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Celebrating Pride Month with Diana Hess

Jun 02, 202344 min
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Hudson River Radio dot com. It beats listening to nothing. Being Frank. We're the only way to be, is Frank. Wellwyn and welcome to Being Frank. We're the only way to be, is Frank. I'm your host, Frank Lebono, and we'd like to thank you for joining us here on the Intelligence Conversation podcast. We know that your time is valuable and competition is fierce. Let's face us a lot of podcasts out there. What you like to think of ourselves as an alternative to all that noise, So really appreciate

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our audience a new topical program every week, beginning on Thursdays. Listen at your convenience and remember every program as archives, so you can listen to any Being Frank virtually anytime that you want to. We think it's the intelligent thing to do. We're taping on June first and opening up Pride Month. When my first guest shared her journey with me to find her authentic self, I was blown away by her strength, commitment, integrity, compassion, and humanity.

It changed me forever because it put a face on what had been just a movement for me, a face that I loved and respected. She has been gracious enough to join us here at Being Frank to share her story story with our audience and launch our celebration of Pride Month. Welcome Diana has a happy Pride. Oh thank you, Frank. That was so sweet. I'm really really humbled by your introduction and I'm so excited to be here on day one of Pride months. Well, I certainly meant that. I really do

use a euphemism. I don't blow smoke. I try to be as real as I can. That's why I call it being frank, mistakes and all. So I really mean all of that. I had known you in a previous life kind of if you will, and that a new life and the connection to me was just fascinating in the journey. But before we get into it, and I want to talk a little bit about it, why did you decide to do the show? A lot of people might feel an awkward is it necessary for me to broadcast my sexuality, etc. But you didn't

hesitate at all. As a matter of fact, you jumped at the opportunity. Why Because I think that I have gone through something. You know, I'm just one story. But I think what my feeling is now is that if someone can relate to my journey or know that there were obstacles along the way, but you come out the other side and you're like, oh my god, this is happiness, this is joy, this is where I'm supposed

to be. Um, you know, so I think you know not to not to get really down in the in the early stage of this podcast, But I do want to say that, you know, Mental Health Month was just um last month yesterday actually just finished. And you know, we've had a very tough few years with the pandemic UM, but mental health and the LGBTQ community is also off the charts in terms of um, you know, not being able to live your authentic self, or to be able to tell

family, or to be able to be yourself. And I think that for me, it's you know, the word that I never thought that I would use is it's easy to be me. And that's how I feel. Well, let's let's talk a little bit about your story, Diana, and we hinted at it a little bit. You had a traditional if you will, If to use a word, we have to use certain phrases. I know, words trigger and but we have to have a conversation. You started out, if you will, in a traditional marriage. You were married for six

and a half years. You had children, two daughters, correct, and I we're going to let you brag about them shortly. Don't worry, I don't do that about it. That no, no, your grandma's don't Oh, I gave away another hint. Grandma's never never brag about their kids or grandchildren, but even that the whole idea of family and it's still a family. But but how did you? How did you and what gave you the impetus to make the change to become your authentic self after living a traditional life?

Okay, and then you came out and you have a partner, and you've been here with your partner, Emily for your wife for twenty one years. You were only married for six and a half, so it gives people a certain perspective. But if if you would, could you, could you share your process, your thought process went through your mind in making that change in particular, So I never worried about my confidence as a person in my

life, my career, my choices, my goals. Um, but I knew deep down that I was not the and I'm going to use your word, but I was not going to be the traditional wife. Although and I think there are many men and women who do this. Um, you don't. You don't live your truth. So therefore, you know, I grew up. It was like, Okay, I'm going to date, I'm going to go to plan, I'm going to do all this stuff as a woman identified with all right, So but I never really had any serious thoughts.

