10,000 Couples e-magazine is privileged to have a wide range of writers who contribute articles, news, and commentary to share with readers. If you would like to also contribute to 10,000 Couples e-magazine, please read through 10,000 Couples' Guidelines/Call for Contributing Writers for more information.
Alex is an Internationally Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor that has been trained in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender LGBT related issues. "My intention is to start a movement towards a healthier and more supportive community! Where LGBTs can find each other, learn from one another, and build a stronger support system". Alex's contributions to 10,000 Couples are made available via ezinearticles.com. You can follow Alex on her Blog http://TheLesbianGuru.com! Or by Joining The Lesbian Revolution of Health & Love on http://Facebook.com/TheFemmeGuru
I am a 28-year-old lesbian who is very interested in writing about anything relating to the GLBT society. I am currently taking online courses to obtain my Bachelors of Business Administration degree. I am a very passionate writer, and enjoy writing just about anything. I write poetry, articles and such.
Amanda is a Family Support Worker for a social work agency based in Kansas. She has an Associates degree in Psychology and will soon have her Bachelor's degree in that field as well. Her position as a family support worker has given her much insight into the struggles and torments LGBT people are still facing today.
She has been writing stories and poems for pleasure since she can remember and is very artistic. Amanda is very active in the LGBT community and involved with the HRC. She takes any opportunity she can to be an activist and educator when facing those who oppose her lifestyle choice. She jumped at the opportunity to write for this magazine because she feels she has so much to share with the world and her fellow LGBT community. Her favorite color is sparkle and her favorite word to date is facetious.
Also, she likes pineapples and plans to change the world one kindness at a time.
Amanda Fox is a New England based writer that has focused on LGBTQI issues for better than 20 years. Prior to pursuing writing full-time she was a meteorologist with USAF and worked in atmospheric research projects in the private sector. She now devotes her time to outreach and counseling programs focused on transgender youth and families. Amanda tries to live life by a simple belief that equality is for all people, not just those whom we agree with.
Angela has had the good fortune to participate in several professional careers over the course of her lifetime. She has applied her skills to teaching English, and writing; small business ownership, and writing; sales and marketing, and writing; university graduate level research, and writing. As is evident, writing has been her companion throughout! She is the word nerd who actually takes notes at symposiums and events! And not just on the presented topics. She finds people, settings, interactions and conversations fascinating. The entire visual, auditory, kinesthetic experience is worth noticing and noting.
Angela has traveled the globe soaking in the scenery, culture and customs near and far. She has lived in the bush of Alaska to the Atlantic seaside of Savannah and various places in between. She is currently a full time freelance writer with pieces in various venues on the web and many local and regional publications. When she is not writing, Angela can be found at the latest Broadway show or communing with Mother Earth in The Great Smoky Mountains.
Ann Keeler Evans, M.Div., also known as The Wedding Priestess, has helped over 1,000 couples move from "I do" to happily, healthily ever after. Author of the acclaimed Promises to Keep: Crafting Your Wedding Ceremony, she is now offering you tools for creating the wedding ceremony of your dreams, the wedding vows of your heart and the marriage of a lifetime. Find Ann at http://annkeelerevans.org to create the wedding vows that will become the blueprint for your incredible ever-after marriage: sign up to receive 2 free wedding vow templates: http://annkeelerevans.org/weddings/free
Brian Rzepczynski holds a master's degree in Social Work from Western Michigan University and is also a Certified Personal Life Coach through The Coach Training Alliance. He launched his private coaching practice, The Gay Love Coach: Man 4 Man Coaching Services in 2003 and works with gay men, both singles and couples, on developing skills for improving their dating lives and relationships. He publishes a free monthly ezine called "The Man 4 Man Plan" ...
Cynthia Zaire is a product of Orange County and developed her appetite for fine food at an early age. She was inspired to pursue a career in the culinary arts field because she wanted to utilize her background and education in a manner that would allow her to continuously learn and grow, and inspire others as well. Her combination of customer service skills, French and Japanese culinary talent has allowed her to experience growth as a professional.
