A powerful convergence of art and advocacy unfolds in this episode of Queer Voices as two transformative leaders share their visions for Houston's LGBTQ+ community.
Pulitzer Prize finalist Lisa D'Amour invites listeners into her boundary-defying theatrical world, where traditional storytelling meets immersive art installations. Her fourth collaboration with Catastrophic Theater, "The Frozen Section," imagines a surreal post-apocalyptic grocery store where survivors maintain humanity through collective cosplay performance of working and being in a grocery. "We meet the people who are the workers and the people who are the shoppers," D'Amour explains, revealing how this strange microcosm explores community resilience when societal structures collapse. The playwright's description of her previous work—including a six-hour installation where audiences witnessed a fabric forest appear over 7 hours and vanish in forty minutes—showcases her unique approach to creating theater that functions as both poetry and social commentary. She's amazing, and also from New Orleans!
Meanwhile, Montrose Center CEO Avery Belyeu reflects on her first year leading Houston's largest LGBTQ+ resource hub during increasingly challenging political times. With previous leadership roles at Lambda Legal and The Trevor Project, Bellew brings both professional expertise and personal perspective as a transgender woman navigating the current landscape. Her vision for the Center emphasizes community connection as the ultimate solution to political scapegoating and potential funding threats. "I think that's where it's so important for all of us to make sure we're taking care of ourselves," Bellew advises, highlighting the Center's comprehensive services for 55,000 annual clients across all age groups—from youth programming to senior housing.
The conversation weaves between artistic expression and practical advocacy as both guests demonstrate how Houston's queer community creates resilience through creativity, connection, and care. Whether through D'Amour's surreal theatrical worlds or the Montrose Center's tangible support services, this episode reveals how LGBTQ+ Houstonians continue building futures despite uncertainty.
Don't miss "The Frozen Section," running March 28-April 19 at The Match, and mark your calendars for the Montrose Center's circus-themed "Empowering Our Future" gala on April 26, where you can directly support vital youth services while celebrating community joy.
Queer Voices airs in Houston Texas on 90.1FM KPFT and is heard as a podcast here. Queer Voices hopes to entertain as well as illuminate LGBTQ issues in Houston and beyond. Check out our socials at:
https://www.facebook.com/QueerVoicesKPFT/ and
https://www.instagram.com/queervoices90.1kpft/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everybody, this is Queer Voices, a podcast
version of a broadcast radioshow that's been on the air in
Houston, texas, for severaldecades.
This week, brett Cullum has aconversation with Lisa DeMoore.
Lisa has been nominated for aPulitzer for her work on a piece
called Detroit.
(00:20):
She is collaborating with theCatastrophic Theater to produce
her latest play, the FrozenSection, which runs starting
later this month at the Match.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
My collaborator, director Katie Pearl, and I have
accompanied together for likethe last 25 years and we really
like to shake up the theatricalform.
We often start with either atopic or sometimes a place and
we kind of make the show for theplace.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Then Debra Moncrief-Bell has a conversation
with Avery Bellew, the CEO ofthe Montrose Center.
They will be reflecting onAvery's first year leading the
center.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We have such a rich landscape of LGBTQ organizations
, some of them social, many ofthem focused on our well-being
and our care.
We've got a really richtapestry of LGBTQ life here, and
so that has really delighted me.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Queer Voices starts now.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Lisa DeMore is a playwright, she's a performer
and she is also a formercarnival queen from New Orleans.
Demore is an alumna of NewDramatists.
Her play Detroit was actually afinalist for the Pulitzer Prize
for Drama.
She is a University of Texasgraduate who was awarded a
master's in playwriting.
Lisa has collected tons ofaccol.
Who was awarded a master's inplaywriting.
Lisa has collected tons ofaccolades like a drone on and on
about, but she is in town to doa world premiere of the Frozen
(01:54):
section with CatastrophicTheater.
If you like numerology, thiswill be her fourth collaboration
with this company and alsotheir fourth show this season
with this company and also theirfourth show this season.
We're running at the match from28th until April 19th.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Lisa DeMoor welcome to Queer Voices.
Hello, so happy to be here.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Jason Nodler has been talking about you forever and
this is one of the shows thatI've been looking forward to Now
.
When I did some research on you, some places describe you as an
interdisciplinary artist, whichmeans that you kind of collage
many things and mediums.
You mix visual art with acting.
Tell me a little bit about yourapproach to that first.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I often say that I have two branches of my career.
One is as a playwright thatsits at my desk and writes a
play that I then try and get atheater to produce, and then the
other branch is this morecollaborative work that I
usually do with my company,pearl Damore.
So my collaborator, directorKatie Pearl, and I have a
(02:58):
company together for like thelast 25 years and we really like
to shake up the theatrical form.
We often start with either atopic or sometimes a place, and
we kind of make the show for theplace.
And almost every time we make anew piece, we begin the process
(03:19):
by working closely with eithera dancer or a composer or a
visual artist to kind of createsomething that is hybrid, that
is more than theater.
A good example of the kind ofwork we do is a piece called how
to Build a Forest, which touredfor a while, from like 2011
until around 2017.
(03:40):
And it was a piece of art thatwe created with visual artist
Sean Hall, in which we designeda fabric forest that we could
assemble in front of anaudience's eyes over the course
of about six and a half hoursentirely fake forest.
(04:05):
You as an audience member couldcome into the forest and kind
of watch what we were doing andlook at us close up and maybe
take away little pieces of theforest, and then the forest
lived for about half an hour andthen we took the whole thing
down in 45 minutes back to abare stage.
It was like seeing thisecosystem appear and rapidly
disappear before your eyes andpeople could come for 20 minutes
, for two hours, for the wholeeight hours if they wanted to.
(04:29):
But it was very much ameditation on how long it takes
certain natural forms to bebuilt up and how quickly humans
can cut them down and also howwe as humans are intimately
connected to these ecosystems.
So not quite theater, not quitevisual art, an immersive
process that came out of thisdeep collaboration with a visual
(04:51):
artist.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
You know, and what's kind of wild is catastrophic.
I seem to feel like we get alot of these interdisciplinary
artists coming through.
So when I had read about yourcompany, I thought, oh, this
sounds amazing to do kind oflike an art installation and a
theater piece together, becauseit does feel like you just hit
all of it.
But okay, so from what I cansuss out online, it looks like
(05:12):
Infernal Bridegroom Productionshere in Houston.
They produced one of your earlyworks called Hightown in 2006.
So how did that happeninitially?
How did you first hook up withthis group of artists?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
We were introduced by a mutual friend named Shiloh
Dewan, who was on InfernalBridegroom's board at the time,
and I sent them some plays itwas a long time ago, so I
remember like putting them inthe envelope and snail mailing
them to Jason and then weapplied for an NEA grant
together, which was acommissioning grant that would
(05:47):
allow me to write something newfor them, and we decided that we
wanted to write a show that wasgoing to be inspired by our
visits to Texas ghost towns.
Some of the actors in Tamariekind of took these trips out
into the middle of nowhere.
I mean, sometimes we'd getthere and there'd be like
nothing there.
We researched some of thesetowns.
We kind of like hung out in allof these ruins and then I
(06:09):
imagined this kind of new worldcalled Hightown, which was a
completely new play and it'sinteresting.
It feels like a distant cousinof Frozen Section because it's
set in this, like it's almostlike future Texas in the middle
of another ice age.
Set in this, like it's almostlike future Texas in the middle
of another ice age.
Set in this bar in the middleof this town called Hightown,
(06:31):
and it's about the people whoare kind of trying to survive
there.
It's like community andapocalypse with a little bit of
reality TV show mixed in.
It was a wild and wonderfulpiece.
I really loved their productionof it and that was my first
time kind of writing somethingfor the ensemble.
Since then the other two playsof mine that Catastrophic
(06:53):
produced were pre-existing.
They had been done a couple oftimes before and so this is a
real return because I've nowwritten this new play very much
for their ensemble.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Tell me about Frozen Section.
What is it about?
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Frozen Section is set we call it in a grocery store
at the edge of the world.
It is about a community ofpeople who are living in a world
in which there are far fewerpeople and a much harder way of
living Not exactly living offthe grid, but maybe places that
are powered by generators andthis particular community of
(07:30):
people are like.
Our reality is this store andwe are going to band together,
basically by cosplaying grocerystore, and so we meet the people
who are the workers and thepeople who are the shoppers.
In the early parts of the playit may seem like this is a
normal grocery store, but veryquickly you realize something is
(07:52):
off.
I would say it's definitely moreof a surreal work of art,
perhaps in the tradition of, say, ionesco and Samuel Beckett
Beckett.
And the way to enjoy the playis both getting to know these
idiosyncratic characters butalso trying to experience what
the play is thinking about, thepoetics of the play and how
(08:13):
you're moving through almost thepoem of the play.
And Catastrophic is very goodat this kind of work.
I think they really embraceplays that are strange and
filled with metaphor and arereally kind of reaching into
your psyche is what I feel whenI come to a catastrophic play,
so I was really trying todeliver that for them.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Well, they are definitely the company that
challenges you to go beyond justthe narrative.
But what inspired you to comeup with the Frozen section?
Because I've been thinkingabout the grocery store and
apocalypse here for like thelast couple of weeks, but that's
just because of what'shappening.
I just think of the grocerystore as this kind of like
symbol of almost doom in a weirdway.
(08:57):
But what inspired you initially?
How long have you been doingthis?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I started writing this for them early last year,
non-linearly, so I guess, yeah,a little more than a year, but I
would like I I had this imageof this store.
I didn't really know exactly.
I rarely know what I'm writingabout when I begin, and so I
started assembling thesedifferent scenes with these
different characters.
I wrote the play very out oforder.
(09:22):
I do think that a grocery store, first of all, it's so many
things.
So I was thinking about thingslike how we stock up on supplies
before hurricanes.
Right, I live in New Orleans,you live in Houston, so there's
always this kind of rush onsupplies and is there going to
be enough?
And then, during a crisis,there's also like looting of
grocery stores.
(09:43):
In normal times, though, ineveryday times, the grocery
store can be a very calmingplace.
You're often there by yourself,you're in your head, you're
following your list, maybeyou're familiar with where
things are.
I actually kind of enjoy beingin the grocery store by myself.
So I was thinking about all ofthese different, the very public
place, all of the differentpersonalities that a grocery
(10:05):
store can take on.
I also feel like I am in thepocket.
Gen X.
I grew up before the internet.
I grew up like many Gen Xers,having a bunch of part-time jobs
and donut shops and grocerystores like with somebody's
dad's tiny lawyer office where Iwas filing.
I was doing a lot of these jobsand I think that I was thinking
(10:26):
about how working in community,when each person has their
assigned job, can just be a verycomforting and secure place.
Like you know your job, you doyour job, everyone knows what
your job is, and so I think Iwas thinking about how that kind
of structure or ecosystem in agrocery store could sort of lead
(10:47):
to a kind of comfort within acommunity.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
It's always interesting to me when we have a
world premiere, because you'recoming in and you're working
with this company.
Are they influencing?
Are you rewriting bits andpieces as you go through the
rehearsal process?
Are they helping you developfurther this whole idea of the
Frozen section?
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Oh goodness, so much, so much at every phase.
So even before we cast the play, we did a reading of an early
draft and had lots ofdiscussions with the people who
did the reading, with Tamarieand Jason, to further develop
the play.
And Catastrophic's such a greatcompany because there was a lot
that I didn't understand aboutthe play early on and they
(11:28):
really just encouraged me tokeep going.
They were like your instinctsare telling you something, lisa,
just keep going.
And there's not many theatersthat will tell you that Theaters
like to give you like reallyspecific notes.
So there's that phase.
So then we cast the play andthen we've been in rehearsal
about almost three weeks Afterthe first week.
I had a lot of conversations.
(11:49):
I asked all the actors thequestions that they had about
their characters.
I took that into consideration,like going through the play to
make sure that everything linedup, because I was like, oh wait,
this doesn't I say this inscene one that doesn't match
(12:10):
with what's happening at the endof the play.
