Outbeat News In Depth

This week we conclude our series of interviews with the candidates for Sonoma County Sheriff.  This June voters will elect the next Sheriff and the person who will lead law enforcement in Guerneville and all of the other unincorporated areas of Sonoma County.  This month we introduce you to Dave Edmonds.  We’ll talk with him about his view of law enforcement today and what change he plans to...

We continue this month introducing you to the candidates running for sheriff in Sonoma County.  As the chief law enforcement officer of the county, the sheriff is responsible for overseeing the deputies who interact and serve Sonoma County’s huge LGBTQ+ population including Guerneville and the cities the sheriff contracts with, Sonoma and Windsor, to provide police services.  This month we t...

Our conversations with the candidates for Sonoma County Sheriff continue this month with Carl Tennenbaum. He is one now only three candidates left in the race.  We are asking all of the candidates about their experience working with the LGBTQ+ community and their thoughts about things like having an LGBT Liaison officer for the community.  We are also challenging them with questions about police u...

In June Sonoma County voters will select the next County Sheriff.  There are four candidates competing for the job and we’ve invited all four to be guests on our show over the next four months.  This is your chance to get to know the candidates so you can make the best choice for who you think should lead the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department. We will be asking each candidate about th...

Last year two stories of racism and homophobia in Bay Area fire departments made headlines.  This month we take an in depth look at these issues.  Our guests include Kevin Mallison, author of “Alarm In The Firehouse and first “out” firefighter in the nation.  Ed Senatore returns to talk about his experience leading an international organization of LGBTQ+ firefighters and emergency medical services...

We’re wrapping up 2021 with an in depth look at one of the most important issues of the year – immigration.  In more than 70 countries, being LGBTQ+ is a capitol offense and those found “guilty” can face the death penalty. Seeking asylum in the United States is a matter of life and death.  For our last show of the year, we are talking with Okan Sengun from the LGBTQ Asylum Project and our own Gary...

Meet Sebastopol’s new police chief, Kevin Kilgore.  He and his husband are new to the North Bay moving here from southern California where Chief Kilgore previously worked as a police lieutenant at the UCLA Police Department.  He will share his story growing up and talk about some of the pressing social and crime issues facing Sebastopol and Sonoma County.     Learn More Sebastopol Police...

This month we are celebrating the work of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence!  Sister Roma from the San Francisco Order is known as “the most photographed nun in the world!”  We’ll talk with her about her 34 years of service to our community and learn what drives her to keep on giving to so many.  Sister Sorenda Da’Booty from the Russian River Sisters Order will also be on to talk about the Toy D...

There is a movement in the Castro neighborhood to replace the giant rainbow Pride flag with the newer progress flag. The flag pole and rainbow flag was installed near Market and Castro by the rainbow flag’s creator Gilbert Baker and stands there both as a landmark and as a tribute to Gilbert.  Not everyone sees the value of this flag or the significance of its history.  Gilbert Baker passed away i...

As law enforcement continues to struggle with building trust with the communities they serve, the District Attorney in Napa County has created an innovative partnership with the local LGBT center to locate services in the center in order to build trust and to make services more accessible to members of the LGBTQ community.  This month we hear all about this innovative partnership with District Att...

June 5, 2021 marked 40 years since AIDS first emerged in the gay community. After the government and most of society ignored the growing epidemic, ACT UP formed in 1987 to change the course of the country’s response.  ACT UP was one of the successful and unconventional activist organization in our history.  This month we talk with Sarah Schulman, a journalist and active member of ACT UP, about her...

Happy Pride!  We love celebrating Pride Sunday with our listeners every year and this year is no exception.  We are partying with singer, song-writer Stephen Scaccia.  He shares his personal story and some of his music.  We discovered him a few months back and featured his rendition of “Rise Up” on our show.  He is a wonderful talent with an inspiring story to share. On this week’s Outbeat N...

