PQ Monthly September 2017

PROUD QUEER

Rare Perspectives- p.7

Clara Emiliana on her work as a QTPoC comic artist.

Rose City Comic Con - p.8 A tale of cosplay, all-star panels, and indie comics that will save the world.

Zine Scene - p.14

Check out the amazing zinesters of Portland!

Cover art by: Momo Pixel PQMONTHLY.COM

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

PROUD QUEER

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2017 2017 2 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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PQ TEAM

PROUD QUEER

PROUD QUEER Melanie Davis

Owner/Publisher melanie@pqmonthly.com

EDITORIAL

From the Editor Proud Queer Goes Proud Nerd

Maya Vivas

Art Director artdirctor@pqmonthly.com

Ryn McCoy

Editor in Chief editor@pqmonthly.com

Monty Herron Op Ed Writer

Shaley Howard Regular Contributor

George Nicola GLAPN Historian

Suzanne Deakins, Ph.D., H.W.M. Regular Contributor GLAPN

Sossity Chiricuzio

Columnist and Feature Reporter

MARKETING/ SALES Miguel Cobian VP of Marketing

National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Photographers

Dax McMillan Photographer

Nestor Miranda

When talking to people about this edition’s theme, I discovered that there exists a wide range of opinions about what is considered “nerdy.” Certain things are undisputed— comic books, tabletop games, cosplay—but other interests that have traditionally been designated to the realm of the nerds—sci-fi, computer programming, video games— are now considered by many to be as cool and trendy as it gets. Making this edition, our definition of “nerdy” includes anything and everything that people get passionate about: from the joys of cosplay Summer Seasons waxes poetic about (page 20) to the traditionally punk zines Liz Yerby celebrates (page 21). Even our own queer history is something to get nerdy about, as youth writer Monty Archambo tell us (page 11).

Nerdy communities have long served as havens for many people of marginalized identities—rallying around niche interests often allows us to be more fully ourselves because we ourselves are considered “niche.” But within these communities, a lot of work remains to be done to lift up the voices of the most underrepresented, the most invisible.

In this edition, Clara Emiliana tells Luis Silva about how she is pushing boundaries in the world of indie comics (page 7), and Dakky Comics describes the progress in representation at comic cons as well as the significant room for improvement that remains (page 8).

For many nerds, “nerd” is a proudly self-assigned label. It is a way of saying, “I get excited about something!” Perhaps nerdiness is becoming more of a source of pride because of the added visibility the internet and social media has granted to nerd factions of all stripes. People who care about something niche have an easier time finding others who share that interest than we used to, and in some cases, we even discover that it is not so niche after all. So in many ways, celebrating nerdiness is also a way of celebrating visibility, and the freedom that visibility gives us to care about the things we care about with pride.

I encourage everyone to draw inspiration from this edition to go forth and be nerdy.

Let your eyes light up when you talk about whatever it is you get nerdy about—be it bikes, makeup, coffee, activism, crocheting, astrology, sex education, renaissance fairs, 1970s architecture, medieval choral music, or the life and accomplishments of Edith Windsor (rest in power, Edie). Let’s celebrate how radical it can be to proudly display our nerdiness.

We are here, and we are passionate, and that passion deserves to be seen and shared.

Photographer

Columnists & Contributors

Ryn McCoy Editor In Chief, Brilliant Media

Samantha L. Taylor, Michael James Schneider, Summer Seasons, Marco Davis, Kathryn Martini, Sally Mulligan, Katey Pants, Max Voltage, Queer Intersections

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On the cover: Original art work by Momo Pixel.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND INSIDE:

For DACA Recipients............................................. Page 4 An Interview with Clara Emiliana........................... Page 7 Queer & Swarthy at Rose City Comic Con............... Page 8

Welcome to the Zine Scene................................... Page 14 Zines and Building Community.............................. Page 21 An Interview with Jonathan Reitan......................... Page 22

AND MORE! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • 3

NATIONAL

For DACA Recipients, Only Sure Thing is Uncertainty

been detained and deported. Two years later, his mother called to tell him his father had been deported. In 2015, his mother was deported. Still, his parents recommended that he stay in the United States, where he had opportunities that weren’t available in Mexico, and where it wasn’t as dangerous. In March of this year, Quiroz’s brother was murdered in Mexico, where he was running a tourist business. “He was assaulted and shot point-blank in front of his four-year-old daughter,” Quiroz said. Quiroz won’t be able to visit his brother’s grave or meet his niece. The end of DACA means that he is no longer able to leave the country under advance parole, which had allowed DACA recipients to leave the country temporarily in certain cases.

Looming uncertainty

By Elena Shore, New America Media

As he looks ahead, Quiroz said he sees a “looming cloud” of uncertainty. One of the biggest questions is with Congress.

Immigrant rights advocates are pushing for Congress to pass the DREAM Act, which would provide young immigrants who have graduated high school, are pursuing higher education, or serving in the military, a path to citizenship. Another bill, the BRIDGE Act, would provide employment authorization and protection from deportation for individuals who currently hold and are eligible for DACA. But whether Congress will pass legislation in the next six months that it has not been able to pass for years remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, several legal challenges have been announced. A DACA recipient from New York, Martin Batalla Vidal, filed suit in federal court Sept. 5, represented by Make the Road New York, the National Immigration Law Center, and the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School. Another lawsuit was filed by a coalition of 16 state attorneys general on Sept. 6. Former Secretary of Homeland Security and current University of California President Janet Napolitano announced on Sept. 8 that she is also suing the Trump administration to save DACA.

Quiroz doesn’t know what will happen in Congress or in the courts. For now, he is finding support through networks of other DACA recipients. He is participating in a fellowship program led by San Francisco’s Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) that provides work opportunities and a support network for young undocumented immigrants.

His university’s Dream Resource Center holds healing circles for undocumented students to share their experiences. He is also connecting with people through rallies and social networks. “Knowing that there are people like me who are going through the same struggles,” he said, has been crucial.

He is now starting his own business so he’ll have something in the works after he loses his work permit. Quiroz graduates in nine months, and will have his work permit a few months after that. Then, he says, he isn’t sure what his future holds. “At this point, I’m unsure what my future will look like,” he said.

“All we want is to be accepted by the country we call home.”

Four Tips for DACA Recipients: 1.

San Francisco – Luis Quiroz was on the bus heading to school when he first heard the news. The 27-year-old DACA recipient knew the Trump administration was planning to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but he wasn’t prepared for the emotional distress. “I was surprised when tears started gushing out of my eyes on the bus, and people looked at me like a weirdo,” said Quiroz, who spoke to reporters on a national press call hosted by New America Media and Ready California.