Cynthia was trained at the Art Institute and Sushi Academy but loves to continue her education by travelling the world, tasting new cuisine and being inspired by local ingredients. Back in Los Angeles, She brings great energy to the sushi bar every night, conversing with patrons, intu iting their wishes, and using razor sharp knives at rapid speed to turn out works of edible art.
Wil Crutchley is a New York City-based chef hailing from the coast of North Eastern North Carolina. He is known for creating flavorful, cohesive cuisine with an emphasis on innovation and clean flavors. His masterful technique incorporates international ingredients into his style while highlighting the intrinsic integrity of the ingredients in his dishes. Wil's food is natural in approach, possessing touches of whimsy and finishing off with universal appeal. Visit him on the web at: www.wilcrutchley.com
David E. Watters, a graduate of Napier University, Edinburgh, Trinity College of Music, London and the Institute of Education, University of London, has worked internationally within education and Educational Management for more than 20 years. He has taught drama and music within socially and culturally diverse settings; most recently as a Head of Performing Arts within Further Education.
He is a personal and professional development associate with The Pacific Institute (www.pacificinstitute.co.uk), personal coach, freelance writer, motivational speaker and founding member of NBI Associates (www.nbiassociates.co.uk).
David is currently working on the Give ‘em Hope Campaign, an online video initiative designed to inspire ALL who may doubt their validity since ALL people, regardless of cultural heritage, physical or psychological ability, age, economic status, sexuality or gender identity, may feel self-doubt at various stages in their lives.
His background in arts and education, combined with a solid understanding of Cognitive Behavioural Strategies, and his passion for Equality Advocacy drive every aspect of his work as an educator and a writer.
Stuart Milk, nephew of Harvey Milk and Equality Advocate, has said: “I love your work, which is vital to show the richness of embracing and celebrating our wonderful diversity. As Harvey would say, you’re bringing medicine into the world that the world needs! Thank you!”
Author, minister and techie - David Loofbourrow writes about spirituality, personal growth and Gay issues. Careers have included fundamentalist-to-liberal minister, counseling as a trained psychologist, educator, software designer /analyst, and actor. He writes business communication, fiction and non-fiction. David believes that people are only limited by their imagination, which is profoundly unlimited.
His professional website is Tutti Vivo Media Communications and he blogs at Elegant Faith.
Completely intuitive, Dean Thiery Munroe’s work is described as “contemporary impressionism”. He integrates all essential elements in such a way that there is a rhythm, a flow, an emotion and a dedication of the artist to the idea he wishes to express. Dean’s work is an affirmation of his expressions in stone, evolving from years of working in gouache & fluid acrylics.
Mr. Munroe has been a member of ISC - International Sculpture Center with exhibitions and representation in NYC, Charleston, San Francisco and Canada. Dean is also an active member of both the Prince Edward County & Quinte Arts Councils and is a participant of Prince Edward County’s Studio Tour through f a d: fine art & design. In his spare time, he is a digital planner and database strategist. Dean Thiery Munroe, as of 2009, has been listed and recognized as an emerging artist in the Magazin’art Biennial Guide to Canadian Artists in Galleries. Dean currently resides in Prince Edward County with his partner Michael of 18 years.
Visit sculptor, Dean Munroe, and his partner, Michael Deyell, gallery director Out in The County www.outinthecounty.com
Delena is the publisher and editor of 10,000 Couples magazine. Over the past 25 years Delena has published many articles, edited a national newsletter, and been both author and editor of several how-to books on financial management for nonprofits. Some of these experiences might even help with this latest venture. For certain, her experiences at the helm of a local nonprofit organization taught her how to get the job done with minimal resources. She is a graduate of Livingstone College in North Carolina and the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration. Delena currently lives in Oak Park, IL with her spouse and son, cat and koi.
