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Serving the <strong>Mid</strong>dle <strong>Tenn</strong>essee LGBT+ Community and its Allies | NOV+DEC <strong>2022</strong><br />

FREE<br />

TENNESSEE<br />

HUSTLE<br />

YELLOW &<br />

LAVENDER<br />

INCLUSIVE<br />

VEGAN BAKERY<br />

SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES<br />

TIPS FOR QUEER FREELANCERS


P R E S E N T E D B Y<br />

WORLD AIDS DAY<br />

GETTING TO ZERO<br />

D E C E M B E R 1 , 2 0 2 2<br />

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<br />

H e a r f r o m t h e m o t h e r o f o n e<br />

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<br />

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

i m p a c t e d m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e<br />

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

G E T T I C K E T S T O D A Y<br />

B E F O R E T H E Y S E L L O U T !<br />

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


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4 QUEER OUR BODIES ARTISTS • OUR | focuslgbt.com<br />

CHOICES | focuslgbt.com


the team<br />

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contributors<br />

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<strong>Focus</strong>® <strong>Mid</strong>dle <strong>Tenn</strong>essee is all about LGBT+ people and their allies…their<br />

work, play, families, creativity, style, health and wealth, bodies and souls. Our<br />

focus is on you.<br />

<strong>Focus</strong>® <strong>Mid</strong>dle <strong>Tenn</strong>essee is published digitally, bi-monthly and available<br />

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the staff deems inappropriate for the publication. Press releases must be<br />

received by the first of the month for the following issue. All content of this<br />

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art, photos and editorial content, as well as the selection, coordination and<br />

arrangement thereof, is Copyright ©2021, <strong>Focus</strong>® <strong>Mid</strong>dle <strong>Tenn</strong>essee. All Rights<br />

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focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 5


22<br />

CONTENTS | NOV+DEC <strong>2022</strong><br />

18<br />

7<br />

THEME:<br />

8<br />

ASK<br />

TENNESSEE HUSTLE<br />

ALLIE<br />

Self-preservation or family time during the<br />

holiday season?<br />

10 LIFE<br />

Advice for those considering a more<br />

sustainable work model<br />

12 LIFE<br />

Bakery owners Ryliegh Vieria and Lucy Pazos<br />

offer queer Nashville something special<br />

16 HOROSCOPES<br />

What do the stars have in store for us these<br />

next two months?<br />

18 COMMUNITY<br />

Independent textile artist Katrina Perdue on<br />

her mending practice<br />

12<br />

20 LIFE<br />

Business + Finance Podcast Roundup<br />

20<br />

ON THE COVER<br />

Ryliegh Vieria and Lucy Pazos<br />

photo by Josh Bethea<br />

6 <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle | focuslgbt.com


theme<br />

"<br />

Everything we<br />

make is hand-rolled,<br />

hand-crafted and<br />

made with so<br />

much love."<br />

- Ryliegh and Lucy,<br />

Yellow & Lavender Bakery<br />

Delectable vegan treat from an East Nashville BIPOC &<br />

queer-owned bakery. Find the story on page 12.<br />

photo courtesy of Yellow & Lavender<br />

focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 7


life<br />

Self-Preservation<br />

During the Holidays<br />

by Star McGill Goudey<br />

Dear Allie,<br />

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

with my family due to their non-support of my being trans. But the<br />

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

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

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

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

thinking about it, and afterwards I spent weeks trying to process and heal. I came<br />

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

repeat.<br />

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

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

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

who have invited me to their celebrations. Somehow I still feel guilty and that I<br />

