VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE # 321
AIR DATE: 03 08 2024
FULL SHOW TRANSCRIPT


SHOW OPEN ((Animation))
((VO/NAT/SOT))
((Title))
Home of the Brave
((SOT))
((Brian Helander
President, IGRA))
Come as you are. We will accept you if you want to be a cowboy or cowgirl, will help you be done, because oftentimes people think they can't. Just come as you are and will be here to welcome you and will be here to help you achieve your dream of becoming a cowboy and cowgirl. That's what happened to me.
((Animation))
((Title))
Rodeo Time
((SOT))
((Raemia Clemons
Cowgirl))
I'm a little bit nervous, I'm not gonna lie, but I can do it. I'm always nervous, but I'll be alright.

((NATS))
((Animation))


((TITLE)) HOME OF THE BRAVE
((TRT: 14:20))
((Producer: Nathaly Salas Guaithero))
((Camera/Editor: Nelson Vignolles))
((Map: El Rino, Oklahoma))
((Main characters: 0 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 6 female; 6 male))
((Blurb: A documentary with testimonies about tolerance and understanding, straight from the heart of one of the most conservative regions in the United States. A group of people are united by their determination to break down stereotypes. Living authentically, they have found their freedom in the "Home of the Brave." ))
((NATS))
((Brian Helander
President, International Gay Rodeo Association))
The cowboy and cowgirl culture is fundamental to America.
((Chris Tobin
Director, Rodeo))
Gay Rodeo first started as kind of a fight for our rights because we weren't accepted at the regular rodeos.
((NATS: “The star-spangled banner”))
((Title: Home of the Brave))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((NATS: Brian Helander))
Say hello. Can you say hello? Oh! Yes. Oh, yes. Yes.
((Brian Helander
President, International Gay Rodeo Association))
The organization started in 1976. It originally started as a fundraiser for a nursing home in Nevada. A group got together to raise money to do a Thanksgiving dinner for a local nursing home. And they thought, well, we'll just do a little rodeo. But the rodeo charities have evolved over the years. The Muscular Dystrophy Association became one of the recipients of the rodeo. With the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, the rodeo, you know, really helped out raising money for people who are affected by HIV.
((Announcer))
We, the men and women of the International Gay Rodeo Association, by way of this ceremony honoring the memory of those members, friends, partners, spouses, brothers and sisters of all our communities, who have been taken from us.
((NATS))
((David Hartwell
Great Plains Rodeo Association))
There are people competing here today who have been part of I.G.R.A. [International Gay Rodeo Association] since the 1970s and who tried to compete in traditional rodeo and were physically assaulted, verbally assaulted more than once.
((Charly Collela
Cowboy))
There's a lot of people out there that are closeted or are different, and mainstream…they are not comfortable. So, we are all inclusive here. You can be straight and come and compete. Trans [Transgender], whatever you are or feel or want to be, it's…you're welcome here. And we don't discriminate against anybody.
((Nicholas Villanueva
Professor, University of Colorado Boulder))
Growing up with a military father, Mexican American, and rural Indiana. So, it was…there wasn't, you know, I did not have role models that looked like me that also said they were gay and wanted to participate in sports. So, it's about identity and acceptance of identity and no judgment.
((NATS))
((Brian Helander
President, International Gay Rodeo Association))
I think that before people judge us as less than because we're LGBTQ+ [abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer] cowboys and cowgirls, they really need to come and see one of our rodeos and then tell us that we're not, you know, fully capable, courageous cowboys and cowgirls with incredible skills.
((NATS))
((David Hartwell
Great Plains Rodeo Association))
I.G.R.A. is a little unique because it permits both men and women to compete in every event.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Stephanie Malone
Cowgirl))
I've been rodeoing my entire life, and I've been doing the gay rodeo for about since 2011. I just went to it. I'm actually one of the straight people in the rodeo. And I went to it to just train, and I met amazing people and amazing friends, and we just became like family, and I just never stopped going.
((NATS: Announcer))
Next rider.
((NATS))
((Charly Collela
Cowboy))
To be on the back of that horse, doing 30 miles an hour or more, is so much fun. The thrill of competition, win or lose, it's awesome. And being around these people, this is a family, and it's…you just feel very…this is where I belong.
((NATS))
((Brian Helander
President, International Gay Rodeo Association))
Come as you are. We will accept you. If you want to be a cowboy or cowgirl, will help you be that, because oftentimes people think they can't. Come as you are is kind of thing, and we’ll be here to welcome you, and we’ll be here to help you achieve your dream of becoming a cowboy and cowgirl. That's what happened to me.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wes Givens
Cowboy))
I answered the phone lines for suicidal youth, that are…don't realize that people…they're young,13, 14 years old, and they're scared and they're afraid their family is so anti…and go online, you can find them online, where to go, rodeo, start meeting with people and get with the youth. And don't…I mean, yes, it's a rough two or three years for you to get out of. I had a rough time growing up. I mean, the kids in my class, most of them were good, but I had a few that would pick on me and bully me. Today, you know, reach out with places, go tell a teacher, you know, and help.
((Brian Helander
President, International Gay Rodeo Association))
Some people said, maybe, we don't need to have a gay rodeo place. Maybe we need to be more integrated or something along those lines. But, as you know, over the last several years, that's sort of taken a 180-degree turn. And we're sort of, we're back to where it's not safe out there for LGBTQ youth in ultraconservative areas of the country.
((NATS/MUSIC))


