Jason, 42, aka Miss Thea Trix Spreads a Positive Vibe in the Mon Valley #AMPLIFY

Name: Jason Zubovic Age: 42 County of Residence: Fayette, formerly Allegheny and Westmoreland counties Preferred Pronouns: Mr. and Miss – him and her How do you describe your identity? I am an openly gay white male entertainer with an amazing partner of three years. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? My […]

Gay Man Missing from Downtown Pittsburgh #BringDakotaHome

Dakota James Missing Person

On Wednesday, January 25, 2017, a 23-year-old white gay Northside resident joined friends for drinks at a Market Square venue. His name is Dakota Leo James and after leaving the bar, he vanished. Dakota is an employee of HBHunt and a part-time graduate students at Duquesne University. His family and friends grew worried when he […]

My Family’s Immigration Story

This was not something I thought about as a child in the 1970’s and 1980’s in suburban West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. I knew my living grandparents and their basic backstories and a little bit about their respective parents. I was raised to believe I was mostly an Irish Catholic/little bit of German kid which turned out […]

Persad ‘Art For Change’ Announces Call for Artists

Dear artist friends – Persad Center is currently seeking donations of artwork for the #ArtForChange auction in May. This fundraiser (formerly known as Artfor AIDS) supports many of their critical community programs including the Free Care Fund. It is one of the reasons they are in a position to fiscally sponsor projects like #AMPLIFY and […]

18th Annual LGBT Reader’s Choice Awards Nominations Open Until January 30

Reader's Choice Awards

It is that time once again to nominate your LGBT heroes and favorites for a the Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter Readers Choice Awards. You have until January 30 to submit nominations. There are 24 categories that cover everything from community organizations to nightlife and beyond. To vote in this round, do the following: Create an […]

Jesse, 28, Helps To Build New LGBTQ Community Supports in Mercer County #AMPLIFY

Name: Jesse Age:  28 County of Residence: Mercer County, previously Beaver County Preferred Pronouns: Him, he, male, sir How do you describe your identity? I am a pansexual male, I don’t see anyone for there penis or vagina, but for the beauty of who they are, yes I am attracted, but that is only a small portion of me, […]

Two Women’s Marches Illustrate The Two Pittsburghs

Two Pittsburghs

(This post grew out of a Facebook post I wrote on Sunday morning.) I think having two marches/rallies centering women in Pittsburgh was a positive thing because it shined a light on the reality that we live in two Pittsburghs, divided by race. There’s an honesty there that is so rarely evident or acknowledged elsewhere. […]

History of the GLCC of Pittsburgh

Submitted by Peter Mastracci Here at the GLCC, people often ask us about the history of the center. They want to know where we’ve been located, what we’ve done, and most commonly, how long we’ve been around. The truth is that we’ve been around so long- almost since the birth of the modern gay rights movement at Stonewall […]

The #AMPLIFY Tee Shirts Are Here!

We began taking pre-order in December, but now the shirts are ready to roll. We have about 30 left if you would like to purchase one.  You can also purchase one to be donated to an AMPLIFY contributor. But act fast before they are all gone.

3 Pieces of Advice for Mayor Peduto’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Council

Pittsburgh Mayor's LGBTQIA+ Advisory Council

I was moved by the reactions of several members of the new LGBTQIA+ Advisory Council to their official swearing-in yesterday at the City County Building. I love that I don’t know everyone and I love the expanse of voices that will now be officially at the table. You know I’m not one to mince words. […]