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Articles by Bobbie Fenno
LGBT Community Conversation Builds Connections and Collaboration
By Bobbie Fenno The LGBT Fund's third Community Conversation, held October 5, 2026, brought together representatives of LGBTQ+ organizations and community members. Presented by Shari Gross of the LGBT Fund and hosted by Bright and Korlyn from Temple Anshe Hesed, the gathering allowed various groups to share resources, discuss challenges, and discover new opportunities to work together.
They Voted for Her: Standing With Fairview's Trans Homecoming Queen
By Bobbie Fenno Sometimes a homecoming crown is just a homecoming crown. And sometimes, in a community where transgender people are increasingly targeted, it becomes something more. This year, Fairview High School's Homecoming Queen is Sammi, a transgender girl her fellow students chose. Her classmates voted for her, celebrated her, and crowned her.
Community Spotlight: Sneakers Bar
Written by Bobbie Fenno Mary Green and Marilyn Bivona in the 80s For four decades, Sneakers Bar in Jamestown, New York, has been more than a place to grab a drink and enjoy a night out. Since opening its doors in 1986, Sneakers has been a gathering place for LGBTQ+ people, friends, allies, and anyone looking for a welcoming place to be themselves. Mary Green and Marilyn Bivona founded Sneakers with an inclusive vision.
There Will Never Be Another Dolly
By Bobbie Fenno There are some people whose deaths feel less like losing a celebrity and more like losing someone who had always been there. Dolly Parton was one of those people. For generations, Dolly was part of the soundtrack of our lives. She was the woman with the enormous blonde hair, rhinestones, tiny waist, big you-know-whats, and unmistakable Tennessee accent.
Mercyhurst (MIAC) 2026-27 Season: LGBTQIA+ Performances
By Bobbie Fenno The 2026-27 MIAC Live season at Mercyhurst University brings an eclectic lineup of musicians, Broadway stars, dancers and performers to Erie. Among the season's diverse offerings are artists and allies with personal connections to the LGBTQ+ community. Each brings a different story and perspective to the Mercyhurst stage.
Erie Gives Day 2026 : Support Your Queer Organizations
By Bobbie Fenno This Erie Gives Day, you can make a lasting impact by supporting the organizations that work year-round to strengthen, celebrate, and serve the LGBTQIA+ community in our region. Your donation, no matter the size, helps provide vital services, build community, preserve history, advocate for equality, and create safe, welcoming spaces for all.
Support Erie Gay News at Erie Gives Day on August 11
By Bobbie Fenno This year marks an exciting new chapter for Erie Gay News. Earlier this year, Erie Gay News established the Erie Gay News community nonprofit organization, creating a stronger foundation to support and expand its mission for years to come. As a newly eligible nonprofit, Erie Gay News will participate in Erie Gives Day for the first time on Tuesday, August 11. Erie Gives is a 24-hour community-wide fundraising event organized by The Erie Community Foundation.
Community Spotlight: Herb & Honey Bakery
Written by Bobbie Fenno What began as a 200-square-foot bakery kiosk inside Urbaniak Brothers during the height of the pandemic has grown into one of Erie's most beloved community-centered businesses. Founded by Erie native and self-described "local queerdo" Jessica Schultz in November 2020, Herb & Honey Bakery has become known not only for its award-winning artisan baked goods but also for its commitment to inclusion, local food systems, and community care.
Erie Queer Community Back to School Drive
By Bobbie Fenno As students and families prepare for a new school year, several LGBTQ+ and allied organizations are coming together to help ensure local youth have the supplies they need to start the school year successfully. A Back-to-School Supplies Drive will take place on Sunday, August 9, 2026 with donations benefiting Compton's Table, a local organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth and young adults in the Erie region.
Jamestown Pride 2026 Celebrates Community, Love, and Equality
By Bobbie Fenno On June 13, Downtown Jamestown was filled with Pride as community members from near and far gathered to celebrate Jamestown Pride 2026. It was a vibrant day filled with community, entertainment, and a powerful message of unity. This year's theme, "Courageous Together, Proud Forever," highlighted the strength and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. "It's great to see how much Jamestown Pride has grown," said Jamestown Pride President Steven Cobb.
Pride Guide 2026
Compiled By Bobbie Fenno Check out all of the Pride celebrations taking place in our tri-state region! Shenango Valley PA https://www.svpridealliance.org/events Pride Picnic Saturday, May 23, 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm 87 Stambaugh Ave, Sharon, PA 16146 Pittsburgh PA https://pittsburghpride.com/ Bigger Gayer Picnic Sunday, May 24, 2026 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm 810 Arch St., Pittsburgh, PA Must be 18+ to attend / 21+ to drink. Must have proper ID to attend.
