Twin Cities Pride Amplified

Twin Cities Pride Amplified

Twin Cities Pride Amplified is a program dedicated to all things LGBTQIA+ community, both here in the Twin Cities area, and beyond. Hosted by TC Pride’s Executive Director Andi Otto and Executive Assistant Rina Heisel, no topic is off limits as we discuss queer rights, culture, health, and events taking place around the metro area. Pride is more than just a weekend in June; the LGBTQIA+ community deserves celebration, elevation, and support all year, so tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest community and TC Pride news. Allies are always encouraged to tune in!

Episodes

Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 106: Finding Bravery and Community in the Heart of Minnesota

February 2, 2026 • 45 mins
Join Andi, Rina, and Kelsey as they process a difficult week in Minnesota, finding hope in how the community has rallied together with mutual aid and quiet acts of bravery. They share moving stories from their local food pantry—from Senator Tina Smith stopping by to help to a FedEx driver who’s also a jazz pianist—proving…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 105: Behind the Decision to Cancel Half Way to Pride

January 26, 2026 • 45 mins
Andy, Rina, and Kelsey sit down for a raw conversation about the difficult start to 2026, opening up about the tough decision to cancel Half Way to Pride due to safety concerns. They share an emotional look behind the scenes at how the organization pivoted overnight to turn their office into an emergency food pantry…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 104: Community Resilience in a Time of Crisis

January 19, 2026 • 46 mins
Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto confront the heavy reality of recent violence and federal enforcement actions impacting the Minnesota community. They announce the cancellation of the Halfway to Pride celebration to prioritize safety while doubling down on essential mutual aid efforts like the Pride Cultural Arts Center food pantry. The conversation centers on…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 103: Legos, Legislation, and the Fight for Trans Healthcare

January 12, 2026 • 45 mins
Hosts Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto open the 2026 season by discussing the importance of mental health and finding joy in holiday hobbies like Lego building and queer pop culture. They provide a deep dive into recent federal legislative challenges facing the transgender community, specifically regarding funding restrictions for gender-affirming healthcare and new…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 102 (Encore): Quatrefoil Library

January 5, 2026 • 45 mins
This episode originally aired April 3, 2025: Andi and Rina visit with Ollin Montes and Karen Hogan from Quatrefoil Library, which has a unique history in the Twin Cities. Its role in the LGBTQ+ community continues to grow and is more important than ever! Listen and learn more!  https://qlibrary.org/
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 101: Navigating the Bingo Card of Doom in 2025

December 29, 2025 • 45 mins
Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto review a tumultuous 2025, discussing the “bingo card of doom” that included viral fame, severe weather, and navigating anti-trans legislation. They share behind-the-scenes insights on pivoting the Pride Cultural Art Center and the Career Fair to better serve the community while managing staff burnout and funding challenges. They…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 100: Looking Ahead in 2026 with Regional Summits, Bingo Balls, & Hillary Clinton

December 22, 2025 • 45 mins
Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto deliver a heartfelt 2025 retrospective, diving into the impact of the Pride Cultural Art Center, the Rainbow Wardrobe’s success, and the massive volunteer effort that powered the year’s events. They candidly discuss the financial realities of running a non-profit, explaining how every dollar from festival fees to donations…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 99: How We Stretched Every Dollar for the Community in 2025

December 15, 2025 • 45 mins
Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto reflect on the challenges and triumphs of 2025, from navigating severe festival weather to distributing thousands of pounds of food. They break down the year’s impact report, highlighting massive volunteer efforts, the emotional resonance of Youth Night, and TC Pride’s dedication to supporting local LGBTQ+ and BIPOC businesses.…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 98: Turkey Trots, Guide Dogs, and the Evolution of Pride

December 8, 2025 • 45 mins
Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto kick things off with a hilarious “guide dog” mishap and a chaotic turkey trot story before pivoting to a thoughtful discussion on the evolution of Pride over the last two decades. The trio explores generational shifts in LGBTQ+ identity and the financial realities facing Gen Z, highlighting how…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 97: Can You See Yourself in This Space?

