04/10/20, Vol. 11 Issue 2

APRIL 10, 2020 • THEGEORGIAVOICE.COM

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.  Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.  Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:  Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.  Have any other health problems.  Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.  Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:  Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.  BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other.

Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at

MyDailyCharge.com

BVYC0218_BIKTARVY_B_10X10-5_Georgia-Voice_Hugo_r1v1jl.indd All Pages

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION  This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.  Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2020 © 2020 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0218 04/20

HUGO LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 1995 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

KEEP CONNECTING. Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

See Hugo’s story at BIKTARVY.com.

Featured patient compensated by Gilead.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

4/6/20 1:14 PM

voice

georgia VOL.11 • ISSUE 2

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365

BUSINESS

Principal/Publisher: Tim Boyd tboyd@thegavoice.com

Editorial Contributors: Conswella Bennett, Cliff Bostock, Melissa Carter, Dallas Anne Duncan, Aidan Ivory Edwards, Stefanee Escay, Jim Farmer, Vandy Beth Glenn, Mark S. King, Ryan Lee, Rose Pelham, Zoe Seiler, Berlin Sylvestre, Cristina Williams-Fontanez

PRODUCTION

Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com

ONLINE

Digital Content Senior Staffer: Katie Burkholder kburkholder@thegavoice.com

SALES

Sales Executive: Dixon Taylor dtaylor@thegavoice.com

Sales Executive: Jim Brams jbrams@thegavoice.com

Business Advisor: Lynn Pasqualetti Financial Firm of Record: HLM Financial Group National Advertising: Rivendell Media • 908-232-2021 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Publisher Emeritus: Chris Cash

FINE PRINT

All material in Georgia Voice is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of Georgia Voice. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. We also do not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers.

Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by Georgia Voice, but we do not take responsibility for its return.

The editors reserve the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission. Guidelines for freelance contributors are available upon request.

A single copy of Georgia Voice is available from authorized distribution points. Multiple copies are available from Georgia Voice office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 24-issue mailed subscription for $60 per year. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Tim Boyd, tboyd@thegavoice.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Georgia Voice, PO Box 77401, Atlanta, GA 30357. Georgia Voice is published twice a month by Georgia Voice, LLC. Individual subscriptions are $60 per year for 24 issues. Postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices.

The editorial positions of Georgia Voice are expressed in editorials and in editor’s notes. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Georgia Voice and its staff.

To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words and commentary, for web or print, should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address, and phone number for verification. Email submissions to editor@thegavoice.com or mail to the address above.

Join us online: facebook.com/thegavoice twitter.com/thegavoice instagram.com/thegeorgiavoice youtube.com/user/GAVoice

4 Editorial April 10, 2020

EDITORIAL

Community Strong Survival. We are all consumed by it right now. Will I survive?

Will my partner or spouse? Family and friends? The worry extends further out to the economy, our own businesses, our jobs. Will any of what we have known survive?

I have lived through many losses in my life.

Anxiety and grief are not new to me. I lost my partner to AIDS in the ’90s. I lost my best friend, too, and many others. I have watched several siblings die. I lost a thriving business that I loved. Loss, it seems, has been a constant companion. Despite that, or maybe because of it, I remain cautiously optimistic about the deepening crisis the entire world now faces.

As a community, we have a long history of being strong and resilient. We adapt, we support each other and we do whatever it takes to get to the other side of anything thrown in our path. COVID-19 will be no exception. We may tragically lose loved ones and the way of life we knew before may be altered but we will not lose our strength or our hope – it’s just not in our nature. And it is not in our nature to stand by and watch as we lose vital community resources whether it be an HIV-based non-profit or our own media.

Newspapers, large and small, are struggling to stay afloat. Closed restaurants, nightclubs, salons, gyms, and countless other businesses mean lost advertising. Advertising revenue, especially for free papers, pays for everything – salaries, printing costs, delivery costs and on and on. Even papers with paying subscribers are feeling the pinch. Gannett, the parent company of USA Today and other large papers, has announced pay cuts and furloughs. Closer to home, Atlanta Magazine has laid off six staffers including its executive editor. LGBTQ publications across the country are struggling to stay open and serve their local communities. Georgia Voice is no exception.

We want you to know that we intend to get through this time and how we intend to do it. I am proud of the fact that in our ten years we have never missed an issue or published late. That will continue to be the case. We have had to cut back our already small staff and we will have to reduce the number of pages we print, but you can count on still finding a copy even if you have to search a little harder for it. If you cannot find one, call us and we will let you know where to find our most recent issue. Themed issues like our Arts and Wedding issues will be postponed until the venues and other businesses that support them reopen. But we will continue to bring you coverage of the most important issues in our area. Future issues will carry info on the impact of social distancing and digital connection in our community.

We are creating a special section that will appear both in print an on our website.

“Community Strong” will feature stories from readers like you. These stories can be anything from news about what’s happening in your own neighborhood to how you are coping with the isolation we all are experiencing. We need you to be a “community reporter,” to share with other readers the reality of your own life in the midst of this pandemic. Are you working from home? How is that going? Kids at home?

Have you lost your job? Your business? Are you and your neighbors and friends banding together to help others? Working at a food pantry? Making masks? Watching news all day or shutting it down? Whatever you are doing, we ALL want to know.

Email us your story: Tim Boyd: Publisher@thegavoice.com You can choose to identify yourself or remain anonymous but we do ask that you let everyone know at least the general area of where you live in the city. Photos are very welcomed. Don’t worry about grammar – we will fix it if it needs it.

As a reminder our website is: www.thegavoice.com Our Facebook page is: www.facebook.com/TheGAVoice Our Twitter is: www.twitter.com/theGAVoice

You can always read a copy of the latest edition online. We are posting to our website and Facebook daily and our subscribers will continue to receive our weekly newsletter every Friday.

The 2020 edition of “Destination Gay Atlanta” will be pushed back to Aug. 1 when we expect the city will be open again for business.

I cannot stress enough how much we all need each other now. We need to hear from one another, help where we can, and offer both hope and concrete ideas on how to survive this.

Your community needs you. Your media source needs you. The road to recovery will be long and full of challenges. Together, we will survive.

Some have described this pandemic as a “war.” During a major war, people have historically come together to help their neighbors, friends, and businesses.

Community is placed before the individual because we are stronger together.

Thank you for being a Georgia Voice reader.

We intend to be around for you for a long time. And we can do that if we are:

That’s where you come in.

COMMUNITY STRONG Tim Boyd is a co-founder and the Publisher of Georgia Voice.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

CELEBRITY CLOSE-UP!

Celebrity Brief (CORONAVIRUS EDITION)

Celebrities, they’re just like us: stuck at home. LGBTQ and allied public figures take to social media to discuss COVID-19, social distancing, and quarantining.

“Wow, truly don’t remember [the] last time I wore jeans,” – Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski (Twitter)

“Enough with the empty promises. Congress needs to force Trump to fully use the DPA for ventilators – plus test kits, masks, and everything else our health workers have been demanding for weeks.”

– Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Twitter)

“What a quote: ‘The virus doesn’t move, people move it. We stop moving, the virus stops moving, the virus dies.

It’s that simple.’ #StayHome. It could save lives.”

– Rosie O’Donnell (Twitter)

“I didn’t major in doctorey, but I do know that [the CDC coronavirus page] is the most valuable resource for information on COVID-19.”

– Ellen DeGeneres (Twitter)

“Shout out to all of the medical professionals who are literally putting their lives in the line while having very little resources and N95 mask[s] to ensure their safety while treating sick patients.”

