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FEATURES

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Montrose Center’s 2026 LGBTQ+ Health Advocate Award

Montrose Center’s 2026 LGBTQ+ Innovator Award

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40 COVER FEATURE

Los Robles celebrates Houston’s LGBTQ Latino culture

Meet the honorees: Meet the honorees: AMANDA McMILLIAN KEVIN ANDERSON

A VOICE FOR TRANS LATINAS

COUNTRY, CAMP & COWGAYS

Anandrea Molina turns advocacy into action

The queer-country trio headlines The Diana Foundation brunch

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Indigo Girls bring music and activism to Texas

Jack Wolff returns to Pecos Bill 16 years later

Celebrating women and queer voices onstage

A LATIN NIGHTLIFE FIXTURE

CLOSER TOGETHER

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EDITOR’S NOTE September brings opportunities to reflect on visibility, belonging, and the spaces LGBTQ Houstonians continue to create for one another. With National Hispanic Heritage Month beginning September 15, this issue also celebrates people and organizations strengthening Houston’s LGBTQ Latino community at a time when that work carries particular significance.

We begin with Asia’s House, a new emergency shelter created by Montrose Grace Place and the Montrose Center for youth ages 15 to 17 experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Named in memory of Asia Jynaé Foster, a young trans woman and community advocate killed in Houston in 2020, the shelter provides LGBTQ-affirming housing, counseling, case management, and resources designed to help residents move toward longterm stability.

In Katy, Barbara Kosciewicz turned support for her transgender daughter, Aubrey, into broader advocacy through Katy Pride. Her work continues October 3 with the organization’s Stand Tall, Y’All Pride Festival. That same day, the Montrose Center hosts its annual Out for Good gala, honoring United Way of Greater Houston CEO Amanda McMillian

and The T.R.U.T.H. Project founder Kevin Anderson for their contributions to LGBTQ health, advocacy, and empowerment.

For National Hispanic Heritage Month, we visit Los Robles, the Latin gay bar that has built a welcoming gathering place around music, culture, and the atmosphere of a family house party. We also profile Anandrea Molina, founder of Organización Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT), whose advocacy for transgender Latinx immigrants includes legal assistance, emergency shelter, health-care access, Spanish-language resources, and support for those navigating the detention system.

Country music takes center stage on our cover with The Cowgays: Adam Mac, Brooke Eden, and Chris Housman. David Clarke speaks with the Nashville trio ahead of their Houston debut at The Diana Foundation’s annual brunch about friendship, queer joy, and carving out space in country music.

Brandon Wolf also catches up with Indigo Girls’ Emily Saliers ahead of the duo’s October 15 concert, discussing four decades of music and activism, their enduring LGBTQ following, and a new generation discovering their work.

In the arts, Houston Ballet’s Jack Wolff returns to Pecos Bill 16 years after first per-

forming in the production as a child. Mildred’s Umbrella celebrates 25 years of championing women’s voices, while the Houston Cinema Arts Festival returns with a strong selection of queer cinema.

Finally, photographer Dalton DeHart captures Pride Houston 365’s 48th Annual Pride Parade, which filled downtown Houston on August 15 with music, performers, organizations, flags, and celebration—a fitting reminder of the visibility, resilience, and joy reflected throughout this issue.

As always, we thank our writers and photographers, whose work is essential in telling Houston’s LGBTQ stories. And our readers, advertisers, and donors who keep this magazine and the OutSmart Foundation thriving also deserve special recognition. If you believe community-driven journalism is vital in these troubled times, please consider donating to the OutSmart Foundation for LGBTQ News and Media.

Greg Jeu Publisher

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Your Support Transforms LGBTQ Stories into Change Why are we asking you to donate to the OutSmart Foundation?

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

QUEER THINGS to DO STAGE

September 4–5

Harrison Guy: Dear Prairie View Performing Arts Houston presents the world premiere of Houston choreographer Harrison Guy’s Dear Prairie View, a multidisciplinary work celebrating the 150th anniversary of Prairie View A&M University through dance, music, spoken word, and visual storytelling. tinyurl.com/guy-dear-prairie-view

PRIDE 2026

MUSIC

September 4-6

September 13

Pride Galveston 2026 Pride Galveston returns for a three-day Labor Day weekend celebration featuring community gatherings, drag performances, and Pride events across the island. tinyurl.com/4awzcxtu

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Kehlani with Durand Bernarr Openly queer R&B star Kehlani brings The Kehlani World Tour to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, with acclaimed queer singer-songwriter Durand Bernarr joining the lineup. tinyurl.com/metht6vx

MUSIC

Friday, September 18

Slayyyter: WOR$T GIRL IN THE WORLD TOUR Pop artist Slayyyter brings her WOR$T GIRL IN THE WORLD TOUR to White Oak Music Hall with Pearly Drops. The tour benefits local organizations supporting LGBTQ health, wellbeing, and empowerment through PLUS1. tinyurl.com/4rxf8jyd

STAGE

COMMUNITY

September 11–October 3

Sunday, September 13

4th Wall Theatre Company: Proof 4th Wall Theatre Company opens its 16th season with David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Proof. Directed

by Sophia Watt, the drama follows Catherine as she grieves her brilliant mathematician father and confronts questions of family, trust, mental illness, and the legacy she may have inherited. tinyurl.com/2keemp7n

17th Annual Equality Brunch The Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus hosts its 17th Annual Equality Brunch at POST Houston, raising funds to support the organization’s Caucus card and get-out-the-vote efforts.

The program includes music by DJ Panda and St. Peter United Collective, plus performances

by Adeciya Iman and Sir Andre Paris. tinyurl.com/43u7tmuc

COMMUNITY

STAGE

September 20

September 25–26

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Houston Brunch LGBTQ+ Victory Fund returns to Houston for its annual brunch celebrating LGBTQ+ political representation and honoring Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce cofounder and CEO Tammi Wallace. tinyurl.com/3ysv78uf

Ben Chavez: Last Day, County Fair Performing Arts Houston presents the world premiere of Ben Chavez: Last Day, County Fair, a New/Now commission blending songs and storytelling to explore identity, memory, and self-discovery. tinyurl.com/Ben-Chavez

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

QUEERTHINGS to DO

SAVE the DATES

COMMUNITY

Saturday, October 3

Katy Pride Celebration 2026 Katy Pride’s 2026 celebrates the strength, resilience, and vibrant diversity of the LGBTQ community in Katy and West Houston. The celebration features 70+ vendor booths, live entertainment, community resources, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to connect with local LGBTQ organizations and allies. tinyurl.com/2s3hva7m

PRIDE 2026

Saturday, October 3

Katy Pride Celebration 2026 Katy Pride’s 2026 celebrates the strength, resilience, and vibrant diversity of the LGBTQ community in Katy and West Houston. The celebration features 70+ vendor booths, live entertainment, community resources, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to connect with local LGBTQ organizations and allies. tinyurl.com/2s3hva7m

MUSIC

October 15

Indigo Girls + Linda Perry Indigo Girls return to the Houston area for a performance at Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, joined by singer-songwriter and producer Linda Perry. The concert brings together three influential LGBTQ voices whose careers span generations. tinyurl.com/ycka5e9b

COMMUNITY

Saturday, October 31

The Woodlands Pride Festival 2026 The Woodlands Pride Festival is a free all-ages celebration bringing together thousands of community members for live entertainment, local vendors, food trucks, and family-friendly fun. tinyurl.com/45sn254m

STAGE

Sunday, November 8

An Evening with David Sedaris Best-selling author and humorist David Sedaris returns to Houston for his 19th engagement with Performing Arts Houston, bringing his signature wit and sharp observations to the Cullen Theater at the Wortham Center. tinyurl.com/bdhced24

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MONEY SMART

By GRACE YUNG, CFP

The Roth Window Why timing matters for taxes, RMDs, and Medicare.

Retirement often brings a welcome change of pace, but it can also create an important taxplanning opportunity. For many retirees, the years between leaving the workforce and beginning Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) may be some of the best years to consider converting a portion of a traditional IRA or other eligible pre-tax retirement assets to a Roth IRA. Why? Because once your paycheck stops, your taxable income may temporarily decline.

Later, Social Security benefits, pensions and RMDs can push that income back up. Taking advantage of the years in between may help reduce future taxes and potentially reduce exposure to higher Medicare premiums.

The RMD Problem Traditional IRAs and many employersponsored retirement accounts provide tax-deferred growth. That is a valuable benefit while you’re accumulating retirement savings, but eventually the IRS requires you to begin withdrawing money.

Under current law, RMDs generally begin at age 73, although individuals born in 1960 or later generally begin at age 75. The larger your tax-deferred accounts become, the larger your future RMDs may be.

Imagine retiring at 65 with a substantial IRA and not needing much of that money for living expenses. If the account continues growing for another eight or ten years, your eventual RMD could create considerably more taxable income than you actually need.

That additional income can have consequences beyond simply paying income tax.

Enter the Roth Conversion A Roth conversion involves moving money from a traditional IRA or other eligible pretax retirement account into a Roth IRA. The amount converted is generally included in taxable income in the year of conversion.

In exchange for paying taxes today, however, the converted assets can potentially grow tax-free, and qualified Roth IRA withdrawals 16

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are tax-free. Perhaps even more important for retirement planning, Roth IRA owners are not required to take RMDs during their lifetime.

Therefore, strategically converting portions of a traditional IRA over several years can reduce the balance that will eventually be subject to RMDs. The goal isn’t necessarily to convert everything. Instead, it may make sense to gradually convert enough each year to take advantage of lower tax brackets without unnecessarily pushing yourself into significantly higher ones.

2024 MAGI Single $109,000 or less Over $109,000–$137,000 Over $137,000–$171,000 Over $171,000–$205,000 Over $205,000–under $500,000 $500,000 or more

Don’t Forget About Medicare and IRMAA Taxes aren’t the only consideration. Higher income can also increase what you pay for Medicare Part B and Part D through the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, commonly known as IRMAA. Medicare generally looks back two years when determining whether IRMAA applies.

For example, your 2026 Medicare premiums are generally based on your 2024 Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI).

For 2026, the Medicare Part B IRMAA brackets are:

2024 MAGI Married Filing Jointly $218,000 or less Over $218,000–$274,000 Over $274,000–$342,000 Over $342,000–$410,000 Over $410,000–under $750,000 $750,000 or more

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IRMAA can also add a surcharge to Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.

This is especially important because IRMAA works more like a series of steps than a gradual tax bracket. Crossing a threshold— even by a relatively small amount—can move you into the next premium tier.

Roth Conversions Can Help IRMAA — But They Can Also Trigger It Here’s where careful planning becomes important.

A Roth conversion increases taxable income in the year of the conversion. Therefore, converting too much at once can potentially push your MAGI into a higher IRMAA bracket two years later.

But the opposite can also be true over the long term.

Converting strategically during your lower-income retirement years may reduce the size of your traditional IRA. That can mean smaller RMDs later, which could help keep future income—and potentially future Medicare premiums—lower.

In other words, you may intentionally recognize some taxable income today to potentially reduce taxable income later.

The Single-Survivor Issue Married couples should pay particular attention to the difference between the single and married-filing-jointly IRMAA thresholds.

For 2026, a married couple filing jointly can have MAGI of up to $218,000 before IRMAA begins. For a single taxpayer, that threshold is only $109,000.

This can become especially important after the death of a spouse. The surviving spouse may eventually file as a single taxpayer while still owning much of the couple’s retirement assets. RMDs that were manageable while filing jointly could suddenly represent a much larger percentage of the survivor’s available IRMAA and income-tax brackets.

This potential “survivor’s penalty” is another reason married couples may want to evaluate Roth conversions while both spouses are alive and filing jointly.

Finding the Sweet Spot Roth conversion planning isn’t about simply converting as much as possible. The real question is: How much should you convert, and when?

