Echo Magazine - Arizona LGBTQ Lifestyle - August 2020

PAWS & CLAWS

Curl up with our annual Pets issue LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | Vol. 31, #11 | Issue 731 | August 2020 | COMPLIMENTARY

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14 ISSUE INSIDE THIS

One-eared cat Van Gogh finds home with local author and body painter Author Best Tardy has shared his time with plenty of cats but rescue Van Gogh has a special place in the hearts of he and his partner. Laura Latzko talks to him about their relationship.

Issue 731 | Vol. 31, #11 | August 2020

NEWS 8

Editor’s Note

12 News Briefs

COMMUNITY 32 Without Reservations 34 Opening Nights 36 Bands 38 At The Box Office 40 Recordings 42 Between the Covers 44 Talking Bodies 46 Not That You Asked

Out & About 18 Unity March

ON THE COVER Meet Buster!

Follow him on Instagram — @busterthegoldenretrieverboy.

Photo by his mom, Kristi Wimmer.

WEB EXCLUSIVES

RAPPER AND PRODUCER CHAII TURNS ON HER LIGHTSWITCH Ashley Naftule converses with the genrebending New Zealand/Persian musician about her new release.

Visit echomag.com/chaiilightswitch-2020.

PAWS & CLAWS

Curl up with our annual Pets issue LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | Vol. 31, #11 | Issue 731 | August 2020 | COMPLIMENTARY

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CHAII; photo by Evan Xiao.

Crissy Saint-Massey (left) and Bree Pear. Photo courtesy of Only Human.

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They’re Only Human, after all Tom Reardon connects with this Arizona duo whose organization is dedicated to positive social change.

Constant Companions: Pets bring benefits to older LGBTQ+ adults Niki D’Andrea explores the benefits pets offer members of the LGBTQ community age 50 and older.

McMillian family.

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Fostering Love: This family came together through the Arizona Department of Child Safety Tom Reardon talks to Phoenix couple Alan and Carlos McMillian about finding their son Julian.

Lady; photo courtesy of Ashlee Singleton.

Best Friends Valley residents and some Echo staff (new & old) shared their cute creatures with us — some with their own Instagram accounts where you can stalk them daily.

Sulcata tortoise Turbo is one unique pet Laura Latzko introduces us to Turbo, the 110-pound tortoise who spends his time with Keith Clark, the artistic director of Voices of the Desert.

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Photo by Maria Vassett.

Remaining Paw-sitive: How COVID-19 has impacted local animal-based nonprofits – and how you can lend a paw Michelle Talsma Everson offers a look at how COVID-19 has impacted some local animal-oriented organizations.

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MIKE RUIZ IS A HOLLYWOOD PHOTOGRAPHER WHO HAS TAKEN PICTURES OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS PEOPLE. NOW CANINES ARE PART OF HIS ART Timothy Rawles talks to Ruiz about how he is turning his lens toward dogs, helping one breed in particular lose its bad reputation.

Photographer Mike Ruiz & pup; photo by Virgil Ocampo.

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LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR: Amy Young CONTRIBUTORS:

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R ’ S N OT E

Chris Azzopardi Alison Bailin Batz Kimberly Blaker Grace Bolyard Edward Castro Niki D'Andrea Jenna Duncan Buddy Early Michelle Talsma Everson Jason Kron Jeff Kronenfeld Laura Latzko

Logan Lowrey-Rasmussen Tuesday Mahrle Judy McGuire Ashley Naftule David-Elijah Nahmod Tia Norris Timothy Rawles Tom Reardon Romeo San Vicente Terri Schlichenmeyer Colby Tortorici

ART DEPARTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY: nightfuse.com.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ECHO READERSHIP: 50,000 SUBSCRIPTIONS: $29/year ACE PUBLISHING, INC.

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 16630 Phoenix, AZ 85011-6630 PHONE: 602-266-0550 EMAIL: manager@echomag.com Copyright © 2016 • ISSN #1045-2346

MEMBER:

Echo Magazine is published by ACE Publishing, Inc. Echo is a registered trademark of ACE Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Written permission must be obtained in advance for partial or complete reproduction of any advertising material contained therein. Opinions expressed therein are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. ACE Publishing, Inc. does not assume responsibility for claims by its advertisers or advice columnists. Publication of a name, photograph of an individual or organization in articles, advertisements or listings is not to be construed as an indication of the sexual orientation, unless such orientation is specifically stated. Manuscripts or other materials submitted remain the property of ACE Publishing, Inc. 8

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NEWS BRIEFS

chose to forego medical care due to fear of harassment and discrimination.

“Every visit to the doctor, whether for my lung cancer or other issues, I have to defend my gender identity to the very people responsible for my care,” said Walker. “The administration’s decision to roll back regulations that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in medical settings is a slap in the face to the transgender community that has fought so hard for these necessary protections. They signal to providers that treating a transgender patient with respect and dignity is not required. We are here to tell the Trump-Pence Administration that we matter and will no longer accept being mistreated by health care professionals who should be obligated to treat everyone equally.”

HRC files federal lawsuit against Trump-Pence Administration Story and photos courtesy of HRC

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n June 26, the Human Rights Campaign, alongside co-counsel BakerHostetler, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the TrumpPence administration on behalf of two transgender women of color who have experienced a lifetime of severe and pervasive discrimination from health care providers. The lawsuit challenges a recently published regulation by the United States Department of Health and Human Services which illegally strips away critical anti-discrimination protections in the Affordable Care Act. The new Department rule will eliminate explicit protections from discrimination based on sex stereotyping and gender identity, thereby sanctioning discrimination against LGBTQ people, particularly transgender people, in health care programs and activities.

The lawsuit, the first that HRC is filing after announcing its new impact litigation initiative in October 2019, is brought against the Department of Health and Human Services and Secretary Alex Azar II, in his official capacity.

HRC is filing on behalf of two plaintiffs, both transgender women of color: Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker, an Army veteran, two-time lung cancer survivor and community leader who co-founded a statewide advocacy group for transgender and gender nonconforming New Yorkers; and Cecilia Gentili, an entrepreneur, activist, writer and storyteller with over a decade of experience as a patient and health care policy advocate.

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“LGBTQ people, and particularly transgender people, have been under constant attack by this federal administration and we are not going to allow them to dismiss and disregard us,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “Our plaintiffs, Tanya Walker and Cecilia Gentili — like many others in this country — should not be treated as second class citizens by a federal administration hell bent on removing legal protections afforded to transgender people. It is time to end the constant fear and anxiety felt by many in the LGBTQ community that a person’s gender identity might determine the kind of medical care they receive.”

The plaintiffs’ collective experiences offer a small glimpse into the reality that many LGBTQ people, especially transgender women of color, face when seeking health care. For years, Walker and Gentili have been routinely met with ridicule, harassment, verbal acts of discrimination such as misgendering and deadnaming, and rough physical handling, when making appointments for routine care, during recovery from surgery, or while accompanying other transgender patients to necessary medical treatments just because they are transgender. Both live with serious and chronic lung conditions, and they delay or avoid treatment for these and other conditions because of the fear of facing discrimination. Both live with the trauma and grief of having lost friends and chosen family who succumbed to conditions that were treatable but who nonetheless

“My work takes me all over the country and I was in Florida when COVID-19 became generally known as a pandemic. As a Latinx, transgender woman with COPD and emphysema, I was terrified that, should I become sick in Florida, a state without non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in health care, I would receive inadequate care,” said Gentili. “Because of this regulation, health care providers are empowered to either refuse to treat me or provide me with subpar care on account of my being transgender, which could ultimately lead to severe health consequences or even my death. LGBTQ people are entitled to the same rights as anyone else and I should not fear for my life every time I enter a health care facility.”

Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in certain health programs or activities. This landmark provision is the first of its kind to include protections from discrimination based on sex in the context of health care. After the landmark Supreme Court decision in Bostock, which held that that discrimination “on the basis of sex” includes, without reservation, discrimination based on an individual’s gender identity or sexual orientation, the Human Rights Campaign demanded that the administration rescind the proposed regulation. The administration failed to respond and proceeded with publication of the final rule which necessitated the filing of this lawsuit.

Visit https://www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-filesfederal-lawsuit-against-trump-penceadministration for complete details.

The Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than 3 million members and supporters nationwide. As the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization, HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community NEWS

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One-eared cat Van Gogh finds home with local author and body painter

By Laura Latzko

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uthor Best Tardy has had cats throughout his life, but he has a special place in his heart for Van Gogh. He rescued the one-eared cat about three years ago and now shares him with his fiancé, body painter Brandon McGill.

Tardy, who now resides in Phoenix, was living in Dallas when he rescued Van Gogh as a six-month-old kitten. A friend in Flagstaff had found Van Gogh at a pet rescue, and Tardy immediately knew he wanted to make the cat part of his family.

“I fell in love with Van Gogh. He was the runt of the litter. Nobody wanted to adopt him because he didn’t have an ear, and he was smaller than his siblings,” Tardy said. “He just turned out to be such a big blessing. I’ve had many cats, but Van Gogh is absolutely my favorite.”

Van Gogh had been abused by the owners who have first had him, who used power

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tools to cut off his ear when he was just a few weeks old.

This experience left Van Gogh frightened of everything, including Tardy at first. The writer had experience with PTSD therapy from working with other animals and was willing to put in the time with Van Gogh.

He allowed his cat the time he needed to acclimate to him and his new environment.

During the first week he had him, Van Gogh didn’t even acknowledge Tardy. He just hid most of the time, often in his favorite spots under the couch and bed.

It was one day when Tardy was watching the TV show South Park that Van Gogh came out from his hiding place and sat on the bed with him. He started to get closer and closer until one day he laid his head on his owner’s leg and fell asleep.

“That was the turning point of our relationship. After that, he started really

trusting me,” Tardy said.

Tardy would let the cat come to him, give him treats, show him where sounds came from, take him out to other spaces and encourage him to jump into his arms as part of trust exercises.

Over time, Van Gogh’s favorite position has become to sit around his owner’s neck like a scarf.

“He’s come so far and is such an inspiration for others who have experienced trauma in their childhood,” Tardy said.

Due to his missing ear, the cat experiences sound differently than other cats. Tardy said that sounds are often louder to him, but he can also hear things that other cats cannot.

He also has trouble with keeping his balance and jumping up onto high places.

Van Gogh still has moments where he gets frightened by new sounds, but he is able to overcome his fears.

FEATURE STORY

“He still reverts sometimes to back when he was a little kitten, if he faces a new challenge that is unfamiliar or foreign to him.

When he was a kitten, he wouldn’t go back and check on it. But now if he gets scared, he will take his own time, explore it, learn and sort it out for himself,” Tardy said.

Van Gogh, who is a certified emotional support animal, has helped Tardy just as his owner has been there for him. Tardy suffers from anxiety from past trauma, and his cat helps to calm him.

“He’s soft and cuddly, and I can just hold him for a while. He really helps me when I’m in a down space,” Tardy said. “He just has this instinct of knowing when someone is sad or hurting, to try to comfort them. I didn’t even teach him that.”

There have been a few scary moments with Van Gogh, as he has gotten out a few times.

During one of those occasions, he sustained eye and leg injuries.

“For him to get injured, and I wasn’t there to help, I just felt so useless. I felt like I’d failed him. He’s completely recovered. He’s totally fine, but at the time, I was scared that he had gone through something irreversible.

But cats are resilient,” Tardy said.

This was an especially difficult time for Tardy, who had been robbed at gunpoint, hit by a car and assaulted during the same week.

Tardy grew up with a dad and stepmom who loved animals. He learned the importance of caring for and making a commitment to animals from his dad.

“His whole philosophy is animals are our family. If you adopt them, it’s a promise you are going to take care of them until they die,” Tardy said.

Van Gogh has been unlike any of the other 12 cats he’s had in his life.

Tardy said Van Gogh is the most respectful cat he’s ever had, as he will step over cords; refrain from beginning for food when someone is eating; ration his cat food and avoid jumping on most surfaces, except for the kitchen table.

One of his quirks is he is skilled at catching bugs, something that doesn’t bother Tardy too much.

“He is a little shy, but if there’s a bug, that’s all he can focus on. He just goes nuts.

There was a cricket that was flying around the house, and he jumped up, caught it and pulled its head off. It was crazy. I was like, ‘You’ve earned your table privileges because you are daddy’s protector,’” Tardy said.

It took Van Gogh awhile, but he eventually began to become comfortable around other people, first Tardy’s stepmom and then McGill. He is also comfortable being around other animals, such as his stepmom’s cat and their roommate’s dog.

Van Gogh started out as Tardy’s cat and gained another parent when McGill and FEATURE STORY

Tardy got together nearly two years ago.

The cat is featured in McGill’s recent body painting series Tarot. He appears with Tardy in an image of The Fool.

In his books, Tardy often includes cats with quirk personalities. A science fiction story he is currently writing features a cat that is based on Van Gogh.

“I think he’s a lot of inspiration for a lot of the animals that I write. I like to write animals that act like animals, but they have a little something special to them,” Tardy said.

