a&e features
Dishing with Ross
‘Drag Race’ judge shares ‘rossipes,’ cocktails, celebrity gossip and more
Ross Mathews got his start on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” where he was known as “Ross the intern.”
The fabulously out gay guru has since been seen on many shows such as “Celebrity Fit Club,” “The Insider,” “Celebrity Big Brother” and, of course, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” where he’s been a staple at the judge’s table since season seven in 2015.
He launched his book tour for “Name Drop: the Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour” last week in New York. There aren’t currently any LA stops on the tour, but the book is out now. Mathews, 40, dished on all that and more while driving to his second home (he lives mostly in Los Angeles) in Palm Springs last week.
BLADE: How are things?
ROSS MATHEWS: Good. I feel like everyone has this sense of optimism this year that has been lacking the last couple years. People were like, “Ugh, God — this year can’t end soon enough,” but now, I don’t know, everyone I’ve talked to feels great about 2020 and so far so good. Also I’m driving to my place in Palm Springs, so I’m like in heaven.
BLADE: How were your holidays?
MATHEWS: It was really nice. I got to be with my family in Washington state and it was super nice, then I got to be back here in California and I went to Puerto Vallarta, which is another one of my happy places.
BLADE: Tell us about your book. How did it come about?
MATHEWS: The idea came to me in the shower. I was just like, “Oh my gosh, I wish I could tell everybody the stories I tell my friends at happy hour,” but then I thought, “But that’s so name-droppy.” Then I thought, “Screw it, just lean in — those are the stories people want to hear.” So “Name Drop” really is filled with celeb stories I usually only tell at happy hour and since it’s all about happy hour and I do cook every day, I thought why don’t I include some of my original rossipes in there so people can actually have happy hour while they’re reading the book, ‘cause that’s what the book feels like. It feels like you’re sitting down with me, ordering a drink and a bite and we’re just gushing over celebrities.
BLADE: So it’s cocktail and food recipes?
MATHEWS: Yes, there’s cocktails and rossipes for every single one and I pair them up with a chapter so for instance, I give Celine Dion “My Artichoke Heart Will Go On.” For Faye Dunaway, I give you my rossipe for “Endamame Dearest,” and it goes on from there.
BLADE: You had an encounter with Faye? Is she as scary as I fear she might be?
MATHEWS: I was too scared to ask her what I really wanted to ask her, but I thought it was so fascinating that I got to meet her, so I included it in the book. You know, some of these stories are when I had my dreams come true from people I’d loved forever, and some of these stories are about people who really disappointed me when I met them but I always say no celebrities were harmed in the making of this book. I tell the reader exactly what happened but I’m not out to hurt anybody.
BLADE: And these are all your own creations?
MATHEWS: Yes
BLADE: How did you get into that?
MATHEWS: So the cocktails are all sort of like my spin on cocktails that already exist and I make them original to me. The rossipes are all things I actually make. I’ve always lovd cooking. I learned from my mom and I loved watching her. I love going to a restaurant and trying something and thinking, “Oh, I’d do it this way,” and then going home and cooking. I do that with Food Network too. I watch and go, “Huh — I would make it with this,” then I try it. Cooking is art — just another way to create.
BLADE: Do you have a favorite?
MATHEWS: Oh my gosh, I love them all. I make “Baked Ziti with a Z” for the Liza Minnelli story and that one’s really delicious.
BLADE: Please tell me there’s a chapter on Omarosa (she and Mathews were on “Celebrity Big Brother” together in 2018).
MATHEWS: Absolutely! We do an Omarosa Mimosa and then just a TV dinner because that chapter’s all about reality TV. Which by the way, an Omarosa Mimosa is made with blood orange juice.
BLADE: What was going through your head in real time when she was telling you all that stuff during your little tete-a-tete on “Big Brother”?
MATHEWS: Listen, I write all about that in the book. It was so surreal being locked away from the outside world for 30 days with cameras following us 24-7 and then Omarosa walks in and this was right after she had left the White House. I was fascinated by her and knew we had to talk about it or people wouldn’t think we were being real in that house. It’s impossible not to be real when they’re filming you 24 hours a day. So that conversation, to sit there and ask her those questions and what I was thinking and also what happened afterwards, which nobody knows about, that’s all in the book.
BLADE: Do you get a clothing allowance on “Drag Race”?
MATHEWS: No. I have to get my own wardrobe and of course, you have to step it up because you’re sitting next to RuPaul. I partner with Mr. Turk and I’m sucking up to friends who are designers. I’ve worked with Mr. Turk and Trina Turk for a long time and I’ve worn Tallia Orange before, so I try to find people who can partner with me so I’m not spending mazillions of dollars on these clothes.
BLADE: Is the stuff you wear on “Drag Race” the kind of stuff you wear in your private life or do you glam it up for the show?
MATHEWS: Well you have to wear something noticeable on that set. What am I going to do? Show up in corduroy or khakis? In real life, I love clothes but I’m not always in a suit. Usually I’m in like a jacket with a leopard scarf and a Gucci slide. When I go to Palm Springs, it’s elastic head to toe (laughs).
BLADE: Do you do your own shopping?
MATHEWS: I’ve had stylists in the past. My partner all those years, Salvador (Camerna), was my stylist but lately I’m not using a stylist. It’s just me partnering with various designers and trying to express myself however I feel that day. The other day I had on ripped jeans and boots and I was feeling all butch, like green Army Surplus jacket and right now I’m wearing Gucci fur slides and a leopard scarf, so I’m feeling more Nellie today. It’s fun to express fashion, always a joy.
BLADE: Was there ever a “Drag Race” contestant you thought went home too early?
MATHEWS: Yes. I’ve never disagreed with the winner, but I have opinions on who should stay and who should go. That’s part of my job, I get to argue my point to Ru who makes the ultimate decision. So I have of course thought somebody should have stayed who went home at a certain point, but the cream always rises to the top and I agree with every winner who’s been chosen.
BLADE: Did you ever feel somebody who sashayed away should have won the lip sync?
