Erin McKeown: Let’s get political
Attic, Elements, Foyer and GALAEI battle poverty with DVLF grants
Family Portrait: Chip Marccocia
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Jan. 11-17, 2013
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Vol. 37 No. 2
Philly to host top LGBT media members By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
NOT FOR SQUARES: First-time square dancer Jeff Kiniery shows his enthusiasm during the Independence Squares’ beginners open house Jan. 8 at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion. Members of Independence Squares regularly participate in Pride festivities and other LGBT events during the year. The group continues to welcome newcomers Jan. 15 and 22. Visit independencesquares. org for more information. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Garden State Equality founder to depart By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com The founder and longtime leader of New Jersey’s statewide LGBT-rights organization announced last week that he is leaving his post. Garden State Equality chair and CEO Steven Goldstein will step down later this month to take a position as associate chancellor for external relations at Rutgers University-Newark. Troy Stevenson, who previously worked as managing director for the organization, will take over Jan. 21. Goldstein will continue to carry the title of founder and chair emeritus following his departure. Goldstein, who founded GSE in 2004, taught at Rutgers-Newark during the fall semester. As associate chancellor, Goldstein’s duties will include government relations and communications. He will also continue to teach. “No other opportunity could have pulled me away from the work I love so much,” Goldstein said in a public statement about the Rutgers offer. Goldstein praised the growth Garden State Equality went through since its
founding; it now boasts 124,850 members, who Goldstein said were integral in advancing more than 200 civil-rights laws at the state, county and local levels. “Because of your passion, Garden State Equality’s achievements have been legion,” he told supporters. Among the state’s recent advancements were the 2006 measure instituting civil unions for same-sex couples; the inclusion of gender identity into the nondiscrimination law and hate-crimes laws in 2006 and 2008, respectively; the 2008 measure that enabled paid family leave for same-sex partners; and the tough LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying law passed in 2011. Goldstein said the organization should continue to focus on youth advocacy through its Youth Caucus. He said he is optimistic about LGBT progress in 2013 in the Garden State. “[There were] 213 LGBT civil-rights laws in Garden State Equality’s first eight years, and the best is yet to come,” he said. “The organization will soar higher with me as a member than it ever reached with me as its leader. That is what the founder of any organization must want, and what this founder truly wants.” ■
Philadelphia has been selected to host an annual invite-only convening of LGBT journalists from around the country. The city will be the site for the 2013 LGBT Media Journalists Convening, Feb. 22-24. The event, now in its fourth year, is made possible through a grant from the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, administered by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. Bil Browning, founder and editor-in-chief of The Bilerico Project, the largest LGBT group blog on the Web, said this is the first year that a host of cities were “clamoring” to host the Convening. “Philly put together the best package,” Browning said. “My goal is always to get as many people to the Convening as possible and with some of the great perks Philly had to offer, I think we’ll probably nearly double our attendance.” Last year’s event drew about 40 participants, and Browning expects about 70 invi-
tees to turn out for the 2013 Convening. Comcast will host the Friday-night dinner at the top of its Comcast Tower, and the city, through the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Campaign, will sponsor a Saturday-night meetup for the participants and their readers. The weekend will also include an appearance by special guest Mayor Michael Nutter. Before guests leave Sunday, GPTMC will host a free sightseeing tour of historic Philadelphia, followed by a brunch. Browning said the final activity is expected to be a hit with guests. “Our attendees usually fly out Sunday morning but a lot have complained that they don’t have the chance to see the host city enough, so the folks at the Philly tourism bureau had the great idea of doing the tour and brunch,” he said. “Most people who have responded so far haven’t been to Philly before so they’re very excited.” The first Convening, held in New York City, only had about 20 attendees, as a blizzard hit that weekend. The event has grown each year, as has the makeup of online writers — with about twoPAGE 16
Review board continues to block demolition of church By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com A city review board this week agreed to extend its stay of demolition of an old Catholic church that was once owned by a local HIV/AIDS agency. In a 5-0 vote Jan. 8, the city’s Board of License and Inspection Review continued to block the demolition of the old Church of the Assumption, but also requested an “opinion” about the controversy from the city’s Historical Commission. The Gothic-style church is located at 1123-33 Spring Garden St. in the Callowhill section of the city. Built in 1848-49 by Patrick Charles Keely, the church has ties to two local saints, Katharine Drexel and John Neumann. In October, Common Pleas Judge Idee PAGE 16 C. Fox approved the
CHURCH OF THE ASSUMPTION