Twin Cities Pride Amplified

Join hosts Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto for a powerful discussion on Trans Day of Remembrance and the violence facing the trans community. Andi shares a raw, personal story about the harassment he recently faced for wearing a “Protect Trans Kids” shirt, illustrating the daily anxieties trans people navigate even in supposed “refuge” states. They also explore the life-saving impact of their Rainbow Wardrobe, sharing emotional testimonials from community members who found it a vital safe space.

#TwinCitiesPrideAmplified #TransDayOfRemembrance #TDOR #ProtectTransKids #Transgender #LGBTQ #RainbowWardrobe #GenderAffirmingCare #CommunitySupport

Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto get real about the heavy emotional toll of the current political climate and the recent government shutdown. They share the powerful, personal story of how TC Pride’s “Trunk or Treat” event unexpectedly transformed into a massive impromptu food drive. It all started with a single, desperate phone call for help, which sparked an overwhelming community response that resulted in collecting 3,200 pounds of donated food for families in need.

#TwinCitiesPrideAmplified #LGBTQ #CommunitySupport #FoodInsecurity #FoodDrive #GovernmentShutdown #Advocacy #CommunityAction #TrunkOrTreat #TwinCities

Hosts Andi Otto, Kelsey Alto, and Rina Heisel get real about the mental health struggles hitting the LGBTQIA+ community and the heavy emotional toll of the current political environment. They discuss how crucial organizations like Twin Cities Pride are for providing community and support, especially with all the legal and legislative attacks targeting queer and trans rights. Plus, the team commits to sharing their own personal stories and making sure the show keeps evolving to address the real-time needs and struggles of the community.

#TwinCitiesPrideAmplified #MentalHealthMatters #QueerCommunity #CommunitySupport #TransRights #Allyship #TCPride #CultureChange #BehindTheScenes

Terresa Hardaway, who owns Black Garnet Books and is the Creative Director of Blackbird Revolt, joins hosts Andi Otto, Kelsey Alto, and Rina Heisel to chat about everything she does as an educator, designer, and business owner. Her work focuses on centering Black, queer, and marginalized voices in the fight for social justice and cultural change. The group also dives into the power of consistent advocacy, the importance of community-building through fun events like queer speed-dating and book events at Black Garnet Books, and the upcoming Queer Rights Book Fair (which is a cool collaboration with Twin Cities Pride!).

#TwinCitiesPrideAmplified #BlackGarnetBooks #BlackbirdRevolt #TerresaHardaway #QueerRightsBookFair #SocialJustice #BlackOwned #QueerCommunity #DesignJustice

Hosts Andi Otto, Kelsey Alto, and Rina Heisel get real about the mental health struggles hitting the LGBTQIA+ community and the heavy emotional toll of the current political environment. They discuss how crucial organizations like Twin Cities Pride are for providing community and support, especially with all the legal and legislative attacks targeting queer and trans rights. Plus, the team commits to sharing their own personal stories and making sure the show keeps evolving to address the real-time needs and struggles of the community.

#TwinCitiesPrideAmplified #MentalHealthMatters #QueerCommunity #CommunitySupport #TransRights #Allyship #TCPride #CultureChange #BehindTheScenes

This week Andi Otto and Rina Heisel are joined by Sean Hayes, executive director of Trans Northland. They talk about the challenges rural communities face, the influx of people coming in from out of state seeking refuge, and how Trans Northland is working on building communities that are safe, inclusive and interconnected.

Kelsey Alto, the director of programming for Twin Cities Pride, returns to host this week’s show. We had so much fun talking about Andi Otto’s life that we decided to have one more episode on Andi! This time we reflect on Andi‘s last three years as executive director of Twin Cities Pride. What do a mechanical bowl, lip filler, and a horse rescue have in common? Tune in and find out!

This week Kelsey Alto takes over the show once again as she continues her conversation with TC Pride executive director Andi Otto. What do drag kings, the Burnsville Mall food court and frosted cookies have in common? Find out this week as dive into the story of Andi’s life!

This week Kelsey Alto takes over the show as our usual host, Andi Otto, will be in the hot seat! You’ll get to learn a lot more about Andi, including his journey from lesbian to wife to Mom to trans Dad.

This week Andi and Rina are joined by Dr. Kade Goepferd, the Chief Education Officer and the past Chief