BY JAMES DOUGLAS AND LUIS H. GARAY | PG. 11
FRIDAY JUNE 16
(HP) 7 p.m.
High Point Yoga School invites you to celebrate the longest day and shortest night of the year with a free yoga session made of 108 sun salutations backed by tunes from Tim Fogarty. Visit highpointys.com for more information.
The Matrix @ Bailey Park (W-S) 8:30
Innovation & Cinema presents a selection of films in partnership with a/perture cinema. Head to Bailey Park’s lower lawn for a screening of The Matrix starring Keanu Reaves and Laurence Fishburne. This film is rated R. More info at innovationquarter.com
SATURDAY JUNE 17
by MICHAELA RATLIFFJUNE 16 - 18
SUNDAY JUNE 18
Festival @ (GSO) 5 p.m.
Juneteenth is taking over downtown Greensboro. At Center City Park, support a variety of Black-owned food trucks and local artists with a mini concert. At the same time at LeBauer Park, a traditional African drum ceremony and more will take place. We’ll be at Center City Park with papers, TCB swag, stickers and other take-home goodies. Stop by and see us! More information at juneteenthgso.com
Father’s Day Pig Roast @ East of Texas (W-S) 12 p.m.
Celebrate Father’s Day with an all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet complete with brisket, sides and fixins and sweet tea. Purchase tickets in advance on Eventbrite
Find more events and add your own to our calendar at triad-city-beat.com/local-events
2023
@ Greensboro History Museum (GSO)
9:30 a.m.
Discover historic Black businesses, including banks and beauty shops during this 3-mile bike ride and tour in celebration of Juneteenth. Register at bikegso.org
Juneteenth Celebration @ Allen Jay Park (HP) 10 a.m.
High Point Parks & Recreation is celebrating Juneteenth with a family-friendly gathering with music, games and other activities. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.
JUNE 17 WEST END MAMBO
4TH ST. IN FRONT OF FOOTHILLS BREWING
The city of Greensboro loves to take credit for its place in history during the Civil Rights Movement, but in an act of historical revisionism, it obscures the role that city officials and police have played in repressing any resistance to our unjust system.
BrianBurch, pg. 9
1451 S. Elm-Eugene St. Box 24, Greensboro, NC 27406 Office: 336.681.0704
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t’s something of a curse in the news landscape. We see it every day. Images, stories, video of catastrophes, murders, debilitating legislation being passed, families and whole communities being demonized. In some newsrooms, they still go by the old rule: If it bleeds, it leads.
without being informed? But the trans community deserves joy, too. We all do.
The news shouldn’t just be about suffering.
by Sayaka MatsuokaFor so long, marginalized communities have only existed in the news through a deficit lens or a hyperfocus on what’s going wrong. The negatives, the atrocities.
But there’s so much going right, too.
Of course, the news exists to educate the public on everything that’s going on in our communities and in the broader world. A lot of that, unfortunately, centers around suffering.
But our role needs to be much more than just a chronicle of pain.
This month, there has been so much attention on the increasing targeting of trans communities, the mental and physical harm these attacks can cause, how families are having to flee their home states. And all of that is important to know, because how can we fight back
Last week, when protesters gathered in front of the city council building in downtown Greensboro, trans people and allies spoke out against hate and chanted in both joy and anger, “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re fabulous, don’t fuck with us.”
So like them, we can exist in both.
And as we round out this month, we as news organizations need to be mindful of celebrating and highlighting the triumphs, the small joys, the mundane parts of these marginalized communities, too.
Because we are all so much more than our suffering. Marginalized communities know this already. But it never hurts to say it out loud.
Attendees at a private drag event hosted at a Radar Brewery on Saturday were subject to harassment by Proud Boys who traveled from as far away as Wilmington.
As the doors to the event opened at 11 a.m., about a dozen men dressed in various states of tactical military gear, wearing masks and sporting the signature Proud Boy colors of black and yellow, appeared and “multiplied quickly,” according to a vendor who was at the event. Visitors arriving for the event were then subjected to verbal abuse by the group from the roadside as they entered the brewery.
The “Yacht House Party” at Radar on Saturday was hosted by popular local drag performers Anna Yacht and CC Labrie. As the event began members of the Proud Boys were as close as legally permissible, shouting “groomers” and “pedophiles” at the various attendees who were walking or driving up to the event. Some protestors waved large signs that had messages like “18 Plus Gets Rid of Us” while another read “ Groom Dogs Not Kids.”
A Cape Fear chapter delegate waved a large flag that displayed the Grim Reaper holding a scythe. The captions above and below the image read “Cape Fear Proud Boys” followed by “We Are Everywhere.”
