2022 Issue 6 Nov/Dec Focus - Mid-Tenn magazine

Serving the Middle Tennessee LGBT+ Community and its Allies | NOV+DEC 2022 

FREE 

TENNESSEE 

HUSTLE 

YELLOW & 

LAVENDER 

INCLUSIVE 

VEGAN BAKERY 

SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES 

TIPS FOR QUEER FREELANCERS

P R E S E N T E D B Y 

WORLD AIDS DAY 

GETTING TO ZERO 

D E C E M B E R 1 , 2 0 2 2 

7 : 0 0 A M B R E A K F A S T | 8 - 9 : 0 0 A M P R O G R A M 

H e a r f r o m t h e m o t h e r o f o n e 

o f t h e m o s t i n s p i r a t i o n a l k i d s 

o f o u r t i m e ! H i s b r a v e r y h a s 

i m p a c t e d m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e 

w h o a r e l i v i n g w i t h H I V . 

G E T T I C K E T S T O D A Y 

B E F O R E T H E Y S E L L O U T ! 

W O R L D A I D S D A Y E V E N T . C O M

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

AND SHARE WITH FRIENDS! 

GET IN 

FOCUS 

Like, Follow 

and Tag us 

@focusmidtenn 

#focusmidtenn 

Tweet 

with us 

@focusmidtenn 

#focusmidtenn 

Share your 

Focus! 

@focusmidtenn 

#focusmidtenn 

We’ll email 

you! 

Go to focuslgbt.com, scroll 

to the bottom and fill out 

the online form 

Get all your LGBT+ content online at focuslgbt.com 

4 QUEER OUR BODIES ARTISTS • OUR | focuslgbt.com 

CHOICES | focuslgbt.com

the team 

PUBLISHER 

Ray Rico 

EDITOR 

Chellie Bowman 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

+ ADVERTISING DESIGN 

Daphne Butler 

INTERACTIVE 

+ SOCIAL MEDIA 

Chellie Bowman 

Tracy Love 

FOCUS CENTER 

FOUNDATION 

Moth Moth Moth 

ADVERTISING+FINANCE 

Leila Hinkle 

info@focuslgbt.com 

901.800.1172 

DISTRIBUTION 

+ SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Randall Sloan 

Leila Hinkle 

GK Gurley 

contributors 

GK Gurley 

Mud 

Star McGill Goudy 

Focus® Middle Tennessee is all about LGBT+ people and their allies…their 

work, play, families, creativity, style, health and wealth, bodies and souls. Our 

focus is on you. 

Focus® Middle Tennessee is published digitally, bi-monthly and available 

online. Focus reserves the right to refuse to sell space for any advertisement 

the staff deems inappropriate for the publication. Press releases must be 

received by the first of the month for the following issue. All content of this 

magazine, including and without limitation to the design, advertisements, 

art, photos and editorial content, as well as the selection, coordination and 

arrangement thereof, is Copyright ©2021, Focus® Middle Tennessee. All Rights 

Reserved. No portion of this magazine may be copied or reprinted without the 

express written permission of the publisher. For a full list of our editorial and 

advertising policies, please visit focuslgbt.com/policies. 

PICK UP + GIVE FOCUS 

Pick up a copy of Focus ® Mid-Tennessee at locations near you. Check out 

focuslgbt.com for the most up-to-date list of spots where the magazine is 

distributed. Want to carry Focus ® Mid-Tennessee? Call us at 901.800.1172 or 

email info@focuslgbt.com. 

Give a subscription to someone, or treat yourself. Yearly subscriptions are $25; 

subscribe on focuslgbt.com. 

Focus ® Middle Tennessee Magazine is published by 

Ray Rico Freelance, LLC 

2294 Young Avenue 

Memphis, TN, 38104 

focuslgbt.com 

Let’s be friends. Tag us! 

Facebook: focusmidtenn 

Twitter: @focusmidtenn, #focusmidtenn 

Instagram: @focusmidtenn, #focusmidtenn 

Proud Member 

Certifying LGBT Businesses. 

Connecting Our Communities. 

BE PART OF THE JANUARY+FEBRUARY ISSUE 

CRAFTS 

Submit story ideas: editor@focuslgbt.com. 

