Press kit for OUTSpoken

Jonathan has worked within media for over 20 years. He started a non-profit organization called “SHYNE” in 2005 that battled prejudice and discrimination through the use of the arts. SHYNE debuted “The Concert For a Hate Free World,” a completely volunteer driven stage production with choir, orchestra and even an opening interactive film put on at The Wenatchee Convention Center in 2009. He has been an activist since coming out in an article in The Wenatchee World at 20 years old and accepting the presidency of the Wenatchee Valley College Gay-Straight Alliance a few years later. He has dreamed of this show for over a decade and is extremely excited to continue his mission to be a part of the continued growth of the LGBT community locally, nationally and beyond. It is with great honor that he shares this platform with such passionate, fun, and most of all, OUTSpoken individuals. JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Jonathan Shuffield is a co-host of the Pacific Northwest LGBT radio talk show OUTSpoken. He is a frequent contributor to The Seattle Lesbian, the CCE Sports Network, Bear World Magazine and Diabetic Magazine. He uses his 20 years of advocacy work for the LGBT community to continue the needed conversation for a stronger cultural future.

Sergey Grankin is a recently out Russian gay youth in the Spokane, WA community. Through struggles with his family and his sexuality, he’s been able to find his place on OUTSpoken. His background in acting and improv have been a natural support in his current position as co-host of this LGBT talk show. Sergey appreciates the opportunities for community involvement that OUTSpoken allows him as he has a great love and hope for a city, state, nation and even world filled with acceptance.

OUTSpoken continues to shape him in his new journey of life. Currently Sergey is attending Eastern Washington University with a focus on Mechanical Engineering, working on his third year of studies.

Sergey Grankin is a co-host of the Pacific Northwest LGBT radio talk show OUTSpoken. He is a frequent contributor to The Seattle Lesbian and CCE Sports Network. Know for his sense of humor and candid opinions on social issues and politics, Sergey is a loud and proud gay Russian immigrant.

Kurt Schmierer (The Kurter) is the wizard behind the curtain, the brain behind the forehead, and the proud producer of the number one growing show on KYRS. Joining the OUTSpoken crew in their first year, he helped to elevate OUTSpoken to the next level, being key in securing such national guests as Marc Solomon from Freedom to Marry, Ross Murray with GLAAD, and entertainers such as Anjelah Johnson and even the great Lily Tomlin. With his extensive 30 year background as an artist/ painter, Kurt has turned his talents to media. His experience in marketing and managing of different online media outlets through the years have brought him ready to support and grow this amazing talk show. Kurt looks forward to many more years of accomplishments with OUTSpoken as they continue their work to educate, elevate and impact the every changing equality landscape of the world.

The Kurter is know for his behind the sense as producer and creative graphic designs for OUTSpoken, clients and friends of the show.

At OUTSpoken, stories are chosen by relevance to the LGBT community, on a local, national and global level. We build our platform on a vision statement that encourages a dialogue right here in our own homes about the global LGBT community, giving us a better chance of creating and supporting a lasting change. OUTSpoken’s official vision statement is as follows: “At OUTSpoken we strive to educate, elevate and impact the ever changing landscape of equality on a local, national and global scale through conversation and dialogue with leaders, entertainers and every day LGBT people and their allies. It is our belief that it is through open, fearless and honest speech and communication that the seeds of societal change truly reside.”

OUTSpoken would be remiss if we only focused on national and global LGBT issues, but it would be equally so if it only focused on local and regional. The LGBT community has a right to speak out and be heard, but we also have a responsibility to understand that we are all connected in our local community and in the global LGBT community as well. There is no other show in our area that inhabits this platform more diligently and passionately than OUTSpoken. As a weekly two hour LGBT talk show we have featured entertainers, organizations and individuals on all levels who help us to learn, grow, celebrate and enjoy our lives not only as LGBT people, but as human beings.

Lily Tomlin Lily Tomlin, one of America’s foremost comediennes, continues to venture across an ever-widening range of media, starring in television, theater, motion pictures, animation, and video.