November 24, 2025 • 45 mins
Hosts Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto discuss the “wild” political climate, from the Supreme Court’s recent marriage equality decision to divisive online tactics. Andi shares an “Andi Talk” from a recent conference, sparking a deep conversation on what makes a space truly inclusive for the LGBTQ+ community and allies. They argue that true…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 96: The Reality of Being Trans

November 17, 2025 • 45 mins
Join hosts Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto for a powerful discussion on Trans Day of Remembrance and the violence facing the trans community. Andi shares a raw, personal story about the harassment he recently faced for wearing a “Protect Trans Kids” shirt, illustrating the daily anxieties trans people navigate even in supposed “refuge”…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 95: How One Call Became 3,200 Pounds of Food

November 10, 2025 • 45 mins
Andi Otto, Rina Heisel, and Kelsey Alto get real about the heavy emotional toll of the current political climate and the recent government shutdown. They share the powerful, personal story of how TC Pride’s “Trunk or Treat” event unexpectedly transformed into a massive impromptu food drive. It all started with a single, desperate phone call…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 94: The Unsinkable Ship of Navigating Mental Health

November 3, 2025 • 45 mins
Hosts Andi Otto, Kelsey Alto, and Rina Heisel get real about the mental health struggles hitting the LGBTQIA+ community and the heavy emotional toll of the current political environment. They discuss how crucial organizations like Twin Cities Pride are for providing community and support, especially with all the legal and legislative attacks targeting queer and…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 93: Culture, Advocacy, and Community w/ Terresa Hardaway

October 27, 2025 • 45 mins
Terresa Hardaway, who owns Black Garnet Books and is the Creative Director of Blackbird Revolt, joins hosts Andi Otto, Kelsey Alto, and Rina Heisel to chat about everything she does as an educator, designer, and business owner. Her work focuses on centering Black, queer, and marginalized voices in the fight for social justice and cultural…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 92: The Unsinkable Ship of Navigating Mental Health

October 22, 2025 • 45 mins
Hosts Andi Otto, Kelsey Alto, and Rina Heisel get real about the mental health struggles hitting the LGBTQIA+ community and the heavy emotional toll of the current political environment. They discuss how crucial organizations like Twin Cities Pride are for providing community and support, especially with all the legal and legislative attacks targeting queer and…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 91: Highlighting Trans Northland

October 20, 2025 • 45 mins
This week Andi Otto and Rina Heisel are joined by Sean Hayes, executive director of Trans Northland. They talk about the challenges rural communities face, the influx of people coming in from out of state seeking refuge, and how Trans Northland is working on building communities that are safe, inclusive and interconnected.
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 90: Reflecting on Andi’s Time as Executive Director

October 13, 2025 • 45 mins
Kelsey Alto, the director of programming for Twin Cities Pride, returns to host this week’s show. We had so much fun talking about Andi Otto’s life that we decided to have one more episode on Andi! This time we reflect on Andi‘s last three years as executive director of Twin Cities Pride. What do a…
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 89: Getting to Know Andi Otto (Part 2 of 2)

October 6, 2025 • 45 mins
This week Kelsey Alto takes over the show once again as she continues her conversation with TC Pride executive director Andi Otto. What do drag kings, the Burnsville Mall food court and frosted cookies have in common? Find out this week as dive into the story of Andi’s life!
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 88: Getting to Know Andi Otto (Part 1 of 2)

September 29, 2025 • 44 mins
This week Kelsey Alto takes over the show as our usual host, Andi Otto, will be in the hot seat! You’ll get to learn a lot more about Andi, including his journey from lesbian to wife to Mom to trans Dad.
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Twin Cities Pride Amplified – Ep. 87: Dr. Kade Goepferd on LGBTQ Youth and Back to School

September 22, 2025 • 36 mins
This week Andi and Rina are joined by Dr. Kade Goepferd, the Chief Education Officer and the past Chief of Staff for Children’s Minnesota, the Medical Director of Children’s Minnesota Gender Health Program and a pediatrician in the Children’s Minneapolis Primary Care clinic. We talk about what going back to school means for LGBTQ youth,…
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