Due to the harassment, most attendees to the event remained inside and avoided the patio. If anyone ventured outside to the patio or nearby food truck, the protesters moved closer in an attempt to provoke and intimidate them. A few attendees videotaped the incident and argued with the Proud Boy members. Most people who attempted to confront and engage with the Proud Boys were usually solitary and immediately outnumbered and shouted down.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has characterized the Proud Boys as a hate group and the Anti-Defamation League has described the Proud Boys as “extremist conservative” and “alt lite”, “overtly Islamophobic and misogynistic”, “transphobic and anti-immigration”, “all too willing to embrace racists, antisemites and bigots of all kinds.” A Proud Boys flyer posted on a telephone pole beside Radar described the group’s rejection of “modern principles’’ and a goal of maintaining “traditional western values.”
Charles Donohoe, former leader of the local Triad area chapter of the Proud Boys attended the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol and was later arrested for his part in the attempted coup. Donohoe pled guilty to lesser counts and avoided a charge of Seditious Conspiracy in exchange for his cooperation with prosecutors.
According to posts on Telegram, delegates from the Northwest, Catawba Valley, Eastside and Cape Fear chapters were sent to protest the drag event, which they called a “blatantly advertised grooming event.” Of these four chapters, only 14 representatives were present for the protest.
At 5:24 a.m. Saturday, a post appeared in the Cape Fear forum with a photograph of a toy airplane flying above a model globe with a caption reading “Your Cape Fear Proud Boys are on the move! We’re traveling today to pay a very special visit to some very nasty people. Stay tuned!”
Four hours later, another post at 9:34 a.m. featured a short GIF showing an
ammunition magazine being loaded into an AK-47 assault rifle with a caption reading “Gear up boys. It’s almost time. THIS ONE’S GONNA BE WILD!!”
Around 11:15 a.m., a Winston-Salem police officer arrived at the show, according to event workers.
One officer spoke to the event hosts and explained the protest rules to the protesters. Public property is fair domain to protest, such as sidewalks, but protestors cannot impede foot or vehicle traffic. The officer then left the scene. Police were also called by a neighboring business at 11:28 a.m. due to the ongoing harassment. Another round of police arrived again at 12:40 p.m., this time with sirens on.
Shortly afterwards, the protest group left the premises in the vehicles they arrived in which were notably missing the legally required license plates that would help identify the owners.
At 9:42 p.m., a post with the event advertisement was posted on the Cape Fear Telegram group. “Proud Month, Day 10. Winston-Salem,” it read. “Radar Brewing in Winston-Salem advertised an all-ages drag brunch, asking parents to ‘use discretion’ when deciding to bring children.” Continuing, the poster warned “Children at drag events is not discretionary. It’s absolutely unacceptable. We will not let behavior like this go unopposed.”
At least one local Proud Boy member who was present and could be identified was Jonathan Moss, wearing a cowboy hat instead of a mask. Moss, of the Triad area, has been involved with local and national Proud Boy activities since the late 2010s.
On Dec. 21, 2020, Moss posted a screenshot of a receipt for body armor from Safelifedefense.com with a caption that read “Getting ready for DC again” on his personal Instagram account; the post was later deleted.
A post from Moss’s Instagram account on Jan. 7, 2021 featured a video of
people breaking windows from a BLM protest with a caption that read, “The capitol belongs to the people, ‘we the people.’ We had every right to storm the building. We didn’t Burn it down, we didn’t Loot it, and we didn’t Murder anyone. There’s the difference. The capitol police murdered 4 innocent and unarmed Americans.” This post was also later deleted. It is unknown if there is other evidence, if any, that implicates Moss’s participation in the Capitol Insurrection.
Councilman Kevin Mundy was notified of the appearance of the Proud Boy protesters and relayed the concern of the city’s Pride organizers about the safety and security of future events. Mundy is the city council’s only openly gay member.
“We’ve never felt this threatened before,” he said. “It’s a real threat.”
Speaking about the law enforcement presence, Mundy explains that groups like the Proud Boys are “setting police officers up to violate their constitutional rights” through ruses that involve provocation.
“The police have to walk that razor-thin line to protect us without violating the rights of these assholes [Proud Boys],” he said.
Mundy said that the WSPD is paying close attention to the situation after Saturday’s incident and is working with the public and Pride organizers for Pride events that will be occurring throughout the downtown area at the end of the month.
