We take a bite out of the First Nations Garden, a healing space for the Intertribal Native community of Chicago. Co-founder Fawn Pochel (they/kwe) shares the origins of this youth-led project, the importance of establishing and maintaining relationship with plant relatives, and how the garden has transformed the neighborhood and provided a community gathering place for celebrations, education, and practicing intertribal traditions. 

Additional Resources and References from this episode: 

• Learn more about First Nations Garden and follow the project at @firstnationsgarden 
• Chi Nations Youth Council – a youth organization creating safe space for Native youth through arts, activism, and education. Follow the council @chinationsyouthcouncil 
• Indigenous Grounds – an emerging organization striving to create a more sustainable world. Follow the project @indigenous.grounds

Previous Take the Last Bite episodes that center food justice, the joys of growing and cooking food, and innovations in urban farming: 

• Queers Who Make Beers – a chat with queer and trans folks in the craft microbrewing industry working to improve working conditions for marginalized service workers
• Ferrets, Farming, and Fat-Kid Food – a segment about growing basil in shipping containers and a segment about cooking with taste-loss due to long-COVID
• ‘Chef’ is Gender Neutral – brunch baddie Catie Randazzo talks about wanting to connect queer and trans youth to service industry skills

For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: [email protected]

We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org

Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity

Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

We take a bite out of Chappell Roan through a brief queer history of Midwest music and media influences. Host R.B. Brooks (they/them) highlights queer and trans music artists with ties to the Midwest, how the Midwest is used intentionally in film and streaming series for dramatic effect, and the impact of Midwest stereotypes on racialized and gendered assumptions about the region.

Additional Resources and References: 

• In a Queer Time and Place by Jack Halberstam
• Rolling Stone article about Chappel Roan’s Casual release 
• Teen Vogue culture story about Chappell Roan 
• Right On, Cuee (Take the Last Bite interview with Black trans hip hop artist Cuee Wright

For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: [email protected]

We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org

Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity

Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

We take a bite out of local legislation with Minnesota State Representatives Liish Kozlowski (they/them) and Leigh Finke (she/her). We all have a role to play – but our roles aren’t all the same. We chat with these powerhouses about their motivations to run for office, their experiences on the legislative floor, and how Trans Refuge Bills can offer a pathway to improved living conditions for trans, nonbinary, two spirit, and intersex people.

Additional Resources and References from this episode: 

• Learn more about the Transgender Justice Teach-In and check out video recordings of our previous panel discussions.

For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: [email protected]

We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org

Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity

Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

We bite into a hard conversation around Nex Benedict’s death as well as the two teenagers who killed Brianna Ghey receiving life sentences after jury conviction. Robert Alberts (they/them) and host R.B  Brooks (they/them) process their rough thoughts and devastated feelings in an attempt to answer “what does it mean that the project of annihilating trans children has fallen into the hands of other children?” and also “what does justice look like in these instances?” 

Additional Resources and References from this episode: 

• Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s office releases Nex Benedict’s autopsy report
• Teenagers who killed Brianna Ghey receive life sentences after jury conviction 
• TransLifeLife – a trans peer support and hotline run by trans volunteer 

For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: [email protected] 

We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org 

Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity 

Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

We take a bite out of Fat Con! In January 2024, Tristan and R.B. attended Fat Con in Seattle, a celebration of fat joy featuring keynotes, a fashion show, and brunch. These fattie baddies reminisce on their glorious time at the inaugural event and share their aspirations for a Midwest Fat Fest.

Additional Resources and References: 

• Learn more about Fat Con in Seattle at FatCon.org
• Also check out Philly FatCon 
• Revisit “Trans Fat: Lessons from Large Trans Folks” via video or podcast  
• Timeline: The ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment” from the Columbia Spectator

For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: [email protected].

We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org

Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity

Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

We take a bite out of Midwest queer history! Vince Tripi (he/him, co/cos) is a homegrown historian dedicated to compiling LGBTQ+ history into digestible exhibits for pride-goers and LGBTQ+ youth. We chat about his latest project called “Flyover Country,” an exhibit highlighting LGBTQ+ firsts of the Midwest, including some wild discoveries about the first few years of the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Asexual College Conference.

Additional Resources and References from this episode: 

• Check out all of Vince’s LGBTQ+ history exhibits: https://vince.lgbt/exhibits/
• Learn more about MBLGTACC at mblgtacc.org
• Read the full news release about the Institute receiving an award an ACPA 
• Learn more about the Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities 

For questions, comments, or feedback about this episode: [email protected].

We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org

Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity

Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

We’re delivering a batch of small bites featuring Doctor Who and extraterrestrial gender education [06:29]; parallels and lessons from a trainwreck in East Palestine, Ohio and Gaza, Palestine [35:54]; and getting things done (like web coding) with empathy [45:27].

Additional Resources and References from this episode: 

• No Pride in Genocide – a collective of Queer and Trans anti-zionist Palestinians, Arab/SWANA folks, Jews, and allies working for a free Palestine.
• Article: Norfolk Southern continues to defend CEO Alan Shaw’s leadership 
• Article: Doctor Who has always been woke, and that’s the way real fans like it
• Goblin.tools –  a collection of small, simple, single-task tools, mostly designed to help neurodivergent people find overwhelming or difficult

For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: [email protected]

We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org.

Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity

Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

We take a bite out of “the gender debate” with sports journalist Katie Barnes (they/them). 

We reminisce about our days as student leaders at gay camp, how Katie’s educational background in history, higher education, and even Russian studies has positioned them to be a leading reporter at/on the intersection of sports and gender, and the release of their new book “Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debate” 

Join us in Lexington, Kentucky November 3-5 for the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Asexual College Conference featuring Katie Barnes as Keynote. Register and make arrangements at mblgtacc.org 

We take a bite out of asexuality across generations with Cody Daigle-Orians (they/them) aka Ace Dad Advice and author of “I Am Ace: Advice on Living Your Best Asexual Life.” We chat about their Ace Dad persona, the nebulous concept of being a “queer elder,” and Cody’s aspiration for a multigenerational book series guiding folks through their asexual journeys. 

We take a bite out of queer animation, TV shows and characters with resident nerds Andy Newhouse and Michelle Walters. We discuss the finale of The Owl House, D20’s Dungeons and Drag Queens, and which other queer streaming moments we’d smash or pass. 

Additional Resources & References  

Listen to “The Anatomy of a Liberatory Think Tank” 

Learn more about the Writers Guild of America (WGA) Strike

Streaming & TV Show Recommendations and References 

The Owl House 

The Legend of Vox Machina

Avatar: The Last Airbender 

The Legend of Korra 

The Last Airbender directed by M. Night Shyamalan 

Harley Quinn

D20 Dungeons and Drag Queens 

Gravity Falls 

The Ultimatum: Queer Love 

For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: lastbite@sgdinstitute.org 

We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org

Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of programs for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity 

Cover art: Adrienne McCormick