Echo Magazine September 2017 by OUTvoices Phoenix (former Echo Magazine)

PLUS: QU

Meet this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scholarship recipients

IGNITE Your Status Find out how one outreach project is working to promote sexual health and eliminate the stigma around HIV LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 28, #12 | ISSUE 696 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | COMPLIMENTARY

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inside this issue Issue 696 | Vol. 28, #12 | September 2017

features NEWS 8

Letter From The Editor

12 News Briefs 16 Datebook

PREVIEWS AND REVIEWS 40 Without Reservations 44 At The Box Ofﬁce 46 Recordings

Courtesy photo.

50 Opening Nights

52 Between The Covers

Igniting the Conversation Outreach project works to promote sexual health and eliminate the stigma around safer sex and HIV.

Photo courtesy of Habitat For Humanity.

Rainbow Build Tucson’s LGBTQ community funds and constructs Habitat For Humanity home for a family in need.

COMMUNITY 54 All Over The Map

ON THE COVER Members of the IGNITE Crew at the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS. Photo by Fernando Hernández.

PLUS: QU

Meet this year’s scholarship recipients

Photo by Randy’s Vision Photography.

34 IGNITE Your Status Find out how one outreach project is working to promote sexual health and eliminate the stigma around HIV

QU Scholarship fund expands to award two local students for the ﬁrst time ahead of 2017-2018 school year.

Courtesy photo.

Camp Turns 10 Out of the closet and into the woods: A look back at a decade of Camp OUTdoors!

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 28, #12 | ISSUE 696 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | COMPLIMENTARY

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inside this issue

echomag.com web exclusives PHOTO GALLERIES Did the Echo cameras catch you out and about at this month’s events? Find out at echomag.com/ gallery/2017-photos. COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Phoenix Gay Idol 2017

The Trans Ban

From pageants to advocacy, this is where the community goes to ﬁnd out what’s going on in the gayborhood. echomag.com/ community-calendar

Meet Raul Sanchez, the winner of the Valley’s newest singing competition. echomag.com/phx-idol-2017

Find out why local transgender veteran Josef Wolf Burwell says time is on our side. echomag.com/trans-ban

COMMUNITY

Photo credit: ACLU.

DIRECTORY Looking for a local group to join? Have a group that’s seeking new members? Either way, this is the place to connect. echomag.com/ community-directory MARKETING SOLUTIONS

Photo courtesy of Joey Suarez.

Photo by nightfuse.com.

Joey Suarez

Creating Safe Schools

LGBTQ model/actor/musician opens up about his journey and why music is his true love. echomag.com/joey-suarez

GLSEN Phoenix prepares classrooms, gay straight alliances for the year ahead. echomag.com/creating-safe-schools

online now

Find out why Echo is the publication your future clients are already reading. echomag.com/ marketing-solutions

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letter from the editor By KJ Philp

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill

ach fall, Team Echo celebrates students of all ages and recognizes the organizations and individuals that work tirelessly on behalf of those students. Last year, we added a networking twist to our-back-to-school issue to honor all the lifelong students who are never finished learning. So, no matter where you are in your academic or professional journey, we hope there’s something for you in the pages ahead.

making housing affordable for families in need in “Rainbow Build” on page 32.

First things first, let’s talk about the ridiculously good looking faces on this issue’s cover. This a small sampling of the IGNITE Crew, a group of volunteers working to spark HIV awareness and prevention throughout the community as part of the Southwest Center for HIV/ AIDS’ outreach project.

And, if you haven’t met them yet, we’re proud to introduce you to this year’s Phoenix Pride Scholarship Fund recipients on page 18 as well.

Find out why these community leaders are more than pretty faces, in “Igniting The Conversation” on page 28. And then, mark your calendars for IGNITE’s next free testing event Sept. 2 at Stacy’s @ Melrose or network at an upcoming mixer or chat group. Next up is ONE Community, a memberbased coalition of socially responsible businesses, organizations and individuals who support and promote diversity, inclusion and equality for all Arizonans. We invite you to meet the organization’s 2017 Spotlight On Success honorees, and also find out more about its second annual Young Professionals Multicultural Network event, on page 14. Then we turn our attention to Tucson to find out more about Rainbow Build, a collaborative effort between Habitat For Humanity and Southern Arizona’s LGBTQ community. Find out how volunteers from such organizations as the Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce (another excellent outlet for networking) are

From there we took it back to the classroom and sat down with Kelsey “KJ” Williams and Baileigh Thompson, the 2017 QU Scholars, before they head back to school this fall. We have more on the scholarship fund and the academic journeys of this year’s recipients in “QU” on page 34.

Additionally, we caught up with GLSEN Phoenix as its staff and volunteers work to prepare classrooms and gay-straight alliances for the schoolyear ahead. For more about this organization and the resources it offers, visit echomag.com/ creating-safe-schools. Last, but not least, we have some new faces to introduce you to (a lot like the first day of class). Join me in welcoming James Fanizza, Seth Reines and Julio C. Reyna to our team of contributors. You’ll be reading more from them in their respective areas of expertise in the coming issues and we couldn’t be more pleased to have them on board. Best of luck to everyone embarking on a new educational or professional development endeavor this fall. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR: KJ Philp CONTRIBUTORS: Anthony Costello James Fanizza Tamara Juarez Laura Latzko Art Martori Liz Massey Melissa Myers Tia Norris

Hans Pedersen Seth Reines Julio C. Reyna Terri Schlichenmeyer Nikole Tower Michael J. Tucker Rachel Verbits Megan Wadding

ART DEPARTMENT PHOTOGRAPHY: Fernando Hernández and nightfuse.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Gregg Edelman Rosanna Portugal-Miles NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863

ECHO READERSHIP: 50,000 SUBSCRIPTIONS: $29/year ACE PUBLISHING, INC.

MEMBER:

KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine. He can be reached at editor@echomag.com.

MARK OUR CALENDARS To have your event considered for Echo’s print and online calendars, submit your event details to echomag.com/community-calendar.

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Echo Magazine is published by ACE Publishing, Inc. Echo is a registered trademark of ACE Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Written permission must be obtained in advance for partial or complete reproduction of any advertising material contained therein. Opinions expressed therein are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. ACE Publishing, Inc. does not assume responsibility for claims by its advertisers. Publication of a name, photograph of an individual or organization in articles, advertisements or listings is not to be construed as an indication of the sexual orientation, unless such orientation is specifically stated. Manuscripts or other materials submitted remain the property of ACE Publishing, Inc.

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news briefs

Phoenix’s Nondiscrimination Ordinance Arizona businesses and organizations support file of amicus brief with Court of Appeals Prohibiting discrimination against same-sex couples is good for business and the economy, a group of 60 large and small businesses and trade associations argued July 17 in a friendof-the-court brief filed with the Arizona Court of Appeals. “Once again, the business community has demonstrated its leadership in the fight against discrimination,” said Angela Hughey ONE Community president. “We are thrilled that companies and business associations of all varieties and sizes are united in support of the city’s ordinance and for equal rights for all in places of public accommodation. ONE Community was pleased to encourage this incredible group of business leaders to defend the City of Phoenix and this critical ordinance.”

The brief, authored by Perkins Coie, LLP, was filed in support of the City of Phoenix in litigation that arose after the City amended its antidiscrimination ordinance, which prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation such as businesses, restaurants, and hotels, to include sexual orientation. The ordinance was challenged by a custom stationary store that contended doing business with same-sex couples would violate its right to free speech and free exercise of religion. The trial court upheld the ordinance, and the case is now before the Arizona Court of Appeals.

This is not the first time the business community has defended civil protections for LGBTQ individuals. In 2014, the Arizona business community united with ONE Community and organizations like it to defeat a costly bill that would have made it easier for businesses to refuse service to LGBT customers based on the owners’ religious beliefs.

The brief emphasizes the importance of a tolerant environment for businesses competing for talent.

For a list of signatures, or to read the entire brief, visit bit.ly/2uvkJjn.

Similar disputes have popped up across the United States in recent years. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from a Colorado baker with religious objections to same-sex marriage, who had lost a discrimination case for refusing to create a cake to celebrate such a union.

Source: ONE Community.

Phoenix Women’s Chorus Announces Leadership Transition In August 2015, Livia Gho took the position as artistic director of the Phoenix Women’s Chorus. Since that time, Gho introduced its members to music from many diverse cultures, composed a challenging piece about women’s resilience and sisterhood, led it to its third Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA) appearance and a recent collaboration with all five Arizona GALA choruses in Tucson.

Gho envisioned working with the Chorus for one to two years, and having fulfilled that vision, is now moving on to a fulltime teaching position and the next phase in her career. In the meantime, the PWC board of directors announce that Kimberly Waigwa was been hired as interim artistic director July 1, 2017. Waigwa is a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Fred Fox School of Music, holding both a bachelor’s of music in music education and a bachelor’s of arts in creative writing. With aspirations to stand out as a high caliber and multifaceted educator and community leader, Waigwa has already held many leadership positions such as interim director of the St. Nicholas and After School Music Program Choirs and assistant director of the LGBTQA chorus Desert Voices, with which she made her national conducting debut at the 2016 GALA Choruses Festival in Denver. Waigwa has also directed traditional concert choirs, contemporary a cappella ensembles, and show choirs at the high school level. Most notably in her career,

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while still studying at the U of A, Waigwa was selected as 1 of 8 undergraduates to participate in the inaugural undergraduate masterclass at the 2017 American Choral Directors Association’s National Conference in Minneapolis, where she worked with clinicians Dr. Ann Howard Jones and Dr. Jerry McCoy, and the Luther College Collegiate Chorale. Waigwa’s objective is to provide an empowering, inclusive, vigorous, and fun learning experience to better cultivate tools for learning, artistic expression, performance experience and musical skill. For more information about the Phoenix Women’s Chorus, visit phoenixwomenschorus.org. Source: Phoenix Women’s Chorus. news

OPENING ACT EAT· DRINK · NETWORK SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 PHOENIX THEATRE AT 6 P.M. Come join Echo Magazine and Phoenix Theatre for a season premiere party like no other! The Phoenix Theatre Ambassador Board is thrilled to kick oﬀ the 2017/2018 season with Opening Act, a festive reception in tandem with the launch of Echo Magazine’s Arts Season Preview issue! Enjoy Phoenix Theatre’s ArtBar + Bistro oﬀerings, live music and a chance to win the ultimate beverage basket. For more information and to RSVP, visit PhoenixTheatre.com/Ambassador-Board

news briefs

ONE Community Reveals Spotlight On Success Honorees

NE Community, a member-based coalition of socially responsible businesses, organizations and individuals who support diversity, inclusion and equality for all Arizonans, announced the 2017 honorees Spotlight on Success Awards Aug. 8. The seventh annual Spotlight on Success Awards luncheon and networking cocktail reception will take place Oct. 20 at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix. “We are thrilled to be honoring leaders in the community who understand that diversity and inclusion greatly benefit our wonderful state socially and economically,” said Angela Hughey, ONE Community president. “Our differences are our strength, and these illustrious

honorees are promoting and cultivating an environment that celebrates, respects and protects everyone.” This year’s Unity Agent Award will be presented to Rev. Debra Peevey, who has dedicated her life serving as a trailblazer for equality in the LGBTQ community across the country. Over the years, Rev. Peevey has worked tirelessly as a pastor, hospice chaplain, spiritual director and faith director in numerous settings, as well as identifying and training faith leaders across a broad spectrum of faith traditions to speak about and support equality. With more than 30 years of experience working for the inclusion of LGBT persons as full participants in the life and leadership of the church and society, Peevey has spent her professional life speaking with clergy and persons of faith from all traditions about the benefits of inclusion, and how as a person of faith, she is called to live out her ministry by seeing the value of all individuals and the unique role they play in the mosaic of our community.