The Proud Boy rally took place just one day after the Pride Progress flag that hung outside of Winston-Salem’s city hall was vandalized. In the last few years, Proud Boys have attended multiple drag shows across the country, causing alarm for the LGBTQIA+ community.
During its June 6 meeting, Greensboro City Council approved a $1 million expenditure that will allow the purchase of 24 replacement police cars for the Greensboro Police Department.
The Equipment Services Division provides all city departments with a fleet of equipment and keeps a small back-up supply of police vehicles at city facilities. There is currently only one police vehicle available for replacement needs, according to city documents.
“We literally have one car in inventory right now…. One fender-bender and we’re out of police cars,” Assistant City Manager Larry Davis told councilmembers, adding that the 24 new cars will all go into service, replacing vehicles that have gone beyond their typical lifespans and need to come out of service. Council voted 8-1 in favor of the measure, with District 1 representative Sharon Hightower as the sole dissenting member.
“[O]ur order for replacement vehicles this year did not get filled,” Davis said, citing manufacturing production challenges. The city had been pursuing hybrid vehicles from Ford. However, according to Davis, Ford was unable to get the necessary parts to build them, so all hybrid vehicle orders went unfilled. Gas-powered vehicles will be purchased locally instead.
While Hightower was the sole dissenting vote on June 6, District 2 councilmember Goldie Wells echoed Hightower’s concerns around more funding for police.
“It does make you wonder, why is it we focus just one way
when there are other things that our citizens need that we need to be pushing for,” Wells said.
“It’s an unbalanced effort,” Hightower concurred.
“I know we have to do these things, but I think we should be more balanced,” Wells said.
“It’s wrong, it’s absolutely wrong that we have focused on one area,” Hightower added.
“Putting all the money on one side and be damned everybody else. It’s wrong. Transit is suffering. Field ops is suffering.”
“I understand public safety is important — it is — but you have put them on a pedestal,” Hightower argued.
At-large councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter, who is a vocal supporter of the police and was once found to be a police informant, voiced her approval of the move.
“If there is only one police vehicle available — which is the case — and two police cars have flat tires….Forget it,” she said.
Despite calls for defunding the police in 2020, the city of Greensboro has gradually increased its funding of the police department in the last few years. For the 2020-2021 fiscal year, the police department had a budget of $78,583,248 — and the year after that it went up to $83,721,688. During the 2022-23 fiscal year, the budget was $91,174,117. The upcoming recommended budget for the police department is $96,023,712, which would amount to nearly 13 percent of the city’s total recommended budget of $749.5 million.
The 2023-24 budget is still in the works and is expected to be voted on by council on June 20. The budget will go into effect on July 1.
JUNE 2 4 –JULY 2 9 | 2 0 2 3
Greensboro, North Carolina
Saturday night performances featuring:
William Wolfram, piano (July 1)
Gil Shaham, violin (July 8)
Mighty 5’s, Beethoven/Mahler (July 15)
Hélène Grimaud, piano (July 22)
Awadagin Pratt, piano (July 29)
TICKETS
Last week in Greensboro, North Carolina Republicans voted to formally censure Sen. Thom Tillis because of his work on bipartisan efforts in the Senate for modest gun control and same-sex marriage.
We’ve been watching the rise of Sen. Thom Tillis for some time.
A trip through our archives gives us the highlights that include failing upwards from a seat on the Cornelius Town Commission to the NC House, where he became speaker in 2010 and ran largely unopposed until 2014, when he defeated Kay Hagan for the US Senate seat.
In that time he has committed all manner of right-wing chicanery, including the initial denial of Medicaid expansion in NC (2014), support for the anti-trans Bathroom Bill (2016) and performing a bait-andswitch on his vote to fund Trump’s bogus border crisis (2018). In short, he’s done nothing but appease his masters and curry political favor with his backwards party from the very first day.
And this is how they pay him
Seriously, Tillis made his name as one of the most conservative voices in the Senate. It was Trump who broke his back by forcing Tillis to contort himself to fit into whatever position the former president felt like taking that day. It wasn’t until after Jan. 6 that Tillis started to break away again, voting to uphold the results of the Electoral College in the wake of the disaster.
The line drawn by censuring Tillis doesn’t force him out of office, but the formal reprimand all but guarantees the GOP wants to back a primary challenger in his next re-election bid. But that’s not until 2026.
Perhaps we can take solace in the fact that if Tillis knows anything at all, it’s which way the political winds are blowing. So if he seems unconcerned about payback from the GOP ground troops, perhaps we shouldn’t be either.
But if mainstream Republicans deem Tillis — who has been a footsoldier for the GOP playbook — unworthy of their trust, then we should be worried about who’s left in the tent.
