Episode 8: Unapologetically QueerAF with Love Your Labels founder Joshua Croke
Download MP3Welcome to this week's episode of Local Threads. I'm Molly, your host, and this week I'm sitting down with Joshua Croak, an artist, a facilitator, and an activist out of Worcester, Massachusetts. Josh is the founder of Love Your Labels and the curator of third spaces like the threads program, drag story time, and the Queer AF Fashion Show, also known as the Queer Met Gala of Massachusetts. Let's get into it. Welcome to Local Threads.
Joshua:Thank you so much for having me.
Molly:I'm so glad you were able to make the trip all the way from Worcester. I'm so glad I know how to say that because Yes. I don't wanna get dragged. Stop. I just learned that it's called the Paris of the eighties.
Molly:What is that?
Joshua:Yeah. So Worcester, I actually should know the, like, actual history of that, but I know there was an artist back in the day that, like, referred to Worcester's Paris of the eighties. Yeah.
Molly:I asked people, and they were like, I don't know who said it. It's like, I even Googled it and there's like no lore that I could find. Oh, interesting. Where do like drag up some people to
Joshua:You know, read it I will ask my friend Bill Wallace, is the head of the Worcester Historical Museum, now known as the Museum of Worcester. And if one person in the world knows, it'll be Bill.
Molly:I can't wait to know. Yeah. Like, what is that?
Joshua:Yeah. And there's, like, some cool shirts and stuff that exist. It's, like, Paris of the eighties.
Molly:At the comic store. I can't remember the name of
Joshua:That's entertainment? Yeah. Yeah.
Molly:And I'm like, what is that? I kinda wanna buy that shirt, but I wanna know what that means first. Right. You know? Like, I don't wanna be walking around like completely clueless.
Molly:Mhmm. So where are you from originally?
Joshua:So I actually grew up in Central Massachusetts, so not too far outside of Worcester in a tiny little town called Holland.
Molly:And you went to school for art and design?
Joshua:So my higher ed journey is very colorful, and I'll give you the very quick snippet. So I left when I graduated high school, I moved to New York City, and I went to conservatory, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Dropped out after a year, moved to California Oh, wow. Spent some time with family and got into work, took some time off school. Then when came back to Massachusetts, I spent some time at Quinsigamond Community College and then some time at UMass Amherst, I left both of those programs, went back to California.
Joshua:Mhmm. You know, very like, figure out your life, girl. Yeah. And then I ended up coming back to Massachusetts to finish my degree at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. So I went from musical theater performance conservatory to an engineering school.
Molly:Oh, wow.
Joshua:And Yeah. Not an engineer, but built my own major, which was creative design technology and business. So it was kind of this intersection of art, design, technology, and I did user experience design for many years. And then as, like, a facilitator and someone who did a lot of, like, workshops and things with, like, users of technology products and also someone who cares a lot about community and wants to, like, be part of a solution to address challenges. I've fell in love with community work and started applying the design practice to, like, addressing, you know, housing insecurity and working with populations of folks, like, who are most marginalized in our communities and saying we can use a design framing to, like, bring community in because I, like, firmly believe that the people that are most affected by problems in the world are the people that hold the solutions.
Joshua:And oftentimes, we live in a very patriarchal
Molly:Yes.
Joshua:Society that says, like, oh, you know, these people, like, we feel so bad for them. We have the answer, and it's so often not the case.
Molly:Right.
Joshua:And so really, as a designer, as a facilitator, and as an artist, really working in community with the people that are most affected by these issues to say, what do you need, and how do we, you know, co build something together to address it?
Molly:I I love that you built your own program because it's very evident in, really, your entire life. You know your mission. You know the goals that you have, and you have figured out a way to not only do that with your degree program, but kind of with Love Your Labels and Queer AF and all of the things that you're doing. It's really evident that you're using both sides of your brain. You know what I mean?
Molly:Like, lot of people that are creatives have a hard time using that. I guess, use a conventional way of, like, understanding what their mission is and connecting those dots. And I don't mean that in a negative way, but you're just so very much clear in what you're doing. And I find that fascinating because that's hard to get to
Joshua:that point. And it's great to hear that from an observer observer perspective because sometimes I'm like, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just building the plane while we're flying it. But, you know, love your labels came out of my and friends in the community's conversation around identity and our different journeys to finding out who we were and who we are and who we're becoming because that is also a evolutionary, consistently changing, evolving journey. Right?
Joshua:And so when we were talking about it and initially the the impetus that birthed Love Your Labels was I was involved in, at the time, some of the old Worcester Pride organization. I was trying to, like, get involved and do some work there, and they do, like, a oh, there's a we're gonna pick a theme for this year's pride. Right? We're gonna some theme is selected every year, and I was, like, thinking, like, oh, if I were to develop, like, a pride theme, what would it be? And so I started, you know, did my design facilitator thing and started going into community and asking questions with folks.
Joshua:Be like, what does pride mean to you? What does this moment mean to you? Like, what how do we create something that's relevant and timely and important? And a lot of the conversations that I was having with folks, and this was around the time I had come out as nonbinary, so my gender presentation was, like, looking a little different. And there was, like, all this stuff going on in my life that I was also at a point where I was trying to figure something out, and I didn't always have the words to articulate what I was feeling.
Joshua:And I think for so many people, not just queer and trans folks, but so many people are like, I'm experiencing something in my body and in my life that I can't necessarily grab the word for. But then if you find the word and or you find a person that articulates something to you in a way that you're like, woah. Yeah. That that's me.
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:You know? So the labels that we claim for ourselves are really important. And there's also, like, a harmful stigma around labels. Right? Like, things that people will put on you and say, like, oh, you're this.
Joshua:And it's like, no. I haven't claimed that for myself. You know? Like, I was told I was a gay kid far before I was ever aware or knowledgeable of what that meant, what it and I always had received it as an insult. And Right.
Joshua:Because that's how it was wielded, and that's how it was thrown. Right? Yeah. Kind of coming to building Love Your Labels as an organization came out of that, like, yeah, the words that we use to talk about our lives and ourselves are so important because they connect us to others, and they're also not everything that we are.
Molly:One thing that came to mind when I was listening to your podcast, Queer for Cities. Right? Yeah. Queer for Cities. Subscribe.
Joshua:New content coming soon.
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:It's been a minute.
Molly:Yeah. It's still so good to listen to, especially as an ally, because I'd I'd never even heard the term two spirit, and I'm like, oh, wow. I should probably know that.