At first McGill was reluctant to have a cat because he hadn’t had good experiences with previous cats, but he and Van Gogh are now very close.

“I swear he loves Brandon more than me,” Tardy said. “I feel like Brandon is fun dad, and I’m safe, comforting, ‘tell me your problems’ dad.”

Even though Van Gogh is a “people cat,” he still draws strength from his first owner.

“I think I represent a big comfort for him.

He likes to be in the same room as me, even if he doesn’t want anything to do with me at the time. If I go into another room, he’ll go into that room as well and just lay down somewhere,” Tardy said.

The cat has over time developed his own unique personality and knows his name. He will come when called, if he is in the mood to be around humans.

Tardy said he has distinctive facial expressions, especially when he is displeased with something.

“If he doesn’t like something that you’ve done, he will give you this look, and everyone in the room will start laughing because he seems so specific. It’s not like he accidentally made that look,” Tardy said.

Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

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Crissy Saint-Massey (left) and Bree Pear.

inspiring friendship as they occasionally finish each other’s sentences and clearly find each other entertaining. We discussed the origins of Only Human and how the company impacts the community, as well as Pear and SaintMassey’s thoughts on the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding the 1964 Civil Rights Act covering protection against LGBTQ discrimination.

How did you two meet?

Bree: We met because of the LGBTQ+ community. We were at a party one time, and Crissy and I met ... and when we met, I was like, “Okay, I’m never letting you go. You’re my best friend forever now,” and that’s been true for the last seven years. Crissy and I also worked together for a year and a half or so at a marketing agency in downtown Phoenix.

After that shut down, she and I went in-house with different companies and were still friends but became wildly unhappy in the career path we were in and when I took that leap of quitting my job and I’m doing this thing because of the two of us, I’m like, “the wild, never know what I’m going to do, keep you on your toes” friend and Crissy is like the, “Have you thought 20 steps ahead yet? What is your fail safe? What is plan B, C, and D? Do you have enough money for this? Does it make sense?” (Crissy laughs)

Only Human believes we are better together The local organization continues their mission of ‘Doing Good Things for Good Causes’

And I didn’t know any of that, and I remember Crissy being terrified when I sat in their kitchen of their house, and was like, “Guys, I’m going to sell all my stuff and Mika (her dog) and I are just going to travel around, living off of the kindness of strangers and go to events. I’m going to design some apparel, and I think it’s going to do well, but I don’t know for sure, but I’m going to spend all the rest of the money I have on it.”

By Tom Reardon Photos courtesy of Only Human.

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ne of the first things you notice when going to Only Human’s website (onlyhumanco.com) is the tangible impact the organization has had on the global community. This isn’t just some slick marketing, either, to help you feel good about buying some clothing or accessories from one of the coolest companies currently operating out of Phoenix, Arizona. These folks walk the walk and talk the talk when it comes to working to create a better world and why shouldn’t a better world have some killer clothes?

What started as a passion project for Bree Pear in 2015, Only Human is a formidable player in the positive social change movement that is not-so-quietly beginning to take hold in more forward-thinking brains. Pear’s business partner and best friend, Crissy Saint-Massey, 16

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jumped into the fray after seeing that Pear’s enthusiasm and charge ahead attitude needed the balance she could provide by being the slightly more practical part of this dynamic duo.

Since 2017, when Only Human quickly sold out its first batch of apparel, these two lesbian moms with a background in marketing have grown a business that everyone can not only shop at, but also, if so inclined, be a part of, as well. This company is more than just a place to grab a cool, socially conscious t-shirt. Only Human is a company that strives to tell the true story of human beings everywhere and Pear and Saint-Massey do a remarkable job of welcoming everyone’s voice.

Speaking with them over the phone, it was quickly apparent that they also share a truly FEATURE STORY

Wow. That’s how Only Human got started?

You were all in!

the constant travel like I had been doing, but we still travel.

Bree: Yeah, and when we became unhappy in our career path, I went down this kind of journey, which honestly, Crissy and I weren’t super close through, because I think I just had to go on my own and do this thing where I became more minimal about things. I tried to disconnect myself from what I knew I was leaning into too much, like consumerism, and I just started focusing on physical health and what I was eating.

Crissy: Last year we went to 40+ events, this year, obviously COVID-19 has changed some things up for that lifestyle, but we were set to travel to 80+ events this year.

Honestly, my life just took this 180 degree turn and it changed my mentality completely.

At that time, I had these skills that I was kind of hiding from the world. I knew I could design stuff. I could create things, I was savvy enough with technology to build websites and manage marketing and run social media, so I was just going to do that alone for a while on my couch.

That’s amazing. So, if I’m hearing you correctly, the goal is for only human to continue to grow and grow.

I started the (Only Human) website in September of 2015, and we didn’t even monetize until (late spring) of 2017. I kind of had this pivotal moment where I met a bunch of these Instagram friends that I had made in this new lifestyle I had cultivated, and when we all met up, I realized Only Human wasn’t just about my journey of struggling through some hard stuff and coming out on the other side. (I realized) everyone had that story.

That’s when I sat down with Crissy and I was like, “Look, I’m going all in. I’m quitting my job tomorrow and I’m doing it.” I was terrified.

I think I spent like $800 on the first round of clothing that I purchased, which ended up selling out in days, like so quickly. I shipped all the first orders from my little apartment, and then took off.

I traveled around for about eight months in my Subaru. I had one of those tents on the top and I went to Pride festivals and met up with so many people. At that point, there was a decent social media following, 10,000 people, and it just kind of catapulted everything. It became everyone’s story and now it’s just grown into this ethics community that is there to support one another.

We’ve seen marriages and friendships, and everything come out of this community and now the volunteerism and the philanthropy, which was at the root of what Crissy and I really aimed to do. Now it’s just, “How can we do more good in the world?” We want to come together to create that change and we found out a way to make these skills we had is marketers work to build a platform that others could do that with.

Bree: We’re doing tons of virtual Pride events and we are focusing on how we can bring in other people’s voices to host workshops to talk about mental health and just further build that community even in this time of being shut in and feeling isolated, even.

Bree: Our ultimate goal is, we call it a platform for good, and there’s multiple different ways under that platform that we see that happening. Both with our advocate community who helped grow volunteer events in different cities all over the U.S., who get early access to any of our campaigns, they give us their honest feedback on a lot of things and that’s where we see that connection happening. It might be at protests or rallies or figuring out how we use our voice on the political front.

That’s where these (Supreme Court) rulings and the voting that’s happened recently has really been a huge success for us. We’ve been on those front lines; we’ve been those people really fighting for human rights and equity across the board.

Crissy: We also have an impact model that, essentially, is the same journey that Bree and I have gone through in our own personal life, but it’s how do you focus on providing free resources on mental health, physical health, LGBTQ stuff for individuals so they can become empowered themselves. Then, how do you prepare community where those individuals can link on with others and feel like they belong, right? That sense of belonging.

And then collectively, how can we use our voices, our time, our hands to give back and do good in the world. And then how can we bring that full circle and share that with others and inspire them to then embark on that same journey of evolution and giving back. What ultimately comes out of it is social change and a better world for all humans.

Bree: That’s what we revolve around because it starts with self, moves to community, you add that give back, community angle, and then share that story, and that’s really what we focus on doing within that platform.

Are you still traveling around a lot and going to Pride festivals? Well, before and hopefully after the coronavirus?

What were your initial thoughts when you heard about the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 15th regarding LGBTQ protection from discrimination?

Bree: Crissy and I became parents at the same time, and it was right at the start of Only Human. Not only did we have this new baby of a company, we had children ourselves. I became a bonus parent to two — we have a seven and a 10-year-old. Crissy had a child who is now two, and that kind of kept us from

Bree: For me, it was just as important as the decision (President) Obama signed when we made marriage equal. It was just celebration and we needed it in the midst of where we are. Between the coronavirus keeping us all together, and then honestly, this awakening that we’re feeling with racial injustice, we

FEATURE STORY

needed a win, and it came at a good time, and I think those people who are out there fighting for their lives and for human equity and equality that this decision was needed. It was almost like that breath of fresh air in the midst of some really hard stuff.

Crissy: Yeah, I would say that the first feeling that hit me was relief, if that makes sense, because I remember interviewing for some of my first jobs as a teen or in my early 20s, I would always try to weave in organically in an interview something about my wife or to kind of just check the room or get the pulse and read how I was going to be responded to because I was always fearful that I was going to get a job somewhere and feel unaccepted.

This thought, that so many humans who identify as LGBTQ+, I’m sure have felt this overwhelmingly in their daily life. This idea that you have to think about showing up each day at work where you spend so much time helping (your employer’s) progress and all of that, and to know that you’re not accepted for who you are and to have to fit in on your identity and kind of choke, honestly, on not being able to be authentically you in your work place, that Is heavy and it’s unfair.

For me, it was a huge sigh of relief followed by the celebratory, just happiness that came from it.

View the extended interview at echomag. com/only-human-2020 Tom Reardon loves to write about people who are doing something to contribute to our community in a positive way. He also loves his family and family of friends, his pets, music, skateboarding, movies, good (and bad) TV, and working with children to build a better world. Tom’s favorite movie is Jaws, his favorite food is lasagna, and he loves to play music with his friends. He’s a busy guy, but never too busy to listen to what you have to say so tell him a story.

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Arizona Unity March

June 13 at Civic Space Park, Phoenix.

Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

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For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/2020-photos.

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Constant Companions: Pets bring benefits to older LGBTQ+ adults

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rnie the cat has a daily routine with his humans, Phoenix couple Robrt Pela and Todd Grossman.

Every morning, he cranes his neck to be adorned with one of the necklaces Grossman handmakes for him. Then he takes his morning “coffee” – whipped cream in a dish that he licks from Pela’s finger. The 50-something couple has become so accustomed to their routine with the 17-year-old cat that it’s hard to imagine being without him.

“One of the things Robrt and I talked about is, what is life after Ernie going to look like?

Luckily, we’re such a happy couple and we’re never at a loss for each other’s company, and I think Ernie feels that, too,” Grossman says.

“But it’s hard to imagine a life without him.”

Research shows pets provide companionship and health benefits for older LGBTQ people, especially those who may not have a partner or family. Those benefits

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have become even more important during the coronavirus pandemic, as people shelter in place and practice social distancing.

In 2018, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a study titled “Lifesaving in Every Way: The Role of Companion Animals in the Lives of Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Adults Age 50 and Over.”

The findings showed older LGBT adults with a pet had higher perceived social support. Many viewed their pets as kin.

One study participant, a 77-year-old lesbian named Patricia who has a dog and a cat, said, “My biological family, nuclear family, has died.

The animals and my roommate comprise my little family.”

For many LGBTQ people, animals provide not only companionship, but a source of unconditional acceptance. Comedian Maryanne Marttini will be 74 in August. As a trans-woman living with her wife in Sun City West, she’s not exactly surrounded by LGBTQ social clubs. “Pets give you unconditional love.

That’s the most important thing you get from your pets,” Marttini says. “You can just be who you are.”

“If there hadn’t been him, I would’ve had no reason to ever get out of bed for many days, many weeks. But because he has to be walked twice a day, every day, that excuse is out the window. I have to get up because I have to take medicine and because I have to take medicine, I have to eat. He’s been my lifeline the past three years.”

Bretta Nelson, public relations manager for the Arizona Humane Society, says pets not only enhance peoples’ health, but also their socialization. “Pets are such an integral part of our lives and offer so many emotional and physical health benefits, which include decreases in blood pressure, stress, and cholesterol, as well as feeling of loneliness and depression,” Nelson says. “For people who live alone, pets also increase opportunities for outdoor activities like walks, which can often lead to meeting new people and bonding over a mutual love of pets.”

Peeta.

Ernie’s morning coffee.

By Niki D’Andrea

“There’s nothing more soothing than having a cat on your lap,” she adds. “That’s more relaxing and less stress. If you have a cat and drink expensive bourbon, you drink a lot less.”

Pets can also have a positive impact on their humans’ physical health. Ernest, a 59-year-old gay man with HIV and depression, explained in the NIH study how his dog impacts his life: FEATURE STORY

Marttini and her wife’s two cats, Buddy and Kodi, provide an endless source of entertainment for the couple, especially since they have been home most of the time during the pandemic. She says they trained them to fetch. “Having cats during the sequester is pretty entertaining. We don’t know what we would do if we didn’t have any cats here, especially now that we’re home a lot,” Marttini says. “Cats are like people – the older they get, the more attention they want. You want to be around people.”

As some people continue to socialize mostly online, animals have become a source of distraction from the daily news. When Pela started posting photos of Ernie on his Facebook page every day back in April, he had no idea it would become as popular as it is now, with his more than 2,600 Facebook friends checking in and commenting on the “Your Daily Ernie” photos: Ernie staring down a vacuum cleaner, Ernie sniffing some cat grass, Ernie standing on his hind legs looking fierce while swatting at a toy mouse.

Moctezuma.

