Sister Roger's Gayborhood

Following the last few weeks of the tragic and devastating war in Ukraine at the hands of Vladimir Putin's Russia, we felt a responsibility to welcome two phenomenal and brilliant young people of Ukrainian descent into the Gayborhood. We're honored this episode to host actor/activist Aleksandr "Sasha" Krapivkin and Adam Odsess-Rubin, the Founding Artistic Director of the National Queer Theater. Sasha and Adam speak to their families' respective heritages as refugees from Ukraine, more than a century apart, with Adam's family immigrating in the wake of the tsarist pogroms and Sasha arriving in America 18 years ago. We discuss their Jewish ancestry and the history of anti-semitism and racism in Ukraine. We then learn more about how the current war with Russia is impacting the queer people of Ukraine and the trans community specifically. In addition to discussing the cultural and linguistic differences between Ukraine and Russia, Sasha also treats us to a staggeringly gorgeous selection from a beloved Ukrainian song, so be sure to listen all the way to the end of the episode. Our hearts remain with the Ukrainian people, and we encourage all our listeners to support Ukraine however possible. Go on Instagram to follow Sasha at @aleksandr.krapivkin and Adam at @adamodsessrubin_92, and learn everything you can about the organizations highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: the documentary on the Ukrainian fight for democracy "Winter on Fire;" Black Ukrainian activist Betty Fosho; Ukrainian trans support organization Cohort; LGBTQ refugee support organization Immigration Equality; Canadian NGO Rainbow Railroad; non-profit Razom for Ukraine; Kyiv Pride; Kharkiv Pride; and Direct Help for Ukraine (directhelpforukraine.info), whose website was designed by Gayborhood friend and ally Daria Lavelle. Slava Ukraini, heroyam slava! And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates.

The brilliant choreographer and educator mayfield brooks reunites with Roger after their time together in graduate school at Northwestern, ready to discuss everything that brought them together and bonded them in Chicago. We learn all about how mayfield explored dance in their childhood, and we hear a powerful story about the formative experience when mayfield was unjustly arrested, which then inspired them to eventually found their landmark interdisciplinary dance project, Improvising While Black. What follows is a powerful conversation about how to further the legacy of compassionate education and community within teaching environments. Plus, it's a Tale of Two Joannes, when we have a Joanne revelation like no other! Go on Instagram to follow mayfield at @mayfieldbrookz, plus learn everything you can about the folx highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: composer Julius Eastman, civil rights activist Marsha P. Johnson, and poet June Jordan. And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates!

We were so thrilled to commemorate February 22, 2022 ("Twosday!") with three phenomenal thought leaders in the Native American community: queer therapist and author Tavi Hawn, drag queen and activist Landa Lakes, and novelist and screenwriter W.A.W. Parker (though his nearest and dearest get to call him Adam). Lovell and Adam have been friends for several years, and Adam honored us by essentially bringing his Gayborhood Watch icons to join us for his episode. Adam, Landa, and Tavi all connected at the Montana Two Spirit Gathering last year, and we are so grateful that they joined us to discuss the legacy of Two Spirit people within Native American culture. Landa recounts their work founding the Brush Arbor Gurlz, the first Native American drag troop, and the fascinating lineage of their own drag name (as well as growing up on a reservation in Oklahoma plus their time in the Navy). Tavi also tells us about their extraordinary new book, "The Gender Identity Guide for Parents: Compassionate Advice to Help Your Child Be Their Most Authentic Self," and Adam fills us in on his new project with Disney that spotlights the Two Spirit experience. Go on Instagram to follow Adam at @wawparker, Landa at @landalakes, and Tavi at @hawntherapyandconsulting plus learn everything you can about the folx highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: Timothy White Eagle, Ty Defoe, L Frank, and Judy Tallwing McCarthy. And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates.

