Andrea Meyerson is an out lesbian, an entrepreneur, a world-class event planner and award-winning filmmaker. And she has stories to tell.

     Once upon a time, Andrea Meyerson was married. She did sales and marketing for Fortune 500 companies with an enviable standard of living.

     But when her marriage ended and Andrea came out as a lesbian, everything began to change.

     “When I came out, and felt the freedom for the first time to be true to myself, I was very excited that I was ready embrace it. (But) I was quickly discouraged by what was offered to the lesbian community. I was sad. I went to every lesbian bar in a 50-mile radius looking to connect. I finally felt this freedom and I was happy about it! But, I had such a hard time finding that connection and living the quality of life that I wanted to live. I was frustrated.”

     As she tells her story, it is quickly obvious that Meyerson is not easily discouraged. If she couldn’t find the connections she was seeking, then she would make them herself.

     “I went to go try out to play softball because I thought that might be a good way to connect; it’s outdoors, it’s healthy. And these women are serious about their softball. So I strutted on that field in my brand new cleats, glove in hand, ready to play ball, and, um, they were very good players.” Meyerson enjoys telling the story. She laughs when she admits: “I didn’t get picked.”

     Undeterred, Meyerson formed her own team from all the other rejected candidates. “No try out necessary. I made a lot of people happy that day.”

     That event – and the next two years of softball (“Humiliating years,” she notes, still in good humor) would kick off her social life and lead her to create her own lesbian social club “Women On A Roll.”

     “I really loved bicycling, and I thought, maybe I could connect with women that way. I ran an ad in the Lesbian News and I got an overwhelming amount of calls. I found out there were a lot of women really hungry for a more active social life. And I knew I wasn’t alone.”

     A holiday party four months later would draw 300 women. Not alone, indeed. And the women were, in fact, on a roll.”

     Meyerson found herself wanting to organize more events, larger events, even travel events. After 2 years, she quit her corporate job and started her own company: Stand Out Productions.

     Again, Meyerson’s hands reinforce the message that seems to be equal parts business analysis and deeply held conviction. “It’s very important to marry the social networking and the social services. It’s such a win-win.” Her fingers weave unseen threads as her hands dance to the cadence of her voice. “I’ve raised millions of dollars through Stand Out Productions and Women On A Roll for our non-profits, and I’m very proud of that.”

     Meyerson started doing events for clients like the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. She became the go-to person to create memorable events for L.A.’s non-profits. Her hard-earned successes would eventually lead her to the inner circles of L.A.’s gay and lesbian film festival: Outfest. It was on closing night in 2001 that her life would start to shift again, when Meyerson asserted to a friend from the television industry, “I’m going to have a movie in Outfest next year.”

     The very public disclosures of Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell when they came out had moved Meyerson considerably.

     “(Ellen’s) coming out episode was the greatest night of TV. Ever. When they came out…all the accolades, all the celebration in our community was about these two iconic comediennes. But, I’ve known comics who have been out for 20-25 years; and there’s something commendable about that as well. I didn’t want that to go unnoticed. They were brave enough 25 years ago to go on stage and say they were lesbian and make a living around that. I wanted to pay tribute to them.”

     Meyerson’s first film was entitled: “Laughing Matters,” and featured out lesbian comics Kate Clinton, Marga Gomez, Suzanne Westenhoefer and Karen Williams. Not only had Meyerson made her film, she took it Outfest, where it won the audience award.

     “Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something because you don’t know how.”

     Which brings up another cornerstone of Meyerson’s character: Her unflinching belief in the power of your heart and passion to lead you to the right place at the right time.

     Meyerson had no formal schooling or training. “I’m self taught. I tried to take a class when I was making my first movie, but I was really bored, so I didn’t finish it. But I learned. I hired a smart crew and I’m a sponge.”

     For Meyerson, the proof is in the pudding.

     “There are things that aren’t perfect about that first movie. But the story I wanted to tell got told. People heard it and they’re still hearing it and watching it.”

     All told, Meyerson made a series of four documentaries featuring lesbian and gay comics. “Laughing Matters More,” “Laughing Matters…The Men,” and “Laughing Matters…Next Gen.”

     “I feel like I’m documenting our GBLT history,” says Meyerson simply. “I’m just proud…and grateful that I get to keep doing it.”