A thoughtful strategy considers your current tax bracket, projected future RMDs, Social Security income, pensions, investment income, Medicare enrollment date, IRMAA thresholds and whether you have outside funds available to pay the conversion tax.

Spreading partial conversions over several

lower-income years may be more tax-efficient than waiting until RMDs begin.

It is also important to remember that tax laws, Medicare premiums and IRMAA thresholds can change over time.

Retirement planning shouldn’t end when you retire. In many cases, the first several years of retirement present some of the most valuable tax-planning opportunities you’ll have. Working with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and tax professional can help you evaluate whether Roth conversions fit into your overall retirement strategy—and determine how much to convert without allowing today’s tax solution to inadvertently create tomorrow’s Medicare problem.

A Roth IRA conversion—sometimes called a backdoor Roth strategy—is a way to contribute to a Roth IRA when income exceeds standard limits. The converted amount is treated as taxable income and may affect your tax bracket. Federal, state, and local taxes may apply. If you’re required to take a minimum distribution in the year of conversion, it must be completed before converting. To qualify for tax-free withdrawals, you must generally be age 59½ and hold the converted funds in the Roth IRA for at least five years. Each conversion has its own five-year period, and early withdrawals may be subject to a 10% penalty unless an exception applies. Income limits still apply for future direct Roth IRA contributions.

This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or investment advice. Please consult a qualified tax professional regarding your individual circumstances.

This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor. There is no assurance that the views or strategies discussed here are suitable for all investors or will yield positive outcomes. The opinions voiced here are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Grace S. Yung, CFP®, is a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner and the CEO & Founder of Midtown Financial Group, LLC, in Houston. Since 1994, she has helped LGBTQ individuals, domestic partners, and families plan and manage their finances with care and expertise. She is a Wealth Advisor offering securities and advisory services through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Grace can be reached at grace.yung@lpl.com.For more information, visit www.midtownfg.com or www. midtownfg.com/lgbtqplus.10.htm.

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COMMUNITY

Addressing a Gap in LGBTQ Youth Housing Asia’s House expands emergency shelter options for Houston teens experiencing homelessness.

by BRANDON WOLF | Photos by RAUL CHAIDEZ

A

sia’s House, a new six-bed LGBTQ+ youth-affirming emergency shelter, will now serve Houston-area young people ages 15–17 who are experiencing homelessness or have run away. Opened on September 1, 2026, the facility offers a safe place to stay, intensive case management, and a route to family reunification or other stable housing. True Colors United estimates that as many as 40% of young people experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+.

Montrose Grace Place and the Montrose Center jointly established the shelter. Grace Place oversees operations, staffing, and grant compliance, while the Montrose Center financed the initial lease and staffing and continues to advise Grace Place and offer vital referral services.

Since 2010, Grace Place has supported Houston youth experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity by providing safety, food, supportive relationships, and hope. The Montrose Center, founded in 1978, is Houston’s LGBTQ+ community center and serves more than 60,000 people each year.

Asia’s House is named in honor of Asia Jynaé Foster, a young trans woman of color, community advocate, and member of the Grace Place community who was murdered in Houston in 2020. Foster had often spoken about the need for this type of support for trans youth.

The shelter welcomes all eligible young people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Youth may seek assistance without a referral or an adult signing them in.

Under Texas law, minors may receive emergency shelter without parental consent when their physical health or safety is in immediate danger. To safeguard residents’ privacy and security, the shelter’s location remains confidential.

Programs funded under the federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act must make and document an effort to contact a parent or 20

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Courtney Sellers (l) and Rebecca at Asia’s House

Asia’s House provides a safe, affirming emergency shelter for Houston-area youth ages 15–17 experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

guardian, generally within 72 hours, while treating the young person’s safety as the determining factor. The program pursues reunification when it is safe and appropriate; otherwise, it focuses on securing stable housing and lasting support.

As an emergency shelter, Asia’s House aims to place each young person in longterm housing within 21 days. Its services include case management, on-site counseling, life-skills training, education and employment assistance, and aftercare. Intensive street outreach is also central to the program because young people may be couch surfing, sleeping in a car, or staying with someone unsafe rather than living visibly on the street.

The shelter addresses a major regional gap for 15- to 17-year-olds who leave home and have few alternatives. Adult shelters cannot accept minors, most youth facilities serve people ages 18 and older, and child-protection involvement may be limited for older teenagers.

A kick-off ceremony took place on August 17, 2026, at Living Mosaic Church in Montrose. Courtney Sellers, executive director of Grace Place, noted that trans teens and other LGBTQ+ youth face heightened risks of sex trafficking, substance abuse, and violence.

“At Asia’s House, we can accommodate six

“IT WILL BE A SAFE AND AFFIRMING PLACE FOR ALL YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THAT RECOGNIZES THEIR WORTHINESS AND THEIR UNIQUE DIFFERENCES.” —Courtney Sellers

youth, each with their own bedroom and bathroom. This allows us to be trans-affirming in a state that’s actively seeking to harm and eliminate trans youth. It will be a safe and affirming place for all youth experiencing homelessness that recognizes their worthiness and their unique differences,” states Sellers.

“This excites me personally as someone who was a homeless queer youth; it really touches my heart,” says Avery Belyeu, CEO of the Montrose Center.

Danielle Stephen, Grace Place’s street

outreach lead, adds, “I’m also a lived experience youth who was homeless under the age of 18. I know that Asia’s House will not only be a shelter that offers emergency stability but will also be a pathway to long-term stability.”

Asia’s House is located in District 146, represented by Texas State Representative Lauren Ashley Simmons, who comments, “This is what putting Pride into practice looks like. It means making sure that our young people are not only celebrated, but protected, supported, housed, and most importantly, loved.”

“As a mother and an organizer,” she continues, “I believe no young person should ever have to choose between being who they are and having a safe place to sleep. Sometimes community care looks exactly like this—a bed, a meal, a trusted adult, a safe space, and somebody saying you belong here.”

Mario Castillo, District H representative on the Houston City Council and one of its two openly LGBTQ+ members, remarks, “It continues to give me motivation and hope, to keep pushing on with our work. Today we celebrate this transformational and vital facility that we’re bringing to our LGBTQ+ youth.”

To learn more about Asia’s House and exclusive room sponsorship opportunities, visit tinyurl.com/asiashouse.

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COMMUNITY

The Legacy of Asia Jynaé Foster The transgender advocate dedicated her time to supporting Houston’s LGBTQ youth and those experiencing homelessness.

by BRANDON WOLF

H

ouston native Asia Jynaé Foster was an emerging transgender leader committed to confronting the persistent violence against trans women of color. Tragically, the 22-year-old trans woman’s advocacy ended with her own death on November 20, 2020.

The Houston Police Department determined that Foster had been shot and killed.

The suspect was apprehended in 2022, convicted, and sentenced in 2025 to 33 years in prison.

Courtney Sellers, executive director of Montrose Grace Place, knew Foster for more than four years. “She was an extremely outgoing person who drew other people to her. She had a special and big personality, and a sharp wit.”

The July 29, 2019, murder of Foster’s close friend Tracy Single affected her deeply. Foster created a memorial shadow box for Single, inviting friends at Grace Place to fill it with items that reminded them of her.

Foster had recently bought a car and begun working for the Postmates delivery service.

Sellers says that, despite having her own transportation, Foster often requested bus passes and gave them to friends in need. “She was a very giving person.”

She had also secured an apartment. Even as her own life became more stable, Foster continued supporting LGBTQ youth who were still struggling.

Organizers at Tony’s Place recall that Foster had been active there since about 2017, when she began her transition. “She was always well-dressed, with a long sun dress, sandals, handbag, and beautiful makeup.”

Foster frequently volunteered for outreach, seeking out homeless youth who needed HIV and STD testing. She also served with the Open Gate program at Bering Memorial United Church of Christ, where she signed in visitors and spoke with people during the social hour. She loved standing beside the piano in the social area and singing.

Foster helped organize Houston’s 2018 22

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and 2019 Transgender Day of Remembrance events. After Single’s death, she supported local trans activists by facilitating communication with Single’s family and the funeral home.

She is remembered for approaching those responsibilities with seriousness and mature professionalism.

Close friend Brandon Williams met Foster at Tony’s Place in 2018. “She was a good person all around. She had a very bubbly personality,” he recalls. The two often talked about

fashion. Williams remembers that Foster called him first thing in the morning simply to make sure he was okay. They frequently met up and spent time together. “It was bestfriends stuff,” he says.

Janae Chambers, another close friend who met Foster through Bering Open Gate, remembers her generosity and warmth. “When she had extra resources, she was very sharing. She was always laughing and trying to keep other peoples’ spirits up.”

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Members of the Katy Pride team and Commissioner Lesley Briones

“I was always an ally, but then when our daughter came out to us, I took it up to the next level.

Now I was the person who had action behind it,” says Barbara Kosciewicz. Her daughter, Aubrey, came out as transgender in 2020, when she was 18.

“We had conversations about this—if any of our children were LGBTQ, and we had talked specifically about if we had transgender children, that yes, we would certainly be supportive. But it still came as a surprise.”

Kosciewicz, 57, and her husband, Paul van Helmond, live in the Katy area and have three children, including Aubrey. The family moved from western New York to the Houston area 10 years ago after van Helmond was transferred for work. With two children still in high school, they were drawn to Katy by the area’s well-regarded school districts.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in special education and elementary education and a master’s degree in counseling. She works in a program for adults with disabilities and volunteers as a Special Olympics coach during swim season.

Kosciewicz acknowledges that the Katy community also presents challenges. “There’s a large community of not so supportive people.

It can be tough. Generally, we are considered

A VOICE FOR KATY PRIDE Barbara Kosciewicz is helping expand LGBTQ visibility in one of Houston’s most conservative suburbs.

by BRANDON WOLF

a conservative area. The schools have book bans. It’s very tough for kids in the Katy school district.”

The school district was among the first to adopt a policy barring teachers from using students’ preferred names or pronouns. If a student asked to use a preferred name or pronoun, the teacher was required to contact the parents, potentially outing the student.

“There had been gay/straight associations, but not now. Some school board members are middle of the line, and there are others that are super conservative and harmful to the

LGBTQ family,” explains Kosciewicz.

Now in her second year on the Katy Pride board, Kosciewicz has become a quiet but persistent force for advocacy. She serves as the organization’s director of community service.

“Last year we organized a Transgender Day of Remembrance at Mary Jo Peckham Park, and we invited the community. We asked several people to speak. We had a slideshow with pictures of the people who had been killed over the past year due to violence in the transgender community, and we had a candlelight ceremony.” ➝ OutSmartMagazine.com

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“So, it was a very special, sad and moving event, but it was important. We weren’t sure about meeting in a public park in Katy. But we had people who walked by and asked what we were doing and joined us. That was surprising and wonderful.”

“This year was our first year of hosting a Chase the Rainbow: Stride with Pride 5K Fun Run,” she continues. “We learned a lot of things along the way. And it ended up being this special event where we had members of the running community, LGBTQ people, friends, and allies there. It felt like a fun, safe and happy place. We’ve had a lot of support from Lesley Briones, Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner. We held it at a park called John Paul Landing, and it worked out perfectly.”

“We also did Trans Day of Visibility for the past two years, which turned out well. We asked people to meet at a certain intersection—kind of a busy intersection in Katy—and we had signs and flags to show support to the trans community. We got more waves and honks than middle fingers, so that’s always good.”

Kosciewicz also volunteers with The Transparent Closet, which is hosted by First Christian Church in Katy. “Trans people or any LGBT people can come in and shop in a safe, welcoming space, all free of charge. It’s nice because if you go into a store for the first time shopping, it can feel very uncomfortable or intimidating. You don’t know your size; you don’t know your style. This is a safe space for people to do that.”

