JUST DO YOU.

Welcome to the 6th installment of our 2024 PRIDE Series and Episode 22!

This week I sit down with Paris Quion, San Diego's favorite drag entertainer, businesswoman, activist, and fierce advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.  Paris shares her remarkable journey as a native San Diegan that begins at the age of 11 where she and her parents found support and community through the local LGBTQ+ Center.  This community would not only play a critical role in her coming out, but also support her through her transition later in life.  This experience would ultimately serve as a stepping stone for Paris' commitment to be a part of the betterment of the queer community, especially for those who are most vulnerable.

Paris can be seen jetting around town performing in front of a sold out crowd at a drag brunch to speaking about gender sensitivity, diversity and inclusion in front of high ranking government officials and local students and faculty.  If you are fortunate to live in San Diego, you can often find her greeting patrons with a huge smile (and if you are lucky a big hug) as you enter to enjoy one of Hillcrest's favorite hot spots.  I am not sure how she does it but there seems to be NO stopping this beautiful soul that is truly out to change the world.   

You can follow Paris on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/parissukomimax/

You can also see her along with all of the 2024 California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Pride Honorees at https://lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/pride-honoree-2024

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Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY and welcome to a special Pride Season REPLAY of my conversation with Kate Bishop, a fierce advocate for our LGBTQ+ youth currently serving on the Chula Vista School Board as a Trustee.  Given recent events over the past few weeks, I felt compelled to replay this VERY important and timely episode! PLEASE ... take the time to listen in if you missed it! 

Kate is the first openly QUEER person to serve on the School Board and is an incredibly strong voice representing ALL stakeholders including students, parents, teachers, staff, administration & members of her community.  Her passion and commitment are palpable and unyielding and she is out to make a difference in the lives of our children.

Kate and I have a powerful and at times incredibly emotional conversation centered around the importance of communication as it relates to how best to serve our students, including our trans youth who are up against so much hate and who are currently under attack across the country.

There were so many incredible moments during our time together but one key takeaway was that "People don't know what they don't know.  So many concerns don't come from hate, the come from ignorance and not understanding how things are."  Well let me tell you, Kate is out to shift that paradigm for sure!

If you want to learn more about Kate, here is the link to her site: https://katebishop.vote

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

Welcome to the 5th installment of our 2024 PRIDE Series and Episode 21!

Join me as I sit down with Daniel Blevins, creator and founder of the Stand In Pride organization.  Stand in Pride was founded in 2021 as a Facebook support group for the LGBTQ+ community after Daniel saw a viral TicTok video that showed the devastation of a soon to be bride learning her mom had unexpectedly decided to NOT show up to  her wedding.   Daniel took action and literally stepped up to stand in for her on this special day!

The rest is history and Daniel shares his wonderful journey and how Stand in Pride now has a GLOBAL presence with thousands of moms, dads & siblings stepping up and standing in for our community at weddings, birthdays, graduations and other important and meaningful moments!  He and the organization have been seen in People Magazine, on the Today Show and in countless other publications and news media outlets worldwide. 

Daniel is the most sincere, kind and compassionate man that I have had the pleasure to meet.  Our time together was filled with an abundance of joy, love, laughter and an unyielding commitment to making a difference in the lives of our beautiful community.  I am excited to now call Daniel a friend and can't wait to see Stand in Pride continue to provide these extraordinary moments for the LGBTQ+ community.  

You can learn more about Daniel and the Stand In Pride organization here:  https://standinpride.org

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

Welcome to the 4th installment of our 2024 PRIDE Series and Episode 20!    

Today I sit down with Fernando Lopez (they/them), a widely celebrated & trusted community leader, passionate activist, transformative speaker and all around amazing human being.  From the first moment I heard Fernando speak in front of a group of people at a rally, I was captivated by every word they spoke and it shifted my own internal conversation about the difference one voice can truly make, even amidst our often chaotic and fractured world. 

Fern, as I affectionately refer to them, shares their personal journey to not only finding themselves, despite a difficult and often lonely childhood, but to finding a community that would not only embrace them and give them hope, but ultimately be transformed by them and their commitment to making a difference in the world, simply by being themselves and speaking their truth.   

It is an incredibly powerful conversation which at times gave me goosebumps and yes, we even shed a few tears, but our conversation resulted in an even deeper respect for Fern and a deeper understanding of their critical role in the world we currently live in.  

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

Welcome to the 3rd installment of our 2024 PRIDE Series and Episode 19! (btw, the minor sound issue corrects itself quickly, promise!)

This week I sit down with Mama Tits and the brainchild behind her, the incredibly talented Brian Peters.  Brian has been entertaining audiences since 2001 with a fierce passion to make others laugh, while empowering people around the world to find their joy and inner strength through her spoken, and more often than not, sung words.

Brian shares his personal journey with us that is at times, heart-wrenching, but one that shows his own inner strength and commitment to heal not only himself and others ... but perhaps even save the world!  Brian has been a fierce advocate since day one and has even come face to face with the extreme hate that existed back then and unfortunately still exists to this day.  His stance made world news and you truly have to hear the story to believe it!