Meet the 2017 Spotlight on Success honorees: • Diane Veres – Southwest Regional President, Clear Channel Outdoor • Tony Felice – partner, Felice Whitney PR • Roberto Yanez – president, Univision New York • Silvana Salcido Esparza – owner and chef, Barrio Cafe • Rabbi Robert L. Kravitz, D.D. – Jewish Family & Children’s Services • Vince Kozar – chief operating officer, Phoenix Mercury Spotlight on Success Awards Oct. 20 Awards luncheon: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Networking cocktail reception: 1:30-3 p.m. Sheraton Grand Phoenix 340 N. Third St., Phoenix onecommunity.co Source: ONE Community.

ONE Community’s YPMN Event Returns For Second Year

NE Community will host its annual Young Professionals Multicultural Network, a networking and engagement event that transcends diversity, Sept. 12 at The Newton in Phoenix. Celebrating diversity is key, which is why ONE Community and our Millennial Multicultural Advisory committee has created this unique millennial-specific event designed to strengthen business relationships and recruitment efforts between LGBTQ and diverse allied millennials from every corner of the 14

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state, the ONE Community website explains. This forum is designed to bring together diverse communities in order to build worthwhile business transactions that will develop into mutually beneficial relationships. This event is free to attend, but RSVP is requested at onecommunity. co/events/young-professionalsmulticultural-network-486. For more information, visit echomag.com/youbetter-network. Source: One Community.

Young Professionals Multicultural Network 4:30-7 p.m. Sept. 12 The Newton 300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix onecommunity.co news

HEROES WANTED: Echo Magazine Seeks 2017 Hall of Fame, Leaders of the Year Nominations

ach year, as part of LGBTQ History Month, Echo Magazine honors community heroes who have helped raise consciousness and spark change on the local and national levels by inducting a select few into our Hall of Fame.

who is deserving of either of these honors – whether it’s for their contributions in government and politics, nonprofit service, activism or entertainment – we invite you to submit a nomination on their behalf. To nominate someone for consider at ion, please send your le t ter of nominat ion (300 words ma x . ou t l ining w hy t he indi v idual being nominated shoul d be considered) to editor@echomag.com by midnight Sunday, Sept. 10.

Similarly, we wrap up each calendar year by naming Echo’s Leaders of the Year (formerly known as Man and Woman of the Year) and honoring the extraordinary efforts and accomplishments made by two individuals as part of our annual year in review tradition. This year, we want to hear from you. GLSEN_SG_ECHO_ToPrint.pdf If you know of

8/2/17 an1 LGBTQ or allied community member

7:51 PM

For more on Echo Magazine’s Hall of Fame, including a complete list of inductees, visit echomag.com/hall-offame-2016.

CMY

EchoMag.com

SEPTEMBER 2017

datebook Aug. 26

Sept. 2

Join Aunt Rita’s Foundation for Friends & Family Day at Wet ‘n’ Wild from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, in Glendale. bit.ly/2vN0NfK

Oct. 13-14

Women Are From VENUS present the first-ever LGBTQ Wet Heat Pool Party, including brunch (noon to 3 p.m.), vendor and live DJs, from 3 to 10 p.m. at Wyndham Garden Phoenix Midtown, 3600 N. Second Ave., in Phoenix. bit.ly/2wBzZfW

ION Arizona’s first-ever Sausage Fest, and LGBTQ Oktoberfest weekend which will include a pool party, volleyball tournament, live entertainment, vendors and more, will take place at the Wyndham Garden Phoenix Midtown, 3600 N. Second Ave., in Phoenix. ionaz.com

Aug. 20

20808 E. Bartlett Dam Road, Rio Verde.

SepT. 1-3

The Phoenix Shanti Group invites you to “Giving Back to the Community,” a free bowling event in celebration of the community’s support for the nonprofit service organization for the past 30 years, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at AMF Christown Lanes, 1919 W. Bethany Home Road, in Phoenix. shantiaz.org

The 2017 Family Health & Resource Fair, celebrating health, wellness and diversity, will take place at the Parsons Center for Health and Wellness (1101 N. Central Ave.) and FOUND:RE Hotel (1100 N. Central Ave.) in Phoenix. bit.ly/2uw0c22 SepT. 2

bartlettlakebash.com SepT. 16

In celebration of its 11th anniversary, the monthly Phoenix Gaymers Party will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Parsons Center for Health and Wellness, 1101 N. Central Ave., in Phoenix. phoenixgaymers.com

Aug. 26 SepT. 29

The Phoenix Center for the Arts will host its 2017 Open House, featuring free, 20-minute workshops in their respective departments, including: dance, theater, mosaics, glass, creative writing, photography and jewelry making, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Phoenix Center for the Arts downtown campus, 1202 N. Third St., in Phoenix. phoenixcenterforthearts.org Aug. 24 | Sept. 1 & 3

The Phoenix Mercury will tip off against the Los Angeles Sparks (6 p.m.), the Connecticut Sun (7 p.m.) and the Atlanta Dream (3 p.m.) at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., in Phoenix. mercury.wnba.com/tickets Aug. 25

The Phoenix Movie Bears invite you to join them for a screening of Terminator 2 Judgement Day, the group’s final event (before dissolving), beginning at 7:35 p.m. at AMC Arixona Center 24, 565 N. Third St., in Phoenix. phoenixmoviebears.com 16

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IGNITE invites you out to get tested at its free Monthly HIV Testing Event from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at Stacy’s @ Melrose, 4343 N. Seventh Ave., in Phoenix. (See story, page 28). igniteyourstatus.org SepT. 12

ONE Community presents the second annual Young Professionals Multicultural Network, a networking and engagement event that transcends diversity, from 4:30-7 p.m. at The Newton, 300 W. Camelback Road, in Phoenix. (See news brief, page 14.) onecommunity.co/events/youngprofessionals-multiculturalnetwork-486 SepT. 15

Arizona Broadway Theatre presents Hands on a Hard Body, an LGBT Night Out event that includes dinner, dessert and a show (use code: LGBTQ), beginning at 5:30 p.m. at ABT, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, in Peoria. azbroadway.org SepT. 15-17

Bartlett Lake Bash, an annual weekend of LGBTQ camping, boating and socializing in the Tonto National Forest, will take place at Bartlett Lake,

Kick off the 40th anniversary of Tucson Pride with Pride on Parade beginning at 7 p.m. along Fourth Avenue in downtown Tucson. facebook.com/tucson.pride SepT. 30

Tucson Pride presents the 40th Anniversary of Pride in the Desert, hosted by Bunny Fufu and Tori Steele and featuring performances by DJ Kash, David Hernandez of “American Idol”, Berlin, Fly By Midnight and Daya, will take place from noon to 9 p.m. at Reid Park, 900 S. Randolph Way, in Tucson. tucsonpride.org/pride-festival.html mark our calendars

To have your event considered for Echo’s print and online calendars, submit your event details to echomag. com/communitycalendar. All submissions are subject to Echo’s discretion. events

Taking Pride In Education

Phx Pride awards $35k in scholarships

hoenix Pride awarded $35,000 in individual scholarships at the organization’s ninth annual Phoenix Pride Community Spirit Awards June 23 at the Phoenix Art Museum. The Phoenix Pride Scholarship Program is a charitable program to provide scholarships to self-identified LGBTQ college students. The funds for this program are administered by the Arizona Community Foundation. Since its inception in 2008, the Phoenix Pride

Gabriel Ogbonnaya Dan Galloway Scholarship Recipient Gabriel Ogbonnaya is an economics major at Arizona State University. During his high school years, his family moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Chandler, where he attended Campo Verde High School. Following high school, he went on to play football for Fort Lewis College, where he made the Dean’s List every semester and was the recipient of the Rising Star in Economics. During his time at Fort Lewis, he was also empowered to returned to Arizona with ambitions to become a lawyer, with goals of breaking the glass ceiling of the underlying status quo, while being an advocate for minority groups.

Scholarship Fund has awarded $207,500 in scholarships. “This is one of the most exciting points in Phoenix Pride’s year, as we have the opportunity to give back directly to the Arizona LGBTQ community, which is so supportive of our efforts year-round …,” said Justin Owen, Phoenix Pride executive director. “[W]e’re thrilled that this [year] has enabled us to … provide academic scholarships to individuals of merit, to further their education and personal development.”

Brett Armstrong is a patient care technician at John C. Lincoln Medical Center who completed the licensed practical nursing program through Gateway Community College in August. It wasn’t until after the tragic and unexpected loss of his mother that he was able to follow through with his promise to her to further his passion and education. Armstrong plans to enter the registered nursing program at Glendale Community College while minoring in education, so that he can advance patient care as well as help others learn from his experiences. 18

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Cody Holt is entering his senior year at ASU where he is double majoring in global health and global studies with a minor in Mandarin Chinese. This year Holt will work as a community assistant and serve as the executive director for ASU Students for Sensible Drug Policy. Holt plans to pursue a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs, and work in international education policy. He hopes to continue empowering emerging student leaders by serving as a resource to them, and by improving access to higher education.

Sidney Aronsohn Sidney Aronsohn recently graduated from Sunnyslope High School and can’t wait to attend ASU this fall, where she plans to double major in marketing and exercise and wellness.