Editorial submission deadline: December 1, 2022 

Advertising inquiries: sales@focuslgbt.com. 

Ad space reservation due: December 1, 2022 

focuslgbt.com | Tennessee Hustle 5

22 

CONTENTS | NOV+DEC 2022 

18 

7 

THEME: 

8 

ASK 

TENNESSEE HUSTLE 

ALLIE 

Self-preservation or family time during the 

holiday season? 

10 LIFE 

Advice for those considering a more 

sustainable work model 

12 LIFE 

Bakery owners Ryliegh Vieria and Lucy Pazos 

offer queer Nashville something special 

16 HOROSCOPES 

What do the stars have in store for us these 

next two months? 

18 COMMUNITY 

Independent textile artist Katrina Perdue on 

her mending practice 

12 

20 LIFE 

Business + Finance Podcast Roundup 

20 

ON THE COVER 

Ryliegh Vieria and Lucy Pazos 

photo by Josh Bethea 

6 Tennessee Hustle | focuslgbt.com

theme 

" 

Everything we 

make is hand-rolled, 

hand-crafted and 

made with so 

much love." 

- Ryliegh and Lucy, 

Yellow & Lavender Bakery 

Delectable vegan treat from an East Nashville BIPOC & 

queer-owned bakery. Find the story on page 12. 

photo courtesy of Yellow & Lavender 


life 

Self-Preservation 

During the Holidays 

by Star McGill Goudey 

Dear Allie, 

I am a single, 24-year-old who has made steps in the past year to go nocommunication 

with my family due to their non-support of my being trans. But the 

holidays are approaching and I’m feeling the pull of sentimentality–and guilt. My mom 

has said that it’s just an evening and I should be able to take time out for family. She 

said they promise not to talk about my being trans, and that I should just forgive and 

forget for the holidays. Here’s the thing. That one evening? I spent weeks anxiously 

thinking about it, and afterwards I spent weeks trying to process and heal. I came 

out in spring of the previous year and that holiday season is not something I want to 

repeat. 

Time has passed and I’ve worked on acceptance with my family but it’s just not 

there yet. This tells me that it’s going to be the same, if not worse than last year 

despite her promises. I don’t have it in me to be drained that way again. I have friends 

who have invited me to their celebrations. Somehow I still feel guilty and that I 

should just chin up and be part of my family like they want. I feel like I owe it to them, 

but I feel like I owe it to myself to take care of me–and that feels selfish. Have any 

guidance? 

Yours, 

Am I Selfish? 


Dear AIS, 

Holiday self-preservation. I feel you, AIS. Sadly, we 

don’t get to choose our genetic family. I’m so glad you 

reached out! I think you are in good company here no 

matter the circumstances of the whys. Memories and 

the pursuit of that special ‘holiday glow’ can make it 

even more painful. If you are trying to make yourself 

do something you think you should, it’s hard to think 

clearly about what it is you actually want to do. I think I 

can provide you with some suggestions that may help. 

First, give yourself permission to feel this way! It’s 

all perfectly valid! You asked if you are being selfish– I 

believe that selfishness is a construct often used to 

control people’s actions, to guilt them into doing what 

someone wants. I challenge you to let go of that word 

and to instead embrace words like self-care, selfpreservation 

and self-love. It has been revolutionary 

for me to do so. So no, I absolutely do not feel you are 

being selfish for considering your needs first! In fact, I 

am very proud of you! 

You included some phrases from your family 

that were warning signs for me. Their words seem 

manipulative and not in honor of boundaries. And it 

seems, as you say, you have been working towards 

no contact, that you do have some solid boundaries 

in place. The holidays aren’t going to make those 

intrusions of boundaries go away. You can’t dress 

things up in sparkly lights and glittering ribbons and 

ignore how someone makes you feel the other 364 

days of the year. No matter how much your mom 

wishes it so. I know you know this, because you are 

considering not going. 

