Becoming Wilkinson

Brock Bennett shares his story of growing up in a fundamentalist family with a preacher as his father.  In this "no holds barred" interview, Brock discusses the damage done by a parent who was unable to face the true realities of life and how each person is created and who they are.He was told, and believed, that his "same sex attraction" was his thorn in the flesh- something that he had to live with, but not succumb to- so that he could spend eternity in heaven.It wasn't until he reached his thirties that he was able to escape the prison of religion. He set out on a quest to find out for himself what it meant to be gay, and allowed himself to feel what was obvious to him when he was only five years old.The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis LifelineText or call 988 on your cell phone for help.LGBT youth crisis helpline. If you are thinking about harming yourself — get immediate support. Connect to a crisis counselor 24/7, 365 days a year, from anywhere in the U.S. It is 100% confidential, and 100% free.https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/Contact Brock Bennett at: BrockisFree66@gmail.comPhoto: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Prince Fleet Easton: Was born in Akron, Ohio where he made his singing debut at the age of 5. Soon after he began his show business career by appearing in many Broadway musical productions at the Equity Goodyear Musical Theater. He has an extensive background in dance, acting and singing. He studied at American Ballet Theater, Ballet Arts and took master classes at the world-renowned Julliard School.  Now living in Palm Springs, California Fleet has devoted his spare time appearing for many benefits, believing that you must give back to move forward. Fleet worked for several years with the 'Well In The Desert' feeding the homeless and those in need of a hot meal.  He has performed on the 'Joey English TV Show' 'Joey English Radio Show' 'Eye On The Desert' and 'KMIR 6 Morning Show' 'Pink Lady Presents' just to name a few. On February 2008 he sang with 'Musical Chairs'. In 2007 Fleet joined the cast and became one of the stars of the Bella Da Ball Cabaret Dinner Show and was with them for 8 years. He has been the soloist and musical director for 'Innerfaith Spiritual Center Worldwide now for 12 years. In 2008 Fleet won the Desert Idol competition for Palm Springs California. On June 7th 2009 Fleet made his debut as one of the 'National Anthem' singers for the Palm Springs Powerball Baseball team and now is a spokesperson for them. He has also sung the National Anthem for the Empire Polo Club in Indio California. While living in Florida Fleet was a 'National Anthem' singer for Micheal Jordan's Blue Ducks Basketball Team and the Florida Marlin's Baseball Team. On December 9th. 2016 Prince Fleet received the 407th Star on the 'Palm Springs Walk Of Stars'. On April 22nd. 2017 Fleet received the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' again from the White house along with acknowledgements from the United States Congress, the United States Senate and from the California Senate and the California Congress. In 2018 Prince Fleet Easton received the 'Presidents Choice Entertainer Of The Year' in Hollywood California from the Southern California Motion Picture Council. In January of 2018 he once again received the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' from the White House.Prince Fleet can soon be seen in the feature film 'Hashtag Blessed' and heard in the soundtrack of the movie. Singing the orginal song 'Why Can't Christmas Be Here Everyday'Prince Fleet can be also be seen in the new action comedy film 'Team Of Two' as Detective Johnson.  He  has now released a single, a inspiritational anthem for the Ukrainian War titles "We Will Carry On'.  In 2023 Prince Fleet will be honored in Paris France with the Fabulous Celebs Global Award.Contact Prince Fleet Easton via his email: Fleeteaston@yahoo.comPhoto: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Kevin Hansen takes us along as he describes his upbringing in an ultra-religious family, his dealing with diabetes and his surviving lung cancer.And one day (while he was a little high), he decided to leave the moderate safety of a house that had begun to flood, in order to go for a fun swim in the floodwaters smack dab in the middle of Hurricane Katrina!He's moved around a lot, and we join him as he recounts his many moves, relationships and adventures.Photo: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Jonathan GoldmanJonathan has been involved in teaching improv classes and workshops in Palm Springs for a number of years.After attending public schools in Brooklyn, NY,  Jonathan then trained to be an optometrist in Boston. Upon realizing that there should be more to a career than forever saying, "Which is clearer? One or Two?",  he became the first O.D. to get an M.B.A. in Health Administration (from Temple University in Philadelphia). His career took me to Chicago where he taught; and also took Toastmasters classes. In 1983 Jonathan moved to San Francisco and worked for the Department of Public Health for much of the end of our last century.  