Love is in the air, and we are thrilled to celebrate Valentine's week with one of the Gayborhood's favorite couples: Philippe Bowgen and Erik Limpitlaw! After an acting career that has spanned virtually every iconic theater and now television (including major roles on "The Mick," "Supernatural," and the "Veronica Mars" reboot!), Philippe tells us about venturing into the writing game since relocating from New York to LA, and Erik opens the library (literally!) to tell all about his new job as the Digital Collections and Licensing Librarian at Stanford University. Erik also shares many memories from his digital licensing and data analysis career at Bloomberg LP and Thomson Reuters, plus his time as a lawyer and a member of the US National Rowing Team. Due to Philippe and Erik's involvement in the leadership (and post-pandemic reinvention!) of LA's queer nightlife scene, we also dive deep into the history of circuit parties within queer life, which includes a candid conversation about how that culture can both build community but also affect body image. Plus, stay tuned at the end of the episode for a sneak peek into "Popular," the new narrative podcast about queer life in DC by Gayborhood alum William Keiser! Go on Instagram to follow Philippe at @philippebowgen and Erik at @limpitbro, plus learn everything you can about the folx highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: Honey Dijon, Luke Nero, Gabby Rivera, Candis Cayne, Eric Conrad, Joel Kim Booster, and check out Philippe and Erik's queer staffing company, QStaff. And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates!

We are honored to host this very special conversation between some of the most thoughtful people who are currently a part of the movement for visibility on behalf of the Jewish community in America. With the persistent and horrific rise of antisemitism across the globe, including the recent synagogue attack in Dallas and the banning of Pulitzer-winning graphic novel Maus in Tennessee, the Gayborhood team felt compelled to provide a platform for several of the Jewish people in our lives who have been our beloved allies and trusted friends. We're thus proud to welcome a star-studded panel (in alphabetical order): Dylan Alban, whose aid work in international non-profits took him around Asia for years before he joined APDS, an education technology company that provides resources to justice-involved individuals across the US; Jordan Daniels, who identifies as a Fat Queer Afro-Jew writer and photographer and who focuses on Queer experiences, anti-racism, belonging for Jews of Color, and Fat activism; Jonathan Lipnicki, movie icon and Jewish activist, whose blockbuster films include the Oscar-winning Jerry Maguire, The Little Vampire, Like Mike, and the Stuart Little franchise; and Broadway actress and singer Jaime Rosenstein, who has graced the stage in the recent Sunday in the Park with George revival and the Wicked national tour.  Our panelists discuss a variety of topics, including the many and complex definitions of Jewish identity, their families' generational relationships to America, and their hopes for the future regarding how the Jewish community is depicted in the media. We also dive deep into how we can all be advocates for the Jewish community, not just now but always. Go on Instagram to follow Dylan at @dylra1, Jordan at @johodaniels, Jonathan at @jonathanlipnicki, and Jaime at @jaimero1, and learn everything you can about the Jewish people and organizations highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: the 92nd Street Y, the Anti-Defamation League, Blake Flayton, Eve Barlow, Hila Love, Adam Eli, The Empress Mizrahi, Keshet, the Jews of Color Initiative, the Black-Jewish Liberation Collective, the Jewish-Asian Film Project, San Diego's the HIVE at Leichtag Commons, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, Bend the Arc, Tony Kushner, Wendy Wasserstein, and Theatre Dybbuk. And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates! 

The legal eagles have come home to roost in the Gayborhood! Civil rights investigator (and dancer, architect, and icon-in-development!) Eric Jordan joins us to discuss his career at Harvard conducting investigations into cases of sexual and gender-based harassment. Eric shares how he went from studying architecture during undergrad (and moonlighting as the most jaw-droppingly talented dancer!) into serving for Teach for America, followed by a chapter as a New York lawyer. We examine the throughlines that define all these passions, highlighting Eric's incredible commitment to service and uplifting others - and Eric reminds us that it's never a bad idea to always default to the Golden Rule. Go on Instagram to follow Eric at @hehimthatguy and check out the incredible routines by his Boston-based dance company QWAM: Queens with a Mission (@qwamfam), plus learn everything you can about the folx highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: Linus Baker, lead character of TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea; Associate Justice Martin Jenkins, the first Black gay justice on the California Supreme Court (and former Seattle Seahawk!); and dancer-choreographer Sean Bankhead. And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates.

