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ISSUE #519 FEB_ 2018
PROTECT YOUR
prep daily to prevent hiv
585.454.Prep
E M P T Y
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 3
FEATURES ROWAN COLLINS Editor rowanc@outalliance.org T_ 585-244-9030
7
ROWAN COLLINS Advertising rowanc@outalliance.org T_585-244-9030
MISS DEELICIOUS
”Rochester’s very own chocolate brownie” talks history, resilience, and community in our cover story.
ALAN ALTMAN Graphic Design www.A3-Design.com
Issue printed by:
10
ROCHESTER’S SON Christopher Coles on language and what moves him to heal.
THE OUT ALLIANCE 100 College Avenue Rochester New York 14607 Monday & Friday 9am–5pm Tuesday–Thursday 9am–8pm T_
585. 244. 8640 585. 244. 8246 E_ info@outalliance.org www.outalliance.org F_
TRANNY
24
Confessions of a punk rock sellout
Soul Food serves up amazing dishes with a community twist.
REGULARS
The Out Alliance works to be champions for LGBTQ life and culture. We strive to ensure that all members of the LGBTQ communities, at all stages of their lives, are free to be fully participating citizens, living lives in which they are safe, stable and fully respected.
26
GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL Sister’s
4 10 15 16 17 25 27 27 28 32 36 39
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BLACK OUT Introducing
BlackCrowned Entertainment.
FROM THE EDITOR ALLIANCE NEWS COM M UNITY PROFILE SAGE NEWS MOCHA NEWS QUEER VERSE GNAW ROCS OUT AND ABOUT CALENDAR ROC YOUTH THE SCENE KYLES B&B
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Within our community there exists a comfortable narrative that ignores the accomplishments of Black folks in our movement. Though February is only one month, and the shortest at that, we honor the legacy, immeasurable contribution, and lives of Black people in the LGBTQ+ communities. We commit to show up beyond one month a year, beyond one day. We know that our movement was built—and is shaped and led—by people of color. This is, at its core, a community publication – and we need the community to make it. If you are interested in helping shape the Empty Closet in 2018 and beyond, we want you! Writers, photographers, proof-readers, data processors, spit-ballers, advertising wranglers: you.
4 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
When you open each issue of the EC, may you find your friends, neighbors, community members – and maybe folks you have never seen before. Let this be a place we can share ourselves and our actions; our events, our endeavors, our food and drinks, our advice, our experiences, our resistance. May we commit to sharing and making space for one another. May we know the lives of Alvin, James, Phil, Laverne, Marsha, Janet, Bayard, Bessie, Audre, Moms, Mabel, Barbara, Ma, Alice, Margaret, Angeline, Darlene, CeCe, Gladys, Richmond, Langston, Essex, Billy, Richard, Sharron, Raquel, Jean-Michel, Kylar, Staceyann, and all those who have paved the way for any of us to be here authentically.
C L O S E T
Lastly, a word of thanks. To all those open and willing to share themselves and their enterprises this month: Kim, Christopher, Javi, Bob, Jazzelle, Jahnell, Rudy, Chasmar, Tamara, Lee, Kelvin, Patricia, Rachel, Chris, De’Jon, Deon, Kerrigan, Hannah, Reilly, Merle, Evelyn, Bill, and any I may have missed, To our stellar photographers: Sarah, Jason, and the community members who shared images for The Scene, To our design team: Amanda & Alan at A3 Design, To our printer: Ron and PrintRoc,
Thank you.
ROWAN COLLINS
CONTRIBUTORS
TAMARA LEIGH is CEO of Roc Candy
Media, co-host of Brunchin’ with Dee & T. on WAYO, author of “A Young Thug’s Heart”, “Love & Loyalty; Not Just Another ‘Hood Love Story” and, “My Addiction”, co-chaired Rochester Black Pride ‘16, and co-coordinated Black Pride Prom ‘17.
JAVI MASON is a self-published author,
blogger, podcaster, and poet. They are the creator of “Black Girl with Glasses”, author of “The One Taken from the Sea of Stars”, “The Wrong One”, & “Don’t Look at Me Like That”, and host of “The Bonfire Talks on WAYO 104.3FM
HANNAH LOVE a native Rochestarian, attended college at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. She has recently returned and began writing book reviews for the EC. She is always excited to read new works and welcomes book recommendations!
DEON YOUNG was born and raised in Brooklyn. Deon made a pact with himself to graduate college, become an advocate, and change the world. He now holds a BSW from UAlbany and works in human services, as well as education on issues in black culture & the trans community.
KERRIGAN MERZ is a non-binary trans woman and ex-Southerner with a penchant for punk rock, terrible jokes, and radical praxis. She spends her time petting cats, writing poetry, and working too much for her own good.
REILLY HIRST foodie from age 7 (when she sautéed zucchini in butter and dill), has lived in many good places to eat: Cape Cod, San Diego, the Bay Area, Portland. Now in Rochester, she believes that what you taste now is the beginning of a renewed integrated Rochester revolution.
MERLE EXIT a long-time comedian, singer, and actress, writes for several publications as well as hosting an internet radio show, Whirl With Merle, on blogtalkradio.com. Merle has traveled to more than ¾ of the United States focusing on entertainment and food.
TO READ THE DIGITAL VERSION AND SO MUCH MORE, VISIT WWW.OUTALLIANCE.ORG/EMPTYCLOSET
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES
COLLEEN RAIMOND President CHLOE CORCORAN Vice President JEFF LAMBERT Secretary MARTIN MURPHY Treasurer JASON BARNECUT-KEARNS SADY FISCHER MILO PRIMEAUX LUIS ROSARIO-MCCABE DAVID ZONA JEFFREY MYERS Managing Director JOSHUA STAPF Development Director JEANNIE GAINSBURG Education Director ROWAN COLLINS Communications Manager KAYDEN MILLER Education Coordinator OLIVIA PAGE LGBTQ Academy Educator JEANA BONACCI-ROTH Administrative Assistant BILL CAMP SAGE Program Coordinator ANNE TISCHER Outreach Coordinator KAT WIGGALL Database Administrator
6 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
C L O S E T
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C L O S E T | February 2018 | 24
By ROWAN COLLINS
H O M EC O M I N G:
DEE LICIOUS
MISS
Homecoming: | M I S S
D E E L I C I O U S
8 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
K
C L O S E T
Miss Deelicious, “Rochester’s Chocolate Brownie and America’s Tasty Treat”, is the reigning Miss Gay Rochester, reigning Miss Syracuse, and has held the Miss Queen of Hearts (201617), Miss Victory Alliance (2016-17), and Miss Rochester Pride (2008-09) titles in the past decade. Her shows draw huge crowds of dedicated fans who come to see her anywhere, whether at her weekly Friday show at 140 Alex, her monthly gig with Boyz Night Out at the Firehouse Saloon, or during guest appearances at What the Frock Fridays with Wednesday Westwood at Lux, Big Wigs with Mrs. Kasha Davis at Blackfriars, or turns at Roc Pride and Rochester Black Pride.
im McEachern strutted into the shoot for this month’s cover with one thing on her lips: “It’s so good to have this come full circle.” The meta-analysis of our time together stems from McEachern’s involvement with the Alliance youth program during her high school days, when the Alliance held a space on Atlantic Avenue - about as equidistant from the Bachelor Forum as it is today.
“That was where I first learned who I was...the difference between trans and drag. I didn’t even know I could be who I was.” McEachern is better known to the Rochester community and beyond as Miss Deelicious. Her infectious laugh, memorable song choices, glamorous getups, and staying power have made her a staple of the Rochester drag circuit for years; helping introduce and usher in waves of new performers and audiences.
McEachern spent lots of her early years on the move, bouncing from Central Islip to the Carolinas to Rochester to the Bronx to Rochester again before middle school. Her father passed away when she was very young but she says the moment was formative for her, a determinative instance that would shape her connections to others and inform her compassionate nature. A turn in the East Rochester school district proved ultimately unsuccessful as she said she found herself the only Black student while simultaneously grappling with her own gender identity and expression. “I started living authentically the summer before seventh grade and they were just not ready for me at that point. They basically said I was a disruption and sent me on my way. I got kicked out.” She insists she is eternally grateful for that dismissal because it led her to lifelong friends and community in Brighton, where she graduated high school.
