contributions of humankind,” and “Love isn’t about what we did yesterday; it’s

about what we do today and tomorrow and the day after.”

What is a project or moment in your journey that’s left a remarkable imprint on you?

The Gift Project was a community-centered production by activist Diana Oh, through All For One Theatre. I played the role of Love Nurse, aka Associate Director. Diana had the idea, coming out of COVID, to meet elders from marginalized identities who had overcome incredible obstacles and lived astonishing lives. After the interview, Diana would retreat to write an original song for each person, and then present it to them, played by a live band. It was magical, healing, and uplifting. I loved telling those hidden stories, and it’s a big part of my artistic practice.

Here’s a question I’ve borrowed from Adam at National Queer Theater: Given an unlimited budget, what would be your dream season of shows?

Quantum Medea, by Sung Rno, for sure. It’s a play cycle, beginning with wAve and flowing into pArticle, about Korean power growing, a woman displaced in the West, her family past and present, all through the lens of the Medea myth. In this retelling, Medea is a Korean immigrant and I’m creatively invested in her journey as this mythological woman, navigating family, change, and identity. And no one steal this, please, I really want to do this: Twelfth Night, but it’s Bling Empire and Crazy Rich Asians. I believe this play is about joy and music, but also about class and wealth. It would just be very fun, and also be another space for Asian people to take on classical texts. Finally, and more as a joke, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, but everyone is Asian, except for Marcy Park. * * *

Sarah Shin is currently developing her soloish project Dolsaem as a songwriter, and most recently wrapped the 40th season of New York Stage and Film as an artist-in-residence and the 2025 Pfaelzer Award recipient. She also cofounded the social collectives Asian American Theatre Artists of Boston and Queer Asian Babes, uplifting the culture and community that have supported her creative work and journey. Sarah is a Zoe Rising, Rumi Sun, Mira Moon.

WHAT: The Chinese Lady

WHEN: February 27–March 22

WHERE: Stages Houston

INFO: stageshouston.com

Health and Independence: Home Delivered Meals for Older Adults

Living with HIV requires attention to many aspects regarding your health, and nutrition plays a vital role in maintaining wellness, especially as we age. Harris County Public Health (HCPH) is proud to announce an important expansion of services that puts nutritious, tailored meals within reach of older adults in the Houston, Texas community.

A New Resource for Healthy Aging Individuals

Through Ryan White funding, HCPH now offers Home Delivered Meals specifically for people living with HIV who are aged 55 and older. In partnership with the Houston Food Bank, this program delivers more than just food; it provides peace of mind, independence, and dignified support for those navigating life with HIV. These medically tailored meals arrive directly at your door, eliminating barriers like transportation, shopping challenges, or limited mobility that can make accessing nutritious food difficult. Every meal is designed with your health needs in mind, providing the essential nutrition for managing HIV and supporting overall wellness.

Why This Matters

Food insecurity affects health outcomes, particularly for older adults living with HIV. When nutritious food is hard to come by, it becomes more challenging to take medications properly, maintain energy levels, and have a healthy and strong immune system. The Home Delivered Meals program addresses that gap directly and allows these individuals access to consistent, nutritious meals. With aging populations being disproportionately affected by HIV-related health disparities, access to healthy meals can make a meaningful difference in quality of life. By helping older adults maintain their health, independence, and dignity, these services recognize that managing HIV

involves more than medical appointments; it requires comprehensive support that includes meeting basic nutritional needs.

What Makes This Program Different

Confidentiality is at the heart of these services. HCPH and the Houston Food Bank understand that privacy matters, and every aspect of this program is designed to protect your personal information while providing the support services you need. The program offers holistic support that goes beyond simply delivering food. It’s about ensuring that older adults living with HIV have one less thing to worry about and providing access to resources to support health and wellbeing. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, re-engaging with care, or facing food insecurity, these services are here to help.

Who Can Benefit

The Home Delivered Meals program serves Harris County community members who are:

• Living with HIV

• Aged 55 or older

• Experiencing food insecurity or challenges accessing nutritious meals

These services can be a vital and beneficial component of care plans for older adults living with HIV. If you’re a healthcare provider, case manager, or community partner, we encourage you to share this resource with eligible individuals in your network.

Easy Access to Support and Moving Forward

Accessing support services is a sign of strength, not weakness. These meals represent a commitment from Harris County Public Health and the Houston Food Bank to ensure that older adults living with HIV have the resources they need to thrive. Enrolling in Home Delivered Meals services is straightforward. This program is designed to minimize barriers and maximize support by ensuring that those who need these services can access them without unnecessary complications.

Healthy aging with HIV is possible, and nutrition is the foundation of that journey. Whether you’re someone who could benefit from these services or a professional who works with this community, we invite you to explore what Home Delivered Meals can offer. Together, we can reduce food insecurity, support better health outcomes, and ensure that every older adult living with HIV in Harris County has access to the nourishment they need and deserve.

