Queer Onda El Paso

In this episode we talk about the power of music — not just to entertain, but to express who we are, tell our stories and connect us with one another.  Our guest is performer and artist, Jaimielynn Amato, known as Songbird of EPTX. We talk to her about the journey behind the music, the importance of authenticity, and what it means to find your voice as a queer artist here in the Borderland.  Liste...

For more information visit www.queeronda.com

For more information visit www.queeronda.com

For more information visit www.queeronda.com

For more information visit www.queeronda.com

Ten years ago, the Borderland Rainbow Center was a new idea: a vision for a place in El Paso where LGBTQ+ people could find community, support, resources and, most importantly, a place where they knew they belonged.   Today, the Rainbow Center has become an important part of El Paso, providing valuable services and resources not only to the LGBTQ+ community, but to the greater community as well. R...

Identity can be an interesting thing. We use words to describe who we are, where we come from and where we belong—but most of us don’t fit neatly into just one box. We carry a lot of different identities with us, and sometimes figuring out how they fit together is part of figuring out who we are.   Here in El Paso, many of us grow up with a pretty strong sense of what it means to be Chicano, Latin...

Across the country, gay men's choruses have long been about much more than music. Beginning in the late 1970s, LGBTQ choirs emerged in cities like San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles, giving people the opportunity to celebrate who they were through song at a time when acceptance was far from guaranteed. They became places where friendships were formed, confidence was built, and communiti...

From the Stonewall Riots of 1969 to the frontlines of the LGBTQIA+ rights struggle of 2026, Pride continues to be one of our communities most visible assemblies. This is an account of the very first Pride protest. For more information visit www.queeronda.com

Our guest in this episode is Sidney A. Alvarez, a television and brand journalist who opens the door to one of life’s hardest truths in his debut book, Your Soulmate Expired, And That’s OK. We talk with him about some of the complicated realities of LGBTQ+ dating, and how happiness doesn’t always begin with finding “the one” — sometimes it begins with finding yourself.  Sidney shares his intimate...

Documenting queer life through photography is an act of visibility, preservation, and resistance. For generations, LGBTQ+ stories have been overlooked or erased. Photography not only affirms our everyday experiences but also captures the milestones that shape our community. Publishing these images helps build a visual history in which future generations can see themselves reflected. By telling the...

In the early years of the HIV epidemic, particularly in the 1980s, an HIV diagnosis was often considered a death sentence. Without effective treatments, it was a terrifying, stigmatized, and rapidly fatal prognosis. Today, it is managed as a chronic, treatable condition. Still, there are many misconceptions about HIV treatment, and many patients still struggle with the perception of the stigma att...

Joining us for an enlightening and sometimes funny talk is holistic healer Juan Francisco Estrada, founder of Massage N Spirit in Central El Paso. Juan’s work blends touch, energy, intuition, and lived spiritual experience to help people reconnect with themselves on a deeper level. And in times like these — when uncertainty, stress, and constant political noise surround us — his perspective feels...

Marriage equality has been one of the major political and social issues facing LGBTQ people in the US but on the other side of the coin is the freedom for gays and lesbians to embrace a life without a partner. Our guest,  Danny Casillas is a drag performer, actor and a retired civil employee for the City of West Hollywood. His blog, ‘ Die alone with me.com ’ embraces the many facets of being a sin...

For more information visit www.queeronda.com

The recent government shut down has shone a bright spotlight on food insecurity. While some families SNAP benefits are being reduced or cut altogether, many organizations and community groups have stepped up to help provide helping hands.    In addition to the myriad of services and events at the Borderland Rainbow Center for the   LGBTQ community the BRC helps alleviate hunger in the El Paso comm...

We commemorate LGBTQ History Month as we talk to Dov. E. Kupfer who has been documenting Queer Life in El Paso for nearly 40 years.   He shares his own journey of coming out, the people and the events he has covered and some personal stories about life behind the camera.  For more information visit www.queeronda.com

In this episode, we talk to Margarita Martinez Almeida who shares her journey from the emotional reaction to her child coming out as trans to lighting the way for other parents as president of PFLAG El Paso. Margarita tells us about the important work PFLAG is doing in our community and how members of our community can help support their efforts.  For more information visit www.queeronda.com

In this episode, we talk to Robert Williams who serves as the chairperson for Southern New Mexico Pride. He shares great insight and information about the many events we can look forward to during their Pride Celebrations beginning September 24 in Las Cruces. For more information visit www.queeronda.com

Wayne Hilton is a designer, artist, and boundless creative. He is widely known as an excellent event planner, host extraordinaire and El Paso’s own style guru. With a background in costume design, his passion for art, interior design, fashion and travel, Wayne creatively managed to bring all of those influences together when he launched his YouTube Channel ‘The Consummate Host’. We talk to him tod...

A positive quality of life for the LGBTQ+ population in a city includes creating a place where individuals feel supported as their whole selves; including their sexuality, gender, race, national origin and faith. It is a city that provides concrete support, not just symbolic support, through actionable laws, policies, and practices to protect LGBTQ+ residents.  Our guest today is Ben Fyfee. Ben is...

In this episode we celebrate all things Pride and share some of the events and changes in our community during Pride Month. Our guest is Christopher Eck, President of El Paso Sun City Pride who talks about what’s new and exciting about this year’s celebrations. He also discusses some of the challenges faced by EPSCP under this political and economic climate. And, just for fun, we offer our picks f...

Religion and spirituality can offer a sense of meaning, purpose, and community.  Many times, our personal beliefs can contribute to mental and physical well-being and help shape our morals and ethics. For LGBTQ people, the role of religion can be a source of both solace and suffering.   While many LGBTQ Americans have been raised in an organized religion — and many continue to cherish their faith...

In the late seventies, gay men in the San Francisco Bay Area who were typically masculine presenting, stocky and hairy met informally at bars and parties. These men began to be known and later self-identify as bears. The men remained in a somewhat secluded group until their status was formalized and celebrated with the founding of Bear Magazine in 1987.           Since then, bear communities and c...

Months before the Texas legislature convened this year, dozens of anti-LGBTQ house bills were introduced by republicans. Many of these house bills will move forward and unfortunately some may become law. At the top of the list are bills that move to erase same-sex education and further disenfranchise transgender citizens of Texas. In this episode we talk to Dina Perez with the El Paso chapter of t...