Agenda 112615 issue 314 by Multi-Media Platforms

SAME-SEX PARENTS TO CREATE BABIES FROM SKIN CELLS WITHIN TWO YEARS

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F E AT U R E

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S P E C I A L

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FLORIDA AGENDA’S first annual list of 100 LGBT Movers and Shakers in the Sunshine State is a showcase to a group of individuals who are passionate enough about discrimination, civil rights and equality for all Americans to be honored as leaders in a powerful club of determined and self-sacrificing heroes. While some would seem obvious picks for inclusion in the list — from business leaders to crusading politicians, far more are blue collar workers, retail clerks, students and other volunteers from all walks of life who have chosen to participate in an historical equal rights movement that crosses all races, creeds, HE

religions and financial strata. Today, we do more than simply honor them here for their accomplishments. We hold them as standard bearers who inspire and encourage the best in all humankind. Through the work of these men, women and teenagers, not only is our LGBTQ world a better place in which to survive; America is a better place to live and excel. We’ve listed them in alphabetical order, for each is special in what they do, and each is first in what they’ve achieved. Here then is our salute to the top 100 LGBT Movers and Shakers in Florida 2015. Congratulations to all! November 26, 2015

By RICHARD HACK and ALEXANDER KACALA

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NIKKI ADAMS Female impersonator/Angel of mercy

STEVE ADKINS President Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC) Steve is both the president of the board of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC) as well as its Executive Director. Never one to stay far from the control panel, Steve also sits on the board of the Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority, the MiamiDade Community Relations Board and Miami Beach Gay Pride. Under Steve’s leadership, the MDGLCC has become the largest not-for-profit corporation in the county for gay and lesbian businesses. Born in San Diego, the 58-year-old is the son of a NASA engineer, and was awarded the National Gay & Lesbian Task Forces Eddie McIntyre Community Service Award in 2009.

JESSICA AGUILAR Activist and MMA fighter

RICHARD ALALOUF Executive Director, South Florida Family Pride A native of Montreal, Canada, Richard Alalouf formed the South Florida Family Pride organization as a means for gays and lesbians with children to meet and play together, sharing experiences and developing the opportunity for kids in LGBTQ families to associate with youth who share the same challenges and peer-pressure. With his husband, Tom Mulroy, Richard is raising a pre-school son with an infectious smile and the eagerness to learn. A flight attendant for JetBlue, Richard looks forward to the day when same-sex families don’t require explanation or excuses, but are welcomed into the neighborhood community at large.

A.J. ALEGRIA President, Impulse Group South Florida Alfredo J. Alegria (A.J. to his friends) lives and breathes Impulse Group South Florida. That’s the four-year-old organization that brings awareness to the growing threat of HIV to teenagers and young adults, the fastest growing population for new infection. He is vice president of Impulse United, as well as the director of Client Experience at AIDS Healthcare Foundation. He lives in Fort Lauderdale with his partner Brad Lee.

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At 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 115 pounds, Jessica Aguilar is known as a Strawweight among her Mixed Martial Arts league. But one look at this fighter, originally from Poza Rica de Hidaigo in the Mexican

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For Nikki Adams, life is a cabaret—both on and off stage. The indefatigable female impersonator has performed in nearly every bar, club and stage in town. Even after 38 years in Fort Lauderdale, Nikki is showing no sign of slowing down her pace. When she isn’t entertaining her fans in nightclubs, she is donating her talent to raise millions of dollars for causes that range from the Pride Center to the Pet Foundation, with a special place in her heart for the Broward House, where she acts as Community Liaison. She has held the titles of Miss Florida Female Impersonator, and Miss Continental Elite, and, in 2011, was named Community Star of the Year.

state of Veracruz, will tell you she’s a heavyweight hitter for causes in which she believes. She’s come a long way from Mexico’s Federal Highway 180, by way of Houston, to the paradise known as Fort Lauderdale. When mistakenly called a bisexual fighter in an article in Huffington Post, Jessica was quick to point out, “For the record I am not bisexual. I am 100 percent a lesbian. I am proud to be a leader for females across the globe in the LGBT world!” She achieves her goals by “focusing on the positives, working at the things you can control and always treating others with respect.”

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SEBRINA MARIA ALFONSO South Florida Symphony Music Director

ROYA AMIRNIROUMAND Coordinator, Women with Pride, Pride Center

The energetic and vivacious Holam Antonetti was born in Caracas, Venezuela and moved to Miami when she was 13 years old. She is the promoter of Lesbe Go-Go, a brand of well-attended and fun events that take place at various venues all over South Florida. She recently won the Pink Flamingo Award for Best Promoter. In a cover interview for Ambiente magazine, Holam said, “I love the night life... that everyone takes the time to put themselves together and they come out with the best intentions, wondering what the night will bring. Throughout the night, I love looking around the room and seeing all the different interactions.”

TONI ARMSTRONG JR. Executive Director of Bi, Lesbian and Straight Together (BLAST) Women of the Palm Beaches Toni Armstrong Jr. is a long-time LGBT activist, who arrived in Florida via Chicago. In 2008, she founded BLAST (Bi, Lesbian and Straight Together) Women of the Palm Beaches, an organization that brings together females from all races and sexual orientations for fun events aimed at increasing lesbian visibility and equality. Since its inception, BLAST has attracted more than 1600 members and sponsored well over a thousand events by, for, and about women. She founded and runs Empty Closet Productions. Toni likes a good premium cigar, we’re told, as well as live concerts featuring female performers —J udy Rogers is a favorite. “I started the BLAST so that we could have a large, positive, affordable, and easy-to-access women’s community.” From her home in Riviera Beach, with her spouse Janis Kidder, she continues to encourage all women to achieve their individual greatness. “Together we shall go far.”

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There’s no way around it. Her last name is a tonguetwister. But this vivacious 25-year-old is happy to be just “Roya” to her legions of fans within and without the Pride Center at Equality Park where she coordinates the Women with Pride program. “Coming out is a process,” Roya said, and it is a process she understands very well. “A lot of people in my life have asked about my personal sexuality. And the truth is at the end of the day, I am a woman — and the LBT community is at the heart of the women’s movement.” Hailing from New Jersey with a master’s degree from Rutgers University, Roya is as much a Dolly Levi as a woman’s advocate, introducing those within the Women with Pride program to reach out to one another and learn. “I learn every day,” she says. And with that knowledge, so goes the growth of the Women with Pride program which includes screenings and mixers and education seminars that pack the kind of energy that mimics Roya’s own.

HOLAM ANTONETTI Promoter, Lesbe Go-Go

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Now in its 18th season, the South Florida Symphony Orchestra may not be Sebrina Maria Alfonso’s life, but it certainly is her soul. As the orchestra’s musical director, the Key West native is one of the few female conductors of a major professional orchestra, and the solitary lesbian in the group. Having made her New York debut conducting the American Symphony Orchestra at the finals of the Stokowski International Competition in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, Sebrina sees music as a way crossing all boundaries — religious, political, sexual, and social. And she has traveled the world to prove the point. She has been the guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Jose Symphony, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Prague Radio Symphony, the Orchestra de Rús in Sienna, Italy, plus she was the first Cuban-American conductor invited to lead the National Orchestra of Cuba.

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Mention Leor Barak and two images come to mind: the handsome French-Canadian Jew who took Wilton Manors by storm when he opened a frozen yogurt shop on the Drive a few years back, and later enlarged it to become the sensation known as the New York Grilled Cheese Co. Far more than the official late-night post-bar hangout in the gayborhood, NYGCC is also a fundraising Nexus for the community. Leor freely opens his establishment to charitable events and gives just as freely of his profit to benefit organizations like SMART Ride and the Pride Center. His contagious smile hides the soul of a businessman who quietly has given a fresh start to many of the area’s youth who have gotten in trouble with the law and needed work. Now in his early 30s, Leor is a symbol of success done right. And remarkably, he’s newly single. Catch him if you can at the quick-café’s newest location about to open in Boca Raton.

DANIEL BASSETT Artistic Director, South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble

The musical director of LGBT’s only Wind Ensemble, Dan Bassett is a Yankee and graduate of Ithaca College which was originally founded as a conservatory of music. It was a good choice for Dan whose first job out of college was as a music teacher — first at Boca Raton High and currently at St. Mark’s Episcopal School. A decade ago, he took over the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble which began life as the South Florida Gay and Lesbian Band, on Thanksgiving weekend in 1986. Between then and now, much has happened besides several name changes. Dan took over the baton, and under his direction, the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble and its 60 piece assemblage of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, saxes, trumpets, French horns, trombones and percussion, have given pleasure to straights and gays alike.

ILENE BERLINER Chairman of the Board, Pride Center at Equality Park

Ilene Berliner is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ causes in South Florida. Serving as Board Chair for The Pride Center at Equality Park since 2013, Ilene is an active leader in the progressive and expanding organization. She was fundamental to the transition of the Pride Center from a community meeting place in a rundown building on Andrews Avenue to a sprawling 5-acre campus on Dixie Highway hosting 60 organizations weekly. A graduate of the University of Miami, Ilene was president of Prudential Prime Realty in New Jersey, and managing recruiter at Datalink Inc. in Manhattan and Dax Technologies in New Jersey. She lives in Fort Lauderdale with her wife Maura Lane, and their three children — a trio of pups named Garland, Minnelli and Happy.

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EMILIO BENITEZ CEO, ChildNet Emilio Benitez is President and Chief Executive Officer of ChildNet, the single private non-profit service responsible for administration of the local child welfare system in Broward and PalmBeach counties under a contract with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). A native of Havana, Cuba, Emilio is a graduate of Tulane University, and received his law degree from the University of Florida. Since 2007, Emilio has been overseeing ChildNet, which only last month moved into an expanded 35,000 square foot headquarters which it shares with Fort Lauderdale Independence Training & Education Center. He has been involved in children’s advocacy efforts locally and statewide for more than a decade, and calls Hollywood, Florida, his home.

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LEOR BARAK Owner, New York Grilled Cheese Co./Philanthropist

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NICK BERRY Co-owner, Courtyard Café and Rumors Bar & Grille

Nick Berry is a very busy man. He’s got a long-standing husband, Joseph Bush (they’ve been together for something like a quarter of a century, so you know it’s true love). He’s got the most popular café in town (Courtyard — which he owns with Shawn Bombard, who’s sometimes confused for his husband, but isn’t). And he’s got Rumors Bar and Hobo’s Grille, home of the best Sunday brunch in town. As anyone who is anyone can tell you, not a week goes by that Rumors and/or Courtyard isn’t raising money for some good cause or another. And as if that weren’t enough, for years Nick was on the Wilton Manors Planning and Zoning Board, plus the Economic Development Board. Like we said, he’s very busy, and very special.

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KEITH BLACKBURN Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC) While it may seem like Keith Blackburn has lived in Fort Lauderdale forever, he’s a relatively new transplant, arriving in town in 2004 from the nation’s Capitol. In addition to be being a real estate broker and the former owner of the eccentric and upscale Mary’s Resort, Keith is the president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Cham-

ber of Commerce (GFLGLCC). The GFLGLCC is Broward County’s affiliate of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). Membership includes the NGLCC Supplier Diversity Initiative (SDI), which certifies Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Transgender owned Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs) and works to provide opportunities for LGBTBEs to gain exposure within corporate procurement processes. Look for Keith. He’s the tall one with the perpetual smile.

ROBIN BODIFORD LGBT advocate, bankruptcy attorney Robin Bodiford has a well-earned reputation as the LGBT lawyer in Fort Lauderdale. Not that she’s the only lesbian attorney in town, but she is the only one who worked tirelessly to make domestic partnerships a reality in 1999. “We handily passed that into law,” she remembers, “as the commissioners were all our friends, (with the notable exception of John Rodstrom, who voted against our gay rights laws, twice). Ironically since his district changed to include gays, he changed his tune.” Robin Bodiford’s legal practice centers on the LGBT community, covering wills, trusts, probate, gay family law, and consumer bankruptcy. When asked about her clients, Bodiford is still fighting for our community; “I often say that 99% of my clients are gay and the other 1% are our family and friends!”

ROBERT BOO Chief Executive Officer, Pride Center Robert Boo is larger than life in so many ways. First, he’s tall. The kind of big man you would expect to have grown up in northern Indiana — which he did. And then there’s his big laugh. The infectious kind that makes you want to chuckle

along even if you have no idea what everyone else is laughing about. And finally, he’s got a big heart which goes a long way when you’re dealing with the LGBT community. In Boo’s case (skip the Robert, that’s just for business), he runs the Pride Center at Equality Park like a family business. He knows everyone by name, listens to their joys and frustrations, never seems to be short on time even though he’s got a schedule that never has an empty slot, and could get a charitable contribution out of Scrooge — and has. Boo has turned the Pride Center into a place of camaraderie where everyone is welcomed. Gay or not. Go visit, and while you’re there, look around at what has become a success story second to none.

VANESSA BRITO Director of MYami Marketing Inc., political activist

Vanessa Brito is the Director and owner of Myami Marketing Inc., a Miami based full-service political consulting firm. In that capacity, she worked on the campaign of Veronica Diaz, helping to get her elected as Miami-Dade County Judge against a 20-year political veteran in Miami and the Sunshine State. Vanessa has written for Miami.com, served as a committee member to SAVE Dade Foundation’s Communications and Marketing Committee, is a Federal Club member of the Human Rights Campaign, and serves on the advisory board to the Latin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Currently, Vanessa is a board member and political committee chair of Unity Coalition/Coali4

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cion Unida (LGBT), is a member of the Equality Florida Miami Steering Committee, and honorary board member of the Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation. A Republican, Vanessa was voted the Best Citizen of 2011 by the Miami New Times newspaper.

BRICE BRITTENUM Homicide detective, Fort Lauderdale Police Department Brice Brittenum is openly gay and a homicide detective on the Fort Lauderdale police department. He’s been with the FLPD since the age of 20, and at 33, has seen an incredible amount of change in the town he calls home. As the liaison between the FLPD and the gay community, Brice is the public face of the police force to many gays and lesbians, as he mans the FLPD’s booth at Pride events in an effort to encourage the LGBT community to join the force. “I’d like to see more openly gay officers,” he admits, while quietly declining to give a number on how many currently serve. While keeping his personal life out of the spotlight, he has no problem expressing his own pride in the FLPD which he says has a stellar record in investigating crimes against the community.