Courtesy of NC Policy Watch
Tillis made his name as one of the most conservative voices in the Senate.
The recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday is one of the only tangible changes that came from the 2020 uprisings.
Many cities promised to consider defunding and divesting from police-dominated budgeting, but none have actually followed through, including in the city of Minneapolis, where a precinct was burned to the ground in a direct action supported by the majority of Americans polled.
We got the proposed “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,” which despite its name, provides more funding to police departments for recruitment, training and equipment. It has also only passed the House and has been deadlocked in the Senate for two years. In his 2022 State of the Union Address, President Biden said, “We should all agree: The answer is not to defund the police. It’s to fund the police.” But how can we all agree when data shows that more policing does not correlate with less crime, and American police killed at least 1,238 people last year?
Where does Greensboro fit into this equation?
The city of Greensboro loves to take credit for its place in history during the Civil Rights Movement, but in an act of historical revisionism, it obscures the role that city officials and police have played in repressing any resistance to our unjust system. As the city promotes its Juneteenth celebration, which is all good and well, we should remember the ways they have failed and continue to fail the most marginalized members of our community.
The Greensboro Police Department is emblematic of many departments across the country. Like many other Southern law-enforcement agencies, it began as a compulsory slave patrol in 1830. Its history has been riddled with the suppression of the Civil Rights Movement and local labor struggles, even going as far as assisting the American Nazi Party and the Ku Klux Klan in carrying out an orchestrated attack of white supremacist violence in which five labor organizers were killed in the infamous 1979 Greensboro Massacre.
In the lesser-known 1969 Greensboro Uprising, police tear-gassed students at James B. Dudley High School and the National Guard invaded and pillaged the dorms at NC A&T State University.
In September of last year, students attending a football game at Dudley High were tear-gassed as police
attempted to break up a fight.
Brian Burch (he/ him/his) is a working-class community organizer and visual artist living and working in Guilford County, North Carolina.
One has to wonder why their practices have not changed.
Since the Civil Rights Movement, the culture of the department does not seem to have improved. In 2006, Chief David Ray and two high-ranking officers resigned following allegations that the department’s Special Intelligence Section was secretly surveilling and collecting information on its Black officers .
In 2013, three federal lawsuits brought forth by nearly 40 officers of color, including former Police Chief Brian James, claiming discrimination were settled for a total of $500,000. Current city council members Nancy Vaughan and Zack Matheny voted against the settlement. In 2015, a New York Times investigation revealed that Black motorists in Greensboro were disproportionately stopped by police. A public information request filed by activist Jason Hicks earlier this year revealed that Black Greensboro residents are still twice as likely to be stopped by police than their white counterparts. According to the city website, “The Greensboro Police Department does not contest the fact that the data shows racial disparities with respect to traffic stops and searches” but denies that interpersonal racism is a factor.
Most importantly, too many lives have been prematurely lost at the hands of our local law enforcement officers. In 2022, the city finally settled a lawsuit brought forth by the family of Marcus Smith who was fatally hogtied by eight GPD officers. The family, supported by community members, has been fighting for justice since his death in 2018. The settlement has been agreed upon but has yet to be paid out. Officer Lee Andrews and Officer Montalvo resigned in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Officers Jordan Bailey, Robert Duncan, Alfred Lewis, Justin Payne, and Corporal Christopher Bradshaw have all since received merit raises and remain on the force Officer Douglas Strader was later fired in an unrelated incident where he fired into a fleeing vehicle, but found no issue with finding employment with the Graham Police Department in neighboring Alamance County. Luckily no one was killed by his act of recklessness, but the same behavior by a different officer in August 2022 ended with the death of 17-year-old Nasanto “Duke” Crenshaw.
The city of Greensboro is currently facing two wrongful death lawsuits, one from Chrenshaw’s family and the
Below is an incomprehensive list of victims of local police violence. They will not be forgotten. We must remember them and honor their names. They should all be alive today.
Nasanto “Duke” Crenshaw, age 17, was shot and killed by Corporal Matthew Sletten on August 21st, 2022.
Joseph Lopez, age 29, was shot and killed by Officer Matthew Hamilton on November 19th, 2021.
Christopher Corey Moore, age 41, was shot and killed by officers A.L. Dellinger and R.T. Brooks on August 27th, 2021.
Fred Cox Jr., age 18, was shot and killed by Deputy Michael Shane Hill on November 8th, 2020.
Michael Brandon Potter, age 33, was shot and killed by High Point Police Officer Adam Burkholder on March 15th, 2020.
