Billy Bean, one of my closest friends and tireless supporters, passed away this past week.
Being Bobby Blair
Bobby Blair is a LGBTQ media pioneer and leader known for his philanthropic work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community. A Florida native, he lives in Fort Lauderdale with his longtime partner, Brian Neal. Blair was inducted into the GLBT Hall of Fame in 2015.
In 1984, I was a 19-year-old rising tennis star with a huge secret. I was competing at the USTA national tennis center in New York, home of the U.S. Open tennis championships. I was competing at the United States Olympic tennis trials. My number one goal was to make the 1984 Olympic team, being held in Los Angeles.
Early in the morning as the sun rises and as you make your way down Wilton Drive, you will see the city of Wilton Manors has their cleaning team making sure every piece of trash has been picked up and that there is no refection of the night before.
Since 2006, I have dedicated my life's work to creating platforms that give a voice to our LGBTQ community and financial products on the NYSE and NASDAQ that help people invest in companies aligned with our LGBTQ principles and core values.
Throughout the years of the LGBTQ movement, our struggles, setbacks and disappointing legislation has made it a very difficult journey for most of our community members. Our community members have fought vigorously for equal rights and equal opportunities. We have made tremendous strides, but there is still so much work to do.
It's truly exciting to see the evolution of LGBTQ media in South Florida, especially compared to the competitive and often nasty landscape I experienced from 2006 to 2016.
June is globally recognized as Pride Month, a time for the LGBTQ community to celebrate our community and achievements, acknowledge game changers, and raise awareness about ongoing challenges. Pride events, such as the Stonewall Street Festival & Parade this past weekend in Wilton Manors, are central to these celebrations.
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