Take the Last Bite

R.B. Brooks

Take the Last Bite is a direct counter to the Midwest Nice mentality— highlighting advocacy & activism by queer/trans communities in the Midwest region. Each episode unearths the often disregarded and unacknowledged contributions of queer & trans folks to social change through interviews, casual conversations and reflections on Midwest queer time, space, and place. For questions, comments and feedback: takethelastbite@gmail.com Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them Cover Art: Adrienne McCormick

  1. 1d ago

    Maintaining a Healthy Boundary (Waters)

    On today’s episode, we take a bite out of the Super National Forest, Boundary Waters, and Voyageurs National Park. These sacred and beloved lands have been a major topic of concern and discussion this summer, with destructive wildfires raging across tens of thousands of acres of land for the umpteenth summer in a row in Northern Minnesota.  We talk to an educator, colleague, and friend who possesses an embodied knowledge about the interdependence of the water, land, wildlife and knowledge ways that face immense upheaval in light of a 20-year mining ban being lifted by Congressional decree and the threat it poses to the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness, Superior National Forest, and nearby Voyageurs National Park.  Chanda Blesi-Geyshick (buleezi-geejick) is a gakijiwanong (gah-key-jee-win-ong) anishinaabe first nation educator, artist, and advocate hailing from International Falls, – a city that sits on the colonial Minnesota / Canada border and is located 11-miles West of Voyageurs National Park. Chanda sat down with me to recall some of her favourite memories of growing up and continuing to hold a relationship with her hometown; discuss some major concerns about the lifted mining ban; and reflect on other moments in modern history where indigenous nations and their treaty rights were not honored when it comes to money-making land grabs. Relevant Links:  Letter from Gakijiwinong Anishinaabe Nation Chief Carrie Atatise-Norwegian about meeting with state legislators and a memorandum of understanding between tribes affected by potential BWCA mining: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18gARgx2QE/Letter from Voyaguers National Park superintendents regarding mining ban reversal: https://www.voyageurs.org/news/superintendents-letter  Official language and co-sponsors of House Joint Bill 140: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-joint-resolution/140/cosponsors  Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issues executive order directing state agencies not to provide permits that would allow mining to move forward: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/08/18/walz-executive-order-block-copper-mining-near-boundary-waters Press release from Save the Boundary Waters explaining how the U.S. Senate passed legislation that unravels protections for the Boundary Waters: https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/breaking-news-release-us-senate-just-passed-legislation-unravels-protections-boundary-watersArticle outlining Minnesota State Representative Pete Stauber's role in lifting mining ban: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/02/05/stauber-reintroduces-bill-to-reverse-mining-ban-near-boundary-waters  Article explains the 20-year mining ban that was undone by Congress's vote: https://www.eenews.net/articles/congress-overturns-bidens-boundary-waters-mining-ban/

  2. Apr 29

    Executive Ordered Out of Existence Pt. 3

    We take a bite out of THE BIG ONE – the final installment of Executive Ordered out of Existence, where we’ll cover the calamity that was September 2025 through December 2025 and what fresh hell delivered us into the new year.  We’ll talk about the death of a deity-ified podcaster, the heftiest headlines impacting queer and trans people, and the pointiest tools of propaganda churned out across the end of 2025. Let’s get into it, and be sure to check out Executive Ordered Out of Existence Pt. 1 and Pt. 2!  Connect with Take the Last Bite on Instagram @take.the.last.bite and TikTok @take.the.last.bite   For questions, comments and feedback: takethelastbite@gmail.com  More to Bite Into:  “Laverne Cox Dated a MAGA Cop… Let’s Talk About It” – Olay & Friends“The Anatomy of a Liberatory Think Tank” – Take the Last Bite“What is Queer Food? How We Served a Revolution” – John Birdsall “The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson” – Tourmaline

  3. Mar 3

    For the Record: Wisdom from Trans & Nonbinary Writers

    Description:   We take a bite out of books by trans & nonbinary writers! This episode originally aired as a live panel discussion for the annual Transgender Justice Teach-In and features writers, educators, and published authors Katie Barnes, Dr. Jonathan Paul Higgins, and Cody Daigle-Orians. We’ve pulled the discussion into audio format and revisited the lessons learned about sharing the sacred stories of trans and binary people.  Panelist Bios  ​​Dr. Jonathan Paul Higgins (they/them) is an educator, professor, national speaker, freelance journalist, thought leader and media critic who is passionate about television and film. Dr. Higgins is currently the inaugural Director of Strategic Media and Advocacy for Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, while once holding roles at both Chernin and Edith Entertainment. They are the creator, executive producer and host of the Webby honored and Shorty Award Winning podcast, “Black Fat Femme Podcast'' which was developed via IHeartMedia’s Next Up Initiative and named “Best Podcast to listen to” by both Ebony and Essence Magazine.  Dr. Higgins holds a doctorate in educational justice and regularly writes and lectures on what liberation means for Black, queer, fat, non-binary people. Katie Barnes (they/them) is an award winning journalist covering the intersection of sports and gender. As a feature writer at ESPN, Katie has profiled women’s sports superstars like Maya Moore, A’ja Wilson, and Amanda Nunes. They are a leading journalist in the coverage of legislation and policy affecting transgender and intersex athletes. Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates is their first book. It was named a “Must-Read of 2023” by Time Magazine and received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus.  Cody Daigle-Orians (they/them) is a writer and educator based in Columbus, Ohio. They are the creator of Ace Dad Advice, a social-media based education project which provides approachable, affirming information about the asexual, aromantic and agender communities. They are also the author of I AM ACE and THE ACE AND ARO RELATIONSHIP GUIDE, two young adult nonfiction resources, and LOVE LOOKS LIKE LOLA, the first aroace picture book for young readers, out in 2026.  Find them on IG, Youtube, Tiktok @acedadadvice

