LOOKOUT to host community summer event series

To execute on our vision of seeing people within Arizona’s LGBTQ+ communities embrace, help, and inform one another, LOOKOUT is hosting a summer series of panels focused on issues related to the news organization’s various beats including: safety, public health, education, politics, and business.

The goal of “LOOKOUT’s Summer of Solutions” series not only host talks that identify problems our community has brought up, but also work together with audience members and panelists to assist in devising ways to elevate community solutions. 

“LOOKOUT’s Summer of Solutions” series will be open to the public, but each event will be capped at 35 people with donors of $80 or more a year being offered tickets first. 

The easiest way to get an invite is to become an annual subscriber here. 

LOOKOUT is actively seeing out event sponsors for our solutions event. To be a sponsor for any of the events, below, please email LOOKOUT Executive Director Jake Hylton at: Jake@lookoutphx.org. 

The topics for each month are listed below:

JUNE

The future of queer politics, from the perspective of those who served. 

The past few years, legislative news has been focused almost exclusively on bills that target the LGBTQ+ community: from bathroom bans and drag shows in public, to trans girls in sports. At the same time, it’s also been easier than ever to be part of the LGBTQ+ community and work in politics. We get some of the state’s most effective former politicians and appointees to come together and discuss what it was like working in politics, what bipartisan lessons they learned, and what they see for the future of queer people who want to be part of the political process. 

This panel is being co-hosted by The Arizona Agenda

PANELISTS (in alphabetical order): Daniel Hernandez, former Democratic House of Representatives member; Steve May, former Republican House of Representatives member; Daniel Scarpinato, former chief of staff under Doug Ducey

MODERATORS: Joseph Darius Jaafari, LOOKOUT Editor in Chief; Hank Stephenson, The Arizona Agenda co-founder and editor

JULY

How parents are navigating the world of school policies and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.

In the past four years, a specific brand of conservatism has pushed “parental rights'' as an opportunity to reign in what they view is governmental overreach, specifically when it comes to equity education they disagree with in public schools. Whether there is an actual oversight issue is going to be decided by lawmakers. But there has been a marked impact on LGBTQ+ students and their parents, leaving many to ask: Who is left out of the conversation; Who is expressing support for parents that have LGBTQ+ children; And what tools are parents using to protect themselves and their children?

PANELISTS (in alphabetical order): Nate Rhoton, Executive Director of One n' Ten; River Chunnui, Peoria school teacher and LGBTQ+ parent; Jeanne Casteen, Executive Director of Secular AZ; Lizette Trujillo, trans activist and parent of LGBTQ+ child; Daniel Sanchez, parent of LGBTQ+ child; Kerry Baker, Governing Peoria School Board Member

MODERATORS: Joseph Darius Jaafari, LOOKOUT Editor in Chief; Gloria Rebecca Gomez, Arizona Mirror reporter

This event is being co-hosted by Arizona Mirror.

AUGUST

What is the role of businesses in regards to LGBTQ+ advocacy?

For decades, queer spaces such as bars and community centers had long been the center to organize and activate LGBTQ+ people. But more often these days, we’re seeing those spaces either disappear, owned by people outside of the community, or refuse to engage in advocacy. And when they do, bars and coffee shops have been the brunt of social media harassment. What is a business to do?

PANELISTS (in alphabetical order): Natasha John, Skoden Coffee; Charissa Lucille, Wasted Zine Distro; Jesse Shank, Brick Road Coffee; Brandon Slayton, Stacys @ Melrose

What is harm reduction, and how can there be more of it?

Arizona has one of the highest rates of HIV transmissions and syphilis diagnoses across the U.S. And with fentanyl ever-more present in the recreational drug supply, accidental deaths and overdoses are becoming more common in the state. There are ways to mitigate both of these public health issues, from expanded access of PrEP and doxy-PEP, to more ready access to Narcan or naloxone. But what do those drugs do? Who should have the medication? And what groups are actively trying to get these medications in front of the community?

PANELISTS: (in alphabetical order): LeAnn Dunton, RIOT Phx; Stacey Jay, Aunt Rita’s; Arlene Mahoney, Southwest Recovery Center; Meg Kepler, Sidewalk Project AZ

OCTOBER - OUTWATCH FEST GUESTS

Who is protecting the LGBTQ+ community from violence?

Last year, three people were murdered in the LGBTQ+ community in what community and family members say were hate crimes. Since then, there has been worry that not enough is done within law enforcement agencies to protect community members. So what are the routes for people to engage with law enforcement in a productive way or advocate for their rights to challenge power when they believe they have been wronged?

Check back later to see the panelists for this event