Listen to the Show with Lily Tomlin

William Shatner William “Bill” Shatner is a Canadian actor, singer, author, producer, director, spokesman, and comedian. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T. Kirk, Captain of the USS Enterprise, in the Star Trek franchise.

Listen to the Show with William Shatner Listen to the Show KHQ Posted for OUTSpoken’s Interview With William Shatner

Dan Savage Daniel Keenan “Dan” Savage is an American author, media pundit, journalist, and activist for the LGBT community. Savage writes the internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love. In 2010, Savage and his husband, Terry Miller, began the It Gets Better Project to help prevent suicide among LGBT youth.

Listen to the Show with Dan Savage

Stephen Guarino Stephen Daniel Guarino is an American actor and comedian, best known as a cast member on the sketch comedy series The Big Gay Sketch Show, the films BearCity and BearCity 2: The Proposal, and his recurring role as Derrick in the ABC comedy series Happy Endings, a character that has since been carried over to the NBC sitcom Marry Me.

Listen to the Show with Stephen Guarino

Jonny McGovern Jonny McGovern also known by his character name The Gay Pimp, is an openly gay American stand-up comedian, musician and podcaster.

He has recorded three albums as comedic singer The Gay Pimp, and is also a cast member of Logo’s The Big Gay Sketch Show.

Listen to the Show with Jonny McGovern

Sharon Needles Sharon Needles is an American drag performer and recording artist. A self-described “stupid genius, reviled sweetheart, and PBR princess,” Needles rose to prominence on the fourth season of the Logo reality competition series RuPaul’s Drag Race, where she quickly became a fan favorite and was subsequently crowned “America’s Next Drag Superstar” in April 2012.

Listen to the Show with Sharon Needles

Ty Herndon Boyd Tyrone “Ty” Herndon is an American country music singer. Herndon has charted a total of 17 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. This figure includes three number ones: “What Mattered Most”, “Living in a Moment” and “It Must Be Love”, as well as four additional top ten hits: “I Want My Goodbye Back”, “Loved Too Much”, “A Man Holding On (To a Woman Letting Go)” and “Hands of a Working Man.” Listen to the Show with Ty Herndon Listen to the Return Show with Ty Herndon

Margaret Cho Margaret Moran Cho is an American comedian, actress, fashion designer, author, and singer-songwriter. Cho is best known for her standup routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially race and sexuality. She has created music videos and has her own clothing line of crotchless underwear for men and women.

Cho has also frequently supported LGBT rights and has won awards for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of women, Asians, and the LGBT community.

Listen to the Show with Margaret Cho Listen to the Return Show with Margaret Cho

Judy Shepard Judy Shepard is the mother of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at University of Wyoming who was murdered in October 1998 in what became one of the most high-profiled cases highlighting hatecrimes against LGBT people. She and her husband, Dennis, are co-founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and advocates for LGBT rights.

Listen to the show with Judy Shepard

Hal Sparks Hal Harry Magee Sparks III, known as Hal Sparks, is an American actor, comedian, musician and television personality. He is known for his contributions to VH1, hosting E!’s Talk Soup, and the role of Michael Novotny on the American television series Queer as Folk and as Donald Davenport in Lab Rats.

Listen to the show with Hal Sparks

Michelangelo Signorile Michelangelo Signorile is an American journalist, author and talk radio host. His radio program is aired each weekday across the United States and Canada on Sirius XM Radio and globally online. Signorile is editor-at-large for the Gay Voices vertical of The Huffington Post, where he writes regularly. He is a political liberal, and covers a wide variety of political and cultural issues.

Listen to the show with Michelangelo Signorile

Paula Poundstone Paula Poundstone - Paula Poundstone is an American stand-up comedian, author, actress, interviewer and commentator. Beginning in the late 1980s, she performed a series of one-hour HBO comedy specials.

She provided backstage commentary during the 1992 presidential election on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She is a frequent panelist on National Public Radio’s weekly news quiz show Wait Wait...

