MARCH 2021

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MARCH '21

HOUSTON'S LGBTQ MAGAZINE

HOUSING OUR SENIORS

Texas’ First LGBTQ Senior-Living Facility Pg.46

WOMEN IN POWER:

JAG BS

A COVID-19 UPDATE

Locals weigh in on how pandemic life has changed them Pg.22

JA CK BA

OUT WORLD-CHAMPION MMA FIGHTER JESSICA “JAG” AGUILAR BRINGS HER PRIDE BACK TO HOUSTON Pg.30

MEMORIAL PARK’S SHELLYE ARNOLD MEDIA MOGUL WHITNEY HOWARD WELLNESS GURUS TAMIKA AND LENIE CASTON-MILLER

WHEEL LOVE 2021

This year’s hottest car trends Pg.61

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FEATURES MARCH 2021

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38 JOURNEY TO

COVER STORY 34 WOMEN 30 GOING GREEN A CHAMPION FIGHTER POWER Mixed martial arts title holder Jessica Shellye Arnold leads the massive effort

IN

GREATNESS

Whitney Howard—a musician, entrepreneur, and media expert— inspires others to thrive

Aguilar brings her LGBTQ pride back to Houston

to rebuild and preserve Memorial Park

40 MAKING HERSTORY

43 PRIDE IN THE MEDIA

Arden Eversmeyer’s oral-history project honors the lives of older lesbians

Radio station KPFT’s new manager David Baes is excited about the programming possibilities

46 52 HOUSING OUR SENIORS URBAN RETREAT The Montrose Center’s new senior-living center welcomes its first residents

58 CREATING VISIBILITY

60 61 BOOMING BARBERSHOP NEW CARS FOR 2021

Stephanie Burbage and Caroline Godfrey reach out to LGBTQ couples on Instagram

Cutthroat opens its new location on Westheimer in Montrose

Ford Bronco

Revving up for this year’s hottest automobiles.

82 WIGGING OUT

72 PAINTERLY PARALLELS

Drag king Hugh Dandy is Houston’s suave pop star who loves the limelight

MFAH exhibit reveals similarities in the works of Hockney and Van Gogh 4 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

Tamika and Lenie Caston-Miller launch a new wellness retreat in south Houston

David Hockney, Woldgate Vista

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Houston’s LGBTQ Magazine

MARCH 2021

DEPARTMENTS NEWS & COMMENT 12 NEWS

Houston LGBTQ organizations provide aid during the extended freeze and power outages; How COVID-19 has changed life for seven LGBTQ Houstonians

16 LEFT OUT 18 SMART HEALTH

Handling conflict with kindness

20 MONEY SMART 26 AN INTERVIEW WITH…

The Houston Health Department’s Barry Barnes

28 COMMUNITY

A new Black queer resource center combats unaddressed needs in Southwest Houston

55 BUSINESS

Michael’s Outpost has a dramatic new look

OUT & ABOUT 74 WEDDING GUIDE 78 BAR/CLUB GUIDE 80 SIGN OUT

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ON the COVER JAG JABS BACK

Out world-champion MMA fighter Jessica “Jag” Aguilar brings her Pride back to Houston.

Photography by James Law 6

MARCH 2021

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Contributing Writers

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EDITOR’S NOTE Last month, Texas experienced one of the most widespread disasters to ever face the state—Winter Storm Uri, a record-breaking freeze that left millions stranded in frigid homes for days with limited or no access to electricity and clean water.

On top of many of us being underprepared for the prolonged freeze, Uri’s impacts were exacerbated by inept lawmakers and bureaucrats who presided over the near-total failure of the state’s power grid. And then, instead of stepping up to help alleviate suffering, Republican officials like Greg Abbott were busy trying to blame renewable energy for Texas’ power woes. Ted Cruz rounded out this tone-deaf response by fleeing the country to vacation with his family.

Fortunately, organizers from across the state and the nation were quick to provide resources to

those in need. In this March 2021 issue of OutSmart, writer Lillian Hoang speaks with the leaders of several LGBTQ Houston organizations who provided water, food, and shelter during the extended blackout.

But Houston’s activist spirit doesn’t stop there. This March issue also highlights two new LGBTQ-affirming facilities that will soon be fully operational in Space City. Writer Krystle Lyons chats with The Normal Anomaly’s Ian L. Haddock about Black Queer Plus: Center for Liberation, while writer Brandon Wolf speaks with the Montrose Center’s staff about their new Law Harrington Senior Living Center.

Two venerable old community establishments with new leadership are also in the news. Writer Ryan Leach interviews Bryan Wade, the new entertainment manager at Michael’s Outpost, while writer Kim Hogstrom sits down with David Baes, the new general manager of Houston’s KPFT community-radio station.

OutSmart is celebrating Women’s History Month by spotlighting local LGBTQ ladies who are making Space City a better place. Writer Zachary McKenzie introduces you to our cover star and out world-champion fighter Jessica Aguilar, who recently brought her queer pride back to Houston. Kim Hogstrom interviews media expert and musician Whitney Howard, while writer Jenny Block fills you in on The Ranch Houston—a unique woman-owned urban farm, art studio, and wellness center.

This month also marks one year since the surge of COVID-19 cases in Houston forced nonessential businesses to shut down.

As the world enters its second year of turmoil and uncertainty, writer Marene Gustin speaks with several LGBTQ Houstonians who reveal how COVID-19 continues to impact their lives.

Things are certainly different in 2021, so why not try to regain some normalcy by visiting a few favorite old spots around town?

Dine your way through Lafayette’s culinary history and discover a diverse food scene in the heart of Louisiana.

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If you’re in search of safe ways to spend a lovely afternoon, be sure to check out writer Sam Byrd’s chat with Memorial Park Conservancy’s President and CEO Shellye Arnold, who is leading the stellar team charged with rebuilding and preserving the park.

Then Jenny Block takes us to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, for their new exhibit entitled Hockney-Van Gogh: The Joy of Nature.

Finally, don’t miss Sam Byrd’s interview with drag king Hugh Dandy to learn more about the performer who brings one of Houston’s favorite local personalities to life.

Until next time!

Lourdes Zavaleta Managing Editor

NEWS

Braving the Cold Together Local LGBTQ organizations provided water, food, and shelter during the extended blackout.

FACEBOOK

By LILLIAN HOANG

Pride Houston and Lesbians of Color teamed up with five of Houston’s openly LGBTQ judges on February 21 to provide resources to folks after Winter Storm Uri. Many Texans died, and millions went without electricity and clean water for days due to winter storm Uri. Although Texas lawmakers’ inept planning for the February freeze left people on their own and in the dark, several local LGBTQ organizations provided resources and shelter to folks in need before, during, and after the historic cold snap.

Lesbians of Color (LOC), a nonprofit designed to empower LBTQ women and nonbinary people of color, helped and found shelter for many who went without power, hot meals, or water for three or more days. Kendra Walker, the founder and director of LOC, even opened her home to a group of six who had no water and power.

“All members of our community are important; the help we provided really did save lives,” Walker said.

12 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

LOC was not the only organization that took in members of the community during Uri. Tony’s Corner Pocket also housed people and provided food. The LGBTQ bar opened its doors to give freezing, hungry locals a warming station and free barbecue and chicken.

“I’ve been in the community for 14 years, and that’s just the way we’re supposed to do it,” said Tony Vacarro, the bar’s owner.

Tony’s Corner Pocket plans on hosting a benefit show to support the community and offer people what they need most in the aftermath of Uri: food, clothing, and love.

To those still recovering from the winter storm, Vacarro said, “Try to stay positive.

When one door closes, another door will open— so long as you look for it.”

While many organizations helped out during the storm, Tony’s Place, a resource center that provides basic emergency services

for homeless LGBTQ youth and allies, gave out supplies before Houston was blanketed in snow.

The drop-in shelter handed out resources such as winter clothes, nonperishable food, snack items, and water.

“We also attempted to get members that were eligible for shelters into some of those spaces,” said MaDonna Land, program director of Tony’s Place, in an interview with AccuWeather.

Montrose Grace Place (MGP), an LGBTQaffirming nonprofit committed to serving homeless youth, also distributed resources such as sleeping bags and coats. BUDDY’S Bar and Barcode both offered individuals food and shelter. Barcode’s PRIDE Pantry, which was originally created to help those impacted by the pandemic, provided the community with supplies ranging from deodorant to toilet paper.

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Education Network of Texas (TENT) relaunched its Emergency Community Relief Fund in the wake of Uri. Although the fund was first formed to support trans and/or intersex Texans affected by the pandemic, TENT decided to revive this program to help trans Texans who are struggling financially due to the storm.

Although the storm has passed, Houstonians are still hurting. To address the community’s needs, LOC, in partnership with Pride Houston, an organization dedicated to uplifting Houston’s LGBTQ community, teamed up with five local LGBTQ judges to distribute water and nonperishable food on February 21.

The two groups worked with judges Shannon Baldwin, Jim Kovach, Jerry Simoneaux, Jason Cox, and Beau Miller to give away over 200 cases of bottled water and more than 100 bags of food, diapers, and wipes.

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14 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

Walker notes that if LOC and Pride Houston can’t help those in need, they will connect people to agencies that can. “We are in this together,” says Walker, who also serves as Pride Houston’s executive vice president. “Even though we are all somewhat fatigued after [last] year, Houston is strong, and our community is here to help each other get through this.”

To support and learn more about the organizations mentioned above, visit the links below: Lesbians of Color: weareloc.mybigcommerce.com/ Tony’s Corner Pocket: facebook.com/Tonys-Corner-Pocket-252715648741822/ Tony’s Place: tonysplace.org/ Montrose Grace Place: montrosegraceplace.org/ BUDDY’S Bar: facebook.com/buddyshouston/ Barcode’s PRIDE Pantry: facebook.com/PridePantryHouston/ Transgender Education Network of Texas: transtexas.org/ Pride Houston pridehouston.org/

LEFT OUT

If you’re reading this, you made it through Texas Hell.

I have a theory that Hell for a Texan is not all fiery flames and such. No siree, we hop in our cars and get first-degree burns just from touching our steering wheels.

We live and breathe hot. We get up in the morning, look up at the sun, and dare that sucker to let ’er rip! For Texans, Hell is what showed up last month: everlasting, bone-chilling, witch’steat-in-a-brass-bra-in-the-Klondike cold.

The latest head count revealed that most of us lived through our recent Arctic Death Dare, and I’m dandy-proud of all of you who did. It just goes to show that Texans can put up with damn near anything. Well, except beans in chili. We can’t live with that.

I want to start by telling you a story. On the third day of the freeze, Karen got arrested in my hometown. Yep, that annoying Karen gal you’ve been hearing so much about.

There were only five people arrested that day. One of them was Karen, who repeatedly dialed 911 and demanded that they turn on her electricity. The kindly folks at the sheriff’s dispatch asked her to stop calling because there were people who needed their help and there was nothing they could do about her electricity.

She finally demanded her God-given right to lights and announced, “I am going to keep calling back until y’all send somebody over here to turn on my electricity!”

“Oh, okay, we’ll send someone right over,” the dispatcher cheerfully responded. Karen spent the night in jail, and was bonded out the next morning by a really-pissed-off husband.

Don’t tug on Superman’s cape, don’t spit in the wind, and don’t mess with a very cold Texas woman who has no water or electricity. She’s willing to go to jail. At least they have a generator at the jail, which is something to remember the next time you’re freezing in the dark.

Or rather, freezing in the dark alone, if you know what I mean. As it turns out, we were deserted by damn near every elected official we have.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz wins the February round of the Senate’s Lyin’ Olympics (and Honey, there was some powerful competition for that one). His gold medal was awarded after he admitted that he told lies to cover up his lies that he lied about. Honey, he came up with a banana split of lies. It was like layers of lies with a cherry on top.

The fun began when Cruz got caught at the airport by people carrying around something he didn’t expect. You know, those little cameras they bring along when they head to the airport.

It’s the damndest thing—they just pulled those suckers out and snapped photos of the most 16 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

ILLUSTRATION BY BLASE DISTEFANO, ORIGINAL PHOTO OF TED CRUZ COURTESY HBO

By SUSAN BANKSTON

Ted’s Tone-Deaf Getaway Senator Cruz jets off to Cancún while his constituents freeze in Texas. shameless liar in Texas. And then, out of pure meanness, people posted those pictures on that Internet machine so everybody sitting at home in the cold, using their last few minutes of battery life to look at cat videos (or worse), sees Ted Cruz boarding an airplane headed to Cancún.

There was silence from Cruz until much later that night, after he had decided on a story: He was just escorting his daughters to Cancún to meet friends because he’s a good dad, and he was rushing back to Houston the next morning.

Come to find out, that was not the plan at all. So he had to make up another lie to make the first lie look reasonable: The girls had never flown before, and he had to take care of them on the airplane—you know, in case a wing fell off or something.

He even asked for a business-class upgrade on his ticket—but not for his wife or daughters!

Kind of tells you what kind of a good dad he is. Sadly, he didn’t get the upgrade. (Have you heard the rumor that the upgrade was denied because he wasn’t wearing pants? I haven’t

either, but I’m going to keep asking people until I find someone who has.)

I know they were saying on the radio not to get out and drive in that ice. Cruz must have heard that, too, since he asked for a Harris County sheriff to provide “an official escort” at the airport—because, of course, we have so many police officers to spare. Meanwhile, several of his neighbors were sharing text messages they received from his wife, who had invited them to come along to Cancún because the hotel was only $309 a night.

Yep, nobody likes Ted Cruz. Former Senator Al Franken always notes that he was the senator who probably liked Ted Cruz the best— before adding, “And I hate Ted Cruz!”

But the worst part was the photo of his pitiful little white poodle puppy peeking out of the glass front door at home, where she was alone and cold. Her name is Snowflake. I could not make that up.

And then there’s Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (an indicted felon for stock fraud and bribery), who took off with his wife to Salt Lake City. Mrs. Paxton explained that she went

on “a previously planned trip to Utah, which included meetings that benefit her efforts to promote human dignity and support law enforcement.”

And let’s not forget Houston-area State Representative Gary Gates, who jetted to Florida faster than a bullet with legs because his wife “had not been feeling well” after a water pipe had burst in his daughter’s room, which he claimed had caused mold to grow that very night. Maybe he lives in a house with a previously installed mold farm.

Let me refrain from mentioning that all three of these guys are white, straight, male Republicans, because you already know that.

One last thing: Three days after the freeze ended, Ted Cruz and his wife said they were “pretty pissed” about the neighbors leaking their Cancún invitation text. Ted went on to admit his disgust over the neighbors who had also put out Beto O’Rourke yard signs back when Beto and Ted were running for the Senate. He called that “rude.”

Quick, someone get Ted a mirror so he can look in it and see what rude looks like.

Susan Bankston lives in Richmond, Texas, where she writes about her hairdresser at The World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, Inc., at juanitajean.com.

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S M A R T H E A LT H

By DARYL SHORTER, MD

Handling Conflict with Kindess You can learn to express differences of opinion effectively.

A

s uncomfortable as it might be, conflict is a normal part of human relationships. When two or more people are involved, differences of opinion or perspective are bound to occur. Whenever a tense discussion is getting out of control, thinking through some communication basics can help us de-escalate the situation.

Why Is This So Hard?

To say communication can be complicated is an understatement. Styles of communication vary widely from person to person. While some prefer a direct approach when describing ideas, others may tell stories to explain their thinking.

Vocabulary also impacts how well we are able to describe our thoughts and feelings. We’ve all had the experience of an auto mechanic using complicated technical jargon to describe a repair. We should remember to choose our words carefully, since speaking beyond someone’s level of understanding is a surefire path to a breakdown in communication.

Our tone of voice and facial expressions help us infuse greater meaning into what we say, and can also evoke emotional responses in listeners. Unfortunately, they are also subject to significant misunderstanding. How many times have your words gone unappreciated, not because of what you said but because of how you said it?

We all bring our own personal histories to the hearing of words. Because language is open to interpretation, it can be heard as empathic and understanding, or condescending and hostile. Certain words may trigger unpleasant memories or past trauma. We also have different sensitivities to tone and facial expression.

If you were raised in a home where people did not yell, for example, a raised voice during an argument can seem like screaming, and feel threatening.

Frankly, these elements of face-to-face encounters are only the tip of the iceberg. When communicating via email or text, or across languages and cultures, additional nuance and 18 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

complexity is introduced. And people who are deaf and/or hearing-impaired have even more communication challenges to overcome.

Un-Complicating Communications One strategy to improve communication is to first understand your own communication style. How do you best explain your perspective to others? What helps you the most when you are trying to receive information? Knowing your communication style can help you guide others to communicate in a way that you can receive it.

Knowing your audience can also be helpful, since understanding your listener’s communication style provides clues on how best to deliver information in the moment. Moving toward the middle and using a flexible combination of styles can help get your message across to a broader audience.

Emotional Expression While explaining ideas can be tough, expressing emotions can be even more challenging.

When it comes to certain things—health and safety, finances, and matters of the heart—the stakes feel very high. Several factors impact

our ability to convey our emotional experience of the world.

Sometimes simply finding the emotional language to express our feelings is the issue. If we have not had many opportunities to practice using emotional language with others, it can feel strange to describe how you’re feeling.

A new skill to try is “the honest answer.”

The next time a friend asks “How are you?” try answering with something more than a simple “I’m alright.” Take a moment to actually describe how you’re feeling. Is there a word or feeling that accurately describes your emotional state? Communicating in this manner can not only deepen relationships with others, but also allow you to perform an emotional self-check throughout your day.

Being vulnerable with others, and even with those we trust, can feel insurmountable.

Sometimes it’s hard to admit you’re feeling sad or nervous or stressed. Perhaps you were taught that this was a sign of weakness, or you were judged and ridiculed for your honest expressions of emotion. Practicing self-compassion, and allowing yourself to feel whatever CONTINUED ON PAGE 57

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MONEY SMART

By GRACE S. YUNG, CFP

Not All Financial Advisors Are Created Equally Why consulting with a CFP can make a difference.