MATHEWS: (long pause) Yes (laughs). But I don’t want to give specific cases. Ru is the Supreme Court and I defer to Ru all the time. But there’ve been a couple times when someone won and I go, “Huh — I didn’t see that one coming.” But that’s not my job to decide that. I’m just there to give my two cents.
BLADE: Do you hang out with Michelle (Visage) and Carson (Kressley) outside the show?
MATHEWS: Absolutely. Michelle and I just went to lunch in Calabasas the other day. She got gluten-free grilled cheese. She’s like a sister to me and Carson’s like a brother. I love them all. And we really just make each other laugh all day long.
BLADE: You’re all so chummy now but Michelle had a rather prickly relationship with (former judge) Santino (Rice). Does a little tension there help the show?
MATHEWS: Well, I can’t really speak to her relationship with Santino, but Michelle and I are like brother and sister. If we disagree, we’re not gonna keep it in. I’ll tell her she’s nuts, but we laugh about it later. We have absolutely had strong disagreements where we each draw a line in the sand and we’ll never agree on something but then we go to lunch afterwards. I’m not afraid of her.
BLADE: Who’s been your all-time favorite “Drag Race” guest judge?
MATHEWS: Oh my gosh, there are so many. I can’t believe the people we get to sit next to. I’ll come home and say, “I just sat next to Lady Gaga for like 12 hours,” or Miley Cyrus. I have to be careful not to say some of the names coming up ‘cause they’ll blow you away, but I’ll get in so much trouble. It’s one of the greatest gifts of the show the artists that Ru and World of Wonder allow me access to. It blows me away.
BLADE: Who would be your dream judges?
MATHEWS: Liza, Cher, Bette, Madonna — you know, the icons.
BLADE: Do you guys write all your own puns for the runway commentary or do you have help?
MATHEWS: No, we come up with it as it’s happening. As we see it, we say it.
BLADE: They’re pretty clever most of the time. I’ve always thought, “They must get some help with this.”
MATHEWS: No, we just try to make each other laugh. There’s no better feeling than making really funny people laugh. There are some stinkers from time to time and the editors help us out.
BLADE: About how long does it take to tape a full “Drag Race” season?
MATHEWS: Well, there’s a lot going on. I don’t want to ruin it for people but of course, it takes longer than just what you see. There are outfit changes and you have to stop for production and sometimes there’s a lighting cue that goes wrong you have to redo. There’s a lot that goes into a production of this size but as someone who loves showmanship, I don’t want to give too much away.
BLADE: What’s the biggest thing being behind the scenes on these kinds of shows that stands out to you that you’d never have thought about as a viewer at home?
MATHEWS: Well, like the first time I went to the Oscars, I was staring at all the stars on the red carpet then you turn to the left and see 12 portapotties. I was like, “Wow, I didn’t know those were there,” they cut those out of the shots for TV. Or being in the “Big Brother” house and hearing the camera operators in the wall saying, “I’ve got a close up on Ross’s face, he’s going to bed.” I was like, “Oh my god, I didn’t think about that.” Or there’s a microphone hanging over the toilet, the one toilet you share with 11 other celebrities. It’s not all glamorous but it’s all a piece of the puzzle.
BLADE: Have you seen Ru’s new Netflix show?
MATHEWS: I have! Michelle and I went to the premiere. We were basically wearing the same red suit, it’s on my Instagram. It’s so great, I’m so proud of Ru. You know, Ru refuses to be put in any box. You think you know what Ru can do, then Ru goes, “Oh, I can also do this.”
BLADE: When Ru was on the cover of Vanity Fair in December, the article suggested he’s only knowable to a point, down to earth and candid in some ways — I’m paraphrasing — but also with a bit of aloofness, like he only lets you get so close or never totally lets his hair down. Is that your impression?
MATHEWS: Um, I can’t really speak for other people’s impressions of Ru, but I can tell you what Ru has been for me. Ru has been so kind and so supportive and so welcoming and you know, there’s one quote on the cover of my book and it’s a quote from Ru and that’s on purpose because for this phase of my career, Ru’s been the one who has sort of given me a platform and said, “Hey, look at this guy, he’s really funny.” ‘Cause Ru could have picked anybody for that seat next to him and so for me, he’s a mentor and a friend.
BLADE: You’ve made self-deprecating cracks about your sex life on “Drag Race.” You gettin’ any these days? Or dating anyone?
MATHEWS: (laughs) I am dating a lot actually. I never did this before. I didn’t really date in my 20s because I was figuring out how to be a famous person and I felt like a clown a little bit, so I felt like I had to choose between being funny or sexual. Then I got in a relationship and we were together for 10 years and now I found myself out dating again and I’m really confident now in who I am and I’ve never been single and confident at the same time, so I’m having a really good time dating. I find people fascinating. I like meeting people and I like learning from people and I think if you’re inquisitive and confident, you’re a really good dater.
BLADE: Reality TV and media can be rather soul sapping. And Ru is always spouting great spiritual wisdom. How do you refuel spiritually yourself?
MATHEWS: Not to sound cheesy, but I’m really fueled by living my dream. I don’t need anything else.
BLADE: Good luck with your book and tour.
MATHEWS: Thanks! Please come out. It’s just an hour and a half where we shut the door on the world, ‘cause everything’s fucked right now …
BLADE: Yeah, especially in Washington!
MATHEWS: I know, right? We just shut all that out and have some laughs.
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‘Witches’ unveils supernatural powers we get from growing up gay
Tim Murray’s Edinburgh Fringe hit musical comedy winning fans across America
Whether it’s “Hocus Pocus” or “Sabrina” or “Agatha All Along,” gay men have always had an affinity for witches, and comedian Tim Murray’s one-man show “Witches” dissects our love of powerful female outcasts while telling his own hilarious stories about growing up gay in the Midwest.
“Witches,” which Murray describes as part stand-up, part drag, part musical comedy, debuted at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it got rave reviews, and now Murray’s taking it on his biggest tour yet, with 26 dates across the United States, Canada, and the UK. The show plays at Los Angeles’ Elysian Theatre Oct. 15 and Washington, D.C.’s Comedy Loft Oct. 24.
