Today we’d like to introduce you to Ronald Episcopo.
Hi Ronald, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
At 80 years of age, I am constantly going.
And the question I’m asked most often is:
“Why?”
My response is simple:
“Because I’m not dead.”
A friend once told me there was a better answer. She said, “You do it because you love it—and because you love life.”
She was right.
I retired about 11 years ago, and instead of slowing down, I started looking for my next adventure. Sometimes I get so busy that I think, I really need to stop.
Then reality sets in.
I have two choices: learn to say NO, or do such a terrible job at everything that people stop asking me to help.
Neither option appeals to me.
So I keep saying yes.
I’ve judged art competitions, gotten involved in political activism, raised money for candidates, chaired the arts committee for the bicentennial, chaired silent auctions, designed galas, made costumes for friends, and even built a float for a parade.
Somewhere along the way, however, life reminded me that none of us has unlimited time.
First came the health scare.
I was hosting a dinner party when I suddenly passed out. My friends rushed me to the hospital. Seventeen hours later, I came out of surgery and was told that if it weren’t for the actions of those friends, I would have had only about four hours to live.
After nine days in the hospital, I went home—but the journey wasn’t over.
Soon I was undergoing tests to determine whether I had Parkinson’s disease. For days and weeks, that possibility occupied my thoughts and wore me down emotionally.
Thankfully, the diagnosis was not Parkinson’s. Instead, I had something that looked similar but was treatable.
Then came COVID.
And then came the message that changed my life in a completely different way.
A text message.
After 17 years of marriage, my husband was seeking a divorce.
A text message.
I’m still not completely over it.
But somewhere in the aftermath of all of this, something changed in me.
I began thinking about time differently.
About purpose.
About what I wanted to leave behind.
About legacy.
About two years ago, I was startled by something I discovered: much of the LGBTQ+ community did not know the people who had come before us—the icons, pioneers, activists, artists, leaders, and ordinary people who sacrificed so much, sometimes even their lives, to move our community forward.
In some cases, our community didn’t just change itself.
The queer community helped change the world.
I couldn’t stop thinking about that.
For nearly two years, I didn’t do much about it.
Then, about three months ago, something clicked.
After everything I had experienced—the health scares, the divorce, the realization that none of us knows exactly how much time we have left—I decided I had a limited amount of time to make my mark.
To build something meaningful.
To leave a legacy.
And QUEER SPEAK was born.
What began as an idea to educate has grown into something much bigger: an amplified voice for our community and the beginning of what I hope will become a disruptive social media platform.
My dream is for QUEER SPEAK to become an all-encompassing destination for all things queer.
I see queer movies and television.
Podcasts.
Print.
Radio.
Learning.
History.
Knowledge.
Stories.
Community.
A place where our history isn’t forgotten and where our future isn’t defined solely by negative headlines.
Because when you look at the statistics, more than 80% of news stories about the queer community are negative.
I want to help change that narrative.
QUEER SPEAK is currently self-funded, and that’s becoming a challenge. But I am incredibly grateful for the volunteers who have embraced the vision and continue to believe in what we’re building.
And we’re building.
We have two episodes of the show QUEER completed. The program features informative conversations and presentations with leaders and allies from Jacksonville’s queer community, including queer artist Alison Alston, Equality Florida leader Mason Manion, ally Angie Nixon, trans leader Erick Damien, medical ally Dr. Reza, political consultant Austin Belet, and many others.
We’ve also added some humor with QUEER QUESTION, where I go into bars and ask people some wonderfully silly questions.
There are motivational stories, too—including the story of the lighting of the bridge, brilliantly designed and executed by Matt McClaney.
And we’ve had the creative vision and support of the people at Mixed Theory Studios.
The website is up and running.
One of three planned podcast streams is underway: FROM MY BED: Queer Stories of Love, Betrayal and Sex.
We’re developing Instagram and TikTok.
Business education is in progress.
And our launch party is October 1.
So, yes, I’m still going.
I’m still working.
Still creating.
Still promoting.
Still developing.
Still dreaming.
And, yes, sometimes I’m even acting.
I’ve had the opportunity to play Ronald Anthony in movies produced by Shot the Moon and Jay Palmer’s production team.
Because apparently, retirement wasn’t really retirement for me.
It was just the beginning of Act Two.
There is an old saying that behind every successful man is a woman.
I’d change that.
Behind every successful person is a village of people who support them.
And sometimes, within that village, there is one person who stands out.
For me, that person is my friend Karassa Wade, a local celebrity drag queen.
Every day, I receive a text from Karassa encouraging me, reminding me to keep going, and letting me know that someone believes in what I’m doing.
That matters.
Because QUEER SPEAK isn’t just a project anymore.
It’s my passion.
It’s my purpose.
It’s my way of giving something back to a community that has given me so much.
And maybe, if I’m lucky, it will become part of my legacy.
So when people ask me why, at 80, I’m still constantly going…
I still have the same answer.
Because I’m not dead yet.
But now I have another answer, too.
Because I love life.
And I have some things to finish and maybe some things to start…
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
OMG NO, financially it is draining until i find some sponsor, where the health issues caused by my activity did it impact my marriage? I’ve lost friends and the negativity from so many it was not smooth but was it worth it… honestly I don’t know. If i didt what others wanted would it be worth it? id don’t know. what i do know is i’m happy, i’ve done some good andmany realize both.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
i want to create a positive supportive environment for the queer community. I don’t speacialize in anything and i speazialize in everything. I use to tell my husband when questioned about a new project. I’ll try anything but i realize it’s beyond my skills i’ll stop. I once rebuilt a staircase in our home. Never had done that or had the skills to do but i once said “i’m gay i can do anything”, i’m best known for helping and supporting but I am most proud of two things. The first I’m an artist who branchedout. In art i’m most proud of an art sculptural. i believe art so make you react with an emotion. this sculpture dedicated to the innocent children killed by guns. When it was on exhibit i saw people crying when the realized what it represented and the pure numbers. I saw a women kneel in front of it. WOW i did that. second in my newest adventure i ‘m having an impact on society and my community. People know that i can get it done and believe that’s why i’m constantly asked to help. i blieve i am a good person i’m most pround of that…
What’s next?
i know that i will never say it’s finished. I know me…but i do what to have some impact, i do want to make my community a prouder (sic) place. I want to leave a legaccy that goes on
Pricing:
- still working on monetizing Queer Speak. THe obvious is commercials, product place, etc. not sure
Contact Info:
- Website: https://queerspeak.net
- Facebook: queer speak
