Hot Seat: Media Monday “Using Media to Memorialize” with author Jennifer Boulenger and Sue Francisco, of Whitney’s Legacy, RPG-CON, & No Kings Day! Protest 6-16-25

Hot Seat: Media Monday “Using Media to Memorialize” with author Jennifer Boulenger and Sue Francisco, of Whitney’s Legacy, RPG-CON, & No Kings Day! Protest 6-16-25

by Ron Klopfanstein

In this deeply personal episode of Hot Seat: Media Monday, we explore how storytelling can honor those we've lost and turn grief into purpose. Author Jennifer Boulanger shares the heart-wrenching and inspiring story behind A Song for Olaf, a tribute to her brother, a vibrant soul who lived through the HIV/AIDS crisis. Released at the start of Pride Month, her memoir becomes a powerful act of remembrance and resistance—shining a light on love, loss, and the enduring impact of stigma. Meanwhile, Sue Francisco speaks from a mother’s pain and strength, transforming the memory of her daughter Whitney into a beacon of hope through Whitney’s Legacy, a nonprofit organization that uplifts women’s health causes with compassion and community spirit.

This episode is a tribute not just to the people who are gone, but to the resilience of those left behind. Whether it’s through organizing a music fest to raise thousands for local health efforts or simply asking, "What would Whitney do?", these women remind us that grief, when spoken aloud and shared, becomes something transformative. It becomes advocacy. It becomes healing. It becomes a legacy. Listen in and be reminded of how media, memory, and community can intertwine to keep love alive.

Also, in this episode, entertainment correspondent Nabil Khan has a report on the Role-Playing Game Convention, which was held last weekend, and I have a report on the No Kings! Protests in Rome and Herkimer.