Juan Hinojos

Brett Armstrong

Cody Holt

Juan Hinojos will be starting his sophomore year at ASU, double majoring in double majoring, in global studies and political science. Hinojos serves as the vice president of the Rainbow Coalition, a student coalition serving member organizations and LGBTQAI+ individuals on all ASU campuses, and is very involved within the social justice community, which allows him opportunities to give back by volunteering with multiple organizations.

For more information on Phoenix Pride or the Phoenix Pride Scholarhsip Program, visit phoenixpride.org.

Tillie Jones Tillie Jones is a graduate of Willow Canyon High School in Surprise where she served as the vice president of the Pride Alliance, the LGBTQ+ group on campus, and president her senior year. This fall, Jones will be a freshman at Northern Arizona University, studying criminology and criminal justice. She intends on becoming an attorney, in which she will work to help marginalized and disenfranchised people in the legal system.

Jimmie Munoz Jimmie Munoz has put his passion for education to work by serving on a local school board and continuing his community work through sustainability and green programs in South Phoenix. Munoz took the next step in his academic journey when he enrolled in the Masters of Sustainable Leadership Program at ASU. Munoz hopes to dedicate his work to eliminating poverty and social inequality. Source: phoenixpride.org. news

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS THE

PLAYOFF PUSH! Two great chances to attend the remaining regular season Mercury home games

FRI | SEPT 1 | 7 PM

SUN | SEPT 3 | 1 PM

GET TICKETS NOW! STARTING AT $12 PHOENIXMERCURY.COM

OUT & ABOUT Dancing For one•n•ten Aug. 13 at Tempe Center For The Arts. Photos by nightfuse.com

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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HEROES WANTED! If you know a community hero who should be considered for induction into Echo’s Hall of Fame or honored as one of Echo’s 2017 Leaders of the Year, we want to hear from you!

15. For nomination details, see page 12.

Ann Andrews, FNP

Southwest Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Family Nurse Practitioner

OUT & ABOUT Because We Care 2017 Music Series presents Big Freedia Aug. 5 at the Parsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center for Health and Wellness, Phoenix. Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Did the Echo cameras catch you out and about? Visit echomag.com/2017-photos to see more from the current issue.

OUT & ABOUT Queer Frida Aug. 6 at Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix. Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

cover story

Members of the IGNIT E Crew. Photo by Fernando Hernández.

Igniting the Conversation Outreach project works to promote sexual health and eliminate the stigma around safer sex and HIV By Art Martori

oday, Brad Speck is a 42-years-old successful Phoenix realtor. He’s outgoing, articulate, and when he wraps you in a bear hug, you feel a real connection. In most conversations, he exudes a sense of joy and optimism about the world, and occasionally a hint of sly humor. But when our talk turns to the death of his oldest half-brother, Mark, he at first struggles to get his thoughts out, and then he begins to cry.

Mark died in 2003, at 33 years old, due to complications occurring in advanced stages of AIDS. Mark had never come out about his HIV status, and it’d been some time since the two brothers spent time together face to face. “He was living in Brooklyn when he passed. It was a really rough winter,” Speck remembers. “I hadn’t seen him in a while. The last time I got to see him was at the morgue, IDing his body. There’s a part of me that doesn’t forgive myself for that.”

Perhaps, sometimes, his gift for reaching out to people and forming human connections can be a search for redemption. Speck is as an energetic and generous volunteer for IGNITE, an HIV-awareness program sponsored by the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS. IGNITE gets some limited funding from its parent organization, but it wouldn’t exist in the capacity that it does without the support of a community that includes Speck. “You ask yourself, ‘What can I do to show I’m an ally?’” Speck explains. “I think that’s one of big reasons have such a passion about this. We’re normalizing the conversations. “Part of what I do feels like therapy. If I can keep people aware and be the reason one less person gets sick or someone doesn’t have to lose a brother, I’m going to do that forever. Nothing is going to stop me.”

Overcoming The Stigma Normalizing the conversation about HIV status means creating an environment free of stigma or judgement. Each month, IGNITE 28

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Cover Story

Brad Speck and Noah Altman. Cour

tesy photo.

hosts mixers that are better characterized as chill nights hanging out with a cool crowd at some of Phoenix’s more popular venues. I first met Speck (and got my bear hug) one evening downtown at Bliss/ReBAR.

“We accomplished our mission, by far,” Bright adds. “I think it’s our approach. Everything we do is from the community, for the community.

With the hip atmosphere and free-flowing cocktails, it’s a far cry from how you might picture an HIV support group. The only hint is one table on the patio discretely advertising IGNITE and offering educational material. Otherwise, the 20 or so individuals gathered there seem just to be having a good time with friends.

Mission: Possible

While the IGNITE crew does have a space under the same roof as the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS, Jeremy Bright, IGNITE’s marketing and community outreach director, explains that the whole point of the program is venturing out where you’d already find potentially affected individuals, and then engaging them on their turf. “We take the harder road of trying to find space out in the community to host them,” Bright says. “We do everything outside this building. We go out to the people instead of trying to bring them here.” The monthly mixers are an example of the success IGNITE has experienced, growing from a small group of volunteers with a limited mission to becoming one of the most repeated names in the Phoenix LGBTQ community. In 2014, Bright was hired to create a community outreach program that received funding to distribute condoms. There were four volunteers, tasked with approaching people in bars. That year, and they handed out about 40,000 condoms. The group also administered 18 HIV tests. Last year, IGNITE’s 50 volunteers handed out some 185,000 condoms. They created a condom bar, where people could go to shop for protection that made safe sex more personal. They’ve also been a visible participant in National HIV Testing Day, and, Bright says, in 2016 did more than 100 tests in a single night. They also employ a specialist who helps people find ways to get in interested and qualified individuals on a regimen of preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Cover Story

IGNITE’s mission still addresses an epidemic. It’s particularly challenging, Bright explains, because so many younger people weren’t around during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when there was no effective treatment and, in most cases, a diagnosis was a death sentence. “When the HIV outbreak happened in the ’80s, it was really a lot of funerals, a lot of chaos and panic,” Bright says. “A lot of fear. Even into the ’90s, people were still dying of AIDS-related illnesses. Today people should not die.” According to the latest epidemiology report from the Arizona Department of Health Services, as of 2015 there were 17,349 people living with HIV/AIDS in the state. That year, nearly 200 Arizonans died from HIV/AIDS. It’s sobering to know, but perhaps understandable that it doesn’t strike fear into hearts of younger generations.

Jeremy Bright and Emma Randazzo. Courte

sy photo.

Putting Lessons Into Action Jonatan Armenta is a 23-year-old quality assurance auditor at Uber, and in January 2013 he was diagnosed with HIV. Looking back at that time, Armenta remembers being dazzled by life in Los Angeles, where he’d recently moved. Armenta recalls going out a lot, knowing the risk was out there, but that wasn’t enough to take precautions. “LA is very fast paced. I wasn’t very careful,” he admits. “I was very knowledgeable, but not careful. I wasn’t proactive at the time.” After Armenta received his diagnosis, he remembers isolating himself, especially from his family who’d moved here from Mexico only a generation earlier. “I come from an immigrant family,” Armenta explains. “I know what it is when it’s hard to put food on the table. I know what it is having parents with no health insurance.” After adhering to a three-pill cocktail, Armenta became HIV undetectable in 2014. For the past two years, he’s volunteered for IGNITE.

Rocco Cook, The PrEP Guy. Cour tesy phot

Two hundred deaths might still seem like a lot to someone who lived through the terror of some three decades ago, but in 2015 more than 10,000 people in Arizona died from heart disease, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. “We still have an increase,” Bright says. “And I think it’s the generation who doesn’t have a connection to the AIDS crisis that sees it as a treatable illness, so they aren’t as motivated to protect themselves.” People ages 25 to 29 had the highest HIV/AIDS diagnosis rate in Arizona, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services, at 28.1 per 100,000. But that’s compared with 14.8 among those ages 40 to 44 — the generation who grew up amid the earlier HIV/ AIDS crisis. EchoMag.com

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i. Goutham Adell o. Cour tesy phot Members of the IGNITE Crew. Court es

“I was lucky. I was honestly blessed,” he says. “That’s why I do what I do now.” Armenta’s story underscores the fact that new infections are more likely to arise among a younger demographic, within the LGBTQ community and among some ethnic minorities. It’s certainly much harder to reach a 20-something with your message about HIV/ AIDS awareness, Bright confirms, and that only becomes more challenging when there are also cultural differences to overcome. “To tell a 20-year-old who’s never taken a pill a day that now he has to take a pill a day to avoid the things that happened in the ’80s, it’s tough,” Bright explains. “He didn’t see what happened. He didn’t live through the AIDS crisis.”

Knowing The Demographics Bright adds that IGNITE volunteers have learned to take a new approach with members of the Hispanic

community, where an implied machismo adds to the stigma they’re working to combat. For example, Bright says, they’ve learned to take a more subtle approach when offering tests to the predominantly Hispanic crowd that Karamba Nightclub, located just east of 16th Street and McDowell Road, draws. “What’s interesting is that for every one guy who walks in, there’s usually two women with him,” he says. “There’s a cultural thing there. There’s a lot of down-low people who aren’t as out. Our approach has to be different.” Benjamin Palmer, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Health Services, confirmed in a request for more specific demographic data that new infections are more likely to occur among gay men and some minorities. “African Americans are approximately 5 percent of Arizona’s population, but

IGNITE’s Invites While the IGNITE headquarters in located in the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS, the crew’s home is out in the community. IGNITE invites you to come get tested, shop the free condom bar, learn about PrEP, join a mixer or group hike, or join the conversation at the chat groups in the month ahead. Aug. 21: Monday Night Chat Groups: Living With HIV, 6:30-8 p.m. at The Rock Aug. 28: Monday Night Chat Groups: M4M – Hookups, Dating & Relationships, 6:30-8 p.m. at The Rock

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y photo.

account for about 19 percent of our new HIV/AIDS cases in 2015,” Palmer says. “This disparity has increased over time. Men who have sex with men (MSM) represent 58 percent of new HIV/AIDS cases in 2015. MSM have historically been the most at-risk group to acquire HIV, and this trend continues.” For Armenta, it’s simply an opportunity to make a greater impact. He might be challenging the deep-seated cultural norms that exist in some places, but that’s OK. He’s up for it. “It all starts with awareness. What is HIV/AIDS? It’s also being conscious and safe in every action you take,” Armenta says. “I’m a very outspoken person. I’m a person who stands his ground. We have to be safer now and fight harder.” Art Martori is a Phoenix-based freelance writer who contributes to various newspapers and magazines.

