LezPod | Miami's Lesbian Podcast | Hosted by Alexandria Friedlander

LezPod

LezPod is a queer podcast created to spread positivity and perspective throughout the LGBTQ community with the goal of inspiring people to do more within their lives by sharing other's experience, strength, and hope. Hosted by Alexandria Friedlander from LezMiami and The Hug Movement.

  1. 02/16/2022

    LezPod | Dr. Gisela Vega | Director of LGBTQ+ for University of Miami | Hosted by Alex Friedlander

    LezPod | Dr. Gisela Vega | Director of LGBTQ+ for University of Miami | Hosted by Alex Friedlander  Dr. Gisela P. Vega who is currently the Director of the LGBTQ Student Center, and an adjunct faculty member in Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Miami. She is completing her 29th years in higher education. She has presented at national and international conferences, countless workshops, and is passionate about diversity education, social justice, leadership development, mentoring, gender & sexuality issues and addressing issues of access and choice in higher education. She served as the inaugural full-time professional staff member at Florida International University in 2012 developing the LGBTQA Initiatives program, the first program of its kind established in a south Florida College or University.  In her most recent role as the Center’s Director, she has worked with staff and colleagues to establish the Gender and Sexuality Living Learning Community at the University of Miami. She is also a contributing Author in NACADA’s recent book, Advising Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer College Students.  She holds her Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Florida International University, M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership, a B.F.A. in Art Education, and in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Her experiences both personally and professionally have centered her work and research in helping individuals understand different identities including race, gender, and sexuality and their intersections.  Originally from Chicago, she loves travelling and has travelled around the world. She is of Panamanian and Puerto Rican descent and is a proud first-generation graduate.  Dr. V. has been a recipient of the Aqua Foundation for Women’s Leadership Award in 2016, and the 2019 National GLBTQ Task Force Eddy McIntyre Community Service Award recipient.  Dr. Vega is originally from Chicago and currently lives in Miami with her spouse Madelin.

    29 min
  2. LezPod | Robin Schwatz Equality Florida and Aqua Foundation | Hosted by Alexandria Friedlander

    12/17/2021

    LezPod | Robin Schwatz Equality Florida and Aqua Foundation | Hosted by Alexandria Friedlander

    LezPod | Robin Schwatz Equality Florida and Aqua Foundation | Hosted by Alexandria Friedlander  We are proud to introduce you to Robin J. Schwartz this Saturday at 1PM live on @lezmiami  Robin J. Schwartz is an activist and community leader who has served the LGBTQ community in multiple capacities over the past 20 years.  The many causes she has championed include the advancement of LGBTQ women, support for young people who find themselves homeless, and racial justice. She has been an outspoken advocate for marginalized communities, lobbying LGBTQ leaders and organizations to give them a seat at the table.   Robin is one of the South Florida Board of Directors who founded Aqua Foundation for Women, and she served from 2010 to 2014 as the organization’s Executive Director and from 2018 to 2019 as its Managing Director. Her accomplishments at Aqua included: raising over $100,000 to launch the first formal program to address LGBTQ youth homelessness; increasing funding and programming for the Scholarship and Mentor Program; producing TransCon, an annual two-day conference designed to empower and educate the transgender and non-binary community and their allies; developing the Emerging Leadership Conference, a program for Aqua Foundation scholarship recipients that provides inspiration and skills training for future LGBTQ female identified leaders; and creating the Aqua Family BBQ, an annual event to bring parents and their kids together in a safe space where kids with same-sex parents could see other families that look like theirs.  In the wake of the George Floyd murder last year, Robin secured funding from Our Fund to provide antiracism training for the leaders of South Florida LGBTQ organizations. She recently secured an additional grant to conduct antiracism workshops. Robin also organized a book club for local white leaders focused on antiracism. During the height of the pandemic last summer, Robin reached out to her contacts at the Miami Dolphins to request local LGBTQ agencies be included in their program to distribute food to those in need.  Robin has held a number of highly visible volunteer positions in various LGBTQ organizations, including Vice Chair of Miami Beach Gay Pride, and so much more!  Don’t miss this episode!

    28 min

About

LezPod is a queer podcast created to spread positivity and perspective throughout the LGBTQ community with the goal of inspiring people to do more within their lives by sharing other's experience, strength, and hope. Hosted by Alexandria Friedlander from LezMiami and The Hug Movement.