C

hoosing a financial planner is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life.

That is because you are engaging someone who you will build a long-term relationship with over time to help you work toward your life goals and, in turn, your financial security.

But while many people in the industry may offer you “advice,” the reality is that not all financial advisors are created equally. They do not all have the proper training, skills, timetested processes, or competency. Additionally, they do not necessarily maintain suitable ongoing continuing-education requirements to assist them in providing sound or up-todate advice.

That’s why choosing to work with a CFP, or Certified Financial Planner, should be considered before you move forward.

Why work with a CFP? There are several reasons to do so, but one main reason is that you will know the individual you choose has elected to take the time to further develop their knowledge base and skills by taking it upon themselves to go the extra mile to earn CFP certification. This will give you, the consumer, the confidence in knowing the individual you choose is competent to serve you.

CFP Experience and Education A CFP practitioner has to meet minimum educational requirements, and must have a number of years of industry experience as well as classroom prerequisites.

This experience-related requirement can help to give you comfort in knowing that the advisor is proficient in diverse areas of financial planning and management, versus simply possessing “textbook” knowledge without actually working with clients and putting the strategies into action.

CFP candidates are also required to pass an exam. This rigorous six-hour CFP certification examination tests both financial-planning knowledge and ability, and it includes measurements in the areas of critical- thinking and problem-solving ability using real-life case studies.

20 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

An advisor must also possess, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree from a college or university. Once a financial advisor has earned the CFP designation, they are required to complete regular continuing-education (CE) courses.

Many CFPs may opt to take it a step further and develop special areas of focus. For example, a Certified Financial Planner who focuses on issues related to the LGBTQ community can potentially better advise you and can help with questions like “Should we get married, and how will that impact our taxes?” or “How can we maximize our Social Security?” or “Do I need to adopt my companion’s child?” or “My life partner is significantly older than I am.

What special planning should we consider?”

CFP Ethical Considerations In addition to training on financial concepts and tools, an advisor also must commit to high ethical and professional standards—both for the purpose of initially becoming a CFP and for maintaining the designation over time.

This includes satisfying the CFP Board’s fitness standards, as well as committing to its Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct that sets forth the ethical responsibilities that the advisor must use when working with clients and prospects, as well as with their employer(s).

A primary aspect of this code is the Certified Financial Planner practitioner’s obligation to act as a fiduciary, which refers to acting in the best interest of the client at all times when offering financial advice and strategies. A CFP’s professional fiduciary duty may even be higher than what is required through general financial industry regulation. For instance, CFPs are held to a duty of care and loyalty, as well as a duty to follow clients’ instructions.

Similar to the financial-related continuing education that is required for keeping the CFP designation, a Certified Financial Planner practitioner must also regularly complete a CFP Board-approved ethics course. Further, if a CFP has been involved in certain situations such as filing for bankruptcy, committing a crime, and/ or being a party to a regulatory or civil proceeding, they must disclose this information.

Choosing the Right Professional There is a wide range of financial advisors in the marketplace who would be willing to work with you and offer you advice. However, if you are seeking a financial professional who is well-versed in both planning and who is bound to fiduciary standards, aligning with a CFP would be advantageous for you.

It is recommended that you review an advisor’s background before you start an engagement with them. In order to verify an individual’s standing with the CFP Board, or for more information about working with a CFP, go to letsmakeaplan.org.

You can also visit the FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) BrokerCheck tool at brokercheck.finra.org.

This helpful website will tell you instantly whether or not an individual is registered (as required by law) to sell securities (such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds), as well as to provide you with investment advice.

You can also view a “snapshot” of an advisor’s employment history and any complaints and/or regulatory actions that have been taken against them. This is important, as you are ideally seeking an advisor to work with for the long-term.

On top of a financial professional possessing a clean background, certifications, and the ability to create a customized plan for you, having a good rapport with an advisor can also be a key factor in choosing the right individual or firm.

For example, aligning with a financial advisor who is knowledgeable in issues that pertain to the LGBTQ community can be highly beneficial, and can allow you (and your spouse or partner, if applicable) to be more open in discussing your true objectives.

Grace S. Yung, CFP ®, is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner with experience in helping LGBT individuals, domestic partners, and families plan and manage their finances since 1994. She is the managing director at Midtown Financial Group, LLC, in Houston.

Yung can be reached at grace.yung@lpl.com.

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OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 21

NEWS

ficulty with the pandemic,” she adds, noting that some specialties like dermatology had more trouble because they rely on in-person visits and had a harder time going digital.

A COVID-19 Update LGBTQ Houstonians weigh in on how life has changed for them.

By MARENE GUSTIN

As the world enters its second year of turmoil and tragedy brought on by COVID-19, service nonprofits, performing-arts organizations, and healthcare providers are developing new strategies and platforms to deliver their services.

For example, groups like Houston Pride and QFest, and entertainers like the Space Kiddettes have had to quickly pivot to online presentations in order to maintain their audience base.

And while restaurant and bar owners have been hit especially hard by COVID-19 restrictions, new formats and creative marketing have saved the day for many in that industry. Houstonians Mike Dorsey and his husband, Chih Lin, saw the economic downturn as their chance to quit their corporate jobs and open Dumpling Dudez, a unique EaDo business that was featured in a reality show about “second act” careers.

Several other LGBTQ Houstonians are also busy adapting and even thriving in these uncertain times. OUTSMART sat down with seven of these folks to discuss how the pandemic continues to impact their lives and livelihoods.

Levi Rollins, Urban Eats

feasturbaneats.com As the owner of Urban Eats bistro, bar, and market, Levi Rollins 22

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works in one of the hardest-hit industries. “Our business plummeted by 50 percent overnight in late March 2020,” he says.

“We adapted quickly by offering curbside, to-go, and delivery, but still finished the second quarter of 2020 down by nearly 40 percent.”

Over the summer and fall, the restaurant focused on take-out options, including grab-and-go and prepared meals, charcuterie, cheese, desserts, and beer and

rewarded for spreading the word about the business on social media.

“We’ve also implemented Bundle Meal Packages, making selecting dinner easier for our loyal customers. For $40 you can get a great meal for two or more, including a main dish, two sides, salad, and fresh-baked bread.” Rollins is hopeful that in the second half of 2021, his restaurant can resume dine-in service when the time is right and also maintain the strong takeout business they’ve developed.

Dr. M. Sandra Scurria, MDVIP

wine. With the relaxation of pandemic guidelines and the addition of limited dine-in, “our business has gradually increased, but we’re still running a substantial decrease from pre-pandemic numbers,” Rollins says. “Communication with our customers has been key in our survival.”

Urban Eats has boosted its marketing strategy with the addition of a blog, newsletter, and daily social-media posts that have greatly increased engagement with their customers. They also recently launched a Foodie Program, where customers are

OutSmartMagazine.com

tinyurl.com/5dzu3qbk Medical workers, from hospital janitors to techs, nurses, and doctors, have been on the front lines of this pandemic since the beginning, and they remain the true faces of heroism in the midst of tragedy. “The 2020 pandemic has been stressful, to say the least,” says Dr. Sandra “Sandy” Scurria.

“Initially, my business slowed way down, but once we figured out how to do virtual visits, we were up and running.”

Patients were comfortable with the telemedicine visits, Scurria notes. Once safety guidelines were relaxed, patients started returning to the office. “Overall, my office visits are less than preCOVID,” she says.

“Most physicians had dif-

“Virtual visits really saved the day for me,” Scurria says. “I also took advantage of the Payroll Protection Plan funds from the government, and I was able to keep all of my employees working full-time.”

Scurria predicts that telemedicine is here to stay. “My patients really like the ease of visits from home, and I like them, too—especially for follow-up visits and visits not requiring person-to-person interaction,” she says.

“I have been very pleased to be an MDVIP concierge physician during the pandemic,” Scurria says. “I had an easier time managing reduced patient visits, and my patients were very happy to have a physician that they could readily access. My practice model allows me to be more available to my patients, and both my patients and I are grateful for that.”

Jeremy Fain, Greenwood King Properties

greenwoodking.com Realtor Jeremy Fain has had a positive experience adapting to the pandemic. “I’m very fortunate to have had the opposite effect than most,” he says. “The pandemic contributed to my best year in the business, and there is no sign of it slowing down any time soon.”

The beginning of 2020 started off strong, he notes, and the housing market is still solid. “People are feeling more comfortable with what is going on, and feel safe starting to resume business as usual. It’s both a blessing and a curse at the same time.”

He explains that some folks have decided not to list their homes for sale because they don’t want people walking through their houses. Interest rates are also at a historic low, causing a surge of buyers to enter the market. “Low inventory plus lots of buyers equals a feeding frenzy,” Fain says. “Great for the sellers with wonderful presentations and pricing, however a bit challenging for buyers who want the good stuff !”

Despite his concern for his brother Marco, a physician in Houston who has been exposed to COVID on the front lines almost every day, last year was pretty good to Fain. “When times get tough, a lot of people retreat,”

he says. “This is when the tough people push through and make their presence known. I have always been a rebel and have gone against the grain. This is one of those times I’m glad I went with my gut and marketed when nobody else was, because it’s times like this when people are reading and checking their mail that they see you.”

“VIRTUAL VISITS REALLY SAVED THE DAY FOR ME. I ALSO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE PAYROLL PROTECTION PLAN FUNDS FROM THE GOVERNMENT, AND I WAS ABLE TO KEEP ALL OF MY EMPLOYEES WORKING FULL-TIME.” —Sandra Scurria

it serves the community, but has been providing new support for various groups within the trans community. “S.O.S.U. is one program stronger with the creation of Save Our Sons and Brothers (S.O.S.B.), a program within our organization that is a social network for trans men of color,” Narcisse says. “Another breakthrough is the development of the COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund for food, rent, and bills for trans individuals of color—in both English and Spanish.

“This reflects the spirit of S.O.S.U, a Black, trans-led organization not leaving any other marginalized communities behind during times of hardship,”

Atlantis Narcisse, Save Our Sisters United, Inc.

saveoursistersunitedinc.com Save Our Sisters United, Inc. (S.O.S.U.) CEO and founder Atlantis Narcisse created the nonprofit to empower transgender women of color, but she’s pleased that it’s grown beyond that. “The social, political, and economic adversity that 2020 brought upon us has prompted S.O.S.U, Inc., to return to the drawing board to revitalize our areas of service for the well-being of our local Black trans community and trans individuals of color,” she says.

As a result, the organization not only expanded the ways that

our vital services would still be available during the pandemic.”

What he misses most is faceto-face counseling and wellness sessions, as well as the many fundraising activities. But there are some plusses. “The Center has converted to online intake, teleheath, and lots and lots of Teams and Zoom meetings. The addition of telehealth is allowing us to reach LGBTQ+ community members much farther away and extend our service area to rural communities. We have used this time to do deferred maintenance on our building—upgrading flooring, painting walls, adding sanitizer dispensers, improving restrooms, and deep-cleaning the Center so we will be ready to welcome the community when it is safe to reopen our meeting spaces.”

The Montrose Center’s new Law Harrington Senior Living Center is also welcoming its first handful of seniors into affordable housing. The pandemic has impacted seniors more than almost any other group. “The new LGBTQ-affirming senior center has 112 units and is creating dignified housing for those who built our community,” Loftin says. “LGBTQ+ Houston, we did a thing!”

Narcisse adds, noting that the pandemic just added to the existing hardships of small grassroots organizations and the people they serve. “As a nonprofit, seeking and being awarded grants during a pandemic is an even more competitive and strenuous feat, while the pressure to provide assistance to our target population, trans indi-

viduals of color, grows.” Although she doesn’t think life will return to what it was in pre-COVID times, she’s been buoyed by the way the community has pulled together to help each other.

Kennedy “Kent” Loftin, The Montrose Center

montrosecenter.com

Harper Watters, Houston Ballet

Kennnedy Loftin has lost friends and family during the COVID-19 pandemic, but he has been buoyed by the strength and resilience of the Montrose Center.

“We have not had to lay anyone off, cut salaries, or cut back any programs, except for having to close our meeting spaces. We have increased staff [to help us distribute] more than $2 million in COVID financial assistance [to our clients],” he explains.

Last March, the Center quickly converted programs to telehealth and made better use of virtual intake forms, Loftin notes. “This was no small task, but I am so proud of the 90-plus staff that worked tirelessly to ensure that

theharperwatters.com Houston Ballet soloist Harper Watters was already a socialmedia star before the pandemic

shut down the Wortham Theater Center downtown. “The pandemic has completely halted all of our performances, and really derailed the world of performing arts,” he says. “I rehearse socially distanced from only a few dancers in my company, but I have not ➝

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A COVID-19 UPDATE | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

interacted and danced with the entire company since mid-March.”

This frustrates Watters, because “there have been entire seasons of TV shows, [including] the recent Super Bowl halftime show, that have all been produced under the same circumstances.”

He and the rest of the Houston Ballet team have primarily been holding classes and rehearsals over Zoom.

“We’re lucky to be working closely now with Methodist Hospital, [so we] have protocols that allow small groups of us to go in person and take classes at the Ballet. But on days when we can’t, and to ensure the material we’re learning for our virtual projects is thoroughly taught, we still utilize Zoom,” he says. “I’ve been so impressed with how we’ve overcome Internet glitches [and music synching problems] that Zoom presents, and still maintained our high-level performance quality.”

The Houston Ballet also began to offer archival videos of performances, and they are now filming for a new digital season. “The result was that new eyes and minds were reached that weren’t local, but love the arts,” Watters notes.

“I am a big advocate for filming and sharing work digitally. Visibility is currency.

“We also offered a deeper look into rehearsals, and a behind-thescenes look at how these projects were created,” he adds. “I’m confident that if these practices are implemented when we return to ‘normal’ circumstances, it will add a whole new layer of intrigue and depth to our world. The best thing to come out of this has been that I’ve really been able to dive into my identity as a queer BIPOC person.”

Frank Yunc, Coda in the Heights

codaintheheights.com Coda in the Heights is one of those

darling home décor shops where you could spend hours ogling and always go home with something.

But then the lockdown hit. “We did curbside, but it’s hard if you don’t know what we sell, or have never been in the store,” owner

Frank Yunc says. “The biggest problem was being closed. Other than that, we encountered some shipping issues due to closed vendors’ factories, but it was very minimal.”

Luckily for Yunc, things

picked up late last year. “We had record numbers for the holiday season, but not nearly enough to come close to 2019 sales. Right now, we’re stable. It’s a slow time in retail after the new year, but I believe we should be back on track by summer.”

He also has some important advice to offer folks during COVID-19 times. “Hang in there, and have respect for each other.

You never know how difficult some people have it right now.

Show support and do what you can to help, or just be an outlet to comfort those who might need it.

Simple acts of kindness. Support from the community. We had a lot of folks shopping on 19th Street this season, and we appreciate that beyond words. Shop local, support local. That’s what keeps us here so we can continue to offer unique items you won’t find in the mega malls or big-box stores.

Thank you, Houston, you’ve really helped us out.”

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AN INTERVIEW WITH ...

Barry Barnes The Houston Health Department’s administrative coordinator describes the City’s pandemic strategy.

By MARENE GUSTIN

Describe your job at the City.

As a member of the Houston Health Department staff for the City of Houston, I see myself as one who serves as the conduit between the community and government. My core responsibilities and efforts include an eclectic mix of branding and marketing, with a sprinkling of public relations.

Be it through continuity of narrative, experiencecentered events, appropriate use of logos, graphiccampaign development, or vendor coordination and engagement, it is my commitment and core responsibility to ensure that we are aligned with the needs of our citizens. At the Houston Health Department, “We protect the H.” My role is to support the efforts that make us one community, and to ensure that the words and deeds that are central to the mission of the Houston Health Department are conveyed in a meaningful, timely, and relevant manner to all Houstonians, regardless of their race, income, orientation, or socio-economic background.

“AS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I SEE MYSELF AS ONE WHO SERVES AS THE CONDUIT BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT.”

RAINEDROP PHOTOGRAPHY

How long have you been there?

I have been with the Houston Health Department for 14 years, but I have a lifetime of experience beginning in my younger years growing up and working in New York City with the rise of the HIV epidemic. At that time, it was new and there was no name to describe it. There were even fewer resources to navigate it and alleviate its devastating impact on families and communities. There were so many people [who were suffering], and it became very important for me to help people through that complicated time. Fortunately, I was in a position where I was both willing and able to be a positive resource. That began my official commitment to this work, and my hands-on training with tactile community outreach. [All of those decades’ worth] of experiences have prepared me for this moment in time.

26 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

Has anything in your past work prepared you for the COVID-19 pandemic, or helped you deal with this crisis?

We have all been challenged to reflect, reimagine, and repurpose our values, talents, and contributions. Upon reflection, the complex skills required to navigate, support, lead, pivot, help, and inform

Houstonians through COVID-19 is everevolving and challenging. I feel my rich life and diverse work experience have prepared me for this moment and time. In the heartaches and victories of this crisis, as well as the moments of humanity and hope, I believe I have become stronger and wiser. It is neither easy nor effortless, but I am certain that my past work allows me to effectively assist during this moment, as well as help prepare all Houstonians for the future and what may come.

Have you received the vaccine yet?

Yes, as a first responder, I have received the Moderna vaccine. I understand that many people have concerns [about its safety], but we must heal together. I have taken both shots, I feel great, and I am dedicated to my role to help move us all forward. I am striving to lead by example, and I hope that everyone feels as comfortable as I did when it is their time to receive the vaccine.

How long do you think it will take to vaccinate enough of the population to achieve

Forget” as well as “Better. Together.” speak to herd immunity? our individual capacities to mask up, wash our The time that it will take to achieve herd imhands, social distance, and get tested. Until munity is a technical question, and compliwe reach herd immunity and everyone can be cated to answer. On purely a personal note, I vaccinated, it is essential that we continue to hope we would be able to realistically reach do our part to minimize the spread and keep that goal [during] 2021. Professionally, and as a each other safe. public health liaison, I know this is an evolving process and a moving target. Consequently, it is What is the most positive thing you can essential that we all rely on the subject-matter say about your life right now? experts such as Dr. Fauci and the World Health One of my favorite quotes, which I recently Organization for guidance. discovered and truly love, is “Learn to be done.