DACA, launched by President Obama in 2012, has protected nearly 800,000 young undocumented immigrants from the threat of deportation, while also granting them access to work permits. For Quiroz, this meant being able to afford college. He now works at an optometrist’s office and goes to school at San Francisco State University. With the end of DACA on Sept. 6, no new applicants will be accepted to the program, while those who already have DACA fall into two categories. DACA recipients whose status expires in the next six months, by March 5, 2018, are able to apply for a renewal, but they must do so by the deadline of October 5. After that, no renewals will be accepted. DACA recipients whose status expires after March 5 are not able to renew at all.

Quiroz’s DACA status expires in about a year, so he falls into the group that cannot renew. Until his work permit expires, he will be protected from deportation and able to work legally. After that, he will return to the uncertainty that defined his life before DACA. Separating families

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Quiroz was born in the Mexican state of Guerrero. His parents brought him to San Diego when he was only six months old. Like many DACA recipients, he grew up in the United States and it is the only country he knows. But he also grew up with a familiar fear, that his family would be separated. “Living in San Diego, I constantly feared for my parents,” he said.

When he was 15, he learned that his older brother had

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Whether Congress will pass legislation in the next six months that it has not been able to pass for years remains to be seen.

2.

3.

4.

If you currently have DACA, you will continue to be protected from deportation and be able to work legally under your work permit until it expires.

If your DACA expires in the next six months, by March 5, 2018, you must apply to renew it by Oct. 5, 2017.

Find qualified and low-cost services through www. immigrationlawhelp.org. If you can’t afford the $495 fee, loans are available through the Mission Asset Fund, SelfHelp Federal Credit Union, the Mexican Consulate and local service providers.

Consult with an experienced immigration attorney or accredited representative to see if you qualify for another form of immigration relief. Many DACA recipients don’t realize that they actually qualify for a more permanent form of relief, like a U-visa (for crime victims), “parole in place” (available to military personnel, those who are honorably discharged and their families), or even permanent residency (through a family member who is a lawful permanent resident or U.S. citizen).

Be careful of fraudulent service providers. Be sure to ask to see the credentials of your legal services provider.

Never sign a blank form, and always ask for a translation if you need it. Make sure to get copies of any papers filed for your case. Don’t fall for anyone who promises you a quick fix. Remember that notarios in the United States can’t give legal advice.

For more information about what you need to know about the end of DACA, go to: www.ilrc.org/advisory-daca.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • 5

AlwaysHOROSCOPE have supported LGBT rights, Always will.

HOROSCOPE

Star Trends

By Robert McEwen

FEATURES

Since the solar eclipse on August 21, things seem to have shifted. Many people have noticed some kind of difference, be it a vibrational shift or something similar.

Many people have seemed more courageous. There is a sense of certainty. That is true with most my friends, and people I correspond with on Facebook. It may sound woo-woo, or new age to you, but I shy away from that perspective, and I am telling you numerous people are feeling this certainty and boldness.

How can you put your creative passion into something that takes your courage and bold certainty to bring peace and healing in Portland? This is the key question from August 21, again on September 6 during the full moon and most every new and full moon coming up the rest of the year. Contact me for dates if you wish for that.

Leo is a wonderful and sincere leader and blesses us all giving us resolution to be the unique androgynous Being we are. Leo loves to roar and in lion there is courage and a powerful leader. There is a peace with this energy and the full moon in Pisces on September 6, at 1:29 PM Portland time. This is a time of great imagination! What do you imagine in your life that would be helpful in the community? That is a key question, as well as being physically helpful and there for those in in the community you truly want to be. What can you offer? That is a key question. I would love to hear from you and what your imagination and skills bring to Portland.

Mercury is retrograde until September 9 but not out of it really, because it is in what is called its shadow. So delays in communication with computers, phones and cars is at work. This will be until September 20. Mars is going into Virgo, leaving details and analysis for us to express. Critical thinking and aggressive questions are apt at this time.

I offer my astrology and teaching/counseling experience to share. This available to all people who are exploring their sexual fluidity. My dear friend and professional associate, Suzanne Deakins, Ph.d, H.W, M., has taught in this field for years, and now offers it in Portland, Oregon. If interested please email me, or call sometime.

Robert McEwen has read over 5,000 charts in the 35 years he has done professional companionship charts. How does your Mars and Venus aspect your lovers? Has your sex life been passionate, loving and joyous? Find out where your Moon is in your chart: sign, house and aspects to other planets.

For your “Moon, Mars and Venus” consultation call 503- 706-0396. Text your birth info there too. $75 for a one-hour phone or Skype session. Payment through Paypal. com.

The Muttley Crew Giving professionals a new leash on life!

• Grooming • Doggie daycare • Premium USA made products • Top rated pet foods including Orijen, Acana, Taste of the Wild, Honest Kitchen Go! Now! and Raw foods. *Best in the Biz 2009, 2010, 2011 by Spot Magazine

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Call us:

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Robert McEwen, H.W., M Available for astrology readings at robbystarman@aol.com phone: 503 706-0396 pqmonthly.com PQMONTHLY.COM

COMMUNITY

Rare Perspectives:

An Interview with Clara Emiliana

By Luis Silva

Can you talk about some of the LGBT influences in your work?

Yes. I am a trans woman, and I’m also a lesbian. And I’m also a massive fan of yuri, a genre of manga that focuses on closeness between women—romantic or otherwise. I feel like it has inspired me in a pretty huge way when writing queer characters. I personally would like to write romance as similar to the type of yuri that I read, but there’s also been some shojo series that have inspired me. (Shojo is like manga for young girls.) Angel Sanctuary and Revolutionary Girl Utena have been a huge influence for me. It’s probably not a coincidence that these two series were my gateway into yuri (even though they aren’t considered yuri), in the same way that it probably isn’t a coincidence that I tend to want to write stories like Angel Sanctuary minus all the straight characters.

Moreover I feel that while yuri stories tend to be pretty idealized, I like to inject some of my own reality into my stories. Trans lesbians of color are super underrepresented in media, and ultimately I feel like my work is a combination of the idealized with the real. My heritage, my queerness, and everything else about me…it’s like it’s being fused with the ideal stories I love in order to form a new thing altogether. Considering how “odd” society tends to see trans lesbians of color, I feel like it’s safe to say that my readers are in for a perspective that is rarely seen in media.

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In a city like Portland, I have found that the artistic community can be a place dominated by primarily White voices. There is, of course, nothing wrong with having a community of White artists, but it does makes me treasure the artists who break from the mold with a unique vision that is forged and influenced by their identity as a person of color like myself.

Enter Clara Emiliana. I ran into Clara Emiliana twice in the months before we became friends. The first time was at a meetup for comics creators, and the second was at the Wizard World Comic Con here in Portland. (Fitting places for the two of us nerds.) Since then I’ve been thrilled to follow her artistic work. Though she’s just starting her professional career, her artistic talent and drive are strong enough to ensure that she’s already making headway in this city’s comics scene; her now growing resume includes working on an anthology for Power & Magic Press (a local comic publisher whose self-described mission is the “empowerment of queer creators, creators of color, and creators at the intersections”).

