State Rep. Eric Johnson (D-Dallas) has filed a bill in the Texas House that would prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. HB 850, which was filed on January 16, would add LGBTQ protections to current state law that only covers race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin or age.…
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Azul Barrientos to be Joined by Aaron Prado for First ‘Noche Azul’ Concert of the Year
Azul Barrientos will present her first monthly Noche Azul concert of the year on January 26 at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center where she will be joined by jazz pianist Aaron Prado. Barrientos, who is from Mexico City, has been artist-in-residence at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center since 2007 where her monthly Noche…
San Antonio Trans Woman Finds Success With Career in Real Estate
A San Antonio transgender woman has just become the founding president of the San Antonio chapter of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP), making her the first trans person to be in a leadership position with the organization. For Jamie Zapata, helping establish NAGLREP’s local chapter is a career milestone.…
LGBTQ Groups Plan Show of Unity at San Antonio’s MLK March
The leaders of PFLAG San Antonio and Fiesta Youth are extending an invitation to other LGBTQ groups to join a unified effort to march together at the Martin Luther King, Jr. March on January 21. “The struggle for equal rights for all, is far from over. Together we are stronger,” the invitation exclaims. Participants are…
Man Shot by Security Guard at Club Essence
A man was shot as he and a friend scuffled with a security guard at around 1 a.m on Saturday, January 12 at Club Essence, located at 800 Lexington Avenue. According to a report on KSAT-TV, the security guard asked a highly intoxicated man to leave the club because he was bothering patrons. When the…
The Texas Legislature Now Has Its First LGBTQ Caucus
Five Democratic legislators serving in the Texas House of Representative have formed the State Legislature’s first-ever LGBTQ Caucus. The new caucus is composed of veteran lawmakers Rep. Mary Gonzalez of El Paso, Rep. Celia Israel of Austin and newly-elected members Jessica Gonzalez of Dallas, Julie Johnson of Carrollton and Erin Zwiener of Driftwood. The caucus…
Dan Patrick dismisses need for bathroom bill in 2019: “It’s been settled and I think we won.”
By Emma Platoff, The Texas Tribune At a Governor’s Mansion press conference on the second day of this year’s legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who last session was the top state leader championing the measure, which would have regulated the use of certain public facilities for transgender Texans — suggested there’s no need…
DreamWeek Celebrates Seventh Anniversary With Over 200 Events
Now in its seventh year, the DreamWeek Summit, which this year takes place from January 11 to 26, is a series of events that focus on fostering “the free exchange of ideas on universal issues affecting the human race.” The ultimate goal of DreamWeek is to advance “the voices of tolerance, equality and diversity.” Over…
Texas Democrats Line Up Pro-LGBT Bills as State Legislature Opening Day Arrives
With the January 8 opening day at hand, Democratic members of the State Legislature have been lining up bills which would help enhance the rights of LGBT Texans. Unlike in the previous legislative session, when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s “bathroom bill” was a priority for Republicans, this year no such bill has yet been filed.…
‘Corporeal Narratives’ to Feature Queer-Identifying Dancers in Performance at Teatro Palo Alto
Teatro Palo Alto is set to present the second production of it’s Guest Artists Series in dance with the presentation of Corporeal Narratives: An Intimate Evening of Dance on January 11 at the Palo Alto College Performing Arts Center. According to the press announcement, the performance will be unique in that it is a gathering…