Boyce Melvin Thayer, age 83, was shot and killed by Guilford County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl Kyle Mikesell on February 23, 2020.
Dennis Patrick, age 28, was shot and killed by Guilford County Sheriff’s Deputies and a High Point Police Officer on October 15, 2019.
Victor Ervin Jarvis, age 61, was shot and killed by three Guilford County Sheriff’s Deputies on October 14, 2019.
Aaron Michael Andrews, age 35, died in police custody on June 17th, 2019.
Marcus Deon Smith, age 38, was fatally hogtied by Officers Robert Duncan, Justin Payne, Michael Montalvo, Alfred Lewis, Jordan Bailey, and Lee Andrews, along with Sergeant Christopher Bradshaw and Corporal Douglas Strader on September 8th, 2018.
Tasharra Thomas, age 33, died in police custody at Guilford County Detention Center on May 2, 2018.
Edward McCrae, age 60, was shot and killed by a Winston-Salem police officer on March 30, 2018.
other from the family of Joseph Lopez, who was shot point blank by Officer Matthew Hamilton in 2021. Although the city fired Hamilton, it continues to fund his legal defense against the suit and has spent over $50,000 of taxpayer money as of December 2022. In a rare act of competence, Guilford County District Attorney Avery Crump filed manslaughter charges against that officer. One can’t help but wonder why none of the officers who killed Marcus Smith, nor Deputy Michael Shane Hill who shot Fred Cox in the back in a High Point church, nor Matthew Sletten who fired into a car full of teenagers killing Duke Crenshaw, have faced similar charges.
This Juneteenth we should celebrate the informal ending of chattel slavery and the accomplishments of Black social justice movements which have made such immense progress in ending legal discrimination. But we should also call on our city to do better, to hold themselves and the police accountable for the injustices they have committed. We need them to adequately address the racial disparities in their policing practices. To divest from policing as the main avenue to address public safety. And to stop killing us!
And, at the bare minimum, provide transparency and accountability in instances of police misconduct, rather than continuing a pattern of obfuscation and straight-up fabrication of details as has been documented in their public statements following the deaths of Marcus Smith and Nasanto Crenshaw.
Carlos Keith Blackman, age 25, was shot and killed by GPD Officer JR LaBarre on February 10, 2017.
Christopher Michael Tokazowski, age 43, was shot and killed by R.G. Ector, J.E. Chasten, C.B. Cline, A. Mendez, W.Z. White, Cpl. M.R. McPhatter, Cpl. A.M. Deal, and Cpl. M.P. Brown on March 12th, 2016.
Bobby Troledge Norris, age 53, was shot and killed by High Point Police Officers Andrew Lanier, Zach Trotter, John Antignano, and Archdale Police Officer Tim Coats on August 23, 2015.
Ray Junior Barber, age 45, was shot and killed by officers on June 22, 2014.
Florence White, age 51, was struck and killed by a car driven by Guilford County Sheriff’s Deputy Philip Lowe on June 22nd, 2014. Lowe resigned in 2019.
Chieu-di Thi Vo, age 47, was shot and killed by Greensboro Police Officer
Tim J. Bloch on March 25th, 2014.
Zenon San Martin Ramirez, age 52, died from medical neglect while in the custody of Greensboro Police Officers JL Beavers and TB Caldwell on December 7th, 2012.
Danny David Ferguson, age 60, was shot and killed by High Point Police Officers on September 20th, 2012.
Marques Ra’Shawn Burnett, age 28, was shot and killed by Greensboro Police Officer TN Gillis and Cpl. MW Chandler on October 22nd, 2010.
Shawn Lee Gordon, age 24, was shot and killed by at least five Greensboro Police Officers on March 5th, 2010.
Christian Welland Rook, age 17, was shot and killed by a Guilford County Sheriff’s Deputy on February 2, 2010.
by James Douglas and Luis H. Garay
Numerous bars (if not all) in both Winston-Salem and Greensboro area are supportive of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. In Winston-Salem, this is especially true in the Arts District, home of Single Brothers, Silver Moon Saloon and the newly opened Hel’s. It’s also where Satellite — downtown Winston-Salem’s first openly gay bar — had drag shows 25 years ago at the corner of 7th and Trade streets. Elsewhere downtown, bars and breweries like Joymongers, Radar, Vintage Sofa Bar and Joyners are considered prominent allies of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
In Greensboro, there are multiple breweries and bars like Bull City Ciderworks, Southend, Little Brother and Oden Brewing that host LGBTQIA2S+ supportive events throughout the year. As such this is not meant to be an exhaustive list, rather a sampling of locations that are owned and operated by members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, show themselves to be prominent allies and have regular LGBTQIA2S+ events.