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CINDY BROWN—Equality Florida, Business Leader

Cindy Brown is one of those “turn-to” women you recruit when you need to get a job done. Back in the day, Cindy and her event company Cenergy LLC was the work horse behind the Miami Beach Gay Pride. Before that, she helped to organize the Miami AIDS Walk, and the White Party as a fund

raiser for Care Resource/Health Crisis Network. To list all the boards on which she has served would fill this page and the next, but she currently serves as the board chair of Area Resource and Referral Organization for Women and sits on the LGBT Business Enhancement Committee for the City of Miami Beach. She is part of the team that successfully won the right to bring the World OutGames to Miami Beach and Miami in 2017 and is the co-chair of the Human Rights conference component. After a run as the executive director of the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, she is currently the development officer of Equality Florida Miami-Dade.

REV. DR. LEA BROWN Minister, Metropolitan Community Churches of the Palm Beaches Lea Brown has been the senior pastor at the Metropolitan Community Churches of the Palm Beaches (MCCPB) since 2011. She has also served as the senior minister of MCC San Francisco and as the senior pastor of Wichita Falls MCC in Texas. She was the Acting Executive Director of the Metropolitan Community Foundation in San Francisco, and following her ordination in 1996, Lea served as volunteer clergy at MCCSF. During that time, she preached, led retreats, served as the pastor of spiritual development, and taught many classes and programs on spiritual growth, and the intersections of gender, sexuality and spirituality, and social justice. Lea and her partner SarahHelen Land share the the MCCPB parsonage with their dog, Simche.

MARK BUDWIG President S Mark Graphics, Broward House

To look at Mark Budwig, you would never think that he looks old enough to have been partnered for 33 years. During the last 30 of those years, he’s owned and administrated S. Mark Graphics, a graphic and web design agency. Mark is the president of the board of directors of the Broward House, and the immediate past chair of the Riverwalk Trust as well as Oakland Park Main Street. A graduate of UC San Diego, Mark has been the president of the board of directors of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, and is an active board member of the Tower Club, Regent Bank, and the Pride Center at Equality Park.

DOUG CANDLER Videographer/philanthropist

Douglas Harper Candler is one of those silent angels whose quiet gifts to the community go largely unheralded except for his name engraved on plagues and buildings as a Founding Member, a Founder’s Circle, or some other testament to his generosity. A gifted videographer, Doug was the co-executive producer of the 2007 film Burn. His great-greatgrandfather Asa Griggs Candler, was the sole owner of Coca-Cola Corporation, until he divested it to his children. While Doug has distanced himself from his roots in Atlanta since moving into lavish digs in Wilton Manors, his family’s name remains on buildings, parks and monuments throughout Georgia.

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Long-time community advocate Ivan Cano is the co-chair of the 2017 World OutGames coming to Miami Beach. Previously, Ivan was the first full-time executive director for the Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade & Festival, after having served as logistics manager for the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. Well known in Miami circles, Ivan was general manager at Palace on Ocean Drive where he helped initiate the “Dollar Donation Program,” created several street events, and procured an 80-foot by 20-foot rainbow flag which Palace then donated to the Pride parade. Locally, he’s been involved with Pride for the past four years, is chair of the Miami Beach LGBT Business Enhancement Committee and volunteered as nightlife events committee chair for Winter Party Festival. An advocate for the Hispanic community, he helped create Celebrate Orgullo during Hispanic Heritage Month.

GEORGE CASTRATARO Attorney and Pro Bono Provider It’s hard not to like George Castrataro. He’s a big bear of a guy with a passion to protect the underdog so evident that it might as well be tattooed across his forehead. While known to many for his bus stop benches that sports his smiling profile, it is his pro bono work for the bullied and discriminated that really makes him a rarity among his breed. An Irish Catholic from Amityville, New York, of horrorstory fame, George refuses to slow his pace of offering protection to those who are persecuted at a time of maximum vulnerability. Mover, shaker, and all around nice guy.

ENBAR COHEN Vice Mayor of Aventura

A graduate of the University of Manchester, Nayte Carrick heads up the Metropolitan Business Association, which operates as the Orlando Gay Chamber of Commerce. After assuming the position in May 2009, Nayte smoothed out financial irregularities to turn the MBA into a smoothly functioning reflection of the expanding LGBTQ market in Orlando. He is also the founder and CEO of ClikCloc, a time-tracking /invoicing software for employees of small-businesses, as well as CMarketing, a company specializing in Creative Marketing Operations for emerging businesses. His favorite color is orange, his fantasy vacation paradise is Boro Boro, and he once leapt from a moving car when a spider fell in his lap.

Israeli-born Enbar Cohen is the Vice Mayor of the city of Aventura and the youngest elected lesbian in the country. She is the state director of the Young Elected Officials Network, of the People for the American Way, an organization that provides support to federal, state, and local elected officials ages 35 and under who share the values of freedom, fairness, and opportunity for all. She is currently studying to be an attorney at Florida International University.

Father Bill Collins was a priest at Saint Coleman Parrish in Pompano Beach and a chaplain at the Imperial Point hospital when he discovered that HIV/AIDS positive men and women needed life-saving food and basic living essentials. The year was 1984, and several years later, the Poverello Center and Thrift store were born. While the organization has gone through many locations and incarnations, its basic mission has never changed. It is now one of the largest food banks in the region, serving 3,000 low-income individuals with nearly 2 million meals. Father Bill is now 84, and still an inspiring cog in its wheel of success.

EDITH COLON Real estate guru, advocate

A native of Puerto Rico, fashion designer and sales guru Edith Colon is the owner of uOwn Real Estate, where she has accrued millions of dollars in sales. In addition, she has owned a yoga facility, restaurants, retail boutiques, and a hair salon. It is little wonder she has been named Entrepreneur of the Year and Merchant of the Month in the city of Orlando. A tireless volunteer and mother, Edith has worked with the Come Out with Pride organization, as well as the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking. She is also a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity International, Make-a-Wish America, and the Hope and Help Center of Central Florida.

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NAYTE CARRICK President, Metropolitan Business Association (Orlando Gay Chamber of Commerce)

FR. WILLIAM F. COLLINS Founder, Poverello Center, priest

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IVAN CANO World OutGames Miami Beach co-chair

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Isreali-born Sean David is the owner of the Fort Lauderdale nightclub le Boy, and the about-toopen Wilton Manors sportsbar Ballz (on the site of the former Sidelines). A consummate businessman, Sean has opened the doors of his nightclubs (including his recently closed longtime strip club Johnny’s) for a myriad of fundraisers to aid the LGBT community. At onetime Sean was a partner in the iconic strip club Boardwalk, which he helped launch in its current location in 2001. As one-time, he also owned Fort Lauderdale’s three largest laundromats. As we said, a consummate businessman.

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SEAN DAVID Nightclub owner, le Boy and Ballz

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BOB DeBENEDICTIS Business owner, philanthropist Born and raised in Lansdown, Pennsylvania, Bob DeBenedictus is the president of the Robert N. DeBendictis Foundation, based in New York. A graduate of Drexel University, Bob has provided the seed capital for many LGBT business enterprises including LIPS Drag Restaurant, New York’s Next magazine, Manhattan’s Townhouse restaurant and bar, the Pet Foundation headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, and a number of gay Fort Lauderdale resorts including the Windamar Beach Resort, and the Grand Palm Plaza. He makes his home on New York’s Gramercy Park and on the Intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale.

TERRY DeCARLO Executive Director, The Center, Orlando

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A relative newcomer to Orlando as the executive director of The Center, Terry DeCarlo is a seasoned veteran of showcasing non-profits. Previously, Terry was director of marketing, public relations and events for the Broward House, the non-profit social services organization in Fort Lauderdale helping people with HIV/AIDS. Prior to his eight-year association with the Broward House, Terry was the marketing and communications director of CARE Resource Miami. He has an 18 year relationship with his husband, Bill Huelsman.

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Victor Diaz-Herman is the Executive Director at Pridelines Youth Services in South Florida and the cochair of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Winter Party Festival. Previously, Victor served as the Marketing Manager at Worth International Media Group and the Operations Manager at the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. He graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in English. Victor also studied Television and Radio Broadcast Journalism at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.

GINA DUNCAN Transgender Inclusion Director, Equality Florida

ELECTRA Female impersonator In Greek mythology, Electra is the daughter of King Agememnon and Queen Clytemnestra, and therefore the crown princess of Argos. Around Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and the remaining world, however, Electra is our Queen. This radiant female impersonator, originally from Seattle, Washington, has been at the top of her game for over 30 years, performing any number of characters from her Rolodex of celebrity superstars. Liza, Judy, Lucy, Barbra, Bette — you name them and Electra has nailed the character as well as the original, if not better. It is little wonder that the drag queen extraordinaire has been called by the New York Post, the Miami Herald, and the Florida Sun-Sentinel “the man of a thousand ladies.” She is all that, and more, tirelessly contributing her time and talent to fundraisers that have helped keep non-profits and charities alike in business. The always busy Electra is also known as Lyman James Buff — an equally fascinating individual, for sure.

DR. STEPHEN FALLON Co-founder, Latinos Salud For Dr. Stephen Fallon, the fight to educate gays about the risks of HIV infection began back in 2000 when he started working with gay and minority-based agencies and clinics that wanted to expand their HIV prevention and support services. “I’ve met some great people, helping agencies in 40 states through my consultancy,” Stephen says. But it wasn’t until 2008 that he discovered the lack of funding for the Latino community, a sector at increased risk for the disease. Originally just a Broward countybased organization, Latinos Salud has now expanded to Miami-Dade county as well. “It’s our mission to provide client-centered, culturally competent health education and integrated preventive health services to Latino residents in order to reduce the burden of communicable diseases,” he says.

KRISTOFER FEGENBUSH Chief Operating Officer, Pride Center at Equality Park

There’s a little Peter Pan inside Kris Fegenbush. There must be. Despite working countless hours per week as the COO of Broward County’s Pride Center, Kris does not age or stop smiling. Perhaps it’s that he works at one of the best LGBTQ centers in the country. Perhaps it’s because he helps it be all that it has become for LGBTQs here, and across the country who just stop by to say hi. Perhaps it’s because he seldom takes credit for anything, yet accomplishes much. Or perhaps it’s because he seems to be friends with everyone, even those he does not know. Or perhaps, just perhaps, he IS Peter Pan.

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Gina Duncan is the director of transgender inclusion at Equality Florida. A longtime advocate for transgender rights, she chairs the Transgender Day of Remembrance and Transgender Career and Wellness Fair events. Gina is also serving her second term as President of the Metropolitan Business Association (MBA), the LGBT Chamber of Commerce in Orlando. She is president of MBA’s Come Out with Pride event, which annually draws over 100,000 people to the Orlando area. Gina was invited to attend the first ever Human Rights Campaign’s National Women’s Diversity Leadership Conference, and also served on the HRC National Business Council. Gina serves on the Steering Committee of Equality Florida and on the Orlando Anti-Discrimination Alliance, which has been instrumental in passing the Orange County Human Rights Ordinance as well as a Domestic Partnership Registry in both the City and County.

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VICTOR DIAZ-HERMAN Executive Director, Pridelines Youth Services

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LUIGI FERRER Director of Health Services at Pridelines Youth Services Born in Puerto Rico, Ferrer grew up in South Carolina, and then returned to Puerto Rico, where his English was better than his native Spanish. He studied at the Universidad de Puerto Rico Ricinto de Mayaguez. Now living in Miami, Luigi is the director of health services for Pridelines dedicated to supporting, educating and empowering South Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth in a safe and diverse environment.

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JUSTIN FLIPPEN Wilton Manors City Commissioner Justin Flippen is a Broward County native, and will happily relate how he used to wait for his mother to take aerobic classes at Candy Colbe’s Fitness Studio — the current home of Hunters nightclub and gay dancararium. It is understandable then why Justin received the largest number of votes cast for any Wilton Manors candidate when he was elected as City Commissioner in 2008 and again in 2012. Since then, he since established the city’s first Diversity and Citizenship Committee, secured fairness and equality in city approved contracts, recognized the contribution of women through the creation of the city’s Women’s History Month program, as well as be a lead voice from the city on legislation and policy matters before the State and Federal governments. As the “People’s Commissioner,” Justin maintains an open door policy and believes governments are the servants, not the masters, of the people.

Debbie Frazier is the President of Alliance for Social Justice (ASJ), a non-for-profit grassroots organization designed to guide, educate and empower young adults to become the leaders of tomorrow. Originally from Chicago, Debbie found herself homeless in West Virginia after coming out to her family. That experience inspired her to create the ASJ which is dedicated to improving the lives of children by working with community organization, leaders and professionals. She is partnered with Diedre Newton, owner of real estate’s Huntington Prescott Properties.

Michael Goodman is a digital-age pitchman capable of publicizing pencil shavings to an eraser. Fortunately, he directs his efforts at large scale projects such as the Gallaria Mall, hotel, restaurant and fashion brands. Michael has been recognized by Leadership Broward with the 2013 Leader of the Year Award, South Florida Business Journal’s Up & Comers Award and ArtServe’s Encore Awards. His civic engagement includes serving for two years as the Chair of the School Advisory Board for the City of Oakland Park and supporting Leadership Broward Foundation as a graduate of Class XV. He has also served on the board of the Poverello Center.

DEBBIE FRAZIER President of Alliance for Social Justice

MICHAEL C. GONGORA Politician and attorney Though Michael Gongora was born in Miami just moments from the blue Atlantic and white sands of a worldclass beach, his heart and mind has always been in the exploration of law and the service of the people. It comes naturally to him for his Cuban grandfather was a commissioner in his native land, and that passion for public service was first evidence in Michael’s election as the first Hispanic commissioner to be elected to office. Add to the mix that Gongora is gay in a largely Catholic area where homosexuality is viewed as a sin, and his rise to political power becomes all that much more extraordinary. He received his law degree Cum Laude from the University of Miami School of Law, and practices at the law firm of Becker & Poliakoff in Coral Gables.

MICHAEL GOODMAN Diversity Events, Press agent

RICHARD GRAY Managing director, LGBT market, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau Before assuming the position of managing director of the LGBT market for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, Richard Gray owned the gay chic Royal Palms Resort & Spa which helped spearhead Greater Fort Lauderdale’s status as one of the leading LGBT travel destinations in the country. He was first appointed to Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Marketing Advisory Committee in 2003, and has served on several other high-level committees in the past, including the 4

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Broward Country Cultural Council in 2004, and the VISIT FLORIDA’s LGBT committee in 2003. He was also an Executive Board Member of the Rainbow Carpet Lodging & Hospitality Alliance. In 2007, Richard was named a member of the Broward County Tourist Development Council, a group of influential officials and business owners that provide leadership on tourism growth in the destination.