So it's sort of like a wholecleanup of the draft and we
printed an entirely new draftand kind of kept going.
But it's very much beeninformed by feedback from the
cast and also I would say I'veseen a lot of catastrophic shows
over the years, so I know thequality of their shows and I
know the quality of theirwonderful intergenerational,
(12:34):
many-gendered, many-racesensemble and I was really
leaning into the richness ofthat particular catastrophic
diversity and it's created areally interesting world, I
think, for this play well, Ithink it's wildly so, because
you touched on that they havethree basically world premieres
(12:54):
when I saw their season I waslike wow, oh right, theater is
dying.
You know, it's like what are youtalking about?
Like catastrophic can do, likethey're not doing Agatha
Christie, they're doing theselike really rigorous,
challenging, I would also argue,like very queer world premieres
(13:14):
last year I argued they didSarah Kane's Cleansed.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
They did a couple of things that I thought just
paralleled the transgendercommunity's struggle in Texas
specifically into thatproduction.
That just blew my mind and Ithought was Sarah Kane
channeling the future somehow?
I mean, I was just like what ishappening here and certainly
the last production they didwith Candace DeMesa queer.
(13:39):
Are you inserting a little bitof gender nonconformity?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
If there is a main character, they are a non-binary
character named sage, who hasdecided it's time to leave, even
though there's a lot ofuncertainty as to where they may
be going and the community isboth afraid for them but
ultimately supportive of themgoing, as sage says, like onto
the other side of the horizon.
But at the same time, the wholecast, the actor playing Sage is
(14:10):
not the only gendernon-conforming human in the cast
either, and again, I feel likethere's a big range of ages in
the cast as well.
When I watch rehearsals I'mlike this is so queer and this
is so punk rock are the twothings that I think.
I watch it, and also there alsois a little bit of a feeling of
burlesque in the play as well.
(14:32):
It moves in a very strange way.
It's really funny.
There's spectacle in it.
I would say it almost feelslike a dream, although I
wouldn't say that the play islike it's not about gender
identity.
Sage's gender identity ismentioned once, maybe, but you
feel it.
You feel the fluidity ofidentity throughout the play.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Well, let's switch gears a little bit.
You currently hold the LyndaleFinley-Wortham Chair in the
Performing Arts at the McGovernCollege of the Arts, which is
part of the University ofHouston, but you live in New
Orleans.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
So that position was created specifically for a
playwright who is workingnationally, come in several
times a year to teach, to mentor, to give talks and in general
like sort of use their positionas a playwright out in the world
to both bring new experiencesand opportunities to students
(15:29):
but also, I think, to raise theprofile of the BFA playwriting
program at UH around the country.
It's intended to be a fluidposition for someone who's
coming in and out.
The playwright who held itbefore me was named Teresa
Rebeck, whose work is producedhere in Houston a lot.
I am, as far as I know, thefirst Southern playwright to
(15:49):
hold this chair and I love thatbecause I feel like I love the
South.
I love writing in the South.
I do a lot of work in NewOrleans.
I know what it's like to growup in a city where you might not
have quite as many models ormentors in the world of theater.
Like that's kind of whathappened to me.
So I'm hoping that myexperiences as a Southern artist
(16:10):
can really help the playwrightsat UH.
I love the UH theater department.
The students are incredible.
They come from so many walks oflife.
It's a very exciting time to bein that department and
particularly in that playwritingprogram right now Really
amazing and I'm determined toreally help it thrive because
(16:31):
it's unique.
It also there's a dramaturgyprogram that's part of the
playwriting program and in termsof playwriting dramaturgy, bfa
programs, there's only two inthe country and UH is one of
them, so it's very special andUH has produced some of my work
in the past.
I've gotten to in the countryand UH is one of them, so it's
very special and UH has producedsome of my work in the past.
I've gotten to know the Alley,I'm working on some projects
with them now, and so I'm inHouston all the time.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
You were up for a Pulitzer for your play Detroit.
It almost made it to Broadway.
It ended up being put on by NewHorizons Playhouse in 2012.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah, playwrights Horizons yes.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Playwrights, horizons , sorry, oh, and just to name
drop a little further,steppenwolf in Chicago two years
earlier they did it and alsothe National Theater in London,
which was interesting.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
There's a million reasons why a play might not
make the leap to Broadway, butone of the reasons the night of
Detroit in New York City wasHurricane Sandy, which kind of
wiped out a lot of people'senergy and money.
And I always think it's soironic because I come from New
Orleans.
I lived through Katrina.
I'm just like wow, hurricanesare just going to come and bite
me in my butt for the rest of mylife.
(17:38):
Also, detroit had an amazinglife.
It's been produced all acrossthe country and the world and so
it was really good for me to.
I mean really and truly likegoing to Broadway is one thing,
but allowing your play can havea life in many other ways.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
And you write.
I've noticed that some of yourplays are very short.
They're almost like one acts,they're like 25 minute kind of
things, and some of them areeven named at high school or so
I would think.
I saw one kind of suggested.
The cast was mainly teenagers.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
That's probably Frostbite, which I wrote, and it
was actually the GuthrieTheater commissioned a bunch of
writers to write short plays forhigh school students and that's
how that got written.
But then, like my otherchildren's musical Tale of a
West Texas Marsupial Girl, it isalso a one act and maybe runs
about 80 minutes.
So there's, yes, a few thingsthat are a lot, of, a lot of
(18:28):
different lengths.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Okay, so what are we in store for for the frozen
section?
How long does this one gonnarun?
Speaker 2 (18:33):
between 90 minutes and an hour, 40 like somewhere
in there.
So it's a one act.
So I we don't really know therunning time now because we're
in the middle of rehearsals.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
My guess is it's gonna be like 135, 140,
something like that and it'sgoing to be at the match from
march 28th until april 19th,called the frozen section by
lisa demore, an amazingplaywright, and I'm so flattered
to even get to talk to you.
I've heard so much about youand especially all the hype
around detroit, and we're soglad to have you back with the
catastrophic.
(19:03):
Because shoot fourth time gottabe, it's gotta be something
right that you like about them.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
I love them and I really think they are a Houston
treasure.
I believe that for so manyreasons.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
I absolutely agree with you and I will be there
opening night did you know thatKPFT is completely
listener-funded.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
There are no underwriters, so it's up to all
of us to pay for the freedom tosay what you hear here on Queer
Voices and on this station ingeneral.
That means you participate inour programming just by
listening and also by pledgingyour support.
Please do that now by going tothe KPFT website and clicking on
(19:48):
the red Donate Now button, andplease mention Queer Voices when
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Thank you, this is KPFT 90.1 FMHouston, 89.5 FM Galveston,
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(20:12):
kpftorg.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Look to the sky for one place.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
That one will come.
This is Queer Voices.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
This is Deborah Moncrief-Bell here talking with
Avery Ballou.
Avery is the CEO of the MantraCenter and she just finished her
first year in that position.
First of all, you got yourMaster's of Science degree at
Appalachia University.
What was your discipline?
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Nothing connected to the work I do now.
So my science degree was incommunication disorders, which
is the preparatory degree tobecome a speech therapist, a
speech language pathologist,which I did for some time.
And I had a minor in psychologywhich I suppose does connect to
a lot of what I do now.
Speaker 6 (21:12):
I think actually both those things do, because it has
to do with linguistics, in partwith the speech pathology and
then with the psychology ofcourse.
That's kind of a basis for alot of things.
And then you went on to get aMaster's of Divinity degree at
Texas Christian.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
That's right.
Yeah, Bright Divinity School,which is on the campus of TCU,
and the reason why I did thatI'm a wanderer and I'm a person
who's constantly curious andwanting to learn, but I went
back to get that degree at 30.
I had been working in publichealth for all of my 20s and in
my 20s I had the opportunity towork actually during the last
(21:56):
Trump administration for SAMHSAand in a federally funded agency
that was funded through SAMHSA,and one of my projects was to
work with the Office of Faithand Neighborhood-Based
Partnerships, which had beenestablished by President Bush
and was continued throughPresidents Obama and early in
Trump, and my focus was thinkingabout how to leverage faith
(22:18):
communities to partner on publichealth issues, particularly
mental health promotion andsuicide prevention.
And so, as I was kind ofswimming through those
intersections of public healthand thinking about community
life and where we buildcommunity and how that led me to
get an MDiv, to think aboutthose intersections in a more
focused way.
Speaker 6 (22:39):
Then you continued your work in nonprofits.
You've worked with Lambda Legaland with the Trevor Project.
What are some of theaccomplishments from those times
that you have strong feelingsabout?
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Yeah, well, I'll say just, first of all, really just
the honor to get to work at twoorganizations that are national
LGBTQ organizations and do somuch for us.
Of course, trevor is kind of anew kid on the block as far as
national LGBTQ nonprofits go,but now they've grown so much
and they're doing so much and Icreated the first education
(23:18):
department for the organizationand that's something that
continues to this day and that'ssomething I'm really proud of.
I got to be there at a pointwhen the Trevor Project was
growing quite a bit from being avery small nonprofit to, I'd
say, a midsize nonprofit.
So I got to be there at aninteresting growth moment and
got to be one of the people whogot to create a lot of cool
things that continue on as afoundation for the work they do
(23:40):
today.
So I'm very proud of that.
Um, and and I think during thattime too, I was there for for
almost four years what we didwas really raise the profile
nationally of the conversationabout the mental health and
well-being of lgbtq young people, and it was just starting to be
looked at as being somethingthat was really something that
(24:02):
we should all pay attention to.
It was around the time thatthere was a lot of conversation
about bullying in our publicschools, and so I got to be a
part of that national dialogueand shaping the conversation on
how we talk about taking care ofour young people.
So I'm really proud of that.
And then, of course, atlantaLegal.
I mean, my goodness, they dosuch good work.
And look at them now, right.
(24:23):
I mean they've already filedseveral lawsuits against this
current administration.
So such a wonderfulorganization and I think they're
the privilege to get to worksomewhere that has been doing so
much for so long.
They're such an important partof our movement overall, having
given us wins like Obergefell,which is marriage, lawrence v
Texas, which overturned thesodomy laws, and so many more.
(24:45):
So I think just to get to be apart of the fabric and the
history of that organization wasreally a privilege.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
How exactly did you come to Houston?
Were you headhunted or were youlooking for a new position?
Speaker 3 (24:57):
When I was working for Lambda, I was leading what
is a regional office for them,so they have an office in Dallas
, but it serves a region ofeight states, and so I had the
good fortune to come in and getto hang out with some LGBTQ
folks here in Houston and dowork around fundraising for
Lambda Legal primarily, as wellas some education and awareness
work.
(25:18):
During that time in Dallas, Igot to come here and get a sense
for the flavor of Houston'sLGBTQ community, and I really
loved my experience of beinghere, and so I was, in fact,
headhunted.
The board at the MontroseCenter did hire a search firm to
try to find the best talent, soI was one of a few really
(25:38):
qualified and amazing folks whothrew their name in the ring
there to be considered, and Iwas really lucky that they chose
me, and one year in, I can saythat it definitely was the right
choice for me.
It's such a perfect place forthe intersections of the things
that I've done in my career andthat I care about, and so it's
really just an honor to get tolead the Mantra Center.
Speaker 6 (26:00):
Your first commitment was to listen and to learn.
So what have you learned aboutthe Mantra Center and about the
Houston queer community?
Speaker 3 (26:11):
One thing I'll offer is that I certainly hope that
that stated commitment I madewhen I first got here.
It's a posture, not just aone-time event, because I think
that as I'm heading into yeartwo, I'm realizing I'm going to
need to keep listening, andthat's an iterative process.
So I'm going to keep doing thatand keep my listening ears on,
as my mother and grandmotherwould have said, and keep
(26:33):
listening because I think that'sso important.
A few things I learned throughmy really focused listening in
year one.
One thing is just how amazingthe community is here in Houston
at finding creative ways totake care of our own.