“I think there’s something special about all queer people that just feels like we are not part of the norm,” Murray says. “I was like literally the only boy in my whole junior high school who wasn’t on the football team. So, we look for the stuff that we think is unique and special on the outside, and usually those are villains in movies or TV shows. Or witches.”
Murray says there are close parallels between the gay experience and the classical presentation of witches who have to hide their supernatural nature or withdraw from society.
“They need to hide, and actually that thing they think they need to hide is what makes them special. And they figure that out when they find their other witches, their coven,” he says.
“But I think in an even simpler way, we love women. We love women with long hair and fierce nails. Gay men are so attracted to powerful women because they saved us growing up. You know, the girls on the playground who would like play with us when we didn’t want to do the ‘masc’ stuff.”
Murray grew up in Sandusky, Ohio, where he says, “It felt like being gay was like the worst thing you could be.”
“I love Sandusky. It was an amazing place to grow up and it’s an amazing place to live. I love going back there. The community is so supportive of me. But growing up in a small town in the Midwest in the 90s was, for a gay person, like what you’d think it would be like. I didn’t know any gay people.”
“I definitely learned how to code-switch and try to pass as straight, which is kind of a big theme of the show. You want to hide what makes you special and hide your powers because people don’t understand it. That is something I’ve had to unlearn and honestly doing this show helps me heal from that.”
But code-switching and passing aren’t Murray’s only gay superpowers.
“There’s a whole universe that we get to unlock with our gay friends. Our sexuality is different than it is in straight culture,” Murray says. “We do kind of have this extra power. We have like a pop culture knowledge that most straight people don’t have. And I think there’s like a resilience factor that you get. There’s a way to relate to other gay people that is like a communal coven that not everybody gets.
“I used to think, ‘Oh God, I would give anything to not be this way,’ as a kid. Like I would give anything to not be gay. But now I really do feel like there’s a whole cavalcade of things I can do and talk about as a stand-up comedian because I’m gay.”
His gay coven has come in handy as Murray has taken off on his rocket ride to success over the past couple of years. Aside from witches, he’s co-headlined a comedy tour with YouTube sensation Michael Henry, appeared on the HBO comedy The Other Two, racked up hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram, and next year, he’ll be starring in a new queer sketch comedy TV show with Henry and produced by Trixie Mattel called Wish You Were Queer.
“I lived in New York for a long time, and I cut my teeth well there, but there’s always kind of a bit of a part of me that has this idea myself as, you know, a theater artist… and through hanging out with other successful people and through therapy I just have really gotten over my block around that and just been like, ‘okay, just keep putting stuff out there until it touches fire.’”
“When Michael Henry and I first started doing our stand up together, I did have this like imposter syndrome, and then I just started to really lean in. If a video did well, I would just use that same format and just try to write new jokes for it.
“Like it’s okay to have a brand. It’s okay to have this like Los Angeles marketing side of your brain and of your career work like use what’s working. Don’t fight it.”
As he brings Witches across the country, Murray says he’s discovering that now he’s become thee powerful witch that queer audiences are craving.
“People are very much like, ‘Thank you so much for coming here. We don’t get this kind of thing that often,’ which is so cool. You know, it’s awesome to go to a city like Denver or Vancouver or Louisville. It just feels really special to see these queer people and these towns.”
“The people who really love with witches just feel so attached to it, which is amazing. In Chicago, a girl made buttons with my face on them and handed them out to everyone in the audience. The response has been crazy.”
“Witches” plays at the Elysian Theatre in Los Angeles Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Witches also plays at the Comedy Loft in Washington, D.C. Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
a&e features
Author of new book empowers Black ‘fat’ femme voices
After suicidal thoughts, attacks from far right, a roadmap to happiness
In 2017, Jon Paul was suicidal. In nearly every place Paul encountered, there were signs that consistently reminded the transgender community that their presence in America by the far right is unwelcomed.
Former President Donald Trump’s anti-trans rhetoric is “partly” responsible for Paul’s suicidal contemplation.
“I’m driving out of work, and I’m seeing all of these Trump flags that are telling me that I could potentially lose my life over just being me and wanting to be who I am,” Paul said. “So, were they explicitly the issue? No, but did they add to it? I highly would say yes.”
During Trump’s time as president, he often disapproved of those who identified as transgender in America; the former president imposed a ban on transgender individuals who wanted to join the U.S. military.
“If the world keeps telling me that I don’t have a reason for me to be here and the world is going to keep shaming me for being here. Then why live?” Paul added.
The rhetoric hasn’t slowed and has been a messaging tool Trump uses to galvanize his base by saying that Democrats like Vice President Kamala Harris “want to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison.” Trump made that claim at the presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Not only do Trump’s actions hurt Paul, but they also affect 17-year-old Jacie Michelleé, a transgender person at Friendly Senior High School.
“When former President Donald J. Trump speaks on transgender [individuals] in a negative light, it saddens my heart and makes me wonder what he thinks his personal gain is from making these comments will be,” Michelleé said.
“When these comments are made toward trans immigrants or the transgender community, it baffles me because it shows me that the times are changing and not for the better,” Michelleé added.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation responded to Trump’s rhetoric that opposes the transgender community and how it affects democracy through programming at its Annual Legislative Conference in Washington.
“Our agendas are not set by what other groups are saying we should or shouldn’t do. It is set by our communities and what we know the needs and the most pressing needs are for the Black community, and we know that our global LGBTQAI+ communities have needs; they are a part of our community,” said Nicole Austin-Hillery, president and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
One pressing need is suicide prevention, which the National Institute of Health deems necessary, as 82% of transgender individuals have reported having suicidal thoughts, while 40% have attempted suicide. This research applies to individuals like Paul, who reported contemplating suicide.
But instead of choosing to self-harm, Paul met Latrice Royale, a fourth-season contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” who was awarded the title of Miss Congeniality while on the show. Paul said that meeting brought meaning when there was barely any left.
“It was like I met them at a time where I really, truly, not only needed to see them, but I needed to be able to actively know ‘girl’ you can live and you can have a really a good life, right? And Latrice was that for me,” Paul said.
Though Trump is representative of a lot of movements that are clashing with society, the Democratic Party is actively pushing back against anti-transgender movements and says there is “still much work to be done.”
