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Let Us Introduce You Our latest list of LGBTQ leaders

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Jagged Little Pill

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From The Publisher I’m not sure what I am more excited about, the fact that it is Pride time or the fact that we finally broke 60 degrees! I’m going to go with Pride time. This is always such an incredible time of year as not only do we have Pride celebrations throughout New England (and across the country) but we also have Boston Spirit’s networking night and our Summer Sunset Cruise, Greater Boston PFLAG’s Pride & Passion event, Dinnerfest and Drive for Victory from Victory Programs and so many other great events to go to. A great start to the spring and summer seasons. Not only are these events fun to go to but they are also very important to attend. Some raise funds for programs that are vital to our community, others make a statement that shows our community is stronger than ever and we will not be sidelined. Whatever the reason, your participation is needed. Our area nonprofits cannot offer their services without your help. We cannot show the world our strength without your help. As Kathy Griffin said in Boston Spirit’s interview with her (in this issue): “It’s time to hit the gym and get back in the fight.” If you happen to need any reading material in the gym ... this is the issue for you. We are so excited about this issue, our annual Let Us Introduce You issue. We have an amazing line-up of folks who are all doing incredible work in our community. They are definitely “in the fight” and a great source of inspiration for all of us. Take a moment to read about all of the great work that is taking place all around us and meet some of the people doing that work. We look forward to seeing all of you at all of these great celebrations over the next several months. Have a fun, safe and happy Pride.

David Zimmerman Publisher

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W W W. D OV E R R U G . C O M

As We Go To Press … Who are we? Who are all the rich and varied persons that make up the tapestry of our New England LGBT and ally community? Progressive. Bisexual. Transgender. Cis. White. Black. Ally. Latina. Senior. Young. Conservative. Liberal. Dancer. Professional. Executive director. Liaison. Artist. Teacher. Nigerian. Bostonian. MexicanAmerican. Immigrant. Queer. Lesbian. These are just a few descriptors employed by a sampling of local community members. It’s our annual “Let Us Introduce You …” issue. This issue always coincides with Pride. In it, we proudly reveal those we believe should be recognized a bit more. And they don’t fit into any monolithic theme. Hurray! In an era of identity politics, I was struck by a concept I recently learned from a black, gay friend of mine: “person-centered language.” One way person-centered language is employed is to use the language that a person wants us to use to describe themselves. Thus, we see the proliferation of email signatures declaring things like “she/her/hers.” I might tell someone, “I’m gay.” Which also means, don’t call me “homosexual.” Another way to think about personcentered language is to recognize that every person is greater than any single

Contribute your opinion: editor@bostonspiritmagazine.com

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descriptor. So, I might say: “I’m a person who happens to be gay.” This type of language was very important to me when I first came out and struggled with how to integrate this new-found knowledge about me into my life, particularly in a world that might not see the gay part in a positive light. The person-centered language that I chose empowered me to live as fully as I could in a motivating way. And that’s a critical component of person-centered language. Personcentered language, at its best, empowers us to live fully and authentically, without reservation, fearless and unashamed as who we are. It allows us, to stand in our own authentic power. When we are all able to own who we are and to show up fully, without holding back, in the world, then not only do we thrive, but the world thrives. Countless studies prove that organizations that actively allow the proliferation and encouragement of diversity and inclusion thrive over all others. But we don’t need studies to know this is true. One of my nephews came out as transgender recently. In announcing his new name, he more eloquently stated this concept than I can. He told our family, in a beautiful letter, that when we address him the way he wants to be addressed, that it, in his words: “makes me feel more like me.”

That’s about as simple and profound as you can get. Why would any of us want him or any of us to feel like anything other than us? If we can’t feel more like who we are, then who are we? If we aren’t who we are, then how can we be who the world needs us to be? “I came to live out loud,” declared Emile Zola. I invite you to celebrate the people in these pages as they are, and as they desire themselves to be known. And then do the same for everyone you meet this Pride season and always. Doing this will not only affirm the amazing richness of our community, it will further our ability to move toward an even amazing collective greatness. Pride, indeed.

James Lopata Editor

S P R I N G 2 018 C O L L E C T I O N

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Contents MAY|JUN 2018 | VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 3

Spotlight

Hit List Deja’s Workout Wisdom Queer Bookshelf ‘Live and Let Live’ State Leadership Run Hot, Physical Fun Newsmakers | New England Senior Spirit

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Feature

Seasonal

Let Us Introduce You

Locals leaders we thin you should know

Culture

He Oughta Know

Oh Myyyy

Ready for Their Close-Ups

He’s the Wizard

PIFF is a Movie Lover’s Paradise

Sean Allen Krill was hooked on Alanis Morissette’s album; now he’s starring in the ART’s “Jagged Little Pill”

Boston Spirit chats with George Takei

MFA showcases acclaimed local photographers for Pride

A Force To Be Reckoned With Lesbian Political Action Committee Aims to Make Money in Politics Work for Good

Comedy’s Fugitive

Kathy Griffin wants everyone to know that the fight is still on and to get your tickets now for her upcoming show

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Local favorite Davron Monroe gets a dream role LGBT films and filmmakers abound in the festival’s 20th season

Let Us Introduce You

Oh Myyyy

Scene

‘Anti-Freeze’ Event Boston Gay Basketball League All-Star Game Boston Gay Basketball League Awards Banquet Taboo or Nah: Experiences of Queer People of Color Beacons of Light Gala Men’s Event Pride In Our Workplace Breakfast Bayard Rustin Breakfast

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Coda Spreading the Good Word

Calendar

New England Events

Empowering RuPaul Drag Race star Kennedy Davenport headlines at Boston Theater Offensive’s ClimACTS!

He’s the Wizard

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SPOTLIGHT Trending STORY Scott Kearnan

Hit List NEWS, NOTES AND TO-DOS FOR EVERY GAY AGENDA

CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR for a larger-than-ever installment of Greater Lowell Pride. For the first time, this year’s event — which brings together LGBTQ people in and around Massachusetts’ fourth-largest city — will encompass a full month’s worth of events: from a kick-off Pride parade on June 2 to a Pride Night with the Lowell Spinners baseball team at Lelacheur Park on June 28. Dance parties and LGBTQ history presentations are also on the expanded agenda. More: unerased.org/pride

No/Hugs

GRAB TICKETS for this summer’s Vans Warped Tour, the final cross-country installment of the annual punk-oriented traveling rock tour, which launched in 1995. The lineup includes Massachusetts-based band No/Hugs, a queer all-female four-piece (led by songwriting duo Narcissus A-Ngel and Kat Dukeshire) skewing toward sounds of alt-rock and blues. No/Hugs, known for theatrical, powerhouse live performances, embarks on their own national tour in August — but first brings queer cred to the Warped world’s highly anticipated curtain call. More: nohugsband.com EXPLORE “OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS ,” formerly

Greater Lowell Pride

Vermont’s only LGBT-focused newspaper, now that the publication’s entire archives are preserved online by the

University of Vermont’s Center for Digital Initiatives. The pioneering paper, published from 1986 to 2007, covered hotbutton issues (like Vermont’s first-inthe-nation civil unions) and featured queer cartoonists, a dating column, and more. Prudence Doherty, special collections librarian, told Vermont newspaper “Seven Days” the justlaunched archive offers great value to those “tracking the history of LGBTQ movements.” More: cdi.uvm.edu/collection/ outinthemountains

TIE THE KNOT and bolster New

England’s rep as the region with the most same-sex married couples. A justreleased report from the Tax Policy Center reveals that, while Washington, DC has the most same-sex spouses overall, Massachusetts and Vermont tie for first place among all states [0.99% of all couples]. By city rankings, Boston and Portland, Maine both made the top 10. Among New England states, Connecticut had the lowest percentage of samesex married couples at 0.59%. More: taxpolicycenter.org

Space Camp PHOTO Dylan Arre

DISCOVER SPACE CAMP , a Connecticut-based queer hardcore punk band that is gaining notice on the indie music scene. The trio’s latest album, “Force Femmed” (follow-up to their debut fulllength “Emasculation Suite”) is filled with aggressive, blistering anthems like “Gender Reveal Party,” with its wailing lyrics, “cut open the cake, blood spills out from the inside.” There’s a lot of macho posturing in punk, but this non-binary crew’s sound and

PUBLISHER David Zimmerman EDITOR IN CHIEF James Lopata MANAGING EDITOR Robert Phelps [rob@bostonspiritmagazine.com] ART DIRECTOR Dean Burchell CONTRIBUTING LIFESTYLE EDITOR Scott Kearnan [lifestyle@bostonspiritmagazine.com] CONTRIBUTING ARTS EDITOR Loren King CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alyssa Gillin, Tom Joyce, Natalie Nonken, Kim Harris Stowell CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Joel Benjamin COVER PHOTO Joel Benjamin ON THE WEB [bostonspiritmagazine.com] TALK TO US [feedback@bostonspiritmagazine.com] EDITORIAL CONTACT [editor@bostonspiritmagazine.com] PUBLISHING AND SALES CONTACT [publisher@bostonspiritmagazine.com or 781-223-8538] THE FINE PRINT Boston

MAY|JUN 2018 | VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 3

Spirit magazine. A Division of Jake Publishing, LLC Published by Jake Publishing, LLC. Copyright 2004 by Jake Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the written permission of Boston Spirit magazine. Neither the publishers nor the advertisers will be held responsible for any errors found in the magazine. The publishers accept no liability for the accuracy of statements made by advertisers. Publication of the name or photograph of any person, organization or business in this magazine does not reflect upon one’s sexual orientation in any way. Boston Spirit Magazine, 398 Columbus Ave. #395, Boston, MA 02116

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Venture Out Project

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LACE UP YOUR HIKING BOOTS

and join The Venture Out Project, a new group offering backpacking and wilderness trips geared toward the queer and trans community. Western Mass-based founder Perry Cohen, inspired by his own identity and experiences, also brings inclusivity workshops to camps, schools and other organizations. Upcoming outings include a June backpacking trip in Vermont’s Green Mountains, a July summiting of Mt. Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak, and an August queer youth climb in New Hampshire. More: ventureoutproject.com

TIP YOUR HAT to all the 2018

nominees for “Person of the Year” from New England Pride TV. The Dale LePage-hosted show recently announced eight finalists for the honor: Providence stylist and entrepreneur Lulu Locks; Ashley Delgado, reigning Miss Lesbian RI; Worcester mover and shaker Michael Lanava, activist Evan Leonardo Locke, Worcester Pride secretary Michele Roy-Brown, Worcester Pride president Peter Bacchiocchi, Worcester innovator Joshua David and — drumroll, please — our very own “Boston Spirit” publisher David Zimmerman. Congrats to all! More: newenglandpride. tv [x]

SPOTLIGHT Fitness STORY Scott Kearnan

Deja’s Workout Wisdom

GET YOUR SHAPE ON FOR SUMMER WITH THESE TIPS FROM BOSTON FITNESS COACH DEJA GAINES Support. Motivation. They’re necessary to exercise—and activism. Deja Gaines knows that well. As an instructor at B/SPOKE, a high-end downtown cycling studio, she calls on both compassion and a kick-butt attitude—she’s the product of a military family—to keep her students inspired to reach their fitness goals. And as an ardent ally of the LGBTQ community, she works hard to stand up for what’s right. Last year she spearheaded a “PR/DE R/DE” at B/SPOKE, raising funds for the LGBTQ youth organization BAGLY through a dedicated ride (complete with rainbow glow sticks) and limited edition shirt sales. She’s played in FLAG Flag Football, one of the largest gay flag football leagues in the country, and even made her drag king debut (as Jay-Z!) for a fundraiser. When it comes to fighting for equality, she says, we all need to be on the same team. “I’m motivated [as an LGBTQ ally] by parallels I see with my identity as an African American,” says Gaines. “I see a lot of the same pressures and struggles in the communities. For those who don’t identify within the acronym, it’s a matter of us getting behind what’s important, regardless of whether it directly impacts you.” “If we all stayed in our own zones and never got involved with others, nothing would improve in this world.” Gaines also understands what happens when you don’t conform to gendered expectations. She’s a female bodybuilder, something that brings backlash from folks offering their opinion on how women

10 | BOSTON SPIRIT

should look and act. “We live in a society where you get a lot of pushback from people for going outside the norm,” says Gaines, whose passion for fitness runs deep and led her to a senior management role for Converse shoes, a subsidiary of Nike, the world’s largest manufacturer of athletic apparel. “I often hear ‘you’re gonna look like a man!’ Which also implies that to be feminine is weak.” Strength is something she has in spades, and something she hopes to lend to LGBTQ students and friends, whether in the cycling studio or on the flag football field. “Social justice is about creating spaces for people,” says Gaines. “There can be a lot of tough positions and stereotypes for LGBTQ athletes. But I think there is no greater place to build community than through fitness and sport.”

SUMMERTIME SHAPE-UP Want to get your bikini buns ready for the Boatslip? We asked the fitness diva to share her most motivating suggestions. Find Your Intent. “Setting aside time over the weekend to plan out your meals and workout schedule can set you up for success during the week—especially when you’re short on time.” Consistency Is Key. “Rome wasn’t built in a day and things worth doing take time. In goal-setting, stick to a plan for two to three weeks before assessing whether or not it is working. It becomes hard to understand and capitalize on what is effective for you if you’re changing strategy too often.”

Structure Your Eating Habits. “You can and should have fun things. But implementing structure around your intake can ensure you’re taking in enough calories, proteins and carbs to support your energy and goals. Macros and other means of flexible dieting are great ways to build structure around your caloric intake while still enjoying the delicious things in life.” Stay Challenged. “When you’re no longer challenged in your workouts, results can start to slowdown. If you’re hitting a plateau, find other ways of getting in the burn. Try increasing your weights or changing up the format.” Gravitate Toward Your Natural Affinities. “If you’re not a morning person, don’t commit yourself to waking up every day at 4 a.m. to work out. If you love spin, push to incorporate it into your strategy. Pull in activities and behaviors that get you excited—and feel natural!” Recover. “Listen to your body and take time for TLC. Build a recovery day into your workout plan to allow your body to rest. It’s always better to sit out a day or more than to push yourself into an injury or pain.” Stay Positive And Keep Perspective. “There are amazing days and there are days where you won’t feel the greatest about your progress. Trust me, I’ve been there. Stay positive and don’t get discouraged—a bad day isn’t going to crush the hard work you’ve put in and nobody is perfect. Shake off negativity, be kind to yourself and get back in it. You’ve got this!” [x]

What’s more: B/SPOKE will host “PR/DE R/DES” benefiting BAGLY at its Downtown Boston Studio on June 6 and 7. Visit bspokestudios.com for details.

Here for our community. Here for good.

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SPOTLIGHT Books STORY Scott Kearnan

Queer Bookshelf OUR BEST BETS FOR BEACH READS THIS SUMMER Whether you’re taking a vacation in Ogunquit or sinking your toes into the sand at Race Point Beach, you’re going to want some beach reads to get you through the summer ahead. So stock up on our list of newly released LGBT-oriented books with New England associations. From a Boston-based journalist investigating an infamous tragedy at New Orleans gay bar to memoir ghostwritten by a dog, there’s something for every bookworm.

“Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation,” by Robert Fieseler. From the 1969 Stonewall riots to the 2016 massacre at Pulse nightclub, gay bars have too-often been sites of violence. The Pride weekend arson attack at New Orleans’ Up Stairs Lounge in 1973, though, was unique: The leading suspect was gay. In his debut non-fiction book, released in June, Boston journalist Fieseler examines this oftforgotten tragedy, the closeted culture that surrounded it, and how the devastation’s aftermath—which included unclaimed bodies denied burial rights—galvanized gay activism in the South. On Thursday, May 3, he’ll discuss his research at the History Project’s “Out in the Archives” series; free RSVP via eventbrite.com. “Before AIDS: Gay Health Politics in the 1970s” by Katie Batza. Today, when entering its sparkling, state-of-the-art facility on Boylston Street,

it’s easy to forget that Fenway Health, now the country’s largest LGBT-focused healthcare facility, was once a fledgling organization born from grassroots gay activism. But in her just-released book, Batza studies the work of Fenway — plus two similar health centers in Chicago and Los Angeles — to illustrate how, even before the inept, uncaring response to the early AIDS crisis engendered even greater distrust in mainstream institutions, gay health activists were already building foundations for vital networks that still serve communities today. “Stonewall Strong: Gay Men’s Heroic Fight For Resilience, Good Health and a Strong Community,” by John-Manuel Andriote. Growing up, namecalling playground bullies might brand them sissies — but gay men are actually some of the strongest people you’ll meet. From surviving harrowing personal traumas to overcoming victimization by politics of

12 | BOSTON SPIRIT

oppression, gay men manage to rise above circumstances that could defeat meeker souls. Andriote, a Connecticut-based longtime journalist on LGBT issues and HIV/AIDS draws on his own experiences and interviews with gay men from every corner of our community — plus plenty of scientific research — to examine the unique resilience of gay men, where it comes from, and what it means.

“The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” by Emily M. Danforth. Okay, this acclaimed novel by Providence, Rhode Island-based author Emily Danforth, about a gay teenage girl who is sent to a conversion camp by her conservative family, was actually released in

2012. But there’s a timely reason to read it now: The new film adaptation, starring actressadvocate Chloe Grace Moretz, is earning raves and just won the Grand Jury Prize for US Drama at the Sundance Film Festival. Before you see the movie, discover the dramatic page-turner that has already been a 1990s-set coming-of-age hit with literary critics.

This Is How it Begins” by Joan Dempsey. “Poets & Writers” magazine named Maine author Dempsey one of its “over 50” writers to watch — and we can see why. In this riveting new novel, shortlisted for multiple awards, Ludka, an 85-year old World War II survivor, enters a political melee to defend her grandson, a gay Massachusetts high-school teacher who is fired

for purportedly discriminating against Christian students. Even as menacing ghosts from her past manifest again, Ludka takes on the conspiratorial machinations of a religious local radio host pushing for anti-gay legislation. Dempsey, meanwhile, offers a sobering reminder to vigilant against the many changing faces of oppression. “How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective,” edited by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. Unfortunately, not all queer histories receive the same level of attention. Despite being one of the most important black feminist organizations to emerge in the 1970s, the Boston-founded Combahee River Collective, comprised largely of lesbians, has rarely received the wide recognition deserved for its pioneering approach to intersectionality. In this new collection of essays and interviews with founding members and contemporary scholars, Taylor culls insights on the significance of

Combahee — and its renewed relevance in today’s fights for queer rights, gender parity and racial justice. “Afterglow (a dog memoir)” by Eileen Myles. Myles, a prolific Cambridge, Massachusettsbased poet and writer, received a Guggenheim Fellowship to complete this rather fantastical ode to their deceased dog, Rosie. Myles rifles through literary approaches — like imagined interviews with the pooch, doodles and video transcriptions — and adopts both human and animal perspectives to explore a relationship with a lifelong

four-legged friend. “Afterglow” also hits on issues like alcoholism, recovery, spirituality and politics with droll humor and some self-deprecation, digging for meaning in a distinct and devastating form of very human grief. It’s a 2018 nominee in the “Lesbian Memoir/Biography” category of the Lambda Literary Awards. “Abandon Me: Memoirs” by Melissa Febos. She was raised in Falmouth, Massachusetts by a Cape Cod sea captain, but Febos has charted her own unique course in literary waters. Her acclaimed 2010

memoir, “Whip Smart,” delved into her work as a dominatrix. Her new work, “Abandon Me,” reunites readers with Febos’ inimitable voice and pours out biographical anecdotes related to reconnecting with her Native American birth father, having an affair with a possessive married woman, cult movies, tattoos and self-identity. “Abandon Me” made a slew of critics’ years-best lists, showing that fans won’t give up on this gifted reader anytime soon. [x]

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SPOTLIGHT Politics STORY Scott Kearnan Chris Pappas you, or make a positive comment about it,” says Pappas. “New Hampshire has a strong live-and-let-live atmosphere, and people know that regardless of differences, we need to come together in the town square to get things done.”