[Even without getting into] the converNot mad, not bothered, just done. Protect sation regarding global travelers, policies, your peace at all costs.” During the COVID-19 and international protocols, achieving herd pandemic, this quote speaks volumes about immunity within the United States is a huge perspective. Consequently, the most positive undertaking. Logistically, it requires safe vacthing I can say about my life right now is that I cine production, long-term monitoring, and the am happy. I am fortunate to be able timely release of vaccines across the to continue to surround myself with various states. In addition, I agree positive and good people who strive that a comprehensive, coordinated, Read the full for excellence daily. and universal COVID-19 vaccine online exclusive rollout would be essential to the sucat outsmartFor more information about cess of this effort. magazine.com the Houston Health DepartIn the meantime, our current ment, visit houstontx.gov/health.

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COMMUNITY

Black Queer Plus The Normal Anomaly’s new resource center will combat unaddressed needs.

A resource center for Black LGBTQ people will be unveiled in Southwest Houston this month.

Black Queer Plus: Center for Liberation (BQ+), located at 10039 Bissonnet Street, Suite 107, will host a grand opening on March 10. Founded by the local grassroots organization The Normal Anomaly Initiative, the new facility will provide resources to combat the unaddressed needs of the Black LGBTQ community.

“BQ+ is dedicated to building community resources through programming, events, and collaboration that reduces the incidence and effect of HIV, creating and procuring employment opportunities, housing a community burial fund in partnership with community organizations, building knowledge around policy and advocacy, and providing support groups for issues like intimate-partner violence, racial injustice, and social injustice,” says Ian L. Haddock, a Black cis gay man and the founder and executive director for The Normal Anomaly Initiative.

Because the Initiative is focused on the intersection of Black and LGBTQ needs, Haddock believes the center will provide new opportunities for “getting things done in the community.” In order to be as accessible as possible, BQ+ will have streamlined services for HIV testing, counseling, employment, and mental-health needs.

Haddock shares that he strategically chose 28 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

FACEBOOK

By KRYSTLE LYONS Photo by THE CPR BRAND

BQ+ program coordinators Jordan Edwards (l) and Joelle Bayaa-Urzuri Espeut with founder Ian L. Haddock.

Ian Haddock

“WE ARE TRYING TO LIBERATE SOME OF THE MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND LIFT EACH OTHER UP WHILE BUILDING A COALITION OF RESOURCES.” —Ian L. Haddock

the center’s location in an area with one of the highest concentrations of sex workers. “It’s right where we want to be—right in the middle of the change,” he says. “We are trying to liberate some of the most marginalized communities and lift each other up while building a coalition of resources.”

In addition to founding and developing The Normal Anomaly Initiative, Haddock has done social-advocacy work with Legacy Community Health. He also continues to mobilize with Impulse Group Houston, a local organization dedicated to promoting healthier sexual lifestyles among LGBTQ people. Those groups not

only taught Haddock more about his passion for advocacy, but also helped him see “so many missing pieces and intersections that were being missed.”

What started with the internal question “What can I create that can house trans, HIV, mental health, and employment [resources]?” became a reality through an 18-month grant from AIDS United’s Fund for Resilience, Equity, and Engagement. “We never had the kind of budget that would afford us the ability to hire a team to build this center.”

After Haddock and his board members attended a strategic-planning session with Lead 360, he better understood how to liberate the target communities and overcome obstacles.

While choosing staff to launch the center, Haddock was intentional about diversity and representation. “I was really focused on lifting emerging voices from overly marginalized communities,” he says. Joelle Bayaa-Uzuri Espeut, a Black woman of the trans experience, and Jordan Edwards, a Black sexually fluid man living with HIV, were hand-selected by Haddock from many applicants as program coordinators. Haddock shares that these two new staff members are his “dream team,” and “testaments to what it means to be liberated.”

Bayaa-Uzuri Espeut, who formerly worked with The Mahogany Project, explains that doing advocacy work has been her dream for several years. “So much so that I spent most of my free time during the past two years doing volunteer activism work. Working with The Normal Anomaly provides me with the opportunity to do the community work I’ve always wanted to do.”

Edwards was previously with AIDS Foundation Houston, and says The Normal Anomaly has enabled him to be a part of history in the making. “The BQ+ Center focuses on providing resources for Black queer [and] trans individuals of positive and negative HIV status. The difference between The Normal Anomaly and other agencies is that it is run by Ian L. Haddock, who is a part of the initiative’s community. I have been in spaces before where there was a lack of inclusiveness from other service providers. Working for The Normal Anomaly was my chance to use my voice for those we have lost, gained, and forgotten about in the Black queer, trans, and HIV-positive community.”

The March 10 BQ+ grand opening promises to be like no other. The virtual event will be streamed live on The Normal Anomaly’s Face-

book page from multiple locations, including at the BQ+ Center and Hamburger Mary’s Houston.

Keynote speaker Tommie Ross, Pride Houston’s 2020 Female-Identifying Grand Marshal, will be joined by DePaul Norwood and local performers Foxy Mun’ro and Chlöé Crawford Ross. The event will also include cameos by Darryl Stephens from Noah’s Ark, the Montrose Center, the Mahogany Project, Inc., Impulse Group Houston, AIDS Foundation Houston, Legacy Community Health, Texas Southern University, University of Houston, Justyn Smith Counseling, LLC, and AIDS United.

“The goal is to move the community from ‘anomalies’—situations where they feel like they are the only one—to actually ‘normalizing’ things such as employment, financial freedom, being [proactive about physical] and mental health,” Haddock emphasizes.

For more information on Black Queer Plus: Center for Liberation, email founder@normalanomaly.org.

Follow the Normal Anomaly Initiative on Facebook @normalanomaly and Instagram @thenormalanomaly.

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g n i l l o R h e P u n ch e s t World-champion MMA fighter Jessica “Jag” Aguilar brings her LGBTQ pride back to Houston.

By ZACHARY McKENZIE Photos by JAMES LAW

W

hen Houston-based mixed martial arts champion Jessica Aguilar shared her dreams of becoming a professional MMA fighter, her loved ones reacted with laughter and disbelief. But Aguilar kept her eyes on the prize, and that determination led her to become a decorated world-champion fighter. Having recently returned to Houston, the advocate for women’s and LGBTQ rights is ready to forge a new path and make her impact on the city.

The out and proud athlete knew she was different from a young age.

“My father passed away when I was six, and my mom enrolled me in a private Catholic school,” Aguilar explains. “Students attended mass every Wednesday, and sometimes the priest would say people who are gay are going to hell. I figured I was going to hell, because that’s the way I felt. I eventually realized that what I was hearing was so wrong, because I’m not a bad person. There was a lot of confusion.”

Having lost a number of family members at an early age, including her older brother in a car accident, Aguilar didn’t want to add, in her words, “any more trauma” to her family by revealing she was gay. Ultimately, she took the step to live her truth by coming out to her mother, an immigrant from Mexico—a decision Aguilar is grateful for. ➝

OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 31

JESSICA “JAG” AGUILAR | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

After graduating high school, she attended San Jacinto College before chasing a new dream. “I decided to fly away. I took a semester off and went to California for about eight months to be a movie star. I wanted to do the Hollywood thing,” Aguilar reminisces. “It wasn’t as easy as I thought.” Needing a change of pace, she accepted an invitation from friends to move to Oregon, where she found work as a corrections officer and gained robust experience in self defense.

The modern nomad’s next move was to Florida, where her path to MMA fame began.

“I moved to Miami, worked for a mortgage company, and joined a gym. I took fitness classes, and one day I arrived late and saw another class in session. It was Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which focuses on manipulating the joints for self defense,” she explains. Aguilar began training with a coach and signed up for a jiu-jitsu tournament one month later. “I was on a team and I loved it. I ended up winning first place at that tournament.”

American Top Team, a primary team in MMA, came calling soon after. “They owned the second-largest MMA tournament in Florida in 2006 and were featuring their first female battle, but they couldn’t find a second girl. They called me up and asked how much MMA experience I had. I said I had no idea what it was!” Aguilar laughs. “I told him I had done jiu-jitsu for two months, and he asked if I wanted to fight. I said yes because I wanted to compete.”

Looking back, Aguilar laughs at how fast everything happened. “I had five days to train for my first professional MMA fight against someone with a ton of wrestling experience.

I lost that one, but it became the fight of the night. There were so many promoters in the stands, and they called me and offered me more fights. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew I loved it.”

At that point, Aguilar was ready to “go big or go home.” Having formed the first female team at American Top Team, she was up for her next challenge. “I told my coach that I wanted to fight and be the best in the world.

They laughed at me, but gave me a training schedule.” The athlete was still working at the mortgage bank during the day. “I started winning fights. I was getting to travel, compete, and still work my full-time job. I loved learning how to fight. I felt like such a badass. I was super successful, and I found myself in front of my idol, Megumi Fuji. I was in the cage, fighting the number-one girl in the world.”

Aguilar emerged victorious from that fight to become the MMA world champ—a title she held for more than three years.

Although her career in mixed martial arts is a far cry from her original Hollywood dreams, she realizes her talent in the ring 32 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

“BEING ABLE TO SHARE THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF DEFENSE WITH MEN AND WOMEN MAKES EVERYONE INVOLVED FEEL SO EMPOWERED AND CONFIDENT. I LOVE THAT I CAN SHARE MY SKILLS TO HELP PEOPLE PROTECT THEMSELVES.” —Jessica Aguilar

translates into a greater mission. Her lifelong calling to help people has led Aguilar to use her martial-arts skills to teach self-defense classes. “I never grew up thinking this would ever be something I’d do for a living. I started at 24 and I didn’t know anything about MMA. Being able to share the importance of self defense

with men and women makes everyone involved feel so empowered and confident. I love that I can share my skills to help people protect themselves.”

Aguilar is also excited to bring her LGBTQ pride to H-Town. The MMA icon beams as she talks about her partner and her vision for their life together, splitting time between Houston and Los Angeles. “I have a very special love in my life, and I’m so happy to be back home.

I can’t wait to see what this journey will look like. I want to be part of the LGBT community here and lead some self-defense classes. I’m here, Houston!”

Aguilar reflects on the lessons she’s learned while fighting for her dreams, and the message of positivity and hard work she has for a new generation looking for their life path. “I was my biggest believer. No one thought I would make anything of myself fighting in a cage.” Her gospel of positivity and hard work transcends the MMA fighting cage. “Be a good person, smile, and believe everything is going to be okay. Whether you want to be a fighter, a movie star, or whatever, just believe in yourself! Go to work and make it happen.”

Keep up with Jessica “Jag” Aguilar on Instagram @jagatt.

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MARCH 2021

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OutSmartMagazine.com

In the summer of 2011, Houston experienced one of its driest years on record, coupled with several weeks of consecutive above100-degree days. The result of Mother Nature’s cruelty was that Memorial Park lost more than 20,000 trees. For any passers-by, the once-green and luscious spaces looked brown and suffering from deforestation.

While that was a hard blow to the park, it did spark ongoing calls to revitalize the massive urban oasis. The Memorial Park Conservancy knew it needed to bring in a leader who could tap into the city’s overwhelming enthusiasm to revamp the area. Enter Shellye Arnold, who was hired in 2013 as president and chief executive officer for the organization.

People needed this. People still do.”

Arnold views the Bayou City’s parks as one of its best assets, especially now.

“At this very moment in time, people need a place where they can get out and be safe and healthy. In this time of COVID-19, people value green space and parks more than they ever have,” she says. “Further, in a time when there’s less and less space where people can come together, and there’s great divisiveness between us, parks are places that bring people together. Parks are truly the last democratic place in society. Whether it’s the neighborhood park or the 1,500-acre Memorial Park, I hope people care for these places.”

Arnold’s own background is just as impressive as the park itself. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas-Austin and a master’s degree in public policy from Princeton University. Arnold spent the first part of her career with the Texas State Legislature, the Texas Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. She speaks Spanish fluently, which helped when she worked as a volunteer in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, and Peru delivering public-health programs.

From there, Arnold transitioned to a consulting role in industry. She possesses a background in executive leadership and change management from her nearly 20 years at Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, and McKinsey & Company.

“I was the first openly gay person who was out at Compaq Land bridge over in the ’90s. I did that strategiMemorial Drive (east view) cally. I did that based on my own values. It was a difficult and risky career move, and I was a junior executive. And it was before Ellen came out,” Arnold notes.

She and her wife, Tina Sabuco, have lived in the same home in Garden Oaks for the last 27 years. During her down time, Arnold volunteers with animal-rescue groups. Until recently, she was serving as a leader for Girl Scout Troop 21, the nation’s only Girl Scout troop composed of women with differing learning abilities.

We’ve added 2.5 miles of trails in a lake and wetlands area. It and other projects contain an important aspect of stormwater management. People get to experience and learn about wildlife,” Arnold mentions. “Eastern Glades has been met with tremendously positive accolades. People tell me all the time how it’s transforming their life. Someone today sent me an email detailing that their friend who is recovering from cancer goes to the Eastern Glades as part of their recovery. It’s their sanctuary.”

She continues, “We opened Eastern Glades during the early part of COVID-19 before it was ready, because we thought people needed access to this space. We’re healing the land, and in doing so, we’re healing spirits and people.

NELSON BYRD WOLTZ

“The drought was a catalyst for all the changes that would come, and the renewed commitment from the public and private sector for the largest urban park in Houston, and one of the largest in the nation. That led to the desire to expand the Conservancy and grow the organization’s role in the park. I was hired to lead that change,” she says.

During her tenure with the conservancy, Arnold has expanded the team from three to 60 members and increased the $300 thousand annual budget to $30 million. And of course, she was instrumental in developing its master plan, which relied heavily on input from Houstonians as well as scientists. Five key tenets were articulated in that plan: restoring the park’s ecological systems and creating greater resiliency; reconnecting the park’s land, waterways, trails, and people; consolidating compatible uses together in appropriate areas; tending to the land and the park’s cultural history, maintaining balance through responsible management; and enhancing the overall park experience and amenities.

“The mayor at the time had the foresight to annex Memorial Park into the city’s footprint so that they could provide funding for the park, since there wasn’t a public funding source. So, we started down that path together.

Nelson Byrd Fields was selected from a highly competitive field of landscape architects for the project. They’re researchbased, they’re good at listening to community feedback, and they’ve done ecological work in large parks. The master plan was unanimously passed by City Council in 2015,” Arnold explains.

With a plan in place, and with the support of project partners Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Memorial Park Conservancy, Kinder Foundation, and Uptown Development Authority, Houstonians are already seeing the fruits of their labor with the recently opened Clay Family Eastern Glades and the updates to the Sports Complex. A land bridge across Memorial Drive and a prairie restoration is scheduled for completion in 2022.

“The Eastern Glades embodies the values of ecological restoration and conservation. It’s really an exciting space. We’re doing wetland restoration, and we’ve created picnic space.

“WE OPENED EASTERN GLADES DURING THE EARLY PART OF COVID-19 BEFORE IT WAS READY, BECAUSE WE THOUGHT PEOPLE NEEDED ACCESS TO THIS SPACE. WE’RE HEALING THE LAND, AND IN DOING SO, WE’RE HEALING SPIRITS AND PEOPLE.” —Shellye Arnold

For more information on the Memorial Park Conservancy, visit memorialparkconservancy.org.

OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 35

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.  Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.  Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you

have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems,

including hepatitis infection.

 Have any other health problems.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not

known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby.

Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.  Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed.

Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:  Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-

counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other.

Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at

MyDailyCharge.com

BVYC0197_BIKTARVY_A_8-125X10-75_OutSmart_Dimitri_r1v1jl.indd All Pages

GET MORE INFORMATION  This is only a brief summary of important information

about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine,

visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP ASPIRING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2020 © 2020 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved.

BVYC0197 03/20

DIMITRI LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

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BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

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5/8/20 10:09 AM

WOMEN IN POWER

The Journey to Greatness Whitney Howard—a musician, entrepreneur, and media expert—inspires others to thrive.

By KIM HOGSTROM

Whitney Howard has covered a lot of bases in her life. At 50 years young, the vivacious and witty Houstonian is a successful entrepreneur, dedicated musician, and inspiring media personality. But this just scratches the surface, since she is so much more.

The path to prosperity has been a wild journey for Howard. Fresh out of high school, she sought a trade that fit her love of beauty and gift for inspiration. For 32 years, she owned and operated a thriving modeling agency and beauty salon, and she also taught cosmetology for 18 of those years.

About 13 years ago, Howard launched a radio show called Diva’ONNE Exclusive Entertainment, where she continues to interview up-and-coming local artists about their work.

In 2013, her profile grew even larger when she was featured as an instructor on Houston Beauty, an Oprah Winfrey Network reality television show that followed the goings-on at Franklin Beauty School, a historic Space City cosmetology institute.

“But all things change, right?” Howard laughs. “My life changed when [my own] beauty school closed. I was out of a job, and I needed to make changes.”

In her late 40s, Howard decided to attend Houston Community College for a cosmetology certification. But on a whim, she added piano study to her schedule and promptly fell in love with studying music. She was soon enrolled in music theory, concert choir, voice lessons, chamber ensemble, and music history.

After changing degree plans and completing an associate’s degree in music, Howard continued her studies at Texas Southern University (TSU), where she earned double bachelor’s degrees in applied classical piano and radio, television, and film. Currently, she is working toward her master’s degree in communications at TSU, and hopes to later pursue a doctoral degree in media arts.

38 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

As a trans woman, Howard noticed that TSU didn’t have an extensive history of LGBTQ inclusivity. So she decided to fix that by helping launch the school’s Pride Center, where she now works. “[The resource center] provides TSU’s LGBTQ and ally students a safe and welcoming place to go to study, to eat lunch, to laugh, or to relax. It is wonderful. Sometimes the students even ask me for mentoring, and I am always delighted to do it. The Pride Center has been a happy success for all,” Howard notes.

