Holly Peterson
COVID-19, the LGBTQ Community, and Public Policy
“It is really important to understand the disproportionate effect that COVID has had on our community,” says Dr. Wallace Swan. The community he is talking about is the LGBTQ community referenced in the title of his most recent book: COVID-19, the LGBTQIA+ Community, and Public Policy. “The LGBTQ population has unmet medical needs that are exactly the…
Grand Finale: Jane Ramseyer Miller Retires From One Voice Mixed Chorus
At the close of her January 2023 season, Jane Ramseyer Miller will retire from her 27-year tenure as the Artistic Director of One Voice Mixed Chorus. Ramseyer Miller’s legacy as Artistic Director stretches nearly the same length as the lifespan of the choir itself, which was founded in 1988. One Voice has grown under her…
“Edward Tulane” Kicks Off New Season for The Minnesota Opera
Minnesota Opera just opened its 2022-2023 season, and we are off to a great start. The long-awaited world premiere of “Edward Tulane” finally made its way to the stage in St. Paul this October and everything about the show suggests that we are in for a strong opera season. The opening of “Edward Tulane” was…
Meet Mark Valdez, Mixed Blood Theatre’s New Artistic Director
After a nearly two-year-long national search, Mixed Blood Theatre has announced Mark Valdez as their new Artistic Director. Although Valdez demurely refers to himself as an outsider who is excited to uplift Minnesotan stories of all types, the reality is that he has had a fruitful, longstanding relationship with the Twin Cities and Mixed Blood…
A Visitor’s Guide to Duluth-Superior Pride Weekend
There is nothing better than a trip to Northern Minnesota in the late summer and early fall. If the promise of cool breezes and changing leaves is not enough to convince you to get out of the Twin Cities this September, maybe this will: the Twin Ports area is hosting the Duluth-Superior Pride Festival from September…
Treat Your Downtown Dog to a Dog’s Day Out
In 2014 Ralph Bernstein realized that he was happiest in the moments spent at his dog’s daycare. He had recently lost his wife to a stroke and when he found himself questioning the life that he built he decided to do something big about it. “I called the Downtown Dogs owner and asked if she’d…
Championing Anti-Racism, Leading with Love
This July 6-9 the National Association of Black and White Men Together (NABWMT) will hold its 2022 Conference in Minneapolis. NABWMT describes itself on its website as “a gay multicultural, anti-racism organization.” It was founded in San Francisco in 1980 and now exists in several local chapters across the country. NABWMT is “committed to fostering…
LGBTQ Under 40 – Makeda Lacking
Makeda Lacking is a Site Manager at the Brooklyn Park branch of Avenues for Homeless Youth, a promotion that she earned in February of this year. She has always been passionate about her work and is driven to ensure that everyone gets the attention and resources that they need. “My job allows me to be…
20 Years of Red Ribbon Rides
2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the Red Ribbon Ride. This year the ride will take place on Friday, August 19th, and Saturday, August 20th. Funds raised throughout the weekend will support The Aliveness Project, One Heartland, and Rural AIDS Action Network, all of which do invaluable work for Minnesotans with HIV/AIDS. I chatted with Angela Skelly,…
The Queen of Co-op-etition – Renda The Roofer
“I got a new tattoo and it’s a pause button,” says Renda Baird, owner of local contracting business Renda the Roofer and RTR Teams. She laughingly explains the philosophy behind the tattoo: “Lord/Buddha put your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.” Talking to (and I would imagine working with) Renda Baird…