A Leader for the ‘Live and Let Live’ State

Of course, Pappas also appreciates the importance of bringing real representation to the U.S. House of Representatives. He first got fired up for politics when he was about eight years old and met former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis during the 1988 presidential candidate’s campaign stop at his family’s 101-year old restaurant.

OUT GRANITE STATE REP CHRIS PAPPAS RUNS FOR U.S. CONGRESS

Chris Pappas grew up with a front-row seat of major political campaigns.

As the fourth generation of his family to run the Puritan Backroom Restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire, a frequent stop for candidates during the Granite State’s first-in-the-nation presidential primaries,

Now he’s embarked on his own, running to become New Hampshire’s first openly gay member of Congress. It sounds like the “Live Free or Die” state may be ready. “On the campaign trail, the only time the issue comes up is when voters say thank

“As a person of Greek descent, it was exciting for me to know that someone who held my heritage had a t-shirt with his name in Greek on it,” says Pappas, then a precocious burgeoning politico who showed up at his local polling place with a homemade Dukakis sign. Similarly, he credits pioneering out politicians like Barney Frank for “sending a signal to me that I might have a place in the political life of this country.” Pappas says it is paramount to protect and advance LGBTQ equality amid the increasing threats of the Trump era. But many

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of the most important issues facing New Hampshire cut across demographic lines. At age 37, Pappas, who studied government at Harvard, has already served two terms in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and is currently in his third term on the state’s executive council. And during that time, he’s been particularly effective around health care issues affecting all constituents. He helped extend Medicaid coverage to 50,000 families and protected critical Planned Parenthood funding from attacks. Fighting the pervasive opioid epidemic has also been a priority. His leadership helped extend insurance coverage for substance abuse treatment to 140,000 New Hampshire residents. As he runs for the Democratic seat being vacated by outgoing representative Carol Shea-Porter, Pappas wants to bring that focus on results, not rhetoric, to a political sphere that feels more divisive and rancorous than ever. He bristles at the mention of Trump’s controversial recent stop in New Hampshire to address the opioid crisis, when the president offered plenty of blame—in the direction of immigrants, mostly—but few solutions for a state he once called a “drug-infested den.”

“ The atmosphere Trump has created is one of division, one of pitting people against people, one where fear reigns. We need to create a more positive, collaborative vision for the future. ” Chris Pappas The conflict-baiting style of Trump represents much of what’s wrong with politics right now, says Pappas, who prides himself on a history of creating bipartisan coalitions focused on “finding ways forward to work on issues constructively.” “The atmosphere Trump has created is one of division, one of pitting people against people, one where fear reigns,” says Pappas. “We need to create a more positive, collaborative vision for the future.” That includes the future of the Democratic party, which is engaged in its own identity

crisis over how to learn and move forward from the devastating loss of 2016. Some Democrats are calling for a harder swing left, others for more moderate and inclusive approaches. And Pappas’ opponents in the New Hampshire race include Levi Sanders, son of Bernie Sanders, leading some pundits to draw populist-versus-establishment parallels with the last election. “I think that oversimplifies what’s happening,” says Pappas, who points out that his campaign has attracted top supporters of both Sanders and Clinton. “If we’re going to mount a successful effort this fall, we need candidates who don’t just speak to one issue or one segment of the Democratic party. We need to reach out to Independents and Republicans.” He believes less narrowness will build a bigger tent. “I think that we have to listen to one another again,” says Pappas. “We have to relate to one another. We have to be willing to have conversations with people with whom we disagree. We have to believe that dialogue and discussion moves the ball forward on solutions.” For more information on Chris Pappas and his campaign, visit chrispappas.org. [x]

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FEATURE Sports STORY Tom Joyce PHOTOS Courtesy BGBL and LANES

Hot, Physical Fun

How to get active this summer with Boston’s LGBTQA sports clubs and teams Warmer days are the perfect opportunity to get out and be active. Time to rekindle an interest in athletics or to pick up a new sport or activity in the community. Here are some LGBTQA summer sports groups based in Boston looking for you to join in the fun.

RUN CLUB For those who are not as interested in a ball sport but want to stay active, Frontrunners Boston offers something a little different. It’s the first gay and lesbian running club established in the city (back in 1979) and meets up every Saturday morning at 209 Columbus Ave. for a weekly run. The skill level varies from person to person with some in the group running up to a 7.8-mile loop while others run shorter distances or even walk. It’s free to join, and the group typically goes out for brunch after they finish running.

VOLLEYBALL IN THE PARK Come summer, the Cambridge Boston Volleyball Association shifts its court from King School in Cambridge to an outdoor venue: Moakley Park in Boston. From late May to early September, members can play volleyball for free outdoors thrice a week: 5:30 p.m. to sunset Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 2:00 p.m. to sunset Sundays. The league observes USA Volleyball rules. According to its website, its purpose is to “promote and develop the sport of volleyball among the GLBTQ and GLBTQ-friendly community in and around metropolitan Boston”.

18 | BOSTON SPIRIT

BONUS BASKETBALL The Boston Gay Basketball League is popular in the city during the winter, but that’s not the only time it operates. In summer, the league offers a more affordable choice ($35) to sign up for an eight week session and play the game. It has the courts for two-and-a-half hours at a time and welcomes anyone to come by because the summer league is geared towards the Division 2 players of the winter league, who are less experienced athletically and want to get active.

The Boston Gay Basketball League moves the game outdoors.

SLOW-PITCH SOFTBALL Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Beantown Softball League plays three seasons per year—including summer—and fosters an environment that’s welcoming to all. While geared towards the LGBTQ community, it also welcomes allies. The age range is also pretty open: 19–73. Games are held at fields throughout the city. This spring, the participation rate in the league was huge, with 21 teams competing in four divisions.

IN THE WATER

GAY DODGEBALL The name of the league, Gay Dodgeball, tells you just about all you need to know. Gay Dodgeball is an all-inclusive league taking place in many cities, including Boston, which competes in the sport using National Dodgeball League rules. Teams featured 13–20 players and playing time is guaranteed. The league competes at Holland Community Center in Dorchester for eight weeks July 12 to August 30, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and offers a $20 discount for “early bird” sign-ups ($65 instead of $85). The sign-up fee also covers the weekly post game parties. This year, the team Dodge Balls Deep aims to defend its title.

CLIMBING ACTION If you’re looking for something that strays from the norm, then rock climbing may be for you. This is what QuICK Climb Boston is all about. The group has four meetups per week in different spots, including one that’s actually in the city itself— on Sundays at Rock Spot in South Boston. Although indoor rock climbing may sound intimidating for novices, the club offers a quick orientation for newcomers on safety and expectations to help everyone prep for the task at hand. The group is “dedicated to building a community of LGBTQI climbers”, according to its official website, and offers both day passes and monthly memberships for those interested in giving it a try.

Summer says beach and aquatics to many. LANES stands for Liquid Assets New England Swimming. The swim club promises an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity. LANES holds five practices per week that are split between Mason Pool in Dorchester and Blackstone Community Center in Brookline and features a wide array of talentfrom expert swimmers who compete in races to people who just want to stay active and meet new people. Plus, every year some of LANES swimmers compete in the Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life and Paddler Flotilla. The 2017 Swim raised $225,000 with funding going toward people living with and fighting AIDS, women’s health and the LGBTQA community.

Group photo time for Liquid Assets New England Swimming (LANES)

FENWAY PRIDE Although it’s not a sports league to join, the Boston Red Sox are hosting their Pride Night this year on Thursday, June 7 (first pitch at 7:10 p.m.) when they play the Detroit Tigers. Prior to the game, there will be a Pride Party on the Right Field Roof Deck and the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus will perform the National Anthem. Proceeds from the Pride Night tickets will benefit the Boston Pride organization. [x]

MAY|JUN 2018 | 19

SPOTLIGHT News STORY Rob Phelps, Kim Harris Stowell and Natalie Nonken

Newsmakers | New England NH | The Granite State HOUSE PASSES TRANS RIGHTS BILL

New Hampshire House of Representatives PHOTO courtesy nhnpr.org New Hampshire’s House of Representatives voted 195–129 to include transgender people in the state’s anti-discrimination law yesterday. The bill has moved on to the state’s senate judiciary committee. If passed by both houses, Republican Governor Chris has indicated he would sign the bill into law. “Today’s bipartisan vote to pass HB 1319 demonstrates that New Hampshire is ready to truly become the Live Free or Die State,” said Linds Jakows, campaign manager for Freedom New Hampshire, in the press release. “Granite Staters from all walks of life have gotten the opportunity to meet their transgender neighbors and have come to understand that HB 1319 is about making sure that everyone has the opportunity to truly live free.” Anthony Procik, state director for Rights & Democracy New Hampshire, added that “Today’s vote is an example of what happens when folks come together—across political and ideological differences—to uphold the values of our communities and guide the policies of our elected government. This affirming vote is needed now, more than ever, given today’s political climate.” [RP]

should be even more receptive to passing the bill than the House. And Governor Sununu has said he’ll sign it. “This bill encourages good counseling and therapy,” Rep. Ed Butler from Hart’s Location, told NPR. “What it prohibits is what every reputable professional physical and mental health care organization around the world says is damaging to the well-being of all children and teenagers: conversion therapy.” [RP]

races, ethnicities and ages, to celebrate their individuality and their culture. For 2018, the theme is “Louder & Prouder.” The Pride board of directors describes the sentiment behind the theme as: “The importance of speaking out when you see injustices in our communities. It also means being proud of who you are, who you love and where you come from. We have accomplished a lot over the years as a community, but we still need to speak up and be loud. Speak up for those who can’t and be proud and celebrate who we are and our diversity as a community.” For more, visit prideri.org [KHS]

RI | The Ocean State

QUEER WOMXN’S COLLECTIVE OF RHODE ISLAND

RESPECT IN DEATH

The Queer Womxn’s Collective is intended for all who identify as lesbian, queer, bisexual, transgender women, queer women of color as well as feminine identified gender nonconforming individuals.

A large group of activists met outside the House Chambers at the Rhode Island State House in April, to talk with state representatives about Bill H7765 and why it is important to pass it this session. This is a bill to ensure that transgender Rhode Islanders have their gender identity rather than sex assigned at birth listed on their death certificates. The state has civil rights legislation to protect transgender people from discrimination while alive; this bill is needed to protect transgender people in death as well. It clarifies the ways in which a person’s gender can be identified for their death certificate, including using their driver’s licenses and other documentation. This legislation will provide clarity about the wishes of transgender people in their death and not allow intentional or unintentional misgendering. [KHS]

43RD ANNUAL RI PRIDEFEST

It exists to provide opportunities for queer womxn and feminine identified individuals in the Rhode Island area to gather in a noncompetitive and non-judgmental space. There will be a major focus on inclusivity and intersectionality, encouraging accountability and learning. Meetups include takeovers, potlucks, discussion circles, nights out, and more. Find the Facebook group for ongoing discussion and announcements. We will work together to build ourselves up, grow in strength and power, have fun, and create a strong support network. [KHS]

VT | Green Mountain State VERMONT WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

CONVERSION THERAPY BAN MOVES FROM SENATE COMMITTEE Over in the state’s Senate, a bill to protect youth from conversion therapy was amended and passed by the Health and Human Services Committee on April 12. The bill passed the state’s House of Representatives by a narrow 179–171 vote back on February 8. According to New Hampshire Public Radio and other local news sources, the Senate

20 | BOSTON SPIRIT

Sabrina Blaze on stage at PrideFrest Expected to draw crowds in excess of 50,000, the annual Rhode Island Pride Festival and New England’s only Nighttime Parade, Saturday, June 16, welcomes LGBTQ and heterosexual individuals of all

Kate Stephenson (from left) and Mel Baiser, owners of Helm Construction Solutions with project manager Erin Rennoldson. PHOTO Kelly Fletcher Photography The irony was not lost on Mel Baiser and Kate Stephenson, owners of Helm Construction of Brattleboro, Vermont. In

Where each matters.

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mid-April, their company was named the 2018 Vermont Women-Owned Business of the Year by the Vermont District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. But as they pointed out to the Brattleboro Reformer, Baiser does not identify as a woman but as genderqueer. “The SBA doesn’t have a category for people who are trans or gender nonconforming—yet,” Basier told the Reformer with a chuckle. Still, Baiser and Stephenson say they’re thrilled with the recognition. “As a small but growing business, it is a huge honor to be named Woman-Owned Business of the Year,” Stephenson said in a SBA press release. “Our goal is to produce high-performing businesses with a ‘triple bottom line,’ socially responsible approach and at the same time be part of creating high performance, energy efficient, and low-carbon buildings,” Stephenson said. “We are also working hard to help bring more gender equity into the construction trades, which have traditionally had very low representation from women, transgender and gender nonconforming people.” [RP]

CALL FOR FEDERAL ANTIDISCRIMINATION LAWS Attorney General T. J. Donovan of Vermont joined Maura Healey of Massachusetts, George Jepson of Connecticut and a dozen other US state AGs in filing an amicus brief that calls for making discrimination based on sexual orientation illegal under federal law.

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“The attorneys general urge the court to join a growing number of federal appellate courts in recognizing that Title VII’s workplace protections extend to sexual orientation,” stated a press release from Vermont AG Donovan’s office. Dana Kaplan, executive director of Outright Vermont, told the business magazine VT Digger, “It’s important that state officials look beyond state borders at federal systems in order to bolster protections for Vermonters. While Vermont law protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, pushing for more progressive federal laws is an important part of supporting the LGBT community. If we can improve any systems, policies and laws that say ‘we see you, you matter, and your identity is valid,’ that’s important.” [RP]

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CT | Constitution State

Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut For the second year in a row the Norwalkbased Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s annual Healthcare Equality Index. The score designates RMACT a “Leader in Equality” through its commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices for employees and patients. “Being a part of HEI shows that we walk the walk when it comes to LGBTQ inclusiveness,” said Dr. Mark Leondires, medical

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director at RMACT and its LGBTQ educational platform Gay Parents To Be. “We want to live in a world where our straight and LGBTQ friends, family, employees and patients all feel welcomed and have equal access to quality healthcare, and this is our small part in making that happen.” [RP]

BORN THIS WAY FASHION SHOW OutCT is hosting its Born This Way fashion show May 20, 5–10 p.m. at Port N Starboard in Ocean Beach Park, New London. The evening features beautiful models dressed in drag, along with dancing, a raffle, a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, and pasta station. “Fairytales” is the theme, and emcee Kelli Randell is the host. All proceeds go to OutCT’s youth program. Got to outct.org/fashion-show for more. [NN]

31ST ANNUAL OUT FILM CT June 1–9 are the 2018 dates for Out Film CT. While this year’s lineup is yet to be announced, last year’s event featured 15 different films, as well as a silent auction, receptions and a closing night party. Check out outfilmct.org. Out Film CT is a nonprofit and volunteer organization that hosts yearround events involving LGBT film and theater. [NN]

ME | Pine Tree State HOUSE VOTES TO BAN CONVERSION THERAPY After an emotionally charged debate, the Maine House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban conversion therapy on anyone under the age of 18. The 76–68 vote was cast on April 12. The Bangor Daily News described it as an “unusually passionate” debate that “quickly devolved into tense testimony and lawmakers

Maine Rep. Ryan Fecteau shouting over each other.” Those opposed called the bill unnecessary, “as well as a violation of family and free speech rights,” the newspaper reported. Those in support referred to extensive medical studies showing the harmful effects of the practice as well as personal testimony. “The legislature has a responsibility to protect young people, who are especially vulnerable, from these medically condemned practices,” said Rep. Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford who introduced the bill. “The legislature must mitigate exposing children to this harm, to this hurt, and to this rejection of their innate, genuine selves.” Support for the bill fell largely down to party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans largely against. It next moves to the state’s Republican-controlled senate, but advocates of the legislation are undeterred. “For the sake of LGBTQ youth across the state, it’s essential that fair-minded voices speak out now and call on their state senators to pass this crucially important legislation,” said HRC legislative counsel Xavier Persad in an April 12 press release. “We urge the Maine Senate to pass this measure and join the growing number of states and municipalities that protect LGBTQ youth from the inhumane and abusive practice of conversion therapy.” [RP]

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SPOTLIGHT Community STORY Bob Linscott

Senior Spirit Gen Silent

BOSTON FILM THAT LAUNCHED A MOVEMENT NOW INSPIRES A GENERATION In 2007 The Boston LGBTQ Film Festival reached out to The LGBT Aging Project to see if we were interested in sponsoring a film for the that year’s festival. They would be screening a film about two older gay men who fell in love while serving during World War II: “Bob and Jack’s 52 Year Adventure. Director Stu Maddux could accompany the film if he had housing. We agreed to cosponsor the film and house the director during his stay in Boston. No one anticipated how much our lives would change as a result of that chance encounter. Over the next few years our lives crossed with Stu several times. He grew very interested in the work the Aging Project was

doing in Massachusetts. In 2008 when Stu returned to Boston to screen his latest film “Trip to Hell and Back,” we began a series of conversations about the possibility of making a film about LGBT aging. At the time the only film that dealt with the subject was “Silent Pioneers” (1985), which was outdated and cast a depressing look at LGBT elders. Over the next two years, Stu lugged his film equipment back and forth to Boston from LA to document the lives of six Boston area LGBT seniors, setting up his editing suite in the carriage house in my backyard. The film had its world premiere at the Museum of Fine Arts during the 2010

Cast, crew and friends at Massachusetts State House screening of “Gen Silent.” PHOTO courtesy of The LGBT Aging Project.

Boston LGBT Film Festival. As soon as those of us in the field of LGBT Aging saw the film at that premiere, we realized this was so much more than a moving documentary—it was a tool to educate all elder care providers and the public. In May of 2011, one year after the premiere, Rep Liz Malia organized a special screening of the film at the State House to educate the

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legislators about these important issues. During those first few years, “Gen Silent” appeared in film festivals all over the country and overseas winning numerous awards. By 2012 the film had become the industry standard tool for teaching providers about the issues and barriers facing LGBT older adults. Fast forward to 2018: there have been a few changes in the lives of the brave

seniors who shared their stories in the film. Lois Johnson and Sheri Barden, who swore in the film they would never leave their South End home, have to move to Spring House Assisted Living in Jamaica Plain, where “Gen Silent” has been screened twice. Mel Simms retired from his teaching role at Northeastern University, where he found the courage to come out as a gay man after his experience participating in the film. He is now

caregiving full-time for his 92 year old mother. Lawrence Johnson moved to Florida with his partner Irving Camiel. He often accompanies Stu on screenings of the film, and misses all his dear friends at Café Emmanuel, the LGBT Senior Luncheon featured in the film. From influence to inspiration: On March 26th this year, Variety Magazine announced that the creators of the original “Golden Girls” were teaming up again to make a gay version of the iconic hit show. The creative team told reporters that they were “inspired to make the show after seeing the documentary ‘Gen Silent,’ which explores the lives of LGBTQ seniors navigating discrimination in nursing homes.” The new comedy series, to be called “Silver Foxes,” centers around the lives of two older gay men and a younger “twink” in Palm Springs. The trio rescues a friend living in a very homophobic assisted-living facility. The casting so far is expected to include George Takei from “Star Trek” fame (see cover story in this issue) and Lesley Jordan from “Will and Grace.” [x]

Bob Linscott is assistant director of the LGBT Aging Project at Fenway Health.