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

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

guidance?<br />

Yours,<br />

Am I Selfish?<br />

8 <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle | focuslgbt.com


Dear AIS,<br />

Holiday self-preservation. I feel you, AIS. Sadly, we<br />

don’t get to choose our genetic family. I’m so glad you<br />

reached out! I think you are in good company here no<br />

matter the circumstances of the whys. Memories and<br />

the pursuit of that special ‘holiday glow’ can make it<br />

even more painful. If you are trying to make yourself<br />

do something you think you should, it’s hard to think<br />

clearly about what it is you actually want to do. I think I<br />

can provide you with some suggestions that may help.<br />

First, give yourself permission to feel this way! It’s<br />

all perfectly valid! You asked if you are being selfish– I<br />

believe that selfishness is a construct often used to<br />

control people’s actions, to guilt them into doing what<br />

someone wants. I challenge you to let go of that word<br />

and to instead embrace words like self-care, selfpreservation<br />

and self-love. It has been revolutionary<br />

for me to do so. So no, I absolutely do not feel you are<br />

being selfish for considering your needs first! In fact, I<br />

am very proud of you!<br />

You included some phrases from your family<br />

that were warning signs for me. Their words seem<br />

manipulative and not in honor of boundaries. And it<br />

seems, as you say, you have been working towards<br />

no contact, that you do have some solid boundaries<br />

in place. The holidays aren’t going to make those<br />

intrusions of boundaries go away. You can’t dress<br />

things up in sparkly lights and glittering ribbons and<br />

ignore how someone makes you feel the other 364<br />

days of the year. No matter how much your mom<br />

wishes it so. I know you know this, because you are<br />

considering not going.<br />

In order for you to stay healthy and happy you need<br />

to know what it is that you need. What is it that you<br />

want out of the holiday? Is there a specific food or<br />

tradition that makes you feel warm inside? What makes<br />

a holiday special for you in regards to your beliefs and<br />

expectations? Is there certain family in particular you<br />

want to visit? Answering these questions can help you<br />

sort out how you feel from how you think you should<br />

feel. What level of sadness and regret do you think you<br />

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

heap onto you, how you really feel inside.<br />

If you decide to go, are there any family members<br />

you are in contact with who fully accept you? Would<br />

they be your buffer-buddy at the gathering and is that<br />

enough support? Try letting your family know ahead of<br />

time what topics are off limits and have a few phrases<br />

on the ready if they don’t follow them. “If you continue<br />

to bring this up, I am leaving the conversation”, “This is<br />

not something I will discuss” and “I understand that you<br />

are upset but this is my decision” are some good ones.<br />

Rehearse them so that they don’t feel awkward to say.<br />

Set an amount of time you want to be there and have an<br />

exit plan, one to two hours can be more than enough.<br />

Be mindful of your triggers and give yourself permission<br />

to walk away from them. And, if you consume alcohol I<br />

would recommend not having any at the gathering so<br />

that you are clear-headed. Most importantly, have a selfcare<br />

plan in place for after the gathering so that you can<br />

begin to regulate and balance.<br />

If you decide not to go, think about those questions<br />

you answered earlier and use them to shape what you<br />

need. You mentioned the celebration with friends you<br />

were invited to. Can you bring that special dish? Share<br />

that tradition? And if that’s not appropriate, can you<br />

invite friends over for your own celebration? Or maybe,<br />

you want to create a solo holiday that is peaceful and<br />

luxurious. Beginning new memories and traditions can be<br />

exciting! You have the freedom to create a joyous holiday<br />

time for yourself and I think that is magical.<br />

I hope I have given some perspective and some<br />

thoughts for your journey. It sounds like you are coming<br />

into this holiday season being more authentically yourself<br />

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

proud of you! Celebrate you this season, too. Appreciate<br />

yourself and how far you’ve come. You spoke out here<br />

for your own needs and health and that is audacious and<br />

amazing! So many of us stand here with you in this as<br />

well as we face our own holiday season. You aren’t alone,<br />

none of us are. Go make this season magical for yourself<br />

as you glow more brightly than those sparkling lights we<br />

all adore.<br />

Your friend,<br />

Allie<br />

To submit your own question, email Allie at<br />

allie@focuslgbt.com. <strong>Focus</strong> <strong>Mid</strong>-South reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.<br />

focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 9


life<br />

A More Sustainable Work Model<br />

for Queer & Trans People:<br />

Tips for Folks<br />

Interested in<br />

Freelancing<br />

by GK Gurley<br />

The global pandemic’s lockdown changed the way<br />

many of us approach our work. A remarkable amount of<br />

businesses and organizations shifted to work-at-home<br />

formats, and even now many remain work-at-home. For<br />

many queer and trans people, this has been a blessing.<br />

Employers based out of more progressive areas hire<br />

remotely, and freelancing is a much more sustainable<br />

career option. But regardless of in-person or remote<br />

work, infrastructure in <strong>Tenn</strong>essee does remarkably little to<br />

protect its workers.<br />

<strong>Tenn</strong>essee is a right-to-work state, meaning a person<br />

hired by an employer or company subject to a collective<br />

bargaining agreement can decide whether or not to join<br />

a union and pay its dues. Regardless of that individual’s<br />

choice, there are some benefits provided by a collective<br />

bargaining agreement applicable to everyone, but far less<br />

than offered by union protection.<br />

Many Southern states are right-to-work states, and<br />

those in support of that legislation view it as freeing<br />

and appreciate the option rather than compulsory<br />

union memberships. However, many see states with this<br />

legislation as anti-union, attempting to save money rather<br />

than prioritizing the rights of their workers. Like too many<br />

systems in this country, this disproportionately affects<br />

BIPOC and LGBTQ+ employees. There are far fewer<br />

protections against workplace injustice without union<br />

membership and involvement.<br />

<strong>Tenn</strong>essee is also, sadly, an at-will state, meaning an<br />

employer can fire you without giving you a reason. On paper,<br />

an at-will state employer cannot fire you “illegally”: they<br />

cannot fire you for your religion, race, sexual orientation,<br />

gender, etc. But again, that is on paper. Employers can easily<br />

get around firing based on discrimination, and if they are<br />

sued for wrongful termination, many employers are able to<br />

weasel out of the lawsuit by later providing vague claims of<br />

“just cause” in that employee’s termination.<br />

I have personally been let go for my gender identity<br />

and sexual orientation, and I know many others who have<br />

as well, and I cannot name a single instance where the<br />

person terminated received anything from a wrongful<br />

termination lawsuit.<br />

Basically, employment rules are vague, and right-towork<br />

states have a culture of neglecting basic employee<br />

rights. Since this infrastructure has remained largely<br />

unchallenged, it does not seem to be going anywhere, and<br />

many of us have turned to freelancing.<br />

Self-employment, contractor positions, and freelancing<br />

are hardly a last resort. The freedom to make your own<br />

rules, express yourself, avoid public bathrooms, and<br />

focus on the work you enjoy is a much more sustainable<br />

work model for many queer and trans people. It certainly<br />

comes with its own challenges, like unsteady pay and no<br />

guarantee of a payoff, so below are a few tips for those of<br />

you in freelancing or contemplating it.<br />

10 <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle | focuslgbt.com


First, create and find your own professional support<br />

system. Inclusion <strong>Tenn</strong>essee is a great place to start for<br />

those living in <strong>Mid</strong>dle <strong>Tenn</strong>essee. With regular support<br />