– RuPaul’s Drag race alum Shea Couleé (Twitter)

(PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK AND TWITTER)

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

April 10, 2020 Celebrity Close-Up! 5

YOUR VOICE

Mark S. King COURTESY PHOTO

The Very Best of Humanity is Coming. So is the Worst.

Mark S. King The flyer was in my mailbox, folded and placed by an unknown neighbor.

“NEED CORONAVIRUS HELP?” it read, explaining a local “Self-Quarantine Response Team” was here to support those “with compromised immune systems, those in quarantine – or even those who must work or have kids or feel isolated due to social distancing. Please retain this sheet,” it went on, “in the event you need help in the future and don’t hesitate to reach out!”

I stood on my doorstep reading it, marveling at how quickly people who lived nearby had organized in the very first days of this growing pandemic, and the choice they had made to move through their own fears and inconveniences, instead focused on how they could help people they barely know, if at all.

And then, of course, flashes of the 1980s began, of the nurses and hospital visitors who picked up the food trays left in the hallway to bring them to the bed of the forsaken AIDS patient, and the meal delivery programs begun out of the trunk of someone’s car, and the phone lists distributed on stacks of paper so we could check up on our friends.

Suddenly I was trying to find my keys, and I couldn’t see the front door lock because my eyes were awash in tears that had come to revisit me from a generation ago.

In my 2007 essay, “Once, When We Were Heroes,” I wrote that my best self, the best man I will ever be, lived decades ago, when he was called upon to respond to what terrified him most. I have often wondered if that man would be called upon again or, more to the point, if present-day society would ever be tested in the same way.

I think we have the answer.

There is a growing list of gestures of grace, with videos and postings of enormous 6 Your Voice April 10, 2020

generosity, compassion, and even good humor. Kids are serenading their elderly, sheltered neighbor. Italians are applauding healthcare workers from the balconies of their sequestration, while their inventive neighbors play paddleball between their open windows.

I appreciate the wealthy sports figures who are donating funds to out-of-work arena crews and service workers, but it is those without means, the ones who reach deep anyway, who really get to me.

Activists forged in the AIDS epidemic are resuming their place in the fight, now with the patina of age and the wisdom of elder statespersons. ACT UP veteran Peter Staley is among those who have partnered with public health to form the COVID-19 Working Group in New York City, the group largely responsible for getting Mayor DeBlasio off his dithering ass. Staley’s colleague from his days of street activism, MacArthur Genius Fellowship awardee Gregg Gonsalves, has become a repeat guest on MSNBC to offer important perspective on governmental response and inaction, then and now.

In the small town of Milford, Pennsylvania, their Milford Covid Volunteer Task Force instituted social distancing and other measures far ahead of our national response.

Their Facebook page, like a growing list

of others in townships and cities across the world, has become a vital outlet of information and support for its citizens.

Oh, and the mayor of Milford happens to be veteran AIDS activist and long-term survivor Sean Strub. I’m sensing a pattern here.

A global network of HIV/AIDS activists and researchers, AVAC, has gathered the best and brightest to apply lessons learned from HIV/AIDS in the interest of the COVID-19 response.

We are still at the beginning. We haven’t yet seen the very best our humanity has to offer. It’s coming, and you’ll know it when you see it. It will lift you and gut you, all at once, like an unexpected flyer in your mailbox.

We also saw the worst in human behaviors in the 1980s, the people living with HIV who were mocked and blamed and banned from public facilities. These days, the mocking comes from the White House, an institution that once simply ignored us, and which, even if it never publicly uttered the words “gay cancer,” has no problem calling this pandemic, repeatedly and willfully, the “Chinese Virus.”

The idiocy of youth, always an entertaining if horrifying brand of stupid, has produced continued parties for hundreds on the beach while there are reports of young people recording themselves (naturally) licking fresh produce in grocery stores.

Mind-melting inanity isn’t only for the young. In Louisiana, a pastor continues church services for hundreds of people despite State orders. And another religious leader is laying this whole pandemic squarely at the feet of – you guessed it – LGBTQ people.

I’ll spare you the YouTube videos of desperate, poorly informed people fighting over toilet paper. The question is, what monstrous behavior is yet to come when we are fighting over ventilators?

They say heroism happens when you have no other choice. That was true for me, a young gay man living a lifetime ago who felt cornered and afraid. I swallowed huge gulps of terror and marched forward anyway.

Others did not. I can’t say I blame them.

That crossroad is right in front of us, again.

Mark TheGeorgiaVoice.com

NEWS

COVID-19: Its Impact on the Health Care Industry Stefanee Escay

Dr. T. Douglas Gurley PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

Imagine waking up completely disoriented … unsure of what time it is, which day it is, and where the hell it is you’re supposed to be.

Your pantry is bare, there’s no toilet paper in the bathroom, you’re uncertain where you parked your car (because you haven’t left the house in a week), and your email inbox for work as well as your text message inbox on your phone are as empty as the Ansley Mall parking lot on Christmas. This, friends, is our new reality … thanks to COVID-19.

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. It’s been the most impactful, antagonistic burden in our lives lately (and more so in just the last couple of weeks).

To date (April 4 at noon), there are more than 6,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Georgia and more than 200 reported deaths. The numbers continue to climb as hospitals and health care workers do their best to test or treat patients in those flooding emergency rooms, as well as urgent care offices statewide.

It’s caused the shutdown of businesses, schools, and operations globally and has wreaked havoc on the Peach State, as hospital beds are at full capacity and the death toll rises exponentially.

According to ProPublica, Atlanta has 12,800 hospital beds, but 74% of them are already occupied (leaving only 3,340 beds open), and only 1,620 of those beds are in ICUs. With the recent Shelter-in-Place order enacted by Governor Kemp on April 3, most of us are at home in complete wonderment of what’s happening and what’s to come in the near future.

And then there’s the health care industry, questioning, “what in the heck is going on?” and “when the hell is it all gonna come to a head?”

“It’s mayhem,” says Cedric Berenguer, an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, when asked about the current situation at work. “And it’s supposed to get even worse over the next couple of weeks.”

Doctors and nurses across the U.S. are reportedly keeping their heads down to weather the storm, despite shortages of supplies, equipment, and coworkers.

8 News April 10, 2020

severely ill, but have started to turn the corner … We are in business and not going away.

I’m sorry for the confusion, distress and disappointment caused by my earlier notice that our medical practice would be closing.

I express sincere sympathy to everyone that has contracted COVID-19. I personally understand how serious this infection can be.

It was very scary for me at times, even though I am a doctor … No one will be reporting back to work until they are fully recovered.

We are complying with all CDC protocols to protect our patients, staff and the public. As I previously informed you, I was infected. I am recovering and will return back to work when I have been cleared to do so.”

Registered Nurse Amy Burt from Kennestone Hospital tries to remain optimistic regardless of what the statistics predict about this pandemic. “They’re saying that a rise in the number of positive cases is coming,” she says.

“Sixty-five percent of our anesthesia staff has been furloughed. They’ve anticipated it may change soon because they’ll need my coworkers to man the ventilators (Georgia is currently in possession of only 1,600 ventilators), but we don’t really know what will happen at this point.”

While the battle against COVID-19 rages on, the health care arena is among the hardest hit industries right now, because of the continuous challenges each professional is met with from day to day.

“We are basically working 12-hour days, seven days a week,” says paramedic Matt Dewar. “I’m doing what I can to keep myself healthy as well as prevent contamination.

I’m taking extra vitamins like C and D, and am also using essential oils like Thieves. I think everything is going to peak in about a month. Crazy, huh?”