To learn more about the program or to find out how to enroll, visit the Houston Food Bank’s medically tailored meals page at www.houstonfoodbank. org/medically-tailored-meals for additional information about eligibility and enrollment.

GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ+ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION

FEBRUARY 26, 2026

The Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce marked a decade of impact with its 10th Anniversary Reception at POST Houston. The evening celebrated the entrepreneurs, professionals, and allies who have expanded LGBTQ economic inclusion

across the region since the Chamber’s launch in 2016. Attendees enjoyed the POST’s rooftop Penthouse with sweeping views of the downtown skyline—the perfect setting to toast the inaugural and founding Chamber members, as well as the founding Impact

Partners who backed the Chamber’s early vision. Equal parts reunion, fundraiser, and rally that looked ahead to the next decade, the event inspired LGBTQ business leaders to recommit to building a stronger, bolder, and unstoppable local business community.

Mrs. Doubtfire

Kinky Boots

The Music Man

Christina Wells as Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Tituss Burgess and Phillip James Brannon in Oh, Mary! on Broadway

A Season to Love

Theatre Under The Stars announces its 2026/27 season.

by ZACHARY M c KENZIE

Houston’s home for musical theater says, “Oh, hello!” to their brand-new 2026/27 season. With the stage lights set to go up on a Disney classic, a Broadway favorite, and a show packed with music by Cyndi Lauper, there will be something for everyone in the upcoming season at Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS).

Artistic Director Dan Knechtges explains that the theater’s forthcoming season is a true embodiment of stars aligning, and he can’t wait to kick things off later this year.

Theatergoers are in for a season filled with lots of laughs, heart, and even absurdist historical fiction. TUTS will proudly present The Music Man, Kinky Boots, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Who’s Tommy, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and “Oh, Mary!” to Houston audiences beginning this fall.

Acknowledging the logistical puzzle that the arts organization has to contend with in securing certain titles, Knechtges sheds light on what goes into choosing a season filled with top-tier shows. “We have challenges with getting the rights to certain shows because we have a distinguished competitor—Broadway Across America—that gets first dibs on many of them,” he says. “We are also in contention with a lot of other performing-arts organizations within the city for certain titles.”

Despite these challenges, TUTS continues to deliver seasons that are dynamic and speak to a diverse audience. “We’re lucky in that we have a good relationship with Disney and Broadway producers, which helps a lot,” the out arts professional says. “We have such a vibrant arts community in Houston, and there are many productions of various shows, so we have to monitor all of that.”

Several considerations also go into selecting which shows will make the cut in addition to the scheduling factor, Knechtges explains. “We have to consider questions like, ‘Is it too early to program this show?’ or ‘Is it time for our audiences to see the show again?’”

One difference that TUTS fans will notice

in the upcoming season is the inclusion of a contemporary play among the more traditional musicals. Oh, Mary! is still “the hottest ticket on Broadway,” according to Knechtges. That uproarious Tony Award-winning play by queer artist Cole Escola will finally be made accessible to Houston audiences.

“I think if you remove the fact that it isn’t a straight-up musical, it totally fits into everything that we are trying to be,” the artistic director says. “We bring the best of Broadway to Houston. You can’t beat a show that starts with Ethel Merman singing ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’ and ends with Mary Todd Lincoln’s cabaret from 1865!” The absurdist production with side-splitting adult humor is just what the team at TUTS thinks is most needed at this moment. “Audiences need that catharsis, that laughter, and that joy in their

lives, so why wouldn’t we do it?”

A more family-friendly production that’s perfect for all ages will make its highly anticipated return to the TUTS stage. “Disney’s The Little Mermaid was drastically cut short by half of its run the last time we did it. And what a great production that was—especially Christina Wells as Ursula, a gay icon in her own right,” Knechtges reflects. “We had a tremendous number of actors on that stage, once you include all of the students that got to participate, especially during the ‘Under the Sea’ number. It looked like an underwater party that was happening in the theater, with bubbles and more.”

That TUTS-produced musical will hit the stage during the holiday season. “This is a family-forward kind of show and really embraces that demographic that wasn’t even born the last time that we produced it,” says Knechtges, “so we’re really looking forward to bringing it back.”

Knechtges speaks to the fact that a majority of the productions in the upcoming season are tours, rather than the locally produced musicals the company is known for, saying, “We strive to do homegrown productions, and we’re in talks to really increase our ability to do that more in the next season,” he says. “This year, the stars just aligned for all of these shows and we couldn’t say no. But it is not standard practice for TUTS, and won’t be in the future. This is just for this season.”

Looking ahead, Knechtges and his team at TUTS are thrilled to present a show-stopping season for Houston audiences, including their LGBTQ community nights, Out@TUTS, sponsored by OutSmart magazine.

