Queer Voices
Queer Voices
September 11th 2024 Queer Voices LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, Harris County LGBTQ Commission and Texas delegate to DNC Luis Adame
How does LGBTQ+ representation shape the business and civic landscape of Houston? Discover the compelling narratives and insights from Ryan Wilson of the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce, as he shares the Chamber's mission and the diverse businesses it supports. We'll discuss the growing importance of LGBTQ+ voices on city and county boards and commissions and how you can join this influential movement.
Learn about the Harris County LGBTQIA+ Commission's public listening sessions and the critical issues they address with Victoria Cordova and Talya Morris. We highlight their mission, formation, and the diverse representation they aim to achieve. From the "Out for Good" gala to an upcoming band book fair, you'll get a firsthand look at the exciting events fostered by community engagement and local partnerships.
Ever wondered what it's like to be a Texas delegate at the Democratic National Convention? Hear Louis Adame's inspiring journey and his experiences amidst pivotal political moments, including reflections on President Biden's campaign challenges and triumphs. Brett Cullum finishes off the episode with a lively community calendar, listing events that promise to energize and engage. This episode is packed with insights, inspiration, and opportunities for involvement like never before.
Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:
https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ and
https://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/
Hello everybody, this is Queer Voices, a podcast version of a broadcast radio show that's been on the air in Houston, Texas for several decades. This week, Debra Moncrief-Bell has conversations with four different guests, starting with Ryan Wilson of the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.
Speaker 2:There are all kinds of openings on boards and commissions across Harris County and the City of Houston, and very few LGBT people are serving on those boards and commissions, and so if you're interested in maybe joining some part of the city's boards or commissions, reach out to us at the Chamber. We'd love to have your resume connect you to the city and county and maybe get you in a position where you can help make a difference in the city.
Speaker 1:Deborah talks with members of the Harris County LGBTQ Commission, which is holding listening sessions with the public.
Speaker 3:We have hosted two listening sessions so far. As you mentioned, we did host one shortly after Hurricane Beryl it was in mid-July at Freed Community Center in Precinct 4. And most recently we hosted one at the Montrose Center on August 14th. That was really well attended.
Speaker 1:And Debra talks with Louis Adame about his experience as a Texas delegate to the Democratic National Convention last month.
Speaker 4:National Convention last month. I was really moved by Pete Buttigieg's speech where he talked about over his lifetime to see the change being an out person, to go from it not being socially acceptable to being tolerated, to having the right to get married, to being able to raise a kid, to start a family. It really reminded me what's at stake in the election come November.
Speaker 1:We also have Brett Cullum's community calendar of events for September. Queer Voices starts now.
Speaker 5:Ryan C Wilson is the Director of Corporate Relations for the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Ryan's with us to talk about the 2024 LGBTQ Plus Workplace Alliance Summit that's scheduled for Thursday, September 12th. First of all, let's talk a little bit about the chamber. What exactly is it?
Speaker 2:We say at the chamber that we stand at the intersection of the LGBT community and the business community, and so our focus is really to see LGBTQ plus people thriving in whatever type of business they might work in, whether they're a small business owner or maybe they are somebody that works for a major corporation that's based in Houston. We try to make sure that we are supporting everybody as they try to earn a living and make a good life for themselves.
Speaker 5:Now. The chamber started in 2016 under the direction of Tammy Wallace and Gary Wood. There was a previous incarnation of it, but since 2016,. Since 2016,. This version has been very active and growing. About how many members are there in it at this time.
Speaker 2:Well, we're excited that we are getting close to nearly 500 businesses and individual members, and of those, about 60 are what we call impact partners, which would be a major employer that's investing in the chamber in such a way that they really make an impact, so that could be companies like Shell or Chevron, hp, bank of America We've got a whole list of the big companies that are supporting us and then we've got small business owners and then just individual people that care about making a difference in the community and connecting around business and economic empowerment.
Speaker 5:What kinds of businesses are represented within the membership?
Speaker 2:So we actually have a great online directory that folks can go to at HoustonLGBTChambercom, and our online directory has everything from dentists to lawyers to event planners All kinds of different businesses are represented. We often try to support our small businesses, like restaurants, and go around the city supporting the different physical brick and mortar stores, and then we also have people that offer services. You know, like your lawyers and your accountants, we get a lot of people who move to town and are looking. You know, I just moved here, I need a dentist or I need an eye doctor and I want to support the LGBT community or I want to go where I know that I'm going to be welcome and supported without judgment, and so that's a really great directory.
Speaker 5:How big does a company have to be to join?
Speaker 2:You can be a self-employed, single employee. We have membership levels that are either based on your industry, like hospitality or the arts, so we have some nonprofit members, but it goes from one employee up to 99. And then after 99 employees we would consider you an impact partner and that's where our major employers come in. We have a calendar of events almost something going on every week. It seems like throughout the year. We put on a calendar of events almost something going on every week.
