pride month aWareneSS

In the LGBTQ+ community, it is known as a world where love knows no boundaries.

Annually, Pride

Month vibrantly celebrates acceptance, diversity, and simply loving each other for who we are and nothing less. Since the Society for Human Rights in the 1920s, and the Stonewall Riots in 1969, many have been inspired to further discover who they truly are, and live and love freely as they wish and not have to think about societies’ expectations.

Heights High School upcoming senior Olivia Whitley identifies as queer in the LGTBQ community. For her, this blissful month of June is important because it is a chance for her to express who she is to herself as she cannot quite do so comfortably around her religious parents. “I think because they’re so strong in their beliefs, finding out that I’m queer would shatter them,” Whitley says. “So, pride is more of an internal expression. Pride month is a time of embracing all that I am.”

Along her journey, Whitley has struggled the most socially as she found it hard fitting in especially with her majority straight friends. Stating that she doesn’t have many queer friends, she always feels a sort of detachment from them especially when pertaining to “boy talk.” “As much as they try to include me, I always feel that sense of isolation,” says Whitley. Even though she identifies as queer, she often feels that she doesn’t have a specific type at all. She simply just loves compassionate human beings.

She says she has tried giving herself a multitude of different labels form lesbian to bisexual, to pansexual, and yet she’s still exploring what queer means to her.

Looking back on

METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS (METRO)

Call For Projects Fy2021 And Fy2022

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is conducting a call for projects regarding the 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities grant program.

This program provides federal funding for the purpose of assisting private nonprofit groups in meeting the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities when the transportation service provided is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting these needs.

the progression of the LGBTQ community since the start of the movement, Whitley noticed much more visibility towards trans rights, and other groups beyond lesbian, gay, and bisexual. As far as representation within TV shows, books, and films, etc., Whitley feels that the community is represented to an extent as far as LGTBQ movies and books, yet the media still lacks Black queer representation. Not only that, but she also feels that homophobia is often embedded in the Black community.

For more visit aframnews.com

The 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities grant program aims to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities by removing barriers to transportation services and expanding transportation mobility options. This program supports transportation services planned, designed, and carried out to meet the special transportation needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities in all areas. Eligible projects include both "traditional" capital investment and "nontraditional" investment beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complementary paratransit services.

Proposals are due by July 24, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. (CST).

Email proposals to GrantApplications@RideMETRO.org.

Late submittals will not be accepted.

METRO will host a virtual pre-application workshop on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. The workshop registration information, application package, worksheets and related documents are available on the 5310 Grant Program ResourceSpace page: https://metro.resourcespace.com/pages/search.php?search=% 21collection329406

For more information about these programs or questions regarding the application and budget process, please email your questions to GrantApplications@RideMETRO.org or call Albert Lyne, METRO Deputy Chief Strategy Officer at 713-739-4697

Questions submitted by July 7, 2023, will be posted on the 5310 Grant Program ResourceSpace page by July 14, 2023. RideMETRO.org

Call or text 713-635-4000