Sept. 2: Get Tested: Stacy’s Monthly HIV Testing Event, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at Stacy’s @ Melrose Sept. 4: Monday Night Chat Groups: Living With HIV, 6:30-8 p.m. at The Rock Sept. 11: Monday Night Chat Groups: M4M – Hookups, Dating & Relationships, 6:308 p.m. at The Rock Sept. 18: Monday Night Chat Groups: Living With HIV, 6:30-8 p.m. at The Rock Sept. 20: IGNITE’s Monthly Mixer, 5:30-8 p.m. at Bliss/ReBAR For more information on IGNITE, including resources, upcoming events or how to become involved, visit igniteyourstatus.org.

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Rainbow Build Tucson’s LGBTQ community funds and constructs home for a family in need By Megan Wadding

he power of community is, as Aristotle put it, a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The same is true for the efforts being made between Habitat For Humanity’s Tucson chapter and Southern Arizona’s LGBTQ community. The result of these parts is a whole that’s come to be known as Rainbow Build, the arm of Habitat Tucson that accounts new and affordable homes that are funded and constructed by members of the LGBTQ community. These homes are known as Rainbow Houses and, according to Joseph Howell, Habitat for Humanity Tucson’s director of philanthropy, the Rainbow Build was born in 2005, with the third one just recently reaching completion. “[The community] came together to raise awareness of the need for affordable housing, as it relates to social justice issues and to mobilize a diverse array of organizations, groups and individuals in an effort to fight substandard housing in Southern Arizona,” Howell explained. Through Rainbow Build, the organization hopes to build a strong platform for discussion and lasting partnerships within and around the LGBTQ community while making strides toward change and improving in the lives of hardworking, local families.

A Community Conversation Just this year alone, Habitat Tucson plans to dedicate a total of 14 homes – including Southern Arizona’s third Rainbow Build home. And, according to Howell, Habitat Tucson will construct a Rainbow Build home every year from here on out. The Rainbow Build Committee is made up of LGBTQ volunteers who help fund the Rainbow Build. In order to fund and build just one house, it takes more than 3,000 volunteer hours and more than $90,000 in donations from the community. “The majority of each home is built with volunteer work, with the exception being a few areas that need to be installed by a licensed professional,” Howell explained. “Once the home is complete, we sell it to a hard-working family who has completed our homeownership program … with a zerointerest mortgage.” The team of Habitat for Humanity and Rainbow Build volunteers come from all walks of life and, according to Howell, includes everyone from high school students up to 80-year-old retirees, and everyone in between. “A Habitat build site is a vibrantly diverse place where all sorts of different folks come together, set aside

differences and build – literally build – a stronger community,” Howell said. Building Bridges Kehaulani Kerr, a realtor and a Rainbow Build volunteer who been involved with Habitat for Humanity Tucson since last summer, was also looking for ways to use her talents and skills to give back to the LGBTQ community when she became involved with Rainbow Build. “Our goal is to raise awareness about affordable housing in our community and bring to light the organizations, businesses and people in the LGBTQ community who join us in the fight for affordable housing in Southern Arizona,” Kerr said. Today, Kerr works behind the scenes of Rainbow Build, specifically helping to fundraise and develop the organization’s relationships within the real estate industry. According to Kevin Walters, a volunteer partner for families in Habitat for Humanity’s home ownership program who has worked on two Rainbow Builds, the intention was never necessarily for this effort to result in a home for an LGBTQ family, but rather to have the LGBTQ community build a house for someone in the Tucson community who needed one.

Photos by Stephanie Anne Donoghue.

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“[This is] us supporting the overall community by giving back,” Walters said. “Housing is one of the most important issues we face. Affordable housing; it truly changes lives.” Home Sweet Homeowner Habitat for Humanity’s prospective home buyers must attend various classes and contribute 250 hours of “sweat equity” before completing the home ownership program, which makes them eligible to purchase one of the program’s houses. “They are given a family partner to help track their hours, budgets, homework and down payment schedules,” Kerr explained. “They also learn about the financing and budgeting.” According to Howell, Habitat Tucson makes every effort to recruit a very “diverse pool of applicants” for home ownership, including LGBTQ home buyers, and this year the Rainbow Home is being purchased by a straight ally who

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is a single mother of three daughters. “[This family is] thrilled to receive a home built by the LGBTQ community,” Howell said. This year’s Rainbow Build home is in Copper Vista, which is one of Rainbow Build’s focus areas. The property was received by Habitat Tucson through a collaboration with the City of Tucson in 2012. According to Howell, the purchaser of this year’s home was selected for Habitat’s home ownership program last year. Since entering the program, she has attended several classes where she gained knowledge in such areas as budgeting, home maintenance and various other skills that are designed to contribute to her success as a homeowner. And, as part of her 250 hours of sweat equity, the future homeowner was able to roll up her sleeves and be a part of the construction of her own future home.

In the meantime, Howell added, the idea for a Rainbow Build is spreading nationally. “Since its inception in 2005, Rainbow Builds are popping up in cities like Washington DC, Seattle, Minneapolis and San Diego, to name a few,” Howell said. “It’s really exciting to see a home-grown concept take root across the county.” For more information, visit habitattucson.org/get-involved/events/ rainbow-build. Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.

EchoMag.com

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Scholarship fund expands to award two local students for the first time By Megan Wadding

he QU Scholarship Fund was started in 2012 by Dr. Shel-Don Legarreta and Kevin Axx, both avid supports of one•n•ten. Each year since, the fund has presented one recipient with a $10,000 award over a two-year period. In return, recipients must complete a modest community requirement and each scholar is paired with two mentors that they meet with on a quarterly basis over the two years. “We both felt that something was needed to help the youth with postsecondary education,” Axx explained. “We thought we’d raise a few thousand dollars to help a worthy student go to college. Little did we know how generous the community’s response would be and how big a need there was for a program such as ours.” Donations for the scholarship come from a combination of community members, local businesses and national corporations. According to Axx, a significant amount is raised through individual donations, through donors who offer matching opportunities and through small community events, such as pool parties and cocktail parties that are underwritten by the hosts. In previous years, there has only been one QU Scholarship, but this year Axx said that the overwhelming community support the fund received allowed them to offer two scholarships for the first time.

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This year, Kelsey Williams and Baileigh Thompson, both from Phoenix, were named the QU Scholarship recipients and were presented their checks at the one•n•ten Fresh Brunch in February. “They are both shining example of today’s LGBT[Q] students pursuing their dreams and giving back to our community.” Kelsey “KJ” Williams At the age of 15 Kelsey “KJ” Williams came out to her friends, an announcement that was met with overwhelming support. When she came out to her family at age 16, however, her world fell apart. She was sent off to conversion therapy, and was later kicked out of her house. “I lost my relationship with my biological family as a result of coming out,” she said, “but I gained a chosen family, which is more than I could ever ask for.” Williams said she applied for the QU Scholarship after coming to the realization that if she wanted to further her education, she would need outside help. “one•n•ten is always giving us opportunities to better ourselves and the QU Scholarship was one of those opportunities,” Williams said. “As someone who has been financially independent for years, a post-secondary education seemed out of reach for me. Going to school on a scholarship really validates my identity and goals, there is nothing that sounds better than that.”

Kelsey “KJ” Williams.

After having lost the support of her family, Williams said she had stopped pushing herself in life, but added that applying for this scholarship was the hardest she had pushed herself in a long time. “As someone who was an average student, with no education in the past four years, I thought the likelihood of winning was slim to none,” she said. “I know I have a lot of opportunities that I’m very grateful for, but this one above all I was most humbled by. As grateful as I was to be the recipient, I spent a lot of time celebrating internally. The support that came after the announcement was tremendous. Although I may have been given the giant check, the real battle isn’t over until I graduate.” Williams said she does not believe she would ever have been able to attend school without having been a recipient of this scholarship. “This was the push and help I needed to start my post-secondary education and better myself, opening more opportunities for my future,” said Williams. Williams started at Glendale Community College in August and aims to graduate with her Associate’s Degree in 2019, and then will attend Arizona State University to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. Williams is considering a “a million different careers,” and believes that a communications degree will allow her to explore those options. “The only thing I know for sure is how much I want to give back,” said Williams. “Organizations like one•n•ten, Joshua Tree, and Habitat for Humanity have changed the course of my life. I understand that Feature Story

“Honestly, I didn’t think that I made that much of an impression and I thought I was far too nervous to have said anything interesting enough to have the honor of winning such an incredible scholarship,” she said, adding that she was shocked to find out she had been chosen. Along with winning the scholarship, Thompson said she also is grateful that she gained a professional mentor.

Baileigh Thompson.

it is now my job to change others’ lives in the way those before me changed mine. Wherever my career leads me, as long as I am doing that, I will feel fulfilled.”. Along with a certain set of academic goals, Williams said that, as a recipient of this scholarship, she must complete 40 hours of community service each semester, which she thinks will be the easiest part for her. “Serving the community is where my heart finds itself most happy, so there will be no problem there,” she said. “I have every intention in the world to use my education to make a difference in our community.” Baileigh Thompson

“[We] get to work with those who are currently in the field we want to be in, and I think that’s such an amazing opportunity and experience,” she said. “… the QU Scholarship has done absolutely everything they can to make sure we are both secure and successful in our futures.” In August, Thompson started her freshman year at Arizona State University’s West Campus where she will be studying pre-med and psychology. “I will graduate from ASU in 2021 and hope to get into a good med school, then work as a researcher in neuroscience and psychology to hopefully get a better understanding of the brain and help those with mental illness,” she said. Thompson credits her mother for her drive toward her goals in the medical field. “I became interested in neuroscience when my mom [was diagnosed with] two brain tumors and experienced countless strokes, all before the age of 45,” she explained. “I would like to figure out the cause of this, and explore the brain and how it functions. Especially in a mental health sense, as I feel this is still very

stigmatized and needs to be treated like any other part of the body would be.” One of Thompson’s long-term goals is to eventually work for Mayo Clinic. And she sees this scholarship is an investment in her future. “By being able to gain an education without debt, I will be able to get further in my career without being held back [financially],” she said. Still, the best part of being selected as a QU Scholar, Thompson estimates, is the community that came along with it. “I love working with others in the LGBT[Q] community and being given this opportunity to meet so many people within the community,” she said. “I will use the scholarship to the best of my ability.” The application period for 2018 QU Scholarships will open Dec. 1, 2017 and must be completed and submitted with all supporting documents no later than Jan. 31, 2018. For more information, visit azfoundation.org/scholarships/ applyonline.aspx. Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.