Joshua:I love podcasting as a format because I learn when I talk to guests and, like, do that piece of it, and it's so great to, like, hear the differing perspectives that folks have of their own experience, things that, like, I'm like, oh, I never knew that history or I never knew that term, so I love I love the format. So it's great to be here on on your show.
Molly:Thank you so much. Thank you. My Little Baby Podcast. One of the things that I absolutely loved, well, I loved all of it, but in particular, you said science fiction is a way of imagining the future. And I know that was a different author.
Joshua:Adrienne Maree Brown.
Molly:And I know I was reading up about that. There's another author, Ursula Le Guin,
Joshua:Yeah. Who
Molly:Who was talking about how when she's writing, and she's writing these androgynous characters, is she saying that we've lived so long that these people should be androgynous, or am I saying we damn well better be? And I kind of loved that.
Joshua:Yeah.
Molly:Because who cares?
Joshua:Yes. Exactly. A 100%. And that's why I love sci fi as like a genre. It's like imagining possible futures based on, like, what we know of now.
Joshua:And, like, even just, like, watching science fiction storytelling change Yeah. As technology and as, you know, the world changes is is really fascinating.
Molly:I'm glad you brought that up because you also said that you were a Star Trek fan growing up.
Joshua:I am. I'm still a Star
Molly:Still, Trek so, yes. The whole premise of that show is is exploring the universe with like an open mind, and that's kind of how you live your life now.
Joshua:Like Yeah. I actually attribute a lot of my ability to come out into my more full self to Star Trek. Because I grew up in a very conservative religious family that was incredibly successful at sheltering myself, my sister, our family, like we were at a very tight family in a very tight faith community. Mhmm. And so we didn't listen to a lot of secular music.
Joshua:Like, a lot of the things that we watched on TV were, like, not allowed. Like, we didn't have cable when I was a kid. And so but my dad loved Star Trek as a kid, and so I got to watch the original series of Star Trek. Yeah. And I think in their mind, it's like this fantasy just like make believe world and weren't seeing the, like, undertones of equality and equity and working collaboratively with people that have similarities and differences to ourselves.
Joshua:And, you know, Star Trek in so many ways, like Star Trek aired the first biracial kiss on TV, right, as just an example, and also depicted George Takei, who's, like, you know, super fabulous, famous, queer man, as a Asian character at in a non stereotyped role at the time that film was being made. And so it had broken through a lot of these walls as a show, which I just, like, kept diving deeper into the layers of that as I got older. And I was like, why do I love this? And a lot of people ask me, like, Josh, how do you how did you, as, like, a queer nonbinary person who grew up in the environment that you did, come out of that and, like, in a way that really centers, like, equity and justice and liberation practice. And I was like, if I really start looking down at it, there are a lot of different factors that come into it, but, like, Star Trek.
Molly:Yeah. It's so fascinating because while your dad watched that show, may have not have picked up on those things because of the the way the world conditions us, right, especially in the conservative Christian community. And it's so interesting when a young person sees that through a different lens, and it's it's really cool.
Joshua:I love that. And I think my queerness, like, what was my otherness at that time growing up was the thing that, like, created enough of an itch for me to ask questions Yeah. You know, which in in some ways was a a benefit to where I ended up in my life. Right? It was like, wait.
Joshua:Something about what I'm feeling is contradictory to what I'm being told I should be feeling, and I need to try and understand that. And as, like, an inquisitive, like, young person who is also, like, didn't love rules Yeah. I, you know chair. Really explored, you know, what does being a human and being in a, you know, a young person growing up in a world that has all of these rules really mean? And what do the rules really mean?
Joshua:And why do we have them?
Molly:Love Your Labels does Threads which is a sixteen week program for youth.
Joshua:Yes. So, Threads is our youth fashion design program that has evolved from sixteen weeks to really being a six month program Oh, awesome. Which is really fabulous. We typically run the program October to March and it's been for high school age youth who are interested in fashion, art, design, or simply building community and connecting with other queer and trans young people and folks figuring out their lives. And we're actually working on expanding the program this year where we're gonna be accepting a, like, junior high cohort and a high school age cohort.
Joshua:So I'm really excited for the for the growth. And, you know, you can't say no to, like, a 13 year old who's like, I wanna be a fashion designer. Yeah. I made these these clothes. This is a real conversation that I had with a young person who was like, I made this these clothes that I'm wearing and I wanna be a fashion designer, but my mom said I can't do threads for like a couple years because I'm not old enough.
Joshua:And I was like, okay, we're gonna figure it out. Yeah. And so, are.
Molly:That's amazing. And so it's a nonprofit?
Joshua:Yes. Yep. We're a nonprofit based in Worcester, but our reach goes really around all of Greater Worcester and like Worcester County because we have young people that come in from a good ways away, but a lot of our students are focused here in Worcester.
Molly:What sparked the creation of Threads? Like, why fashion as an entry point?
Joshua:So, Threads also has a fun origin story. When we first started Love Your Labels, we did a photo campaign that was showcasing individuals in our community, adults who were claiming like three labels that meant something important to them. It could be a part of their queer identity, their gender identity, their, family or cultural background. Could we had someone who said that one of their labels was entrepreneur. One, someone had a label that was non binary.
Joshua:Right? And, like, intersecting the intersecting experience of holding all of those identities is something that we wanted to uplift and also show to young people that, like, there are happy, thriving, joyful queer adults. And we are more than what society just tells us that we are. A lot of queer folks, like, I have had experiences in spaces where especially if they're, like, predominantly, like, cisgender heterosexual spaces where my queerness is the thing. Right?
Joshua:Like, that's the thing because that's the thing that stands out. That's the thing that's unique in that space. When I'm around a lot of queer people, our queerness is like a connecting element, but then it's like, oh, you're an artist. You're a photographer. You're an engineer.
Joshua:Like, we get to a different level of depth with each other. Right. And so we wanted to, like, uplift and highlight that our queerness and our gender is something that is beautiful and should be celebrated and affirmed, and we are these expansive beings that have so much more to us. So when we did this photo campaign and launched Love Your Labels, we were like, okay. We're gonna turn this into a nonprofit.
Joshua:Like, there's energy around this. There's people that wanna see more from the organization. Let's do a fundraiser. You know? It's a nonprofit.
Joshua:Needs some money to, like, do programs, buy materials, etcetera. And so we said, alright. Let's instead of doing, like, one of those more traditional, like, stuffy kind of plated dinner type gala fundraisers, we're like, let's do, like, a fashion show. Right? Let's do a fashion show, like, labels that's, you know, a cute play on the the word of, you know, fashion and fashion label and things like that.
