Reality TV and lifestyle stars gather in Austin for juicy, women-led podcasting conference

join the pod

Photo courtesy of Dear Media

It does seem like everyone has a podcast these days, but some podcasters have built an empire. These post-radio pundits can offer experience-based tips on the art of audio media, and they will via Dear Media, at the two-day event, “Dear Media IRL: Doing Audio Differently.”

Some big names in TV and audio experience sharing will gather at Austin's Distribution Hall on May 6 for conversions, interactive panels, networking, and more geared toward supporting Dear Media’s mission statement, to amplify women’s voices in podcasting.

Some of the featured speakers include:

Married co-hosts Michael Bosstick and Lauryn Evarts Bosstick, who discuss basically everything on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Show, from beauty and wellness to entrepreneurship and celebrity interviews.
Nicole Walters, who highlights opportunities for a more balanced lifestyle through a business lens on The Nicole Walters Podcast. Her topics frequently include networking and questioning the usefulness of hustle culture.
Jaci Marie Smith, whose lifestyle content on What We Said with Chelsey Curtis tackles the everyday topics like roommates, dieting, and being “chronically online.” The Gen-Z friendly tone is introspective, but casual and focuses largely on goals and relationships.
Kristin Cavallari and her former co-star, Stephen Colletti, who are known for multiple MTV reality shows, rewatch episodes from their time in the limelight and discuss the drama on Back to the Beach with Kristin and Stephen.

Dear Media hosts more than 60 podcasts and provides support, much like a record label, at every stage from creation to post-distribution expansion. This mini-conference includes coffee, lunch, and a happy hour to make sure networking opportunities are taken advantage of, plus panel discussions and Q&As. The VIP experience comes with an expanded gift bag, preferred entry and seating at panels, and an invite to an organizer mixer.

Tickets ($85 general admission, $150 VIP) are available now at dearmedia.com.

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8 Pride events that actually benefit LGBTQIA+ communities in Austin

Proud for a reason

It’s Pride Month, and the rainbow flags are popping up again. Austin is known for being especially queer-friendly, so in many ways, it’s just business as usual in the capital city.

But the extra-celebratory events are now in full-swing, as is the discourse around the sides of pride that really aren't that useful: selling products with a gay image and no real community support, leaving out parts of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, and creating pressure to smile through the hard parts of embracing a marginalized identity.

The following events around Austin this June all drive revenue for queer artists, offer free wellness opportunities to community members, or gather donations for advocacy organizations. Not only are they fun — celebrating adds something tangential to LGBTQ life in Austin. Then, rest up in July and plan to get right back at it in August for Austin Pride.

Before June 24

Waterloo Greenway — "Pride in the Park"
June 5-10
Part of the fun of Pride Month is watching community spaces transform for the occasion, and Waterloo Greenway is a great example of how mainstream that can get. The park's summer programming plan, like a few others in the city, includes a block of Pride scheduling: fitness classes June 5-7, a conversation about intersectionality on June 8, a family-friendly event on June 10, and four hours of performances later that evening headlined by the House of Lepore.

Circle Brewing and Equality Texas — "Beer for All"
June 10
Equality Texas was very busy during the recent legislative session, fighting bills that target drag performers and gender-diversity. Circle Brewing, an Austin brewery known for its events, is helping to support the advocacy organization through donations — the new "Fanny Pack Kolsch" will be released on June 10, and each pack sold will send a $1 to Equality Texas. The release event will include live music, face painting, and a vendor market. Plus, guests can take home "Fanny Pack" in themed cans and Yeti can insulators for extra fundraising.

Electric Shuffle — "Shuffle with Pride"
Sundays throughout June
The new high-tech shuffleboard venue Electric Shuffle is partnering with Qwell, a community organization for better LGBTQIA+ health and wellbeing, for a weekly fundraising drag brunch series. Electric Shuffle will donate 10 percent of each brunch's sales to Qwell. Every Sunday in June starting at 12 PM, we’ll be hosting a fabulous Drag Brunch and donating 10 percent of those brunch sales to QWELL. For guests, that means well-known performers and a "Drag Race Royalty special guest," shuffleboard games, DJ sets, and an over-the-top menu with a bottle of sparkling wine for each guest. A new Prickly Pear Margarita, available through August, also generates a $1 donation for each sale.

Paramount Theatre — "Majestic Ball Week"
June 20-24
Reading may be fundamental, but so is watching LGBTQ films. Some of those are screening at the Paramount Theatre leading up to its Majestic Ball: sapphic thriller Bound; rock and roll trans identity film Hedwig and the Angry Inch; 2017 Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Moonlight; indie trans sex-work film Tangerine; and influential drag film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. The ball on June 24 invites Austinites to attend a special ballroom competition hosted by Diamond Dior Davenport and the Legendary Mother Natalie Lepore, with a performance by Fat Bottom Cabaret. Tickets ($22-34) are available at austintheatre.org.

June 24

Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, KUTX, and local 4th Street businesses — "4th Street Block Party"
The LGBT Chamber of Commerce has ties with tons of businesses in Austin that don't just espouse positivity during Pride Month; They create meaning and revenue in the community year-round. This end-of-Pride block party on June 24 serves as the 4th Annual Pride in Local Music celebration with performances by Gina Chavez, Primo the Alien, Promqueen, and more. The Little Gay Shop will be there with its curated market, and so will local businesses like Rain on 4th, Oilcan Harry’s, Neon Grotto, and more, including the brand-new Estelle’s. Tickets (suggested donation of $10) are available at austinlgbtchamber.com.