READ THE REST For Echo’s full interviews with this year’s QU Scholars, visit echomag.com/qu-2017.

Baileigh Thompson, a 2017 graduate of Bourgade Catholic High School, was welcomed and accepted by her family and friends upon coming out at age 17. “I am so fortunate to have such an amazing group of parents [and] friends,” she said. “My mom said that she’d love me no matter … All of my friends are incredible people and I’m very lucky to have them all.” Throughout high school, Thompson was very active. Not only was she in every honors and AP course, but she was also an AP Scholar in her senior year, president of the National Art Honors Society, a member of the National Honors Society and in various other clubs and organizations. Thompson first heard about the QU Scholarship through the West Valley one•n•ten group and, upon researching the cost of attending a university, decided to apply. Feature Story

Photo by Randy’s Vision Photography.

EchoMag.com

SEPTEMBER 2017

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Camp OUTdoors! Turns 10 A look back at a decade of milestones By Tamara Juarez

hen Kado Stewart set out to complete her senior project at Prescott College 10 years ago, she never imagined a single idea would evolve into the largest LGBTQ camp in the country.

over the world, including coverage on the National Geographic documentary Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, which aired earlier this year. However, the camp began as a much smaller adventure.

At the time, her only goal had been to provide LGBTQ youth with the opportunity to make friends and learn leadership skills while enjoying mother nature.

During the first year of camp in 2008, only 42 campers and approximately 20 volunteers attended camp, Stewart recalled, adding that this was a feat of its own.

“I wanted to bridge the gap between outdoor education and LGBTQ+ programming to create quality outdoor safe spaces,” said Stewart, one•n•ten’s program director and Camp OUTdoors! director. “When we first started, I did not expect the level of engagement and support we received from the community.”

“I drove my pickup truck around the state to meet interested groups of youth and families at coffee shops to tell them what the camp was going to be about,” she said. “I was 22 when the first camp took place. Some of the campers were actually older than me.”

As a social justice major, Stewart noticed a severe lack of recreational activities for LGBTQ+ youth and decided to focus her research project on identifying solutions that could better support minority groups. “It was clear after the first year of camp that the magic all of the volunteers and campers created had really sparked something beautiful that would grow quickly,” she said. This year, Camp OUTdoors! will be celebrating its 10th anniversary from Sept. 2 to 5 in Prescott as it continues its mission of helping youth develop a strong sense of self, learn about the LGBTQ community and connect with a diverse cast of their peers.

With the help of several professors and students from Prescott College, as well as other community leaders and organizations, such as one•n•ten, Camp OUTdoors! turned out to be a huge success. “It was clear after the first year of camp that the magic all of the volunteers and campers created had really sparked something beautiful that would grow quickly,” Stewart said. Fast forward to this year, which marks the 10th anniversary of Camp OUTdoors!

From Humble Beginnings

“We are really excited to be celebrating 10 years of camp,” Steward said. “The 10-year milestone really showcases our community’s commitment to working alongside one another to create safe and celebratory spaces for LGBTQ youth.”

Being one of only a few camps created specifically for LGBTQ youth, Camp OUTdoors! has garnered attention all

Since that inaugural summer, Camp OUTdoors! has become a popular retreat among LGBTQ youth, ages 11 to 24. Each

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year, more than 500 youth and from across the country apply for camp with the hope of being one of 150 to 175 lucky campers selected to attend. Additionally, 150 to 200 volunteer applications have to be narrowed down to 50 to 60 volunteers who will join the one•n•ten staff at camp and up to 50 workshop leaders who attend for partial days.

The Camp Community “The Camp OUTdoors! community has helped create and empower hundreds of leaders, allies and community organizers in Arizona and beyond,” Stewart said. “Camp is one of the one•n•ten programs that our youth really look forward to every year, because the experience exemplifies our mission. In only four days, youth receive jampacked empowering programing that promotes self-expression, develops leaders and encourages youth to make healthy life choices.” Throughout the four-day experience, campers are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities and workshops that promote self-discovery and nurture a strong sense of community. One of the camp’s main goals, Stewart explained, is to equip youth with effective communication skills necessary to face some of the challenges they may encounter. “Many of our youth have barriers in everyday life, including lack of support from family, religious and spiritual institutions, being bullied, etc. And others have more supportive families and systems in their life,” she said. “The beautiful thing about camp is that everyone is there to support and help each other through their challenges and celebrate their successes.” At camp, attendees are offered the opportunity to share their stories and build life-long friendships with other members of the LGBTQ community in a safe, inclusive environment that is free of any form of prejudice or judgement.

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Unlike other summer programs, Camp OUTdoors! includes a wide range of workshops and activities especially designed for LGBTQ youth. Some of the workshops include LGBTQ history, politics and policies, advocacy, religion and representation in media. The camp also provides job skill related workshops that teach campers how to create a resume and prepare for job interviews, and a workshop on sex and health education. This, of course, is all in addition to such traditional summer camp activities as storytelling, zip lining, journaling, navigating rope courses, question-and-answer panels and more.

Creating Leadership Opportunities It takes 50 volunteers and 15 trained OUTscouts, who act as facilitators and role models while attending camp among the rest of the youth, to lead the workshops, team challenge courses and activities, “The OUTscouts are an extremely important element to camp,” Stewart explained. “Having a dedicated youth leadership committee assist in choosing volunteers, workshops and help plan the theme is important because we always want camp to be a manifestation of many minds and reflect the current youth population.” This year, the OUTscouts will lead an environmental ecology workshop, an outdoor skills workshop and an advanced outdoor survival workshop. According to Tonantzi Ordonoez, who is one of 11 current OUTscouts, getting to learn so much about the LGBTQ community during the retreat has helped her become more outspoken about social issues and more eager to share her new-found knowledge and skills with younger members of the community. “There are so many tools you learn as an OUTscout and camper,” she said. “Since I started camp, being a leader and teaching about wilderness helped me learn how to speak in a group or in front of a crowd. There are many skills I can pass on to other campers.”

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“It’s just so nice to be acknowledged and feel important,” Ordonoez said. “It’s just such a huge community, and we have campers all over the country. It’s like we’re planting little seeds, and when we go home, we can grow into a tree. It’s so beautiful.”

Welcome Home According to Dani Logan, assistant camp director, Camp OUTdoors! prides itself in being diverse and inclusive. In order to create a fun and safe space for all LGBTQ youth, camp staff emphasize respect, support and unity among its campers regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and race. Logan, who served as a camp volunteer for three years, was recently hired as one•n•ten’s youth center program coordinator. “As a one•n•ten volunteer, for more than just Camp OUTdoors!, I gave my time, resources and skills to the organization because I passionately believe in their mission and I see the work being done to fulfill that mission,” she said. “When I was given the opportunity, I jumped at the chance to officially become part of a team that already felt like home.” So far, this has involved everything from overseeing the Camp OUTdoors! 10th anniversary logo design contest to reviewing applications for Logan. “Camp OUTdoors! is magic. one•n•ten has done an incredible job with their volunteer training Modules and team building exercises,” she said. “Even as a volunteer, the amount of professional development and growth I experienced, was priceless. Aside from the training, the youth are incredible teachers. They are resilient, joyful, brilliant, and witty beyond belief. After being surround by amazing youth and volunteers, I’ve always taken away a feeling of lightness and confidence when leaving Camp OUTdoors.” Important elements of creating the “magic” of camp each year are diversity and inclusion. And, when selecting youth and volunteers, Logan and Stewart aim to

be as inclusive as possible by approving volunteers that represent the youth populations so that campers can relate to the people in charge of workshops and activities. “It’s important for our youth to hear and see a variety of stories from both youth and volunteers,” Stewart said, “and to understand that our community is richly diverse, and that’s what makes us thrive.” When LGBTQ youth find role models they can relate to at camp, she explained, they are often more inclined to open up and build the courage to explore who they are and help others who may be in need of support once they return to their own community. The camp experience, Steward said, benefits the volunteers as well. “Like many of our youth, our volunteers often say that camp gives them the spark to get more involved in the community, expand their networks and feel connected to the cause,” Stewart said. “We all create camp together, and the ability to do something so profound for four days really reminds people of what a committed group of folks can create if they work together … camp is truly a treasure of Arizona because of the hundreds of youth and adult hearts and minds that continue to shape and grow it.” For more information on Camp OUTdoors!, visit outdoorsgaycamp.com. Tamara Juarez s a student at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. During her spare time she loves to read, hike and make bad puns.

READ THE REST For a timeline on Camp OUTdoors! history, including photos and milestones, visit echomag.com/camp-turns-10.

EchoMag.com

SEPTEMBER 2017

OUT & ABOUT Last Call July 26 at Roscoes on 7th, Phoenix. Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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without reservations

center of the exhibition kitchen as well as one-of-a-kind views of the surrounding desert scenery. Located just inside the entrance to Mountain Shadows, Hearth ’61 is open and airy, and radiates an opulent, welcoming atmosphere for its guests. It’s upscale without being stuffy. And the floor-toceiling windows that line the entire back wall of the resort offer an unbeatable vantage point of Paradise Valley’s mountain views.

Hearth ’61 Story and photos by Rachel Verbits

As the most-ideal meal to put you in vacation mode, we set out to experience Sunday brunch at Hearth ’61 as part of an Echo-inspired staycation. Presumably, most of the guests were still slumbering and preparing for a rough day of lying by the sparkling pool, because we nearly had the place to ourselves at around 9:30 a.m. After being seated at a table with a breathtaking view of Camelback Mountain, and in true Sunday Funday fashion, the cocktail menu was our first stop. It’s no surprise that I opted for a Bloody Mary, my favorite brunch cocktail. To my delight, it was crafted specifically to my taste thanks to my waiter’s attentiveness. There’s something to be said for a perfectly mixed bloody, and the Hearth ’61 bartenders absolutely delivered.

he Valley is home to countless luxury resorts that beckon visitors from all over the country, and the world. One of the best things about calling this desert oasis home is having all these amenities at our fingertips year-round – but the summer staycation rates and discounts for locals don’t hurt either. Complementing (or exchanging) your summer travel with some local hotel

hopping is the best way to beat the heat, pamper yourself, try something new and enjoy a change of scenery all at once. And with Mountain Shadows opening in the heart of Paradise Valley earlier this year, we’ve been excited to check out the resort’s resident restaurant, Hearth ’61. Having already emerged as one of the area’s elite dining destinations, Hearth ’61 offers a nod to the year Paradise Valley officially became an incorporated town (May 24, 1961) and serves as “a place to unite around tradition.” Hearth ’61 honors the town’s origins by encouraging the community to gather around delicious food and good times. Here, visitors are invited in for “ingredientdriven cuisine made with time-honored flavor pairings and cooking styles rich in tradition” around the giant hearth at the

If you’re not in the mood for the hair of the dog, Hearth ’61 offers stellar coffee drinks to get you through your long day of vacationing. The espresso and cappuccino are more than strong enough to get you going, but the silky vanilla café latté is a perfect choice if you don’t need quite as big of a morning jolt. While we explored the menu, we were surprised with a plate of cranberry chocolate chip scones, fresh from the resort’s bakery. Light and crumbly, the scones were the perfect way to whet our appetites while we sipped our drinks and watched guests make their way to the pool. Along with such traditional breakfast classics as eggs benedict and waffles, Hearth ’61’s renowned executive chef Charles Wiley – named “One of the Best Hotel Chefs of America” by the James Beard Foundation – also serves up seasonal fare that’s inspired from the flavors of local and organic ingredients

Left to right: Cranberry chocolate chip scone and Bloody Mary, vanilla café latté and green chili pork.