“I found myself surrounded by people from all different walks of life and it just felt so comfortable. I still feel that way, I am most myself when I’m surrounded by people of all experiences and identities - not just one.” It was during high school that McEachern got involved with the Alliance’s youth program and found her way into the drag world for the first time.
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“There was a Sweetheart Dance that the Alliance put on for youth and Naomi Kane [the late Muther’s owner and Rochester drag mother] was on stage. She performed Tina Turner’s “Baby I’m a Star” - I’ll never forget that number - and she pulled me on stage and it was like a light came on! I was like ‘I want to be that’...that was it, I was gone!”
5 BEST THINGS ABOUT PERFORMING
Her first time performing solo came at Muther’s not long after - a rendition of Missy Elliot’s “Hot Boys” that was followed quickly by a performance to Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody?” at Club GQ [ed note: GQ’s memorable building is now occupied by Tilt]. The rest, they say, is history. “I love what I do,” McEachern says with an infectious enthusiasm. “I genuinely get to do what I love and have made it my career. I am always learning and that is what makes it so worth it. I still have that hunger and drive and that passion. I refuse to let anybody tarnish my passion.” There’s a genuineness to McEachern that has drawn people in throughout her career, on both a professional and personal level. She believes strongly in helping nurture new talent and making space for everyone, passing the lessons she has learned on the next generation. Given her longevity in the Rochester drag scene, she manages to bridge generations - working with legends and those still cutting their teeth. By the time you read this, McEachern will have officially lived more of her life as her authentic self than not - a fact she did not let slide as she told her life’s story. The realization led to a deluge of gratitude to all those who got her to where she is: Dee Dee Dubious gave her her first regular gig, Naomi Kane groomed her and supported her from the get-go. Countless friends and family have seen her through thick and thin: “My drag sisters and brothers gave me a family when I didn’t have one. Bar owners and promoters supported me in pageants, performances, and amazing gigs. The Gay Alliance gave me my entry to our amazing culture, MOCHA allowed me to be myself, the Victory Alliance introduc ed me to my sisters – who keep me grounded and tell it like it is!”
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 9
“I feel safest with a mic in my hand and lights in my face.”
At the same time, she concedes, the small, tight-knit nature of the community can make it easy to get caught up in the limelight or deal with folks who are “building you up to break you down.” “We have the greatest community [the LGBTQ+ community] here in Rochester. We’re an actual family we get mad at each other because of some “you’re better than that” stuff. We care, we’re siblings. It genuinely feels as though there are real connections and bonds formed.” Nevertheless, McEachern is looking forward to the future. She plans to get her first tattoo - a major step for someone who has little tolerance for pain, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual. She envisions the word ‘resilience’ marked down her spine as a constant reminder to herself and her community of their strength.
“I love to entertain people and bring that good energy. I love to see people happy.”
“It’s such a beautiful outlet.”
“It’s a service to the community. There are folks who will say to me, after a song, ‘I needed to hear that,’ or ‘I came out because of you.’ If I can help clarify a feeling or let someone know they are not alone, I am so thankful. My community made me.”
“I love to get pretty! Big hair, big lashes, pops of color, and my heels!”
“I try to be centered, and I do believe in God, in a higher power. Regardless of what is thrown your way, it’s life. We can all come together to fix it. Women’s rights, LGBT rights, Black rights, we can do it together. All of us are so resilient. That’s what keeps me hopeful. I choose to have hope.” As hungry as she was when she burst on the scene at 17, McEachern wants to see herself on television next and permanently put Rochester’s drag scene on the map.
“Smooches, love muffins.”
10 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
ALLIANCE NEWS:
C L O S E T
ROC PRIDE
2018
Out Alliance welcomes TWO new staff members On December 1, 2017, the Out Alliance was thrilled to bring Bill Camp on board as the new SAGE Coordinator. Bill will work with the senior programming through SAGE Rochester.
On January 8, 2018, the Alliance welcomed Olivia Page on board as LGBTQ Academy Educator. Olivia will work alongside Jeannie Gainsburg and Kayden Miller in the LGBTQ Academy and help across programs.
Bill brings a wealth of experience to SAGE, having previously worked with runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth through Hillside and other community partners. Bill is a lifelong Rochestarian and lives with his husband and dog, Sheba. Bill and Sheba are regular visitors at St. John’s Nursing Home and Ellison Park. Bill also volunteers as a docent at Seneca Park Zoo and will talk to anyone who will listen about African elephants. The superpower Bill brings to the Alliance? “The ability to stay calm in a crisis!”
Olivia, who many will recognize as December’s Volunteer of the Month, comes to us fresh from a degree in political science at MCC. She has been a member of our Speaker’s Bureau since her senior year at Hilton High School and is a familiar face to many who have attended LGBTQ Academy workshops and trainings. Olivia is passionate about education and her community and enjoys the tough conversations she can engage in through the Academy. Oliva’s superpower? “I have the power of ultimate empathy – I will cry at any video of a dog.”
T
H E M e to be announced THIS month! Watch for announcements!
GALLERY Q: The Art & Life of Danny Allen FOUR PARTNERED EXHIBITIONS BUILT AROUND AN ‘IT GETS BETTER’ CAMPAIGN The Art & Life of Danny Allen is a retrospective exhibition of the artist’s life’s work shown in partnership with four fine arts organizations in a simultaneous cooperative effort. Danny Allen was a largely self-taught artist who lived in Rochester, NY. During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, Allen’s work had a profound influence on the regional cultural scene. He was an openly gay man and was one of the first artists to address this issue in his work with heavy prominence. Allen produced drawings, sketches, paintings, collages, and assemblages. He dealt with feelings of joy, guilt, and pressure to conform. The four exhibitions work to celebrate the life and work of a talented yet troubled young man. In 1974, Allen took his own life.
The exhibition opens at Gallery Q First Friday, February 2 from 6:00–9:00 pm. The artist’s sister and his partner will discuss Danny’s life and work in the gallery from 6:00–7:00 pm. The exhibition runs through March 30, 2018
ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES
DEPARTURE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
SCOTT FEARING
The news broke January 19th, 2018 – through email, press release, phone call, social media, and word of mouth – that Out Alliance Executive Director, Scott Fearing, had departed the position. The Alliance sent out an email and press release from the Board of Directors to share the announcement; news which came as a shock to many community members:
“The Board of Directors of the Out Alliance, Greater Rochester’s champion for LGBTQ life and culture, announce that Scott Fearing has resigned as Executive Director of the agency. The Board also announces the formation of a Transition Team to guide the agency and execute a selection process for a new director.” “Helping to guide the growth of this incredible organization has been the honor of a lifetime. I am so excited to see where the agency will go in the future,”
The Board honors Scott Fearing’s service during his tenure as Executive Director. Under Scott’s leadership the agency moved from a small office on the fifth floor of the Rochester Auditorium Theater to a beautiful and vibrant community center with a storefront just steps away from Village Gate in the Neighborhood of the Arts. Scott’s passion for education and vision also helped the agency grow into one of the top LGBTQ+ education providers in the United States – working with schools and businesses to address cultural humility and create allies. The agency is in the process of strategic planning to move forward and remain current in its response to community needs. The Board of Directors wishes Scott well in his new endeavors.
“The Out Alliance provides direct services to the LGBTQ+ community, operates a community center with a vast library and unique art gallery, and publishes one of the oldest continually published LGBTQ+ newspapers in the country: the Empty Closet. In transition, the Board will ensure the Out Alliance continues to meet its obligations to the community and its constituents as it prepares to mount a nationwide search for a new executive director to fill this critical community leadership position.” As questions mount as to who will fill Fearing’s role as E.D. of the now 45-year-old community agency, day-to-day operations remain the same. Programs, activities, events, and the work of maintaining the LGBTQ Resource Center continue. The Board further announced a plan to honor Fearing’s tremendous commitment, passion, and accomplishments. More details to follow.