For the past three years, Kosciewicz has offered free Pride flags through her neighborhood’s Facebook group, inviting residents to pick them up from her front porch. “For the most part, people have been supportive. For the first time this year, people came and took all the flags on two separate occasions. That was disappointing. But then somebody in the neighborhood mailed me new ones. So, in the end, it all worked out.”

Kosciewicz has also traveled to Austin for Equality Texas’ All In for Equality Days. “They organize an event where everybody shows up in a space somewhere around the Capitol,” she says. “They group people up and you go in and visit with a congressperson or senator, or their staff. You talk about whatever bills are being proposed and whether we think they need to support or oppose them.”

This year’s Katy Pride Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bear Creek Rodeo Arena. Its theme is “Stand Tall, Y’All.” “Last year we were set to have our Pride Festival at Typhoon Texas, which is a water park in Katy,” remarks Kosciewicz. “Three or four days before the event, they canceled our contract and they claimed security reasons.

So, we had to figure this all out and contact 26

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COURTESY

KATY PRIDE FESTIVAL | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Barbara Kosciewicz, Katy Pride director of community service

“I WAS ALWAYS AN ALLY, BUT THEN WHEN OUR DAUGHTER CAME OUT TO US, I TOOK IT UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL. NOW I WAS THE PERSON WHO HAD ACTION BEHIND IT.” — Barbara Kosciewicz

vendors and find a location, which was the Rodeo Arena.”

“Since it worked out so well last year, we asked to reserve the space again this year. This year we’ll have live music, which is new. It’s going to go along with that rodeo theme—folk and indie music. We have Sarah Golden, Sweet Petunia, and Olive Klug. We’ll have a stage and they will perform sets. We also have DJ Crazy V.” The festival will feature family-friendly attractions, including a petting zoo, a kids’ zone, a bounce house, and a variety of food trucks.

Organizers expect about 1,000 guests, includ-

ing LGBTQ people, their families, allies and other community members.

Amanda Rose (they/them), president and co-founder of Katy Pride, says: “Katy Pride has become a powerful force for visibility and belonging in our community.

It’s incredible to see people come together, feel celebrated, and know they are not alone.”

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COMMUNITY

WILD AND UNTAMED Amanda McMillian and Kevin Anderson are honored at the Montrose Center’s annual Out for Good gala.

by DAVID CLARKE | photos by RAUL CHAIDEZ

F

or nearly five decades, the Montrose Center has served LGBTQ+ Houstonians in a variety of impactful ways. On October 3, the organization will celebrate our community, and help sustain the services it provides throughout the year, when its annual Out for Good gala returns to the Marriott Marquis Houston.

“This gala is the culmination of all of our fundraising efforts throughout the year. It’s more than just a fundraiser,” says Meleah Jones, the Montrose Center’s Director of Development. “It’s a true celebration of queer joy and a way that we can get our community and our community leaders together in the same room to really talk about where we’ve been in

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the last year and where we’re going.”

Timed to celebrate National Coming Out Day, this year’s “Wild and Untamed” theme encourages guests to embrace animal prints, faux fur, feathers, and anything inspired by the animal kingdom. Jones says the theme is also “a nod to being uncaged and out of the closet.”

Beneath the glamour is a serious purpose.

As the Center’s largest fundraiser, Out for Good provides flexible funding that can fill gaps left by more restrictive government and grant funding, while allowing the organization to respond when new needs arise.

This year, the Center will present its inaugural LGBTQ+ Health Advocate Award to United Way of Greater Houston CEO Amanda

McMillian and its LGBTQ+ Innovator Award to The T.R.U.T.H. Project founder and CEO Kevin Anderson. Gathering to celebrate them, Jones says, feels particularly important right now. “Our proponents are trying to make us be quiet, go away, and to not live out loud and live with pride each and every day,” she states. “We are not only unapologetically who we are, but we are fabulous. We are changing the world and we’re doing that with linked arms walking forward together.”

WHAT: Out For Good WHEN: Saturday, October 3, 2026 WHERE: Marriott Marquis Houston, 1777 Walker Street INFO: tinyurl.com/outforgood2026 ➝

Meet the Honorees

AMANDA McMILLIAN Montrose Center’s 2026 LGBTQ+ Health Advocate Award For Amanda McMillian, being named the first recipient of the Montrose Center’s LGBTQ+ Health Advocate Award connects two organizations whose work together stretches back decades. “It’s a tremendous honor and very humbling,” McMillian admits. “I’ve been at United Way of Greater Houston for six and a half years now. Our partnership with the Montrose Center goes back three and a half decades.”

That partnership reflects a broader understanding of health. United Way of Greater Houston focuses on long-term financial stability, but McMillian says access to health care can profoundly affect someone’s quality of life and financial well-being. For LGBTQ+ people, genuine health equity requires more than having an insurance card. “It means having a healthcare home where you feel safe, and you feel that you belong,” she explains. “You have a place for preventive care and wellness, you’ve got the same opportunity to nurture your mental health as your physical health, and those feel far too far away for far too many people in the LGBTQ+ community right now.”

Those needs rarely exist in isolation. Health, housing, food security and financial stability are often interconnected, something United Way has sought to address through its Integrated Client Journey strategy.

“Individuals often have interconnected needs, so the solutions also need to be interconnected,” McMillian imparts. For LGBTQ+ people facing additional barriers, she adds, “that trust and that feeling of safety is a real linchpin.”

That is where she sees the Montrose Center playing an essential role. “It’s a trusted community hub,” emphasizes McMillian, pointing to programs including the Law Harrington Senior Living Center and HATCH Youth. “Because you’ve got a place to go where you will be safe and you can access what you need.”

Health has been central to the Montrose Center’s mission since its earliest days, a legacy the new award brings to the forefront. “So much of what we do is grounded in health. We’ve been a behavioral health clinic for nearly 50 years, and our services have expanded, but our mental and behavioral health services are still the heart of our work,” Jones explains. ➝ OutSmartMagazine.com

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OUT FOR GOOD | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Honoring McMillian also recognizes a partnership that has helped sustain that work. “We’re really proud to be a United Way affiliate.” Jones says. “They’ve been giving us tremendous funds that support our counseling work and other vital services. So it was just the perfect fit.”

Additionally, for McMillian, advocacy is increasingly important as LGBTQ+ people encounter barriers to care and misinformation surrounding their health. “There’s so much misinformation out in the world, aand misperceptions,” she says, “that I think the most basic thing we can do is just make sure that we are countering misinformation with facts.”

That also means “normalizing having these conversations” and ensuring people remain focused on facts surrounding genderaffirming and LGBTQ+ health care rather than “the culture war narratives that are out there,” McMillian adds.

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Throughout a career spanning Houston’s corporate, civic, and nonprofit communities, McMillian believes some of her most important leadership lessons have been surprisingly simple: listen deeply, communicate effectively, and be willing to have difficult conversations.

She applies a similarly straightforward philosophy to creating communities where LGBTQ+ people can live authentically. “I think it’s visibility. I think it’s presence, and I think it’s consistency,” McMillian says. “We’ve got to show up over time, and then we’ve got to demonstrate care for each other. … I don’t think we’re doing our basic jobs as human beings if we’re not creating a community where everyone feels safe and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

McMillian also stresses that even in supportive environments, asking for help can require tremendous courage. “It’s still really hard to ask for help. It takes so much courage, even when you’ve done everything you can to make it easy,” she points out. “Imagine how much courage it takes when it’s hard.”

At Out for Good, she hopes attendees leave remembering that they have the power to shape what comes next. “Every single one of us can make a difference. Every single one of us can do something to help our neighbors,” says McMillian. “There’s always a way.”➝

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Meet the Honorees

KEVIN ANDERSON Montrose Center’s 2026 LGBTQ+ Innovator Award When Kevin Anderson learned the Montrose Center would honor him with its 2026 LGBTQ+ Innovator Award, the word “innovator” connected the recognition to something much larger than himself. “I’m really grounded and centered when it comes to the lineage of my ancestors,” says Anderson, founder and CEO of The T.R.U.T.H. Project. “I have ancestors that were enslaved, that were truly innovators by all extreme usage of the word.”

For Anderson, their ability to create, adapt, and survive informs his understanding of innovation today. “I lean in on the fact that I come from folk that had to innovate to survive,” he states. “Utilizing resources, utilizing relationships, and bringing folks to the forefront to really be a part of your vision, and working together and collaborating with community. That’s what innovation means.”

That philosophy has guided The T.R.U.T.H. Project, whose roots stretch to 2009, when Anderson created Heart and Soul, which he describes as one of the country’s longest-running queer-centered open mics. “That’s what I knew was missing at the time,” Anderson recalls. “It was the heart-and-soul space, an honest space where folk could storytell, where they could move and dance, sing, and all of these things.”

There, Anderson heard mothers talk about battling former husbands for custody after beginning to live openly as lesbians, while others publicly disclosed their HIV status for the first time. “It was through hearing those stories that it became important to me to create an organization and a space, a healing space specifically for queer and trans communities of color,” he maintains.

The T.R.U.T.H. Project was founded in 2011 and became a nonprofit in 2013, with art central to its approach.

“Art just serves as really a universal language,” Anderson explains. “Where someone may have a hard time really connecting with the subject matter, art makes it a little easier. … It allows you to interpret and create meaning for yourself and for you to have these beautiful reflective moments with how you move forward with your own life.”

The organization has evolved alongside its community.

Its early work heavily centered on HIV awareness, while cultural arts, wellness, and sexual wellness have become increasingly interconnected. “In listening to community, it’s helped shape the narrative of who the organization is,” says Anderson. ➝ OutSmartMagazine.com

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OUT FOR GOOD | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

WE’RE HERE. WE CARE. FOR ALL.

Anderson is particularly interested in creating more opportunities to recognize and include transgender and nonbinary people, especially trans people of color. “Anytime we’re able to ensure that our communities are in the same space, we are providing opportunities for people to learn, to ask questions, and to just be joyful together,” he says.

Meleah Jones has watched Anderson do that work for nearly two decades. “I cannot remember a time when Kevin wasn’t there as a leader doing this great work,” Jones explains.

“Sometimes he’s done the work behind the scenes, so as much attention and glory as we can give to him, he’s so very deserving.”

In helping others tell their truths, Anderson also found the courage to tell more of his own. A person of lived HIV experience, he spent years working professionally in public

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health without publicly disclosing that part of himself. Watching artists share deeply personal stories helped change that. “I’m sitting off on the side thinking, ‘Man, I wish I had that courage,’” Anderson remembers. Eventually, his courage came. “It became easier for me to self-disclose,” he adds, “and then know that it’s going to reach a lot of folk and to still be honest in that space.”

“But it’s because of the artists, it’s because of the community that I’ve worked with and have created kinship with that I’m able to move forward,” he says. “They’ve taught me, so they’ve helped me in more ways than you can imagine.”

That journey also changed Anderson’s understanding of coming out. “I think coming out happens in so many layers,” he explains.

“I’m 51 years old, and over the last 25 years, I’ve come out multiple times.”

Ultimately, Anderson measures The T.R.U.T.H. Project’s impact by what it makes possible for others. “The impact that I hope that the organization over the years has had is that people are positioned where they could live freer,” he says, “and really be in a space of collective connectedness, one where they understand that as we connect there’s more that we can achieve together.”

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PRIDE WITHOUT BORDERS Anandrea Molina and OLTT confront the mounting challenges facing trans Latina immigrants in Texas.

At Houston’s Pride celebration, Organización Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT) made its message impossible to miss. One of the organization’s elaborate floats featured trans women sitting inside a makeshift prison cell, surrounded by signs declaring, “No Pride in Detention” and “Freedom for All. No More Detentions. No More Deportations.”

The imagery reflects an increasingly urgent concern for OLTT and its founder, Anandrea Molina (she/her): the treatment of transgender immigrants within the detention system.

