Author: Alfredo Casuso

The Queen Mary: Greatest Ocean Liner

Ahoy! Happy 90th Anniversary of the maiden voyage of, arguably, the most famous and most successful ocean liner in history!

On May 27, 1936, the RMS Queen Mary set out on her maiden voyage, beginning one of the most storied careers ever to cross the Atlantic. Sleek, powerful, elegant, and unmistakably British, she was more than a ship: she was a floating expression of national pride, technological ambition, and Art Deco glamour.

The dream began a decade earlier. In 1926, plans were made to build a new Cunard liner that would dominate the North Atlantic passenger trade. Four years later, in 1930, construction began at the famed John Brown Shipyard at Clydebank, Scotland. There she was known simply by her yard number: Job No. 534. From that numbered hull would emerge one of the greatest ships ever built.

When the Queen Mary entered service in 1936, she represented the height of ocean liner design: fast, luxurious, and built for the great transatlantic run between Europe and America. She would go on to carry celebrities, royalty, immigrants, soldiers, wartime leaders, and millions of passengers, earning her place not only in maritime history but in popular imagination.

Ninety years after that first voyage, the Queen Mary still endures — no longer racing across the Atlantic, but permanently moored in Long Beach, California, where she remains a beloved symbol of the golden age of ocean travel.

Watch historic footage of her maiden voyage here:

Today on the anniversary of her birth, we celebrate the life and legacy of Rainbow Honor Walk honoree Sally Ride (May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012). A physicist, astronaut, educator and trailblazer, Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and remains an enduring symbol of courage, curiosity and possibility. 

After leaving NASA, she dedicated her life to science education, especially encouraging girls and young people to see themselves in STEM. Following her death, her 27-year relationship with Tam O’Shaughnessy made her the first known LGBTQ+ astronaut, adding another powerful dimension to her legacy as a pioneer who expanded the universe of what others could imagine.

www.RainbowHonorWalk.org

#RainbowHonorWalk #SallyRide #LGBTQHistory #WomenInSTEM #SpaceHistory RepresentationMatters

A Papal Birthday. A Perfect Summer Read.

Born May 26, 1478, Giulio de Medici—later Pope Clement VII—was one of the most pivotal figures in Church history. And he’s a key character in Upon This Rock, David Eugene Perry’s thrilling novel of Renaissance secrets, Vatican drama, and modern mystery.

Set in Orvieto, Italy, Upon This Rock follows a gay American couple as they uncover a present-day conspiracy rooted in Church history—and in the life of Clement VII himself.

Now in its second printing and headed for the screen, this critically acclaimed page-turner is perfect for fans of The Da Vinci Code and The Name of the Rose.

History. Intrigue. Romance. Wit. And one unforgettable Pope.

Get your copy now at the link below:

https://a.co/d/07llJXjb

#UponThisRock #HistoricalThriller #PapalHistory #SummerRead #DavidEugenePerry ClementVII LGBTQBooks Orvieto RenaissanceDrama

In Flanders Fields
— by John McCrae
1872—1918

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
 The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
 The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
 In Flanders fields.

May 22nd is Harvey Milk Day!

There are moments when a city chooses what it wants to remember, honor, and carry forward.

The renovation of Harvey Milk Plaza in San Francisco is one of those moments.

What sits above Castro Station today has always been more than a transit entrance. It has been a gathering place. A symbol. A meeting point for visibility, activism, celebration, grief, courage, and community.

Now, the city has an opportunity to reimagine that space into something worthy of Harvey Milk’s global legacy and the generations who continue to walk the path he helped open.

The vision for the new plaza is powerful. Expanded public space. Greater accessibility. Public art. Historical storytelling. A permanent civic landmark honoring LGBTQ+ history and the ongoing fight for dignity, equality, and belonging.
That is why I chose to join the Cabinet supporting the fundraising efforts for the Harvey Milk Plaza renovation project.

Not simply because it is a construction project, but because it is a statement about who we are and what we value.

Spaces matter. Representation matters. History matters.

There are young people who will stand in that plaza years from now looking for hope, possibility, or a sense that they belong in this world. There are visitors from around the globe who will come to understand why San Francisco became such an important place in LGBTQ+ history.

We all inherit the responsibility to protect and continue that story.
I’m honored to support the effort to help bring this vision to life.

San Francisco has always been more than a city to many of us. It has been a signal, a beacon, and a place where people came to become more fully themselves.

Harvey Milk Plaza deserves to reflect that legacy for generations to come.

Please reach out. I’d love to share how you can be part of this moment in history.
— Tom LeNoble

https://www.tomlenoble.com

#HarveyMilkPlaza #HarveyMilk #SanFrancisco #LGBTQ #Leadership #Community #PhilanthropicMindset #OpeningPathways