Celebrating Pride & perseverance! Our special guest Leigh Finke graciously and candidly shares her personal journey that led her to finding the liberating light of queer joy! As the first transgender legislator in the Minnesota House, she advocates for the rights of ALL and reminds us that the trans community has been here forever, that full inclusion is the only goal and to please – Stay Safe. Keep Fighting! Musical guest Andra Suchy confirms that stubbornness is her superpower and performs songs written while navigating challenging times, including a freaky accident that has forced her to find a new path forward. Guitarist, Jeremy Ylvisaker & vocalist Janey Winterbauer join Andra. Becca Dryden with the supportive organization, Transforming Families MN, wants us to remember that trans kids just want to be kids. Silvia Pontaza considers that courage is not always loud, but instead a quiet refusal to give up. Shanan Custer discovers that her fear isn’t cellular after all. Violinist/creator DGS celebrates the triumphs and honors the struggles of all of those facing systems of oppression. Zippy Laske encourages us to keep on showing who we truly are. And Sue Scott believes that the best way to become an ally might simply be a willingness to learn.
- Island of Discarded Women Episode 47 was directed and produced by Sue Scott
- Cast: Shanan Custer, Silvia Pontaza & Sue Scott
- Written by Sue Scott, Shanan Custer, Silvia Pontaza & Zippy Laske
- Special Guest is Leigh Finke
- Musical guest is Andra Suchy with Jeremy Ylvisaker & Janey Winterbauer
- Also joining us: Becca Dryden with Transforming Families Minnesota.
- Original songs: “Born To It,” “Make It Easy” and “Stone Will Roll,” music & lyrics by Andra Suchy
- “Sea Bound” music & lyrics by Zippy Laske.
- “What Lies Ahead” violin composition by DGS
- Live Real-Time Captioning by Erica Cook
- Live Audio Engineering by John Robinson & Emma Cullum
- Volunteers are Susanne Egli, Carolyn Denton & Doug Anderson
- Photos by Sara Erdman
- Mixed & Edited by Sue Scott
- Mastered by Tony Axtell
- Episode 47 opening: Excerpt from “Angels are Calling” music and lyrics by Zippy Laske from our April 2026 show, Episode 46.
- Our “Give Back” opportunity for this show, chosen by our guest Leigh Finke, is Transforming Families MN https://www.tffmn.org/