TEASE
((VO/NAT/SOT))
More after the break…
((Title))
Home of the Brave
((SOT))
((Tracy Riemer
Free Mom Hugs Oklahoma))
But there's just so much hate and anger and people don't understand, and we need to come together and support each other. And that's the most important thing that we can do, is through “Mom Hugs” is just, you know, support each other.
((MUSIC))


BUMPER
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((SOCIAL MEDIA PKG.))
((TITLE)) NY CITY BEEKEEPER
((TRT: 1:00))
((Original Reporter/Camera: Yuan Ye))
((Social Media Producer/Editor: Lisa Vohra))
((Blurb: An urban beekeeper in New York City is buzzing with enthusiasm to rebuild a declining bee population in big cities.)) ((NATS))
((ANDREW COTE, URBAN BEEKEEPER))
Keeping bees in New York City might sound a little odd, but people have been keeping bees in New York city and in other cities in the world for a very long time.
((ANDREW COTE, URBAN BEEKEEPER))
My name is Andrew Cote. I’m a beekeeper in New York City.
((NATS))
((ANDREW COTE, URBAN BEEKEEPER))
One of the biggest difficulties with urban beekeeping is just the element of dealing with people and the opportunity to educate them about bees and honeybees and their gentle nature is a nice challenge, but a challenge.
((NATS))
((ANDREW COTE, URBAN BEEKEEPER))
Most people, when they think of honeybees, they think of honey, and that’s understandable because that’s the product that they can taste and see. But really, when we talk about honeybees, we are talking about pollination. One third to one half of all of the food on our plates is grown, thanks to the labor of the honeybee.
((NATS))
((ANDREW COTE, URBAN BEEKEEPER))
We are small in size, but what we lack in number of beehives we make up for in spectacular locations.
BUMPER
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((TITLE)) HOME OF THE BRAVE…continues
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Announcer))
How is everybody doing tonight? There we go. That's our rodeo family.
((MUSIC))
((Ryan Knop
Mr. I.G.R.A. 2022))
Most people do compete at the rodeo, which, basic events on top, a couple of fun ones that just kind of make it more fun for us. Those skills like singing and dancing, we have a lot of those. So, they have a lot more talent than I do and their skills are amazing.
((MUSIC))
((Ryan Knop
Mr. I.G.R.A. 2022))
Depending on your title, you have to raise a certain amount of money to help the community or I.G.R.A. in general, to give money back and also help support what we love to do, which is rodeo.
((MUSIC))
((Roel Florez a.k.a. Selena Whorez
Miss I.G.R.A. 2023))
You don't have to settle for what is expected of you. Follow your heart. You got to be who you are because you got one chance in this world that is being created by our savior, you know. Enjoy it. So, it might be hard at first. We don't know how to get through it, but as long as you got the people on the back of you that you can talk to, even people you don't know, find your passion, find your love, and you'll be happy the rest of your life.
((MUSIC))
((Roel Florez a.k.a. Selena Whorez
Miss I.G.R.A. 2023))
I'm a fanatic for Selena Quintanilla. Oh, so I love Selena Quintanilla. And growing in almost close area, she was so… everybody just started calling me Selena, Selena.
And then when I started this, okay, Selena was the name.
When I'm Roel…very shy, so reserved, I'm like, “Hi, how are you doing?” Kind of like, you know, like that’s word. But when I became Selena, I was like, “Oh my God. Hello, how are you doing?” It’s…I love it because it's another persona you get to be.
It's like...bitty, bitty, bom, bom.
I wish I had more bom, bom, but I don't.
I got a little bitty, bitty, but that’s it.
((David Hartwell
Great Plains Rodeo Association))
The misconception is that drag queens are out there to indoctrinate your children and convert them to your gay lifestyle. And of course, that is not even remotely true. The drag queens, who comprise contestants and royalty of I.G.R.A., their mission is to promote acceptance, promote openness, just the complete opposite of the stereotypical talk that's going on right now.
((Roel Florez a.k.a. Selena Whorez
Miss I.G.R.A. 2023))
Have a great time. Enjoy the show.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Tracy Riemer
“Free Mom Hugs” Oklahoma))
We were started by a mom here in Oklahoma who just put up a hand on that said, “Free Mom hugs”, and went around to pride events to support her gay son. And so, there was a need for parents to be involved, to support people, because a lot of people in this community are estranged from their families. And so, we've come into places like this where we can support people. We're trying to educate people, and we just want to let them know that we do really love them, and we cherish our community, and we want to help them, you know, have successful lives and be happy people.
((MUSIC))
((Tracy Riemer
“Free Mom Hugs” Oklahoma))
But there's just so much hate and anger, and people don't understand, and we need to come together and support each other. And that's the most important thing that we can do for “Mom Hugs” is just support each other.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Charly Collela
Cowboy))
We want everybody to win. Although you know, I want to beat you, but I want you to do your best. And if you beat me, hey, I'm proud of you.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Mary Abaco
Cowgirl))
That's what the rodeo's about. It's not about winning all the time. It's about the camaraderie, and the family, and the love. I would still be here even if I wasn't competing just because these people are so special to me.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Tricia Dunking
Cowgirl))
Everybody's people. We all got the same heartbeat, blood flows. We all have same feelings and we're just all human. That's just really all you can hope for. You know, you can’t be anybody else.
((Luna Starr Black
Ms. I.G.R.A. 2024, 2nd Runner Up))
We all come from different walks of life. So, as long as we're all working together because we're all sharing a common goal, that's really what matters.
((Brian Helander
President, International Gay Rodeo Association))
Our mission and our purpose is still extremely important. It goes way beyond just the rodeo competition and the royalty competition and those other things. It's really about being that safe place.
((NATS/MUSIC))


