To our beloved listeners, followers, friends, & fans:
Sorry this took a couple of weeks for me to write, I needed some time to process everything...
As you've probably come to find out by now, Three Strange Women's time at UNregular Radio has expired suddenly & we are no longer broadcasting/recording on Tuesday evenings. I don't find it necessary to elaborate extensively on the specific happenings leading up to my departure, but what I will say is that I made the decision to slowly depart from UR a week prior & was planning to stick it out for a few more months, intending to come up with a new plan of action in the meantime.
UNregular Radio has undergone a number of changes in the last 6 months and I was blessed to be the first show invited back and also to have been given the opportunity to become UR's Social Media Manager. For me, deciding to sign back on to the UR team wasn't so much an option as it was an obligation to my personal and professional cause.
At the time of the change, it was no secret that for well over 9 months I had been working extremely hard on fundraising and preparing all of the necessary components to turn my Boston Pride Parade Fundraiser Campaign into what feedback from friends and acquaintances would call "the BEST float" in the entire parade.
Putting my true feelings on the situation aside, walking away from everything was NOT an option at that point. With over $2,500 raised and already invested in the project, having t-shirts, banners, & flyers printed, the generator rented and a tow truck & sound equipment donated to us for the day of, I did what was necessary and continued with my vision and delivered the single most KICK-ASS experience myself and everyone involved in my project have ever experienced. No one can EVER take that away from me.
In terms of developing my life & skills as a professional, UNregular Radio has taught me more than any college experience ever could. I went from being a paying show, to being a sound/photography intern, to eventually becoming a paid employee all in a very short amount of time. I began working as an audio engineer, first cutting and archiving recorded audio from the 2011 Bear Creek Music & Arts Festival, which I was blessed to have been invited for the all expenses paid trip to help broadcast. I spent every Tuesday & Thursday from 12-4pm watching Dex & Dave run & manage TBLMS to get a better idea of how to pace my show and incorporate live performances into it, worked under Rick recording promotional materials and learning the basics of sound, and worked under Matt learning back-end website and blogging techniques. Eventually I became the sound engineer for what would total well over 60% (probably amounting close to or above 30 individual radio programs) of UNregular's paid & flagship shows, my absolute favorites being Public Indecency, Beats, Rhymes and Life, The Boston Pot Report, & The Boston Local Music Show. As I said, more than ANY college experience could ever offer, mainly because this was 100% hands on, in-the-field learning as I worked.
Before I get carried away, let's take a trip in the WAY BACK machine...
I discovered UNregular Radio just over 4 years ago, at the Boston Freedom Rally in September of 2010. I was blessed to have been welcomed into their circle of strange, misfit, hard working stoners with a mission. I spent a significant amount of time familiarizing myself with the UR scene and everyone involved. I built and maintained friendships with the owners, show hosts, and the general crew of "UNregualrs" constantly flowing in and out of the 82 Bedford Street studio and soon had an entire posse of well connected individuals who just happened to have become my best friends in the process. We laughed, cried, and PARTIED HARD together. I was 21 years old and loving life. The situation was everything a girl could dream of and more. This was an amazing feeling. This was real life. I almost couldn't believe it. In the beginning, I had no idea what I actually wanted to do, but I knew that in developing these friendships, I would be able to utilize these connections and do something great.
In early June of 2011, the entity that is Three Strange Women was born.
Myself and two of my good friends from school Anna (high school) and Katie (grammar school) spent a few weeks collaborating creative forces and eventually developed a vision to create a safe, informative, & FUN radio/social media experience for people who identify with or wanted to learn more about the LGBT/Queer scene and lifestyle. Seeing as UNregular already had an extensive following of eccentric individuals, I knew we'd fit right in!
On Monday July 4th, 2011 the very first episode of Three Strange Women aired LIVE on the radio from 3:00-4:00pm ET!
Nothing worthwhile in life is ever easy. The first few months of shows were more than a little rough. It soon became evident that I was much more invested in this project than the other two girls were, and this sudden, harsh reality would mark the first cast change for TSW. It was time for me to take complete creative control and begin my role as the sole, executive producer of the show, coming up with content and choosing songs for the weekly playlists alone. In the weeks following, I maintained the show (barely) by bringing in whoever I could find to talk about a bunch of gay news with me. I brought in friends from all walks of life, straight, gay, questioning, queer, you name it, if they could talk on the radio with me for an hour, it happened. I value the time spent by these individuals the most because they believed in me and my vision when no one else did. For that, I am eternally grateful.
As time progressed, I became more and more comfortable behind the board & on the microphone. Branding for TSW was surprisingly successful and a ton of fun. Before I knew it, I had a very interactive following on the Facebook Page & Group, and was starting to build followings on Twitter, Tumbler, and Blogger. By October/November 2011 I had a dependable weekly cast consisting of myself, Jeska, and Ty, and each week we would breeze through our one hour time slow on air, bringing in all kinds of guests, performers, and relevant interviewees.