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FEATURE Politics STORY Kim Harris Stowell

A Force To Be Reckoned With Lesbian Political Action Committee Aims to Make Money in Politics Work for Good Founded in 2012, the Lesbian Political Action Committee (LPAC) has as its mission the advancing of women’s and LGBTQ equality by working to influence the current political and social landscape, and to give lesbians a real and meaningful seat at the political table. Toward the cause of electing candidates who champion LGBTQ rights, women’s equality and social justice, LPAC has raised over $4 million and been involved in dozens of races and campaigns across the country. Recently, Boston Spirit spoke with Urvashi Vaid, a lifelong activist with an impressive list of credentials—attorney, author, CEO of a social innovation firm, to

name a few—which includes being LPAC’s founder. And of course she’s also a resident of the Bay State. First, we asked Vaid about the need for an organization that focuses on issues of interest or concern to lesbians. In response, she explained that LGBT equality, women’s rights and gender issues, and also concerns around racism and social justice, are all at the heart of LPAC’s work. “Our lives as lesbians and queer women are very intersectional. We’re queer, we’re affected by economics, many of us are women of color, many of us have kids, affected by all the issues that are important to parents, whether it’s schooling, child care, health care, etc.”

Urvashi Vaid at the 2018 Women’s March in Boston. She went on to explain that LPAC has implemented a values-based approach to investing in those candidates and ballot initiatives that advance gender, LGBTQ and social equality. “LPAC’s work is to endorse candidates based on values,” she said, “Naturally, we have endorsed a number of queer women candidates—and this year there are so many amazing ones! More than ever. But we’ve also endorsed men and straight allies, and we have gotten

The writing’s on the wall Steps from MASS MoCA Down the road from THE CLARK #InTheBerkshires

North Adams, MA porches.com 26 | BOSTON SPIRIT

LPAC founder Urvashi Vaid involved in numerous ballot initiatives. We look at their positions much more than their identities.” When asked what motivated her to found LPAC, she said, “You know, it was right after the marriage equality legislation was passed in New York, and I went to a couple of celebrations. I was stunned to see that I was one of only a handful of women in the room. I wondered where the thousands of queer women who had been involved

in this effort were. And I knew that it was important to mobilize this powerful community.”

want to see different representation in our political process, and they’re willing to help.”

A political action community

Changing times

I asked about the PAC itself, and she confirmed that LPAC is a super PAC. This got a chuckle out of the both of us, those words often being synonymous with controversy and scandal. “Is there an irony to a lesbian super PAC in the age where PACs—and especially super PACs—are looked on with mistrust, and where campaign finance reform is the rallying cry against the super PAC? I can tell you that we absolutely stand for campaign finance reform. We want to endorse candidates who would enact campaign finance reform, and to overturn Citizens United. In the meantime, we are working to help raise money for and support progressive candidates. Our support comes mainly from people who give us $100 or less. Over these five years, we’ve raised $4.5 million, through house parties, cocktail parties, online and a few events. People really

Make your own

In 2012, when LPAC was founded, Barack Obama was in the White House. Six years later, we can all agree it is a very different political landscape. But the LPAC team is not fazed—on the contrary, says Vaid, this is a very exciting time. “There is so much mobilization today,” she said. “The movements are bigger. More people are involved today than I’ve ever seen. People are very alarmed by what’s going on in this country, and they are taking it very seriously. They are both angry and deeply concerned that we’re on the wrong track.” Vaid described today’s activism as multi-issue. “In this last year,” she said, “we are seeing an explosion in political engagement. There’s Brand New Congress, Swing Left and so many other grassroots efforts that have come into being. We’re seeing lots of new candidates running for office. People are willing to take on incumbents, saying, ‘We don’t have the

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kind of representation we would like to see in this country. We want a different kind of leadership, and we are ready to be part of the process, to add our voices to the mix.’” Particular aspects of today’s political and cultural climate strike strong chords for queer women, among them the #metoo groundswell. “People are pretty fed up with patriarchy,” said Vaid. “This is certainly felt deeply by many lesbian and queer women, as well as trans and gender nonconforming people, and a lot of heterosexual women and men. There is a palpable frustration with sexism and misogyny.”

What can I do? We wanted to know how our readers could help, knowing that, in many cases, our elected officials are a healthy representation of the diverse, progressive population in the Bay State. “I love Massachusetts,” Vaid says. “It’s where I went to law school. My wife Kate and I live here. There are so many great community organizations, and the most amazing legal organization in GLAD.”

The number one way you can help LPAC further its mission, according to Vaid, is to make a commitment to be involved. “Please, don’t be complacent. If a candidate inspires you, touches your life and talks about the things you care about, go for it. Support them! If everyone did that, we’d continue to win all these elections.” She went on to list an impressive number of candidates in critical races, from Gina Ortiz Jones, an Iraq War vet, FilipinaAmerican and out lesbian who is running for congress in San Antonio, to Fran Watson, an African-American lesbian running for state senate, also in Texas. “There’s Tammy Baldwin,” she adds, “who is running for re-election. Back in 2012, no one thought an out lesbian could win in Wisconsin—and she did! Today, she is facing a really tough challenge. The Koch brothers have targeted her personally— through independent expenditures—in an effort to win her seat back.” There is much work yet to be done. What is next for LPAC? To keep on keeping on. “The thing is,” said Vaid, “we have to sustain this energy through November and

beyond. One thing we have learned in the queer community is that you have to keep fighting. The minute you sit down and rest on your laurels, gains can be rolled back. There is a counter-movement that resists every gain we have worked to make. That’s nothing new to those of us who have been doing this work for a long time. The antiLGBT movement and the anti-feminist movement are both very strong. So while Trump is something new, Trump is also something that is very old. That reactionary, racist element. That is old, and it goes so very deep in this country.” How will you sustain this energy, we asked? “People need to get involved, wherever they are. Plug in. Sign up to get information from a variety of sources. And please, don’t take any election for granted. Power doesn’t yield without a demand made against it. There is nothing inevitable about progressive change! Like the ACLU says, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” [x]

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Something for Everyone Arts & Culture, Outdoor Adventure Dining, Lodging & Shopping

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AnnuAl EvEnts Along thE trAil

Marisa Tomei in The Rose Tattoo, photo by Daniel Rader

June

The Concerts at Windsor Lake Free – Wednesdays June 6 - August 29, 2018 – natourism Berkshire Mountains Faerie Festival – June 16, 2018 – Adams, MA www.berkshiresmountainsfaeriefestival.com – berkshiremountainsfaeriefestival Yankee Engine-uity Show – Orange Airport – June 22-24, 2018 – www.cmsgma.com

July

Bridge of flowers

Eagle St. Beach Party – July 13, 2018 – 413-664-6180 – www.explorenorthadams.com Green River Festival – July 13-15, 2018 – 413-773-5463 – www.greenriverfestival.com Franklin County Beer Fest – Berkshire East – Sat. July 21, 2018 – 413-339-6617 . berkshireeast.com

August

wHite water rafting

MohAwkTrAiL.coM

Adams Agricultural Fair – Aug 3-5, 2018 – www.adams-agricultural-fair.org 40th Annual Bridge of Flowers Road Race – Aug 11, 2018 – 413-625-2526 – www.shelburnefalls.com North Adams Downtown Celebration – Aug 15, 2018 – 413-664-6180 – www.explorenorthadams.com Reggae Festival – Aug 18, 2018 – CharlemontFest – 860-208-6438 101st Annual Heath Fair – August 17-19, 2018 – www.heathfair.org Hardwick Community Fair – August 17-18, 2018 – HardwickFair.com 18th Annual Iron Bridge Dinner – August 19, 2018 – 413-625-2526 – www.shelburnefalls.com North Adams Motorama – August 25-26, 2018 – www.northadamsmotorama.com

Something for Everyone

september

Zipline

Franklin County Fair – Sept 6 - 9, 2018 – 413-774-4282 – fcfair Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show – Sept 8-9, 2018 – www.nbmcub.webs.com – 413-663-8430 FreshGrass Music Festival – Sept 14-16, 2018 – www.massmoca.org Athol Fall Festival – mid-September – www.northquabbinchamber.com/fall-festival/ Old Deerfield Fall Craft Fair – September 22-23, 2018 – 413-774-2739 – www.deerfield-craft.org North Quabbin 20th Garlic & Arts Festival – September 29-30, 2018 – www.garlicandarts.org 57th Annual Festival of the Hills – Conway, MA – September 30, 2018 – www.festivalofthehills.com

OctOber

Arts & Culture, Outdoor Adventure Dining, Lodging & Shopping

Fall Foliage Parade – September 30, 2018 – 413-499-1600 1berkshire.com/calendar/fall-foliage-parade/ Ashfield Fall Festival – Columbus Day Weekend October 6-7, 2018 – www.ashfieldfallfestival.org Mt. Greylock Ramble & RambleFest – Columbus Day October 7-8, 2018 – www.exploreadams.com

Hiking

Spend a day in Old New England

Experience the drama.

CasUal & elegant dining

nOvember

Cider Days – November 2-4, 2018 – www.ciderdays.org Crafts of Colrain – November 10-11, 2018 – 413-624-1200 – www.craftsofcolrain.com Old Deerfield Holiday Craft Fair – November 17-18, 2018 – 413-774-2739 – www.deerfield-craft.org Shelburne Falls Moonlight Magic – Friday after Thanksgiving Nov. 23, 2018 – 413-625-2526 www.shelburnefalls.com

december

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Holiday Walk – 1st weekend – 413-458-9077 – www.williamstownchamber.com

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More than a trail...a journey

A Short Drive To A World Away

To experience a unique mix of natural beauty and world-renowned cultural and historic attractions, blaze the “Highway of History” and discover the four-season vacationland along the famous Mohawk Trail, Route 2. Stretching from the Massachusetts-New York state line to Shirley in Central Massachusetts, the 100 miles of East-West highway is a vestige of early American life when people traveled by foot or on horseback. The Mohawk Trail provides the traveler of today with well over 100 attractions: country inns, world-class museums, gift and antique shops, hiking trails, and public and private camping areas nestled amid the seasonal changing beauty of the Berkshire Hills, the Connecticut Valley, the Johnny Appleseed Trail and the Quabbin Reservoir. The Mohawk Trail helps you take a break from your everyday life. As you drive along its meandering roads beside crystal clear streams, and over forested mountains you will arrive at places that will change how you see the world, from the perfectly preserved history of Historic Deefield to the latest contemporary art displayed in the spectacular factory setting of MASS MoCA.

Staying overnight There are a variety of lodgings in the

Mohawk Trail Region ranging from the comfortable and well-priced motels to quaint bed & breakfasts to unique inns with a European flair. There are accommodations set on the edge of rivers, in 100-year-old historic structures and in settings that let you step out the door to breathe in a wide vista of the Berkshire hills.

Enjoying food Out here in the wilderness of western

Massachusetts we are very close to locally grown produce. Many restaurants in the Mohawk Trail Region satisfy the locavore with farm-to-table specialties. In the growing season the roadside farm stands and farmers’ markets are teeming with fresh produce: crisp apples in a bushel basket, the smell of fresh cider, pumpkins stacked in a tall orange pile, pick-your-own berries. Local wineries offer fun tastings in any season. During Maple Sugaring season, usually around the month of March, the sugaring houses are boiling down sap to produce the amber delight that sweetens many dishes.

atre to internationally acclaimed musicians, dancers and performance artists.

Historic sites The Mohawk Trail offers opportunities to trav-

el back in time. Historic Deerfield is a village of perfectly preserved pre-Revolutionary houses. Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams focuses on the railroad and industrial heritage of North Adams, and in particular, one of the great engineering wonders of the world, the Hoosac Tunnel.

Historic Deerfield Deerfield, MA

Natural beauty, Art, music & theater outdoor adventure Perhaps no other road in the world can and family fun match the amount of great art that can be Hike the spectacular trail system on Mount seen in the museums along the Mohawk Trail: from Renoir, Degas and the Old Masters of Europe...to the most evocative and provocative art being made today. With exciting new exhibitions each season, these museums are not to be missed. The Trail also offers first-rate performances year-round, from Tony Award-winning the-

North Adams, MA

Mohawk Trail Region of Massachusetts

Greylock, the highest mountain in the state and other glorious peaks along The Trail. Admire the stunning views at the Eastern, Whitcomb and Western Summits on the Mohawk Trail. At Salmon Falls, on a nearly dry river bottom, are ancient potholes eroded in granite by gyrating stones of the Glacial Age. And at the Natural Bridge State Park, you will find the only water-eroded marble bridge in North America, a 550 million-yearold geological wonder. River-lovers have particular reason to explore the Mohawk Trail. Rafters and kayakers get their thrills on the Deerfield River, a major whitewater rafting course, while a leisurely excursion down the Connecticut River on the river boat Quinnetukut offers a different perspective on river fun.

Towns to stop at, places to shop, studios to visit Located in the small towns along The Trail

are the shops, studios and galleries of many very talented artisans. Potters, quilters, metalworkers, glass blowers, and jewelry makers offer a unique shopping experience. Candle-making and candle shopping are important attractions to the region.

Bridges to cross, monuments to view A covered bridge, a former trolley bridge

converted to a garden and a bridge built by the builder of the Golden Gate and the George Washington Bridges cross three rivers in the region. A unique memorial to the Native Americans, who were the first to cross the Mohawk Trail, stands in a park at the edge of The Trail. A bronze Elk stands near the highest point of the Trail erected by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Bridge of Flowers Shelburne Falls, MA

www . mohawktrail . com

FEATURE Politics/Comedy STORY David Zimmerman [SPIRIT] And think of all of the money you will save by not having to travel to places like Kentucky and Mississippi and Arkansas…

Comedy’s Fugitive Kathy Griffin wants everyone to know that the fight is still on and to get your tickets now for her upcoming show Hard to believe it was only a year ago. But just weeks after Kathy Griffin wowed a crowd of more than 1,200 LGBT professionals and friends at Boston Spirit’s 2017 Executive Networking Night with her signature candor, keen social observation, political rallying and a little raunch, she posed for that infamous photo with a bad Halloween mask-style image of the president. And her career—at least in this country—seemed to basically tank. Meanwhile, Griffin’s popularity in other countries soared as she hit the road for an international tour. Audiences loved her across the globe, and so did the critics. Now she’s coming back with a new tour in the US of A, including a sold-out show in Carnegie Hall. And Griffin is playing the Shubert Theatre in Boston on Thursday, June 21. (For tickets and more info, go to bochcenter.org/kathygriffin.) In anticipation of her return to town, Griffin spoke with Boston Spirit Publisher David Zimmerman:

[GRIFFIN] I’m a comedy fugitive, David. First of all, let me say something about “your crowd,” nothing made me happier in the days after the photo when I was hunkered down and the FBI was calling me about the investigation and all this other stuff, and someone sent me a tape

32 | BOSTON SPIRIT

of a bunch of drag queens on Fire Island all dressed as me, and my heart was all aflutter, and I was weeping tears of joy. I said, “Of course, leave it to the drag queens to lead the charge as usual.” [SPIRIT] So, can we chat? [GRIFFIN] Oh, we can chat! I am so excited to play the Shubert. I have never played there before and I am very proud of myself because at first the promoters had me in a much smaller venue but I had started my own list online where I was saying to people, “If you want me to come to your town then sign up for this mailing list,” and that is really what guided this tour.

We had a ton of requests from all of Canada. Canada was the first place to reach out to me en mass. Then I started looking at all of the other cities where people were signing up, and Boston was one of the places where I got the most requests. So I went back to the promoters and said I think the demand is there for a bigger venue. I had to fight for the Shubert and I had to fight for Carnegie And Carnegie Hall sold out in one day! I cannot believe it. It is absolute heaven.

[GRIFFIN] I am always very touched when people get in touch and say, “Will you come to Knoxville?” I don’t think Knoxville is quite ready to re-embrace me yet. I did do one of my specials there called “Kathy Griffin Does the Bible Belt,” so who knows? Anything can happen. And you know, there is so much voter meddling happening that there is a part of me that wants our side to start doing it. They [the Republicans] have been cheating so much that now we’re all fucked. And don’t even start with the gays cause this guy [President Trump] is deadly and Mike Pence is even worse, so we have a lot of work to do. The clock is going backwards, so we have to run forwards. [SPIRIT] Well the good new is that Mike Pence’s bunny book is losing to a book about a gay bunny. [GRIFFIN] That is fantastic! If I could do any show I would do the John Oliver show. He does such a great job with that show, and I thought that book was a brilliant idea. The fact that they made an actual children’s book instead of a spoof is even better … and of course that they are donating the proceeds. [SPIRIT] I know you have been on tour internationally. How have those shows gone? [GRIFFIN] Oh my god! That was the first thing that helped me not give up. This was right after the investigation, which, by the way, I describe in full detail in the show, I get down and dirty in the show and there is a lot of meat on the bone because this really hasn’t happened before. A sitting United States President has used the power of the Oval Office, his family, Fox news and the Department of Justice to charge an American citizen, and the idea that they considered charging me with conspiracy to assassinate the President of the United States is so insane! But dammit, I made it funny!

So, I decided to tour overseas. I have always played Australia and London, so I called my stand-up agent, the only one who stuck around, and I said, “Do you think you can find a bunch of cities and countries where they can’t stand Trump?” And that’s how the tour came together. Fifteen countries, twenty-three cities and a standing ovation at every show. It was great because everywhere I went people said, “Let him have it, don’t hold

back, we get it, we’re embarrassed for America. We always thought America was a great democracy, what’s going on…?”

over for dinner Kris Jenner and Melanie Griffith. I had the perfect company that night to talk me off the ledge.

[SPIRIT] There have been a lot of stories over the past year about some of your “friends” who did not stand by you. Who were some of the people who were there for you and did stand by you?

And the fact that I know him [Trump] and I have known this idiot for 20 years— there are pictures of us online and he has his arm around me and I am just trying to choke down my vomit. So I have real personal stories of my own run-ins with Trump, and add that to the fact that he tried to “decimate me” (Don Junior’s words from “Good Morning America.”) By the way, I call his sons “Eddie Munster and Date Rape.” It’s a historic thing that I get to talk about but also I get to bring out these Trump stories that I have had in my back pocket all of these years that nobody really cared about when he was just the guy on “The Apprentice.” So I get to tell everything from the investigation to the day I spent when I was on “The Apprentice” and I spent the entire day with The Donald and Liza Minnelli. So I take all of those stories and weave them in with the fact that, up until a few months ago my neighbors were Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West and, ironically, the day the photo went live on TMZ I had

So … all of it comes together and it is really funny. Here I am making fun of the Kardashians for 10 years, calling them dirty whores to their faces, and now I am living next door to them, and I happen to become friends with Kris Jenner during the worst day of my career, although I did keep asking her to throw money at me and she wouldn’t. I am pretty sure they are just printing their own money. And all of this stuff swirling around comes together for really good comedy, and the audience knows that all of this shit is real. I am not making any of it up. The way I describe him is completely consistent with what you are seeing. I didn’t think he was that nuts before. I thought he was a bombastic asshole, I didn’t know he was a legit racist and had white supremacist leanings and all that shit. When you are going around having meetings at NBC that’s not the first thing that comes up… I don’t know if he is in the throes of dementia, but I always thought he was a harmless asshole, but it turns out he might be a spy.