Don’t Tell Me. Listen to the show with Paula Poundstone

Steve Grand Steve Grand is an American singer-songwriter and model from Lemont, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. The music video of his first hit “All-American Boy” went viral on YouTube in less than a week in July 2013. This attention landed Grand on Good Morning America, CNN and other national media. Buzzfeed ranked the video on its list of the “24 Most Brilliant Music Videos from 2013”, and Out magazine named Grand to its annual “Out100” list of the year’s most compelling LGBT people. In addition to being a musician, Grand has become an active figure in the LGBT equality movement. He released his debut album titled All American Boy financed by a successful Kickstarter public funding campaign.

Listen to the show with Steve Greand

Coco Peru Miss Coco Peru is the drag persona of American actor, comedian and drag performer Clinton Leupp, known for her role in the 1999 independent film Trick and for her series of live theater performances.Recognizable by her “trademark copper-toned flip hairdo,” Peru also starred in Richard Day’s Girls Will Be Girls (2003) and was one of six performers featured in the Logo original stand-up comedy series Wisecrack (2005).She has also appeared in a number of other supporting and guest-starring roles in film and television.

Listen to the show with Coco Peru

Buck Angel Buck Angel is an American trans man, adult film producer, and motivational speaker. He is the founder of Buck Angel Entertainment, a media production company. He received the 2007 AVN Award as Transsexual Performer of the Year, and works as an advocate, educator, lecturer, and writer. Angel has served on the Board of Directors of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance since 2010; the foundation works to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right through advocacy and education.

Listen to the show with Buck Angel

Andrew Christian Andrew Christian is an American men’s underwear, swimwear, and sportswear manufacturer named after its founder and head-fashion designer Andrew Christian.The brand is arguably best known for its underwear, which include street, sport and fashion lines. Notable products include Flashback, Almost Naked and Show It. The company heavily targets the gay community, with the brand operating gaythemed websites, and hosting club events.

Listen to the show with Andrew Christian

Chely Wright Chely Wright is an American country music singer and gay rights activist. On the strength of her debut album in 1994, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) named her Top New Female Vocalist in 1995.

Wright’s first Top 40 country hit came in 1997 with “Shut Up and Drive”. As of May 2010, Wright’s previous eight albums and 19 singles released had sold over 1,500,000 copies in the United States.In May 2010, Wright became one of the first major country music performers to publicly come out as lesbian.

Listen to the show with Chely Wright

Dan Bucatinsky Dan Bucatinsky - Dan Bucatinsky is an American actor, writer and producer, best known for his role as James Novak in the Shonda Rhimes drama series Scandal, for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2013. In 2014, Bucatinsky starred on NBC’s Marry Me, as well as the newly revived HBO series The Comeback, which he also executive produces.

Listen to the show with Dan Bucatinsky

Adam Bouska & Jeff Parshley NOH8 Campaign The NOH8 Campaign is a charitable organization in the United States whose mission is to promote marriage, gender and human equality through education, advocacy, social media, and visual protest. The campaign was created as photographic silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with “NOH8” painted on one cheek in protest.

Listen to the show with Adam and Jeff - N0H8 Campaign Watch the Boyz talk about NOH8 on FOX 28

Ross Murray - GLAAD Ross Murray is GLAAD’s Director of Programs, focusing on global and the US South. The GLAAD Global Voices program aims to build support for LGBT equality across the globe by sharing culturechanging stories of LGBT people and families in national and international media. The GLAAD Southern Stories initiative tells the stories of LGBT people and their allies in the South to create that cultural shift.

Listen to the show with Ross Murray

Marc Solomon Freedom To Marry Marc Solomon is a gay rights advocate. He was the national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, a group advocating same-sex marriage in the United States. Solomon is author of the book Winning Marriage: The Inside Story of How Same-Sex Couples Took on the Politicians and Pundits—and Won. As executive director of MassEquality from 2006 through 2009, he led the campaign to defeat a constitutional amendment that would have reversed Massachusetts’ same-sex marriage court ruling. Politico Magazine describes Solomon as “warm and embracing” and “a born consensus builder—patient, adept at making personal connections, preternaturally gifted at politics without seeming at all like a politician.”