Clara, tell us about yourself.

I’m from the Dominican Republic; my family moved to New York when I was pretty young. We came to America to seek out a living. My dad had me help in what I consider to be the family business: we made posters for supermarkets. That’s how I learned a lot of my design sense.

Do you feel that your heritage has an influence on your artwork?

Most definitely. I feel like being Dominican is kind of interesting because there is a constant clash of three different heritages rolled up into one. For me, trying to figure out my own identity within that background does tend to influence the stories I tell. Dominicans tend to be a combination of European, African, and native Taino heritages. Everyone tends to identify

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differently because of it, so that kind of soul searching for identity is maybe a common thing for us? I guess I can’t speak for others. For me, I put a lot of that into comics. I like to write about characters who are either stuck between worlds or are just not sure what to do with themselves given the societies that they might find themselves in.

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Trans lesbians of color are super underrepresented in media, and ultimately I feel like my work is a combination of the idealized with the real.

A lot of people have this mindset where they say that everyone is human and so everyone is the same, and I don’t believe that is the case.

What are you currently working on?

I just finished work on a comic that I’m submitting for Power & Magic: Immortal Souls. It’s an anthology that was put together by the editor, Joamette Gill. I made a ten page comic for that about a girl named Mari who lives in the Dominican Republic, and is having to learn how to be a witch despite her unsupportive Christian household. This story is very much about two Dominican characters expressing two seemingly contradictory ideas under the lens of the same cultural background and shared heritage.

I’m also working on a few other comics for various different projects. I’m planning on submitting to another anthology.

And I want to make more short comics and zines so I can start tabling sometime in the near future. Beyond this, I have a few things in the works that have nothing to do with comics. I’d like to dabble in making games in the future, hopefully sooner rather than later!

What do you want to accomplish with your art?

I feel like the most important thing is showing off diversity. A lot of people have this mindset where they say that everyone is human and so everyone is the same, and I don’t believe that is the case. I feel that our differences should be celebrated, instead of trying to homogenize everyone by saying that we’re all completely the same and that there are absolutely no differences between us, and that that’s what makes us equal. We should instead be understanding of the fact that we all come from completely different places, completely different backgrounds, and that there’s beauty in that diversity.

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LOCAL

Queer & Swarthy at Rose City Comic Con

By Dakky Comics

In case you didn’t know, Portland is a very important comics hub. Dark Horse, Image, Oni Press, Helioscope, and Milkfed Criminal Masterminds Inc. are here, among others (I’m probably missing a bunch). We have the PDX Harry Potter Alliance, some super sweet comic book shops in town, and overall an artistic community that is...incredibly introverted?

Yes, that, but also so talented it makes you wanna cry. So our city’s convention was pretty sweet! I met people who came from all around the country to get to this event. A couple of

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consume racially homogenous media. Visual media impacts young folk’s tastes, it imprints them, teaching them what’s normal, what’s beautiful, what “heroes” look like, what “villians” look like, and it’s been downright problematic since mass media was created to change the cognition of the masses.

Indie comics’ influence could play a huge hand in working toward killing the impossible “European Beauty Standard,” harmful stereotypes, and tropes that hurt everyone, as well as help people unlearn what they’ve been coded to believe.

I feel like a jaded witch rubbing her bony hands together in sadistic pleasure whenever I read a tweet like, “I just finished reading Agents of the Realm! (Mildred Louis) I wish I had a swole girlfriend like Jade!” who is a queer, muscled person of color and is a love interest. I just enjoy the idea of watching the media giants, who often perpetuate hate and homogeneity, get overshadowed by bitty queers with inking pens and open hearts. I feel like indie comics can save the world. Friends, if all you read is DC and Marvel (affectionately called the Big Two), while they are good, they’re not terribly inclusive. I suggest you pick up some indie work or read some web comics! It’s sexy, fun, refreshing (especially if you love comics but need a break from overpowered superheroes), and quite often effortlessly inclusive. Especially if you’re into queer comics.

The con’s panels were fun and creative. I saw quite a few, but I think the real MVP was Kelly Sue DeConnick talking about the issues and benefits of racial inclusivity in comics (for instance, people of color being freely omitted from the fantasy genre or period pieces for “historical accuracy,” but then placing dragons and laser guns in the same work—being more comfortable with demons and future tech than a PoC supporting character), and how “fighting hate with hate” or “fighting violence with violence” isn’t real, and that phrase is used to further demonize the oppressed. In actuality the latter parts of those phrases are usually wrongly used to describe self defense. If someone is violent toward you, you should be able to defend yourself without it being hateful or violent. It’s self preservation, and completely okay. Really. This woman gives me life.

There is a comic called Bitter Root (Walker, Brown, Greene) coming out next year that I’m super excited for, and I heard that Wayne Brady (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) is going to start a comic book publishing company called Level Next!

So, yeah. Things couldn’t get any cooler. Rose City Comic Con was pretty dang fantastic, although next year I sincerely hope there will be signal boosters for inside the exhibition hall, am I right?

Academia, Star Trek, Star Wars, Gravity Rush, The Dark Crystal, Harry Potter, Furries, Rick and Morty, Gravity Falls, and the inevitable Homestuck cosplayers. (Sorry if I missed your fandom! I only recognize so much.) Weird Al was in attendance this year, as well as Jeremy Shada (Adventure Time, Voltron), Troy Baker (Call of Duty, Persona, Final Fantasy), Tom Kenny (SpongeBob, Ice King), Burt Ward (DC’s Robin), Carlos Valdes (CW’s DC shows), Brent Spiner (Data), James and Oliver Phelps (Weasley twins, HP), Peter Capaldi (12th Doctor Who), Ming

Growing up, black women were seldom a love interest in the media that I consumed, but in indie comics nowadays, that has flat out changed.

my friends drove up from LA, I met some people from Canada, and I even made friends with a girl who flew in from New York!

I met some comic creators who worked for Marvel, and I know some employees from Image who were partying all weekend at a sold out homecoming!

Many new anthologies were out, as well as high quality prints, indie comics galore, magnets, swag—so much swag of every genre. A huge selection of queer media, too. I also noticed a major emergence of enamel pins this year! They’ve always been around, but they got more numerous, more diverse, and incredibly fashionable. I saw these gold badges sported proudly during and after the con.

The cosplay was pretty on point this year too. I spotted Steven Universe, DC, DC’s Milestone, Pokemon, Persona 5, Saga, Mary Poppins, Dream Daddy, Curious George, Spy vs Spy, Adventure Time, FMA, Disney, Overwatch, Powerpuff Girls, Metroid Samus, Marvel, Adventure Zone, Little Witch

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Chen (Comic Book Men), and Felicia Day (The Guild).