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dining out

to crafting food that is delightful in its simplicity. The delectable choices change often, which gives diners a chance to try different creative combinations each time. For example, green chili pork may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to brunch, but here it’s paired with spring vegetables, seasoned potatoes and topped with a poached egg. Just like that, a new brunch star is born! This bowl of verde goodness is savory, flavorful and hearty enough to fuel your morning (and afternoon) activities. It’s perfect if you’re not big on breakfast flavors but still want some traditional components, thanks to the delicate egg and classic potatoes. Personally, I can’t pass up a good stack of pancakes, and thankfully Hearth ’61 not only offers up the time-honored breakfast staple, but they’ve elevated their take to another level when they created their (soon-to-be-famous) banana ricotta pancakes. Imagine bananas foster, pancakes and so much more. Here, unique textures and flavors are incorporated into the quintessential dish which, in my opinion, is key in crafting the perfect brunch entrée. The ricotta wasn’t simply smeared on top or in between the pancakes, but cooked right into them for a creamy bite that maintained the fluffiness we all crave (until it melted in my mouth). Crisp, savory bacon balanced the bananas and the sinfully sweet caramel pistachio compote, which was drizzled atop the stack. Despite the complexity of this combination, these ingredients came together in perfect harmony without any overpowering another. Of course, butter and syrup are served on alongside this

dish, but honestly, are (gasp!) completely unnecessary additions to this plate of heaven. Our entrées were more than enough to satisfy on their own, but I’m of the philosophy that no brunch is complete without a true blend of flavors. To remedy this, we wanted to add a fresh element to the table for sharing. Thankfully, the heirloom tomato salad – heirloom tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, basil, crunchy bread and a sweet, tangy balsamic reduction – provided the light, fragrant flavor we were missing from our heavier (yet heavenly) dishes! While each ingredient stood out while working together in simple elegance, the star of this dish was the collection of perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes tossed in homemade pesto. For the record, my dining companion finished this salad off, which was perhaps the first time they had consumed tomatoes with such gusto. But don’t take my word for it; it’s a great option to share alongside your brunch entrées or to split as a starter, but it’s certainly hearty enough to satisfy all on its own. If you’re like us, and find yourself in a blissful food coma after your meal, take some time to make yourself at home in the adjacent living room and take advantage of the desert vistas and even more incredible mountain views. Don’t forget that there are also full lunch and dinner menus waiting to be discovered. So, if you’re on vacation, or just want to feel like you are, visit Mountain Shadows and let Hearth ’61 take your taste buds on a trip you won’t soon forget.

Hearth ’61 at Mountain Shadows 5445 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley 480-624-5400 Hours: 5-9:30 p.m. Sun-Thurs 5-10 p.m. Fri & Sat Brunch: 6 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. Sat & Sun mountainshadows.com/dining/hearth Rachel Verbits is a published writer and a selfproclaimed foodie who spends her time exploring all the amazing eats Arizona has to offer.

Banana ricotta pancakes and heirloom tomato salad.

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Rainbow Build Tucson’s LGBTQ community funds and constructs home for a family in need By Megan Wadding

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For more information, visit habitattucson.org/get-involved/events/ rainbow-build. Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.

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Meet this year’s scholarship recipients

Photos by Stephanie Anne Donoghue.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

IGNITE Your Status IGNITE Your Status Find out how one outreach project is working to promote sexual health and eliminate the stigma around HIV LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 28, #12 | ISSUE 696 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | COMPLIMENTARY

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at the box office

By Hans Pedersen

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power In theaters | PG | 98 minutes | Documentary

When it comes to LGBTQ folks finding common ground with other communities, and causes that we can all champion together, the fate of our fragile planet seems like a biggie. Former vice president Al Gore now returns with this follow-up to his popular documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, the clarion call from more than a decade ago. In an era where nearly all countries except the United States are tackling the effort to curb climate change – all while many members of the GOP refuse to believe 95 percent of scientists – we need this sequel more than ever.

4 Days Available on DVD/Blu-ray Aug. 29 | 65 minutes | Not rated | Drama

Filipino director Adolfo Alix, Jr., helms this love story about college friends, Derek and Mark, during the days leading up to Valentine’s Day the course of four years. Each year, the meaning of the holiday changes for the friends as they learn more about one another as well as themselves. This independent film features frequent use of long takes, emotive body language, along with expressive and touching performances by Mikoy Morales and Sebastian Castro to illustrate how platonic adoration can develop into passionate love.

Beach Rats In theaters Aug. 25 | R | 95 minutes | Drama

Baby Steps Available on DVD/Blu-ray/Aug. 15 | 103 minutes | Comedy, Drama

This acclaimed Taiwanese-American indie about a mixedrace couple, Danny (Barney Cheng) and Tate (Michael Adam Hamilton of The 10 Year Plan), who want to adopt a baby. Yet Danny’s well-intentioned mother keeps interfering in her son’s life. Costarring Ya-Lei Kuei (aka Grace Guei) from The Wedding Banquet, this project almost seems like a tribute to that legendary Ang Lee film. Cheng, who directed and wrote the project, made a huge impact on LGBTQ rights in Taiwan with this movie, which has been credited with helping lead the country to legalize same-sex marriage in May this year. U.S. embassies have hosted screenings in several Asian countries as well. 44

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Surfing for guys on hookup sites one night and courting a girl at a boardwalk amusement park the next: that’s how handsome Frankie (Harris Dickinson) operates. The closeted young man hangs out by the Jersey shore with his tanned shirtless buds, who seem to feel gay-bashing and homophobia are OK. But tension created by Frankie’s double life ultimately takes a violent turn. Director Eliza Hittman won the Grand Jury Screenwriting Award at Outfest Los Angeles and the Sundance Directing Award for this chilling indie. When questioned about the depiction of violence at a Q&A session at Sundance, Hittman replied the film is “not an after-school special.”

Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix. MOVIES

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SEPTEMBER 2017

recordings By Julio C. Reyna

Father John Misty’s set at Coachella when she found out that North Korea was launching missile tests. And this album isn’t without one of her infamous one-liners: “In My Feelings” delivers with “I’m crying while I’m cumming.” Lust for Life opens optimistically about all the promise a new relationship can bring on “Love” and concludes with “Get Free,” where she acknowledges that, perhaps, she has spent too much time inside in her head is ready to move things along. She is not sure when the changes in her life will come but she is finally open to them.

Lana Del Rey Lust For Life

“It’s more than just a video game.” On Lust For Life, her fourth major label release, Lana Del Rey is doing Lana Del Rey better than Lana Del Rey has done Lana Del Rey on previous efforts. What that means is for someone who so frequently – and openly – borrows, it was only a matter of time before she started referencing herself and pulling from her own archive.

The most all-encompassing song on the album is “13 Beaches,” which showcases the lyrical intensity of Ultraviolence, the atmospheric buildup of Honeymoon and is polished off with the hip-hop finish that made tracks from Born To Die so memorable. “Coachella-Woodstock On My Mind,” finds her amid an existential crisis during 46

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“Creature Comfort” flaunts synths and hard bass over the anthemic line, “God, make me famous!” The soaring vocals lead listeners to believe someone is seeking perfection but, come to find out, the song is actually about someone committing suicide listening to the band’s first album. There is the eventual moment an act has so much hype that they realize they have reached a point where no matter what subject matter is presented or how little effort is put into a project, venues will still be filled and headlining spots on a music festivals bill will automatically be gifted. This is the exact moment Arcade Fire finds themselves. And like the fidget spinner and grand promotional gimmicks, Everything Now is everything but and will stay in 2017.

Interscope |

With 16 tracks lasting 72 minutes, this is her longest album yet. The themes and sonic aesthetics are familiar as well; there are heartbreakers, the love of old cinema and allusions of Americana. There are gunshots, strings, hip-hop beats. A for-the-fans affair that a casual listener may find to be a bit bloated. The album is also her most collaborationheavy, featuring the likes of A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Sean Ono Lennon, The Weeknd and Stevie Nicks.

“Infinite Content” (the title of not one, but two tracks). The band sonically expands on the dance ambition initially presented during its previous effort Reflektor. The former found the band asking questions about God and even wondering out loud what their legacy will be, but Everything Now finds the band frustrated with constraints and complacency that success has afforded them.

Arcade Fire

Everything Now Columbia |

Could you imagine sitting in a pitch meeting where the idea of a $109 fidget spinner with a USB connection containing a band’s album not only gets approved but eventually gets released and sells out in minutes? This was one of the many wacky promotional gimmicks that Arcade Fire has subjected us to in the middle of campaign for their new album Everything Now. While the headlinegrabbing stunts are nothing new, the lack of substance in their work is. “Everything_Now (continued)” does some double duty here, acting as both the introduction and conclusion to the album creating an infinite loop of playback or

Mura Masa Mura Masa

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It is quite impressive that Alex Crossan, or Mura Masa, has come so far in his career at only 21 years old. In just three years he has gone from Soundcloud protégé from the island of Guernsey (a town of 6,000) to playing major music festivals around the world. This DJ/ music producer/ songwriter has given us an entirely selfproduced and fun-filled debut that hops between genres and is presented in an effortlessly cohesive manner.

