SPNN Podcast

What impacts our physical, mental, political, and emotional wellbeing, and shapes the path forward for our LGBTQIA+/Queer communities? Representation.

We know that having healthy, diverse, and accessible queer representation can make a world of a difference for LGBTQIA+/Queer youth, and truly queer communities of all ages. Of course, not all representation is positive and the consequences of poor representation can be devastating. No matter what form it takes, and regardless of its quality, representation (or the lack thereof) is a powerful force that needs to be understood and cultivated.

To discuss representation, host Siena Iwasaki Milbauer (she/her) is joined by Kohana Wilson (they/them) and Nana Aforo (he/him). This trio of queer creatives brings their perspectives as creators and consumers of representation to the table as they discuss the representation that has shaped them, the representation that has let them down, what it feels like to become empowered to create your own representation as an artist, and what kinds of representation they want to see and create in the future.

Follow and support this episode's guests and their amazing art: Kohana Wilson on Instagram@floralgunk, Nana Aforo on Instagram@nanayawaforoand on soundcloud under the name "Lines of Hour". You can also follow host Siena Iwasaki Milbauer on Instagram @s_iwasaki_milbauer. If you are interested in learning more about LGBTQIA+/Queer representation, visit the episode webpage for a list of resources that were the most illuminating and interesting to host Siena Iwasaki Milbauer as she put together this episode. Episode Credits

Music Credits: Queering Community Health Theme by Becs (on Instagram@beckyfuckingarts), Flavour byWataboi from Pixabay.

In this episode we discuss the harm in biases and how they show up in stereotypes. How they seep into our everyday lives, and the shame and trauma that accompanies them. We hear from a Youth Shelter Care-Taker on how stereotypes and harmful biases affect youth. Learn how they occur, why they are harmful, and how unlearning stereotypes will help heal communities. Host: Mason, He/Him Socials: linktr.ee

23, nonbinary transman, Designer/modiste & activist

Guest: Judea/Jude, Any Pronoun, 23

Care-taker and youth advocate at 180 Degrees Homeless Prevention Organization 180 Degrees: For 50 years, 180 Degrees has helped Minnesota youth and adults break the cycle of trauma created by poverty, racism, mass incarceration, homelessness and exploitation—offering the tools and support to help build stronger, brighter, more resilient communities

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: We Are Not A Stereotype

GLAAD: GLAAD works through entertainment, news, and digital media to share stories from the LGBTQ community that accelerate acceptance

Music Credits: Queering Community Health Theme by Becs, on Instagram @beckyfuckingarts Art Credit: @jacques_persons

Hosted by Elle, this episode centers the two stories of Heidi and Sam, both community members who have been diagnosed with PCOS- polycystic ovarian syndrome. Heidi and Sam share their journeys with getting diagnosed, dealing with that diagnosis, finding supportive doctors, and finding joy in their health conditions. This podcast highlights the interesting relationship between being non-binary or transgender and having PCOS. RESOURCES:

Interact: Advocates for Intersex Youth

Sean Sifa Wall: Sean Saifa Wall is an intersex activist, visual artist, and public health researcher.

Transgender, Intersex, Gender-Expansive Revolutionary Resources & Services (TIGERRS)

Pidgeon Pagonis: Pidgeon Pagonis has slowly, oftentimes not so quietly risen to visibility as an activist on behalf of intersex people. Whether advancing intersex advocacy as the co-founder of the Intersex Justice Project, producing informational videos that go viral on Buzzfeed, creating art that centers intersex voices, appearing on the cover of National Geographic "Gender Revolution" special issue or being honored as a LGBT Champion of Change in 2015 by the Obama White House, Pidgeon has staked out a place at the fore of debates on intersexuality and otherness.

Hi, hello, hans: I make videos about queer, intersex, and media topics. I'm a white, queer intersex creator and sentient stick of cotton candy, formerly in the PR and non-profit advocacy world. My aim here is to illustrate the expansiveness of the intersex umbrella. We take the good with the bad as we move toward a non-medical and inclusive understanding of human sex variation. Humor, too. :)

In this episode of Queering Community Health, local artist Cedar Thomas (they/them) interviews a panel of local creatives to hear their experiences and advice regarding mental health, creativity, self-care and self-expression.