What I liked most about the Artist Alley (for those of you not familiar with the scene, that’s where artists display and sell their work at comic cons) was that there were so many gorgeous depictions of people of color. Rose City Comic Con probably has a higher rate of PoC prints per artist than even San Diego Comic Con. Indie comics do a gorgeous job of representation nowadays. Marginalized groups—people of color, queers, disabled people, fat people, neurodivergent people, all body types and shapes, people of all religions can find themselves present, desirable, and badass in modern indie comics. Growing up, black women were seldom a love interest in the media that I consumed, but in indie comics nowadays, that has flat out changed. Many contemporary artists are working hard to be inclusive, and the collective shifting tastes of media creators are influencing the cognition of the public.

I’m excited that the next generation won’t have to

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VOICES

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • 9

VOICES

Understanding Our End Game

By Suzanne Deakins

What does she mean by that? A fundamental question presented by anybody who reads. Words are both a gift to us and a curse. From The Little Prince: “For words are a source of misunderstanding.” I find language fascinating. My bookshelves are filled with works on language, mind, and our existence with the use of language. We live in a world built with words.

The very words we use form our consciousness, and our consciousness plays out in our life. In every philosophy and religion the use of words is paramount to evoke concepts of a spiritual life or pathway one can follow to find nirvana or the land of milk and honey. If your religious words are ones that say your God is a punishing God, you will see occurrences in everyday life as punishment or concepts put forth to test your faith and belief. For instance, a statement by a far right commentator said (to paraphrase) it is more likely that God punished Houston (with hurricane Harvey) for a lesbian Mayor than a climate change problem occurring.

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A person’s use of language is a doorway into their mind. As we write and speak we form relationships with words and ideas.

A person’s use of language is a doorway into their mind. As we write and speak we form relationships with words and ideas. These word relationships depict the thinking and perceptions of the mind. Thus language of any one group of people shows what is important

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to them, how they view life in a philosophical manner. When I lived in China I had a great deal of trouble learning how to relate the ideas of yesterday and remembering. Part of this problem was because Chinese philosophy holds the concept that all life is now. How can you remember what is happening now? The main tenant of faith in China is Buddhism, which says all is happening in this moment, much different from the concept of past, present, and future.

The English language is Germanic at its base. There is a kind of precision that allows us to accomplish great mechanical and engineering feats. Language allows us to change words to fit our perception and to use words from other languages. For instance houseboat can be changed into boathouse. Both terms are appropriate. This particular switching of terms only happens in English and German. Why is all of this important? Because we cannot expect to understand what our adversaries are trying to say or what is happening in our own unconscious mind until we understand how language works with perception. Noam Chomsky says that language is inherent in our genome. We are born with the urge to communicate the pictures we see in our minds. Those of us who study language know that there are three levels of meanings to any word or perception we express. The first is the base meaning, the second our family meaning, and third the meaning given to a word by our tribe or society where we live. Each meaning brings with it an emotional perception. It is our emotional perception of words that bogs us down in mediating or understanding “the other.”

Words such as hate, prejudice, and alien are all laden with many meanings. How can we eliminate the hate around us unless we understand what those who hate mean or are saying? The more we understand the language of others and the meanings they give to the words they use the easier it becomes to negotiate and mediate with them. Presently we are at war with words and perceptions. We are finding ourselves at an impasse with “the other side.”

Our ammunition is words and understanding how the mind works. Violence will not change perceptions but words can. In a very large sense our end game is not to destroy “the other” but to win our game by using words and ideas that are irrefutable or axiomatic in nature.

How can you use this information? Stay observant to the language you use and that of others. Ask yourself what you mean by the words you use. Ask what you think “the other” is meaning by the words they use. Don’t assume you are speaking the same language of meanings.

Examine the territory when someone brings you information or a piece of gossip. By trying to understand and interpret the language of the other you gain insiders knowledge of their end game. Language is not a gift but an inherent right we are born with. Communication is so important that we slap the butts of newborn babies. This is so they will cry and announce their being to the world. Only with the first cry is the child considered born.

Suzanne Deakins, Ph.D. is a publisher (One Spirit Press and The Q Press) and author. Her books may be found on amazon.com. She teaches seminars on straight thinking and ontology, as well as Radical Forgiveness. She maybe reached at suzannedeak@gmail.com.

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VOICES

Babes in Queerland Some Thoughts

By Monty Archambo

Ronald Reagan was the president of the United States of America from 1981–1986.

The first reported American case of what would eventually be known as HIV/AIDS was in 1980. The negligence Reagan showed toward this crisis would not only lead to the deaths of six hundred thousand people (dosomethingaboutit.org), but would be considered a genocide among some circles. While researchers, doctors, lobbyists, federal politicians and civilians were fighting tooth and nail to receive less than functional funding, Reagan, whose administration said AIDS was the number one priority, did less than nothing.

Reagan allocated the money other places, such as toxic shock syndrome and cyanidelaced over-the-counter pills. While these issues are important, they affected fewer than 10 people in the 80s (toxic shock has decreased even more since then to affecting 0.02% of population). Yet they received millions of dollars while AIDs study facilities were having to punch holes in the walls to condition the air right to be a proper lab. Reagan did not help because of which populations AIDS infected. AIDS primarily affected “the gays,” drug addicts, incarcerated people, generally impoverished people and people of color.

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It feels like queer history books always need to be ordered from other libraries.

Now why did I give you this brief grossly oversimplified history lesson? Firstly it is because I always see Reagan ranked in the top ten presidents despite his actions. To be fair, he is ranked among other imperialist bigoted men—but that is a whole other can of worms. Secondly and more importantly, it is because I have spoken with LGBTQ+ peers regarding Raegan, and most either thought he was a good president or didn’t know who he was.

This generation of the queer community does not know our own history in America, much less globally. We know often vague, unreliable and watered down versions of our history like the one I just gave. This is not our fault—western queer history is incredibly hard to access, and non western is even harder. Our school libraries do not carry our stories and history. It feels like queer history books always need to be ordered from other libraries. For most online movie services the genre LGBTQ+ will most likely set off parental controls, and does not give us any information. In the curriculum we learn from school we are given a subtitle at best. To begin researching, it is not only hard to find out where to access information, but that information is expensive, time consuming and overall inaccessible.

Our school and public libraries need, at the barest of minimums, books surrounding the big points of queer history, especially the ones still impacting students’ lives. It should not fall on me to start the conversation in history class discussion points and conversations with other queer youth with these history lessons. As much as I love being a resource, it is sad how little we know. Student activists can only do so much in this fight; we need adults to start helping to get us connected to resources. I love board game night as much as the next person, but I am sure we can sacrifice one of these nights to learn about our history. This could involve going to the local library or bookstore to get books, having a movie night, making zines to pass around the community. We need something, anything to begin to learn the history we come from.