“We were in a really terrible place where it was beginning to become clear that this was not going to be a two-week quarantine,” Pela says. “So, I thought, ‘What can I do besides

Maryanne with cats.

Many animal welfare organizations, including the Arizona Humane Society and the Arizona Animal Welfare League, reported a consistent rate of adoptions and long wait lists to foster during the pandemic despite reduced operations. “Throughout the COVID19 pandemic, shelters across the country have seen significant increases in people wanting to foster and adopt pets, making it clearer than ever just how critical the human-animal bond is,” Nelson says.

Moon Moon with Pride toy.

Snow poses on the stairs.

One of the subjects in the NIH study, a 65-year-old lesbian named Leslie, met most of her friends through her dogs. “There was a large group of us that used to walk in a local park every Sunday morning and my close friends were part of that,” she said. “I’ve met a lot of people through dogs and they’re also good for getting you out and getting exercise.”

proselytize or lecture or say something snarky that’s going to make it worse? I know – I will take one of the many, many photographs that Todd takes of our cat and I’ll just stick it up.’

And the response was very specific – ‘Thank you for lightening things up. I really needed that.’ So, it became a daily thing and then it kind of exploded.”

And adopting an older pet has its perks, Nelson says. “Senior pets can make some of the best pets since what you see is what you get with a senior pet. Their manners are already established, house training and the destructive phase are a thing of the past, and you can, in fact, teach an old dog new tricks!”

Former Echo managing editor Liz Massey, 51, now lives in Virginia with her wife, and they have fostered several animals for the local chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SCPA) during the pandemic, in addition to caring for their two cats and two Great Danes.

“Our pets and fosters offer us endless amusement. One or more of them does something every day that causes us to laugh

or takes our mind off the insanity of the world right now,” Massey says. “Most of them are friendly and give and receive love freely, without judgment.”

“I think beyond the fact that pets give love without judgment, the best thing about pets or fostering is that it can really put your life challenges in perspective,” Massey adds.

“No matter how bad your day has been, having an animal that needs your care or just wants to cuddle can be a reminder that your life has value. I think a lot of LGBTQ+ people gravitate to owning pets because they provide judgement-free love and a purpose that doesn’t have to be squashed to fit into relationship or gender stereotypes.”

Barrio Café owner Silvana Salcido Esparza, 60, adopted a little black kitten in June, which she named Moctezuma. After losing her dog in her divorce from her wife and self-isolating during quarantine, she says she reached out to social media. “I posted that I need a kitten or a puppy or a girlfriend,” Salcido Esparza says. “I got a lot of offers for kittens, a few for puppies, and none for a girlfriend. So, I’m getting a lot of jokes that I was chasing pussy.”

She quickly bonded with Moctezuma, who crawled into her lap as soon as she met him.

“My animals are my family. No different than my work family. The people who work for me, we’re a family and we work together to make things happen,” Salcido Esparza says. “And the same thing happens with my animals. I have a responsibility and they have a responsibility.

My responsibility is to keep them safe, healthy, and fed. Their responsibility is to basically live happy and that’s going to make me happy. So, therefore, we’re all happy.”

Niki D’Andrea is a Phoenix-based journalist and editor whose career spans 28 years and includes editor positions at Phoenix New Times, PHOENIX magazine, and Times Media Group. Her scope of coverage has included political elections, drug culture, funding for HIV treatments and medicine, LGBTQ art, fringe sports, and celebrities. When not chasing stories, D’Andrea cheers on her favorite sports team, the Phoenix Mercury, and enjoys playing classic rock records from her collection of vinyl albums.

FEATURE STORY

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Carlos and Julian on one of their many adventures together.

Fostering Love Through the Arizona Department of Child Safety, the McMillian family gained a new, permanent member The McMillian family.

By Tom Reardon himself, a story of “just going with the train” (which is 12-year-old speak for being patient).

It is this patience that helped build a family and we thought it was important to revisit the McMillian family and learn a bit more about how they went from being a family of two to being a family of three.

or Father’s Day this year, Echo shared a brief discussion with Alan and Carlos McMillian about their experience with being both foster and adoptive fathers and what fatherhood means to them.

Having begun their journey to fatherhood in 2015, Alan and Carlos went into being foster parents with open minds and love in their hearts to share with children in need. With over 13,000 children in Arizona’s foster system, it is safe to say that men and women like the McMillians are not only needed, but vital to the well being of our state’s children. During their journey as foster dads, Alan and Carlos began volunteering at the Arizona Department of Child Safety’s (AZDCS) Children’s Heart Gallery events.

The McMillian’s story, which has now included their son, Julian, since 2018, is a story of hope and, in the words of Julian McMillian

Carlos, who is a stylist, volunteered his time to help the children look their best for the photo opportunities the Children’s Heart

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Gallery creates so that AZDCS can share the story of their foster children on their website (childrensheartgallery.org), and also at the semi-regular events they typically host around the state.

For Alan, who is in information technology by day, he shared his talent for writing by helping the children create a bio to go along with their picture. During the in-person events, there are also guides who help lead the children through the process of being pampered, photographed, and meeting potential forever families.

In January of 2018, the McMillians were volunteering at a Children’s Heart Gallery event and Alan was asked to help guide a young boy and though he had never done so before, he was happy to do so.

“I was meeting with the kids as they were going through the process and writing up a little bio on them to include with their photos.

The coordinator came up and said he had a FEATURE STORY

Julian remembers the process surrounding the day he first met Carlos, who he now calls “Dad” and Alan, who has the name “Papa,” but there wasn’t any sort of instant feeling of the three of them becoming a family.

“It is a long process. It starts, usually, with the kid. I went to the zoo and they took pictures and they put it on a website for kids.

After that, I went to this photo shoot and they (his parents) were there. My papa was the guide, My dad was cutting hair. I guess they really liked me, so we became a family. I’ve been here now for two years,” says Julian who is about to start seventh grade.

Initially Alan was the one who the most excited. He went to Carlos and told him there was a kid he had to meet. The three of them spent some time together talking at a table over lunch. Carlos remembered there being an initial feeling of hope.

“There was some excitement. We were in the process for some time and we just weren’t really finding anyone who was a good fit for our family. Alan told me about this kid, and I went over there and we were chatting with him. It is the only time I have ever seen him so quiet. (Everyone laughs.) There was definitely excitement and interest and anticipation. There is so much red tape and so many people you have to get through,” says Carlos.

For prospective parents looking to adopt, the process can be long. For children who are adopted through the foster care system in Arizona, this can take a year or longer. For the McMillians, it began with them expressing interest in Julian to their caseworker and then there was radio silence for a bit.

“After we inquired about him, it took over two months. It seemed like it was going to go nowhere because we weren’t getting any responses,” remembers Alan.

Once the ball got rolling, though, the Mcmillians got to connect with Julian over an initial series of “meet and greets” as Carlos described it, which included day trips and meals together. Eventually the outings started being overnight. For Julian, the idea of the three of them becoming a family really started to take shape when he first visited the family’s home in the Norterra area of north Phoenix.

“When I first went to their house (I felt like I had a family). I was like, “Is this it? Am I going to have a family?” says Julian, who was 10 at the time when he first met his new parents.

Confidence in the process built quickly for Julian who would like other children to know it can work out for them.

“After six months, I was officially theirs. I would say (to other children), ‘Hold on. Just hold on.’ I feel like, just go with the train. I don’t really have anything to say because in the process, it’s still like you have a family,” says FEATURE STORY

Alan, Julian and Carlos celebrating their adoption anniversary with an evening of family, friends and roller skating.

young man who needed a guide and asked me if I could do that. I said, ‘Sure,’ and that’s when I met Julian,” says Alan with a huge smile on his face.

Julian.

For Alan and Carlos, though, it took a bit longer to feel confident that everything was going to come together.

“I think it was probably about halfway through the process, about three months after he moved here, that I started to feel confident (that the adoption was going to go through),” says Alan.

Once the decision was made to have Julian move in with the McMillians, there was a sixmonth waiting period before the adoption could become official. This is a typical length of time for adoptions that go through the Arizona foster system and the Mcmillians remember working with Julian’s support team throughout the process. Carlos offers his advice to prospective parents: “Just be patient. When you feel like you are being patient and feeling like you have done everything you need to do, be even more patient. Everything takes time. That’s probably the biggest thing. Hanging in there was the best thing we could do. The train is taking us somewhere and it is a really good place. Life is fantastic,” says Carlos.

understatement. Spending even a small amount of time with the McMillians on a zoom meeting showed that the three of them are truly a family, although Julian shared one of the most telling things about the nature of the foster care system when he stated: “I wouldn’t have said ‘no,’ anyway. I wanted a family. I wanted to be out of the group home.”

He went on to say, though, what he would like everyone to know about his family: “I think we have a perfect family for us.

We’re just perfect for each other. We are a compatible family. I’m pretty easy to deal with.

Gimme a game and a TV and that will keep me Tom Reardon loves to write about people who are doing something to contribute to our community in a positive way. He also loves his family and family of friends, his pets, music, skateboarding, movies, good (and bad) TV, and working with children to build a better world. Tom’s favorite movie is Jaws, his favorite food is lasagna, and he loves to play music with his friends. He’s a busy guy, but never too busy to listen to what you have to say so tell him a story.

To say that this feeling is mutual is an ECHOMAG.COM

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Photo by Maria Vassett.

Best friends Echo readers and staff share their animal loves — some you can follow on Instagram

Makana Fun fact: This five-year-old rescue pup has a ton of toys and knows each one by name.

Sisters @mebandhisdogs 24

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Summer @summertotherescue Fun fact: She is absolutely obssessed with all toys, but she will go crazy over tiny cat toys and will carry them around in her mouth extremely proud and for hours at a time!

@izzi_that_bitch

Embry @embrydoll Fun fact: favorite toy is a little stuffed owl she got on her first day home. Her moms keep replacements on hand.

Daisy Fun fact: She’s a foster failure — win-win all around!

Frida

Bruce Heart Fun fact: His mom Sam says he rescued her as much as she did him.

Koa @koa.kaena Fun fact: Koa is the owner of Echo’s former editor, KJ Philp.

Maci and Gryffin Everson

Chance Fun facts: He’s really smart, he’s a therapy dog in training, and he enjoys going on car rides.

Lady @lady_paw_paw Fun facts: She is a Virgo who loves snacks! Loves standing on her hind legs like a person. Plays fetch and can sit, stay and come on command! She’s an introvert and/or a shut-in and doesn’t like to leave the house.

Lady owns Echo’s Sales and Marketing Director Ashlee James & family.

Lola @loladoodleAZ Fun facts: Loves frozen peanut butter snacks and nibbling toes.

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Artistic director and his partner have a unique pet with Sulcata tortoise, Turbo

By Laura Latzko Photo courtesy of Keith Clark

K

eith Clark is best known in the community as the artistic director for the Voices of the Desert show choir, but at home, he is father to a 110-pound Sulcata Tortoise named Turbo.

Clark has had his pet for 18 years, since he was a small turtle the size of a silver dollar.

The tortoise will likely continue to grow, as males of his breed can grow up to 200 pounds.

tortoise species in the world, and I liked that.

I wanted a big tortoise. I remember seeing them at the zoo and how cool they were,” Clark said.

Clark owns Turbo with Keith McMillan, his partner of 19 years. For both of them, Turbo isn’t just a pet.

“We worry about him like he’s a little child,” Clark said.

Clark said many owners aren’t prepared for how big the tortoises can get. Owning one is a commitment an owner must be willing to make.

For a time, the couple had a dog, with whom the tortoise got along well.

Clark was never intimidated by the size of the tortoises.

He’d always wanted a tortoise, since he was little. As a child, he had had smaller RedEared Slider turtles as pets.

“I knew that they were the fourth largest 26

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His friends had pitched in together to help him to buy Turbo as a birthday gift.

Having a large tortoise can be a challenge, especially when moving to a new house.

When they were relocating, the couple had to physically pick up Turbo and transport him in a trailer to a friend’s house.

“You can lift him up by the shell, but as soon as you lift him up, his feet, which are incredibly strong, start kicking. Basically, what you have to do it get a very thick and heavy towel. You have to put that towel under him, lift him and then move him,” Clark said.

Owning a tortoise is a major commitment because they live long lives. Owners need to make long-term plans for their tortoises, who can live to be 80 to 100 years old.

Clark has already decided to leave Turbo to his nephew in his will.

FEATURE STORY

a year ago. The door to the enclosure has plastic strips, similar to a refrigerator, for temperature regulation.

The tortoise is acclimated to the warm weather of Arizona, but he tends to hide out during the extreme heat of the summer.

Although he is a tortoise, Turbo is very active and can move at a surprisingly fast pace, a trait which earned him his name.

He often enjoys being around people, especially his owners.

“He is really social. He follows me around the yard. He eats out of your hand. He knows who we are. He likes people. He’s not afraid of people. He’s not afraid of dogs,” Clark said.

He doesn’t mind being petted, as long as the person goes slow. Clark said like a dog, he has a sweet spot where he likes to have scratched.