Speaker 2:It seems like throughout the year we put on a number of events. Particularly in Pride Month we had all kinds of things like the Pride Nights at the Astros or the Rockets. But we also do the first Friday of every month we go to a different restaurant to help support a local LGBT-owned restaurant. And then the third Thursday of every month we're at Cadillac Bar for a breakfast and that breakfast is an opportunity for folks to network, exchange business cards, learn about specific topics. We always have a brief program and we also have sometimes expo tables for folks to feature their businesses at the breakfast. And then we do fun things, like the last Thursday of every month we go to Eureka Heights and we have drag bingo. So it's a variety of different things.
Speaker 5:Can you share what you would consider a success story for someone who joined the caucus and how it impacted their business?
Speaker 2:A really great story would be talking about some of our corporate partners who, during Pride Month, instead of buying their t-shirts or other swag that they might be using for Pride just on a website somewhere and having it shipped from out of state, they made the intentional spending with an LGBT-owned business here in Houston that can also print t-shirts and all the different swag that they give away. You know, spending $500 or $600 with a local, local owned business, as opposed to sending that money out of state. It's really a win, because that company is then using that pride money that they would using either way, but they're doing it here buying local, buying lgbtq plus you have this lgbtq plus workplace alliance summit scheduled for th Thursday, the 12th, starting at 9 am and going to 5 30.
Speaker 5:It's going to be at the Emoji Tower on the West Loop South. Tell me exactly what this Workplace Alliance Summit is.
Speaker 2:Our Workplace Alliance program is something we offer year-round, specifically targeted for those folks that work for major corporations that are trying to move the needle internally around diversity and inclusion, but particularly around pride and LGBT inclusion. So you might hear of employee resource groups or affinity groups. Some companies have pride groups. They may call them spectrum or rainbow groups, but these are folks that are trying to make a difference in these big companies. When they change a policy that's more inclusive, they impact thousands of people, not just in Houston but all around the country where these companies might have footprints. So we create programming through the chamber we call the Workplace Alliance, and that is really just to help them get together, share best practices and learn from each other so that they can help move the needle in their company. So this summit is going to bring everybody together from these corporations.
Speaker 2:We're going to have a guest speaker coming to town. His name is Jason Patria. He's going to host a panel with DEI leaders and executive sponsors and then he's also going to give us a keynote address called how to Think Like a CEO, and it's really to help these pride leaders think internally within their companies about how do we make value for our companies while also helping be more inclusive. And then we'll also have a non-profit showcase that evening during our reception. That'll help some of the chamber's non-profit members get a chance to talk about volunteer opportunities or a way to sponsor their nonprofits. So we've got different pride groups, the Montreux Center and others signed up now to talk about their organizations while these pride leaders are all gathered. So it's going to be a full day. I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 5:This summit is open to impact partners.
Speaker 2:Correct. So if a company is interested in joining the chamber, we first have them join as an impact partner and then that opens the door for their employees to participate in all kinds of programming throughout the year. And that's really my job at the chamber is I work with the current partners and I'm always constantly looking for new businesses to bring on board and join the chamber so that we can expand our ever-growing footprint and really make a difference, not just in UConn.
Speaker 5:Your own background. You were the co-president of the Clemson University Gay Straight Alliance and the Safe Zone Coordinator for the University of South Carolina, and then you served as president of the board of both South Carolina Pride Movement and the Harriet Hancock LGBT Center, and then you went on to become the executive director of South Carolina Equality. Ryan, how did you take all of this, I know? Eventually you went to the Human Rights Campaign and was the regional campaign director for the southern region. How did you take what you did in those roles and bring it into more of a corporate world?
Speaker 2:That's a great question. I think one of the things that I've learned throughout life is it's not always what you know, it's who you know, and there's a real power in networking and engaging and connecting with other people. That skill that we all can hone. It's like a muscle. It takes work.
Speaker 2:It's not easy to network and be outgoing and make connections that are meaningful with people, but I did that all across the region when I was working for HRC and back when I lived in South Carolina all the different organizations there and it's the same here at the Chamber. The Chamber is all about building relationships and connecting with people, remembering people's names, remembering their stories, listening, hearing what they need, what their priorities are, and then trying to respond to those needs. The Chamber is always looking for new initiatives and new programming that really kind of serves what our partners need and that's one of the reasons why Tammy asked me to join the team back in December was we were seeing how much need there was and the Chamber has been growing to add staff so that we can do more.
Speaker 5:Were you a South Carolina native.
Speaker 2:No, actually, I grew up in the Baltimore DC area on the East Coast, Went to college in South Carolina, Lived there for 17 years before transferring here to Houston. I actually worked on the Hero Campaign back in 2015. And while we didn't win that campaign on the Equal Rights Ordinance, I fell in love with Houston. I got bit by the bug and so in 2017, I moved here and I've been living here ever since.
Speaker 5:What are ways that people can support the chamber?