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PROUD QUEER

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EVERY LETTER, EVERY COLOR, EVERYWHERE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • 11

CALENDAR

1

Portland Queer Film Festival 2017

From romantic dramas to irreverent erotica to gritty documentaries, Portland Queer Film Festival brings it all for another year of feature, documentary and short queer films from all over the world. Come for a screening or two, or grab a pass and see them all! Friday, September 29–Thursday, October 5 at Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st Ave, Portland. All access festival pass $75, general admission tickets $10 per screening in advance or at the door. More info at http://www.pdxqueerfilm. com.

TOP PICKS

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

Every Worker Needs A Home

Join the Community Alliance of Tenants and the Burgerville Workers Union for a day of action to support workers and achieving their cost of living. Meet at the MLK statue in front of the Oregon Convention Center at 5:30 to prepare.

At 6, we will march to the MLK Burgerville location and picket for better wages. Saturday, September 23, 5:30–8 pm at Burgerville, 1135 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland. More info at http://bit.ly/2jH4KxR.

Pride Northwest 2017 National Coming Out Day (NCOD)

Come out (pun intended) and join Pride Northwest as we celebrate National Coming Out Day! We will have a Coming Out photo booth, stories, games, food, and music. Invite your friends and bring the whole family to celebrate our community! Wednesday, October 11, 6–9 pm at Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi Ave, Portland.

Free admission, all ages event. More info at http:// bit.ly/2xaZhCh.

Gender Identity and Expression: Respect, Care and Language This workshop will be co-presented by Mychel Estevez, an instructor at PSU and UP, and Hannah Stauffer, a Transgender community member. They will discuss how to use inclusive language, common pitfalls, and ways to be sensitive when negotiating and seeking to connect with diverse individuals outside the binary. Monday, September 25, 6:15–9 pm at The Liquor Store, 3341 SE Belmont St, Portland. Free admission. More info at http://bit.ly/2hbf93E.

The Coming Out Monologues

Tender Table: Ratnanjali Adhar & Rachelle Dixon

Tender Table is a storytelling platform featuring women of color and gender nonconforming people of color and their stories about food, family, and identity. Join us this month for stories and food by Ratnanjali Adhar and Rachelle Dixon. Saturday, September 23, 7–9 pm at Regional Arts & Culture Council, 411 NW Park Ave, Ste 101, Portland. $5–10 sliding scale at the door, no one turned away for lack of funds. More info at http://bit.ly/2jlPQNb.

We Read Feminist Comics: Black Panther: World Of Wakanda

Roxanne Gay! Ta-Nehisi Coates! Lady warriors! What more could you want? Join us for a discussion of Black Panther: World Of Wakanda. (All genders welcome.)

Sunday, September 24, 12–3 pm at Books With Pictures, 1100 SE Division St, Portland. Free admission. More info at http://bit.ly/2xeSyJk.

10th Annual Red Ribbon Show

Salem’s largest annual HIV/AIDS event promoting HIV prevention, eliminating stigma for those living with it, educating the community on HIV/AIDS services, remembering those lost to the disease and most importantly, fundraising for HIV/AIDS organizations that serve communities across Oregon. The show brings in some of the best drag performers from across the northwest and beyond and features a live and silent auction. Saturday, September 30, 5–9 pm at Grand Theatre, 191 High St NE, Salem. Tickets $15 at redribbonshow.brownpapertickets.com. More info at http://bit.ly/2w3gEDz.

SHINE with Q: A Brunch Benefit & Celebration

You are our Q Center Family. Let us join together and dare to be powerful and unafraid. Let us SHINE together in our collective brilliance and courage. Join us for a morning of brunch, goodness, love, empowerment, belonging and fun. We will be taking this opportunity to bid Stacey and Justin a fond farewell and update you on programming and what’s next. Sunday, October 8, 10:30 am–1:30 pm at Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront, 1401 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland. Tickets sliding scale $10–100 at http://bit.ly/2f5i2ip.

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This storytelling event features a unique collection and representation of experiences and coming out stories authored and performed by people in our community who identify as LGBTQIA+. It is a raw, inspiring, transformative and intimate live event. These stories include unique backgrounds and perspectives as well as periods of time—from people who came out this year to yesteryear. Monday, October 9–Tuesday, October 10, 7–9:30 pm at Fremont Theater, 2393 NE Fremont St, Portland. Tickets $20 at http://bit.ly/2x8T5Ny, $25 at the door, no one turned away for lack of funds. More info at http://bit.ly/2fgdeKA.

Engaging Men Conference

All are welcome to this conference, which aims to reexamine masculinity to end gender-based violence.

Workshops include Patriarchy 101; Parenting Feminist Boys; Relationships and Masculinity; Social Media as a Prevention Tool; Engaging Men Who Have Been Abusive; Intro to Gender-Diversity & Trans Identities; and many more. Saturday, October 14, 9:30 am–5:15 pm at PCC Cascade Campus, 705 N Killingsworth St, Portland. Tickets sliding scale $7–25 at ywcapdx. org/engaging-men-conference-2017, no one turned away for lack of funds.

2nd Quarterly PDX Trans & Queer Clothing Swap!

We’re excited to announce our second swap! The first event was nothing short of amazing. Thank you all for spreading the word, showing up and sharing the love!

And the incredible array of fabulous fashion! We’ll be updating the FAQ based on what we learned from the first event at goo.gl/z6PsN1. Sunday, October 15, 2–5 pm at Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi Ave, Portland.

Free admission, all ages event. More info at goo.gl/ cqquLC. pqmonthly.com PQMONTHLY.COM

CALENDAR

3 GOOD TIMES

VOICES

Fun Home

Winner of five Tony Awards, including 2015’s Best Musical.

Based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, the story concerns Bechdel’s discovery of her own sexuality, her relationship with her gay father, and her attempts to unlock the mysteries surrounding his life. It is the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist. Saturday, September 16–Sunday, October 22 at Portland Center Stage at The Armory, 128 NW 11th Ave, Portland. Tickets $25–70 at https://www.pcs.org/funhome.

BiWeek Celebration

Join Bi Brigade and BiNet USA for some BiWeek 2017 fun! We will be celebrating our Bisexual+ Community at The Q Center. A great opportunity to gain understanding, create friendships, and expand your network as we share coffee and donuts with members of our local LGBTQ community. Sunday, September 24, 11 am–5 pm at Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi Ave, Portland.

Free admission, all ages event. Please RSVP at http://bit.ly/2wqxBfv.