We have such a rich landscapeof LGBTQ organizations, some of
(26:58):
them social, many of themfocused on our well-being and
our care.
We've got a really richtapestry of LGBTQ life here, and
so that has really delighted me.
The other thing I will say thatI've learned is that and I've
said this many times theMontrose Center is such an
(27:18):
important resource for manythousands of people.
You know we serve about 55,000people a year in one way or
another, and what I heard isthat the community would like
for us to do even more and topartner in ways that are
different than how we've shownup in the past, and so we've
started to do some of that workin response to some of what I've
(27:38):
heard, and I think this yearand hopefully in the past.
And so we've started to do someof that work in response to
some of what I've heard, and Ithink this year and hopefully in
the year following, we'll doeven more of that so that we're
truly an LGBTQ center, not justa place to come to get social
services, but really, hopefully,the heartbeat of LGBTQ Houston.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
The center has been around since 1978, so it has a
pretty rich history andcertainly the AIDS epidemic was
part of the work that took placeat the center.
Was there anything that youlearned about from that time
that stuck with you?
Speaker 3 (28:19):
work that was done in the late 70s and then in the
80s and then, of course, whenthe first signs of that epidemic
started to show, and how, whatwas Montrose Counseling Center
rallied around the community tocare for the community.
And, of course, now providingfor folks who are currently
living with HIV and helping toprevent HIV continue to be two
of the very important thingsthat we do.
(28:40):
That history really, I would say, is just woven into our DNA in
so many ways.
One of the things I would saythat's really stood out to me is
that you know, for some of us Ithink our younger kind of queer
generations the conversationaround HIV sometimes feels like
a distant past or a distantmemory.
But one of the things that hasreally been something I've
(29:03):
enjoyed doing is listening toour older LGBTQ folks who are
still very much with us, wholived through the crisis and are
living with HIV, and toremember that the impact of all
that those folks suffered,especially through kind of
neglect through our governmentand much of the social services
(29:25):
sector at the time the impactsof that are still very much with
us.
It's not just a distant memory,but those folks are still
around and they're still herewith their stories and with the
impacts that they felt from thattime stories and with the
impacts that they felt from thattime.
And the Montrose Centercontinues to be a place that
cares for those people who areolder folks, our elders, who are
(29:46):
living with HIV.
Speaker 6 (29:47):
One of the programs that I think is to be really
expounded upon I don't know ifit is even the right word is the
Hatch Program, because theredidn't used to be anything If
you were a young person and youwere questioning your sexuality
or realized that you were, infact, where there was no place
(30:10):
to go, there was no place tolearn, there was no place to
find support.
So tell me a little bit whatyou've learned about.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
Hatch.
One of the things I'm going tohighlight is the journey we're
taking here together.
I was just talking aboutseniors, right, and now we're
going to talk about youth, and Ithink that's one thing I would
highlight that makes theMontrose Center really unique,
particularly here in Houston.
As I said, we have a lot ofdifferent organizations.
We are the organization thatworks across the entire lifespan
(30:39):
, from youth to seniors, and Ithink that's really meaningful
and, of course, everyone inbetween.
So Hatch is such an amazingprogram.
It started as a program outsideof the Montrose Center and then
became a program of theMontrose Center, and it itself
is a program that's been aroundfor a long time I think about 30
years.
Youth work is also somethingthat's really at the heart of
(31:00):
who we are.
Hatch described just oneprogram within our entire youth
services suite.
We have a whole youth servicessuite that does many different
things for and with youth, andHatch is just one of those
programs.
I think, now more than ever,it's so important for LGBTQ
young people to have a place togo to, where they know they're
(31:22):
going to um be met with nojudgment, with complete and
total acceptance and withrespect, because we're living in
a moment where we're seeing ournational rhetoric, our state
rhetoric and, of course, withinour school district surrounding
Houston, rhetoric that reallydoes not demonstrate respect and
(31:44):
does not honor the dignity ofour LGBTQ young people.
So, especially in a climate likethat, to have a place to come
to, where you can hang out withother folks like you in a safe
and supportive environment, isso important, more so than ever,
and so that's why Hatch exists.
There's about 350 folks at anygiven time that we're serving
(32:06):
through our youth services suite, and more folks are joining all
the time.
Right because that need iscertainly there.
And what makes it special iswe're not just working with
youth, we're working with theirparents as well, and so, because
of the fact that we work acrossthe continuity of care, you
know, a young person might comeinitially for Hatch, but they
also might decide that they needhelp with a therapist, and so
(32:27):
that's something else that we do.
Their parents might need totalk to a therapist, and that's
something that we do, and sothere's lots of different ways.
When they come into the centerprimarily, maybe, as a place for
peer support and socialconnection, they end up finding
a whole network of support forthem on their journey.
Speaker 6 (32:45):
I remember when the Hatch program first started, it
struck me to realize that thereare people that are now adults
who grew up in that program andI believe you've had a chance to
talk to some of them who grewup in that program, and I
believe you've had a chance totalk to some of them.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
We actually have staff.
We have several staff at thecenter who grew up as Hatch
Youth.
One of them, in fact, is nowworking in Hatch Youth, and so I
think that is one of thecoolest things about Hatch that
it's been around long enough.
The success of Hatch isbreathing and living amongst us
as LGBTQ adults who are livingrich and fulfilling and healthy
(33:22):
lives, which is exactly the goalof having a program like Hatch.
You know, I think when, whenfocusing on the Montrose Center,
our youth programming isn'tnecessarily always the first
thing that comes to mind, but Iwould say it's one of the most
robust things we do, and we'vebeen here doing it for such a
very long time, and it'ssomething that we'll keep doing,
no matter what the climate maybe.
Speaker 6 (33:42):
What have you considered to be your biggest
accomplishments in this firstyear?
Speaker 3 (33:48):
As I've listened to the community, and I've done
that listening along with mystaff.
I've listened to my staff, ofcourse, too, because that was
the most important place tostart, because there are almost
100 folks who work at theMontrose Center and they all
have their own stories andthings to share and say, and so
they all have their own ideasfor how we can be improving on
our services always, and sothat's been rich and useful.
(34:11):
One of the things I heard fromthe staff was the desire to find
ways to collaborate moreintensely.
I think the thing I'm proudestof is our pivot to be on this
community advisory board thatmeet on a regular basis and
(34:42):
their charge is to constantly bein conversation with us about
opportunities for us to bethinking about our work in new
and different ways, and sothat's so exciting to me that
launched recently, and they'vehad a couple meetings.
Secondly, I would give as anexample the community summit
which happened earlier this year, right, where 17 organizations
were convened together to host asummit, and that, I think,
(35:05):
hopefully demonstrates where thecenter is headed as a convener
of all of our organizations, ofour communities, getting us
together to figure out how towork together to take care of
one another.
Speaker 6 (35:17):
Is the center getting a?
Speaker 3 (35:18):
facelift.
Oh, yes, on social media.
Yes, it was something to theeffect of a little bit of a
facelift.
Yeah, the center has beenserving us really well for quite
some time, but there haven'tbeen any significant updates
since we moved into thisbuilding, and so it's time for
there to be some updates.
And so we did put out a requestfor proposal for architecture
(35:41):
and design firms to help uscreate a long-term vision for
the building, and so we're notgoing to do everything all at
once, but we do want to have abig picture vision.
We can work back from partiallyto inspire us, right To say,
look at those great pictures ofwhat this place can be and can
look like.
And so we're going to work onthat big picture vision, and
(36:01):
then we're going to work backfrom there on projects that we
think are going to benefit thecommunity most.
I will tell you one thing thatI'm hoping we select to do first
is, if you've come to ourbuilding, it's exactly clear how
to get inside, and I've heardthat from almost everybody.
Like, I get to the building andI'm like do I go up those
stairs?
Do I go to the elevator?
Where do I go?
(36:22):
Right, we want to fix that.
We understand that we need tohave an entrance that is
different, that is actuallywelcoming to the community.
The first thing that you shouldface if you've found your
courage to come to the MontroseCenter as a young person or a
person who's questioning aboutyour sexual orientation or
gender identity the last thingyou should have to worry about
is how to get inside thebuilding, and so we need to make
(36:43):
that easier for the community,and so I'm hoping that's one of
the first projects that we takeon.
But stay tuned we're just earlyin the process and I'm excited
to see where we go.
Speaker 6 (36:53):
Do you think that that building is being outgrown?
Speaker 3 (37:00):
Well, that's a good question.
You know, that's when we askconstantly.
I will say we got a lot ofsquare footage.
I don't think it's used verywisely.
So I think that it's a goodbuilding for our next stage of
who we are and who we're tobecome.
But we'll always keep askingthat question Is this, you know,
is this the right space?
Is this enough space?
But I think for now, now we'vegot the space we need.
We just need to organize it abit differently.
Speaker 6 (37:21):
I remember the original incarnation of Montrose
Counseling Center and then whenit moved over on to 701
Richmond and that was atwo-story building, it was
mostly offices.
There was some conference roomsbut there wasn't really space
for community meetings.
So with this larger buildingwhere it is now allowed for that
(37:47):
and and there's been so manydifferent kinds of things take
place there, not only the summit, but there's different groups
that meet there or have theiroffices there.
There's the lesbians over age50 groups that meet there or
have their offices there.
There's the lesbians over age50.
They meet there and they haveevents there and it is available
for people to rent space forvarious things.
(38:11):
So that's been rather excitingfor me to see that, those
reincarnations through the years, for me to see that those
reincarnations through the years.
What services does the centerprovide that we haven't talked
about?
That you think people need toknow or they might be surprised
to know.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Yeah, oh goodness, you know we do so many things.
I would say our missionstatement really is a great
summary right that our missionis to help our community, to
empower our community, to livehealthier, more fulfilling lives
.
And so there are so many thingsthat fall underneath that
bucket.
And the reason why that modelis actually really important of
(38:48):
doing many different things isthat when you found the courage
to come and get care forwhatever that may be, you should
experience as few barriers aspossible to accessing the care
you need.
So our model is that, if youcan come to us and we are, as
much as possible, a place thatgives you the opportunity to
have what's called, in publichealth speak, continuity of care
(39:11):
right and an integrated caremodel where you can get many
different things in the sameplace that's going to empower
you to live a healthier life.
And so at the center, you know,we offer everything from
behavioral health care frommental health therapy with very
skilled therapists.
We do, as I said, so mucharound HIV, so we do case
management for folks living withHIV.
(39:33):
We provide support andresources to those folks in a
variety of ways.
Something we've done almostsince our beginning is that we
have been someone who's providedcare for those who are
struggling with substance usedisorder.
So we provide an intensiveoutpatient program for folks
living with substance usedisorder, a less intense
(39:54):
outpatient program, and we haverecovery coaching.
So folks who need a peer tocome alongside them and be there
and as an encourager and asupport.
Again, all of this work thatI'm describing.
It happens all the way fromyouth, all the way to seniors,
all the way across the lifespan.
Um, so I could talk you're offfor an hour about everything
that we're doing.
(40:14):
I think that the thing I wouldhope the community knows is that
if you need help, if you needsupport, if you're looking for
resources, I hope that we're thefirst place you think of and we
do so much, but if we're forsome reason, not the place that
has the resource, what we arereally skilled at doing is being
a connector and helping folksto realize other places that
(40:35):
they might go to get support.
One thing I would just say.
My last thing is you know weare a United Way agency and one
of the things I'm really proudabout with our being a United
Way agency is that we play thisrole of helping folks who are on
a journey of health andwellness and economic security
to connect to resources, and sothat's part of our role as
(40:56):
United Way agency is helpingfolks navigate the system of how
to get resources that they need.
So we really are that place tocome.
That's full of wonderfulhelping, nonjudgmental folks who
will help you on your way.
Speaker 6 (41:08):
I'm talking with Avery Bellew, the CEO of the
Montrose Center.
Let's talk about things today,because things today are pretty
darn scary, particularly for thetrans community.
I'm sure you, as being a transwoman yourself, have a lot to
express about that.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
I do.
Oh, my goodness, what a what amoment we're in.
