David Clarke

2 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

Openly gay activist and politician Evan Low was first endorsed by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund at the age of 20. Back then, he was a bright-eyed young city-council candidate in California with big dreams, a lot of courage, and no guarantee of success. Although he didn’t win that first race, his defeat didn’t stop him. He ran again, and won. At 23, Low became the youngest openly gay mayor in the United States. Fast-forward two decades, and the now well-established trailblazer is stepping into a new role.

2 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

Vibrant and trusted Houston media personalities Ernie Manouse and Frank Billingsley, along with Celeste Diaz Schurman, are serving up smart conversations, heartfelt storytelling, and occasional dad jokes every weekday on Houston Public Media. Hello, Houston! is their new show that blends the affable gravitas of the two beloved media veterans with the bustling energy of Houston. Manouse and Billingsley consider the show to be more than just a gig.

2 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

On a Sunday afternoon in 1975, two strangers met at the Woodward Bar in Detroit, Michigan. Thomas Chelena, in town for a clergy meeting, had stopped in for a cocktail. Daniel Malachowski, recovering from a picnic, was propped against the piano bar, “trying to initiate some contact.”“And there he was,” Daniel recalls. “From there, I had to take him dancing at a disco bar. From there, we proceeded home.

2 weeks ago | northwestend.com | David Clarke

The programme describes this production as a musical comedy and there was certainly plenty of both on show at this performance presented by the East Cheshire Musical Theatre Company, who can always be relied upon to put on a first class and highly entertaining show. I cannot remember ever seeing a production with so many one-liners on the comedy front that had myself and the rest of the audience in absolute stiches throughout the whole of the show’s duration.

2 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

In Houston’s Sunnyside neighborhood, Desmond and Justin Bertrand-Pitts have spent nearly 20 years building a life rooted in love, intention, and community. Rewind 18 years and Justin, then living in Tifton, Georgia, was scrolling through BlackGayChat.com, an online forum that predates the now-ubiquitous dating apps. He stumbled across Desmond’s profile and was drawn in by his dazzling smile. “It was definitely Justin who made the first move,” Desmond recalls. “He was very persistent.