Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

For the past 13+ years, I’ve been creating Q&A’s for a range of people – actors, writers, performers, politicians, allies, culminating in the 2015 launch of the #AMPLIFY Q&A archive of LGBTQ stories from Western Pennsylvania.

As we near #AMPLIFY 300, I thought it would be a good opportunity to ‘flip the script’ and put myself on the opposite side of the question, to walk the walk of so many brave people who have shared their stories and to explore in a more personal way the power of storytelling.

Flip the Script will recruit about a dozen people to create a Q&A specifically for me. They will draft the questions, they will receive my answers, and they will review the final post before I share it on the blog. And then they will write a guest blog post about the experience in their own words.

My first Questioners will include Tereneh Idia and Anne E. Lynch and Joy KMT

I will blog as the project unfolds about my own experiences, perspectives, and feelings. The idea is to take my commitment to signal boosting another step beyond sharing other people’s work AND using the Q&A’s on my blog to connect with people who might not often be asked questions – to take it a step further and give control of that narrative, the question creation, to other voices. I will respond to the Q&A’s but also blog about that new role of being in the answer section of the process for a change.

The funds will be used to compensate the Questioners for their time – the time they spend researching and preparing questions, the time they spend editing and reviewing the Q&A, and the time they spend on their guest post. I estimate this will be between 3-6 hours total for each person.

We also want the Questioners to be a representative group and address any other barriers they may experience – if they need childcare, busfare, etc.

We hope to offer each Questioner at least $50, ideally $100 for their time. Their efforts will be a tremendous help as AMPLIFY moves into the 300’s of Q&A’s – helping shape the questions, the process, the experience and supporting me in becoming a better curator of this important content.

If we raise enough money, we may organize a get together at the end of the year with all of the Questioners to celebrate another step in exploring the art of blogging and lifting up LGBTQ voices.

I do want to clarify that this is not a tell-all experience. The Questioners will be selected based on a variety of factors, including my having a healthy respectful and trusting relationship with them. There will be some constraints around my responses, especially with regard to topics that touch on the lives of other people. I will have those conversations with each Questioner and encourage them to include this process in their guest blog post.

Donations through this crowdfund will go to our fiscal sponsor, Persad Center. Any excess funds will go into the general AMPLIFY fund.

If you enjoy or appreciate our Q&A’s, this is a fantastic opportunity to support their growth and expansion.