Stonewall Spotlight

We are excited to present you a new and exuberant podcast led by our new Artistic Director Jonathan Welch who’s coming at us with 2 segments this month. The first introduces local LGBTQIA author Gregory Bonsignore who recently released his book “That’s Betty: the Story of Betty White”. Betty of course was a pioneering woman, an Angelino, and someone who transcended politics while bringing about progressive change in her industry.  He’ll also present a new segment called Personal/Political. In that, Jonathan sits down with Stonewall Steering Committee Member Barb Steelman to talk about her life as a political activist and what drives her. We’ll also hear from Kelsey Bryan Zwick with some special poetry segments that will be an ongoing part of our podcast programming and a piece on the importance of being an Organ Donor.

This is a very special episode as we cover for the first time the Executive Board elections of the Stonewall Democratic Club. We are joined by many candidates as well as Alex Mohajer, candidate for President of the club who is challenging current President Lester Aponte who is seeking a third term in what looks to be a very close race. During this episode, we will showcase the voices of our candidates answering pre-written questions sent to each of them, getting up close and personal with those seeking a seat on Stonewall's prestigious Executive Board. 

Thank you for joining us on this special episode, where we honor the infamous Ivy Bottini, who passed away February 25, 2021 at the age of 94. Ivy served as president of the Stonewall Democratic Club from 1987 to 1990 and had a hand in forward progress for our community at every turn. Her passing poetically coincided with the passage of HR 5, the Equality Act, in the House of Representatives.

One of the founding members of NOW, in 1970, Ivy became the first Lesbian purged from NOW, because of a panel discussion she organized.

From 1974 to 1978, she was a full-time entertainer and political satirist with uniquely feminist, Lesbian-based material, and appeared at Carnegie Hall with her show “The Many Faces of Woman.”

Ivy served as Women’s Director at LA G-L-C-S-C, co-chair of the Gay and Lesbian Police Advisory Caucus of the State Democratic Party, and on the State Committee of Aging.  She founded the LA AIDS Network, ran demonstrations and infiltrated Operation Rescue as a spy during 1988-1989.

Rest in power, Ivy.

We’ve got a wonderful episode laid out in honor of February being Black History Month. We’ll hear from Zekiah Wright, who sits the Legislative Action Committee for Stonewall and the West Hollywood Gay and Lesbian Advisory Board, as well as Jonathan Welch and so much more!

In this special Election 2020 edition of Stonewall Spotlight we sit down with Stonewall Democratic Club's endorsed Candidate for Community College Board Seat 3 - David Vela, as well as another exciting expose on voting from our very own Jonathan Welch. 

Welcome to Stonewall Spotlight, a Monthly Podcast Brought to you by the Stonewall Democratic Club bringing you the most salient issues in Democratic Politics from the LGBTQIA and feminist lens. On today’s episode we are excited to share with you three insightful interviews on this special two-part Election Madness Spotlight Special. Our own Mackenzie Hussman sat down with California Congresswoman and VP runner up Karen Bass and inspirational street artist and Stonewall Leadership Cohort Member Luckie Fuller, who was the artist behind the All Black Lives Matter mural on Hollywood Boulevard. Marcus Lovingood also sit down with Stonewall’s own Freddy Puza as he talks to us about his run for Culver City Council as Stonewall’s Endorsed candidate in that race. We’ll also hear Jonathan Welch’s take on this years Senate races and what’s at stake.   All that and more on this month’s exciting 2020 election edition of Stonewall Spotlight. 

On this Women of Color, Leaders of Tomorrow edition of Stonewall Spotlight, Mackenzie sits down with LGBTQ Congressional Candidate and President of the San Diego City Council Georgette Gomez and I sit down with State Senator Holly Mitchell to discuss her vision for the future of Los Angeles County as she runs for a seat on the LA County Board of Supervisors in District 2 as Stonewall’s endorsed candidate. We also have a special expose on Geraldine Ferraro in the spirit of Women who have lead the way for our current and future leaders, narrated by our newest member of the Spotlight Editorial Team, Special Correspondent, Jonathan Welch. We will also hear a special interview from Correspondent and Stonewall’s own and newest writer, Alex Mohajer and Stonewall Leadership Cohort member Zaquiah Wright on today’s political climate and a take on today’s Black Lives Matter protests. 

On this episode of Stonewall Spotlight we discuss the current Black Lives Matter movement with Political Strategist Jasmyne Cannick and Los Angeles County District Attorney Candidate George Gascon. We also honor the late congressman John Lewis with his 7 minute speech at on the main stage at the March on Washington. 

This month's Stonewall Spotlight episode will conclude our special two-part Queer in Quarantine series, bringing you stories from our community while collectively in quarantine. We'll feature stories from Stonewall Democratic Club's Controller Reuben Zadeh, VP of Communications Ryan Basham, PR Chair Alex Mohajer and a replay of our interview with Anthony Keith Turner, a social justice warrior and special guest of our 'Social Injustice' Podcast. 

In part one of this two-part series, we spoke to members of our community on their experiences being queer in quarantine as we all remain under "Stay At Home" lock down during the Covid-19 global Pandemic. We showcase Stonewall's endorsed candidate for LA County District Attorney George Gascon, Trans activist Luckie Alexander, John Erickson and more.