All Posts By

Yvonne Marquez

Sippin’ on Jen and Juice: Black and Lesbian-Owned Juicery Hopes to Heal Community Health

A photo of Jen and Juice.

Jennifer Jeffries, along with her wife and business partner, Ashley Jeffries, recently launched Jen and Juice Juicery in Houston. Jen and Juice Juicery, a name inspired by the catchy hook in Snoop Dogg’s 1994 song “Gin and Juice,” promotes health and wellness with their made-to-order cold-pressed juices filled with fresh vegetables and fruits. From apples and celery to beets and carrots, Jennifer hopes the nutrients from the juices also heal her community. “[We aren’t juicing] for people to lose weight,”…

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Call Me Latine: New Online Resource Helps Queer and Non-Binary Latines Define Themselves

A photo of Call Me Latine.

As contentious as the word “Latinx” is, it has emerged as the most commonly used gender-neutral word for “Latino” in the United States. From politics to pop culture, “Latinx” has been used in an effort to be more inclusive of transgender and non-binary people who are of Latin American descent. However, there is a similar word that is gaining traction in the U.S. that goes further to address gender bias in the Spanish language: Latine. …

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This Queer Non-Binary Femme Makeup Artist Wants to Look Otherwordly in Small-Town Texas

A photo of makeup artist Gayylien.

Spotted in Lockhart, Texas, just outside of Austin, is an otherworldly being shopping at H-E-B. Jeannette Celine, known as Gayylien, is a non-binary, Xicanx femme makeup artist who seeks to transform themself into a “freak” using makeup and body paint. "I just want to be an art piece," Gayylien, who uses they/them pronouns, says. "I want to be a freak. I want to challenge people's notions of gender, sexuality, and normality. I have the ability to transform myself into anything…

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To Be Queer and to Be Outside

A photo of being queer and outside.

Texas is rich in natural beauty. Because the state is so large, it boasts several different kinds of terrains and climates—breathtaking views of mountains, canyons, hill country, and plains. This beauty often feels like Texas’ best kept secret, as it may not immediately come to mind when people think of the state. I've lived in Texas my entire life and I'm just now appreciating the stunning nature found here—and how it heals me as a queer person living in this…

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This Café and Bookstore is Creating Alternative Ways for QTPOC to Build Community in Dallas

A photo of Revolution Café and Bookstore.

Oftentimes, queer community is forged at gay bars, nightclubs, or other social gatherings centered around alcohol. And if you’re a queer person of color seeking community, it can be even more challenging to find a place or event to meet others like yourself. Niecee X, a 29-year-old community organizer and artist, is trying to change the scene in Dallas by organizing QTPOC-centered open mics, intentional conversations, and dinner parties with the hope of one day opening Revolution Café and Bookstore…

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Black and Queer-Owned Vegan Pop-Up Electric Kitchen Lights Up Dallas Community

A photo of the Electric Kitchen team.

Electric Kitchen, a plant-based pop-up and catering company in Dallas, offers a vegan twist on a classic Southern staple—biscuits and gravy. Fluffy, delicious pillows of goodness are loaded up with not just gravy but your choice of an array of toppings including: chickpea scramble, sweet potato hash, coconut bacon, non-dairy cheese, potato and cauliflower chorizo, sautéed mushrooms, avocado, tomato, or pickled onions. The result has been a hit with customers.…

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Bitter, Brown, and Femme: Meet the Founder of Popular Feminist Page Xicanisma

A photo of Cassandra Alicia, founder of Xicanisma

Cassandra Alicia, the 29-year-old founder of the popular Chicana feminist social media page Xicanisma, isn’t afraid of making her 106,000 Instagram followers uncomfortable. In fact, her tagline is “dismantling oppressive isms through tears.” Her Instagram posts highlight an array of social justice issues through photos, art, memes, and screenshots. One post, for example, is in the popular bingo meme format that points out how violent anti-sex work rhetoric can be, especially in light of recent events where a border patrol…

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‘No Whites Allowed’ Zine Unapologetically Creates Art and Community for Queer People of Color

A photo of the zine No Whites Allowed.

Kait Rae craved a space to meet fellow queer Black people in San Antonio, Texas. So, at age 22, they decided to take matters into their own hands and to create the space they wanted to see. In October 2017, Rae joined forces with two friends and started a zine for and by queer people color called No Whites Allowed. “It's important for people of color to express our sexuality and gender because I know, for many people of color, it feels like…

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