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Monday, April 29, 2024

Alison Burgos Talks Girls In Wonderland Weekend (AUDIO)


 





In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Alison Burgos about the 23rd anniversary of Girls In Wonderland that takes place May 30th through June 3rd in Orlando, Florida. Girls In Wonderland was founded in 2000 by the trio Amy Alonso, Yesenia Leon and Burgos the women behind Pandora Events. This powerhouse lesbian event production company from South Beach has created and produced some of the hottest LGBTQ soirées and music festivals in the US. In a little over two decades the iconic event has become a force on its own with over 10,000 attendees coming from near and far representing all colors of the rainbow and taking over a 700-room resort. The event brings together some of the most influential LGBTQ artists, celebrities, athletes, influencers and changemakers from around the country including Leisha Hailey, Kate Moennig, Fortune Feimster and Chante Wayans to name a few. This year’s event kicks off with a Welcome Happy Hour on Thursday May 30th from 6P to 8P for a mix and mingle with live music by Deb Hundseder followed by the Traffic Jam opening party with special guest DJs Pat Pat, Dlux & Zehno. Friday begins with the Wet Pool Party with Chloe Star performing live, followed by Citizen Jane performance at the L-Lounge Happy Hour and then comedian Kristin Key takes the stage who has appeared at The Improv and on the series Last Comic Standing and Bring the Funny. Friday concludes with Snow Tha Product performance and then the Afterhours Afterglow Party. There will be more epic pool parties and fabulous events throughout the weekend. We talked to Alison about what she hopes to accomplish with Girls In Wonderland this year and her spin on our LGBTQ issues. 

Alison Burgos has been a luminary in celebrating lesbian culture, creating spaces like Girls In Wonderland in Orlando, Aqua Girl and the Women’s White Party. Alison's role in advocacy is as dynamic as her event planning. She was a guiding force on the National Advisory Council for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and takes on leadership roles as the Vice Chair of the Kindred Pride Foundation. Pandora Events commitment to advocacy continues donating over $30,000 each year to support our LGBTQ community including Aqua Foundation for Women, HRC, Care Resource, NVEEE and the National LGBTQ Task Force. For More Info & Tix…


 
 
 

Friday, April 19, 2024

LGBTQ Leaders & Advocates Talk New Title IX Rule (AUDIO)


 

 

 



In this exclusive audio podcast Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ participated in a virtual press briefing with LGBTQ leaders, legal experts, civil rights leaders and student advocates about the implications of the highly anticipated release of the new Title IX rule. Today the U.S. Department of Education published its final regulatory updates that clarify Title IX protections for LGBTQ students, student survivors of sexual assault and pregnant and parenting students. Consistent with the reasoning of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Bostock v. Clayton County decision in 2020 the Department now clarifies that harassment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics violates Title IX’s mandate for federally funded schools to prohibit sex discrimination. In March 2021 President Biden issued Executive Order 14021 beginning the process of undoing the Trump administration’s harmful actions undermining Title IX and protections for LGBTQ students and sexual assault survivors. In this virtual press briefing Shiwali Patel, Director of Justice for Student Survivors and Senior Counsel, National Women’s Law Center conducted this intimate informative session joined by Brandon Wolf, Human Rights Campaign, National Press Secretary, Olivia Hunt, National Center for Transgender Equality Policy Director, Kenyora Parham, End Rape on Campus CEO, Kel O’Hara, Equal Rights Advocates Senior Attorney, Emily Bach & Andrew Davis who are student organizers with Know Your IX A which is a project of advocates for youth and concluded with Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, GLSEN’s Executive Director. 

As we celebrate this important milestone to protect our LGBTQ youth there’s still much more work to be done. Schools have also been hampered by extremist efforts at the state and local level to target LGBTQ youth especially transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive youth. This year alone we’re already dealing with more than 470 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures nationwide mostly targeting our transgender youth. The new Title IX Ruling also does not protect the rights of transgender athletes to play and be part of a team. Every student including LGBTQ students should have equal access to educational opportunities throughout the entirety of their school experience. For More Info…