Huh yeah, um.
You know I did not have thisadministration on my bingo card
for my second year as CEO of theMontrose Center, and here we
are when to start.
We are in certainly challengingtimes.
I think the thing that that I'mtrying to focus on is that
(41:53):
community is the solution.
One thing that I think is clear,even in the way you introduce
this topic right, is ourcollective anxiety right now,
our fear, because there's a lotof unknowns, there's a lot to be
concerned about, and so I thinkthat part of the solve for that
anxiety, for that fear, whichis very justified and very
(42:15):
normal, is to be together incommunity, because in community
and the public health researchactually shows this in community
you find joy, you findresources, you find friendship
and all of those things can helpoffset the challenges that
(42:35):
we're experiencing right now.
And so to your point earlierabout the Montrose Center being
a community center and having atrue community center function.
You know, I don't think it'sjust a nice add-on.
I think it's critical to ourmission, because I think for
folks to live healthy andfulfilling lives, one of the
things we need most is community, and so the fact that we create
(42:58):
space for that in our center ispart of our approach, part of
our missional statement, and Ithink, now more than ever, we
need that.
Speaker 6 (43:06):
The summit was very much an example of that, because
we felt united, we wereinspired, we made connections,
people found resources.
It was a really positive thingand I understand it kind of came
together pretty short notice.
So the fact that you were ableto partner with 17 different
(43:29):
organizations and present such awonderful span of information
and of course, we featured someclips from the summit.
On queer voices, whatparticularly has been done for
the trans community?
Speaker 3 (43:45):
I believe you help people get passports after the
inauguration um and as a prefaceto the summit um, I convened a
group of of leaders together whoended up representing these 17
organizations fewer than thatinitially, but we sat around a
table just to say, okay, nowwhat?
(44:06):
So let's talk to each otherabout what we need to do.
What do we think, collectively,our community needs right now?
And two things emerged One, thecommunity needs to get together
and make sure that they arefeeling resourced heading into
these next four years.
And secondly, there was anurgent need directly after the
election to think about, beforethe inauguration, before these
(44:28):
anti-trans policies were goingto start coming, because we knew
they were to help trans folksas swiftly as possible get
accurate documentation.
And so we worked with TLACT,the Transgender Legal Aid Clinic
of Texas, to partner on helpingabout 500 trans folks from
across the state, not just herein Houston, to do that process
(44:52):
of getting accuratedocumentation so they would at
least have some accurate ID docone way or another headed into
these four years.
And that was really anemergency effort.
We knew it needed to happenswiftly and so we moved as
quickly as we possibly could todo that.
And I think that's one of thegreat things we come together
and talk to each other right ina room full of folks, it becomes
(45:14):
clear you know, all of us holdsome piece of the puzzle and
when we put our pieces togetherwe can do really good work.
And I think that was an exampleof that.
We two organizations cametogether and we made something
really important happen.
Um, but certainly the transcommunity is up against it.
I think right now, my the way Iwould describe this is that
we're a scapegoat.
Um, when there is anxiety, whenthere is fear as many amer
(45:39):
Americans across the borderfeeling right now, partially due
, I think, to income inequalityit is convenient to have a group
where we place all that fearand shame and anger and to
create the feeling well, if onlywe would solve for those folks,
everything will be okay.
And trans folks areunfortunately the victim of that
(46:00):
.
We're the scapegoat, we're theplace where it's a convenient
place because many people don'tknow who we are and therefore
that makes us relativelysocially unprotected for folks
to place all of that fear andanger with the belief that if we
solve for this trans problem,we're suddenly going to somehow
be a better america.
(46:21):
And of course we know that whentrans folks have been come for
in the past.
This is not the firstgovernment that's done that.
It's never been the solve.
Um, in fact, it's a warningsign right, it's a warning sign
of other problems that may be tocome.
This is not the first time thishas happened to the trans
community, both here in in theUS and in other countries.
So I think that's what's goingon right now, and so it is a
(46:44):
worrisome moment.
And again, I think the solvelives in us being together in
community and making sure we'reall resourced.
Speaker 6 (46:50):
And the irony of that is that the trans people are
not the problem.
It seems like the Texaslegislature, which is in session
right now, seems like every daythey say, okay, what fresh hell
can we create for the transcommunity?
What upsets me the most is thetargeting of the children and
(47:11):
all the things they're doingthere.
Does the Montrose Center havean advocacy component?
Speaker 3 (47:17):
That's a really interesting question.
Advocacy has not been a largepart of the Montrose Center's
work.
I think that there aredifferent types of advocacy, and
so you know one is thinkingabout being in Austin advocating
for good bills and against badbills.
Right Advocacy can also looklike advocating for funding
(47:39):
streams, right, advocating forother policies, both in city
government, within the countylevel, that support our
community.
So I think the Montrose Centeris in a place of trying to
evaluate our role in advocacy.
I think, first and foremost,our advocacy voice is here in
the city of Houston and inHarris County and the
surrounding counties to makesure that we're creating a
(48:02):
quality of life for LGBTQ peoplethat aligns with our missional
goals.
What I will say is I'm reallygrateful for the ways that we
partner.
Again, it's all aboutpartnership, right, and so we
partner really closely withEquality Texas and folks who
work at the TransgenderEducation Network of Texas, tent
and at ACLU and Atlanta.
We're partners with them inmaking sure that they, who are
(48:25):
doing the heavy lifting, havethe support and resources they
need.
I'll give you a great exampleof what that looks like for us.
One of the things that EqualityTexas has realized is true is
that this work is reallygrueling.
It's hard work and one of thethings they ask people to do
every year as these bad billscome is to come and testify.
Oftentimes that's young peopleyoung people with their families
(48:46):
and it's really stressful.
They have to hear folks sayreally terrible things about our
community.
So we're partnering withEquality Texas to think about
how do our therapists at theMontrose Center work with
Equality Texas to provide placesfor care for folks who've
testified, to provide adebriefing space after their
(49:08):
advocacy day, to providedebriefing spaces after folks
testify so that those folks arecared for.
And I think that's a greatexample of kind of who the
Montrose Center is and how weshow up.
In this moment we can't be allthings, we don't do all things,
but we do partner with ourentire community to make sure
that our community is cared for.
(49:28):
So while Quality Texas is doingwhat they do best, we can show
up and partner with them to dowhat we do best, which is make
sure that folks' mental healthand wellness are taken care of
during the fight.
Speaker 6 (49:39):
Thank you for the work that you're doing.
I myself have a 40-year historyover 40 years of the Montrose
Center being part of my life,including now being a resident
at Law Harrington, which I thinkis something people need to
know more about, because I'veheard people say I didn't even
know there was such a thing andit's like yes, it's an lgbtqia
(50:03):
plus affirming community and itwas built by the montrose center
.
There's seniors 62 and overthat get to live in a a nice
complex and services provided,so I'm very thankful for it.
As we continue, the big concernalso has to do with funding,
(50:25):
because the Montrose Center doesrely on grants and I guess
there's some fears about grantsbeing cut or eliminated.
Speaker 3 (50:33):
Certainly, I think the entire social services
sector of the United Statesright now is really nervous
about what's going to come.
One of the things that thisadministration did quickly was
to signal that they were goingto evaluate how federal funds
were being used to addressbehavioral health and public
(50:55):
health issues.
They've made it clear that theywant to take a different
strategy than every otheradministration, whether
Republican or Democratic.
So we don't know yet what theimpact of that will be.
We've seen some indications,right.
We've heard statements aroundanti-DEI.
We've seen a desire just to cutfunding overall.
(51:15):
We've seen some impacts of that, primarily at this moment
through the NIH and research.
Right, that's not somethingthat impacts the center, but I
do know folks who are impacted.
So the center, like a lot ofour organizations, other
nonprofits here.
It's a wait and see to see howwe will be impacted, but I am
pretty confident that there willbe impacts of some type.
(51:36):
What that means for us is, uh,preparing, preparing for what
that impact might look like andhow we're going to make sure
that we're resourced to care forour community no matter what
may come.
And there and again, I think thesolve is going to be in
collaboration, right, becausenone of us can do it all.
So when we we look at our socialservices ecology, as I like to
(51:57):
call it here in Houston, if allof us start to face the
challenge of a reduction infunds to care for our community,
we're going to have to get realsmart about how we collaborate.
We're going to have to really bevery sharply focused on how we
work together acrossorganizations, maybe ones that
haven't worked togethertypically to put people first
(52:19):
and to care for people.
And so what I'm doing toprepare is I'm already starting
those conversations with otherCEOs in the city, including, and
maybe especially, organizationsthat are not LGBTQ focused but
have a role to play about.
If and when this happens, howdo we make sure we're coming
together to take care of eachother?
And what I'm feeling reallyconfident about is that this
(52:41):
city will rise to the occasionand we will make sure that, no
matter what may come in infunding cuts, that we'll find a
way to take care of people itseems like their idea is to have
bad health, both mental andphysical bad health, because
that's all I'm seeing comingfrom them.
Speaker 6 (52:57):
And of course, one of the tactics is to threaten
things but not necessarilyimplement them.
But that just is, in thisconstant state of uncertainty.
Speaker 3 (53:09):
And I think that's partially the point.
One of the things I wouldstress for folks who are anxious
and worried is to rememberexecutive orders are not the law
, and, if you'll note what'sbeen happening, lambda Legal,
aclu and other organizationshave been swiftly filing
lawsuits to challenge executiveorders and thus far, they're
having amazing success.
(53:29):
So I think that part of thegoal is overwhelm, part of the
goal is stress and anxiety, andso I think that's where it's is
overwhelm.
Part of the goal is stress andanxiety, and so I think that's
where it's so important for allof us to make sure that we're
taking care of ourselves right,we're getting enough sleep,
we're eating healthily, we'regetting outside and letting the
sunshine hit our face and takinga deep breath and remembering
to ground ourselves, becausepart of the goal seems to be to
(53:52):
overwhelm us, and a lot of timesthere's strategies and tactics
that are going to make sure thata lot of what we're hearing
about is not implemented.
Speaker 6 (54:00):
To close things off, Avery Ballou, CEO of the
Montrose Center, coming up April28th is an event the Empowering
Our Future Gala, which is atheme this year under the big
top.
Can you tell me about that,Because this seems like a fun
thing to do?
Speaker 3 (54:18):
It's April 26th.
This is our event that isfocused on our youth services.
As I said, we, at any giventime in our youth services suite
, are serving about over 300,350, almost 400 youth every year
.
It's a huge part of what we doand how we are is to make sure
(54:39):
that our youth are safe andthey're supported, and now more
than ever, they need to knowthat we care about them and that
we're here to support them.
And so this event it's a reallyfun event.
It's program light for folkswho go to galas, and the program
can sometimes be really, youknow, lengthy.
It's an entertainment heavyevent.
So the goal is for folks to cometo get to be playful and to be
(55:01):
joyful.
You know, a lot of what we doin our youth programming is to
provide a place for folks toexperience joy.
And so, folks, if you come withus to Empowering Our Future,
you're going to get a flavor ofthat.
So, folks, if you come with usto Empowering Our Future, you're
going to get a flavor of that,even as an adult.
We're going to create anenvironment where you get to
escape from the world for just amoment, feel the beauty of
(55:22):
being in queer community withother folks like you experience
some joy, and this year get todo it with a circus theme.
So that's under the big top.
So we'll have circus-themedentertainment.
Folks will be encouraged,you're encouraged.
Folks who come to dress up in acircus-themed outfit if that's
something you want to do, orjust cocktail attire if that's
(55:43):
not your thing.
But it certainly will be anight to remember.
So I'm super excited.
Speaker 6 (55:48):
Can you tell me some of the performers that will be
there?
Speaker 3 (55:55):
If you go to our website right now, on the main
part of our website is a featureslide with a lot of those folks
and if you scroll throughyou'll get to see their names,
the things they do.
So I know there'll be someaerialists there who will be
doing some fun acrobatics.
There's talk of all sorts ofagain, circus-themed
entertainment, so be lots ofthings to delight.