Joshua:And we're like, okay. Let's do that. And so I was like, I've never organized a fashion show before. So what are we gonna do? Yeah.
Joshua:How are we gonna do this? And so we started reaching into our network and finding folks who were designers, and that led to someone introducing me to Sam Donovan, who is a two season Project Runway alum living in the Greater Boston area. And we kind of met, and he was like, oh, I would love to do this. And so Sam was involved in our very first Queer AF fashion show, which took place at Electric Hayes in Oh, yeah. On Milbury Street in Worcester.
Joshua:Shout out to Electric Hayes and Vicky who have always been super supportive of queer community events happening in that space. So we did this fashion show. We had no clue if anyone was gonna come. We pulled models from the community. We're like, hey.
Joshua:Do you wanna walk in a fashion show? Like, our organization is growing to be all about celebrating everybody, every person, every experience, and, like, shining a light on that and just creating a space for folks to be, like, celebrated and affirmed and raise some money for a good cause. Right? Mhmm. We had a pretty packed house for the first event.
Joshua:And after the show, we were feeling so good. And Sam came up to me, again has done like fashion weeks and project runway and stuff and was like, this fashion show, like, this scrappy little fashion show that we pulled together was one of the most joyful
Molly:That's amazing.
Joshua:Moments that I've had as a designer because it was so rooted in the community. And, yes, it was about the fashion, but it was about so much more
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:Than that. And so we looked at each other and we're like, what if we started a program to do fashion design with queer and trans youth and really connect it to how fashion and how we express ourselves, like, on the outside can be such an affirming way on how we feel on the inside. And so threads came out of that conversation and we said Amazing. Yeah. So that's how that's the impetus.
Joshua:That's what
Molly:started year was that?
Joshua:This was back in, I wanna say, 2019
Molly:Okay.
Joshua:Is when we ran our first cohort of threads.
Molly:And it's amazing that you were able to get pushed through the pandemic through that because that's that's a lot to take on as a new nonprofit.
Joshua:It was. We had, like, a year and a half to almost two years of operating as a small baby organization and then got hit by the pandemic. Mhmm. And we made a conscious decision to kind of pause some of the the work because we were so young and a lot of us were involved with other organizations and things. So we're like, alright.
Joshua:Let's let this simmer for a minute and still be in community, reach into our community, see what folks need. And then as we came out of the pandemic, really came back. And actually, a a funny little story. So we did two queer ave queer AF events before the pandemic. And then we as the pandemic was setting in, we had to, like, reschedule, and we bumped the planning.
Joshua:And then we finally ended up canceling for the couple years of of COVID. But during the pandemic, we I think a lot of us were, like, losing our minds a little bit. And and we said, well, why don't you instead of doing Queer AF, let's reimagine a virtual version so people can, like, tune in and bring some joy and light into people's seclusion that we had during, that many folks had during the pandemic. And so we said, let's do, like, a virtual pet fashion show.
Molly:Oh, fun.
Joshua:And so we did a virtual pet pet fashion show. We called it board AF
Molly:because That's so true. It was
Joshua:the time that we were in. And it oh, that was another thing. You could tell people were itching to do something. Yeah. Like, we had we had drag influencer dogs that had, like, 600,000 followers of, like, submit videos.
Joshua:We had people dress their alpacas on an alpaca farm.
Molly:Oh my
Joshua:god. Yeah. So we carried through and survived through the pandemic, and now we're back with our big Queer AF show, the sixth iteration of Queer AF, which is coming up at Mechanics Hall on Friday, September 5.
Molly:I'm so excited for that. And just before we get into the fashion show Yeah. Because I'm really excited to talk about that. One thing I wanted to ask is, are is there a moment that you can share where a student from threads had a a design may have unlocked a a breakthrough in their self understanding or just the experience, like a testimonial?
Joshua:Yeah. So there's a there's a few that come to mind, and it's amazing getting to know these students through the program and how, like, just sitting and, like, working on something unlocks things in and of itself. Right? Yeah. The the front end of the program, we do, like, sketching and collaging and just imagining, like, what do you wanna create?
Joshua:What do you wanna work on? Some students come in and they, like, know a 100%. Like, I have a con coming up, and so I'm, like, getting my cosplay costume together. Like, that's my my goal. I wanna build, like, a cloak.
Joshua:Right? Some come in, and they're like, I'm not sure. Like, let's figure it out together. We have a couple students who have shared the impact of the program in a way that has been, like, incredibly moving for for me and our team who is privileged enough to, like, create the space that Threads is for for these young people. I remember this past year's cohort, we had a student who brilliant artist, fantastically creative, and was absolutely mortified to walk the runway.
Joshua:Because at the end of the threads program, we do a youth fashion showcase to celebrate the young people, and everyone is able to wear their garments and, like, you know, go in front of the audience. As a alumni of WPI, I'm a project based learning nerd. So, like, everything that we do is project based. And so it's like concept, realization, showcase, like, bringing it to community. Mhmm.
Joshua:And so I I sat with them and I was like, listen. At the end of the day, if you don't wanna walk, that is your decision. You don't have to do that. I would encourage you to lean into some of that Mhmm. Discomfort and that, you know, it is scary to walk in front of an audience of a 150 plus people.
Joshua:Mhmm. Right? But I encourage you to do it. And at the end of the day, they did, and they walked. And they were like, that was mortifying.
Joshua:I never wanna do it again, but I'm really glad that I did it. And when they did that walk, you could see them beaming. And, like, they were smiling, and it was like, oh, I feel a little awkward, but it doesn't matter because, like, the uproarious applause that the audience gives the young people is, like, so affirming. Yeah. And we've seen multiple students who have, like, come out of their shell and will go on to talk about how threads has had an impact on not only their, like, skills as, like, a designer, a young designer, but also, like, feel more confident just, like, walking into the world.
Molly:That's amazing. I mean, I wish that there were more programs like that, like, in more places. Do you plan on taking this
Joshua:Taking it on the road?
Molly:To more places. You know? Affiliate cities? Or
Joshua:We do, actually. So we've been actually formalizing our curriculum a bit more because there are some really unique aspects of the program. It combines the fashion and the sewing skills with mental health support. We have a therapist in residence who works with the students throughout the program That's amazing. As well as our fashion education team.