His last two positions were as a Workers Comp Coordinator and a Hospital Trainer. He  also presented "Critical Thinking" workshops for various Kaiser Permanente North hospitals' staff and was manager for Project Inform's National HIV/AIDS treatment hotline. Happily discovering the BATS School of Improvisation (then known as Bay Area Theatresports™ in 1998, he soon became the Volunteer Director for their community service program, Laughing Stock, which provides free Improv classes to people living with life-threatening illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, Cancer, Hep C, etc., and their care partners. He continued taking specialty classes, performed occasionally with the Mirth Brokers ensemble under the direction of Gerri Lawlor, and lead Intro to Improv workshops at a variety of HIV/AIDS and men's retreats in northern and southern California and afloat on the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.Jonathan credits his improv skills for getting him to be a contestant for Wheel of Fortune in 2005. Although landing on a Bankrupt on his first wheel spin and then did the "Ta Dah - Circus Bow" for all of America; he  later went on to the Bonus round. According to Slate.Com, he solved one of the 15 toughest WOF puzzles in the past 25 years. Improv also landed him a featured role for the Frameline32 Film Festival trailers as a game show contestant with perpetual wrong answers.Jonathan moved to Palm Springs in February 2014 with his mixed rescue terrier, Roopert, to re-invent himself. Improv has helped keep his spirits youthful (well, that and a good moisturizer) and energized. He performed with Andy Harmon's Acting Improv class at the 2014 Improv/Comedy Festival in Indio. He's always looking forward to making new friends as he offers locals the opportunity to sample the fun and joy that is Improvisational Theater. Improv builds community!Flexible thinking skills gained from Improv: * Increased self-confidence. * Enthused spirit. * Better coping with stressful  situations. * Greater freedom of expression. * More spontaneity. * Thinking outside the box. * Creative solutions to challenges. * Letting go of control. * Getting out of your head and into the present. * Improved collaborative efforts = better teamwork. * Making new friends, both real and imaginary.To contact Jonathan or to join in the fun:Web: http://www.theimprovoasis.comPhone: 760-656-8338Photo: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Dwayne A. RatleffDancing to the Lyrics is a timeless and timely coming-of-age tale. Through the eyes of the young protagonist, Grant Cole, we are offered a first-hand account of an African American gay youth who perseveres in spite of personal and family obstacles as well as the larger challenges of his era.As Grant struggles to comprehend his own nature, his world, and the adults who populate it, he observes and emotionally reacts to the assassinations of MLK and RFK, the Baltimore riots, the Vietnam War and more. Poverty, accompanied by crime, violence and fear, is his frequent companion, but his own vivid imagination and close relationships with his younger sisters, various family members and friends bring hope and humor into his life.While Grant witnesses the abuse of his mother at the hands of a cruel stepfather, and discovers the man he doesn’t want to be, he strives continually toward understanding the person he was born to be. He learns crucial lessons from his life teachers: faith and pragmatism from his grandparents, and open-mindedness and self-acceptance from a diverse cast of unconventional but kindly characters woven throughout his story.While very much an individual’s story of overcoming adversity during a specific point in time and place – 1960’s America – Dancing to the Lyrics also provides a lens through which we can view events in our current time. The lessons that young Grant learns are as relevant today as ever and discerning them through the eyes of such an insightful youngster is a revelation.Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Lyrics-Finding-Inner-Rhythm/dp/1735525308/ Photo: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Jason ManninoJason has decades of experience in multiple various careers that overlap including careers as an Executive Search Consultant, Executive Coach, Singer, Actor.  In Executive Search Jason has partnered with a variety of mission-driven clients both in house and with some of the world’s top executive recruiting agencies including Korn Ferry and Koya Partners (a division of Diversified Search Group). He also implemented in house executive search functions at world class organizations including University of Southern California, UC Berkeley, LA Care Health Plan among others. He also spent years working throughout the entertainment industry at organizations including Warner Bros. The Walt Disney Company and Universal Music among others.  In addition, Jason has had a lifelong love affair with the performing arts as a performer and supporter. Since moving to Palm Springs in 2021 he has sung with Modern Men, Coachella Valley Men’s Chorus, and had the honor of performing in the world premiere of their commission Momentum.  