Listen to the show with Marc Solomon

Celebrities:

Organizations:

Melissa Ferick Anjelah Johnsorn Suzanne Westenhoefer Justin Tranter – Semi Precious Weapons Cazwell Matt Riddlehoover Logan Lynn Eckart Peru – Music Director Spokane Symphony Beekman Boys – Brent & Josh Sharon Needles Billy Gilman Jason and DeMarco Karmen Butler Julie Goldman Tempest Reina Bobby Jo Valentine Aydian Dowling Where the Bears Are – Ben, Joe and Ian Gordene Mackenzie and Nancy Nangeroni – Gender Talk Lance Sanderson

National Center for Transgender Equality Gays with Kids PFLAG American Brain Tumor Association

Political: Jon Snyder - Spokane City Councilman John T. Reuter David Condon – Mayor of Spokane Mike Fagan – Spokane City Councilman Maureen Walsh - State Representative Marcus Riccelli - Representative Brady Walkinshaw – Representative Stu Rasmussen – former Mayor of Silverton, Oregon

Special interests: Westcoast Entertainment – Lerria Schuh Vice President of Marketing and Sales Spokane Humane Society

Authors: Defrocked – by Frank Schaefer Winning Marriage – Marc Solomon Another F-Word - Lissa Brown God and the Gay Christian – Matthew Vines Greta Christina Messengers – Anthony Greer

Panels: PrEP- Damon Jacobs, Howard Grossman, Eric Paul Leue

Spokane City: Spokane Fire Department Spokane Police Department

To listen to the above shows click here to visit the OUTSpoken’s website www.hotmesssunday.com

2014

DO YOU LIKE TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT THE EVER-CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF EQUALITY ON A LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL SCALE? FOR PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN RURAL AREAS, SMALL CITIES, OR ARE FREQUENTLY ON THE ROAD TRAVELING, KEEPING UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST LGBTQ NEWS CAN BE A CHALLENGE. This is no longer true for approximately 400,000 people in six counties in eastern Washington— including isolated, remote, and rural communities.

As the only LGBTQ radio program in the Inland Northwest, OUTSpoken—a program of KYRS Thin Air Community Radio—is providing coverage of local and regional topics that are relevant to our community.

Given Pride Foundation’s commitment to keeping our community informed and connected— regardless of where people live—we recently awarded a first-time grant to KYRS to support the production, recording, and editing of OUTSpoken.

OUTSpoken is a weekly program that first aired on December 8, 2013. Jonathan Shuffield is the creator and co-host of the show, and he works closely with his other co-host Sergey Grankin, and producer Kurt Schmierer.

When asked what gave him the inspiration to start OUTSpoken, Jonathan shared that he felt a strong need and desire to produce a program that focuses on LGBTQ issues—a concept he held for 10 years prior to its fruition; “…during such a unique time in history, with the changing landscape and recent advances we’ve seen in the LGBTQ community, it couldn’t have happened at a better time,” said Jonathan.

Living in a predominately conservative region of the state, Jonathan knew it was important to start conversations that educate and promote people who are living their lives genuinely and authentically.

“OUTSpoken,” Jonathan continued, “provides a stage to educate and empower the LGBTQ community.”

OUTSpoken has, and continues to, produce timely shows on important topics that are close to our hearts and minds. These programs provide a safe place to share opinions and discuss the issues that affect us. In addition, the broadcast shares uplifting and educational segments that celebrate and inform the local LGBTQ community.

As a weekly two-hour LGBTQ talk show, OUTSpoken has featured entertainers, organizations, and individuals that help us learn, grow, celebrate, and enjoy our lives not only as LGBTQ people, but also as human beings.

OUTSpoken also provides local, rural, and remote LGBTQ communities with a voice through its social media and online presence.

