LENSES

Part 2 - Melissa Opel continues her story from evangelical Christianity, to marrying her wife, Becca, to becoming a Buddhist minister.

Melissa Opel is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and a volunteer minister at the Spokane, Washington Buddhist Temple. Her story is equal parts moving and compelling to me as someone who used to think I knew what was best for everyone else.

A special election episode with five of our past guests; Danielle Estelle Ramsay, Rebecca Rossi, Brittany Lovely, Joel Rodriguez, and Fitz Emerald Fitzpatrick. Listen in as they share how this election directly affects them and their many, varied communities.

Sam and Rebecca are married, and there was a day when they didn't think that would be possible.

Brandon Rapez-Betty is loud, proud and unapologetically gay...and it took him nearly 30 years to realize it.

Fitz Emerald Fitzpatrick is a white, middle-class, formerly homeless, queer, non-binary person living with a mental illness/disability and a pantheist, interfaith witch. This is the second conversation with Fitz where we dig into what exactly a pantheist, interfaith witch is. This conversation definitely provided a brand new set of lenses for me!

For those of you interested in learning Mental Health First Aid as we discussed in this week's episode, here is a link to find an online class time that will work for you: https://www.compasshealth.org/events/mental-health-first-aid/

Fitz Emerald Fitzpatrick is a white, middle-class, formerly homeless, queer, non-binary person living with a mental illness/disability and a pantheist, interfaith witch. This is one of my most fun conversations yet!

Brittany Lovely is a multi-racial, formerly incarcerated, educated, woman with a driving passion for justice that orients every aspect of her life.

Joel Rodriguez is becoming an American citizen and he wants us to understand the world is bigger than our back yards.

Rebecca Rossi is a radical feminist, atheist, lesbian; and she just wants to help make the world a better place.