12 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
C L O S E T
COMMUNITY PROFILE: HEART 2 HEART “When a good day for someone is a day they don’t get harassed just walking to the bus, there’s work to do.” S Heart 2 Heart is a group with a wide-reaching mission. Started just two years ago, the coalition aims to provide community change through advocacy, education, and leadership. S Thumbing through the Heart 2 Heart brochure will show you a long list of activities, including: leadership development and training, community outreach, visits with elected officials, community conversations, and more. S Recently, community conversations have been Heart 2 Heart’s calling card. My True Colors, as the discussion events are known, have taken place several times throughout the latter part of 2017 and generated considerable buzz and attendance. S Run through Action for a Better Community, Inc (ABC), Heart 2 Heart originally began to help close health disparities in young men of color who have sex with men and found, as many coalitions do, that there was so much more to be done. S “We were focusing on young men and “how do we reach them?”, Patricia Terziani, ABC Program Coordinator said, “so we brought them in to be part of the group. That led to a lot of education between the different identities and generations on the committee. There was a lot of new information being shared.” S She continued: “We were having some tension between different group members...what [Mental Health Association Director of Community Engagement and well-known Rochester activist] Melanie Funchess calls “different tribes”. If that was happening within the group, the wider community must be experiencing it too - that’s how My True Colors started.” S Heart 2 Heart Chair Lee Dukes (who was unfortunately sick at the time of writing) and Vice Chair Chasmar Wells work together to help lead the bi-monthly meetings, provide direction to the coalition, organize events, and carry out advocacy. S The coalition has lots of members who are new to organizing, who may have never been asked to step up and let their voice be heard. For that, Heart 2 Heart offers leadership development and advocacy skill training. No level of education, skill, or knowledge is a prerequisite for being part of the group. Periodic lobbying visits to Albany’s Capitol Building allow members to hone their legislative skill sets as well. S As Heart 2 Heart has grown over the last year, the conversations around the table have proven rich yet challenging. S “A lot of the work is focusing the conversation,” added Wells. “We definitely have a very diverse group but getting us to focus on our goal can be challenging. We want to make sure we’re doing all we can - to help enrich our mission.” S Heart 2 Heart plans to continue to grow the My True Colors discussion events as their main activity in the new year. Outreach and promotion is the key, said ABC Community Advocate Kelvin Johnson: S “We want to help exercise the community’s voice at rallies and events. We want to show up. We want to engage.” S As a coalition working on issues of intersecting identities in a heavily disparate city, Wells, Terziani, and Johnson all noted compounding, layered stigmas presented challenges. S “Divided,” Wells outlined. “Not only races, but gender identities and sexualities. Trans woman will hang with other trans woman, gay men with gay men. But there are a lot of groups and people in the community to help us all come together - to meet and build together.” S Johnson also acknowledged that “There’s a generational divide too. The younger generation seems to see things very differently than the older generation. There’s still that mutual respect but their journeys have been so different.” S When discussions of intersecting identities (credit to Kimberlé Crenshaw, civil rights advocate and leading scholar of Critical Race Theory) come up, they are often accompanied by phrases like: “hard conversations” and “hard work.” S One thing is clear, Heart 2 Heart truly wants to do the hard work.
GET INVOLVED Contact ABC Community Advocate Kelvin Johnson at 585-262-4330 x3116 or kjohnson@abcinfo.org Heart 2 Heart meetings are the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 4-6pm at the Action Front Center, 33 Chestnut St 2nd Fl.
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For us, it’s about having choices. At St. John’s we planned our future, our way. We offer a full spectrum of senior services from independent living to skilled nursing. Most importantly, we have designed communities to help you embrace living your way. stjohnsliving.org/tec
SJL TEC Feb 2018.indd 1
Call 585-760-1300 to schedule a tour.
1/5/18 10:56 AM
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 13
ROCHESTER’S SON:
“I WANT TO PUT US IN A PLACE OF P E R P E T U I T Y .” ~ Christopher Coles,
Spoken Word Poet, Activist, Sign Language Interpreter
The Spiritual Activism of CHRISTOPHER COLES
Rochester Native Christopher Coles embodies Blackness and creativity. When meeting him for the first time, he extends genuine kindness; in fact, Coles has done this to many Black and Brown people he encountered because he believes in our collective political, creative, and spiritual power. This stems from his childhood, during which he
grew up surrounded by rootworkers and spiritual healers who were active members of the Black church. “I am one of Rochester’s sons,” Coles pointed out, his smile exuding pride. “In the 1980s, my grandmother was a prominent preacher and she spoke on human rights and race relations. She would heal people, I watched her work. My
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grandmother was a glorified being.” His admiration for his grandmother and her community work influenced Coles’s decision to become active in the Rochester community. Describing his own spirituality as a combination of earth and sky, he explained it gives him a unique feeling that makes him more aware of the world. This
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 15
By: JAVI MASON
Photo by: TRACI WESTCOTT
is actually one of the reasons he asked his ancestors to grant him the gift of knowing various modes of communication. One of the results of this prayer was Coles becoming a well-known Sign Language Interpreter. “I have a cousin who is deaf,” Coles said, “and I would watch my grandmother sign to her and how family members interact with her. It made me think
about how people communicate differently. So knowing different languages was a gift from my ancestors and I specifically asked for that gift.” In addition to utilizing sign language to communicate with the deaf and hard of hearing, Coles employs his talent as a spoken word poet. Known by fans as BakariPoet, Coles’s desire to write derived from being a childhood trauma survivor. He turned to poetry to articulate his unexpressed emotions and, though his literary work was initially written to himself, his work gradually promoted spiritual and personal power of Black people with the underlying message of healing. These messages originally came in the form of homoerotic poetry open mics at Equal Grounds, where he shared personal experiences as a queer Black man. His work highlighted topics common among Black members of the LGBTIQA+ community that were not discussed openly. This alone promoted healing for many within Coles’s fanbase as he gained notoriety. “Black men need space for feelings,” Coles explained. “The last time Black writers talked about our experiences was during the Harlem Renaissance. You have to start to heal right at your doorstep. Being a healer gives me a unique feeling—makes me aware of the world. My tagline
is ‘I am BakariPoet and I am a healer.’ It’s a declaration of what I’m supposed to do as a healer. I like to highlight victories; I hope to live in a time when we don’t have to come out. I come out every day. Every day is a coming out story.” This importance emphasized on healing and authenticity regarding the Black experience also involves holding the majority accountable. Coles does this as the Accountability Advisor for Standing Up for Radical Justice (SURJ). He stated that he challenges the organization’s mindset regarding race and ethnicity, often having thoughtful and honest conversations about various forms of oppression. “It’s life and death for me because oppression started with ideologies,” Coles stated. “I’m here to make sure that everything is clean from the spigot.” Whether working as an activist, Sign Language Interpreter, or as BakariPoet, Coles applies his influence throughout the community to perpetuate the significance of personal, political, communal, and spiritual healing. By going through the trials and tribulations himself, Coles is a walking testimony of how to use one’s gifts to empower oneself. In turn, he is able to do the same for others while connecting with queer Black folks who struggle (or have struggled) with their identity.
16 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
SAGE PROFILE: BOB DAY SAGE Profiles will be a monthly series focusing on members of SAGE Rochester and their lives.