But I always knew I wanted children. That was like buff four marriage, you know that I always knew that I wanted to become a mom number one, and thank god, you know, that came true. And it's been a dream ninety nine point nine percent of the time when they were little. Lol. But what I was going to say was when I married, I

married. I definitely fell in love with this man and I we had the same goals, and you know, it was like, let's build a house, let's build a life, and let's build a family, you know, and then it became during the course of that the suppression or the life that you know, the other life. It wasn't like schizophrenia. It was just sort of this pushdown right. So it's like something was there. But I couldn't live that way because I grew up in a traditional family, in a

you know, very progressive family. I must say. You know, moment was a public school teacher in a principal and my dad was an architect, very community but doing this or thinking about the process of coming out was absolutely not cool, Like, couldn't have done it. And imagine going through school in nineteen seventies nineteen eighties, couldn't do it, didn't feel it, you know, grew up in the suburbs. Who do I know? Who are the ros that I know that are living this life? You know? And

all I saw was on television. It was I'm going to age myself, but it was Ray O'Donnell, it was Ellen DeGeneres, and they became sort of these like, oh if they could do it. But then look at the price that they paid, right, they paid heat prices and that scared the blah blah blah out of me. And I was really nervous. But I knew that my marriage not that it was bad. And like I said, we loved each other. And to this day, you know, he's the first person that I came out to fashion. I want to ask you

about that. What he said to me when I told him about Emily, my wife, is that, you know. I said, you know, I have this person that I met and I'm in love with her. And he just said, are you happy? And I said I am happy and he goes, that's all I want and that's all I want for you. So that was cool. That was really cool. So the journey was, you know, suppressing who I who I was, and then when I came out, unfortunately with Emily Is we had to wait to share our relationship to

my family because they just were not accepting of it. You know, there wasn't any um what shall I say? There was. The drama was my inability to be able to be comfortable telling them how I felt, you know, and I always say this to my kids that you know, I want you to do whatever you want to do and whatever makes you the happiest. And I've never ever judged their choices. Well, well what about you? What about your family? Then what about your folks too? When you eventually

came out to them? What kind of response did you get from them? So it was shocking, shocking for them. Yeah, it was hard. I had been divorced three years and so then three years later than that, you know, that's how long it took. But it's it was a work. It was a work in process progress, And it's the same thing for anyone I think who comes from a family that it's like mom, dad and

the kids. You know, back in the day, it looked different, you know, my going to dinner looked different, my going to the movies look different. Everything looked different, but I felt, you know, you know, just enthusiastic and ecstatic. And I felt like I woke up, you know, from a very long sleep and just really ecstatic. It did

nothing, nothing changed in terms of the love, you know. And I always say that again for this podcast, is that some people think that family will never come back to them or they just can't do it, but you do it and you live with it, and acceptance is a beautiful friend. And I had friends who I talked to, you know, so it really

took a village. I mean I had friends, very close friends who to this day who I came out to and they were like wow, and not that it was super shocking, but just they were so supportive having gone through it. And in your particular time, what advice would you give to others who are feeling the strain of coming out? What? What? What?

What advice might you give to them how they should And I'm sure it must be different for everyone because of obviously different family circumstances, et cetera, But there is is there any common thread that you can think that might help someone through this difficult time of actually coming out and expressing themselves, because not every it's not universally well received. It's one of the reasons why we're here having this discussion. So at this point we hope to get there. So what

would you recommend? I mean, I think coming out is even like it sounds so old, you know, so last century, you know. I think for people now, it's just hey, this is who I am. I'm Diana hass Right, you're Frank Leblono. I don't go out. Hi, I'm Diana Hassan. I'm gay right, It's I wear a wedding ring. I go to work. I sometimes my wife will, you know, she'll be surprised. But I take the recycling or the garbage down to the

end of the driveway every week, you know. And I think the thing is today is marriage is marriage doesn't matter, you know, your work life is your world. I just think it's really different now. I think, you know, in different parts of the country. And you know, I don't want to get I certainly don't want to get political around this because I'll leave that to Brook malloy because she does it so well. But I will say that it's a scary time. I'm very angry about the regression. I'm

