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Meet The Team

Vivian Gonzalez – Co-founder

Born and raised in Chicago, Vivian is a geek at heart and has a passion for technology and LGBTQ rights. When not surfing the interwebs, she is out socializing with members from LGBTQ groups or listening to Chicago house music. She is a proud member of many community organizations, such as Sapphic Adventures and United Latino Pride. Now, as the Co-Founder of The L Stop, she is excited to give back to the community that has supported her for so many years.

Email Vivian: Vivian@thelstop.org – See Vivian’s posts

Lisa Martinez – Co-founder

Lisa was born and raised in Del Rio, Texas. Living in such a small town left her with something to be desired. She left Texas in 2005 and found her new home in Chicago. She currently attends DePaul University and is working towards her degree in Interactive Media. She is motivated by technology and enjoys leveraging the power of the internet to bring people together in new ways. She is a fan of tech-related start-ups, going to concerts, and exploring Chicago’s breakfast scene.

Email Lisa: Lisa@thelstop.org

Kathy Guzman – Senior Editor

Kathy grew up all over the US -  lots of east coast time.  She is a surfer girl  with an unabridged curiosity.  A woman whose mid life awakening continues to bring her to the place she was meant to be.  Her degree in Journalism/Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida is being yanked from the archives and put to good use.  Her two kids are grown and rock stars in this wild world – her Harley is ready for some serious summer miles – and her heart remains open to life, women and the possibilities each day brings.

Email K.Guzman: K.Guzman@thelstop.org – See Kathy’s posts

Dawn Brown

Dawn is a Chicago area native and loves the city she calls home. With a strong passion for both the field of psychology and LGBT issues, she strives to combine the two through gender and sexuality research. As the Women’s Outreach Chair for the Illinois chapter of the Human Rights Campaign she reaches out to the lesbian community to further their involvement in the fight for equality.

Whether putting on fundraisers or spreading the word about equality at local festivals, she is always thinking of new ways to serve the LGBT community. When not doing research or fighting for equal rights, she loves to take long walks around the city, enjoy the street festivals, go camping, and hunt for the best Persian food in Chicago!

Email Dawn: Dawn@thelstop.org – See Dawn’s posts

Krista Burton – Effing Dykes

Krista Burton is brand-new to Chicago. An ex-Mormon from Minneapolis, she writes a blog called Effing Dykes (www.effingdykes.blogspot.com), which is about activating your lesbian gaydar. She spends most of her time staring longingly at enormous dogs, riding her shiny orange scooter around town, and trying to bake gluten-free cake that doesn’t taste like gluten-free cake. She’s a staff writer at Groupon, and loves girls, inappropriate footwear, and hip-hop songs with filthy lyrics.

Email Krista: effingdykes@gmail.com – See Krista’s posts – Effing Dykes

Lauren Carter – The Ovary Office

Lauren was born and raised in South Minneapolis and like many other innocent midwesterners got sucked into the black hole of Chicago politics 4 years ago. As the LGBT Coordinator for the Gery Chico for Mayor Campaign she attempted to take on the entire city and hasn’t looked back since. Now working for a communications firm, she spends her extra time running around with cases of PBR playing in different sports leagues, hosting couchsurfers from all over the place, and deciding how she is going to change the world. A simple lady at her core, she has decided that the first person to send her an edible arrangement must be the one.

Email Lauren: Lauren@thelstop.org – See Lauren’s posts – The Ovary Office

Tina C

A transplant from the snow and mountains of Upstate NY (why, yes, there IS an entire state above NYC!), Tina moved to Chicago in 2005. Since then, she’s taken full advantage of Chicago’s sports scene, participating in rugby, volleyball, and hockey – just to name a few. Her first love, however, is soccer. She manages an all-women’s soccer team, the Chicago Gold Stars in addition to the CMSA 7-a-side women’s soccer league. In addition to sports, Tina is a ‘Jackie of all trades’, so prepare for the unexpected!

Email Tina: Tina@thelstop.org – See Tina’s posts

Nancy Duran – Lipstick in the Kitchen

Nancy was born and raised in Chicago’s Southside. Growing up in a Mexican casa, she always remembers watching her Mom and Grandmother cooking in the kitchen as a child and watching the vapors rise from the stove and the array of colorful ingredients that went into the creations. Dishes like Mole, Chiles Rellenos, and Pozole. The flavor in these dishes were amazing. Now as an adult, the flavors and the aromas in these dishes are pure nostalgia for Nancy. Nancy is a self-taught, with 26 years of learning experience and 3 years professional.