Guests on this episode (in order of appearance):

• Vanessa McDuffie (she/her), an educator, writer and creator of the upcoming creative art space devoted to the queer BIPOC community of Minneapolis, Nue Bedford. Instagram: @nessa_bess / @nuebedford
• Archie Bongiovanni (they/them), cartoonist, illustrator and author of A Quick & Easy Guide To They/Them Pronouns and Grease Bats . Instagram: @babywrist / Twitter: @grease_bat / Website: archiebongiovanni.com
• heather c. lou (she/her), a mixed media artist and an educator who is passionate about community and promoting creativity. Instagram: @hclou / Website: hclouart.com

Cedar and their guests dive into discussions of what creativity looks like, how it's connected to self expression, and the numerous ways that letting oneself be creative can challenge the pressures of the world around us. Learn more about Vanessa, Archie and heather as they discuss their respective creative practices, exploring early memories, successes and failures. And don't miss the advice for young folks who might be struggling with their identities, their queerness, and/or their self-expression. RESOURCES:

Vanessa's Instagram: @nessa_bess,Nue Bedford's Instagram: @nuebedford

Donate to Nue Bedford's GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-space-for-queer-bipoc-creatives-in-mi?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link-tip

Archie's Instagram: @babywrist, Archie's Twitter: @grease_bat, Archie's Website: archiebongiovanni.com, Other links from Archie: https://linktr.ee/archiebongiovanni

heather's Instagram: @hclou, heather's Website: hclouart.com

In this episode of Queering Community Health, we're talking about how to advocate for yourself and your needs when finding a therapist and we introduce you to a great resource for when you need to find a doctor who is inclusive of LGBTQ+ health and identities. Join this week's host Azul (they/them) to hear a therapist at Reclaim help explain the process of finding a therapist and building your therapeutic relationship. Keep listening to hear about an exciting project aiming to create a directory of LGBTQ+ competent providers in Minnesota.

GUESTS ON THIS PODCAST:

Dylan Gray (they/them), Project CLEAR Therapist at Reclaim

Dylan Flunker (he/him), Research and Policy Manager at Rainbow Health

You can find a full transcript of this episode on our episode web page.

TIPS FOR VISITING THE DOCTOR AND SELF-ADVOCACY:

The Doctor's Office Isn't Always a Safe Space For LGBTQ People. This Advice Could Save a Life" by Jasmine Gomez Visiting a Care Provider MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES:

Aakoma - a resource for BIPOC teenagers and their parents to talk about mental health

Asians For Mental Health - Asians for Mental Health was created to help Asians feel seen, heard, and empowered in their journeys towards better mental health.

BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health)- a collective of advocates, yoga teachers, artists, therapists, lawyers, religious leaders, teachers, psychologists and activists committed to the emotional/mental health and healing of Black communities.

Inclusive Therapists - We celebrate all identities and abilities in all bodies. All people deserve equal access to quality mental healthcare.

Therapy for Queer People of Color - Therapy for Queer People of Color (QPoC) is a mental health network and group therapy practice based in Atlanta, Georgia. Our goal is to increase access to quality and inclusive mental healthcare for queer and trans folks of color through empowerment & education. Native Son - NATIVE SON harnesses the collective power of Black gay men with the goal of ensuring that our voices, visibility, and lived experiences are elevated in all of the communities in which we exist and never again disregarded.

Rainbow Health Therapy and Counseling - Rainbow Health offers mental, chemical, and sexual health services for LGBTQ+ people, people living with HIV, and folks from communities that historically and currently face barriers to behavioral health support. We offer individual, group, couple, and family therapy. We offer in-person sessions and teletherapy options. For appointments call 612-373-9160 or email us at [email protected].

Reclaim - provides financially and culturally accessible care to queer and trans youth and their families in the Twin Cities

In this episode Shift MN interns Mason, Rhea, Siena, and Will discuss various challenges that come with being part of the LGBTQ+/Queer community. Inspiration sparked from a meaningful conversation Will and their friend Reese had; distinctively this interaction included the phrase, "coming to terms'' - implying the struggle with accepting and embracing your own gender identity and or sexual orientation. We wanted to prioritize the importance of talking about internalized queerphobia and the difficulties with figuring out who you are; especially while growing up. Our episode fosters a conversational space with open-ended talk, intended for various ages and backgrounds. Enjoy the episode! Resources:

Mental Health Resources for LGBTQ+ folks:

The Trevor Project

MN LGBTQ+ Therapists Network

OutFront AZ Directory

Resources - Twin Cities Pride Magazine

LGBTAgingCenter.org - Resources - In Minnesota

What We Do : Resources for Queer & Trans Youth

Resources — Transforming Families Minnesota

Q-Quest – MINNESOTA SCHOOL OUTREACH COALITION

Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER)

Other podcasts about Coming Out and the LGBTQ+/ Queer Experience

Coming out with Lauren & Nicole: https://www.comingoutpod.com/

AfroQueer: https://afroqueerpodcast.com/

Food 4 Thot: https://food4thotpodcast.com/

Making Gay History: https://makinggayhistory.com/

Queery: https://www.earwolf.com/show/queery/

The Gender Reveal Podcast with Tuck Woodstock (they/them) is an excellent journalism and longer interview resource

Books

A Quick and Easy Guide to Queer and Trans Identities - In this quick and easy guide to queer and trans identities, cartoonists Mady G and JR Zuckerberg guide you through the basics of the LGBT+ world!