((TITLE)) RODEO TIME
((Previously aired June 2019))
((TRT: 09:00))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martínez))
((Map: Damascus, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee))
((Main characters: 0 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 0 female; 1 male))
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
Lot of people don't realize that there truly are Black cowboys and cowgirls, because you don't see them in the history books.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
My name is Denise Tyus. I compete in rodeo. It's a competitive event, gives you such an adrenaline rush. It's like a drug less high. It's a good thing. You're playing in the dirt, but it's good, clean, fun that the whole family can do and enjoy.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus, Cowgirl))
I've been around it just about all my life. I actually didn't start competing until I was grown but my children have grown up around rodeo. It helped us to teach our children about responsibility, setting some goals. It was really something good that kept them out of trouble. And then of course, my niece. She's just been coming over and riding and I try to give her a few pointers.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
It's kind of a neat thing to be recognized as a Black cowboy and a cowgirl in the area, but at the same time, there are so few. It's one of those things that you think: oh, wow. We're actually on our way to a friend of ours in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Now my son and my husband, they're going to do a little steer wrestling practice.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
Steer wrestling, as it's called now, was once called Bulldogging, but that event was invented by an African American cowboy by the name of Bill Pickett. You don't see a lot of that on TV. So, African Americans played a pretty big role in the old west. A lot of Black cowboys and cowgirls have paid the way for me.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
Try to take extra good care of the animals, from the stock to the horses that we ride. They're not being hurt during the rodeo. If you take care of them, they enjoy what they are doing, they are really going to give you everything that they have. You know, there's no reason to mistreat them.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
This weekend, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo is going to Memphis, Tennessee. It's just an event that portrays the cowboy and cowgirl from the African American community.
((NATS))
((Wefus Tyus
Cowboy))
Grandbaby stuff.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
It's like a little mini vacation. Get an opportunity to travel with again, my husband, children, granddaughters, my mom.
((NATS))
((Sammy Climons
Rocking ‘C’ Ranch))
We'll have the next rodeo this evening at seven o'clock. But right now, I'm just doing lunch for everybody, some of my homemade sausages that I make. Then everybody should be real good to go. Their bellies should be full. The horses are happy and this is what takes us to the top.
((NATS))
((Sammy Climons
Rocking ‘C’ Ranch))
Did you try a piece of that sausage I made? I'm gonna let you try it.
((NATS))
((Valeria Howard-Cunnigham
President, Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo))
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo was created 35 years ago. My deceased husband did some research and found out that there were thousands of Black cowboys and cowgirls across the United States, but for some reason, they were not given the opportunity to showcase their talents. So, the story needed to be told and that was the whole purpose of creating this association.
((Valeria Howard-Cunnigham
President, Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo))
35 years ago, it was very necessary. The doors have opened over the years and Black cowboys and cowgirls are now showcased in those other rodeos. But it’s the only African American touring rodeo. This is home, so it’s something that, I think, the African American community feels like they own it. It’s their story.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
It's just a little more than an hour before rodeo time. I'll hurry up and finish getting dressed. Part of the requirements of rodeo is that you have on a long sleeve shirt, pair of boots. Our belt buckle says a lot about what you've accomplished at rodeo and you gotta top it off with a hat. So, pretty exciting. It'll be loud and wild out there.
((NATS))
((Wefus Tyus
Cowboy))
I'm gonna be so fast you're gonna have to be quick with your camera.
((NATS))
((Rodeo host))
Well, ladies and gentlemen. Are you ready to see your cowboys and cowgirls on Saturday night live?
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
Right now, they're doing some calf roping and steer wrestling. In steer wrestling, the guys jump off their horse and throw the steer down and it's a race for time. The guy with the fastest time wins.
((NATS))
((Wefus Tyus
Cowboy))
My run didn't turn out the best. Steer was getting a little strong on my arm so, I didn't really finish him good and the end result was he folded up on me and so, I just let him go.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
Here in a minute, we're going to do some more ladies steer decorating. I also do an event called barrel racing. You run a cloverleaf pattern. It's a speed event. You have to leave all through the barrels standing, because you can hit it as long as it stays standing, but if you knock it over, then it's a five second penalty.
((NATS))
((Denise’s mother
Cowgirl))
Go now. Oh no.
((NATS))
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
Oh man, it didn't go as well as planned. I actually mowed the second barrel down so therefore, I got a five second penalty. So, no purse, no winnings today.
((NATS))
((Raemia Clemons
Cowgirl))
I'm a little bit nervous, I'm not gonna lie, but I can do it. I'm always nervous, but I'll be alright.
((NATS))
Come on Raed. Come on. Go!!
((Denise Tyus
Cowgirl))
Raed, she made a nice run. Probably one of the best runs we've ever seen her. Just pretty proud of her right now. Nice, everything we've been practicing, she got that done.
((NATS))
((Raemia Clemons
Cowgirl))
Thank you. $198. Third place. It's alright.
((NATS))
((Denell Henderson
Cowboy))
It went pretty well, you know. Got the win in the steer wrestling. Finally, everything came together, horse worked good, got a good steer. It's actually my full-time job now. So, it's a hard way to make a living but I love it, so I can't think of anything else I'd rather do.
((NATS))