According to a 2024 Transgender Health study, transgender people “face high rates of sexual victimization in detention facilities,” and transgender women are up to 13 times more likely to experience sexual assault than detained cisgender people. The study also reports sexual harassment of transgender women by both staff and other detainees, particularly when trans women are housed with men in facilities that do not recognize their gender identity.

The concern comes amid increased immigration enforcement. ABC News reported that June 2026 saw more than 43,000 arrests between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection—an average of 1,438 arrests per day.

For Molina, these issues are inseparable from OLTT’s larger fight for the rights and safety of transgender Latinx immigrants.

Founded in 2015, OLTT is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and defending the human rights of trans, gender-nonconforming, and LGBTQIA+ people in Texas. Its work includes advocacy, direct aid, emergency shelter, access to health and social services, community meeting spaces, and assistance connecting queer people in the detention system with legal services.

Breaking Down Barriers Access to adequate health care has long been another major concern for transgender women in Houston’s Latinx community.

Molina recalls OLTT’s efforts to ensure 36

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COURTESY

by ALEX MENDOZA

Anandrea Molina, founder of Organización Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT)

that clinics serving transgender patients use their chosen names and pronouns rather than forcing them to use their legal names.

In the organization’s early years, OLTT also advocated for Spanish-language services for Latinx patients seeking health care.

“Lots of times, these linguistic barriers are what limit and do not allow for us to access the healthcare services provided [at these clinics],” Molina explains.

OLTT continues to address the community’s medical needs by collaborating with local health centers to help people begin or continue gender-affirming medical and mental health care. The organization also helps raise funds for hormone-replacement therapy

and gender-affirming surgery. OLTT conducts its meetings primarily in Spanish, creating a space centered on the community it serves.

Molina’s advocacy has earned her numerous honors, including the Monica Roberts Trans Activist of the Year Award, which recognizes work combating social isolation, stigma, and injustice within LGBTQIA+ communities of color, particularly efforts protecting transgender Texans.

While Molina acknowledges the recognition her work has received, she emphasizes that awards have never been her motivation.

“I did not come to the position I am in for recognition. I got here due to my work,” Molina states.

Her condition for accepting the Monica Roberts Trans Activist of the Year Award was that another trans woman also have the opportunity to be recognized.

That insistence on bringing others with her reflects a larger frustration Molina has with the relationship between trans women and the broader LGBTQ community. Despite the attention trans women have given to struggles affecting other sectors of the queer community—including the fight for marriage equality in the United States—Molina says she has not always seen the same dedication extended to trans Latina communities.

“Many times us transgender women are used for an agenda and we do not reap the benefits of being part of said agenda,” Molina states.

A Place to Call Home Molina saw those disparities firsthand through her relationship with the late Houston journalist and transgender activist Monica Roberts.

“Even after all the work Monica has done, she reached a moment in which she was on the street, and she lived in Casa Anandrea for more than a year as a resident,” Molina explains. “It surprised me since she worked, but as long as you are trans, especially racialized and trans, you don’t always have the same resources compared to someone who is white.”

Casa Anandrea was an emergency-relief effort created by OLTT primarily to serve trans immigrant Latinas. It eventually expanded to house other vulnerable populations within Houston’s queer community.

When it opened in April 2017, Casa Anandrea was the only LGBTQIATS+ migrant shelter in the Houston community and prioritized housing undocumented people living with HIV. Over the years, its mission expanded as the shelter took in Latin American migrant families with children who had been dropped off after leaving ICE detention with nowhere else to go.

The number of people who lived at Casa Anandrea throughout its years of operation

is difficult to estimate because the shelter expanded multiple times. Casa Anandrea ultimately closed in December 2024. Molina says changes in Texas and reductions in aid programs have further complicated the organization’s ability to provide support.

But OLTT’s work has never centered solely on crisis.

The organization also creates opportunities to celebrate and uplift Houston’s trans Latinx community, including annual TransGiving Day and Trans Recordación (Trans Remembrance) events. OLTT also organizes pageants that crown Miss and Mister Trans OLTT, providing participants with both visibility and opportunities beyond the competition itself.

“Not only do we provide a monetary award to [Miss and Mister Trans OLTT], but they also get the opportunity to attend conferences, workshops, and marches not only in the city of Houston but also across Texas and even to other states,” Molina says.

OLTT also participated in this year’s Law Enforcement Sexual Assault Training (LESAT) Conference hosted by the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA).

NORA DAYTON

The Fight Continues For Molina and OLTT, the fight for the liberation of trans immigrant Latinx people continues amid a political climate she believes has made an already vulnerable community even more precarious.

“With today’s politics…the situation at this moment is much more exasperated against our community,” Molina states.

Molina stresses that transgender immigrant women experience layers of marginalization that cannot always be understood through LGBTQ identity alone. Immigration status, race, gender identity, and language can all affect a person’s ability to find housing, health care, legal assistance, and other resources.

She also challenges the broader LGBTQ community to examine how it responds to the needs of trans Latina immigrants. Molina believes that the LGBT community sometimes sees the Latina community “under the same lenses” as someone who is not LGBT. “We are being attacked due to our incredibly vulnerable position,” she states. “It is one thing to be LGBT and it is another to be a Latinx immigrant who is monolingual and part of the most vulnerable community without any privileges.”

For Molina, that intersection is precisely why OLTT continues its work—and why the organization refuses to allow the experiences of trans immigrant Latinas to disappear from Houston’s larger LGBTQ story.

At Houston’s 2026 Pride parade, OLTT called for an end to immigrant detention and deportation.

For more information, visit latinatranstexas.org.

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NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

ALL IN LA FAMILIA Los Robles channels the warmth of a family gathering while creating space for queer Latino Houston.

by CONNOR BEHRENS photos by MIGUEL ANGEL MARTINEZ

On any given night, the sounds of Latin music fill Los Robles, where patrons settle into the rhythm of the gay bar surrounded by friends, music and familiar culture. Located in a historic home built in 1915, the property provided the perfect setting to create a “home” for Houston’s LGBTQ Latino community, coowner Aaron Parks says.

“Houston is a melting pot of cultures, and that’s one of the things I love most about the city,” Parks, who is openly gay, says. “Even within Houston’s gay nightlife, there is so much diversity, and everyone can find a place that feels like home.”

When Los Robles opened in 2023, Parks and the other co-owners saw an opportunity to create something they felt Houston’s LGBTQ nightlife scene was missing. While many bars hosted Latin nights, there wasn’t a dedicated gay Latino bar where members of the community could reconnect with their culture any night of the week.

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and laughing,” he says.

That spirit is reflected throughout the week. Wednesdays feature a throwback drag show hosted by Juniper, with Latin hits that evoke the music many guests grew up hearing, while Thursdays bring karaoke hosted by Guill. Fridays feature DESNUDO, an all-male strip show preceded by a drag performance.

Saturday is the bar’s biggest night. Noche Vaquero brings norteño, huapango, cumbia and other Latin sounds to the venue, with DJ Fredy performing inside and DJ Toma taking over the patio. Guests can also enjoy karaoke with Luis in the side room. Sundays feature Noche de Estrellas, a Latin drag show showcasing local performers including Britney Luna, Lucero Montiel, Fernanda Vallencillo, Eddyssa Pembrooke, Juniper Ineum and Carolight Unique.

For Parks, Los Robles is more than a place to dance or see a show. It offers LGBTQ Latino Houstonians a space where queer identity and cultural identity can exist together.

That sense of belonging has taken on greater significance, Parks says, amid increased immigration enforcement and anxiety within immigrant communities. At a time when some families are living with uncertainty and fear, he believes spaces where people can gather

safely are more important than ever.

Parks sees parallels between the resilience he sees today and the way LGBTQ communities came together during the AIDS epidemic.

“During the AIDS epidemic, members of our community often said, ‘We buried our friends in the morning, protested in the afternoon, and danced all night,’” he says. “Joy wasn’t a distraction, it was part of how we survived.”

Parks sees that same strength in immigrant communities today.

“Many people in our immigrant communities are carrying that same weight of fear, uncertainty and grief,” he says. “Families are being torn apart, communities are hurting, and some days it can feel like there isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel.”

For Parks, creating a place where people can gather, dance and support one another is part of responding to that uncertainty.

“People need somewhere they can feel protected, supported and surrounded by community,” Parks says. “History reminds us that even during our darkest moments, hope is something we build together. We have always survived by standing together, and we will do it again.”

Los Robles has extended that support

beyond the walls of the bar. Parks says the business has worked with local groups such as the Houston Progressive Caucus and Amigos de Los Salgado to help promote the march and protest honoring Lorenzo Salgado at Ervan Chew Park. The bar has also hosted benefit shows for Miguel Martinez, a local photographer who was recently detained by ICE, and donated a portion of its cover proceeds to the GoFundMe for Renee Good.

That commitment to community will continue during Hispanic Heritage Month. On September 26, Los Robles will host a celebration featuring local performers and musicians, along with a folklórico dance performance at midnight.

For Parks, the month is also an opportunity to recognize the LGBTQ Latino people who are building community throughout Houston every day — through restaurants, small businesses, art, entertainment and the spaces they create for others.

At Los Robles, that work comes back to the idea that inspired the bar from the beginning: creating a home away from home, where guests can hear familiar music, reconnect with their culture and experience the warmth of a family gathering.

“We’re excited about what’s ahead,” Parks says. “We are grateful to everyone who continues to make Los Robles feel like home. We love y’all.”

OUTSMART

For more information, visit losroblesbarandgrill.com.

“JOY WASN’T A DISTRACTION, IT WAS PART OF HOW WE SURVIVED.” — Aaron Parks

Aaron Parks, co-owner of Los Robles OutSmartMagazine.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

COUNTRY,

CAMP

AND , THE COWGAYS

The queer-country trio headlines The Diana Foundation’s 63rd annual brunch.

by DAVID CLARKE | photos by FORD FAIRCHILD This November, The Diana Foundation will hold its 63rd annual brunch. Across the decades, Houstonians have happily gathered for a good meal, a friendly culinary competition, and to enjoy a little revelry at the beloved fall tradition. For 2026, Miss Angela’s Country Brunch kicks the celebrations up a notch with a new ingredient, The Cowgays! The headline grabbing Nashville queer-country trio of Adam Mac, Brooke Eden, and Chris Housman will make their Houston debut on November 8 at Lott Hall in Hermann Park, headlining the annual fundraiser benefiting Montrose Grace Place and Out for Education.

The brunch traces its roots to 1963, when Diana Foundation founding president Charles Hebert created his Dog Days of Summer Party.

“This is where everyone would come together for a country meal,” explains current president Tanner Williams. “People would make up funny names for their dishes, and they all had a great time.”

Following Hebert’s death in 1987, the gathering became an official fall fundraiser.

All these years later the friendly competition

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remains, with committees preparing beans, corn, desserts, and other dishes for bragging rights. The entertainment, however, is getting turned up considerably. “I think they are going to rock the stage and totally blow the event away,” Williams says of The Cowgays. “We’ve had live entertainment at our previous events.

Our entertainment was already at least an 8, but The Cowgays are taking it to a 15!”

The celebration comes with a serious purpose. Proceeds will support The Diana Foundation’s endowed scholarship fund with Out for Education and Montrose Grace Place, which is developing Asia’s House, an emergency shelter and outreach initiative for youth experiencing homelessness. “We can tip our hats and celebrate our past,” Williams states, “but I am incredibly proud of our organization and all of our members, all the hard work people are pouring into this event to keep not just the tradition going, but also creating. This is the time of our lives.”

The Cowgays, the trio preparing to take the stage, promise Houston a party filled with friendship, ’90s country-inspired camp, and what Housman calls “queer joy.” OutSmart caught up with Mac, Eden, and Housman ahead of their Houston debut. ➝

The Cowgays, Adam Mac (l), Brooke Eden, and Chris Housman, make their Houston debut at Miss Angela’s Country Brunch.