group meetings, their whole vision and purpose is to<br />

provide a space for people to connect, network, and share<br />

resources. While not necessarily workplace-focused, there<br />

are plenty of staff, volunteers, and participants to support<br />

you and point you to the resources you need. For those<br />

living in Memphis, OUTMemphis’ support services and the<br />

<strong>Mid</strong>South LGBT Chamber of Commerce networking events<br />

are a good place to get going.<br />

Second, know the platform you are using inside and out.<br />

While sites like Etsy are popular, and super queer, they take<br />

quite a percentage of each sale. If you are looking to create<br />

a subscription service for your customers or consumers,<br />

Patreon is user-friendly, quick to respond to any of your<br />

complaints, and much quicker to protect you against<br />

online harassment compared to OnlyFans and social media<br />

apps. They also take much less of a cut than Etsy does.<br />

Whatever your work and whatever your chosen website<br />

platform, research its help and IT support center, and read<br />

user agreements carefully so you aren’t blindsided by fees.<br />

Third, and most obvious, know what you have to offer<br />

and the customer you are offering it to. Developing clear<br />

marketing for yourself does not have to cost you an arm<br />

and a leg. Have a simple graphic, accessibility across<br />

social media, and prepare a good hook and elevator pitch<br />

for your business, services, or product. The more you<br />

hone and understand who your target demographic and<br />

clientele are, the quicker and easier your promotion will be.<br />

Working smarter like this will hopefully make your output<br />

and sales move faster.<br />

If you have questions or concerns about a potential<br />

employer or partnership with another business, Glassdoor<br />

is a much better place to research than Google reviews or<br />

Yelp. Past and present employees post their experiences,<br />

and while some posts might be exaggerated or missing<br />

the full story, you can glean a lot from others’ experiences.<br />

Reading through a job posting to see if they include and<br />

emphasize a non-discriminatory clause is a good idea, too.<br />

Regardless of your work status, know who represents<br />

you and has your interests at heart, be it a local<br />

organization, a state-funded organization, or legislator.<br />

We all deserve more people in our corner than there are<br />

in this state, but the more familiar with your rights and<br />

protections you are, the better prepared you will be for any<br />

discriminatory workplace scenario.<br />

focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 11


community<br />

Yellow &<br />

Lavender<br />

The Delicious, Inclusive,<br />

Vegan Bakery that Queer<br />

Nashville Deserves<br />

by GK Gurley<br />

12 <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle | focuslgbt.com


photo by Josh Bethea<br />

We built this space for us to escape toxic<br />

work environments and to be proud of our<br />

work, but we also built it for Nashville’s queer<br />

community. We deserve something that is<br />

not just a nightclub or a tourist grab.<br />

- Ryliegh Vieria & Lucy Pazos<br />

Almond Croissant - Twice Baked<br />

photos courtesy of Yellow & Lavender<br />

focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 13


As Nashville has grown, so has its queer community.<br />

While queer people inhabit all areas of <strong>Tenn</strong>essee, there<br />

are not nearly enough spaces for us to gather, by us and<br />

for us. While places like Lipstick Lounge, Canvas, Tribe,<br />

and Play have queer nightlife covered, Nashville needs<br />

more queer-owned and queer-curated spaces of all kinds,<br />

for all kinds of people and interests.<br />

Ryliegh Vieria (they/she) and Lucy Pazos (they/them)<br />

expanded their baking business to open a shop in East<br />

Nashville because they saw a need for queer people to<br />

gather, and because they love what they do.<br />

"We’ve been open for about two months,” said<br />

Ryliegh, “but we’ve been a business for two years. We<br />

wholesale at Honest Coffee Roasters in L & L Market in<br />

West Nashville, Hearts in East, Headquarters Coffee in<br />

West, The Loading Dock in Wedgewood-Houston, and<br />

Matryoshka in South."<br />

They prepare sweet and savory baked goods, like<br />

croissants, cinnamon "cinny" rolls, pop-tarts, focaccia,<br />

muffins, gluten-free options, savory options, and more.<br />

And their vegan substitutes are... a secret!<br />