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Mura Masa starts with “Messy Love” and song that has a distorted male vocal longing for affection, with the marimba punctuating throughout. It is one of the rare moments that the album does not have a featured credit. An stand out track is “Nuggets” featuring Bonzai, an aggressive kissoff that serves to remind you who is in charge. It is also a song you may want to consider adding to future going-out playlists. In the instantly europhic “1 Night” featuring Charli XCX, we have her asking if things can be taken back to how things were before and providing one of her most exciting pop moments since “Boom Clap.” On “Blu” there is a feature by Damon Albran of the Gorillaz. Legend has it that the band’s Demon Days was not just the first album Crossan ever purchased, but also that one that influence his sound and most inspired him to make music on his own terms. True to form, the song goes in a different direction than the previous tracks and is mostly a guitar-driven album closer. While this self-titled debut is full of features, their purpose is to simply elevate his distinct sound, and Mura Masa shines through, because this is his show after all. For a debut, it shows great promise – especially as part of a genre where an artist can easily give into just pushing buttons and hiding behind a Macbook. Julio C. Reyna is a music festival nomad who is finally getting paid for his quick wit, signature snark and musical prowess. He can be reached at @wholeeoh on Instagram. music

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Be a part of the ARTS!

Each year, Echo dedicates its annual Arts Issue to local galleries, theaters, venues and artists, including a snapshot of what the upcoming arts season has in store. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Arts Issue is already in the works, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still time to be included.

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Opening Nights

The show boasts the first female writing team to win Tony Awards for best book, score and musical. Lisa Kron, who penned the show’s book and cowrote the music with composer Jeannie Tesori, said she felt the success of Fun Home is “indicative of a very specific moment in the queer community’s fight for equality.” After a critically acclaimed opening and several extensions at New York’s Public Theatre, the show opened on Broadway just before same-sex marriage became legal nationwide.

Fun Home

The national tour company of Fun Home. Photos by Joan Marcus.

Former Miss America and AIDS activist brings national tour to Valley stage By Seth Reines

he year is 1998 and the scene is the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Here, the statuesque Northwestern University senior and Miss Illinois Kate Shindle is belting out “Don’t Rain on My Parade” as part of the Miss America pageant. Shindle was later crowed as the 71st Miss America. And, with a platform of AIDS awareness and prevention, she becomes the first national beauty pageant winner to champion LGBTQ issues. Brandishing her rhinestone tiara, she gains access to political arenas that were previously not willing to listen to other AIDS activists. That same year, the director of Northwestern’s musical theatre program contacts me [then artistic director of Illinois’ Little Theatre on The Square] to ask if I can help one of his students, Shindle, acquire her Actors’ Equity [union] card.

My theatre is producing Into The Woods, a remarkable piece, but a tough sell in the middle of the Midwestern cornfields. Miss America as the Witch? Perfect! Mothers with little girls in party dresses and tiaras line up to see Shindle’s beguiling performance. In 1999, Shindle relocates for New York with her equity card, ready to conquer Broadway. A local TV anchor sees her waitressing in a Manhattan eatery and soon she is the hot topic on every late-night talk show. And everyone’s burning question is “What happened to the $50,000 Miss America prize money?” Her answer is simple: The money can 50

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only be spent for scholarship purposes. But the controversy gives Shindle unprecedented media coverage and she is starring on Broadway as Lucy in Jekyl And Hyde within weeks. The following year Shindle tours the country as Sally Bowles in the TonyAward winning revival of Cabaret, returning to Broadway to repeat the role in the summer of 2001. In the years ahead she creates memorable roles in such Broadway shows as Legally Blonde and Wonderland. Fast forward to 2015, when Shindle is elected President of Actors’ Equity Association, a union representing more than 50,000 actors and stage managers. She becomes the youngest in the union’s history and only the third woman to hold that position. With a platform of gender and ethnic diversity in theatrical casting, she also aggressively battles Trump’s proposed elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts arguing, “The arts are not a frill or a luxury or some kind of vanity project. The arts are part of who we are as a nation and they put our nation to work.” Today, Shindle is back on the road playing Allison Beschel, America’s most famous lesbian cartoonist, in the 2015 Tony-Award winning musical, Fun Home. “Being portrayed by her in the musical feels like a lovely, twisting kind of cultural progress,” the real Beschel quips. “Suddenly, there’s this inexplicable but undeniable continuity between the marginal lesbian and the beauty queen … I find it delightful.”

Based on Bechel’s autobiographical novel with the same name, Fun Home follows Alison Bechel’s coming to terms with her closeted father’s suicide while dealing with her own sexual identity. Moving between past and present, Alison (played by three actresses) relives her childhood in her family’s funeral parlor/home, lovingly nicknamed the “Fun Home.” Shindle plays mature Alison, narrating the central character’s road to discovery. Noting a dramatic shift in mainstream culture’s attitudes towards the LGBTQ community and coming out. “In a lot of ways Fun Home shows a generational difference between how Alison Bechdel herself dealt with her own sexual identity when she was in college in the early 1980s,” she explained, “versus her father, who is obviously a generation older and had to conceal his.” Additionally, Shindle said she hopes Fun Home will help audience members “come to terms with their past so they can move into the future.” After every performance, audiences greet her at the stage door, affirming how much the show’s message hits home. In her own inimitable way, the actress, activist, union leader, beauty queen continues to be a staunch ally of the LGBTQ community. Fun Home, which won five Tony Awards including 2015’s Best Musical, opens ASU Gammage’s 2017-2018 season. Fun Home Sept. 5-10 ASU Gammage 1200 S. Forest Ave, Tempe Tickets: $20-$150; 480- 965-3434 asugammage.com/shows M. Seth Reines is an award-winning theater buff who has directed more than 500 productions nationally for stage and television, and formerly served as head of Roosevelt University’s musical theatre program.

Theater

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SEPTEMBER 2017

between the covers

You’re in the Wrong Bathroom! By Terri Schlichenmeyer

ow does that work? When you were little and that question arose, you simply took things apart to find the answer – but that didn’t always turn out so well. In “You’re in the Wrong Bathroom!” And 20 Other Myths and Misconceptions About Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming People by Laura Erickson-Schroth, MD, and Laura A. Jacobs, LCSW-R, it’s time for different way of seeing things – especially when it comes to asking that question of transgender individuals. One million people. That’s approximately how many transgender individuals live in the United States. “Chances are,” say the authors, “you’ve met one [or more] of them,” and you didn’t even realize it. So why do many people think they don’t know anyone who’s transgender? The answer goes back to a 1960sera estimate that didn’t take race or economics into account, and that may still lead to myths and wrong assumptions. Misunderstandings happen because of that old study, lines blur, and “It’s crucial to ask ourselves why it bothers us so much…” It’s a myth to believe that any single thing can define a “trans” person, say the authors. Each individual decides on who they are or will be, what they’ll be called, whether to have surgery, and how they’ll dress. And no, you cannot ask what’s in their pants, but you can respectfully inquire about preferred pronouns.

The sexuality of a transgender individual may be complex, say the authors, or it may be a fluid process filled with surprises, but transitioning isn’t a way to “trick” anyone into anything. Disclosure to friends, family, and potential mates is likewise not easily defined, so it’s best left to the individual. Obviously, none of this is “easy.” Trans people have been around for centuries and were once revered in various cultures throughout history. They are not “broken” or “trapped in the wrong body” and they do not need to be “fixed.” They’ve gone through many steps to transition, and the vast majority will not have regrets for it. And using “safety” as an argument for denying them bathroom usage is incorrect – unless you’re talking “safety” for the trans individual zierself. Questions. You’ve got a zillion of them and, especially if you’re transitioning or thinking about it, so do your friends and family. And “You’re in the Wrong Bathroom!” can answer 20 of them. Beginning at the basics with “Identity,” authors Laura Erickson-Schroth and Laura A. Jacobs take the most common lore about the “T” in LGBTQ and gently correct any wrong beliefs that may be lurking in readers’ minds. That’s a good start, but there were times when the

Laura Erickson-Schroth, MD, (left) and Laura A. Jacobs,, LCSW-R.

“You’re in the Wrong Bathroom!” And 20 Other Myths and Misconceptions About Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming People by Laura Erickson-Schroth, MD, and Laura A. Jacobs, LCSW-R. Beacon Press, 2017 | $16.

authors seemed too nice; more adamant language could have been appropriate. Even so, there’s a good sense of mindeasing in most cases here, followed by a carefully-measured MYOB tone. At some point, then, and no pun intended, this book transitions more toward gendernonconforming readers and less for cisgender folks, allowing the latter even better insight. There’s a lot of education as well as food for thought inside this book – for those who’ve transitioned as well as those who are pondering it and for their loved ones. Or if you’re just looking for a resource filled with information to help you set the naysayers right, “You’re in the Wrong Bathroom!” passes the test. Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm, lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 13,000 books. She’s been reading since age 3 and, to this day, she never goes anywhere without a book.

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ALL OVER THE MAP

Majoring In The Rest Of My Life By Liz Massey

come from a family of teachers. This tradition stretches back at least four generations and my relatives have taught everything from “reading, writing and ‘rithmetic” in a one-room schoolhouse to psychiatric nursing in a college setting. But as much as my family has a tradition of valuing formal education, they also understood that most of the learning that is done – and possibly the most important lessons in life – happens outside of a classroom or training event. Well into their eighties, my parents continue to seek out information to increase their understanding of the world by talking to friends and neighbors, watching PBS and borrowing books at the library. Educational consultant Jay Cross calls this behavior “informal learning,” which he defines as “the unofficial, unscheduled, impromptu way most of us learn to do our jobs.” I would expand that last phrase to read “to get through life.” If your school record wasn’t stellar, it may help to realize that informal learning comprises 80 percent of how people learn once they leave school. It’s largely motivated by necessity and curiosity, rather than someone else’s curriculum, so you can excel as an informal learner even if you were a mediocre student. One of the places in which I personally have learned the most as an adult has been the LGBTQ community. I learned not just “know-how,” but “know-what-if” (modeling and prototyping solutions), “know-whatnot” (critical thinking), “know-when” (planning and executing a project) and the all-important “know-who” (connecting with people to get things done). Here is just a sampling of the many lessons I’ve learned from my “studies” as a queer activist: 1. Group dynamics One of my first service activities after coming out and graduating from college 54

