At the start of the pandemic, Jason DeYoung and Randall Nielsen were looking for ways to get out of the house to get some fresh air. After doing some research, they found a walking trail at the Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn, New Hampshire – which quickly became their new routine. These weekly walks helped Jason decompress and he found his connection with Randall growing as they would have conversations planning their future together – plans that would eventually become a reality for them.

When Tanya Talamante arrived in Vermont, she wanted to find friends who were also from Mexico. In Vermont, that can be more challenging than other states. Just 2.3% of the state’s 643,000 residents is Latino. But through some mutual friends and Facebook, Talamante met Elvira Tripp, a designer. They hit it off on their first friend date almost 10 years ago. One day, they realized they both followed Kath Montstream, a painter in Burlington, on Instagram. They’d also seen her page Red Hot Chilly Di