"I've been baking vegan for about two and a half<br />

years," Ryliegh said, "and I find it so simple! There<br />

are little to no challenges baking vegan rather than<br />

non-vegan."<br />

Their shop is welcoming, inviting, and sweet. Two<br />

couches sit under displays of local artists' stickers, and<br />

the display case is lovingly arranged and, may I say, hard<br />

to resist. They also carry a wide range of iced coffees,<br />

nitro coffees, and cold brews. Their upbeat music vibes<br />

are a good energy boost, too.<br />

"We built this space for us to escape toxic work<br />

environments and to be proud of our work, but we also<br />

built it for Nashville’s queer community. We deserve<br />

something that is not just a nightclub or a tourist grab."<br />

Beyond their business partnership, Ryliegh and Lucy<br />

have a loving relationship, too.<br />

“It is the best work environment either of us has ever<br />

experienced,” said Ryliegh. “You already know that<br />

14 <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle | focuslgbt.com


Pride Cake<br />

person’s needs, wants, likes, and dislikes so it makes<br />

working together easier in that sense. It also truly puts<br />

you and your relationship to the test. We still struggle to<br />

find time for ourselves on the days during the week that<br />

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

non-stop business focused, so it’s really hard to turn that<br />

off for 1-2 days and be able to have the energy to focus<br />

on what you need as an individual and also a couple. Not<br />

to even mention our pets!”<br />

Working together has been a breath of fresh air for both<br />

of them, and having a shop rather than only wholesaling<br />

has allowed them to connect with their customers and feel<br />

the love from their East Nashville community.<br />

Beyond their shop, you can find them at a variety<br />

of local festivals and events, working their booth and<br />

waving their pride flag loud and proud.<br />

"We participated in a festival last year that took place<br />

in East Nashville. We were set up as the closest vendors<br />

to the street and the first vendors you saw as you walked<br />

into the event. Naturally, we hung our pride flag, as we<br />

tried to do at all of the markets and events we’ve been<br />

a part of. After we sold out, a person walked up to us<br />

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

them what our specials were for that event and after a<br />

moment they responded, 'I saw this event on Instagram<br />

and wanted to come, but I didn’t know if I would feel<br />

safe, and then when I drove by to scope it out, I saw<br />

your pride flag and immediately felt safe.' That is why we<br />

are so vocal and so loud about being queer-owned and<br />

about our space being a safe space. Everyone deserves<br />

that, and very unfortunately, the queer community<br />

isn’t necessarily used to feeling safe in certain places in<br />

<strong>Tenn</strong>essee. We are here trying to change that."<br />

You can find their shop in Riverside, off of McGavock<br />

Pike. They are open Thursday through Sundays, and<br />

available for catering. Follow their mouth-watering<br />

Instagram @yellowandlavender_ to see what treats await<br />

you and peruse their catering and wedding cakes!<br />

La Playa Croissant Sandwich<br />

focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 15


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HOROSCOPES<br />

Astrology Readings by Minnassa<br />

OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 21<br />

SCORPIO<br />

Element: Water<br />

Quality: Fixed<br />

Ruling Planet: Pluto<br />

and Mars<br />

Traits: Determined, loyal,<br />

ambitious, honest, and<br />

jealous<br />

New Moon in Scorpio:<br />

October 25<br />

Scorpio ushers in Eclipse Season with<br />

a New Moon/Solar Eclipse at the end<br />

of October. This mysterious water sign<br />

is inviting us all to dive deep into the<br />

waters of transformation. The invitation<br />

is magnified by the Full Moon Lunar<br />

Eclipse on <strong>Nov</strong>ember 7th. Pluto, the<br />

ruling planet of Scorpio and the Lord<br />

of the Underworld, will bring to light<br />

that which is hidden and needs to be<br />

uncovered for healing. Be honest with<br />

yourself; what unhealthy ways of being,<br />

communicating and/or thinking would<br />

you like to release from your life before<br />

the beginning of 2023? Allow the<br />

transformative and renewing waters<br />

of Scorpio to wash over you and wash<br />

away that which no longer serves you.<br />

NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 21<br />

SAGITTARIUS<br />

Element: Fire<br />

Quality: Mutable<br />

Ruling Planet: Jupiter<br />

Traits: Optimistic, lovers<br />

of freedom, intellectual,<br />

honest and easily bored<br />

New Moon in Sagittarius:<br />

<strong>Nov</strong>ember 23<br />

<strong>2022</strong> is coming to a close. Allow<br />

the afterglow of the Thanksgiving<br />

holiday and the final holidays of<br />

light (Hanukkah & Christmas) to<br />

ignite the Sagittarius optimistic<br />

energy within all of us. As we head<br />

into the dark of Winter use that<br />

optimistic energy to create your<br />

vision board and set your intentions<br />

for 2023. 2023 is a “7” year and<br />

represented by the tarot card –<br />

The Chariot. This is a sign to move<br />

forward boldly, holding the reins of<br />

your life with confidence and verve!<br />

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah!<br />

Blessed Kwanza!<br />

MINNASSA WELLNESS Mindfulness in the Workplace Subscribe to my YouTube Channel


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community<br />

Mending Consumerism through Independent Makers:<br />

Textile Artist Katrina Perdue<br />

on Re-use and Repair<br />

by Mud<br />

photo by Jesse Butcher<br />

18 <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle | focuslgbt.com


What started your<br />

mending practice?<br />

My dad passed away,<br />

and it was a very fast and<br />

intense period of time and<br />

I found myself with a lot of<br />

his clothing and a lot of his<br />

denim. I was like, well, I can<br />

just take his pocket off to<br />

mend my own clothes. I was<br />

thinking about having him<br />

with me and literally using<br />

the cloth that he wore in my<br />

own clothes. Thinking about<br />

the context of care, I found<br />

another form of healing<br />

in repairing an object. I<br />

definitely felt that it was<br />

healing through grief.<br />

Did you receive higher<br />

education?<br />

I don't have an art degree.<br />

I'm one of those outliers,<br />

but I did get a degree in<br />

American studies at Towson<br />

University in Maryland. I<br />

think Memphis is also a<br />

great city for that–you don't<br />

have to have the degree<br />

to do the practice and be<br />

taken seriously as much as<br />

you might in other cities. I<br />

do a lot of what some of my<br />

peers call art.<br />

How did you transition from<br />

a personal, utilitarian need<br />

for mending to a service<br />

that you provide for others?<br />

I was working a desk job<br />

and liked it, but I realized<br />

that I was really starting to<br />

enjoy my mending work.<br />

Some people were like, oh,<br />

that looks cool and I have<br />

a pair of jeans or I have this<br />

or that. It was a lot of word<br />

of mouth and I started to<br />

take in and realize, OK, this<br />

is a service– I can't really do<br />

this for free. I had a really<br />

hard time figuring out how<br />

to charge my friends. So,<br />

I did a mending pop up at<br />

the Crosstown Concourse<br />

in February of 2016. I was<br />

going to test it out and see,<br />

is there any traction here?<br />

For the workshop, I just<br />

decided to sit there and<br />

mend. I didn't really do a<br />

lot of advertising. A couple<br />

of my friends posted that I<br />

was there, and then people<br />

started to show up that I<br />

didn't know. I left with duffel<br />

bags of stuff to fix.<br />

What fears did you have<br />

when your practice took<br />

off?<br />

I didn't have a studio.<br />

I was working from my<br />

home, and there was this<br />

growing interest in it feeling<br />

like an art practice to me.<br />

It can be something I do<br />

as a service, but it can also<br />

be a connection to an art<br />

practice. I couldn't afford<br />

photos by Katrina Perdue<br />

an outside studio space<br />

and I really couldn't justify<br />

it, right, I just kept thinking,<br />

how can I? It's very hard,<br />

especially when finances are<br />

an issue. I definitely have<br />

had moments of, what am<br />

I doing? So yeah, it's tricky<br />

you know. How can I put the<br />

money into that when I need<br />

the money for this?<br />

What is your relationship<br />

to the materials you mend<br />

that are not commission<br />

based?<br />

If I look at my work from<br />

the angle of sustainability,<br />

the textile crisis and waste<br />

crisis, we're seeing we<br />

have so much to do. I find<br />

sustainability essential in<br />

terms of my values, but<br />

also, why go spend money<br />