C L O S E T
WEEKLY EVENT REMINDERS TUESDAYS SENIOR YOGA WITH TOM 10:30–11:30am, $5 By: ROWAN COLLINS
Bob Day doesn’t think of himself as very remarkable. When I listened to his life story, I couldn’t help but think how very wrong he was. Born in 1934 in East Bloomfield, Bob grew up in the same house he lives in to this day. His great great grandfather made the family home in East Bloomfield, where the family has remained for close to 200 years. After graduating from RIT, Bob enlisted in the military. At school he had fallen for a fellow classmate who had active duty obligations. He figured they would complete their service together and start a life. “I really had a romantic notion...you know, a little cottage and all that. Of course it all blew up,” he chuckled ruefully. Bob was discharged for a separate incident in 1959, two years into his service - one that he described as “less than honorable. It was a horrendous time.” This was when his family found out he was gay. An early “don’t ask don’t tell” policy was enacted amongst the Days after Bob came home, diagnosed as a “homosexual” and an alcoholic by a VA doctor. Bob’s sobriety did not come until 1980. He found his way to Calvary St. Andrews Church in the South Wedge, eventually obtaining a position on the More Light National Board. Through CSA he was introduced to Lee Fisher and, eventually, to the then Gay Alliance. He sat on the board of directors by the time the Alliance moved to Atlantic Avenue in 1990. “I remember the conversations about ‘are we gonna put [Gay Alliance] on the front? Are we going to paint a target on our backs?’ My heart sings – I tear up...just to see the entrance [of the LGBTQ Resource Center], how proud we are.” “I’m so happy to know that the younger generation don’t have to go through what we did. There’s a long trajectory. Don’t cower.” Exceptional words from an exceptional man. Read the longer version of our interview at the Empty Closet online
LUNCH & LEARN 11:30am–1:30pm, $3, catered lunch & speaker
LIFESPAN: Powerful Tools for Caregivers
5:30-7pm, RSVP: Mara 585. 244. 8400 x239
THURSDAYS SENIOR YOGA WITH TOM 10:30–11:30am, $5
1ST & 3RD THURSDAYS SENIORS IN SERVICE 11:30am–1:30pm, light lunch and volunteer activities
2ND & 4TH WEDNESDAYS 50+ MEN’S GROUP 6:30–8pm, Topical discussions
2ND THURSDAYS BREAKFAST CLUB @ Jefferson Rd. Denny’s, 9:00–10:30am, RSVP Gerry 585. 730. 8772
3RD FRIDAYS PRIDE IN AGING 2:30–4pm, speakers and resources to help you “age in place”
LAST FRIDAYS FABULOUS FISH FRY! 5:30pm, location varies, RSVP: Audet 585. 287. 2958 or aprice002@aol.com (events at Out Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center unless otherwise noted)
See February’s Calendar on page 28 for this month’s special events!
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MOCHA:
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 17
By: CHRISTOPHER GOODWIN
Empowering Communities For over 20 years, The MOCHA Center has served the Western New York area with a mission to serve LGBTQIA communities of color by providing a space to network, socialize, and address the various health issues faced around the region. With two offices, one located in Buffalo and the other in Rochester, the opportunity to impact the region has been limitless.
The MOCHA Center has produced generations of local community leaders and that legacy continues to this day. MOCHA started out as M.O.C.H.A. – which stood for Men of Color Health Awareness and later changed to The MOCHACenter to better align with a vision to serve the entire spectrum of the LGBTQIA communities of color. Over time the impact of HIV prevention as grown and homegrown interventions, such as Many Men Many Voices, were developed by leaders from within our community. Now, the Center for Disease Control offers this trailblazing intervention as a nationally recognized intervention to decrease yearly HIV infection rates.
With 2018 in full gear, The MOCHA Center is reaching new heights and continuing the work to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic with improved methods that extend beyond general prevention education. Poverty, homelessness, and lack of support are clear issues that we face and for that reason we stand to bring a change to those issues for our community. It is often the barriers that cause a gap for communities of color with our health and wellness. We have new programming coming that reaches these needs with life skills courses for cooking, finances, resume building, and interviewing skills - just to name a few. Our new ‘Mpowerment Project’ will be starting soon and will be led by our youth; paving the way as the new generation, ready to make a change as MOCHA has always done
In 2015 The MOCHA Center joined the Trillium Health Family, opening doors to new and exciting possibilities for services. Walking into The MOCHA Center today, one will have the ability to be connected to services ranging from HIV testing, PrEP and PEP services, Living Authentically (our trans support group), and a PrEP support group. Our community members can be linked directly to primary care physicians, hormone replacement therapy, care management, insurance navigation, and much more.
In partnership of Rochester Black Pride and other community partners who serve on our Community Advisory Board, it is clear and has been clear that, as our dear brother James Baldwin said: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
18 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL:
C L O S E T
By ROWAN COLLINS
SISTER’S SOU L FOOD TAKES CARE OF IT’S COM M UNITY IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE If you ever want to feel a warm welcome, spend just a minute in the presence of Jazelle Bonilla, Jahnell Butler, and Rudy Lott. The love they have for each other, their work, and the Rochester community is so joyful, it’s hard not to catch the wave.
Photos by: SARAH MICHAELS
E M P T Y
THE THREE WOM EN...
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 19
FOCUS ON COM M UNITY
“This company is by us, for us,” said Butler. “In our community it’s imperative we support LGBTQ+ businesses.” Added Bonilla: “We have to support one another.” Given the grim financial reality of so many in the Rochester community, supporting local business is a salient action to uplift community members, friends, and family. As the business COOKING builds, the three want to see AESTHETICS it grow into a full-fledged restaurant, complete with job training and employment for Each of the three Sisters the transgender community of brings their own unique Rochester. style to the business and, “We want to provide most importantly, the food. employment for trans people as the servers, and a lot of times trans people can be left out of the conversation. Lots of trans people can have trouble with employment and I want them to know Sister’s Soul Food is a place that’s JAZZELLE: “I’m definitely home for them,” remarked a Caribbean cooker. I Bonilla, adding that it was imhave Puerto Rican and portant for the three of them Jamaican influences. But to continue to give back to the I love soul food…I’ve got community. that Creole edge.” As Sister’s Soul Food continues to grow, Bonilla, Butler, and Lott are planning a huge event in late spring/ FOCUS ON HEALTH early summer to bring com munity together to share food and space. They aim to proJAHNELL: “I’m the primary “With all of us being in community health, not only is vide a free, inclusive tasting baker. I love love love it important for people to feel welcome and included in any of their menu to allow feedsweets. I also really love services they receive, we also want to make sure we’re feeding back and create connections putting modern twists people fresh and healthy ingredients,” noted Butler. across identities and groups. on classics – taking old Sister’s Soul Food is committed to bringing only the “We love our commutraditions and adding freshest, highest quality ingredients to every recipe in their (ex- nity. We want them to have something new.” panding) menu. Lott’s famous collard greens are so good, her healthy high-quality food,” said partners say, in part because they are organic. Lott as Butler added: “It’s not Presentation plays an important role in the running of always good for your [waist] Sister’s Soul Food, as Bonilla, Butler, and Lott all agreed their but it’s good for your soul.” skills as hostesses help them to see the impact of an event Stay in touch with from start to finish. The ability to serve and plate the food they Sister’s Soul Food on Facehave just made directly to the person who will eat it is part of book @Sister’s Soul Food and RUDY: “I come from what makes the business fulfilling. Instagram @sisterssoulfood. Jamaican descent and my All three are committed to putting in as much work as Keep an eye out for signature father is from the South it takes to create from-scratch dishes each and every time for cocktails – coming soon! and my food is primarily their business. Lott’s barbeque wings are always made on a influenced by that. I just grill – even when the temperatures dip well below reasonable. found a new love for “I just had the grill out!” she exclaimed while Bonilla baking – now I just want and Butler shook their heads in amazement. “I’m not that dedto make cheesecakes!” icated,” added Butler, “but I can get you hot cocoa.” founders of Sister’s Soul Food, stopped by the Out Alliance on a blisteringly cold Sunday in early January to share about their new business venture and shoot some fun photos. After one blunder in tea-making for which I hope my ancestors will forgive me (I’m British but neglected to bring out the sugar), we were off. Sister’s Soul Food, owned and operated as equal partners by Bonilla, Butler, and Lott, is relatively new to the Rochester food scene. Community members will know all three as mainstays of community health and advocacy. Bonilla and Lott both work with the Victory Alliance while Butler serves as a specialist with MOCHA. Bonilla co-hosts “Spilling the Tea with Chasmar and Jazelle” amongst other Black Crowned Entertainment events, Lott also adds hairstylist, Auntie, and Mother to her titles, while Butler is, in her own words, “a philanthropist, actress, model…everything.” Sister’s Soul Food is a catering business that aims to serve good, fresh home-cooked food to the Rochester community, with focus on the LGBTQ+ population. Originally Bonilla’s brainchild, the businesses got its fire from Butler and Lott. “She [Bonilla] was talking about wanting to start this business one day and I really lit that fire up under her. I was like ‘we can do this now’,” said Butler “Jahnell and I are [Jazelle’s] biggest fans,” added Lott. From there, the name was easy: “We’re sisters. And it’s our soul food. Soul food isn’t just something that’s from the South, or something that’s heavy. It’s prepared with love. It’s made with love.”