Joshua:And so our fashion education team and our our therapists and residents kind of connect and collaborate on working with the students, not only from kind of a social emotional place, but we are pairing this with thoughts of employment and, like, job opportunities and, like, how do we manage anxiety and stress as people while also meeting deadlines. Yeah. And fashion is a great way to kind of scaffold that. Right? Because for folks who have not done a lot of fashion or, like, sewing, it's a lot longer than folks might expect.
Joshua:Right? When you're finding your pattern, cutting your garments, sewing, doing all the alterations. If you're doing any, like, level of detail work, that takes a long time. And we have a time bound program it's about six months so we're regularly doing check ins with our young people to say okay how's your project going do you know where your project is going and how many more steps there are and let's build the plan with you And we've had students that have, like, broken down a little bit because of, like, I don't think I'm gonna get this done. And it's like, okay.
Joshua:Let's acknowledge that we feel those anxieties in our bodies, and there are ways that we can, like, process and also think about, like, alright. Is this a moment that I need to really focus in on doing adding more hours to my schedule so that I can get this done, or maybe you can adapt the project a little bit so that it's more realistic in the time that you have so you're also learning these skills.
Molly:These are such incredible life skills that we are not taught Right. Literally ever.
Joshua:I'm like, back like, I every time I talk about this program, someone who's usually older is like, well, we used to have sewing in school, and they don't have that. Like, they don't teach that to people anymore. And it was also very gendered in the classrooms. Right? Like, the girls take the sewing classes.
Joshua:The boys do this. You know? It's, like, very separated. And so we create a, like, a genderless space to create fashion. And that is something that overarching, like Love Your Labels, the threads program, the Queer AF fashion show is really about is it's about shattering these societal, like, notions that clothing is associated with your body, like, in some way.
Joshua:Right? And there are ways in which based on our bodies for a variety of reasons that we would wanna alter or adjust clothing so that we feel good Mhmm. In those garments. And we're giving young people the option of saying, like, oh, I really like that thing, but I would rather that be a pantsuit than a dress. Right.
Joshua:Or, like, I have a total new imagining for a garment that I don't see in the stores when I go shopping. And I can go to the Auburn Fabric Outlet, who's a great partner of ours, and buy affordable fabric and come home and make my dream a actual reality, which is so cool.
Molly:Yeah. I mean, on top of the sewing skills and and kind of the design element, that project management aspect is something that is if we, as a society, learned that young, we could tackle these big problems that you face in life. No matter what they are, if you put that project management hat on, it's it's makes things so much more less stressful. So, that's amazing that you had the wherewithal to put those two together and offer that to the youth. I mean, that's I hope somebody's giving you flowers every day.
Joshua:Well, thank you.
Molly:Things you don't learn unless you are, like, in a corporate environment or even in your college programs, it's kind of haphazardly thrown together. Yeah. And to learn that from someone who, obviously, you're very project management driven in what you do. So that's that's really great.
Joshua:Well, and the the the corporate environments as well, like, I often talk about my work as being at the intersections Yeah. Of so many things. Because as we're talking about, I have a strong belief in financial literacy as a path to autonomy, which provides safety and security for people who especially grow up or are in unsafe relational dynamics. That could be a trans kid in a family that is not accepting of them. That could be a person in an abusive relationship.
Joshua:Like, paths to financial stability and independence are really crucial. And so the life skills are, I think, intrinsically, like, entwined in our work to create safe and affirming space for queer and trans youth and community because it isn't just about finding a space that you can go for a few hours a week and find that safety. It's about how do we help support you on the full trajectory of your life to find a thriving, joyful existence. Mhmm. And part of that is, you know, we live in under oppressive capitalism, which I could go on a whole other tangent about.
Joshua:Right?
Molly:I wouldn't do it as eloquently as you.
Joshua:It's like we we live under that thing. So, like, we do have to find things that help bring dollars in so that we can pay to shelter, eat, do things that we enjoy. And so we're really thinking about threads and the growth of Love Your Labels programs as ways to the floor is like we celebrate and see and affirm and support you regardless of your gender, regardless of your sexuality. Those things are like things that we find are beautiful and we celebrate you. That's our floor.
Joshua:Above it, we're building and we're architecting. Like, how do we wanna how do we wanna live in the world? Right? And we challenge corporations to create more affirming environments for trans and gender diverse people in the workplace because we know that the trans and gender diverse community experience some of the highest rates of discrimination in the workplace. They, we are disproportionately represented in, unhoused populations because of an inability to, you know, access some of those those ladders that allow for economic security and stability through employment.
Joshua:And so if we're walking into our office and having to cover parts of ourselves, we are not able to, one, show up fully for those those experiences, and we know and we have experienced losing those jobs and losing those opportunities because of bias that sits at the at the top of a lot of those spaces.
Molly:Yeah. And it's it's something even for a cisgender heterosexual woman that that, you know, disguising part of yourself is really crippling for your mental health. And I try to explain to people that maybe don't understand that imagine if you had to do that throughout your entire life, and places don't accept you, and it's way bigger than, know, I have blue hair. You know? It's it's Well, and don't understand that.
Joshua:And it is so can I did a a brief stint in executive coaching for diversity, equity, and inclusion? And in that work, you know, you dive into some of the data and stuff. And and I think it's even I think it's over 60% of cisgender white men will say they cover at work in some way. So they hide something about themselves or their life because they are fearful about if someone in the workplace finds out Mhmm. That it'll affect their ability to, I don't know, get that promotion or, like you know?
Joshua:And it could be something from, like, I did ballet in high school
Molly:Mhmm.
Joshua:Or to, like, I have a queer child.
Molly:Mhmm.
Joshua:You know? And those environments, like, we create toxicity
Molly:Absolutely.
Joshua:At all of the levels. Right? And, like, there are compounded and much, you know, more, like, exemplified challenge, especially folks holding multiple marginalized identities. And that culture of toxicity affects everybody.
Molly:Yeah. I wish people understood that more when I was listening to your podcast, and it was such a it's such an obvious thing. Right? People have to mask in some way to fit in the corporatocracy of life. And, I almost I was talking to my husband, and I'm like, I wonder if all of this hate towards the LGBTQIA plus community is not only obviously, there's religion, there's all these other aspects, but if it's just simply people having to mask their identity and then feeling like they don't have the permission or they're too stubborn to give themselves the permission because of this systemic, like, just overarching oppression of fitting into a box.
Molly:And they don't realize that the queer community, it's almost like a jealousy in a way.