Pride in Action: Erie Organizations Building Community Year-Round
By Bobbie Fenno As Pride Month shines a spotlight on the LGBTQ+ community in June, it also serves as a reminder that the work of building connection, support, and belonging happens year-round in Erie and throughout Northwest Pennsylvania.
Erie Gay News Establishes Nonprofit to Support Community Newsletter
By Bobbie Fenno For more than three decades, Erie Gay News has helped connect the LGBTQIA+ community in the Erie region by sharing local news, events, and resources through its print and online newsletters. Now, a new step is being taken to help ensure that work continues well into the future. Erie Gay News recently acquired nonprofit status to support and sustain the newsletter and its mission of bringing LGBTQIA+ information to the greater Erie community.
Don't Forget: Erie Queer Community Food Drive May 9
By Bobbie Fenno The Erie Queer Community will come together once again to support local families through a community food drive on Saturday, May 9 at Central Outreach Wellness Center, located at 3104 State St, Erie, PA. Community members are invited to donate non-perishable food items to help those in need. All donations will remain local and will be distributed through Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania, ensuring the support stays within our region.
Queer Community Helps Bring Winter Relief with Coat & Boot Drive
By Bobbie Fenno Erie's queer community came together in a powerful show of compassion and collaboration on January 31, 2026, as this winter's Warm Coat and Boot Drive achieved its most successful turnout to date. With Erie experiencing a consistently cold and challenging winter, the outpouring of generosity felt especially meaningful.
Community Spotlight: ABCs of Building Better Lives
By Bobbie Fenno Dedicated to creating safe, affirming spaces for healing and growth, ABCs of Building Better Lives offers compassionate and inclusive support to people from all walks of life, including members of Erie's LGBTQIA+ community. Located at 4320 Dexter Avenue, this holistic counseling practice helps individuals, couples, and families navigate life's challenges with dignity, understanding, and professional expertise.
EGN to Highlight Volunteers Beginning in 2026
by Bobbie Fenno Starting in 2026, Erie Gay News will begin offering volunteers the option to have their name and photo featured on our website. This will be a new way to recognize the people who help keep our publication and community events running strong. Whether you help fold each issue of EGN or lend a hand at one of our many community events throughout the year, we want you to feel seen as part of what makes this publication possible.
Community Spotlight: Crime Victim Center of Erie County
By: Bobbie Fenno In the heart of Erie County, a quiet but powerful force has been working for over five decades to support survivors of crime: the Crime Victim Center (CVC). Founded in 1973 by Joan Martin, the agency began as the Erie County Rape Crisis Center after Martin's family member survived a sexual assault. With no services available at the time, Martin set out to build the support network her family needed but could not find.
Community Spotlight: NAMI of Erie County PA
Written by: Bobbie Fenno Since its founding in 1984 by David and Joanne Cooper, Don and Carol Shaper, and Jim and Jeanne Hughes, NAMI of Erie County has worked to create a compassionate, nonjudgmental environment for individuals and families affected by mental illness. What began as a grassroots effort to offer empathy and understanding has grown into a full-fledged countywide resource hub dedicated to support, education, and advocacy.
Community Spotlight: Erie County HIV Task Force
by Gary Snyder and Bobbie Fenno Erie County HIV Task Force hosted the 8th Annual HIV/AIDS Awarenbess Walk on May 19, 2025. Since the earliest days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Erie County has been directly impacted. The first local case was reported in December 1986, and by then, those diagnosed nationwide were surviving an average of just 15 months. Over the years, a number of support and advocacy groups have worked to raise awareness, support those living with HIV, and fight stigma.
LGBT Fund Announces Annual Grant Opportunity
By Bobbie Fenno The LGBT Fund of the Erie Community Foundation will be opening applications for its annual grant program on September 8, 2025, providing critical support for organizations serving the LGBTQ+ community. Since its inception, the Fund has awarded nearly $35,000 to initiatives that address urgent needs such as safe schools, housing security for homeless youth, mental health support, suicide prevention, housing equality, and family services.
Mercyhurst (MIAC): Spotlight on Queer Performances
By Bobbie Fenno This fall, the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture (MIAC) is home to a series of engaging performances by queer-authored and queer-celebrated artists, ushering in an exciting cultural season with heart, humor, and resonance for LGBTQ+ audiences. Beloved by Glee fans and Broadway enthusiasts alike, Darren Criss brings his magnetic stage presence to Erie on November 13, 2025.