Speaker 2:The chamber is an important piece because there was so many times that business leaders and governmental leaders get together and meet and talk, and if we don't have a voice in the room, then sometimes we're on the menu. Voice in the room, then sometimes we're on the menu, as they say right, we want to make sure that the chamber and people who are members of our chamber can be accessing government and involved in making a difference locally. So if folks want to support the chamber, they first and foremost, can use our directory, like you talked earlier about supporting all the businesses that are a part of the chamber. But you can also join the chamber either as an individual we have a lambda next gen group, which is for young people and young professionals and then you can also join as a business. If you're a business owner or if you have a part of a corporation, you can reach out to me and we can talk about what how your company can join the chamber as well, and all of that is available at HoustonLGBTChambercom, which is our website.
Speaker 5:This is Deb on Ron Creafell. I've been talking with Ryan C Wilson of the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce. We particularly were talking about the Workplace Alliance Summit coming up on Thursday, September 12th. Ryan, is there anything I didn't ask you about that you want to share?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'll tell you one other thing that the Chamber is working on that folks listening might be interested in is there are all kinds of openings on boards and commissions across Harris County and the City of Houston and very few LGBT people are serving on those boards and commissions across Harris County and the city of Houston and very few LGBT people are serving on those boards and commissions. And so if you're interested in maybe joining some part of the city's boards or commissions, reach out to us at the chamber. We'd love to have your resume connect you to the city and county and maybe get you in a position where you can help make a difference in the city.
Speaker 5:Well. Again, thank you so much for being with us on Queer Voices.
Speaker 1:Coming up next on Queer Voices, brett Cullum's community calendar of events for September. Members of the Harris County LGBTQ Commission, which is holding listening sessions with the public, and Louis Adame talking about his experience as a Texas delegate to the Democratic National Convention last month.
Speaker 6:Hi, this is Brett Cullum and I have got your community calendar for September of 2024. We have the Houston Pup Weekend, which is going to be starting on September 13th at the Ripcord. The opening reception will start on that Friday at 6.30. There they are going to have events, including lunches, various events, culminating with the Pup Up Montrose Contest, which will be held Saturday, september 14th, 7 pm at the Ripcord. And of course they're going to have a huge after party which follows Sunday the 15th. They are going to have a brunch and a drag show that starts at noon that day and that is all going to be part of Pup Weekend. So you don't want to miss that one. All the tail wagging and all of the cool leather outfits at the Ripcord.
Speaker 6:The weekend of September 13th there is also a Harris County LGBTQIA plus commission listening session that is going to be at Trini Mendenhall Community Center on 1414 Work Road. This is going to be on Wednesday, september 18th at 7 pm. This is going to be a chance for you to talk to an advisory group about what local government can do for our community. So definitely head to that the Harris County LGBTQIA plus commission listening session at the Trinney Mendenhall Community Center and also don't forget coming up really fast on October 5th Out for Good. This is LGBTQIA+ Houston's premier annual gala. It's going to start at 6pm with a VIP reception. 7pm the general doors will open. 7.30, dinner anda program. It's going to be held at the Marriott Marquis Houston on Walker Street, so plan for that, and this year the theme is black and white. Have a great month. I will be talking to you very soon.
Speaker 1:This is Glenn from Queer Voices. You're listening to KPFT. That means you're already participating just by listening, but how about doing more? Kpft is totally listener-funded, which means it's people like you who are making donations who support this community resource. Kpft has no corporate or government strings attached funding, which means we're free to program responsibly but without outside influence. Will you participate in KPFT financially? This station needs everyone who listens to chip in a few dollars to keep the station going, because that's the way it works. Even if you're listening over the internet on another continent, you can still contribute. Please become an active member of the listener community by making a tax-deductible contribution. Please take a minute to visit kpftorg and click on the red Donate Now button. Thank you.
Speaker 5:This is Deborah Moncrief-Bell and I'm talking with representatives from the Harris County LGBTQIA Plus Commission, and that's quite a mouthful, but they're going to share with us exactly what that means and what the commission is all about. I'm talking with Victoria Cordova and Tala Morris. Exactly what is the commission? How do they get formed?
Speaker 3:It's a relatively new commission. It's newly created and the first of its kind in Harris County. Our mission is to amplify the voices of fellow LGBTQ plus residents and promote equality in Harris County by making policy recommendations to commissioners court, so it's essentially an advisory board to the county judge and commissioners.
Speaker 5:How did it get started exactly?
Speaker 7:Yeah, I'd be happy to take this one. My name's Talia Morris. I'm a policy advisor with Commissioner Briones' office. Commissioner Briones was truthfully, really eager to champion this opportunity. As soon as she heard that Harris County didn't have their own LGBTQIA plus commission, she said this needs to be something that gets done and it needs to get done quick and it needs to be done right. So we really dove into kind of what those bylaws needed to look like and we're able to finally get something passed to at least recognize the creation of the commission back in June 2023. So that was an awesome, you know, pride Month win, obviously.