[GRIFFIN] Well, I got a lot of support, although I have to say a lot of the support was in secret and that was tough. What didn’t happen—and I have to be honest what I wished would have happened—no one lifted a finger. A few people tweeted a few things that was nice but when this machine decides to ruin my whole life, not just my career—and by the way, people still send me Bibles on a daily basis—the words of support are nice but the power players in Hollywood, it’s the same group of guys who have been saying no to me my entire career. I think there is a big part of this story that is based on misogyny, sexism and ageism. These people didn’t go after Johnny Depp. They didn’t go after Snoop Dogg. They didn’t go after Morrissey. They didn’t go after any of the men who did this. I had several friends who are big-time producers and show runners who would say, “We’re rooting for you,” and I would say, “Can you do more than root?” That part hurt. So I did what I have always done. I did it on my own.

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I wrote all my own material and hit the road. I don’t have any television series offer. I don’t have a television special offer. Everyone in television is afraid of me, but the actual ticket buyers are not. I think Hollywood is the last group to get on board with the whole “maybe Kathy isn’t a member of ISIS.” [SPIRIT] How have the overseas shows been going? [GRIFFIN] I have never got

reviews like the ones I have been getting from these recent overseas shows. The New York Times sent someone to Dublin for my show, and by the way, that’s the show where I fucking fainted. It was a long day. The reviews have been amazing and hopefully it leads to another television series but if it doesn’t, I hope I can just tour to my heart’s content. There is a different feeling with this tour. People know that I am not going to hold back. They know I have fucking had it. There’s a real energy behind the show. [SPIRIT] Is there more satisfaction for you knowing that there is not some big machine behind you, that’s it’s just you and this sort of grassroots community?

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[GRIFFIN] Yes, yes! It’s always been just me on stage. I don’t have an opener. It’s just “An Evening With…” I open with a five-minute video—like Cher!—and then I do two to

three hours a night. It’s a lot. The promoters did not want to book me at Carnegie Hall, and I said, “You’re booking me at fucking Carnegie,” and it sold out in a day. The same thing happened in Chicago. I haven’t had ticket sales like this in 10 years but people know I have an incredible story to tell, and they know I can make it fucking funny at the same time. [SPIRIT] Any message for “your gays” here in Boston? [GRIFFIN] Yes. First of all, gays, this is not the time to relax, get off Grinder and start protesting. We have work to do. It’s like Stonewall all over again. I think it is very important that people stay aware and mobilize and definitely keep a sense of humor. For me, it is important to shine a light on a situation that I think gay people are far more susceptible to, which is abuse by this current administration, and if I can shine a light on it I am certainly not going to back down from this fucking fool. This guy is a homophobe-racist-bigot all wrapped into one. So let the gays know, the fight is back on so hit the gym boys!

And come to the show, you’ll laugh your head off … Get it? [x]

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LET US INTRO DUCE YOU SEASONAL People STORY Scott Kearnan PHOTOGRAPHY | ART DIRECTION Joel Benjamin

WE’RE LIVING IN WILD TIMES. Every day, cable news stations shout about the latest Washington, DC-related drama. Partisans bicker. Marginalized communities—including LGBTQ people—wonder how the rapidly shifting winds of change could affect them. Somehow, through all that noise, certain voices rise above.

On the local level, these are the folks in our vibrant LGBTQ community who persist where they must, resist when required, and pour their passion into politics, philanthropy, the arts, hospitality and many other spheres in which to wield influence, bring about change and share their unique bright light derived from the full, colorful spectrum of queer experience. From building diversity programs to simply brewing better beer, all their contributions count because they raise LGBTQ visibility in a world that too-often wants to dim our shine.

MAY|JUN 2018 | 37

IFÉ FRANKLIN

Artist and owner of IféArt Franklin uses art as activism—and a way to honor ancestors who forged a path for her to follow. For over 25 years, the Boston-based lesbian artist and teacher has worked in many mediums—including textiles, for which she often employs her masterful, Nigerianrooted adire dying technique. Franklin, who practices a West African religion called Ifá, sees creative self-expression as a form of communion with ancestors. She recently unveiled at Boston’s Franklin Park the fourth installation of her “Indigo Project,” a series of volunteer-constructed wooden slave cabins covered in beautiful handmade indigo fabric. Offered as monuments to the persevering spirits of formerly enslaved Africans and AfricanAmericans, the cabins turn past pain into beautiful art that starts new present-day conversations about history and race. A fifth cabin will be constructed in Mississippi this fall. Franklin also just released her first book, “The Slave Narrative of Willie Mae,” based on her own great-grandmother’s journey from slavery to freedom. Her art inspires.

What exposure did you have to LGBT people growing up? My mother’s friend was totally gay. He was around all the time. I would hear things like “he’s a queen.” I knew he was different from the other men, more effeminate. I’d hear my mother’s friends say things like “bull dyke.” I had no idea what it meant, but I knew they’d say it when a certain type of woman was around. When I was young I knew I liked girls, but I suppressed it. I came out when I realized I didn’t have to. I was a teenager in the ’70s, after the assassination of Dr. King and Malcolm X, the time of Black Power. So even though I was oppressed, I grew up in a culture of revolution, and fighting for what’s right.

Does being LGBT impact your art? I feel like, on a spiritual level, we LGBT people are on a different frequency. It’s like the mediums of art find us. They’re spiritual things: crayons, markers or paint are all things that can take you to another stratosphere. I believe our frequencies are

[CONTINUES 40]

38 | BOSTON SPIRIT

DAVID MAHER

President and CEO of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Maher, a lifelong resident of Cambridge, works hard to steward the thriving city’s economic development in a way that allows residents from all walks of life to share in its success. Before taking the chamber’s helm in 2016, Maher was elected nine times to the city council and, following predecessors Kenneth Reeves and E. Denise Simmons, served as Cambridge’s third consecutive openly gay mayor. It was during his term that The Advocate named Cambridge the third “queerest city in America,” and he was the first mayor to dedicate a staff member to the city’s GLBT Commission. As housing costs skyrocket, Maher, who still lives one street away from the same West Cambridge home where he grew up, wants the Chamber of Commerce to foster opportunity for all. Under his leadership, it has introduced Young Professional and Women in Business committees, and the chamber will also help coordinate a June LGBT event at MIT Media Lab. Big business, all.

Does Cambridge’s inclusive reputation ring true to you? I think Cambridge has always been a very inclusive place. I’ve always felt welcomed and at home in Cambridge. I think we value people’s differences. As a teenager I worked in Harvard Square for the Coop. Looking at the diversity that came through the door, you’d meet people from every walk of life. A concern I have, and that other people have, is that as Cambridge has changed and become more expensive, you could lose some of the quirkiness and diversity. I think that is a struggle this community faces.

What’s the great challenge facing the city and business community? The affordability component of living in Cambridge is the number one issue facing this community. We have been aggressive in trying to figure it out, but that’s not going to solve the problem in greater Boston and won’t solve it for everyone that lives here. The sad fact is that there are people like me with

[CONTINUES 40] MAY|JUN 2018 | 39

[FROM 38] totally different. Gaydar is real! How else do you know who your people are before they even spell it out? We are touched spiritually in a different way.

What is the Indigo Project all about? It’s about community. It’s about American history. It’s about love. It’s about connection. It’s about being able to say, “I can’t talk about this right now.” It’s about being able to breathe when in a difficult space, and talking about the enslavement of

African-Americans is a difficult space. We still can’t have real conversations about it because there’s so much pain. People ask me why black people are so angry; the flip side of anger is pain. This project is also about healing. I have seen this project change people, ignite people and challenge people.

Do you think it takes on added resonance in the age of Trump?

conversations. The fact he got elected shows you that many white people would rather have white power than someone with intelligence. They say, “Go back.” Go back where? I’m a tax-paying citizen, and my ancestors built this country. Where’s my check? They want us to be quiet and go away. I believe we have to be strong. There are many ways a person can resist, including practicing kindness.

For every moment he breathes, this project should be manifesting slave cabins and

[FROM 39] deep roots in the community that can no longer afford to buy property here. That is a disturbing fact and it is not a situation that is unique to Cambridge. It’s a changing world. Affordability is a very difficult issue to resolve.

Pride breakfast every year. I was speaking at one and made a comment that when Ken and Denise were elected, it was a big deal: the first African-American gay male, the first African-American lesbian. When I got elected it was no big deal. [Laughs]

Back when you were growing up, could you have imagined you’d be mayor one day?

Why’d you take this role with the chamber, and what are your goals?

I don’t think I ever could have imagined that. But it was a complete honor to do that in a city that five generations of my family have called home. The Cambridge mayor hosts a

This allows me to continue to work in the city I love. I’ve taken great pride in building relationships in this community for a very long time. It allows me to use

those relationships. I think the business community has done great things in Cambridge, and I think that sometimes they have fallen victim to not telling their story. Look at the vitality of the Cambridge research sector: Some of the best research in the world on cancer and AIDS is happening in our backyard. When told, most residents embrace that. But they don’t necessarily know what’s going on in that big building in Kendall Square. That’s what I want to do here: tell the stories of what’s going on in our business community.

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EVAN GREER Deputy director at Fight for the Future

Greer is advocating for equality on the brave new battleground for freedom: cyberspace. For many years, the Boston-based trans/ genderqueer activist has been a mover and shaker in radical social justice circles through music (she’s an internationally touring punkfolk performer), writing (contributing to publications like Time and Newsweek), and leading workshops and community events IRL. For instance, Greer is organizer of Break the Chains, a monthly queer nightlife series that stresses inclusivity of all genders, races and generations, and carves side-by-side space for both partying and politicking. But through her work with the Worcesterfounded nonprofit Fight for the Future, Greer is also combating corporate and political powers to maintain a free and open Internet that eschews censorship, respects individual privacy, and preserves the web’s potential as an important coalition-building site for social movements, particularly those working to level the playing field for marginalized groups. Her campaigns, including vital battles to preserve net neutrality, are crucial to the future of all activism.

How has your approach to activism most evolved over the years? The biggest change for me is learning what leadership really means. It doesn’t just mean talking the loudest. It means helping people find their own voice and shutting up long enough to hear what they have to say. It means helping people learn the power of their voice, especially in the age of the Internet, where we all have the ability—especially when we combine with millions of others—to have a tremendous impact if we say just the right thing in just the right way. Everyone has to recognize that they have tremendous power if they exercise it.

Why does Internet freedom matter to you? I saw the power of the Internet firsthand, as an artist. Without a record label, booking agent or any corporate backing whatsoever, I built a small but mighty fan base of freaks queers, punks and activists in almost every city in the US and across Europe. I was able share my art with thousands and support myself doing it. … Imagine taking that potential and applying it to all the important issues to be working on. Defending the Internet as a platform to hold people and institutions in positions of power accountable, to challenge authoritarianism,

[CONTINUES 44] 42 | BOSTON SPIRIT

ANTHONY CRISCI

Executive director of the Triangle Community Center Crisci, the first full-time staff member of TCC, is connecting vital points of service for LGBTQ people—and breathing new life into a nearly 30-year-old organization. He cut his teeth in advocacy at Hofstra University, where he grew the student-run Pride Network into a multi-state nonprofit. In just five years at TCC, the only LGBTQ community center in Fairfield Country, Connecticut’s most populous county, Crisci has expanded the operating budget from $75,000 to $600,000; started the state’s first housing program geared towards LGBTQ homeless individuals; launched a case management program to help hundreds of clients dealing with issues like addiction and unemployment (75-percent are transgender or people of color); and secured the organization’s first public grant to open a young adult drop-in space. He also revived June’s annual Pride in the Park celebration, now with a budget for bigname headliners like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alums Kennedy Davenport and Chi Chi DeVayne. That’s a lot to be proud of.

What was coming out like for you? There was a lot of denial. I was in Catholic school pretty much my whole life growing up. Many friends in high school struggled with drug addiction or mental health issues. I’m not sure how much of that came from the Catholic school environment or having an LGBT identity, but I suspect it was an underlying factor. Then, in the college community, I saw so many people who were out and working hard, people who weren’t struggling with many of those issues. That was a paradigm shift for me.

What’s the biggest challenge in doing your work in Fairfield County? The obvious one is that Fairfield County is mostly suburban. It doesn’t have public transportation in the way Boston or NYC does. It’s impossible to get from town to town without a car. That can cause a lot of isolation and prevent people from accessing the services they need. The people less likely to have cars are the people that most need these social services. We’re trying to develop a model of spreading our work around the county.

[CONTINUES 44] MAY|JUN 2018 | 43

[FROM 42] that keeps me going.

What is it like working on this in such partisan times? It’s not partisan outside of Washington, DC. The people on our mailing list range, and many of the libertarians, conservatives, or Republicans would probably be surprised to know they agree with someone like me. But they too oppose overly broad access to our data and tech companies censuring marginalized voices. At moments like this, when it’s really hard to get things done, it’s

rare we have an issue with agreement from a wide range of people about fundamental principles of freedom of expression and challenging corruption.

Why does a free Internet matter to queer people, in particular? The Internet is rapidly accelerating queer rights and liberation. It’s given us a voice in a way we never used to have. A queer teenager growing up in Arkansas now has access to an online world of queer people they can get support from at the click of a

button. It’s accelerating the speed in with which more people are having exposure to the LGBT community and seeing us as human. Also, issues of digital security are of concern to queer people. We still face disproportionate job and housing discrimination. People may not be out at work, so issues of online privacy and how people treat our data may be matters of life and death.

[FROM 43] How large a role does political advocacy play in your work? As a community center, one of the greatest challenges is defining our mission. I describe it in three major buckets: We provide direct service to people in need, provide training through educational workshops to the greater community, and advocate to achieve a goal of lived equality. Advocacy is that third prong to creating systemic change. We want to impact high value issues. Last year we carried the Fairfield County flag in the fight to end conversion therapy. This year

we were out there talking about [openly gay] Andrew McDonald’s nomination as chief justice for the State Supreme Court, a more political campaign than we’re used to. He ended up being voted down, but it opened up a whole new conversation about how we engage the political landscape of Connecticut.

a lot to produce, but it’s worth it. Fairfield County is halfway between New Haven and NYC. A lot of people figured those who wanted Pride could go to those places. But we’ve turned that on its head. There’s a need right here, in our own strong and vibrant community. When you offer an event like Pride, people come out for it.

Why was it important to bring back Pride? The Pride festival has been a huge catalyst of growth. When I started at TCC in 2013 we didn’t have a premiere Pride event, and that was something we needed to figure out. It’s

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EVELYN FRANCIS HAROLD STEWARD Acting artistic and executive directors, The Theater Offensive

Since its 1989 founding, TTO has been an arts organization in constant and exciting evolution, from its roots in guerilla gay theater to current “OUT In Your Neighborhood” approach focused on connecting queer arts to underserved communities. In 2016, the True Colors: Out Youth Theater program, a national model, became the first LGBTQ arts organization to receive a National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award from the White House. With TTO’s annual, always-arousing ClimACTS! gala on May 16 (honoring “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Kennedy Davenport and 2017 Tony-winning director Rebecca Taichman), after which founder Abe Rybeck returns from a five-month sabbatical, the future looks fabulous. Stewarding it are Francis and Harold. She grew up in a workingclass suburb of Cincinnati, fled the homophobia of a small Southern Baptist college in Kentucky, and brings to TTO her passion for the performing arts, which she discovered as an escape from the anxieties of growing up queer amid financial insecurity. He hails from Dallas, where he founded the Fahari Arts Institute, which celebrates the work and culture of queer and trans Black artists. Together, they’ve undertaken a strategic planning process to continue TTO’s remarkable story.

What can Bostonians do better to support queer art in underserved neighborhoods? Evelyn: If you want to connect with underserved or marginalized communities, you have to be in dialogue with what their needs are and you must respond to those needs. This includes but is not limited to presenting work that is relevant to them. I think many organizations see EDI [equality, diversity and inclusion] work as a box to check, rather than our true obligation to fight homophobia, transphobia, misogyny and racism, and to dismantle white supremacy culture. Harold: All art and culture is a public good, but it’s not always seen that way in terms of distribution of resources. I make a case for radical change. I think Boston is doing work around diversity, inclusion and racial equity, and maybe it’s time to give economic justice to organizations that have historically been under-resourced, give more to people who have been left behind because of white Eurocentric value systems placed on arts organizations.

How does the age of Trump impact your work? Harold: It amplifies things we already know. Especially as it relates to queer youth and queer youth of color, we want to use storytelling to show the power of cultural organizing. In this moment when we are called to be more divided, we have to be more unified. In this moment with a lot of inequity, we need more equity and sharing of resources. The cultural resistance to Trump has brought up a call to resist everything Trumps stands for, the systems that allow a Trump to be put in place. Evelyn: The Theater Offensive is working very hard locally to ensure that queer and trans artists, particularly artists of

[CONTINUES 48] 46 | BOSTON SPIRIT

CHRISTINE HALLQUIST Candidate for governor of Vermont

Hallquist is poised to make history in the proudly progressive Green Mountain State— and in America. If she wins her gubernatorial bid in Vermont, Hallquist, who is challenging incumbent Phil Scott in the Democratic primaries, would be the first transgender governor in the country. She came out publicly as a prominent member of the state’s business community, and her transition was included in “Denial,” a well-received 2016 documentary from her filmmaker son. But she’s running on experience, not identity. Hallquist brought brilliant engineering background to her 12-year role as CEO of Vermont Electric Coop and completely rebuilt the ailing organization’s finances. Today, the Coop is the state’s largest locally owned electric utility, meets 96 percent of its energy needs from carbon-free sources, and serves as a national model in real, practical solutions to climate change. Fighting climate change is a major priority for Hallquist. So is combating rural poverty and, of course, protecting LGBT rights in the Trump era.

Has being an out trans candidate been an issue on the campaign trail? That’s a tough question to answer. I certainly have been very well received. I feel very supported in Vermont and loved by the community. That’s the good news. But I’m a person of privilege. I’m not just talking about money. I’m talking about the fact that I came from a very strong family. I had good parents. My spouse and kids are very supportive. When you come from privilege you have to be aware that may not be the story for others. In Vermont, I know it’s not the story for all others—but I do want to make it the story for everybody.

Where can Vermont still make strides in progressive values? With regard to LGBT equality, I think that Vermont should be proud of the work we’ve done. We have some of the most protective laws in the country, and I’m not sure I’d be here today if we didn’t have them. But when you get down to the data, one thing that Vermont has been talking about is high incarceration statistics for people of color.

[CONTINUES 48] MAY|JUN 2018 | 47

[FROM 46] color, are supported to share their vision of a better future. … The Pride Youth Theater Alliance runs out of our offices. This is a network of over 20 queer youth theater programs from across the U.S. and Canada. 48-percent of these programs are running out of Republican-led states. These groups desperately need support in these times of political upheaval. This summer we are hosting the PYTA conference in Boston. We hope to share the tremendous talent of our local artists, the vast and often hidden LGBTQ culture in Boston, and our expertise in the field of queer youth theater.