Erie Gives Day 2025: Queer Organizations Fared Well
By Bobbie Fenno Erie's LGBTQ+ nonprofits brought the queer power this Giving Day, each making meaningful gains for their missions and for our community. Here's how they did and a little about what each one brings to the table. What They Do: Fueled by The Erie Community Foundation's LGBT Fund, this endowment provides grants and scholarships addressing systemic inequities, supporting LGBTQ+ education, youth services, and leadership.
Community Spotlight: VisitErie
By Bobbie Fenno Embracing the "Good Life. Great Lake." for Everyone VisitErie, Erie County's official destination marketing organization, recently introduced a fresh new brand and tagline: "Good Life. Great Lake." But this change is more than just visual. It's a reflection of a deeper mission to celebrate all the things that make Erie a vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive place to live and visit.
Compton's Table Annual Gala Art Auction
By Bobbie Fenno Compton's Table, a local nonprofit committed to uplifting Northwestern Pennsylvania's queer community, is putting out a call to LGBTQIA2+ artists for its upcoming Gala Art Auction this October. Open exclusively to queer-identifying artists, the auction will serve as a centerpiece of the organization's annual fundraising gala, spotlighting original artwork that celebrates queer creativity and expression.
EGN Distributor Check-In: Expect to Hear From Us
By Bobbie Fenno We at Erie Gay News are always working to keep our distribution network running smoothly and make sure our community has access to the news and resources they count on. As part of this effort, our team member David will be personally reaching out to all of our current distributors over the coming weeks. David will be calling to confirm the number of copies you're receiving, as well as to verify the current contact person, phone number, and email for each distribution location.
Pride Guide 2025
Compiled By Bobbie Fenno Check out all of the wonderful Pride celebrations taking place in our region! Pittsburgh Pride Saturday, May 31 - Sunday, June 1 2025 https://pittsburghpride.com/ Pride March & Parade Sunday, June 1, 2025 12:00pm Start: Liberty Ave & 11th St End: Allegheny Commons West Park Buffalo Pride https://buffalopride.org/ Intersect: A Pride Arts Festival Saturday May 31, 2025 1:00pm - 7:00pm https://intersectqueerfest.com/ 26 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY Buffalo Pride Parade...
Wear Your Pride: Support Erie Gay News with Exclusive Apparel
By: Bobbie Fenno Did you know Erie Gay News now has its own exclusive line of apparel? That's right. Since 1992, EGN has been the go-to source for LGBTQ+ news and events in Northwest Pennsylvania, and now you can wear that connection with pride. Our EGN apparel, designed in collaboration with the queer-owned Whee! Design company, is available and waiting for you! Our Whee! shop offers a variety of stylish, high-quality items featuring the iconic EGN logo. Do you want a comfy hoodie? A tank top?
Compton's Table Awarded Grant from Erie Community Foundation's LGBTQ+ Fund
By Bobbie Fenno Compton's Table, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth, has been awarded a grant from the Erie Community Foundation LGBT Fund. This funding will enhance the organization's True North program, strengthen its formal teaching initiative, and aid in the development of a new hybrid program to provide support in schools.
Community Mourns Beloved Buffalo Gay Couple
By Bobbie Fenno In a tragic incident that has deeply affected Buffalo's Allentown neighborhood, beloved couple Michael "Mickey" Harmon, 40, and Jordan Celotto, 37, were found dead in their home on March 4. After one of them failed to show up for work, a friend checked in on them, encountered a man holding a knife inside the house, and immediately called 911. When police arrived, they found Harmon and Celotto dead in their basement.
Day of (No) Silence 2025: Amplifying LGBTQ+ Voices
By Bobbie Fenno For years, the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) Day of Silence was a way for students and allies to bring attention to the silencing of LGBTQ+ voices. But in 2024, the movement took a bold new turn transforming its longstanding Day of Silence into the Day of (No) Silence.
Queeriosity Corner: Historical & Fun Facts
Queeriosity Corner: Historical & Fun Facts By Bobbie Fenno The modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement was catalyzed by the Stonewall Riots in 1969, led by activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, two trans women of color.
"It's Our Honor" Offering Free Wedding Officiant Services to LGBTQ+ Couples in Northeast Ohio
By Bobbie Fenno In a time when marriage equality remains a crucial issue, a small group of ordained wedding officiants in Northeast Ohio is stepping up to support the LGBTQ+ community. "It's Our Honor" is a team of licensed officiants providing non-denominational wedding services to LGBTQ+ couples and they are offering to do so for free. With concerns about the ever-changing political landscape, the group has come together to ensure that love remains accessible to all.
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