“This program is meant to strengthen the community, while instilling pride and celebrating LGBTQ people throughout Eastern Washington,” explained Jonathan.

In the past, OUTSpoken has interviewed Spokane City Council Member Jon Snyder on the importance of adding gender identity to the Spokane Municipal Code and his opinion on ENDA. In addition, the show covered topics such as the fall of Prop 8 and DOMA, bullying, the gay/ lesbian “divide,” bisexuality, the forgotten letters of LGBT, and LGBTQ youth to name a few.

At OUTSpoken, the relevance to our community determines the stories.

“If we can bring the current dialogue about national LGBT rights to the local level, we have a better chance of creating and supporting lasting change,” said Jonathan. “At OUTSpoken we strive to elevate the impact of the ever-changing landscape of equality through conversations and dialogues with leaders, entertainers, and everyday LGBT people and allies. It is our belief that through open, fearless, and honest communication we can create societal change.”

Next time you are searching the airwaves for issues that are relevant to you and your community, or if you know of an issue that relates to the local LGBTQ community, check out OUTSpoken! Let your voice be heard and know that you are not alone.

Tune in Sundays from 12:00pm to 2:00pm on 88.1 and 92.3 FM Listener’s Comments “KYRS is unlike any other public radio or television available in Spokane. It is our neighbors, friends, and community members who develop and bring us unique and varied programming. The topics and discussions on Outspoken are fun, interesting, and provide a starting point for me and my friends to further discuss issues in depth. Great points of view, laughter, and sassiness—OUTSpoken is a great addition to my Sundays! Love you boys, keep ‘em coming!”—Megan “Hey, just wanted to send my love and support to you and the rest of Spokane’s LGBT community.

As an African American, I know the feeling of pain caused by prejudice and oppression, and so I strongly back your cause. Please know that there are straight people in Spokane, who WILL stand with you in your fight for justice! The OUTSpoken program has just gained a new fan. Keep up the great work!” —Sather Gowdy “Thank you so much for what your show does. It means a lot.” —Trung Nguyen “Thank you for the interviews and focus on LGBT issues. I have to listen on the internet as I am not local, but I love what you do. I especially love the fact that you all remember where we have come from and do not try to sweep it under the rug as so many “modern” gay hosts and shows do.

Again, thank you.” —Michael Hobbs Farand Gunnels is Pride Foundation’s regional development organizer in Washington. Email Farand.

Click on this link to see the original write up.

2014

EMAIL FROM PRIDE FOUNDATION Dear Lupito, Congratulations!

On behalf of Pride Foundation’s Board of Directors and staff, I am pleased to announce that Thin Air Community Radio has been awarded a grant in the amount of $3000 for Outspoken: Locally Produced LGBT Radio as part of our 2014-15 Community Grants Cycle. This grant award is for one year.

We applaud you for your great work to strengthen the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community in our region. We will be publically announcing these awards the week of November 3, 2014.

An official award letter and Grant Award Agreement has been mailed to the address we have on file for your organization and in order to release your grant, you need to have an authorized representative sign and return Grant Award Agreement to Pride Foundation.

We are so pleased to be able to assist you with your efforts. Please contact Gunner Scott, Director of Programs, at gunner@pridefoundation.org or (206) 323-3318 x31 if you have any questions.

With Pride, Zoey Brodsky, Administrative and Program Assistant On behalf of Kris Hermanns, Executive Director

2015 A Powerful Voice

By Pride Foundation on November 17th, 2015 at 11:34 pm

Listen to Jonathan Shuffield and Sergey Grankin discuss how they found their voices and connect with community by hosting OUTSpoken, a weekly show on KYRS Thin Air Community Radio, and the only LGBTQ radio program in the Inland Northwest.

KYRS Thin Air Community Radio is a Pride Foundation grantee.