In other departments of health care, however, the outlook is a bit grimmer. Workers are facing tremendous fatigue, and even more are falling victim to the virus.

“Today they handed out N95 masks to all employees,” ultrasound technologist Lindsey Carpenter says. “But just one to each of us, though.”

“It’s so contagious,” says Dr. Jeff Collier, owner of MateSafe and ATL Live Well. “The elderly and the immune compromised aren’t the only ones contracting this illness. I’ve seen perfectly healthy people come down with COVID-19 as well.”

The coronavirus is also affecting doctors and other providers. Dr. T. Douglas Gurley and his staff were hit hard by the virus. In a letter to his patients, he addressed his own condition and the fate of his practice: “Last week I had to stop being Dr. Gurley and became a patient. Being on the front lines of healthcare, several of our staff and I were infected with COVID-19. I have been

From April 3 to April 13, the entire state of Georgia is on mandatory lockdown in attempts to help “flatten the curve.”

Governor Brian Kemp’s Shelter-In-Place order encourages people to stay at home whenever they can. Kemp says he’s worried about the peak of the health care crisis, which could still be three weeks away, and he’s also asking people to hang tough and hunker down until the crisis passes.

“We need to keep chopping hard, keep working hard, grinding away every day. The next thing we know, we’re going to look up and it’s going to be the first part of May and hopefully we’ll be on the other side of this thing and we can be on the road to recovery,” Kemp said.

In an effort to keep businesses thriving during this trying time, the OUT Georgia Business Alliance (OGBA) has launched a COVID-19 special directory complete with a comprehensive list of services available during this time. For more details, visit: outgeorgia.org TheGeorgiaVoice.com

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TheGeorgiaVoice.com

April 10, 2020 Ads 9

NEWS

The Devastating Effects of Coronavirus on Atlanta Small Businesses Stefanee Escay When the TED Talk-inspired movie “Contagion” hit movie theaters in 2011, the notion that a virus could cripple the entire world seemed like horrifying fiction.

Today, the coronavirus pandemic has made it our reality.

Over the last couple of weeks, many of us have found ourselves adapting to a new norm. Working remotely. Homeschooling our children. Social distancing. Eating all our meals at the house. While this has been a bittersweet way to reconnect with our loved ones, it’s had an overwhelming (and more than likely irreversible) effect on one thing that truly makes the world go ‘round: small businesses.

Food and entertainment establishments like Midtown Moon on Piedmont have shut down operations for the most part. “We’re pretty much closed,” owner Marco Penna says.

“I have 18 employees and 25 entertainers laid off and right now it’s just myself. I’m cooking in the kitchen to make some curbside business, but we’re struggling to get some to-go orders. Unemployment hasn’t kicked in yet, so this is pretty scary. It’s gonna be a really difficult recovery for everybody.”

Gyms like Urban Body Fitness on Amsterdam Avenue are approaching one month of having their doors closed. “Yes, as of 3/19 6pm we are CLOSED!!” the gym’s website informs readers. “We do not know when the Mayor will allow us to re-open. We will see you then!”

Live shows at Lips on Buford Highway have been cancelled through the first part of April.

“The show palace is temporarily closed,” their reservation hotline says, but ensures that 100% refunds are being provided until 10 News April 10, 2020

“I had to wait in line for three hours to get fabric the other day, but regardless of all the bad stuff that’s going on right now, something good is coming out of it … because so many of us are joining forces to solve the problems together.”

– Rocky Carroll, store manager and co-owner of Boy Next Door Menswear they are able to schedule their drag dining shows once again.

Restaurants like Zocalo on 10th have been eerily deserted, with no clear answer as to when they’ll reopen. “We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe during this challenging time for everyone. With guidance from the CDC and the Atlanta Public Health authorities, Zocalo will be closed for public dining effective immediately” Zocalo’s management team informed Facebook followers on March 20.

“This closure will be in effect until further notice. Our primary interest is the safety and well-being of our guests, team members and partners, and we appreciate your understanding during this trying time.”

Upscale entertainment venue Swinging Richards halted business at the end of March, leaving nearly 50 staff members without work.

“I knew that we were on the verge of being temporarily shut down,” one entertainer says.

“The only thing I’ve heard is that as soon as we’re in the clear, we’ll be reopening. I’m

Boy Next Door Menswear launches the Give One Get One campaign, an effort dedicated to helping health care workers have more masks to use in local hospitals and nursing homes.

(Courtesy photo)

looking now into getting unemployment, so I know other dancers are hurting as well.”

One barber shop in South Buckhead closed up shop weeks ago, forcing clients to go elsewhere for their routine cuts and fades.

Longtime patron Scott Walker says he’s resorted to getting his hair cut at his barber’s place of residence.

“He is only able to do cuts right now, on his back patio like your mom did when you were a child. He was his usual amazing self though, just more careful – with gloves and a mask on. I think if we play it safe and still take the necessary precautions, we can still find ways to earn some money during this crisis. Anything is possible!”

Lash artist Mondy Chau of Beauty by Mondy was forced to discontinue her lash extension services at the end of March, but has been trying to find the silver lining in her sudden loss of income. “I’m closed all month for the time being,” Mondy says.

“The only upside to closing my lash business is just being able to invest in better tools and supplies if possible, and practicing. Working on branding and revamping a few things. I have my lazy days where I do nothing and just miss lashing on someone … but what else can I do but practice?”

Boy Next Door Menswear is also doing its

part to turn this pandemic into something a bit more positive. Just this week (despite having to close the retail store), the popular boutique launched the Give One Get One campaign, an effort dedicated to helping health care workers have more masks to use in local hospitals and nursing homes. For every mask sold, Boy Next Door will donate a second one to a medical facility in need.

When asked about his new campaign, store manager and co-owner Rocky Carroll said (in between sewing masks), “I had to wait in line for three hours to get fabric the other day, but regardless of all the bad stuff that’s going on right now, something good is coming out of it … because so many of us are joining forces to solve the problems together.” Rocky has proudly received nearly 80 orders already, and expects even more in the coming days.

As of noon on April 6, Georgia’s death toll has surpassed 200, with more than 7,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Our statewide Shelter-In-Place mandate went into effect at 6pm on April 3 in hopes of curbing the spread of the virus.

While this order requires Georgians to remain in their homes for all but “essential” activities (buying food, seeking medical care, working in critical jobs, or exercising outdoors), small businesses across the state hang on by a thread, in hopes of being able to reopen their doors sometime in the foreseeable future.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

NEWS

COVID-19’s Impact on Atlanta Workers Rose Pelham

Tristian Panucci Dupree PHOTO BY JUST TOBY

On March 17, Christopher LaCorte was just about to fly to Amsterdam when he came down with a terrible case of pneumonia. When Georgia Voice interviewed him by phone two weeks later, he was in quarantine recovering from a presumed case of COVID-19.

Describing his symptoms in the order of their onset, he said he had “a severe headache, body ache, chills” and then “a tightness in my chest and a crackling sensation in my lungs.”

Needless to say, he could not go to work.

Before the pandemic, LaCorte worked at two different bars in Atlanta as “a server at one, a bartender at another.” He says he was doing okay financially, and “luckily, I set aside money to go abroad, so I’m hoping that’s going to cover me for a time.”

When asked about the financial burden of staying at home, LaCorte said, “my main concern is my utilities and my rent.”

He says that he has received much community support, which has helped him make up for his lost income: “I’m very lucky to have had a really good clientele who virtually tip me.