Never one to rest on her laurels, Howard also teaches piano students part-time at her own Diva’ONNE Exclusive School of Music.

Her students range in age from 9 to 50, and they all learn music theory in addition to basic piano skills. “You gotta know why you’re playin’ what you’re playin’!” Howard laughs.

Is there anything this woman can’t do?

“Sometimes friends tease me and call me a jack-of-all-trades. I have to correct them and say I am a ‘Jack-ette of all trades!’” she laughs.

Howard’s life journey has been remarkable from the start. Her biological mother was passing through Houston when Howard was born.

At only three days old, she became a Texan while her mother continued in her travels.

“I was adopted by a wonderful family in Houston, but there were actually no legal documents involved. It was more like a hand-off.

The Houston family just sort of took me in right after I was born,” Howard explains.

It was a happy twist of fate. As a child, Howard was surrounded by love and, as the youngest in her small family, they enjoyed spoiling her. She did well in school, had many books, tons of toys, and often went shopping for clothing with her mom.

However, as a youngster she dealt with gender dysphoria and a mental disconnect from her birth name—a discord that grew more apparent the older she became.

“I was always very, very feminine. No matter how hard I tried to fit my name—to be a

boy—it just didn’t work,” she says, noting that a friend suggested she go by a new name. “I have always loved Whitney Houston, so I chose Whitney instead!”

Twenty years after she started transitioning, Howard still hadn’t legally corrected her gender marker or name. But then she happened to cross paths with Houston judge Phyllis Frye—the nation’s first openly trans judge, who specializes in trans issues in her private legal practice.

“I did not know the judge, but I had a traffic ticket so I went to court to pay it,” Howard recalls. “When Judge Frye summoned me up to the bench, she called me by my birth name.

[When she became confused after] staring me up and down, she said, ‘We need to do something about that.’ So she helped me change it!”

Another of Howard’s many achievements includes raising two children. Following high school, she and a lesbian friend were sitting around one afternoon lamenting that neither of them would have biological kids. It was a sad moment, as both of the young LGBTQ people wanted to raise a family.

“I said to her, “Hey, wanna give it a try?’

She agreed, so we had a son and raised him together,” Howard says. The duo lived together while they each dated other people. They later decided to have a second child, and this time they had a daughter. Today, both of Howard’s kids are happily married and raising children of their own.

With such a unique life path thus far, where does Howard hope the rest of the journey takes her? “I am hoping to use my radio, television, and film degree to work for [more] radio and TV stations in the future,” Howard explains, noting that she’d like to explore media opportunities in Atlanta. “I would also like to write the scripts for films I can then produce. Maybe I can do the music scoring, too!”

Keep up with Whitney Howard on Instagram @divaexclusivetvwhitneyhoward.

“I AM HOPING TO USE MY RADIO, TELEVISION, AND FILM DEGREE TO WORK FOR MORE RADIO AND TV STATIONS IN THE FUTURE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO WRITE THE SCRIPTS FOR FILMS I CAN THEN PRODUCE. MAYBE I CAN DO THE MUSIC SCORING, TOO!” —Whitney Howard

OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 39

QUEER HISTORY

Herstory Maker Arden Eversmeyer’s project records and honors the lives of hundreds of older lesbians.

By BRANDON WOLF

“You don’t have to climb Mount Everest to be interesting,” Arden Eversmeyer says. “Everyone has an amazing story.” With that philosophy in mind, Eversmeyer founded The Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project (OLOHP) in 1988 to document and honor the lives of hundreds of older lesbians.

Today, OLOHP is international, and the project’s dozen or more active interviewers have completed documenting almost 800 histories. And as the 89-year-old vice president of OLOHP, Eversmeyer is still going strong as well.

40 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

Becoming a Historian

Indeed, Eversmeyer’s story is an amazing one.

She was in her 60s when she founded OLOHP, and the years leading up to that milestone are just as remarkable.

Eversmeyer was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, in 1931. She later moved to Texas to attend Texas Woman’s University in Denton, where she earned a degree in health, recreation, and physical education.

In 1951, Eversmeyer settled in Pampa, Texas, where she was hired to set up the first driver’s education program at a local high school. She met her first partner, Tommie Russum, at a softball game in Houston in 1952, and moved to Space City to be with her.

Eversmeyer taught driver’s education and physical education in the Pasadena Independent School District before transferring to the Houston Independent School District and becoming a student counselor.

In 1963, Eversmeyer earned her master’s degree in counseling from Sam Houston State College. “I just liked junior-high kids,” she says. “They could come to me and vent. At that point, they are not kids and not yet adults.” She counseled middle schoolers until her retirement in 1981.

Then in 1985, her golden years took a tragic turn when Russum, her partner of 33 years, died. Although Eversmeyer had a large group of friends, they were all in relationships, so she had few opportunities to meet single women.

Feeling like there was no place for midlife women like her in Houston, Eversmeyer packed her bags and went to the West Coast to look for organizations that included older LGBTQ singles. She came up short when she found that those kind of groups were mostly for gay men.

Eversmeyer decided if she couldn’t find a suitable organization, then she would make one. She returned to Houston to develop a local organization for older lesbians. Six women showed up at the first meeting in 1987, and the group adopted the name LOAF—Lesbians Over Age Fifty.

LOAF has evolved since its modest launch, and now has about 150 members who meet on the third Sunday of every month. The group is the only lesbian organization of its kind in the country. Although Eversmeyer is no longer an active leader, she has a courtesy seat on the group’s executive board.

In 1987, Eversmeyer began a relationship with Charlotte Avery. The two had been a married couple for 10 years when Avery passed away in 2018.

The Birth of OLOHP

Although LOAF continued to grow every year after its inception, Eversmeyer quickly realized how many members were dealing with serious illnesses. Their stories and challenges weighed heavily on Eversmeyer as she traveled to Minnesota to attend the Old Lesbians Organizing for Change (OLOC) national conference in 1988. At the conference, she met a woman who was working with the lesbian archive in West Hollywood. She showed Eversmeyer how to conduct oral histories and encouraged her to record the life stories of older lesbians.

Concerned that the stories of the LOAF members who were ill would be lost, Evers-

Arden Eversmeyer (r) and her late partner Charlotte Avery began their relationship in 1987. Together, they conducted many oral histories of older lesbian stories, a project that blossomed into two books—A Gift of Age and Without Apology.

meyer convinced them to let her record oral histories of their lives.

Eversmeyer and Avery continued to attend the biannual OLOC conferences in cities with large lesbian populations. They would map a course to each conference that allowed them to stop and conduct oral histories of lesbians who lived along the way. Sometimes Eversmeyer would even conduct oral-history interviews at the conferences.

On top of the oral histories, Eversmeyer collected photos and other documentation, copying and placing them with the history transcripts.

Eversmeyer conducted all of the oral histories for the first 10 years. As interest in her work increased, she set up a display at OLOC conferences and began to conduct workshops about oral history at meetings, colleges, and bookstores.

So far, over 40 women have conducted interviews in partnership with OLOHP. Several of these interviews were conducted in Japan, Australia, Costa Rica, and Cuba.

Although she is currently the vice president of OLOHP, she credits the president, Margaret Purcell, with doing “all the rest of the work.” After interviews have been held,

Purcell copies documentation and photos, handles the transcription editing process, and produces the books that feature the oral histories of many older lesbians.

OLOHP currently publishes a quarterly newsletter with the latest information on upcoming projects. In 2009, the book A Gift of Age, was published using some of OLOHP’s oral histories. This happened again in 2012 with the publication of Without Apology, which is available at goodreads.com.

OLOHP’s Future and Importance

OLOHP is approaching its 33rd anniversary with an archive of over 750 completed histories.

While only a few stories are featured in the books, the completed oral histories are housed at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. The archive is open to researchers, and some are already being used in classes at Smith.

Eversmeyer’s LOAF archives are also stored at the University of Houston’s LGBT History Research Collection. Similarly, about six years ago, Eversmeyer gave the LOAF library, her lesbian conference papers, and other activist documents to Texas A&M University. After her donation, the college expressed interest in OLOHP and is currently preparing to duplicate all of OLOHP’s histories for their growing LGBT collection.

Eversmeyer says the project has always been important because many women have had to be secretive about their lives as lesbians and are still unwilling to talk about what that life was like. OLOHP has pulled back the curtains and revealed what many women did to survive those days.

“So many women think they haven’t done anything,” Eversmeyer says. “They are always surprised when they see the completed book, and are so glad they have something to leave for their families.”

There are no special requirements to appear in an OLOHP publication, although it is currently limited to lesbians who are 70 years and older. “It’s open to anyone over 70 who is interested and willing,” Eversmeyer says.

Looking back, Eversmeyer realizes what a unique and fortunate life she has had. In addition to founding two prominent organizations for older lesbians, she has been fighting four different kinds of cancers since 2001. Amazingly, her doctors now say that there are no further signs of cancer in her body.

“It’s been a good ride, and I am blessed and exceedingly grateful,” she says, looking back on her two loving partners and a wide circle of friends.

To learn more about OLOHP, visit olohp.org.

OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 41

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42 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

PRIDE IN THE MEDIA

Grassroots Radio Local LGBTQ-friendly station changes its tune (and its programming) under new leadership.

By KIM HOGSTROM

For 50 years, members of Houston’s LGBTQ community have played a starring role in the support and operation of KPFT 90.1 FM. The radio station has occupied a 100-year-old house in the heart of Montrose since its inception in 1970, when Houston’s pioneering LGBTQ activist Ray Hill co-founded it. Today, KPFT remains a treasured part of the community.

KPFT’s management has changed hands multiple times over the years, and is now in the care of David Baes, a gregarious broadcasting professional who took the helm as general manager on January 15. An openly gay man, Baes looks forward to strengthening KPFT’s ties to Houston’s LGBTQ community.

Baes brings many skills to the table, including his knowledge as a sound engineer, outstanding people skills, financial wherewithal, political acumen, and an engaging on-air personality—proficiencies he honed during his 35 years as on-air personality “Dave Bradley” in the commercial radio world. Baes will need to use all of those skills as he takes on his new station’s unique challenges.

David Baes KPFT is the rarest of broadcasting animals. The nonprofit listener-sponsored community radio station is one of only five U.S. radio stations affiliated with the leftwing Pacifica Foundation. While refreshingly independent from the commercial giants and their cookie-cutter formats that rule today’s airwaves, listener-sponsored radio is difficult to keep afloat. KPFT bucks the corporate model by not accepting advertisers. Instead, audiences donate their money, time, and talent to keep the station above water.

Paying the bills was a big concern for nonprofit media outlets even before the economic calamity provoked by COVID-19. Still, the Houstonians who support KPFT are strongly

committed to the unfettered exchange of ideas and creativity that KPFT has delivered for half a century.

A Man of Many Skills

As an Army kid, Baes moved around the country a lot until his family landed in Wichita, Kansas. That’s where, at the tender age of 11, the bright, outgoing Baes was outed.

“I was never given a chance to ‘come out’,” Baes recalls, chuckling. “My cousin did it for me. When my mother heard about it, she sat me down and said firmly, ‘You are normal. You are OK.’ My mother and I have always enjoyed a warm and honest relationship. It was an asset to me throughout my childhood. Even now, it ➝ OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 43

DAVID BAES | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

makes a big difference.”

Baes began his career in radio at age 13, and he continued strengthening his skills through high school. His technical aptitude carried him through college, and in several professional positions after graduating. His background includes both radio and television work.

Baes recently worked as the director of operations for the PBS affiliate in Wichita—an experience that equipped him to identify areas in need of immediate attention at KPFT. So far, he has updated KPFT’s translators in Huntsville, and is currently working on improving signal strength in Galveston to extend the station’s reach beyond Houston’s city limits.

Unfortunately, the stately old home in Montrose that has housed KPFT all these years has fallen into deep disrepair, forcing the crew to largely vacate the building and work remotely. The building also suffers from regular break-ins, and the walls harbor extensive black mold. Baes is working to secure the structure and solicit bids for mold remediation to make the building functional again.

“It would be so nice to have a space that is not a risk to human life,” Baes states with a laugh. “The old house on Lovett Boulevard is paid for, but my dream would be to move the entire operation to a place that is newer,

“THERE IS SO MUCH TALENT HERE, AND EVERYONE IS SO POSITIVE. I FEEL SURE WE CAN GET THIS STATION TO TURN IN THE DIRECTION IT NEEDS TO GO.” —David Baes

healthier, and better suited for our needs.”

As the station’s new general manager, Braes is uncomfortable being called “boss,” even in fun. “Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge. There is a huge difference between a boss and a leader,” he emphasizes with a smile.

Rethinking the Format

For years, KPFT has operated with a “scatter-

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shot” programming format that offers listeners a full spectrum of ideas and interests. Over time, the station began attracting its deepest bench of listeners with its LGBTQ programming and independent music platforms, particularly during lunch hours and on weekends.

With this in mind, Baes is considering an improved music-based format. His goal is to not only freshen the station’s sound and make it more consistent, but also expand listener demographics to attract a younger audience that will sustain the station in the decades to come.

Plans are underway for a more diverse, progressive playlist not found on other stations.

By featuring local artists who are considered “too fringe” for mainstream stations, as well as local news and information geared to Houstonians’ interests, Baes believes KPFT can become true “community radio.”

However, Baes holds no illusions regarding the challenge he faces. “I know KPFT is a handful, but I have always believed in the power of humanity,” he concludes. “There is so much talent here, and everyone is so positive.

I feel sure we can get this station to turn in the direction it needs to go.”

To learn more about KPFT, visit kpft.org.

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MARCH 2021 45

COMMUNITY

Housing Our Seniors Montrose Center opens Texas’ first LGBTQ-affirming residential facility.

By BRANDON WOLF | Photos by ALEX ROSA The first LGBTQ-affirming senior-living facility in Texas— and one of the largest of its kind in the country—is now open in Houston’s Third Ward.

The Montrose Center’s new Law Harrington Senior Living Center, located at 2222 Cleburne Street, was first announced by Space City’s LGBTQ resource center in 2018. Construction on the building is ongoing through March 11, and at press time, 18 seniors had moved into the center, while 60 of the building’s 112 units have been assigned.

“LGBTQ seniors are twice as likely to age in social isolation and four times less likely to have the money needed for retirement, in comparison to their heterosexual peers,” says Kennedy “Kent” Loftin, the Montrose Center’s chief development officer. On top of this, LGBTQ Houstonians lack city- and state-wide protections against housing discrimination.

The vast majority of LGBTQ-affirming businesses, churches, and service organizations remain in the Montrose “gayborhood” and surrounding areas, Loftin notes. But the lack of affordable housing in Montrose has pushed many LGBTQ low-income seniors into less community-centric areas.

To alleviate some of these problems, the Law Harrington Senior Living Center is open to all seniors ages 62 and over who meet lowincome guidelines. The facility is just one mile from the Montrose Center on two existing Metro bus routes, and is also near a future 46 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

Pictured are Montrose Center employees who were instrumental in the creation of the Law Harrington Senior Living Center.

light-rail line that is part of Houston’s Urban Corridor Plan.

Designed by Smith & Company Architects, the senior-living center features one- and two-bedroom independent-living apartments for both individuals and couples. The property also includes a social-services department managed by the Montrose Center, a geriatric primary-care clinic provided by Legacy Com-

munity Health, a group dining area, business center, library, fitness center, dog park, and outdoor recreational spaces.

Eligible seniors will pay no more than 30 percent of their income on rent. The Montrose Center has also launched a Taking Care of Our Seniors Fund to help seniors with their deposits, moving expenses and, in some cases, rental assistance.

Montrose Center Executive Director Ann Robison says that she and the late clinical director Chris Kerr started talking about a facility for LGBTQ seniors as early as 2010, and continued to revisit the subject often.

In January 2012, the Montrose Center screened the critically acclaimed documentary Gen Silent, which follows six LGBTQ seniors in their struggle to navigate the nation’s inadequate safety-net programs for seniors.

The film surprised and troubled viewers. For Robison, the situation became personal when she learned about the situations that two of Houston’s LGBTQ senior activists, Jack Jackson and Rev. Ralph Lasher, had ended up in. Both were severely isolated in nursing facilities that had effectively forced them back into the closet.

At the Montrose Center’s Big Gay Block Party in September 2013, Robison talked with then-mayor Annise Parker about building an LGBTQ senior facility. They had only a few minutes to talk, but Parker was interested in the concept. During a trip to Los Angeles a few years later, Parker toured the Triangle Square

senior-living complex and became convinced that Houston had the need and the resources to make a similar project happen.

The Montrose Center had previously launched their Seniors Preparing for Rainbow Years (SPRY) program in 2005, creating a vibrant community of of older LGBTQ participants who receive life-enhancing services including professional counseling, case management, the Montrose Diner free congregate-meal program, community outreach, support groups, social activities, and wellness programs. In 2015, encouraged

by Mayor Parker’s active interest in a seniorhousing project following her Los Angeles tour, the Center resolved to expand SPRY services by building the Law Harrington Senior Living Center. The SPRY program will now operate out of the new facility.

The Law Harrington Senior Living Center was named in honor of Charles Law, a gay Black Houston activist who gave a stirring speech at the 1979 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, and Gene Harrington, a gay white Houston HIV activist and profes-

sor at Texas Southern University.

On June 20, 2019, the Montrose Center finalized the necessary funding to start construction on the $26.5 million project in the Third Ward. After securing the necessary funding stream to start building—$23 million from grants, tax credits, and community donations—the Center broke ground on the facility on August 6 of that year.

The Center also raised funds through community donations, including the “There’s No Place Like Home” campaign, co-chaired by former Mayor Parker and State Representative Garnet Coleman (D-Houston).

Now that the facility is open, the Montrose Center is taking rental applications from singles and couples ages 62 and older whose annual income is below an amount calculated using current median-income data from the Houston area.