Gina is a LGBTQ activist and writer who focuses a great deal on political news dealing with a variety of topics including LGBTQ immigration reform and marriage equality. Born in New York but based in Sacramento California, Gina is a graduate of San Francisco State University and the New England Institute of Art in Boston. In her efforts to contribute to the LGBTQ equality movement, she is an active volunteer with Out4Immigration, Get Equal and Marriage Equality USA.
Rev. Heidi Mann serves as Associate Editor, copy-editor, "Someone You MUST Know" feature author, and all around "God send" for 10,000 Couples. She is also a freelancer and owns Final Touch Proofreading and Editing, LLC. Heidi has been something of a wordsmith in various contexts throughout her life, from junior high, when she first started writing poetry; through high school, college, and graduate school, where writing skills came in very handy; and on through 13+ years of ministry as a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), a role in which she wrote regularly for sermons, newsletters, and correspondence. Heidi lives in the tiny and delightful town of Hendrum, Minn., with her husband, 2 young sons, and 4 mischievous cats.
Heidi is an astute Long-Term Care Specialist with over 25 years' experience working with small to large Fortune 500 companies and their executives. She is passionate about her clients' needs and finding the right solutions to their particular situations. Since 2003, she has focused her efforts on life and health insurance.
In addition to companies, Heidi works with many individuals and small business owners, educating them on their Long-Term Care Insurance options. She is available to speak to any group, organization, or individual to educate them about the impending need for Long-Term Insurance. 10,000 Couples e-magazine is pleased to make Heidi's special expertise available to the LGBT community.
To learn more, please contact Heidi at 713-857-9476 or you can email her at heidi@ltcfp.net. Your questions may be addressed in future articles. You may also visit her on the web at www.heidicrockford.ltcfp.com.
Howie Holben is owner and caretaker of Spirit Journeys. Since early childhood, he has been drawn to indigenous peoples and their spiritual teachings, traditions and practices. This attraction has taken him on many adventures, exploring the countless ways of "being in the world." His personal journey through addiction and recovery has spawned in him a need to assist others on their own spiritual path and he takes great pleasure in introducing others to practices, sacred ways and cultures to help them "step outside their box." He is a Reiki and Karuna Ki Master and also a Quantum Touch and Breathwork Practitioner. His goal is to help others uncover their potential by setting their hearts and minds free.
James D. Esseks is director of the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & AIDS Project , where he has worked since 2001. At the ACLU, Mr. Esseks oversees litigation around the country that aims to ensure equal treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people by the government; equal rights and protections for LGBT couples and families; protection from discrimination in jobs, schools, housing, and public accommodations; and fair treatment by the government of people living with HIV. Prior to joining the ACLU, Mr. Esseks was a partner at Vladeck, Waldman, Elias & Engelhard, P.C., in New York, where he represented employees in a range of employment matters. Mr. Esseks graduated from Yale College and Harvard Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. He clerked for the Honorable Robert L. Carter, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, and the Honorable James R. Browning, United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit. Periodically Mr. Esseks permits 10,000 Couples to reprint his posts for our readers. Consider making a gift to support the ACLU's LGBT Rights work www.aclu.org/LGBTdonate
Raised in San Francisco, California, Jessica Arent views everything and everyone as “normal.” For her, there have never been boundaries nor obstacles. Travelling the world is Jessica’s passion, as she believes that the experiences of cultural immersion and adventure broaden our perspective of ourselves and the community around us, and further educate us in tolerance and an understanding that we are not all the same -- rather, we are an extraordinary, intertwined tapestry of differences and vibrant colors to be explored and experienced. Jessica has sought out opportunities throughout her career which have continued this journey in understanding, broadened her horizons, and strengthened her resolve and her character.