Borrowing a word from his Swedish mother, the artistic director likens the 2026/27 season to “a delicious smorgasbord of excellent, transformative, hilarious, uplifting art. It will be a festive fall and a saucy spring!” Knechtges sums up the upcoming season’s offerings by assuring readers “there truly is something for everybody.”

For more information or to subscribe to the upcoming TUTS season, visit tuts.org.

TUTS Artistic Director Dan Knechtges

The New SUV Era

Safety and features are now standard, but hybrids and EVs face cost and quality headwinds.

By JAMES T. HURST

For 2026, sport utility vehicles are very popular and evolving to become smarter, greener, and more versatile. Included technology features emphasize safety, and there is a growing focus on sustainability. Meanwhile, the car world is experiencing difficulties with hybrid technology, high prices, quality, and consumer indifference to electric vehicles.

2026 TOYOTA FORERUNNER

Toyota introduced the all-new Forerunner in 2025. This latest interpretation arrives with a new edgy body-on-frame architecture with a standard turbocharged or available hybrid i-4 engine. The interior has been modernized with digital displays and improved driver-assist features.

The 2026 Forerunner features a 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four cylinder engine producing 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. This engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission offering standard RWD and 4WD available or included, depending on the trim you choose. Fuel economy will range from 20mpg city to 24-26 highway.

Standard technology included is an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with a 7.0-inch driver’s display. The higher end models come with 14.0-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch driver’s display.

The 2026 Forerunner is offered in a wide variety of trims and models ranging from the base SR5 at $43,365 up to the Limited Forerunner 4WD at 59,995.

Subaru introduces the latest electric vehicle for 2026 with the new mid-size EV SUV known as the Trailseeker. This larger electric SUV offers another tried and true vehicle to go explore the wilderness as soon as possible.

The Trailseeker is offered in allwheel drive and power is delivered through two electric motors which are good for 375 horsepower. As the name implies, this vehicle has 8.5-inches of ground clearance and a variety of drive modes as you explore the back country. EPA estimates for the Trailseeker are 126 MPGe city (miles per gallon of gas equivalent), 107 MPGe highway and 117 MPGe combined.

The Trailseeker offers a wide range of standard driver-assistance features including forward collision warning and automated emergency braking.

The base Premium trim starts at $34,995, the Limited starts at $41,715 and the Touring is offered at $43,395.

WHEEL LOVE 2026

2026 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR

For 2026, Lincoln continues the blending of modern technology with its large 8-passenger, opulent, and extremely comfortable Navigator. This latest SUV is full-size by all measures, and includes a long-wheelbase version that adds even more cargo room.

Technology begins with the 48-inch panoramic screen that serves as the driver’s instrument cluster and passenger data and entertainment focal point. The Navigator offers heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats as well as hands-free driving capability as standard equipment. A 440-hp twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V-6 with standard all-wheel drive provides responsive power and performance. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 15 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, with a combined 17 mpg.

The Navigator is offered in four trims ranging from the Premiere at $94,890 up to the Black Label at $122,420 which includes complimentary maintenance for four years or 50,000 miles.

WHEEL

“IT’S ALL ABOUT SAVING FOR THE FUTURE WHILE STILL ENJOYING THE PRESENT.”

—Christy Chris Gross

Money Matters

Nick Wolny makes personal finance approachable with

his

new LGBTQ-friendly book.

by ZACHARY M c KENZIE photo by CAMERON THROWER

Money talks, and apparently death drops! Nick Wolny, finance columnist for Out magazine and a proud former Houstonian, is the author of Money Proud: The Queer Guide to Generate Wealth, Slay Debt, and Build Good Habits to Secure Your Future. The gay finance guru is on a mission to make personal finances approachable and achievable. Using fun, witty, and practical step-by-step instructions throughout the book, Wolny provides a roadmap for queer folks of all income levels to achieve financial independence and a secure and fabulous future.

“Our queer lives provide some of the most useful information we have for how to manage our money, because queerness is about truth,” the finance expert explains. “It’s about being true to yourself, and acknowledging who you really are and what you really want and enjoy. The lived experience many queer people have also happens to be one of the most useful approaches to managing their money. It’s all about saving for the future while still enjoying the present.”

The book is filled with humor and references to queer culture, while also focusing on practical and universal truths when it comes to managing finances at any income level. “The first sentence in the book’s introduction is an encouragement to come out to yourself about your money. Someone who has come out as queer knows that ‘leap of faith’ feeling where you aren’t sure how you’re going to feel or what’s going to emerge on the other side,” Wolny says. “I wanted to write a book about money that was really approachable and fun, as a service to the readers. I know a lot of people are really uncomfortable around money. They’re uncomfortable talking about it. They’re uncomfortable thinking about it. My approach is to hold your hand and start with what feels familiar, like references to pop culture and queer lingo.”