Those who think they meet the eligibility criteria and wish to receive further information can send an email to info@montrosecenter.org. For more information on the Montrose Center, visit montrosecenter.org.

Five LGBTQ seniors discuss their new homes in the Law Harrington Center DEBORAH BELL, 71 Deborah Bell moved into her new apartment on January 15. The seasoned lesbian activist had been renting living space with friends, so she was excited that the Montrose Center’s seniorliving facility would enable her to finally have her own apartment and be a part of her own community. “This means everything for someone in a reduced financial situation,” she says.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Bell first moved to Houston in 1966 when her father came here to work on the construction of the Astrodome. She became a busy activist in the community, and was elected Female Pride Marshal in 1997. She has worked for various local queer publica-

tions as an editor and writer, and has also been a mainstay in the Houston Women’s Group at First Unitarian Church. In addition, she has been involved in countless political campaigns as a Houston GLBT Political Caucus member.

Bell says that the new apartment facility is important because a lot of LGBTQ seniors don’t have family—often because close relatives are estranged or do not live in Houston.

Bell feels very safe in the facility, and is enjoying spending time with her new adopted calico kitten, Caledonia, and watching her apartment decorating ideas come together. She has retrieved several boxes that had been in storage, and is now rediscovering many “forgotten treasures” that she has collected over the years. ➝ OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 47

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HOUSING OUR SENIORS | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

DON LAMIRAND, 72 Don Lamirand, a gay man, has been living at the Law Harrington Center since January 20. He moved from an apartment complex in the Meyerland area.

Lamirand loves his new apartment’s amenities and reasonable rent. “It is a bigger place with a dishwasher, washer and dryer, and a kitchen island.

This apartment is brand new, and it’s like an ivory castle,” he says, adding that he loves to bake cakes and has already used his new kitchen to bake several.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Lamirand moved to Houston in 1957 when his father began working in the construction industry, which was booming at the time.

Lamirand had served on the focus group that the Montrose

NIKKI NICOLE SPARKS, 69 Nikki Nicole Sparks, a trans woman, moved into her new home on January 15, and has only good things to say about the Law Harrington Center. “I love it here.

The architects went all out for our community. The apartment floor plans are all so different, and there is a wonderful view of downtown. I love to sit in the lobby and meditate. I’m very thankful and grateful.”

Before moving in, Sparks had been the victim of domestic violence, and was eager to change her living situation. She will soon be joined by her beagle, Daisy Dukes, who is currently living

Center formed to offer suggestions for the design of the new complex. “I feel like I helped to design it,” he notes. He has been an active member of the Montrose Center’s SPRY program over the years, having lunch with other SPRY members at the Montrose Diner and taking part in organized field trips. He has also worked as a volunteer monitor in the Center’s computer room.

Over the past eight years, Lamirand has consistently marched in the Houston Pride parades with a variety of organizations, and can easily be identified by his rainbow suspenders and other wardrobe accessories.

Lamirand believes the new facility is important because it is open and welcoming to LGBTQ people, and it will help seniors avoid becoming socially isolated.

with a friend.

A native of Galveston, Sparks moved to Houston in the mid1970s because there were more job opportunities here. She has been active in the Montrose Center’s SPRY program, including the Montrose Diner. She attended the groundbreaking for the facility, and was so impressed with the architect’s renderings that she immediately got on the waiting list.

Sparks feels the facility is important because LGBTQ seniors want to live where they feel safe and comfortable. “I have such a sense of serenity here, and as soon as I come through the front door, I know that I won’t be judged, criticized, or humiliated for who I am.”

OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 49

HOUSING OUR SENIORS | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

DINA JACOBS, 74 Dina Jacobs was the second resident to move into the new facility on January 11. She was living in another seniors apartment complex when she decided it was time for a change. “This place is incredible! I like just being here.

Everything is brand new, and the people in the office are so nice,” she says.

Jacobs, a trans woman, has been a drag entertainer for 57 years and is still going strong.

“Talent has no expiration date,” she emphasizes. Last May, a book about her life, Forever Her Mother’s Son: The Dina Jacobs Story—A Walk through the Life of a Transgender Drag Performer was published.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jacobs eventually moved to the

JER0ME SCOTT, 68 Jerome Scott, a gay man, will complete his move to the Law Harrington complex after he sells his house in southwest Houston.

“I needed to downsize my life, and this seemed to be the right thing to do. It was the right time and the right place,” he says.

Scott, who is a long-term HIV survivor, is president of the Montrose Center’s HIV & Aging Coalition, a support group for seniors living with HIV. He feels the new facility is a perfect place for that organization’s meetings. “There is still a stigma about HIV,” Scott says. In addition to his years of leading HIV prevention training through various organizations, he has served on the Houston HIV Prevention Community Plan-

ning Group and as the president of AVES, an organization for Hispanics living with HIV. A native of Seattle, Washington, Scott moved here in 1988 to begin a ten-year relationship with a man from Houston.

Scott says he believes the facility will be very beneficial for the LGBTQ, HIV, and senior communities, and he notes that “the approach they are taking is very open.” He hopes to sit on a resident committee after all the move-ins have been completed.

Scott feels the facility is important because it is so well suited for presentations and social events that will interest the many HIV-positive individuals who are entering their senior years. He plans to continue doing all he can to eradicate the stigma of HIV.

50 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

mainland and settled in Atlanta.

In the 1980s, she commuted to Houston to entertain at The Copa nightclub on weekends.

In 2011, Jacobs came to Houston to appear in a Legendary Ladies show, and decided to move here. She currently performs at Michael’s Outpost and Scott Gertner’s Rhythm Room.

Jacobs has performed to raise funds for benefits for as long as she can remember—events that have supported Sgt. Leonard Matlovich, AID Atlanta, the Life Foundation, Mint Julep, and the Texas Gay Rodeo Association, to name just a few.

Jacobs feels the Law Harrington facility is important because it is one of the few seniorliving projects that cares about the LGBTQ community. “We deserve someplace comfortable to live after we are 65,” she says.

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ANNIE MULLIGANS

WOMEN IN POWER

Tamika (l) and Lenie Caston-Miller

Tamika teaching yoga class

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Urban Retreat Tamika and Lenie Caston-Miller launched The Ranch Houston to teach a comprehensive approach to wellness.

H

oustonian Tamika Caston-Miller was visiting a coffee plantation in Costa Rica when she was first inspired to create an urban farm and wellness community.

The family that owned the plantation she saw there also grew almost all of their own food.

That idea germinated further on a trip to Peru when Tamika, 47, and her wife, Lenie Caston-Miller, 35, saw what was possible “when people prioritized the community and sustainable ways of living,” Tamika recalls.

“We wanted to create that in Houston—a place for respite, renewal, and connection.”

In January 2020, the couple found the perfect property in south Houston to create The

52 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

By JENNY BLOCK Ranch Houston—a local urban farm, art studio, and wellness center that features a variety of learning resources—Ashé Yoga and Wellness, The Creole Garden, The Garden Educational Program, and The Mill HTX. Tamika describes their space as “an intentional, conscious wellness space and farmstead created for adults to connect in an inclusive community through art, food, nature exploration and movement, and for school-aged children to empower themselves through education on sustainability and edible growing.”

The Ranch Houston offers a variety of programming where guests (who are required to follow COVID-19 safety protocols) can participate in art workshops, guest speaker talks,

salons, ceremonies, group meditation, yoga sessions and teacher training, and gardening workshops, in addition to farm workdays and tours.

And, because The Ranch Houston is Black-, LGBTQ-, woman-, and veteran-owned, it prides itself on being a safe space that is welcoming to all. The property invites people of all genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, body types, and abilities to connect to “the curiosity of their inner child as they nurture their nature in a world that so often encourages separation and fear,” Tamika says.

Tamika is a Dallas native who attended the University of Texas in Austin for her bachelor’s degree in film and media studies. She then earned her master’s degree in Spanish

Lenie teaching an art workshop

“WE HAVE MERGED EVERYTHING WE [HAVE LEARNED ABOUT] THE HEALING AND CREATIVE ARTS TO CREATE THIS MULTI-DIMENSIONAL WELLNESS SPACE.” —Tamika and Lenie Caston-Miller

KORINA MARCANO

language, history, and culture at the University of New Orleans. Lenie grew up in Volcano, California, and holds a master of fine arts degree from the University of Houston, with a focus on sculpture and art history.

Lenie’s first career was in the Army, but she was medically discharged following an injury in Iraq. Tamika worked in a corporate job for over a decade before she left to become a public-school Spanish teacher.

The duo considers themselves both educators and creatives, they explain. Lenie is a fineart artist, while Tamika is a historian, linguist, and yoga educator. Lenie is still sharing her craft in the classroom, while Tamika left her public-school teaching job after more than a decade of teaching in suburban Houston to

launch and run The Ranch Houston. “We have merged everything we [have learned about] the healing and creative arts to create this multidimensional wellness space,” they emphasize.

“As The Ranch Houston has unfolded and grown organically, it has become clear that we are on the right path,” Tamika says, adding that she is inspired by seeing people come back to their playful, joyous selves. “It is an incredible gift. We see people come back again and again because they know they are seen and affirmed.

They have a home here.”

The couple’s work at The Ranch Houston is vital, Tamika says, because of the importance of creating “intersectional, inclusive opportunities to disrupt the whiteness of wellness spaces that [often exclude] Black and brown communities. While healing is an ‘inside’ job, community care is interpersonal work.

Just as no community is a monolith, intersectional spaces encourage each person to come exactly as he/she/they are without having to code-switch to fit within the look or feel of one community.”

For more information about The Ranch Houston, visit theranchhouston.com.

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Getting In to Michael’s Outpost

ALEX ROSA

Entertainment manager Bryan Wade previews the piano bar’s dramatic new look.

By RYAN M. LEACH

M

ichael’s Outpost is one of the oldest gay bars in Houston.

Although it’s on a busy street at the southern edge of the iconic Montrose neighborhood, many young people and Houston newbies have never heard of the bar. Entertainment and promotions manager Bryan Wade, 33, wants to change that.

With a slew of new upgrades being put in place this month, he is hoping to welcome the regulars back and bring new faces in to the Outpost.

“With Michael’s Outpost being a destination bar that’s not within walking distance to the other gay bars, our goal is to deliver [an immersive] experience that will keep you entertained and having an enjoyable time all day and night,” Wade says.

Wade, who is gay, began working at Michael’s Outpost four years ago as a bartender after determining that the corporate world was not for him. He developed a love for Houston’s drag culture, and during his first visit to Michael’s Outpost as a customer, he was introduced to Dessie’s Drag Race All-Stars, a popular local drag competition. His profes-

sional background includes video production and communications, and these days his duties have expanded beyond the well.

“My primary responsibilities include overseeing all entertainment—currently featuring four drag shows a week, three piano nights, and a new karaoke night—as well as helping to rebuild our social-media pages and website,” Wade says.

Michael’s Outpost has been family operated since the passing of its original owner and namesake, Michael Gaitz. Gaitz’s sister, Theresa McKinney, and her husband, Leon, made several changes to the bar when they took it over, all of which were in keeping with her brother’s wishes. When Theresa died in 2019, their brother Charles and his daughter, Tonya Gaitz, along with Wade, became the driving force for the current changes that will bring the iconic bar into a new era.

“The bar just needed a little bit of a facelift.

Most people fear change, but I embrace it,” Wade says. “The old setting worked for the bar area, but all the entertainment that Michael’s has built over the years didn’t get highlighted in a way that enhanced the performances.

[With the new] stage for our drag shows, even karaoke singers can be found front and center under the stage lights.”

The renovations also include creating a piano cabaret room that will have better acoustics and make the piano bar a destination that will draw people into the space.

“We have legendary [piano talent] at Michael’s. Bill Bartlett, Jerry Atwood, and Clay Howell have over 100 years on the keys between them,” Wade notes.

Once the piano cabaret room is complete, the piano will be situated to highlight the performers, while new video screens will be visible from anywhere in the bar so everyone can enjoy the music.

“Our drag shows feature over twenty entertainers throughout the week. On Mondays, you can catch The Broad’s Way hosted by Regina Thorne-DuBois, which features drag as well as live vocal performances. Tuesday brings Movie Muffs hosted by Muffy Blake Vanderbilt III, who gives you a campy retelling of movie plots.

Friday offers Modern Nostalgia, music from the 20th century and highlighting different decades each week. Saturday closes out our ➝ OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 55

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Richard worked for Shell Oil for 30 years and ended his career as a Senior Staff Geophysicist. He had volunteered at Omega House Hospice and it was there he chose to spend his last days. He is survived by his wife Linda Cook, his boyfriend Michael Ptacek, his sister Ginger Dressler and his two brothers, Bob Cook and his partner Itsuji Hatono and Dave Cook and his wife Gloria.

He is also survived by his nephews, Jeremy Cook, Chris Cook and Ben Dressler and nieces, Allison Cook, Emily Dressler and Heidi Dressler. Richard had a zest for life and was a philanthropist to local charities in the Montrose Community and friends in need. His Memorial Service/Celebration of Life will be at Miller Funeral Services on Saturday, March 13, at 2 pm. His service will be live-streamed. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Omega House. www.avenue360.org

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BRYAN WADE | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

week of entertainment with EyeCons, Houston’s longest-running celebrity-illusion show which will celebrate its tenth year of production later this year!” Wade says.

Like all of the bars in Houston, Michael’s Outpost has been impacted by the COVID-19 capacity restrictions. Health and safety considerations were also a part of the renovation plans. “[Since we are smaller] than most bars, we are running on a very limited capacity that is closely watched by all staff. We have limited seating that is spaced out to accommodate social distancing. Our goal is for anyone who comes into Michael’s to feel safe. All staff are in masks for their entire shift, and customers are asked to wear a mask while not drinking or eating our delicious snacks. The cheese sticks are my favorite!” Wade adds.

Once you are safely seated, you can expect some great drinks and eats in addition to great entertainment.

“Our bartenders are happy to treat you

“THE BAR JUST NEEDED A LITTLE BIT OF A FACELIFT. MOST PEOPLE FEAR CHANGE, BUT I EMBRACE IT.” —Bryan Wade

with a delicious cocktail, and we will soon be partnering with local breweries to bring in new beer. Supporting local is something we pride ourselves on when it comes to capturing new things for Michael’s,” Wade notes. “We are also working with new food vendors to offer different types of food for our customers. We currently have Grape Taco, True Bark BBQ, and we are working on creating a steak night as well.”

Wade clearly loves Michael’s Outpost, as well as the bar’s unique place in Houston’s LGBTQ history. He wants to offer a warm “Welcome back” to the regulars and extend an invitation to newcomers making their first trip. “I want people to know we are here and we are being as safe as possible as we continue to push through this pandemic and someday return to some normality. P.S., wear your masks!”

For more information on Michael’s Outpost, visit facebook.com/ michaelsoutpost.

SMART HEALTH | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

it is that you’re feeling, is a great place to start silencing those old messages. Once you’re able to accept how you feel, regardless of others’ opinions, it becomes easier to share and be vulnerable with others.

In other circumstances, we may not have time to stop and consider what we are feeling when we are under stress or feeling attacked.

In these situations, it’s important to allow yourself time to calm down and respond after time has passed.

Make a Plan There are a number of strategies you can apply in the moment to prevent conflicts from escalating: Ask questions and don’t make assumptions. One skill to practice is to rephrase the statement you heard and say it in your own words. You may try something like, “I want to be sure I understand your meaning. Did you mean ____?” Or perhaps you might say, “I heard you say___, is that right?” Checking in regarding meaning provides opportunities for greater clarity and understanding so that you know better how to respond.

Stick to your side of the street. It’s easy to tell people about themselves and their behavior. It’s much harder to stop in the moment and describe our own experiences of things. The classic approach of using “I” statements is really helpful in reducing defensiveness in others. “Right now, I am feeling ____” is a great way to improve communication.

Fight fair. When we’re angry, it’s easy to say things we may not really mean. As best you can, stay away from saying something truly hurtful that you cannot take back. A good rule of thumb is that if it would feel really good to say it, then you probably shouldn’t.

When all else fails, take a break. If you find yourself feeling angry and on the verge of saying something you don’t mean, remember that it is okay to take a break. Grabbing a sip of water or taking a time-out can help to reduce the heightened emotion, and create space for clearer communication down the line. The brief time you take to calm down can save you from future heartache.

Given the stress we’ve all been under, it seems all too easy to allow our communications to devolve. But by carefully considering some of these techniques, we can create greater ease in our relationships with others, and for ourselves.

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OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 57

HEALTH

Creating Queer Visibility Stephanie Burbage and Caroline Godfrey use Instagram to make representation for LGBTQ couples.

58 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

INSTAGRAM

A

fter meeting on the popular Hinge “relationship app” and dating for well over a year, Stephanie Burbage and Caroline Godfrey are now using Instagram to connect with other queer folks. The dynamic duo is making it their joint mission to offer queer visibility to those who are searching to see themselves represented online.

It’s a Tuesday afternoon, and the pair is enjoying overlapping free days when they sit to chat for this Zoom interview. Godfrey, who identifies as bisexual, sits closely beside Burbage, who identifies as queer, laughing as they try to figure out how to turn on their laptop camera. The chemistry between the two is palpable, even through a computer screen.

“We met on Hinge and started talking in July 2019. Our first date was in August,” Burbage recalls. Sporting a pixie cut and glasses, she continues, “We met at Agora in Montrose.

I was sitting in my car in the parking lot and I watched her walk by. I waited a couple of minutes so I could seem cool and calm, like I was just showing up casually.”

Godfrey adds, “I was extremely nervous.

That was my first date with a female. I was scared Stephanie would know I came out semirecently, and not be cool with it. I was just waiting for her to sniff out my baby queerness.”

Burbage, sporting a pixie cut and glasses, leans toward the camera and says, “I did know, but it didn’t matter to me.”