on materials we can find?<br />

You know, Memphis is just<br />

great. Buy nothing– you just<br />

drive around and you'll find<br />

it. But there's also a deeper<br />

part of it; I feel connected<br />

to these things. There's this<br />

challenging part of mending<br />

that I love, trying to figure it<br />

out and so that even though<br />

it's not a textile, I can stitch<br />

it like that. So that idea of<br />

returning something to its<br />

original use I really love. Or<br />

maybe even a different use.<br />

Yeah, an alternative. I feel<br />

like there's a little humor<br />

involved and some of it's not<br />

for everyone. It's the idea<br />

of thinking, what can we do<br />

outside of what we can do<br />

with this material on its own.<br />

We can keep the things in<br />

use, whether it's as news or<br />

as an art piece or, you know,<br />

just a piece to think about.<br />

I find that it's a lifestyle<br />

choice. It feels so soothing<br />

and like a way to be.<br />

You have an upcoming<br />

exhibition at Crosstown<br />

Arts in Memphis, what are<br />

you hoping to get out of it?<br />

Part of this exhibition<br />

is sort of now trying to<br />

look at all this work I've<br />

done for seven years or<br />

so, finding those common<br />

themes and trying to write<br />

about it more— to come<br />

and read about my work in<br />

other ways.<br />

Learn more about<br />

Katrina’s work on her<br />

website katrinaperdue.com.<br />

Her solo exhibition 'Mending<br />

in a State of Abundance'<br />

opens at the West Gallery at<br />

Crosstown Arts in Memphis<br />

on <strong>Nov</strong>ember 18, <strong>2022</strong>, and<br />

runs through March 5, 2023.<br />

Follow her on Instagram<br />

@katrinaperdue.<br />

focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 19


life<br />

Business and<br />

Finance Podcasts<br />

with a Queer <strong>Focus</strong><br />

by Star McGill Goudey<br />

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

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

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

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

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

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

SHEN AND SHAN SHOW<br />

“Highlighting the stories, businesses, and careers of<br />

LGBTQ+ professionals and entrepreneurs. With a little<br />

rainbow inspiration, we can be successful and our true<br />

selves!”<br />

This show has interviews with queer entrepreneurs<br />

that you can also watch on YouTube. The hosts, Shen &<br />

Shan, have backgrounds in financial literacy, real estate,<br />

education, and community outreach all with a heavy focus<br />

on families. Reading their About page is a MUST!<br />

Episodes include interviews with self published authors,<br />

dancehall owners, chefs, commercial cleaners, musicians,<br />

educators, medical professionals, filmmakers, nail<br />

technicians, apothecary owners and so many more. Topics<br />

like brand building, community building, business strategy,<br />

marketing, sales, and insurance are covered.<br />

20 <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle | focuslgbt.com


THE FOCUS GROUP<br />

You may recognize Tim Bennett and John Nash as<br />

the duo behind Subaru’s 15-year advertising of the<br />

perfect vehicle for the LGBTQ consumer. It is a weekly<br />

program with interviews, guest appearances, and current<br />

happenings around the world from a queer perspective.<br />

591 episodes and counting means you are sure to find<br />

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THE OUT ENTREPRENEUR<br />

BRINGING OUR WHOLE SELVES TO WORK |<br />

CONVERSATIONS WITH LEADING LGBTQ BOSSES<br />

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Rhodes Perry connects with today’s most authentic<br />

LGBTQ entrepreneurs. The show was created for you, the<br />

LGBTQ entrepreneur, business owner, or start-up founder.<br />

It was also designed to inspire more people to consider the<br />

entrepreneurial journey.”<br />

This podcast has 203 episodes that feature topics such<br />

as: knowing if running a family business is what you want<br />

to do, empowering marginalized communities, business<br />

law, and how to do radio. Rhodes Perry hosts professionals<br />

in the fields of self development and business building as<br />

well. A little something for everyone.<br />

QUEER MONEY<br />

“Queer Money is dedicated to the intersection of<br />

personal finance and being LGBTQ. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,<br />