Not only did Royale model success for Paul, but they also share the same appearance. Paul proudly identifies as “fat” and uses this descriptor as a political vehicle to empower others in the book “Black Fat Femme, Revealing the Power of Visibly Queer Voices in the Media and Learning to Love Yourself.”
“My book, my work as a Black, fat femme, is inherently political. I say this at the very front of my book,” Paul said. “All three of those monikers are all three things in this world that the world hates and is working overtime to get rid of.”
“They’re trying to kill me as a Black person; they’re trying to get rid of me as a fat person. They are trying to get rid of me as a queer person,” Paul added.
Besides Paul’s political statements, the book’s mission is to give those without resources a blueprint to make it across the finish line.
“I want them to look at all the stories that I share in this and be able to say, ‘wow,’ not only do I see myself, but now I have a roadmap and how I can navigate all of these things that life throws at me that I never had, and I think that’s why I was so passionate about selling and writing the book,” Paul said.
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Jussie Smollett asserts innocence while promoting new film
‘I know what happened and soon you all will too’
Jussie Smollett, the actor and musician who was convicted of lying to the police about being the victim of a homophobic and racist hate crime that he staged in 2019, attended a screening of his latest film “The Lost Holliday” in a packed auditorium of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on Aug. 28.
In an interview with the Blade that took place before the screening, he continued to assert his innocence and responded to concerns within the LGBTQ community that his case has discouraged real victims from reporting hate crimes.
The former “Empire” star wrote, produced, and directed “The Lost Holliday,” his second feature film to direct following 2021’s “B-Boy Blues.” Produced through Smollett’s company, SuperMassive Movies, he stars in the film alongside Vivica A. Fox, who also served as a producer and attended the library screening with other cast members.
In the film, Smollett plays Jason Holliday, a man grappling with the sudden death of his husband Damien (Jabari Redd). Things are complicated when Damien’s estranged mother, Cassandra Marshall (Fox), arrives in Los Angeles from Detroit for the funeral, unaware of Damien’s marriage to Jason or of their adopted daughter. Initially, Jason and Cassandra clash — Cassandra’s subtle homophobia and Jason’s lingering resentment over her treatment of Damien fuel their tension –– but they begin to bond as they navigate their grief together.
Smollett, Fox, Redd, and Brittany S. Hall, who plays Jason’s sister Cheyenne, discussed the film in an interview with the Washington Blade. Highlighting the wide representation of queer identities in the film and among the cast, they stressed that the story is fundamentally about family and love.
“What we really want people to get from this movie is love,” Smollett said. “It’s beneficial for people to see other people that are not like themselves, living the life that they can identify with. Because somehow, what it does is that it opens up the world a little bit.”
Smollett drew from personal experiences with familial estrangement and grief during the making of the film, which delves into themes of parenthood, reconciliation, and the complexities of family relationships.
“I grew up with a father who was not necessarily the most accepting of gay people, and I grew up with a mother who was rather the opposite. I had a safe space in my home to go to, but I also had a not-so-safe space in my home, which was my father,” he said.
“The moment that he actually heard the words that his son was gay, as disconnected and estranged as we were, he instantly changed. He called me, after not speaking to him for years, and apologized for how difficult it must have been all of those years of me growing up. And then a couple years later, he passed away.”
Smollett began working on “The Lost Holliday” eight years ago, with Fox in mind for the role of Cassandra from the outset. He said that he had started collaborating on the project with one of the biggest producers in Hollywood when “‘2019’ happened.”
In January 2019, Smollett told Chicago police that he had been physically attacked in a homophobic and racist hate crime. He initially received an outpouring of support, in particular from the LGBTQ and Black communities. However, police soon charged him with filing a false police report, alleging that he had staged the attack.
After prosecutors controversially dismissed the initial charges in exchange for community service and the forfeiture of his $10,000 bond, Smollett was recharged with the same offenses in 2020. Meanwhile, his character in “Empire” was written out of the show.
In 2021, a Cook County jury found him guilty on five of the six charges of disorderly conduct for lying to police, and he was sentenced to 150 days in jail and 30 months of probation, along with a $120,000 restitution payment to the city of Chicago for the overtime costs incurred by police investigating his initial hate crime claim.
LGBTQ people are nine times more likely than non-LGBTQ people to be victims of violent hate crimes, according to a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Upon Smollett’s conviction, some in the LGBTQ community felt that the case would discredit victims of hate crimes and make it more difficult to report future such crimes.
Smollett seemed to acknowledge these concerns, but denied that he staged the attack.
“I know what happened and soon you all will too,” he told the Blade. “If someone reported a crime and it wasn’t the truth, that would actually make it more difficult [to report future crimes], but I didn’t. Any belief that they have about the person that I’ve been played out to be, sure, but that person is not me, never has been,” he said. “So I stand with my community. I love my community and I protect and defend my community until I’m bloody in my fist.”
“And for all the people who, in fact, have been assaulted or attacked and then have been lied upon and made it to seem like they made it up, I’m sorry that you have to constantly prove your trauma, and I wish that it wasn’t that way, and I completely identify with you,” he added.
An Illinois Appellate Court upheld his guilty verdict last year, but Smollett has since appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, which in March agreed to hear the case. He has served six days in jail so far, as his sentence has been put on hold pending the results of his appeals.
The screening at the MLK Jr. Library concluded with a conversation between Smollett, Fox, and David J. Johns, CEO and executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition. Smollett discussed his current mindset and his plans for the future, revealing he is working on a third movie and will be releasing new music soon.
“I’m in a space where life is being kind,” he said.
“The Lost Holliday” recently secured a distribution deal for a limited release with AMC Theatres and will be out in theaters on Sept. 27.
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Smart strategies for managing back-to-school costs
Be strategic and budget conscious when shopping
As summer winds down and back-to-school season approaches, families are gearing up for the annual shopping spree that brings fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils. However, this excitement can be overshadowed by realities of our current economy, including rising costs and inflation, impacting budgets that make essential items more difficult to afford.
According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $874.68 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics, the second-highest amount in the survey’s history. For Los Angeles families, specifically, tighter budgets and cuts among school systems may equate to fewer school-supplied tools and further add to the back-to-school shopping list, putting a significant strain on family budgets.