It is not asked, but very much appreciated.”

Nationally, unemployment has risen by 701,000 lost jobs, according to the Wall Street Journal and other sources. In Georgia, which has so far suffered less economically than most states, this translated into a 116% increase in unemployment claims between March 8 and March 21 as compared to the same time period last year, according to NPR. Total job losses in the state for the month of March have yet to be calculated, but will likely be substantial.

Industries that require in-person work and are not deemed essential have seen the greatest number of layoffs. These include “restaurants, retail, recreation, and manufacturing,” according to NPR. There has, however, been an increase in demand for the labor of warehouse workers, delivery drivers, and, of course, doctors and TheGeorgiaVoice.com

“Dupree says she’s getting by on ‘mostly noodles and grilled cheeses’ to save money until working becomes possible again. When asked about performing online, she said that she has friends who are doing that, and that she is considering doing online performances in a couple of weeks.”

Fortunately for Mangual, she got another opportunity to work for Emory online outside of work study.

nurses. Due to the risk of working during a pandemic, some Amazon warehouse workers have gone on strike demanding better protection against the virus. There have also been reports of delivery driver strikes with similar demands.

performances in a couple of weeks.

Performance artists are also facing unemployment as a result of the pandemic.

Tristian Dupree, who works as an entertainer and does drag performances, has been unable to work due to venue closures.

The pandemic is also making it hard for college students who work part time, although in some ways they are more protected than other workers.

Just before the pandemic, Dupree was preparing to move to a new home. During our conversation, she said she was at her house with most of her belongings packed in boxes waiting for a move put indefinitely on hold.

Dupree says she’s getting by on “mostly noodles and grilled cheeses” to save money until working becomes possible again.

When asked about performing online, she said that she has friends who are doing that, and that she is considering doing online

Of life before the pandemic, Dupree says that she misses most getting to work alongside other entertainers and the spirit of mutual support between them.

The US Department of Education has announced that students in federal work study programs will still be paid regardless of their ability to work from home. For Mary Mangual, a senior with work study at Emory University who has also written for Georgia Voice, this has meant receiving the remaining income she would have earned over the course of the semester.

She said, “They took the hours I usually work and estimated that for the rest of my school year.”

Other students, however, have found themselves forced to either leave their jobs to return home or quickly find housing in Atlanta. “The Emory Facebook pages are full of postings of places where people can stay in case they have jobs they can’t leave,” Mangual said.

She also worries about students finding jobs after they graduate. “I think the hiring rates are pretty relevant to this situation. In the coming months, I think the big challenge is going to be students graduating and facing a perilous transition phase.”

LaCorte, Dupree, and Mangual are all members of the LGBTQ community here in Atlanta, and each of them stressed the importance of the community in providing support to its members during difficult times. As the pandemic continues, workers will be increasingly affected by its disruption to their livelihoods. Hopefully, by supporting each other, we will survive.

April 10, 2020 News 11

NATIONAL NEWS

Fauci: Gay people lifted stigma with ‘incredible courage’ in HIV/AIDS epidemic Chris Johnson, Writer for Washington Blade Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday the visibility LGBTQ people brought to themselves during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic helped change the tide for public perception.

Fauci made the remarks during the daily White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing when responding to COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on black Americans, saying the disease has “shed a light” on health disparities in the United States much like HIV/AIDS did with LGBTQ people.

“During that time, there was extraordinary stigma, particularly against the gay community,” Fauci said. “And it was only when the world realized how the gay community responded to this outbreak with incredible courage and dignity and strength and activism — I think that really changed some of the stigma against the gay community, very much so.”

As head of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, Fauci was responsible for developing medications to treat HIV/ AIDS at the height of epidemic. His efforts resulted in drugs still used today, although that came after activism of groups like ACT UP pushing the U.S. government to release the medication.

The impact of HIV/AIDS on LGBTQ people, Fauci said, is similar to the impact COVID-19 is having on African-Americans.

“When you’re in the middle of a crisis, like we are now with the coronavirus, it really does have ultimately shine a very bright light on some of the real weaknesses and foibles in our society,” Fauci said.

State data on COVID-19 is beginning to reflect African-Americans suffer from the disease at a greater rate than others.

In Michigan, for example, 35 percent of 12 National News April 10, 2020

From left: Vice President Mike Pence, NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and President Donald Trump attend a press conference on the coronavirus. (Screenshot photo via Washington Blade)

all COVID-19 cases are black or AfricanAmerican, as are 40 percent of all deceased cases, according to state data. But the black or African-American population makes up just 14.1 percent of Michigan’s population.

Fauci said COVID-19’s has a disproportionate impact on black people not because they’re getting infected more often, but because the population suffers from health disparities.

“When they do get infected, their underlying medical conditions — the diabetes, the hypertension, the obesity, the asthma — those are the kind of things that wind them up in the ICU and ultimately give them a higher death rate,” Fauci said.

Fauci concluded the COVID-19 epidemic “will end,” but when that happens “there will still be health disparities which we really do need to address in the African-American community.”

President Trump expressed indignation over

the disproportionate impact COVID-19 is having on the black population.

“What’s happening is we’re trying to find out why is it that it’s three and four times,” Trump said, “Now, maybe that’s not going to be the final number, but why is it three or four times more so for the black community as opposed to other people. It doesn’t make sense, and I don’t like it.”

Trump said his administration would have statistics on COVID-19’s impact on black people in “probably two to three days.”

Asked by a reporter if that pattern of black people being disproportionately affected by COVID-19 will continue nationwide, Fauci hinted that was the case.

“I can’t be confident to predict patterns, but the underlying reason why that is happening doesn’t change from state to state,” Fauci said. “I expect that when

African-Americans get infected, given the disproportionate disparity of the underlying conditions that lead to complications like the ones I mentioned, I expect that we will still see the pattern that when you loo at the proportion of people who get into serious trouble and die, again, it’s going to be disproportionate towards the AfricanAmericans. I do expect.”

Fauci affirmed the federal government is now leading the charge in collecting information said it will be public in days or the coming week.

Although states are collecting information on the racial and ethnic identities of COVID-19 patients, they aren’t ascertaining whether patients are LGBTQ. The lack of information has angered LGBTQ advocates, who are calling for greater data collection because LGBTQ are vulnerable to COVID-19.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

FINANCIAL NEWS

Small Business Short-Term Strategies HLM Financial Group Cody Crowder, CPS Decatur, Georgia “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy” – Martin Luther King, Jr. From the words of Dr. King, we have entered a time of extreme challenge and uncertainty, with obstacles around every corner. The most important tool to have right now is knowledge.

President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on March 27. The legislation provides approximately $2.2 trillion of fiscal stimulus, including a $350 billion bank loan program for businesses referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program. The PPP is a forgivable loan to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis.

All loan terms will be the same for everyone.

The loan amounts will be forgiven so long as: • The loan proceeds are used to cover payroll costs and most mortgage interest, rent, and utility costs over the eight week period after the loan is made; and • Employee and compensation levels are maintained Payroll costs are capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee. It is anticipated that not more than 25% of the forgiven amount may be for nonpayroll costs.

Loan payments will be deferred for six months.