We at TCB know that not everyone drinks, and that for some folks — particularly in the LGBTQIA2S+ community, who are especially vulnerable to the force of addiction — avoiding alcohol can be a matter of life and death. So we were sure to ask all of the locations about their non-alcoholic options as well. Because you don’t need to drink to celebrate Pride! But a lot of people do.
MONSTERCADE
facebook.com/monstercadebar
204 W. Acadia Ave. Carlos Bocanegra, owner
Monstercade, in its six years of being open, has established itself as the bar where outcasts reign.
“Monstercade has been widely recognized as a safe place for all walks of life, including people of all races, genders, and sexual orientation,” says owner/ musician/artist Carlos Bocanegra. “We are a minority-owned business with a majority of our employees identifying as part of the LGBTQ community. One of the greatest compliments we’ve received commented on how a person can come in with a business suit or dressed as a bear with a tutu and we don’t bat a lash.”
Situated on a corner near UNCSA, Monstercade hosts monthly alternative drag and burlesque shows known as “Freaky Friday,” as well as queer-oriented dance parties and several musical acts who have been pushed aside from the mainstream due to their unique art and lifestyle.
Offering a wide assortment of liquor, beer and nonalcoholic options, Monstercade remains unique by the variety of the customers and the acts
that play on its small stage. Bocanegra encourages the range of everything from random guest appearances of cult favorites to young bands barely starting out.
“We are the Strangest Bar in NC!” he says. “Monstercade is a building brought to life by a wonderful host of multiple artists that continually changes.”
FAIR WITNESS FANCY DRINKS
facebook.com/fairwitnessfancydrinks
290 4th St. E. Blake Stewart, co-owner
Across from Bailey Park in Innovation Quarter sits a brick corner bar with the name “Fair Witness” painted above the awnings that wrap around the corner. A character from Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi classic Stranger in a Strange Land inspired the name of this cocktail bar. Open for almost six years, Fair Witness is a cozy spot that’s well-populated with a wide assortment of clientele.
“We tolerate zero forms of bullying or bigotry at Fair Witness,” says co-owner Blake Stewart. “We work with ‘Out at the Movies’ annually and have donated and worked with Northstar and PFLAG as well.”
Stewart’s support of the LGBTQIA2S+ community is close to home. “If you know me well, my father and his husband are quite important to me, and my mother is queer-identifying as well.” Stewart’s wife is bisexual as well.
Stewart and his partner at Fair Witness, Tim Nolan, bring an art to cocktails that don’t require a uniform with suspenders. Infusions, syrups, unique ingredients and craft methods are all utilized with skill and an originality rarely seen. Cheap beer, shots and non-alcoholic options are also available. In the additional space next door, Karaoke echoes into the street on Sunday nights.
“We just want the norm to be kindness and camaraderie while choosing to use our proceeds to sponsor social progress,” Stewart says. “We have certainly participated in demonstrations, provided aid and meeting spaces to causes like BLM and the like…. Happily, I don’t think that makes us a standout as so many hospitality businesses are good about also doing those things.”
EUPHORIA
euphoriatonight.com
701 Trade St. NW, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Jeremy Roberts, ownerThe corner of 7th and Trade streets have a long and storied history in Winston-Salem. The Satellite was a popular bar for the gay community in the ’90’s, when
the revitalization of downtown was left to those young enough to be inspired by the empty spaces. In the past 20 years, it ran the gamut of concepts from dive to tiki to punk, and now Euphoria. Euphoria opened in mid-March of this year, and while owned by a prominent member of the LGBTQIA2+ community, also aims to be one of the first places with a nightclub feel. Bright cocktails (including non-alcoholic options), dance music, DJs and weekly drag shows are the norm. The decor makes the guest feel like they’re in a big-city club. Euphoria is a bar who knows exactly who their audience is but is welcome to anyone.
HEL’S
facebook.com/helswsnc/ 545 Trade St. NW Ste 103, Winston-Salem
Morgan Masencup, co-owner
Hel’s opened in March of this year with the aim of inclusivity.
“Our space is different because we tried to design everything for the groups of people we didn’t see other spaces around us catering to,” says co-owner Morgan Masencup. “We’re younger, femme, and a little more alternative…. Hel’s is dark and a little divey, but we still try to have quality drink options and fresh ingredients.”
The alleyway off Trade Street turns into a wide patio surrounded by murals and graffiti among the tables. Inside, the bar area is lit by purple LEDs that adorn the walls and lead to the various nooks that line up along the back. Behind the bar a variety of cocktails, beers and nonalcoholic mocktails await.