very angry that people. You know, it's like my girl said to me, didn't you march for this stuff? Like fifty years ago or something like that. And there are certain places where people do not understand it, do not accept it. And you know what, people don't have to you know, agree with everything. You know, the cliche agree to disagree is okay. And I think, you know, you just have to be, you

know, be who you are. That's all I can say. And I go into work and that is hi, you know, here I am and I'm you know out, you know, here's an out, you know, executive at Juannio. It's not it's just there's Diana. And I think the good thing is is that hopefully, you know, it becomes more of a non issue. But when it becomes a threat or if it becomes something there somebody is going after you because you are, then that causes fear. But you have to fight through it. You have to stand up for it.

How old were you when you first became aware of your sexuality? Very young age? And absolutely? Yeah, yeah, you mean you knew you had the inkling immediately that yeah, I mean, you know, it's attraction, right either you're attracted to this, but it's really attraction to that person. And I knew, um that I was attracted you know to women, but it was like okay, and I just had to follow, you know,

the path back in the day. But I think it's very you know, people are attracted to you know, whoever they're attracted to you, Well, what was your It must be frustrating. It had to be frustrating for you to have those feelings and yet as you know, you had to suppress them or you thought that was the right path to take. What what? What? What? What was that? Like? Was that frustrating for you? I mean, I think it's was it frustrating? I don't know if it

was frustrating because I don't think I brought it to the surface. I think it was sort of like, you know, you're swimming in a pool and it's like it's like a duck, right, So you see this pretty duck on top of the water and they're paddling like hell underneath. Nobody sees it, but they just keep moving. So I think the thing was is for me is I knew it, but I just was paddling like how and just keep moving and you know, being I think really being the person that I

thought other people wanted me to be. And that's what I don't deal with now. It's like whatever people want to say, think, believe fine,

you know, it's just it's different now. Back when I first, um, you know, shared with people that I was in love with Emily and that I was building a life that way, it was I'm sure it was a shock to a lot of people, but you know, it was in the early two thousands, and I will tell you that, you know, when I was at Juwanio, the first thing that the new CEO did at the time was ensure that the contracts and the lead I don't know if the

right worst contract, but the benefits included domestic partner benefits. And she was very progressive, and you know, I was like, this is the place where this is cool. You know, this, this is life moving on, this is society moving on. It's a safe bubble to be in, you know. But you know, like I said, suppression is not a

great thing. I mean, everybody suppresses a whole lot of things. But if you can't be your authentic self physically, mentally, especially, you know, it's it's a really hard gig, you know, it really is. Oh would you have been comfortable having this conversation, say ten or fifteen years ago, we have well let's start there and then we'll take it from there. Would you have had this even had this conversation, let's say again ten or fifteen years ago. So yes, I think so, But I wouldn't

have been probably. I have all of this life experience and raising children and raising children who see no color and no gender, and you know, they've helped me, and you know, in so many ways. And they they you know, they've grown up with us being married and having a dad and having you know, his marriage to his wife and another love and couple, and they're surrounded by love. Really, But ten or fifteen years ago,

yeah, I would. I'm twenty we're celebrating twenty one years. So the other thing, too, was I was a part of a traditional egalitarian conservative synagogue and oh my god, I tell you, you know that that was rough. But again, you have two rabbis, Craig Chef and Paula Drill, who you know, took me in with open arms and really allowed me to shine and have confidence. And I was the first woman who actually lifted a torah on the what they call the Beema, And I'm sure other people

are saying, how could they do? You know, first of all, having a woman, you know, do that in a conservative situation, but it was egalitarian and to do that, and they gave me the confidence to do that, So I would say, yes, I probably would, because there were so many people that just like put their metaphorical arms around me and

we're like, you go good. So I think, you know, that really was a pretty much pretty big eye opener and pretty big confidence builder, because you know, you can be in a pretty low place when you're shedding skin, right, So well, with with that mind then unbalanced again, considering and we should talk about a little bit more your feelings towards some of the anti gay legislation that's particularly in Florida, but it's everywhere. It's it's

not and that's the sad part. It's not exclusive show for us. That's another hour, Yeah, yeah, exactly, but we'll say a little bit of time for that. But even even with that said, the fact that you are here openly speaking about it, openly living your life, have we made progress? Oh my god? Yes, I mean, if I listen, I've always said this and when phillis Frank you know, began this.