The author acknowledges that while financial literacy can be intimidating, his book is

designed to cut through the noise and get down to basics. “The book is cumulative and builds momentum over time. It’s designed to be really approachable, and that’s an important feeling to cultivate in personal finance,” he says. “If you are someone who is just going to sweep your financial situation under the rug and not think about it, that’s not embracing your best gay life. I’ve got to get you comfortable with looking at what you swept under there in the first place, confronting it head on, and coming up with a plan.”

Contrary to what you might think about reading personal-finance advice, this book isn’t all business and no pleasure.

Wolny explains that Money Proud is meant to help the reader plan for the future without sacrificing fun along the way. “You don’t want to be in this situation where you’re saving a bunch of money but never living life. We have to find that happy medium—whatever that is for you.”

One tip he offers in the book is resisting the online-purchases temptation. “It really helps to detox from consumerism. Look at TikTok, for example. It’s basically SkyMall with video,” he jests. “Detoxing from consumerism involves sitting with yourself and your thoughts, and thinking about what you really want and care about. I think it’s a worthy exercise.”

Chapters in the book include advice regarding debt management, budgeting, investing, and more. Wolny’s guide is meant to take the bulk of money pressures away, while also serving as a template to return to as needed. “I want your money to be boring. I want you to be thinking about it less and thinking about other things more. That’s my goal,” he says. “Readers will get the fundamentals to set themselves up with whatever their money goals are, and then avoid thinking and stressing about them anymore. I think that’s the ideal outcome of this book for readers.”

Considering the average American has only a semblance of personal financial education, Wolny assures that regardless of income status, the information presented in his book is universal, and has been for many years. It’s up to the reader to take the first step toward taking control of their financial future by reading Money Proud. “I realized in personal finance that you don’t have to constantly invent new things or catch the next trend. We don’t learn this stuff in school. We’re only beginning to see personal finance education being required in high school,” he notes. “Most people don’t know any of this stuff. The good news, however, is that they can learn it. If they know the basics, it can actually inform not only how they manage their own money, but how the world around them works, as well.”

For more information or to purchase Money Proud , visit nickwolny.com

A DATE WITH DESTINY

Jovon and Jose Tyler began 2026 as newlyweds following a New Year’s Eve celebration.

by DAVID CLARKE

photos by ELYSZE RAMIS

Jose (l) and Jovon Tyler

Neither Jovon nor Jose Tyler planned to meet the love of their life at JR’s Bar & Grill. In fact, neither of them even drink.

“It was just by happenstance we met at JR’s,” Jovon recalls. “I was walking in and he was walking out, and he basically reached out. It was quite a magical moment.”

“What got my attention the first time I saw him was his looks,” remembers Jose. “That’s what made me stop and want to get to know him.”

Jovon laughs at the symmetry. “You know, I just thought he was incredibly captivating, terribly gorgeous, and unmistakably beautiful. I just had to figure out who this guy was.”

At the time, though, Jovon wasn’t looking for forever. “I was beyond reluctant to go on any dates,” he says candidly. “It had been my dream to be a husband and a father, and that dream had failed.”

Jose, steady and intentional, asked for more than casual conversation. Their first official date was at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

“It was very good,” Jose says. “I told him that I wanted to go on a date because I wanted to get to know him more. We had good conversation, and I realized that he was good company. It was what made me want more of him.”

That day in December 2024 marked the beginning of something that quickly deepened, especially once family entered the picture.

“My family embraced Jose, and they basically said, ‘He’s the one, and we’re not accepting anybody else,’” Jovon explains.

For Jose, certainty arrived during a San Antonio trip. “After I met Jovan’s parents, he met my mom,” Jose reveals. “That’s when I first said ‘I love you.’ That’s when I knew that’s what I wanted.”

They describe their connection as feeling ‘mirrored.’ “Our lives often find ways to mirror each other,” Jose says. “We even have the same scars.”

“Jose is definitely my destiny,” Jovon adds. Still, destiny came with a bit of persistence. Jovon proposed not once, but three times.

“Yes. Yes. Yes. It was never quite good enough,” Jovon says of his own high standards. The first proposal, in his mother’s backyard, went partially unrecorded due to a phone mishap. The second took place at a restaurant on Valentine’s night. Then, after learning Jose was sensitive to titanium and securing a different ring, Jovon decided to elevate the moment a third time.

“When the ring finally arrived and it had been sized and everything, I had to do yet another proposal—which was also a bit of a

striptease,” Jovon admits.

Jose said yes each time, though he admits he preferred the intimacy of the final one. “I liked the last one better, since it was just me and him.”

Marriage had once been off the table for Jovon. “I was never marrying again. The answer was No.’However, I discovered I would say Yes to him,” admits Jovon. Even children, once a firm No, became possible within the context of their love. “If it involves him, and I’m married to him, then I think the answer could then become Yes.”