Maximum Loan Amount: 2.5 times the average monthly payroll costs or $10 million, whichever is less Eligible Payroll Costs Include: • Salary, wages, commission, or similar compensation • Payment of cash tip or equivalent • Payment for vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave • Allowance for dismissal or separation • Payment for group health care benefits, 14 Financial News April 10, 2020

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

• Payroll • Debt obligations incurred before Feb.15, 2020 • Employee Salaries • Mortgage Interest • Rent

USES

2.5K Business’s average monthly payroll

AMOUNT

Fixed

1% regardless of business type 6-12 Months

No payments for first then a 10-year term loan

Up to

100% with approval

• Payroll • Fixed Debts • Accounts Payable • Other expenses that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact

Small Business

TERMS

FORGIVENESS

Eligible Costs Exclude: • Compensation for any employee in excess of an annual salary over $100,000, prorated for the covered period (You can include their compensation up to a $100,000 cap) • Taxes imposed or withheld under Chapters 21, 22, or 24 of the IRS Code during the covered period • Compensation for any employee whose principal residence is outside the United States • Qualified sick and/or family leave wages for which a credit is allowed under Families First Coronavirus Response Act When can I apply?

Starting April 3, 2020, small business and sole proprietorships can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and other certain expenses through existing Small Business Administration (SBA) lenders.

Starting April 10, 2020, independent contractors and self-employed individuals can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and other certain expenses through existing SBA lenders.

Where can I apply?

You can apply through any existing SBA lender or through any federally insured

$2 Million

3.75%

RATE

including insurance premiums • Payment of any retirement benefit • Payment of state or local taxes assessed on the compensation of employees

Up to

Up to

2.75%

Non-profits

30 Years

0% is eligible for forgiveness

depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program.

You should consult your local lender as to whether they are participating.

Who can apply?

All businesses – including nonprofits, veterans organizations, tribal business concerns, sole proprietorships, self-employed individuals, and independent contractors – with 500 or fewer employees can apply. Businesses in certain industries can have more than 500 employees if they meet applicable SBA employee-based size standards for those industries.

What do I need to apply?

You will need to complete the Paycheck Protection Program loan application and submit the application with the required documentation to an approved lender that is available to process your application by June 30,2020.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): The SBA disaster loans are the primary form of federal assistance for the repair and rebuilding of nonfarm, private sector disaster losses. The disaster loan program is the only form of SBA assistance not limited to small businesses.

The EIDL can provide up to $2 million of financial assistance (actual loan amounts

are based on amount of economic injury) to small businesses or private, nonprofit organizations that suffer substantial economic injury as a result of the declared disaster, regardless of whether the applicant sustained physical damage.

An EIDL can help you meet necessary financial obligations that your business could have met had the disaster not occurred. It provides relief from economic injury caused directly by the disaster and permits you to maintain a reasonable working capital position during the period affected by the disaster.

Weathering the Storm: Small Business Best Practices Given the importance of cash flow in times like this, companies should immediately develop a treasury plan for cash management as part of their overall business risk and continuity plans.

• Rent: See if you can negotiate a lower monthly rent • Marketing: Reduce your marketing cost and leverage social media platforms • Inventory Management: Try to negotiate a better deal from current suppliers or find alternative sources who can provide the same service or product at a lower price • Use this approach to cut costs and reduce outgoing cash flow so you don’t have to cut employees Try shifting your focus from the income statement to the balance sheet. Payables, receivables and inventory are key right now.

Reducing your variable costs is often a quicker way to immediately reduce your cash outflows than focusing on your fixed costs. There is a best-case scenario, a worst-case scenario, and everything that falls in between. You cannot avoid the outcome, but you can prepare yourself for it. Run various scenarios through your cash flow projections. Revenue will take a big hit during this time and payments will be slower. As such, if you have devised a protocol for all possible outcomes, you’ll be ready to let it take motion when the time comes.

Our doors are always open to lend a helping hand during these times. Please reach out for a consultation to address your tax, advisory, accounting, or payroll needs.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

HLM would like to thank First Responders who put their lives on the line to save lives.

We Are All In This Together. #Stay Home and Save Lives

Deloyd Johnson- Jones, Vice-President/Partner Mercedes Pasqualetti, President/Managing

HLMFinancialGroup.com

404.836.1120

COMMUNITY NEWS

Coping with Social Isolation During Outbreak Conswella Bennett

As the stay-at-home orders and now a recent shelter-in-place order for the entire State of Georgia announced by Gov. Brian Kemp has been issued until April 13, Baker said there are still ways to connect with people. While popular pastimes and in-person activities can no longer take place, Baker said today there are still many options for people to stay in touch and even interact with each other.

A coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has changed the way people live and socialize.

About three weeks ago, life as everyone knew it changed unexpectedly.

The respiratory virus that primarily spreads by contact with an infected person through coughs and sneezes eventually caused various local cities and towns to put in place Stayat-Home orders, limit the number of people who could gather together, and advise people to stay six feet away from others in public.

People, especially single people who were used to getting together regularly to hang out with friends for dinner, movies, or nights on the town, are now trying to cope with social isolation. This public health emergency may be affecting some people’s moods and/or mentality.

So, if you’re struggling with loneliness and lack of hugs or physical contact, founder and clinical director of All-1-FAMILY Inc., Abeke “Kay” Baker, LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) and Dr. Danielle Ibelema, MD of Midtown Psychiatry shared in an interview with Georgia Voice some helpful tips to cope with social isolation.

“There are numerous ways in which a person will respond to social isolation,” Baker said.

“Many of my clients that suffer from anxietybased disorders have increased symptoms such as racing thoughts and worrying about things they have no control over. Many negative thought loops can increase to severity, causing panic attacks.”

According to Baker, some of her clients suffer from mood disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder. “Due to quarantine and social distancing, a person with a mood disorder is given an excuse to not get out of bed, sleeping most of the day, over or under eating,” she noted.

Because of the pandemic, Baker said more people may experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and lethargy. “To the average 16 Community News April 10, 2020

Left: Abeke’ (Kay) Baker LMFT is the founder and clinical director for All-1-Family, Inc. Right: Dr. Danielle Ibelema is a psychiatrist with Midtown Psychiatry. (Courtesy photos)

person, symptoms can be very sudden, shocking, and they may not know when or what to do for help,” Baker said.

Ibelema agrees. ”It’s normal to experience a variety of emotions in response to this crisis. It’s normal to feel sad, anxious, or frustrated. It’s okay to even feel grief over the loss of structure, certainty and one’s sense of normalcy.”

She also advised that, “It’s important to recognize how you feel in the moment, and to find some acceptance of your feelings. The changes related to COVID have disrupted our lives in a very abrupt way. It’s okay to have uncomfortable feelings about it.”

According to Baker, isolation can cause increased symptoms that cause stress in a person and more health/medical problems.

But one can combat social isolation and not succumb to depression, sleeping the days away or overeating. In order to do so, she suggests getting out of bed as usual and completing a typical daily routine.

“Shower, brush your teeth, personal hygiene, and put on clothes (even if they are just sweatpants and T-shirts),” Baker suggests. “If you’re socially isolating alone, still move from room to room throughout the day and go

on solo walks or bike rides. If you’re socially isolated with family, create a flexible schedule or routine and don’t make a person feel bad when they need to take a little time to themselves.”

Now more than ever, maintaining balance is the key to getting through this stressful time.

Ibelema added, “I encourage my patients to maintain an awareness of the good and the bad.

We are inundated with bad news and ‘worst case scenarios’ even in absence of a crisis. We have to make an effort to see the positive in an attempt to see the full balance of a situation.”

Like Baker, Ibelema also recommends that one maintain a consistent routine during this time.

“FaceTime, Skype, or video chat with friends and family,” Baker suggests. “During the chat you can cook together; Netflix movie dates (together from two different homes); play video games; even board games. There are countless tutorials on YouTube such as: painting, drawing, dancing, singing, etc.

