Ryan Basham is CHANNEL Q’s Director of Political Programming. He jumped around jobs in media and politics – from developing “questionable” reality TV on VH1 to advising the Joe Biden presidential campaign on LGBTQ+ issues. But Audio’s siren song called him ever since he went onto an AM radio station to promote a community event he organized as a teenager.

“I’m incredibly proud to engage the LGBTQ+ community in the political process with my CHANNEL Q family. We’re in a fight for our lives, and it’s all hands on deck,” he says.

That fight drives Ryan’s work on CHANNEL Q. When The LGBTQ+ community’s existence, identities, and safety are under attack – specifically their trans and non-binary siblings – Ryan believes “the rich audio of LGBTQ+ culture is an unparalleled way to bring us together so that we can fight back.”

Since joining CHANNEL Q, He’s been pleasantly surprised at the time powerful people outside queer entertainment make for him when he’s reporting because reaching out to the queer community has become their priority. He’s impressed with CHANNEL Q as a space to weave the struggle and joy of LGBTQ+ living their best lives while protecting them. “It’s gratifying to work at a media company that embraces it all,” Ryan says.

Even though it may be difficult, Ryan encourages his fellow queer colleagues to continue taking up space and refuse to back down and shrink to fit into a mold made for someone else. And he hopes that persistence applies to companies standing by the community during Pride.

“Don’t back down, and don’t let anyone else do it, either. Knowing better isn’t enough – doing something is,” he says.

Aside from being an Aquarius who likes walks on the beach and who frequents the coffee shop on the first floor of his office – “a real problem for my wallet and my waistline,” he says – Ryan is the person to reach out to for a political guru to make sense of the messy world of American politics, specifically about LGBTQ+ issues.

Ryan calls on listeners to bring the energy with exclusive stations and peruse Pride Month podcasts. You can always enjoy a community of queer voices and the music you love on CHANNEL Q, 365 days a year, on audacy.com and the Audacy App.