They were determined to wed in 2025. “It was really important for us to get married in 2025, for no reason other than I thought that was a magic year for us,” says Jovon.

After navigating holiday scheduling conflicts with siblings, they landed on a New

Year’s Eve wedding. The reception was held the night before at the Heights Firehouse, and the ceremony was the following day in Jovon’s mother’s backyard. The two-day format confused some guests, but for the couple, it worked.

The reception was jubilant and culturally layered. “For the reception, we brought in mariachis, and we had a soul-train line at the end of the evening because we had a DJ. It was just a fun night,” Jovon says.

The following day felt more intimate—and more emotional.

“I will say it was an overwhelmingly emotional experience because, you know, I’m Black, and Jose is Latino,” Jovon explains.

“I just thought, ‘I’m not marrying Jose ever again, most likely, so let’s go ahead and have this wedding now the way that we want it.’”

Rather than a traditional wedding party of adults, they chose the children in their lives— about 10 in total—to stand beside them.

“They were representative of a new beginning. Similar to how you always see the baby whenever it’s New Year’s Eve. It’s ‘out with the old, and in with the new.’ And that was rejuvenating, frankly,” Jovon notes.

Their officiant was City Controller Chris Hollins. “We could not have picked a better wedding officiant than Chris,” Jovon says, noting that Hollins incorporated insights from the couple’s premarital counseling into the ceremony.

Then there was Jose’s attire, which was custom-created by Casa Royal Boutique at Plaza Américas.

“It’s the Charro attire—traje de charro,” Jose explains. “It was blue with gold detailings all around it. I wore a cape and a sombrero, and I had a big bow tie with our initials: J and J.”

“What Jose wore was breathtaking,” Jovon gushes. “It took my entire breath away, and I wept. I just thought, ‘What a beautiful day.’”

For Jose, one moment stands out most. “Right after the ceremony, when everyone was still outside and they were clapping, he and I got to go inside. Just us, alone. That’s when I realized: wow, we are actually married now!”

Music underscored every part of the weekend. A live vocalist performed Melissa Manchester’s iconic power ballad “Through the Eyes of Love” for the processional, “Landslide” as Jose walked with his mother, “Blue Skies” in the style of Ella Fitzgerald for the recessional, and Nat King Cole’s “L-O-V-E” for their first dance. “It was the music,” Jovon says simply, recalling his favorite parts of their wedding. Behind the scenes, a strong village of talented vendors made the celebration seamless. Dwayne Ross, of the Heights Firehouse, served as planner. “The reception and the wedding went off without a hitch, and I am forever grateful to Dwayne,” Jovon says.

Florals were handled by Flowers by Georgia in Montrose, with assistance from Erik Olivarez. Photography was led by Dalton DeHart and Anne Marie D’Arcy, with additional coverage and photo-booth services by Elyzse Ramis and Petal of Light. Two cakes—Berry Chantilly and Chocolate Eruption, came from Whole Foods. Catering was a family effort.

In the end, the Tylers didn’t just celebrate their wedding, they marked a new threshold. “It was good that it was at the end of the year, and that we started off 2026 as newlyweds,” Jose says. WANT

Photos

DALTON DEHART

CREW

VIEW OUR PHOTO GALLERIES ONLINE!

MYSTERY AND FANTASY MARDI GRAS PARTY –MEDIEVAL FANTASY QUEST

FEBRUARY 15, 2026

Hundreds of party-goers put on their most festive costumes and masks for the annual Mystery and Fantasy Mardi Gras Party. The theme this year was “Medieval Fantasy Quest,” and some partygoers rose to the occasion with elaborate period costumes while others opted for classic formalwear.

Photos by DALTON DEHART and CREW

GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY SUMMIT 2026

FEBRUARY 7 AND 8, 2026

Houston’s LGBTQ community has long been defined by its collaborative spirit, and that was evident at the 2026 Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Community Summit, a free two-day gathering held last month at the Montrose Center.

Hosted by a coalition of 27 organizations, the Summit brought together LGBTQ Houstonians, advocates, leaders, and allies to shape a shared community agenda grounded

in equity, wellness, and belonging. Programming spanned health, housing, economic justice, arts and culture, and LGBTQ history, with sessions focused on visioning and action planning. Spanish and ASL interpretation helped ensure broader access to the proceedings.

A central theme was identifying the social determinants to health, and the everyday conditions that

foster well-being—from affirming care and economic opportunity to housing stability and safety. Beyond workshops and panels, the Summit offered space to connect with local organizations, celebrate community leadership, and strengthen networks across generations.

OutSmart is proud to support this ongoing work of showing up, speaking out, and building something better together.