  4. Feb 11

    Executive Ordered Out of Existence Pt. 2

    It’s been 365 days (and counting) since Inauguration Day. And in that time, queer and trans people’s lives have been disrupted through extensive federal orders mandating the end of life-saving research, disruptions to medical care access, sinister soundbites about our mental health and viability as humans, and the reinvention of reality according to the far-right.  This multi-episode overview of key moments over the last year provide somber reminders of what we’ve already been through and rally cries for queer and trans people to lean into lessons already learned to fight back against the faulty idea that you can executive order a community out of existence.  Part Two covers April 2025 - August 2025, including the deportation of Andry Hernandez Romero, the life and defiance of Marsha P. Johnson, and the evolution of citizen journalism.  Connect with Take the Last Bite on Instagram @take.the.last.bite and TikTok @take.the.last.bite  For questions, comments and feedback: takethelastbite@gmail.com

  5. Feb 4

    Executive Ordered Out of Existence (Pt. One)

    It’s been 365 days (and counting) since Inauguration Day. In that time, queer and trans people’s lives have been disrupted through extensive federal orders mandating the end of life-saving research, disruptions to medical care access, sinister soundbites about our mental health and viability as humans, and the reinvention of reality according to the far-right. This multi-episode overview of key moments over the last year provide somber reminders of what we’ve already been through and rally cries for queer and trans people to lean into lessons already learned to fight back against the faulty idea that you can executive order a community out of existence. Part one covers January 2025 - March 2025, including the earliest swarm of executive orders, the impacts on education, and personal revelations about media, journalism, and storytelling. Connect with Take the Last Bite on Instagram @take.the.last.bite and TikTok @take.the.last.bite For questions, comments and feedback: takethelastbite@gmail.com  Additional Links:  Movement Advancement Project Survey: https://www.mapresearch.org/2025-norc-survey-report SunnyDaeJones video on Executive Order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT0Udeu6T_g

  6. 07/16/2024

    Knowledge in the Land, Stories in the Seeds

    We take a bite out of the First Nations Garden, a healing space for the Intertribal Native community of Chicago. Co-founder Fawn Pochel (they/kwe) shares the origins of this youth-led project, the importance of establishing and maintaining relationship with plant relatives, and how the garden has transformed the neighborhood and provided a community gathering place for celebrations, education, and practicing intertribal traditions.  Additional Resources and References from this episode:  Learn more about First Nations Garden and follow the project at @firstnationsgarden Chi Nations Youth Council – a youth organization creating safe space for Native youth through arts, activism, and education. Follow the council @chinationsyouthcouncil Indigenous Grounds – an emerging organization striving to create a more sustainable world. Follow the project @indigenous.grounds Previous Take the Last Bite episodes that center food justice, the joys of growing and cooking food, and innovations in urban farming:  Queers Who Make Beers – a chat with queer and trans folks in the craft microbrewing industry working to improve working conditions for marginalized service workersFerrets, Farming, and Fat-Kid Food – a segment about growing basil in shipping containers and a segment about cooking with taste-loss due to long-COVID‘Chef’ is Gender Neutral – brunch baddie Catie Randazzo talks about wanting to connect queer and trans youth to service industry skills For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: lastbite@sgdinstitute.org We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

  7. 06/25/2024

    A Midwest Princess and her Mighty Kingdom

    We take a bite out of Chappell Roan through a brief queer history of Midwest music and media influences. Host R.B. Brooks (they/them) highlights queer and trans music artists with ties to the Midwest, how the Midwest is used intentionally in film and streaming series for dramatic effect, and the impact of Midwest stereotypes on racialized and gendered assumptions about the region. Additional Resources and References:  In a Queer Time and Place by Jack HalberstamRolling Stone article about Chappel Roan’s Casual release Teen Vogue culture story about Chappell Roan Right On, Cuee (Take the Last Bite interview with Black trans hip hop artist Cuee WrightFor questions, comments or feedback about this episode: lastbite@sgdinstitute.org We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

  8. 06/04/2024

    The (Literal) Debate for Trans Lives [redux]

    We take a bite out of local legislation with Minnesota State Representatives Liish Kozlowski (they/them) and Leigh Finke (she/her). We all have a role to play – but our roles aren’t all the same. We chat with these powerhouses about their motivations to run for office, their experiences on the legislative floor, and how Trans Refuge Bills can offer a pathway to improved living conditions for trans, nonbinary, two spirit, and intersex people. Additional Resources and References from this episode:  Learn more about the Transgender Justice Teach-In and check out video recordings of our previous panel discussions.For questions, comments or feedback about this episode: lastbite@sgdinstitute.org We’re on TikTok! You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or at sgdinstitute.org Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them, director of strategy and impact for the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity Cover art: Adrienne McCormick

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About

Take the Last Bite is a direct counter to the Midwest Nice mentality— highlighting advocacy & activism by queer/trans communities in the Midwest region. Each episode unearths the often disregarded and unacknowledged contributions of queer & trans folks to social change through interviews, casual conversations and reflections on Midwest queer time, space, and place. For questions, comments and feedback: takethelastbite@gmail.com Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them Cover Art: Adrienne McCormick

Information

  • Creator
    R.B. Brooks
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 R.B. Brooks