Clark said that for the tortoise, having a routine is important.

“They are very stubborn and very habitual.

He comes out every morning right on schedule, and he eats right on schedule. He goes to bed right on schedule,” Clark said.

The only thing that can disrupt this strict schedule is when Turbo sees something new that intrigues him.

“If he sees something, he will push and push and push until he can get at it. They are very curious. When he sees something he wants, he’s got to have it,” Clark said.

Clark said that like a human, the tortoise’s moods depend on his surroundings.

“You can tell when he’s upset. You can tell when he’s happy … You can see when he gets moody. When he’s cold, when he’s hot, when he’s miserable because it’s rainy and muddy, you can see all those different characteristics about him,” Clark said.

Unlike certain other tortoise breeds, Sulcata tortoises don’t hibernate, but they are vulnerable in colder temperatures. Their natural habitat is a desert climate.

“In the fall, when it’s like 100 degrees, he loves it. That’s perfect for him. You’ll find him sitting in the sun, sunbathing,” Clark said.

The artist director hasn’t found tortoise care to be difficult, but it can get expensive.

Each day, Turbo generally eats Timothy Hay, a head of lettuce, cucumbers, apples and corn.

Tortoises often get most of their fluid intake through their foods.

“It’s important to have food that has lots of moisture in it,” Clark said.

When Turbo was little, they had a few winters where they worried about him when temperatures dropped, but he made it through them.

When they are young, tortoises are often kept indoors, to minimize the risk of exposure to weather or other animals. During the first four years of his life, before he got too large, Turbo was an indoor pet.

Building enclosures for tortoises can get price. Clark and McMillan have spent over $3,500 for spaces for their tortoise throughout his life.

Most tortoises in the wild will dig burrows to avoid extreme temperatures. Although Turbo will occasionally dig, he hasn’t needed to create a burrow because he already has a covered space he can go in and out of anytime he wishes.

He lives in an enclosure in the yard, which the couple built after they moved to the Phoenix area from Maricopa about

When he first moved outside, Turbo lived in a doghouse before moving to a larger enclosure.

FEATURE STORY

Through Turbo, Clark has been able to educate others about Sulcata tortoises.

When he was smaller, Clark and his partner were able to take him out to the Rainbows Festival.

They have also visited a local children’s festival with Turbo, and the children in his neighborhood often come over to see the tortoise.

Clark has used the tortoise for advertising, putting a Voices of the Desert sandwich board on him to help promote the choir.

During one Halloween, Clark dressed as a hare and took Turbo around to local resorts.

“He’s a chick magnet. Everyone wants to hang out with him,” Clark joked.

Just as owners can teach their pets, animals often leave an impact on their humans. Clark said that Turbo has inspired him to try to be more even-keeled in his daily life.

“He gets along with everyone. He’s very patient. He teaches me to be calm and take one day at a time. That’s why he’s such a great pet. He’s not difficult. He doesn’t expect much. He behaves himself. He’s a sweet little giant,” Clark said.

Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

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AD HERE! For details, call 602-266-0550.

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Remaining paw-sitive How COVID-19 has impacted local animal-based nonprofits and how you can lend a paw

By Michelle Talsma Everson Photos courtesy of featured nonprofits

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone, including our furry, four-legged friends and the nonprofits that help them.

“Animal shelters rely on their communities to keep their doors open and provide care for their animals,” says Michael Morefield, marketing and communications director for Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL).

“Supplies, donations, adoptions to allow the rescue of more animals; the fear was palpable as the world was engulfed in a worldwide pandemic. Would people continue their support when the fear of job loss, empty shelves, and the drastic change to their daily life hovered over their every move?”

Please note: This is not a complete list of all animal shelters and nonprofits in Arizona, but a good starting point. To find one that resonates with you, search online, on social media, or visit arizonanonprofits.org.

AAWL (aawl.org) is Arizona’s largest

and oldest no-kill shelter, according to the organization, with multiple locations in the Phoenix metro area. The organization is just one of many local animal-based nonprofits that have been impacted by the pandemic.

“It became abundantly clear; no matter the hardships they suffered, the community would stand for their shelters,” Morefield continues.

“Adoption appointments were booked within hours of being posted, ‘longtime’ residents were measured in weeks and not months, while the lobby filled with donations we desperately needed to help our mission. The most common question asked of our staff was not about adorable puppies or rambunctious kittens, it was, ‘How can I help?’ It was powerful and humbling; the community has provided the support needed to weather the most difficult of times. Whether it is items on their wish list like toys or blankets, monetary donations [no donation is too small], or spreading their message, please support your local shelter.”

AAWL continues to feel the impact of COVID-19, so donations are still welcome, as are adoptions by appointment-only. In addition to AAWL, here are some more local nonprofits that give back to our furry friends.

Arizona Humane Society (AHS) azhumane.org

“For the Arizona Humane Society, saving the 28

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sick, injured and abused pets of the Valley has been its mission for more than 60 years,” says Bretta Nelson, PR manager. “It is a mission that is essential even when a global pandemic hits and is made possible due to a variety of program modifications, many of which will likely outlast the pandemic.”

Nelson shares that AHS acted fast to shift many of its operations to fit pandemic restrictions. Changes include a Virtual Adoption Matchmaking program, updates to its foster program, moving services as much as possible to online and curb-side, and coordinating adoptions to just be in one location. They also added a social worker to help pets stay in their homes even as their families faced challenges.

“We have become versed rather quickly in this new virtual world, but as a nonprofit organization, we recognize the impact that COVID-19 will have on our fundraising efforts,” Nelson says. “AHS is forecasting a $1.35 million net shortfall between lost fundraising revenue and lost service revenue from areas such as our vaccine clinics and public spay/neuter services and are carefully managing expenses to keep this deficit as small as possible.”

Rescue. “The weakened economy also naturally dampens BDR’s ability to fundraise.

Another COVID-related difficulty for us in the rescue world is that it forced the closure of Maricopa County’s East Valley shelter, leaving only the West campus open. Navigating county requirements including even the basic paperwork required to accomplish licensing, transfers, and connecting a dog’s microchip number to its county record gets protracted because the West shelter, with limited staff, is now twice as busy.”

One positive that has come from the pandemic, says Romberg, is a renewed interest in adoption of their dogs and a speedier adoption process as many pet parents are home.

“We have more foster and adopter interest than ever before as people shelter in place with newfound time to spend with animals.”

Heidi’s Village heidisvillage.org

Better Days Rescue promotes responsible dog ownership by educating the public in the selection, care, and training of dogs, according to the organization. This nonprofit has no shelter location; all dogs live in foster homes or private boarding accommodations.

One nonprofit that opened during the pandemic is Heidi’s Village, an animal shelter, rescue and safe haven for animals in need. “Our first-of-its kind space opens at a precarious time. We have dramatically altered our initial planned daily operations protocols to ensure the safety and health of both our staff and animals,” says Lisa Evans Johnson of Heidi’s Village, noting they ensured social distancing, helped get team members trained virtually, and implemented procedures for regular sanitization of all surfaces throughout the process of intake, housing, grooming and health assessment as well as operations.

“COVID’s impact on the economy is resulting in an increase in surrendered and abandoned pets as unemployment climbs and more people become displaced,” shares Hannah Romberg, manager of Better Days

“When it is safe, we will also have volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups,” says

Better Days Rescue betterdaysrescue.org

While the building was covered by donations, Heidi’s Village is seeking donations and volunteers to keep their mission going.

FEATURE STORY

Evans Johnson. “Whether you are interested in assisting with administrative duties, cleaning and disinfecting animal areas, socializing animals, or providing enrichment activities for our animals, we rely heavily on the important role of volunteers to help us achieve our mission of fostering a community where animals are treated with respect, dignity and compassion.”

Phoenix Zoo

phoenixzoo.wedid.it

Foothills Animal Rescue foothillsanimal.org

Foothills Animal Rescue has been serving the community for more than 25 years. While they have been closed to the public since the beginning of the pandemic, they continue to offer adoptions by appointment on a limited basis and have been able to place many dogs and cats into loving homes during this time.

“Despite it all, we are happy to be working and caring for our shelter pets. If nothing else, COVID-19 has taught us to be flexible and creative in our approach to animal welfare,” says Melissa Gable, chief engagement officer. “The public has been amazing with their support but we are asking anyone who might be interested in helping our cause to consider doing so by making a tax-deductible donation.”

La Gattara Cat Cafe lagattaracatcafe.com

The Phoenix Zoo is one the largest nonprofit zoos in the country with 125 acres and more than 3,000 animals to care for, many which are endangered and threatened, says spokesperson Linda Hardwick.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zoo closed in March, the busiest season of the year. The Zoo furloughed staff, eliminated positions and was operating with less than 40% of employees. With more than 80% of revenue coming from guests visiting the Zoo, this amassed to a total of nearly $6 million lost during the Zoo’s closure.

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center southwestwildlife.org

“This new space is a great size, and great shape, and has enough space for everything we would need, but we’ll need to renovate it to account for our new, furry tenants,” says Pruitt.

“Together with community support, we believe that La Gattara can provide a new, larger safehaven for feline care, and begin offering other services, such as feline behavior training and assistance.”

To support La Gattara, locals can donate to their Go Fund Me page at gofundme.com/f/ lagattaratempe. Until the big move, Pruitt is still in need of cat supply donations and financial support to help care for the cats.

FEATURE STORY

Like other nonprofits and conservation groups, Southwest Wildlife is challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the economy and our community. Southwest Wildlife operates solely from the public’s support and relies on donations and grants to keep the facility open with trained volunteers and veterinarians caring for the animals 24/7, according to the organization. They are grateful to the public for donations (see a wish list on their website) and sponsorships of animals, according to the organization.

Two Pups Wellness Fund twopups.org

The Zoo launched Cruise the Zoo in May, a drive-thru experience allowing vehicles to drive the trails of the Zoo to see the animals which has become wildly successful and given the Zoo a much needed revenue stream, although will never make up the significant loses. The Zoo opened to foot traffic in mid-June, but recently closed its doors again given the rise of COVID-19 cases in Arizona and will continue to host Cruise the Zoo to allow for a socially distanced activity for guests to enjoy.

“Although the Zoo is closed again, the work behind the scenes continues; more than 5,000 meals are prepared each week for the animals, routine exams and medical attention are still taking place, the grounds need to be maintained and kept safe and secure and your help is needed.”

La Gattara Cat Cafe has temporarily closed its doors at its popular Tempe location, but still has dozens of feline friends available for adoption who are currently being cared for in foster homes. Melissa Pruitt, its owner, shares that the focus for the organization — which has a nonprofit pending status — is raising funds for a new location to open later this year.

returned to the wild. Sanctuary is provided to animals that cannot be released back to the wild. SWCC also offers educational programs and opportunities in the field of conservation medicine. Wildlife education includes advice on living with wildlife and the importance of native wildlife to healthy ecosystems.

Established in 1994 and based in Scottsdale, the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center (SWCC) rescues and rehabilitates wildlife that has been injured, displaced, and orphaned. Once rehabilitated, they are

Two Pups Wellness Fund’s mission “is to provide financial aid from the heart for the care and health of our four-footed friends who give us their hearts.”

“COVID-19 has been a major disruptor to the world at large and Two Pups Wellness Fund is feeling its impact,” says Nancy Silver, founder, and Bip Haley, director of operations in a joint statement. “Due to the need for social distancing and stay-at-home orders, we had to cancel our annual spring fundraising bash, along with other smaller fundraising events.

Our work, helping to fund treatments and care for sick and injured animals within our shelters and rescues, has not stopped and demand for medical assistance continues. Two Pups will continue its mission to those animals that need us the most. It is vital for us to look for new and innovative ways to attract donors and continue to build strong partnerships with our community.”

Michelle Talsma Everson is a freelance writer, editor and PR pro. A graduate of NAU, she’s been writing for Valley publications for more than a decade. You can find out more at mteverson.com.

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Spoil your pets: gifts and goodies for the animal companions in your life

By Timothy Rawles

O

ne great thing about shopping for animals is that you never have to ask, “What do you get a pet that has everything?” That’s because they usually don’t.