You can have cooking competitions in your home and other creative games. Spend time writing that book you’ve been talking about or get physically fit with in-home workouts.”

According to Ibelema, this social isolation can affect some people’s mental health. “Interacting with others is something that tends to add meaning to our lives, but we also need it to survive. Social distancing relates to physical distancing, but not emotional distancing,” Ibelema noted. “We all need interactions with other people to be healthy. It’s important to maintain contact with friends and family even when you cannot be in the same space. Use phone calls, text messages and FaceTime to keep in touch with your loved ones on a regular basis. If you live alone, I would aim to talk to at least one other person each day.”

“Try to maintain a set wake up time and bedtime.

Try to get at least 6–9 hours of sleep each night.

Keep consistent mealtimes,” she added. “Also, attempt to work out at least 30 minutes a day.

Exercise, sleep, and good nutrition is important when dealing with stress.”

However, if anyone starts suffering from three to four of the following: depression, lethargy, irritability, change in appetite or decreased motivation, both Ibelema and Baker suggest reaching out to a mental health professional.

Many mental health professionals are now offering telehealth/online sessions.

“It’s important to stay informed, but I encourage people to not overload themselves with news broadcasts or social media,” Ibelema advised.

“Staying glued to them for long periods of time can be unhealthy, and it often feeds anxiety and fear. Try to set a daily limit for yourself that you think is reasonable and stick to it.”

All-1-Family, Inc. and Midtown Psychiatry are offering sessions that can be booked online through their websites. Baker can be contacted through the website www.all1familyinc. org and Ibelema can be reached through the Midtown Psychiatry website at www. midtownpsychiatry.com.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

Stay-at-Home Conditions Boost Local E-bike Sales Ryan Lee

Eric Hunger, owner of ElectroBike, Atlanta Bicycle Barn

Electric bikes (e-bikes) offer a boost to the traditional bicycle riding experience, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been an unexpected accelerant for an Atlanta store seeking to chart a new path in the e-bike industry. Since opening in the fall of 2016, ElectroBike had enjoyed sales brisk enough for it to expand its original location and also acquire a traditional bike shop on the northeast BeltLine; and the last month has been like an opening throttle, quickening ElectroBike’s already impressive pace.

PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

“The business has been growing every month over the years, and since this coronavirus hit, our business has gone up exponentially,” owner Eric Hunger says. “People are staying at home and want to get out and exercise; it’s a natural thing to do.”

Outdoor exercise is among the approved activities under the stay-at-home order signed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp April 2, and the breeze felt on a bicycle ride is proving to be an attractive outlet for Atlantans who have been stuck in the house the last few weeks. Along with purchases at ElectroBike, Hunger has also seen an uptick in customers at his conventional bicycle shop, the Atlanta Bicycle Barn.

“We have people coming in both stores that have to get their bikes repaired so they can get to work, we’re seeing a leap in bike maintenance,” said Hunger, noting that bicycle shops were classified as essential businesses during the widespread shutdown.

“I think with the stay-at-home orders and people wanting to get out, it’s helped the bike industry as a whole.”

Atlanta’s topography and the relative emptiness of the city’s streets are two other factors likely increasing folks’ interest in what is still a burgeoning type of bicycling.

“Some people are buying e-bikes just to get out on the road because there’s no traffic and they don’t feel threatened,” Hunger said. “There’s quite a number of hills in Atlanta that are very TheGeorgiaVoice.com

“The business has been growing every month over the years, and since this coronavirus hit, our business has gone up exponentially. People are staying at home and want to get out and exercise; it’s a natural thing to do.”

—Eric Hunger, owner of ElectroBike, Atlanta Bicycle Barn

steep, and these help you climb the hills.”

After decades of existing as a niche market, e-bikes have experienced a mainstream boom in the last five years. Economic forecasters at Deloitte predicted 130 million e-bikes would be sold globally between 2020 and 2023, a number that might be adjusted upward given the bump COVID-19 has given to e-bike sales.

All e-bikes use a Lithium-ion battery that typically takes less than three hours to charge, and which can last from anywhere between 35 and 100 miles. The motor supplements a cyclist’s efforts using pedal-assist technology, which allows riders to maintain a faster pace with less exertion and climb hills with minimal resistance.

“You can get as much exercise on these e-bikes as you want,” said Hunger, who explained that riders can adjust the pedalassist levels to determine how much of their own leg power they use. “If the battery runs

out, you can pedal it like a normal bike. You won’t get stranded, you can always pedal your way out of it.”

appeal to people.” Hunger said. “We really don’t have a target market, because we have people from ages 14 to 85 buying the bikes.”

With an average price of $2,000 at ElectroBike, e-bikes remain a somewhat luxury purchase whose cost is largely influenced by the type of battery used. A standard e-bike runs for about $1,400, with the price increasing with amenities like built-in headlights, hydraulic brakes or a throttle that accelerates the bicycle from a complete stop.

ElectroBike currently sells 11 brands of e-bikes, and its showroom of 38 e-bikes will almost double to 60 once it expands into the vacant space next door. As the market for e-bikes explodes, Hunger hopes to turn ElectroBike into destination shopping.

The early wave of e-bike customers included folks looking to reduce their carbon footprint, work commuters, aging riders and couples who were downsizing from two cars to one. However, Hunger envisions e-bikes revolutionizing urban transportation by offering an alternative to driving that doesn’t leave users feeling worn out.

“The e-bike allows you to pedal and get all of the assist that you want without sweating or ruining your clothes, and that has a lot of

“Conventional bike stores will have a killer category of conventional bikes, and they may have three or four or five e-bikes on the floor,” he said. “When you come into this store, we’re going to have every type of e-bike, size and look and there’s no reason for you to go anywhere else.”

Ironically, COVID-19 is slowing down ElectroBike’s growth just as it as it fueling it, since the retail expansion can’t be finalized until the shutdown ends and city officials can finalize the inspection.

April 10, 2020 Community News 17

JIM FARMER ACTING OUT

‘Council of Dads’ Questions What We Define as Family The new NBC drama, “Council of Dads,” is making a lot of noise for a multitude of reasons.

The network is hoping the just-premiered series can duplicate the success of its crowd-pleasing “This Is Us.” Shot in Savannah, the show also has some groundbreaking and prominent LGBTQ characters, including a transgender first grader.

Adapted from the book by Savannah resident Bruce Feiler, loosely based on his own experiences, “Council of Dads” follows couple Scott and Robin Perry (Tom Everett Scott and Sarah Wayne Callies) as they deal with Scott’s cancer diagnosis. He puts together a trio of men – friend Anthony Lavelle (Clive Standen) from Atlanta, neighbor Larry Mills (Michael O’Neill) and Dr. Oliver Post (played by J. August Richards), Robin’s best friend, to be his “council of dads” for the family when he passes away. Many of the cast and crew were at February’s Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) aTVfest to promote the series and take questions after a screening.

The show was created by Joan Rater and Tony Phelan. Phelan calls the show an exploration of people showing up in life.

“What do we define as family?” says Phelan.

“The family can mean people who aren’t necessarily biologically related to you but are there. How do these men keep the father alive and help the children through the difficulties they are having? These men know the father the best.”