Joshua:There, I have observed in a variety of different environments and different spaces how uncomfortable someone else's confidence and joy can make a person. Yeah. And I I give a talk called I have a beard and wear heels, which is about my experience as I I hold a lot of privileges. I was socialized male. I was I am white.
Joshua:Like, I hold a lot of privileges within the society that we live in. And I also transitioned from a place of palatable queerness where, oh, I'm like a white gay man in a suit going to the internship and the guys are like, hey. We're going for beers after to watch the sports game to someone who shows up in those spaces in a dress and heels and makeup. And if the men talk to me, and this has happened multiple times, the, like, CEO or the person that I could see pulling me forward, you know, up that ladder for these opportunities is like, oh, Josh, I gotta introduce you to my wife. She'd love to take you shopping.
Joshua:You know? So, like, the difference of that experience was so eye opening, and I'm like, I cannot fathom, and I can never understand. I can work to empathize with people who do not have the privileges that I have and have had to deal with that every, you know, moment moving through the, you know, life in the world. So it that's just to say, like, we live in a society where I think for a lot of people, it is easier to be told what to do. Yeah.
Joshua:And folks don't wanna necessarily, like, identify with that what they're doing. Right? But it's like when I grew up in the conservative church. Right? And they said, you do this.
Joshua:You do this. You do this. Here are the rules. And I would say, well, but why does this rule exist? Like, what is this rule for?
Joshua:And they say, don't ask questions. You just do it. I'm really the wrong person to say, don't ask questions. You just do something. Yeah.
Joshua:Because at the end of the day, we can identify and understand why something exists or not. Right? Right. And I, like, go back and forth in in dialogue with family and with people and and parents of young students that we work with who are struggling to accept the gender or the sexual orientation of their kid because of their faith tradition. And I say, listen.
Joshua:I I it is not my goal in life to convince you to not hold your faith or be part of your church or do any of that. What I can tell you is what we know from the data, unsupportive environments that do not accept queer and trans young people increase their likelihood of suicidality, increase the likelihood of anxiety and depression. And what we do know also from the data, incredible research that's done through the Trevor Project, is that just one affirming adult in the life of an LGBTQ plus young person reduces their likelihood of attempting suicide by over forty percent.
Molly:Yeah. I I heard that on your podcast, I was like, wow. That's amazing.
Joshua:And that's just one person saying, love you. I see you. Thank you for sharing that part of yourself with me. I value that you cared enough to let me in and get to know you better. Yeah.
Joshua:Like, that is what I wish every young person who How came out
Molly:how hard is that? It's it's really easy, to be honest. Like, I just the world we live in now is very confusing.
Joshua:It is. Yeah.
Molly:But I love that your whole mission is to make queer joy an everyday part of your life. So how do you go about doing that?
Joshua:So many ways. But I joy is, I think, probably one of the most necessary and powerful acts of resistance that we have in this time right now, especially for queer and trans folks, for immigrant communities, for folks who are being put in the firing, you know, line of sight for a lot of the federal actions that are really meant to be tactics to distract from the things that they're actually trying to do and doing. So queer joy is a powerful form of resistance. Actually, recently, leading up to our BigQueryF show, we hosted our first drag competition called make it work. And we had 11 drag performers compete to grab two places for performances at the upcoming query f show.
Joshua:And the energy that you feel in that room, it's like we're singing, we're dancing, we're laughing, people are turning looks. It's competitive, but it's mostly all in good fun and good community. And so, I find joy by dancing, by going out with friends, by making art, by going out and sometimes needing a good, like, primal scream at the sky.
Molly:I need to do that.
Joshua:Yeah. Yeah. Those are all things that fuel the work because the work is hard, and what people see is often the tip of the iceberg of what actually goes into doing all the work. And we need that fuel. We need that joy or else we will be defeated, and we won't have the energy that we need when we need to really stand up and stand out.
Molly:Yeah. I mean, it's it's so easy to give up in any aspect when you're doing community work. Right? Because it's not it's pretty thankless in some regard, but because you have Love Your Labels and and you're not just working with the activism side as far as, like, political community things. I know I saw you go live last night on Love Your Labels.
Molly:It was like a council meeting or it was like candidates?
Joshua:We hosted a candidate forum. Worcester has elections Mhmm. Local elections on November 4. And so we are trying to raise awareness around candidates' positions. We Worcester, through a lot of advocacy that we did as well as others in the community, finally, after a month of literally kind of breaking down the door of City Hall with over a 100 people turning up at every city council meeting, the city to pass a resolution to claim Worcester as a sanctuary city for trans and gender diverse people.
Joshua:And that was a lot of work, but it matters. Yeah. Absolutely. And it's important. We've had people literally move here from across the country who said, I saw Worcester claim their, like, position as a sanctuary city, and we were like, we gotta get out of where we are.
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:And so people are coming here. So that matters. And we need to keep candidates or we need actually, we need to seat a lot of new candidates that are upholding the values of why we want to be a sanctuary city. Mhmm. And, you know, and I say that we successfully passed sanctuary city for trans and gender diverse people.
Joshua:I would like to be a sanctuary city for our immigrant community because there are so many intersections of, experience between immigrants and queer folks, and, like, all of our fight needs to be the same same fight. Because that's the only way that we're gonna break through that
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:Very pearly, patriarchal Yeah. Shielded ceiling that we're fighting.
Molly:Bring, like, a big sledgehammer. Yes. Of all the things that you're doing with Love Your Labels, which you also do drag story time and create a place for parents and family of queer youth to maybe understand that journey a little bit better, which I think is amazing. I don't wanna not touch on how does someone get involved Mhmm. As like a volunteer Yes.
Molly:And what do they do?
Joshua:Definitely. So we have a variety of ways people can get involved with the organization. Loveyourlabels.org is our website, which is a good clearinghouse for finding things that we're doing. We've got a updated calendar of events that are happening for folks who are part of a queer family, whether that is the parents are a queer couple or you have queer and trans kids. Like, we have so many beautiful iterations of what queer family looks like.
Joshua:Yeah. We have launched our parents and caregivers network. So we have regular meetings with parents and families. Sometimes it's the just the adults talking about how they can learn more or get access to more support or do some more advocacy in the community. And sometimes it's like, let's get all the kids together and, like, hang out and create spaces where we're gonna be around families that are gonna be supportive and and loving and caring and and nurturing to each other.
Joshua:So that is a really exciting thing. We also are always looking for volunteers. Like a good example, our Queer AF show, that requires over 50 plus volunteers day of the show to make it happen. Yeah. We've got our models.