The two grew closer throughout 2020, thanks in part to the need to quarantine together. “We essentially live together, but we still have two separate residences,” Burbage explains. Since she is a nurse and Godfrey is a forensic death investigator, the pair had to figure out how to stay safe while staying together.

“When the pandemic hit in March, we had just gotten back from a trip,” Godfrey remembers.

“We knew if we wanted to see each other, we were going to have to quarantine together. We just switch apartments every few months for a change of scenery.”

At some point during their extended quarantine, Godfrey suggested channeling their creativity to start a shared Instagram account.

“I got interested in it first,” says Godfrey.

By ZACHARY McKENZIE

“Steph posts a lot more than I do, and really processes things through writing things out. I was initially really drawn to her because she’s such an advocate of mental health and has no hesitations in using her experience to help others.”

Godfrey remembers seeking out representation online during her early stages of coming out. “I didn’t know other queer couples, and didn’t have anything to compare [my feelings with]. I looked at social media a lot to find other female-female relationships.” Her conservative upbringing made the need for role models all the more important. “I wanted to normalize it for myself. I grew up around a lot of heteronormativity. It helped me a lot to see other

people like me living such full lives.”

With their newly established social-media venture taking off, the pair found a host of other queer partners on Instagram. “It has brought me so much community during the pandemic,” says Godfrey. Burbage adds, “Queer people go to queer-specific bars, drag shows, etc., and when that’s taken away, it feels a little more lonely than before. Instagram has been a nice hobby that has given us something to do and connect with other couples.”

The pair is quick to point out the amazing effect that their online connections have had on them. “I wanted to start a community for us, but also normalize queer relationships for others and do for others what accounts like

That is our PASSION, that is our PURPOSE, that is our PROMISE! ours did for me,” Godfrey explains. “I don’t have a very accepting extended family, but my immediate family and friends know. Posting on my own page about my relationship felt very loaded, and I was worried about the feedback I would receive. I wasn’t really ready for that.

Our page was a way for me to be happy and [to show our relationship as] totally authentic. We get a lot of positive feedback!”

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—Stephanie Burbage When they are asked what they hope people will get out of their Instagram posts, Burbage stares at Godfrey momentarily before answering. “I think [people need to see] relationships that are different from heteronormative ones.

We’ve had people in hetero relationships follow us and say, ‘Hey I’m straight, but I love you guys!’ That’s so cool to us. We accept everyone, and our point is we hope you accept us regardless of our sexuality and how our relationship looks to others. We are just a regular couple.”

Follow Stephanie Burbage and Caroline Godfrey on Instagram @carolineandsteph.

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BUSINESS

Cutthroat Montrose, located at 1508 Westheimer Road, is situated near some of the area’s top bars, restaurants, and vintage clothing shops.

Booming Barbershop Cutthroat opens a new location in Montrose.

Cutthroat Montrose co-owner Brandy Chu (r) cuts a client’s hair.

By LOURDES ZAVALETA The face of Houston’s gayborhood is changing, and things just got a little more exciting with the debut of Cutthroat Montrose, located at 1508 Westheimer Road.

Occupying a beautifully refurbished bungalow from the 1930s, the barbershop chain’s newest store opened on February 9, and is a short walk from some of the area’s top bars, restaurants, and vintage clothing shops.

“It sits right next to Anvil and Tongue-Cut and Sparrow,” notes Cutthroat Montrose coowner Brandy Chu. “Clients can continue their Houston experience [following their appointments] by grabbing a cocktail at one of these reputable bars.”

Prior to opening the barbershop with co-owner Brandan Licatino, Chu worked as a barber at the Cutthroat Barbershop on Washington Avenue—one of the chain’s two other locations. She believes the Montrose shop sets 60 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

itself apart from these stores because “[the area] is much more modern—and this is also our only freestanding shop.”

While Chu isn’t currently working behind the barber chair, she promises that all of her employees will provide customers with “a great cut and a fun experience.”

From haircuts starting at $37 to full shaves beginning at $42, the shop offers a wide range of top-notch and reasonably priced services.

But Cutthroat doesn’t stop there to make their customers feel well taken care of, Chu says.

Chu, a lesbian, has several LGBTQ and ally employees who work to ensure that Cutthroat Montrose is a safe and affirming space.

“We cater to short hair, and don’t use gender-specific prices,” she notes. “We welcome all members of the trans community and lesbian women who want short cuts. The same goes for [people] who have longer hair.

However, those clients should call ahead and

book with barbers who are capable of [working on] longer looks.”

Cutthroat opened its original location on Washington Avenue in September 2013, one of the first of a new breed of barbershops offering an elevated, salon-type experience. The chain’s second location in The Heights opened in 2015.

With the addition of Cutthroat Montrose, the chain’s three shops remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to protect everyone’s health, both customers and employees are required to follow safety protocols, such as wearing face masks.

Cutthroat Montrose is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, and folks can also book appointments online.

For more information on Cutthroat Barbershop, visit cutthroatbarbers.com.

FEATURE

SE V EN NE W M O DE L S to J OY R ID E

Wheel Love 2021

THIS YEAR’S HOTTEST TRENDS

By JAMES HURST

As we adjust to “The Year of Flexibility” that is bringing so many changes to our lives, there is one more shake-up coming down the pike. The U.S. auto industry is in the process of a hard pivot to electric/battery vehicles, leaving behind the gas and diesel engines that have powered automobiles and trucks for the last 100 years. Many automobile brands around the world have already announced their schedule for converting to all-electric models. This new world of electric

vehicles will require a new approach to moving around in our cities and on the nation’s highways. Electric vehicles may have fewer parts, but they’ll still require regular maintenance. Obviously, the auto industry is concerned about job stability, but this massive conversion effort promises new opportunities and jobs for the 905,000 auto workers in this country. Here are a few of the new 2021 models that we found to be interesting, so we hope you enjoy them. ➝ OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 61

WHEEL LOVE 2021 | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Ford Bronco

62 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

Off-road enthusiasts have been waiting for the return of the iconic Ford Bronco since the 1960s. Well, that day has arrived, and the new 2021 Bronco will be available this spring. It is actually a family of vehicles starting with the Bronco Sport, described as a compact crossover that shares its modular front-wheel drive with the Ford Escape. The next two Broncos are two- or four-door models with two four-wheel drive options. Power for the Bronco comes from either a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (producing 270 horsepower and 310 lb.ft. of torque mated to a 7-speed Getrag manual transmission) or a 2.7-liter V-6 (producing 310 horsepower and 400 lb.ft. of torque). Both engines can be mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Bronco offers two four-wheel drive options: the base two-speed Shift-on-the-Fly transfer case, or an optional On-Demand electromagnetic mechanical transfer case. Complementing the hardware is a High-performance Offroad Stability System (HOSS) that pairs Bilstein shocks with an independent front suspension and a five-link rear axle.

Ford has designed the Bronco to get where you’re going via any terrain. For those off-road enthusiasts, a massive accessory catalog offers over 200 items to accessorize your Bronco, including lift kits, door packages, and lights. ➝

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BMW X3 The BMW X3 is described as a “luxury compact sport activity vehicle.” As with other BMWs, it has an upscale interior, seating for five passengers, and a large cargo area. The X3 comes standard with a 3.0-liter 248-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed transmission. The optional powertrains offered are a 288-horsepower plug-in hybrid four-cylinder (known as the xDrive 3.0e), a 382-horsepower turbocharged straight-six (the M4.0i), and a 473-horsepower twin-turbocharged straight-six (the X3M). The BMW X3 offers an exceptional balance of on-road maneuverability and ride comfort. Standard safety features include blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and rear cross-traffic and pedestrian warning. Available advanced safety features include a heads-up display, adaptive headlights, surround-view parking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist.

Toyota Venza Hybrid The 2021 Venza Hybrid returns with a hybrid powertrain delivering a combined 219 horsepower. This new contemporary design is accented by available LED headlights and dual LED daytime running lights, producing a very stylish automobile. Toyota has focused a lot of effort on creating a distinctive, inviting interior that seats up to five, optional ambient lighting, premium heated and ventilated front seats, and a practical 60/40 split rear seat. The Venza comes with an array of safety features that help it to stand out in the crowd. These include a Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control to help you maintain a preset distance from the car in front of you, and Lane Departure Alert to warn you when the car senses you are moving out of your lane. ➝ 64 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

WHEEL LOVE 2021 | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Subaru Outback The Subaru Outback continues to evolve and improve its already best-selling model. For 2021, Subaru offers the standard Boxer engine that delivers 182 horsepower, or an optional 260-horsepower turbocharged Boxer engine mated to Lineartronic CVT. The Outback can reach up to 33 mpg on the highway, and offers over 600 miles of range. This SUV comes with 8.7 inches of ground clearance and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with standard X-Mode to maximize traction on slippery surfaces and control hill descent. Safety options include the Standard Eyesight Driver Assist Technology that monitors traffic movement, optimizes the cruise control, and warns you if there is a lane departure. Other optional safety features are Blind-Spot Detection, Rear CrossTraffic Alert, and Reverse Automatic Braking.

The Subaru Outback continues to be a favorite that offers style, refined comfort, and updated safety features in a solid, proven format.➝

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Lincoln Aviator Test drive the new Lincoln Aviator and Planet Lincoln will make a $25 donation to the Montrose Center

68 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

The Lincoln Aviator can be described as a mid-size luxury SUV with loads of styling, comfort, and features also found in the full-size Lincoln Navigator. New for 2021 are optional wheel designs, new colors, and a monochromatic Reserve appearance package.

This includes a panoramic sunroof, four-zone climate control, 360-degree camera system, and a 14-speaker sound system. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive as an option. The Aviator is offered with a 400-horsepower twin turbocharged V-6 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Lincoln also offers the Aviator Grand Touring Edition using the same V-6 engine with a 100-horsepower electric motor and a 13.6kWh battery. This combination produces 494 horsepower and a range of about 18 miles in pure EV driving mode. The Aviator’s standard Co-Pilot 360 system includes forward collision warning with automated emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, automatic high beams, and a rear view camera. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus option adds adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, and a self-parking system. ➝

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WHEEL LOVE 2021 | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Cadillac Escalade The 2021 Cadillac Escalade is in its fifth generation since premiering in the late 1990s.

The new Escalade is Cadillac’s flagship SUV. Two engines are offered, starting with the familiar 6.2-liter V-8 (which can deactivate two cylinders when cruising on the highway to save fuel) that produces 420 horsepower. The smaller 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six diesel produces 460 lb.ft. of torque. These engines are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission offering rear- or all-wheel drive. The Escalade rides on an all-new independent rear-suspension platform. Options include an air suspension and computer-controlled shock absorbers.

As Cadillac’s flagship SUV, the Escalade has stepped up the luxury level to compete with the likes of BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Lincoln.

The main showpiece is the digital dashboard, which consists of three curved OLED displays that layer on top of one another to create an incredible 38 inches of combined digital display.

The Escalade has a standard array of active safety features, and offers a Super Cruise semiautonomous drive mode as an upgrade.

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Alpha Romeo Stelvio The 2021 Alpha Romeo Stelvio can be described as a sporty, fun and distinctive small luxury SUV imported from Italy. It is available in four trim levels— Sprint, Ti, Ti Sport, and the high-performance Quadrafoglio. The first three trim levels are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter fourcylinder engine producing 280 horsepower and 306 lb.ft. of torque. The Quadrafoglio model has a 2.9-liter V6 engine that produces 505 horsepower with 443 lb.ft. of torque. All are mated to an 8-speed transmission and are offered with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

The Stelvio is designed to carry on the Alpha Romeo tradition of providing an engaging driving experience and sharp looks in a practical package that begs to be driven. Safety features include standard automatic braking, available lane-departure warning and lane keeping assistance, and available adaptive cruise control.

If you want to stand out in the crowd, this is the SUV for you.

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David Hockney, More Felled Trees on Woldgate, 2008 (oil on canvas, collection of the artist) © David Hockney

Painterly Parallels MFAH exhibit reveals similarities in the works of David Hockney and Vincent Van Gogh.

By JENNY BLOCK Most lovers of all things art, especially those in the LGBTQ community, will immediately recognize the name David Hockney. The gay British artist’s best-known works of his 60-year career are his swimmingpool paintings from the 1960s. But he has an equally impressive body of work comprised of portraits and still lifes.

In early 2018, Michael Valinsky, writing for the publication them., described the then80-year-old Hockney as “an artist who defied generally accepted social structures and led his life as an openly gay man in a world that systematically oppressed and silenced those 72 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

who did not conform.”

Hockney’s legacy, Valinsky explained, “gave voice to so many of us and provided aspiring artists with the tools and confidence to explore their own vocations. Ultimately, Hockney looked at oppression not as a threat, but as a challenge to shock, subvert, and shake up heteronormative structures.”

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, presents Hockney-Van Gogh: The Joy of Nature through June 20. The show was inaugurated by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in 2019, and MFAH will be its only U.S. venue.

The show examines the surprising parallels between works by Hockney and Van Gogh, exposing just how much Hockney’s work was

influenced by the Dutch Postimpressionist master. The show includes a collection of 57 landscape paintings and drawings.

Ann Dumas, MFAH’s consulting curator for European art, notes that visitors will be taken by “the sheer color, scale, and exuberance of Hockney’s work, as well as the connections with the works by Van Gogh and the intensity of both artists’ responses to nature.”

From 2004 to 2013, Hockney created a variety of Yorkshire landscapes in the north of England. Those landscapes are the focus of this exhibition, demonstrating how Hockney explored, time and again, a variety of techniques resulting in everything from oil paintings, watercolors, charcoal, and iPad drawings

RICHARD SCHMIDT

ARTS

RICHARD SCHMIDT

to sketchbooks and even films.

Hockney was known to be a longtime admirer of Van Gogh’s work. Hockney was born in 1937 and Van Gogh was born in 1853, but their work shows striking similarities. Both Hockney and Van Gogh are entrenched in all that they create and all things nature, and they both have a longing to share that with viewers.

Hockney attended the Royal College of Art in London from 1959 to 1962. It was then that the public first took notice of both him and his work. California’s ephemeral light drew him to make Los Angeles his home. The year was 1964, and throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Hockney hopped between Los Angeles, London, and Paris.

The artist created many well-received theater set designs, mostly for the opera, in the ’70s and ’80s, but that didn’t stop him from making portraits and landscapes in a variety of different media as well. Hockney often visited his mother before she died in 1999, and it was on those visits that he renewed his interest in the landscapes of his youth, which became a principal theme in his work from approximately 2004 on.

Van Gogh was the son of a Protestant pas-

David Hockney tor who briefly became a missionary himself after having worked for an art dealer. Thankfully for the art world, he became a largely self-taught artist in 1880 who devoted his life to his art from that time forward. In 1889, he suffered his first psychotic episode, admitting himself to an asylum. In 1890, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, having spent his final few months in northern France. His career was a mere ten years long, during which he produced a truly awe-inspiring body of work.

Light, color, and landscape—and how the three morph and change, depending on time and location and season—enthralled both artists in similar ways. Seeing their work hanging together in Houston is equal parts satisfying and surprising. It is a parallel most would not draw, and yet, when confronted with the work it is just as impossible to ignore. The elegance of line. The subtlety of color. The attention to

minute detail. The perceived movement in the strokes and designs.

“Looking at the art of Van Gogh and Hockney helps us to see the beauty of the world with fresh eyes. This is a jubilant, uplifting exhibition that has special meaning in the difficult times we are living through at this moment,” Dumas says.

If one were forced to guess which painting belonged to which artist, viewers familiar with the two would likely score 100 percent on the test. Van Gogh’s palette is often more muted, while Hockney’s interpretations are often more animated. But one can see clearly the connection, the joy, and the artists’ deep interest in nature and the ability of art to elevate it. It is a show to be seen by lovers of Hockney, lovers of Van Gogh, and lovers of all things connected. In the world of art and nature, everything is different and everything is exactly the same.

What: Hockney-Van Gogh: The Joy of Nature at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston When: Through June 20, 2021 Tickets/Info: mfah.org/exhibitions/ hockney-van-gogh-joy-of-nature

Vincent van Gogh, Tree Trunks in the Grass, 1890 (oil on canvas, Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, the Netherlands) OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 73

WEDDING GUIDE

By JENNY BLOCK | Photos by ALLENDORF & COMPANY

Derek Smith (l) and Dalton Holdge

Instant Attraction Husbands Dalton Holdge and Derek Smith knew it was serious from the moment they met.

“Love at first sight” may be a cliché, but once in a blue moon it actually happens.

It certainly happened for Dalton Holdge, a senior engagement consultant at Cigna, and his husband, Derek Smith, a nurse practitioner for Houston’s Crofoot MD practice.

While the couple met in Atlanta, Dalton, 30, is originally from Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, and Derek, 37, is from Danville, Ohio.

Derek says he knew he had feelings for Dalton from the moment they met on the dance floor shortly after midnight at an Atlanta New Year’s Eve celebration in 2016. “From the moment I met Dalton, I had a feeling it was 74

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going to be for the long haul,” he says. “That first night, he made me feel all the things you want out of a ‘partner in crime,’ and he hasn’t stopped since.”

But it was on a gay cruise at the ship’s Dog Tag Party that they knew it was love. Each guest had to choose a colored sticker to wear (green for available, yellow for maybe, and red for taken). “I was extremely stressed at what color he was going to pick, as we just started talking and I knew then and there he was going to be a ‘Red Dot Mine’ kind of guy. I gave him a red dot for his dog tag and gave him a collar and lock, showing him that I wanted him to be mine and I wanted to be his,” Dalton says.

Even though that was early on in their

relationship, Dalton says he knew Derek was someone he wanted to take care of for the rest of his life. So, he proposed to Derek on the beach in Pensacola, Florida.

When the couple travels with their best friends, they always make sure to take a souvenir group photo. While they were taking the photo during that Pensacola trip, Dalton pulled Derek to the front of the group and proposed to him so the moment could be shared with their friends. “Derek was anxious because he didn’t realize what was happening,” Dalton says. “He thought I was getting in the way of everyone’s pictures! He of course said yes—after he realized what was happening. Thank goodness!”