Here are some tips to help families manage back-to-school costs effectively:
Create a budget and stick to it. Whether your child is headed to elementary or high school, having a plan and prioritizing the essential items is a crucial first step in the back-to-school process. Determine how much you have to spend and then categorize the items on your list. For instance, focus on the necessary academic supplies such as notebooks, pens, pencils and backpacks, then consider secondary items like clothes, shoes and technology. If there is excess money, you can add fun items like stickers, fancy colored pens, or the latest and greatest electronics. For high school students, look into the school’s laptop or technology program. Working with a financial adviser can help you create a comprehensive budget that covers not only back-to-school necessities but also supports effective financial planning throughout the year. They can provide insights on cost-cutting, how to make the most of your resources and identify areas where you can save, leading to a more efficient and stress-free shopping experience. It’s important to create strategies that last all year long, as there are always going to be surprises out of our control, including rising prices.
Include your children in the planning. It’s never too early to discuss finances with your children. Involving them in the budgeting process can be a valuable, educational experience, as it not only teaches them about financial planning but also helps them understand the value of money. This is also a great opportunity to discuss needs versus wants and encourage them to prioritize their needs and to understand the concept of trade-offs. For example, they might have to choose between getting a new backpack or lunchbox and reuse the one they already have from last year. These small decisions can add up and have a big impact on the overall family budget.
Take an inventory check. Before heading to the store, take stock of what you already have. Go through last year’s supplies to see what can be reused – any leftover pencils, folders, etc. Items like backpacks, binders and even clothing may still be in good condition. This simple step can significantly reduce the number of new items you need to purchase, saving money and reducing waste.
Shop strategically. Look for discounts and sales that can help stretch your budget further, such as:
Cast a broad net when you’re seeking discounts. Utilize websites, apps and browser extensions that offer coupons or cash back.
Take advantage of back-to-school sales. Plan your shopping around these dates to maximize your budget. Waiting until the last minute typically means you pay full price.
Look for generic or less expensive brands of supplies.
Buy school supplies in bulk with items used frequently like notebooks and pens.
Search for local community organizations and libraries for back-to-school supply drives.
Prepare for unexpected expenses. It’s crucial to plan for unexpected expenses that can arise throughout the school year. These might include costs for school trips, extracurricular activities or last-minute supplies, such as project materials or replacement items. Setting aside a small emergency fund dedicated to these unforeseen expenses can go a long way and teaches your children a valuable lesson in financial preparedness.
Thinking Beyond the School Year: Allocating Funds for Future Education
Saving money allows you to ultimately invest that money into your future objectives or long-term strategies. While the goal here is to manage costs of supplies that will last the duration of your student’s calendar school year, by employing strategies to save money on that shopping, you can allocate more funds toward long-term education savings plans, such as a 529 account. These savings can significantly impact your child’s future educational opportunities. Working with a financial adviser can help you create and manage these savings plans effectively.
Nikki Macdonald, CFP, is a financial adviser at Northwestern Mutual.
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Start the school year strong and prevent illness in children
Help your kids be their best — physically, mentally, and emotionally
(StatePoint) — The excitement of a new school year unfolds each year when families flood the superstore aisles to buy classroom supplies, tape after-school schedules on the fridge and organize carpools with friends.
Common to each family is a desire for children to remain healthy, active, and ready to learn.
To prepare children and teens to be at their best – physically, mentally, socially and emotionally – the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends regular visits with the pediatrician, as well as immunizations that help keep all family members healthy. Recent outbreaks of measles, a highly contagious disease, have shown how quickly some infectious diseases can spread within a community.
“The best way to strengthen a child’s immune system and keep them healthy is by getting them vaccinated,” said pediatrician, Dr. David M. Higgins. “An illness like measles can keep children home and away from school and activities for days. Immunizations allow children to enjoy learning, playing and getting together with friends and family.”
As of June 13, 2024, a total of 151 U.S. measles cases were reported this year-to-date in 21 different states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These recent measles outbreaks have affected unvaccinated people. Choosing to not vaccinate your children not only leaves them susceptible to measles, but also exposes other children to this potentially serious disease. This includes infants who are too young to be vaccinated and those who are unable to be vaccinated due to other health conditions.
“Everyone in our community deserves to be healthy, and part of being healthy means getting immunized for all illnesses, including influenza and COVID-19 and, if eligible, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It benefits all of us if every child in our community is vaccinated, because it means that all of us are more likely to be healthy,” says Dr. Higgins.
Families can also stop the spread of infection by encouraging hand washing with children throughout the day. Help or remind them to wash their hands:
• Before eating (including snacks)
• After a trip to the bathroom
• Whenever they come in from playing outdoors
• After touching an animal, like a family pet
• After sneezing or coughing if they cover their mouth
• When someone in the household is ill
The AAP calls for the immunization of all children and adolescents according to its policy, Recommended Immunization Schedules for Children and Adolescents Aged 18 Years or Younger, United States. More information can be found at healthychildren.org.
“Your pediatrician can answer any questions about recommended vaccines and when your child needs them,” Dr. Higgins said. “There is a schedule for their recommended timing because that is when research has shown they are most effective during a child’s development.”
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A Filipino pop icon, a mural and a deadnaming controversy
Public art piece shows Jake Zyrus before coming out as trans
By JOSIE HUANG | LAist — Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles is home to a celebrated mural about the Filipino American experience, one of the largest and oldest of its kind in the country. But the depiction of one figure is bringing the artwork fresh attention and leading to accusations of transphobia.
Featured on the colorful mural, along with labor leader Larry Itliong and musician APL.DE.AP of the Black Eyed Peas, is the Filipino pop singer Jake Zyrus before he came out as transgender.
A growing chorus of voices, including Zyrus himself, say the portrait should be changed.
The singer
Zyrus had been added to the mural during an 2011 update, fresh off of becoming the first solo Asian artist to have an album reach Billboard’s top 10. Acclaimed appearances on “Glee” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show” made him one of the most famous Filipinos in the U.S.