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THE COWGAYS | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

What is Houston getting itself into at its first Cowgays show?

HOUSMAN: Trouble.

EDEN: It’s a party. I mean, honestly, it’s kind of like, all of a sudden, being part of three best friends.

HOUSMAN: And the words that keep coming to my mind too are just queer joy. The Cowgays really personify that for me in a way I haven’t experienced before.

Brooke and Chris, you’ve performed in Houston before. What do you remember about its queer community?

HOUSMAN: I was so jealous of the scene, the community, and just the number of options and stuff, too. And the fact that there’s a gayborhood. We don’t really have that in Nashville.

EDEN: I played Houston Pride in 2024, and I just was flabbergasted by the number of people at Houston Pride. I’m jealous of the beautiful community that y’all have there.

Country has a long history of rhinestones, theatricality, humor, and flamboyance.

Are The Cowgays introducing something new or reclaiming what was already there?

EDEN: We’re not rewriting the rules. We’re kind of going with the rules that have already been there, but we’re like, “Oh hey, by the way, this has been gay all the time.”

MAC: Country is so camp. If you think about the ‘80s and the ‘90s and think about the songs they were singing, we’re like, “Bring back humor in country music!” That’s what we’re trying to do.

The Cowgays: Adam Mac (l), Brooke Eden, and Chris Housman OUTSMART: Take me back to the beginning. When did you realize there was actually something here?

ADAM MAC: It was quite literally just us drunk in Mexico for Brooke’s birthday, singing in a stairwell.

BROOKE EDEN: We just got drunk and started singing together, and we were like, “Wait, that sounds good.”

CHRIS HOUSMAN: Once we finished singing the chorus of this old country song, “When Will I Be Loved,” we were like, “Oh dang! That sounded really good.” And that’s kind of what planted the seed.

How does your friendship shape The Cowgays?

EDEN: I think literally almost 90% of our songs have come from stupid stuff that we’ve 42

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said together.

MAC: Chris keeps our running notes of Cowgays ideas. Every time something dumb is said, we’re always like, “Chris, put that in the notes.”

And where did the name come from?

MAC: Brooke’s wife, Hillary, had named us The Disco Cowgays in the group chat. From there, we just started calling our group of friends, our little core 6, The Cowgays.

HOUSMAN: I think there was a 30-second conversation, like, “Are we worried about not getting the same industry opportunities just because of our name?” But at the same time, we’ve all been doing solo careers here as queer people for 12+ years. So to then water ourselves down in our name from what we want to do is a no. We been done did that. I ain’t doing that again.

What do you want people to take away from the upcoming debut album you’re creating together?

EDEN: We want people to actually be able to see themselves in our music. You know, all three of us grew up just loving ‘90s country and never ever getting to hear our stories in country music unless we changed pronouns.

HOUSMAN: We’re also not gonna water down who we are at all.

MAC: Even though our name is The Cowgays, when you listen to it sonically, lyrically, and vocally, there is no denying how country this album is.

HOUSMAN: It’ll probably be the most country thing you’ve heard in a long time.

WHAT: Miss Angela’s Country Brunch WHEN: Sunday, November 8, 2026 WHERE: Lott Hall, Hermann Park, 6201 Hermann Park Drive INFO: thedianafoundation.gay/events/cb26

CONNECTING THROUGH CINEMA OCTOBER 1-11, 2026 CINEMAHTX.ORG

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CLOSER

TOGETHER Emily Saliers on Indigo Girls’ enduring partnership, LGBTQ activism, and why gathering in Texas matters now.

by BRANDON WOLF | photos by SHERVIN LAINEZ

A

my Ray and Emily Saliers began making music together in 1981, while still in high school in Decatur, Georgia. After performing under “The B-Band” and “Saliers and Ray”, they searched a dictionary for a “cool” word and, in 1985, became “Indigo Girls.” More than 40 years later, the duo remains a beloved icon in the LGBTQ community and a music legend.

Over the course of their career, Indigo Girls has released 16 studio albums, earned seven Grammy nominations, and won the 1990 award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording for their self-titled album. Their catalog includes an estimated 200 original songs, among them “Closer to Fine,” “Galileo,” “Shame on You,” and “Least Complicated.”

Their music has also found new audiences on screen. In the summer of 2023, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling sang “Closer to Fine” while escaping doll land in a pink Corvette in the pop hit film Barbie. The following year, Ray and Saliers made cameo appearances in Glitter & Doom, a dreamy queer romance built around their songs, and Netflix released their wide-ranging documentary about the duo, It’s Only Life After All. Indigo Girls 2026 Tour arrives in the Houston area on Thursday, October 15, at 7 p.m. at Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, with singer-songwriter and former 4 Non Blondes frontwoman Linda Perry as their special guest.

Ahead of the performance, Saliers spoke with OutSmart about their remarkable fourdecade career, their enduring creative partnership, and the activist causes that continue to inspire them.

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OUTSMART: Amy’s writing is often described as having a raw punk-infused energy while yours leans toward intricate melodic folk. How do you keep those distinct sonic identities sharp while still maintaining that cohesive Indigo Girls sound?

EMILY SALIERS: We have a deep appreciation and enjoyment of each other’s songs. We really enjoy performing each other’s songs. I always think of it as if I were just in a band, I would be so bored with myself. So whatever Amy brings to the table musically, it’s the differences that hopefully allow for a wider breadth of musical experience for an Indigo Girls listener.

I know a lot of Amy’s raw sort of rock and roll approach - it doesn’t always come out in my songwriting, but there’s a sensibility that I’m inspired by in her. There’s never been an issue with us accommodating both of our sensibilities within our body of work. If we do a straight-out rock and roll song of Amy’s and I get to play electric guitar on it live, it’s very liberating for me. Whatever it is that Amy adds to my songs, it elevates them. So, we have trust in our process.

Passing 40 years of making music together is a rare feat for any band. What’s your unwritten rule or boundary in your partnership that you feel has kept your relationship healthy and creative for so long?

We have a rule that’s whatever the person who says “I just can’t do this” or “I don’t want to do this” or “I need a break” or “I can’t tour during that time” - whoever has a strong feeling or a want or a need, we respect that above all else.

There are times when we can agree to disagree.

But after all these years, we have profound respect for each other’s individual personal lives and needs.

Amy writes her songs and I write my songs and that has been key to our longevity.

While we can’t write together, we can arrange together very creatively. We’re just so different.

It’s almost comical at this point. We recognize she’s gonna be red and I’m gonna be green, and vice versa. It’s just a total yin-yang cohesion for us.

We’re not the kind of friends where we hang out together. We don’t get on the phone and chit-chat with each other. We have our own space. We don’t like to stay in the same hall in the hotel. We don’t like to sit next to each other on a plane. We need our own space and that is not disturbing to me or Amy at all. We come together for our activism and our creative endeavors and then we live our own lives, which are very separate from each other.

You’ve championed Indigenous rights, LGBTQ equality, and environmentalism since the beginning of your career. Has there been a price to pay for that activism?

Not a price that we wouldn’t pay a million times over. When we were out gay artists, the most important thing was to be out and part of the movement for our rights as LGBTQ+ community members. I think that we got pigeonholed as lesbians with acoustic guitars and that the record company had trouble trying to find an image for us because we didn’t have one and we didn’t want one. There was a lot of homophobia and people put us in a box, but none of that was important.

There were times when things may have hurt our feelings or our wings were clipped ➝

Emily Saliers (l) and Amy Ray of Indigo Girls mark more than four decades of music, activism, and LGBTQ visibility.

“IT’S JUST FUCKING TOUGH IN TEXAS. BUT IF YOU COME TO AN INDIGO GIRLS SHOW, THERE’S A MOMENT IN TIME WHERE IT CAN BE LIKE: THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE WHEN WE’RE ALL TOGETHER.” —Emily Saliers

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INDIGO GIRLS | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

in one way or another, but we’ve always been on our own trajectory with our own values and our own activism. The most important thing was to give credit and gratitude to those whose shoulders we stand on and then to give credit and gratitude to the youth who are going to take things even further than we did. So, any sacrifices that we made professionally?

They’re not even worth mentioning.

John Blizzard was a particularly important person in both of your lives. Who was he and how did his influence shape each of you?

John Blizzard was an incredible human being.

We got to know him because he managed a place called the Little Five Points Pub in Atlanta, which is where Amy and I cut our teeth when we were super young. We became the bar band at the club. John was a gay man who was an AIDS activist. He eventually passed away from AIDS. He was a man who encouraged all the different walks of life within the community.

The bar was a motley crew of humanity:all of us playing music together, joining each other on stage, all different kinds of musicians, different genres, different identities. John Blizzard was like the gathering and connective force for all of us. Just a critically important person to us not only professionally but in developing our activism and in developing our commitment to community.

You came out publicly in the early 1990s when doing so carried an immense career risk. When you look out at the landscape today for young queer and non-binary musicians, what makes you most proud and what still concerns you?

There’s a terrible backlash now against us queers. Before I think about the music community, I think about teachers. I think about what’s happened in Georgia when a teacher loses her job because she reads a book about an LGBTQ+ character. We’re at the point again where we have a trans teacher and there’s a national uproar. We’re in this because of Trump, his administration, the lackeys in his regime, and the spineless conservative politicians who are only concerned with keeping their power. It’s a toxic and dangerous environment for queer people again. Not only that, but for people of color and now with ICE and the immigration onslaught.

In the meantime, there are a lot of young queer artists I come across on my Instagram feed. They’re very out. They’re very inspiring. They’re very open. Right now, my favorite band is MUNA. Those people are fierce queer activists, queer musicians, queer content. They are completely comfortable in their identities and their activism and their music and their 46

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politics. I fear less for queer artists than I do for queer allies in education and public life and politics.

We have moved past that chasm between the gay men’s world and the lesbian world. Now so many bridges have been built.

Your audience has evolved from college bars in Georgia to multi-generational festival crowds. When you look out from the stage these days, what do you notice about the energy or the makeup of the crowd?

The last show we did there was a young woman with a sign that said, “I’ve got an Indigo Girls tattoo!” and I was just overjoyed at that.

First, I like tattoos. Second, here’s this young person and I just wanted to say, “Where’d you come from?” There’s a lot of middle-agers who’ve been with us from the beginning. But now there’s quite a mix of particularly young women and gender queer folks and it makes us so happy because there is nothing better to me than inter-generational representation. I’m always like “How did these younger people find our music?” It’s very gratifying to think that they can relate to it.

Our demographic has become younger and a lot more boys and men in the audience.

Thanks to the Barbie movie “Closer to Fine” introduced your music to an entirely new and younger generation. What was it like seeing a song you wrote decades ago suddenly become a modern cultural touchstone again?

It came out of nowhere and when first our manager said, “Hey listen to this!” and we were like “Barbie what?” Question marks and exclamation points! Then we found out that Greta Gerwig directed it and we’re like, “Ah, okay. We’re in no matter what they want.” We thought this song was gonna be in the trailer but had no idea it was gonna be in the movie.

I saw that movie the day it was released. I was in the Faroe Islands on vacation and saw it in Danish subtitles. I was levitating out of my seat with excitement because of the way the song functioned in the movie. I thought it was excellent - thought-provoking and so brilliantly stylized in terms of its color and the dancing

“THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN THE WORLD WHO LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU.” —Emily Saliers

and the whole thing. Then our monthly listeners on Spotify – it just shot up. It was like, what the hell? It put a lot of people in touch with our music who didn’t know that we existed and that was really exciting.

Is there a message of hope you can share with transgender teens in Texas today who are navigating some intense rightwing attacks?