The mother of an OUT gay teen, Jessica advocates for equality with a force to be reckoned with, believing that we are all created equal, all entitled to live our lives fully and completely without bias or restraint, and every human being has the primal right to love and be loved in matrimony and union, if we so choose. A die-hard romantic herself, she is passionate about opening doors to a brave new world of romantic adventure and exploration. Writing about the places she has been, and the places you will go, allows her to leave her own indelible mark on the world, and make a difference in every extraordinary life she touches through her articles.
Jessica is CEO of PROMESA, LLC with GAY WEDDING MEXICO <http://www.gayweddingmexico.com> and a welcomed contributor to 10,000 Couples' section called Romantic Getaways for Same Gender Couples.
John Szlachetka, also known as Jasz to many of his friends, has been an activist, speaker, and writer for LGBT rights, for a number of years. A former high school teacher, he has seen the discrimination and bullying LGBT youth face everyday. He himself has lived through discrimination and homophobia both from his family and society in general. This has made him stronger and more determined to fight for the equality of his LGBT brothers and sisters. Besides his activism, he also councels LGBT couples with problems that arise in their relationships. He is also a pastor for the Universal Life Church. When he is not marrying couples, he is saving them from crisis. You can also find him in many different facebook groups, fighting along side his LGBT brothers and sisters.
As a member of the 10,000 couples team, Jasz hopes to promote both the e-magazine, and to to bring more couples into our 10,000 couples family. Now that Same-Sex-Marriage has become an important subject world wide, he wants bring together everyone in the LGBT community to fight for the rights of our community.
Katrina Arango, PhD, known as "the lesbian love doctor," is a certified alternative therapy practitioner and best-selling author of 12 books on lesbian relationships, romance, and erotica. She is the founder and owner of The Girl Spot, her online magazine, which has been called "Like Cosmopolitan magazine for lesbians!" She is also producing a series of books on various topics ranging from lesbian relationship advice to spirituality and health.
To view excerpts from her books or to purchase them, please visit her website: www.katrinaarango.com and The Girl Spot magazine at http://www.thegirlspot.presspublisher.us and see what’s new!
Kellie is a writer, an Energy Therapist and a work in progress. She inspires her clients and readers to get really clear about their thinking. "Our thinking creates our reality. Think well, live well. "
Born in Liverpool, England, Kevin Maxwell is a British Filmmaker, Writer & Performer, whose mixed-race and gay. He spent his twenties in Manchester after studying performing arts and is currently finishing a screenwriting Masters in London, where he lives with his husband Alex whom he married in Toronto. He is the last child of eleven of Irish and Bajan decent, a great uncle and became an adult orphan at the age of 26, when his mum died from ovarian cancer. He was raised a Catholic, but now finds Buddhism of interest, and has suffered with severe reactive depression as a result of his experiences of racism and homophobia in his job as a Scotland Yard Detective, bringing to an end his 10-year policing career. His interests are social justice and equality.
His personal website is www.kevinmaxwell.co.uk and his 'View from the Bottom' blog is at www.blog.kevinmaxwell.co.uk
Follow Kevin on Twitter @kevin_maxwell #maxwell2015
Larry Ferrell is a native of Louisiana and was raised in Ohio. He now lives in the Atlanta area and is an analyst with one of the world's top-ranked technology providers to the banking industry. His technical background is more than 20 years of experience in computers and software. He describes himself as a news and information advocate, with a focus on technology and health. Larry values the beauty and rewards of people being connected.
Follow Larry on Twitter @LFerrell1
Connect with Larry on Facebook
Visit Larry at Pre-Paid Legal Services
Visit NatraBurst Super Foods Blend
Jamal was born and reared in Philadelphia, Pa. Starting at the age of 7, he took lessons in Ballet, Modern, Jazz and Tap dance, then went on to the Philadanco School of Dance and the Philadelphia High School of Creative and Performing Arts, majoring in dance with a minor in music and theatre. Interested in theatre, he performed in numerous school productions and original scores written and produced by creative writers.