Speaker 7:And then we've had to kind of go back in and look at the bylaws again just throughout the first few months of creation, I'd say, because we really wanted to be sure that the purpose of the commission was clear. So it's to serve as an advisory body to commissioners court, so they would be able to provide recommendations directly to commissioners court, which is really unique and hasn't existed before that direct pipeline. But we also wanted to make sure that folks serving on the commission were truly there for the purpose. Um, so we wanted to outline diverse racial, ethnic, religious, age, sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as physical and mental abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, that sort of thing that would need to be represented on this commission and making sure that everyone's working toward the shared goal, which is producing those recommendations that will lead to the betterment of life for the LGBTQIA plus community in Harris County, which is a broader version of Houston and has several cities within it as well. So it's no small task, but we're certainly happy to be the first ones doing it.
Speaker 5:The Human Rights Campaign declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQIA plus people for the first time in its history, following a slate of harmful and discriminatory legislation, and that was part of the impetus for the creation of this commission. How were people selected to be on the commission?
Speaker 3:I was nominated to serve on the commission by Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, after speaking to his policy team about the opportunity to align my values with the commission's goals. So one of the things that's unique about the commission is the direct line to these commissioners' offices. Talia can speak a little bit more about the commission as a whole. There's also some at-large roles.
Speaker 7:Yeah, so the commission itself is composed of 11 seats.
Speaker 7:There are a few at-larges in there, but each office gets at least one that's designated to them.
Speaker 7:So you know, each of the commissioners have the opportunity to kind of go within their own communities, or you know word of mouth, and also we of course have applications that are available online and I will shamelessly plug anyone to please apply for Harris County boards and commissions, because I think representation is kind of one of the not getting ahead of myself but big asks that we're hearing from the community. So you know, I kind of got into this a little bit, but we just wanted to make sure that there was a true representation on this board Lesbian, bisexual, gay, intersex, asexual, transgender, non-binary folks, gender expansive folks, but we also included the opportunity for LGBTQIA plus caretakers, health cares, public health professionals, because you know we've obviously seen that be a major talking point and point of action as well. So you know we wanted this to be drawn from diverse racial, ethnic backgrounds and throughout Harris County, and that's really being a resident of Harris County and working towards a shared mission is really the only prerequisite.
Speaker 5:How exactly on a county-wide level, can this work be done? What do you hope to accomplish?
Speaker 3:Yes, so we launched a series of listening sessions for that purpose. We're launching them across the region to help us better define our priorities and how we spend our time. It's also an opportunity for the community to meet commission members and to hear about our mission and goals, and then for us to hear directly from them on what's on their minds and any concerns that they have and what they're experiencing as part of the community. We also want to underscore what we are hearing to be their most pressing needs and, beyond a space to share challenges, it's also an opportunity to share successes and aspirations.
Speaker 5:So you had one listening session which wasn't very well attended because it was in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, and then there was another one in August, I believe.
Speaker 3:Yes, so we have hosted two listening sessions so far. As you mentioned, we did host one shortly after Hurricane Beryl. It was in mid-July at Freed Community Center in Precinct 4. And most recently we hosted one at the Montrose Center on August 14th. That was really well attended.
Speaker 5:What came out of those?
Speaker 3:During the listening sessions we heard a number of issues that were pretty wide ranging. I'd say. Probably top of mind for us was the desire to gather local LGBTQ plus leaders in a room to break down silos and build a shared vision and strategies for the future. There was consensus about the need for identifying and really understanding available resources, services and funding sources from various organizations in the Houston area. We also heard about the desire for more services and trying to tap into the various community centers that already exist in the county to make those services available or readily available to Harris County residents.
Speaker 5:What are some of the types of things that the commission actually can do, because to me it sounds like people want to get together and have leaders in the same room and discuss these things and find out about resources. It's almost like let's have another town meeting.
Speaker 3:Yes, that's exactly right. Part of the sentiment is ensuring that we have key folks, and they don't necessarily have to be the directors or CEOs of an organization. You know you can lead without a title, and part of what you had mentioned resonated with me because one of the reasons why we launched the listening series was to meet fellow LGBTQ plus neighbors where they are, and if folks can't join us in person, they're welcome to join the conversation. Virtually All listening sessions are hybrid. We also heard about as Talia mentioned a little earlier, just some concerns about having more LGBTQIA plus representation on boards and commissions, particularly the more prominent boards, such as the Harris County Houston Sports Authority. As you know, Deborah, Houston has emerged as a sports destination, so we want to ensure that we remain competitive and continue this recognition.
Speaker 5:I recently learned that the Greater Houston GLBT Chamber of Commerce is willing to help people if they're interested in serving on commissions kind of helping them navigate where would be a good fit for them and what they might contribute. And Victoria, you yourself. You started off at Houston City Hall and then previously worked at Houston Public Media, the local NPR and PBS affiliate. You are currently on the Houston Public Media Foundation board and a member of the League of Women Voters and Women Professionals in Government, and then you teach American government as a lecturer. When do you have time to work?
Speaker 3:There's a special place in my heart for Houston Public Media. It actually wasn't until I established a close relationship with a former manager there that I really felt empowered to bring my whole self to work. It was really a weight lifted off my shoulders to not have to filter things like how I was spending my weekends or personal goals, and it also really strengthened my ability to be a voice at the table and integrate my identity into work projects. So I think that's where I truly leaned into who I was.
