Queering Hip Hop, Liberation, and Telling Truths with Shirlette Ammons #44
In this episode, musician and artist Shirlette Ammons digs into what it means to be an interdisciplinary artist—moving between music, poetry, and page-based writing with different tools, stakes, and intentions. She reflects on influences ranging from church music and mass choirs to Janet Jackson, Meshell Ndegeocello, Tribe, De La Soul, Outkast, and Lauryn Hill, describing […]
Reply All: IDs, Pushback, and Power #43
From Kansas ID rollbacks to the State of the Union, co-hosts Mattie Bynum, Melodie KG, Daniel WK Lee, and Shane Lukas discuss how power uses narrative, bureaucracy, and selective “exceptions” to justify broader harm. The co-hosts unpack how “freedom” gets framed as individual impunity rather than collective safety—and how that framing fuels policies like the […]
Immigrant Safety, Community Trust, and Queer Liberation with Eliazar Posada #42
Co-hosts Daniel WK Lee and Kata d’Adamo sit down with Eliazar Posada to talk about what community protection looks like when national politics turn hostile. Eliazar breaks down practical local strategies—non-discrimination ordinances, language access plans, and building trust so people feel safe seeking help. He also reflects on the emotional weight and responsibility of being […]
Tour Life, Safe Spaces, and Censorship with Ryan Cassata #41
Mattie Bynum and Shane Lukas welcome Ryan Cassata (along with bandmates Top Surgeons, Kyle and Lauren) to talk about life on tour and the surprising ways different cities show up for queer communities. They dig into why house shows feel intimate, safer, and more sustaining—especially when traditional venues and platforms feel shaky. Ryan reflects on […]
Anger, Advocacy, and S** Workers’ Rights with Savannah Sly #40
Savannah Sly brings a movement-builder’s lens to the question of what actually changes things—beyond catharsis—by pairing passion with strategy, mentorship, and resources. She reflects on how she learned to communicate about s** work in ways people could hear, and how stigma shifts depending on the language people use (and the assumptions they bring). The hosts […]
Reply All: Organizing, Solidarity, and Strategy to Melt ICE #39
This Reply All episode of Power Beyond Pride brings Mattie Bynum, Kenyon Farrow, and Shane Lukas together to unpack what it means to organize, stay connected, and tell the truth in a moment of escalating harm. Kenyon frames the rapid mobilization in Minneapolis as a continuation of the 2020 George Floyd uprisings, arguing that visible […]
Culture, Critique, and Care with Randy Kim #38
Co-hosts Daniel W.K. Lee and Kenyon Farrow talk with podcaster Randy Kim about what it took to feel whole inside his intersecting identities as Vietnamese, Khmer, queer, and American—especially after growing up without language fluency and with pressure to assimilate. Randy shares how finding queer Asian community helped unlock a deeper sense of belonging across […]
Therapy, Trees, and Transformation with Jessie Cockerham #37
In this episode, Co-hosts Mattie Bynum and Kate d’Adamo sit down with Jessie Cockerham, a therapist and founder of Wolf’s Refuge Counseling and Healing Services in North Carolina. Jessie shares how growing up in Appalachia shaped their understanding of trauma, survival, and community care—and what it means to heal in the same places that harmed […]
Design, Dissent, and Education with Susanna Shaul #36
On Power Beyond Pride, Melodie KG and Shane Lukas welcome Susanna Shaul, a NYC-based art director and designer with deep roots in immigrant advocacy and LGBTQ+ community support. Susanna describes how queer and immigrant justice work often runs on parallel tracks, even though many asylum seekers are fleeing anti-LGBTQ+ persecution. She shares sobering examples of […]
Clicks, Coalitions, and Creativity with Rodrigo Brandão #35
Rodrigo Brandão joins co-hosts Kate d’Adamo and Daniel W.K. Lee to explore the evolving role of media, activism, and art in driving social change. Rodrigo recounts his path from film student to communications leader, highlighting the value of storytelling and community in organizing. The episode examines the struggle for independent journalism, the strategic use of […]