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was being on the board of an LGBTQ community center in the Midwest. Like a lot of all-volunteer organizations with no budget and high aspirations, our board was a motley assortment of passionate visionaries, who clashed on just about everything. But I did get something out of the experience. At 23, I began to understand how to get buy-in on a concept before proposing it formally, how to recruit colleagues who were a good fit for a working board, and how to resolve toxic conflicts in a healthy manner. 2. Leadership In 2000, I became managing editor of Echo Magazine. I was asked to appear on local television and radio, and speak “for” the community on a regular basis. I also was asked to make presentations to employee groups in town, and to provide a weekly news update for a call-in radio show. All of these tasks stretched me WAY past my comfort zone as an introvert, and required me to assert myself at work in ways that I never had before. 3. Networking When I was editor of Echo, I was in a position on a daily basis to connect members of our community with helpful resources. We often ran in the magazine our master list of LGBTQ community organizations to help people find support groups, recreational activities, churches, health organizations, musical ensembles, etc. This reinforced for me how powerful having a strong network of friends, acquaintances and community members can be. 4. Creative development I’ve always considered myself a musician, and was active in choirs and bands from elementary school through college. However, it wasn’t until I joined LGBTQ-focused musical groups as an adult that I really understood how they enriched my life. No matter how much

we had been stigmatized as individuals for being queer and/or trans, the members of the ensembles to which I belonged to were able to transcend labels and we made beautiful music together. 5. Individuation There’s nothing like being a member of a marginalized community to make you think long and hard about who you really are. Being exposed to the full spectrum of LGBTQ personalities, from briefcase-wielding businessmen to wild-eyed performance artists, has helped me discover who I am and how I fit in the queer community. Having a strong sense of self has proven to be a blessing during the current political crisis, during which “alternate facts” about the LGBTQ community and other marginalized groups are being marketed as equivalent to the truth. Most of what I learned informally through the LGBTQ community happened as a result of conversations, which Cross calls “the stem cells of learning.” The really wonderful thing about learning in our community is that it can happen at any time, and almost anywhere. To gain wisdom from our peers and allies, we don’t have to sign up for a formal program, we just have to start talking … and listening. “[Conversations] both create and transmit knowledge,” Cross notes. “Open conversation increases innovation. People love to talk. Bringing them together brings excitement … The informal organization is how most work gets done.” Liz Massey has been involved in LGBTQ community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine. She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com. COMMUNITY

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ANVIL

2424 E. Thomas Road

602-334-1462

M, D, L

2 2

AQUA NIGHT CLUB

1730 E. McDowell Road

602-253-0682

F, N, E, D

BAR 1

3702 N. 16th St.

602-266-9001

M, N, E

4 4

BLISS REBAR

901 N. Fourth St.

602-795-1792

M, N, E

BOYCOTT BAR

4301 N. Seventh Ave.

602-515-3667

MF, D, E

6 6

BS WEST

7125 E. Fifth Ave.

480-945-9028

MF, D, E

BUNKHOUSE

4428 N. Seventh Ave.

602-200-9154

M, N, L

8 8

CHARLIE’S

727 W. Camelback Road

602-265-0224

M, C, E, D

9 9

CLUB VOLT

3108 E. McDowell Road

602-244-1465

MF, D, E

10 10

CRUISIN’ 7TH

3702 N. Seventh St.

602-212-9888

M, E

11 11

DICK’S CABARET

3432 E. Illini St.

602-274-3425

M, G

12 12

FEZ

105 W. Portland St.

602-287-8700

13 13

FLEX SPAS PHOENIX

1517 S. Black Canyon Hwy

602-271-9011

M, AO

14 14

KARAMBA NIGHTCLUB

1724 E. McDowell Road

602-254-0231

D, E

15 15

KOBALT

3110 N. Central Ave., Ste. 125

602-264-5307

MF, E, N

16 16

LOS DIABLOS

1028 E. Indian School Road

602-795-7881

MF, R, N

17 17

NU TOWNE SALOON

5002 E. Van Buren St.

602-267-9959

M, N, L

18 18

OFF CHUTE TOO

4115 N. Seventh Ave

602-274-1429

M, A

19 19

OZ BAR

1804 W. Bethany Home Road

602-242-5114

MF, N

20 20

PLAZMA

1560 E. Osborn Road

602-266-0477

MF, N, E

21 21

ROYAL VILLA INN

4312 N. 12th St.

602-266-6883

M, AO

22 23

STACY’S @ MELROSE

4343 N. Seventh Ave.

602-264-1700

MF, D, N

23 24

THE CASH NIGHTCLUB & LOUNGE

2140 E. McDowell Road

602-244-9943

F, C, D

25 24

THE CHUTE

1440 E. Indian School Road

602-234-1654

M, AO

26 25

THE ROCK

4129 N. Seventh Ave.

602-248-8559

M, N, E

MAP CODES: A M F MF

Adult Retail & Entertainment Mostly Males Mostly Females Mixed Male/Female

N R D C

Neighborhood Bar Full Restaurant Dance Club Country Dancing

L Leather/Bears E Entertainment (Karaoke, Drag) G Go-Go Dancers AO Accommodations/Other

EchoMag.com

SEPTEMBER 2017

bar specials BUNKHOUSE S $1 drafts & HH prices all day & night M 7 p.m. Darts with Acxell

Photos by KJ Philp.

W 9 p.m. Karaoke T Underwear night: $1 off all drinks if in skivvies! GoGo dancers 9p.m.

F 8 p.m.-close: $2.50 Miller family products. 4 & 6 p.m.: Free-to-join poker

S 8 p.m.-close: $2.50 Bud family products

CHARLIE’S S Super HH 4-7 p.m., $3 pitchers; $3 Long Islands open to close

M 2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 8 p.m.-close, 1/2 off drinks for wearing underwear, $3 Jack Daniels

T 2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1 cocktails & beer 8 p.m.close

W 2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; $3 Three Olives vodka, 8 p.m.close

T 2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1 drinks open-close

F 2-7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics, $3 pitchers; HH 7-9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $1 drafts 10 p.m.- midnight

S Noon-7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics; HH 7-9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $3 Absolut & Bacardi 10 p.m.-midnight

STACY’S @ MELROSE S $1.50 Rolling Rock pints & well drinks until 10 p.m.

M Karaoke, 9 p.m.-close; HH & $3 charity shots ALL DAY

T HH, 4-8 p.m.; $1 draft pint, $3 charity shots, $4 Mojitos & Caipirinhas ALL DAY; live DJ

W 2-4-1 ALL DAY; $3 charity shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance

T HH & $1.50 draft pint, 4-8 p.m.; $1.50 draft pint & wells, 8 p.m.-midnight; live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close

F HH, 4-8 p.m.; $3 charity shots ALL DAY; $2 Kamikaze shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close

S HH, 4-8 p.m.; $3 charity shots ALL DAY; $2 Kamikaze shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close SEPTEMBER 2017

GLSEN Phoenix’s Third Annual Q-Trivia Night July 27 at Kobalt, Phoenix.

T Latin Night with Diego

OUT & ABOUT

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EchoMag.com

SEPTEMBER 2017

OUT & ABOUT Strike Out Hunger Aug. 5 at Let It Roll Bowl, Phoenix. Photos by nightfuse.com

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

SEPTEMBER 2017

EchoMag.com

SEPTEMBER 2017

lambda directory Please support our advertisers who help keep Echo free. To find out more about advertising in Echo, call 602-266-0550.

ACCOUNTANTS/TAX PREPARATION Robert F. Hockensmith, CPA, PC p. 55

Charlie’s Phoenix p. 9 Stacy’s @ Melrose p. 60-61, 67 COUNSELING SERVICES Building Blocks Counseling p. 58 Stonewall Institute p. 51

ADULT ENTERTAINMENT/ RETAIL Flex Spas Phoenix p. 65 Pleasure World p. 47 The Chute p. 64 AIR CONDITIONG & HEATING Valdez Refrigeration

DENTISTS My Dentist Open Wide Dental EDUCATION Maricopa County Community College District

p. 59

APARTMENTS Alta Filmore/Alta Midtown p. 68 Arcadia Gardens p. 42 Broadstone Arts Districtp. 45 East and West Apartments p. 58 El Cortez Apartments p. 39 ATTORNEYS Jackson WhiteAttorneys At Law Phillips Law Group Tyler Allen Law Firm AUTO SERVICES Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair BAR & CLUBS Bunkhouse

EVENTS AIDS Walk Phoenix Aunt Rita’s Foundation Opening Act, Phoenix Theatre Phoenix Mercury Sparkle, Glitter, GLSEN Tucson Pride

p. 51 p. 17 p. 2

p. 47 p. 4

Don’s Painting Service Rainbow Bug The Mattress Man TRM Roofing Wallbeds “n” More INSURANCE Benefits Arizona Edward Vasquez, Allstate

p. 49

p. 49 p. 57 p. 13 p. 19 p. 15 p. 10

p. 11

p. 45

p. 61

HOME SERVICES ADD/WES Roofing

p. 58

PHARMACY CVS/specialty Pharmacy Fairmont Pharmacy

#EchoMagAZ.

Linkedin: Echo Magazine 66

SEPTEMBER 2017

EchoMag.com

p. 47 p. 55

REALTORS Arizona Gay Realtors Alliance p. 3 Berney Streed, Re/Max Excalibur p. 59 Bradley B. Brauer, HomeSmart p. 3 Daniel J. Nickles, PLLC p. 31 David Oesterle, ReMax p. 3 Fred Delgado Team, Keller Williams p. 3 Jan Dahl, HomeSmart p. 3 Matthew Hoedt, Realty One p. 3

Join the conversation with

Instagram: @echomagazineaz

p. 3

Jeremy Schachter, Pinnacle Capital Mortgage p. 3

GALLERY Melrose Collective

twitter.com: @echomagaz

p. 47

MORTGAGES

FINANCIAL SERVICES JW Advisors Inc. p. 59 Pawn 1st p. 59

facebook.com/echomagazine

p. 58 p. 59 p. 59 p. 51 p. 53

Melinda Murphy, Lifestyle Partners p. 55 Nicholas Yale, Realty Executives p. 3 Shawn Hertzog, West USA p. 3 Stephen Fourie, Home Smart Elite Group p. 58 RELIGIOUS GROUPS Community Church of Hope

p. 58

RESTAURANTS China Chili Hula’s Modern Tiki Match at Found:RE Z’Tejas

p. 41 p. 42 p. 42 p. 39

RETAIL Off Chute Too

p. 45

RETIREMENT PLANNING Calvin Goetz, Strategy Financial Group

p. 3

SALON Exodus Hair Studios

p. 58

WELLNESS Boston Scientific p. 63 Elite Plastic Surgery p. 5 Medical Spa p. 58 FitPro, LLC p. 24-26 Gilead Truvada p. 65 IGNITE p. 59 JWW Fitness Skin Frenzy Aesthetics p. 55 Southwest Center for p. 22 HIV/AIDS Spectrum Medical p. 31 Group p. 59 Willo Medi Spa lambda directory

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