I’ve found limitless gift ideas online for fur babies and I have chosen some of them below for Echo’s pet issue. From practical to fun to unique, this guide will ensure you never run out of ideas and your pet will appreciate the arrival of the mailman even more.

and relaxation. They make great gifts for animal lovers, or for those who have lost and want to memorialize their treasured pet. $50-$125 fureverlinked.com Pet Trackers DynoIQ

Fur Ever Linked

home, the design is whimsical enough to be fashionably decorative. $39.99. catorocafe.com/collections/cat-furniture/ products/cactus-pet-bed There’s nothing like feeling anxiety over a lost pet. Fortunately, there’s peace-of-mind with the web-based tracker pet tag from Dynotag. This device is a web/location enabled Smart Tag that allows others to access your info by visiting a unique web address. $7-$16.95. dynoverse.dynotag.com/

Dog First Aid Kit It’s common sense to have a first aid kit in your house for your human family so why not do the

Cactus Pet Bed If you’re like me and rely on your pet for emotional support in whatever capacity, Furever Linked jewelry allows you to be close to them even if they can’t be with you. Their Worry Stone design evokes a feeling of comfort 30

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If you live in the desert, there’s no shortage of cacti on the landscape. Why not bring that beauty safely to your cat with the popular Vetreska Oasis Cactus Cat Bed? Not only is it a comfortable place for your cat to call FEATURE STORY

same for your pets? The Kurgo Dog first aid kit is loaded with everything you need to keep your fur babies prepared for any emergency whether it be indoors or out. $29.99. www.kurgo.com/outdoor-gear/dog-first-aidkit/

to get at those hard-to-reach itches without harming themselves or property. No need to ask, “Why the long face?” anymore. $38.99. marystack.com/shires-equine-scratcher/

Catastrophic Creations

Wooly Snuffle Mat

West Paw Rowdies with HardyTex Fur The beauty of these designs has to be seen to believed. Cat trees and other tiered feline play spots are fun, but these wall-secured designs take playtime to the next level, literally. Hand-crafted and guaranteed, these unique creations are going to make your cat the envy of the neighborhood. $32 and up. www.etsy.com/shop/CatastrophiCreations

Ever wonder what a good, long-lasting dog toy would look like? Then meet West Paw’s HardyTex line. These fur lined cuties are perfect for tug, shake, toss, roughhouse and play. Plus, they are guaranteed to last.

Colorful and fun, these toys are going to be your dog’s best friend! $18.95-$29.95. westpaw.com/dog-toys/play/rowdies

Did you think that the only way to feed your furry speed-eater was to buy a special bowl?

Try the Wooly Snuffle Mat instead. This innovative way of handling a dog who scarfs down their meals has gotten great reviews and helps prevent possible health issues related to eating fast. $39.99. paw5.com/products/wooly

Cat Scratch Turntable

Squawk Box Monthly subscription for birds

Frenchie Cooling Bandana

Bring the nightclub vibe home with this really fun cat toy that looks like a DJ deck.

Made from cardboard this realistic looking device from Suck UK allows your feline friend to appear to drop some major beats while keeping your furniture safe. It’s the ultimate request. $35. www.suck.uk.com/products/catscratch/ Pup Socks

Summer is here and so are the high temperatures. Unless you have an entire indoor dog park you’re going to have to go outside — your fur baby has to do their “thing.” Thankfully there’s relief with the Frenchie Cooling Bandana which keeps them comfortable while they take care of business. $9.99. frenchiebulldog.com/

Unless you live near a pet store that specializes in birds, finding gifts and other things for your winged family members can be tough. The trusted bird-lovers at the subscription service Squawk Box do the shopping for you and it couldn’t be easier or affordable. $24.95/mo-$60/mo. www.squawkboxes.com/subscribe/ PetSafe CozyUp Wooden Pet Steps

Shires Equine Scratcher Your equine family members need love, too, and with this scratcher they are going to be able

Aging pets are a reality even though it’s sad to think about. If you notice they are having trouble hopping up on the bed during bedtime the CozyUp pet steps are a great and functional piece of furniture for senior pets. $64.95 store.petsafe.net/cozyup-folding-wood-petsteps FEATURE STORY

Recently I noticed that printed socks are a fun fashion trend. I’ve seen sharks, pineapples and even Einstein printed on them. Why not make a pair that is completely unique and personalize them with your pet’s face? Pup Socks offers such an option starting at just $24.95. gopupsocks.com/product/custom-pupsocks/

Timothy Rawles is an award-winning journalist and California native who moved to Arizona with his husband and two children in 2019. He attended San Francisco State University many years ago and somehow managed to pass math and continue pursuing his journalism degree.

His story is not as interesting as the people he writes about, but Timothy has discovered that everyone has one, and good or bad, they all share the same thing; heart.

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WITHOUT RESERVATIONS

place for budding culinary entrepreneurs to cook and sell their food through delivery or take out without requiring as much start up capital as a brick and mortar or food truck.

Minor sent in an application and by June 2 she was back in business.

That date happened to also be Blackout Tuesday, which saw people across the globe post blacked out images to social media in a show of solidarity with those calling for an end to structural racism and police brutality.

A series of national protests precipitated by police killings of black people also led to a growing recognition of the need to support black-owned and other minority-owned businesses. As a black woman in a same-sex relationship, Minor felt the community’s love.

A Hint of Soul and a whole lot of soul food Story and photos by Jeff Kronenfeld

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empe’s newest hidden gem might be called Hint of Soul, but we found an abundance of both flavor and heart in every bite.

Tucked into an industrial park just south of Tempe Marketplace, Lynn Minor dishes out fresh takes on soul food classics like fried chicken, creamy pastas and, on Saturdays, seafood boils. Despite opening during a pandemic, Minor succeeds by consistently giving the people what they want: authentic comfort food at a reasonable price.

Hint of Soul opened for delivery and takeout on June 2, though Minor has run it as a side catering hustle since November of 2018. She started it originally to find a way to make some extra money while going through a divorce. Minor was a project manager in the healthcare industry and hadn’t gone to culinary school or worked in

Chicago sweet heat wings.

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restaurants before. However, she did love to cook for friends, a feeling they reciprocated.

These friends encouraged her to start selling the delectable products of her kitchen, and so she did.

Minor started small, cooking and selling plates on the weekends while still working at an office nine to five during the week. Over time, word of her greasy spoon spread, and she started doing a brisk business catering events. An old friend who happened to be a dancer for the Phoenix Mercury was always singing Minor’s praises on social media.

This led Brittney Griner, the Mercury’s star forward, to reach out to Minor about catering the all-star’s anniversary. Minor then started doing personal chef work for Griner, who also connected the new chef with her teammates.

Then, business really started picking up.

Eventually, the catering business grew so much that Minor had to decide about whether she should pursue her passion fulltime. A gig providing daily lunches for an office of 90 lucky workers presented itself. Minor was now almost doubling her day job’s salary and seemed to have a steady income streamlined up. She officially left corporate America on January 20.

Everything was going according to plan until COVID-19 struck.

As the pandemic spread, gigs for Hint of Soul dried up. Now that it was Minor’s only income stream, she had to figure out a way to keep working. While scrolling through Instagram on her phone late one night, she saw an ad for a local shared cloud kitchen space. This newer business model offers a

Crab Lovers Seafood Boil.

“I see people reaching to support this black-owned business that have never had my food, so I think that because of what is going on outside of us, things are happening in our community that are causing us to restructure our mindset,” Minor said. “What we can we do? We’re tired. We’re frustrated. Here’s the way.

Let’s start impacting the dollars that are circulated through the community.”

I visited Hint of Soul twice, once on a weekday and once on a Saturday. I ordered online and received real time status updates through my phone. It was easy to find where to park by following the makeshift signs or the never-ending train of delivery drivers.

I called to let them know I was there after parking before then entering the cloud kitchen’s front lobby. As I waited, a few other customers came in who had not got the memo about calling. They eventually got their food, but due to the facility’s layout it would be easy to get confused.

However, I had no problem and got my neatly packaged food after barely waiting a minute.

The first day we ordered peach Hennessy wings, Southern fried chicken, the seven cheese baked mac and cheese and the Kickin Kajun Chicken Alfredo, plus an extra piece of the corn bread.

DINING OUT

I started with the wings, drawn to the gleaming orange glaze and fruity aroma.

They were large and heavily drenched in a sauce that was both sweet like a peach, yet with the right amount of tang to balance it out. The wings almost tasted a little like orange chicken from a Chinese restaurant.

I liked them, but on our next visit I ordered the Chicago sweet heat wings, which were by far my favorite.

Minor is a Chicago native, but it was actually her daughter who created the recipe for the dry rub. The wings come coated in crystal armor of almost caramelized brown sugar, which adds a unique texture as you bite into the crispy skin. First, I was hit by the honey-like sweetness, next by the natural flavor of the meat itself, with the heat lingering even as I licked my lips in preparation for the next bite.

The fried chicken was cooked just right, crisp on the outside while the meat itself was tender and cooked enough, but not too much. It was savory, simple yet satisfying and not too greasy. They also offer this dish smothered in gravy, which sounds interesting but was more than I felt capable of gorging down in one gluttonous session. Still though, the Chicago sweet heat wings were far and away my favorite of the chicken styles offered at Hint of Soul.

My dining companion tried the Kickin Kajun Chicken Alfredo and was kind enough to share a few bites. It wasn’t as spicy as I was expecting from the name, which is alright since I’m a big wimp. It might not give a serious pepper-head the burn for which they yearn, but I found the lingering, complex heat played well with the creamy sauce. It had a soft, silky texture and richly coated the tubular noodles. The crispy chicken on top was perfectly cooked, rounding out the filling dish smartly.

We also liked the mac and cheese. You really could taste the different flavors and intestines of the many constituent cheeses.

We made quick work of this, as well as

Peach Hennessy wings.

DINING OUT

The Kickin Kajun Chicken Alfredo.

the fluffy corn bread, which I recommend ordering extra of.

Come Saturday, I watched the clock crawl until at last it was time to order the crab lovers seafood boil. When we unpacked the oceanic feast at home, it did not disappoint.

The meal comes with two large sets of crab legs, a smoky link of sausage, a quarter piece of corn on the cob, potatoes, and shrimp. All of this is bathed in a reddish soup of butter, garlic, and spices. The crab legs were massive, so big that if you saw the creature they were once attached to when it was alive, you would probably run in terror.

One note for those uninitiated into the crustacean mysteries, make sure you have the right tools for the job. These huge legs aren’t easy to break. I recommend a walnut cracker, though my metal lemon squeezer did the trick in a pinch. Even a rock of the right shape will work, but just make sure you’re prepared.

If you are, what a treat awaits you.

The tender white meat inside was so soft it seemed to dissolve before I swallowed it. The subtle notes of the boiled spices infused every bite, complimenting well the crab’s unique almost sweet flavor. When dipped in the buttery sauce, it was almost hallucinogenic. The sausage was soft, smokey, and tasted a little like a fancy cured salami. The corn was succulent and so soft I practically drank it off the cobb.

After both these meals, it’s no surprise that Hint of Soul sells out almost everyday even while COVID-19 ravages the state. Still, Minor is touched by the level of community support she has received and hopes to keep serving her unique take on soul food classics as long as it is safe.

Jeff Kronenfeld is an independent journalist based out of Phoenix, Arizona. His writing has been featured in Java Magazine, the Arts Beacon, PHXSUX, and the Phoenix Jewish News, where he received the Simon Rockower Award for excellence in news reporting from the American Jewish Press Association. Links to his previously published work are available at www.jeffkronenfeld.com.

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Phoenix’s very own Chef Gabe co-hosts new Netflix wedding series

By Megan Wadding

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etflix’s newest binge-worthy series, Say I Do, is a tearjerker from the start, in all of the most beautiful ways. The eight-episode dream wedding reality series, from the creators of Queer Eye, features three experts who help very deserving couples plan their dream weddings.

The series, which premiered July 1, features eight couples, including two samesex couples, each of whom have their own struggles, their own style, and their own heartwarming story. Each episode introduces a new couple, who for one reason or another, have never been able to have their own special big day.

Each member of the expert trio has a specialty skill to contribute. Gabriele Bertaccini, expert chef, was in charge of crafting a special wedding menu specific to each couple. Fellow co-hosts include Jeremiah Brent, who was in charge of the wedding decor and venue, and Thai Nguyen, who designed all of the clothing, including a custom-made wedding dress for each bride.

Los Angeles-based Bertaccini is also founder of two Phoenix-based endeavors, iL TOCCO, a premier catering company, and Culinary Mischief, an exclusive dining experience.

Bertaccini spoke with Echo about the process of creating a menu for each couple, what he learned about love from being on the show, his amazing chemistry with his fabulous co-hosts, the importance of being vulnerable, and the very personal story he shared with a groom that has the world talking.

Echo: Why do you think Say I Do is doing so well and has gain such a following so quickly?

Bertaccini: It’s really a show that we need now more than ever. It’s such a divisive time in life and then of course, you add in the COVID thing and the fight for racial equality.

It’s a moment when we all need to be reminded that love is here, that we are loved, that we deserve to be loved, and that we also need to love more and more. I hope that this show opens up everyone’s eyes and hearts.

The show has such a beautiful premise, and each couple’s story really tugs on the heartstrings. I sobbed my way through many an episode! How did you get involved with Say I Do? What was it about this show 34

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in particular that drew you in?

Gabriele Bertaccini; photo courtesy of Netflix.

OPENING NIGHTS

Say I Do was a project that kind of fell in my lap. The opportunity came and it just felt right. I’ve had opportunities before to do TV and shows, but they never felt right because they felt self-serving. This show was different.

It has a purpose behind it, a bigger purpose.

The show is not about me, it’s really about the couples and what love means to them and what love means to all of us. I knew I made the right decision when I met the first couple.