People and their personal goals and aspirations change over time. After about 7 months, it became time for Ty to depart from our Strange Lady crew and I was actively seeking a new Strange Lady co-host. Upon reaching out in the FB group (back when there was a group chat option!), I was approached by my now very loyal friend, Georgina, who soon became a dynamic force in the reign of Three Strange Women. For a few months, Georgina & Jeska were my other strange ladies, Jeska eventually needing to take some time off to better tend to her personal needs.
From June 2012 - January/February 2013, myself & Georgina took the queer scene in Boston by storm. We were a force to be reckoned with to say the least. We would go out every weekend, exploring and causing mischief and then reporting all of our crazy antics to our listeners over the radio waves on Monday. In September 2012, we became so comfortable and apparently good at what we were doing, that I pitched the idea of turing TSW from a one-hour program to a two-hour radio show and was granted permission on the spot. With two full hours to talk about anything and everything we could imagine, the possibilities were endless. Our following grew immediately and before I knew it, I was being approached by other friends and acquaintances who wanted to be a part of TSW. In this time the TSW family grew to include Matt Zappa, Lilith, David (DLB3), Chestnut, Steve, Kayla, Luca, Jonah, Carissa, Kat, Jahna, Katie, Jessa, Daniel, Lydia... the list goes on for days.
At this point, we were so much more than just a radio show... we were now a big, happy, gay/queer family.
When the management change took place at UR in April of 2013, our show time & broadcast day changed as well. It was time to once again seek out a new cast for TSW. I actively began searching for friendly homos who were available on Tuesday evenings from 9:00-11:00pm and was greeted with an incredible crew of hard working, caring, and FUN individuals. It was awkwardly convenient because every Tuesday at Zuzu in Cambridge, my dear friend Leah V DJ's the resident queer night, which provided a perfect opportunity for cross promotion. The new Strange Lady line-up was a SMASH, and consisted of Tove, Carolina, Sei Yam, David & myself, with constant visits from Lilith, and eventually incorporating our lovely, hard working intern, Jamie, into the mix. Once again, Three Strange Women was on top. We successfully maintained our following and listenership and we were back to business.
Saturday June 8th, 2013 will go down in the history of my life as the greatest day ever. Through all of the chaos, frustration, and learning, I had figured out a way to apply all of the skills I had acquired into one project: The Three Strange Women Float in the Boston Pride Parade. I've already written up an article on the blog recapping the greatness of that day, but even 3+ months later, I'm still riding the "high" that I felt on that day.
As I've said a million times, Three Strange Women has become SO MUCH MORE than just a radio show over the years. We are a community. We are a FAMILY.
Through having my own radio show, I've been able to touch the lives of so many people whom I get to see regularly, and touch the lives of even more people who I'll never get to meet. Since starting TSW I've experienced the honor of being someone who people trust and confide in when they've decided to "come out", for multiple people. My "Husbear", Matt Zappa, has deemed me "the Gay Whisperer", a title which I will gladly wear with honor and pride. I've become someone who people seek out to compare our opinions and ask advice from when dealing with LGBT related issues. I've been able to expand and even CREATE an entire scene for like-minded individuals to safely communicate, learn from, and love one another.
This is not something I necessarily intended to do, but it is the RESULT of my hard work, determination, and my will to continue spreading my message, even in times of hardship. I've been "out" for about 10 years now, and most people don't realize this. I never actually "came out" to my family or friends in a formal fashion. No one really ever questioned my love life, or my sexuality. I was very blessed growing up. In these 10 years, I've been able to develop a position as a "pillar" of sorts to friends who may not always have been so supported, to those who may not have had anyone to turn to, but needed someone to confide in. This is a feeling that I cannot communicate through words. The amount of love that I have for all of the individuals I've worked with over the past two years continues to grow every day when I realize just how special what we have truly is.
I am deeply saddened and was initially devastated when Three Strange Women officially separated from UR two weeks ago today. This is NOT the way I had intended for things to play out, but I'm taking comfort in the fact that the Universe has decided that it is time for me to take my brand elsewhere, immediately. This is the end of an era, and a prime opportunity for new beginnings.
One thing I know for sure is that I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to document my Strange, queer life EVERY SINGLE WEEK for the past TWO YEARS. This is a feeling like no other. I am more grateful than I could ever express through words to have had the opportunity to keep recorded evidence of everything that has meant so much to me over the past two years.
To everyone who has shown me love, support and helped me along the way, I LOVE YOU DEARLY! I need you all to know exactly how much this has meant to me, and I also need you all to know that I COULD NEVER HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOUR HELP! I can talk on the radio 'til I'm blue in the face, but the real substance in all of this comes from the love you've shown me.
Three Strange Women is FAR from over... STAY TUNED!
Strangely yours Forever & Always,
Miss Jackie Soriano*
Please listen to our podcasts to keep Three Strange Women ALIVE until we make our comeback:
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