“‘Included’ in our space means that non-drinkers also deserve to be able to come out and enjoy themselves with something more than just a soda or a water,” says Masencup.
The outside space has plenty of room for events, pop-ups and music.
“We’re planning several performances and some fundraisers to help a few of the smaller queer charities that don’t have as much funding [or are as popular] as the larger ones,” says Masencup. “These also include events that will benefit local queer/trans friends in our downtown community.”
Masencup and co-owner Allison Cambra intend for Hel’s to be a standard in how inclusive bars should operate.
“I’m bi/pan and having a space that supports and looks out for the queer community is important to all of us involved with Hel’s,” says Masencup.
bars in Greensboro.
Over one section of the bar is a bright neon sign that encompasses Marjae’s inclusive vibe: “I’m at peace here.”
And that’s how the owners want every person that walks through the doors to feel like.
“The vibe is always welcoming, fun and friendly,” Whitsett says. “The atmosphere can adapt to so many different moods.”
This month, they are hosting Pride-specific events and throughout the year they put on house music events and Pride inspired cocktails. They hope to bring drag brunches and drag trivia nights in the future. For those who do not drink, every cocktail on their menu can be made into a mocktail.
theboxcarbar.com/greensboro
120 West Lewis St.
Kelsey Gehsmann, general manager
Known for bringing together over 70 arcade games, alcoholic drinks, a pizza shop and a 2,000 square foot private event space, Boxcar Bar + Arcade has been bringing good times to their downtown Greensboro location since 2016. Its spacious outdoor patio provides generous outdoor seating and welcomes performers throughout the week. They support the LGBTQIA2S+ community by being a regular sponsor of Greensboro Pride and recently hosted Triad Health’s Project “THP Cares” event. They will begin to have monthly drag brunches on June 25.
“We are a happy and fun environment,” says Kelsey Gehsmann, general manager for the Greensboro location. “I don’t think there’s anyone in town like us that provides an environment like we do.” For those that don’t drink, the bar and arcade carries non-alcoholic options from Athletic Brewing Company and sparkling drink options. They also have juice and soda options for mocktails.
greensboro.chemistrynight club.com
2901 Spring Garden St.
MARJAE’S WINE BAR
1107 Grecade St. marjaeswinebar.com
J’Mihyia Whitsett, co-ownerOpen since in 2021, Marjae’s Wine Bar is owned by J’Mihyia Whitsett and her wife Paris.
With an ample patio and a party room with a pink telephone booth, the wine bar offers an alternative to clubs and sports
Chemistry Nightclub has been providing a safe space for club dancing, an open patio, and karaoke and trivia nights to its LGBTQIA2S+ patrons since it opened in 2012. Though most of its members and guests are gay, everyone is welcome regardless of their orientation. Less than two miles from UNCG, Chemistry offers free cover on Thursdays for students and their weekly event schedule includes drag dinner shows karaoke on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and ‘School of Drag’ drag shows. For those looking for an earlier and late drag show options, you can check out the monthly ‘‘Sex Kitten Round Up’ show with three shows a night at 8:00pm, 10:00pm, and 12:30 a.m.
LEWIS AND ELM lewisandelm.com
600 South Elm St. Jake Assaf, owner
Bringing wine education to the Triad, Jake Assaf is the owner and manager of Lewis and Elm, which opened its doors in downtown in 2021.They have a diverse selection of wine, cheese, beer and European-inspired small plates.
With over 50 types of wines, it is easy to taste around the world with wines from Italy, Argentina, France and Napa Valley. Intimate two person tables, comfy corner couches, and long tables give Lewis and Elm the feel of a neighborhood spot, easy for a date night or drinks with friends.
“We are not just waiting tables,” Assaf says. “We are getting to know people. It’s more than a bar.” They are happy to support and give a platform to support any organizations representing the LGBTQIA2S+ communities. They have hosted and contributed to events by the Guilford Green Foundation and LGBTQ Center, most recently sponsoring raffle items for their 25th Anniversary Green Party. A huge part of their business has become mocktails and spritz beverages.
facebook.com/TwistLoungeGSO
435-m Dolley Madison Rd.