Speaker 6 (56:14):
I misspoke in saying that it was the 28th, so it is
April 26th.
And MontroseCenterorg for allkinds of information about the
programs and services at theMontrose Center and Avery.
Thank you so much for joiningus today on Queer Voices.
This is Deborah Moncrief Bell.
Speaker 1 (56:50):
This has been Queer Voices, heard on KPFT Houston
and as a podcast available fromseveral podcasting sources.
Check our webpage queVoicesorgfor more information.
Queer Voices executive produceris Brian Levinka.
Deborah Moncrief-Bell isco-producer, brett Cullum and
David Mendoza-Druzman arecontributors.
The News Wrap segment is partof another podcast called this
(57:13):
Way Out, which is produced inLos Angeles.
Speaker 5 (57:16):
Some of the material in this program has been edited
to improve clarity and runtime.
This program does not endorseany political views or animal
species.
Views, opinions andendorsements are those of the
participants and theorganizations they represent.
In case of death, pleasediscontinue use and discard
remaining products.
Speaker 1 (57:29):
For Queer Voices.
I'm Glenn Holt.
Hello everybody, this is Queer Voices, a podcast
version of a broadcast radioshow that's been on the air in
Houston, texas, for severaldecades.
This week, brett Cullum has aconversation with Lisa DeMoore.
Lisa has been nominated for aPulitzer for her work on a piece
called Detroit.
(00:20):
She is collaborating with theCatastrophic Theater to produce
her latest play, the FrozenSection, which runs starting
later this month at the Match.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
My collaborator, director Katie Pearl, and I have
accompanied together for likethe last 25 years and we really
like to shake up the theatricalform.
We often start with either atopic or sometimes a place and
we kind of make the show for theplace.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Then Debra Moncrief-Bell has a conversation
with Avery Bellew, the CEO ofthe Montrose Center.
They will be reflecting onAvery's first year leading the
center.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We have such a rich landscape of LGBTQ organizations
, some of them social, many ofthem focused on our well-being
and our care.
We've got a really richtapestry of LGBTQ life here, and
so that has really delighted me.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Queer Voices starts now.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Lisa DeMore is a playwright, she's a performer
and she is also a formercarnival queen from New Orleans.
Demore is an alumna of NewDramatists.
Her play Detroit was actually afinalist for the Pulitzer Prize
for Drama.
She is a University of Texasgraduate who was awarded a
master's in playwriting.
Lisa has collected tons ofaccol.
Who was awarded a master's inplaywriting.
Lisa has collected tons ofaccolades like a drone on and on
about, but she is in town to doa world premiere of the Frozen
(01:54):
section with CatastrophicTheater.
If you like numerology, thiswill be her fourth collaboration
with this company and alsotheir fourth show this season
with this company and also theirfourth show this season.
We're running at the match from28th until April 19th.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Lisa DeMoor welcome to Queer Voices.
Hello, so happy to be here.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Jason Nodler has been talking about you forever and
this is one of the shows thatI've been looking forward to Now
.
When I did some research on you, some places describe you as an
interdisciplinary artist, whichmeans that you kind of collage
many things and mediums.
You mix visual art with acting.
Tell me a little bit about yourapproach to that first.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I often say that I have two branches of my career.
One is as a playwright thatsits at my desk and writes a
play that I then try and get atheater to produce, and then the
other branch is this morecollaborative work that I
usually do with my company,pearl Damore.
So my collaborator, directorKatie Pearl, and I have a
(02:58):
company together for like thelast 25 years and we really like
to shake up the theatrical form.
We often start with either atopic or sometimes a place, and
we kind of make the show for theplace.
And almost every time we make anew piece, we begin the process
(03:19):
by working closely with eithera dancer or a composer or a
visual artist to kind of createsomething that is hybrid, that
is more than theater.
A good example of the kind ofwork we do is a piece called how
to Build a Forest, which touredfor a while, from like 2011
until around 2017.
(03:40):
And it was a piece of art thatwe created with visual artist
Sean Hall, in which we designeda fabric forest that we could
assemble in front of anaudience's eyes over the course
of about six and a half hoursentirely fake forest.
(04:05):
You as an audience member couldcome into the forest and kind
of watch what we were doing andlook at us close up and maybe
take away little pieces of theforest, and then the forest
lived for about half an hour andthen we took the whole thing
down in 45 minutes back to abare stage.
It was like seeing thisecosystem appear and rapidly
disappear before your eyes andpeople could come for 20 minutes
, for two hours, for the wholeeight hours if they wanted to.
(04:29):
But it was very much ameditation on how long it takes
certain natural forms to bebuilt up and how quickly humans
can cut them down and also howwe as humans are intimately
connected to these ecosystems.
So not quite theater, not quitevisual art, an immersive
process that came out of thisdeep collaboration with a visual
(04:51):
artist.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
You know, and what's kind of wild is catastrophic.
I seem to feel like we get alot of these interdisciplinary
artists coming through.
So when I had read about yourcompany, I thought, oh, this
sounds amazing to do kind oflike an art installation and a
theater piece together, becauseit does feel like you just hit
all of it.
But okay, so from what I cansuss out online, it looks like
(05:12):
Infernal Bridegroom Productionshere in Houston.
They produced one of your earlyworks called Hightown in 2006.
So how did that happeninitially?
How did you first hook up withthis group of artists?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
We were introduced by a mutual friend named Shiloh
Dewan, who was on InfernalBridegroom's board at the time,
and I sent them some plays itwas a long time ago, so I
remember like putting them inthe envelope and snail mailing
them to Jason and then weapplied for an NEA grant
together, which was acommissioning grant that would
(05:47):
allow me to write something newfor them, and we decided that we
wanted to write a show that wasgoing to be inspired by our
visits to Texas ghost towns.
Some of the actors in Tamariekind of took these trips out
into the middle of nowhere.
I mean, sometimes we'd getthere and there'd be like
nothing there.
We researched some of thesetowns.
We kind of like hung out in allof these ruins and then I
(06:09):
imagined this kind of new worldcalled Hightown, which was a
completely new play and it'sinteresting.
It feels like a distant cousinof Frozen Section because it's
set in this, like it's almostlike future Texas in the middle
of another ice age.
Set in this, like it's almostlike future Texas in the middle
of another ice age.
Set in this bar in the middleof this town called Hightown,
(06:31):
and it's about the people whoare kind of trying to survive
there.
It's like community andapocalypse with a little bit of
reality TV show mixed in.
It was a wild and wonderfulpiece.
I really loved their productionof it and that was my first
time kind of writing somethingfor the ensemble.
Since then the other two playsof mine that Catastrophic
(06:53):
produced were pre-existing.
They had been done a couple oftimes before and so this is a
real return because I've nowwritten this new play very much
for their ensemble.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Tell me about Frozen Section.
What is it about?
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Frozen Section is set we call it in a grocery store
at the edge of the world.
It is about a community ofpeople who are living in a world
in which there are far fewerpeople and a much harder way of
living Not exactly living offthe grid, but maybe places that
are powered by generators andthis particular community of
(07:30):
people are like.
Our reality is this store andwe are going to band together,
basically by cosplaying grocerystore, and so we meet the people
who are the workers and thepeople who are the shoppers.
In the early parts of the playit may seem like this is a
normal grocery store, but veryquickly you realize something is
(07:52):
off.
I would say it's definitely moreof a surreal work of art,
perhaps in the tradition of, say, ionesco and Samuel Beckett
Beckett.
And the way to enjoy the playis both getting to know these
idiosyncratic characters butalso trying to experience what
the play is thinking about, thepoetics of the play and how
(08:13):
you're moving through almost thepoem of the play.
And Catastrophic is very goodat this kind of work.
I think they really embraceplays that are strange and
filled with metaphor and arereally kind of reaching into
your psyche is what I feel whenI come to a catastrophic play,
so I was really trying todeliver that for them.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Well, they are definitely the company that
challenges you to go beyond justthe narrative.
But what inspired you to comeup with the Frozen section?
Because I've been thinkingabout the grocery store and
apocalypse here for like thelast couple of weeks, but that's
just because of what'shappening.
I just think of the grocerystore as this kind of like
symbol of almost doom in a weirdway.
(08:57):
But what inspired you initially?
How long have you been doingthis?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I started writing this for them early last year,
non-linearly, so I guess, yeah,a little more than a year, but I
would like I I had this imageof this store.
I didn't really know exactly.
I rarely know what I'm writingabout when I begin, and so I
started assembling thesedifferent scenes with these
different characters.
I wrote the play very out oforder.
(09:22):
I do think that a grocery store, first of all, it's so many
things.
So I was thinking about thingslike how we stock up on supplies
before hurricanes.
Right, I live in New Orleans,you live in Houston, so there's
always this kind of rush onsupplies and is there going to
be enough?
And then, during a crisis,there's also like looting of
grocery stores.
(09:43):
In normal times, though, ineveryday times, the grocery
store can be a very calmingplace.
You're often there by yourself,you're in your head, you're
following your list, maybeyou're familiar with where
things are.
I actually kind of enjoy beingin the grocery store by myself.
So I was thinking about all ofthese different, the very public
place, all of the differentpersonalities that a grocery
(10:05):
store can take on.
I also feel like I am in thepocket.
Gen X.
I grew up before the internet.
I grew up like many Gen Xers,having a bunch of part-time jobs
and donut shops and grocerystores like with somebody's
dad's tiny lawyer office where Iwas filing.
I was doing a lot of these jobsand I think that I was thinking
(10:26):
about how working in community,when each person has their
assigned job, can just be a verycomforting and secure place.
Like you know your job, you doyour job, everyone knows what
your job is, and so I think Iwas thinking about how that kind
of structure or ecosystem in agrocery store could sort of lead
(10:47):
to a kind of comfort within acommunity.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
It's always interesting to me when we have a
world premiere, because you'recoming in and you're working
with this company.
Are they influencing?
Are you rewriting bits andpieces as you go through the
rehearsal process?
Are they helping you developfurther this whole idea of the
Frozen section?
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Oh goodness, so much, so much at every phase.
So even before we cast the play, we did a reading of an early
draft and had lots ofdiscussions with the people who
did the reading, with Tamarieand Jason, to further develop
the play.
And Catastrophic's such a greatcompany because there was a lot
that I didn't understand aboutthe play early on and they
(11:28):
really just encouraged me tokeep going.
They were like your instinctsare telling you something, lisa,
just keep going.
And there's not many theatersthat will tell you that Theaters
like to give you like reallyspecific notes.
So there's that phase.
So then we cast the play andthen we've been in rehearsal
about almost three weeks Afterthe first week.
I had a lot of conversations.
(11:49):
I asked all the actors thequestions that they had about
their characters.
I took that into consideration,like going through the play to
make sure that everything linedup, because I was like, oh wait,
this doesn't I say this inscene one that doesn't match
(12:10):
with what's happening at the endof the play.
So it's sort of like a wholecleanup of the draft and we
printed an entirely new draftand kind of kept going.
But it's very much beeninformed by feedback from the
cast and also I would say I'veseen a lot of catastrophic shows
over the years, so I know thequality of their shows and I
know the quality of theirwonderful intergenerational,
(12:34):
many-gendered, many-racesensemble and I was really
leaning into the richness ofthat particular catastrophic
diversity and it's created areally interesting world, I
think, for this play well, Ithink it's wildly so, because
you touched on that they havethree basically world premieres
(12:54):
when I saw their season I waslike wow, oh right, theater is
dying.
You know, it's like what are youtalking about?
Like catastrophic can do, likethey're not doing Agatha
Christie, they're doing theselike really rigorous,
challenging, I would also argue,like very queer world premieres
(13:14):
last year I argued they didSarah Kane's Cleansed.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
They did a couple of things that I thought just
paralleled the transgendercommunity's struggle in Texas
specifically into thatproduction.
That just blew my mind and Ithought was Sarah Kane
channeling the future somehow?
I mean, I was just like what ishappening here and certainly
the last production they didwith Candace DeMesa queer.
