Jonny interviews Casey and Jamie about their project, “Laveder House,” a center for mutual support for the transgender communiy in Carbondale. In the process of sharing information about this resource, Jamie and Casey tell part of their story about living in Florida and why they left. In the back half of the show, Heather and Jonny discuss a new Transgender Spiritual group Heather will be hosting at the Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship (CUF). They connect the dots on the costs of separatism and the benefits of wholism. They analze how the current strategy of the DNC, including Rep. Sarah McBride as a spokeswoman, misses the boat on connecting their constituents’ concerns as they deemphasize trans rights advocacy. They close out the show with a review of the many events this weekend celebrating Monday’s Transgender Day of Visibility. If you would like to connect with the Carbondale Lavender House, please send a text message to 618-203-9520.

Heather sits down with Morgan and Ryland of the Downstate Illinois Transgender Organization (DITO) to talk about the organization, Lavender House, and upcoming Transgender Day of Visibility events. In the back half of the show, Jonny sits down with Alex Socoro and Kelsey Maffett of the Rainbow Cafe to talk about upcoming TDOV events and how the organization is weathering the challenges of the current political climate. 

Jonny and Heather pause to recognize the Trans Day of Remembrance with information about services in Carbondale while also taking a moment to hear the names of the trans folks who have died in the last year in the US. They lean into why times are so rough right now for queer and trans folks with a general discussion of resources avaialble to get through the coming rough(er) times. In the back half of the show they discuss the weaponization of mental illness aganst trans people and how LGBTQ folks are leaving Twitter/X in mass for social media platforms like Blue Sky.

Jonny and Heather discuss the outcome of the 2024 election. They try to avoid finger-pointing and armchair quarterbacking campaign choices and, instead, process their feelings and look to evidence of a shifting political landscape. They find glimmers of hope where they can while preparing for the worst. They note that, while the top of the ticiet and the majorities in Congress are pretty dire, there was considerable good news in state referenda on abortion access and historic elections of LGBTQ candidates. They end with with a call to community and the experienced advice of queer veterans (literally and figuratively) on what we need to do going forward. 

Jonny interviews Dr. Joe Hassert who was a resident of Carbondale from 2000 to 2012 and was remarkably active in making community art projects happen here. Joe now lives in Las Vegas where he is a professor of Communication Studies at the College of Southern Nevada. He is the current president of the queer faculty and staff advocacy group there and works with students in the student LGBTQ organization to bring about positive, material change in their institution. Jonny and Joe talk about life in the desert, the queer scene in Las Vegas, what Joe learned from his time in Southern Illinois, LGBTQ advocacy, mass shootings, politics, and pragmatic activism. 

Jonny recaps last week’s LGBTQ Town Hall sponsored by Equality Illinois and Rainbow Cafe and held in the Carbondale Civic Center.

Jonny curates a review of 2023 using voices from the community (and beyond) that were interviewed on IIQ in 2023. 24 guests featured.

Jonny interviews Christina Garnette, a local drag performer and trans activist, about her work in the community. In the back half of the show, Jonny and Christina discuss the importance of solidarity in the queer community, leaving room for diversity but not allowing differences and interpersonal conflict to derail the important work of promoting and protecting a vulnerable community.

Jonny interviews Priscilla Pimentel, an SIU employee currently doing community outreach for the just-forming LGBTQ Constituency Group on campus. They discuss what constituency groups are, why they are important, and what goes into forming one. In the back half of the show, Jonny rebroadcasts his interview with Keri, Cassandra, and Mitchell of the Carbondale Assembly for Radical Equity (CARE) about their upcoming Art Auction and Music Fundraiser. Jonny closes with updated and current information about the event and some meditations on the importance of community organizing in these trying times,

Jonny talks with Tara Bell of Pride In Action Southern Illinois about the upcoming PrideFest in Carbondale (June 9-11). They focus their talk on varois pre-Pride fundraisers and events including the “Southern IL PrideFest Royalty Pageant” this weekend (5/13) at The Varsity Center in Carbondale. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Sandy Pensoneau-Conway about the Rainbow Cafe, now fully relocated into its downtown Carbondale space. The Rainbow Cafe is also doing some fundraising to support its myriad programs as the region’s preeminant community LGBTQ+ Resource Center