BUMPER
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CONNECT VOA
((TITLE)) WASHINGTON D.C. AUTO SHOW 2024
((TRT: 02:13))
((Camera/Editor/Producer: Jeff Swicord))
((Map: Washington D.C.))
((Description: A walk around the D.C. auto show with a quick look at new electric and gas powered vehicles in Washington D.C.))


IN COMING WEEKS
((VO/NAT/SOT))
In coming weeks…
((Title))
Rejuvenating Urban Forests
((SOT))


BUMPER
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((SOCIAL MEDIA PKG.))
((TITLE)) POET LAUREATE
((TRT: 01:00))
((Original Reporter: Faiza Elmasry))
((Original Editor/Camera: Mike Burke))
((Social Media Producer/Editor: Lisa Vohra))
((Blurb: We talk to a poet laureate in a Virginia community whose mastery of language inspires both the young and old.))
((NATS: Kim B. Miller and the crowd))
I'm Kim B. Miller. I'm a lover of words. Nobody wants to be silent. Yet so many are.
((Kim B. Miller
Poet Laureate for Prince William County))
Poetry is touching people with all your senses.
((NATS: Kim B. Miller and audience))
How much rain do you have to walk in before you realize you caused the storm?
((Kim B. Miller
Poet Laureate for Prince William County))
I write everything from free hand, which means I'll just write a poem, doesn't rhyme.
((NATS: Kim B. Miller))
My lyrics cannot be complete without the chorus of truth.
((Kim B. Miller
Poet Laureate for Prince William County))
I believe it's a gift from God. I think it's really inspiring how we can take different words and use them to feed people.
((Courtesy: Kim B. Miller))
Don’t you know we’re all carrying baggage in different packages? Just because it’s in a Louis Vuitton bag doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.
BUMPER
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SHOW ENDS