In order for you to stay healthy and happy you need 

to know what it is that you need. What is it that you 

want out of the holiday? Is there a specific food or 

tradition that makes you feel warm inside? What makes 

a holiday special for you in regards to your beliefs and 

expectations? Is there certain family in particular you 

want to visit? Answering these questions can help you 

sort out how you feel from how you think you should 

feel. What level of sadness and regret do you think you 

would feel if you didn’t go? No, not what they try to 

heap onto you, how you really feel inside. 

If you decide to go, are there any family members 

you are in contact with who fully accept you? Would 

they be your buffer-buddy at the gathering and is that 

enough support? Try letting your family know ahead of 

time what topics are off limits and have a few phrases 

on the ready if they don’t follow them. “If you continue 

to bring this up, I am leaving the conversation”, “This is 

not something I will discuss” and “I understand that you 

are upset but this is my decision” are some good ones. 

Rehearse them so that they don’t feel awkward to say. 

Set an amount of time you want to be there and have an 

exit plan, one to two hours can be more than enough. 

Be mindful of your triggers and give yourself permission 

to walk away from them. And, if you consume alcohol I 

would recommend not having any at the gathering so 

that you are clear-headed. Most importantly, have a selfcare 

plan in place for after the gathering so that you can 

begin to regulate and balance. 

If you decide not to go, think about those questions 

you answered earlier and use them to shape what you 

need. You mentioned the celebration with friends you 

were invited to. Can you bring that special dish? Share 

that tradition? And if that’s not appropriate, can you 

invite friends over for your own celebration? Or maybe, 

you want to create a solo holiday that is peaceful and 

luxurious. Beginning new memories and traditions can be 

exciting! You have the freedom to create a joyous holiday 

time for yourself and I think that is magical. 

I hope I have given some perspective and some 

thoughts for your journey. It sounds like you are coming 

into this holiday season being more authentically yourself 

than you have ever been before. I’ll say it again, I am so 

proud of you! Celebrate you this season, too. Appreciate 

yourself and how far you’ve come. You spoke out here 

for your own needs and health and that is audacious and 

amazing! So many of us stand here with you in this as 

well as we face our own holiday season. You aren’t alone, 

none of us are. Go make this season magical for yourself 

as you glow more brightly than those sparkling lights we 

all adore. 

Your friend, 

Allie 

To submit your own question, email Allie at 

allie@focuslgbt.com. Focus Mid-South reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. 


life 

A More Sustainable Work Model 

for Queer & Trans People: 

Tips for Folks 

Interested in 

Freelancing 

by GK Gurley 

The global pandemic’s lockdown changed the way 

many of us approach our work. A remarkable amount of 

businesses and organizations shifted to work-at-home 

formats, and even now many remain work-at-home. For 

many queer and trans people, this has been a blessing. 

Employers based out of more progressive areas hire 

remotely, and freelancing is a much more sustainable 

career option. But regardless of in-person or remote 

work, infrastructure in Tennessee does remarkably little to 

protect its workers. 

Tennessee is a right-to-work state, meaning a person 

hired by an employer or company subject to a collective 

bargaining agreement can decide whether or not to join 

a union and pay its dues. Regardless of that individual’s 

choice, there are some benefits provided by a collective 

bargaining agreement applicable to everyone, but far less 

than offered by union protection. 

Many Southern states are right-to-work states, and 

those in support of that legislation view it as freeing 

and appreciate the option rather than compulsory 

union memberships. However, many see states with this 

legislation as anti-union, attempting to save money rather 

than prioritizing the rights of their workers. Like too many 

systems in this country, this disproportionately affects 

BIPOC and LGBTQ+ employees. There are far fewer 

protections against workplace injustice without union 

membership and involvement. 

Tennessee is also, sadly, an at-will state, meaning an 

employer can fire you without giving you a reason. On paper, 

an at-will state employer cannot fire you “illegally”: they 

cannot fire you for your religion, race, sexual orientation, 

gender, etc. But again, that is on paper. Employers can easily 

get around firing based on discrimination, and if they are 

sued for wrongful termination, many employers are able to 

weasel out of the lawsuit by later providing vague claims of 

“just cause” in that employee’s termination. 

I have personally been let go for my gender identity 

and sexual orientation, and I know many others who have 

as well, and I cannot name a single instance where the 

person terminated received anything from a wrongful 

termination lawsuit. 