Nancy and her business partner, who own Las Dos Fridas catering in Andersonville, have catered for the Mayor’s Office for Special Events such as Viva Latino Music Fest and the M.A.D.D. Candlelight Ceremony. They also cater to fashion shows with local designers like Horacio Nieto Jr. Recently, Nancy has also dabbled in giving cooking classes and it’s something that she loves doing and will continue to do. She specializes in all kinds of cuisine but focuses on vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free cuisine. Nancy’s motto is to keep it as authentic as possible, but also making it healthier without compromising flavor.

Email Nancy: Nancy@thelstop.org – See Nancy’s posts

Alma Izquierdo – Ask Alma

A Chicago original of Mexican decent, Alma has been part of the Chicago’s LGBTQ community longer than she’d like to admit. She’s been maneuvering through its diverse social circles, networking relentlessly in an attempt to satisfy her need to understand and get to know the people that make up our amazing and unique community. Her path began as a social butterfly whose interests were solely to meet and entertain friends. Now her desire is to channel her strengths, talents and passion into ways she can be of service for the Chicago LGBTQ community that she so loves and respects.

Email Alma: Alma@thelstop.org – See Alma’s posts – Ask Alma

Erica Feliciano

Growing up Erica knew she’d be one of two things: 1. A lesbian 2. A writer. Lucky for her, she turned out to be both! After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Creative Writing, she moved back to the Midwest. In Chicago she found a community, a home, and her wonderful wife. Besides writing for The L Stop, Erica spends her time script writing. She hopes to, one day, write and produce good quality films and plays. If you ever see Erica around, feel free to say hi. She loves meeting new faces.

Email Erica: erica.i.feliciano@gmail.com – See Erica’s posts

Mia Jones

Mia can probably call herself a professional when it comes to blogging, music listening, whiskey drinking, French bulldog cuddling and sarcasm. She writes two weekly music columns for After Ellen and is psyched to be part of The L Stop and have the opportunity to write for fellow Chicagoans. Mia loves almost nothing more than dancing with old people at weddings and bar mitzvahs. You can find more of her randomness at ChubbyJones.com

Email Mia: Mia@thelstop.org – See Mia’s posts

Casey Larwood

Casey is a creative writing student at DePaul university. She enjoys reading, writing, and taking long walks around the city of Chicago.

Email Casey: caseylarwood@mac.com – See Casey’s posts

Meg – The Athlesbian

Meg was born and raised in Chicago where she became an avid sports fan the moment she laid her eyes on her first ball. She has a knack for picking up any sport quickly as most four sport high school athletes would. Meghan played two sports in college and spent her post college years playing women’s pro football, capturing a national title, before having to quit due to injury. She still plays numerous sports in rec leagues around the city and boasts at a recent team tryout knocked out 51 consecutive push-ups in a minute. Always willing to try something new she just played in her first rugby match. Meghan currently works as a fire-medic and is finishing her Master’s degree from University of Chicago, and no, unfortunately, its not in sports reporting!

Email Meg: Meghan@thelstop.org – See Meg’s posts – The Athlesbian

Nina Mercado – Doll Vs. City: Restaurant Reviews

Nina is a Chicago native, of Puerto Rican decent. Four years ago she co founded Doll House, which is a weekly Lesbian night in Chicago. Nina is now running Doll House with a team of twelve people, and swears it’s been the best four years of her life. After 18 years of arroz con gandules, Nina decided to take on the city to see what the neighborhoods have to offer. Some people eat to live, and although she hates to admit it, she lives to eat. Spoiling herself with one, two…OK maybe four or five nights out a week. When Nina is not indulging in Chicago eats, you can find her with a colorbrush in her hand in a high end salon making Chicago more beautiful every day.

Email Nina: Nina@thelstop.org

Dee Michel

Dee is a transgender woman, queer dyke, and political activist who lives in the Andersonville neighborhood. She has worked at Early to Bed as a sex educator, and is a writer who performs at All the Writers I Know, a monthly queer literary event. She loves movement-building and organizing for civil liberties, accessible education, queer liberation, and against U.S. wars. One day she hopes to bring home a hairless cat to live with her and her girlfriend.

Meg O’Rourke

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Meg moved to Chicago to be a part of the improvisational comedy scene, which led to stand-up.  The teaching profession allows her to maintain the familiar daily chaos of growing up in a family of six children.  Coordinating the fundraising and curriculum inclusion of LGBTQA programs in local schools continues to affirm her belief in the potential of progressive public education.

Email Meg: Meg_O@thelstop.org – See Meg’s posts

Debby Rijos – Dykes on Bikes

Debby Rijos was born and raised in Chi-Town. She grew up in the Ukrainian Village and Bucktown neighborhoods. The mind and the body are her passion; she has a background in Psychology as well as Fitness. When not cruising on her Harley in Boystown you can find Debby fulfilling her public duties at the Department of Public Health. Yes! She is 100% Boricua.