Rater and Phelan, a married couple, have a transgender son named Tom. That was on their minds when they put the series into action. “We have the cool experience of parenting this kid,” Rater says. “We wanted to show this on TV, what it looks like to love a transgender kid. So often you see other depictions of how difficult it is but so many 18 Columnist April 10, 2020

The cast of “Council of Dads” (from left): Michael O’Neill, J. August Richards, Joan Rater, Tony Phelan, Sarah Wayne Callies, Michele Weaver, Corey Graves, and Clive Standen attend SCAD aTVfest 2020 on Feb. 28 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SCAD aTVfest 2020)

people we know are loving their transgender kids like they love their other kids. We wanted to show that. A lot of people seem to be scared of gender difference, but it is my belief that once you know someone who is gay, lesbian, transgender, or nonbinary, it makes it less scary. My son is in college and he doesn’t want to go all over the country, so I do it for him. I talk about our family’s experience and demystify it and let people know from a parent’s perspective how normal it is and the benefits of accepting your child.”

The character of Dr. Post is gay. “We decided early on that we needed a married couple because being part of the new family complicates his marriage,” says Phelan. “You know what we never see on television – two African American men as a couple raising a child. Their story is a huge part of Season One.” Richards, who worked with Phelan and Rater when they were involved with “Grey’s Anatomy,” jumped at the chance

to be involved and loves the diversity of the ensemble, including several African American characters. “That is the beauty of the show,” he says. “I am not the only LGBTQ character on the show and I am not the only African American. As a result not one character has to have the burden of representation.”

Richards also played a gay character on Bravo’s “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce.”

The “Council of Dads” pilot was shot over a year ago in Savannah, and when NBC green-lit it for an entire season, the cast and crew returned to the area. Cori Graves, a SCAD Savannah student who identifies as part of the LGBTQ community herself, is a production assistant. Being part of the show has been especially relevant for her. “The show delves into situations that the LGBTQ community deals with, not by hitting you over the head, but explaining it as everyday.”

After its March 24 debut, “Council of Dads” returns to NBC on Thursday, April 30 at 8pm.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

A&E SPOTLIGHT

Melissa Etheridge: Learning to Let Go of Fear The LGBTQ icon has chosen to focus on the ‘beautiful change’ the COVID-19 pandemic will bring

Melissa Etheridge PHOTOS COURTESY OF Q SYNDICATE

Chris Azzopardi Throughout her dynamic three-decade career, Melissa Etheridge has beat cancer and weathered the devastating emotional toll of the AIDS crisis. Having overcome her own battles, the music legend consequently became a beacon of strength, resilience and survival and has turned her tribulations into musical catharsis.

Given her collective courage in facing life’s most unexpected challenges, I decided to turn to her recently. I wrote to the music legend and LGBTQ activist on Twitter to ask if she’d be willing to speak to me about how she’s handling the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and its resulting fallout the day after a national shutdown that closed schools, workplaces, restaurants and forced promoters and artists to cancel tours. Etheridge was about to play a long stretch of shows in the United States and Europe, but that was canceled too.

During our interview, Etheridge brought her cool head and optimistic outlook as we discussed the unsettling state of our dramatically changed world.

How are you? And I mean that.

You know, we are all well. We’re in the new day, the new world, like all of us, and trying to figure this all out, but we’re all good.

Considering everything, I’m glad to hear that. This is our new not-normal normal, isn’t it? And it’s like, how do we shift to this new life that we will be living for probably quite some time.

Yeah. Well, one, the music industry’s been hit so hard. I try not to worry, but it’s like … I worry. My whole crew and band – I’m not making any money, and it’s like, Whoa.

All of a sudden it really hits you, and it’s like, Come on, is this two weeks? One month?

Two months? How long am I not gonna make any money? I can certainly get by for 20 A&E Spotlight April 10, 2020

a while, but my crew and stuff – I try not to worry. But it’s going to be a big, fat hardship.

You were about to go out on tour when some shows began being canceled because of COVID. Yeah, yeah. Well, it was gonna go till May and then I was gonna have a little bit off in May and June, and then I was gonna go over to Europe at the end of June and come back to America.

And you thought, for a time, that you’d brave it.

(Laughs.) Yeah. I was like, “No, no – I’m not scared of nothing!” But then, all of a sudden, it was like, “Oh, no, never mind. I get what we’re doing now.” It became that the thing that we can do to keep this from spreading is to keep away from each other.

I took a run today and I don’t usually run, but I had your song “I Run for Life” on and it was getting me through so I just looped it. I just played it four times in a row and ran through my neighborhood. It was a great feeling. And I’m realizing that we have to look to small joys right now.

For me, that was a small joy. Where are you finding your small joys right now?

I’ll tell you what I’m doing and I just finished: I’ve been going live on Facebook every day at 3 o’clock PST. It just helps me so much. I do

two or three songs and just say hey to people.

We kind of meet together at the same time and thousands of people all over the world are joining me and it really means a lot.

You said it helps you – how so?

Oh gosh, yes. ’Cause that’s what I do. I sing for people. And when a body sings, it heals. It brings just as much joy to me as it does to other people.

So in addition the financial impact of canceling your tour, it sounds like there’s also a personal loss for you.

Oh yeah. I had taken a big break the last time. I was on the road in November and I was like, “I’m gonna take the holidays off and really not get that going until March.”

That’s a big, long break for me, and I like to get up in front of people and I like the adoration of thousands of people, you know (laughs). It makes me feel good! I’m a road person. I love gettin’ on the road with my crew and my band and playing music. I just love it. I do that. That’s what I do. I love it.

with fans on social media. How about connections in your personal life? Is your family with you?

Yes. My two older kids – one is in New York City and she got out and went to a friend’s in Washington D.C. and she’s staying there.

I have another in Denver and he’s OK. I wish they were all here. My two little ones are here with my wife, so we’re camping out here. And we take walks and do stuff – and we’re six feet from our neighbors, but we’re all much more friendly because it’s that connection that we miss.

I remember you told me about three years ago when Trump got elected, “I will not fear.” With this, are you scared? Do you fear? And if not, how did you get to that place of fearlessness?

It started 15 years ago with cancer, how I understood fear and how I understood what our everyday is made of, what our world and reality is made of and all its choices and that choice always comes down to two basic emotions: love or fear. All the other emotions can be categorized in there.

I have many choices of how to respond or react to this virus, to everything that’s going on with it. I could be very fearful. I could be fearful for my health, fearful for our system.

I could choose fear. Or I could look at it and go, “OK.” And sometimes it’s hard to do this, to say, “I’m going to look at this and I’m going to see what is the loving outcome that can happen here.” And I choose to do that every day.

What’s so hard to come to terms with is that in times of crises, live music has helped heal. But we don’t have that now, and might not for a while.

Oh, it’s just awful.

Like I’ve said, I look at my neighbors and all of a sudden I’m looking them in the eyes, all of a sudden people are wanting that social connection. Take that away from us and all of a sudden we’re like, “Wait a minute. I want that.” I think this is going to change our whole system. It’s going to change our education system, it’s going to change our health system, it’s going to change because there’s going to be such a humongous economic crash that we’re going to have to change the way our system is set up.

But you’re doing what you can to connect

CONTINUES ON PAGE 21 TheGeorgiaVoice.com

A&E SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 We will be forced to make major shifts in these various paradigms once we get through this.

Yeah. Big corporations are not gonna have anybody to buy their products soon if they don’t look and say, “Something’s gotta change.” And we’re going to change leadership. I truly believe that. I truly believe there will be a huge leadership change and it’s gonna be people with new ideas and new ways of doing this. So this sort of quantum leap that we all felt could come since 2012, there’s big change coming, and we all wanted it. It’s sort of like this big bow that’s been pulled back really far and finally there’s gonna be so much desire for that change now because of understanding how interconnected we are. We’re gonna see that change, and 10 years from now we’re gonna look back and go, “Wow, it was really, really hard but I’m glad it happened because these changes were made.” So that’s how I don’t fear. I constantly think, What’s the good?

