OUT cast 11/08/2021

Tune into OUT Cast on Monday, November 8th to hear OUT Cast collective member Skip Brushaber’s interview with Gia Drew, Program Director for Equality Maine and Maddy Chiapetta, SAGE intern. Skip, Gia and Maddy discuss how SAGE dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic and what the future holds for SAGE. SAGE Maine is a program of EqualityMaine and is an affiliate of SAGE USA, a national services and advocacy organization for older LGBTQ+ adults. In November 2019, SAGE Maine joined with EqualityMaine, to ensure the longevity and sustainability of their programs. SAGE Maine’s primary focus is to support and advocate on behalf of the older adults in LGBTQ+ community. In the past, SAGE Maine’s wonderful volunteers have run monthly dinners, movie nights, ukulele groups, and more! They also provided resources for older adults across the state in need of support and community. To help support the goals and mission of our SAGE Maine program, an additional team member was added to the EqualityMaine staff through AmeriCorps VISTA to better support SAGE programs and communication. GIA DREW Pronouns: She, Her, Hers Gia joined the staff of EqualityMaine in 2014 after being a volunteer for several years. As program director, Gia oversees all our education, rural outreach, and youth programming, as well as supporting our advocacy work. While originally from Boston, Gia has called Maine home for nearly 18 years. After earning degrees from Syracuse University and Savannah College of Art and Design, Gia was a high school teacher and coach for twenty years, working in Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maryland, and Maine. In that time she became one of Maine’s first OUT transgender teachers and one of the first transgender coaches in the country. Outside of EqualityMaine Gia loves spendig time in nature, especially hiking, snowshoeing, and ocean swimming. MADDY CHIAPETTA Pronouns: they, them, theirs Maddy Chiappetta is serving with EqualityMaine as the SAGE program intern this year. Maddy graduated from the University of Maine Farmington with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is currently a first year Master of Social Work student at the University of New England. In the past, Maddy has been part of intergenerational classrooms through the Gold Leaf Institute Senior College. They have also worked as a Wilderness Therapy Guide, in adolescent rehabilitative treatment, and in young adult shelters. In their free time Maddy gets a kick out of sewing quilts and riding their bicycle. Maddy is delighted to have the opportunity to learn more about the experiences and interests of older adults across the state of Maine. SKIP BRUSHABER Skip is a retired nurse/social worker. He was a founding member of the Our Paper Collective and The AIDS Project. He is a writer and artist.https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/outcast/1142/thumbnail.jp