I worked with her um as I was vice president of the National Organization of Women, and you know, it was her vision to start the Pride Center. And I always said that if I was a teenager when the Pride Center was around, it would have happened earlier. But as I've said to my life took another death and I wouldn't have had my girls. Um. You know, we're found Emily. So I think, you know, all things being equal, have things changed, yes, um, I think you know,

especially with teenagers then you're struggling with so many things. You know that. I think places like that have to be safe harbor U And I think if you are you know, strong enough and you know there are threats out there to everyone at one point or another. Um. I just think that now, yes, it is easier because we are living our lives. We're just doing your day to day you know. I mean you mentioned your wife Emily and her family and early on the difficulties have they come around? How

did they come from? My baults? Yeah? Whose parents were around? My parents? Emily? Emily was you know, she was out way before me. So yes, okay, So you meant your parents were again stay corrected. Then again you said it's through a process. Was there was there any kind of epiphany for them as there was for you? I mean, is that too strong a word because it was more a gradual process or is there one particular moment where an aha moments where they said it's it's Diana and

still will always be Diana. You know that. Yes, I mean, and I hope to continue to be that. But my my thing is I fell in love with this person and I wanted to share that, you know, I didn't want to be you know, dancing in the streets about it. I mean, we all, you know, find love in our lives, hopefully, And it was something that I wanted to shout from the rooftops because number one, my wife is the most amazing person in the world. But at the same time, I couldn't shout it from the ms in the

beginning. So that that was you know, you talk about struggle or epiphany. The struggle was real. The struggle was in the first few years. It's difficult for her, for us to not you know, be able to be out I'll use that word now. There was no epiphany. It was just the epiphany was Oh my God, I'm in love with this woman, and that's the epiphany. And oh yeah, by the way, I'm you know, it wasn't like gay Diana. You know, Diana fell in love

with this person now living my chees. So yeah, And I think you and I are often like minded in that sense where and I understand the need for a certain amount of advocacy, particularly in the gay community, and for obvious reasons, but I yearned for a time where there are no terms. If you wilp, We're all just human beings. It's all. It's Diana and Emily. It doesn't have to be that gay couple or that lesbian couple or whatever. Will there be a day where we can really get beyond those

labels. I mean, listen that they wrote the song Somewhere a West Side Story in the nineteen sixties. Right somewhere there's a place for us. I think we're still trying to, you know, make a more perfect union, right, So we're still we're still on that journey. We're human, and I think that's the part that people don't get, is that we're all of this human race. And that's it's it's tough right now, It just really is people are people. Love is love you. You always hear the state,

but we have to start living in Yeah. I have more questions for you, including your your run for state senate in nineteen ninety one. I want to talk a little bit about that and what that meant and what you could have brought to the party there, et cetera. And but we're gonna take a quick break, just for a couple of minutes, and we'll come back and we'll continue our discussion. It's bright months, it's June. We're taping on June first. This is Being Frank. We're the only way to

be is Frank. I'm your host, Frank LaVona. My very special guest sharing her wonderful story with us is Diana Hess. We're back with more Being Frank. Right after these brief commercial messagers. Don't go anywhere. Hudson River Radio dot com bring a dash of green into your life. Check out the Many Shades of Green with Maxine, margar Reuben and Malcolm Berman. Get informed