Transgender or Queer, we all have money needs. Let's<br />

build a financially strong LGBTQ community.”<br />

David Auten and John Schneider (aka The Debt Free<br />

Guys) host this show. I include it here because personal<br />

finance is an important part of being a solid business<br />

owner. Topics covered include retirement savings, financial<br />

self-advocacy, trade work versus college degrees, samesex<br />

social security challenges, finding your purpose, and<br />

investing. This podcast boasts 341 episodes so far!<br />

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

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

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

focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 21


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focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 22


CROSSWORD<br />

ACROSS<br />

1 Buffy creator Whedon<br />

5 Group of openly gay lions?<br />

10 Fag ____ (women with gay<br />

friends)<br />

14 Milk go-with<br />

15 Like phone sex<br />

16 Area east of the Urals<br />

17 Choice #1, on 53-Across<br />

20 Flynn role opposite Davis<br />

21 Officer in the navy (abbr.)<br />

22 Use a rubber<br />

23 It may be tidy<br />

25 Mouthful, for the bull<br />

26 Start of Choice #2 on<br />

53-Across<br />

31 Chinese tea<br />

33 Dance in a Cole Porter title<br />

34 Tree on a shady street<br />

37 Big wheels at sea<br />

39 Areas for Dr. Kerry Weaver<br />

40 Spock portrayer Leonard<br />

42 Humorist Bombeck<br />

43 End of Choice #2<br />

45 Mark with a branding iron<br />

46 "Milk" actor James<br />

48 Bearse of "Married ... with<br />

Children"<br />

50 "____ On Down the Road"<br />

52 Sourpuss<br />

53 Netflix gay coming-of-age<br />

series<br />

58 Mapplethorpe's "Man in<br />

Polyester ____"<br />

59 Compensate<br />

60 Hot stuff<br />

62 Fairy tale bad guy<br />

63 Send, as to a specialist<br />

64 Nathan of “Modern Family”<br />

65 "Fer ____!"<br />

66 "The Cat in the Hat" author<br />

67 " ____ of Seventeen"<br />

DOWN<br />

1 Singer Feliciano<br />

2 Shaft output<br />

3 Minute parts, briefly<br />

4 Most in need of BenGay<br />

5 Homophobe Robertson<br />

6 Inventive Goldberg<br />

TWO CHOICES<br />

7 Club for Sheehan<br />

8 Calendar boxes<br />

9 Keebler cookie maker<br />

10 Tracy Turnblad has a big one<br />

11 On an Atlantis cruise<br />

12 Pink lady liquors<br />

13 "Quills" subject<br />

18 They're way out<br />

19 Cartoonist David<br />

24 West of Hollywood<br />

25 Cigarette pkg.<br />

26 Hayek of "Frida"<br />

27 "Firebird" composer<br />

Stravinsky<br />

28 Richard Simmons, to fitness<br />

29 Serpent's sound<br />

30 Aden is its capital<br />

31 Nick Malgieri, for one<br />

32 "Cabaret"'s "Mein ____"<br />

35 Dryer batch<br />

36 Vidal's Breckinridge<br />

38 Hall & Oates song about a<br />

fellator?<br />

41 Allie on "Weeds"<br />

43 Rock and Doris, frequently<br />

44 Literary mag for nags?<br />

47 The Batmobile, e.g.<br />

49 AAA handout<br />

51 Lauded makeup maker Lauder<br />

52 Dairy Queen stack<br />

53 Bonneville of "Downton<br />

Abbey"<br />

54 Land of Sinead O'Connor<br />

55 It's a curd in the kitchen<br />

56 Yellow-brick way<br />

57 Carol, for example<br />

58 Signal that goes either way<br />

61 Supporter of Spencer-Devlin<br />

FIND THE SOLUTION<br />

ON PAGE 22<br />

focuslgbt.com | <strong>Tenn</strong>essee Hustle 23

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