Speaker 5:Well, we're always looking for people to be contributors to Queer Voices, so keep that in mind. You have a listening session coming up September 18th. Where will that be?
Speaker 3:Our next listening session will be on September 18th at 7 pm in Precinct 3, trinney Mendehall Community Center, and there's other opportunities to get involved beyond the listening sessions. We'll soon be putting a call out for volunteers. We're a relatively small commission so we could use support in areas such as event planning, graphic design, project management and generally welcome anyone who has a passion for making Harris County more inclusive.
Speaker 5:And if someone wants to take part in that meeting virtually, how do they connect?
Speaker 3:Email us, and you could find that email address by visiting our website or following us on social media. We are on Facebook, Instagram and X, and the handle for that is at HCLGBTQIA.
Speaker 5:Is there anything that I didn't ask about that either of you would like to share?
Speaker 3:that either of you would like to share. One thing that I also should have mentioned is that, beyond the listening sessions, we do meet in person every other month. We're opening that up for public comment, so if schedules don't align for you to join us either virtually or in person at a listening session, we definitely encourage you to come to our meeting or to sign up to speak at our meeting. Our next meeting is after our listening session on September 18th.
Speaker 7:I would just add we've talked a little bit about representation and you kind of asked what the county could do, and you know Victoria obviously plugged these meetings, which I think are an excellent opportunity. But we're also definitely seeking feedback on ways to examine existing county systems. You know, we're kind of looking at the trainings that we have seen when they've most recently been updated. You know, harris County is one of the largest employers, so that's going to have wider reach than I think people would expect. And also we obviously need to be leading by example, and I think also something that you mentioned, deborah, is just the fact that people have kind of heard this before and there are folks out there already doing the good work, and we don't want to be that duplication of efforts and we don't want to be walking into the space taking over. So we are working really closely with a lot of our partners. You obviously mentioned Tammy in the chamber.
Speaker 7:We also have been working closely with the Montreux Center and I think one thing that we're also kind of excited about, hopefully, is a study of just the quality of life of LGBTQ folks right now In Harris County.
Speaker 7:We've seen so much change over the years and it hasn't really been assessed, the kind of impact that that's having on folks. So I would also encourage people to really look out for that as well, because I think that could have a long-term benefit when it comes to applying for funding, making the case down the road when we see, maybe, the Supreme Court making some more radical decisions, of course, for all of our electeds to just be aware of what the community is really experiencing right now. So we'll just encourage folks to stay engaged as best that they can. These listening sessions are obviously a spectacular opportunity, but we'll have a report coming out at the end of this year that we'll present to Commissioner's Court, kind of summarizing our actions for the past year. We have some events coming up as well. Victoria, I don't know if you wanted to plug any of those, although I know we don't have any hard dates yet. Definitely some stuff to be on the lookout and just want to appreciate everyone who has already turned out and will be willing to in the future.
Speaker 3:Additionally, in honor of LGBTQ plus history month, we are exploring hosting a band book fair in October.
Speaker 3:So be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks on a date and information on that. And Talia mentioned, these listening sessions are incredible because there's certain gaps that perhaps we're aware of, perhaps we're not. On the data side of things, I think there's visibility to national data from organizations like, let's say, the Trevor Project, but there's certainly a need or gap for a local survey of Houston area LGBTQ plus residents. We also heard from different folks in the education space about concerns about challenges to books and libraries and schools, particularly among the smaller ISCs in the region. We also heard from folks that are concerned about SB 17 and the implications and how we can garner more awareness around student scholarships and resources for youth. So we're certainly using these as a guide to build out next steps and projects and we look forward to encouraging folks to turn out, share it with their networks and to attend an upcoming event LGBTQIA plus commission, and I want to thank you so much for being with us on Queer Voices.
Speaker 5:no-transcript.
Speaker 3:The night is long and the path is dark. Look to the sky for one place where the dawn will come.
Speaker 1:This is Queer Voices.
Speaker 5:This is Deborah Moncrief-Bell, and on Queer Voices we're talking with Luis Adame, a recent delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He's going to share a little bit about his experience. But first a disclaimer KFPT and Queer Voices do not endorse candidates. Pt and Queer Voices do not endorse candidates. Any opinions expressed are the individual's own and don't represent the station or this program. So, louise, how does one get to be a delegate to a national convention?
Speaker 4:That's a popular question that I got at the convention in Chicago. So I've had to explain this a couple of times and I think the most mystifying part of the process is kind of that first step. I didn't know about the process till a friend who had gone to prior conventions told me about it. But basically every state kind of does it a little bit different. For us in Texas you have to sign a nomination form that the Texas Democratic Party puts out and that nomination form will go out a couple of months prior to our state convention. For us, we had our state convention in May and we had it in El Paso. So I was fortunate enough to be able to sign up I think I signed up early April to run and you run to represent your congressional district. The way Texas does it is that we have a number of seats or delegate allotment numbers for each congressional district and then we also have some slots open for at-large delegates.