WILLIAM E. GREEN Broward County Health Care Services administrator William Green has made it his life’s work to get health care to minority populations. By matching available services with in-need individuals, William makes wellness accessible to those who often are the least able to afford treatment. “Historically, the LGBT community has faced issues of access to affordable healthcare,” Green said. For the past 15 years, he has worked within the healthcare system to ferret out programs that, while available, are unpublicized and underutilized. A largely unsung LGBT hero, William takes quiet satisfaction in the wellness of his clients.

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REV. DR. ROBERT GRIFFIN Executive minister, Sunshine Cathedral

Rev. Dr. Robert Griffin is the executive minister of Sunshine Cathedral, the Fort Lauderdale edition of the Metropolitan Community Churches. A graduate of the Episcopal Divinity School and the Florida Center for Theological Studies, Robert wrote is doctoral thesis on AntiRacism Work in a Queer Context. A native of Alabama, and a veteran of the US Navy, Robert is the partner of Dr. Durrell Watkins, the senior minister at the cathedral.Their 16 year relationship began in divinity school.

RON GUNZBURGER General Counsel to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel General Counsel Ron Gunzburger has practiced law in Broward County since 1988. Prior to joining BSO in January 2013, Ron served as general counsel and director of administration for the Broward County Property Appraiser's Office for a decade. Additionally, he has also previously served as a civil litigation partner in a “Top 100” national law firm, as general counsel/chief operating officer of a dot-com corporation based in Washington, DC, as an Assistant Florida Attorney General (RICO Unit), as an Assistant Public Defender, and as a congressional aide on Capitol Hill. Ron has also been active over the years in many civic, legal, civil rights, and LGBT groups, including serving several terms on the City of Fort Lauderdale Charter Revision Board.

47 STEVEN HAAS Owner, City Hall The Restaurant Steven Haas is the immediate past chair of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) from its restaurant sector where he is well known as the former co-owner and operating partner of Soyka Restaurant/ News Café Corp, general manager for various restaurants under the umbrella of China Grill Management, and architect of the GMCVB’s highly successful Miami Spice Restaurant Month. Steve’s worked with the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and Save Dade. He was chairman of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau for five years and has served on the board for 16 years.

RAND HOCH Activist and Palm Beach attorney For Rand Hoch, anti-gay discrimination smacked him in the face when, as a new graduate from Stetson University College of Law, he found himself fired from his first job as an attorney for being a homosexual. As a result of his experience, Rand formed the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council in 1988 and served as the organization’s president until 1992. During that time, the Council was successful in having Palm Beach County extend protected status to gay men, lesbians and bisexuals in housing, public accommodation and county employment and in having the City of West Palm Beach extend basic domestic partnership benefits to City employees. Rand is a supporter of legalizing marijuana as a means of taking the burden off of the justice system that is clogged with victimless cases.

JAZZ JENNINGS Teenager transgender activist Broward County resident Jazz Jennings has been a trailblazer since her birth in 2000. In 2004, she was diagnosed with gender identity disorder, making her one of the youngest people publicly documented to be identified as gender dysphoric. Barbara Walters interviewed Jennings and her family in 2007, highlighting the struggles the family endured raising a transgender child. Since then, Jennings has catapulted to become the face of transgender youth. She was a featured guest at the GLAAD Media Awards in 2014. That same year she was also named one of

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PENNY JOHNSON Owner, Penny’s at the Duke

DAVID JOBIN Incoming CEO/President of Our Fund

On December 1, David Jobin becomes the CEO/President of the Broward-based LGBT foundation Our Fund. It is a natural step for David who has been the executive director of the Stonewall National Museum & Archives in Fort Lauderdale for the past three years. During David’s tenure at Stonewall, the organization experienced substantial growth in its fundraising and public profile and opened the Stonewall Gallery in Wilton Manors. Prior to joining Stonewall he served as the Executive Director of the esteemed Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC – at the time the largest gay men’s chorus in the country with over 250 singers. David is married to Angel Burgos.

Penny's at the Duke, the only lesbian bar in Palm Beach County, is owned by its namesake Penny Johnson, a wiry ball of energy who has managed to turn Penny’s into a welcoming spot where heterosexuals and gays feel equally at home with the growing number of lesbians in West Palm Beach. The club is a major contributor to the Compass Youth Program through its annual Chili CookOff, held each year in February. Since Penny’s wife, Julie Seaver, is Compass Center’s Operations Director, the link up is a natural. Both women are members of BLAST (Bi, Lesbian, and Straight Together) Women of West Palm Beach.

KEN KEECHL Activist and attorney First gay mayor of Broward County much of his life. A graduate of Florida State University, where he also earned his law degree, Ken last ran for Broward County commissioner in 2014, and was beaten in the position by incumbent Republican Chip LaMarca. When asked if he will run again, Ken only says that he will serve the people of Broward County wherever and whenever he’s needed. Spoken like a true politician.

SABRINE JOHNSTON Transgender Activist and motivational speaker For the past eight years, Sabrine Johnston has lived as a happy, strikingly beautiful woman. A talented hairstylist, Sabrine transitioned publically over a four-year period while being supported by her employer Capelli Designs Salon in Jupiter, Florida. Her clients and associates watched as she moved from being thought of as a gay male to becoming a

female who now openly mentors transgender youth at the Compass LGBT Community Center in Lake Worth. “We are all trying to be the best version of ourselves that we can. And trying to be the best person we can. When we are met with adversity for doing that, that's heartbreaking.” She is married to her husband Eric Pearson.

MARK KETCHAM—Executive Director, SunServe Mark Ketcham is the executive director of Sunserve, the LGBTQ social service agency in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. Under Ketcham’s leadership since 2010, Sunserve has expanded its services for in mental health counseling (both individual and group), youth services through groups, activities and in the schools, a senior day care center, senior services aimed at allowing aging in place, case management for people with HIV/AIDS, and cultural competency training. Previous as the owner of BackusKetcham Group, Mark provided local government consulting, public relations and campaign management.

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According to his husband, realtor Ted Adcock, Ken Keechl is a lamb. As the first gay mayor of Broward County, who was a county commissioner for years before that, it is hard to put that description with a man who has been fighting for gay rights and equality for

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“The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014” by Time, and recognized as the youngest person ever featured on Out ‘s “Out 100” and Advocate’s "40 Under 40" lists. She was also named a Human Rights Campaign Youth Ambassador and received Logo’s 2014 Youth Trailblazer Award. In 2015, the reality series I Am Jazz premiered on TLC, featuring Jennings and her family “dealing with typical teen drama through the lens of a transgender youth.” The series received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, shining the spotlight on important issues facing transgender teenagers and their families.

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JASON KING AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Governmental Affairs Manager for the Southern Bureau He started working for AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) in 2010 in the organization's pharmacy division where he discovered his passion for patient advocacy. Jason now serves as Advocacy and Legislative Affairs Manager in AHF's Southern Bureau, where he leads local and nationwide advocacy efforts and maintains relations with state and federal officials. Jason has been HIV positive for 6 years and aims to have an active role in reducing stigma that revolves around HIV/AIDS especially in the gay community. In his free time, Jason is a runner, a Pride Center volunteer and a classical pianist. Jason was also named the ADAP Advocacy Associations's (aaa+) 2011 Emerging Leader of the Year.

November 26, 2015

NOAH KITTY Rabbi and Inspirational Speaker

Whenever Greg, a friend of the family, comes to Fort Lauderdale, he immediately searches for Congregation Etz Chaim, the LGBT community’s Jewish synogogue. Finding Etz Chaim has sometimes been a challenge, for Etz Chaim has wandered often and long in its 40 year history. They were in a Lutheran Church on Biscayne Blvd., a YMCA in downtown Miami, a store in Aventura, the UnitarianUniversalist Church in Oakland Park, a storefront in Wilton Manors, and at the Temple Beth Torah in Tamarac, until finally landing back in Wilton Manors at the Unity Church last year under the guidance of executive director and rabbi, Noah Kitty. Noah has been its voice and advocate for over a decade, selflessly helping the rich and poor, sick and well within the LGBT Jewish community find their place in a world where Jews in general are often displaced. As our friend Greg often says after a service, “I’m home. Rabbi Kitty is there.”

CASEY KOSLOWSKI Real estate developer, resort owner

Born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin to German-Polish parents, Casey studied at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He began his hospitality career working with the Marriott International chain before moving to the Singapore-based GMH chain of five-star hotels. He purchased the Grand Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale in 2001, which recently celebrated its 15th year as the premier gay men’s resort in Florida. An award winning real estate agent with sales of over $150 million, Casey’s current passion is selling the magnificent beachfront Auberge Beach Residences and Spa. He is fluent in German, Spanish and English.

RICK KOWALCZYK Owner, Southern Nights Nightclubs, Orlando and Tampa Orlando’s oldest and bestknown gay nightclub, Southern Nights, expanded this year thanks to owner Rick Kowalczyk’s vision for bringing quality LGBT entertainment all over Florida. Kowalczyk opened Southern Nights Tampa in the heart of the Ybor City district in June 2015. Southern Nights has been an Orlando nightlife institution for 35 years, providing the Central Florida LGBT community with a iconic destination and equally incredible memories. Rick has generously allowed his venues to be used for a variety of LGBT fundraisers and revues.

LEA KRAUSS President, Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Network Lea Krauss is the President of the Gay and Lesbian Legal Network (GLLN), and a criminal law attorney in Fort Lauderdale. A graduate of the University of

Miami, and a former prosecutor with the State Attorney’s office, Lea has been the driving force behind the GLLN, an organization that provides educational seminars, lectures and presentations as well as charity events so that gay, lesbian and gay friendly lawyers, law students, professors and legal workers can enhance and develop their practices through education, friendships, referral relationships, and professional development. The GLLN also serves to keeps its members updated on the latest legal issues and rulings relating to the LGBT community. She is currently seeking election for Circuit Court Judge, 17th Circuit, Group 9.

ROBERT LEE Judge, 17th District Circuit Court

When Robert Lee attended the University of Florida College of Law, he thought about what it would be like to be a judge. In August of 1997, he found out when he was appointed to the Broward County Court of Florida by former Governor Lawton Chiles. By that point in his life, he made no secret that he was gay. Moreover, he provided legal advice to the pro gay organization Broward United Against Discrimination — ending up writing a brief for a successful case that made it all the way to the state’s Supreme Court. While Robert’s appointment to a judgeship was historic, it was not as dramatic a moment in his life as his participation in the Gay & Lesbian March on Washington in 1993. The purpose of that march was to demand full equality for tax purposes for gay, lesbian and bisexual domestic partners. How times have changed.

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ARYAH LESTER Chair of the Florida Health Department’s Transgender Work Group

Aryah Lester, speaker/author/educator, is a transwoman from New York who has been a Miami-Dade resident since 2005. Aryah is the chair for the State of Florida Health Department’s Transgender Work Group, and a member of: the Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership, Prevention Committee and County Trans Work Group. She also sits as a member on the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) Transgender Networking Group. Aryah opened the Trans-Miami Center, as well as continuing the network of her National Alliance of Transgender Advocates and Leaders (NATAL).

November 26, 2015

TONY LIMA Executive Director, SAVE Dade Since 1993, SAVE Dade has served as South Florida’s leading organization dedicated to protecting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender against discrimination. In September, Tony Lima became the organizations new Executive Director. Tony previously held the position of Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Sales for the Miami Science Museum, where he was responsible for directing marketing efforts for the new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science at Museum Park in downtown Miami. “I’m thrilled to be joining SAVE Dade at such an important time. There are many issues that affect our community and a great need to educate people in order to create tolerance, harmony and positive change. We're here to be champions for human rights,” Tony said.

AL MAGDALENO Founder of Random Acts of Kindness FTL Al Magdaleno still remembers the random act of kindness that greatly changed his life in 1989. “I was in the military and was transferred to Italy on Christmas Eve,” he told us. “I had nobody and everything was close. The owner of a restaurant led me into her home where her family was having their Christmas Eve dinner and invited me to eat with them.” On Christmas Day in 2000, Magdaleno began Citizens of the World. “I bought $5 gift cards and started handing them out as presents to people,” he told us. Now 15 years later, the organization has dramatically grown into Randon Acts of Kindess. “Now, we grant wishes to people in need in South Florida. If anybody sees anybody else in need, any kind of need, our board gets together and selects a nominee to get their wish.”

BISHOP S.F. MAKALANI MaHEE Transgender activist Deeply religious, even from an early age, Bishop Makalani-MaHee fought internal demons that have directed his life and defined his career. Born female, into a Pentecostal family in the Bronx, the child struggled with his gender for as long as he can remember, originally thinking that he was a lesbian. When he was unable to find easy answers within the religion that had been taught to him, he struggled to create his own internal guidance system based on a higher power centered of love. Before becoming a Bishop within the Metropolitan Community Church, Makalani-MaHee transi-

tioned into a male, and discovered the hardships that transgenders of both sexes face. His calling within the church has been to provide strength for this often oppressed group. His work with transgender outreach at the Pride Center at Equality Park is more than a job. It’s his passion. “God is love,” Makalani says. Spread the word.

CARL MARZOLA President, Atlantic Properties International Carl Marzola is a licensed Real Estate Broker, the President of the Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors-based Atlantic Properties International and member of the Wilton Manors Economic Development Task Force. When asked what reform he admires the most, Marzola answered, “I admire any person who makes the conscious decision to reinvent himself, whether getting a higher education at 50, or shedding some pounds to improve your health or the way you think of yourself, or deciding that a new career for a new year is just what the doctor ordered.” With more than 90 agents working with his realty group, Carl is known for mentoring new talent and a continually upbeat disposition.

CAROL MORAN Owner, 13 Restaurant, 13/Even

Carol Moran has 30 plus years in the restaurant and hospitality industry. She started folding pizza boxes at Frankie’s Pizza in Miami and quickly moved on to a successful career with Darden Restaurants, initially as a hostess and finishing her career there as general manager of three Red Lobster units. She left corporate America in 1998 and opened Kicks Sports Bar, her first business in Wilton Manors. After a successful five-year run and always dreaming of bigger and bet4

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LU MUELLER-KAUL Co-Owner Balance Spa, Incoming President, Metropolitan Business Association (Orlando Gay Chamber of Commerce)

With close to 400 members, the Metropolitan Business Association of Orlando is Central Florida’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Governed by an 11-member volunteer board of directors, and 3 staff members, MBA Orlando seeks to promote diversity and business equality for the LGBT community. Lu Mueller-Kaul is the incoming president of the board. The owner of Balance Massage Therapy in Orlando, Mueller-Kaul is a tireless worker for various LGBT causes and enthusiastic supporter of all things Orlando.

CHUCK NICHOLLS Member, Tuesday’s Angels; co-founder US Consumer Products Safety Comm.