The couple was married on October 5,

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2019, at the 5226 Elm events venue in Houston. One of their best friends, Steven Adams, officiated. “We chose the venue because it was gorgeous and indoor-outdoor, and we chose Steven Adams because he can keep a crowd’s attention,” Dalton says.

Dalton and Derek decided from the start to favor fun over tradition and make the wedding truly feel like “them” as a couple. “It made the process less stressful and more enjoyable, rather than trying to fit a specific mold,” Dalton says. “Hopefully, we started a custom of wedding parties riding inflatable unicorns for their entrance.”

However, there was one snafu during their planning. Less than a week before their wedding, a rogue employee of their florist took all of their designs and supplies. Luckily, their wedding planner stepped in to assure a quick redesign and execution. “Make sure you have a great wedding planner,” Dalton advises.

Having their moms walk them down the aisle and seeing their birth families there supporting them in front of all of their chosen LGBTQ family was a highlight of the day, the couple says.

The duo also wanted to use LGBTQ vendors in an effort to support the queer community. Their photographer, venue, and wedding

planner all identified as LGBTQ. “Our wedding planner was most helpful in providing us direction [based on] their experience with other gay couples and the vendors they used,” Dalton says. “The venue allowed us to use any vendors we wanted [so we could] feel comfortable with our choices, and not be pressured into a wrong fit.”

For their honeymoon, Dalton and Derek went to Berlin, Germany. “We took a train to Prague for a few days, then spent the last leg back in Berlin to see the start of their Christmas Village,” Dalton says. “We have always wanted to go, and glad we did it before the pandemic.”

To this day, Derek describes Dalton as having “a hard-candy shell and a sweet center.

He’s passionate about everything he is a part of. He tells you how it is, and motivates me to achieve what I doubt. Oh, and he gives the world’s best cuddles.” And Dalton says that Derek amazes him every day with the care he provides to his LGBTQ patients. “I am so lucky to have married him, because when I’m stressed or anxious, all he has to do is hug me and the weight is lifted.”

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South Shore Harbour

2500 South Shore Blvd..................281/334-1000 The Parklane

TheParklane.com........................... 713/526-8439

ACCOUNTANTS/BOOKKEEPERS/ CPAS Gary Gritz, CPA

230 Westcott, Ste 210................... 713/784-3030

ADVERTISING/MARKETING Ashkan Media

.................................................. Ashkanmedia.com Mat Hat Maven Creative

madhatmaven.com.......................832/460-6263 OutSmart Magazine

3406 Audubon................................713/520-7237

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING Newport A/C & Heating

www.jaofit.com ............................ 832-649-8422

Bering Connect

FOOD/SPECIALTY & SPIRITS

...............................................713-526-1017, ext.20 Diana Foundation

.......................................TheDianaFoundation.org EPAH

...................................................................EPAH.org

2502 Woodhead.............................713/528-2010 Eye Gallery

HAIR/NAIL/MAKE-UP SALONS

520 Waugh Dr.................................713/352-0974

Houston GLBT Political Caucus

719 W. Gray St.............................. 713/5212-0500

HoustonLGBTChamber.com........ 832/510-3002 ...........................................................hcsojobs.com .......................................................... thecaucus.org KPFT Radio

kpft.org............................................ 713-526-4000

Lesbian Health Initiative (LHI)

401 Branard................................... lhihouston.org Lesbians Over Age Fifty (L.O.A.F.)

lesbiansoverage50.org..................713/907-5378

Pet Patrol

Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast

Charles Hunter/Hayes Hunter PC

HEALTH CARE–OPTOMETRISTS

Boutique Eye Care

Harris County Sheriff’s Office

Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce

ASTROLOGER

ATTORNEYS/LEGAL SERVICES

FUNERAL/MORTUARY SERVICES Dignity Memorial

5420 Dashwood, Ste 101............... 713/668-9118

1806B Westheimer.........................713/523-1279 1700 Post Oak Blvd, Ste 110.......... 713/622-7470

..................................................... ThePetPatrol.org

Lilly Roddy Astrology

Dripping Springs

................................... drippingspringsvodka.com

HEALTH CARE–OPHTHALMOLOGISTS

Houston Eye Associates/Stewart Zuckerbrod, MD

Jovon Tyler...................................... 713/562-0004 Leslie Bonnie...................................281/203-7830

newportac.com..............................281/808-8630

...........................................................713/529-5842

John Aaron Online Fitness

AIDS Foundation Houston

............................................ ppgulfcoast.org/lgbtq Ryan White Planning Council

rwpcHouston.org .......................... 713-572-3724 The Woodlands PRIDE

Green Apple Salon NU-Cuts Hair Salon

515 Westheimer............................ 713/524-7858 Studio A Salon

2411 Sunset...................................... 713/859-1591

HANDGUN TRAINING

Spartan Handgun Training

Spartanhnadguntraining.com......281/435-2645

HEALTH CARE–COUNSELING/THERAPY

Connections Wellness/Dr. Tracy Carlson

Montrose Eye Care/ Dr. Paul Lovero

HEALTH CARE/PHARMACIES

Avita Pharmacy

AvitaPharmacy.com...................... 713/489-4362 Legacy Pharmacy

LegacyCommunityHealth.org/services/pharmacy/

HEALTH-PHYSICAL THERAPY

Crom Rehabilitation/Dr. Roy Rivera

Cromrehab.com..............................713/868-2766

HEALTH CARE–PHYSICIANS

Octavio Barrios, MD

D. “Woodja” Flanigan, MS, LPA

507 West Gray.................................713/942-7546 7106 Spencer Highway................. 281/542-9400

Denise O’Doherty, LPC, LMFT, RN

3701 Kirby, Ste.1230...................... 713/526-0005

MyConnectionsWellness.com.....888/580-5995 2600 SW Fwy, Ste 409.................. 713/589-9804

Gordon Crofoot, MD/Crofoot MD

...................................... thewoodlandstxpride.org

...........................................................713/524-9525

Gonzalez Olivieri LLC

COMPUTERS/INTERNET/IT SERVICES

Dr. Daniel Garza, MD

6565 West Loop South, Ste 300... 281/661-5901

Katine & Nechman LLP

1201-F Westheimer......................... 713/528-1201

Dr. Barry F. Gritz, MD

3701 Kirby, Ste.1230...................... 713/526-0005

The Miller Law Firm Adam H. Miller & Nichole Nech

ENTERTAINMENT/NIGHT LIFE

...........................................................281/768-4731 gonzalezolivierillc.com..................713/481-3040 1834 Southmore.............................713/808-1001 TexasBulldogLaw.com....................713/572-3333

AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS Ryan Automotive

716 Fairview...................................713/522-3602 Tech Auto Maintenance

37 Waugh Dr................................... 713/863-8244

AUTOMOTIVE SALES

Copy.com

Alley Theatre

615 Texas Ave..............................alleytheatre.org George Country Sports Bar

3131 Eastside St, Ste 4...................281/610-8190 230 Westcott, Ste 210................... 713/869-7400 Houston Behavioral Healthcare Hospital

2801 N. Gessner Road.................. 877/489-4707 Jeffrey Myles/JM Professional Services

........................................................... 713/447-2164 The Montrose Center

617 Fairview ...................................713/528-8102

401 Branard.................................... 713/529-0037

Houston Eagle

Robert Snellgrove, LMSW-ACP

M. Sandra Scurria, MD Derek Smith, AGPCNP-BC/Crofoot MD

Maggie White,MPH FNP-BC AAHIVS/ Gordon Crofoot

3701 Kirby Dr., Ste.1230............... 713/526-0005

HEALTH-SURROGACY/EGG DONOR

Family Solutions International

5757 Woodway Dr. Ste 317...........713/827-0301

HEALTH CARE–SERVICES

611 Hyde Park........................HoustonEagle.com

4617 Montrose, Ste C206.............. 713/522-7014

JR’s/Santa Fe

Wellsource Group Jim Simon, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC Bryan Boyle, M.Ed., BSN-RN, LPC-S

Avenue360.org................................713/426-0027

808 Pacific....................................... 713/521-2519 La Granja Disco Y Cantina

Avenue 360

Harris County Public Health

Publichealth.harriscountytx.gov..713/439-6293

Advantage BMW Midtown

5505 Pinemont Dr..........................713/518-6753

Central Houston Cadillac/Tony Mcclelland

............................................Midtownhouston.com

230 Westcott, Ste 210................... 713/869-7400

Christine Wysong

..........................................................houstontx.gov

Miller Outdoor Theatre

HEALTH CARE–DENTISTS

LegacyCommunityHealth.org..... 832/548 5000

Papi’s

2313 Edwards St., Ste. 150............. 713/518-1411

RWPCHouston.org.........................713/572-3784

1210 Gray ........................................ 713/289-1221 2520 Main St....................................832/981-7590

Midtown Houston

Fred Haas Toyota World

MillerOutdoorTheatre.com...........281/373-3386

Planet Ford

570 Waugh Dr.................................713/524-3559

Planet Lincoln

4216 Washington................... PearlHouston.com

Team Gillman Subaru North

202 Tuam..........................................346/227-8613

FredHaasToyota.com ....................832/764-8914 20403 I-45 Spring TX 77388 .......866/879-9328 204031 I-45 Spring TX 77388...... 888/242-5059 Gillmansubarunorth.com............. 832/564-7230

BANKING/FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Houston Federal Credit Union

HoustonFCU.org......................... 866/OUR-HFCU

Pearl Bar ReBar

Bayou City Smiles/ Cynthia Corral, DDS

2313 Edwards St., Ste 150.............. 713/518-1411 Cory Logan, DDS

530 Waugh Dr................................ 713/942-8598 LifeSmiles by Randy Mitchmore, DDS

1722 W. Alabama........................... 713/592-9300

Round Top Festival Hill

620 W Alabama.............................. 713/529-4364

Society For The Performing Arts

620 W Alabama.............................. 713/529-4364

........................................................ FestivalHill.org

BAKERIES/CUSTOM CAKES

SPAHouston.org..............................713/227-4772 StagesTheatre.com......................... 713-527-0123

Dessert Gallery

Bayou City Smiles/Marcus de Guzman, DDS

Round Top Festival Institute

248 Jaster Rd...................................979/249-3129

davidalcorta.net............................. 832/439-0224

David Alcorta Catering

Wellsourcegroup.com...................713/481-2808

Stages Theatre

Montrose Dental Group/Samuel A. Carrell, DDS Montrose Dental Group/Austin T. Faulk, DDS

HEALTH/HIV/COVID TESTING

Houston Health Department/HIV

Theatre Under The Stars

................................................houstoniamlife.com

CATERING SERVICES

Tony’s Corner Pocket

houstontx.gov.................................832-393-4220

davidalcorta.net............................. 832/439-0224

FERTILITY/GYNECOLOGY

Montrose Emergency Room 24 Hour ER

DessertGallery.com.......................713-522-9999

800 Bagby, Suite 200...................... tuts.com/out 817 W. Dallas...................................832/722-7658

Houston Health Department/COVID

Houston Health Department Legacy Community Health

Ryan White Planning Council

St. Hope Foundation

offeringhope.org.............................713/778-1300

HEALTH CARE–SKIN CARE

Heights Dermatology/Alpesh Desai, MD

2120 Ashland.................................. 713/864-2650 SkinCeuticals/SkinLab by Dr. Roth

2800 Kirby, Ste B-212.................... 713/559-9300 Skin Renaissance Laser/Octavio Barrios, MD

507 West Gray.................................713/942-7546

HEALTH CARE-WEIGHT LOSS CLINICS

Dr. B-Fit/ Octavio Barrios, MD

517 West Gray.................................713/942-7546

HOME FURNISHINGS/ACCESSORIES

coda

HEALTH CARE-EMERGENCY CENTERS

355 W 19th.......................................713/864-4411

Aspire Fertility

1110 W. Gray St., #101................... 713/242-1436

Lane Lewis/Farmers Insurance

SignatureCare Emergency Centers

FINANCIAL PLANNING/BANKS

3209 Montrose Blvd.......................281/709-2897 1925 TC Jester.................................832/850-4338 1014 Wirt Rd.....................................832/924-0312 Additional locations.......................ercare24.com

2200 North Loop W, Ste 136....... 713/688-8669

Family Solutions International

5501 Main........................................713/528-0527

1700 W Loop S, Ste 255................ 713/489-4322

HEALTH CARE-FOOT/ ANKLE SPECIALISTS

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Shane Theriot/Edward Jones

1210 West Clay, Ste. G.....HawthorneFunds.com

JEWELERS 1338-C Westheimer..................... 713/520-5440

David Alcorta Catering

CHURCHES/SPIRITUAL CENTERS Bering United Methodist

1440 Harold................................... beringumc.org Resurrection MCC

2025 W 11th..................................... 713/861-9149 St Paul’s United Methodist Church

AspireFertility.com.........................713/425-3003 5757 Woodway Dr. Ste 317...........713/827-0301 Richard Dickson/Galene Financial

Sole Aesthetic/Dr. Vanessa T. Barrow

1805 W. Alabama........... ststephenshouston.org

888-A Avenue A, Katy.................... 281/391-6137

Soleaesthetictx.com...................... 713/666-9934

Trinity Episcopal Church

Grace Yung/Midtown Financial

HEALTH CARE-HIV/STD TESTING

1015 Holman St........... www.trinitymidtown.org

CLEANING SERVICES

Dexter’s Five Star Service/Bob Samora

........................................................... 832/252-1961

76 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

3355 Alabama, Ste 180..................713/355-9833

FITNESS CLUBS/PERSONAL TRAINERS

Club Houston

2205 Fannin ................................... 713/659-4998

Avenue 360

Avenue360.org................................713/426-0027 Legacy Community Health

...............................LegacyCommunityHealth.org

INSURANCE AGENCIES/AGENTS

Patrick Torma/Goosehead Insurance

3420 Rusk, Ste. 22..........................281/723-1294

INVESTMENTS Doug Smith/Hawthorne Funds

Silverlust

LANDSCAPING/GARDENING

Joshua’s Native Plants & Antiques

502 W. 18th St.................................713/862-7444

ADVERTISERS INDEX MASSAGE THERAPISTS Ryan Fugate, RMT

RyanMassageWorks.com .............713/269-7926 Tom Zeppelin/Zeppelin Massage

RESTAURANTS/COFFEE/WINE BARS

Dessert Gallery

DessertGallery.com.......................713-522-9999 Free Grillin’/Chef Michele

ZeppelinMassage.com ................. 713/542-0426

...........................................................832/419-0165

MUSEUMS

2616 Louisiana ...............................832/360-1710

Galveston Railroad Museum

galvestonrrmuseum.org ..............409/765-5700

PEST CONTROL SERVICES

Andy’s All Star Pest Control

........................................................... 713/732-7742

PET SERVICES& SUPPLIES

Gloria’s Latin Cuisine Niko Niko’s

2520 Montrose ...............................713/528-4976 Niko Niko’s

1040 W. Sam Houston Prkwy. N .832/981-4976 Pizza Birra Vino

544 Waugh Dr ............................... 832/581-3664 Riva’s Italian Restaurant

Bayou City Veterinary Hospital

1117 Missouri St............................. 713/529-3450

Midtown Veterinary Hospital

3414 Washington Ave ........feasturbaneats.com

Spay-Neuter Assistance Program

TELEVISION/ENTERTAINMENT

The Urban Vet

8181 Southwest Fwy ........... click2houston.com

West Alabama Animal Clinic

3310 Bissonnet St................................ abc13.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS

TRAVEL/TRAVEL AGENCIES

DaltonDehart.com.........................713/622-2202

4920 Mimosa ...................................713/661-2117

4720 Washington .......................... 713/343-9909 MidtownVetHospital.com............ 713-528-4900 Snapus.org. .....................................713/862-3863 2625 Louisiana St.Ste D100........713/903-2364 2030 W. Alabama...........................713/528-0818 Dalton DeHart Photography Yvonne Feece Photography

yvonnefeece.com ..........................832/876-1053

Urban Eats

KPRC 2 KTRK

Concierge Travel, Inc Lafayette Travel

LafayetteTravel.com ..................... 800/346-1958 Visit Palestine

PHOTOGRAPHY

visitpalestine.com.........................800/659-3484

5900 Richmond Ave ......................713/789-6901

WEDDING SERVICES/BAKERS

PLUMBING

davidalcorta.net ............................ 832/439-0224

Houston Camera Exchange

In The Loop Plumbing Services

..........................................................346/253-4444 U-Plumb-It Plumbing Supply

David Alcorta Catering Dessert Gallery

DessertGallery.com.......................713-522-9999

1424 Montrose ............................... 713-942-2277

WEDDING SERVICES/CATERERS

POOLS & POOL SERVICES

davidalcorta.net ............................ 832/439-0224

........................................................... 713/447-9201

WEDDING SERVICES/PHOTO/VIDEO

Venture Pools

PRINTING/COPY CENTERS

Copy.com

1201-F Westheimer ........................ 713/528-1201

REAL ESTATE–MORTGAGE/TITLE Cody Grizzoffi/NRL Mortgage

Codygrizzoffi.com ..........................832-541-1103 Chicago Title –Inner Loop

3700 Buffalo Speedway................713/418-7000

REAL ESTATE–REALTORS Brooks Ballard/Engel & Volkers

309 Gray .......................................... 713/522-7474 David Bowers/The House Company/Galveston

David@DavidBowers.com .........409/763-2800 Eric Bradley/In the Loop Properties

2118 Waugh Dr. .............................. 713-252-7205 Mike Copenhaver/Remax Metro

mikecopenhaver@remax.net ... 713/528-4963 Jeremy Fain/Greenwood King Properties

3201 Kirby Dr .................................713/677-4337 Karen Derr/Karen Derr Realty

karenderr.com ...............................713/875-7050

Thomas Phillips/KW Memorial

t.phillips@kw.com ....................... 832/305-7848 Debbie Levine/Greenwood King Properties

3201 Kirby Drive ............................713/942-6857 Lynette Lew/Better Homes and Gardens

LynetteLew.com.............................713/582-2202 Jose Ocque/Gary Greene-Post Oak Park

1177 W. Loop South, Ste 1200 ....713/301-1136 Dan Ritchel/Keller Williams

........................................................... 214/384-1164 Tom Schwenk/Tom’s Galveston Real Estate

David Alcorta Catering

Dalton DeHart Photography

DaltonDehart.com.........................713/622-2202

Yvonne Feece-Tran Photography

Galveston Railroad Museum

galvestonrrmuseum.org ..............409/765-5700

PHOTOGRAPHIC FOUNDATION

PHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHIC FOUNDATION FOUNDATION

your LOCAL

BUSINESSES

WHO believe IN

Our Legacy Through The Lens

EQUALITY. Thank You for supporting our advertisers!