Happy Hour with Lesbians of a Certain Age (LOCA)

LOCA is a social organization for lesbians “of a certain age” in the Portland metro area. Mix and mingle, enjoy complimentary snacks and your first drink on us at this happy hour hangout. Learn all about our production of “Fun Home” in a brief presentation by director Chris Coleman and music director Rick Lewis. Thursday,

September 28, 6:30–7:30 pm at Portland Center Stage at The Armory, 128 NW 11the Ave, Portland. Free admission. More info at goo.gl/ QsFS5P.

building. Saturday, September 30, 2–5 pm at Pier Park, 10325 N Lombard St, Portland. Free admission.

More info at http://bit.ly/2w3lrVN.

the monthly Bi Bar event every second Tuesday at Crush Bar. Second Tuesdays, 8–11:30 pm at Crush Bar, 1400 SE Morrison St., Portland. No cover.

Beardlandia 2017: Portland, OR

Dykes on Bikes Bingo Fundraiser

Join us as we celebrate a big weekend of events and entertainment to showcase all of what Portland has to offer. Beards, cubs, otters, bears, chasers and friends from around the globe! Last year was a giant success and we are working to make 2017’s weekend even bigger and better! Friday, October 6–Sunday, October 8 at various locations in Portland. More info at beardlandia.com and http://bit.ly/2wCrZtL.

Death of Glitter: The Unholy Masquerade!

Leaves crunch underfoot like broken bones, ghosts dance in the night, and the undead roam the earth... it’s time for the UNHOLY MASQUERADE! Performances by: Anastasia Euthanasia, Marla Darling, Carina Borealis, Darcy Blows, Prince Peanut-Butter, BeElzzaBub Doll, Mars, Peter Pantyhose, Clare, Apparently! Daizelle, and more! Hosted by the wholly unholy Delta Flyer! Come dressed for the masquerade ball! Saturday, October 7, 9 pm–1 am at Paris Theatre, 6 SW Third Ave, Portland. Admission sliding scale $7–10 at the door, no cover after 11 pm for dance night. 21+ only. More info at http://bit.ly/2xgSMzx.

Bingo with The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Join this fun and fabulous group as they lead you in an afternoon game of bingo at Santé Bar. Co-owner, Veronique LaFont will serve up Bloody Marys and Mimosas (two drinks included) alongside a light brunch while you’re entertained by the enthusiastic Sisters.

Only 55 tickets available! Sunday, October 15, 12–3 pm at Santé Bar, 411 NW Park Ave, Portland. Tickets $50 at http://bit.ly/2w3WpWE.

Monthlies and Weeklies

First card free, $3 cards after. Happens the first Tuesday every month. First Tuesday, 6–8 pm at Crush Bar, 1400 SE Morrison St., Portland.

Last Wednesgays

Get through hump day with a bonus LGBTQ drink or two. This hip, rustic-industrial hangout offers a patio, fireplaces, and ping-pong. Last Wednesdays, 6–9 pm at Century, 930 SE Sandy Blvd, Portland. Free admission, 21+ only.

Amateur Night

Amateur night in the main bar hosted by the gorgeous Godiva DeVyne. Interested dancers should arrive by 8:45 p.m. Wednesdays at Stag PDX, 317 NW Broadway, Portland. Free, 21+ only.

Throwback Thursdays

Throwback Thursday hosted by the always fashionable Drexler. The house DJ spins the best pop, hip hop, and R&B hits of the 80s, 90s, and 00s. Thursdays at Stag PDX, 317 NW Broadway, Portland. Free admission, 21+ only.

Burlesque S’il Vous Plait

Enjoy a classic burlesque show with a contemporary variety twist every first Friday. First Fridays, 9 pm at Crush Bar, 1400 SE Morrison St., Portland. Doors at 8:30 pm. Admission $12–18.

Bronco Night at Stag

Every first Saturday is Bronco, a sexy men’s night in Portland and across the U.S. at men’s clubs. Enjoy beefy bearded dancers, great tunes, photo booths, and sexy visuals! First Saturdays, 9 pm–2 am at Stag PDX, 317 NW Broadway, Portland. $6 before 10 pm, $10 after; doors at 9 pm. 21+ only.

Pants Off Dance Off Gay Skate Switch. Launch Party 9/29 Queer House Dance (4th Fridays)

Come celebrate the launch party of Portland’s newest queer dance, switch., a new queer dance party hosted at Killingsworth Dynasty on the 4th Friday of every month.

Launch party performances and sets by: DJ Don’t, DJ Tank Top, and Diane Rott. Friday, September 29, 9 pm–2 am at Killingsworth Dynasty, 832 N Killingsworth St, Portland. Admission $3 at the door, 21+ only. More info at http://bit.ly/2ykCfZZ.

Open Skate Hang for women, femmes, queer, trans, nb and intersex folk

Open Skate Hang for women, femmes, queer, trans, nb and intersex folk. Last one of the season! Nonjudgmental space! There will be two instructors for beginners and learners. This is one of a series of No. events that promote health, well-being and communitypqmonthly.com PQMONTHLY.COM

Come join PQ Monthly for our monthly Gay Skate night.

Gay skate happens the 3rd Monday of every month.

Third Mondays, 7–9 pm at Oaks Amusement Park, 7805 SE Oaks Pkwy, Portland.

Legendary Mondays

Every Monday, Bart Fitzgerald curates one of the most refreshing events of the week. If you make it through a Monday, you deserve to attend. Music by Dubblife.

Mondays, 9 pm–2 am at Swift Lounge, 1932 NE Broadway St. Portland. Free and open to the public, 21+ only.

Body positive, bare-as-you-dare dance party that happens every first Saturday of the month. First Saturdays, 9 pm at Crush Bar, 1400 SE Morrison St., Portland. $7 cover, clothes check included.

Testify Brunch

Testify Brunch hosted by the fabulous Alexis Campbell Starr. Show starts at 12:30 pm. Sundays, 11 am–3 pm at Stag PDX, 317 NW Broadway, Portland. Free admission.

CALENDAR SPONSORED BY

Stag Karaoke Mondays

Weekly karaoke night for the queer community.

Mondays at Stag PDX, 317 NW Broadway, Portland.

Free, 21+ only.

Bi Bar

Bi, pan, fluid, and queer folks are welcome to come to

Have an event you want considered? Submit your events at calendar@pqmonthly.com.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • 13

COMMUNITY

Welcome to the Zine Scene The Portland metro area has a thriving zine community, boasting a wide variety of zinefests and other events for reading and sharing zines, including Oregon’s biggest annual zine event, the Portland Zine Symposium. Check out a few excerpts from zines created by folks right here in Portland!

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COMMUNITY

Liz Yerby For me, making comics and zines are about working through feelings and experiences. It used to be really intimidating to share art, but I feel better as i’ve met artists and zinesters making art that I connect to, and realizing that people connect to things in my work.