I would say that in these times, because of the burden and the weight and the sheer visceral oppression that you’re experiencing,there are many more people in this country and in the world who love and support you. Change is long and hard, and some people suffer much worse for it than others. We are working as allies and friends to change political realities, to work towards acceptance, love, joy, and happiness.

We’re working for that for you and if you can, just hang in there and take comfort in your supportive communities. We are totally behind you. Change will come.

Houston’s LBGTQ+ community is constantly under fire on the current political landscape both nationally and statewide.

When you bring your music to Texas in October, do you view your stage as a form of activist pushback, a sanctuary for the local community or both?

Both, although probably more sanctuary for the local community. Texas is very tough for a lot of reasons, and my heart goes out to anyone in any minority community in Texas. So, when we come to Texas, it’s going to be very joyful because we’re all in this together and there’s a lot of straight folks who come to our shows who are allies and friends. It feels just for a couple of hours like this is the way the world could be when we join in, celebrating each other.

I remember we played a show in Texas when Trump was first elected, and it was visceral how badly we all needed each other.

I know what’s happening in the press - about attacking James Talarico’s manhood and all this bullshit - and how terrible it is in the trans community, in the queer community, in the Black community and in the immigrant community. It’s just fucking tough in Texas. But if you come to an Indigo Girls show, there’s a moment in time where it can be like: this is what it feels like when we’re all together. For any place where there’s particularly visceral and hateful attacks on minority communities, there is the joy of coming together. It is expansive and exponential.

WHAT: Indigo Girls 2026 Tour WHEN: Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Sharpe Financial Center, 18111 Lexington Boulevard INFO: tinyurl.com/indigogirlsoutsmart

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE COWBOY RIDES AGAIN Jack Wolff returns to Pecos Bill, 16 years after first dancing in the Houston Ballet production.

by ZACHARY McKENZIE photos by ALANA CAMPBELL and LAWRENCE ELIZABETH KNOX

I

Houston Ballet First Soloist Eric Best performs in Pecos Bill.

48 48 SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 2026 2026 | OutSmartMagazine.com | OutSmartMagazine.com

nspiration often arrives when we least expect it. For out Houston Ballet Demi Soloist and choreographer Jack Wolff, early exposure to different forms of dance via TV and film is credited to his illustrious professional dance career. The Houston native has made a name for himself in the city’s arts scene since joining the Ballet in 2018, and credits those who came before him as blazing a trail for him to follow. This September, Wolff and his fellow company members are dusting off their cowboy hats and bringing the legend of Pecos Bill, a show sentimentally familiar to Wolff, to life at the Wortham Theater Center.

“I started dancing when I was six. I was watching America’s Got Talent and there was a group of Irish dancers. I was fascinated by the rhythm and the movement, and was very entertained,” Wolff, now 26, recalls of his early inspirations.

“Then, the movie Happy Feet came out and I begged my parents to enroll me in a tap class. As I got older, I started trying other dance styles at my local dance studio in Pearland. I feel such a connection with the people who first showed me this art form.

Learning how they choreograph, and how they hear music and shape it, really allowed me to feel safe enough to try it.”

Today, he brings his years of experience to his hometown stage as he and his fellow dancers prepare for Pecos Bill, one of three ballets in the production. Choreographed by Stanton Welch, the ballet is a vibrant, theatrical work filled with humor, heart, and frontier spirit while exploring the poignant romance between the legendary cowboy and his beloved Sluefoot Sue. With playful choreography and a distinctly Texan charm, this revival brings back one of Welch’s most endearing creations.

The rehearsal process, according to Wolff, has been a thrilling experience of discovery and collaboration. “Typically we would all be in the studio learning together, but with this process we’ve had to go into separate studios with separate ballet masters to learn each of our parts,” says Wolff, who is portraying the role of the Snake Oil Salesman in the production. “It’s been fun to see what others have been working on,” he adds, “and when we finally put all the pieces together, that classic Wild West town really comes to life.”

The ballet holds a special place in Wolff’s heart, having danced the role of the “Pioneer Boy” when he was a child. “It’s been really great to work on this ballet again,” he remarks.

“I was nine years old when I was in the 2010 production of Pecos Bill. I remember being on stage and it felt like the show was real life. I [remember being] scared of the horse and the mortician. When someone died on stage, I was [genuinely] upset. Now, to be in the professional setting of the show and understand the magic behind how Stanton was able to create his choreography has been a really cool, fullcircle moment for me.”

Wolff believes that the ballet has a little something for everyone, featuring relatable themes throughout. “You get to watch a boy raised by coyotes grow into a man, and his journey of becoming the person he’s meant to be. It feels like you’re watching a real life, feelgood cartoon in a way that’s a little cheeky.”

In 2021, Wolff spoke with OutSmart and

shared, in part, how fortunate he was to have so many role models at Houston Ballet to look up to and learn from, including Jessica Collado who performed as Mother Coyote in 2010 and is reprising the role in this production. Today, though he does not see himself as a role model per se, Wolff does recognize his obligation to carry on the legacy of those who came before him. “I’ve gotten to do things that I never even dreamt of doing. It’s a huge honor to even just be in the room with the dancers I looked up to

“NOW, TO BE ABLE TO BE SOMEONE THAT OTHER YOUNG DANCERS CAN LOOK UP TO MEANS A LOT.” — Jack Wolff

when I was nine,” he says. “Now, to be able to be someone that other young dancers can look up to means a lot.”

When Houston Ballet brings the tall tale of Pecos Bill to life, Wolff will be honoring his hometown and the childhood version of himself he remembers dancing across the Wortham Center stage. “I hope to make Houston proud. I feel really lucky that I’m one of the only members in the company that was born and raised here. I’m extremely lucky to be able to perform for my family and the friends that I grew up with. I hope that there are young dancers out there that will be able to do the same and feel the love that I feel every time I step off that stage.”

WHAT: Pecos Bill WHEN: September 11-20, 2026 WHERE: Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas Avenue INFO: tinyurl.com/PECOS-BILL-OSM

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUTH S MCCLESKEY

Meet the five Betties of Mildred’s Umbrella’s Collective Rage: A Tale in Five Betties.

25 YEARS UNDER THE UMBRELLA Mildred’s Umbrella marks a milestone season by putting women and queer stories center stage.

by BRETT CULLUM

M

ildred’s Umbrella is celebrating 25 years as a Houston theater company, and its anniversary season puts queer women and their stories center stage. The company is led by founding Artistic Director Jennifer Decker and Associate Artistic Director Rhett Martinez.

When I asked Jennifer how the company got its unusual name, she explained, “The name is from a Gertrude Stein poem. We needed a name when we did our first show, which we thought would be our only show, and the playwright I started the company with, John Harvey (who now lives in Europe), was teaching a literature class. We grabbed it from his textbook because we liked the poem. Our first show was a play called Kama Sutra, [written by the aforementioned John Harvey]. It was about an affair gone wrong.”

Mildred’s has established a reputation as

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a company that produces shows concentrating on women and the feminine experience.

Decker clarified, “We didn’t switch our mission to specifically [doing] plays by women until about 2012, but it was because, other than the plays he wrote, I was choosing plays by women mostly. Nobody was doing them, and I was able to premiere some A-list playwrights that had only been done in London before we did them. So when we were part of the HAA incubator project in 2012-2015, they asked us to hone our mission to what makes us unique, and that seemed to be what did.”

That women-centered mission was a natural fit, and this year the company is producing two works with queer feminist roots: Collective Rage: A Tale in Five Betties by Jen Silverman and Anthropology by Lauren Gunderson.

Elaborating on his choices for these 25th anniversary offerings, Martinez states, “This season might be the first ever that Mildred’s has had women actors on the stage exclusively.

There will be no male actors on the stage at Mildred’s this season. Exclusively women playwrights. There are only two women … and in both plays, Anthropology and Collective Rage center queer characters. And that wasn’t necessarily what we set out to do; it just sort of happened, and yet it’s somehow perfect.”

For a company that has long centered women’s voices, the season brings queer women even further into focus.

Their first offering, Collective Rage by queer playwright Jen Silverman, opens September 3 and runs through September 19 in an upstairs black box theater inside Spring Street Studios. Actress Cindy Wang is one of the cast members, and she explains the show this way: “I see it as this show is about five very, very different people, but also, they’re the same person.

And they are all coming to this journey, both separately and together, to accept themselves.”

There are five “Betties,” and several identify as lesbian or bisexual. Wang, who

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUTH S MCCLESKEY

Rhett Martinez (l), associate artistic director, and Jennifer Decker, founding artistic director of Mildred’s Umbrella.

identifies as bisexual or pansexual, also connects personally with the material and says that men have strange reactions when she shares that part of her identity.

“As a bisexual woman, it is also a world that we live in, where sometimes when you talk about that with males, it’s really sexy.

It’s really cool. I get asked ‘So, do you make out with girls?’ Yeah, so, speaking upon the idea of collective rage, there is so much rage in just being a woman, like, our bodies literally attack us every month.”

Asked what has changed over the past 25 years, Martinez reflects, “The Houston theater scene was quite different, as I recall. Back in 2001, there just weren’t that many companies around, and now there are a lot more. I love the scene now. The scene is great now. But even now, 25 years later, there’s a lot of great women out there working on the stage, a lot of great women directors and writers, but I still think we are the only one that centers women. That sounds kind of funny, coming from a man.

But Jen and I work very well together, but it is definitely a women’s company, and I’m just there to support the mission.”

What hasn’t changed is Mildred’s Um-

brella’s passion for finding unique female voices to uplift and inspire. But a company centered on women’s experiences can still tell stories that resonate well beyond them.

“Like all great works of art,” Martinez clarifies, “it is universal, and you don’t need to be the things [it is about] to get something from this, to actually glean something from the story. And that’s what gay women have been forced to do forever by looking at stories like Death of a Salesman, which doesn’t represent them. But yet, they’re expected to find the universal in that. However, when it comes time for a play that’s all women cast and a woman playwright, suddenly, somehow, it’s not for everyone. And this play really challenges that idea, and I think it does it brilliantly. It breaks my heart and makes me laugh every single day, and I don’t feel excluded at all. I feel very much included.”

After 25 years, Mildred’s Umbrella remains a company centered on women while making room for everyone in the audience.

For more info, visit mildredsumbrella.com.

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FESTIVALS

COMING INTO FOCUS Houston Cinema Arts Festival puts LGBTQ stories in focus.

by BENJAMIN LEGER

First They Came for My College (Patrick Bresnan, 2026) It hasn’t always been easy for a queer person to find a main character they could root for or identify with on the big screen.

Such characters were often relegated to the sidelines, or worse, on the receiving end of scorn or crass jokes.

Today, though, queer representation in films is much more commonplace and often more affirming at a time when we need it most.

Houston Cinema Arts Festival’s lead programmer Michael Robinson knows this, and points to this year’s Cannes Film Festival as a good example of the prominence of queer narratives.

From the Spanish drama La Bola Negra, which won a best director prize for its queer love stories, to the trippy sapphic slasher/comedy Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, to the story of a gay party animal in Club Kid who finds out he has a 10-year-old son, queer entries snatched top awards and stirred excitement for wider releases.

“There’s just a lot of quite frankly gay sh*t at film festivals right now,” Robinson jokes.

Next month’s Houston Cinema Arts Festival is no different. With its focus on multidisciplinary programming and a mission of “connecting the arts through cinema,” it’s the kind of film fest where you’ll find a director Q&A after a screening, but maybe even a DJ set or a drag show.

“We’re not trying to host a festival where it’s just for people who are interested in the 52

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filmmaking aspect,” Robinson says. “Film is an entry point to so many types of art.”

Nearly a dozen queer films are part of this year’s lineup of 35 features — as well as several short films, six workshops and a handful of mixers all tied to the theme, My Eyes Are Playing Tricks On Me. Robinson says this theme is intended to spark discussions throughout the 11 days of the festival about the proliferation of AI in mass-consumed content and how filmmakers can help reestablish trust in images and information.

