Jim Lair Beard, Contributor

Jim Lair Beard is a progressive blogger and screenwriter. He started off as an actor in Bakersfield, California before moving east to attend Stella Adler Conservatory in New York City. For a period of time he toured internationally with American Shakespeare Center, and he met his wife Christine in Ottawa, Canada.

Together they spent a few years in Washington, D.C. before moving to Los Angeles to be closer to family and friends. Jim is currently a member of UNITE HERE, Local 11. He is a passionate advocate for labor and gay rights issues, and was recently recognized by Craig Newmark of Craigslist as being 1 of 16 people changing the world in 2012 for his article “Change will not be Downloaded.”

His blogs can be seen on Frying Pan News and Truthdig.