Medicaid Special Needs Plan for Trans, HIV+ & Unhoused People; and Pride Films: Nikki Giovanni & Queer Oysters

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Published: 16 June 2025

Out-FM aired on Tues., June 17, 2025

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Joe Pressley (l); Doug Wirth (r)

Medicaid Special Needs Plan for Trans, HIV+ & Unhoused People

Out-FM's first segment focuses on Amida Care, a non-profit, community-based Medicaid Special Needs Plan that specializes in serving trans, HIV+, and unhoused people in NYC. We will speak with Amida Care's Doug Wirth, CEO, and Joe Pressley, VP for Govt. Relations, about the impact of Trump's aggressive attacks on those targeted communities. Our guests will also explain the June 25 Manhattan rally to Stop Medicaid Cuts and Protect the Health of Trans People, Immigrants, HIV+ people, and unhoused people.

Information on Amida Care: amidacareny.org/get-started/

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Pride Films: Nikki Giovanni & Queer Oyster Harvesting

Nia Whitmal, Coordinator of Special Projects at the Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem, will discuss the last two films in this year's Pride at Maysles series:

• "Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project," a look at the life of poet Nikki Giovanni and the revolutionary historical periods through which she lived, from the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter, and
• "Holding Back the Tide," a film about the oyster as a water filter, carbon capturer, storm barrier, and habitat maker that transcends its environmental promise and becomes a queer iconof NYC's unlikely survival story.

More on Pride at Maysles: maysles.org/pride-at-maysles

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NYC Queer Liberation March June 29; and Musk/Tesla Protests Continue in NYC

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Published: 10 June 2025

ACT UP's "Blood on Their Hands" Protest Targets Tesla, Musk, Secretary Rubio, RFK and Trump

On May 28^th the 114 day long appointment of Elon Musk ended as a special government employee, though the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, continues wreaking havoc on US social services. Included in the cuts have been Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which will impact millions in the US. Globally, Musk, Trump and Secretary of State Rubio’s decision to cut off of money to PEPFAR, the presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief , is endangering 20 million people with AIDS globally, who rely on life-saving PEPFAR funded AIDS medication.

Resistance to Musk and DOGE has been growing. On Friday May 30^th the agency running the NJ Turnpike announced a decision to remove the 60 Tesla superchargers and replace them with universal charger stations. Tesla said it would continue to provide chargers in NJ but the effort has stalled because of the growing movement to boycott Tesla as a result of Musk’s role in the Trump administration has undermined Tesla stock valuation. The Tesla Take down movement continues holding actions at Tesla Dealerships including the Greenwich Village Tesla dealership, which on Saturday again saw a medium size action, lead by the AIDS Movement, including ACT UP/NY, Housing Works, Vocal NY and Physicians for a National Health Program NY Metro. John Riley will bring sound of the rally to the show.

NYC Queer Liberation March June 29

Jay W. Walker

This June 29th, simultaneous with the Queer NYC March, an independent group called the Reclaim Pride Coalition will for the 6th year in a row hold a separate Queer Liberation March to fight the rising tide of fascism, persecution of LGBTQIA2S+ people and communities, and all North Americans. The Queer Liberation March is the annual people’s protest march without corporate funding; corporate floats; politicians’ grandstanding; or police control or involvement. Their website is queermarch.org.

Joining us to discuss this is Jay W. Walker, a co-founder and lead organizer for The Reclaim Pride Coalition and The Queer Liberation March. A longtime New York activist, Jay also organizes with Gays Against Guns, Rise and Resist, and ResistingProject2025.org; he also sings Resistance songs with Sing Out Louise; and co-hosts the Gurl, Stop podcast.

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