Basically, employment rules are vague, and right-towork 

states have a culture of neglecting basic employee 

rights. Since this infrastructure has remained largely 

unchallenged, it does not seem to be going anywhere, and 

many of us have turned to freelancing. 

Self-employment, contractor positions, and freelancing 

are hardly a last resort. The freedom to make your own 

rules, express yourself, avoid public bathrooms, and 

focus on the work you enjoy is a much more sustainable 

work model for many queer and trans people. It certainly 

comes with its own challenges, like unsteady pay and no 

guarantee of a payoff, so below are a few tips for those of 

you in freelancing or contemplating it. 


First, create and find your own professional support 

system. Inclusion Tennessee is a great place to start for 

those living in Middle Tennessee. With regular support 

group meetings, their whole vision and purpose is to 

provide a space for people to connect, network, and share 

resources. While not necessarily workplace-focused, there 

are plenty of staff, volunteers, and participants to support 

you and point you to the resources you need. For those 

living in Memphis, OUTMemphis’ support services and the 

MidSouth LGBT Chamber of Commerce networking events 

are a good place to get going. 

Second, know the platform you are using inside and out. 

While sites like Etsy are popular, and super queer, they take 

quite a percentage of each sale. If you are looking to create 

a subscription service for your customers or consumers, 

Patreon is user-friendly, quick to respond to any of your 

complaints, and much quicker to protect you against 

online harassment compared to OnlyFans and social media 

apps. They also take much less of a cut than Etsy does. 

Whatever your work and whatever your chosen website 

platform, research its help and IT support center, and read 

user agreements carefully so you aren’t blindsided by fees. 

Third, and most obvious, know what you have to offer 

and the customer you are offering it to. Developing clear 

marketing for yourself does not have to cost you an arm 

and a leg. Have a simple graphic, accessibility across 

social media, and prepare a good hook and elevator pitch 

for your business, services, or product. The more you 

hone and understand who your target demographic and 

clientele are, the quicker and easier your promotion will be. 

Working smarter like this will hopefully make your output 

and sales move faster. 

If you have questions or concerns about a potential 

employer or partnership with another business, Glassdoor 

is a much better place to research than Google reviews or 

Yelp. Past and present employees post their experiences, 

and while some posts might be exaggerated or missing 

the full story, you can glean a lot from others’ experiences. 

Reading through a job posting to see if they include and 

emphasize a non-discriminatory clause is a good idea, too. 

Regardless of your work status, know who represents 

you and has your interests at heart, be it a local 

organization, a state-funded organization, or legislator. 

We all deserve more people in our corner than there are 

in this state, but the more familiar with your rights and 

protections you are, the better prepared you will be for any 

discriminatory workplace scenario. 


community 

Yellow & 

Lavender 

The Delicious, Inclusive, 

Vegan Bakery that Queer 

Nashville Deserves 

by GK Gurley 


photo by Josh Bethea 

We built this space for us to escape toxic 

work environments and to be proud of our 

work, but we also built it for Nashville’s queer 

community. We deserve something that is 

not just a nightclub or a tourist grab. 

- Ryliegh Vieria & Lucy Pazos 

Almond Croissant - Twice Baked 

photos courtesy of Yellow & Lavender 


As Nashville has grown, so has its queer community. 

While queer people inhabit all areas of Tennessee, there 

are not nearly enough spaces for us to gather, by us and 

for us. While places like Lipstick Lounge, Canvas, Tribe, 

and Play have queer nightlife covered, Nashville needs 

more queer-owned and queer-curated spaces of all kinds, 

for all kinds of people and interests. 

Ryliegh Vieria (they/she) and Lucy Pazos (they/them) 

expanded their baking business to open a shop in East 

Nashville because they saw a need for queer people to 

gather, and because they love what they do. 

"We’ve been open for about two months,” said 

Ryliegh, “but we’ve been a business for two years. We 

wholesale at Honest Coffee Roasters in L & L Market in 

West Nashville, Hearts in East, Headquarters Coffee in 

West, The Loading Dock in Wedgewood-Houston, and 

Matryoshka in South." 