Mutual Love — "Rest Fest"
Our asexual comrades don't see tons of representation during Pride, but they belong at these events all the same. One that is not specifically ace-allied still gives a respite from the louder, more mainstream events for a softer side of Pride: yoga, relaxation, and pizza. The trans-led event welcomes all ages, and opts out of alcohol. Activities include a mobile tattoo studio, tarot readings, massages, bounce houses, and a dunk tank fundraiser for trans healthcare, among other activations. RSVP for the free event on Eventbrite.

Communities for Recovery — "Peace, Love, Joy & Recovery: A Celebration of LGBTQIA+ Wellness"
LGBTQ people have a unique — and sometimes uniquely challenging — relationship with mental health, substance use, and self-care that can be deeply impacted by a sense of community or isolation. Communities for Recovery, at the Austin State Hospital, is partnering with The Phoenix Austin and Thrive: Neurodivergence and Mental Health Activities Group for a local artist showcase. They're looking for visual art and poetry, as well as collaborations with organizations working on similar goals, so they can connect visitors with the help they need. RSVP on Eventbrite.

After June 24

Sky Candy — Local Pride: Student Showcase
June 30
Few communities, if any, know more about celebrating our differences than circus artists, and one of Austin's most popular aerial studios is holding a special student showcase in honor of pride. The showcase sets choreography on silks, lyra, sling, trapeze, and cube to music by local queer musicians, and the studio will offer free rapid HIV testing and information on PrEP the day-of and after the show (June 30 and July 1). Tickets ($15-120) are available on Eventbrite.

Local artist creates replicas of iconic Austin businesses

Life in miniature

As Austin continues to grow, some feel that the city's essence is getting lost. The more successful the city becomes, the more the culture continues to change.

But one Austin artist is highlighting the things that keep Austin unique.

Kayla Kent is the founder of Functional Miniatures. She took inspiration from an artist based in Los Angeles.

"He did all these miniatures of these little shops that you never would expect to have a miniature," she said.

Now Kent is doing the same, recreating replicas of some of Austin's most famous stores. The first one she ever made was Big Top Candy Shop, which doubles as a candy jar.

Kent has also created a functional miniature for Antone's Record Shop, which doubles as a record holder, and a bookend for South Congress Books.

Right now, Big Top is selling the replicas. Kent is also working with Antone's and South Congress Books to get their replicas in stores.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

Everything to know about Austin's 4th annual Stay Black and Live Juneteenth Festival

CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY

A weeklong celebration of Black history is returning to Austin with a focus on local organizations and people that are making long-lasting impacts in the local community. The George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center is hosting the fourth annual Stay Black and Live (SB&L) Juneteenth Festival June 12-19.

The festival began as a livestream in 2020, and has since captured the attention of community members citywide, making it the cornerstone event for Austin's Juneteenth celebrations. SB&L's theme for 2023 is "Austin Family Reunion," centered around community kickbacks, cookouts, live music, and more.

In a release, Carver Museum director Carre Adams said the museum continuously aims to "honor the significance of Juneteenth" with their festival programming and education.

“We are incredibly proud to continue Austin’s Juneteenth celebration and tradition at our historic museum,” said Adams. “We invite the Austin community to join us as we commemorate this momentous occasion and bring Black history past, present and future to the forefront.”

The festival will begin with a presentation on Monday, June 12 hosted by 2023 Grammy Music Educator Award winner and Desoto, Texas high school music teacher Pamela Dawson. The website states she will sing and use "negro spirituals" during her interactive session to inform guests about "African-American contributions to the sonic art form." Dawson's lecture will take place from 6-8 pm at the Boyd Vance Theater.

Below is a full weekend schedule for the festival:

Thursday, June 15
James Beard award-winning food historian and author Michael W. Twitty will take the stage at the Boyd Vance Theater from 6-8 pm. He'll discuss the eating habits and culinary practices of African Americans, and open a conversation about modern-day abolitionist movements.

Friday, June 16
Austinites of every age are invited to the festival's community kickback and dance party from 6-9 pm at the Carver Museum's Freedom Lawn. The party will be accompanied by high-energy music by DJ Cysum and DJ Dontizl. The event is in partnership with Creative Action, who will also set up a "sensory station" for attendees to express themselves with glowsticks, kites, bubbles, and more. A special performance by BodyRockATX will close out the event.

Saturday, June 17
The day will begin at 10 am with the annual historic Juneteenth Parade through Austin's Rosewood neighborhood. The parade route starts on East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and goes all the way to Rosewood Park.

Following the parade, visitors can gather for the Austin Family Reunion Cookout and Music Festival behind the Carver Museum from 3-6 pm. Veteran pitmasters will provide the delicious barbecue while Lady Joy and KAZI 88.7 DJs host the festivities. Attendees can also enjoy a vendor market, carnival games, workshops, and more.

Saul Paul will host the music festival from 6-9 pm on the Freedom Lawn, with performances by Distinguished Soundz, Stretch Muzik, and DJ Kay Kali. Headliners GAPX will perform at 8 pm.

Monday, June 19
Historian, Harvard law professor, and Pulitzer Prize winner Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed will lead a Free Your Mind Conversation Series discussion about her book, On Juneteenth, from 1-3 pm at the Boyd Vance Theater.

Later that afternoon from 5-8 pm, the museum will host their final event for the week with their "Community Revival and Remembrance" ceremony in partnership with the Austin Justice Coalition. The closing celebration will pay respect to those who were victims of police violence in Texas.

More information about the Stay Black and Live Juneteenth Festival can be found on juneteenthatx.com.

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