The Arizona Equals Conversation

Arizona Equals Lisa

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Jeanne Woodbury, the host of the Arizona Equals Conversation. The weekly podcast is a project of Equality Arizona, a non-profit organization dedicated to making sure LGBTQ+ people in Arizona have the opportunity, capacity, and confidence to make change as advocates, voters, and civic leaders.

Our conversation ranged far and wide. We talked about my experiences growing up a Jewish lesbian in post-Borscht Belt New York, working for IBM on giant mainframe computers, moving to California in search of a more inclusive work environment in the late 1980s, and eventually being asked to move to Arizona when it didn’t feel like a safe place for gay people.

We did talk, a little, about Dive N Ride; but I didn’t go on the podcast to promote my business. What I spoke about was more my desire to create a safe space for people who are members of our LGBTQ community, who want to broaden their horizons by traveling and learning about other cultures, all while having big fun pursuing their passions for motorcycling and diving, in the company of like-minded traveling companions.

It was an honor to be invited on the Arizona Equals Conversation. And I really enjoyed talking with Jeanne. Here’s a link to our conversation. You can listen to our chat right there, or get a link to listen directly in your favorite podcast player. And if you would prefer to read rather than listen, there’s also a complete transcript of our conversation.

I think you’ll enjoy it.

—Lisa