Speaker 4:Something that the Democratic Party does really well is try to be inclusive and have good representation of the various types of Texans that you might find in Texas. So you run for a congressional district position but if you don't win your election you can still be eligible to become a delegate as a at-large delegate and I'm going to have a little asterisk there's also delegate positions reserved specifically for elected officials. A lot of elected officials do a lot of good work here in Texas and they have a certain number of slots reserved for them and for my congressional district, congressional District 7, we had six slots three for male and three for female candidates. And then if you're non-binary, you can still. You would run and your delegate position would not detract from either male or female. The party tries to be inclusive and have a 50-50 gender breakdown. The party tries to be inclusive and have a 50-50 gender breakdown. So if you're non-binary, that just requires that the difference between male and female total end up differing by one. So they have thought really well about inclusion. I know for the at-large delegates they try to include delegates from various backgrounds. So if you have veteran status, if you're LGBTQIA+, if you're, if you are a youth delegate under the age of 36, if you are Latino, if you're AAPI, if you're African-American, there are specific at large delegate positions reserved for to make sure that there's representation across the board.
Speaker 4:I was able to win my election. I came in third. I know the two other people that came in first and second. One was a previous candidate for a Texas Senate race and the other person has been a lifelong Democrat that's been in our district for 30 years. And the other person has been a lifelong Democrat that's been in our district for 30 years. So I felt super, super humbled and super honored to be able to go. As you know, a younger, a younger, more involved member of the party, but I felt very excited to be able to win my election and go vote in. This election End up being people go to the state convention in El Paso, which will be a lot of very active Democrats. It'll be your precinct chairs, it'll be people who do a lot of voter registration, people who are active and really, you know, motivated to help bring a blue wave here in Texas.
Speaker 5:Did you have any idea of what would take place had you been to a state convention before?
Speaker 4:Yes, so I have been to two prior state conventions prior to this year. The last one I went to was in Dallas in 2022. And for that one I'm originally from Dallas, so it was a little bit like being back home for a couple of days, so I had that to my advantage, but I had never been to a national convention, and I just want to say this summer has been was a little bit of a roller coaster. When I decided to run back in earlier this year, the, the go to candidate that we had as a, as a Democrat, was Biden, and Biden has done a great job so far, pushing a very strong policy and agenda driven administration. And we you know we were, we kind of everybody had an expectation of what the rest of the year would look at, look like.
Speaker 4:Then we had the first debate. You know that moment was a very pivotal moment over the last couple of months where some people were reassessing their view on who they thought would be the best person to have in the ballot come November. And I remember hosting a debate watch party with a lot of my friends. We're all young, recent graduates, and for some of them they're very smart people but they're not very politically active and I like bringing people into the fold. So we watched the debate and it was very interesting just to see some reactions change in the room.
Speaker 4:And then a couple of weeks later Biden had to make a very tough decision and we're very thankful and I know some people might have seen the signs. But we love Joe and we're thankful for Joe for putting country ahead of his own personal will, political will, for somebody who's been doing the work for decades to step aside and say I want a priority, I want our country to be in good hands, want our country to be in good hands. That's not an easy decision. I think a lot of us could make. But he took the high road and it was great to have the convention and then that first night he just gave a great speech. I thought of it as a swan song Of all. How can you put 50 years of public service into one speech? But I'm very happy that Biden kind of stepped aside for right now and we have a lot of new momentum the base feels very re-energized.
Speaker 5:Let's talk about that in a second. First of all I want to say is I think that there was false equivalency that took place with that debate and that some of what appeared to be his diminished capacity had a little bit to do with his speech impediment, and people don't realize that sometimes he does have to struggle about how to say something so that he gets it out without a stutter. It was without looking at what the other one was doing, including the lies, when people were saying, well, what do you think Should he step down? And I said he will do whatever he thinks is best for the country. I had full confidence in that and I think that's what he did. I personally, being a Democrat, was thrilled and delighted with the momentum that took place as soon as he endorsed Kamala Harris. I was a little nervous as to what the reaction would be, but the way that her candidacy has been embraced, it's nothing short of thrilling. So when you were in El Paso, you actually didn't have Harris as the nominee, correct?
Speaker 4:I do think that the beat performance. There was a lot of factors involved. I know the days afterwards it became public information that he wasn't performing at his 100% because he was sick. I know he had from what I've been told is he had COVID, and I remember having COVID myself and my mind was all discombobulated. I would, would you know, go into the kitchen, open the fridge and I'd be like why did I open the fridge? So I can only imagine having to go on a debate and discuss very complex issues like policy for the US. And I also think, another factor when you're debating Trump, he just is very good at spewing misinformation and he does it at such a fast rate. To debate against someone doing that is a difficult thing and, from what I remember, the moderators were not very good at live fact checking or preventing Trump from just setting up his misinformation. Setting up his misinformation. It was unfair for Biden to have to do the extra work of correcting Trump and correcting the misinformation as well as putting forward his thoughts and ideas.