Open since 2019, Twist Lounge mixes an open dance floor, small group seating, a pool table, and an electronic jukebox in northwest Greensboro. While the clientele is mostly gay men, the bar’s tagline — “a twist on your neighborhood bar” — shows the bar’s intention to be open to anyone willing to have a good time. Recently, the bar held a “Girl Code” event that was geared towards women and nonbinary people, but reiterated that the business was “always a safe space for everyone” in their marketing. Twist also hosts events such as weekday trivia nights called ‘Twisted Trivia’, monthly fetish nights called ‘Fetish Fridays’, and drag variety shows. The business is rooted in community hosting events to benefit other organizations in Greensboro. They recently hosted drag events supporting the Greensboro Pride Festival and the Greensboro abortion clinic escort program.
BY CAROLYN DE BERRY
Dinosaur sighting at Porchfest, a free annual music festival, in the Dunleath Neighborhood.
by Matt Jones
Across
1. Shoe store stats
7. Mess up
11. Adds to an email
14. Implant firmly
15. “___ Kleine Nachtmusik”
16. Stadium cheer
17. Really, really cold Newton fruit?
19. Root beer brand
20. “Wheel of Fortune” option
21. “Star Wars” actor Guinness
22. “Dancing Queen” band
23. Be noisy upstairs
25. Relaxation partner
27. Upscale hotel amenity
29. Tapioca pearls
31. Ludicrous comedies
35. Swiss Roll alternative
37. New York team
39. String quartet member
40. Getting the most out of the Russian fighter plane?
43. Slowly, musically
44. Unexciting
45. 2000 Radiohead album
46. Stella ___ (Belgian beer)
48. Maple syrup sources
50. Animation frame
51. Les Etats-___
53. “The White ___” (show with Jennifer Coolidge)
55. Bit of heckling
58. Skirt style
60. Terrier seen in “The Thin Man”
62. WWW address
63. One response to “Doctor, I think I’m an 18-wheeler”?
66. Appropriate start?
67. Vampire chronicler Rice
68. New York city where Mark Twain lived
69. Shepherd’s pie bit
70. Ornery
71. Flowed slowly
Down
1. “Asteroid City” director Anderson
2. Road stops
3. Gives subtle help
4. Namely
5. Mix
6. “Come ___?” (“How are you?” in Italy)
7. Plummeted
8. Long-term inmate
9. Charitable acronym
10. Request fervently
11. Rooster’s crest
12. Symbol on a card
13. “Virtua Fighter” game company
18. Safety restraint
22. In danger
24. ___ Lisa Vito (“My Cousin Vinny” role)
26. File menu option
27. Legendary Dolphins coach Don
28. Baffling question
30. Geographical reference
32. “Get Fuzzy,” e.g.
33. Skip over, as a vowel
34. “Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!” host
Peter
36. Gigging
38. Mogadishu’s country
41. “Whole Lotta Shakin’ ___ On”
42. ___ baby (one who gets famous through family ties)
47. Gymnast Biles
49. Palomino’s pad
52. Steam room
54. 1972 Bill Withers single
55. Revive, as a battery
56. Part of HOMES
57. “Frozen” heroine
59. Marvel superhero group
61. Suffix after billion
63. Orange tuber
64. “All right”
65. “Frozen” actor Josh
LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS:
‘Can’t Make Heads or Tails’ — no need to flip out.© 2023 Matt Jones © 2022 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)
Here’s one thing we can all agree on: No child should be hungry
A Simple Gesture works to end hunger in our area through our simple nonperishable food collection system (we pick up your donations from your front porch!) and our food recovery program, working with local businesses and schools to get wholesome leftovers to nonprofits that can use them.
Want to help keep Guilford County children and families fed? Sign up to be a monthly food donor at asimplegesturegso.org/sign-me-up
Work in the food industry? Learn more about safe, convenient options for food recovery at asimplegesturegso.org/repurpose-foodrecovery
Interested in volunteering? We need drivers to pick up nonperishable and perishable food on a daily basis. Contact us at asimplegesturegso@gmail.com. Volunteer hours are available!
Last year we collected 479,524 pounds of food for our neighbors in need. This year the need is even greater. Learn more at asimplegesturegso.org
3503 Redington Drive, GSO | 336.547.7000 | asimplegesturegso.org
Thrive Coffee Co. is a womanowned specialty coffee shop located inside of Sonder Mind and Body in downtown Greensboro. We pride ourselves on serving Methodical Coffee! We have a variety of coffee, tea and alternative beverage options. We carry baked goods locally made from Baked GSO and Billy Cakes (all gluten free/dairy free & some vegan options). Our space is small, but cozy and welcoming. We encourage you to stay and hang or knock out some work! We are unique because our space is shared with a full Wellness Center offering floatation therapy, massage therapy, a chiropractor, sauna and much more! Come see us for a self-care day & make sure to caffeinate on your way out! 515