What LGBTQ-related art had the most impact on you? Evelyn: The first time I read “The Little Foxes” by Lillian Hellman, which premiered in 1939, the way she shares the aching to be seen and loved for who you are—but the terror of the consequences of being seen—hit me at my very core. The first time I saw Romaine Brook’s 1923 self-portrait, her cool eyes staring out from under her top hat, I couldn’t move for over an hour. This was the first time I had ever seen butch identity on the walls of a museum. Harold: Marlon Riggs’ [documentary] “Tongue Untied” was really important to

me. It introduced me to a sea of beautiful black men and their brilliance. Riggs has always been a cornerstone for me because he presented a radical identity that I’m still identifying with.

What do you most admire about the other’s approach to your work? Evelyn: Harold always brings his full self into this work and into relationships with the community. He not only pushes me to do better work, but also to be a better person. Harold: Evelyn truly understands what it means to be a good partner.

[FROM 47] People of color get in trouble three times as often as whites in the classroom. We have to do a deep dive into that kind of data.

How are you reaching across the aisle to build bipartisan support? I think the most important thing to do is listen and be empathetic. The 2016 election served as the epitome of how bad things can get in terms of liberal bias and conservative bias, the echo chambers on the left and right. We’ve got to relax and listen. We also have

to talk about rural economic development. We have to build safety nets for people who are out of work. Advancing technology is gong to displace people. We can’t throw them out on the streets, and if we do we will pay for it. Those people will get desperate and cling to some of these extremist leaders that will rise.

How does it feel to be in the position to potentially make history?

even sure how to go there in my head. What I’m interested in doing is making positive change. That’s really the measure. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to make positive change for the state and the world. I have gratitude for that. That said, I also believe that the political world is already narcissistic and ego building, and that worst thing anyone like myself can do is let things go to their head.

I’m not sure how it feels because I’m not

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JOAN ILACQUA

Co-chair of the board of The History Project Ilacqua represents a bright future for the preservation of LGBTQ history. A native of Plymouth, New England’s first colonial settlement, Ilacqua co-chairs the all-volunteer board of The History Project, a non-profit dedicated to archiving records related to Boston’s continually-evolving LGBTQ communities. Whether collecting oral histories or mounting exhibitions of items from the organization’s collection of 700,000 documents, photos and ephemera, The History Project is a vital repository of the queer Hub’s collective memories. Older generations too-often stereotype LGBTQ Millennials as indifferent to queer history. Ilacqua, 29, is younger than the organization she co-chairs, but she is dedicated to amplifying the reach of The History Project by digitizing its records for online research, producing guest speakerled “Out of the Archives” live events, and improving representation of the community’s most marginalized groups, including queer people of color, in collections. Amplifying underrepresented voices is important to Ilacqua, who is also archivist for women in medicine at Harvard Medical School. What was your coming-out experience like? It’s actually tied into The History Project. I was raised in a pretty conservative family, so I didn’t come out until after college. I had a slew of gay boyfriends in high school! In grad school at UMass Boston I started volunteering for The History Project, and being surrounded by these people who were out and older, seeing I was part of a legacy—well, it helped the light bulb go off in me.

How do you respond when older folks say younger generations aren’t engaged in LGBTQ history? I think there are two sides to that. It’s been difficult, until relatively recently, to access LGBT history. There are some groups trying to write LGBT history into the larger courses of American history, but it’s been hard for people who are my age or younger to find that. If you build it, they will come—and if you seek it out, you will find it. But in the past there was a sort of mentoring relationship across generations that I think has gone away a bit—maybe because the bars are gone, or AIDS, or various

[CONTINUES 52] 50 | BOSTON SPIRIT

SAM CHAMBERS LGBTQ liaison for Mayor Martin Walsh

Chambers wants to make sure everyone in Boston’s LGBTQ community has an advocate in city hall, a seat at the table—and a voice in the mayor’s ear. He’s the designated city liaison for the LGBTQ community (as well as public information officer for Walsh’s civic engagement cabinet), a conduit for conversations about all kinds of issues: from helping constituents get potholes repaired to helping corporations implement gender-neutral bathrooms that are up to code. Chambers also wants to make sure that equal attention is given to the concerns of queer communities of color, like healthcare disparities related to HIV/STD infection rates. He says he wants all people to experience Boston as the same welcoming Hub of progressive ideals that he discovered after moving here from comparatively conservative (aside from some cities) California. Chambers interned in Congress and worked on campaigns for Walsh and Rep. Stephen Lynch. Political science is his passion, building community his goal.

How have your experiences as a gay man in Boston compared to California? California is a weird state. People think of it as progressive, but outside the major cities there’s a conservative undertone in the suburbs. Growing up I was bullied and called names. I’ve had the best and most supportive experiences in Boston. I don’t think people realize how welcoming this city is. It’s almost a model for how I want the rest of the country to be when it comes to LGBTQ people. A lot of other cities are starting to be that comforting place, but there’s still so much more work that needs to be done.

Why is it important to have diversity represented in City Hall, and at the mayor’s right hand? I think people, especially people of color, have this view that Boston is a stuffy white town filled with stuffy white politicians and decision makers. I’ve never felt that because I’m an LGBT person of color my voice is diminished when I’m talking

[CONTINUES 52]

MAY|JUN 2018 | 51

[FROM 50] states of assimilation, I’m not sure. I haven’t found too many young people who are like, “that happened and now we’re done.” I think most people are interested in what’s come before, what other people fought for, and how it informs the fight now.

What’s one area of Boston’s LGBTQ history you’d love to learn more about? The first thing that comes to mind is a group of Black women, the Combahee River Collective. It was super influential in LGBT history, in Black history, and in the history

of movements. There’s some information out there but I want to know more. That’s something important to me: Diversifying history. The people who created records and left behind collections are people who had the privilege to do so; they had the space or money to save things. There’s more work to be done representing intersections of race and class in LGBT history.

What’s your single favorite collection in the archives?

who was in one of the leather motorcycle clubs. It’s a vest he wore to every event. He passed away and it was donated to us. It has all these buttons and patches on it. You can see it’s something he was very proud of, there’s so much life to it and every single button tells a story. It’s clothing, but it’s political and personal. I’m always itching to put it on, but that’s not the most appropriate thing for a preservationist!

My favorite object is the vest of a gentleman

[FROM 51]

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to the mayor. He’s very supportive. We have trans people, people of color, and non-binary individuals in the administration—the whole array of people he wants to see supported and uplifted. It is important for LGBTQ people of color, especially, to know they have someone who wants them to succeed. I’m constantly informing the mayor of issues he may not know about because he’s a straight white male, and I’ve never gotten anything less than support from him.

What issues are you hearing about from constituents?

footing with other LGBTQ people.

With the election of President Trump, I think a lot of people are scared about what can happen with regard to transgender issues in particular. My message to them is that the city of Boston is not going to abandon anyone, and if we need to take the fight to Washington we will. I want people to be reminded of the great protections they have, and know that I can be a resource for them if they ever have a question. And when it comes to LGBTQ communities of color, my goal is to get my community on equal

Would you ever run for office? I feel like Elizabeth Warren when people hear if she’s running for president! I currently have no plans to run for office. I’ve learned a lot of decision-making happens behind the scenes with trusted advisors. I’ve never truly enjoyed the spotlight. But I love the phrase “representation matters,” and when I talk to LGBTQ people of color, they’re impressed when someone that looks like them is in an important political position—so, never say never.

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From the families we are born into, to the ones we choose ourselves, explore the many definitions of family through the power of photography.

Through June 24 Generously supported by an anonymous donor. Clockwise from top left: Nicholas Nixon, Yazoo City, Mississippi, 1979. Photograph, gelatin silver contact print. Museum purchase with funds donated by the National Endowment for the Arts and Richard L. Menschel, Bela T. Kalman, Judge and Mrs. Matthew Brown, Mildred S. Lee, and Barbara M. Marshall. © Nicholas Nixon, Courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco; Julie Mack, Self-portrait (Julie) with family in SUV, Michigan, 2007. Photograph, chromogenic print. James N. Krebs Purchase Fund for 21st Century Photography. © Julie Mack. Courtesy Laurence Miller Gallery, New York; Gordon Parks, Ethel Shariff in Chicago, 1963. Photograph, gelatin silver print. Gift of Gus and Arlette Kayafas in honor of Karen E. Haas. Courtesy and copyright The Gordon Parks Foundation; Julie Blackmon, Baby Toss, 2009. Photograph, archival pigment print. Michael and Elizabeth Marcus; Nan Goldin, Jimmy Paulette and Tabboo! in the bathroom, NYC, 1991. Photograph, Cibachrome print. Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Fund for Photography. © Nan Goldin; Dorothea Lange, Migrant Family, Texas, 1936. Photograph, gelatin silver print. Sophie M. Friedman Fund; Elsa Dorfman, Nayla, Ted, Alexandra, Nick, March 30, 1995, 1995. Photograph, Polaroid polacolor. Gift of Elsa Dorfman in memory of Dorothy Glaser. © Elsa Dorfman, 2013. All rights reserved.

JULIA GOLDENBATTLE

Assistant Dean of Diversity & Inclusion of Student Affairs at MCPHS University and director of the NASPA Ubuntu Institute Golden-Battle uses lessons from her own school experience to make college a better, more inclusive place for LGBTQ students. She knows how it felt to be a queer trans person of color growing up in Sudbury, Massachusetts, a straight-laced suburb that is 94-percent white. She understands the discomfort of attending college when gender-inclusive bathrooms were still a far-off fantasy. She experiences what it is like to try and tell academic institutions how they can be smarter about serving LGBTQ student needs, even when those with greater privilege resist understanding a challenging point of view. But Golden-Battle is in it for the long fight. She has already done important diversity work at institutions like Mount Ida College and Salem State University. At the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, she works with students and staff to develop inclusive programs and policies (like campus “safe zone” trainings) that can ensure the success of queer students and, long-term, alleviate ongoing health disparities in the larger medical system. It’s important medicine for social ills.

What is the key to doing your work well? The way I work with students is that I’m looking for people to share their stories. It’s simply about people sharing stories and perspectives. A lot of the time people misunderstand diversity work as if it’s me coming in saying, “I’m going to change you.” It’s not. It’s about me offering another perspective, and it’s up to you to decide what you’re going to take from this moment.

Why did you create the Ubuntu Institute? I created the Ubuntu Institute to be an institute for student affairs professionals of color, but one of the specific cohorts that gave me inspiration for it is—there are a lot of trans people of color in student affair work. A lot of people don’t talk about this, but when we challenge institutions and student affair practices, often we can have our job taken from us. I wanted to make sure I provided a space and professional development for queer

[CONTINUES 56] 54 | BOSTON SPIRIT

MATT MALLOY

CEO and co-founder of Dorchester Brewing Company Malloy doesn’t just brew beer—he builds new ways to share opportunity. The gay Newton, Massachusetts native did just that as a marketing VP at Zipcar, driving the growth of the pioneering brand from startup status to share economy behemoth. He did it at edX.org, a Harvard/MIT collaboration democratizing access to education through university-level online courses serving 14 million students. And he shares his valuable experiences with future innovators as a mentor with Techstars, a worldwide network of entrepreneurship accelerators. Now you can share a beer with Malloy at Dorchester Brewing Company, a 25,000 square-foot facility opened in 2016. In one year its nearly 20 fermenters were already running at full capacity, producing the company’s own craft beers and offering contract brewing services to small outside suds-makers with big dreams. The buzzing taproom, regular host to events like FLAG Flag Football fundraisers, is now a space shared by Dorchester’s thriving gay community and beer lovers baited from throughout Boston.

What inspired you to go into brewing? I think everyone has an “a-ha moment” with beer. Mine was sitting with my husband at a beer hall in Munich, seeing an entire community rally around this liquid. It was one of those transformational moments in my life. The beer market is growing, and I love new segments of growth. If you look at my career, from website development to car sharing to education, these initiatives were in highgrowth markets. We’re not at the craft beer peak yet.

What’s it like to be a gay man in the beer industry? It’s not as “bro”-ish as people might think, though still male dominated. There’s not a ton of money in it, so you find people who are really cool, wonderful and supportive—people who are interesting and work hard, because it’s hard to make a good beer, so everyone pitches in. I wouldn’t change being gay for a minute. It has given me a different perspective on life. I feel very fortunate to be extremely driven because I am not asked to step inside a square

[CONTINUES 56] MAY|JUN 2018 | 55

[FROM 54] and trans people of color.

We talk a lot about how people who do this work can be better communicators. But how can people be better listeners? I think sometimes what ends up happening is that there are moments where you try to suggest a way that an institution can be more inclusive, and people think that you’re only speaking from experience and not research. They think you’re taking it too personal, and so they start to not listen. I’ve had moments where people have disagreed

with me in a disrespectful manner and moments where I look back and think about missed opportunities—not because I didn’t take them, but because they weren’t offered because people were threatened by the things I’m saying. Just because I believe in change doesn’t mean everyone else is ready to take the journey with me. But it doesn’t make me stop.

How do you stay motivated? I think it’s important to have companionship in this work. It can be very lonely. It can feel

isolating when you feel like you’re working in a situation where you’re the only person of color or the only queer person doing work around oppression. Community is what’s going to refuel you. Take advantage of self-care. For me, that’s being with my wife and puppies. It’s what pulls me forward. I also read news from other countries and news from other political views. I think it’s important that we consider all perspective so we don’t get stuck in this idea that “I’m the only person who’s right.”

[FROM 55] box every day. It allows me to innovate.

As gay communities go, is Dorchester the new South End? I love diversity, and when I lived in the South End in the early ‘90s, it was a crazy melting pot. When I moved out in 2005 with my husband, it had become a different place we didn’t want to be part of. Frankly, it lost a lot of the diversity. Now I live in the Ashmont area and I absolutely love my neighborhood. It’s not as gay as the South End was in the

‘90s, but it’s a true melting pot, a place where diversity flourishes. There’s a lot of energy and changes happening, potentially driving more gays here, so it’s similar to my early experience in the South End.

Has the brewery become a big gathering space for Dorchester’s gay scene? One of my favorite moments at the brewery is when we had a bear event in the backroom and a puppy event—like, real dogs—on the front porch. There were a

hundred puppy parents and a brewery full of bears. You had people walking through with their head spinning. They had no idea what was going on! There are a lot of meetups here, and we want to do even more with the community. It kills me when I’m at a gay event and such a savvy community has Coors Light or Bud Light. Getting the gay community to try more craft beer is a personal goal. Once they try it they’ll never go back.

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amazing clients Growing the Cannabis Industry

Last year, Burns & Levinson announced the expansion of its Cannabis Business Advisory Group, which helps clients navigate the complex legal and business landscape of the rapidly growing cannabis industry. Along with that expansion came the CannaBusiness Advisory blog, to which its attorneys publish topical posts on a wide range of industry and business issues. Last October, the firm co-hosted its first cannabis business conference in Dedham with Viridian Capital Advisors. With over 150 attendees, the event proved to be a success, and it will be hosting others in San Francisco this June and in Boston this October. As one of the first major, regional law firms to develop a cannabis business practice three years ago, Burns is proud of its rapid growth and success, which it owes in large part to its amazing clients, two of whom — Trish Faass and TaShonda Vincent-Lee — are featured here.

TRISH FAASS | A GREEN RUSH LEADER Trish Faass took a brave step and overhauled her career in her 50s. "I've always wanted to start and run my own company," she said. "The ﬁrst 10 years of my career, I worked in high tech for a series of large and small companies. O�en, I was juggling my day job with a side consulting gig, in an eﬀort to get ahead. In the engineering sector, I encountered a lot of discrimination, o�en being the only woman in the department—and I most certainly couldn't be openly gay." As many in the LGBTQ and female community can attest, in some industries, especially computer science and operations, you have to be twice as strong to retain your job and uphold your reputation. In the spring of 2015, Trish was handling tax work for a friend on the side of her full-time job. Massachusetts was a couple of months from opening the second application process for medical marijuana businesses. Her friend had been approached by a colleague about getting

into the business, and he asked Trish if she was interested. Still bothered by the fact that she missed the dot.com boom in the late 1990s, Trish decided that she was most certainly not going to let this opportunity slip by. She immediately set out to learn about the medical marijuana business at the state and nationwide levels, and dug into the Massachusetts application process. She and her two business partners began to work with attorneys and lobbyists in July of 2015, and filed their first application shortly therea�er. Although medical marijuana was legalized in Massachusetts in 2012, the first medical dispensaries didn't open until 2015. Medical businesses must grow and process the cannabis they retail, increasing the barrier to entry in the state. State and federal politics and the appearance of "Question 4" (adult-use marijuana, otherwise known as recreational) on the state ballot in November of 2016, introduced further delays in the medical application process. These challenges made the cannabis market slow to open in the Commonwealth, making things difficult for the partners in the beginning of their venture.

...continued

Trish has since become an expert in the field, having studied the laws and now immersed herself in the launch of a cannabis company. "I find that, in order to keep up with the industry, I read between 1-2 hours a day," said Trish. Regulations and the market are constantly changing. Given the controversial, nuanced, and political nature of this business, cannabis entrepreneurs need a strong legal and lobbying team to get across the finish line. Burns has been instrumental in helping Trish and her business partners achieve their goals. As a leader in the space and a full-service firm, Burns has provided specialized cannabisregulation-related trust planning services and non-profit advice, as well counsel on securities, business, and energy-related contract law. While other firms are shying away from cannabis, given its federally illegal status, Burns has chosen to join the 'green rush' and become an early leader in the field and market. —

TASHONDA VINCENT-LEE | ELEVATE TaShonda Vincent-Lee and her co-founders started ELEVATE New England because they couldn't ignore the appetite and undeniable need for cannabis education in the region. The venture seeks to connect the cannabis workforce with training and opportunity, to provide proactive outreach to a variety of communities and demographics, and to promote diversity and inclusion in the industry. In her career, TaShonda has been a campaign manager and a mental health technician, educator, and counselor for people in lowincome communities. She ﬁrst became involved with cannabis as a patient, then began attending industry networking events, where she met and began working with her ELEVATE cofounders,

Beth Waterfall and Cara Crabb-Burnham. "Each of us, upon being established in the cannabis industry, agreed on the need for restorative justice and economic empowement of our communities," said TaShonda. "We knew we had the information, skills, and determination to make a difference and motivate others to get involved." ELEVATE provides minority, LGBTQIA+, veteran, and lower-income communities with industryspecific education and training workshops, accessible volunteer and employment opportunities, and business planning and development support. "Our leaders sit on and moderate panels and give presentations about the value of diversity and inclusion, motivating people from traditionally marginalized groups to not only explore the cannabis industry, but also prepare to shape and lead it," said TaShonda. "Women, people of color, and the LGBTQIA+ communities, in particular, have never had this kind of seat at the table at the beginning of a new industry. We're building the seats and opening minds." TaShonda's advice for future leaders in the cannabis industry? "Hold on tight, it's going to be a bumpy road! Be prepared to become your own best advocate and be sure to get those testifying and presentation chops ready. You're probably going to need them!" Burns has been supportive of ELEVATE from the start, assisting with the company's business planning, filing, and registration, as well as its events and offerings. "Whenever we've needed resource assistance, the team at Burns has only been a phone call away with answers we can trust," said TaShonda, "because not only are they experienced nationally in the cannabis space, they're good people who share our mission."