Speaker 5:And another thing about that debate it was not one of the official debates, it was a network debate, and so I found that rather odd. At the state convention, do you then run to be a delegate for the national convention?
Speaker 4:Yes. So in the weeks leading up to it you will see people campaign. One of the more common campaign things that we have nowadays is just sending emails letting other voters in your congressional district know about your work. For me, I was able to share about my experience being a lifelong Democrat. I know I don't have as many years of experience as some of my colleagues or some other people that were running, but I think my fervor for the Democratic Party came through, and having a lot of one-to-one discussions with people at the convention was very helpful. Lot of you know one-to-one discussions with people at the convention was very helpful For my race, I think for the three male delegate positions that we had there was about 12 or 14 of us running and not everybody who runs is able to make it to the actual convention.
Speaker 4:So that's also something to consider when it comes to becoming a delegate. From my perspective as a younger person and someone who comes from a low income background, there are these barriers that kind of prevent some people from participating in the system. Not everybody can take the weekend off to go to El Paso. Not everybody can take a whole week of the whole week off from work to go to Chicago. So these are some things that people kind of think about in the background in a way kind of prevent some people from doing it.
Speaker 4:I'm very fortunate enough to be able to have PTO from work and be able to plan ahead and knew that I could. I could do it, but there are some financial and accessibility barriers that prevent people from running. And then for someone I've been pretty active with campaigns. I volunteer for campaigns. I've I've seen a lot of campaigns happen, so I know that you have to meet the voters where they're at, and the voters for the convention tend to be very politically active. So there's also kind of some understanding of there's a lot of political discussions that happen before the convention even starts.
Speaker 4:You call your friends that you know that are going to go to the convention starts. You call your friends that you know that are going to go to the convention. There's people who go to every convention and if you've been to a couple of conventions prior hand, you know who they are and you can rely on them as solid votes. But if it's your first convention you might not know some of the procedure and at this convention you could run for various things.
Speaker 4:You could run to be a congressional district delegate, at-large delegate. You could run to be an election certifier for the Democratic Party, for the Electoral College. You could run to be on the selection committee for DNC members, which are different from DNC delegates. You could be on the committee to help pick the at-large delegates. So there was tons to run for and if it's one of your first conventions it might get a little bit confusing. I was lucky enough to have some guidance from other participants at the convention that have attended a couple of them before, so I want to give a big thank you to everybody who kind of helped me and figure out what to do and what actions to take.
Speaker 5:Louise, there's a real lesson in this. It's like if you want to know how to get involved, then find someone who knows, and it's also a message to those that are in the know to reach out their hand and bring others along. I know that you're active in the GLBTQ plus political caucus. You mentioned earlier being from Dallas, but actually you have an immigrant background.
Speaker 4:Yes, yes, I came over to the US when I was a one-year-old baby I'm the youngest of seven siblings and my mom had me at 46. My dad was 50. And when I was born my dad decided I want to raise you in the US. He had been working here in the US since 1960s construction. My mom had worked doing domestic housekeeping in Galveston and Corpus Christi area, but they were commuters, they were nomads. Set up base in Dallas, they set up base and then they would travel back home and go back and forth. But I cut you off a little bit. I apologize for that.
Speaker 5:No, that's perfectly okay, because that's really interesting in sharing the story, because I think it's a truly an American story. So you go off to Chicago. How many delegates are in the Texas delegation?
Speaker 4:Texas has the second largest delegation. The only other state that beats this is California, but we have the second largest delegation. I am drawing a blank right now, but we have about between 260 and 270 delegates, or 271. People't expect texas to be that politically active for democrats, but we in our big urban hubs I know a phrase that gets thrown around is land doesn't vote, people vote. And I think here in texas, where we're pushing the pushing the tides in our favor, I know we say we get closer and closer to winning a statewide election.
Speaker 4:Right now we have Colin Allred running at the statewide level and we're seeing some really good numbers in terms of the polls. I know there was a poll that came out last week that has them within a few points behind Ted Cruz. If we, if we work hard, we can get the voters out there. Another thing about Texas that people kind of get confused is people like to say that it's purely a red state, that it's a strong red state, but I disagree. I think it appears to be red because low voter turnout. I think we're a non-voting state and I think if more people had their voices heard and more people went to the voting locations, took their parents took their parents took their siblings took their friends. We would see a little bit of a different picture on the day after elections. The elections results would be a little bit more representative of the Texas that I've seen.
Speaker 5:And it's important not only because we're voting for this crucial presidential election, but down-ballot races. Colin Allred in the Senate would be a game-changer, having more representatives in the House of Representatives a game-changer, so those down-ballot races are just as important. We really need to encourage people to make sure they exercise this precious right to vote and, as you mentioned, there's sometimes financial constraints because you're on your own dime and you get there and you're one of these 273 Texans. What do you do once you get there?