We are celebrating the opening week of Lovell's most recent feature film, the romantic comedy "The End of Us," and we're honored to welcome his fellow producer, Claudia Restrepo, to discuss the wild ride of making this movie. Shot during April 2020 in those first weeks of the pandemic, "The End of Us" premiered at SXSW in March, and it is now available for audiences everywhere, all thanks to Claudia's stunning efforts as the film's producer... and production designer... and cast member... As Claudia informs us, pandemic filmmaking requires an artist to wear a lot of hats, but no one could have been more prepared for that job than Claudia. Claudia also reflects on her time as a creator and performer at BuzzFeed in those roaring days before the digital content bubble burst, and then we look forward to what creative endeavors she's aiming to tackle as a writer/director now that she's produced her first feature film. Plus, you'll never believe the remarkable connection that Roger and Claudia discover that they share live on the air, and we also litigate the politics of regifting just in time for the holidays (spoiler alert: Joanne made a faux pas...). Go on Instagram to follow Claudia at @clauddog, plus learn everything you can about the folx highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: baseball player Glenn Burke, historian Eric Cervini and his book "The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. The United States of America," and creator Curly Velasquez. And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates and check out "The End of Us" on all major VOD platforms!

Is there a doctor in the house?! There is today! We are so honored to have Roger's own physician, Dr. Joshua Khalili, join us to discuss the importance of queer health and the demystifying of queer intimacy. We learn all about Joshua's road to serving as an internal medicine and primary care provider at UCLA, and he provides additional insight into his work in HIV care and prevention. Roger and Joshua even share an in-depth example of how to have conversations regarding PrEP, the life-changing drug that supports HIV prevention, and how to determine what the right options are for each individual. We also hear about Josh's experience coming out within the Persian community, and amidst the beautiful conversations in this episode we might have even broached Joanne's HIPAA rights! Go on Twitter to follow Joshua at @KhaliliJosh, plus learn everything you can about the folx highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: Dan Savage and of course RuPaul's Drag Race! And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates!

We have three delightful guests straight from Open Fist Theatre Company visiting the Gayborhood to discuss their fantastic play The Soldier Dreams! Conor Lane, Ethan Niven, and David Shofner join us to discuss the "phoenix rising from the ashes" experience that is returning to the West Coast premiere of Daniel MacIvor's daring gay romance after an era of pandemic. We hear all about their unique years-long rehearsal process, their paths to acting, and some powerful anecdotes about the importance of education - even if it's learning what not to do! The Soldier Dreams plays at Los Angeles' Open Fist Theatre Company until December 12, 2021, and go on Instagram to follow Open Fist at @openfisttheatrecompany to get all the info about how to see Conor, Ethan, and David's wonderful performances. Plus, learn everything you can about the folx highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: the iconic Miranda Priestley, Conor's former teacher Father G, the stars of We're Here, Crush by Richard Siken, author and AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz, Bill Gunn of Ganja & Hess, horror mastermind Clive Barker, and casting director Mark Bennett (David's amazing husband, and it's a treat to hear David speak so movingly about their marriage!). And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates!

Attention, Gayborhood sports fans! We are hitting the courts today with the iconic, inspirational powerhouse couple Tipesa and Chelsea Gray! WNBA superstar and Olympic gold medalist Chelsea gives us a full account of competing in the Olympics for Team USA during the time of COVID, and Tipesa explains how her career in the logistics field aligns with Chelsea's commitments playing professional basketball both for the Las Vegas Aces and abroad in the international leagues. Tipesa and Chelsea also speak candidly about how they balance work, life, and love to make their partnership work, and they truly prove that they are both the dream team and the dream couple. Plus, you'll learn their roster of favorite basketball players and hear multiple anecdotes about how to survive the holidays in freezing cold Prague! Go on Instagram to follow Tipesa at @tipesa_gray and Chelsea at @cgray209, plus learn everything you can about the folx highlighted in this week's Gayborhood Watch: the WNBA, basketball stars Natasha Cloud and Layshia Clarendon, lawyer Cherelle Griner, and educator Danielle Lenore. And don't forget to follow @rogerq.mason, @lovell.holder, @miachanger, and @dgonzalezmusic on Instagram for all your Gayborhood updates!