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Check out Big Jim Wheelers Classic Radio Theater on Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hudson River Radio dot com. Welcome back to Being Frank. We're the only way to be is Frank. I'm your host, Frank Lebono. You know we're here every week with the topical program. We have our own website at Hudson River Radio dot com. Just look at Being Frank and you can find any podcast that we've done from the beginning. And it's been over a year. As a matter of fact,

this is podcast number seventy five. We keep rolling along and we're celebrating Pride Month with our very special guest, Diana Has Diana again, thank you for joining us. A great first half of a conversation, and let's continue. In nineteen ninety one, you ran for the state Senate. What gave you the mindset to do that? And tell us about that as an experience. Um, yes, that was an experience, but it was very formative experience. And I'll get back to that. I had always wanted to make a

difference. I was raised again, like I said earlier, with parents who really cared about their community and cared about children and you know, really changing lives for the better. And that's kind of the impetus of what I went into. I really wanted to be what they call a public servant. And I feel that even now, servant leadership is the best leader that I can possibly be, that people can possibly be. So when I ran for Senate, I had a fourteen month old, I was married. I was really

really excited to be able to add my voice. I was thirty three, Yeah, I was about thirty three, and I was running on the same ticket that Bill Clinton was on, that Robert Abrams was on. It was a very you know, sort of heady time. You knew that there was going to be a switch. Um you know, there was a switch from Bush, you know, to Clinton, and you know, I felt really good about it. I also, to be perfectly transparent, I knew I was going to lose, but I also I also wanted to give it a

shot. You know, I didn't shy away from as a big risk. You know, I really wanted to, um, you know, very cliche, make a difference. So my platform was public private partnerships, how businesses could get in them and profits. UM. That sounds familiar to me to this day. UM. I was a candidate believing in a woman's choice over her own body. UM. I was a person who believed that early childhood education was critical for kids. UM, not just to put lip service but

actually fund it. M So I ran on sort of this progressive planing but also moderate. I was running against Joe Holland at the time. We had a series of debates, one of which I believe was on cable vision, which you might be familiar with. Yes, I think I probably produced that. I have a feeling. Yes, So that was fun. But you know what, we again different time, right. We didn't go after each other, we didn't call each other names. We weren't mean. I looked

at it as an opportunity to get to know people in the community. And I will tell you that Rockland, being a five town place, it was really really great to get to know a large part of the community and helped me and my dad subsequent to that, But it wasn't like they were believe it or not drunk, you know, now that I look about it, someone or a group of people did go around and do a little bit of

a whisper campaign saying, did you know Diana was a Lesbie? So I will say that that was there, But the picture of where I was, I was married, I had a baby, that it was still in the ether, if you will. But it didn't. It didn't dissuade me from running. It didn't dissuade me from keeping very focused and very driven to do the right thing. So nothing came up really around the issue except for that

little bit of whisper. I think it probably hurt in certain pockets, but you know, there was a lot of press coverage around it, and I got to be known in the community of someone who really cared, and I think that's true to this day. It's interesting that you mentioned that because that was going to be one of my questions. Would it have been at all feasible? There was so few so called gay candidates at that time. Would it have been in your mind at all feasible? You can forgive the terminology

what other terms to us to be out at that time? Would it would it be truly realistic to be elected as an openly gay candidate in nineteen ninety one. I'm trying to think of how many it might have even been been up before the time of Harvey Milk in San Francisco, some of the San Francisco But was it possible here in New York at that time? What are you? What are your recollections, your thoughts. I'm gonna say simply no

way, Frank Okay, well pretty pretty direct. There's there's just no way we were ready to accept an openly gay candidate here in Rockland County, and again to be since we stream elsewhere where Rockland is, it's about it's a semi affluent, somewhat suburban county, just about twenty five miles north of midtown Manhattan. So again, people get a certain perspective, so you would think relatively progressive being so close to New York City, a very progressive city.

