Here we are, not even a month away from the election
of Donald Trump and my last publishers note, “Creating
Opportunity out of Crisis”, rings so much truer today than
when I penned it last month. So, I felt, after the results of
the last election that I would try to be an encouragement
rather than a pessimist, by continuing part two of “Creating
Opportunity out of Crisis”.
In the last issue of Leslie I predicted that we might not win
this election and that Donald Trump, and the Republicans
might win. “We may not win this election. Trump may win.
Another crisis or another opportunity?” At that time, little
did I know that Donald Trump would not only win the
electoral college, but he would also win the popular vote,
and the Republican Party would maintain their majority in
the US Congress and win a majority in the US Senate. All
while controlling the Supreme Court.
Moreover, the LGBTQ community would fail to elect our
own Doug Greco as Mayor, the Texas Legislature would
become more Republican, and South Texas Hispanics
would vote Republican for the first time, dashing any
hopes of turning Texas purple, much-the-less blue, any
time soon.
We must ask ourselves what are we going to do with this
election crisis?
Will we choose to be defeated, or we will use this crisis and
turn it into an opportunity? As I said in my last issue, “If we
let it, this crisis can become an opportunity”.
My friends, as a community we are indeed in crises mode,
but not for long. I have confidence and faith in each of you
in our Austin and San Antonio queer communities that we
will turn this crisis into an opportunity!

An opportunity to galvanize and stand alongside with each
other; to protect one another in the face of discrimination;
to organize and stand strong together on the local level as
well as the national level; to educate ourselves, and others
on LGBTQ issues and yes, an opportunity to celebrate.
To celebrate the victories of the election of Rep. Julie
Johnson as the first lesbian US Congress from Texas;
the appointment of Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary,
making him the highest-level LGBTQ appointee in
American history; and Sarah McBride’s election as the first
Trans Women ever elected to the US Congress. Let us also
celebrate that on the state level the LGBTQ community
picked up two new seats in the Texas House, bringing our
total LGBTQ representation up to ten members. We also
picked up a Texas State Senate seat for the first time with
the election of Lauren Ashley Simmons, another member
of the LGBTQ community.
After all the landscape/battle on the state level has not
changed much. Here in Texas, we are still a red State.
Our strategy for taking on those in our state government
who are trying to oppress our queer community has not
changed and my clients, who I represent as a lobbyist
continue to have the same strategy in place as we did
before the election. When we as a queer community
get knocked down, we get right back up and we fight.
We will never give up. So, here is my call to action.
Will you join me in these actions?

Email me at [email protected] if there is
an issue that you are interested in helping me fight for or
against during this upcoming legislative session.

Call a trans friend and schedule an appointment to
come up with a plan of action in case they need to flee the
state of Texas at the end of the Texas legislative session in
June. It’s always better to have plan even if it’s unlikely that
a plan will need to be used.

Text TAKE ACTION to 737-221-5598 to register
for a one-day free conference on how to stand up and fight
back against bad anti LGBTQ Legislation. This day of
legislative action training is hosted by the Dallas Voice and
Leslie Media.

Support Leslie Media by emailing us at
[email protected] to purchase an ad, and/or
making a contribution so we bring you up to date news on
political issues and legislation that effect our queer
communities here in Austin and San Antonio.

Together we’ve got this! Let’s create opportunity through
community! Together we are stronger than apart. Happy
Holidays!

PS: Please remember this holiday season to support
our advertisers, shop at our local LGBTQ businesses. A
shout out goes to Alpha & Omega Mounted Patrol for
purchasing an ad targeting the queer community looking
for gay and lesbian cowboys and cowgirls to ride in the
mounted patrol.

If you would like to help us print the next
addition of Leslie please consider purchasing
an ad or making a financial contribution by
texting or emailing Mike Hendrix at 786-564-
5919 or [email protected]