Watermark out news Publisher Rick Todd, Creative Designer Dylan Todd and I were lucky enough to attend LMAFest in Chicago this month, one of my favorite journalism conferences in one of my favorite cities.
The annual event is organized by the Local Media Association. LMA consists of more than 3,000 news outlets, including this one, and believes “a strong local media ecosystem is essential to a healthy democracy.”
I couldn’t agree more. That’s what makes attending a conference where that’s top of mind so rewarding. It was a chance to connect with industry leaders and peers from across the nation about how to best serve our readers here in Central Florida and Tampa Bay.
Aside from an unforgettable learning experience, the conference also came as a reprieve from travel. I consider myself a pretty patient person, something that’s served me well as a journalist over the years, but my patience was stretched particularly thin on my way there.
The tone for my trip was set right away. I was barely a few rows into the boarding process, quietly making my way back to steerage, when a flight attendant announced the plane’s Wi-Fi was down.
Is it a very first world problem to have? Yes. Is it still the worst? Also yes.
Thankfully I was prepared. While I wouldn’t be able to text or enjoy the airline’s complimentary entertainment, which I usually use to catch up on movies I forgot I wanted to see, I’d already downloaded a few options to my personal device.
As it turned out, I’d have time to download a few more using my hotspot. I’d assumed my flight was leaving early enough to beat Tampa’s daily thunderstorms, but unfortunately I was wrong.
We finally made it into the air over an hour later, where I’m not ashamed to admit I watched and fell in love with “KPop Demon Hunters” on Netflix. It was almost enough to keep me sane when our captain said we were being diverted to Indianapolis.
Like Tampa before it, Chicago was subject to the whims of mother nature. We circled the airport for around 45 minutes before it closed entirely, shipping us off to Indiana for over five hours.
Not much could help my attitude at that point, but at least one thing did. A rainbow.
I was seated in the last row of the plane, just in front of the flight attendants, and as one of them made their way back to commiserate with co-workers I saw a Pride pin on her lapel. It brought an instant smile to my face.
Not because we were going to get out of Indianapolis any faster, believe me, but because I knew I was in a safe space. I don’t know if she was a member of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, but I do know that while I was deliriously delayed, I was also seen. All because she added that to her uniform.
It was a timely reminder that little things can make a big difference. That representation and symbolism both matter, especially when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack from both Tallahassee and D.C.
We detail Florida’s escalating attacks in this issue, highlighting how the Department of Transportation is targeting LGBTQ+ crosswalks and street murals across the state, from Pulse in Orlando to the Progressive Pride street mural in St. Petersburg. We speak with LGBTQ+ advocates about how they’re responding and more.
That coverage extends to news, where Orlando business owners launch new initiatives to honor the 49 and St. Petersburg advocates plan new ways to showcase their Pride. We also preview the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus’ summer conference, advocates who are ready to unite, focus and resist.
It’s all a testament to how resilient LGBTQ+ Floridians really are. It’s my hope that while we may be losing our murals, we all remember that we can wear pins. Rainbows often follow storms; you never know who may need to see one.
Watermark Out News is proud to be your LGBTQ+ news source. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.