20 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
C L O S E T
U N C OVE R Complacency. The profound vision behind this word is undeniably non-existent and could be considered incredibly trivial in the world where I originate. I say ‘world’ because of a sole truth: poverty, racism, prejudice, exploitation, and selfdestruction may come to fruition in everyone’s lives and will not discriminate. Nevertheless, these illustrations occur on a different plane outside of the window shutters of the cookie cutter homes of those who did not have to battle a system built to keep our marginalized just that. Uncover your eyes and ask yourself: how can I watch a world from the kitchen of my home safe and satisfied, while ignoring the truth in front of your eyes?
YOUR Growing up on the streets of Brooklyn, NY, I have always been fully aware of this element of unknown. There is no room for contentment when the lack of education and the bliss of chaoscausing self-destruction gives us a false sense of purpose. In the poverty-stricken nightmare we are forced to engage: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. For these populations, the American Dream can be irrefutably unfavorable, life draining, and non-existent. Uncover your eyes and ask yourself: who is privy to the American Dream? Throughout my life, I have been exposed to the world of possibilities and the world of the marginalized. The lack of knowledge in a racially strenuous world became all too observable. Are the poor and uneducated blind to complacency? Are the more fortunate blind to the chaos?
There have been several instances where the color of my skin separated me from the human being in the eyes of the bystanders. Moving to Rochester after living in most major cities in New York, I noticed the micro-aggressions and racially tested pockets of communities that exist in this old city. My fiancé and I attended Zoo Brew, an event where Rochesterians enjoy an evening with drinks and are free of the under 21 crowd. We stumbled upon a local country cover band in an open space between the lions and the elephants. My fiancé and I danced through their entire set. There had to be at least a hundred people dancing and beer flying everywhere.
By the end of the country band’s set, my fiancé and I were dancing alone on the floor. We knew what this meant. We saw the glares. We saw the pointing. Bystanders whispering, “What are they doing here?” Upon realization, there was a split second of embarrassment. I was embarrassed of my skin color. Just then, the lead of the cover band spoke directly to us. “Thank you two so much for staying and bringing light to those who show ignorance. And we are sorry.”
Once a baby elephant is chained to a post, the elephant is led to believe it would be unable to move from the very same spot -- no further than the rope tied to its neck. African-Americans were slaves and then segregated. We built this country, just as elephants build forests, carving out waterfalls with their tusks. We obeyed our masters, we used the dirty ‘Blacks only bathrooms’ and ate at the ‘Blacks on restaurants’ and now we are forced to be an onlooker to the gentrification of the communities we were able to create. February is Black History Month and I call on the Black community to realize, we are not meant to remain baby elephants. Given the opportunity, we have no boundaries to our potential.
EYES
In the presence of Black History let us remind ourselves; complacency gives form to stagnancy. Uncover your eyes, show love.
DEON YOUNG
E M P T Y
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 21
NERD RAGE
masculinity culture from an ex-nerd gone trans
Let me be upfront about something: “ex-nerd?” No, not entirely. I still sink my teeth into a good RPG when I can. Yet I feel othered among them now, for once in my rather privileged life. A large subset of nerds, in the end of 2016, set aside their prior experience as a primary beneficiary of the bullying allocated to the teenage straight white male, and helped to elect one of the biggest bullies the world has ever seen. How did we get here? Let’s hop on this runaway train and take it to the end. We start with Revenge of the Nerds. Okay, let’s not linger on Revenge of the Nerds, because I hate that movie. However, the general idea, nerds getting revenge on the people hurting them—I can get behind that. That smells like justice. By the early 2000s, this felt like a plausible
future. I was there, right along with them, watching the rising might of Anonymous: nerds with power, lest they misuse it. While I never was successfully straight or male, I too felt powerful. The exponential growth of the internet would eventually lead to both Reddit and tumblr. I joined tumblr in 2010, and was privy to a Cambrian explosion in leftist ideology; the discourse o n # B l a ck L i v e s M a t t e r, transmisogyny, language usage on queer & trans identity - just to name a few was all flung forward at mach speed, and it was growing in months where it would previously have taken years. Reddit’s more libertarian bent gave us, at a similar pace, the new far right, commonplace Islamophobia, a variety of different “men’s rights” groups (most of which are functionally just anti-feminist), and legions
of people calling each other “cucks.” It’s hard for me to empathize because, while up to a certain point this is my history too, it’s profoundly sad watching the tortured become the torturers, lashing out at others unlike them, trying to find meaning in their pain. The pull to misanthropy, in the wake of bullying, is strong — I was once a closeted trans girl growing up in rural North Carolina, believe me, I get it. It just makes me wish intervention could have come sooner, before these men became so entrenched in their toxic little world. Yet here we are, and I don’t know if intervention can reach them, because the layers of conspiracy are woven so thick, it’s nearly impossible to unravel them. Even if you could, you risk appearing a CIA infiltrator yourself. It would be absurd
to underestimate the stillgrowing power of these disaffected men a second time. There would be no Donald Trump without them. They took the presidency because the so-called “alt-right” is no longer an “alternative” to anything; like “alt-rock,” they are the establishment they meant to replace. It would take a profound shattering of faith for this new establishment to be shaken at its foundation and I don’t know of anything today that could manage it. Maybe somehow all of our foundations will have to be cracked if we want to build something new.
KERRIGAN J MERZ
22 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
C L O S E T
BLACK CROWNED ENTERTAINMENT:
BLACK OUT There are very few local queer scenes of color that one could enter in the last ten years where the name Chasmar Wells wasn’t recognized. Known as handsome and flirty, charismatic and colorful; Wells has made his mark on gay Rochester. A figure in local fashion, the Upstate ballroom scene and several LGBTQ+ focused health agencies, Chasmar has devoted a lifetime to the small gay community and larger Rochester community that raised him. In early 2016, Black Crowned Entertainment grew from a vision to a reality as another step in that process of growth and entrepreneurship. BCE is a company focused on and comprised of young LGBTQ+ individuals of color producing events, initiatives and volunteer opportunities for their eager audience. Chasmar created Black Crowned with a clear mission in mind: to preserve culture within the LGBTQ+ of color community through the arts, talent, education and awareness. Despite Wells being the mind behind his Entertainment group, the strength and heart is truly found within his team. Their range of personality, preference, pronouns and proficiencies represent all the diversity of the pride flag, making the collaboration even more significant and successful.
Jazzelle Bonilla, a Puerto Rican and African-American trans activist, co-host of local
LGBTQ+ Live Broadcast “Spilling the Tea”, and the “First Lady” of Black Crowned Entertain-
ment began her journey to transition at the age of 18. Over the next decade she became more in touch with her deep desire to share and educate the world about the things she has learned as a woman of trans experience to those beginning their own transitions, as well as people interested in being allies and advocates. Through the work that is very much her passion, Jazzelle educates her community on HIV prevention, vaccine research and trans rights while acting as a direct link between health care providers and their consumers. “In every community there needs to be a beacon, a voice for the people who are not being heard. Black Crowned Entertainment strives to meet that commitment and will continue to do that work.” Jordan Aponte, acts as the BCE photographer and media specialist. The Puerto Rican Rochester, NY native has been honing his craft since the age of 16 and brought his talents to Black Crowned to “grow with a group of individuals that were just as passionate as he is.”
E M P T Y
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 23
By TAMARA SANAA LEIGH
Photo by JORDAN APONTE
DJ Yahdie Royal, a co-founder of Black Crowned Ent., is the very first recognized
LGBTQ+ disc jockey in Rochester. Yahdie’s love of music and entertaining a crowd through its
universal message of love, life and energy has made him a pillar of the community for over a decade. Khristian Thorton, active community member, Black Crowned treasurer and man of trans experience does this work, “to help my people of color have someone to turn to when their friends or families have turned their backs on them” because of who they choose to love or how they choose to live their lives. Together the team has made a place for themselves at the table collaborating with the City of Rochester to organize two clean sweeps in struggling inner city neighborhoods, the MOCHA Center Rochester, the Out Alliance, and the Rochester Victory Alliance as well as organizing the 2017 “Shut Up and Drive” Holiday Food Drive and “The Inauguration” event at Taylor’s Nightclub celebrating the launch of Black Crowned Entertainment in 2016. All this in addition to Chasmar’s work as a Community Liaison for the Victory Alliance and acting Vice Chair of the Action for a Better Community Action Front Center “Heart 2 Heart” committee.