Stewart Zuckerbrod, MD

Greater Houston Eye Consultants

Humble

HEALTH CARE–OPTOMETRISTS

Boutique Eye Care/Juliet Farmer, OD 1806 Westheimer, Ste. A Eye Gallery

1806B Westheimer 1700 Post Oak Blvd, Ste 110

Montrose Eye Care/ Paul

OutSmart’s Bar Guide is now on your phone!

Scan here to check out our directory of LGBTQ bars and clubs in and around Houston, including your favorites in Galveston, Huntsville, Spring, and College Station. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, we’ve got you covered with this updated guide to the best LGBTQ-friendly spaces.

OutSmart’s Bar Guide is now on your phone! Scan here to check out our directory of LGBTQ bars and clubs in and around Houston, including your favorites in Galveston, Huntsville, Spring, and College Station. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, we’ve got you covered with this updated guide to the best LGBTQ-friendly spaces.

OutSmart’s Bar Guide is now on your phone!

LGBTQ bars and clubs in and around Houston, including your favorites in Galveston, Huntsville, Spring, and College Station. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, we’ve got you covered with this updated guide to the best LGBTQ-friendly spaces.

ReBar evolved into Rich’s Houston, lounge

ReBar evolved into Rich’s Houston, lounge & boutique day / night

ReBar evolved into Rich’s Houston, lounge & boutique day / night life

ReBar evolved into Rich’s Houston, lounge & boutique day / night

PRIDE HOUSTON 365’S 2026 GRAND MARSHAL NOMINEES AND LOGO REVEAL FEBRUARY 5, 2026

Pride Houston 365 opened its 2026 season at Play Nightlife with a reveal party that felt equal parts celebration and call to action. The organization debuted its official Pride Parade and Festival logo and announced this year’s grand-marshal nominees—a reminder that the most visible moments of Pride happen long before the first float turns a corner, and are shaped by the people who keep Houston’s LGBTQ community thriving.

For 2026, Pride Houston 365 sponsored

a logo design competion for its theme “LIMITLESS: Houston Pride 2026,” which frames Houston as bold, vibrant, and unapologetic, a city that refuses to shrink itself for anyone’s comfort. After hundreds of votes were cast, the winning logo design came from Ranch Ramas, a queer first-generation Filipino immigrant and graphic designer with the Houston-based Studio Ranch.

The grand-marshal nominees announcement offered an early snapshot of

that same ecosystem. Among those who were honored with a nomination are Dr. Roy Rivera, Jevon Martin, Davis Mendoza Darusman, Ashley Barnes, Gianna Christina Ramirez, Brandi Lira, Mandy Giles, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Perla Lugo, Regi Stevenson, Dr. Bec Soka Keo, Flawless Oz, and organizations including Alpha Kappa Theta, Heavy Hitters Pride, FLAS, TENT, and the Trans Legal Aid Clinic.

by KEVIN CASEY

We have a huge lineup of planets in Pisces this month, and it reaches its peak March 18 when Mercury, Mars, the North Node, the Sun, and the Moon are all in Pisces. Pisces is a water sign, meaning this is an energy that places special emphasis on moods, feelings, intuition, sensitivity, and relationships. Don’t be surprised if you and those around you seem a little extra sensitive, emotional, and downright psychic. On March 18, the Moon will be new in Pisces. New Moons occur every month when the Sun and Moon are in the same

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

You’ve still got it, Aries. You haven’t suddenly lost your mojo this month; it’s just the lineup of planets in Pisces that’s put you in chill mode. Saturn’s move from Pisces into Aries last month was a bit bumpy for you Rams, so a little downtime is in order. The new moon in Pisces on the 18th has you putting the finishing touches on a two-and-a-half-year process that had you cleaning house, literally and figuratively. Anything and anyone past its sell-by date had to go. You’re back in business on March 20 when Mercury retrograde ends and Aries season begins. Venus, the love planet, moves into Aries from March 6 to March 30. Everybody wants you!

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)

I know you love to rule the world from your couch, Taurus, but it’s time to mix and mingle. This month’s line-up of planets in Pisces, including the New Moon on the 18th puts you in a position to meet important people who could open doors of opportunity for you. Venus, the love planet and your ruling planet, moves into Aries from March 6 to March 30. You could be tempted to put a nice, glossy sheen over a past relationship, conveniently forgetting the glow-in-thedark-radioactive-toxic parts. Leave the past in the past and welcome the new.