N. STEVEN NOIEAM Entertainment Manager, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts; Gay Days Inc. “Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do, long after the mood you said it in has left you.” N. Steven Noieam’s commitment to providing legendary entertainment at the Walt Disney Company is what drives him to do good work as Entertainment Manager. “As an enthusiastic and motivated professional, I strive to achieve the best while accomplishing the organization’s overall goal in reaching success with guest satisfaction.” He has been intricately involved in the long-term success of the annual Gay Days at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

MEREDITH OCKMAN Vice President, Florida National Organization for Women (NOW) Meredith Ockman is a native Floridian, born on Miami Beach. In the early 2000s, Ockman began volunteering for Compass, the LGBT Community Center of the Palm

JOE PALLANT Owner, Pallant Insurance Agency

It’s hard to miss Joe Pallant — at least the business, if not the person. Driving down 26th Street from Wilton Drive at Five Points, the newly remodeled office of Pallant Insurance Agency stands as a proud testament of the success of the company and the man. After graduating with an MBA from the University of Miami, the Florida native intended to strike it rich in New York. Unfortunately, no one had yet laid the yellow brick road through the Great White Way, and Joe limped back when his wallet was full of little more than dreams. It was only by coincidence that he found a job in the insurance field. Now, after two decades, Joe’s own company is one of the largest insurance agencies in the state. He not only works with the LGBT community, he sponsors generously many of its events as a gesture of thanks.

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Tuesday’s Angels began life when a small group of community-minded individuals got together for dinner (on the first Tuesday night of the month, get it?). These angels agreed to do what they could to help their friends and others living with HIV/AIDS. The year was 1993, and when Chuck Nicolls came to Fort

Beaches. There she assisted in providing safe sex education and HIV/STI prevention to the community. Later, she was hired as the Volunteer Coordinator and Fiscal Assistant. The immediate past President of Palm Beach County NOW, Meredith is currently its vice president. She is the Vice President of Political Planning for Florida National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC), President of South Florida Women’s Health Foundation, Escort Trainer at Presidential Women’s Center, Volunteer with the Inner Truth Project in St. Lucie County, and Vice President at SoHo Dogs.

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Lauderdale after a successful career in Washington, DC, his first thought was helping others. Previously, Chuck worked for the Food and Drug Administration, the Planning Research Corporation and was one of the co-founders of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. For years, Chuck was president of the Tuesday’s Angels, and has helped it to raise over $3 million dollars.

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ter - she opened, owned and operated New Moon Bar from 2004 to 2014. Carol and her partner Nancy opened 13|EVEN, a small plate, craft beer and wineby-the-glass restaurant in 2013. They ventured into Thirteen with the goal of adding another delicious choice for casual dining and drinks on the drive in Wilton Manors, and have opened their establishments to many fundraising functions to help the community.

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MONA PITTENGER Board of Directors, Our Fund, Lambda Legal Mona Pittenger is on the board of directors of Our Fund as well as Lambda Legal. She earned a BBA in finance from the University of Oklahoma and later founded a company that acted as a prime contractor for the Department of Housing and Urban Development managing and marketing foreclosures exclusively in 5 states. She co-founded the Tulsa Girls Art School in 2007, an organization that provides art instruction and entrepreneurial skills to under privileged girls living in the inner city. An active philanthropist, she has served on many non-profit boards including Lambda Legal, The Victory Fund, Philips Theological Seminary and Our Fund in varying capacities.

November 26, 2015

TONY PLAKAS CEO, Compass Tony Plakas has served the LGBT community of Palm Beach County as the Chief Executive Officer of Compass, the region’s LGBT community center. More recently, he joined Tom Hantzarides as the co-host of radio show GET OUT! The show, which launched in April, is broadcast live from 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays on iHeartRadio's 1230 WBZT-AM. He is married to Jamie Foreman, attorney and board member of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.

BARBARA POMA Owner, Pulse Nightclub Orlando and Wildside BBQ HIV/AIDS philanthropist Barbara Poma was introduced to the gay bar and club scene in Fort Lauderdale at the tender age of 14, thanks to her older brother John. On February 13, 1991, her brother passed after battling with HIV for several years. In honor of her brother, Barbara opened Pulse nightclub in Orlando with business partner Ron Legler. They coined the name Pulse for John’s heartbeat. Pulse has worked with a wide range of organizations and hosted many community events such as: Equal at UCF, Make A Wish, Equality Florida, Miracle of Love, Hope and Help (benefiting the AIDS walk), The Gathering Center, Come Out With Pride, Gay Games Orlando 2018.

MICHAEL RAJNER Activist, Member US People Living with HIV Caucus (PLHIV) Michael Emanuel Rajner was raised in the New York and New Jersey area. His professional background includes property and casualty insurance broker/underwriting, legislative aide to a state senator, and social work. He is passionately engaged in the advancement of civil rights and protections for all people, with a special focus on issues intersecting with the LGBTQ community and those affected by HIV/AIDS. Michael caused quite the controversy back in 2013 with his “Gidget for Wilton Manors Mayor 2014” political campaign. Gidget, you see, was Michael’s dog, and her campaign was described by him as “a way to voice frustration with humor,” sending “a bold message that we can do better.”

LISA PORTER Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit Court For five years, Judge Lisa Porter has served our community as a judge in the criminal division of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. There, she oversees 750 felony cases - from petty theft to capital murder. Trying more cases than most of her colleagues, she also chairs the Circuit Criminal Appellate Panel that expedites county to circuit civil appeals. Outside of work, Porter is an active member of the local LGBT community, supporting many area organizations including the Pride Center, SunServe, and Our Fund. She also sits on the board of B’nai B’rith Justice Unit #5207, a bar association for Jewish judges and lawyers. She refers to her hometown of Wilton Manors as the Mayberry of Broward County.

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GARY RESNICK Mayor, Wilton Manors, attorney

“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness or abilities that I can show to any fellow creature – let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” – William Penn. That quote is how Mayor Gary Resnick wants his commitment to the community of Wilton Manors to be summed up. As mayor since 2008, Resnick is committed to improving the quality of life for Wilton Manors residents and businesses, promoting the Island City’s unique and diverse character. He continues to work hard to foster the City’s economy, improvements, and property values. Right now, that includes working with the Florida Department of Transportation to make improvements on the roads including Dixie Highway and Wilton Drive. “We are trying to make them more walkable, and safer for pedestrians and cyclists,” he told The Florida Agenda. Utilizing a recent 1,000,000 million dollar grant, sidewalks and bike lanes will be added to Dixie Highway. “I see the tangible results of what we have achieved. We have come a long way. I see my role as a consensus builder. I am able to get consensus from key community leaders. It’s with their support and the support of everyone in our community we are able to do what we do.”

November 26, 2015

MIRIAM RICHTER Education Director and Counsel, Harvey Milk Foundation For two decades, Miriam Richter has been a leader in the field of primary and secondary education, teaching in some of America’s most recognized public educational schools and establishing herself as a known authority on inclusiveness in both curriculum and classroom. Now, as Education Director and

Counsel for the Harvey Milk Foundation, she leads on education initiatives and also represents the Foundation as counsel on Harvey Milk copyrights, trademarks and the Milk family personality rights. In 2010, Miriam founded and led the effort to establish domestic partnership benefits in municipalities and cities including the landmark legislative same sex partnership benefits for Broward County and the City of Fort Lauderdale. She has been engaged and an active participant in round table forums held by the US Justice Department, the US Department of Labor and the White House.

ROGER ROA Director of Development, Pride Center at Equality Park Roger Roa has been working at the Pride Center for almost five years – the first two and a half were as a volunteer. The Pride Center is the seventh largest LGBT community center in the nation, with a$2.5 million dollar-operating budget. As Director of Development, Roa cultivates, identifies, and maintains the Founder’s Circle – a group of 300 plus high-level donors. He also oversees the many events the Pride Center hosts throughout the year. On the horizon are the Center’s first 5k run on April 10th, 2016. When asked about his work, Roa told the Florida Agenda, “It doesn’t feel like I’m coming to work every day. It feels like I am helping my friends and my community. These donors keep our lights on, and help us service the 50,000 people we do each year.”

LUIZ RODRIGUES Executive Director for the Environmental Coalition of Miami & the Beaches (ECOMB) A native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Luiz Rodrigues has dedicated his life to the environment. Rodrigues holds a bachelors degree in Biological Oceanography from the University of California, Santa Cruz

and Masters degree in Aquatic Biology from the University of California Santa Barbara. Since his relocation to Miami Beach, Luiz has been actively involved with local environmental issues, chaired the Beach Preservation Committee for the City of Miami Beach for five years and was hired as the Executive Director for the Environmental Coalition of Miami and the Beaches (ECOMB). Besides managing ECOMB, he also runs a for-profit green consulting company, Eco-Logical Solutions, and serves on many eco-friendly boards.

LESLIE RUTLAND-TIPTON Senior Pastor, SpiritSong Wilton Manors

Leslie Tipton is currently the senior pastor at SpiritSong in Wilton Manors. In February of 2009, the former Marine incorporated her Church of the Holy SpiritSong into the SpiritSong Worship Center, located on the five-acre campus of Equality Park, beside the Pride Center. Under the leadership of Tipton, the SpiritSong membership has grown and currently numbers 150 active members. While appearing small, the growth has been significant and dynamic when viewed from the founding membership of 16. She lives in Sunrise with her wife, mother and an ever changing number of pets.

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November 26, 2015

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JOWHARAH SANDERS Founder, National Voices for Equality, Education, & Enlightenment

At a young age, Jowharah Sanders endured bullying, abuse and suicidal ideation stemming from harassment over race and orientation stigmas. She lived as a victim for many years, until a University of Miami college advisor took notice and counseled her, saying, “Life is about choices. You can either choose to live as a victim, or you can choose to be a survivor. No amount of self-pity or self-sabotage will ever change what happened.” Today, she is developing a research-based school-wide bullying prevention program called “Not On My Watch”, whose innovative model of change has student bystanders taking a direct role in reducing bullying at their schools. She also continues to foster and grow NVEEE’s mentoring and Peace Ambassador programs as Executive Director of the non-profit organization.

November 26, 2015

JERRY SCHULTZ Owner, Mona’s Bar/philanthropist Since Mona’s Cocktail Lounge opened in 1997, the lounge has given back to the community consistently in one way or another, thanks to bar owner Jerry Schultz. “There’s a lot of things we [at Mona’s Cocktail Lounge] do that are community-oriented,” says Jerry. “I didn’t open my bar to make a lot of money; I opened it to be connected to the community.” And, indeed, they are. In November of last year, Mona’s excelled in their first endeavor to assist in the Pantry of Broward’s food drive by collecting 4,500 pounds worth of canned and dry food. It was the biggest

food donation ever received by the Pantry of Broward from one establishment. Jerry is wholeheartedly committed to Mona’s fundraising efforts, even going so far as to include fun and playful ideas to keep his patrons motivated. In March, Mona’s raised $21,500 for Florida AIDS Walk after Jerry announced that he would walk the entire 5K in a teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini if they raised $2,000 more than they did the previous year — $13,000 to be exact. “We’re just a little neighborhood bar but Mona’s has given me a voice in the community,” remarks Jerry.

ELIZABETH SCHWARTZ LGBT attorney, activist

Miami Beach attorney Elizabeth Schwartz, one of South Florida’s best-known champions for same sex couples and alternative families, has many causes. Among them are helping hundreds of gay and lesbian clients have children via surrogacy programs or sperm banks and serving as pro bono counsel in several cases to overturn legislation banning gay people from adopting. She is also the chairman of the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Association of South Florida. In 2012, she won the Eddy McIntyre Community Service Award, named for her friend, a prominent South Florida attorney and gay activist who took his own life in 2007. “It’s especially meaningful to get this recognition in the name of Eddy, whom I loved, and from an incredible organization that’s doing so much in our community,” Schwartz said.

TED SCOUTEN CBS4 reporter Emmy-award winning journalist Ted Scouten has been the familiar face at the scene of international

stories that affect South Florida since 1998. Over the years, Ted had been lending support to many local organizations like H.E.L.P., Inc., The Jarvis Foundation, AIDS Walk Fort Lauderdale, and The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. Ted won an Emmy award for a report on Animal Overpopulation in South Florida and he has worked to spread the word on the importance of pet adoption and companion animals for the elderly. Ted is also active in the wildlife community volunteering at the SPCA Wildlife Care Center fundraisers.

PATTY SHEEHAN Commissioner, Orlando City Council

Commissioner Patty Sheehan was first elected to the Orlando City Council in 2000. A graduate of the University of Central Florida, she earned her degree in art, but public service has been her true calling. A former administrator with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Patty is well known for her advocacy of pedestrian safety, safe neighborhoods, historic preservation and a thriving downtown. She serves as Vice Chair of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council and established some of the first neighborhood horizon planning processes, which led to successful developments like SoDo, Mills Park and Baldwin Park. She was the first openly-gay elected official in Central Florida, and passed nondiscrimination protections and Domestic Partnership legislation for the LGBT community. She lives in a 1928 bungalow home with her puppy Sienna, a diva kitty named Nina Simon,e along with Peep, Cheep and Bleep (her mini flock of urban chickens).

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After years as a street cop, Mike Silver became a detective in 2011 with the Pembroke Pines Special Victims Unit where he investigates cases of rape, child molestation, child abuse, and elderly exploitation. He also volunteers in his spare time to local organizations like the Pride Center and SunServe, guest speaking and chaperoning events. When it comes to his sexuality, Silver has been out and proud in uniform since 2009. “I came out to the police force before my family and friends,” he tells us. “The police are my family. They have supported me and have been there for me through it all. They actually took me out to a gay bar after I told them. They Googled and found out about Alibi’s and took me there to show their support.”

88 NADINE SMITH Executive Director, Equality Florida

WILL SPENCER Vice President, Kids in Distress Will Spencer first became involved with Kids in Distress (KID) 15 years ago when he was invited to help assemble holiday gifts for children on campus. KID is a nationally accredited agency working for the prevention of child abuse, preservation of the family, and the treatment of abused and neglected children. Since college, Spencer’s passion for the KID mission has grown exponentially having served as a volunteer, donor, and on the KID Board of Directors for six years. Currently, Spencer leads the Advancement team with enthusiasm and pride. Will has endeavored to live a purpose-filled life also serving on the Council of Advocates for the Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center (CDTC), Board of Directors for Camp for Health, and the Board of Trustees at Dublin School.