For more information about Burns & Levinson's Cannabis Business Advisory Group, visit our web site or cannabusinessadvisory.com.

GRACE MORENO

Executive director of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce Moreno has a spark that ignites success. From her helm animating a new chamber of commerce dedicated to fostering economic growth for LGBT businesses and professionals in Massachusetts, Moreno is making quick work. Within months, she secured multiple major names as corporate founding sponsors and assembled an enviable board of directors (including “Spirit” editor James Lopata), resources she’ll leverage to link LGBT workers with large companies and state agencies seeking their skills and experiences. A lesbian Mexican immigrant who strongly believes in the American Dream, Moreno has entrepreneurship in her blood. For her work with the chamber, she draws on her long history starting up non-profit organizations like the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA), which fights predatory lending practices, ¿Oiste?, which promotes Latino civic engagement, and Health Care For All, which brought health care reform to Massachusetts. Now she’s building new roads for driving LGBT Bay State businesses to their next level.

You started off in the corporate world. How’d you move to non-profits? As I quickly climbed the ladder I saw a side of the corporate sector that was very different than today. The mindset in the ‘80s wasn’t about making social commitments— it was about cutthroat development. I realized the ladder I was climbing led to financial security and prestige of position, but not job satisfaction. I went back to graduate school for philosophy. I wanted to do work that pushes forward the agenda of human kindness and inclusion—all those fuzzy words! But coming from the corporate sector, I had also learned the rules of the game and can apply those.

Massachusetts recently became the first state to obtain LGBTQ designation among its supplier diversity program. What does that mean, and how does it help? Because inequality is so prevalent even today, Massachusetts said, we’ll make a commitment to spend a certain percent with disenfranchised minority groups. That

[CONTINUES 62] 60 | BOSTON SPIRIT

MARK D’ALESSANDRO VP of restaurant operations at Columbus Hospitality Group

D’Alessandro has helped redefine dining in Boston—and, with the opening of his team’s latest restaurant—is once again bringing the art of topnotch hospitality to the developing fringes of a historically gay neighborhood. He’s the gay general manager of Mistral, a fine dining institution that, when it opened in 1997 on the Back Bay-South End border, opened doors for other upscale eateries in the latter neighborhood, where redevelopments were gradually making over the face of Boston’s oft-dubbed gay ghetto. Mistral is the first (still-flagship) restaurant from Columbus Hospitality Group, whose latest, the comparatively cozy French bistro Bar Lyon, is slated to open by the end of June on the Lower Roxbury-adjacent side of the South End, an area now undergoing similar transformations. Overseeing operations for the full Columbus portfolio (which also includes Teatro, L’Andana, Ostra, Mooo and Sorellina), D’Alessandro keeps Boston’s best restaurants humming and sets the standard other establishments strive to reach.

What was your coming-out like? I dated women all through high school. The 20s was an experimentation decade. It wasn’t until my 30s that I officially came out to friends and family. I was living a double life. People I worked with had questions about my sexuality, but I wasn’t ready to come out. I think that’s a personal decision for anybody, when is good for them. A situation with my mother was the deciding moment. I felt like I was pulling away from my family. I was like, “It’s time.” It was the best thing I ever did.

Was it hard to work in hospitality when you’re always holding back? I’m sure it had some effect on who I was as a person and how I behaved. When you’re holding on to a secret like that for so long, absolutely there is some level of fear and that shapes the way you respond to situations. You’re not 100-percent truthful. But honestly, my experience was pretty easy. Not many people have an experience like mine. I never felt defined by my sexuality. It’s not something that defines who I am, and I know many gay men feel like it does. I respect that, but

[CONTINUES 62]

MAY|JUN 2018 | 61

[FROM 60] had already been the case with minority groups in general, women’s groups, veteran groups. Governor Baker, to his credit, has seen that the LGBTQ community is also a disenfranchised sector. This helps us compete equally with bidders for work. The state is putting their money where their mouth is when they say they believe in an inclusive model for business.

look at inclusive companies, we see diversity pays off. They widen their market and gain perspectives. If I’m a corporation—say, Harvard Pilgrim—my LGBT talent can say, “here’s a need in my community that is being left out, or not being performed by Tufts. If you can perform this service, you’ll get X more customers.” It’s simple. If you expand diversity you expand your reach.

We know how diverse businesses benefit LGBTQ workers, but how does LGBTQ diversity benefit corporations and agencies?

How do you see yourself evolving the Chamber?

It all comes back to numbers. When you

We’re trying to be expansive. Not all our board members are gay. We’re not all white,

which is the case when you look at a lot of other LGBT organizations. People ask, “What’s the difference between the old chamber and this chamber?” I don’t know the old chamber and I don’t want to. It has nothing to do with what we’re doing. We’re a group of very dedicated people who believe in financial equity for LGBTowned business, and trying to be a bridge to corporations who want to be more involved in bringing the rich presence of the LGBT community to their staff. As long as we keep our eye on the ball, that’s exactly what we’ll do.

[FROM 61] it just wasn’t me. I think that made it easier.

How does it feel to look back at Mistral’s impact on fine dining in Boston? When we opened in 1997, Mistral wasn’t about fine dining—it was about a scene. [Founder] Seth Greenberg was the pied piper of the nightclub business and that’s how Mistral was treated at first: as a flash in the pan that wouldn’t be around in a few years. One of our goals as a company was to create not just a trendy scene, but an experience

that offered great food, great service and a fun, upbeat atmosphere: casual elegance, fine dining where you don’t have to keep your hands crossed.

How have you seen the South End change? One sad part of the gentrification of the South End is the loss of the gay neighborhood. Social aspects of gay life have changed dramatically. You had all these gay bars in the city, great neighborhood places, but Grindr has taken away from the

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PAULO ARRAIS

Principal Dancer at Boston Ballet Arrais’ purpose is to share his passion— and love with every bit of his art. Growing up in a small, deeply Catholic town in Brazil, Arrais was one of the only boys in his ballet school. He took the teasing because he knew that dancing was his one true love. That commitment paid off. Arrais subsequently studied at the Paris Opera Ballet School and The Royal Ballet School in London, joined the Norwegian National Ballet, where he worked with internationally renowned choreographers like Jiří Kylián and William Forsythe, and eventually arrived at the Alonzo King LINES Ballet to learn at the swift-moving feet of the eponymous dance pioneer. Last month, this out gay artist wrapped his leading role as the ultimate Shakespearean sentimentalist in Boston Ballet’s production of “Romeo & Juliet.” He’s also preparing a premiere of his own choreography, a Gershwin tribute titled “ELA—Rhapsody in Blue,” inspired by his love for the strong women in his life.

How did you fall in love with ballet? I was always very performative as a kid, always creative. When I started going to ballet classes I liked getting positive attention. It felt good, and then I started falling in love with the art form. I could be who I wanted to be there. Minds were more open than at home. I grew up in a very Catholic small town in Brazil. My dad is a little bit old-fashioned as well, so there were always comments made about my being flamboyant. I was very closeted at home. At ballet school I could be whatever I wanted with no judgment.

As an artist, what do you love about dance that makes it your medium? I think the acting part, the performing part—the flirt with the audience. There’s a saying about ballet, that for a principal dancer performing on stage is like having an affair with 2,000 people. Sometimes when I work in the studio I’m like, “This is not working!” But now I know to trust

[CONTINUES 66]

64 | BOSTON SPIRIT

DARLENE STROMSTAD Interim CEO at Fenway Health

Stromstad is reevaluating systems and rebuilding trust in Fenway Health, ensuring the pioneering organization retains its reputation after a recent setback. In December, the Boston Globe detailed Fenway staff allegations of persistent sexual harassment and bullying from Dr. Harvey J. Makadon, resulting in his resignation and the departure of longtime chief executive Stephen Boswell, who reportedly ignored recommendations to fire Makadon and failed to inform the Fenway board about the accusations. As America’s largest LGBT-focused health center, Fenway is responsible for some of the country’s most important and innovative care and research. So the shocking story greatly disappointed supporters who see Fenway Health as a community hub and moral leader. As the search for a permanent replacement rolls on, Stromstad, who oversaw major positive transitions as CEO of Goodall Hospital in Maine and Greater Waterbury Health Network and Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut, is diagnosing what went wrong—and what will be done differently.

Why does Fenway’s mission resonate with you? I’ve always been drawn to the mission of healthcare, particularly for populations who, for a whole myriad of reasons, might be more at risk. Sometimes it’s economic or geographic risks. In cases like this, there can be internal and external biases that limit or put up barriers to care. I feel such a sense of responsibility to this organization to get this right because the work the Fenway organization does saves live. We’re making a real difference in getting care to people who need it.

Did you have a lot of early exposure to the LGBT community? I grew up in rural North Dakota. There, you didn’t hear about the community in dayto-day conversation. But as I got older, I had many friends that were gay and lesbian. I watched how hard it was for them to come out and be honest in their families. In Maine, I really came to understand the challenges of providing healthcare to the LGBT community. There are a lot of LGBT people who found Maine to be a good home. It was

[CONTINUES 66] MAY|JUN 2018 | 65

[FROM 64] myself, to relax, and know that when I go onstage it’s going to work. I truly believe there is an energy exchange between the audience and dancer.

Many people have played Romeo. What did you want to bring out of the role, and did any of your romances serve as inspiration? That his love is blind. How fast he falls in love. He’s very close to my personality. And there absolutely is. I’m sort of living the story right now, and it has been my inspiration for

this role. It’s a little complicated though! But that makes it interesting, because it makes a performance real. When you create art, I believe in raw emotion and honesty. For artists to touch the audience, it has to be honest.

“Romeo & Juliet” is a love story everyone knows. Do you think our culture has a lack of representation of gay romance?

of the only movies to go mainstream that shows a gay love story. It’s very rare. And I think people have ignorance because they’re not exposed to things. I’m stepping into a role of choreographer with Boston Ballet now, and I’m interested in bringing political issues to the stage. We’re going through a lot of change. A lot of people will experience resistance again. But our community has to stay strong.

Absolutely, and that needs to change. The movie “Call Me By Your Name” was one

[FROM 65] important we do it with respect and dignity.

The million-dollar question: What went wrong at Fenway? When something like this happens, it’s not the failure of one person or one system. Many layers fell short, including those that I’m focused on: governance, leadership and corporate compliance. The hardwired system of support for employees was not in place. We’re putting in place best practices and policies for the board. I’m having a lot of

forthcoming conversations. We’ve decided to hire a diversity officer who will report directly to the new CEO. My career has been about making change and leaving it for someone else. I can only see the progress in the rearview mirror.

With these candid conversations happening, is this also a moment of opportunity for Fenway? It’s a tremendous opportunity, and we’re not going to miss it. We’re having honest

conversations that people here haven’t had before. We’re changing the way we approach management. There’s a lot of self-examination. Members of the board have really reflected on how the board functioned that allowed some of these issues to continue. They feel emotions ranging from embarrassment to regret. They realize that it can’t be business as usual. We have people who have resigned from the board, others who feel it’s best to stay and do what they can to support Fenway. What we don’t have is apathy.

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Photos: (Main Photo) The Crane Estate,The Trustees of Reservations, Ipswich © Mark Gardner; (Smaller Images) Salem Trolley © Kishgraphics; Standup Paddle Boarding, Marblehead © Little Harbor Boathouse; Lobster at Woodman’s of Essex © A.M. Casey/NBCVB; Wedding at the House of the Seven Gables © Lightshed Photography; Motif #1, Rockport © John Grant

A cloaked statue of colonist Roger Conant stands watch in front of the Salem Witch Museum.

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There’s a story in every mile North of Boston! Located only 30 minutes from Boston, the region offers 200 miles of coastline, restaurants, cultural sites, attractions, performing arts venues, and more. The Greater Salem area is rich in history, arts, and culture. Visit quintessential New England villages like Marblehead and Beverly. Salem, noted for the Witch Trials of 1692, transports visitors from the 17th-century to the 21st-century through literature, architecture, and maritime heritage. Kick back and enjoy family vacations, romantic getaways, ocean adventures, and fresh seafood in the Cape Ann communities of Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea. Gloucester’s world-famous Fisherman’s Memorial (“The Man at the Wheel” statue) stands testament to thousands of fishermen lost at sea. The harbor bustles with schooner sails, lighthouse tours, and deep-sea fishing with some of the world’s best whale watching off the coast.

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ALON RIVEL

Director of global sales and marketing at Online Buddies Rivel is helping to update a digital brand that revolutionized how gay men meet. Online Buddies is the Cambridgebased parent company of Manhunt, the trailblazing, 2001-founded hookup site that brought cruising online and subsequently built a model for more mainstream matchmaking websites that followed. Though Manhunt maintains its identity as the unabashedly sex-positive daddy of digital dating, in 2013 Online Buddies bought Jack’d, a gay mobile app that skews younger (80 percent of its 1.2 million active monthly users are under 24) and takes a connection-building approach that is less overtly sexualized and more community-minded, emphasizing and celebrating diversity in cyber spaces where sexual racism is otherwise not uncommon. (75 percent of Jack’d users identify as non-white.) As gay bars close and the community migrates online, Rivel uses his understanding of changing wants and needs to market Manhunt and Jack’d to both longstanding customers and an entirely new generation of guys. We buy what he’s selling.

What role did digital platforms play in your own coming-out? I’m from the era of chat rooms, Gay.com and “Playgirl” magazine. Those played a bigger role. I’d go to Barnes & Noble to sneak peeks at dirty magazines because there was nowhere else to do it. The Internet was very scary then. There was a lot of shame associated with it. So I had the old-fashioned experiences of trying to find people who were like me. I was never on dating websites. I didn’t want to be discovered. Now everyone in college is on Grindr. No one is going to gay clubs to meet guys.

How do you respond to critics who blame the decline of gay bars on apps? This is what we asked for: Inclusion. And though it’s safer for those of us in some cities, we have to remember the whole world isn’t LA and NYC. There are a lot of people who are still really scared. Apps give them the opportunity to know that they’re

[CONTINUES 72] 70 | BOSTON SPIRIT

NANCY STAGER

Executive vice-president, human resources & charitable giving at Eastern Bank Stager is a staunch ally in the fight for LGBTQ equality—and puts money where her mouth is. She leads Eastern Bank’s Charitable Foundation, providing millions of dollars annually to local organizations, and as chief diversity & inclusion officer, she has shaped a particularly LGBTQ-embracing culture. Eastern consistently receives a perfect score on the HRC’s annual Corporate Equality Index, a benchmarking report on proLGBTQ workplace policies, and was the first American company to sign an amicus brief from GLAD asking the US Supreme Court to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. The bank’s major sponsorship of North Shore Pride helped launch that still-new annual event. Earlier this year, Stager testified at the New Hampshire State House on behalf of transgender civil rights protections. She’s the business campaign co-chair for Freedom For All Massachusetts, which fights for transgender equality. And she co-chaired the most recent HRC New England gala, raising over half a million dollars. That’s A-plus ally work.

What made you realize diversity and inclusion work would become your work? Long Island being a big melting pot, it was always a piece of me. But when you reflect back, there are always a couple specific points. For me, one is being a woman. I have very frequently in my career been the only woman in the room. I know what it’s like to make a suggestion and see it lay flat on the table until someone else says it, and everyone gloms on. I know that sense of invisibility and how hard it is. I wanted to make it better for others.

Any experiences that explain why LGBTQ issues resonate with you in particular? I had a good friend who was gay. I didn’t know it at the time. He wasn’t out; I don’t even think he knew it. We were friends as kids, and as he got older he kind of stole away from our friend group. I remember feeling that sense of loss. I enjoyed being with him, and he just isolated himself. Many years later I found out he was gay. I

[CONTINUES 72] MAY|JUN 2018 | 71

[FROM 70] not the only gay person in a 10-mile radius. They give people safe havens, a chance to connect and find friends. Gay culture still exists. Everything in the world is different now.

With Jack’d being friendship- and dating-minded, do you see Manhunt remaining more overtly sexual? Definitely. Coke isn’t Pepsi and Pepsi isn’t Coke. We love to bring the idea of explicit fun back and fight the stigma associated with that. There’s a lot of shame within the

gay community about being explicitly sexual today. People say they’re not on Grindr or Manhunt, but when they’re home and they’re horny everyone is using it. We want people to say, “yes, I have sex, yes I’m sexual, that’s okay and there’s a place for that.” But Apple has had a negative effect on what we’re allowed to have as an app. Manhunt hasn’t had an app because it’s so explicit and you can’t have anything explicit in Apple’s store. It’s part of the watering down of our culture, and that’s not fair. It’s been a huge challenge for us.

Do you think the gay community played a role in pioneering digital dating?

come in and be themselves. I’m a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion across all aspects, for celebrating differences and finding fun ways to combine differences so that everyone is included.

use the bathroom and go to a restaurant without being discriminated against, it was a no-brainer. It’s like going racial bias in the ’60s, the fear and exclusion—and frankly, power trip—that was dealt with by others before. When things need to be done, we need all kinds of people to do it. When the world shifts, it’s because people come together to shift it.

I feel like the gay app space came before the straight app space, and I think they take their cues from us. Then again, that’s true of a lot of American culture. They look to us for guidance, and yet we’re still not recognized the same way. If I told someone I work at Tinder, they’d be like, “that’s the coolest job!” If I say a gay dating app, they’re like “weird.” People still have biases.

[FROM 71] wondered if that was why he pulled back, and what a shame that was. It wouldn’t have mattered to me, but growing up in the ’70s was really hard. I feel like maybe I missed an opportunity to help him. It made me want to pursue work like this.