Joshua:We've got performers. We've got designers, and all of those people need volunteer support. We set up the Mechanics Hall, which is like a stunning massive venue, so there's lots of places to to fill in. We look for folks who do, styling, hair, and makeup. Like, all of those pieces come together for, for that show.
Molly:Mhmm.
Joshua:And then I'll mention a couple other things that are upcoming, which are really exciting ways for people to get involved. One is in the fall, we're gonna be opening up our sewing studio for open studio days, which is literally inviting anyone who wants to be in community, work on a creative project. It'll the foundation is like sewing and stuff, but come on by, like, learn. If you don't know how to sew, we have a incredible team of volunteer sewists who are gonna come and do kind of office hours to support that with folks. The other thing that we reach recently launched is a deaf queer ASL meetup group.
Joshua:So folks who are are deaf and wanna connect with other folks in the community as well as folks who are learning ASL Mhmm. We are creating we're creating that space. So, there's a lot of different ways to Yeah. Get
Molly:You're, like, amazing. I don't know. I was, like, telling my husband, like, I am in love with him in the best platonic way. Everything that you're doing is so purpose driven, so rooted in your heart.
Joshua:I'm gonna
Molly:cry. It's so fascinating. This podcast has really connected me with people that are so it took them a while to get where they're going, but once they did, it's so fascinating to see someone shine in their purpose. I'm gonna cry. Don't.
Joshua:Thank you. No. I I so value that. And that's what I hope people listening and young people, like, life is a journey and it is hard. It is hard.
Joshua:You know, I we can put on the fabulous, like
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:Shiny parts of our life, but there is challenge, you know?
Molly:Absolutely. I mean, there's, you know, a reason why you're doing the things that you're doing, and it's not because the world made you feel comfortable. Yeah. You know? And you are taking that adversity, and you're providing a space for people to take take some of that pain away.
Joshua:Yeah. I think the more I've done this work and the more I've lived through my own experiences and, like, talked to young people who are going through similar and different things than I did when I was a young person
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:Is, like, the less I think my goal in life is to try and make life easier Yeah. It's about making life more joyful. Yeah. All are going to go through hardship. Right?
Joshua:Like, life isn't easy. We experience loss and death and job chain changes into in our jobs, in our education, our access to things, and we just have to embrace that we can prepare ourselves Yeah. More if we not only are allowing ourselves to feel joy Mhmm. And root into things that bring us happiness, but also build community. Yeah.
Joshua:Because at the end of the day, like, being in community is what pulls us through. You know, we we were talking about advocacy and Mhmm. And how, like, you know, it could be so easy to just, like, drop out of this stuff. Right? And I and I think that's because so many of us feel siloed and isolated, and it's like, what can I do as one person?
Joshua:Right? Mhmm. But when I'm exhausted and I need a break to just, like, binge watch Netflix for a weekend because I've just, like, had too much Yeah. I know my community is out there.
Molly:Yeah. Exactly.
Joshua:And, like, Love Your Labels has an amazing team. One of the things that I'm most proud of over the past few years is we've we now have three part time staff. One is a parent of alumni of our threads program, and one is a former student of our threads program. Amazing. And so there's we're we're working on building this community and this organization to Mhmm.
Joshua:Be able to respond to what our community is asking of us. And we say, if you're asking something of us, we'd also love to invite you in and create together.
Molly:Yeah. That's amazing. Let's go on to Joy and Query F. Query F. Yes.
Molly:I'm so excited for this. It's at Mechanics Hall, September.
Joshua:September 5. Friday, September 5 at Mechanics Hall. Doors are at seven. We've got a red carpet experience this year. So when we have beautiful sunny day, it's gonna be right outside Mechanics Hall on Main Street.
Joshua:People show up and show out for this. We we love to talk about it as the Queer Met Gala of Massachusetts.
Molly:Yeah. I'm obsessed with that because my friends and I were talking, like, the actual Met Gala is so tired. I mean, other than the last, you know
Joshua:I was gonna say
Molly:The last to
Joshua:shout out to the superfine Yeah. Exhibit. That was But
Molly:at the same time, that was probably the best one in a long time, and it's just so overrated.
Joshua:Yeah. I think not this past year because I I think that there was finally a level of dedication to detail around, like, the history
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:Of, like, harm and community and, like, resilience and so much. I actually got to go see the Super Fine exhibit at the Met, and I was, like, really impressed with how that was curated. But I think the last year a couple years ago, I saw a meme that was like, with everything going on in the world, the Met Gala very much feels like the Hunger Games. Like, that that, like, stark difference of, like, people are fighting for their lives and then where it look at this opulence that we're Mhmm. That we're uplifting and and celebrating.
Molly:Yeah. It's kind of lost the plot. Mhmm. You know? And it's I think it's way cooler to have something in the like, community driven, like query f.
Molly:Now, you have local designers that are are creating looks and also students from the Threads program?
Joshua:Yes. I believe I'll have
Molly:to check my final numbers, but
Joshua:I believe we have seven students, former students showing pieces in the show. One of them is Kailam Lam, who is our youth fashion designer in residence and is actually the former student who is now on staff with Love Your Label supporting community engagement and social media. And Kylam, being our youth fashion designer in residence, was someone who came back to help with kind of peer based mentorship for the threads program and also, has a a stipend to buy materials and work on garments for the show. So Kailam is gonna be highlighted again. And then we recently this year, actually, we launched a fashion council to help with kind of curating and reaching out to designers.
Joshua:And so we have local talent to regional talent to national talent that comes in for this show. And I'm super, super excited. We just announced our fashion design headliner, which is Utica Mhmm. From formerly on RuPaul's Drag Race, presently on the current season of Project Runway. That's
Molly:so so exciting.
Joshua:So excited.
Molly:If anyone is watching either of those shows, if you don't turn up, you're gonna miss out.
Joshua:So Yeah. Yeah. Utica's looks are, like, opulent, like, beautiful, stunning, like, very rooted in, like, drag fashion, but, like, has so many different, like, ways in which that's kind of shape shifted, I think, into, like, the everyday or the, like, I'm here to really show up. You know? And then we also have another RuPaul alum, which is Raja Gemini, who is the season three winner, but is also, like, has a podcast and is, like, a well known makeup artist to the stars.
Joshua:And we're super excited to have Raja coming in as our
Molly:And neither one of them are local. Right? They're not local.