GEMINI (May 21–June 21)

All the Pisces energy this month kind of gets on your nerves, especially some of those emotional co-workers. Put that aside for now, because the New Moon in

NEW MOON, NEW MOOD

Pileup in Pisces, Venus sparks desire, and Mercury retrograde rewards patience.

sign at the same degree; in astrology, this is known as a conjunction. New Moons are symbolic of new beginnings, so this is the perfect time each month to set new intentions and wishes. Venus, the planet of love, moves into Aries from March 6 to March 30. Both Venus and Aries can be quite sensual and erotic. They can also be impulsive, so when it comes to romance, choose wisely. Mercury went retrograde on February 26 and goes direct on March 20, also in the sign of Pisces. The spiritual purpose behind Mercury retrograde is to get us to slow down and recharge our batteries. Allow situations to unfold naturally instead of trying to control everything and everyone. The universe hasn’t lost your file or forgotten about you. When you relax and let go during a Mercury retrograde, you’ll be amazed at the solutions that the universe has in store for you. It’s much better than any plan or solution you can cook up. When it comes to romance and love during Mercury retrograde, let your exes remain exes. As the saying goes, your ex is an ex for a reason.

Pisces on the 18th lands right in your career box. It’s time to get serious about what you want to happen in this area of your life and go for it. Venus, the love planet, moves into Aries March 6 to March 30. A friendly encounter could turn into something much more if you give it a chance. I know you’re looking for your soulmate, but you have to give us mere mortals a chance.

CANCER (June 22–July 22)

Being a fellow water sign, you have no problem with the tidal wave of Pisces energy this month. This watery energy is capped off with the New Moon in Pisces on the 18th. We all know your home is your safe space, but this month it’s time to venture out. This new moon lands in your 9th House, the part of your chart that rules foreign travel and adventure. Plan a trip, a vacation to somewhere you’ve never been. It be fun and boost your confidence, too. On March 6, Venus, the love planet, moves into Aries. I know your privacy is of utmost importance, but be willing to surrender some of that privacy. I can’t say you’ll be setting up house with anyone, but a good time could be had by all.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Sex, death, and other people’s money sounds like the title of a Ryan Murphy miniseries, but in astrology we call it the 8th House. These topics are your main attractions this month, and you’re the star of the show. And no, I don’t mean death in the literal sense. Death here means what is ending, or needs to end, in your life. What do you need to let go of? If you have a partner or

roommate, you’ll be discussing a budget or who pays what bills. What about sex? You need to be craved and adored, and if that’s not happening, you’re moving on. With Venus moving into Aries, you certainly won’t be short of admirers.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept.22)

As we all know from The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West writes out “Surrender Dorothy” in the sky over the Emerald City. Well, the New Moon in Pisces is saying the same thing to Virgoans this month. This traffic jam of planets in Pisces, including the New Moon on the 18th, is stacked up in your relationship house. Whether you meet someone new or you’re in an existing relationship, the message is the same: relax. Your superpower is dedication and your kryptonite is perfectionism. You tend to blame yourself when a relationship doesn’t work out. If you feel the urge to pick on yourself this month, take a moment and remind yourself that you aren’t perfect, your partner isn’t perfect, and no relationship will ever be perfect. Try it. I bet you’ll have a lot more fun.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 23)

I hate to break it to you, but most of this month isn’t exactly thrilling for you Librans. This month’s cosmic lineup of planets in Pisces, including the New Moon on the 18th, falls in the part of your chart called the 6th House. I’ve always felt bad for the 6th House. It gets a bad rap because it’s not very glamorous. This part of your chart deals with all those seemingly boring,

day-to-day things you have to do to build your life on a solid foundation—things like diet, exercise, and folding your clothes. You get the picture. The universe is saying it’s time to get back to basics this month. All isn’t lost though—Venus, the love planet, moves into Aries on March 6, and the Sun joins her on March 20 in your relationship house. Love and relationships! Now we’re talking a Libran’s language.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24–Nov. 21)

Creativity, self-expression, romance, fun, and risktaking is where it’s at this month. This crazy lineup of planets in Pisces, including the New Moon on the 18th, happens in the part of your chart called the 5th House. If you did something creative in the past, pick it up again—just because. If you’ve been working yourself to the bone, go have a fun night out; the cosmos is giving you permission. As far as love and romance go, Venus, the love planet, moves into Aries from March 6 to March 30, and the Sun joins Venus on March 20, meaning romance could blossom at the gym, at the yoga studio, or even in the workplace. I know you live for the deep and intense, but for right now we’re keeping it light and breezy this month. Well, at least we’re trying!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22–Dec.21)

This crazy lineup of planets in Pisces really isn’t your scene. This whole thing, including the New Moon on the 18th, happens in your home-and-family box. If your family and those nearest and dearest to you are driving you crazy this month, I would typically tell you to take

off on one of your adventures in a foreign land, but with Mercury retrograde until March 20, that might end up being more of a headache than a getaway. Speaking of home, you Sags could be looking to move or make renovations to your current living space. Love planet Venus is in fellow fire sign Aries from March 6 to March 30, and the Sun joins her on the 20th in your romance and fun house. Good times, Sagittarians!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

