Your Life: The Mix Tape Greg Howard Jr

On episode 59, Greg is joined by the iconic BRIAN SIMS!!!
Brian Sims is a distinguished civil rights advocate and public policy expert from Philadelphia, PA. A 5-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Sims became the first out LGBT member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly when he was elected in 2011. He has extensive experience lecturing internationally to corporations and universities about the policy and legal implications of diversity and the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.
In addition to serving in the State House, Sims, who is the former staff counsel for policy and planning at the Philadelphia Bar Association, served as Special Counsel to the Philadelphia-based law firm of Saul Ewing LLP and serves on a number of non-profit & public interest Boards.
Prior to taking public office, Sims was a member of the national campaign board of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and chairman of the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia. He also instructed and lectured regularly at the Center for Progressive Leadership.
He holds a bachelor of science degree from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, a juris doctor degree in International and Comparative law from the Michigan State University College of Law, and completed Fellowships at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in 2013 and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business in 2018.
In 2000, Sims, the son of two retired Army lieutenant colonels, came out to his football team after helping to lead them to the Division II national championship game as their captain. He remains the only former NCAA football captain to have ever come out, and is one of the most notable collegiate athletes to do so in any sport.
Today he continues to serve on the Boards of the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, Campus Pride, and the GLSEN Sports Advisory Council and as a contributor to The Huffington Post, The Advocate, and Philly.com. Sims also appears regularly on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews," "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell," "The Rachel Maddow Show," and "The Ed Show" as well as NPR's "Fresh Air with Terry Gross," and "Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane."
CONNECT WITH BRIAN SIMS
Twitter - Instagram
SUPPORT THIS SHOW

On episode 58, Greg is joined by entrepreneurs and hosts of The Mind Buzz GIL & AMBER!!!
The Mindbuzz is a pragmatic conversation that explores culture and society. An archive of interesting stories from today's creatives with a high range of commentary from artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, activists, podcasters, and people just like you! The podcast, hosted by Gil Anguiano and Amber Bobadilla.
CONNECT WITH GIL, AMBER, & THE MINDBUZZ PODCAST
Linktree
SUPPORT THIS SHOW

KATIE returns to Your Life: The Mixtape but this time it's to face the judgement of you, the listeners, as this... Is... RAGNAROK!
You can catch Katie on Books & Bourbon (Wednesdays monthly) and on Twitter at @artnmusic4life, on Instagram at @beautybygrayart, and on TikTok at @ktblue84 !
SUPPORT THIS SHOW

On episode 56, Greg is joined by actor, singer, and Drag Race UK Season 3 Star ELLA VADAY!!!
Ella Vaday aka Nick Collier, Is an English Drag Queen, film, TV and theatre actor. The self-proclaimed “drag beast from the East” made history on the TV global franchise becoming the only queen to win four challenges and never place in the bottom!
Ella Vaday has become renowned as a strong voice of expression for many young individuals within the LGBTQ+ community. Nick & Ella Vaday have become a strong advocate encouraging their followers to lead with their individuality.
Ella Vaday is well known in the press appearing in, The sun, Gay Times, The Mirror, The Daily Mail, Hello Magazine, Independent mag, Metro and much more.
CONNECT WITH ELLA VADAY
Website - Instagram - Twitter - Facebook
SUPPORT THIS SHOW

On episode 55, Greg is joined by the iconic and amazingly talented multihyphenate MICHAEL DES BARRES!!!
Michael Des Barres’ arrival in the entertainment world came early – as a Marquis attending boarding school in England, he first started acting at age eight in commercials and school plays. He later moved on to Corona Theatre School in West London where he was cast in the 1967 classic film To Sir With Love, starring Sidney Poitier.  
At nineteen, Michael played the androgynous rock star Rose in the nude musical The Dirtiest Show In Town, produced by Robert Stigwood, of Jesus Christ Superstar fame. Andrew Lloyd Webber saw Michael’s performance and went backstage to tell Michael that he should indeed form a real rock band. Michael quickly wrote his first song titled “Will You Finance My Rock and Roll Band” which he performed for Lloyd Webber, that song lead Michael to form Silverhead, his first band, a raucous glam rock experiment. They were immediately signed to Purple Records in 1972. In 1974 Michael married his girlfriend of seven years actress Wendy Hamilton (Professor Emeritus Wendy Wheeler, London Metropolitan University). 
After two albums and two world tours Silverhead disbanded and Michael moved to Los Angeles broke and in love with Pamela Miller "Miss Pamela" of the GTO's, he arrived in L.A. with two hundred dollars and a hair dryer, ending his marriage to Wendy Hamilton. Michael married Pamela Des Barres, author of “I’m With The Band” in 1977. Michael and Pamela amicably divorced in 1991 and have one son, Nicholas Dean Des Barres. 
In Los Angeles Michael formed the band Detective. Detective was signed to the famed Swan Song Records by Jimmy Page and recorded two albums. That era also saw Michael appear on U.S. television in the sitcom WKRP In Cincinnati with Detective playing the punk rock group Scum of the Earth. Michael’s character, Dog was featured throughout the episode and the band itself played at the end of the show. The members of Detective went their separate ways in 1979. 
Throughout the years of Silverhead and Detective Michael had been struggling with drugs and alcohol and in 1981 he finally got sober and has remained so. "People didn't understand why I didn't drink or do drugs in the 80's, I was a pariah, but I understood that it was for kids. It was making me psychotic and it was destroying my natural energy. It made me listless and uncreative and I thought that was unacceptable. It was more important to be able to look into my son's eyes and be able to connect with him, than it was to look in the eyes of some lower companion with bad coke." As a result of his sobriety he co-founded R.A.D, Rock Against Drugs, a highly successful P.S.A. that helped enthuse the culture of MTV with an anti-drug status.
In 1982 Michael formed the band Chequered Past, featuring Steve Jones, Clem Burke, Nigel Harrison and Tony Sales. The band opened for Duran Duran in 1984, it was this association that led to Michael being chosen to replace Robert Palmer as lead singer of The Power Station when Robert Palmer withdrew. Michael performed with The Power Station in Philadelphia at Live Aid before two billion people after a ten day rehearsal. A highlight of the touring set was Michael’s song “Obsession, cowritten with Holly Knight in 1983. At the time, it had been released by the L.A. based New Wave group Animotion and was a number one hit in twenty-seven countries. 
Michael's love of acting had never subsided and in 1985 he was cast in the role most familiar to his fans – that of...

ELIANN returns to Your Life: The Mixtape but this time it's to face the judgement of you, the listeners, as this... Is... RAGNAROK!
You can catch Eliann on the second seasons of Unapologetically She (Every Tuesday) and It's Like This: A Pop Culture Podcast (Every Thursday)!
You can find her on Twitter at @missangryflower
SUPPORT THIS SHOW