STEVE STAGON President, World AIDS Museum and Educational Center In 1988, Steve Stagon was given two years to live when he was diagnosed with AIDS. Now, 27 years later, Stagon is the President of the World AIDS Museum and Educational Center, the first museum of its kind to chronicle the story of HIV/AIDS. The

museum grew out of the Fort Lauderdale-based group ‘Pozitive Attitudes’, a topic-driven support group for HIV positive individuals. Stagon was the then facilitator who had an idea. Stagon started creating historical HIV/AIDS exhibits as topics for the group. In the early days, these were displayed at the Pride Center of South Florida and Blanche Ely High School.Other members of the ‘Pozitive Attitudes’ group showed interest in this idea and on September 20, 2011, the World AIDS Museum was incorporated as a non-profit organization. The museum is located on NE 26th Street near Five Points, Wilton Manors.

CRAIG STEVENS WSVN, news anchor

One of Craig Stevens’ favorite quotes is Mae West’s, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” Emmy nominated Stevens is the longtime main news anchor at WSVN-TV FOX 7 in Miami. Craig, a NATAS Silver Circle recipient, joined WSVN in 1992. In addition to his work at WSVN, Craig also mentors future broadcast journalists as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami and Barry University. A native of New Bedford, MA, Craig is a 1990 graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. where he earned a Bachelor's degree in communication and history. Openly gay, Craig has been a grand marshal of the Stonewall Pride Parade.

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All you have to do is hear Nadine Smith speak in front of a crowd to know that she is a force to be reckoned with. As the cofounder and CEO of Equality Florida, the state’s largest organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Smith has done incredible work. A former awardwinning journalist turned organizer, Smith was named one of the state’s “Most Powerful and Influential Women” by the Florida Diversity Council in

2013. In October, Equality Florida launched Unete a Nosotros, a Spanish-language campaign for LGBT rights. The project was conceived by Susanna Taddei, director of the Girasol Foundation, in conjunction with Smith. “Equality Florida is all about inclusion,” said Smith. “So it’s entirely appropriate that we reach out to Floridians whose first language is not English. The issues facing LGBT people — and their solutions — are the same in any language.”

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MIKE SILVER Pembroke Pines Police Detective, Special Victims Unit

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LILLIAN TAMAYO CEO, Planned Parenthood of South Florida Lillian Tamayo, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Florida and the Treasure Coast, has dedicated her life to protecting the reproductive rights and overall well being of women. In this capacity, she has contributed to the expansive growth of the organization in Florida. Under her leadership, Planned Parenthood broadened its clinical and educational service to reach the diverse and fast-growing demographics of its communities. Recently, Lillian was the keynote speaker at the inaugural Women’s Health Conference hosted by Compass, a nonprofit gay and lesbian community center on North Dixie Highway. Earlier this year, she was recognized by the Harvey Milk Foundation with a Diversity Honors award alongside Elaine Lancaster, Jazz Jennings, and Deborah Cox.

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ANTHONY TIMIRAOS Co-Founder of Our Fund Cuban born Anthony Timiraos is the cofounder of Our Fund, a philanthropic clearing house for donors to the LGBT cause by providing financial resources to nonprofit organizations serving the community. A certified public accountant, Anthony served as its president and CEO until announcing his plans to retire from the position on December 1. He recently married his life partner of

45 years in New York State and remains active having served on many local and national boards (including a seven-year commitment to Lamda Legal’s board on which he served as Treasurer).

JOHN TONNISON Executive VP, Tech Data Corporation, Florida Diversity Council Born and educated in the United Kingdom, John began his career in internet start-up ventures and executive management positions in the U.S., United Kingdom and Germany with TSN, Ameriquest, Log 2000, Frontline Distribution and Mancos Computers. He joined Tech Data in 2001 as VP of e-business, and has since grown the company’s share of the industry by over 300%. As executive vp and chief information officer, John is responsible for the company’s worldwide innovation strategy, IT capabilities and operation which has generated $26 billion in net sales, and shipped tens of millions of technology products to more than 125,000 IT reseller customers in over 100 countries during its last fiscal year. The company commands #109 ranking on Fortune’s US corporate ranking. John became a US citizen in 2005, and is a member of Equality Means Business, the Florida Diversity Council and Equality Florida.

DEAN J. TRANTALIS Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner, LGBT Attorney Attorney Dean Trantalis entered the gay and lesbian political forum in 1990 when Broward County was in the midst of a referendum to pass a human rights ordinance. Since then, he has been an important authoritative voice in the fight for LGBTQ equality in

Florida. Dean served as City Commissioner District II for the City of Fort Lauderdale from 2003-2006, and again in 2013. “I felt our community lost its voice in government circles,” he told the Agenda. “In order to have our voice restored we needed to have our seat at the table. Being commissioner restores that voice.” Dean is a trustee with the John C. Graves Charitable Fund to help promote LGBTQ causes within the community including working to overturn the gay adoption ban in Florida. The foundation also funds projects at the Stonewall Library and Sunshine Cathedral.

MICHAEL “Mikey” VERDUGO Fitness entrepreneur “I started working out when I was 13 and fell in love with it,” remembers fitness entrepreneur Michael Verdugo. From working at the front desk of Gold’s Gym to owning his own chain of workout facilities, Bodytek Fitness, Mikey believes that a fit body is the key to overcoming all obstacles, mental and physical. A former cop on the Hollywood, Florida, police force, and an interior designer who appeared in 2008 as a contestant on the HGTV series Design Star, Mike finds fitness training to be his true calling. “A lot of it has to do with me wanting to help people. I truly enjoy motivating others and helping them achieve their goals.”

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Durrell Watkins, the senior minister of the Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale, earned his doctor of divinity degree from the Episcopal Divinity School, for which he wrote his dissertation Popular Entertainment as Queer Canon. His dramatic preaching style and dynamic personality have been credited with much of the continuing success of Sunshine, where about 600 members worship and more than 2,000 utilize the campus for other services. The church is a part of the metropolitan church movement that got its start in 1968, founded by LGBT Christians and their straight allies. Durrell is a regular columnist with the Agenda, and is the husband of the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive minister, the Rev. Dr. Robert Griffin.

98 GLEN WEINZIMER Founder, Smart Ride

LANDON (LJ) WOOLSTON LGBTQ Homeless Service Liaison for The Alliance for GLBTQ Youth LJ Woolston is an advocate and artist, a youth worker, and a trans-pan-queer Miami native. Through his own personal journey navigating social justice issues, LJ has dedicated himself to using his privilege to interrupt oppression, standing alongside and amplifying the narratives of those who are most marginalized in the LGBTQ community. Through his work in LGBTQ youth homelessness, as well as in his volunteerism and activism, LJ is committed to affirming and empowering queer youth. By providing young people with community support, resources, and knowledge around self-advocacy, LJ hopes to see the eventual elimination of the many barriers that prevent LGBTQ youth from living whole and authentic lives. LJ was a 2015 Point Foundation scholarship recipient.

HEATHER WRIGHT Transgender advocate Heather Wright turned to the Gender Society 18 years ago after coming out as transgender. "There, I had people I could talk to," Heather told us. "I benefitted from it greatly. The lady who ran it helped me realized I was not alone. It was the first time I met other trans people face to face. It was a wonderful experience." The group still meets every Thursday at 7 pm at the Compass Center. When asked about currant challenges facing her community, Heather responds, "I was lucky to work for a company that is progressive and values diversity, but people have had problems keeping jobs when they transition. A couple in our group lost their jobs and another women struggled with work. Unfortunately, she recently committed suicide. She was a good friend of mine."

Thank you

Congratulations to these outstanding men and women, as well as hundreds more deserving of recognition who did not make the list this year. We salute you all for your contributions to society and for making the state of Florida a better, happier, more tolerant place for all people who identify as LGBTQ.

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When Glen Weinzimer was diagnosed with fullblown AIDS in 1993, he did not expect to be one of the lucky few to survive. Glen found strength to convert his situation into support. That is how SMART Ride began, a 165-mile fund-raising bicycle ride from Miami to Key West. His creation has provided support for South Florida agencies that help people living with HIV/AIDS. Smart Ride has grown from humble

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REV. DR. DURRELL WATKINS Senior Minister, Sunshine Cathedral

beginnings into a 12-year-old annual event involving several hundred-bike riders and an equally large support crew. 100% of the funds raised by the SMART Ride go to the recipient organizations. In 2014, the eleventh year of Smart Ride, that meant $1,070,101. Among the organizations supported is the Pride Center, in Wilton Manors, who received $148,000 of the total raised in 2013. Glen promises to continue with the annual SMART Ride until there is a cure for HIV/AIDS.

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Publisher Maura “Mumball” Lane

2000 Oakland Park Blvd, Suite 106 | Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 Phone: 954-380-8563 | www.FloridaAgenda.com

Multimedia Platforms Worldwide has announced the promotion of Maura Lane to publisher of the Florida Agenda and corporate vice president of sales and marketing of all its print and digital operations effective immediately. She joined the company in July as corporate sales director. “Of the approximately 114 LGBTQ publications in the nation, only a handful of women are publishers of media in major markets,” said Peter Jackson, chief operating officer. “Today, Maura Lane becomes publisher of the state LGBT newspaper of record in Florida based on her experience, performance and determination to make a difference. Not only is she an involved and

admired member of the community, she happens also to be an outstanding sales and marketing professional.” In addition to leading the Florida Agenda, Lane will be in charge of sales and marketing for the company’s five print brands and WiRLD.com, MMP’s mega global digital media hub which launches in January 2016. Lane has 25 years’ experience in media, serving in management for leading national companies including iHeart Media (formerly Clear Channel), Emmis and Cox Media Group.“I am thrilled at this opportunity,” she said. “By delivering great content, video and entertainment in print, digital and mobile, my hope is to bring our diverse LGBTQ community even

Cover photographed by Dennis Dean at Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, Fort Lauderdale. Front row (l to r): Gina Duncan, Dean Trantalis and Holam Antonetti. Back row (l to r): Richard Gray, Nadine Smith, Michael Silver and Ivan Cano. Published weekly by

A PUBLICLY-TRADED LGBTQ COMPANY STOCK SYMBOL: MMPW

PETER JACKSON President, COO & Group Executive Publisher

Art Director Kevin Broady

Maura Lane is named Publisher of Florida Agenda

On the cover

November 26, 2015

Editor-in-Chief Richard Hack

Kevin Hopper Vice President | Operations

Maura “Mumball” Lane VP | Sales & Marketing

Dennis Dean Vice President | Creative

Richard Hack Vice President | Content

Michael Turner President | Digital Media Ventures

Jeff Sterling Comptroller

C. Lawrence Rutstein Chairman of the Board

Tim Hart Chief Financial Officer

ROBERT “BOBBY” BLAIR Founder & CEO

closer together.” Lane is married to Ilene Berliner, chairman of the board of the Pride Center at Equality Park. They live in Fort Lauderdale with their three children – a trio of pups named Garland, Minnelli and Happy. Multimedia Platforms Worldwide is a publicly-traded multi-platform publishing, media and technology company that creates, aggregates and distributes compelling, advertisingfriendly content to the LGBTQ community. The company publishes five iconic brands in New York, Florida, California and almost 40 North American cities. The publications include the Florida Agenda, Frontiers magazine, Next, Guy and FunMaps.

Maura Lane, Publisher of the Florida Agenda.

MMP expands in Los Angeles; Peter Jackson promoted to COO Multimedia Platforms Worldwide has announced the promotion of Peter Jackson to Chief Operating Officer of all its print and digital operations effective immediately. Mr. Jackson, who joined the company in May, will retain his responsibilities as President and Group Executive Publisher of the company’s five newspaper and magazine brands, but will now additionally manage operations for its digital brands to include WiRLD.com, a global LGBTQ digital media hub that will be launched in January 2016. The company also announced the establishment of new corporate offices in Los Angeles, where Mr. Jackson will be based effective February 1, 2016. “Our overall growth in revenues, readership and online audiences is the

result of great team work under Peter’s leadership,” said Bobby Blair, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Expanding his role to include management of the operations of our digital division makes perfect sense.” Mr. Jackson’s career in media spans three decades and is accompanied by a proven track record in revenue growth, operations and business turnarounds.Multimedia Platforms Worldwide is a publicly-traded multiplatform publishing, media and technology company that creates, aggregates and distributes compelling, advertising-friendly content to the LGBTQ community. The company publishes five iconic brands in New York, Florida, California and almost 40 North American cities. The publications include the Florida Agenda, Frontiers magazine, Next, Guy and FunMaps.

sorship of charitable events, we stand in awe of your dedication and determination to advance the LGBT cause and the leadership you provide. Without you, we, at Multimedia Platforms Inc., would not have been able to become the leaders we are in providing LGBT news and entertainment information across the country as the only publically trading LGBT media corporation in the world. As we move into 2016, we do some remembering the many leaders and advocates who have gone before us and who have allowed us to reach the tremendous gains both legally and personally we have achieved in this country. To our team at Multimedia PlatPhoto: File forms, Guy, Frontiers, and Next magazines, FunMaps plus our signature newspaper Florida Agenda, you are the finest group of employees, and to me each of you deserves a spot on this list. Congratulations and remember the best is yet to be.