PRESERVING PRESERVING YEARS YEARS OF OF HOUSTON LGBTQ HOUSTON LGBTQ HISTORY! HISTORY!

VJ Tramonte/Joe Tramonte Realty Martha Turner Properties

Andy Weber/Sotheby’s International Realty

Get listed on this page.

Christopher Williams/Gary Greene-Post Oak

Call 713/520-7237 ext. 710

1177 W. Loop South, Ste 1200 .....713/885-4419

Lynette@LynetteLew.com | www.LynetteLew.com

NURTURE

1802 Broadway/Galveston .......... 409/765-9837

520 Post Oak.................................. 713/724-4306

Residential and Commercial Realtor Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene Gary Greene Commercial Properties

yvonnefeece.com ..........................832/876-1053

WEDDING VENUES

Tomsgalvestonrealestate.com .....713/857-2309

Marthaturner.com ......................... 713/520-1981

Lynette Lew • 713.582.2202

OutSmartMagazine.com

Help us fund the digitalization and cataloging of Help us fund the digitalization and cataloging of over million community photos by making a donation. over million community photos by making a donation.

DaltonDeHart DaltonDeHart.com .com OutSmartMagazine.com | MARCH 2021 2021 77 OutSmartMagazine.com | FEBRUARY

BEHIND THE BAR WITH . . .

Kayla Curran PEARL BAR

4216 Washington Ave.

Shifts: Wednesday – Saturday Nights

What is your favorite shot to make? To drink?

Peach Tea Shots with Deep Eddy Sweet Tea vodka, peach schnapps, and sweet & sour— my favorite for making and for drinking as well.

Where is your favorite place to drink when not on duty?

Here at Pearl Bar on Sundays,

when we have the best crawfish around!

What are you best known for?

Creating theme drinks. Like for our Valentine’s Burlesque Show, I created the Spritz-her Cocktail with Aperol and Champagne, the Nikki Knockout Punch with coconut rum and three juices, and the Butch Girl Lemonade with whiskey, peach schnapps,

and lemonade.

here I’m known as the Plant Lady.

What are the best and worst holidays to work? Why? Best holiday: Halloween, because of all of the creative costumes.

Worst holiday: St. Patrick’s Day, because I want to be out there with the crowd.

Do you have any pets?

I have a Maltipoo named Zoë who loves to come to work with me, and a cat named Penny.

Biggest tip from one customer? $150 on a much smaller tab.

Favorite restaurant?

Anything Mexican.

Who are the hardest customers to please?

We have a lot of great regulars at Pearl, so for the most part I know what they want. If someone isn’t sure what they want, a few quick questions will identify something they might like.

If you weren’t a bartender, what career would you choose?

Something with plants. Around

Favorite food?

Pepperoni pizza.

Favorite travel spot?

California.

Dream vacation?

Bora Bora.

Best advice to a wannabe bartender in an LGBTQ bar?

Be yourself. Be happy. People will like you if you are yourself.

Desired super-power?

Reading minds.

BAR GUIDE There’s always something going on at TONY’S CORNER POCKET!

Houston’s Hottest Male Amateur Strip Contest Headquarters!

817 W. Dallas 713.571.7870 Voted the Best Place to Watch Male Dancers Tues. and Thurs, – Sunday Nights

SUPPORT

•

EDUCATION

•

ADVOCACY

Where Everyone is Welcome!

Helpline: 713-46P-FLAG www.pflaghouston.org 78

MARCH 2021

|

OutSmartMagazine.com

Nightly Specials – Call for Details

Cold Beverages & Hot Guys!

If you want to drink, that’s your business.

If you want to stop, that’s ours.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Hundreds of meetings a week in your area.

Call (713) 686-6300 or visit www.aahouston.org For general information visit: www.aa.org

MARKETPLACE CLASSIFIEDS MARKETPLACE

SALE OR LEASE

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

Be Sexy.

Andy’s All-stAr

Pest Control

ADVERTISING RATES

5027 Ave N 3/1/1 plus large pool!

Active Vacation Rental! $270,000

March. 15 for the April Issue.

For rates/information call 713/520-7237 ext. 710.

Thank you for supporting OutSmart Advertisers!

Please be sure to tell them you saw their ad in OutSmart.

COMPUTER SERVICES

5301 Winnie 22 unit mini-storage Owner financing available $250,000 We have immediate openings for experienced advertising executives at OutSmart Media Company.

Salary, commissions, and benefits.

A creative, fun environment.

APPLY TODAY! Stay COVID-19 Safe

Send your cover letter and resume to employment@outsmartmagazine.com

2122 Ave K Circa 1900 Two Story Victorian 3/1.5/3 Plus 2 bedroom garage apartment. $342,500

713-732-7742 Complete Pest Control Service 6 Month Warranty - on Standard Pest Control This is Termite Swarming Season Call us to Protect your Investment

Call

Andy

for a free quote

Rescued Pets Movement, Inc. (RPM) is a Houston-based nonprofit providing a second chance for thousands of homeless dogs and Andy Sassie – Owner cats through rehabilitation and transport to TPCL# 13558 forever homes in communities throughout the country that have a need for adoptable pets.

You can help by becoming a temporary foster home partner.

2114 52nd 2/1.5/Large garage underneath Raised Cottage $209,500

Rescued Pets

Movement

RescuedPetsMovement.org/Foster-Us

YOUR COMPUTER ASSISTANT

TRUSTED House & Pet Sitter

NOW WITH REMOTE SUPPORT!

MASSAGE

Idle hands are the devil’s workshop. Find new clients for your massage business.

Place your ad today.

713/520-7237 ext. 710

David Bowers

Contact: Loyal 713-705-6125 Bonded & Insured

david@davidbowers.com

409-763-2800 Right now is the perfect opportunity TO BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE TO BE COMPASSIONATE TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS

Thank you again to my OutSmart readers for voting me Best Astrologer for all of these years.”

TO SHOW GRATITUDE TO THOSE YOU LOVE AND TRULY APPRECIATE Voted BEST ASTROLOGER

by OutSmart Readers

LILLY RODDY A S T R O LO G E R Personal astrological sessions

Voted Houstons best massage therapist, 2009, 2010,

Relationship readings - personal /business

2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020!

Presentations & lectures to organizations

–outsmart magazine

CONSULTATIONS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY GIFT CERTIFICATES • CREDIT CARDS

713.529.5842

lillycath@aol.com • www.lillyroddy.com OutSmartMagazine.com LillyRoddy_Nov14.indd 1

|

MARCH 2021 79 10/21/14 11:29 AM

SIGN OUT

By LILLY RODDY

JOHN-PAUL ARREAGA

Finally Making Progress Expect more positivity this month.

We are finally moving forward this month as Mercury, our organizer and communicator, goes direct. The next Mercury retrograde is May 22 through June 29, so plan ahead! Mars, our planet of action, enters Gemini on March 3 and remains there until April 23. Mars will have the strongest impact on the mutable signs— Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo, and Pisces. Those signs are ready to take action, so they will have less patience and be more selffocused. We have fewer negative energies overall this month, so we should all be able to take a breath.

Good days this month are March 3, 4, 16, 18, 21, 30, and 31. Days to remain in bed are March 10, 13, 23, and the 29th.

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

The first half of the month is a more socially interactive time, while the latter half of the month is more about retreating and finding some inner peace. You are looking for some greater purpose to motivate you this month, and you want to put more energy into community and business organizations. This is also a better time to expand your business network and connect with potential new customers and friends. In the latter half of the month, you’ll enter a time of rest and retreat. You are more sensitive to your environment, to negative people, and to feelings of unexpressed anger. The latter half of the month is also a much better time to get away from social and career expectations. By the end of the month, you are feeling like your old active and energetic self again.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)

This year (and 2022) is a time for reevaluating your current direction—including career, relationships, and long-term security. That process is extra-strong this month. You are looking at shifting 80

MARCH 2021

| OutSmartMagazine.com

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Happy Birthday to all the Fish Folk out there! This is your personal time of annual renewal, and a good time to review the past and set new goals for adventure in 2021. You have had a strong theme of following your heart and responding to things that help give your life meaning and purpose. You are more self-oriented this month—it’s time to put you at the top

career goals and (if you are older) retirement. Boundaries are on the menu as you review how much time you give to projects and other people. In the latter half of the month, you are more directed to helping support your social and work community. You are more willing to take a lead role rather than staying in the audience. Things must have more purpose and practical use. You are wanting more passion, more freedom, and more joy.

It’s easier to do what’s best for you now, because you are paying more attention to your boundaries.

GEMINI (May 21–June 21)

This is going to be a very active month for you with Mars (planet of initiation, self-protection, and taking life more personally) traveling through your sign until the middle of April. You will be more direct, less patient, ready to act on impulse, and you may not sleep as well.

Your career energies are much more active this month, and you will want to take more of a leadership position there. This can also be a time when you may want to strike out on your own. You are more community-minded this month as well.

This is a great month to connect with

of your list. Family demands can be strong over the next six weeks. They are looking for you to help them find a solution. You will have more choice in determining how you want to respond, instead of the automatic reactions you’ve had in the past.

You may want to have some work done on your home in order to make you feel more safe and secure. You do have more energy this month, and you are not as patient.

business associations or expand your own network of resources. This is also a good month to upgrade your professional skills. You are more open and receptive to the things you like to do!

CANCER (June 22–July 22)

As the month begins, you are in more of a time of learning, teaching, and finding ways to expand your horizons and your resources. You are being more careful about your money and property. You are working to clear yourself of debt, and the weight of always being under someone’s thumb. This is a good time for a home loan, for investing in the stock market, and for taking care of any financial problems you have been ignoring. This is also a good month for writing and putting your information out on social media. Career energies are more active toward the end of the month. In the social world, you are looking for more autonomy and fewer obligations.

Relationships are moving toward more stability as you get clearer about what works best for your partnership.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

You are clearly into a rebuilding time in your life. Last month, you focused on the

past and what had been the directions and themes of your life. This month, you are ready to move forward. You are reassessing your goals and desires, and setting priorities. You are restructuring your relationships and expecting more from the people you have partnered with. You are looking for common goals that everyone can pursue. In the latter part of the month, you are more focused on finances, investments, and reducing debt. You are also gaining more intimacy in your relationships. By the end of the month, you are ready for an adventure and new surroundings.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

You have been working hard to get your routines re-established since last month.

This month, you will see some real results stemming from the efforts you made. This is also a much better time to restart your exercise and health programs, and get some positive results. Partnerships are also more important, as you will want to make sure that you and your partner are both moving in the same direction.

Reducing debt is also very important this month, as you are trying to free yourself from limited choices. Your career area

is going to be very active over the next month and a half. You will want to take more of a leadership role within your profession. You will not have as much patience with many aspects of your life, but especially with your company and the people running the show. Take on the role of a leader, and not the role of a disgruntled worker. This can also be a time when you really want to start your own business.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 23)

you are single, the last half of the month is a great time to meet new people for friendships and possible romance! You will also want some time to get away from your routines and expectations.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24–Nov. 21)

There is a lot of activity going on in your life. You are looking at new ways to improve your career direction, and also to create a more comfortable and stable nest. Since last month, you have been weighing which direction you want to commit to. This month, you are more than ready to move forward on your plans.

This can also be a time for remodeling or relocating. Your creative energies are stronger, and you have a plan in place to make good use of those inspired ambitions. Relationships have been tense, but as the month proceeds you will find more harmony there. This will apply to business and romantic relationships as well as your close friendships. In the latter part of the month, you are paying more attention to improving your health habits and routines.

As the month begins, you are still in more of a creative and playful mood, but you are still ready to move forward with your ideas. You are open to expanding your knowledge in your field, working to improve your current standing through certification, and connecting more to your passions rather than things that just make money. You are actively improving your workplace, and making it a more inviting and comfortable area. You also need some time and space for yourself.

You are more aware of what you are eating, and how that affects your body.

In the latter part of the month, you are more focused on your relationships. You SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22–Dec.21) will want some time to bond with your You have been working to improve your partner and renew those connections. If communications and routines to make

New Construction, Renovations, Weekly Maintenance & Repairs

your life run more smoothly. Last month was a big time of reassessment, but this month you are ready to put your plans into action. Your energies will be very strong over the next six weeks. You will be ready to take on new projects and put more energy into your relationships. If you are involved, you will need to find some time to reconnect and reaffirm your relationship. If you are single, this is a very good time to look for potential partners. Your magnetic personality is very strong! Difficult problems in relationships will come to the surface so they can be addressed and resolved. In the last few weeks of March, you will need some time for yourself. A spa visit could work wonders!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

You are focusing more on your resources and how to make better use of them this month. You will be examining where you spend your time, love, and money. You will be examining where you can reduce your expenses by eliminating services that you don’t need. You will also be looking at ways to increase your income by looking for a different employer, increasing your fees, or asking for a raise. You will need more time to yourself during the middle part of the month. You’ll need some time

to step away from your routines and obligations in order to determine if you are following the best path. By the end of the month, you are ready to be more active.

Family demands arise at the same time.

A walk around the block can do wonders for you!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

The last few months have been especially intense for you. The majority of the planets, including Mercury retrograde, have been in your sign. This would make for a time when you re-examine your role, purpose, and look at why you made the choices you’ve made in the past. You’re ready to leave many things behind as you look for something to renew hope and passion. This is a time when you are more aware and more sensitive to your environment. You are focused on your self-worth as the month begins. The lack of appreciation you feel can cause you to withdraw and look for other options.

By the end of the month, you are more confident with your decisions and ready to put them into play. You are more direct in your communications this month.

For more astro-insight, log on to lillyroddy.com.

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WIGGING OUT

The Man behind the Man-Bun Drag king Hugh Dandy thrives in the limelight.

By SAM BYRD Photo by ANGELO S. ORTIZ VELA

Nobody puts the “Hugh” in Houston like Hugh Dandy. With his chiseled cheekbones and sky-high man-bun, he’s the epitome of manliness. But don’t call it cocky—he just has that je ne sais quoi that turns the audience on. Read on for a glimpse of the performer who brings Hugh to life.

Preferred pronouns?

He/Him in drag, She/Her or They/Them out of drag.

Hometown?

A small town in Illinois that’s a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.

Drag birth date?

Spring 2014.

Does drag play into your gender identity?

Yes. It’s fun to watch others either find themselves through drag, or find validity in their gender identity through drag. Drag has given me permission to explore my identity in a safe way, in a safe place, and at my own pace. There are no rules about gender for drag.

How did you first get into performing?

My alma mater, Webster University, held an annual drag show that invited students to perform alongside some seasoned professionals.

I attended the first two years of the show as a spectator, but by my junior year I was itching to try. I was very frightened to go up on stage by myself, so I grabbed a friend and we dressed up as some male characters we made up on the spot. Thus, Hugh (Huey at the time) was born.

It was so much fun that by the next morning we were planning what we were going to do for next year’s show.

Challenges as a drag king?

Representation is very important. Not having drag kings in the mainstream media hurts most kings. Whether that be a show director who is hesitant to book you “because you’re not what my audience wants to see” or audience members not always knowing how to react to your drag, simply because your drag is different than what is shown on TV or promoted on social media.

What was it like taking your performances into a digital format due to COVID-19?

Performing to your phone in your apart82 MARCH 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com

Follow Hugh on TikTok @Hughdandy, on Instagram @Hugh_Dandy, and on Facebook as Hugh Dandy.

ment is so different than performing onstage.

Without an active audience reacting to my moves and outfits, I didn’t think I would be doing it for very long, if I’m being honest. I struggled, especially during the first couple months of COVID-19. But drag was the only consistent part of my life during quarantine.

Drag had always been my escape, so it helped me just put everything in my mind on pause.

Everyone was so supportive of our little online show. I’m thankful I could continue at all.

What’s it like being a part of H-Town Drag Kings?

It’s like having a chosen family! I absolutely adore the entire cast of the H-Town Kings, past and present. This show lets us do whatever we want, with very few limits.

Describe your drag persona.

Smooth, suave, a little dangerous, and always the center of attention. He’s laid back and goes with the flow. A little dumb, but at least he doesn’t pretend to know more than he does.

Just a good-looking pop star who loves the limelight. He’d probably pretend to hate the paparazzi, but he secretly enjoys the attention.

Favorite memory from performing?

I was once tipped a McChicken sandwich.

Any horror stories from the stage?

I tried to eat Cheetos once during a number.

If you think you can eat and lip sync at the same time, you can’t. You’re either chewing the entire time or you’re showing off your halfchewed food to the audience.

Any titles or awards?

I won Season 2 of Drag It On and was voted Houston’s Best Drag King in 2019 at the Houston Drag Awards.

What do you do outside of drag?

I work for a small marketing company as a web developer, but my passion is art. I have a BA in animation and would love to see my drawings come to life on the big screen someday. #TeamNSYNC or #TeamBackStreetBoys? #TeamNSYNC, without hesitation. If you don’t agree, then “Baby, Bye Bye Bye!” Where can we see Hugh perform?

Catch me at Pearl Bar Houston everyish Wednesday, and occasionally on Twitch and other digital shows!

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