Jamal is dedicated to the arts and continues to work on his music and contribute to local arts and theatre productions. He also recently started National Association of Gays For Change, a group he hopes will change the way the LGBT community takes on goverment, religion, politics, HIV/AIDS, and each other. As part of the regular team of 10,000 Couples, Jamal posts special commentary to our For Gay Men Only section. Want to ask Jamal a question? email: askjamal2011@gmail.com
Melissa brings a variety of experience to the team. Her history includes study of cultures and living abroad in Latin-American countries. She is an activist within the LGBTQ community. An avid cyclist, Melissa participated in the Gay Games VII in three different cycling events and won two silver medals. Melissa is also a lifelong student of photography and Spanish, and is currently studying American Sign Language.
Melissa and fiancé Stacy Jacobs run QueerlyWed.com, the premier nationwide directory of queer-friendly businesses for people planning their wedding or commitment ceremony. If you and your partner have already tied the knot and would like to be featured on Queerly Wed, write celebrations@queerlywed.com.
Michele is an Indianapolis, Indiana based gay relationship therapist offering gay and lesbian services nationally that are specifically tailored to the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons. Michele's style of life counseling & coaching is a blending of exploration, education, encouragement, support, guidance, and accountability. The goal of life counseling & coaching is to create a forward moving momentum in your life that allows you to live according to your own hopes and dreams, while simultaneously furthering you toward the life you were designed to live.
Michele is specially trained in relationship counseling and is proud of the success many same-sex couples have experienced with her gay relationship counseling and coaching. Click here to contact Michele at her website www.micheleomara.com or lesbian social networking site TheLCafe at www.thelcafe.com.
Have you read Love Tips & Trips For Gay & Lesbian Relationships: Useful for Heterosexuals?
Pat is a life coach who specializes in coming out gay or lesbian in adulthood. She is a lesbian who was in a heterosexual marriage for 20 years-and for 15 of those years didn't even realize she was gay! As she began to emerge from denial, Pat went through a very difficult period, but found the strength to move forward and pull her life back together. She is now divorced and in a committed partnership with a woman. Her relationships with her ex-husband, children and parents are intact. As a result of her experiences, Pat feels a deep sense of obligation to assist others who are in this situation and on their own journey of discovery.
Pat's life coach training was with the International Coach Academy, which is accredited by the International Coach Federation. She holds a bachelor's degree in health science, with formal training in mental health and over 25 years experience working in the health field. In addition, Pat has an MBA. She earned both degrees at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.
Paul McNeal is a Texas native and a veteran of the United States Navy Submarine Force. He now resides in Northern Virginia and is an entrepreneur and Life Coach with an emphasis on business. He describes himself thus: "Lover of Life who is learning the principles of success. Seeker that is finding every opportunity to help and bless others. Believer that perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Highly values the joining of two people as one and the beauty that two lives can create as a team."
Shelly Goldstein is a writer-producer-performer who has written for every genre of television, film and stage -- and who has performed her one-woman shows to sold-out audiences throughout the US and UK. She has written special material for such performers as Steve Martin, Sharon Stone, Yoko Ono and Liza Minnelli. She has written song lyrics for G-rated children's shows and R-Rated comedy specials such as LOGO's ONE NIGHT STAND-UP. Her YouTube videos are known throughout the world.
SHELLY on YOUTUBE and FACEBOOK
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/groovyshelly
TWITTER follow me @ groovyshelly
photo by Marius Bugge
Tony Adams is a writer, editor, retired CFO, and Roman Catholic priest. He is Senior Features Correspondent with South Florida Gay News and is the editor of the 20-member queer arts and culture blog Queer New York. He is also a member of the editorial board of Bilerico. His writing has been featured in the 2010 and 2011 issues of PRIDE Magazine.
Tony and his husband Chris have been together for 27 years and were married in Connecticut in December 2008. They divide their time between homes in Fort Lauderdale and Manhattan.
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