But no, no way, no, it's just it isn't There's no way. That's That's as easy as I can say it. Right, So, so at least we've somewhat changed, but that brings us back and again we don't want but the time left, we don't want to. We probably don't have enough time to cover all the issues with the growing conservative movement that is once again suppressing the freedom that you work so hard we, I should say, not just you, we work so hard to attain that. That's got

to be a downer. How does that make somebody from your community feeling we've worked so hard to get it this force so that it's just said nineteen ninety one not possible for gay candidates. Now we have gay legislators, et cetera everywhere, But yet there seems to be a move to push it back. But how's that coming from? And how does that feel? I mean, I think that's just it's it's the power structure. It's you know, systemic homophobia, systemic racism. I mean, you know, people don't want to

teach history now you know the real history of what's gone on. I mean LGBTQ community has a vibrant and large history that we never learned in the history books, you know, and now it's you know, it's becoming not okay. But again, it's it's a power structure that's endemic. And I would say it's fear because it's this and I'm gonna analogize it to something that happened to me when I first started working at Juannia, Um, you know, and on the show today this is you know, Diana has the person who

lives in the city in New York. It's not Juanio. But I do want to give an example of what happened to a friend who I was walking around with at the mall. And he is a wonderful guy, um, you know, he's very artistic and creative and he's funny. And we were walking around the mall and just talking and a young man about I'm going to say like ten or eleven came up to us and he asked Tony about his wheelchair. You know, you're in that wheelchair. Can you get up now?

I can't get up. And he has cerebral palsy, so his affect, you know, is different, and he couldn't speak, you know, too clearly. But I said, you know, ask him anything, you know, he's don't be afraid. The father came along, took the son's arm and said, you know, come on, get away from him. You could catch it. Mind blowing mind blowing at the time. I mean, how insensitive, how hurtful, how crushed that Tony must have felt. And you know, I was just empathized. I was like, I can't

imagine that pain. But at the same time, I've experienced it myself. Right, you can catch it, right. People used to say you can catch it. It's going to happen to you, right. So I think it's the it's the fear, it's the lack of understanding. It's the stay in a room with me for five minutes. You know, it's like I didn't you know, you can say to someone, you know, I didn't know you were a Mets fan, and if you're a Yankees fan, right, and we can talk about it. I don't have to, you know,

go after you and thing, I'll never talk to you again. You're just you have a different, you know, feeling about something. It's the same thing sexuality, you know, race, colored gender, all of these things, sports teams, you know, whoever you like tonight, Celtics or you know, I'm sorry, the Heat or Denver, yes, right, sorry, sorry about that. Yeah, I'm not worried about the Celtics. I was already depressed about the Knicks and all the new York, all the

New York teams, right that we know and love. But but what I

was going to say was, you know, that's the thing. The thing that is horrific now is not only the lack of understand of our history, the lack of understanding of interpersonal communication is that you can immediately be labeled in an instant, and then that instant turns viral, and then that viral terms somebody on the internet or streaming or go back to the beginning of this conversation, and there's a teenager where there's a young person who has been labeled or

judged or bullied and now contemplates suicide. Right, So this is what's happening even higher amounts in the get in the edge community, and what's happening in the transgender community is a whole other subject, you know, a whole another time. But the issue now is just I really the bottom line here for me is just live your life, you know, and try and find what's the most meaningful for all asphalts. You know, Diane, I promised to

give you an opportunity. You're a mother and now a grandmother, and you want to give you opportunity to brag a little bit about your family and also within mind, you know, with two moms and yet your daughters are living their reality their lives again showing that it's not contacious. I guess the point as you were saying, it doesn't love well. If it's not contains, good parenting is good parenting period. But please do tell us a little bit

about your family. I think it's important. I know. Oh please, Frank, Why would you make me do that? Yeah? Twist here people, we're not visual anymore, but if they can see you, I'm twisting your arm behind your back. Oh no, I listen. I am blessed. Emily and I are blessed. We have two incredible young women, Carly and Rebecca, who have two beautiful well partners, Ryan and Nick Um my older daughter. Um and her husband Ryan have a beautiful grandson named sever which