— Jake Zyrus (@jakezyrus) January 10, 2022
Then in 2017, Zyrus came out as a trans man to a mixed response from fans. In the seven years since, as he’s worked to reintroduce himself as a singer to audiences, his name and image on the HiFi mural have not been updated to the alarm of some community leaders.
“I feel that it’s very important to address deadnaming, to address transphobia,” said Eddy Gana, co-founder of the Filipino American arts organization Sunday Jump.
Earlier this month, Sunday Jump made a post about the mural on Instagram tied to Pride Month, sparking impassioned discussion. Gana, who is trans and non-binary, belongs to the camp that wants the mural updated as soon as possible by removing the singer’s portrait and mention of his former name and creating a new painting “to reflect Jake Zyrus today.”
With transgender rights under increasing attack across the country, Gana says there’s urgency to put a stop to deadnaming.
“It leads for us as trans folks to contemplate our very own existence, leads to depression and anxiety to be in a world where we feel like that we don’t belong — and we do belong,” Gana said.
What does Zyrus want? His management company has not responded to requests for comment.
But in a letter written by the singer and shared by Sunday Jump, Zyrus urged the mural’s designer and local leaders to replace the current portrait of him with one representing his “true self.”
Out Now! Glimpse of Us @sushitrash – @jakezyrus x @CheesyFbaby COVERhttps://t.co/QyNmVNRFox pic.twitter.com/bcwUJ6Qv8Z
— Jake Zyrus (@jakezyrus) September 10, 2022
“I would hate to see a process that’s initiated where the conversation is stacked, where it’s Eliseo versus a whole bunch of people who are shaking their fists and demanding we need change right now,” Virata said.
But addressing the deadnaming is not a new ask, according to community leaders who say they’ve been working on the issue for years with little traction until Sunday Jump’s social media post this month.
Now the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, the mural’s steward, and the office of Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, say they want to plan next steps with community organizations.
“It does take community to push this issue, to really light a fire under it and make it right,” said KimmyManiquis, executive director of the community group Search To Involve Pilipino Americans.
Maniquis said she cherishes the mural, which friends and family helped to paint in the ’90s as part of a community effort, because of the care that went into capturing “the cultural richness and resistance that comes with our history.” But when the deadnaming of Zyrus was brought to her attention about two years ago, she said it was imperative to find a fix.
The local Filipino American community now has a clear opportunity to show support for trans people, Maniquis said.
“When it’s convenient, we embrace LGBTQ identity and trans identity,” Maniquis said. “Then when it becomes really complicated politically, I don’t think we necessarily ally very well.”
How the community chooses to act could become a case study of sorts.
“We won’t be the last community dealing with deadnaming as part of murals, right?” Maniquis said. “What we do in this moment is actually really important.”
The artist
Eliseo Art Silva, the prolific and well-known artist behind the mural, said it’s important to know what Zyrus’ wishes are.
But he added: “It’s not up to me, you know, it’s not really up to me.”
Silva said he can’t retool the mural he started in 1995 until there are multiple community meetings, funding is secured and a design plan decided. He added he is also booked up with work, which includes restoring the right half of the 150-foot-long mural (Zyrus’ image is on the other half) and painting a fresco at a neighborhood Catholic church.
While asserting his openness to change, Silva also revealed he had his parameters. Pre-colonial Philippine folklore inspired him to locate Zyrus next to Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao on the mural so they could represent the first man and woman. Repainting Zyrus throws off that concept, he said.
“I cannot just disrupt the narrative,” Silva said. “It’s going to compromise the integrity of the entire mural.”
Silva said he is open to replacing Zyrus with a notable Filipina and painting a new likeness of him elsewhere on the mural.
Another idea, Silva said, would be to keep the current image of Zyrus while adding a new portrait of him. But critics of this proposal say it’s transphobic for Silva to treat Zyrus as two different people and to still use his former name.
Silva said he was frustrated and saddened by the controversy, noting he’s shown support for the LGBTQ community with the inclusion of gay Filipino Americans such as the artist Alfonso Ossorio, as well as a babaylan, a shaman from the pre-colonial era who was typically a woman or trans.
Silva said the mural is being unfairly attacked when there are so few like it that honor Filipino American culture and history.
“They should campaign for more murals, instead of trying to bring down this one mural we have in L.A., you know what I mean?” Silva said.
The community
Joe Virata is a retired college administrator who helped guide the creation of the mural nearly 30 years ago and, more recently, made a short film about the historic significance of the artwork.
He expects a community discussion over what to do with the Zyrus portrait will take months and inflame passions.
“I think that we’re going to run into some challenging conversations that include artists’ rights, community rights, historical context,” Virata said.
He wants a broader swath of the Filipino American community to weigh in on the controversy. From his perspective, the current portrait of Zyrus should be preserved as a “snapshot of a particular moment.”
“I would hate to see a process that’s initiated where the conversation is stacked, where it’s Eliseo versus a whole bunch of people who are shaking their fists and demanding we need change right now,” Virata said.
But addressing the deadnaming is not a new ask, according to community leaders who say they’ve been working on the issue for years with little traction until Sunday Jump’s social media post this month.
Now the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, the mural’s steward, and the office of Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, say they want to plan next steps with community organizations.
“It does take community to push this issue, to really light a fire under it and make it right,” said Kimmy Maniquis, executive director of the community group Search To Involve Pilipino Americans.
Maniquis said she cherishes the mural, which friends and family helped to paint in the ’90s as part of a community effort, because of the care that went into capturing “the cultural richness and resistance that comes with our history.” But when the deadnaming of Zyrus was brought to her attention about two years ago, she said it was imperative to find a fix.
The local Filipino American community now has a clear opportunity to show support for trans people, Maniquis said.
“When it’s convenient, we embrace LGBTQ identity and trans identity,” Maniquis said. “Then when it becomes really complicated politically, I don’t think we necessarily ally very well.”
How the community chooses to act could become a case study of sorts.
“We won’t be the last community dealing with deadnaming as part of murals, right?” Maniquis said. “What we do in this moment is actually really important.”
This article was first published by the LAist and is reposted here with permission.