I was like, this is what the show is about. It really moves you. You are not the only one crying; we cried for three months straight!

Alongside the two other wedding experts, Jeremiah Brent and Thai Nguyen, you had about a week to plan your part of each wedding on the show, which was the extensive menu specific to each couple.

How did you find working within the short time-frame? What can you tell me about that process?

I wish that we always had the full seven days, but sometimes it was just five. The unique thing in the show is that the whole love story is narrated from the groom’s perspective.

Usually, when it comes to weddings, you are more connected to the bride because it’s usually the bride who knows the dress she wants, and the food she wants, and the kind of decor she wants. So it was a challenge because we were learning the love story and what the couple likes through the groom and, you know, God bless these grooms because they often know what the brides like, but more often than not, they don’t! It’s great to get ideas [about the food] from the groom, but oftentimes what the groom likes and what he thinks he wants at the dinner table, is completely different from the bride.

There were times when it was very stressful, but then you remind yourself of who you’re doing this for, and it gives you the energy and it makes you work ever harder. Because the reality is that these stories are meant to be heard and they need to be told.

In the first episode of the series, Marcus, the first groom, asks you to make a “healthy” soul food dinner for his wedding, which caught you slightly offguard, but you successfully rose to the challenge! What was that process like of having to step back a bit and sort of let each couple sort of craft their own menu?

The moment when he told me that he

wanted soul food, I had to redo the whole menu. That was definitely a curveball. I think I cried for, like, a couple of hours, but I was able to recover! Because guess what, the wedding is not about me. Really we are there to represent what each couple is about and what they went through and who they are in their story. Marcus and Tiffany are such a sweet couple. I really loved all of the couples.

It was just such a pleasure to give them a moment where they could relax and let go.

After having a major hand in helping to plan and execute eight amazingly successful and beautiful weddings throughout this series, what would your advice be to any couples trying to plan their perfect wedding day, specifically when it comes to the menu they choose?

If there is one thing about weddings that I could suggest and hope that everybody takes away from all of this is that a wedding day is not a day that you should try something new. A wedding should be a day that you feel comfortable with, that’s beautiful and in touch with who you are, but at the same time, that speaks of your own authenticity and that represents your own voice, and who you are as individuals, so that the guests really get a glimpse of who you are as a couple.

You, Jeremiah, and Thai are so fun together and you seem to have such a ENTERTAINMENT

genuine chemistry. You complement each other so well. I bet filming together was a lot of fun! What can you tell me about working with them?

It was a very natural connection. I feel like they are my two brothers. When you spend day in and day out, 12 hours a day, you spend it by sharing stories about who each of us is. We do that on the show together, we do that at dinner afterwards, and we do that while we are getting ready to go on set. It felt that we have known each other for so long, but that is a product of the day-in and dayout vulnerable mode that we were in, and it creates an amazing bond.

You were born and raised in Florence, Italy and you also attended culinary school there, and even though your obvious specialty is Italian cuisine, you seem to be able to cook anything! During the series, we see you make seafood, French food, create a farm-to-table menu, start up a pig roast, and even throw together grilled mac n’ cheese sandwiches and a donut wall to please the couples. What was the most challenging aspect of crafting a meal to the specifications of each couple?

Clearly my own style of cooking goes back to Italian cooking or Tuscan cooking. I do have a philosophy in anything I do, and it doesn’t matter what style of cooking it is.

I want to make sure to rely on the most amazing ingredients that I have on hand.

But immediately when I meet a couple, I’m thinking about their wedding, and then I’m thinking about what I would like at my own wedding. But guess what? It’s not my wedding. The trick comes from adapting the food to the story of the couple.

In episode one, in what is possibly the most poignant moment of the entire series, you share with the groom Marcus that you are HIV-positive after he shares with you his Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis.

The conversation was really so beautiful to watch. With there still being such a stigma around HIV, what made you decide to share that with Marcus, and also simultaneously, with the whole world?

For me, it was important to open up to Marcus about my HIV status, not only because he opened up about his [Diabetes], but because I thought maybe we had a lot in common. It might be a different diagnosis, but the feelings are the same. That’s really where we bonded. I think it’s an amazing moment that will hopefully teach a lot of people that we have to share our stories, we have to talk about what we’ve been doing, and we have to talk about our fears. We constantly pretend that we know what we are doing in life, as if we have done this before.

I have never lived on this earth before, so I am trying as I go. I am seeing what works and what doesn’t work. That moment with Marcus was the same. It was a moment where we just let go of this idea that we have to be perfect.

Marcus did that by sharing his life-changing ENTERTAINMENT

diagnosis, so it just felt so natural to tell him that I have the same feelings, the same fears, [and] the same doubts.

What has the reaction been like since that episode aired? Are people reaching out to you?

I honestly have been so moved. I have been getting messages from all over the world and when I say all over, I mean everywhere. Messages of support and hope, of vulnerability and acceptance. They are the type of messages that remind you that the world is so beautiful and actually so welcoming. It’s so easy to get sucked into the negativity of everything. Just like when you drop ink into a glass of water; it stains the whole thing, and you forget that the water, before it got dark, it was pure. It’s kind of the same thing that happened here. I had forgot how beautiful and supportive people all over the planet are.

Do you ever get negative reactions from people when you share your status with them? How do you get yourself through that?

Sometimes I see the reaction when I tell people that I’m HIV-positive, and it is unsettling. And then I feel uncomfortable or like I shouldn’t have said that. But I have to remind myself not to play small and that this is not something that defines me, it is just something that happened to me.

It’s just a chapter of my life. You know, if I had to choose it again, would I? I probably wouldn’t. But I also have to be honest in saying that this has been the most amazing learning experience my life. It is something that has made me appreciate every moment I spend with my friends and family, think about what love means to me, how to live authentically and unapologetically, and what it means to feel alive. The thing I always get when I open up about my HIV status, is always, “Oh, I never would’ve known,” or, “I would’ve never expected.” I hope we will get to a point where I will not receive this, because when they say that, it means that the person has an idea of what HIV looks like, and it usually looks something like what we experienced in the 80s and early 90s. We are on a completely different level and playing field now. It’s amazing that we are making such fantastic strides in the fight and in the treatment of HIV and AIDS, but there is still so much shame around the subject.

Despite all of the amazing medical advancements in recent years with concern to HIV and AIDS, there is still such a stigma around even talking about it. How have things changed in terms of actually living with the virus? What do you think we can we do to change how people think about it?

The needle did not move forward when it came to the stigma; it got stuck. Luckily the medical advances did move [forward], and we are able to live lives that are healthy. The life expectancy for an HIV-positive person

is now the same as a HIV-negative person.

We are now able to treat HIV in a way that we become undetectable, so that we are no longer able to transmit the virus. And we are now able to be on PrEP, so that we don’t have to worry as much about contracting the virus. Those are all amazing advances, but we have to start talking more about accessibility to medication, accessibility to mental health support, and accessibility to PrEP. We have 30 to 40 years of medical advancements when it comes to HIV and AIDS. However, I want to ask, where are the stories? Why is this stigma still so vivid? Why do we still envision the 1980s and 1990s epidemic when we think of HIV? There seems to be such a big shadow over any conversation that has to do with HIV, and I think it’s so important to feel comfortable talking about it.

Based on your own experiences and your own journey so far, what message do you have for people who are living with HIV? What is important for people to know?

I am hoping for people to be more proud of who they are, regardless of their HIV status, to not have fear of being rejected, and to also know that if you are HIV-positive, that you are lovable, that you are loved, and that you should never feel that you need to take a step back in life and let it define you. For people who are HIV-negative, and for people who might not be familiar with what HIV looks like, the thing I’m wishing is for them to be more educated, to not be afraid of asking the questions, and not to be afraid of coming to me or asking your friends or going online to find out what it means to be HIV-positive in 2020. We have to talk about how HIV is no longer a “gay disease,” and it is not anymore a disease that you die from. I want to remind people that HIV does not discriminate. It is a disease that touches everybody. It does not matter if you’re gay or you’re straight, if you’re white or black, a girl or a guy, if you’re married or not married, if you’re a lawyer or a clerk. It does not matter. And it didn’t discriminate with me.

I’m going to ask the question that everyone who just binged the series is wanting me to ask: Any chance we’ll be getting a second season of Say I Do? It is something that is hopefully in the works!

Like with any project like this, the response that we receive dictates a lot. And we’ve honestly been having an amazing response.

I’m so thankful and so grateful. I really never expected to do anything like this or to be gifted stories from other people to be told through my own cooking. I like to think positive, so I think that all of this amazing feedback will translate into a season two.

View an extended version of this interview at echomag.com/say-i-do-chef-gabe-2020.

Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism.

Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.

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Photo by Jen Rosenstein.

BANDS

Where does the good go? Jason Mraz knows The musician opens up about coming out as bisexual and talks Pride, protesting and our current uprising

By Chris Azzopardi

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he coronavirus pandemic has forced Pride events around the world to go virtual this year. For Jason Mraz, that means he can, for the first time, take part in the annual summer festivities. After all, thanks to the virus, the “I’m Yours” singer-songwriter can’t tour in support of his latest album Look for the Good. Usually, he says, he’s on the road during Pride season.

“I’ve got friends and neighbors who invite me every year, but my schedule never allowed it,” Mraz says during our recent Zoom call. This summer, he says, he’s “probably gonna hole up with my friends and neighbors and do the virtual Pride event and go hard.”

From his home studio in San Diego, Mraz, 43, discussed his side hustle — food agriculture — as a metaphor for the fight for racial and LGBTQ justice, how Mister Rogers inspired his latest album, why he’s thanking his childhood bullies who used to call him 36

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a “fag,” and his journey to being openly bisexual.

Jason, how are you and your family doing?

And the avocado farm?

I’m fine. I’m a bit of an empath, so yeah (gets choked up) ... feeling pretty terrible about what’s going on. I’ve tried to use my superpowers for good. I’ve tried to sing songs of hope and positivity and peace and joy. So, you know, thinking about how I’m going to keep singing and breathing life into a better future. We have a little apricot tree, which for the first time is producing fruits. It really is a pleasure and a privilege to work in food production and to work with the Earth and to have that level of peace, and that interaction with nature.

I once read that one of the best things to do is to go outside and just lay on the ground.

Just feel the Earth underneath you.

So nice. I think one of the best things to do is just lay down in general, which I always forget. I’m always on my feet. I’m always going, going, going. A cool thing I like to do when I lay down on the Earth, especially at night, is remember that we’re not necessarily sitting on top of the globe; we’re kind of stuck to perhaps the side of it, or depending on how it’s photographed, maybe we’re on the bottom of it. Who’s to say the poles are really on top and bottom? We’re floating in a vacuum of space. There’s really no up or down. So when I’m laying on the side of the Earth, I like to imagine I’m on the side of it, just dangling. And if you put your feet up, you’re really dangling out into the universe, which is this big vast ball of confusion. It’s a good thing.

I know right now is not really the time to lay down and be quiet and look at the stars, but let’s talk about food for just one second.

You can’t grow food overnight. It takes time and it takes rest, it takes daylight and it takes darkness; it takes the earth to regenerate and renew itself. That said, everyone who’s out there fighting for justice right now, also remember to stay hydrated and get good sleep and stay rested so that a season of this can continue and real transformation and regeneration can occur.

They say that if you’re not taking care of yourself, you can’t take care of other people.

That’s right. The flight attendants tried to teach us well. Secure your oxygen mask first before securing others. But, nowadays, careful how you even say that, because there’s been plenty of people who never even had an oxygen mask to begin with.

So here we are in a whole new educational America.

There really couldn’t be a better time for this album. You couldn’t have predicted that this is where we would be, and yet it feels like this album could have come out of this very moment. Can you talk about your headspace when you decided to write this music and how relevant it is to what we’re going through right now?

In 2016, after the election that year, my heart exploded and I started writing different kinds of songs. I knew that 2020 was going to be another engaged election year, so last year I just started putting all this together. I teamed up with Michael Goldwasser of (reggae collective) All-Stars — he’s a phenomenal reggae producer — and we put a phenomenal band together. We thought, “The sound of reggae and all the different genres inside of it are so danceable and also beloved around the world; let’s make a full album of reggae tracks and at the same time let’s try to breathe life into some issues we care about through these songs and lyrics and offer it to the world in 2020 because we know it’s gonna be heated, we know there’s gonna be debates, we know there needs to be radical ENTERTAINMENT

change and recognition for many.” We, of course, didn’t predict this level of radical change. But I’m glad to see an uprising. I really am.

I’m not an anarchist, but I am glad to see America getting its education and an invitation for new ways to mobilize, strategize, react, use our resources, use our powers.

So Look for the Good was intended to be that. It was intended to be this little album of songs that are easy to dance or march to, to remember to stay positive while you’re out there using your voice or your time for the greater good.

With everything feeling so heavy right now, where do you find the good?

Well, if I’m not on the internet (laughs), I’m at my piano, usually. And it’s kind of a new instrument for me. It has a different voice, it has a different weight. So that’s been my peace. That’s been my little church.