Follow Liz’s work at lizyerby.com, on Tumblr at lizyerby.tumblr.com, and on Instagram as @lizyerby.

Excerpts from The New Yerby.

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COMMUNIYT

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COMMUNITY

Eileen Chavez To me, the act of making a zine is an incredibly powerful tool that gives me full agency over the process of listening to and sharing my voice with others. Zines and DIY culture are all about collaborating on making knowledge, tools of resistance and art accessible to and from within a community outside the mainstream.

One thing I appreciate about the Portland-area zine community is that I’ve found artist and activists that share similar backgrounds and who are actively part of engaging and organizing with larger communities in the area. I’ve also felt supported, encouraged and continually inspired to create and share my art from this community.

Follow Eileen’s work on Tumblr at greenmango227.tumblr.com and on Instagram as @sloris227.

Excerpts from Portland’s Women of Color (WOC) Issue #12.

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COMMUNITY

Amanda Blix Zines are limited only by one’s own creativity and imagination. Making zines reminds me of my own capacity of experiencing limitlessness and provides a concrete way for my own creative work to exist within the container of a community, which is really important to me. They are powerful tools for transformation and connection with yourself and others.

The zine community in Portland is so supportive, friendly and welcoming. From a zine dedicated to soda pop to a zine exploring complex trauma: there is space for everyone. That is becoming even more true as the leadership of the zine symposium has become majority POC. I love what the organizers are doing to expand and support zine community in Portland.

Follow Amanda’s work at amandablix.com, on Tumblr at amandablix.tumblr. com, and on Instagram @amandablix.

Excerpts from Winter’s Night and Past All Limits.

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POLITICS

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • 19

COMMUNITY

Zines and Building Community

By Liz Yerby

“Zines” as a medium is very broad and loosely defined. Classic zines are made cutand-paste style, with scissors and a glue stick and a copy machine. But handsomelydesigned minicomics and poetry chapbooks can also be zines. In Portland, there are large overlaps between the zine community and the comics and poetry communities. The zine community includes poets, graphic designers, fanfiction authors, oblique abstract artists, writers of deeply personal perzines, and plenty of those people who are regularly dreaming and creating but who won’t call themselves artists. I’ve seen preschoolers, senior citizens, and everyone in between make zines. Their common factor? They are all excited to share their interests and their perspectives.

The DIY nature of zines makes it accessible to a wide variety of people, and there are many different ways to participate in zine communities. Like many literary and visual art circles, the zine community has its fair share of introverts; some people don’t go to festivals, but follow zinesters’ work via mail-order subscriptions. Other people may enjoy seeing friends at the Portland Zine Symposium or even at multiple zinefests they attend every year.

“

Zines helped me realize that being a cartoonist means I can not only make people cry, but also force them to make cat noises!

There are also people whose practice turns towards performance art. In the last few years, I’ve been more and more drawn to readings and performance series in Portland.

Gridlords, a local comics collective which used to regularly put on performances, blew my mind. It was amazing to hear Simon Hanselmann, a genderqueer cartoonist from Tasmania, have strangers read the different roles in his surprisingly absurd and obscene comics. At Portland Zine Symposium’s “Identities and Futures” event last year, my friend Eileen Chavez looped guitar sounds, projected some wobbly creatures dancing, and convinced the audience to move along. Along the same lines, I am exceedingly proud of my piece at “À reading #25,” where I read very raw diary comics on communal grief, and had the audience meow every time my cat was on screen. Zines helped me realize that being a cartoonist means I can not only make people cry, but also force them to make cat noises!

There is a new comics series starting on September 24 called “Nice To Be Nice” at Ristretto Roasters Coffee on NE Couch St. Among the night’s readers is Quinn Amacher, who writes bittersweet stories with strong wild lines and has a majestic voice that always makes his readings special. Spencer Scudder and John James will be bringing the surrealism bordering on science fiction, while Ignatz-nominated M. Sabine Rear and I will likely bring some nonfiction work. Another local, ongoing storytelling series, Tender Table, features local female and femme-identifying writers, zinesters, and performance artists of color. This series uses food as a gateway point into discussions into family and identity. While these stories are often tender (as the series title implies) and deal with heavy topics such as death and the loss of cultural history, the intimacy of the pieces reveals the importance of community and showing up for each other.

Zines, like readings and performances, can be catalysts for finding community and feeling less alone. They can also help spread information, particularly on topics we are taught not to talk about, like mental and sexual health, or processing trauma.

As a young person I discovered the diverse world of online forums; I would read the perspectives of people who were questioning or closeted, and it allowed me to validate my own feelings without having to out myself. Zines are another medium that can help people find others who have dealt with situations that have left them feeling isolated.

For example, this year many of my friends bought and connected with the zine, When Language Runs Dry, a zine full of pieces by contributors with personal perspectives on living with chronic illness.

The big difference between zines and web are that zines are a more tactile, personal experience and inherently carry more intimacy than a blogpost. Zines often have handlettering, and a quintessential old school zine will feature some typewriter-typed pieces.

Though the rare zinester will find a small press to help put out their work, most zines are folded and/or stapled by the person who wrote them. Zines hold fingerprints and physical marks from their creators. Zine makers are sharing not just the drawings or words in their zines, but a little piece of themselves. Everyone, but especially those who have been marginalized, wants to speak out and be heard. And while zinesters express a vast diversity of experiences, they are alike in that they are all passionate about sharing their experiences. Zines, as a medium meant for distribution, are, at their core, about reaching out and building community.

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VOICE

The Secret Life of Summer Seasons

Join Us for our PQ Press Party!

How I Discovered My Love of Cosplay

By Summer Seasons

+

Thursday, September 21st, 5pm.–7pm.

Ground Kontrol - 115 NW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

Growing up, Halloween was always my favorite holiday outside of Christmas, because not only did you get candy, but you also got to dress up! Playing dress up was one of my favorite things to do—a large part of the reason I’d eventually become a drag queen—it allowed you to live in a fantasy world for even just a minute. I don’t have many memories of the costumes I chose, although I do remember when I was in grade school I went as my mother—you know...a Career Girl—and I’d later go in drag for a few parties in high school, but the dress up bug had bit me. I would often hide a lot of my nerdy tendencies from the people I wanted to be associated with in high school, because if something wasn’t cool to them then I couldn’t appear to like it either. I remember having a friend who was absolutely obsessed with ninja turtles and the game Magic, and I’d spend the night at his house and use his clothes to dress up and play games or act out scenes with him, but the very next day we weren’t allowed to speak of it or let anyone know that we were into that sort of thing.