Bobby Blair Founder/CEO Multimedia Platforms LLC

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ongratulations to all the winners of the Florida Agendaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 100 LGBT Movers and Shakers. What a fantastic group of selfless success stories each and every one of you are. Kudos for your accomplishments in making Florida a better place to live, to work, and to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. You will also notice some obvious omissions from this list including the publishers, editors and the creative teams from other fine publications covering the LGBT market throughout the state of Florida. From Watermark, SFGN, HotSpots! and WireMag. com, to the Miami Herald and the Bobby Blair Sun-Sentinel newspapers, we recognize your contribution in this field and the excellence in your reporting. We face the finest competition every day in our field. We delight in recognizing you now, and the high bar you set for all of us. To all the many companies, clubs, bars, stores, and organizations who support us through your advertising, events, and spon-

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Congratulations to 100 who make a difference

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Letter from the CEO

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OPINION

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AS I SEE IT PRIEST QUESTIONS ACCURACY OF AGENDA COVER STORY Letter to the Editor

November 26, 2015

Dear Editor, Mr. Hack, and Agenda Readers, The cover story of the November 19, 2015 “GRAVE EVILS: That’s how the Catholic Bishops deﬁne gay marriage” I found gravely offensive, inaccurate, and I wonder whether the document by the Catholic Bishops of the United States titled Forming Consciences was actually read by the Editor? First, the huge picture on the front page, and the inaccurate and incomplete story of two pages is nothing short of Catholic bashing. Oh, should I be offended that the

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you Father Hanaway for your letter. I found it as fascinating as it is misguided by its general assumptions and ultimate misjudgments. First, let me reassure you that I have not only read the complete Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to By Political ResponRichard sibility from the Hack Catholic Bishops of the United States, I have read it multiple times— starting way back in 2007, when the bulk of its content was written and ﬁrst printed. Despite the fact that the years between 2007 and 2015 have experienced the greatest explosion of civil liberties and anti-discrimination laws in the history of the LGBT community, the 231 Catholic Bishops in the United States choice not to address those issues in their report as the

Editor and author of the Agenda obviously did not “read and pray” on the totality of the Bishops’ letter as the letter asks. Yes, I am hugely offended as a gay man and Catholic priest that its OK to bash Catholics. I am one of those Catholics that ﬁrst cared for those with HIV when others were throwing them to the streets. Like the founder of the Poverello, Father Bill Collins, I am a Catholic who has devoted my life to teaching, preaching, and being the presence of Christ for others. It is not OK to bash those who routinely turn the other cheek, even that is

what I am called to do. In no way am I saying that the Catholic Church has no ﬂaws, obviously with the scandals of the past twenty years and its homophobic teachings on many levels, the church needs to change and move closer to its founder, Jesus Christ. Obviously, the Catholic Church is not there yet. But I ask you when you are publishing something with such prominence, know that Catholics are struggling to move to closer to Jesus. All creation “groans”, so the scripture says, to move closer to that eternity we will all meet some-

day. I hope for all of us our eternity reﬂects who we were on the way.

impactful and life-altering events they are. Rather they minimize their importance through small rewrites to a basically unchanged volume now eight years outdated and archaic. It disturbs me to think that you would take “offense” at what you label as an “inaccurate and incomplete” story. This in turn makes me wonder if you have read the document in question, for this was not a critique of the entire document, but rather a story about an anti-LGBT theme that ran through out it. In case you have forgotten, or never read, page 16, paragraph 22, let me refresh your memory. “There are some things we must never do, as individuals or as a society,” the paragraph begins, “because they are always incompatible with love of God and neighbor. Such actions are so deeply ﬂawed that they are always opposed to the authentic good of persons. These are called ‘intrinsically evil’ actions.” (Not the “Grave Evils” of the Agenda cover story, but we’ll get to that in a moment.) Examples of these “deeply ﬂawed actions” which are “intrinsically evil,” included direct assaults on hu-

man life, genocide, torture, and…oh yes…”redefining marriage to deny its essential meaning.” This, Father Hanaway is the “same-sex marriage” of the cover story. Hard to imagine you missed it under the careful evangelical rewording. Just to make certain the good Catholics reading the official teaching document didn’t miss the point, it was repeated again on page 18 where it was stated that “A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting . . . redefining marriage in ways that violate its essential meaning. In such cases, a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil.” Ahhh, Father, you may want to reread that again because that, for those of us in the LGBT community (excluding yourself) is the real offense here and that is the real inaccuracy. There is no evil in love, Father. So before you suggest again in print or otherwise that this policy is part of the Catholics struggle to move closer to Jesus, I recommend you remind yourself that “God is Love.” The very same love that’s at the root of every same-sex marriage.

It is little wonder that the Catholic church in the United States is losing members faster than any other denomination in the United States, with 13 percent of Americans now identifying themselves as “former Catholics.” While I confess complete ignorance of what you teach at the LGBT Dignity Catholic Community, the words in the teaching document from the U.S. Catholic Bishops are the real bashing of the Catholic church here and there is no dignity in that. I had no need to embellish this story which is tragic enough in its own truth. In case you feel the need to deliberate on the issue further, I will be happy to send you the address of a county clerk in Kentucky who would love to discuss it with you over a plate of fried chicken.

Respectfully, Father Kevin Hanaway, MBA MDiv MSN ARN Dignity Catholic Community Father Kevin Hanaway is a regular priest presider for the LGBT Dignity Catholic Community at Holy Angels Catholic Community in Wilton Manors. He is also a Florida Licensed Nurse Practitioner Board Certiﬁed in Adult and Geriatric Internal Medicine.

Respectfully, RH

Richard Hack is the award-winning author of 26 books, and the Vice President of Content for Multimedia Platforms’ publications.

n 1207, C.E. Rumi was born in what is today Afghanistan. Rumi was a philosopher and a poet, and his writings were filled with sensual mysticism. Rumi’s spirituality was part of the Sufi tradition, a mystical form of Muslim By Rev. practice, and Durrell his particuWatkins lar spiritual journey seemed to be about increasing awareness of human unity with the Divine (which Rumi called his “Beloved”). His poems are filled with longing to be in constant communion with the divine Presence. Rumi was also a lover of the

DR. DURRELL’S SPIRITUAL PRESCRIPTIONS

arts. He believed poetry, dance, and music had spiritual qualities and could be employed in the spiritual search for meaning. For Rumi, love was divine, the God of his understanding was infinitely loving, and sharing love extravagantly was a way to honor the Sacred. As we pray, sing, dance, and express love, we are evolving toward enlightenment, growing in our awareness of the Divine, and if we have in any way felt disconnected from our spiritual Source, we will begin to feel reunited with It…or so the philosophy of Rumi would suggest. Rumi’s understanding of spirituality as a returning to our Beloved Source, or awakening to the divine Presence, can be seen his poetic prayers of love to the Infinite, as when we wrote, “The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for You, not knowing how misguided that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They are

in each other all along.” I suppose the reason Rumi is on my mind right now is because we are approaching a sacred season, and sacred seasons should help us, to borrow a line from Marianne Williamson, “return to love.” Returning to divine Love is the heart of Rumi’s beautiful works. November 29th begins the Christian season of Advent which leads to the celebration of Christmas on December 25th (when we recall the birth of Jesus and find ourselves called to acts of generosity). December 6th is the first night of Hanukkah (the Festival of Lights, a commemoration of the rededication of the Jewish Temple). December 22nd is the Winter Solstice, or Yule, a sacred time for Wiccans and Neo-Pagans. And December 24th this year is day of celebration for the birth of the prophet Muhammad. With so much spirituality in the air, so much hope and goodwill, the holi-

day season always feels a little magical. If only we could hold onto that magic all year long! So, as we approach this sacred season, I add my wishes to the magic-filled air. I wish for religion to be a unifying force that affirms the sacred value of all people, rather than a weapon used against those we dislike or distrust. I wish for refugees to find safety, and for them to be treated with dignity wherever they may go. I wish for the LBGT community to remain vigilant in working to secure and protect equal rights in every area of life. I wish for peace to become more popular than violence. I wish, as Rumi did, that we will all fall in love with divine Love, by whatever Name we call It and in whichever tradition we celebrate It; and I wish for us all to seek to express that Love more and more in our lives. The approaching sacred season is a good time to start.

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Approaching a Sacred Season

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OPINION

PAUL BERGE

What’s your opinion? The Agenda wants to know...

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The Florida Agenda welcomes signed Letters to the Editor, up to 400 words in length, on topics of general interest to our readers. You may e-mail submissions to Editor@mmplgbt.com. We welcome comments on our Facebook page also.

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CREEP OF THE WEEK

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bJames Dobson By D’Anne Witowski

James Dobson

“

photo: drjamesdobson.org

Gender identity isn’t a real thing. It’s all just based on a whim. The way you perceive yourself can change every six months! You can be a boy at one time and a girl at the next time and it’s not based on any biology.” ...declares Dobson

son. “You can be a boy at one time and a girl at the next time and it’s not based on any biology.” I’m not sure who Dobson is speaking for, but I doubt he’s declaring that he changes from male to female every six months. He’s actually saying, “I’m an ignorant ass.” “I just read an example of a case where a girl was in the bathroom and the whole football team came in and took pictures, you know, selfies, if you will, over the top, of her in the bathroom,” Dobson says. “I mean, have we gone absolutely nuts?” LeFever responds, “I doubt that all the members of that football team were suffering from gender identity issues. They were gaming the system.” I agree with Dobson that such a thing would be pretty nuts, even if he doesn’t understand what a selfie is. I also agree with LeFever that this wasn’t an issue of gender dysphoria. I doubt the football team declared, “We’re girls right now!” and rushed into the bathroom with their iPhones. They weren’t gaming the system, they were being sexist dumb fu*ks. We have plenty of evidence that young men are capable of doing terrible things to young women (Steubenville, anyone?). What Dobson’s story doesn’t prove is that this incident was made possible by an anti-discrimination ordinance. The right’s obsession with bathrooms is just weird. Yes, people should feel safe in places where they are most vulnerable and that includes toilets and locker rooms. But the idea that there is this Great Pervert Conspiracy to let bad guys put on a dress so they can watch women pee is totally insane. Now that the right has lost the marriage equality battle, their priorities are, quite literally, going down the toilet. Let’s hope they get plenty of sh*t for it.

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uring a recent episode of James Dobson’s Family Talk radio program, Dobson and his guests discussed the evils of trans-inclusive anti-discrimination laws. Such laws have been dubbed “Bathroom Bills” by the anti-LGBT right because they’d allow people to use bathrooms. Let me repeat that: The anti-LGBT right is upset about people using bathrooms. The problem is that they are pretty narrow minded when it comes to who counts as a person. One of Dobson’s guests was Tim LeFever, who is on the executive board of Privacy for All, a California-based group that “exists to protect privacy in restrooms, showers, locker rooms and changing rooms … by asserting that individuals should use these facilities in accordance with their biological sex, rather than their gender identity.” In other words: it’s all based on whether or not you’re born with a penis or a vagina. The opposition to trans-inclusive legislation hinges on a fundamental misunderstanding of what gender identity is. When folks like LeFever and Dobson picture a transgender woman, for example, all they see is a man in a dress, specifically a pervert looking to harm children. When your understanding of gender identity is so narrow and paranoid, it’s no wonder this issue gets your panties in a bunch. According to LeFever, bathrooms are “sex-separated because of our physical bodies.” I’m not sure what that means. I mean, it’s true that you don’t find urinals in the ladies’ room because they’re very hard to sit on. But that doesn’t seem like a good enough reason to freak out. Dobson says that gender identity isn’t a real thing. It’s all just based on a whim. “The way you perceive yourself can change every six months!” declares Dob-

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CAPITOL BEAT

LGBT Equality Caucus Members

Photo: lgbt-polis.house.gov

November 26, 2015

Time For Trans People To Count, And Be Counted The U.S. House LGBT Equality Caucus just doubled its Republican membership. From one member — Florida’s Ileana Ros-Lehtinen — to two. Another Florida Congressman, Carlos Curbelo, just signed up last month. So good for Florida. But it’s not good enough.

When LGBT Equality Caucus cochair, Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, introduced the Equality Act this summer, there were no Republicans signatories. There still aren’t. Ros-Lehtinen and Curbelo have not signed on yet. Without bi-partisan support, the Act cannot pass. Last week, the Caucus announced the creation of its first ever Task Force. The focus the members chose was transgender equality. I BY asked Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney LINDA (D-NY) why PENTZ they decided to make trans rights a Caucus priority. “I think it’s a recognition that there’s been too little attention paid to this particular set of issues,” said Maloney, who is gay. “We’ve seen very troubling episodes of violence recently which should concern us all,” he continued. “But more broadly, it’s a recognition that within the context of any civil rights movement, the larger groups have their needs addressed first, but it doesn’t take away the moral issues and the civil rights issues affecting a community within it that may not have been previously addressed.” After a morning press conference, the Caucus hosted its first ever Congressional Forum on Violence Against the Transgender Community. The panelists who testified included transgender survivors of violence turned activists, as well as advocates from non-profit organizations. The Transgender Equality Task Force is chaired by Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), silver-haired, soft-voiced and grandfatherly. Indeed, it is his role as grandfather that led him to the issue, educated by his own transgender granddaughter. But, he admitted with all humility, “I am not completely comfortable speaking on the subject. I am learning.” You are our teachers, he told the speakers, and we

are your students. “You have a voice here.” Honda served as both elder ﬁgure and gentle therapist to the trans speakers and activists at the forum, urging them to use it as a cathartic outlet. “You have a place to express the sentiment and anger,” he told them. “Externalize this oppression.” He also provided reassurance. “Trust that those of us who are here hear the words you are expressing,” he told panelists. Those voices were heard, and they spoke with passion throughout the afternoon forum. La La Zannell, of the New York Anti-Violence Project, recalled a trans friend who was jailed for assault after defending herself from her attacker. Catherine Hyde, Regional Director of PFLAG Mid-Atlantic, choked up when recalling her efforts as a parent to force “boy toys” on her transgender daughter, not fully understanding what it all meant until her daughter turned 15. “When you parent a trans child the fear for their physical and emotional safety is a constant anxiety,” she said. Isa Noyola, Director of Programs at the Transgender Law Center, spoke of the exclusion of trans people from many essential services. “There are already violence prevention strategies in place and trans communities are not a part of those,” she said. Joanna Cifredo, who is on the board of the Whitman-Walker clinic in Washington, DC, read a litany of terrible traumas that are routinely suffered by trans people. “Myself included,” she added after almost every one, including suicide attempts, homelessness and the necessity of sex work for economic survival. “Trans people need recognition not just of their existence but of their humanity,” Cifredo said. As Task Force member and straight ally Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA), said, it was “an extraordinary set of witnesses. Many of us are proud and grateful that you have the courage to come to Washington,” he said, thanking those who had traveled from far aﬁeld to lend their wisdom to the task force. “It is critical that we all have a

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Linda Pentz is the Washington correspondent of the Florida Agenda. She can be contacted at lindapentz@mmplgbt.com. Follow her on Twitter @CapitolAgenda

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the movement, from when the Trans Day of Remembrance started, we have never been counted as a human being,” he said. That, everyone agreed, needed to change. Trans people must count. And they must also be counted. There was a call for a national database to track violence against transgender people which is too often not reported or under-reported or the victim is mis-gendered. Consequently, even the figure of 22 known murders this year of transgender and gender non-conforming people is a guess and a likely under-estimate. There were some lighter moments of hope and celebration as well. Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin remarked in introducing his fellow Democrat, Rep. Alan Lowenthal of California, that Lowenthal has “a rainbow flag hanging outside his office 24/7.” There was an enthusiastic round of applause. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) said “it is no longer acceptable for us to be silent.” During the morning press conference, Honda declared that “I’m here today for the one million transgender people to say: ‘you have a voice in Congress.’” How soon, then, can we expect to see change? None is likely under the current Congress, admitted Caucus member, Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL). But that did not mean that the Caucus would not act, he said. Meanwhile, the stories of trans people must continue to be told as they were during the forum. “One lesson in the history of the movement is that as folks comes to know us, the hate often falls away,” said Human Rights Campaign president, Chad Griffin. “All of us have to work harder to share the stories. We must have a willingness to be open about our own experiences. As folks come to know us, their minds change.”