And then on the internet, I go for peace.

I follow (civil rights activist) Shaun King and the NAACP and I just want to educate myself more on how I can better use my internet resources. I feel like the battlefield for a more equal and just America is not (only) on the streets, it’s also on the internet. Because we’ve clearly seen propaganda come our way to heighten our president and those initiatives, but we also need the propaganda or the internet content and bravery and songs and sharing to heighten the injustices and to advance equality.

Here’s something interesting: about 10 years ago I took a trip to Ghana and I got to visit “the door of no return,” which is what they would call the door that slaves were passed through; if they went through that door they were going to be boarded onto a slave ship and exported out of Africa to either London or the United States. It was an intense place. But the thing that helped abolish slavery was the printing press. This blew my mind. A printing press. Because suddenly now we’ve got newspapers and we can make more people aware of what a slave ship looked like, what humans look like stacked in a boat, and how harsh the conditions are. And it started to touch people’s hearts. And eventually people said, “Enough is enough. Why are we doing this to other human beings?”

So we are experiencing the same thing right now with the level of communication that we have, the many cameras and eyeballs and engaged people we have. We have all these microprinting presses all over the planet exposing the harsh realities and brutalities that people of color and (the) LGBT community as well have experienced.

This type of hatred and bigotry. So I feel like this is a huge awakening. There’s a huge new printing press. Sorry. Your original question: What am I doing to look for the good …

Yeah, you said you’re at the piano, making some music and writing some songs.

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That’s really where my best spirit is enjoyed is at the piano because I can transmute my fear and my pain into something more pleasant. Our life experience is going to be the result of our thoughts and our speech, our beliefs and our actions and our attitudes.

I feel that music — and art in general — is such a great way to access and get all five under control: your thoughts, your speech, beliefs, your actions, your attitude. Then your life experience gets completely transformed and gets basically connected to that big planet that we’re dangling on, and that universe that we’re praying to and wondering, “What the eff is this all about?” Beliefs that we can truly live in a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, peaceful world. All of that can come together through music.

I think music has the power to get through to people when other means of communication cannot. Do you recognize that as a musician?

It’s not as easy to memorize a quote, but what is it about a melody that allows it to sink and stay with us? I don’t know the science behind it, but I’ve been experimenting with it since I was a little kid and it’s a magical phenomenon that we as humans get to experience. It’s a language that transcends the words even.

And it’s a human phenomenon. And I’m so thankful that it exists. Imagine if we only had to deal with speeches. That would be a miserable existence.

What does the rainbow on the cover of Look for the Good represent?

I got this idea from a Mister Rogers album cover. He has an album that says “Mister Rogers knows you’re special” and it has a little mirror on the cover and also a little rainbow around it. I was really touched by that, and I was really touched by his work.

And even the song “Look for the Good” is a bit of a reference to an interview I saw with him. I guess it was his mother who told him, when watching the news, if something bad is on the news, look for the heroes. Look for what’s good on the news. And that inspired the songs. That inspired the album cover.

Really it inspired who I am as an entertainer.

So the album cover was really meant to be a reflection back on the viewer to see the good in themselves.

We’ve had some phone interviews in the past, and I’ve sort of seen you come fully into yourself.

(Smiles.) Getting there.

The journey of you being an out public figure took some time. I was looking back at some of our conversations and you dropped a couple of hints. In 2010, you told me you didn’t like feeling another man’s facial hair on your skin. And then in 2012, you said you’d been asked to join in on a threesome with a couple but it wasn’t a reality at that point. And then, in 2018, we got the news that you were bisexual (via a Pride Month poem Mraz wrote for

Billboard). Why, at that moment, did it seem like the right time to come out as bisexual?

I wanted to be careful (because of) my family, which is probably a struggle a lot of people have. And when I say this, it’s not because they wouldn’t love me for who I am. I was afraid to say who I was when I was younger. I was afraid to explore it because I thought exploring it was the wrong thing to do because of things I heard when I was growing up and because of how I saw society react to the LGBT community. So I thought if I go down this lane, I was taught that it was not a good path. And so for me to come out and say I was taught that that’s not a good path is potentially causing harm to my mother who raised me well, so I never wanted to put her in a position that made her feel or look like a bad parent. Same to my stepfather or my stepmother or my father. I had four parents. They’re not all to blame. I’m not going to throw any of them under the bus.

So it was just growing up in a kind of community where I didn’t feel safe to go down that path and explore some intuitions that I had. So I closeted it. I suppressed it.

I put it aside. And as I go through life, and as I started having experiences, it’s in my programming, it’s the systemic issues of going through life and thinking, “This is not healthy.”

But the more I went through life and the more I became supported and _supportive_ of the LGBT (community), I realized I was safe, I was home, and enough is enough.

Silence doesn’t do anybody any good.

And it wasn’t doing _me_ any good. It wasn’t giving me the opportunity to have more of the experiences I wanted to have in my life.

And as I was getting older, I thought, “Jesus, am I gonna waste my whole life on fear? Or can I step into this and be proud of who I am and see where this takes me, see where this journey takes me, see what kind of new friendships I form, see the level of love that I’m capable of that I’ve not given myself permission for?” That was my journey.

Honestly, I thought, “I’m gonna have to wait until my parents leave the planet before I get to be who I am.” I didn’t want that. I wanted them to see who I am while they’re still alive and I want to be who I am while I’m still alive.

It gave me even more empathy and more compassion for those who are taking that journey every day, and for the out community who just lives bravely in this world every day.

So it was time for me to come out. If I was really going to use my superpower for good, it was time for me to start addressing who I am, because authenticity is the new reality.

Visit echomag.com/jason-mraz-2020 for the complete interview.

As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard.

Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

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AT THE BOX OFFICE

If one thing is for certain, animals are better than most people.

In honor of Echo’s Pet Issue, I present my choices for the best animal films that movie lovers can watch on streaming services Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus.

By Tuesday Mahrle

Netflix The Secret Life of Pets 2 Premiered in 2019 | PG | 86 minutes | Amination, Comedy

What do your pets do when you aren’t home? According to The Secret Life of Pets 2, they have a lot of fun and adventure. While seeing the first Secret Life is not necessary, the movie continues the story of Max and his pet friends.

Honorable mentions: The Champions Stuart Little

Amazon Prime Hachi: A Dog’s Tale Premiered in 2009 | G | 93 minutes | Drama, Family

Get the tissues ready, this story is about loyalty and friendships that last a lifetime.

Based on a true story starring Richard Gere and Joan Allen, a professor is greeted by his Akita every day when the train arrives. When the professor suffers heart failure, the dog faithfully waits daily for his owner to come home.

Honorable mentions: Lady and the Tramp Isle of Dogs

Disney Plus Dumbo Premiered 2019 | PG | 112 minutes | Adventure, Family

Hulu Megan Leavey Premiered 2017 | PG-13 | 116 minutes | Biography, War

Based on the true story of Megan Leavey, a young female marine, and her combat dog Rex. The movie follows both Megan and Rex in their two deployments in Iraq.

Both ultimately saved many lives during the service.

Honorable mentions: Honeyland March of the Penguins 38

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Tim Burton’s adaptation is a live-action reimaging of Disney’s original 1941 film. A young elephant with oversized ears helps save a struggling circus. As the handlers require more and more dangerous acts from Dumbo, they order Dumbo’s mother to be killed to avoid distraction. The circus performers band together to break out Dumbo and his mom and discover secrets about the circus in the process.

Honorable mentions: Turner and Hooch A Goofy Movie Tuesday Mahrle is a film critic and host of “Whiskey and Popcorn,” a Phoenix-based movie podcast.

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39

RECORDINGS Mishka Shubaly by Leslie Hassler.

By Tom Reardon Mishka Shubaly — I’ll Be Gone When you boil some water, assuming you have, it is often an act of necessity. There are the bubbles and the steam that lets us know what is happening. We can see the change occurring as a liquid becomes a gas and sometimes, we even hold our hand over the water so we can feel the heat. If you’ve ever had the urge to touch the water or on one of those really bad days, take the water and pour it over your head, you can instantly imagine the pain that would be brought on by something that we usually find so soothing, so serene.

Listening to Mishka Shubaly’s new record, I’ll Be Gone, is something similar to the dark fantasy of dousing your emotional pain with boiling water. You know it is going to hurt but you are also so curious as to what it will really feel like. It is a short record filled with strong inclinations of the search for peace in a world where struggle is often king, and frustration is a mocking jester.

I’ll Be Gone is an efficient and proper execution of the solitary exploration of pain, and the aftereffects of Shubaly’s work will most definitely leave a mark, just as boiling water does to skin.

It is also beautiful, as well, with the pared down honkytonk inspired instrumentation and wistful phrasing of a true poet. It is safe to say it is my favorite new record of the year (although I’m still loving the new JJCnV offering, so I’ll Be Gone might be in second place, to be accurate) and definitely my favorite record by Shubaly. The singer/songwriter is also an author and comedian, so painful subject matter is nothing new to him. In fact, it is hard to imagine someone out there conveying what it feels like to be living in the middle of a pandemic, racial unrest, and the bewildering politics of a mad con man better than my fellow Phoenician.

Bookended by two brother/sister/kissing cousin songs, “You Were the Song” and “You Were the Band,” I’ll Be Gone is rife with the kind of word play fans of Shubaly have come to expect from his literary and musical work.

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You may even be tempted to smile as his words take chunks out of your soul because it feels to good to be eviscerated by things you wish you would have said yourself and you can sing along, too. Shubaly has really come into his unique voice on I’ll Be Gone, and it is the best he has sounded on record.

The cover of Fred Eaglesmith’s “Trucker Speed” is a nugget of gold amidst the other five gems on this offering. If you are not familiar with the original version of the song, you are probably going to fall in love with Shubaly’s take on this paean to lonely life on the road.

Allison Langerak’s beautiful vocals help create a “beauty and the beast” effect on “Trucker Speed” even though Shubaly has truly never sounded better. With Don Cento’s fantastic work on the keys, the song grips the heart and twists, ringing out the blood, sweat, and tears of a true road warrior which is subject matter that Shubaly knows only too well.

In a record filled with great lines, two of my all-time favorites occur on another epic road song, “This Road Has Tolls.” When Shubaly sings, “I got every single color of black rock

and roll skull t-shirt now remind me what I’m dying for. Feel like I’m losing the narrative, speaking a language I no longer understand,” every musician will die a little bit alongside the singer as he wonders what all these cloth trophies add up to in the grand ledger of rock and roll life. At the end of the song when Shubaly sings, “If I ever make it home I’ll find home has lost everything (that) made it home to me” it truly sums up what it means to be a wandering soul, lost in a desert of dry humor and empty, unwashed whiskey glasses.

Buy this record now. I did.

Tom Reardon loves to write about people who are doing something to contribute to our community in a positive way. He also loves his family and family of friends, his pets, music, skateboarding, movies, good (and bad) TV, and working with children to build a better world. Tom’s favorite movie is Jaws, his favorite food is lasagna, and he loves to play music with his friends. He’s a busy guy, but never too busy to listen to what you have to say so tell him a story.

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BETWEEN THE COVERS

By Terri Schlichenmeyer freedom from thirst and hunger, freedom from physical discomfort, freedom from illness, freedom from fear, and freedom to exhibit normal behavior. These might seem like simple things but, says Todd, science can help enhance whatever efforts you put forth to make them a reality.

Having a happy dog starts by getting the right dog for you. Though it’s tempting to gravitate toward dog-of-the-moment, ignore movie and pop culture influences. Be realistic about the dog you’re thinking about bringing home.

As for training, the first thing to know is that reward-based methods work better than do aversion methods. Make things fun for you and your dog and reward good behavior, rather than punishing the actions you don’t want; Todd herself uses Push Drop Stick rules to teach her two dogs.

By using science, you can help lessen (or even eliminate) fears that your dog might have. You’ll understand why play is essential for a pup’s well-being, and how to create a great relationship between dogs and kids.

With science, you’ll know that your dog loves you. And when it’s time for the end of a doggo’s life, it can help you cope.

When you think of science, white coats and Bunsen burners probably come to mind, not squeaky toys and kibble. Wag changes all that, in a most delightful way.

At first brush, it might appear that this is just another book about canine behavior, but that’s not so. Author Zazie Todd adds her (human) social psychologist background to her training skills to look at things with a dog’s mind in mind, which leads to many AHA! moments for dog devotees who are up for a little experimentation. Even if this information’s been right in front of your muzzle all along, there are still fresh takeaways.

Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy by Zazie Todd, foreword by Dr. Marty Becker c.2020, Greystone Books $19.95 / $26.95 Canada 304 pages

T

he tail’s like a clock pendulum, and you know what that means.

Your dog needs something, and you’re going to get it for him because, after all, he makes you happy, so you’ll return the favor any time. Only the best for your best friend, your baby, your fur kid, your helper — but how do you know when he’s finally happy? In Wag by Zazie Todd, you’ll see how science is not just for the lab.