Joshua:They're not local. No. Though they'll be flying in for the show. Mhmm. And we I've I've as a person truly dedicated to community based work and local art and supporting local, community, I've gotten into the a dialogue with folks around, like, the challenges or the benefit of, like, bringing in, like, these big names and and things.
Joshua:Right? When folks are like, well, shouldn't we support more local art? I'm like, yes and. Yes and. We should absolutely be supporting local art, and we do, and we are, and that's a focus every year.
Joshua:We put money into paying performers and bringing people in to the show, and the network and the connectivity and the elevation that is provided when people get to share the stage with someone of Utica's experience, of Raj's experience, for example, is is really, really powerful. And we actually a few years ago, Peppermint was our Mhmm. Headliner, and she was an absolute rock star to work with. And she met DJ Skife who was a p who is a pianist and musician and performer out of New York. That's a friend.
Joshua:And he came down and performed at the show. And they connected at Queer AF in Worcester.
Molly:That's cool. So
Joshua:And he ended up opening her big show in New York City. That's interesting. These connections happen. Rufus Dixon, one of our fashion educators, also an incredible designer. He teaches our threads program and has showcased a collection the past two years, and I've had the good fortune of walking for Rufus in the past two years.
Joshua:Jackie Cox from RuPaul's Drag Race, who was one of our headliners last year, saw the garment that I was wearing that Rufus made, she's like, I need to wear that. And so That's able so Rufus was able to, you know, work with Jackie to get that garment at an event that she attended. So that, like, connectivity is so, I think, so beautiful.
Molly:And it creates buzz. Right? Online buzz. I mean, the attention economy there there has to be a level that whether we like it or not, sometimes we need that big name. And who doesn't wanna see
Joshua:Utica Right. And we Raja. And we've done a good job at being, like, working with people who are really mission aligned with our work. Yeah. Right?
Joshua:Who wanna be supportive, who are, you know, very giving of their their time and talents. And last year, one of our fashion design headliners was Mondo Guerra from Project Runway. And Mondo came out a day early before the show and actually did a workshop with Sam Donovan and with some of our former students and community. And they, like, did a Sam and Mondo team, and they competed to, like, upcycle a Garmin and, like, design something then one night. And, you know, Mondo was, like, so fabulous to work with there.
Joshua:So it's, like, bringing in the relationships, I think, is really important. And the other piece that I find some tension in community sometimes as an artist myself, as someone really, like, loves to support local is we also can hold ourselves to a quality standard.
Molly:Mhmm.
Joshua:Right? We're talking about, like, functional design. We're talking about fashion. We're talking about art and creativity, which in many ways can be subjective, and there are ways of, like, what's resonating with people. Like Yeah.
Joshua:How is the audience responding to this? And, like, bringing in talent that we are, like, this is high bar talent. Yeah. That also inspires our youth and our young people to say, like, oh, I can do that. Or I'm like, I can see myself doing that in a different way or a way that I think is a little maybe even better.
Joshua:Right? I'm like, that healthy, not total competitive nature, but like that healthy desire to constantly strengthen our art
Molly:Right.
Joshua:Is something that I am a huge proponent of.
Molly:Yeah. Absolutely. Finding inspiration in in in in something you haven't seen before is so important as as an artist or a creative. I'm constantly trying to get out and like experience something new, experience a different form of art, and it's it's really critical to like the creative process. So with Queer AF coming up, if people wanna get involved or showcase a design or somehow be involved in the next Queer AF fashion show, how do they go about doing that?
Joshua:Yes. So reach out to me. We have our fashion council. We have our query planning team. So there's a few things that I'll mention, especially for folks interested in the next year's show is we start recruiting designers in, like, the early to mid spring, for the show that will happen next September.
Joshua:And we're always looking for folks that are, you know, like, exploring new ways of working with textiles. We also really are committed to working with folks that, are body positive in their fashion, that are focused on working with queer and trans folks. So we have, like, so many different perspectives that we try and really curate and bring into the show, folks that are really caring about the climate impact of the fashion industry and are working with sustainable, reused, recycled materials, things like that, please reach out to us. Like, start building that relationship.
Molly:So excited. I have someone in mind right now.
Joshua:Good. Yes. Yes.
Molly:I'm gonna love her.
Joshua:Okay. We are always looking for folks. I'm I'm so excited. We've got a great lineup of folks from this year, and I will forget if I name all of them. But Vos Stewart Baxter is a Boston area, designer.
Joshua:We have a designer, named Thorn Petal who's gonna be in the show. So super exciting. So if you are a designer, please come connect with Love Your Labels, connect with Query F. We've got an amazing show that I'm sure we'll already be planning, like, the day after this show.
Molly:Yeah.
Joshua:And then we also have a community based modeling program. So anyone who is interested in modeling, and it's not like you want to be a model necessarily. If you want an affirming experience where people are going to celebrate and uplift you on the runway, it is incredibly empowering experience, and it has become one of, like, kind of our core programs.
Molly:You are looking for right now for the current show, you're looking for makeup artists and hairstylists. Yes. And it's a volunteer position, so it's for your portfolio, but it's also for amazing cause.
Joshua:So Yeah. We do offer stipends for folks that are, you know, not able to do a full Mhmm. You know, volunteer contribution of their time, but it is, you know, for a good a good cause. Yeah. And so we are welcoming folks with styling experience, hair, makeup.
Joshua:Ideally, if you have some runway experience, that's great, but we are we are a good team, and we've got some folks that'll help pull all that together. Our roster of volunteer needs is, like, 50 people deep. So if folks are like, oh, I wanna go to the show. I'd love to help out.
Molly:Mhmm.
Joshua:It's like most of the volunteers are able to see the show at some level throughout the night. Yeah. And so it's like a great way to, like, come in and build community. And we have a really awesome team that that puts us together, but we're definitely still open for some volunteers.
Molly:Okay. I'll I'll link everything on how you can volunteer in the show notes. Is there anything else you wanna highlight for Queer AF?
Joshua:For Queer AF, I talked about Utica. I talked about Raja. I talked about Kailam. I mentioned that we had a drag competition
Molly:Oh, yes.
Joshua:To place folks in the the show. And so I'm really excited. We have two rock star drag performers. The person who won the night is King Neptune out of Providence, so they're gonna be coming up and doing their thing on stage. And then Worcester based drag artist, Janalexia Zatish.
Joshua:So she's gonna be turning looks, amazing dancer. Yeah. So it's gonna be an incredible night. Like I said, doors open at seven. We've got a red carpet, like, preview before the show.