In just two short years, Black Crowned Entertainment has accomplished much but acknowledges that there is still so much work to do. With focused minds and empathic hearts, they strive toward a future with endless possibilities. This is only the beginning. The community can look forward to a series of new and different community events, the release of an LGBTQ+ fashion line and the 3rd Annual Community Clean Sweep and Beach Party in the summer of 2018. Wells’ passion to educate, uplift, and empower his community breathes through Black Crowned Entertainment with a personal dedication to HIV research and education: “You will constantly hear in the HIV/AIDS prevention field that organizations and providers are coming up with new and innovative ways to spread awareness and rid the human race of this epidemic. In my opinion, it’s actually the job of the people to educate one another, kill the stigma, and not allow ignorance to win. Black Crowned Entertainment is of the people and for the people, so we look at it as our honor and our duty to lead that charge.”
24 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
TRANNY:
By: HANNAH LOVE
C L O S E T
E M P T Y
POETRY:
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 25
By: @BAKARIPOET
“Come alive!... come alive!.. I choose this hour to now come alive! See my name echo in your reflection I have been with you when the dawns were young. I was with you on the bow of the “good ship Jesus” rocking and rolling through the Atlantic . I am the siren of the talking drum The thunder thru your hands
And we built our kingdoms forward in celestial bodies See with me; For I am mountain top vision and rolling hill Giving you clear indelible sight. I keep your eyes sharp and your heartbeat strong. It is I that fuel the blood of the warrior!! Shaka Zulu & Nzingha!! I am the keeper of warrior seed!. I was with Martin
that can’t be Lynched! Dreams they can’t put bullets to! I will baptize you in moonlight and make you children of the sun. I will put my language on your children’s tongue And make them governors of this new era Where you will never be second class never bow by the side of the road , you will never know what it means To tip their hat!.
The resound of earth thru feet.
On the balcony of the Lorraine hotel when they cast us both down.
I am your meaning and intelligence thru your songs
They tried to lynch me, they tried to shoot me
giving you new freedom songs and putting them into the locs of your kinky hair
I am drum line
bury me deep in dark earth ,
Come alive in the cymbals
cascading through your chest
but I am seed!!!!!
Come alive in the bass.
And
and learn with me this new Freedom Song.
I am your rhythm and step. I am verb and prose in your songs of jubilation I am syncopation revelaton & time
I come alive in you once again!!
Come alive!.
In heartbeat
Wake. Pray. Slay!!”
thunder in your hands., the resound thru your feet.
I whispered in the ears of your ancestors and called out your name.
I will fill your voice with eternity
Awakening you now thru ancestral vision
Fill your wings with morning song.
Opening clouds to you of galaxy and star
And there I will gather you into clouds And water you over nations
I am sweet resound to those no longer oppressed.
Can’t you feel me?.
I will write your name Again from dilapidated stone!
I am the liberator of fettered chains
And raise them higher than Piyanki’s great army
I am vision and I am quest
I will give you Hope
@BakariPoet1’17
620 South Ave. Rochester, NY 14620 (585)461-2556
E M P T Y
GNAW ROCS: EXPRESS YOUR LOVE
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 27
OUT AND ABOUT: By REILLY HIRST
The last of the three new entrants in the central city that have all been years in the making is Fifth Frame Brewing. At first, it sounds like just another of the new microbrewery establishments now popping up in Rochester, this time along St. Paul. It is that; and in fact they finally have the beer to match the brewing name. It is also about coffee and food. One of the most frustrating things for me in Rochester’s spirit scene is the cult of celebrity. This is currently starting to be paralleled in the coffee scene. Absolutely, I have my favorite bartenders; and I suspect they are the best in Rochester. I also have my favorite baristas. Their pallets and hospitality are spectacular. It’s not how they photograph or the number of their FB followers, it’s their dedication to what they serve and to the art of customer service. Wade, Jon, and Jarred, each chime with intersecting areas but different leads. You can feel their foot prints in Rochester, part of the small and more excellent side of the hospitality scene. Wade, from Chicago’s Moneyopolis and from Joe Beans roasting, lives at the heart of the roasting and coffee experience. Wade has also brought his skills to a host of other establishments such as Glen Edith and Fuego. He started the new Fifth Frame with something called a coffee shot. Pulled like an espresso, it is poured to the full amount an Americano would hold. This is done with care — figuring out the proper grind for each coffee, including the grinder to do so, in order to be able to accurately create a delicious beverage. Jon comes in originally from Roc Brewing. He then became the General Manager at NedLoh Brewing Co. He was offered to be the lead brewer in the Silicon Valley. He came home, talked to his friends about making their dreams of a place together into reality so that he could remain in the ROC community. Jarred has been working in the food industry since he was 15. He worked at Sienna two doors down from Fifth Frame. He also worked at Javas and then at Cure and learned much in terms of knowledge and palette. He also was born to this food trade: his dad was a cook at Crescent Beach. The best part of Fifth Frame is the humor, self-awareness, lack of pretense and self-mockery. Witness some of the entries on the menu: a category called Assorted Sh*t. The coffee bar has eXpresso [sic]. One of the new beers is called Non-Dairy Creamer (the coffee beer). High price and pretension are not available here. This is the epitome of what I love: palate without pretension, everyone’s soul fed — not just the wealthy. Fifth Frame take what they serve seriously without taking themselves seriously. If you are looking for my downsides, I would like gender neutral bathrooms (planned in the future); I would also like a more diverse clientele. So would they. One last note, they have drip and it’s good. They have Lucky Charms and that’s even better.
MARDI GRAS: Time to Party in Shreveport, LA By MERLE
EXIT
Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” is the last day of carnival season as it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, which this year is on February 14. It’s the time of the year that features King Cake and partying in Shreveport, LA. For those of you that are unfamiliar with these delicious pastries, it all started many moons ago when a bean was placed in each cake. The person who got the slice with the bean was crowned “king of the feast”. Due to more religious aspects, you will most likely find a small plastic baby representing the baby Jesus. The person who gets that slice gets to continue the party by furnishing the next King Cake. Lilah’s Bakery, located at 1718 Centenary Blvd. is only open from January 6th until Fat Tuesday this year where they specialize in over 20 flavors. They include: Cinnamon and sugar (most common); Black Forest; Tiramisu; Strawberries and Cream (cream cheese); Maple Bacon; Chocolate Chips and Cream; Peanut Butter and Chocolate; Lemon; and Apple. King Cakes are usually decorated to represent the colors of Mardi Gras: purple (justice), gold (power), and green (faith). The cakes are made daily and never frozen. Due to the biting into aspect, the cake comes with a small box containing the plastic baby and a few sets of beads. If you happen to be in need of a cake and can’t go to the bakery, you can buy it online at www.lilahsbakery.com. Lilah’s is not new to Shreveport. There are two attractions that are surely worth the visit. Art lovers should take in the Marlene Yu Museum located at 710 Travis St. Contemporary art showcasing Marlene Tseng Yu, born in Taiwan and now living in Queens, NY and featuring her legacy: Rainforest Foundation. At the age of 80 she is still painting murals that express her love of nature. She is a pioneer in the environmental green movement in art. Whether you love art or just glancing, the view is quite both stimulating and relaxing to the mind. Murals are as large as 18 feet high or 37 feet long. Back in New York her long time husband, James, has always supported her endeavors. In Shreveport her daughter, Stephanie Yu Lusk is the Director of the museum. Yes, it’s a family affair. More recently, Marlene entered ArtPrize, an annual event held in Grand Rapids, MI, with her Forces of Nature series. www.marleneyumuseum.org. Even newer to the attractions scene is the Shreveport Aquarium located at 601 Clyde Fant Pkwy. Get your aquatic animal experience both viewing into their tanks or ones that are “hands on,” better known as Touch Tanks. Your kids will thank you. The building, one of the Greenest in that state, house more than 3000 animals representing 270 different species. Timed tickets. www.shreveportaquarium.com.
Join us the 2nd Thursday of every month. Locations vary. EMAIL HRCSecondThursday@gmail.com or follow us on FB @HRCSecondThursday for details on upcoming events.