Our conversation was so inspirational and I loved and appreciated all the laughs and even the tears during our time together.   The self proclaimed "Sweetest Potty Mouth in Town" did use a few expletives , but trust me, the conversation is truly transformational and worth every minute!

You can check out Mama Tits website at:  https://www.themamatits.com  

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

Welcome to the 2nd installment of our 2024 PRIDE Series and Episode 18! 

Join me this week as I sit down with Archer Gray, a beautiful and compassionate Trans man who openly shares his personal transition story which began back in 2021.  Archer authentically shares his journey for the first time publicly during this episode and I am so honored to have spent this incredible hour with him.  

I have been following Archer on social media for quite some time and have been moved many times from uncontrollable laughter to an undeniable ugly, but meaningful cry all within the span of 2 to 3 videos.  He is unapologetically real and it is this realness that resonates with everyone who actually takes the time to get to know him.  

Archer uses his social media platform to showcase his remarkable path filled with an abundance of humor and a strong sense of his own truth AND reality!  I learned so much from our time together and I am happy to now call him a friend.  I know you will love him as much as I do.  Welcome to the 1st episode of my 2024 Pride series. 

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

Join me this week as I kick of the 2024 LGBTQ+ PRIDE SEASON!  

I have had an "interesting" internal conversation around PRIDE festivities in the past, but after moving to San Diego in late 2019 and getting involved with our amazing local LGBTQ  community, I quickly shifted the conversation.  Now more than ever, with our community (as well as so many other marginalized  communities) under direct attack, PRIDE is a critical opportunity for our community to come together, stand in unity and celebrate the impact that so many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer individuals have had (AND WILL HAVE) on history not only locally, but nationally & internationally as well!  

I proudly share my own coming out story and the journey in finding my own sense of pride for not only who I am as an individual, but the immense stand I am for our LGBTQ family around the globe to shine bright! It's all a matter of PRIDE! 

This week kicks off 8 episodes centered around extraordinary leaders and influencers that are dedicated to make a difference for our diverse & powerful LGBTQ community.  I can't wait for to you listen in!  Enjoy! 

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

Here's your chance to hear my conversation with Rebecca Rizzo if you missed it back in February!  This week I needed to take a quick break to handle an unexpected personal medical issue BUT, I will be back next week with a brand new episode as we kick off my PRIDE series for June & July!  I can't wait to introduce you to the amazing guests I have lined up! 

So,
Listen in as I sat down with Rebecca Rizzo, my beautiful friend and the epitome of the JUST DO YOU. space of being.  Rebecca shares her amazing journey from her early years (with a family business you HAVE to hear about lol)  to her present day life.

She radiates joy, love & laughter ... despite any circumstances she or those she loves are up against.  Rebecca is consistently on the #findyourhappy hunt and you can feel the love she has for life the moment you come into her space.  She also gives the best "hugs" you will ever receive!

She is a master connector with a passion for bringing people together in order to create powerful unions that impact communities and individuals alike.

She is an multi-faceted artist & jewelry /clothing designer, a community activist and a powerful leader in the Coachella Valley and beyond.  Rebecca has an uncanny ability to recreate herself several times over and is truly one of the most resilient people I have ever met!

We could talk for hours, so I hope our brief time together not only resonates with you, but inspires you to get out into the world and not only find YOUR own happy, but to give it away to others!

To find out more about Rebecca's wearable energy you can check it out here: https://byshayrizzo.com

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

Join me this week as I sit down with Darrell Tucci, a National Non-Profit & Political Leader in Strategy, Development & Operations based in San Diego, California.  Aside from a long and successful career in development, fundraising, philanthropy and advocacy, Darrell is one of the most kind, caring and generous people I know, as well as one of my best friends.  Being in his circle, makes me strive to be the best version of myself each and every day.  I have learned so much from him over the past decade and that knowledge has made me so acutely aware of the power of my voice and stance AND the critical need to use it in order to make a difference in the world.  

Darrell shares his heartwarming story of learning the importance of giving back and advocacy from a very young age.  His journey into present day is filled with powerful and poignant moments along the way that not only had an impact on him personally, but translated that impact into fostering his passion and commitment to being a  true change agent, especially for marginalized communities across the country.  

One of my favorite moments of our conversation was hearing Darrell say "We can not sit back and hope that things will change.  You have to get out and be a part of the change!" 

Enjoy!

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

Join me this week as I sit down with my friend of 30 years, Dan Smithman.  Dan played a pivotal role in my coming out in 1994  and truly saved my life for which I will be forever grateful.  We have been friends ever since and still to this day, when we connect, I walk away not only feeling heard, but empowered and maybe a little tired from all the laughter!   

Dan and I have fun reminiscing about our friendship, creating possibility in your life, the reality of dating in your 50s, the power in consistently looking for the beauty in things AND the importance of marriage equality for the LGBTQ community.  

Dan is a master at creating possibility not only in his own life, but openly shares that mastery with the world around him.  He is a kind, gentle, compassionate soul that deeply cares about others and is a FIERCE advocate for the LGBTQ community.  I love Dan's incredibly unique view on relationships and marriage equality and can't wait for you to hear the journey he and his husband Josh have had together ... one wedding at a time, all in an effort to bring awareness to the critical importance of equality! 

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!  

Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts!

To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/

Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com