They prepare sweet and savory baked goods, like 

croissants, cinnamon "cinny" rolls, pop-tarts, focaccia, 

muffins, gluten-free options, savory options, and more. 

And their vegan substitutes are... a secret! 

"I've been baking vegan for about two and a half 

years," Ryliegh said, "and I find it so simple! There 

are little to no challenges baking vegan rather than 

non-vegan." 

Their shop is welcoming, inviting, and sweet. Two 

couches sit under displays of local artists' stickers, and 

the display case is lovingly arranged and, may I say, hard 

to resist. They also carry a wide range of iced coffees, 

nitro coffees, and cold brews. Their upbeat music vibes 

are a good energy boost, too. 

"We built this space for us to escape toxic work 

environments and to be proud of our work, but we also 

built it for Nashville’s queer community. We deserve 

something that is not just a nightclub or a tourist grab." 

Beyond their business partnership, Ryliegh and Lucy 

have a loving relationship, too. 

“It is the best work environment either of us has ever 

experienced,” said Ryliegh. “You already know that 


Pride Cake 

person’s needs, wants, likes, and dislikes so it makes 

working together easier in that sense. It also truly puts 

you and your relationship to the test. We still struggle to 

find time for ourselves on the days during the week that 

we take off from the business. For 5-6 days a week, we’re 

non-stop business focused, so it’s really hard to turn that 

off for 1-2 days and be able to have the energy to focus 

on what you need as an individual and also a couple. Not 

to even mention our pets!” 

Working together has been a breath of fresh air for both 

of them, and having a shop rather than only wholesaling 

has allowed them to connect with their customers and feel 

the love from their East Nashville community. 

Beyond their shop, you can find them at a variety 

of local festivals and events, working their booth and 

waving their pride flag loud and proud. 

"We participated in a festival last year that took place 

in East Nashville. We were set up as the closest vendors 

to the street and the first vendors you saw as you walked 

into the event. Naturally, we hung our pride flag, as we 

tried to do at all of the markets and events we’ve been 

a part of. After we sold out, a person walked up to us 

and asked, 'What did you make/sell today?' We told 

them what our specials were for that event and after a 

moment they responded, 'I saw this event on Instagram 

and wanted to come, but I didn’t know if I would feel 

safe, and then when I drove by to scope it out, I saw 

your pride flag and immediately felt safe.' That is why we 

are so vocal and so loud about being queer-owned and 

about our space being a safe space. Everyone deserves 

that, and very unfortunately, the queer community 

isn’t necessarily used to feeling safe in certain places in 

Tennessee. We are here trying to change that." 

You can find their shop in Riverside, off of McGavock 

Pike. They are open Thursday through Sundays, and 

available for catering. Follow their mouth-watering 

Instagram @yellowandlavender_ to see what treats await 

you and peruse their catering and wedding cakes! 

La Playa Croissant Sandwich 


SUPPORT INCLUSIVITY! 

ADVERTISE WITH FOCUS 

INTRODUCTORY RATES STARTING AT $50. 

CALL 901.800.1172 TO RESERVE SPACE NOW. 

FOCUSLGBT.COM 

HOROSCOPES 

Astrology Readings by Minnassa 

OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 21 

SCORPIO 

Element: Water 

Quality: Fixed 

Ruling Planet: Pluto 

and Mars 

Traits: Determined, loyal, 

ambitious, honest, and 

jealous 

New Moon in Scorpio: 

October 25 

Scorpio ushers in Eclipse Season with 

a New Moon/Solar Eclipse at the end 

of October. This mysterious water sign 

is inviting us all to dive deep into the 

waters of transformation. The invitation 

is magnified by the Full Moon Lunar 

Eclipse on November 7th. Pluto, the 

ruling planet of Scorpio and the Lord 

of the Underworld, will bring to light 

that which is hidden and needs to be 

uncovered for healing. Be honest with 

yourself; what unhealthy ways of being, 

communicating and/or thinking would 

you like to release from your life before 

the beginning of 2023? Allow the 

transformative and renewing waters 

of Scorpio to wash over you and wash 

away that which no longer serves you. 

NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 21 

SAGITTARIUS 

Element: Fire 

Quality: Mutable 

Ruling Planet: Jupiter 

Traits: Optimistic, lovers 

of freedom, intellectual, 

honest and easily bored 

New Moon in Sagittarius: 

November 23 

2022 is coming to a close. Allow 

the afterglow of the Thanksgiving 

holiday and the final holidays of 

light (Hanukkah & Christmas) to 

ignite the Sagittarius optimistic 

energy within all of us. As we head 

into the dark of Winter use that 

optimistic energy to create your 

vision board and set your intentions 

for 2023. 2023 is a “7” year and 

represented by the tarot card – 

The Chariot. This is a sign to move 

forward boldly, holding the reins of 

your life with confidence and verve! 

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! 

Blessed Kwanza! 

MINNASSA WELLNESS Mindfulness in the Workplace Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

Equity has been our focus 

from the tornado recovery to the COVID-19 

response, access to assistance and support 

does not look the same for all businesses and 

communities. We are dedicated to an inclusive 

and equitable Nashville, where the 

marginalized have an advocate and support. 

Our membership is open to all and we are 

here for you. Join us today. 

We represent over 500+ Corporations, Entrepreneurs, & 

Small Businesses who want to keep Nashville OPEN & EQUAL. 

advocate. educate. connect. 

TEST YOUR 

WORD SKILLS 

The puzzle is on page 23. 

The solution is below. No peeking! 

Love Confidently 

with Just ONE Pill 

ONCE a Day. 

Studies have shown that PrEP is at 

least 99% effective at preventing 

HIV when taken as prescribed. 

What is PrEP? 

It’s a simple HIV prevention step 

you can add to your daily routine to 

take control of your sexual health. 

What is PEP? 

PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is 

medication taken by someone who may 

have been exposed to HIV within the last 72 

hours, in order to avoid getting the virus. 

Take PrEP. 

Take Control. 

LEARN MORE AND GET HELP FINDING PREP HERE 

getpreptn.com 

Follow us @getpreptn

community 

Mending Consumerism through Independent Makers: 

Textile Artist Katrina Perdue 

on Re-use and Repair 

by Mud 

photo by Jesse Butcher 


What started your 

mending practice? 

My dad passed away, 

and it was a very fast and 

intense period of time and 

I found myself with a lot of 

his clothing and a lot of his 

denim. I was like, well, I can 

just take his pocket off to 

mend my own clothes. I was 

thinking about having him 

with me and literally using 

the cloth that he wore in my 

own clothes. Thinking about 

the context of care, I found 

another form of healing 

in repairing an object. I 

definitely felt that it was 

healing through grief. 

Did you receive higher 

education? 

I don't have an art degree. 

I'm one of those outliers, 

but I did get a degree in 

American studies at Towson 

University in Maryland. I 

think Memphis is also a 

great city for that–you don't 

have to have the degree 

to do the practice and be 

taken seriously as much as 

you might in other cities. I 

do a lot of what some of my 

peers call art. 

How did you transition from 

a personal, utilitarian need 

for mending to a service 

that you provide for others? 

I was working a desk job 

and liked it, but I realized 

that I was really starting to 

enjoy my mending work. 

Some people were like, oh, 

that looks cool and I have 

a pair of jeans or I have this 

or that. It was a lot of word 

of mouth and I started to 

take in and realize, OK, this 

is a service– I can't really do 

this for free. I had a really 

hard time figuring out how 

to charge my friends. So, 

I did a mending pop up at 

the Crosstown Concourse 

in February of 2016. I was 

going to test it out and see, 

is there any traction here? 

For the workshop, I just 

decided to sit there and 

mend. I didn't really do a 

lot of advertising. A couple 

of my friends posted that I 

was there, and then people 

started to show up that I 

didn't know. I left with duffel 

bags of stuff to fix. 

What fears did you have 

when your practice took 

off? 

I didn't have a studio. 

I was working from my 

home, and there was this 

growing interest in it feeling 

like an art practice to me. 