yes he is named for Tom Stever somebody, somebody. It was so great meeting Ryan's parents. It was the most amazing thing because Emily is totally not sports person, you know, and I always joke with her. I was like, wait a minute, you are an insult to lesbians everywhere. How do you not like sports? Like? I don't understand this while his parents big Mets fans, me Mets fans, and then when they told us what his name was, just was flipping. So that was great. So that

they're they're great. And my daughter Rebecca and her soon to be husband Nick next year they live in the city and they're doing great too. So, um, you know, they made it through. It was tough for them. Um. When I when Emily and I became, you know, a committed couple, Carly was in middle school and middle school is tough enough, and Rebecca was three years younger then in elementary school, and that was a really hard thing, you know. But then it was love as love is

love, and I'll never forget that. Rebecca was actually mad that Carly knew first. Great a good time if I too, if I might be able to relate to a story with my girlfriend's son and her sister as an artist and was burying her partner, et cetera. And I asked her son at the time, I think it was eight or nine something about that old, and I said, how did you break it to him, you know, et cetera. Did you try to explain to him to women coming together?

And he said, didn't care at all. He wanted to know whether he could ride in a limo or not. So there, I don't care about that. Don't matter me at all. Can I get do I get the right in a limo? So generation is just like that, you know, so what who cares? Right? Yeah? I hope we can get to that point with conversations that we just had with you, Diana. I so appreciate your honesty, your camera, your candor, and your sense of humor.

It's always great, you know, and I think that's important. Things get so intense, you know, if you use the wrong word, it's all in the intention. If your intention is good, not to wound. Your intention is to understand, even if you make mistakes. I want to let people know it's okay to keep an open mind and an open heart. You'll be okay. You'll screw up. Even I screw up. I don't admit it regularly on the air, but yeah, even I do. But you know what this is. And not to blow smoke back at you,

but these kinds of local conversations are so needed at this point. And you know, you can have these big influence insert stuff and all of that, but it's you know, these are my neighbors. These are my friends. These are you know, these are this is the community that we've chosen to

live in. And you know, for you to offer this and shout out to Neil on the back end of the operation, I think, I think it's wonderful and I hope that you know, I'll share it everywhere that I just hope that more people come on and realize you know how much you care about what you're doing as well. Thank you, Tana. That means an awful lot to me. This was a great, meaningful, intelligent conversation. Not just to catchphrase, it's a real one. So thank you very much.

And of course we always thank Neil Richter the mail man. He's our engineer, he's drives the bus for us. Of course, special thanks to our listeners who take the time to give us a voice in their lives. Remember we offer a fresh topic every week and you can catch us wherever and whenever you get your favorite podcasts like Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Speaker and more. Remember you can also check us out on Hudson River Radio Facebook page.

Like us and leave a comment too. We also ask that you consider sharing being frank with others. You know. At the end of every show i'd like to leave you. I call a couple of nuggets, and one's a slogan. You'll never guess who this comes from. Never in a million years, I didn't I do a little research and think what might be appropriate way to hear this one, and you'll never believe who it came from. Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time,

but it ain't going away. That's from Elvis Presley. So everybody, let the sunshine know your truth. Okay. Now we've got some music for you from two of my favorite people, David Fry and Michelle Solomon. Collectively they're called Mystery Mouse. Here's a little two minute sampling of their music. They're terrific. I'm your host, Frank Labono. This has been being Frank. We're the only way to be is Frank. Please join us next week for

another episode of the Intelligent Conversation Podcast. Thank you, Listen you sweet. It comes to PU push comes to ship comes come, don't don't have in turn around, take it five. You see why it is so you need your need on the lone people, Lavendry on the Beach out and Savendry. This is Hudson River Radio dot com

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