ORLANDO WEEKLY ● JAN. 11-17, 2023 ● orlandoweekly.com

Florida Group Publisher Graham Jarrett Editor in Chief Jessica Bryce Young

Editorial Managing Editor Matthew Moyer Staff Writer McKenna Schueler Calendar Coordinator Kristin Howard Editorial Intern Gabby Macogay

Contributors Gianna Aceto, Rob Bartlett, Melissa Perez Carrillo, J.D. Casto, Ida V. Eskamani, Jacquelin Goldberg, Holly V. Kapherr, Faiyaz Kara, Seth Kubersky, Jim Leatherman, Matt Keller Lehman, Bao Le-Huu, Anthony Mauss, Leah Sandler, Steve Schneider, Nicolette Shurba, Eric Tegethoff

Advertising Director of Sales Jeff Kruse Multimedia Account Exec Dan Winkler Classified Rep & Multimedia Account Manager Jerrica Schwartz Sales Department Administrator Rachel Gold

Creative Services Production Manager Daniel Rodriguez

Business Director of Operations Hollie Mahadeo

Events and Marketing Events & Promo Manager Miranda Hodge Events & Marketing Coordinator Casey Bogeajis

Circulation Circulation Manager Collin Modeste

Euclid Media Group Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein Director of Digital Strategy Colin Wolf Senior Marketing and Events Director Cassandra Yardeni Digital Operations Coordinator Jaime Monzon Controller Kristy Dotson euclidmediagroup.com National Advertising: Voice Media Group 1-888-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com

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A letter from our new staff writer, McKenna Schueler

Hi, all. This month, I’m excited to join Orlando Weekly as their new staff reporter. Previously a freelance journalist and radio news anchor in Tampa, I’ve reported in the past on a variety of issues, ranging from criminal justice, to labor, housing, local government, and other social and economic justice issues I’ll be keeping an eye on in Central Florida as well.

I’m also not new to Orlando Weekly. If you’ve read about union activity among Starbucks workers in Oviedo and Winter Park; Disney workers fighting for an $18 minimum wage; Orlando International Airport workers organizing for better wages and working conditions, faculty organizing at Valencia College, CPAC 2021, or the successful campaign to win a $15 minimum wage in Florida in 2020 — you’ve read my work! For nearly two years, I contributed to Orlando Weekly as a freelancer, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to join the weekly on staff.

Prior to this, I worked multiple jobs to make ends meet — like Orlando, Tampa has also seen a staggering rise in rent prices and cost of living. I’ve worked as a freelance reporter, a copywriter, a news anchor for the beloved community radio station WMNF in Tampa, and as a captioning assistant for a call center — where I captioned phone calls in real time for hardof-hearing folks across the country.

But my career as a reporter kicked off in 2020, when I began reporting for Orlando Weekly’s sister publication Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, covering demonstrations associated with the Black Lives Matter movement, and police accountability. From there, I moved on to coverage for both local and national publications on politics, organized labor, government accountability, and other intersecting issues that directly and indirectly affect the lives of everyday people — like you, reader, and me.

From the start, I’ve always been interested in helping to fill the gaps of where media coverage is lacking, while doing what I can to uplift the work of other journalists producing meaningful, valuable work for their respective communities.

But I wasn’t born a reporter. (Honestly, that sounds like a nightmare of a delivery — you’re welcome, Mom.) I’m a former military brat who has spent time overseas, a singer, a former musical theatre geek (any mention of a musical produced post2012, unless it’s Hadestown, will get a blank stare in response), a voracious reader, a mediocre ukulele player, someone who’s always eager to learn and who is highly susceptible to getting sucked into a rabbit hole concerning some highly niche/fascinating topic at least once a month. I appreciate good craft beer, a stellar Old Fashioned, an occasional cigar, and live music.

With that, I’m looking forward to exploring what the Orlando area has in store for me, and likely bumping into one, two, or more of you out in the wild.

Now, what about you? Are you organizing for change in your community? A shop steward for your union, or thinking of organizing your workplace? Someone who lives and/or works in the Orlando area and just wants to say hi?

If you have information/news tips/stories/insight into the Orlando area (or its power players), feel free to get in touch by email at mschueler@orlandoweekly.com or find me on Twitter at @SheCarriesOn.

NEWS+ VIEWS

7 ICYMI News you might have missed last week + Tom Tomorrow’s ‘This Modern World’ 9 News Federal judge reopens trans athlete case; DeSantis’ reinauguration speech was a doozy 11 Informed Dissent A countdown of the nine issues that will define American politics over the next 12 months 12 New Year, new us 25 really great decisions you can make in 2023

ARTS+ CULTURE

15 Live Active Cultures

A new era for Orlando Fringe kicks off with Winter MiniFest in the newly christened Fringe ArtSpace

FOOD+ DRINK

17 Beautiful bites

The prettiest plates our critic cleaned in 2022 17 Tip Jar

Local restaurant openings and closings, and more local food news

FILM+ MUSIC

19 On (small) screens

What’s new on Netflix, Hulu, etc. this week 21 Ms. Meka, if you’re …

Orlando musician Ms. Meka Nism is going to try on a multiplicity of new roles this year 23 This Little Underground

Local Americana leading lights Jordan Foley & the Wheelhouse are set to roll out their debut album

BACK PAGES

24 The Week

Our picks of the best things to do and see this week, plus plenty of event listings 29 Free Will Astrology Your horoscope for the week of Jan. 11-17 33 Savage Love Dan Savage’s relationship advice, plus ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not!’ 35 Classified advertisements

Cover illustration by Daniel Rodriguez