Look for the helpers. Find the Italians singing on the balcony. There’s beautiful things that show what our humanity is. That’s what we can do now. That’s how you don’t fear.

Melissa Etheridge

What were your quarantine essentials?

Did you make a run over the weekend?

I actually just went this morning because we have a really great pantry. Because I have two kids, I kind of keep things stocked, so we were fine. But the thing that we always like to do is go to the market a lot because we like really fresh produce and fresh food and that’s the hard part. But I can’t find brown rice anywhere! So I’m hoping we can replenish and everybody will be OK. And I have to make sure we have salad every day because this is not the time to not be healthy, so fresh produce is the thing.

What are you most grateful for right now?

My wife. Social media. I’m glad I got Netflix.

And I’m really grateful for the neighborhood I live in. If I gotta be here every day, I’m grateful for my yard and my house.

Then you might start jotting down some song lyrics?

Oh yeah. I was already in my writing mode.

I was already starting to write for my next album. This is going to be a very interesting album. (Laughs.)

What did you learn about pandemic panic from living through the worst of the AIDS pandemic?

That there are really good, smart people in the world who were made for this, who were made to make change and to put pressure on government and institutions to change.

Really smart people that were born for this.

And they’re rising to the occasion right now.

A song that helped get you through your battle with cancer is helping me get through this, and it’s Patty Griffin’s “When It Don’t Come Easy,” from her album “Impossible Dream,” which I’ve had in heavy rotation while physically distancing.

Where does a song like that take you?

Sometimes I don’t know what it is about a song that can do that, but a song can just hit a part of your emotional center and it can be in the voice, it can be in the music, it can be when she just sings, “If you get lost, I’ll come out and find you; if you forget my love, I’ll try to remind you, stay by you when it don’t come easy.” Just knowing that one human being sang that to another human being, and then just knowing that it exists in our emotional world can fill that part of you up. So, I’m so grateful for all the other musicians who have inspired me and do that because that’s our job, and it’s our time to do our job now.

How did the first live stream go?

Aww. It was so, so sweet. It felt so good, and it was so great to see people from all over the world. And that’s the thing: The whole world is going through this. The whole world! And music really goes beyond language and goes straight to the heart and I love that. I feel being a musician is being a healer.

You’re feeling the call?

It’s funny: I’m feeling the call to perform. I’m a little overwhelmed by the writing right now because I’m right in the middle of it. You sit down and you go, “It’s too big to look at, it’s right in front of your face.” There needs to be a little distance. Maybe in a few days, maybe when I see what this really is.

It’s a long game, but you have a lot of time now.

We have a lot of time, and they are fierce – they’re not gonna quit. They play it till the end.

And I think you’re right: This will bring us into unity.

And it starts with leadership change and that’s going to come in a few months. I think it’s going to be huge. People are going to go, “That sucked, and we’re not going to go through that again.” (Laughs.)

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

paper? Wouldn’t that be great?” And I wrote to my friend and went, “Why didn’t we listen to ourselves? Why didn’t we start making hemp toilet paper?”

What are you listening to right now in your place with your family to help get you through this?

Reggae always makes me happy. Bob Marley.

Some old-school stuff. But my wife and I watched “West Side Story” and then we watched Barbra Streisand in “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever”. Barbra Streisand just makes you feel good. So we’re kind of finding comfort in that.

And I saw you were playing Monopoly.

Oh, yes. The kids love that. They love it a little too much (laughs).

And toilet paper – you good?

It’s funny: Just a few months ago we were saying, “Why don’t we make hemp toilet

Is there a song you sing while you’re washing your hands?

Some people are doing “Bring Me Some Water.”

If you sing the first verse and the first line of the chorus. “Bring me some water, I gotta wash my hands.” Bring me the water! (Laughs.)

What words of wisdom would you like me to send out to the LGBTQ community?

I would say a couple of things. Just because we’re isolating, don’t emotionally isolate.

It’s easy for some of us in the LGBTQ community to do that. Find a way to connect with people. Find the people you can check in with every day and do that.

Telephones, social media, whatever the way.

And take care of yourself first. Stressful times really lower our immune system, so it’s super important to drink a lot of water and to stay hydrated and exercise. Taking a run, taking a walk. Really, really important.

And also know that change happens – change always happens. And we’re in the midst of it. These are historical times. Come from love. And be smart and stay healthy but understand that this too shall pass. It always does, and it will. And there’s great change coming because of it. Good change.

Beautiful change. For all of us.

April 10, 2020 A&E Spotlight 21

RYAN LEE SOMETIMES ‘Y’

COVID-19 Cops & a Culture of Denunciation A local news anchor reported that law enforcement was looking for someone who was posing as a sheriff’s deputy by pulling over drivers and accusing them of violating Georgia’s stay-at-home order – and I said a quick prayer that none of my friends would appear on the TV screen as a suspect.

Most folks haven’t put a siren on their car or flashed a fake badge, but we have suddenly become a nation of hall monitors.

Before you report me to the authorities, let me be clear: COVID-19 appears to be the greatest public health threat in several lifetimes, and its havoc could flood our hospitals and morgues unless we do everything we can to stop its spread. I have unwavering faith in the generalship of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Anthony Fauci, and believe experts who say our staunchest weapons against this virus are washing our hands and avoiding contact with others.

I’ve spent most of my days during the last month at my apartment, alternating between jigsaw puzzles and porn (and I just finished my last puzzle). However, my job stayed open two weeks after much of the city shut down, and it was hard to leave home without feeling like a reckless, infectious idiot who had no concern for the public’s health.

I’ve seen folks wag their fingers at others who they believe aren’t isolating themselves sufficiently, even when the targets of their judgment are adhering to the ever-changing guidelines on social distancing. There’s been outrage over a photo of people at a park on the northeast BeltLine, accusations that MARTA buses are filled with passengers going on joy rides since the agency stopped charging fares, and my roommate was recently chastised while riding his bicycle.

I understand folks’ fear and anxiousness to have this crisis behind us, as well as the resentment that festers when you see others 22 Columnist April 10, 2020

flouting rules you are obeying. Genuine worry becomes self-righteousness when you use your keyboard to scold people for being outside, then click your mouse to order glitter glue off Amazon without any apparent concern for the human links in that supply chain.

More importantly, the vulnerability of our country now expands far beyond our health: we are in an economic coma that history has taught us is ripe for social upheaval or government overreach, and a culture of denunciation has previously accelerated the downfall of goodwill and customs. It’s worrisome to see television news offer hotline numbers where people can report their neighbors or others they believe are violating the stay-at-home order, or to think about a seven-year-old chastising his mother for not following the government’s directions.

We can protect ourselves and advocate adherence to safety recommendations without becoming a country of narcs. Because we don’t know if the people on the overcrowded MARTA bus are going to work (even though several in the photo are wearing a uniform), or if the folks clustered in pairs at the BeltLine park are quarantined together and simply enjoying the outside while staying six feet away from those with whom they don’t live.

We are still at the beginning of this pandemic, and I expect some folks’ restlessness and other folks’ intolerance to rise. We should continue establishing new norms around sanitation and social distancing, but not get in the habit of assigning bad-faith intentions every time we see someone with fresh air around them.

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THE LIGHTER SIDE

Go on Girl …

Sometimes necessity brings out the humorous side of us.

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April 10, 2020 The Lighter Side 23