On this Outbeat Extra edition of Outbeat News In Depth, we celebrate the start of Pride month 2021 and the 6th anniversary of the marriage equality decision with the lead plaintiff in the case, Jim Obergefell.  Jim has become an amazing activist.  Jim was recently featured in the Netflix docu-series, “Amend.” Learn More Jim Obergefell Family Equality Netflix Amend Listen To This Edition Of Outbeat...

This month we begin by talking with film maker and screen writer Ondi Timoner who just this month released “Mapplethorpe – The Director’s Cut.”  You may have seen the original film, but you really didn’t see the film because much of it was cut out, until now.  Robert Mapplethorpe was an amazing artist who fueled the change for how the law and the courts view art. We are also joined by Sonoma Count...

The animus toward the transgender community in this country continues to be disturbing. We’ve reported on the Outbeat News segment the alarming number of transgender people murdered each year and as we shared last month, the violence is targeted equally at transgender men and women. New legislation in states across the country to prevent transgender people from particating in sports or accessing r...

Immigration has been a political, social, and media story especially during the four years of the Trump administration. Often lost in the debate are the millions of individual stories of struggle and success for those who come to this country.  This month we talk with Harma Hartouni – a Survivor. Gay, Middle Eastern Male. Self-Made Entrepreneur. Proud Husband and Father. Author of Getting Back Up:...

This month we pay tribute to Bay Area LGBTQ activist Ken Jones, who passed away last month at the age of 70.  Ken was instrumental in desegregating the LGBTQ community in the 1970’s.  He worked with Gilbert Baker to literally make the first rainbow flag and he continued his life of activism until he died serving on boards and speaking out for equality and justice. Learn More ABC mini series &#8220...

This year’s Creating Change Conference is going virtual and we will be attending for the first time.  This annual conference prepares LGBTQ+ activists to lead our movement and on our show this month we will talk with conference organizers about the goals and hopes for this year’s program.  Creating Change takes place January 28 through 31.  You can attend the conference by registering...

As our world struggles to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the AIDS pandemic continues without a cure.  December 1st is World AIDS Day and this month we talk with staff leaders at Face to Face to learn the latest about HIV prevention and treatment.  We will also hear how those living with HIV here locally are fairing against the threat of CV-19. December 1st is also Matthew Shepard’s birthday. A...

Last week the F.B.I. released the statistics for reported hate crimes in 2019.  It’s not surprising that the numbers have increased including an 18% increase in hate crimes targeting transgender people.  Forbes magazine also reported this month that the total number of transgender people murdered so far in 2019 has already exceeded the total number reported in 2018.  Transgender women of col...

October is LGBTQ history month and the time each year when we remember the significant events that have shaped our lives and experience.  October 11 was National Coming Out Day and while you may wonder if people still today struggle with coming out, please know they do.  LGBTQ people young and old continue to face great adversity and this is only made worse when elected leaders disparage, demean,...

This month we continued our two-part series looking at discrimination and racism in law enforcement.  Our guest is Dale Peters, producer and host of “Black In Blue” – an online show about people of color who work in law enforcement.  As an African American man working in law enforcement in Southern California, he has experienced first hand discrimination from within.  We will tal...

While the nation is calling for police reform, many public safety agencies are struggling with not only public outcry, but how to deal with the CV-19 health emergency, recruitment and mental health.  For LGBTQ+ members of police and fire agencies, these issues can be overwhelming. This month we start a two-part series first with Julie Callahan, founder of the Transgender Community Of Police and Sh...

Last month the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ+ people could not be fired or otherwise discriminated against at work.  But the fight for employment protection started almost 70 years before.  This month we talk with Eric Cervini about his new book, The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America.”  A federal worker, Frank Kameny, was fired for being gay and took-on the Unite...

Happy Pride! This month we talk with investigative reporter and author Frederic Martel from his home in Paris, France about his book, “In The Closet Of The Vatican.”  For over 5 years, Mr. Martel conducted interviews with some of highest ranking members of the Roman Catholic Church about a hidden culture of homosexuality and hypocrisy that exists at every level of the church all over the world. Th...