28 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
C L O S E T
FEBRUARY EVENTS FRIDAY, FEB 2
GALLERY Q “THE LIFE & ART OF DANNY ALLEN” opening reception – 6-9pm, exhibit discussion 6-7pm, drinks and snacks provided, open to all
WEDNESDAY, FEB 14
INQUEERY MOVIE NIGHT OUT: “THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB” – 7-9pm, free, drinks and snacks provided
TUESDAY, FEB 20
SAGE SOCIAL WORKER SUPPORT – 11am-3pm, Kat Carr, LMSW, is available on-site to consult on issues around aging; housing options, home care, caregiving, benefits, etc.
SATURDAY, FEB 3
SAGE GROUND HOG’S DAY POTLUCK – 11am-2pm, Morgan homestead in Lima, RSVP to annet@outalliance.org for directions, bring a friend & dish to pass!
TRANS COMMUNITY DINNER – 7-8:30pm, free catered social dinner, all are welcome!
WEDNESDAY, FEB 21
WEDNESDAY, FEB 7
INQUEERY PRESENTS: ‘THE INTERSECTION OF QUEER & DISABLED’ – 7-8pm, with Ericka Jones of Center for Disability Rights
OUT IN THE STICKS: DANSVILLE MEETUP – 5-7pm, Jack’s Gaslight Inn, good food good company – contact annet@outalliance.org
THURSDAY, FEB 22
FRIDAY, FEB 9
ROC YOUTH VALENTINE CRAFT & CARD MAKING – 6-9pm, Bring your craft skills!
SAGE PAINTING WITH A TWIST – 6:30-9:30pm, Win-Jeff Plaza, $35 in advance to Bill billc@outalliance.org / 585-244-8640 x23 INQUEERY PRESENTS: ‘ GENDER & THE MEDIA’ CLASS #5: Advertising & Gender Portrayal – 6-9pm, all are welcome!
SATURDAY, FEB 10
THE RED BALL: A RED CARPET AFFAIR – 7-11pm, Diplomat Banquet House, 21+ event, dress for Hollywood glam! Advance tickets $25 at Out Alliance, Hedonist Chocolates, Parkleigh, 140 Alex, Bachelor Forum – info 585-244-8640
MONDAY, FEB 26
INQUEERY PRESENTS: ‘DRAG QUEEN BINGO AT THE BREWERY’ WITH VIVIAN DARLING, ORTENSIA DE LOREN, & MEGAN CARTER OF PXY – Doors 6:30pm, games begin 7pm, Three Heads Brewing, free 21+ event
SUNDAY, FEB 11
HEALTH QUEST PLANT-BASED POT LUCK – 5-7pm, $3, “EXPLORING WHOLE GRAINS”, bring a dish to pass
WEDNESDAY, FEB 28
SAGE HAPPY HOUR – 5-7pm, Bachelor Forum, pizza & drink specials
For weekly, monthly, and ongoing events, see our ongoing calendar!
Keep up to date with new events follow us on Facebook @OutAllianceRoc
(all events at LGBTQ Resource Center unless otherwise noted)
|
See our online community calendar at: bit.ly/RocLGBTQCal
See page 16 for ongoing SAGE event information
E M P T Y
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 29
ONGOING EVENTS MONDAYS
ROC YOUTH HANGOUT – 4:30-6:30pm, chill and do homework in a safe space
2ND MONDAYS
LORA PLANNING MEETING – 7-8pm, Equal Grounds Coffee Shop, help plan LORA programs, contact Cindy cindymarshall14424@gmail.com
LORA WOMEN’S COFFEE – 6-8pm, Equal Grounds Coffee Shop, contact Regina regina.altizer@gmail.com
TUESDAYS
2ND FRIDAYS
MULTILEVEL MAT YOGA WITH TOM – 5:30-6:30pm, $15
ROC YOUTH DRAG MOVIE CLUB – 6-8pm, free and open to youth 13-20
WEDNESDAYS
LORA WOMEN’S MEETUP AT AMBUSH – 6-9pm, locations vary, check @AmbushRochester on FB
MOVE(MEANT) BOOTCAMP WITH ANDREAS GABRIEL – 5:30-6:30pm, $15, open to all fitness levels
THURSDAYS
ROC YOUTH HANGOUT – 4:30-6:30pm EUCHRE THROWDOWN – 6-9pm, $5, snacks and drinks, open to all player levels
3RD SUNDAY
LORA WOMEN’S BRUNCH – 10am-12pm, locations vary, contact Kerry dressyfemme@aol.com
1ST MONDAYS
TRANS 35+ WORKING GROUP – 7-8:30pm, help plan programming for 35+ trans community
1ST TUESDAYS
TANGENT YOUTH GROUP – 5:30-6:30pm, open to all trans & nonbinary youth 13-20
1ST WEDNESDAYS
OUT IN THE STICKS: BATAVIA MEETUP – 6-8pm, GoArt! in Batavia, food and conversation, contact Anne annet@outalliance.org
1ST FRIDAYS
GALLERY Q FIRST FRIDAY OPENING – 6-9pm, exhibits vary, snacks and drinks, open to public
1ST SATURDAYS
TRANS 35+ COFFEE SOCIAL – 11am-1pm, Equal Grounds Coffee Shop REPAIR SHOP AA MEETINGS – 5-6:30pm, open AA meeting in a safe space for all
LAST FRIDAYS
ROC YOUTH U DJ DANCE – 7-10pm, free and open to youth 13-20, you bring the music!
30 | February 2018 | E M P T Y
WRITING FROM THE GUT:
J.M. When we first met, it was at Poetry
and Pie Night. What is Poetry and Pie Night and what inspired you to create this event? R.M. We’d moved from New York City where I ran a poetry series in Union Square. It was weird to not be a part of a literary community, to not have a space to share work with peers. I spent the first three years in Rochester holed up. I was exhausted and battling a heavy case of depression. Didn’t attempt to meet anyone new. Then I decided to open my home up to friends and peers. P&PN was originally meant to showcase the work of writers who came to my house during Pink Door, the writing retreat we hold every summer. We wanted to share these spectacular voices from all over the world with our neighbors and pals. Pie potluck followed by the most daring poems read beneath the stars. Who doesn’t love that?
Photo by: HANNAH BETTS
J.M. Much of your work has this raw intensity that comes from a place of honesty, integrity, and a sense of conviction. And I’m sure that took a lot of personal and spiritual growth. When did you feel you were emotionally and spiritually ready to produce work about your vulnerabilities? R.M. I definitely take my time when attempting to write about something that I know will be emotionally expensive. But there are also times, too, when it’s such an urgent howl in me, I have to tear it open immediately, give it its proper name and unleash it upon the page. There comes a moment when you just have to write. I listen to those moments. I respect them. I’m not like usual writers. I don’t make a practice of writing every day or even every week. I write when there is no other way to endure the weight of something. It’s like a bloodletting in a way. I’ve learned to take good care of myself. To allow myself time to NOT write the thing and, instead, just go get ice cream with the kids or watch something goofy on Netflix. I don’t make the demands of myself I did when I was a younger writer. I take my time and keep myself safe. J.M. You talk a lot about your spirituality
and your respect for your culture as a Mexican queer woman. How does your identity as a Queer Conjure Woman shape your work as a poet and activist? R.M. It has always informed my work, of course, but it wasn’t until recently that I started feeling comfortable enough to talk about those intersections plainly. I’m no longer concerned with being accessible. I don’t care if white readers can’t relate. I’m here to tell my stories, and those of my
C L O S E T
By JAVI MASON ancestors and peers who are no longer on this planet. This intent requires me to be as Mexican and bold and queer and gutsy as I can be. It means I’m going to interrogate whiteness and homoantagonism and transphobia and make demands of apathetic people. I’m going to challenge their silence. I’m going to un-mask corruption.
J.M. You were recently immortalized as a
mural here in the City of Rochester. What was that experience like for you? R.M. It was so surreal. I was sure it was going to be vandalized and painted over by now. It means a lot to be on that particular wall. Planned Parenthood is such a life-saving organization. The message is important - we have agency as human beings and any and all choices that have to do with our bodies should only ever be made by us.