Speaker 4:Boy. The days are jam-packed. Most of the activities start on the Sunday. The day before the DNC itself puts on a very just, very rah-rah-rah welcoming reception. This at Chicago they had it at the Navy Pier, which was this great venue. It was amazing to just see people hyped up and excited on the eve of the convention. There's multiple welcoming events. I know HRC, Victory Fund and a coalition of LGBTQ orgs also had a welcoming reception that Sunday. I know there was a welcoming reception for Texas delegates specifically, so there's nothing short of rah-rah moments going into it.
Speaker 4:Basically, the breakdown of the day is we have an assigned hotel that we have to stay at. It just works for logistical purposes to have us all be at one location to get word out and to communicate anything that we might need to communicate to one another. For our delegation on the first day, we had from 7 to 9 30 in the morning to pick up your credentials. Your credentials are going to be your ticket into the convention and into certain events If you're not able to pick up your credentials by 9.30,. There's alternate delegates people who wanted to be delegates but weren't able to get on that congressional district, election level or at large level, but they still wanted to be on the wait list to participate if possible. So those credentials are really highly sought after. But everybody was very, for the most part, very good at picking up their credentials. There was one day that I kind of just snuck down there around 930 to see. I kind of just snuck down there around 930 to see and I think that day there was only out of our 273 delegates there was only nine people who weren't able to pick them up. Stuff happens. I heard of one delegate whose dog was sick that week and he had to leave unexpectedly. But that's why we have alternatives to go to step in and help out and kind of continue to represent Texas, and then from that 7 to 9.30, we'll also have breakfast and it's a little bit of a working breakfast. We're 8 onwards to around 9.30. There'll be speakers. So we were very lucky to have various speakers from across the US kind of talk to us, talk to us about their experience in their state. We had people from Texas. We had the mayor of San Antonio speak to us on one day. So every morning we have we pick up our credentials, we have breakfast and we listen to some speakers and they'll give us some guidance on what the day is going to look like. What the day is going to look like After that, we had shuttles.
Speaker 4:They were the city buses that took us from our hotel to McCormick Place, a convention center in Chicago, and there we attended caucus meetings. So there's various caucuses that you can participate in and they'll focus on a specific issue. They'll have recognitions to people in the party who have done a lot of great work. Sometimes they'll have representatives from organizations that will give you very, very insightful information into what the field is looking like. You'll have guest speakers that you're very hush-hush and you don't know. To the moment. We had Chasten Buttigieg, Pete Buttigieg's partner, show up one day at the LGBTQ caucus and he shared his experience.
Speaker 5:What we see watching it on television is just a few hours, but there's all day long stuff going on On the night of each event. You're there, you're in the convention hall, you're seated together with the other Texas delegates. It's the opportunity for the party to lay out its goals, its vision, to be there supporting the candidate as well. There was a special moment that took place and this had to do with Governor Walz, the vice presidential nominee, and his son was jumping up and crying and pointing and saying that's my dad, that's my dad and we all I mean we, so many of us. We were just like that is so wonderful, that's so exciting. Were you able to see that in the hall?
Speaker 4:There was tear sheds every night. It's like we took turns Tonight's your night to open up your third eye and just feel all the energy in the room. I cried twice during the convention and for me, I was really moved by Pete Buttigieg's speech where he talked about over his lifetime to see the change being an out person, to go from it not being socially acceptable to being tolerated, to having the right to get married, to being able to raise a kid, to start a family. It really reminded me what that stake in the election come November. I know something that got brought up during the DNC's Project 2025. Stuff like that is really scary and it's it's real. I know a phrase I got thrown at the convention is that Tim Walz mentioned is someone writes down their playbook, the plan to use it. So the emotions were just very heightened throughout every single day. And what?
Speaker 5:was the other moment for you.
Speaker 4:Just Kamala's speech on Thursday, where she thanked everybody who was part of the movement. It reminded me that the Democratic Party as a whole is fighting for everybody. We're not in this by ourselves. The struggles that we have as an individual are struggles that a lot of people for us have felt and a lot of people afterwards may experience as well. But the best thing that we can do is to be active, do something, make the world a little bit of a better place so that somebody else down the road doesn't have to seem struggled that we do.
Speaker 5:Exactly what Michelle Obama said do something, and there's a lot to be done between now and November. Louise Adame, thank you so much for talking about your experience as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention 2024. And thanks for being with us on Queer Voices.
Speaker 4:Thank you for having me to be able to share my experience about the DNC, and I hope people come out in November to vote, and not just in November, but every election that they see down the road.
Speaker 1:This has been Queer Voices, which is now a home produced podcast and available from several podcasting sources. Check our webpage queervVoicesorg. For more information. Queer Voices executive producer is Brian Levinka. Andrew Edmondson and Deborah Moncrief-Bell are frequent contributors. The News Wrap segment is part of another podcast called this Way Out, which is produced in Los Angeles.
Speaker 8:Some of the material in this program has been edited to improve clarity and run time. This program does not endorse any political views or animal species. Views, opinions and endorsements are those of the participants and the organizations they represent. In case of death, please discontinue use and discard remaining product.
Speaker 1:For Queer Voices I'm Glenn Holt, Thank you. Thank you. Outro Music. Thank you.