Several films are making their Texas debut

as part of the festival, and several more are coming off stellar receptions at major international events, such as Cannes and the Berlin International Film Festival. One of them is Fatherland, which won a director prize at Cannes and stars Sandra Huller in a role that’s sparked Oscar buzz. She plays the daughter of Nobel Prize-winning writer Thomas Mann, who accompanies her father on his return to Germany in the 1940s following the death of her gay brother.

Coward, another Cannes standout, is a story about World War I soldiers who try to lift each other’s spirits by staging a theatrical

Houston Cinema Arts Festival lead programmer Michael Robinson

show that pushes the boundaries and notions of masculinity.

There are also several documentary screenings at this year’s festival that put Houston in the spotlight. The Brittney Griner Story details the Houston-raised basketball star’s detainment in Russia in 2022 and the geopolitical negotiations that followed to get her home. Behind the camera is documentary filmmaker Alexandra Stapleton, also born and raised in the Bayou City, who will attend the local screening.

Another documentary, Give Me the Ball!, uses rare archival footage and intimate interviews to tell the story of tennis icon Billie Jean King, including her famous Battle of the Sexes match against Bobby Riggs held at the Houston Astrodome in 1973. King became a trailblazer for women’s liberation and equality in sports, thanks to the widely televised match.

The film’s director, Vicky Wight, and Houstonborn former professional tennis player Zina Garrison, who is featured in the film, will both be in attendance.

“IT’S REALLY EXCITING TO PRESENT SOME STELLAR QUEER FILMS THAT TOUCH ON A REALLY BROAD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT QUEERNESS IS.”

THE QUEER CUT Michael Robinson selects five queer films not to miss at HCAF.

Blood Countess Ulrike Ottinger, 2026 Isabelle Huppert in a dark comedy about a blood-sucking vampire. Robinson calls it “absurd in visually gorgeous ways.”

The Brittney Griner Story Alexandra Stapleton, 2026 “A Houstonian telling a Houstonian’s story at our festival is really something remarkable,” Robinson says. This documentary by Alexandra Stapleton details basketball star Griner’s queerness as political fodder during her detainment in Russia.

—Michael Robinson “So much of what we’re trying to do with this festival is to look at each of these screenings as events themselves,” Robinson says. “It’s so important to experience these films through a variety of ways, whether it’s Q&As with the filmmakers or bringing in live components.”

In the modern age of streaming services that cater suggestions to what you’ve watched already, Robinson says the Houston Cinema Arts Festival offers a chance to experience a film you might never have been exposed to otherwise.

And for the Houston LGBTQ ommunity, which still has a hard time finding local screenings of small queer films, the festival provides a space to watch together and celebrate.

“It’s really exciting to present some stellar queer films that touch on a really broad understanding of what queerness is,” Robinson says. “At the same time, we’re able to look at iconic Houston stories while also championing incredible films from around the globe.”

WHAT: Houston Cinema Arts Festival WHEN: Oct. 1–11, 2026 WHERE: Various venues throughout Houston INFO: cinemahtx.org

Mickey Dano García, 2026 An experimental documentary that follows a trans woman who grew up in a conservative corner of Mexico before finding her community in Mexico City. It won an audience award at this year’s SXSW.

La Gradiva Marine Atlan, 2026 A coming-of-age story about French teens who visit Naples on a school trip and get swept up in queer desire. This one is from a first-time director who won the top prize of Cannes’ Critics Week.

Coward Lukas Dhont, 2026 Belgium has already submitted this war drama for the international category at the next Academy Awards, and its two stars won acting nods at Cannes. Robinson says its story of soldiers starting a theater troupe and questioning their own masculinity is a reminder that “queer culture has persisted for longer than we think.”

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WEDDING GUIDE

MORE THAN LUCK Jonathan Gray and Jim Gray celebrate the unexpected match that changed everything.

by DAVID CLARKE | photos by DAVID TRUONG STUDIO

Jonathan (l) and Jim Gray 54

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Sometimes, finding the love of your life starts with spending $24.99. Jonathan Gray was working an overnight nursing shift when his friend encouraged him to give the dating app Hinge another try. Despite his initial resistance, she spent the night reminding him of the app’s price tag until, at 3 a.m.

“I caved in. I thought, ‘Fine. $24.99.’ And I end up meeting Jim about a week later,” Jonathan recalls.

Jonathan, originally from Mamou, Louisiana, and Jim, who hails from Kankakee, Illinois, now share a home in Houston’s Spring Branch neighborhood. They met for their first date at one of Jim’s favorite restaurants, Lupe Tortilla, although they still disagree about exactly which table they occupied.

Jonathan remembers being immediately taken with Jim’s style and warmth. “He’s a very caring, loving person. I think that just exudes through him.”

Jim noticed something equally revealing.

“I noticed just how gentle he was,” he remembers. “He was also very nice to the server. I always pay attention to that.”

Jonathan arrived at that first date with plenty of nerves. “I had this ball of anxiety and with the ‘what-ifs,’” he states. But those worries quickly disappeared. “The conversation flowed easily. I didn’t have to struggle for anything.”

As they began spending more time together, ordinary domestic moments convinced both men that something extraordinary was happening. For Jim, it happened while shopping for bath towels. “I had gotten so used to just making all the decisions on things, but I genuinely wanted to know what he thought of the different types of things that we were looking at,” Jim says. “That’s when I thought, ‘Oh, this feels really good.’”

Jonathan’s realization came during evenings spent cooking dinner and watching television together. “It just felt so nice, so comfortable. It just felt right,” he states. Then one night, a fluttering sensation caught the nurse’s attention. “And then I realized, ‘Oh my God, I think I love this man.’”

Before marrying, the couple custom-designed their rings with jeweler Dawn Scannell of Peran & Scannell Jewelers. Then came not one proposal, but two.

Jonathan proposed first at Aye Candy, a speakeasy hidden behind a candy shop on

Bingle Road, using a custom scratch-off lottery ticket. “I gave this whole spiel about how I feel whenever you finally meet the one it’s really, truly like against all odds, and it has to be more than luck. It’s meant to be,” Jonathan says.

Jim, however, initially failed to notice the proposal because he was looking for winning numbers on the scratch-off. Four days later, on Jim’s birthday, he returned the gesture over a slice of birthday cake. “So, we proposed to each other,” Jim adds.

Recently, on July 31, the couple kicked off their wedding weekend with a welcome party

at The Rustic before marrying August 1 at Hotel ZaZa Museum District. For Jim, owner of Grayhouse Events and a wedding-industry veteran of 38 years, planning his own celebration came with particularly high expectations. Friends and clients would tell him, “‘Oh my God, I bet it’s just going to be amazing, and it’s going to be the wedding of the year.’”

The result lived up to their expectations. “[Our wedding] was exactly what I had envisioned,” Jim gushes. “Our timeline was 30-some pages long. I mean, it was just a lot of details.” ➝ OutSmartMagazine.com

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SEPTEMBER 2026 55

at a time,” Hatton continues. “Those are the toughest contracts that we’ve ever had to take,

cal and useful is very inspiring.”

Both men hope audiences leave Miller

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WEDDING GUIDE | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

For Jonathan, experiencing those details as a groom was something else entirely. “It was beyond everything I could have imagined, to be honest with you,” he beams.

Those details perfectly told their story.

“One of the things that’s meaningful to me in our relationship is actually the fleur-de-lis.

I’m from Louisiana,” Jonathan explains. The symbol appeared on the ice bar, invitations, and drink stirrers. His heritage also inspired a second line featuring Hustlers Brass Band and Pride flag-adorned umbrellas. “We had a second line band, and honey, I got down.”

Magnolias honored Jonathan’s late grandmother. “When she was alive, I stayed with her quite a bit, and one of the things that was in her backyard was a magnolia tree, so it always reminds me of home,” he says fondly. The flower has also become a tradition for the couple. “We always plant a magnolia tree. That’s how special it is,” Jonathan points out. At their newest home, Jim had five planted.

They also reserved ceremony seats in memory of loved ones who had passed, including Jim’s parents and Jonathan’s grandmother.

Before the processional, vocalist Kenneth Gayle sang “Amazing Grace,” which he had also performed at Jim’s mother’s funeral.

Another deeply meaningful moment came when Jim broke a glass in the Jewish wedding tradition. The glass, decorated in Pride colors, is being transformed into a mezuzah for the couple. “I had no idea the level of impact that that was going to make,” Jim admits. “I mean, I knew it was going to be special, and I get chills talking about it, but it just was really, really something special.”

Music remained central throughout the weekend. Icehouse Band performed at the reception, including two songs by Jonathan’s favorite artist, JoJo, while Gayle sang the couple’s first dance, “Ribbon in the Sky.” For Jonathan, another unforgettable moment came as Pride-colored confetti filled the dance floor. “Everybody was picking it up and throwing it up in the air,” he recalls. “It was a very magical moment. I loved it.”

Jim’s favorite moment was quieter. It was hearing Jonathan’s vows for the first time.

“We didn’t share [our vows] beforehand,” he explains. “I got so choked up, I could barely get through mine.”

The setting surrounding those moments was meticulously designed. Steve of Thistle & Grace created the floral installations, with Jim personally selecting everything from fragrant roses and hydrangea to hanging amaranthus, snapdragons, stock, and fiddle fern. Susie’s

Cake created a towering wedding cake, plus individual lemon mini-cakes for their guests.

Magnolias appeared there, too. Meanwhile, the ballroom foyer’s 32 framed artworks were temporarily covered with photographs from Jim and Jonathan’s engagement photo session.

“Imagine walking down the hall and you see pictures of us everywhere on both sides going all the way down,” Jonathan states.

He also offers particular praise for the Hotel ZaZa staff. “It felt like family taking care of us,” Jonathan says. “They took really good care of us.”

The couple also credits photographer David Truong, Cakewalk Films, Versioni, DGZ Invitations, DLG Ice, Brightstar Productions, Mike’s Dance Floor, Social Habit, 360 Events Photobooth, Origins, Brightside Coffee, Jentry Kelley, and the many other professionals who helped execute the weekend. “Literally every single vendor, no one let us down,” Jim boasts.

“No one let us down,” Jonathan agrees. “I just can’t explain how grateful I am for how everybody really, whenever they came to put our wedding together, truly cared.”

For a wedding planner accustomed to creating milestone moments for other couples, this time the celebration was personal. And after years of designing other people’s dream weddings, Jim finally got to create one for himself and the man who made him want to share in making decisions. Even the smallest ones, like bath towels.

WANT TO TELL YOUR STORY? Email us at letters@outsmartmagazine.com OutSmartMagazine.com

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AUGUST 15, 2026 THE MONTROSE CENTER’S KINDRED SPIRITS DANCE The Montrose Center’s Kindred Spirits Dance filled the Ballroom at Bayou Place with music, dancing, and generations of LGBTQ Houstonians reconnecting on the dance floor. Local queen Kara Dion brought drag to the celebration, while DJ MLE kept the crowd moving with favorites spanning the 1970s through today. The gathering also honored the legacy of Kindred Spirits, the beloved Houston lesbian nightclub that became a vital community space during the AIDS crisis.

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For more photo galleries, please visit our website.

AUGUST 15, 2026 PRIDE HOUSTON 365 48TH ANNUAL PRIDE PARADE 2026 Downtown Houston became the setting for Pride Houston 365’s 48th Annual Pride Parade, with community organizations, musicians, performers, elected officials, businesses, and advocacy groups moving through the city streets. The procession included the Houston Pride Band, Legacy Community Health, Pride Houston volunteers, drag performers, dancers, and participants carrying rainbow, Progress Pride, transgender, and other community flags.

Floats and decorated vehicles shared the route with marching groups, while spectators gathered along the barricades to watch and photograph the procession.