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better understanding of the obstacles you face on a daily basis that society has not answered,” Kennedy said. What can be done to stem the violence? The forum speakers had a host of answers, but a frequent refrain was education. “It starts with education,” said Zannell. “This is a K thru 12 problem.” Major Irene Burks, representing law enforcement in Maryland’s Prince George’s County, agreed. “It’s all about education,” she said. “We need training in every area throughout our society.” Hyde urged societal support, particularly for bewildered parents of trans children. “The single strongest factor that helps these children avoid these horrible risks is family acceptance and family support,” she said. “So we need education in our schools. It’s a part of nature’s diversity or God’s creativity, whatever your personal lens is.” Harper Jean Tobin, Director of Policy at the National Center for Transgender Equality, noted that the Transgender Day of Remembrance would take place just three days after the forum, on November 20th. “What other community even needs to have a day like this?” she asked. Education is sorely needed, many pointed out, because trans women especially are most often assaulted and murdered by intimate partners, close friends and relatives. “The violence comes directly from men in relationships with them,” said Sharon Lettman-Hicks, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition. “The shame and stigma leads these men to lash out violently when confronted with public exposure,” she said. “It’s a topic that does not receive enough attention.” The death-rate is not limited only to murder. Kylar Broadus, executive director of the Trans People of Color Coalition, brought us a sobering moment when he noted that, “there is 41% suicide rate of transgender and gender non-conforming people compared to a 4.6% suicide rate of all Americans. It’s overwhelming.” Broadus urged attention to what was generally described as an epidemic of violence. “As long as I have been in

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NATIONAL NEWS Wisconsin republicans defend transgender restrictions bill MADISON, WI (AP) - Republicans pushed Thursday for Wisconsin to become the first state in the nation to prohibit transgender public school students from using a bathroom or locker room assigned to the gender with which they identify. Opponents, including students who stood and sat on the floor in a packed hearing room, argued the proposal is a violation of federal Civil Rights law. The soonest that the state’s GOP-controlled Legislature could act on the bill is January, and it’s unclear whether the measure has enough support to pass. The issue has roiled communities in Wisconsin, including in the district of the bill’s lead sponsor, and across the country as more children identify as transgender at younger ages. Several school districts in Wisconsin have their own policies, but Rep. Jesse Kremer said a statewide law is needed to protect them from lawsuits and create a unified standard. But Leland Hilliard, a 15-year-old transgender student, said he prefers to use an all-gender bathroom at his Madison high school, which would not be allowed under the proposal. “I would feel my right to be safe and protected

in public schools would be jeopardized,” Hilliard said. “My mental health would be flushed down the toilet I’m not even allowed to use.” Wisconsin is one of a handful of states looking to become the first to restrict which bathrooms transgender students can use. Similar measures were defeated earlier this year in Minnesota and Nevada, while other states such as California and Massachusetts are moving in the opposite direction and requiring schools to permit transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms based on the student’s gender identity. The Obama administration said in a friend-ofthe-court brief filed last month that it’s against federal law to prevent transgender students from using restrooms that correspond with their gender identities. During Thursday’s Education Committee hearing, the president of an anti-abortion group said it is “inherently wrong” for schools to allow transgender students to share bathrooms with students who would be uncomfortable with that. “It is a social experiment that borders on child exploitation,” said Julaine Appling of Wisconsin Family Action, which supports the bill.

Rep. Jesse Kremer

School districts are successfully dealing with concerns of transgender students as they arise, said John Forester, lobbyist for the Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance. He said the bill “declares open season on school districts that try to compassionately meet the needs of their transgender students.”

November 26, 2015

Kentucky business coalition backs gay rights LOUISVILLE, KY (AP) - Passing statewide legislation to protect gay and bisexual people from workplace discrimination would be good for Kentucky businesses, gay rights advocates said Thursday. Nearly 200 businesses have signed up for the Kentucky Competitive Workforce Coalition, which was announced Thursday. The group is joining the debate on long-stalled legislation aimed at protecting gay, bisexual and transgender Kentuckians from discrimination in the workplace, housing and public places. Without guaranteeing such protections, people can be ﬁred simply “because of who you love,” said state Sen. Morgan McGarvey, DLouisville. Along with strengthening the state’s civil rights law, the measure would help Kentucky companies attract employees, he said. “As we recruit the best and brightest from around the country, we need to show that we have the inclusive

and competitive atmosphere where they want to live, where they want to work and they want to raise their families,” McGarvey said. Eight cities in Kentucky have passed local ordinances banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. Those cities range from the state’s two largest - Louisville and Lexington - to the tiny Appalachian town of Vicco. For more than a decade, however, the statewide version of the legislation died without receiving a hearing in the General Assembly. The measure received its ﬁrst hearing in 2014 when the House Judiciary Committee took testimony, but it did not vote on the legislation. The bill’s next rendition would seem to have long odds again in 2016. Republicans are in solid control of the state Senate, and Republican Matt Bevin, a social conservative, is preparing to become governor after his election this month. Democrats cling to a major-

Photo: fox6news.com

ity in the House. Chris Hartman, director of the Fairness Campaign, a gay rights advocacy group, said Thursday he hopes lawmakers from both parties can ﬁnd common ground on the principle that people “should be judged based on your performance in the workplace, rather than who you are.” However, Family Foundation Executive Director Kent Ostrander said Thursday there’s no need for the legislation, adding: “This is more about power and recognition than it is about addressing a problem that Kentucky has.” “What they need to do is ﬁrst to demonstrate that there’s a real reason for their cause, and they cannot do that. Because there is not discrimination,” said Ostrander, whose group has vehemently opposed such bills. Coalition members supporting the gay rights legislation range from corporate giant Brown-Forman Corp. to small, family-run businesses.

Utah man suesover same-sex marriage discrimination SALT LAKE CITY, UT (AP) - A Utah man says the college where he worked discriminated against him because he was in a same-sex marriage, denying the couple benefits and forcing him out of a job. Dustin Kennedy says in a new lawsuit that an administrator at the Salt Lake City-based Eagle Gate College acknowledged that the couple could have gotten benefits if they were heterosexual. Eagle Gate lawyer Christopher Snow says the school’s insurance company barred it from offering benefits to the couple because gay marriage wasn’t legal when Kennedy worked there between 2007 and 2011. Kennedy says he has also filed a complaint against the for-profit college under Utah’s new anti-discrimination law. State officials say they’ve had three complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation since May.

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November 26, 2015

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Wilton Manors, FL Are you one of the 100 million Americans who are suffering from chronic back pain? Is your back pain stopping you from doing the things you enjoy? Are you using pain pills regularly just to get through the day? Are you afraid this may eventually lead to surgery? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we can help. We have put together a free report filled with tips to help you avoid the most common mistakes made by back pain sufferers. Back pain is not something you have to learn to live with. There are solutions, and we can help you find them. Claim your copy of “Erasing Back Pain: How to Avoid the 9 Most

Upcoming Events For You at Etz Chaim Sunday, November 29, 11am

Sisterhood Returns!

Join us for a delicious brunch and program Contact Naomi at nomi108@yahoo.com/954-232-3045 Never had a Bar/Bat Mitzvah? Want to do it again? Join us on Tuesday nights, 7-8pm Go to our website at www.EtzChaimFlorida.org or call Rabbi Noah at 954-564-9232 for more information, and join us for a wonderful celebration in the spring!

November 26, 2015

Our first annual Hanukkah Brisket Challenge

Sunday, December 13, 7-9pm Join members and friends to taste the best recipes Celebration will also feature Hanukkah menorahs, latkes, chocolate, and fun! Call to sign up!

Shabbat services every Friday night at 8pm

Congregation Etz Chaim

Congregation Chaim 1501 NE 26th St, Wilton Etz Manors, FL 33305 2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-564-9232 www.EtzChaimFlorida.org 954-564-9232 ● ●www.EtzChaimFlorida.org Shabbat services every Friday night at 8pm– all are

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SUNSHINE STATE

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Festivus returns to Tallahassee, with a gay twist this year. Political blogger (and all-around s**t-stirrer) Chaz Stevens will once again bring his Festivus Pole – the unadorned metal pole made famous on “The Strike” episode of Seinfeld – as a holiday display in the rotunda of the Florida Capitol. But instead of a modest stack of 16 Pabst Blue Ribbon cans – in so much as anything Stevens does can be described as “modest” – the 2015 version celebrates Gay Pride, with a nod to the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage as a constitutional right. Updated Festivus Poles – which Stevens plans as holiday displays in state capitals nationwide – will be adorned in bright colors, similar to those in a Gay Pride Rainbow Flag. Topping the pole will be a mirrored disco ball. Over the past few years, the Festivus Pole has become something of a trademark for the Boca Raton-based blogger, who thrives on stirring up controversy. The new, improved Pole will support The Humanity Fund, an advocacy program seeking to combat social injustice with humor. Stevens, as founder and executive director, describes the fund as “dedicated to protecting and promoting freedom of speech and religion, especially the separation of Church and State.” Stevens says he created the ﬁrst Festivus Pole two years ago for display in the Florida Capitol, to protest the “violation of our rights” after

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Festivus returns to Tallahassee

Photo: myactsofsedition.com)

the state allowed a Christian Nativity scene to be placed in the rotunda. What ensued became a media sensation with mentions on the “Colbert Report,” “Daily Show,” Fox News and international media outlets. While most reporters got the joke, some clearly didn’t.

Fox News host Gretchen Carlson blasted the tribute to a ﬁctional holiday, incredulously complaining, “Why do I have to drive around with my kids to look for a Nativity scenes and be, like, ‘Oh, yeah, kids, look, there’s baby Jesus behind the Festivus pole made out of beer cans!’ It’s nuts!”

Radio DJ Elvis Duran named Miami Beach Pride grand marshal ing a weekly listenership of more than 5.5 million fans. The show also airs on iHeartRadio.com, the iHeartRadio mobile app, and The Elvis Duran Channel on www.ElvisDuran.com. In addition to radio, Duran is a frequent correspondent on “The Today Show” and “Extra TV.” Duran’s radio career has spanned 30 years and has included both host and programdirector duties at Philadelphia’s WIOQ and Austin’s KBTS, as well as stints at Z-93 in Atlanta and KRBE Houston. He began hosting his daily radio show on New York’s Z100 in April 1996.

multiple stages, as well as over 100 community booths and refreshments. As the self-professed “maître d’ of the mornings,” Duran and his on-air crew entertain listeners with up-to-theminute entertainment and pop culture news, celebrity guests, hit songs, and regular features such as the gossipy “Entertainment News,” popular trend reports in “What’s Trending,” and the ever-popular prank “Phone Taps.” Broadcasting live from Z100 in New York and Y-100 in South Florida, “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” consistently ranks #1 across multiple demographics and top markets, attract-

November 26, 2015

Photo: diehard.com)

MIAMI— Radio show host of the most-listened-to Top 40 morning show in the U.S., Elvis Duran, will preside over the 2016 Miami Beach Gay Pride parade and festival as Grand Marshal, according to Mark Fernandes, chair of the Pride Board of Directors. As Grand Marshal, Duran will lead the enthusiastic and colorful parade that is expected to draw more than 100,000 spectators on Sunday, April 10, 2016. The Miami Beach Gay Pride parade kicks off at noon along famed Ocean Drive between 5th and 15th Streets and will be followed by the Pride Festival with live performances from

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Market Place /floridaagenda

CONTACT NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR, MAURA “MUMBALL” LANE AT 954-543-5947 OR MAURALANE@MMPLGBT.COM TO GET ON THE LIST.

ACCOUNTING

CHURCH / SPIRITUAL

Sterling Tax & Accounting 2435 N Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-667-9829 / sterlingandhart.com

DENTAL

FINANCIAL

Bove Dental 2500 E Oakland Park Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 954-564-0181 / bovedentistry.com Magnolia Dental 12014 E. Colonial Drive, Ste 130 Orlando, FL 32826 407-205-9585/ MagnoliaDentalFL.com

ATTORNEYS Michael D. Becker Attorney at Law 201 NE 2nd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-727-5067 / becker-lawyer.com Law Ofﬁces of George Castrataro 707 NE 3rd Avenue, Suite 300 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954-573-1444 / lawgc.com Law Ofﬁces of Phillip Menditto 524 S Andrews Avenue, Suite 200 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-641-9100 / phillipmenditto.com

Las Olas Financial Group 3000 NE 30th Place, Suite 206 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 844-779-7936 / lasolasﬁnancialgroup.com

Law Ofﬁces of Caro Kinsella 20801 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 403 Miami, FL 33180 954-304-2243 / immigrationlawyerﬂ.com

FOOD / GROCERY

Dean Trantalis Attorney 2255 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-2226 / trantalislaw.com

AUTO Vista Motors BMW 744 N Federal Hwy Pompano Beach, FL 855-793-7093 / vistabmw.com

CHURCH / SPIRITUAL

Center for Spiritual Living 1550 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-2868 / cslftl.com Holy Angels Catholic Community 2917 NE 6th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33334 954-633-2987 / holyangelsﬂ.org Etz Chaim 1501 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-564-9232 / etzchaimﬂorida.org

November 26, 2015

The Parish of St Francis & Clare 101 NE 3rd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-731-8173 / stsfrancisandclare.org

COUNSELING Shoshana Paris House Call Counselor shoshana.paris@gmail.com 954-985-5362 / 305-951-1279

Wilton Manors Dental 2517 N.E. 9th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-564-4746 / wiltonmanorsdental.com

Diana’s 12001 Avalon Lake Drive Orlando, FL 32828 407-207-0205 /dianasbakeryandcafe.com

EVENTS I DO Custom Events PO Box 2357 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-626-0131 / idocustomevents.com Source Events 605 Lincoln Road, #410 Miami Beach, FL 33139 305-672-9779 / sourceevents.com

FITNESS Pump’n Inc Tom Bonanti 1271 NE 9th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954-557-1119 / pumpnincgym.com

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HELP WANTED

ORGANIZATIONS

REAL ESTATE

The Pride Center 2040 N Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-463-9005 / pridecenterﬂorida.com

350 S Federal Hwy, Deerﬁeld Beach, FL 33441

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FURNITURE

Out of the Closet 2097 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-358-5580 / outofthecloset.org

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Tommy Strickland Realtor R

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PHOTOGRAPHY Genesis Health Institute 1001 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-561-3175 / ghinstitute.com

Ocean Therapy Center 2530 NE 15th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-351-2299 oceantherapycenter.com

We Insure 1975 E Sunrise Blvd, Suite 602 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304 954-903-7519 / weinsureﬂ.com Marvel Quevedo Insurance Agency 5062 South Conway Road Orlando, FL 32812 407-737-7778

OPTICAL Island City Eyecare 2301 Wilton Drive, Suite C1 Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-764-6906 / visionsource-ice.com

Dennis Dean Images 3554 NE 12th Avenue Oakland Park, FL 33334 954-240-8307 / dennisdean.com

REAL ESTATE Galleria International Realty 945 Las Olas Boulvard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-234-8759 / galleriarealtors.com Joe Grano Realtor 1881 NE 26th Street, Suite 212 Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-931-0031 / joegrano.com

November 26, 2015

Better Hearing-World of Sounds 2450 E Commercial Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 954-491-2560 betterhearingworldofsounds.com

INSURANCE

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HEALTHWISE

VITAMIN D:

By Dr. Ferdinard Cabrera

The supplement everyone should be taking VITAMIN D – you get it from the sun and from certain foods in your diet, including fatty ﬁsh and fortiﬁed milk.