It wasn’t until much later in life that I’d meet friends who got really into the nerdy things I’d repressed so long in my life. I remember it came time to register for AIDS Walk, and my best friend Andrew said, “We are going to dress up as superheroes.” All I could think to myself is that it sounded so fun, but how could I possibly do that? I wasn’t really in a place to express my nerdy side anymore. With much encouragement from him I decided to dress up as Rogue. She’s always been my favorite character because she had the ability to take anyone’s power, but also kinda lived her life her own way. So I spent weeks researching what she wore, what it would look like and finding the perfect accessories. I hit the bricks of Pioneer Square dressed as the best Rogue I could come up with and people lost their minds! It turns out I was really good at this cosplay thing because I knew how to pay attention to the details and make things that were more difficult or complex.

In the years to come, I’d find myself being constantly inspired by my friends for not only AIDS Walk, but Halloween too. It became a new and interesting challenge for me and I’d sometimes even take suggestions from people in a Facebook poll. Someone suggested that I do the White Witch from Narnia and I became obsessed with how to make it perfect. The thing about cosplay is that the devil is in the details. People know and love these characters (or in some cases hate them), and they are going to pick apart that costume to make sure it’s perfect. I tore apart two dresses and sewed them together, created a staff wrapped in fabric and icicles, built a crown out of icicle ornaments and hand wove hair into the crown to make it perfect, and it all paid off! The costume was well received and people knew exactly who I was dressed as! One time I found myself at the movie premiere of The Avengers, dressed as Black Widow with all my other friends dressed as the other characters, and it was an incredible feeling watching people take pictures of and with us and celebrating our mutual love of the people we were each portraying. I knew that it would be a huge risk to do drag at the Lloyd Center Cinemas, but I’m so glad I did it because it was very well received.

All of these experiences taught me that it was okay to let my nerd flag fly. You see it may not be for everyone and that’s okay, but for me, it gives me a chance to escape, a chance to celebrate the characters that shaped my life, and to live out my dreams of pretending I was them from a very young age. I think in our current state of turmoil that I’m more focused than ever on helping bring joy to myself and others by doing what I love, and what I love is cosplay. My friends and I will keep dressing up, we will keep things nerdy and we will entertainment you.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • 21

LOCAL

Tying Up the Last Ribbon: An Interview with Jonathan Reitan

By Summer Seasons

What inspired you to start the Red Ribbon Show?

It was created after I tested HIV positive. I struggled with fear, shame and denial in my diagnosis so I wanted to create something to help combat that, and in doing so I was able to help the very community and organizations that were there for me in the beginning of my own journey with this disease.

My fundraising efforts and producing of the Red Ribbon Show were what ultimately saved my life and gave me purpose to keep going.

Who has helped you achieve success with the show?

Over the years there have been thousands of individual donors, business and community sponsors, venues, volunteers and performers—too many to list, but I hope each and every one knows that every dollar they helped raise has led to our success in touching thousands of lives.

How much money has been raised?

In the last ten years we’ve raised over $125,000 for nine different HIV/AIDS organizations in Oregon, which include HIV Alliance, Valley AIDS Info Network, Camp Starlight, Our House, Marion County Health Department, Coastal AIDS Network, Oregon AIDS Memorial, HIV Day Center, and the Tijuana AIDS Fund. Our charities for 2017 include Partnership Project, HIV Alliance, Camp Starlight and Valley AIDS Info Network. We take pride in knowing that our money has gone to benefit people all over Oregon, including most of its rural communities.

What is your favorite memory of the Red Ribbon Show?

My favorite memory is when we ask the survivors in the audience to come to the stage for a special honor. Seeing survivors walk up with the crowd cheering gives me chills and tears. A lot of the people are doing it for the first time—“coming out” as HIV positive—and this one act has greatly strengthened some of their lives. This again teaches the audience we a strong force together in ending this disease, and we are not living in fear and shame for being HIV positive. We are standing on a large stage in the spotlight, together as one. Over the years, we’ve lost some of those who have come to the stage, so we also honor them each year with a moment of silence, as well as the millions across the world who we’ve lost.

What kind of entertainment and prizes can people expect from the show?

This year’s entertainment will be top notch drag performers from across the Northwest, Seattle, San Francisco, and more.

Our silent and live auction will see donations from many area hotels, restaurants, wineries, breweries, and artists; as well as drag queen jewelry, vacation packages, and many themed gift baskets.

What’s next for you?

I met Jonathan Reitan (AKA Jonny Woof Foxx) when he ran for the position of Mr. Gay Salem 11 years ago. 10 years ago he started the Red Ribbon Show, which went on to become a massive success. Here we are 10 years later, and he’s prepared to wrap up for the final one. We sat down for an interview to talk about his journey with this event.

Give me a little background about you.

I come from a slightly conservative and religious family where I was taught about working hard for what you want in life,

“

moved to Salem at the age of 20, where I became involved in the local LGBTQ community and then later in the state-wide community.

How did you get involved in the community?

I first became involved in the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS community in high school by forming the Woodburn High School GSA and planning events as a teenager, as well as being a member of the then Basic Rights Oregon youth action team during the Measure 36 anti-gay campaign. Before I got involved with the

I struggled with fear, shame and denial in my diagnosis so I wanted to create something to help combat that, and in doing so I was able to help the very community and organizations that were there for me in the beginning of my own journey with this disease. strong morals and giving back to your community. I grew up in Woodburn Oregon and started working at a young age at my family business, the local newspaper, where I worked for over 10 years in advertising, writing and graphic design. I

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2017 2017 22 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY

Imperial Court System I joined the Salem Rainbow Youth and Capitol Pride Board of Directors, where I served as President and producer of Salem’s 30th Annual Capitol Pride Fest.

After the Red Ribbon Show is done, I will continue to serve the community as the 40th elected Emperor of the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Willamette Empire, where I’ll raise money for our chosen charities: HIV Alliance, Mano A Mano, St. Francis Shelter and Salem Rainbow Youth. After I’m completed in March, I just might find some warmer weather for a change of pace and focus on my health and enjoy “retirement.”

Any final thoughts?

I’m honored and proud of what we’ve accomplished in the last 10 years, but I’m also happy knowing that we are going to be able to end on a very high note and we’re ending in the way it needs to end. We grew from a bar to a ballroom, and now we say goodbye in a grand theater where we’ll thank and honor the hundreds of people who have been a part of our organization while welcoming the future, whatever it may hold. This event has changed the lives of hundreds who have benefited from its money and its message of hope, strength and courage. I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, every single volunteer, donor, performer and supporter who have been a part of shaping this event into what it is today.

I look forward to celebrating 10 years on September 30 in downtown Salem as we do it all one last time. People can buy tickets online at www.redribbonshow.brownpapertickets.com, or help by making a donation of any amount on our online fundraising site at www.tinyurl.com/redribbon2017, where we’ve already raised over $15,000 for this year’s charities.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • 23

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