Next weekend will mark his 3rd concert with A Cabello, the Coachella Valley’s Premier Male Vocal Ensemble, in their tribute to the James Bond franchise’s 60th anniversary. Also, this month he makes his operatic debut in the lead role of Guy in TigerBear Productions' West Coast Premiere of Unbound.  He holds a B.A. in Theater Arts from Rutgers University and an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology from University of Santa Monica and he is credentialed as an executive/career coach with the International Coaching Federation (www.coachmannino.com), He is also a certified massage therapist and certified conscious breath worker.LINKS:Music:  A Cabbello (The Coachella Valley’s Premier Male Vocal Ensemble):   www.acabbello.orgOpera:  www.unboundopera.com (be sure to check performance dates/times or the Black Cast to see Jason)Photo: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Scott Vitale is a gay man who weighed 312 pounds when he went in for his annual check up.  His doctor told him that if something didn't change in his lifestyle, he would die fairly soon.  He was referred to a doctor who did bariatric surgery.  Scott credits a lot of his success to the nutritionist who helped him learn to eat differently.  Under her guidance, he lost 45 pounds before the surgery.  Subsequently, the surgeon removed two thirds of his stomach, which caused some drastic changes in his life.His husband Eric supported him all along the way in this journey, and accompanied him to that first visit with the nutritionist.  When they returned home, Eric began to toss all of the bread, pastas , cereals, etc. into the trash and he told Scott that he too, would not be eating those things any longer.With his new-found energy and new life, Scott took up cycling and completed the San Francisco to LA Aids/Life Cycle ride in 2022.    He continues to cycle today and it's become his passion. Today he's maintains his ideal weight at 165 pounds.You may contact Scott via email at: svitale03@yahoo.comPhoto: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

TED FOXThe misadventures of Ted Fox's young gay life in Tennessee: early childhood adventures, a very flamboyant piano teacher, the diving team, begging Jesus to change him, travel, relatives in denial, becoming a trampoline champ, working as a dancer and actor, getting busted for weed, and other adventures!And of course all those adventures have given him great memories and also material for his Facebook storytelling group!Ted's Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/100051154877132Photo: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Peter Bedard, M.A.,  C.HtAuthor of  "Convergence Healing-  Healing pain with energetic love"."The doctors were able to put the bones back together, but they didn't put my life back together...""Millions of people suffer from some form of chronic pain (whether it be physical, emotional, or existential), and this discomfort silently drains too many of us of our highest potential and our power. Living in a state of unending pain pushes people to the margins of their own lives and robs them of direct access to their most authentic, essential, worthy selves. Pain, ironically, renders too many beautiful voices mute; it cripples the body, leaving too many dancing souls lost. And nobody knows this better than Peter Bedard.One night, seventeen-year-old dancer, Peter Bedard, died in a traffic accident. The white-bearded messenger waiting at the gate of heaven sent him back to Earth with a task to help others heal. After a decade of debilitating physical and emotional suffering, Peter uncovered an empowered, new way of healing chronic pain without medicine—convergence healing. In his groundbreaking approach, Bedard invites us to look at our pain as the greatest source of wisdom we will ever have. Instead of medicating it, trying to break with it, or somehow outwit it, he invites us to surrender to our pain so that we may finally integrate our losses, our transitions, our heartaches, and our mortality and make peace with the everlasting truth of who, uniquely, we truly are.Through the author’s own near-death experience and other compelling stories and case studies, Convergence Healing offers a whole new body-mind paradigm for those interested in living a balanced, well-integrated life".Check out www.ConvergenceHealingTeas.com and www.ConvergenceHealing.com for more healing love!Find Peter on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/peter.bedardBuy his book:  https://www.amazon.com/Convergence-Healing-Pain-Energetic-Love/dp/1501119524/Photo: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

Paul Hietter Paul is a true renaissance man - having worked in a number of industries, with his favorites of being a caterer and event planner to the stars and a new thought minister. He is always happiest when he is of service and learning something new.   Overcoming life’s obstacles seems a good hobby and with hiking, working out, being a Chef and humanitarian, there is never a dull moment.  Currently single, and a cat daddy of Rumi and Leo,  Paul lives in Palm Springs, CA. He may be reached at 760-567-5820 or PaulHietter@icloud.com. Photo: Copyright Wilkinson/2022Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com