(13:39):
Are you inserting a little bitof gender nonconformity?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
If there is a main character, they are a non-binary
character named sage, who hasdecided it's time to leave, even
though there's a lot ofuncertainty as to where they may
be going and the community isboth afraid for them but
ultimately supportive of themgoing, as sage says, like onto
the other side of the horizon.
But at the same time, the wholecast, the actor playing Sage is
(14:10):
not the only gendernon-conforming human in the cast
either, and again, I feel likethere's a big range of ages in
the cast as well.
When I watch rehearsals I'mlike this is so queer and this
is so punk rock are the twothings that I think.
I watch it, and also there alsois a little bit of a feeling of
burlesque in the play as well.
(14:32):
It moves in a very strange way.
It's really funny.
There's spectacle in it.
I would say it almost feelslike a dream, although I
wouldn't say that the play islike it's not about gender
identity.
Sage's gender identity ismentioned once, maybe, but you
feel it.
You feel the fluidity ofidentity throughout the play.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Well, let's switch gears a little bit.
You currently hold the LyndaleFinley-Wortham Chair in the
Performing Arts at the McGovernCollege of the Arts, which is
part of the University ofHouston, but you live in New
Orleans.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
So that position was created specifically for a
playwright who is workingnationally, come in several
times a year to teach, to mentor, to give talks and in general
like sort of use their positionas a playwright out in the world
to both bring new experiencesand opportunities to students
(15:29):
but also, I think, to raise theprofile of the BFA playwriting
program at UH around the country.
It's intended to be a fluidposition for someone who's
coming in and out.
The playwright who held itbefore me was named Teresa
Rebeck, whose work is producedhere in Houston a lot.
I am, as far as I know, thefirst Southern playwright to
(15:49):
hold this chair and I love thatbecause I feel like I love the
South.
I love writing in the South.
I do a lot of work in NewOrleans.
I know what it's like to growup in a city where you might not
have quite as many models ormentors in the world of theater.
Like that's kind of whathappened to me.
So I'm hoping that myexperiences as a Southern artist
(16:10):
can really help the playwrightsat UH.
I love the UH theater department.
The students are incredible.
They come from so many walks oflife.
It's a very exciting time to bein that department and
particularly in that playwritingprogram right now Really
amazing and I'm determined toreally help it thrive because
(16:31):
it's unique.
It also there's a dramaturgyprogram that's part of the
playwriting program and in termsof playwriting dramaturgy, bfa
programs, there's only two inthe country and UH is one of
them, so it's very special andUH has produced some of my work
in the past.
I've gotten to in the countryand UH is one of them, so it's
very special and UH has producedsome of my work in the past.
I've gotten to know the Alley,I'm working on some projects
with them now, and so I'm inHouston all the time.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
You were up for a Pulitzer for your play Detroit.
It almost made it to Broadway.
It ended up being put on by NewHorizons Playhouse in 2012.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah, playwrights Horizons yes.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Playwrights, horizons , sorry, oh, and just to name
drop a little further,steppenwolf in Chicago two years
earlier they did it and alsothe National Theater in London,
which was interesting.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
There's a million reasons why a play might not
make the leap to Broadway, butone of the reasons the night of
Detroit in New York City wasHurricane Sandy, which kind of
wiped out a lot of people'senergy and money.
And I always think it's soironic because I come from New
Orleans.
I lived through Katrina.
I'm just like wow, hurricanesare just going to come and bite
me in my butt for the rest of mylife.
(17:38):
Also, detroit had an amazinglife.
It's been produced all acrossthe country and the world and so
it was really good for me to.
I mean really and truly likegoing to Broadway is one thing,
but allowing your play can havea life in many other ways.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
And you write.
I've noticed that some of yourplays are very short.
They're almost like one acts,they're like 25 minute kind of
things, and some of them areeven named at high school or so
I would think.
I saw one kind of suggested.
The cast was mainly teenagers.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
That's probably Frostbite, which I wrote, and it
was actually the GuthrieTheater commissioned a bunch of
writers to write short plays forhigh school students and that's
how that got written.
But then, like my otherchildren's musical Tale of a
West Texas Marsupial Girl, it isalso a one act and maybe runs
about 80 minutes.
So there's, yes, a few thingsthat are a lot, of, a lot of
(18:28):
different lengths.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Okay, so what are we in store for for the frozen
section?
How long does this one gonnarun?
Speaker 2 (18:33):
between 90 minutes and an hour, 40 like somewhere
in there.
So it's a one act.
So I we don't really know therunning time now because we're
in the middle of rehearsals.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
My guess is it's gonna be like 135, 140,
something like that and it'sgoing to be at the match from
march 28th until april 19th,called the frozen section by
lisa demore, an amazingplaywright, and I'm so flattered
to even get to talk to you.
I've heard so much about youand especially all the hype
around detroit, and we're soglad to have you back with the
catastrophic.
(19:03):
Because shoot fourth time gottabe, it's gotta be something
right that you like about them.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
I love them and I really think they are a Houston
treasure.
I believe that for so manyreasons.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
I absolutely agree with you and I will be there
opening night did you know thatKPFT is completely
listener-funded.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
There are no underwriters, so it's up to all
of us to pay for the freedom tosay what you hear here on Queer
Voices and on this station ingeneral.
That means you participate inour programming just by
listening and also by pledgingyour support.
Please do that now by going tothe KPFT website and clicking on
(19:48):
the red Donate Now button, andplease mention Queer Voices when
you do.
Thank you, this is KPFT 90.1 FMHouston, 89.5 FM Galveston,
91.9 FM Huntsville, andworldwide on the internet at
(20:12):
kpftorg.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Look to the sky for one place.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
That one will come.
This is Queer Voices.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
This is Deborah Moncrief-Bell here talking with
Avery Ballou.
Avery is the CEO of the MantraCenter and she just finished her
first year in that position.
First of all, you got yourMaster's of Science degree at
Appalachia University.
What was your discipline?
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Nothing connected to the work I do now.
So my science degree was incommunication disorders, which
is the preparatory degree tobecome a speech therapist, a
speech language pathologist,which I did for some time.
And I had a minor in psychologywhich I suppose does connect to
a lot of what I do now.
Speaker 6 (21:12):
I think actually both those things do, because it has
to do with linguistics, in partwith the speech pathology and
then with the psychology ofcourse.
That's kind of a basis for alot of things.
And then you went on to get aMaster's of Divinity degree at
Texas Christian.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
That's right.
Yeah, Bright Divinity School,which is on the campus of TCU,
and the reason why I did thatI'm a wanderer and I'm a person
who's constantly curious andwanting to learn, but I went
back to get that degree at 30.
I had been working in publichealth for all of my 20s and in
my 20s I had the opportunity towork actually during the last
(21:56):
Trump administration for SAMHSAand in a federally funded agency
that was funded through SAMHSA,and one of my projects was to
work with the Office of Faithand Neighborhood-Based
Partnerships, which had beenestablished by President Bush
and was continued throughPresidents Obama and early in
Trump, and my focus was thinkingabout how to leverage faith
(22:18):
communities to partner on publichealth issues, particularly
mental health promotion andsuicide prevention.
And so, as I was kind ofswimming through those
intersections of public healthand thinking about community
life and where we buildcommunity and how that led me to
get an MDiv, to think aboutthose intersections in a more
focused way.
Speaker 6 (22:39):
Then you continued your work in nonprofits.
You've worked with Lambda Legaland with the Trevor Project.
What are some of theaccomplishments from those times
that you have strong feelingsabout?
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Yeah, well, I'll say just, first of all, really just
the honor to get to work at twoorganizations that are national
LGBTQ organizations and do somuch for us.
Of course, trevor is kind of anew kid on the block as far as
national LGBTQ nonprofits go,but now they've grown so much
and they're doing so much and Icreated the first education
(23:18):
department for the organizationand that's something that
continues to this day and that'ssomething I'm really proud of.
I got to be there at a pointwhen the Trevor Project was
growing quite a bit from being avery small nonprofit to, I'd
say, a midsize nonprofit.
So I got to be there at aninteresting growth moment and
got to be one of the people whogot to create a lot of cool
things that continue on as afoundation for the work they do
(23:40):
today.
So I'm very proud of that.
Um, and and I think during thattime too, I was there for for
almost four years what we didwas really raise the profile
nationally of the conversationabout the mental health and
well-being of lgbtq young people, and it was just starting to be
looked at as being somethingthat was really something that
(24:02):
we should all pay attention to.
It was around the time thatthere was a lot of conversation
about bullying in our publicschools, and so I got to be a
part of that national dialogueand shaping the conversation on
how we talk about taking care ofour young people.
So I'm really proud of that.
And then, of course, atlantaLegal.
I mean, my goodness, they dosuch good work.
And look at them now, right.
(24:23):
I mean they've already filedseveral lawsuits against this
current administration.
So such a wonderfulorganization and I think they're
the privilege to get to worksomewhere that has been doing so
much for so long.
They're such an important partof our movement overall, having
given us wins like Obergefell,which is marriage, lawrence v
Texas, which overturned thesodomy laws, and so many more.
(24:45):
So I think just to get to be apart of the fabric and the
history of that organization wasreally a privilege.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
How exactly did you come to Houston?
Were you headhunted or were youlooking for a new position?
Speaker 3 (24:57):
When I was working for Lambda, I was leading what
is a regional office for them,so they have an office in Dallas
, but it serves a region ofeight states, and so I had the
good fortune to come in and getto hang out with some LGBTQ
folks here in Houston and dowork around fundraising for
Lambda Legal primarily, as wellas some education and awareness
work.
(25:18):
During that time in Dallas, Igot to come here and get a sense
for the flavor of Houston'sLGBTQ community, and I really
loved my experience of beinghere, and so I was, in fact,
headhunted.
The board at the MontroseCenter did hire a search firm to
try to find the best talent, soI was one of a few really
(25:38):
qualified and amazing folks whothrew their name in the ring
there to be considered, and Iwas really lucky that they chose
me, and one year in, I can saythat it definitely was the right
choice for me.
It's such a perfect place forthe intersections of the things
that I've done in my career andthat I care about, and so it's
really just an honor to get tolead the Mantra Center.
Speaker 6 (26:00):
Your first commitment was to listen and to learn.
So what have you learned aboutthe Mantra Center and about the
Houston queer community?
Speaker 3 (26:11):
One thing I'll offer is that I certainly hope that
that stated commitment I madewhen I first got here.
It's a posture, not just aone-time event, because I think
that as I'm heading into yeartwo, I'm realizing I'm going to
need to keep listening, andthat's an iterative process.
So I'm going to keep doing thatand keep my listening ears on,
as my mother and grandmotherwould have said, and keep
(26:33):
listening because I think that'sso important.
A few things I learned throughmy really focused listening in
year one.
One thing is just how amazingthe community is here in Houston
at finding creative ways totake care of our own.
We have such a rich landscapeof LGBTQ organizations, some of
(26:58):
them social, many of themfocused on our well-being and
our care.
We've got a really richtapestry of LGBTQ life here, and
so that has really delighted me.
The other thing I will say thatI've learned is that and I've
said this many times theMontrose Center is such an
(27:18):
important resource for manythousands of people.
You know we serve about 55,000people a year in one way or
another, and what I heard isthat the community would like
for us to do even more and topartner in ways that are
different than how we've shownup in the past, and so we've
started to do some of that workin response to some of what I've
(27:38):
heard, and I think this yearand hopefully in the past.
And so we've started to do someof that work in response to
some of what I've heard, and Ithink this year and hopefully in
the year following, we'll doeven more of that so that we're
truly an LGBTQ center, not justa place to come to get social
services, but really, hopefully,the heartbeat of LGBTQ Houston.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
The center has been around since 1978, so it has a
pretty rich history andcertainly the AIDS epidemic was
part of the work that took placeat the center.
Was there anything that youlearned about from that time
that stuck with you?
Speaker 3 (28:19):
work that was done in the late 70s and then in the
80s and then, of course, whenthe first signs of that epidemic
started to show, and how, whatwas Montrose Counseling Center
rallied around the community tocare for the community.