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‘Betty la Fea’ returns after 25 years and she’s a queer ally, mother and feminist boss
Telenovela returns with new series
By GISSELLE PALOMERA | CALÓ News — The most successful telenovela in history is back on our TV screens through Prime Video in 240 countries and territories worldwide. After a more-than-historically successful run “Yo Soy Betty, La Fea,” returns as “Betty La Fea, The Story Continues” for a 10-episode series premiering July 19.
The series starts off with la original, Beatriz Pérez Pinzón, better known as Betty o Betty La Fea (Ana María Orozco), narrating over the scene of a funeral where she says: “Finalmente me fuí de sus vidas.”
It’s not actually her own funeral, but a dramatic segue into her return 25 years later. Since the show, Fernando Gaitan, Colombian screenwriter and producer of the original series, has passed away. His legacy outlives him through the revamp of this series, produced now by Mauricio Cruz Fortunato.
Seconds into the eulogy, Betty knocks over the casket as it’s being lowered to the ground, to which queer presence, Hugo, or Huguito (Julian Arango), fulfilling the sassy gay man trope once again, responds with: “Con ustedes: Brutty La Fea,” introducing her as the same lovable bruta or Klutz we all grew to love over the first series.
Betty and Armando reunite after separating, while their daughter is off studying fashion in New York. The new sequel picks up where Ecomoda, a previous show spinoff, leaves off. In Ecomoda (2001-2002), Betty and Armando welcome daughter Camila into their lives and embark on the journey of balancing parenthood and success at their family’s company.
Once the funeral is over, Betty’s father, abuelito Hermes Pinzon Galarza (Jorge Herrera), picks her up along with Betty’s longtime friend, Nicolás Mora Cifuentes (Mario Duarte), welcoming him back on screen with the same dorky, lovable and slightly annoying friendship with Betty. Hermes makes a one-line comment suggesting that Betty should hurry so they have enough time to leave flowers on her mother’s grave. This is a shocking departure after news outlets reported last summer that Dona Julia was set to return to the series.
In this sequel, the underlying theme is that of a broken family in need of unity, after the loss of a family member, and Ecomoda, their family’s fashion corporation, going through a financial crisis. ‘Mila,’ or Camila, (Juanita Molina) comes in as one of five new characters as Armando and Betty’s daughter. Mila and Betty are somewhat estranged and the first episode shows a much closer relationship, with Mila referring to her dad as ‘Armandaddy.’
Following the family member’s death, a video is played regarding how assets will be divided in relation to Ecomoda. To everyone’s shock, Betty is appointed as the new president of Ecomoda, booting Armando out of the position after a short, two-year run as the fashion company president.
Speaking of assets, without the presence of the OG “cartel de feas,” now only consisting of Bertha Muñoz (Luces Velásquez) and Sandra Patiño (Marcela Posada), the show would be a lot more drama and a lot less comedy.
Sandra comes out as queer, adding more valid on-screen representation and stating that she finally felt safe to come out because of Betty’s allyship and encouragement to be true to herself.
Main character and problematica, Patricia Fernandez (Lorna Cepeda), also returns to the sequel, bringing the same attitude to our screens, but with a big update– she’s married to a rich viejito.
The first episode wraps up with a heartbroken Betty reading a letter her mamita wrote to her from her deathbed, giving her the courage to continue fighting the good fight she’s always fought to be independent and courageous.
The series does not miss and in fact continues to do justice to feminism as its central theme and embracing oneself in the face of corporate greed and family troubles.
The new series is faithful to the original series, using flashbacks to set the scene for many meaningful and painful memories between Betty and Armando.
Among other characters that returned to the new series are: Marcela (Natalia Ramirez), Freddy (Julio Cesar Herrera), and Saul (Alberto Leon Jaramillo).
The series is now available on Prime Video.
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Museum of Latin American Art hosts discussion of drag in BIPOC and AAPI spaces
Symposium dedicated toward building community
By GISSELLE PALOMERA | CALÓ News — Drag performers came together at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) to close out Pride Month, hosting a discussion on drag and how to create safe and inclusive spaces for the BIPOC and AAPI communities.
“I do what I do, so others can do it too,” said Foxie Adjuia, one of three panelists for the Symposium on Empowerment in Pride Spaces. “I’m in transpersonal disciplines, and I’m going to be utilizing drag as a way to impact my community in a positive way,” added Adjuia, a drag performer on The Boulet Brothers’ TV series, “Dragula.”
The symposium was dedicated toward building community, resilience and acceptance through an interactive drag performance with Adjuia, Robbie Osa and Mahalia Nakita.
During the discussion, Adjuia, Osa and Nakita asked questions to respond themselves and ask input from the audience. On the question of how to utilize Pride as a form of liberation and keep it in alignment with the civil rights movement of the LGBTQ community, Adjuia said that Pride is about chosen family and about unchaining ourselves from the hegemony that a lot of queer and Black, Indigenous and People of Color get indoctrinated into.
“[Pride] is an act of liberation in and of itself and it’s an act of self-actualization,” Adjuia said.
Adjuia opened up about how it hasn’t always been easy to embrace Pride and overcome the adversity that comes with this identity. “What really got me through the darkness was my community and their act of Pride, connection with each other and uplifting energy.”
They performed their speech about community connection and added that they believe that Pride is not just about partying, but about embracing the struggle that started with the 1969 Stonewall Riots. This was a pivotal point in LGBTQ+ history.
Using the spirit of Pride to overcome adversity
“LGBTQ+ awareness is a challenge for a lot of students, especially if they don’t understand how to judge certain situations because they are special ed,” said Yuri Jimenez, special education teacher. “So I have to create conversations and lessons to create that space where everyone feels accepted.” Attendees of the event responded to the questions, drawing from their own experiences.
“[BIPOC Drag Queens] get that double combo of being racially profiled as Latino and gay,” said Osa, a drag performer and behavior analyst. “I found that drag is a platform to dismantle those stereotypes.”
Osa is an alumni of California State University, Long Beach, who now dedicates her time toward building inclusive and accepting spaces in education. She uses drag as a form of art that relays political and meaningful messages.
“Tolerance comes with strings attached, and acceptance means fully [embracing] who you are, your faults and loving you unconditionally,” said Osa.