Joshua:Show starts at eight for anyone who gets a VIP ticket, which is our front row runway seats or our runway seating seats.
Molly:I got one.
Joshua:Yes. Our we have a photo op with Raja and Utica Oh. That starts promptly at 07:15. So PSA to any VIP guests definitely be on the earlier side.
Molly:And those tickets are running low. Right?
Joshua:The VIP. I think we might have two front row seats left, and I don't know the number for the runway seating, but that is what goes fast. So if people are wanting to come, wanting to sit right near the runway, get your tickets.
Molly:And the theme, we didn't talk about theme. I'm sorry. The ethereal beings. So that's exciting.
Joshua:Yes. Okay. So each year, we do a theme. And this year, we were like, how do we capture the moment and also not just sink into the sadness and upset of the moment Yeah. With things that are going on nationally.
Joshua:Because we said, especially this year, we want Queer Eye AF to be joy rooted. We will always be about uplifting the resistance work that we have to do, and we want it to be really joy rooted. And so we were talking about how queer and trans folks based on, like, what the federal government and the national media is, like, saying about us is often, like, they don't understand who we are. And they're fueled they're fueling a fear Mhmm. Within people who don't have relationships with queer and trans folks.
Joshua:I think it's still like over 50% of people polled say they don't think they know a trans person. Right? And so it's easier to villainize a group of people that you don't know. Right? So, like, if I tell you something about something that you don't know about, like, you're more inclined to maybe believe me because I'm like, yeah, they're bad because of this reason.
Joshua:Right? And so, like, we are and throughout a lot of history, especially American history, have always been present and in many cases misunderstood as these, like, beings that just are kind of unknowable or like, oh, are is being trans real or not? You know, people question our own, like, belief in ourselves and, like, I'm telling you that this is my experience. This is who I am. You don't have to believe me, but I'm just telling you that this is who I am.
Joshua:Just like I would believe you if you said you're a, you know, a woman from Connecticut. You know? I'm not not going to challenge you on that. So we're leaning into the mystical and the magical power that exists within being these, like, ethereal beings. Right?
Joshua:Being within this space of, yes, we're mortal. We're here. We're material. But we're also mystical. And so how folks imagine that in their garments and in their looks for Queer AF, I'm really excited to see.
Molly:What are you gonna wear? Are you walking?
Joshua:Or what are you doing? I am in the process of working with Rufus Dixon, one of our fabulous designers, on a look for the show. It's gonna give sparkle. It's gonna give some, maybe, some gradient coloring. It's gonna give It's still coming together, so I'm I'm excited to see where it where it ends up.
Molly:This hair that I have now, which if you are not watching, it's blue, and it's it's a soft launch, which kind of turned into a hard launch. I don't know how I feel about it yet, but it was very much inspired by like ethereal, maybe otherworldly. And I'm like, let me see.
Joshua:I love it.
Molly:Thank I
Joshua:can get some vibe.
Molly:I don't know yet. I'm kind of like, woah, this is a lot. Mhmm. This is a lot.
Joshua:Yeah. But that's the beauty of Yeah. Expression. Right? Exactly.
Joshua:You get to try things on. Yeah. And be like, okay, I like this. I don't like this. Yeah.
Joshua:And that's the other piece about query f that is so powerful. We've had both audience members and models share stories back about how they have known that Queer AF has been a safe space. So if they are someone who has never worn a dress before and wants to do that and see how it feels on and especially feels on being in some level of public, Queer AF is the place.
Molly:That's so true.
Joshua:Queer AF is the place. People are going to, like, affirm you and celebrate you, and I've definitely bet felt that from people, and I was in something that I'll look back at a picture, I'll be like, definitely not the look for me. But I appreciate that people were supportive.
Molly:Yeah. Like, that's my MO. That's what I do. Do something weird. And then I'm like, oh, girl.
Joshua:What's great? We love that.
Molly:We love that. Yeah. That you know, goes into the I won't be doing that again pile, and then you know.
Joshua:Right. Exactly. You know, and that's the thing is like and that's why fashion is so cool. Right? And like style.
Joshua:It's an evolving journey, and it's something you can always play with. Yeah. And there are ways in which you can, like, learn more about yourself and your body by, like, trying things on. Right? And that's something that I think everybody needs to
Molly:Mhmm.
Joshua:Experience. Like, I've even and I don't wanna claim this for their story, but I'll share a person in my life who's a straight man, and he's communicated to me that the queer community and, like, being connected in to the queer community and supporting his kid who's queer and just, like, being out there has had such a positive impact on his life and his own confidence on how he shows up in the world. And I've seen his style evolve from, like, oh, this is, like, what men wear to, like, I'm being intentional. Like, I'm Yeah. Like, got an earring.
Joshua:I'm, like, wearing a bracelet that has, like, stones that, like, are, you know, something that resonated with me. And, like, the curation of one's style can be a powerful mirror to how we're feeling in our bodies.
Molly:Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, I I kind of toe the line, both the masculine and feminine, and I also if I'm angry that day, I'm very much presenting as someone who is don't talk to me, don't don't, you know, don't fuck with me in The United And it's so it's so good to be able to have that fluidity in your closet or just even have that ability to express yourself in that way. So, you haven't, definitely check it out at query f. Make some experiments.
Molly:You never know. Yes. Might be your new vibe.
Joshua:Yes. I'm so excited to see all the fabulous looks that hit the runway.
Molly:Yeah. So with with that, do you have anything else you wanna share?
Joshua:Well, I'm just so grateful to be on the show.
Molly:Oh my god. I'm so glad you guys reached out to me. Yeah.
Joshua:It's so great to be here. And so appreciate your time and, like, sharing stories. And, I hope this is the first of of more.
Molly:Yeah. Me too. Yeah. We can do a debrief.
Joshua:Yes. Definitely. Yeah. We'll do, like, post Queer AF Tea. Because you're gonna be at the show.
Joshua:So I wanna hear all about your experience too.
Molly:Yeah. Absolutely. I'm really excited. I'm so excited.
Joshua:Beautiful.
Molly:I hope you enjoyed this week's episode. If you would like to attend the Queer AF fashion show, which is September 5 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, Go to queryf.org. If you'd like to volunteer, everything about getting involved will be linked in the show notes. Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow along, leave a review. I love you.
Molly:I hope to see you at the fashion show because I will be there because I got a press pass, but I also bought a ticket because it's going to an amazing cause. Okay. I love you. Have an amazing week. Bye bye.
