The Viral Response, Resolution, & A Rooftop — Part 1: A Story About Carrie Evans Carrie Evans’ speech took off almost overnight. The day after the Minot, North Dakota City Council Meeting, TikTok user @Scuuberz posted various excerpts from the meeting online. Just over a week later, NBC, CNN, The Independent, NewNowNext, and other media platforms helped circulate…

Rough Riding for Rainbows in the Peace Garden State — Part One: A Story About Carrie Evans Part Two: Not A Story About Carrie Evans It was an hour and a half into the April 19th, 2021 Minot City Council meeting when Item 7.8 came up for consideration. That day flying fate of all non-governmental flags within the Magic City…

Stacking the Deck to Your Pup’s Wildcard Affection — During the COVID-19 shutdown, local animal shelter operators have been exclaiming dogs were, “Going like hotcakes.” Pups filled homes in need of company and as an excuse to get outside. I want to provide new dog owners experiencing their new furry friends with my own best practices. I grew up…

From TikTok Town Halls To Rooftops — Carrie Evans’ Minot speech in defense of the LGBTQ pride flag took off almost overnight. If you missed the build-up to the viral event, you can catch up on it here. What you need to know is that after Carrie Evans delivered her speech, the attending citizens were not supportive…

The Origins of a Modern American Pride Flag Speech — On September 8th, 2020, the Minot, North Dakota City Council would hear a speech delivered by the newly elected Carrie Evans. The topic was the Pride Flag designed by the late Gilbert Baker. …

Alderwoman Carrie Evans & That “Thing” About the Rainbow Flag — Gilbert Baker’s rainbow-colored flag flew first in 1978’s San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade. From that day forth, it has aged. So have those who saw their first Pride Flag and thought, “Wow!” To mark the 25th anniversary of Stonewall, Baker created a mile-long version of his now-ubiquitous symbol of…

What the Big City Case Could Learn From Main Street America — Part One: A Story About Carrie Evans Part Two: Not A Story About Carrie Evans Part Three: Why Not A Pride Flag In Minot? The Supreme Court case Shurtleff v. Boston would not exist but for Coney Island, New York. The Brooklyn borough’s original inhabitants — a Native American Tribe…

What Happened After Wild Inclusion In Minot, North Dakota — Below is a summary of the policy discussion which took place on April 19th, 2021. This is a supplement to my Why Not A Pride Flag in Minot article. The Mayor recognized Alderman Tom Ross. He recommended the council accept the first proposal offered by the City Manager and received…

How To Begin Appreciating Yourself After An Initial Diagnosis — One of my all-time favorite songs is All My Best Friends Are Metalheads. The lyrics discuss how the easiest way to understand someone is to pretend they are not you. …