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Treats, toys, food, and water. You make sure your dog is covered in those categories and all should be well. He has a nice place to sleep. He has windows to the outside world.

What else could a dog want?

Fifty-five years ago, a U.K. firm developed a report called The Five Freedoms and though it originally applied to farm animals, Zazie Todd says that it’s a good list for dogs, too. It states that animals should have

Some of those nuggets are buried, like juicy bones, inside Todd’s own experiences with her two dogs, her cats, and her family that loves them, and those bits will charm you. They serve as further teaching moments and glue to hold the scientific lessons together, all which helps to make Wag a pretty informative tail tale.

W

hat can you see outside your window?

Take a look: trees, cars, people, other buildings, things you can touch. And those things you can’t see? As in the new book, The Invisible Leash by Patrice Karst, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, you still know they’re out there, right?

It was a Friday and school was over for the week, which made all the other kids excited, but Zack was sad. He just wanted to ENTERTAINMENT

And if you’re not crying now, your soul is made of ice.

That’s one of the odder things about The Invisible Leash: while the story here is a major comfort for children who’ve experienced the loss of a pet, it’s one powerfully emotional book for the adult who’s likewise lost the animal.

Author Patrice Karst presents a concept that kids will eagerly (and easily) grasp, one that doesn’t feel one bit impossible for a child who’s used to worlds of pretend and imaginary beings. It helps that Zack and Emily are Every Kid, and that quiet delights are hidden-not-hidden inside the artwork by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff. Those things help start the healing as you read aloud.

That is, if you can stop sobbing yourself.

Yes, it’s that kind of book.

As a companion to Karst’s The Invisible String, this story is perhaps best for kids ages 5-9, or for an adult who needs to read it. Find The Invisible Leash, but see to it that you bring tissues, too.

The Invisible Leash by Patrice Karst, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff c.2019, Little, Brown and Company $17.99 / $23.49 Canada 32 pages go home, although he wasn’t sure why. Jojo wasn’t there. Jojo wouldn’t be there anymore.

Jojo had been Zack’s best friend for a long time. They played games together and slept in the same room, they loved to go hiking, “and when the moon was full, they howled together as it smiled down upon them.” Life was best with Jojo, and though Mom and Dad told Zack that when the time was right, they could adopt another dog, Zack wouldn’t listen. No other dog would ever be as good as Jojo. Not. Ever.

The only person who seemed to understand was Zack’s friend, Emily. She’d lost her cat, Roxie, a while ago and she told Zack how much she cried when it happened.

And then she told him “the very best news ever!”

It was a secret that her grandpa told her: when a pet dies, it’s still connected to you by an “invisible leash,” You can’t see it but “it’s the realest thing in the whole wide world,” Emily said. It “connects our hearts to each other. Forever.”

Zack thought that was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard! How could there be a leash that connected him to who-knows-where when Jojo was gone? Jojo hated leashes, and he knew that Roxie was never, ever leashed.

But Emily kept talking. The Invisible Leash, she said, connects all animals to their people, from beyond to here and back. When you miss one another, she said, you’ll feel the tug on the leash. You’ll know that your pet is with you because the tug feels “like love.”

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T

he last time you went riding, the weather was perfect.

Did you notice that? Or were you thinking about something, some niggling issue, a thorny problem that needed to be solved from the back of a saddle? They say that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man. In Half Broke by Ginger Gaffney, the same goes for the inside of a woman.

She knew she wasn’t going to get paid for the job.

That was fine. Ginger Gaffney had a calendar full of work that paid the bills for the small homestead she and her partner shared. No, a gig working with a New Mexico ranch that served somewhat as a transitional option for inmates was Gaffney’s way of giving back. Gratis work was gratitude for a good life.

It wasn’t always good, though.

To say that Gaffney was quiet as a child is putting it mildly: she didn’t speak until she was six years old. She felt like a “genderless thing,” she was angry, scared, hurt, mistrustful, had little self-control, and she sometimes lashed out. Then she got a horse.

And now she’d volunteered to work on this “alternative” ranch with horses that had gone feral because nobody knew how to handle or train them. She knew exactly how those animals felt because she’d been like them once, as had the ranchers Gaffney was asked to teach: former addicts, lawbreakers, alcoholics who’d been tossed aside, who’d applied for an opportunity to work with horses, and who were constantly monitored and mentored to give them the best chance to avoid being imprisoned again.

Every horse has a story to tell. Every rancher had one, too, but the rules were

Half Broke: A Memoir by Ginger Gaffney c.2020, Norton $25.95 / $34.95 Canada 272 pages strict about when they could share them so Gaffney really knew very little about the people she taught: Eliza, who’d been nearly mute; Flor, an admitted liar; Randy, who dieted to ride; Tony, who had anger issues.

Sarah, the biggest enigma of all. And Marco, who leaves this book with a surprise ending.

The first time you were on a horse happened so long ago that it’s like having a finger or a nose: it never wasn’t. You probably don›t even remember it, but you won’t forget Half Broke.

Swinging timelines like a lariat, author Ginger Gaffney tells her own barnboardrough story, but that absolutely takes a back seat to tales of horses she’s known and people she knew at the prison ranch near Santa Fe. Her tales are told with deliberateness, and quietly — even the ones that pulse with anger or gnashing teeth — but the graciousness and generosity here comes out loud and clear, leaving readers with a sad smile, a good chuckle, a gasp, and the thought that books like this just don’t last long enough.

Yes, the skies can be cloudy all day in this memoir, but it’s a wonderful one that horse lovers, armchair cowpokes, and reform workers shouldn’t even try to resist. If that’s you, you should know that Half Broke is a heckuva ride.

Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm, lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 13,000 books. She’s been reading since age 3 and, to this day, she never goes anywhere without a book.

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TALKING BODIES

Five bad fitness habits and how to fix them

By Tia Norris

W

e all have bad habits — no one is perfect — and it’s normal to not operate at 100% all of the time. But here’s what’s not acceptable: being unwilling to change those bad habits once you’re aware of them.

At least one of the following bad habits will apply to everyone, with regard to how they proceed through their diet and fitness journeys. Take a deep breath, and open your mind and your emotions to the following list and follow the recommended remedies for any that might apply to you.

1. Stop playing “the numbers game” — this includes fixating on a certain weight on the scale, or reaching your goals by a certain date on the calendar, completing your race in a certain time. If you play the numbers game, you’re destined to lose. This may be hard to read, as most people use diet and fitness for goals exactly like these. Unfortunately, there are a myriad of problems with this numbersdriven model. Many people fail to distinguish their own internal self-worth from the achievement of the external measure. Please read that again. If your worthiness largely hinges on achieving a particular number, it will only end in heartbreak. All you can do is your best … and so if you’re not giving your best, start with that. But if you are doing your best and still falling short, then maybe the problem isn’t your effort but instead the problem is your unrealistic, arbitrary standards. Having a good coach in your corner to manage expectations on times, dates, and weights, is always a solid start.

2. Similarly, stop seeing fitness as the means to an end — and instead, see fitness 44

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as the end in and of itself. Everyone in this world needs to find an enjoyable way to move their bodies… period. If you haven’t found one yet and just find fitness “too hard,” then you need to stop being a toddler throwing a tantrum and grow up. Commit to an exercise program that you mostly like, that makes you a better version of yourself, and allows for improvement over time. Learn to embrace the challenge of it, and embrace how energizing exercise can be. I’ll be direct: learn to like exercise, or accept that you will feel and look and move poorly. It’s that simple.

3. On a related note, stop looking at diet and fitness through rose colored glasses. Is there anything good in your life that you haven’t had to pay the price for?

Relationships are hard, and take work — not every day is good. A successful career is hard, and takes work — and not every day is good. See where we’re going with this? A successful diet and fitness program is hard, and you will have bad days and bland meals and little injuries and other obstacles… accept the difficulty as another inescapable reality.

Pay your dues, adjust your expectations. It will be hard. You can do hard things. Move forward.

4. Stop taking bad advice without checking sources or thinking critically about it. Almost every magazine that you see at the grocery store checkout is crap. Almost every quick fix pill or cleanse is crap. There is absolutely no easy way, no cheap way, no fast way, to achieve good results in diet and fitness. So, if you accept that as true, that probably rules out 95% of fitness advice out there. Once you sift through the impostors, now start

checking sources more vigorously — what are the source’s qualifications, experiences, testimonials, and certifications in the goals that you’re pursuing? Remember, everyone is different and will require a subtly different approach to every single goal. You must do your homework and experiment scientifically to find what works best for you.

5. Stop complaining. You are likely tragically unaware of the power of your words. How many times per day do you complain? Is it a way for you to make conversation with people?

Is it a way for you to connect with your friends? Well, wake up: complaining is useless.

No one cares about how hard your workout is, how much you don’t want to do it, how bad the weather is, how tired you are, or any of that garbage. Control your attitude. Guard your mindset. Your complaining is contributing literally zero to society, your friends, or yourself. Choose your words carefully and bring your energy up; life is hard enough without that extra negativity.

The long story short is, it’s hard. It’s hard to transcend perfectionism, it’s hard to learn a new skill, it’s hard to do your research instead of just taking easy quick advice, and it’s hard to be intentional with your mindset. But remember, it’s the things that challenge you that ultimately can make you better. Commit yourself to being first aware of your bad habits, and then buckle up to do the work and actually change them.

Tia Norris is the president and head trainer at FitPro, LLC, a local fitness company. Find out more at fitprollc.com.

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NOT THAT YOU ASKED

with. Nonetheless, intersectionality, like all those other terms, comes from a good place. In fact, I have yet to witness it used in a way that undercuts its own movement.

At the risk of this coming across like the opening of a junior high essay, I’ll just share the dictionary definition of intersectionality: “the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.”

I mean, it doesn’t get any clearer than that, right?

Intersectionality is a big word, but nothing to be afraid of

By Buddy Early

T

here’s something that has been gnawing at me for the better part of a decade. You see, in the early 2000s I served as “the voice” of this magazine, Through 2007, in fact. As such, I wrote each issue’s editorial, speaking out for or against issues of concern to our community.

Often, I was asked to speak on behalf of our community on local radio or television, or be quoted in another publication. It was a strange burden on these rare occasions to be asked to be “the voice” of the LGBTQ community, especially when there were a number of other people more qualified, but I tried my best.

Even in 2020 I stand by every interview I gave, and every editorial I wrote. Except one. It was on the topic of abortion. Now, I’ve been pro-choice since the late 1980s — after I stopped trying to ingratiate myself with a young Republican gal and I ultimately came to my senses on a number of topics.

Nonetheless, I wrote that this magazine would not be taking a side in the pro-choice v. pro-life debate. My argument was that the magazine existed to further the cause of equality for our community, and taking sides in fights that didn’t belong to us would muddy the waters. There were quite a

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few members of our community, and Echo Magazine readers (natch!), who believed abortion was murder; we owed it to that minority to stick to our singular mission.

The thing is, there was no push-back on this from our readership. With the exception of a small faction of our community pressing for a broadening of the fight, staying laser-focused was generally the prevailing objective at the time. (For the record, I now refer to that small faction as visionaries.)

In the 15+ years since that column appeared, I have come around. The community has come around. We have realized that the fight is bigger than us, bigger than LGBTQ equality. The fight is for the equal rights of all Americans, for the human rights of all world citizens. We have started to embrace a concept known as intersectionality.

I will admit that when I first heard of intersectionality I assumed it was one of those terms I would come to loathe, like privilege, cultural appropriation, toxic, and problematic. Not that there is inherently anything wrong with these well-meaning terms, but they’ve been hijacked to explain away anything that one might not agree

So, how have I altered my approach to social justice since being introduced to the concept of intersectionality? I started using my voice to advocate for the rights of women to control their own bodies; to be able to dress and act how they please without being harassed or assaulted; to earn the same salaries and have the same opportunities as male counterparts. I’ve been using my voice to shout about police brutality of Black Americans and against the overt and casual racism that happens every day. And I use my voice to plead for fair and humane treatment of trans people, immigrants, and the poor.

To be blunt, any LGBTQ person who is not operating with an awareness of intersectionality is not 100 percent committed to the ideals of equality. During recent uprisings incited by the murder of George Floyd, I have definitely been taking notice of my peers who have been silent about the rights of Black Americans to not be beaten up, shot or killed by police. How can we expect to have the allies we need, the allies who will fight for our rights, if we are not willing to be allies ourselves?

In 2020, it doesn’t take a lot of time or money to use your voice. You don’t have to have a magazine provide you with space once a month so you can pontificate on the ills of our society. You don’t need to hold elective office to spread your message to the general community. You don’t need to run a company or non-profit organization to effect change. All you need is that social media account.

Get your message out there. Stand up for equality and change. Not just for your right to marry and not be discriminated again, but for the other communities that are often in crisis. Let’s be allies to our allies.

Buddy Early grew up in Tempe and has been involved in various communities across the Valley since.

He is a former managing editor of both Echo Magazine and Compete Magazine.

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