Resources for sharing with Parents

Coming Out Handbook from The Trevor Project

Strong Family Alliance and their web page on coming out to your parents

Ash Hardell on YouTube has videos might want to look at with parents and they have some great "A B C's of LGBTQ+" content on their YouTube Channel

The National Center for Transgender Equality

In this episode, our hosts interview three members of the Minnesota LGBTQIA+/Queer community: Logan Sand, a certified sexologist, Lark Lekat, a sex educator and sex worker, and Carise Roatch, a Marriage and Family Therapist who works from a sex positive theoretical background. We discuss healthy relationships, body positivity, and how to use sex to help us find confidence and comfort in our queer identities. Co-hosted by Xochitl and Elle, we hope you listen in to gain a better understanding on the intersections of sex and queer identity.

Listeners will learn...

• How to identify the role sex plays within their lives
• About relationships between sex and gender/sexual identity
• How non-inclusive sexual education is within schools in past years
• That sex isn't something to be ashamed of
• The importance of knowing your sexual health status and how to communicate that with a partner
• That society has made a predetermined "script" for sex and how it's suppose to look like
• That in order to advocate for your body's needs, knowing what brings you pleasure by yourself is super important before participating in a sexual act
• The ways mental health can impact decision making when it comes to sexual activity.
• How sexual trauma can affect the stability of the individual.
• And finally, how sex can be used for healing

To learn more about our guests and their work, follow them on social media: @larksgrove on twitter (lark lekat), @misscarise on twitter, and Logan Sand on Facebook.

The SPNN Podcast is joined by TPT's senior producer and partnership manager Dan Bergin. His productions include regional Emmy-winners such as "North Star: Minnesota's Black Pioneers," and "Legacy Letters." In this conversation, Dan shares his approach to filmmaking and exploring the disparities between race, class and place in Minneapolis.

For more of Dan's work, head to tpt.org.To find more SPNN programs, head to spnn.org.

In this episode of the Queering Community Health Series, you hear from Zaraia Fabunmi the host of Queer Social Health: Going Out and Learning In. Hearing from three special guests: Helena Kouame, Annabelle Niblett, and Anonymous J. Doe. We have conversations of what it means to be a queer person with our outward expression, along with social trends, media, racism, and community. Helena is a 16 year old creative, African American woman, who loves music! Next you hear from Annabelle who is a 17 year old young musician and debater, who takes pride in her artistry and work, and lastly we have J. Doe who is currently working on creating a poetry book and is teaching themselves how to paint.

CREDITS:

Music Credits: Queering Community Health Theme and episode music by Becs, on Instagram @beckyfuckingarts Episode Art: Faye Carmody, on Instagram @coochieshrooms

This episode of Queering Community Health is about how LGBTQ+/queer youth are treated within the education system and the issues that arise alongside them. Three guests by the names of Jennifer Parker, Ophir Gilad, and Kai Johnson are interviewed, each having differing relations to this topic.

Jennifer Parker (she/her) is an assistant principal who has worked in education for over 20 years. Within the episode, she talks about a slew of topics; such as how policies and opinions on LGBTQ+ issues have changed within the education system over the course of her career and how these kids can find support within their school.

Ophir Gilad (she/they) is the Education Equity Youth Coordinator at Outfront, a non-profit that's dedicated towards LGBTQ+/queer rights in Minnesota. A few of the things that they talk about during the podcast is how teens can advocate for themselves and how Outfront helps schools to be more inclusive with their policies and curriculum.

Kai Johnson (he/they) is a 10th grader in highschool at the moment, and alongside being a part of a GSA, is an intern at Outfront who works alongside Ophir. During their interview, they talk about what they do when facing issues and what they think can be done to involve more queer stories into the curriculum. RESOURCES

• OutFront Minnesota and their Youth Resources page
• The Trevor Project
• Reclaim
• GLSEN - working to ensure that every member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression
• https://gsanetwork.org/
• GSA Network
• The Annex Teen Clinic
• St. Paul Public Schools Out for Equity
• Minneapolis Public Schools Out4Good LGBT

CREDITS

• Intro/Outro music was made by @beckyfuckingarts on Instagram
• Cover art and other background music was made by @spooktrook on Instagram