Episodes

In this episode of 'Queer Goggles,' we talk with Dr. Stacy L. Smith, a 2025 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award recipient and founder of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at USC. Dr. Smith discusses her organization's work on inclusion in media, focusing on gender, race, LGBTQ+, disabilities, and mental health. She explains how the Initiative measures representation in film, television, and music, and the challenges of combating explicit bias in Hollywood. Highlighting her w...

On this episode of Queer Goggles, Nick Vargas talks with Joey Bachrach of Rainbow Hill Recovery. They share their own experiences with recovery from substance use disorders and how their journeys impact their current work. Joey talks about recovery resources for the LGBTQ+ community and offers words of hope for those looking to recover. Support the show Queer Goggles is just one of thirty programs and services of The Source LGBT+ Center in Visalia, CA. If you like what you heard today and are i...

Tanya Tassi (she/her) speaks with Brian Poth about her important work in the LGBTQ+ movement. Currently the Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy for CenterLink, Tanya's advocacy and leadership helps community centers stay informed and gives them the tools to mobilize and make lasting change in their communities and the nation. Her former work with seniors at the LA LGBT Center inspires a new generation to step into caring for our aging queer community. To find out more about Tanya, go to ta...

Author, artist, and actor Sean Hemeon joins Queer Goggles to share his incredible journey and discuss his upcoming memoir, The Good Little Drug Lord. From navigating life as a gay, Mormon college student to becoming a drug-dealing informant for federal agents, Sean's story is a gripping and cautionary tale of resilience, redemption, and gratitude. In this episode, Sean opens up about his struggles with addiction, the transformative power of recovery, and the hope that fuels his creative and pers...