And, of course, now providingfor folks who are currently
living with HIV and helping toprevent HIV continue to be two
of the very important thingsthat we do.
(28:40):
That history really, I would say, is just woven into our DNA in
so many ways.
One of the things I would saythat's really stood out to me is
that you know, for some of us Ithink our younger kind of queer
generations the conversationaround HIV sometimes feels like
a distant past or a distantmemory.
But one of the things that hasreally been something I've
(29:03):
enjoyed doing is listening toour older LGBTQ folks who are
still very much with us, wholived through the crisis and are
living with HIV, and toremember that the impact of all
that those folks suffered,especially through kind of
neglect through our governmentand much of the social services
(29:25):
sector at the time the impactsof that are still very much with
us.
It's not just a distant memory,but those folks are still
around and they're still herewith their stories and with the
impacts that they felt from thattime stories and with the
impacts that they felt from thattime.
And the Montrose Centercontinues to be a place that
cares for those people who areolder folks, our elders, who are
(29:46):
living with HIV.
Speaker 6 (29:47):
One of the programs that I think is to be really
expounded upon I don't know ifit is even the right word is the
Hatch Program, because theredidn't used to be anything If
you were a young person and youwere questioning your sexuality
or realized that you were, infact, where there was no place
(30:10):
to go, there was no place tolearn, there was no place to
find support.
So tell me a little bit whatyou've learned about.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
Hatch.
One of the things I'm going tohighlight is the journey we're
taking here together.
I was just talking aboutseniors, right, and now we're
going to talk about youth, and Ithink that's one thing I would
highlight that makes theMontrose Center really unique,
particularly here in Houston.
As I said, we have a lot ofdifferent organizations.
We are the organization thatworks across the entire lifespan
(30:39):
, from youth to seniors, and Ithink that's really meaningful
and, of course, everyone inbetween.
So Hatch is such an amazingprogram.
It started as a program outsideof the Montrose Center and then
became a program of theMontrose Center, and it itself
is a program that's been aroundfor a long time I think about 30
years.
Youth work is also somethingthat's really at the heart of
(31:00):
who we are.
Hatch described just oneprogram within our entire youth
services suite.
We have a whole youth servicessuite that does many different
things for and with youth, andHatch is just one of those
programs.
I think, now more than ever,it's so important for LGBTQ
young people to have a place togo to, where they know they're
(31:22):
going to um be met with nojudgment, with complete and
total acceptance and withrespect, because we're living in
a moment where we're seeing ournational rhetoric, our state
rhetoric and, of course, withinour school district surrounding
Houston, rhetoric that reallydoes not demonstrate respect and
(31:44):
does not honor the dignity ofour LGBTQ young people.
So, especially in a climate likethat, to have a place to come
to, where you can hang out withother folks like you in a safe
and supportive environment, isso important, more so than ever,
and so that's why Hatch exists.
There's about 350 folks at anygiven time that we're serving
(32:06):
through our youth services suite, and more folks are joining all
the time.
Right because that need iscertainly there.
And what makes it special iswe're not just working with
youth, we're working with theirparents as well, and so, because
of the fact that we work acrossthe continuity of care, you
know, a young person might comeinitially for Hatch, but they
also might decide that they needhelp with a therapist, and so
(32:27):
that's something else that we do.
Their parents might need totalk to a therapist, and that's
something that we do, and sothere's lots of different ways.
When they come into the centerprimarily, maybe, as a place for
peer support and socialconnection, they end up finding
a whole network of support forthem on their journey.
Speaker 6 (32:45):
I remember when the Hatch program first started, it
struck me to realize that thereare people that are now adults
who grew up in that program andI believe you've had a chance to
talk to some of them who grewup in that program, and I
believe you've had a chance totalk to some of them.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
We actually have staff.
We have several staff at thecenter who grew up as Hatch
Youth.
One of them, in fact, is nowworking in Hatch Youth, and so I
think that is one of thecoolest things about Hatch that
it's been around long enough.
The success of Hatch isbreathing and living amongst us
as LGBTQ adults who are livingrich and fulfilling and healthy
(33:22):
lives, which is exactly the goalof having a program like Hatch.
You know, I think when, whenfocusing on the Montrose Center,
our youth programming isn'tnecessarily always the first
thing that comes to mind, but Iwould say it's one of the most
robust things we do, and we'vebeen here doing it for such a
very long time, and it'ssomething that we'll keep doing,
no matter what the climate maybe.
Speaker 6 (33:42):
What have you considered to be your biggest
accomplishments in this firstyear?
Speaker 3 (33:48):
As I've listened to the community, and I've done
that listening along with mystaff.
I've listened to my staff, ofcourse, too, because that was
the most important place tostart, because there are almost
100 folks who work at theMontrose Center and they all
have their own stories andthings to share and say, and so
they all have their own ideasfor how we can be improving on
our services always, and sothat's been rich and useful.
(34:11):
One of the things I heard fromthe staff was the desire to find
ways to collaborate moreintensely.
I think the thing I'm proudestof is our pivot to be on this
community advisory board thatmeet on a regular basis and
(34:42):
their charge is to constantly bein conversation with us about
opportunities for us to bethinking about our work in new
and different ways, and sothat's so exciting to me that
launched recently, and they'vehad a couple meetings.
Secondly, I would give as anexample the community summit
which happened earlier this year, right, where 17 organizations
were convened together to host asummit, and that, I think,
(35:05):
hopefully demonstrates where thecenter is headed as a convener
of all of our organizations, ofour communities, getting us
together to figure out how towork together to take care of
one another.
Speaker 6 (35:17):
Is the center getting a?
Speaker 3 (35:18):
facelift.
Oh, yes, on social media.
Yes, it was something to theeffect of a little bit of a
facelift.
Yeah, the center has beenserving us really well for quite
some time, but there haven'tbeen any significant updates
since we moved into thisbuilding, and so it's time for
there to be some updates.
And so we did put out a requestfor proposal for architecture
(35:41):
and design firms to help uscreate a long-term vision for
the building, and so we're notgoing to do everything all at
once, but we do want to have abig picture vision.
We can work back from partiallyto inspire us, right To say,
look at those great pictures ofwhat this place can be and can
look like.
And so we're going to work onthat big picture vision, and
(36:01):
then we're going to work backfrom there on projects that we
think are going to benefit thecommunity most.
I will tell you one thing thatI'm hoping we select to do first
is, if you've come to ourbuilding, it's exactly clear how
to get inside, and I've heardthat from almost everybody.
Like, I get to the building andI'm like do I go up those
stairs?
Do I go to the elevator?
Where do I go?
(36:22):
Right, we want to fix that.
We understand that we need tohave an entrance that is
different, that is actuallywelcoming to the community.
The first thing that you shouldface if you've found your
courage to come to the MontroseCenter as a young person or a
person who's questioning aboutyour sexual orientation or
gender identity the last thingyou should have to worry about
is how to get inside thebuilding, and so we need to make
(36:43):
that easier for the community,and so I'm hoping that's one of
the first projects that we takeon.
But stay tuned we're just earlyin the process and I'm excited
to see where we go.
Speaker 6 (36:53):
Do you think that that building is being outgrown?
Speaker 3 (37:00):
Well, that's a good question.
You know, that's when we askconstantly.
I will say we got a lot ofsquare footage.
I don't think it's used verywisely.
So I think that it's a goodbuilding for our next stage of
who we are and who we're tobecome.
But we'll always keep askingthat question Is this, you know,
is this the right space?
Is this enough space?
But I think for now, now we'vegot the space we need.
We just need to organize it abit differently.
Speaker 6 (37:21):
I remember the original incarnation of Montrose
Counseling Center and then whenit moved over on to 701
Richmond and that was atwo-story building, it was
mostly offices.
There was some conference roomsbut there wasn't really space
for community meetings.
So with this larger buildingwhere it is now allowed for that
(37:47):
and and there's been so manydifferent kinds of things take
place there, not only the summit, but there's different groups
that meet there or have theiroffices there.
There's the lesbians over age50 groups that meet there or
have their offices there.
There's the lesbians over age50.
They meet there and they haveevents there and it is available
for people to rent space forvarious things.
(38:11):
So that's been rather excitingfor me to see that, those
reincarnations through the years, for me to see that those
reincarnations through the years.
What services does the centerprovide that we haven't talked
about?
That you think people need toknow or they might be surprised
to know.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Yeah, oh goodness, you know we do so many things.
I would say our missionstatement really is a great
summary right that our missionis to help our community, to
empower our community, to livehealthier, more fulfilling lives
.
And so there are so many thingsthat fall underneath that
bucket.
And the reason why that modelis actually really important of
(38:48):
doing many different things isthat when you found the courage
to come and get care forwhatever that may be, you should
experience as few barriers aspossible to accessing the care
you need.
So our model is that, if youcan come to us and we are, as
much as possible, a place thatgives you the opportunity to
have what's called, in publichealth speak, continuity of care
(39:11):
right and an integrated caremodel where you can get many
different things in the sameplace that's going to empower
you to live a healthier life.
And so at the center, you know,we offer everything from
behavioral health care frommental health therapy with very
skilled therapists.
We do, as I said, so mucharound HIV, so we do case
management for folks living withHIV.
(39:33):
We provide support andresources to those folks in a
variety of ways.
Something we've done almostsince our beginning is that we
have been someone who's providedcare for those who are
struggling with substance usedisorder.
So we provide an intensiveoutpatient program for folks
living with substance usedisorder, a less intense
(39:54):
outpatient program, and we haverecovery coaching.
So folks who need a peer tocome alongside them and be there
and as an encourager and asupport.
Again, all of this work thatI'm describing.
It happens all the way fromyouth, all the way to seniors,
all the way across the lifespan.
Um, so I could talk you're offfor an hour about everything
that we're doing.
(40:14):
I think that the thing I wouldhope the community knows is that
if you need help, if you needsupport, if you're looking for
resources, I hope that we're thefirst place you think of and we
do so much, but if we're forsome reason, not the place that
has the resource, what we arereally skilled at doing is being
a connector and helping folksto realize other places that
(40:35):
they might go to get support.
One thing I would just say.
My last thing is you know weare a United Way agency and one
of the things I'm really proudabout with our being a United
Way agency is that we play thisrole of helping folks who are on
a journey of health andwellness and economic security
to connect to resources, and sothat's part of our role as
(40:56):
United Way agency is helpingfolks navigate the system of how
to get resources that they need.
So we really are that place tocome.
That's full of wonderfulhelping, nonjudgmental folks who
will help you on your way.
Speaker 6 (41:08):
I'm talking with Avery Bellew, the CEO of the
Montrose Center.
Let's talk about things today,because things today are pretty
darn scary, particularly for thetrans community.
I'm sure you, as being a transwoman yourself, have a lot to
express about that.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
I do.
Oh, my goodness, what a what amoment we're in.
Huh yeah, um.
You know I did not have thisadministration on my bingo card
for my second year as CEO of theMontrose Center, and here we
are when to start.
We are in certainly challengingtimes.
I think the thing that that I'mtrying to focus on is that
(41:53):
community is the solution.
One thing that I think is clear,even in the way you introduce
this topic right, is ourcollective anxiety right now,
our fear, because there's a lotof unknowns, there's a lot to be
concerned about, and so I thinkthat part of the solve for that
anxiety, for that fear, whichis very justified and very
(42:15):
normal, is to be together incommunity, because in community
and the public health researchactually shows this in community
you find joy, you findresources, you find friendship
and all of those things can helpoffset the challenges that
(42:35):
we're experiencing right now.
And so to your point earlierabout the Montrose Center being
a community center and having atrue community center function.
You know, I don't think it'sjust a nice add-on.
I think it's critical to ourmission, because I think for
folks to live healthy andfulfilling lives, one of the
things we need most is community, and so the fact that we create
(42:58):
space for that in our center ispart of our approach, part of
our missional statement, and Ithink, now more than ever, we
need that.