This month, the role of Sanity will be played by Capricorn. Well, at least that’s how you see it. All these planets in Pisces make you a little uneasy. Pisces energy is just too vague and all over the place for you. Caps thrive on practicality and results. This Piscean pileup happens in the part of your chart called the 3rd House, the part that rules communication. You were born to lead and give orders, but this month it’s equally important to listen without getting swept up in the emotional deluge. Those who tend to be highly sensitive and emotional count on your realism and sense of order. The love and relationship planet Venus will be in Aries from March 6 to March 30. Forget those who won’t give you the time of day. Those closest to you can nurture and support you, but you have to let them.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

All this Piscean energy, including the New Moon on the 18th, has you focused on the material world, and that includes not only money but also your body. It’s so easy for you to get lost in that imaginative mind of yours and

neglect your physical reality. It’s time to take an honest look at your money situation, including ways you may be sabotaging your finances. You don’t have to become a gym bunny, but try some kind of exercise, even if it’s just a walk around the block. Doing something physical distracts your conscious mind so you can get those incredible psychic hits you’re famous for. Love planet Venus moves into Aries from March 6 to March 30. This happens in the part of your chart that rules communication. When you combine communication with loveydovey Venus, you get flirty texts, emails, and DMs.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

You’re the star of the show this month, Pisces. This cosmic lineup of planets in your sign, including the New Moon on the 18th, puts you in the spotlight. This is a rebirth for you, and a new beginning. Everybody knows you’re the psychic of the zodiac, but this month your psychic vibe is on another level. Good boundaries, trusting your gut, and facing your fears are the main attractions. I know the way forward may seem scary right now, but you’ve got to feel your way forward. Some of those fears you’ve been carrying around for years are about to be exposed for what they are: illusions that keep you stuck and playing small. Avoid getting distracted and pulled off your path by others’ emotional dramas. You’re a VIP this month, and you’ve got places to go.

Connect with Kevin at popastrologyreadings .com or on @p0pastrology.

GIDDYUP, COWBOY

Juecee will be riding high at the Rodeo.

by SAM BYRD | photo by ALEX ROSA

As resident show host and producer of Wednesday night’s King-Sized HTX at Pearl, Juecee is no stranger to the bar scene. This month, though, he will channel his inner cowboy during rodeo season for a different venue. He will be one of the featured performers for the annual Out at the Rodeo—a guaranteed day of fun on the ol’ “Heeeeyyyyy wagon.” Find out more about this performer here.

Pronouns?

He/Him

Inner Avatar?

A sea otter. They’re so playful!

Hometown?

Douglasville, Georgia

Drag birthday?

September 29, 2022

Who are your drag family members?

My drag family consists of my mother, San Antonio’s Donet Mckim, and Houston’s La’darius Mirage Jackson. Then, my very own house started with my drag and life partner Mari Jane. “The House of Lablunt” includes our son, Beau Vine.

Describe your performing persona. I’m definitely a lover boy—an old soul forced into this soon-to-be 26-year-old body. Constantly yearning.

Describe your aesthetic.

My aesthetic is clean-cut, pageantry style suit jackets. Vibrant colors and intricate designs.

What’s your must-have clothing accessory or prop?

A stretchy pair of pants. I’m known for doing a split or high kick on occasion.

Describe your outfit.

It is the first pageant jacket I have ever had. The jacket was rhinestoned in collaboration with my late friend Geoff. It is a constant reminder of friendship, persistence, and new growth.

What’s on your bucket list?

Go to France, get married, and jump out of a plane. The simple things in life.

Do you have any thoughts to share about Women’s History Month?

My mother adopted and raised nine children to be amazing human beings. She is the reason that I know women can do anything they put their minds to. She is a wonderful reminder that Black is beautiful and abundant, and I should never be afraid to express who I am.

You’re performing for Out at the Rodeo. What are your thoughts about having an LGBTQ presence at the largest rodeo in the world? I think that having drag shows there allows these abundant crowds to have a wider scope of perception and understand that drag is an artform for all to enjoy, regardless of background.

Thoughts about legislation restricting drag performances?

I believe that ignorance is rooted in the lack of education, exposure, or the courage to ask questions—never being taught, never meeting someone different, or being raised in spaces where curiosity was punished instead of encouraged.

What are your favorite hangout spots? Ripcord, Pearl Bar, and my couch.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

A good bottle of Japanese whiskey.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I’m the youngest of nine children.

What was your dream job as a child? I wanted to be an archaeologist.

Who is your favorite drag character from the media, and why?

Gottmik. It is nice to have trans men represented in drag and on TV.

What have you learned from drag that you use in your everyday life?

That not everything has a safety net, but you have to be willing to push forward anyway.

What advice would you share with your younger self?

It is okay to not be loved by everyone, as long as you love yourself. Build yourself on confidence and selfworth, not compliments. Visit our site to read the full conversation with Juecee.