The 100th Article on TravelPride: A Look to the Past, A Glimpse of the Future, and 100 Thoughts for Our Community
by Robert Coles


Robert Coles, Editor In Chief for TravelPride, in Rome, Italy.
Greetings Readers!
Wow. In just over two months, we’ve brought 99 stories to live on TravelPride. Stories of top destinations, advice columns, social issues, and community news. Our writers have poured their collective hearts and souls into these 99 stories, and I’ve been proud to lead this group of the finest writers with whom I’ve ever worked.
“We Know All the Best Words”
Imani Williams is bringing you ‘Queer Voices from an Urban Bush Sista!’ every week, and I personally cannot wait to read what she has to say. She’s bringing light to topics not typically covered that are affecting our community, and we’re proud to give a megaphone to her already strong, powerful voice.
Erin Oliveri, our resident ‘Love It or Leave It’ expert is crossing the country bringing you the top stories from each city, with your must do’s and your must avoid’s. She’s a top travel advice columnist who cannot be stopped! Look for her in your city soon!
Our very own Emma Murphy, serving up works of pure art in the form of ‘A Brit Queer’ is telling the stories from the UK we never knew we needed to read. Her voice is passionate, her writing is superb, and her journey is noble. We’re honored to have her working with TravelPride.
Steven Hinkle, our resident assistant editor and features writer is the voice of the modern gay youth. His courage in writing is inspiring to watch, especially for us older gays who didn’t find our voice until much later in life. His tackling of issues impacting the LGBTQ community shines light on the advances we’ve made, and the work we have left to do.
Susan Jane King brings you my personal favorite, “48 Hours In…” which teaches you the essentials city to city when you only have a weekend to spare. She’s providing sound advice on how to get the most out of your travel experiences, and we’re so lucky to have her.
And then there’s Summer Kurtz, our features and weekly columnist, and advice writer of ‘Tell It Like A Lesbian’ who came on board with TravelPride with a bang and instantly made an impact. Often working behind the scenes, Kurtz is a constant encourager and her writing teaches us all the value of traveling while a member of the LGBTQ community.
That’s just a sampling of our writers. There are many more working behind the scenes, writing, editing, marketing, and turning this site into what our readers have come to expect in the last two months. With over 3,500 readers, we’re quickly becoming the voice for travel advice and literature in the LGBTQ community.
We Need Your Help
But our story isn’t over. We’re two months in, and we get up every day to build upon what we’ve started, but the process is long and difficult to launch something of this magnitude. Still, we’re working toward our ultimate goal: a multi-media LGBTQ gathering place for information, advice, and solace.
In the coming months, we’ll be launching TravelPride Magazine, a special magazine subscription available on Kindle, Nook, and the Apple Bookshelf. With special content, advice, and interactive media, this subscription-only magazine will sell for the low cost of $0.99 per month delivered right to your preferred electronic reading device!
We’re also launching our podcast channel with our first show, “These Are the Gays of Our Lives: A Modern Mo’s Advice On Life’s Issues” hosted by yours truly! We’re also in development with a few of our writers to bring their columns to life for our listeners.
Next up, the official network launch of “Robert Explores!” This LGBTQ travel television show has been in development and filming for the last 8 months and we’re bringing you the first season, 18 22-minute episodes November 21st, 2017! We’ve got two more TV shows in development, plus pitch season coming up! It’s a great time to be involved with TravelPrideTV!
We can’t do any of this without your help. Your support has been invaluable thus far, but we’re looking to expand and build something you’ll love for years to come. We’ve launched our Indigogo campaign with the hopes of raising $10,000 to put toward new servers, writer career development, marketing and sales development, and more.
What’s in It for You?
We’ve got great perks! From Southwest gift cards to trips to New York City and Vienna, Austria, we’ve got gifts that you’ll love! All donations are appreciated and no amount is too small. We’re counting on every dollar to help us expand this organization.
A Sincere Thank You
I want to take these last few words to extend a sincere thank you to my writers, my staff, and my community. It’s your support, day in and day out, that makes all of this worth it. We’ve built a great team here at TravelPride, and I’m proud to be the leader. We’re doing something special together.
I’d also like to thank our readers. Don’t give up on us. Keep reading, keep sharing on social media, and keep the voice of TravelPride alive. We’re doing this for you, not for us. Let’s make it happen together.
Always Yours,
Robert Coles
Editor in Chief | TravelPride
