Wendy Stuart will be hosting TriVersity Talk! this Wednesday at 7 PM ET with featured guests Charley Beal and Catherine Marino-Thomas. This episode is a part of The Best of Triversity Talk series that takes place on the first Wednesday of each month.
TriVersity Talk! is a weekly web series with featured guests discussing their lives, activism and pressing issues in the LGBTQ Community. With TriVersity Talk!, the goal is to laugh and learn.
TriVersity Talk! Is part of TriVersity’s ICARE Initiative. ICARE stands for Increasing Community Awareness through Relevant Education. ICARE Programs are generously funded by The Greater Pike Community Foundation.
Charley Beal is a lifelong social activist who attended his first civil rights demonstration in Lansing, Michigan in 1962. He is also an award-winning art director for film and television, working with renowned directors including Mike Nichols, Nora Ephron, Ridley Scott, and Gus Van Sant. His film credits include, First Wives Club, In & Out, Milk and TV credits include Boardwalk Empire, Smash, Gotham, and Power.
Charley was also a close friend with Gilbert Baker, the creator of the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Flag. Since Baker’s passing in 2017, Beal has helped to carry on Baker’s legacy through the Gilbert Baker Foundation. That work has included producing several short documentaries as well as numerous exhibits that have been seen in museums and galleries around the world. Most recently, Beal has been leading the effort to prevent towns and cities across America from banning the Rainbow Flag.
Cathy Marino-Thomas is an activist who lives with her wife Sheila and daughter Jacqueline. Sheila and Cathy have been together 28 years. The family lives in Queens, New York.
Cathy spent many years as a Buddy in the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) Buddy Program visiting people afflicted with HIV/AIDS and assisting them with daily chores, advocacy and information.
She worked on the issue of marriage equality since 1998. Serving as Executive Director of Marriage Equality NY for 3 years (2005-2008) and Board President for 6 years. After merging Marriage Equality NY with Marriage Equality USA 2011, she served as Co-President of Marriage Equality USA for 3 years, retiring in 2014. Cathy has spoken all over the country about the rights, privileges and obligations that protect families only through the right to civil marriage.
Holding a full-time job as well, Cathy spent 26 years at PwC as an Executive Assistant. While there, she helped to organize a group of LGBT employees and formed a diversity circle. This circle is now part of the larger empowerment programs of the firm.
Cathy served as Steering Committee member and organizer for Gays Against Guns for 4 years, connecting with like-minded activists across the country on the issue of gun control.
Cathy is proud to be a board member of the Gilbert Baker Foundation.
Watch TriVersity Talk! Live on Wednesday at 7 PM ET on Youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/@TriVersityCenter
The official website for the TriVersity Center may be found at https://www.triversitycenter.org