Speaker 6 (43:06):
The summit was very much an example of that, because
we felt united, we wereinspired, we made connections,
people found resources.
It was a really positive thingand I understand it kind of came
together pretty short notice.
So the fact that you were ableto partner with 17 different
(43:29):
organizations and present such awonderful span of information
and of course, we featured someclips from the summit.
On queer voices, whatparticularly has been done for
the trans community?
Speaker 3 (43:45):
I believe you help people get passports after the
inauguration um and as a prefaceto the summit um, I convened a
group of of leaders together whoended up representing these 17
organizations fewer than thatinitially, but we sat around a
table just to say, okay, nowwhat?
(44:06):
So let's talk to each otherabout what we need to do.
What do we think, collectively,our community needs right now?
And two things emerged One, thecommunity needs to get together
and make sure that they arefeeling resourced heading into
these next four years.
And secondly, there was anurgent need directly after the
election to think about, beforethe inauguration, before these
(44:28):
anti-trans policies were goingto start coming, because we knew
they were to help trans folksas swiftly as possible get
accurate documentation.
And so we worked with TLACT,the Transgender Legal Aid Clinic
of Texas, to partner on helpingabout 500 trans folks from
across the state, not just herein Houston, to do that process
(44:52):
of getting accuratedocumentation so they would at
least have some accurate ID docone way or another headed into
these four years.
And that was really anemergency effort.
We knew it needed to happenswiftly and so we moved as
quickly as we possibly could todo that.
And I think that's one of thegreat things we come together
and talk to each other right ina room full of folks, it becomes
(45:14):
clear you know, all of us holdsome piece of the puzzle and
when we put our pieces togetherwe can do really good work.
And I think that was an exampleof that.
We two organizations cametogether and we made something
really important happen.
Um, but certainly the transcommunity is up against it.
I think right now, my the way Iwould describe this is that
we're a scapegoat.
Um, when there is anxiety, whenthere is fear as many amer
(45:39):
Americans across the borderfeeling right now, partially due
, I think, to income inequalityit is convenient to have a group
where we place all that fearand shame and anger and to
create the feeling well, if onlywe would solve for those folks,
everything will be okay.
And trans folks areunfortunately the victim of that
(46:00):
.
We're the scapegoat, we're theplace where it's a convenient
place because many people don'tknow who we are and therefore
that makes us relativelysocially unprotected for folks
to place all of that fear andanger with the belief that if we
solve for this trans problem,we're suddenly going to somehow
be a better america.
(46:21):
And of course we know that whentrans folks have been come for
in the past.
This is not the firstgovernment that's done that.
It's never been the solve.
Um, in fact, it's a warningsign right, it's a warning sign
of other problems that may be tocome.
This is not the first time thishas happened to the trans
community, both here in in theUS and in other countries.
So I think that's what's goingon right now, and so it is a
(46:44):
worrisome moment.
And again, I think the solvelives in us being together in
community and making sure we'reall resourced.
Speaker 6 (46:50):
And the irony of that is that the trans people are
not the problem.
It seems like the Texaslegislature, which is in session
right now, seems like every daythey say, okay, what fresh hell
can we create for the transcommunity?
What upsets me the most is thetargeting of the children and
(47:11):
all the things they're doingthere.
Does the Montrose Center havean advocacy component?
Speaker 3 (47:17):
That's a really interesting question.
Advocacy has not been a largepart of the Montrose Center's
work.
I think that there aredifferent types of advocacy, and
so you know one is thinkingabout being in Austin advocating
for good bills and against badbills.
Right Advocacy can also looklike advocating for funding
(47:39):
streams, right, advocating forother policies, both in city
government, within the countylevel, that support our
community.
So I think the Montrose Centeris in a place of trying to
evaluate our role in advocacy.
I think, first and foremost,our advocacy voice is here in
the city of Houston and inHarris County and the
surrounding counties to makesure that we're creating a
(48:02):
quality of life for LGBTQ peoplethat aligns with our missional
goals.
What I will say is I'm reallygrateful for the ways that we
partner.
Again, it's all aboutpartnership, right, and so we
partner really closely withEquality Texas and folks who
work at the TransgenderEducation Network of Texas, tent
and at ACLU and Atlanta.
We're partners with them inmaking sure that they, who are
(48:25):
doing the heavy lifting, havethe support and resources they
need.
I'll give you a great exampleof what that looks like for us.
One of the things that EqualityTexas has realized is true is
that this work is reallygrueling.
It's hard work and one of thethings they ask people to do
every year as these bad billscome is to come and testify.
Oftentimes that's young peopleyoung people with their families
(48:46):
and it's really stressful.
They have to hear folks sayreally terrible things about our
community.
So we're partnering withEquality Texas to think about
how do our therapists at theMontrose Center work with
Equality Texas to provide placesfor care for folks who've
testified, to provide adebriefing space after their
(49:08):
advocacy day, to providedebriefing spaces after folks
testify so that those folks arecared for.
And I think that's a greatexample of kind of who the
Montrose Center is and how weshow up.
In this moment we can't be allthings, we don't do all things,
but we do partner with ourentire community to make sure
that our community is cared for.
(49:28):
So while Quality Texas is doingwhat they do best, we can show
up and partner with them to dowhat we do best, which is make
sure that folks' mental healthand wellness are taken care of
during the fight.
Speaker 6 (49:39):
Thank you for the work that you're doing.
I myself have a 40-year historyover 40 years of the Montrose
Center being part of my life,including now being a resident
at Law Harrington, which I thinkis something people need to
know more about, because I'veheard people say I didn't even
know there was such a thing andit's like yes, it's an lgbtqia
(50:03):
plus affirming community and itwas built by the montrose center
.
There's seniors 62 and overthat get to live in a a nice
complex and services provided,so I'm very thankful for it.
As we continue, the big concernalso has to do with funding,
(50:25):
because the Montrose Center doesrely on grants and I guess
there's some fears about grantsbeing cut or eliminated.
Speaker 3 (50:33):
Certainly, I think the entire social services
sector of the United Statesright now is really nervous
about what's going to come.
One of the things that thisadministration did quickly was
to signal that they were goingto evaluate how federal funds
were being used to addressbehavioral health and public
(50:55):
health issues.
They've made it clear that theywant to take a different
strategy than every otheradministration, whether
Republican or Democratic.
So we don't know yet what theimpact of that will be.
We've seen some indications,right.
We've heard statements aroundanti-DEI.
We've seen a desire just to cutfunding overall.
(51:15):
We've seen some impacts of that, primarily at this moment
through the NIH and research.
Right, that's not somethingthat impacts the center, but I
do know folks who are impacted.
So the center, like a lot ofour organizations, other
nonprofits here.
It's a wait and see to see howwe will be impacted, but I am
pretty confident that there willbe impacts of some type.
(51:36):
What that means for us is, uh,preparing, preparing for what
that impact might look like andhow we're going to make sure
that we're resourced to care forour community no matter what
may come.
And there and again, I think thesolve is going to be in
collaboration, right, becausenone of us can do it all.
So when we we look at our socialservices ecology, as I like to
(51:57):
call it here in Houston, if allof us start to face the
challenge of a reduction infunds to care for our community,
we're going to have to get realsmart about how we collaborate.
We're going to have to really bevery sharply focused on how we
work together acrossorganizations, maybe ones that
haven't worked togethertypically to put people first
(52:19):
and to care for people.
And so what I'm doing toprepare is I'm already starting
those conversations with otherCEOs in the city, including, and
maybe especially, organizationsthat are not LGBTQ focused but
have a role to play about.
If and when this happens, howdo we make sure we're coming
together to take care of eachother?
And what I'm feeling reallyconfident about is that this
(52:41):
city will rise to the occasionand we will make sure that, no
matter what may come in infunding cuts, that we'll find a
way to take care of people itseems like their idea is to have
bad health, both mental andphysical bad health, because
that's all I'm seeing comingfrom them.
Speaker 6 (52:57):
And of course, one of the tactics is to threaten
things but not necessarilyimplement them.
But that just is, in thisconstant state of uncertainty.
Speaker 3 (53:09):
And I think that's partially the point.
One of the things I wouldstress for folks who are anxious
and worried is to rememberexecutive orders are not the law
, and, if you'll note what'sbeen happening, lambda Legal,
aclu and other organizationshave been swiftly filing
lawsuits to challenge executiveorders and thus far, they're
having amazing success.
(53:29):
So I think that part of thegoal is overwhelm, part of the
goal is stress and anxiety, andso I think that's where it's is
overwhelm.
Part of the goal is stress andanxiety, and so I think that's
where it's so important for allof us to make sure that we're
taking care of ourselves right,we're getting enough sleep,
we're eating healthily, we'regetting outside and letting the
sunshine hit our face and takinga deep breath and remembering
to ground ourselves, becausepart of the goal seems to be to
(53:52):
overwhelm us, and a lot of timesthere's strategies and tactics
that are going to make sure thata lot of what we're hearing
about is not implemented.
Speaker 6 (54:00):
To close things off, Avery Ballou, CEO of the
Montrose Center, coming up April28th is an event the Empowering
Our Future Gala, which is atheme this year under the big
top.
Can you tell me about that,Because this seems like a fun
thing to do?
Speaker 3 (54:18):
It's April 26th.
This is our event that isfocused on our youth services.
As I said, we, at any giventime in our youth services suite
, are serving about over 300,350, almost 400 youth every year
.
It's a huge part of what we doand how we are is to make sure
(54:39):
that our youth are safe andthey're supported, and now more
than ever, they need to knowthat we care about them and that
we're here to support them.
And so this event it's a reallyfun event.
It's program light for folkswho go to galas, and the program
can sometimes be really, youknow, lengthy.
It's an entertainment heavyevent.
So the goal is for folks to cometo get to be playful and to be
(55:01):
joyful.
You know, a lot of what we doin our youth programming is to
provide a place for folks toexperience joy.
And so, folks, if you come withus to Empowering Our Future,
you're going to get a flavor ofthat.
So, folks, if you come with usto Empowering Our Future, you're
going to get a flavor of that,even as an adult.
We're going to create anenvironment where you get to
escape from the world for just amoment, feel the beauty of
(55:22):
being in queer community withother folks like you experience
some joy, and this year get todo it with a circus theme.
So that's under the big top.
So we'll have circus-themedentertainment.
Folks will be encouraged,you're encouraged.
Folks who come to dress up in acircus-themed outfit if that's
something you want to do, orjust cocktail attire if that's
(55:43):
not your thing.
But it certainly will be anight to remember.
So I'm super excited.
Speaker 6 (55:48):
Can you tell me some of the performers that will be
there?
Speaker 3 (55:55):
If you go to our website right now, on the main
part of our website is a featureslide with a lot of those folks
and if you scroll throughyou'll get to see their names,
the things they do.
So I know there'll be someaerialists there who will be
doing some fun acrobatics.
There's talk of all sorts ofagain, circus-themed
entertainment, so be lots ofthings to delight.
Speaker 6 (56:14):
I misspoke in saying that it was the 28th, so it is
April 26th.
And MontroseCenterorg for allkinds of information about the
programs and services at theMontrose Center and Avery.
Thank you so much for joiningus today on Queer Voices.
This is Deborah Moncrief Bell.
Speaker 1 (56:50):
This has been Queer Voices, heard on KPFT Houston
and as a podcast available fromseveral podcasting sources.
Check our webpage queVoicesorgfor more information.
Queer Voices executive produceris Brian Levinka.
Deborah Moncrief-Bell isco-producer, brett Cullum and
David Mendoza-Druzman arecontributors.
The News Wrap segment is partof another podcast called this
(57:13):
Way Out, which is produced inLos Angeles.
Speaker 5 (57:16):
Some of the material in this program has been edited
to improve clarity and runtime.
This program does not endorseany political views or animal
species.
Views, opinions andendorsements are those of the
participants and theorganizations they represent.
In case of death, pleasediscontinue use and discard
remaining products.
Speaker 1 (57:29):
For Queer Voices.
I'm Glenn Holt.
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