Promoting equality and inclusion
“We are all part of different groups within the [BIPOC] community and each community needs a little bit of representation [in Pride spaces],” said Nakita.
“As a therapist, I’m always making sure that I am creating affirming spaces for whatever identities walk through my door, and making sure that I am educated and can provide them with resources and support,” said Jennifer Jiries, who is a queer therapist and social worker based in Long Beach. “We heal in community, so we need to have spaces that actually support healing and connection.”
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Coming-of-age story ‘El Paisa’ on PBS
Film continues successful run across L.A. film festivals
By GISSELLE PALOMERA | CALÓ News — “El Paisa” will be featured nationally as part of the 2024 PBS Short Film Festival starting Monday, July 15, shortly after winning the award for Best LGBTQ+ Short at Cannes International Film Festival. In its 13th year, the PBS Short Film Festival features 15 independent films chosen for their impact and reflection of American life, culture, lived experiences and family dynamics.
The film continues its successful run across Los Angeles film festivals, sweeping awards for Best Short Film, Best LGBTQ+ Short Film and several Jury Awards.
The film is a product of the Latino Public Broadcasting. The Digital Media Fund, designed to provide resources for independent Latin American filmmakers to create digital short form programs for online distribution in collaboration with an existing public television platform such as PBS.
The Digital Media Fund prioritizes submissions in the genres of science, biography, history, health, personal storytelling, art, cultural documentary and narratives. The fund allocates between $10,000 and $30,000 dollars for the projects, depending on the proposal. Submissions are now closed and will reopen next year.
“El Paisa,” is an East L.A.-set coming-of-age story featuring an unlikely duo that begins to deconstruct the traditional expectations and roles of gay men within Latin American culture.
Film director Daniel Eduvijes Carrera says the film is reminiscent of his own story as a queer son of immigrants who struggled to embrace his own identities as he grows up on the unforgiving streets of L.A. riddled with barrio gang violence.
Carrera says he felt completely isolated due to his queer identity growing up. In a director’s statement, he says there was some level of support from his Latin American identity within his own family of nine siblings, but when it came to embracing or even understanding his queer identity, he was completely at a loss.
It wasn’t until Carrera walked into his first gay vaquero bar on his 21st birthday and witnessed the embodiment of masculinity entwined with queer culture he only dreamed of as a kid that it made sense to him that his queer identity could in fact co-exist with his Latin American identity.
Carrera is now an accomplished voice in filmmaking, using his perspective and lived experiences to create stories that deconstruct the societal norms that marginalize queer people within Latin American cultures. He has gained notable fellowships, grants and prestigious recognition for his voice in the filmmaking and entertainment industry.
The film will be available to watch across all PBS platforms that include the PBS App, YouTube and PBS.org.
This story was produced by CALÓ News, a news organization covering Latino/a/x communities.
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GMCLA’s ‘Solid Gold’ Gala: Honoring LGBTQ+ Champions with Iconic Diva Tributes
“Solid Gold” show will feature tribute to the music of Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, and Whitney Houston
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles is honoring champions of the LGBTQ+ community and celebrating the music of three iconic divas at its annual gala fundraiser Sunday, June 30 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Celebrating our history through the music we love
GMCLA’s “Solid Gold” show will feature the music of superstars Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, and Whitney Houston, performed by the chorus’s 150 members in front of a live band with dancers. The show will include a special three-song medley joined by stars from the Drag Race universe Priyanka and Latrice Royale.
Immediately after the show, the party will move to GMCLA’s annual Gala Fundraiser, where they’ll honor Senator Alex Padilla and his wife Angela Padilla with their Civic Voice Award, and the HBO series We’re Here with their Artistic Voice Award.
GMCLA will honor Senator Padilla for his decades of work in politics as an advocate for immigrants, community building, the climate crisis, and voting rights. They will honor Angela Padilla for her work on mental health issues through her organization FundaMental Change. GMCLA will recognize We’re Here for shining a light on the impact of anti-LGBTQ legislation on the community in the South.
Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator, California.
“We deeply honor Senator and Mrs. Padilla for joining us at the Gala,” says GMCLA executive director Lou Spisto. “Each of them has dedicated many years of their life’s work to make our region a more vibrant and inclusive place, and to make the lives of all who live here healthier and safer.”
Spisto says the “Solid Gold” show also honors artists who have made an incredible contribution to the community:
“We can hardly imagine music that doesn’t play a significant part in our lives. These great artists span many decades, the 60s, 70s, 80s, into the 90s and of course, Dionne Warwick continues to inspire us today,” he says.
Powerful choral tribute
For anyone who’s never seen the GMCLA perform, Spisto describes it as an overwhelmingly emotional experience.
“When 150 men sing together, they create a beautiful noise that’s really powerful, and it reaches across the footlights in a way that makes it hard not to feel a connection and an emotion,” he says. “When predominantly men sing love songs to and about men, simply singing those lyrics becomes very powerful, and you won’t experience that anywhere else.”
“We celebrate our community as much as we celebrate music,” he says.
The fundraising Gala supports all the work that the GMCLA does across the community. GMCLA works with the public school system to provide choral programs and empowerment programs in high schools through its Alive Music Program, which has reached more than 85,000 public school students over ten years. The Chorus also performs more than 30 free public shows across the community every year.
Spisto says these programs reflect the GMCLA’s commitment to building up the community.
“GMCLA has changed hearts and minds for 45 years now. GMCLA has participated in the movement to speak about who we are, sing about who we are, and fight for our rights,” he says.
“Things have become easier and we don’t live in the world of 1979, and it certainly differs from the world we faced when AIDS devastated our community. But we still face tough times, and we still need voices like this chorus to stand up for the Greater Community.”
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles: Solid Gold and Gala Fundraiser will take place at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and Ballroom, 300 E Green St, Pasadena, CA, Sun June 30, 3pm. You can purchase tickets at https://www.gmcla.org/
GMCLA’s Ongoing Mission
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles: Solid Gold and Gala Fundraiser take place at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and Ballroom, 300 E Green St, Pasadena, CA, Sun June 30, 3pm. Tickets at https://www.gmcla.org/
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