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AND CREW

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AUGUST 23, 2026 TONY’S PLACE PRESENTS VOYAGE UNDER THE SEA FUNDRAISER Tony’s Place dove into a night of community and celebration with Voyage Under the Sea, its annual fundraiser benefiting Houston’s LGBTQ+ youth. Held at ARTECHOUSE Houston, the immersive event featured performances by DragSpace artists Reign LaRue Ross, Jazell Barbie Royale, Adriana LaRue, Barry Mii Dandy, Sinema LaRue, Teresa LaRue, and Purple. Guests enjoyed cocktails, music, a silent auction, and performances throughout the evening. With support from sponsors, donors, guests, performers, and volunteers, Tony’s Place surpassed its $70,000 fundraising goal. Proceeds support the organization’s affirming services and resources for LGBTQ+ young people seeking safety, stability, and connection.

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SIGN OUT

by KEVIN CASEY

SEPTEMBER GETS REAL Virgo season clears the way for change.

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) “Tone it down” or “ use our inside voices” aren’t things you would typically say to an Aries unless you’re looking to pick a fight but this month you Rams do need to bring it down a couple of notches. The New Moon in Virgo on September 10 says it’s time to slow your roll and take care of yourself. If you continue to overload your schedule or burn the candle at both ends, your body is likely to suffer. You’ve never been one to sugar-coat your communications. You tend to give it to us straight with no chaser, but with Mercury’s move into diplomatic Libra on September 10, you’ll get more done if you’ll soften your delivery just a bit. The Full Moon in Aries on September 26 revs things up and puts you back in the driver’s seat, which of course is your natural habitat.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) On September 26 the Full Moon joins Saturn and Neptune in the sign of Aries, highlighting the identity crisis you Bulls are having in 2026. The focal point of this identity crisis is your need to disengage from the expectations of others. Old roles and identities that no longer suit you are beginning to dissolve. The object of the game right now is to schedule some alone time, not to be distant or aloof from others but to get some quiet time to listen to your inner voice. Love and romance gets a major boost starting on September 10 with the New Moon in Virgo and Venus in Scorpio. If you’ve been nursing old resentments and anger from a previous relationship, now is the time to let it go and trust again.

GEMINI (May 21–June 21) September comes with a bit of a warning, Gemini. With the fire and air elements strong this month, you’ll need to pace yourself to avoid exhaustion. The New Moon 64

SEPTEMBER 2026

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Virgo season continues for most of the month and September 10 is one busy day in the cosmos. On September 10 we have the New Moon in Virgo, Mercury enters Libra, and Venus slips into Scorpio. Virgo energy thrives on order, neatness and schedules, so no more procrastinating when it comes to getting organized. Mercury in Libra says we’ll get more done this month if we approach others in a diplomatic manner. If you’ve had disagreements with others recently, this is your chance to

smooth things over. Venus will have an unusually long stay in Scorpio this year because of retrograde that begins on October 3. Venus is the love planet and Scorpio rules the Underworld. When it comes to relationships a light and breezy approach won’t work now. Venus in Scorpio demands depth, intensity, passion and vulnerability in relationships otherwise they flounder in superficiality. The fiery Full Moon in Aries on September 26 casts her light on the games we play to keep others happy at our own expense.

Much like Venus in Scorpio, a Full Moon in Aries thrives on boldness, courage and authenticity.

in Virgo on September 10 grounds and centers you by putting the focus on your home life. Your home is so important to you, Gemini. You’re “on” all day, so your home has to be your safe space where you can rest and recharge. If things have been chaotic on the home front, this is your chance to reset things exactly as you want them. The Full Moon in Aries on September 26 helps you declutter your social life. The cosmos is putting you on notice that it’s time to cut friendships and associations that drain your energy.

in your subconscious exposing any lingering anger and resentment you may be holding on to, Venus in Scorpio puts the spotlight on old family patterns you tend to get tangled up in. The Full Moon on September 26 adds a dose of heightened emotions. Instead of an emotional overreaction, this is your chance to break the pattern and choose differently when it comes to the family dynamic.

CANCER (June 22–July 22) Mars continues its journey through Cancer until September 28. Mars in Cancer reminds you there’s a warrior inside that crab shell, and it’s perfectly okay to be self-assertive and set boundaries. The New Moon in Virgo on September 10 says it’s time for new perspectives. If you’ve been telling yourself and others the same old tired stories that keep you stuck, it’s time for a change. The New Moon in Virgo is reminding you that repetitive thoughts and words carry power and do play a part in how you experience life, so observe what you’re thinking right now. Is that a thought you want to manifest in the future? The Full Moon in Aries on September 26 says there’s no need to regret any major changes you’ve made recently. You’re on the right track so keep it moving.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Finances are the focal point with the New Moon in Virgo on September 10. If your finances have been a bit of a mess, this is your chance at a financial reset, Leo. While Jupiter showers you Lions with a sense of optimism and hope, you still need a grounded and pragmatic approach to your money. Mars and Venus team up this month to act as a dynamic duo of emotional healing. While Mars in Cancer roots around

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept.22) Virgo season continues for most of the month and reaches its peak with the New Moon in Virgo on September 10. You’re still the star of the show this month and may decide you need to look the part. If you’ve been thinking about changing your physical appearance in some way, this is your moment to do just that, Virgo. Also on September 10, Mercury, the planet of communication, moves into Libra and Venus slips into mysterious Scorpio. Deep and intense conversations focus on finances, budgets, and material security. Your body has always been very sensitive to stress, and the Full Moon in Aries warns that you may be at a breaking point. It’s time to deal with your stress, Virgo, before it deals with you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 23) You belong to the air element, Libra, meaning you tend to be a thinker over a feeler. You definitely feel, but you have a tendency to explain those feelings away or analyze them to the nth degree. The New Moon in Virgo on September 10 puts you in the time out chair to recharge and do some self-reflection. It’s time to stop pushing those pesky feelings away and get honest about what you’re really feeling. You are a people-pleaser at heart but you can’t be “on” all the time, Libra. The Full Moon on September 26 joins Saturn and Neptune in the sign of Aries, putting the spotlight on relationships. This is

a fiery Full Moon that can certainly heighten emotional reactions. This could feel a bit uncomfortable for you, Libra, but this is your moment to speak the truth in an important relationship.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24–Nov. 21) Love goddess Venus moves into Scorpio on September 10. You’re quite magnetic and mysterious by nature, and this only amplifies your attractiveness. You won’t have to pull many strings behind the scenes to get what you want right now. This transit makes you quite visible and difficult to resist. The New Moon in Virgo, also on September 10, helps you make new social connections and form new friendships. Jupiter in Leo continues to bless you with good fortune in the career arena. There is something important you Scorpios need to know about Jupiter this year. Sometimes Jupiter’s blessings come through a loss, so if business opportunities slip through your hands or you don’t get that job you want, it’s a blessing in disguise. So don’t get paranoid, Scorpio. If something doesn’t work out, Jupiter has something better planned for you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22–Dec.21) Virgo season continues for most of the month and reaches its peak on September 10 with the New Moon in Virgo. This puts you in the spotlight at work and could result in a promotion or a new leadership role.

Mars continues its transit through Cancer for most of the month, and the New Moon on September 26 lands

in Aries. I can’t say you’ll be hearing wedding bells, Sagittarius, but both Mars and the New Moon heat up your love and sex game. Needy partners who try to fence you in too early need not apply. Your social life picks up with Mercury in Libra from September 10 to September 30, and your ruling planet Jupiter is in Leo for the remainder of the year, encouraging you to do one of your favorite things, travel.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Mercury, the planet of communication, moves into peace-loving Libra from September 10 to September 30. This transit highlights the all-important career sector of your chart, Capricorn. The combination of Mercury and Libra means in the work space you’ll need to curb your more authoritarian strategy for a more diplomatic approach. I know sugar-coating isn’t your style, but if you’ll sprinkle just a light layer of sweetener over your communications with co-workers this month, you’ll accomplish a lot more. The fiery Full Moon in Aries on September 26 is a different story. Tensions that have been brewing beneath the surface on the home and family front can be brought to a boiling point resulting in some heated arguments. Although uncomfortable, the air needs to be cleared.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Like your fellow air signs, Libra and Gemini, you’re being pushed out of your head and into your heart this month. The New Moon in Virgo on September 10

is about trusting your vibe. If you pay attention, your intuition will always show you who deserves your trust and who doesn’t. You’re quite strategic and determined about career goals as warrior planet Mars enters Scorpio on September 10. Your crisis management skills are on full display at work and the higher-ups are taking notice. Direct and blunt becomes your communication style with the Full Moon in Aries on September 26, and with Mars in Cancer you could become down right argumentative with co-workers. Others need to tread lightly.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Virgo season continues for most of the month and reaches its peak with the New Moon in Virgo on September 10. This acts as a turning point in your relationships. This is your wake-up call to feed the relationships that are mutually supportive and ditch those that exhaust and drain you. Mercury in Libra helps you spot the hidden motives of others, while Mars in Cancer has you craving romance and creative inspiration.

Relationships take a deep and intense turn when Venus moves into Scorpio on September 10. Control and possessiveness could become a major issue in some relationships. The Full Moon in Aries casts its glare on your finances. You could pay off a major debt or put the brakes on those impulsive spending habits.

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

Houston!

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SCENE OUT Photos by DALTON DEHART AND CREW

The second annual Houston LGBTQ+ Independent Author Fair was held at the Montrose Center on August 1, 2026. Pictured are the independent LGBTQ+ authors and event organizers.

On August 1, 2026, the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Houston Dash, presented Pride Night with the Houston Dash at Shell Energy Stadium. Pictured are Ryan Wilson, Maureen Maiuri, Rachel Bickham, Stephen Miranda, and Tammi Wallace.

On August 2, 2026, the Meredith Memorial Foundation hosted a memorial celebration of life honoring Danny Keen at Barcode. Pictured are Kyle Meredith, Michael Garcia, Brandon Arnold, Brennan Rogers, Joe Meredith, and Diana Garcia.

The Alley Theatre hosted ActOUT for The Girl on the Train on August 7, 2026. Pictured are Anthony Santopetro, Karina Bozanich, and Alex Gonzalez.

The Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce hosted LAMBDA NextGen Young Professionals Night at Puttery on August 12, 2026.

Pictured are Koren Schumate, Joe L. Mendoza, Amber Godbold, and Paul Lovero.

On August 15, 2026, the Montrose Center hosted its annual Kindred Spirits Dance at the Ballroom at Bayou Place. Pictured are Judith Medina, Kendall Toarmina, Rita Dellan, and Nernwon Kargou.

On August 17, 2026, Grace Place and the Montrose Center unveiled Asia’s House, LGBTQ+ affirming emergency housing for youth ages 15-17, at Living Mosaic. Pictured are attendees at the Asia’s House unveiling.

Interfaith Ministries hosted a reception and dedication in memory of Kennedy “Kent” Loftin at Interfaith Ministries on August 18, 2026. Pictured are Marshall Loftin, Janis Loftin, Laci Loftin Nichols, Susan Boggio, and Tehmina Masud.

The Executive and Professional Association of Houston (EPAH) held its annual elections at Maggiano’s Little Italy on August 18, 2026.

Pictured are the officers and trustees.

Bunnies on the Bayou hosted a check presentation for its Bunnies on the Bayou 47 beneficiaries at Pearl Bar on August 19, 2026.

Pictured are Bunnies on the Bayou hosts and representatives of the beneficiaries.

On August 22, 2026, the Diana Foundation hosted its annual Sausage Fest at the home of Matthew Arp. Pictured are Matthew Arp, Jeremy Ronquillo, and Sharon Lord.

On August 22, 2026, the University of Houston LGBTQ Alumni Association held its 2026 Roaring Red Dinner at the UH Alumni Center, where state Rep. Jolanda Jones presented a proclamation to the organization.

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