The Assault on Queer People

NEXT with Marcus Atkinson

“I have this friend, a beautiful soul. We had coffee together recently and my friend said, ‘I go home at night sometimes and wonder, 'Why do people hate me?' It was a heartbreaking question because I know this person to be gentle, compassionate, deeply thoughtful, and courageous in ways I doubt I could be. But, you see, that is not what people see when they lay eyes on my friend, because my friend is a transgender person. I have been wondering about these kinds of questions for a long time. I wonder. Why do we hate people who really are not hurting anyone? Why are we so afraid of the other? Why do people, like my friend – LGBTQ people and Black and Brown people and people who participate in other religions – make us so uncomfortable? Why do we need so badly to judge others and marginalize them? Why do we need to demean – to put others down?”

On this episode of NEXT2.0, Marcus, and Chuck talk to two young queer leaders in Erie who are serving the community in transformative ways.

Susannah Faulkner is a classically trained dancer who remains active in performing, and teaching ballet even though she is engaged as a public servant in all kinds of ways. She is an emerging policymaker who has worked with public and private groups across the country and around the world. She is currently a member of Erie's city council and recently was responsible for introducing and shepherding the passage of a bill to declare Erie a “Sanctuary City” for LGBTQ people.

Dr. Tyler Titus, is a newly elected city council member, a Licensed Professional Counselor, an activist, a teacher and presenter on a national scale working to train educators, service providers, other counselors, medical practitioners about equity, social justice, and policy reform. Tyler is the founder of Compton's Table which works to create a safe community for queer young people here in Northwestern PA. Tyler was also the first openly transgender person elected to public office in the state of PA.