Ken's Latest Articles
Meet the Ohio LGBTQ+ art therapist who is using superheroes to help LGBTQ+ youth
Superheroes helped Mike Boyce navigate life as queer young person. Now, as an art therapist, they’re helping other LGBTQ+ children see themselves as superheroes.
Josh Mandel threatens Drag Queen Story Hour, calls it “child abuse”; Cleveland drag queen claps back
In a tweet last month, U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel took aim at a Cleveland Drag Queen Story Hour event calling it “child abuse” and threatening that it “must be stopped.”
Kerry McCormack becomes the first out LGBTQ+ individual to hold Cleveland’s #2 legislative post
With the sea change of leadership that is about to hit Cleveland as the new mayoral and council administration takes office, a number of LGBTQ+ leaders will find themselves not only sitting at the table, but also holding positions of great influence.
Two drag queens walk into a sausage shop … Wait. This is not a joke.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one: two drag queen walk into a sausage shop. And a fun time is had by all. But no, this is not a joke. It’s the unique idea devised by Melissa Khoury, one of the Lady Butchers behind Saucisson, the famed butchery and lunch spot in Cleveland’s Slavic Village. Dubbed “The Sunday Matinee Sausage Party,” the monthly event is a hands-on, sausage-making, drag-entertaining extravaganza. Needless to say, meat puns abound.
Meet the Ohio nun who has been working on the frontlines of HIV/AIDS work for decades
Not every nun lists their pronouns in their e-mail signature. But let’s be clear: not every nun is quite like Sister Susan Zion. Zion has spent more than a decade as the executive director of Ursuline Piazza, an organization she founded to address gaps in service for the HIV-positive community.
New Report: 32% of Youth in Cuyahoga County Foster Care are LGBTQ+; Disproportionately Having Adverse Experiences
“It’s been a bumpy road,” said the 17-year-old who is currently in the permanent custody of the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (CCDCFS). “A really bumpy road.” Over the past five years, Anastasia has moved between foster homes to group-living arrangements to a brief time at a residential care facility. She remembers being terrified at age 12 when she was first told that she was going “into the system.”
Ohio girl scout aims for highest honor…via amplifying LGBTQ+ youth voices
Only one project stands between Halle Preneta and the highest honor that can be achieved by a Girl Scout. And she is taking decidedly rainbow approach to get to her goal. The 18-year-old Chagrin Falls resident has spent more than half of her life in the Girl Scouts, and is now poised to complete the Gold Award, the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of the USA, earned by only 5.4% of eligible Girl Scouts.
An out & proud wonk: Rebecca Maurer vies for Cleveland City Council
Rebecca Maurer wants more transparency in Cleveland City Hall. It’s a quality she role-models herself in her bid to become the newest member of the Cleveland City Council. Right on her campaign website, she proudly shares that her LGBTQ+ identity helps inform her point of view.
Planners seek community input on bringing bus rapid transit to West 25th Street
25Connects, a community planning effort that aims to support walkable, transit-oriented development on West 25th Street between Detroit Avenue and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, is hosting a virtual public meeting on Wed., Oct. 14 at 6 pm. RTA will provide an update on opportunities along the W. 25th Street corridor to implement transit-oriented development (TOD) and bus rapid transit (BRT) enhancements, and solicit feedback.