J.M. Do you have any words of wisdom
for aspiring poets and authors before we end the interview? R.M. Read everything you can find that sings to you, in every genre, and write from the gut.
ED NOTE: this is the second and final part of our interview with local poet Rachel McKibbens. The first part of this interview can be found in our December/ January issue and online at http://bit.ly/2AeOZG7 Sarah C Rutherford’s mural of Rachel McKibbens, located at Planned Parenthood, 114 University Avenue, is part of the five-part Her Voice Carries project.
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FEARLESS IS MAKING YOUR MARK We’re thrilled to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for our company’s equal treatment of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) employees and their families. Thank you for your continued support.
C L O S E T | February 2018 | 31
saturday, march 10, 2018 7-10 pm $75/person | all ages welcome
feast provided by brown hound downtown house sorting | a divination station | wand making h.p. trivia | costume contest with giveaways music | magic | art Bar Sponsor:
500 university avenue | mag.rochester.edu | 585.276.8900
Valentine Schmalentine
february9,2018|8-11PM|21+ $17 (ADVANCED) | $20 (DAY OF) INCLUDES 1 SIGNATURE DRINK, BEER OR SODA
FEATURING A GAME SHOW ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS HOSTED BY
Wednesday Westwood Sponsored by
500 UNIVERSITY AVENUE | MAG. ROCHESTER.EDU
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A LITTLE BIT OF HERSTORY REPEATING
Like anything that’s been deeply embedded in popular culture, the significance of Paris Is Burning can be taken for granted. With the 1991 doc, director Jennie Livingston placed the focus on the stories and lives of queer people of color and trans people. As visibility is crucial to the development of identity and community, the film may have been entertaining to white, straight audiences, but for queer people of color it was nothing short of revelatory. Thanks to the popularity of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Paris Is Burning has continued to influence a new generation (often unbeknownst to them) while further contributing to the film’s embrace cum appropriation by the mainstream. As a result, “shade” and “reading” have been worn away into self-parodying cliché, voguing has been exported to the farthest reaches of the planet, and the stars of the film—forgotten in life—live on as folk heroes in countless memes, gifs, T-shirts, and even the occasional musical. Now to be clear, Paris Is Burning didn’t invent reading or shade or voguing or ballroom culture, it simply brought it to a larger audience, which rightfully devoured it. It’s still as enthralling and rapturous and disarmingly truthful as it was 25 years ago, and its critiques of race, class, gender, capitalism, and the dogged pursuit of the American Dream are still relevant—especially with the current administration’s determination to return to the ‘80s by way of the ‘50s. So whether you can quote Dorian Corey verbatim or you’re barely familiar with the House that Willi Ninja built, this viewing guide will give you a deeper understanding, love, and enjoyment of Paris Is Burning.
Free and open to all youth 13-20 Screening brought to you by ROC YOUTH
OUT ALLIANCE
LGBTQ Resource Center 100 College Avenue
Friday, Feb 9 6pm–8
I S
Paris is Burning!
BURN ING PAR I S
By: LES FABIAN BRAITHWAITE
WATCH
THE ULTIMATE VIEWING GUIDE:
C L O S E T
CATEGORIES UPCOMING PRETTY GIRL
EXECUTIVE REALNESS
“They’re showing up “You’re showing for the press...Back the straight world up and give them that I can be an air!” executive—if I had the opportunity I could be one HIGH FASHION ‘cause I can look like WINTER one. That is like a SPORTSWEAR fulfillment.” “The Poconos vs. The Catskills”
LUSCIOUS BODY
“A body that says, ‘Come up and see me some time, Big Boy.’”
SCHOOLBOY/ SCHOOLGIRL REALNESS
“School. Elementary. High school. College. Not here.”
TOWN AND COUNTRY
“Exclusively. Done.”
BUTCH QUEEN First Time in Drags at a Ball
HIGH FASHION MODEL PARISIENNE
“Shanté, shanté. Shanté, shanté, shanté, shanté.”
HIGH FASHION EVENING WEAR
“C’mon now, it is a known fact that a woman do carry an evening bag at dinner time...No lady is sure at night.”
BANJI
“Looking like the boy who probably robbed you a few minutes before coming to Paris’ ball.”
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DEFINITIONS HOUSE_ 1.) family for a lot of children that don’t have families; a group of human beings in a mutual bond; 2.) a gay street gang
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WHO’S WHO
SHADE_ comes from reading; ex: “I don’t tell you you’re ugly but I don’t have to tell you because you know you’re ugly.”
DORIAN COREY
JUNIOR LABEIJA
WILLI NINJA
(1937–1993)
The Emcee, tosses the dice, steals the rice, still kickin’
(1961–2006)
REALNESS_ to be able to blend
VOGUING_ throwing shade in dance form; name and poses originated from Vogue magazine
PEPPER LABEIJA
LEGENDARY_ the goal; an Oscar
MOPPING_ stealing
READING_ the real art form of insult
The one-woman Greek chorus, offering important definitions and incisive insight throughout
(1948–2003)
Mother of the House of LaBeija, in which new York City is wrapped up in being
KIM PENDAVIS Brings it to you every ball
ANGIE XTRAVAGANZA
Master Voguer, mother of the House of Ninja, the invisible assassins
(1964–1993)
PARIS DUPREE
Mother of the Year as well as the House of Xtravaganza
(1950 –2011)
OCTAVIA SAINT LAURENT (1964–2009)
Supermodel of the world, the Virginia Slims girl
The Paris that’s burning, mother of the House of Dupree, at whose ball much of the action takes place
VENUS XTRAVAGANZA (1965–1988)
Little girl lost, you just can’t take it, she [spoiler alert] perishes by the film’s coda
BROOKE AND CARMEN XTRAVAGANZA Their own special creations, free as the wind that is blowing out on this beach
FREDDIE PENDAVIS Smart-mouth, stunt queen, Roy Rogers burglar, will walk when she’s ready
Save the Date! Saturday March 24, 2018
Rainbow Dialogues
A Bridge From the Past To the Present
A series of community building conversations demonstrating how LGBTQ history and archival documents from the past are relevant for people today. Please join us for this two part educational event including
The Anthony Mascioli Rainbow Community Dialogues Rochester Public Library 9am - 4:30pm
The Anthony Mascioli Rainbow Dialogues Humanities Archive Recognition Celebration
M&T Ballroom, Memorial Art Gallery 6pm - 10:00pm
What’s come between you? Maybe it’s poor communication, a lack of trust, a loveless or sexless relationship, infidelity, or the excessive use of porn and social media. Trust Kavod Center to help you get past the struggle and on to the healing.
KavodRecovery.com | 585.546.5180
Welcoming
LGBTQ Breast or Gynecologic cancer survivors to participate in focus group discussions
The Breast Cancer Coalition Kathy Simpson, LMHC will facilitate focus group discussions to be held on: has secured funding to expand
• March 6, 5:30 – 7:00pm • March 8, 10:00 – 11:30am • April 7, 10:00 – 11:30am
programming to LGBTQ breast and gynecologic cancer survivors. Please lend us your time and attention as we determine how best to meet the needs of this dynamic community. RSVP required.
Contact Program Director, Jennifer Gaylord at 473-8277 or jennifer@bccr.org to register for a focus group or for more information. Breast Cancer Coalition 1048 University Avenue, Rochester, NY • 585-473-8177 • www.bccr.org
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THE SCENE:
C L O S E T
@OUTALLIANCEROC
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1 Trinity Bonet Meet & Greet on World AIDS Day, sponsored by Victory Alliance and MOCHA / 2 Boxing Day Drag Bingo with Miss Frankie Starr, Figgy Pudding, and Vivian Darling at ButaPub / 3 Drag Story Hour with Mrs. Kasha Davis at Blackfriars
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4 SAGE Cookie Party / 5 Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus “My Favorite Things” Holiday Concert 6 Edibles Holiday Drag Brunch / 7 Susan Jordan’s Retirement Party
Martha M. Howden, LCSW, CASAC: Anxiety Depression Alcohol Stress Grief Relationships Family Plan Rectification Work Holotropic Breathwork Specializes in work with individuals and families in the coming out process 945 E Henrietta Road, Suite A6 Rochester, NY 14623 T: 585. 272. 1760 F: 585. 272. 8986 Most insurances accepted
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