It can be something I do 

as a service, but it can also 

be a connection to an art 

practice. I couldn't afford 

photos by Katrina Perdue 

an outside studio space 

and I really couldn't justify 

it, right, I just kept thinking, 

how can I? It's very hard, 

especially when finances are 

an issue. I definitely have 

had moments of, what am 

I doing? So yeah, it's tricky 

you know. How can I put the 

money into that when I need 

the money for this? 

What is your relationship 

to the materials you mend 

that are not commission 

based? 

If I look at my work from 

the angle of sustainability, 

the textile crisis and waste 

crisis, we're seeing we 

have so much to do. I find 

sustainability essential in 

terms of my values, but 

also, why go spend money 

on materials we can find? 

You know, Memphis is just 

great. Buy nothing– you just 

drive around and you'll find 

it. But there's also a deeper 

part of it; I feel connected 

to these things. There's this 

challenging part of mending 

that I love, trying to figure it 

out and so that even though 

it's not a textile, I can stitch 

it like that. So that idea of 

returning something to its 

original use I really love. Or 

maybe even a different use. 

Yeah, an alternative. I feel 

like there's a little humor 

involved and some of it's not 

for everyone. It's the idea 

of thinking, what can we do 

outside of what we can do 

with this material on its own. 

We can keep the things in 

use, whether it's as news or 

as an art piece or, you know, 

just a piece to think about. 

I find that it's a lifestyle 

choice. It feels so soothing 

and like a way to be. 

You have an upcoming 

exhibition at Crosstown 

Arts in Memphis, what are 

you hoping to get out of it? 

Part of this exhibition 

is sort of now trying to 

look at all this work I've 

done for seven years or 

so, finding those common 

themes and trying to write 

about it more— to come 

and read about my work in 

other ways. 

Learn more about 

Katrina’s work on her 

website katrinaperdue.com. 

Her solo exhibition 'Mending 

in a State of Abundance' 

opens at the West Gallery at 

Crosstown Arts in Memphis 

on November 18, 2022, and 

runs through March 5, 2023. 

Follow her on Instagram 

@katrinaperdue. 


life 

Business and 

Finance Podcasts 

with a Queer Focus 

by Star McGill Goudey 

According to PodcastHosting.org's research, as of October 2022, there are more than 2,000,000 podcasts and over 

48 million episodes. As someone in business, what might this mean to you? Well, you may want to step into the world 

of podcasting to build your brand for one, but how about a little inspirational listening from queer entrepreneurs and 

business qwners? Whether you are an established business owner or an entrepreneur with a start-up, hearing the stories 

and journeys of others is a source of inspiration and encouragement. Sometimes it seems queer business owners are in 

the shadows. These podcasts are a great example of who is really out there! 

SHEN AND SHAN SHOW 

“Highlighting the stories, businesses, and careers of 

LGBTQ+ professionals and entrepreneurs. With a little 

rainbow inspiration, we can be successful and our true 

selves!” 

This show has interviews with queer entrepreneurs 

that you can also watch on YouTube. The hosts, Shen & 

Shan, have backgrounds in financial literacy, real estate, 

education, and community outreach all with a heavy focus 

on families. Reading their About page is a MUST! 

Episodes include interviews with self published authors, 

dancehall owners, chefs, commercial cleaners, musicians, 

educators, medical professionals, filmmakers, nail 

technicians, apothecary owners and so many more. Topics 

like brand building, community building, business strategy, 

marketing, sales, and insurance are covered. 


THE FOCUS GROUP 

You may recognize Tim Bennett and John Nash as 

the duo behind Subaru’s 15-year advertising of the 

perfect vehicle for the LGBTQ consumer. It is a weekly 

program with interviews, guest appearances, and current 

happenings around the world from a queer perspective. 

591 episodes and counting means you are sure to find 

something of interest! 

THE OUT ENTREPRENEUR 

BRINGING OUR WHOLE SELVES TO WORK | 

CONVERSATIONS WITH LEADING LGBTQ BOSSES 

“The Out Entrepreneur is a weekly Podcast where 

Rhodes Perry connects with today’s most authentic 

LGBTQ entrepreneurs. The show was created for you, the 

LGBTQ entrepreneur, business owner, or start-up founder. 

It was also designed to inspire more people to consider the 

entrepreneurial journey.” 