However, the lifestyle of the industrial world isn’t enough to keep vitamin D levels where they need to be. Doctors aren’t seeing the symptoms of severe deﬁciency (i.e., rickets), but we are seeing chronically low levels across all age groups that increase the risk for a myriad of adverse health conditions.

FACT:

November 26, 2015

All age groups across the industrialized world are deficient, but individuals aged 16-29 are more deficient. What prevents natural intake and absorption of vitamin D? People eat more processed foods than ever before. If these foods aren’t fortified with the vitamin, then they may not get much of it. Whole foods like fatty fish, fish oil, eggs, and fortified milk help, but without regular dietary intake, they may not offer enough absorbable vitamin D to help people maintain healthy levels. You can also get vitamin D from the sun, but clothes, sunscreen, some medications, and your body makeup may prevent the healthy absorption and conversion in the body for use.

FACT:

Many doctors look at vitamin D differently. You could go to three different doctors and get three different recommendations. Some doctors don’t measure vitamin D levels regularly, and some use antiquated blood content measurements to guide their recommendations. In reality, almost everyone should take 10,000 IUs of vitamin D daily through supplements to maintain proper levels. In my years of practice, I’ve never seen someone with vitamin D toxicity from taking a daily supplement. You can ﬁnd supplements at your local drugstore, a health store, or grocery store. Most vitamin D gel caps and liquid supplements are extremely affordable.

FACT:

Vitamin D is considered a hormone in the medical world, not a nutrient, because it regulates many of our metabolic functions (the processes that keep us functioning at a chemical and cellular level). This essential vitamin also reduces the risk of all fractures by 50%; reduces the risk of developing multiple sclerosis by 50-60%; reduces the risk of numerous cancers from breast to bone by 39-75%; and is helpful in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, pain, and arthritis, among other conditions. Vitamin D could be the most important supplement you add to your daily regimen for preventative care.

Dr. Ferdinand Cabrera has 33 year of experience as a General Internist. He is the founder and president of Genesis Health Institute which specializes in Functional and Anti-Aging Medicine. He can be reached at 954-561-3175, or ia the Internet at www.ghinstitute.com.

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November 26, 2015

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Patrician Literature

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PUZZLE

November 26, 2015

Across

1 Funny Girl’s Fanny 6 Soccer legend 10 Initiated phone sex 14 “Hot dog!” 15 Russian sea 16 Spread out on the breakfast table 17 Part of a Tommy lyric 18 Blaringly colorful 19 Jazz singer Anita 20 With 48-Across, she has the title role in Carol 21 Portrayer of Therese Belivet in Carol 23 Like a muscle Mary’s waist 25 Hit the books hard 26 Patricia, who wrote the novel of this puzzle 30 Sail supports 34 Gide’s soul 35 Caesar’s post-orgasm cry? 36 Canvas covering 37 Fourth of the Stooges’ threesome 39 Auberjonois on Deep Space Nine 41 Liza’s ex Allen 42 Needle dropper 43 Part of San Francisco’s BART 45 Pinch opening? 46 Dandy’s footwear 48 See 20-Across 50 Arthur of the AIDS Quilt 52 Ballet dancer’s skirt 53 With 57-Across, novel on which Carol is based 57 See 53-Across 61 “Uh-huh” 62 Othello was one 63 Boys Don’t Cry actress Sevigny 64 Coin for Kahlo 65 Prefix with science 66 Amadeus star 67 Baltic Sea tributary 68 “___ Horny” (2 Live Crew hit) 69 Race site in Britten’s land

Down

1 Fruit with a peel 2 Carla portrayer on Cheers 3 Sceptic’s response 4 O’Neill’s The Iceman ___ 5 Queer ___ for the Straight Guy 6 Golden stallion 7 Suffix with smack 8 Send toward Uranus 9 Old-timer 10 Rose to Dorothy, on Golden Girls 11 Gallo portrayer in And the Band Played On 12 Songwriter Holly 13 Maja painter 21 What a hoar! 22 Tasty tuber 24 Say whether or not you’re coming 26 Door attachments 27 Bottom line? 28 Susan’s partner in Thelma and Louise 29 Like some pools 31 Debussy contemporary Erik 32 A Lott of Mississippi 33 Jack, who licked it clean 38 “All the world’s a stage,” for example. 40 I Am Harvey Milk, for one 41 Warsaw agreement 44 “No mo’!” to Gomer 47 Cold War abbreviation 48 Turn into 49 Stonewall it 51 Words mouthed to a camera 53 “Equal justice under law,” to a gay basher 54 What you pay to a master 55 Make less difficult to bear 56 Years on end 58 Start of a Shakespearean title 59 Nuts 60 Overflow 63 Evita role for Antonio or Mandy For the solution to this puzzle, go to www.floridaagenda.com/puzzle

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THE WEEK: FORT LAUDERDALE .

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11/27 GWAR

photo: broadwayworld.com

11/27 Dogﬁght

Lili Taylor’s cult independent film Dogfight involves a misogynistic game between Marines in which they compete to score the ugliest date. An unlikely romance blossoms between a shy, awkward waitress and Private First Class Birdlace, the most empathic of the Marines. The stage version of that film has won multiple critic’s awards and is being presented by Slow Burn Theatre Company. 7:30 p.m. Broward Center for the Performing Arts. 201 SW Fifth Ave. Fort Lauderdale. 33312

November 26, 2015

By Patrick Robert

Consisting of a rotating line-up of barbaric interplanetary warriors, GWAR has never once backed down from the controversial and graphically violent stage shows it’s most notorious for. The 1990s signaled the peak of fame for the heavy metal group— they routinely toured talk shows discussing the controversies of censorship and media violence. Also appearing are Silenmara, Daybreak Embrace, and Battlecross. 7:00 p.m. Revolution Live. 100 SW Third Ave. Fort Lauderdale. 33312.

photo: cnn.com

photo: rukkus.com

11/28 Hall and Oates Stylistic innovators Hall and Oates found success in the 1980s with a string of diverse pop hits, selling an estimated forty million records. Their musical style was dubbed “rock and soul” and infused elements of both rock and roll and R&B with some aspects of the new wave style popular at the time. Six number one hits include such classics as “Private Eyes,” “Maneater,” “Out of Touch,” and “Kiss on My List.” 8:00 p.m. Hard Rock Live. 5747 Seminole Way. Hollywood. 33314.

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THE WEEK: MIAMI Transgender trailblazer Eddie Izzard also happens to be one of the most revered stand-up comedians today. With rambling monologues, Izzard weaves hilarious tales in the style of Monty Python. His career of late has included supporting roles in such films as Ocean’s Twelve, Mystery Men, Igor, and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. 8:00 p.m. Fillmore Miami Beach. 1700 Washington Ave. Miami Beach. 33139.

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The holiday season is as good a time as any to enjoy the cult film, screened monthly at O Cinema. English-born New Zealander Richard O’Brien wrote the script which depicts the sexual awakening of a conservative couple thanks to a dominating transsexual. The film is considered the longest-running theatrical release in film history with late-night screenings a ritual across America. 11:30 p.m. O Cinema Miami Beach. 500 71st St. Miami Beach. 33141.

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11/30 Eddie Izzard: Force Majeure

11/27 Rocky Horror Picture Show

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11/28 White Party

photo: wikipedia.com

The 31st Annual White Party takes a different route this year: a multi-level party aboard the Grand Floridian Mega Yacht. The party (dubbed “Anchors Away”) includes close-up magic, female impersonators, and electrifying music spun by Roland Belmares. All of the proceeds from the sure-to-be-fabulous party beneﬁt Care Resource. 6:00 p.m. Bayfront Park – North Dock. 401 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. 33132.

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THE WEEK: JACKSONVILLE .

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11/28 Jacksonville Light Boat Parade

photo: jfsyork.org

November 26, 2015

By Patrick Robert

The annual event transforms the St. Johns River into a winter wonderland as boats of all shapes and sizes glitter along the waterway. Captains and crews display elaborate vessels decked out for the holidays, showcasing the holiday spirit amongst the Jacksonville community. The parade kicks off the holiday season in style. 7:00 p.m. Jacksonville Riverfront. 2 Independent Dr. Jacksonville. 32202.

photo: jacksonvillebroadway.com

11/28 Scott Bradlee’s Jukebox

12/01 How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Using the postmodernism tenet of “pastiche,” Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox mixes contemporary pop songs with vintage style dancing and set design. The entire stage is set up like a speakeasy, with old-fashioned bartenders whipping up Prohibition-era cocktails. Songs are transformed: Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” becomes a 1950s doo wop number; Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” has a jazz beat; Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” is infused with Irish folk music. 7:00 p.m. Florida Theatre. 128 E. Forsyth St. Jacksonville. 32202.

The stage show of the classic holiday ﬁlm features all of the hallmarks of the beloved classic: a grumpy Scrooge-esque character, a comical dog, and a family-friendly community of “Whos.” Best of all, the show includes the popular holiday tunes “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas.” The Broadway production broke records—over 1.2 million theatregoers have enjoyed the show across America. 7:30 p.m. Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. 300 Water St. Jacksonville. 32202.

photo: jacksonville.com

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THE WEEK: ORLANDO

Jim Gaffigan’s “clean” comedy is widely perceived as some of the best in the business. His success in the stand-up world has led to two comedy specials (Mr. Universe and Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed) and two published books (Dad Is Fat and Food: A Love Story). His comedy focuses on the difficulty of fatherhood, keen observations, and his obsession with food. 7:00 p.m. Hard Rock Live. 6050 Universal Blvd. Orlando. 32819.

The charismatic chef presents an evening of cooking, storytelling, and Q&A. Known as the king of The Food Network, Emeril has hosted more than 2,000 shows and has written eighteen bestselling cookbooks. The James Beard Award winner found success with such classic catchphrases as “BAM” and “Kick in up a notch!” which led to his product and restaurant ventures. 8:00 p.m. Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. 445 S. Magnolia Ave. Orlando. 32801.

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12/01 Emeril Live on Stage

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11/28 Jim Gafﬁgan

photo: orlandophil.com

11/28 Orlando Philharmonic

photo: livenation.com

Home for the Holidays is a Central Floridian tradition, starting off the holiday season with an evening of beautiful music. Audience favorites Albert George Schram, The Holiday Singers, Florida Opera Theatre Youth Chorus, and Michael Andrew entertain the crowd with a selection of seasonal songs. 8:00 p.m. Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. 445 S. Magnolia Ave. Orlando. 32801.

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November 26, 2015

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THE WEEK: PALM BEACH .

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12/01 Tree Lighting Celebration

photo: mlive.com

11/29 Momix’s Botanica

Moses Pendleton’s international dancerillusionist company astounds with their inventive and physical beauty. Their productions focus on the beauty around us: of the human form, of nature, or music, and of life itself. Botanica features the renewable energy of the MOMIX performers, complete with costumes, projections, and custom-made puppetry. 7:30 p.m. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. 701 Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach. 33401.

November 26, 2015

By Patrick Robert

Adopt-A-Family’s 31st Annual Tree Lighting Celebration rings in the holiday season with a festive night of live entertainment, cocktails, a gourmet holiday dinner, a live auction, and a classy silent auction. The evening climaxes with the lighting of the Adopt-A-Family’s “Angel Tree,” representing all of the supporters of the organization’s mission. The proceeds for the event will be used by Adopt-A-Family to continue strengthening homeless and at-risk families with children in their efforts to achieve stability and self-sufﬁciency. 6:00 p.m. Sailﬁsh Club. 1338 N. Lake Way. Palm Beach. 33480.

photo: palmbeachpost.com

photo: browardpalmbeach.com

12/02 Daniel’s Husband The recent legalization of gay marriage had an unfortunate downside for playwright Michael McKeever—his new play Daniel’s Husband became completely obsolete. McKeever had to extensively rewrite the play, taking into account Florida’s new laws supporting marriage equality. The revamped play was work-shopped as part of Jan McArt’s New Play Reading series, featured last year on Island City Stage, and now performed by the West Boca Theatre Company. 7:30 p.m. Levis JCC Phyllis and Harvey Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement. 21050 95th Ave. S. Boca Raton. 33428.

THE WEEK: TAMPA / ST. PETE .

Aggression, watermelons, comic timing, and more will be on display when Gallagher brings his mallet and his wit to the State Theatre. Some people may only know Gallagher as that weird mustached man who showers his audience with watermelon and other bits of ﬂying food, but the social commentator is also known for his pointed insight into American society and politics. 6:00 p.m. State Theatre. 687 Central Ave. St. Petersburg. 33701.

Cyndi Lauper’s ﬁrst Broadway musical Kinky Boots earned her a Tony Award for Best Score. The popular show, as well, earned the Best Musical Tony and became a phenomenon. Based on the 2005 ﬁlm, Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie Price as he takes over a shoe store, aligns himself with charismatic drag queen Lola, produces a line of high-heeled boots, and discovers himself in the process. 7:30 p.m. Straz Center for the Performing Arts. 1010 N. Macinnes Place. Tampa. 33602.

photo: nepascene.com

photo: peoplequiz.com

12/01 Kenny G Cultural icon Kenny G’s fourth album Duotones launched his astonishing career. Since then he has become one of the bestselling artists of all time with global sales totaling more than 75 million records. The best thing about Kenny G is that he has a sense of humor about his often mocked persona, as evidenced by his appearance in Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night” video and his appearance in an unﬂattering Snickers television commercial. 7:30 p.m. Ruth Eckerd Hall. 1111 N. McMullen-Booth Rd. Clearwater. 33759.

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12/02 Kinky Boots

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11/27 Gallagher

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photo: tampabay.com

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November 26, 2015