Visit Pride Foundation’s website and see original Article – www.pridefoundation.org

Click to watch Project X Videos In June of 2015 OUTSpoken hosted a free community screening of HBO Picture’s “The Normal Heart” in line with our mission statement and desire to start important conversations in the LGBT community and beyond. Challenged with the restrictions placed upon us by the licensing company in reference to advertising, we branded it Project X. With a promotional campaign that included original character based videos, OUTSpoken was honored to create this exclusive red carpet event, followed by a panel of experts in the field of HIV treatment and prevention.

OUTSpoken is thrilled to partner with the Spokane AIDS Network in the continued and important work for HIV treatment and prevention. We cherish our partnership with this organization and lead efforts during AIDS Action and Awareness Day on Capitol Hill in Olympia, created panel discussions about PrEP, and brought the community Project X. The Boyz were honored this year to host their annual benefit, The Red Ribbon Gala.

Click to listen to Boyz talk to SAN

While interviewing NOH8 founders Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley, the Boyz discovered the visual protest campaign had never come to their city of Spokane, WA. Armed with this knowledge the OUTSpoken crew organized and promoted a stop on the NOH8 tour in less than eight weeks.

Click here to listen to interview with Adam and Jeff

Mid-Columbia Pride 2015 The Boyz were honored to be asked to host the Mid-Columbia Pride Festival in the summer of 2015 in the tri-cities of Washington state. Continuing their message of unity and honest dialogue they were pleased to take the stage and continue the important outreach of OUTSpoken.

The OUTSpoken team strives to grow and be better as human beings. Every day they commit to living what they preach. In that aspect the crew decided to do something healthy and use their platform to encourage others. They found a way to support and promote a good cause in the process by training for their first 5k to benefit the American Brain Tumor Association. In May of 2015 the crew and a team of loyal listeners ran and completed the 5k to benefit brain tumor research.

Click here to listen to the Interview with spokes person from American Brain Tumor Association.

Medical advancements in HIV/AIDs have taken time, but the horizon of HIV treatment, prevention and awareness is growing in exciting and surprising new ways. A new development called PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) became mainstream through a drug called Truvada. As the drug Truvada came to our attention within the past few years, we noticed there was a shocking lack of accurate information in the LGBT community and we at OUTSpoken wanted to learn more and educate the community around us.

The links below will take you to the recorded shows on the website where we start the discussion with local doctors and those using the drug.

Click on the links below to listen to the different PrEP segments: What is PrEP? What are doctors saying about PrEP? Boyz talk to Dr. Howard Grossman Boyz talk to Damon Jacobs Boyz talk with Eric Paul Leue

Youth Out Reach Program It is important to us at OUTSpoken that we support our young LGBT people and allies and do our part in promoting a better future for all. We strive to work within the high schools, colleges and with various organizations in order to build a stronger foundation for which our future LGBT leaders may thrive.

Youth Police Initiative (YPI)

Listen to the show that talks with the Spokane Police Dept about YPI

Gay Straight Alliance (GSA)

Listen to the show where the OUTSpoken Boyz talk with Students about (GSA)

CLick Here to watch Sports Minute with Jonathan and Sergey The Boyz from OUTSpoken help CCE Sports Network with their Fund Drive Click to Watch What are the “Boyz Talking About” watch CCE Sports Netwok’s OUTSpoken Channel Click to Watch

The team at OUTSpoken values voice and the ability to use that voice to share a story, message or start the conversation. That’s why OUTSpoken began video production. As one of the most engaging and artistic ways to share your voice, video production is an incredible tool for our team. We’ve worked with organizations such as Spokane AIDS Network, KYRS Thin Air Radio, Red Ribbon Gala and others to produce video content that showcases stories, presents ideas and delivers messages in a creative way.

Click to visit OUTSpoken’s Youtube Channel

Click to view the CCE Sports Network Fund Drive Video Produced by OUTSpoken Click to view CCE Sports Minute with Jonathan and Sergey Click to view “What the Boyz are Talking About” on CCE Sports Network

Click to view “I am KYRS” Produced by OUTSpoken

For more information about OUTSpoken Email: team@aruproductions.com Call: 208-477-1682 www.hotmesssunday.com