This podcast has 203 episodes that feature topics such 

as: knowing if running a family business is what you want 

to do, empowering marginalized communities, business 

law, and how to do radio. Rhodes Perry hosts professionals 

in the fields of self development and business building as 

well. A little something for everyone. 

QUEER MONEY 

“Queer Money is dedicated to the intersection of 

personal finance and being LGBTQ. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, 

Transgender or Queer, we all have money needs. Let's 

build a financially strong LGBTQ community.” 

David Auten and John Schneider (aka The Debt Free 

Guys) host this show. I include it here because personal 

finance is an important part of being a solid business 

owner. Topics covered include retirement savings, financial 

self-advocacy, trade work versus college degrees, samesex 

social security challenges, finding your purpose, and 

investing. This podcast boasts 341 episodes so far! 

I encourage you to check these out and find a drive-time or a work-time to listen, because you never know what 

random piece of information is just what you needed to hear to solve that big problem or spark a new project. Also, the 

more you hear about the success and failures of other businesses the better you can shape your own. 


Be 

PrEPared. 

Learn more about 

HIV prevention at 

Planned Parenthood. 

866.711.1717 

PlannedParenthood.org/Tennessee 

at 

Jerry's 

Artarama 

713 Main St., Nashville, TN 


CROSSWORD 

ACROSS 

1 Buffy creator Whedon 

5 Group of openly gay lions? 

10 Fag ____ (women with gay 

friends) 

14 Milk go-with 

15 Like phone sex 

16 Area east of the Urals 

17 Choice #1, on 53-Across 

20 Flynn role opposite Davis 

21 Officer in the navy (abbr.) 

22 Use a rubber 

23 It may be tidy 

25 Mouthful, for the bull 

26 Start of Choice #2 on 

53-Across 

31 Chinese tea 

33 Dance in a Cole Porter title 

34 Tree on a shady street 

37 Big wheels at sea 

39 Areas for Dr. Kerry Weaver 

40 Spock portrayer Leonard 

42 Humorist Bombeck 

43 End of Choice #2 

45 Mark with a branding iron 

46 "Milk" actor James 

48 Bearse of "Married ... with 

Children" 

50 "____ On Down the Road" 

52 Sourpuss 

53 Netflix gay coming-of-age 

series 

58 Mapplethorpe's "Man in 

Polyester ____" 

59 Compensate 

60 Hot stuff 

62 Fairy tale bad guy 

63 Send, as to a specialist 

64 Nathan of “Modern Family” 

65 "Fer ____!" 

66 "The Cat in the Hat" author 

67 " ____ of Seventeen" 

DOWN 

1 Singer Feliciano 

2 Shaft output 

3 Minute parts, briefly 

4 Most in need of BenGay 

5 Homophobe Robertson 

6 Inventive Goldberg 

TWO CHOICES 

7 Club for Sheehan 

8 Calendar boxes 

9 Keebler cookie maker 

10 Tracy Turnblad has a big one 

11 On an Atlantis cruise 

12 Pink lady liquors 

13 "Quills" subject 

18 They're way out 

19 Cartoonist David 

24 West of Hollywood 

25 Cigarette pkg. 

26 Hayek of "Frida" 

27 "Firebird" composer 

Stravinsky 

28 Richard Simmons, to fitness 

29 Serpent's sound 

30 Aden is its capital 

31 Nick Malgieri, for one 

32 "Cabaret"'s "Mein ____" 

35 Dryer batch 

36 Vidal's Breckinridge 

38 Hall & Oates song about a 

fellator? 

41 Allie on "Weeds" 

43 Rock and Doris, frequently 

44 Literary mag for nags? 

47 The Batmobile, e.g. 

49 AAA handout 

51 Lauded makeup maker Lauder 

52 Dairy Queen stack 

53 Bonneville of "Downton 

Abbey" 

54 Land of Sinead O'Connor 

55 It's a curd in the kitchen 

56 Yellow-brick way 

57 Carol, for example 

58 Signal that goes either way 

61 Supporter of Spencer-Devlin 

FIND THE SOLUTION 

ON PAGE 22

2022 Issue 6 Nov/Dec Focus - Mid-Tenn magazine

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?