Why is diversity good for companies? I’m a strong proponent for people to be who they are, because you can’t give your best or make a full contribution if you aren’t fully authentic in every aspect of your life. I want to create environments where people can

Why should people be strong allies? It’s just about doing what’s right and smart. Signing the amicus brief against DOMA was a no-brainer because it was the right and smart thing to do. When we were asked to testify at the State House for trans protections, so they could go to school,

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CULTURE Theater STORY Loren King

He Oughta Know Sean Allen Krill was hooked on Alanis Morissette’s album; now he’s starring in the ART’s “Jagged Little Pill” Sean Allen Krill has been a working actor long enough to know better than to fall in love with a script before being cast. But when he auditioned for “Jagged Little Pill,” the musical that makes its world premiere at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) May 5–July 15, Krill knew he had the chance to be part of something special. “The more I sat there and read every page, I was thinking, ‘Now I want this; it’s so good!’ I fell in love with the show and wanted to fight for it,” he says. Krill got his wish. He plays Steve in the musical, which is based on Alanis Morissette’s iconic 1995 album that gave the world songs such as “You Oughta Know,” “Ironic” and “Hand in My Pocket.” The stage adaptation has impressive

74 | BOSTON SPIRIT

credentials: Diablo Cody, an Oscar winner for “Juno,” wrote the book and Diane Paulus (“Waitress,” “Finding Neverland,” “Pippin,” “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”) directs. Although details have been kept under wraps as the team develops the show, Krill says all the songs on the album (and a few others, all by Morissette) are woven into the plot which examines topical and timely themes ranging from sexual violence to drug addiction. “What Diane wants to embrace is Alanis’s belief in the idea that human beings can help and heal each other through communicating,” says Krill. “Through the experiences of this family, the show comes back to how communication is necessary

Derek Klena (Nick), Sean Allen Krill (Steve), and Elizabeth Stanley (Mary Jane) at the first rehearsal of Jagged Little Pill. PHOTO Jimmy Ryan

for us as human beings … It is a beautiful story.” Getting cast as Steve, the father of the family at the heart of the show, is doubly gratifying for Krill because the album “Jagged Little Pill” was so important to him when it came out in 1995. “It was huge in my life. I was in my early 20s and it was everything. The generation before me had [Carole King’s] ‘Tapestry.’ I had ‘Jagged Little Pill,’” says Krill. “I was talking to Diablo today about what made this album so special. [Morissette] came along at a time when pop music was about ‘enjoy life; be happy!’ She came along and [said], ‘part of being happy is facing the demons and swallowing the jagged little pill and seeing how you live through it’ as opposed to pretending everything’s fine. “The album runs the gamut from the righteous anger of ‘You Oughta Know’ to ‘Head Over Feet’ which is so joyful and

truthful and beautiful about first love. All that exists in one place. Diablo has managed to put all this into the play. It’s also funny—sometimes painfully funny, but so human … I can’t wait to see what it is by time we get to Cambridge.” Krill, whose extensive musical theater credits include the national tours of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “Mamma Mia,” gets to put his strong singing voice to good use in “Jagged Little Pill.” “I get to sing one of my favorite songs on the album. My favorite was always ‘Mary Jane’ and it’s one of my songs and it’s in the context of a beautiful moment in the show. Elizabeth Stanley is playing Mary Jane and she is remarkable,” he says. Krill couldn’t wait to finally meet Morissette during rehearsals for “Jagged Little Pill” in New York. “She’s been an idol for a long time. A year ago, I met David Byrne of the Taking Heads [when Krill appeared in Byrne’s ‘Joan of Arc: Into the Fire’]. It was similar experience: I was meeting someone who’s meant so much to me, an artist I admired. I’m pinching myself.”

2018

“ It was huge in my life. I was in my early 20s and it was everything. The generation before me had [Carole King’s] ‘Tapestry.’ I had ‘Jagged Little Pill.’”

Sean Allen Krill Krill, who moved to New York City 10 years ago, honed his stage chops in Chicago’s vibrant theater scene after studying acting at Wayne State University in Detroit. After being cast in the company of “Forever Plaid.” he acted in musicals and plays ranging from Shakespeare to Tom Stoppard and Oscar Wilde. He visited Boston for the first time while playing Trevor in the national tour of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “fell in love with Cambridge” he says. “I could not wait to

come back and now it’s with this show and it’s at the A.R.T.” Morissette may not be the first singer that comes to mind when listing LGBT musical icons, but she has a huge LGBT fan base. And few will forget the 1999 “Sex and the City” episode, “Boy, Girl, Boy Girl,” on which Morissette played a lesbian who kissed Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) during a game of Spin the Bottle. Also, for the 2005 release of “Jagged Little Pill Acoustic,” Morissette revisited the 13 songs of her Grammy-winning blockbuster but altered a key line in “Ironic”: instead of “Meeting the man of my dreams / And then meeting his beautiful wife,” she changed “wife” to “husband.” Krill says the show “Jagged Little Pill” hits on universal themes and will appeal to many audiences. “It is a real human story that Diablo has written,” he says. “It says, ‘get out of your own way. Reach out and help someone you care about.’ Hopefully, that brings empathy that snowballs and you heal yourself; maybe the most. Isn’t that ironic?” [x]

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CULTURE Theater STORY Loren King

Oh Myyyy

George Takei during the Broadway run of his musical, “Allegiance.” PHOTO courtesy of George Takei

Boston Spirit chats with George Takei “Allegiance,” the stage musical based on actor, activist and LGBT icon George Takei’s childhood experiences in an interment camp for Japanese Americans during World War II, might owe its existence to Takei’s own tears. “When Brad [Altman, Takei’s husband] and I are in New York, we go to the theater almost every night of the week,” says Takei in a telephone interview with Boston Spirit. Takei recounted how at a performance of the musical “In the Heights” he wept openly during the song “Inutil” (“Useless”) sung by a father to his daughter. “The song was about the father’s sense of anguish that he could not send his beloved daughter to college. I was a child

76 | BOSTON SPIRIT

of five when we were interred. Later, as a teenager, I could find nothing about the interment in the history books I read. So I engaged my father in after-dinner conversation about our imprisonment during the second World War. He told me how anguished he was to be imprisoned with his three young children,” says Takei. ”It tortured him, thinking about us, and tore him apart. That song reminded me of that.” At the intermission, as Takei “was crying copious tears and Brad was edging away from me,” another gay couple that Takei and Altman had recently met at another show—Jay Kuo, a composer, and Lorenzo Thione, a producer—came over to chat. “They asked about my tears

and I told them about my childhood imprisonment and that intrigued them tremendously,” says Takei, who first detailed his internment experience in his 1994 autobiography “To the Stars.” Takei expressed his desire to turn his memoir into a drama. “But Jay said, ‘No, it has got to be a musical.” A couple of weeks later, Kuo sent Takei a song he’d written called “Allegiance.” “There I was, at my computer, crying again,” laughs Takei. “I knew he had the ability to tell this story and we began to develop it. It’s my parents’ story.” “Allegiance” follows the Kimura family whose lives are upended as they and 120,000 other Japanese-Americans are forced to leave their homes following the

attack on Pearl Harbor, just as George Takei, his parents, younger brother and sister were uprooted from their Los Angeles home and imprisoned first in Arkansas and later at an even more restrictive camp at the California-Colorado border. “Allegiance” debuted in 2012 at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego with Takei, who just turned 81, portraying a grandfather and a soldier who looks back at the events in his life. Takei reprised the roles when the show opened on Broadway in 2015 (it was Takei’s Broadway debut) and, most recently, he starred in the Los Angeles production. Now Takei heads to Boston not as an actor but as an audience member when “Allegiance” has its East Coast regional premiere at the SpeakEasy Stage Company. Under the direction of Paul Daigneault, “Allegiance” will be presented at SpeakEasy May 4–June 2. “It’s my first opportunity to actually be in the audience and see it,” says Takei. “It’s my legacy project so I have to monitor it as it becomes ubiquitous all over the world. … There’s talk of screening [the filmed version] all over Japan so we’re making plans to be there in November of this year.

Takei credits his father with nurturing his social activism by teaching him that democracy is fragile and that fighting for it is the responsibility of every American:

“ My father bore the pain and anguish and rage the most. He explained American democracy to me. He’s the one who made me who I am. ” George Takei “I love Boston. A few years ago, I was asked to speak at Boston University about the interment of Japanese Americans and relating that to LGBT issues. It was in the dead of winter; bone-chilling cold and snow as high as rooftops.” He also came to Boston in 2014 when Jennifer M. Kroot’s documentary “To Be Takei” screened in the Boston Asian American Film Festival. Though Takei is famous for playing Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise, in the television series “Star Trek,” Takei says he’s just as likely now to be approached by fans who know him by

his catchphrase, “Oh Myyyy.” Besides his strong presence on social media, Takei is a frequent television commentator on social justice issues and an unabashed Trump critic. His opinion of Trump came from personal experience: Takei in 2012 was a celebrity contestant on Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice” (he was “fired” in the third episode). Takei recalls having lunch with Trump back when Takei was advocating for marriage equality. “This was before New York had gay marriage. We met for lunch and I tried to convince him that marriage

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equality would be profitable for him, as a businessman, and he said, ‘Yes, that’s true, but I believe in traditional marriage.’ I was taken aback, given his marital history. There’s the hypocrisy right there,” says Takei. A longtime LGBT rights advocate, Takei in 2008 married his partner Brad Altman in a Buddhist ceremony at the Democracy Forum of the Japanese American National Museum of Los Angeles which Takei helped found and for which he’s served as board chairman. The wedding party included Takei’s former “Star Trek” colleagues Walter Koenig (“Chekov”) and Nichelle Nichols (“Uhura”). Takei’s high profile and outspokenness may have contributed to one accusation of sexual impropriety leveled at him in November 2017 by Scott R. Brunton. Takei issued a swift denial on social media. No other accusations have surfaced. “It was completely fabricated by a delusional person … but I won’t get into a ‘he said, he said.’ I will let it lie for now and address and challenge it when we’re in a different climate,” Takei says. “There’s a shift happening in our society; a social

Takei and husband Brad Altman at their wedding with Takei’s former “Star Trek” colleagues Walter Koenig (Chekov) and Nichelle Nichols (Uhura). PHOTO courtesy of George Takei and cultural revolution going on, and that should [be allowed to run] its full course.” Takei credits his father with nurturing his social activism by teaching him that democracy is fragile and that fighting for it is the responsibility of every American. “My father bore the pain and anguish and rage the most … He explained American democracy to me. He’s the one who made me who I am,” says Takei. The memory of his parents has been with him throughout the long journey that brought “Allegiance” to fruition.

“Before we opened on Broadway, Jay called to say, ‘The marquee is going up’ at the Longacre Theater. Brad and I literally ran down and got there in time to see my name and [actress] Lea Salonga’s name going up,” says Takei. “The first thought that came to me was, ‘I wish my parents were here to see their surname on the marquee of a Broadway theater.’ It is their story. I did the whole thing as a tribute to them. I wish they could have been here to see it.” [x]

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CULTURE Art STORY Loren King

Ready for Their Close-Ups MFA showcases acclaimed local photographers for Pride Three of the Boston area’s most accomplished photographers, all with personal and/or professional ties to the LGBTQ community, have teamed with the Museum of Fine Arts to talk about their work as part of Boston Pride. The discussion is inspired by the current photography exhibit “(un)expected families” running at the MFA to June 24. Three artists featured in the show— Amber Davis Tourlentes, Jeannie Simms and Zoe Perry-Wood—will talk about their images that depict LGBTQ subjects and families with moderator Karen Haas, the exhibition’s curator. The event takes place June 7, 7–8 p.m., at the MFA. Perry-Wood has been photographing LGBTQ youth who attend the BAGLY prom for a decade. When it began some 30 years ago, the BAGLY (Boston Alliance of Gay Lesbian Transgender Youth) prom

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was an essential safe space to allow gay kids to experience the high school rite of passage that their peers took for granted. Over the 10 years she’s been shooting kids’ formal prom portraits, Perry-Wood says she has seen enormous changes; once strictly for outliers, the prom in recent years became the “cool” place to be for youth of all stripes, drawing such large crowds that it had to move from inside City Hall to the grounds outside. Perry-Wood, whose day job is as a school psychologist, notes that gay and trans kids are coming out younger. She’s also noticed over the years that queer kids are opting for a “softer androgynous” look that rejects being “boxed into identities and gender roles…. It’s more ‘I am who I am’ and it’s being accepted,” she says. Perry-Wood, who holds a BFA in photography from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and who is represented by

“Arnie, Susan, and Elijah, Jamaica Plain, MA, 2015,” PHOTO Jeannie Simms Gallery Kayafas, has long been drawn to documenting subcultures. She documented LGBT celebrations in Provincetown such as the annual Carnival Parade, drag bingo, and other events from 2004 to 2006. Ten years ago she decided to photograph the BAGLY prom in order to “capture visually what’s going on with young people.” The MFA exhibit of PerryWood’s portrait “José and Luis (2015)” is from Perry-Wood’s series, “Hanging in the Balance: Portraits from the BAGLY Prom” in which her young subjects pose, alone or in couples, in front of the camera in a studio-like setting. Jeannie Simms’ passion is art that intersects with social justice. A Lincoln native and Cambridge resident, Simms was interested in documenting the couples who married following the landmark 2004 Goodridge v. Department of Public Health ruling that legalized marriage for LGBT couples in Massachusetts, many of whom, she notes, were already engaged in human rights work. Simms began photographing couples and their families in 2015, 11 years after the ruling. “That’s a significant amount of time. I realized a lot of [the subjects] were leaders

in the professional community; social workers; lawyers; progressives; teachers. I was struck by how many were working on issues that intersected with LGBT [rights],” says Simms. “Many were married on the first day that marriage became legal; others got married in the first year.” She notes that for many of the families she photographed, the family structure represented a way to nurture at-risk kids. She met “lesbians raising trans kids; or extended families with multiple queer members.” Simms, who teaches and runs the graduate program at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, said the project changed her perspective on marriage, allowing her to see “fortification of the family as a place to create social change.” The “(un)expected families” show features Simms’ photograph titled “Arnie, Susan & Elijah, Jamaica Plain, MA (2015).” “I’m glad they chose that picture because it shows couples and singles who take in foster kids with such strong positive outcomes,” says Simms, adding that these

parents and kids are “changing attitudes in schools, in the P.T.A., and in their communities.” Amber Davis Tourlentes grew up in Boston’s South End with her gay father, an experience that’s informed her work throughout her career. “I grew up spending summers in Provincetown with my dad and his partner. There weren’t other kids around; it was me and the guys,” says Tourlentes. “I’m straight but queer culturally and I’ve always been fascinated by that.” In 2002, Tourlentes began her “Families on Stage” project, photographing “all kinds of families” who were vacationing in Provincetown during National Family Week organized by the Family Equality Council and COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere). These portraits, included in the “(un) expected families” exhibit, depict parents and kids in front of a curtain on the Provincetown Town Hall stage. Taken over four years, many of the families return multiple times. Tourlentes says her series mixes portraiture with theatricality,

which is inherent when people are posing for the camera. She says the images remind her of portraits from the Coney Island boardwalk, when people dashed into a photo booth from the sun and sand. There’s also a hint of “documentation,” such as portraits taken of immigrants; and a rite of passage. “The idea of being on stage is being visible and not hiding,” she says. Over the years, Tourlentes has traveled to other LGBT family weeks that are now commonplace, from Palm Springs to Michigan. Her photos may depict the ordinariness of these non-traditional families but, she says, most are extraordinary. “I was moved and blown away by the kids. It’s a whole generation of pioneers,” says Tourlentes, who earned her MFA at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and now teaches at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. “The project was collaborative. I met same-sex parents with adopted kids, foster kids—amazing parents; they are such a loving group.” [x]

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CULTURE Musical Theater STORY Loren King

He’s the Wizard Local favorite Davron Monroe gets a dream role For versatile Boston actor Davron Monroe, the movie “The Wiz” is a cultural touchstone. “I’ve owned three DVD copies of it. My friends got tired of watching; it’s been a Thanksgiving tradition for years. They laugh and cry with me,” says Monroe of the 1978 film starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, a musical retelling of the famous story of Dorothy whisked away to the enchanting wonderland of Oz, where she encounters the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion. It makes sense that a film about family and Dorothy’s

quest to get home would resonate with Monroe. He left his large, loving family in Jacksonville, Florida to attend Boston’s Longy School where he received his graduate degree in opera. He quickly became one of the area’s busiest performers, singing regularly in both operas and musicals. It also makes sense that, eventually, Monroe would be cast in his beloved “The Wiz.” He’ll play the Wizard himself in Lyric Stage’s production, running May 19–June 24, with director Dawn Simmons setting the action in New Orleans. The stage musical is different

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from the film, notes Monroe, who’s pleased that The Wizard gets three songs in the show, including Monroe’s favorite number, “So You Wanted To See The Wizard.” Although Monroe has performed all over Boston, the Lyric has become a home base for him. He’s been featured in Lyric musical productions from “Company” to “Camelot”; “Ain’t Misbehavin” to “Avenue Q.” His favorite role so far was flamboyant barber Pirelli in the Lyric’s 2014 production of “Sweeney Todd.” There’s another reason Monroe got hooked on “The Wiz” early on. “As a child and young adult, it had characters that looked like me that I could relate to. There are all brown people in it and you didn’t see a lot of that [when I was] growing up in the ‘80s.” His family was and remains supportive of his career. Monroe grew up immersed in music, singing gospel in church and playing piano for Sunday school. His older sister played piano, he says, and Monroe as a child often played with her. Later, his parents encouraged him to play T-ball, he says, but they soon realized, “OK, he enjoys playing piano more,” so they arranged for piano lessons which continued for 12 years. After graduating from the University of North Florida where he studied voice, Monroe chose Boston’s Longy School of Music to “fulfill a passion in my heart,” he says, to pursue performance in opera and musicals. “Music is my first love—anything I can wrap my voice around. I’m a dedicated crossover artist. I love opera; I love musicals; I love gospel and jazz. Without one, I’d feel a little empty,” says Monroe, who lives in Malden with his partner, area musician and actor Kaedon Gray. “It’s a super-artistic household,”

Monroe laughs “He sees all my operas and shows and I love hearing him play and sing. I’m grateful to have found a partner who’s supportive and also [grateful] to be part of such a supportive community.” A tenor, Monroe was already performing in operas even before graduating from the Longy School in 2010. He’s sung with Key West Symphony’s Broadway Across America; Houston Ebony Opera Guild; Connecticut Opera; and Opera Providence in full opera productions of, among others, “Carmen,” “Rigoletto,” “L’élisir d’amore” and “Così fan tutte.” He’ll soon sing the role of Sporting Life in an upcoming production of “Porgy and Bess” with the South Florida Symphony. Monroe was also a soloist with Boston’s Landmarks Orchestra and an American songbook POPS soloist with South Florida Symphony Orchestra where personal highlights included a performance with award-winning actress and singer Liz Callaway. “She’s an amazing artist and person; she is effervescent onstage and in life,” Monroe says. An influential role turned out to be Nanki-Poo in “The Mikado” at the Lyric in 2012, which Monroe performed alongside longtime Boston actor Bob Jolly as Ko-Ko. It turned out to be Jolly’s last role before he died. In 2014, the Bob Jolly Charitable Trust chose Monroe as the first recipient of the Bob Jolly Award. As he takes on one of his most revered shows, Monroe knows he’ll again find two of his biggest supporters in the audience. His parents will make the trip from Florida to Boston by car (“I ask them not to, but they do it anyway,” he says) to see “The Wiz,” bringing a bit of home to Monroe as he works his magic onstage. [x]

CULTURE Cinema STORY Loren King

PIFF is a Movie Lover’s Paradise LGBT films and filmmakers abound in the festival’s 20th season Kicking off a film festival with a “dramatic comedy about the secret gay life of Emily Dickinson”? Only in Provincetown. The Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) celebrates its 20th anniversary June 13–17, starting with the opening night film, “Wild Nights with Emily,” on Wednesday, June 13, at Provincetown Town Hall. Famed poet and “Belle of Amherst” Emily Dickinson is portrayed by “Saturday Night Live” alum and indie film stalwart Molly Shannon, who won an Indie Spirit Award last year for “Other People.” Hailed by Indiewire as “the best lesbian comedy in years,” the film explores Dickinson’s madcap, irreverent side as it centers on Emily’s lifelong romantic relationship with another woman. “Wild Nights with Emily” premiered at the SXSW Film Festival where it received rave reviews. Writer-director Madeleine Olnek last appeared at the PIFF with her

