Take the Last Bite

About Take the Last Bite

Take the Last Bite is a direct counter to the Midwest Nice mentality— highlighting advocacy & activism by queer/trans communities in the Midwest region. Each episode unearths the often disregarded and unacknowledged contributions of queer & trans folks to social change through interviews, casual conversations and reflections on Midwest queer time, space, and place. For questions, comments and feedback: takethelastbite@gmail.com Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them Cover Art: Adrienne McCormick

Publisher

R.B. Brooks

Category

education · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Aug 2021

Latest episode

19 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

53 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Aug 2026

   Maintaining a Healthy Boundary (Waters)

   On today’s episode, we take a bite out of the Super National Forest, Boundary Waters, and Voyageurs National Park. These sacred and beloved lands have been a major topic of concern and discussion this summer, with destructive wildfires raging across tens of thousands of acres of land for the umpteenth summer in a row in Northern Minnesota. We talk to an educator, colleague, and friend who possesses an embodied knowledge about the interdependence of the water, land, wildlife and knowledge ways that face immense upheaval in light of a 20-year mining ban being lifted by Congressional decree and the threat it poses to the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness, Superior National Forest, and nearby Voyageurs National Park. Chanda Blesi-Geyshick (buleezi-geejick) is a gakijiwanong (gah-key-jee-win-ong) anishinaabe first nation educator, artist, and advocate hailing from International Falls, – a city that sits on the colonial Minnesota / Canada border and is located 11-miles West of Voyageurs National Park. Chanda sat down with me to recall some of her favourite memories of growing up and continuing to hold a relationship with her hometown; discuss some major concerns about the lifted mining ban; and reflect on other moments in modern history where indigenous nations and their treaty rights were not honored when it comes to money-making land grabs. Relevant Links: Letter from Gakijiwinong Anishinaabe Nation Chief Carrie Atatise-Norwegian about meeting with state legislators and a memorandum of understanding between tribes affected by potential BWCA mining: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18gARgx2QE/ (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18gARgx2QE/) Letter from Voyaguers National Park superintendents regarding mining ban reversal: https://www.voyageurs.org/news/superintendents-letter (https://www.voyageurs.org/news/superintendents-letter) Official language and co-sponsors of House Joint Bill 140: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-joint-resolution/140/cosponsors (https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-joint-resolution/140/cosponsors) Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issues executive order directing state agencies not to provide permits that would allow mining to move forward: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/08/18/walz-executive-order-block-copper-mining-near-boundary-waters (https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/08/18/walz-executive-order-block-copper-mining-near-boundary-waters) Press release from Save the Boundary Waters explaining how the U.S. Senate passed legislation that unravels protections for the Boundary Waters: https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/breaking-news-release-us-senate-just-passed-legislation-unravels-protections-boundary-waters (https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/breaking-news-release-us-senate-just-passed-legislation-unravels-protections-boundary-waters) Article outlining Minnesota State Representative Pete Stauber's role in lifting mining ban: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/02/05/stauber-reintroduces-bill-to-reverse-mining-ban-near-boundary-waters (https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/02/05/stauber-reintroduces-bill-to-reverse-mining-ban-near-boundary-waters) Article explains the 20-year mining ban that was undone by Congress's vote: https://www.eenews.net/articles/congress-overturns-bidens-boundary-waters-mining-ban/ (https://www.eenews.net/articles/congress-overturns-bidens-boundary-waters-mining-ban/)

2. 

   29 Apr 2026

   Executive Ordered Out of Existence Pt. 3

   We take a bite out of THE BIG ONE – the final installment of Executive Ordered out of Existence, where we’ll cover the calamity that was September 2025 through December 2025 and what fresh hell delivered us into the new year. We’ll talk about the death of a deity-ified podcaster, the heftiest headlines impacting queer and trans people, and the pointiest tools of propaganda churned out across the end of 2025. Let’s get into it, and be sure to check out Executive Ordered Out of Existence Pt. 1 and Pt. 2! Connect with Take the Last Bite on Instagram @take.the.last.bite (https://www.instagram.com/take.the.last.bite) and TikTok @take.the.last.bite (https://www.tiktok.com/@take.the.last.bite) For questions, comments and feedback: takethelastbite@gmail.com More to Bite Into: “Laverne Cox Dated a MAGA Cop… Let’s Talk About It (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl5F5tsdifk)” – Olay & Friends “The Anatomy of a Liberatory Think Tank (https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Gxac6JPpMJcfzwmRsKypk?si=YHIySf6UQsuMc-OD63uQ_Q)” – Take the Last Bite “What is Queer Food? How We Served a Revolution (https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324073796)” – John Birdsall “The Life and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/677583/marsha-by-tourmaline/9780593185667/)” – Tourmaline

3. 

   3 Mar 2026

   For the Record: Wisdom from Trans & Nonbinary Writers

   Description: We take a bite out of books by trans & nonbinary writers! This episode originally aired as a live panel discussion for the annual Transgender Justice Teach-In and features writers, educators, and published authors Katie Barnes, Dr. Jonathan Paul Higgins, and Cody Daigle-Orians. We’ve pulled the discussion into audio format and revisited the lessons learned about sharing the sacred stories of trans and binary people. Panelist Bios Dr. Jonathan Paul Higgins (https://www.doctorjonpaul.com/blackfatfemmebook) (they/them) is an educator, professor, national speaker, freelance journalist, thought leader and media critic who is passionate about television and film. Dr. Higgins is currently the inaugural Director of Strategic Media and Advocacy for Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, while once holding roles at both Chernin and Edith Entertainment. They are the creator, executive producer and host of the Webby honored and Shorty Award Winning podcast, “Black Fat Femme Podcast'' which was developed via IHeartMedia’s Next Up Initiative and named “Best Podcast to listen to” by both Ebony and Essence Magazine. Dr. Higgins holds a doctorate in educational justice and regularly writes and lectures on what liberation means for Black, queer, fat, non-binary people. Katie Barnes (http://kebarnes.com/)(they/them) is an award winning journalist covering the intersection of sports and gender. As a feature writer at ESPN, Katie has profiled women’s sports superstars like Maya Moore, A’ja Wilson, and Amanda Nunes. They are a leading journalist in the coverage of legislation and policy affecting transgender and intersex athletes. Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates is their first book. It was named a “Must-Read of 2023” by Time Magazine and received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus. Cody Daigle-Orians (http://acedadadvice.com/) (they/them) is a writer and educator based in Columbus, Ohio. They are the creator of Ace Dad Advice, a social-media based education project which provides approachable, affirming information about the asexual, aromantic and agender communities. They are also the author of I AM ACE and THE ACE AND ARO RELATIONSHIP GUIDE, two young adult nonfiction resources, and LOVE LOOKS LIKE LOLA, the first aroace picture book for young readers, out in 2026. Find them on IG, Youtube, Tiktok @acedadadvice

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

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Guest appearances

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