Email Debby: prideangel@yahoo.com – See Debby’s posts

Kim Rogers

Kim Rogers like many Queer Ohioans fled to Chicago when Issue #1 (most discriminating marriage ban in the US) passed by 75%. Now she works in the fight against HIV/AIDS as a licensed social-worker and smarter-sex advocate. A Master’s graduate from the University of Chicago, Kim mixes her interests of gender, sexuality, queer politics, and mental health liberation into a her own Sex-Positive Psychotherapy Practice. She feels so fortunate to be working with such amazing and passionate people.

Email Kim: Kim@thelstop.org – See Kim’s posts

Betsy Rubinstein, MA, LSW – Queering Her Health

Betsy was born in Chicago and raised in the northern suburbs of the city. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with her B.A. in Philosophy, and went on to pursue her M.A. in Social Work from the University of Chicago. Over the past six years, Betsy has developed and pursued her passion for women’s health, LGBTQ issues, and social justice. In January of 2012, she became the Manager of the Lesbian Community Care Project (LCCP) at Howard Brown Health Center, the largest LGBTQ healthcare organization in the Midwest.

Betsy is thrilled to join The L Stop team to write for the Queering Her Health blog. She hopes the blog will: 1) help LBTQ women get access to health information that is focused specifically on queer women’s health issues, 2) provide resources for LBTQ women to get connected to healthcare that is safe and affirming, and 3) encourage queer women to take care of themselves and their health, because we’re worth it!

Email Betsy: BetsyR@howardbrown.org

Karen Ruesch

Karen is a recent escapee of corporate america and was raised in the Chicago area. She is quick-witted, non-political and non-comforming, but an astute observer of everyday life. Loves women.

Email Karen: Karen@thelstop.org – See Karen’s posts

Leah Schein

Leah is a born and bred Chicagoan, and considers herself extremely fortunate to be raised by amazing liberal parents in Logan Square. Coming from a long family history of equality activism, the crazy world of politics feels like home to her. Her upbringing allowed her to fully appreciate her love of tacos, and provided the support needed to be independent and insane. She is a happy survivor of the public school system, all the way through her undergrad years, culminating with a BA in anthropology. Her love of travel and all things adventurous led to the pursuit of a Master of Science from sunny ol’ England, where she happily grasped a conservation degree and ran off to live in a number of rain forests to research nocturnal primates. Through the amazing diversity she was fortunate to be raised amongst, she has an unwavering appreciation of all cultures and peoples, and has used this to form the foundation of her outspoken support of civil rights. You may have seen her running around Boystown/Tuna town over the last decade, or at events she volunteers at for the Human Rights Campaign. It’s possible you spied her at the Silent Film Festival. That strange woman getting into a wrestling match in the leaves on Foster Ave beach at 3am…that definitely wasn’t her. She couldn’t be more excited about sharing her love of science, and it’s role in our daily lives, with the community she loves. Nerds are cool, people. They drink martini’s too.

Email Leah: l_schein@yahoo.com

Angelique Smith

Angelique worked in advertising for six years, but quit once they stole her soul. She has been the Marketing & PR Director for Reeling, Chicago’s LGBT International Film Festival, for the last three years. She can currently be seen going out too much and ignoring the stack of books on her floor that she really wants to find the time to read.

Email Angelique: Angelique@thelstop.org – See Angelique’s posts

Miss Tamale – Tamales LOL

Tamale was born in Phoenix, AZ, was homeschooled, and not allowed to wear make up, watch MTV, or own Garbage Pail Kids cards. In high school, she was an active member of the Future Farmers of America and three 4-H groups. She studied agriculture in college, then realized she was a huge mo. Since then, she has travelled the world performing burlesque, drag, belly dancing, fire dancing, and comedy. These days, she rides her motorcycle around the city from gig to gig, avoiding jaywalking hipsters. She travels far and wide performing and loves finding the perfect vanilla latte, and decorations for her wild, red hair. For more, www.TamaleRocks.com.

Email Tamale: Tamale@thelstop.org – See Tamales posts – Tamales LOL

JT

JT is originally from San Francisco, CA. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in psychology, focusing primarily on gender and sexuality research. Seeking a change in 2008, she moved to Chicago, and what a change it has been! Currently, she works for a nationally renowned magazine publishing company. During her off hours, she can been seen walking and yelping about various Chicago neighborhoods. She has an unapologetic love for civil rights, whether it’d be for racial, gender, sexual, or political socioeconomic equality. On weekends, she volunteers with Howard Brown Health Center to promote safe sex in Boystown.

Email JT: JT@thelstop.org – See JT’s posts

Copyright. The L Stop 2011. All Rights Reserved.