Latina Leader Launches New Portland LGBT Monthly

In the wake of Just Out publisher Marty Davis's announcement that Portland, Oregon's venerable 29-year old LGBT monthly newspaper was shuttering in December, activists and media folks bantered around ideas for a new publication. In stepped Melanie Davis -- the the publisher-owner of El Hispanic News, and senior strategist for the multicultural marketing agency Su Publico -- who announced today she is launching a new publication for Portland's LGBTQ community on Feb. 16.

The first edition of PQ Monthly will coincide with a launch celebration that evening at Portland's beloved Jupiter Hotel.

"My personal commitment, and the commitment from the team, is that every letter and color in the LGBTQ community is equally represented," says PQ Monthly publisher-owner Melanie Davis. "We are an incredibly diverse community and every voice has the potential to enrich our understanding and add strength to our shared fight for justice and equality."

Davis says she felt compelled to respond to the closure of Just Out after encouragement from local activists and business leaders. Like its predecessor, PQ Monthly will be distributed for free in newsstands and local businesses, and will be available online at PQMonthly.com. Some former Just Out employees, like former associate editor Erin Rook, are involved in the new launch as well.

"With the closing of Just Out, I have been approached by countless community leaders and business people that feel a void in the LGBTQ community needs to be filled," Davis says. "We at El Hispanic News have a new approach to print media that changes the recipe of older print models. We have streamlined our efforts to maximize our output and creativity. It will be this similar recipe we will apply to the new publication focusing on the LGBTQ community. Brilliant Media will be producing a solid monthly print publication geared toward the LGBTQ community and have a strong web and social media presence."