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2011 audaciously titled comedy “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same,” which charted the adventures of lesbian space aliens on the planet Earth through the story of the romance between Jane, a shy greeting card store employee, and Zoinx, the woman Jane does not realize is from outer-space. Olnek’s follow-up, “The Foxy Merkins” (2013), a raucous buddy comedy about lesbian hustlers, starred Jackie Monahan and Lisa Haas who also appear in “Wild Nights with Emily.” Using Dickinson’s letters and poems (with the permission from Harvard University Press), “Wild Nights With Emily” depicts the poet as anything but the reclusive spinster of legend (though Cynthia Nixon’s biting portrayal in Terence Davies’ “A Quiet Passion” last year also dispelled that notion). Olnek’s film imagines a lively woman forced to hide a lifelong love affair. The comedy

is balanced by the touching love story between Emily and her friend from childhood, Susan Gilbert (Susan Ziegler). One of the highlights of the PIFF, which regularly showcases films by and about LGBT filmmakers, is the annual Filmmaker on the Edge award. This year’s honoree is acclaimed writer-director Sean Baker, whose film “The Florida Project,” starring Brooklynn Prince and Willem Dafoe was one of the most critically lauded of 2017 and earned an Oscar nomination for Dafoe. Baker is also known for the 2015 film “Tangerine,” about a transgender sex worker in Los Angeles who discovers that her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her. The film was famously shot on iPhones. “Tangerine” played in the 2015 PIFF after earning raves at the Sundance Film Festival. Baker will be in attendance to accept the award and will join in conversation with PIFF’s resident artist, filmmaker John Waters, a huge fan of “Tangerine,” on Saturday, June 16. There’s more star power at this milestone year of PIFF. Actress Chloë Grace Moretz will receive the festival’s second annual “Next Wave Award,” which recognizes artists who “have exciting and distinctive voices, take artistic risks, and have a passionate commitment to independent film.” Moretz will be in attendance to accept the award in conversation

with Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper on Friday, June 15. Moretz’s latest film, a hit at this year’s Sundance fest where it went on to win the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” screens as a PIFF Spotlight selection. Directed by LGBT director Desiree Akhavan, “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” is based on the Emily M. Danforth YA novel of the same name and was adapted for the screen by Akhavan and Cecilia Frugiuele. It follows young Cameron Post (Moretz, star of “Hugo,” “Clouds of Sils Maria,” and “If I Stay,” among other films) who gets caught having sex with her best female friend on prom night and is promptly dispatched to a gay conversion therapy center. Cameron must contend with the camp’s two very different heads— the strict Dr. Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle) and her brother Reverend Rick (John Gallagher Jr.), who himself as been through the program, meant to “cure same sex attraction”—while also growing closer to fellow campers Jane (Sasha Lane of “American Honey”) and Adam (Forrest Goodluck). [x]

Sean Baker Scene from “Wild Nights with Emily” [RIGHT] Chloë Grace Moretz [FAR-LEFT] [CENTER]

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Calendar Sam Smith He’s recently become vocal about his struggles with anxiety and stage fright. But we’ve no fear Sam Smith will deliver an ovationworthy performance on “The Thrill of It All Tour” a multi-city trek promoting the openly gay, Grammy-winning pop-soul crooner’s latest album. “Thrill,” which was released in November, has already yielded new fan favorites like “Too Good at Goodbyes” and “Pray.” But expect Smith to delve into past hits—like the raw, romantic “Stay With Me”—that prove why he’s become a multiplatinum-selling phenomenon. WHEN

WHERE

HOW

Tuesday, June 26 TD Garden, Boston MA Tickets at ticketmaster.com

Bunny And The Fox Hop your way over to this sly new drag show hosted by two native New England talents: Bunny Wonderland and Joslyn Fox, who previously sashayed down the sixth-season runway of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Their monthly night brings a multimedia drag spectacular to the Granite State, one filled with videos, audience participation and plenty of guest performances from other local drag queens and kings. No humdrum lip syncs here. Expect a freewheeling, high-energy night featuring a menagerie of talent. WHEN

WHERE

HOW

Saturday, May 26 and Friday, June 22

3S Artspace, Portsmouth NH

$25 at the door or eventbrite.com

“Rockabye” Starting a family is a serious decision—but in the hands of playwright Judith Strang-Waldau, it also offers plenty fodder for comedy. Strang-Waldau consulted with a Boston surrogacy agency, a professional surrogate and LGBT parents for this play about an aspiring social worker who becomes a gestational surrogate for a gay couple. From surrogate selection to sperm donation, “Rockabye” covers the bases with humor and sensitivity, offering thoughtful consideration of the changing face of family and the emotional complexities of the surrogacy process. WHEN

WHERE

HOW

Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19

Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown MA

Tickets $20-35 at mosesianarts.org

“The Legend of Georgia McBride” When a Florida dive bar fires a struggling performer from his job as an Elvis Presley impersonator, a straight Southerner trades life as “the king” for work as a drag queen in this uproarious play that will get bellies laughing (and pelvises swaying) at Greater Boston Stage Company. Gold Dust Orphans vet Rick Park plays an older, wiser drag performer who mentors the fledgling sequin-shaker in a humorous, heartfelt show that is ultimately about the transformative power of family, friendship, and inclusion. WHEN

Thursday, May 3—Sunday, May 20

WHERE

HOW

Greater Boston Stage Company, Stoneham MA

Tickets are $20-55 at greaterbostonstage.org

Trixie Mattel The just-crowned winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” has carved quite a name—and niche—for herself. She looks like a Barbie doll got a high-camp makeover, her decidedly non-PC humor would make Joan Rivers blush, and her unique musical style has made Mattel probably the first drag queen to release hit folk albums: 2017’s “Two Birds” and this year’s aptly titled follow-up “One Stone.” Don’t miss an audience with this reigning queen on her “Now With Moving Parts Tour,” making several New England stops with meet-and-greet packages available. WHEN

WHERE

HOW

Wednesday, May 16 Friday, May 18 Saturday, May 19

House of Blues, Boston State Theatre, Portland The Bushnell, Hartford CT

Tickets at dragfans.com

Gay Secrets of the MFA Boston-based historian Andrew Lear brings globetrotting guests around the world through Oscar Wilde Tours, his guided travel company that explores the LGBT-related roots and cultures of far-flung destinations. But you’ll only need to visit Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts for this Lear-led tour looking at little-known gay themes throughout the institution’s collections. From depictions of Priapus, the infamously endowed Greek fertility god, to the “Boston marriages” of Sapphic-inclined 19th-century female artists, Lear will help you look at the MFA in an entirely new, gay way. WHEN

WHERE

HOW

Wednesday, May 16

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston MA

Tickets $10-25 at eventbrite.com

Memorial Day Weekend at Provincetown Art House Every year, the P-Town Art House packs its stage with some of the country’s top talent with LGBTQ appeal. And it’s opening its summer season with a bang, rolling out a female-fronted hat trick of impressive bookings. The Memorial Day Weekend lineup kicks off with queer singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick, continues with gut-busting lesbian stand-up comedian Judy Gold, and wraps up with the iconic duo The Indigo Girls (featuring opening act Zoe Lewis, a Provincetown local). Together, these high-quality headliners are one hell of way to welcome summer. WHEN

Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27 WHERE

The Art House, Provincetown MA HOW

Tickets at provincetownarthouse.org

Womxn Of Color Weekend It’s great to see that issues related to intersectional identities are increasingly being addressed by LGBTQ organizations. But for many years, this annual four-day Pride event in Provincetown has been an important opportunity for queer women of color to gather, connect, and foster community while enjoying a packed lineup of exciting events—from workshops on self-empowerment and sexual liberation to pool parties, a “Soul Sister Sunday Brunch” and comedy showcase starring stand-ups Gina Yashere, Kia Comedy and Reece Cotton. WHEN

WHERE

HOW

Thursday, May 31—Sunday, June 3

Throughout Provincetown MA

For the full schedule and to register, visit womenofcolorweekend.org

“Wig Out!” Say what you will about “Brokeback Mountain,” but “Moonlight” was the more momentous success story: It was the first LGBTthemed film to win an Oscar for Best Picture and the first film with an all-black cast to do so, too. “Moonlight” co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney is also the playwright behind “Wig Out!,” a deep dive into the NYC drag ball scene—and all the razzle-dazzle, desire, and defiant politics that go along with it. Vogue your way over to the Company One production to take in this untucked examination of a critical subculture. WHEN

WHERE

HOW

Through Sunday, May 13

Oberon, Cambridge MA

For tickets, visit companyone.org

Boston Pride Week Everyone loves a great party and a good excuse to get covered in glitter. But it’s vital to remember that, before they became fun-filled festivals, Pride celebrations were rooted in the real, important work of political activism. This year’s Boston Pride theme, “Rainbow Resistance,” is recapturing that spirit and serving as a call to unite against “the oppression and backwards policies of the current administration in Washington, DC, the systemic threats to communities of color and trans people in our country, and the potential repeal of trans equality legislation in Massachusetts,” according to a committee statement. The always-awesome line-up includes the parade, festival, block parties and so much more. WHEN

Friday, June 1 – Sunday, June 10

WHERE

HOW

Throughout Boston

For the full lineup of events, visit bostonpride. org

SCENE Fundraiser PHOTOS Courtesy LPAC

‘Anti-Freeze’ Event South End | Boston | February 15, 2018

LPAC, the national lesbian political organization and political action committee that supports pro-LGBTQ, pro-women’s equality, and progressive candidates, will hold its ﬁrst fundraiser of 2018 in Boston’s South End, kicking off the organization’s work in the midterm election year (See related story on page 26). Special guests will be Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and humorist Kate Clinton.“This is a critical year for LGBTQ people, women, people of color and all progressives, and we hope the Boston community joins us to learn how we can support progressive candidates and advance positive policy outcomes,” said Diane Felicio, a Boston based member of LPAC’s national board.

MAY|JUN 2018 | 89

SCENE Sports PHOTOS Bob Quist

Boston Gay Basketball League All-Star Game South End Fitness Center | Boston | March 31, 2018

The Boston Gay Basketball League (BGBL) wrapped up its 24th season with two division championship games played to a cheering full-house crowd. In the Division Two final, the Harp and Bard Fighting Irish were victorious over Whiplash, sponsored by chiropractor Jonathan Melman. Harp and Bard was coached by league veteran and Hall of Fame member Ken Sawada. And in the Division One championship game, first year coach Pat Rudewicz lead the Bankhead and Groipen Drillers to the title, over the Cathedral Station Cats.

Division 1 champs: the Bankhead and Groipen Drillers

Division 2 champs: the Harp and Bard Fighting Irish

SCENE Sports PHOTOS Bob Quist

Boston Gay Basketball League Awards Banquet Peggy O’Neil’s | Dorchester | March 31, 2018

In addition to individual and team awards, the fifth class of the Boston Gay Basketball League Hall of Fame was inducted. The five newest members honored were Joe Antoun, Fenway Health, Terrence Powers, Gary Staples and Larry White. A league member (player, coach, sponsor, official or volunteer) is eligible for nomination with a minimum of seven years in the league; nominees must receive two-thirds affirmative votes from the Hall of Fame to be inducted. The regular season and playoffs take place between November and March, with eight-week pick up leagues in May/June, July/ August, and September/October. More information about the league can be found at www.bgbl.com or on the league Facebook page. Membership is open to members of the LGBT community and our allies.

Hall of Fame Inductees

90 | BOSTON SPIRIT

All stars

LET’S DANCE!

SCENE Community PHOTOS Courtesy L.I.R. Productions

Taboo or Nah: Experiences of Queer People of Color Bella Luna Restaurant and Milk Way Lounge | Jamaica Plain | March 4, 2018

A panel discussion and Q&A held over a dinner followed by drinks, mingling and great conversation—it was a celebration of Boston Black Pride that explored how the intersections of genders and racial identities impact how we navigate the world around us. The event also introduced members of Boi Society, a queer community based in Oakland, California, to the Boston LGBTQIA community. Special guests included Boi Society founder Brooklyn Wright plus panelists teacher-artist-peformer-storyteller Eddie Maisonet, transgender model-dancerwriter-activist Erin Ebony, Lesbians of Color Collective co-founder spokenword artist and community leader Shaunya and Jha D. The event was cosponsored by BAGLY and The History Project.

www.mochadj.com INFO@MOCHADJ.COM

MAY|JUN 2018 | 91

SCENE Fundraiser PHOTOS Leise Jones Photography

Beacons of Light Gala Cyclorama | Boston | March 22, 2018

MassEquality, Massachusetts’ leading LGBTQ grassroots advocacy organization, received $55k in donations at its 2018 Beacons of Light fundraising dinner and Icon Awards ceremony. The money raised will allow the organization to expand its mission to advocate for full equality and justice throughout the state; educate communities on LGBTQ issues; and elect supportive candidates to state wide offices. The Community Icon award winner went to The Network/La Red, a survivor-led, social justice organization. Notable attendees included Shane Cahill, Consul General of Ireland (who attended with his partner, Sean Henry); Josée-Anne Labrie, Public Information Officer of the Québec Government Office in Boston; Sam Chambers, Boston Citywide LGBTQ Liaison for Mayor Martin J. Walsh; Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim; and former Rep. Carl Sciortino (currently Executive Director of AIDS Action Committee).

92 | BOSTON SPIRIT

SCENE Category PHOTOS Marilyn Humphries

25 years of co-chairs

Men’s Event Copley Place Marriott | Boston | March 10, 2018

Fenway Health’s 25th Men’s Event was one for the history books! More than 1,300 gay and bisexual men, transgender people, friends, supporters and volunteers attended as former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick received the Congressman Gerry E. Studds Award. The dinner, dancing to DJ Nate Bluhm, silent auction art show and mingling made this year’s shindig once again a major, standout event of the year. Fenway extends special thanks to Event Chairs John Basile, Andy Huang and Gregg Snyder. With their help, the evening raised more than $780,000 in cash and pledges to support the life-saving services and programs at Fenway Health. Governor Patrick

Darlene Stromstad

2018 co-chairs

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SCENE Workshop PHOTOS PIOW

Pride In Our Workplace Breakfast Wellington Management | Boston | April 6, 2018

Wellington Management hosted the latest in the Pride in Our Workplace (PIOW) series of breakfast events, “Protecting Progress on LGBT Rights: Corporate and Non-Profit Advocacy in Historical Perspective.” The event featured speakers Amber Kagen, vice president, Labor and Employment, General Electric Company; Neal Kane, board member, LGBT History Project; Ben Klein, senior attorney and AIDS Law Project Director at GLAD; and Minita Shah-Mara, Head of Global Diversity and Inclusion, Biogen, Inc. Pride In Our Workplace is committed to engaging and developing LGBT employees across New England by helping organizations create open and inclusive work environments where all can thrive and succeed. PIOW does this through its three pillars: professional development, networking/community building, and thought leadership.

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SCENE Celebration PHOTOS Isatta Coomber

Bayard Rustin Breakfast JFK Presidential Library | Boston | April 7, 2018

Always a spirited celebration honoring LGBT leaders of color in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the 29th annual Bayard Rustin Community Breakfast, hosted by AIDS Action Committee, proved no exception this year with Allan McClendon receiving the Bayard Rustin Award for Courage, and Larry V. Day, program director of Victory Programs’ Boston Living Center, the Belynda A. Dunn Award for Activism. Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, delivered the keynote address. Actor-singer Gordon Michaels and cellist Sam Ou entertained. The Bayard Rustin Community Breakfast maintains a tradition of commemorating and celebrating the life and work of Bayard Rustin, one of the unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. It is the longest-running event honoring Bayard Rustin’s legacy in the country.

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CODA Song STORY Scott Kearnan

Spreading the Good Word Empowering RuPaul Drag Race star Kennedy Davenport headlines at Boston Theater Offensive’s ClimACTS! She finished a strong second place on the just-wrapped third season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars.” But when it comes to pure talent, Kennedy Davenport is tops. If you only know the Dallasborn queen from reality TV, you may not realize that Davenport (a.k.a. Reuben Asberry Jr.) has nabbed over a dozen drag pageant titles across the country, went to a performing arts high school, and eventually attended the BFA Dance program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. On May 16 at Boston’s Royale nightclub, Kennedy Davenport will emcee ClimACTS!, the bold annual gala from The Theater Offensive. She’ll also receive the organization’s OUT’hood Award, named for TTO’s signature approach to connecting underserved urban communities to the LGBTQ arts. (For tickets and info, visit thetheateroffensive.org) Davenport also comes to Connecticut on June 9, where she’ll perform at Fairfield County’s Pride in the Park alongside fellow “All Stars” alum Chi Chi DeVayne. (For more info, visit ctpridecenter.org) She sings (on her recent debut single “Moving Up”), she dances (like a true diva)—and she spoke with Boston Spirit about the power of drag, and the arts, to change lives.

k.d. lang in concert. PHOTO Matt Duboff

[SPIRIT] When did you first want to do drag? [KENNEDY] I wasn’t a fan of drag in the beginning. I was a boy with a bitter taste in my mouth about drag queens, though I didn’t know anything about it. Then I snuck out to a drag show at a club. This beautiful drag queen came out. She was big, voluptuous. It was like a fantasy. It wasn’t “ooh, I want to try that!” But it was my first time seeing a show. Later, my best friend was like, “you’d be cute as a girl.” I thought, “I’m a performing artist. I graduated from a school for the arts. My whole life has been the stage and this is just another way to perform.” [SPIRIT] How did the arts

most shape you?

[KENNEDY] It really helps you appreciate people and respect people for who they are—to not judge people. And I’ve been judged my whole life. … When I was a kid, I didn’t know what a “fag” was. But that was the first thing that would come out of people’s mouths. God forbid that I was the only one in the show doing an interpretative dance, stuff that was girly back in the day. I had a naturally feminine way about me. I was a target.

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[SPIRIT] What got you through all that? [KENNEDY] I prayed a lot. I grew up in the church and there was a struggle with my lifestyle and my beliefs. At times I didn’t want to live. I was in that cycle and attempted suicide. But prayer built me up. It helped me to be strong and push through. That’s where “Moving Up” came from. It’s not easy growing up knowing that you’re gay and feeling different. I had to learn that just because I’m different doesn’t mean I’m wrong. I’m different because I’m talented. I’m different because I have an open heart. I’m different because I’m loving. All these things are great qualities. [SPIRIT] Who was your biggest early supporter? [KENNEDY] I always had a big support

system—mainly my father, once he got wind that I could sing. At the same time, we bumped heads a lot. I feel like he knew I was gay and

didn’t want me to be gay. But with time and life and almost losing me, his mind opened up a whole lot. [SPIRIT] How does it feel that you’re now celebrated for the same qualities that used to make you feel bullied? [KENNEDY] It’s great! It validates you, to know that you have a purpose. I was talking to [current “Drag Race” contestant] Eureka, giving her encouraging words, and I was telling her that drag queens— not all of them, but the ones that live with purpose—we’re able to reach people that a pastor would never be able to reach. I tell people this all the time, whenever they give me a microphone: Live with a purpose. You can’t be on this earth just living for yourself. You’re living for someone else. It’s a testimony, to help the next person along. [x]

T. C. C A N N O N ARTIST • MUSICIAN • POET • VETERAN

THROUGH JUNE 10, 2018 AT T H E P E A B O DY E S S E X M U S E U M T.C. Cannon: At the Edge of America is organized by the Peabody Essex Museum and made possible in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Carolyn and Peter S. Lynch and The Lynch Foundation and Ellen and Steve Hoffman provided generous support. We also recognize the generosity of the East India Marine Associates of the Peabody Essex Museum. MEDIA PARTNERS

T.C. Cannon (1946–1978, Caddo/Kiowa), His Hair Flows Like a River (detail), 1973-77. Acrylic and oil on canvas. Anne Aberbach and Family, Paradise Valley, Arizona. © 2017 Estate of T. C. Cannon. Photo by Thosh Collins.

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