LGBTQ Local News, Voices and Community
DEC. 10 - DEC. 23, 2021|VOL 36, NO 17
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Dec. 10-Dec. 23, 2021 Vol 36 No 17
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Writers: Joey Amato, Elizibeth kane L’Monique King, Kendra Johnson Jordan Monaghan , David Aaron Moore, Samy Nemir, Chris Rudisill Molly Sprayregen ,Trinity
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charlotteobserver.com/1166/ a local news partner of The Charlotte Observer
Restin and Luke Drawdy were a prominate couple here in the Charlotte area, in this article we disscus this tragic event.
5 Married Gay Couple Killed in Auto Accident 6 Gov. Cooper Appoints Gay Man as NCDHHS Deputy Secretary 6 Harris and Buttigieg Visit Charlotte 6 NC Slapped with a Lawsuit 7 Lambda Legal Claims Victory in Spousal Case 7 NC Lt. Gov. in Hot Water 14 Absent from Court
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Married Gay Couple Killed in Auto Accident
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Unicorn Hunters
According to a study done by Backstage Capital, less then 10% of venture capital deals go to women, people of color and LGBTQ founders. See how Unicorn Hunters plan to change that.
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Lance Bass Tell Trinity A City of Historic Color
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Moving Up From Currency to Capital
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Looking Back at 2021
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Dec. 10 -Dec. 23, 2021
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Looking Back at 2021 Political Voices
by Kendra R. Johnson, Equality NC Executive Director Contributing Writer
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s we wind down 2021 and prepare for the upcoming midterm election season, taking stock of all the things our world experienced this year is critical. After finally seeing the election of a pro-equality administration, we saw the country devolve into an insurrection at our nation’s capital. And, despite gains in recent years, there is still so much work for advocates and allies: advancing LGBTQ+ protections at the national and local levels, protecting our democracy, supporting the most vulnerable, and building our collective power. This pandemic continues to negatively impact nearly every aspect of our lives including housing security, healthcare accessibility, education, and the cost of food. Members of the LGBTQ+ community and those with multiple marginalized identities are disproportionately affected. In 2021, a record number of over 250 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced, and 25 were enacted by lawmakers across the country, largely targeting trans youth. Unsurprisingly, 2021 was the deadliest year for violence against transgender individuals and antiAsian hate crimes soared. According to the most recent data from HRC, at least 46 transgender and gender non-conforming people have been killed in the United States, the majority trans women of color. The time is now to enact comprehensive legislation protecting LGBTQ+ and BIPOC populations from discrimination so that all individuals can thrive and are safe to express their full humanity. Vitriolic attacks on school boards and educators targeting anti-racism education, LGBTQ+ students and educators, and most recently, social and emotional learning and suicide prevention grew in number and intensity this past year. It is clear these coordinated attacks, crafted to appear as though they are organically arising from grassroots parent groups, are a reaction to changing demographics and shifts in power. This political strategy is fear-based and attempts to legislate LGBTQ+ individuals out of existence. Also of concern, the Supreme Court is considering a Mississippi law prohibiting most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Early signals indicate the court may be on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade. Experts estimate that abortion could become illegal in as much as half the country, impacting reproductive freedom for millions including trans and gender non-conforming people.The court is expected to issue a ruling sometime this summer. Amidst the many challenges and pain, there is hope. NC is Ready™, a project led by Equality North Carolina and the Campaign for Southern Equality was launched at the end of 2020, after the sunset of HB 142. The project was launched
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with the intention of compelling local and national elected officials to enact proactive protections, and non-discrimination laws. A broad coalition of North Carolina’s social justice organizations, community groups, and faith organizations support these efforts. In North Carolina, over the past year, 16 municipalities enacted non-discrimination ordinances. Moving forward, we must challenge lawmakers to keep this momentum going and advance similar legislation at the state and federal level. Nationally, we saw historic wins for LGBTQ+ incumbents like Virginia House of Delegates member, Danica Roem. Additionally, we welcomed the first openly non-binary member of the US Judiciary, housing organizer and scientist, Xander Orenstein. Currently, more than 1,000 LGBTQ+ elected officials serve in a variety of public offices across the US. Many are calling the victories of these candidates and others a continuation of the ‘Rainbow Wave’ that began with unprecedented numbers of LGBTQ+ individuals entering political races around the nation. When crafting policy to lift up those at the margins, lived experience is essential and securing more positions of power for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC community members remains critical as we move into what is likely to be a contentious mid-term election season in 2022. Another bright spot included the Biden administration’s announcement to enforce federal anti-discrimination protections in healthcare for LGBTQ+ individuals based on gender identity and sexual orientation. In North Carolina, three pieces of antitrans legislation, targeting LGBTQ+ youth, were defeated. During the legislative session, four bills were introduced offering protections from discrimination including proposed legislation to prohibit discrimination regarding employment, housing, and education. Other measures proposed banning conversion therapy, prohibiting the use of the LGBTQ+ panic defense, and a full, clean repeal of HB2. We know that often, legislation must be introduced and considered on multiple occasions before it makes it to the floor for a vote. These will be critical issues in the upcoming legislative sessions. We’ve heard it many times before, but we are truly at a crossroads. The emerging national narrative presents two competing and incompatible visions for our collective future. One centers lived equality, transformative justice, celebrating the inherent genius in our LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, and the freedom to experience unfettered opportunity. The other, a far more alarming vision, advances narrowly defined rights, increasing oppression, and the concentration of power in the hands of a few. How do those of us dedicated to advancing justice and equity move our vision forward in this environment? We continue to show up, speak up, organize,and vote!: :
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Married Gay Couple Killed in Auto Accident Luke and Restin Drawdy Pronounced Dead at Scene after Collision with Impaired Driver
by David Aaron Moore qnotes Staff Writer
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prominent married gay male couple in Charlotte’s LGBTQ community died Tuesday, Nov. 23, shortly after 9:00 p.m., in a fatal car crash in the University area. Luke Drawdy, 32, and Restin Drawdy, 35, were pronounced dead at the scene by police officers who responded to an accident in the 9700 block of North Tryon Street. According to the police report, officers found the Drawdy’s 2011 Audi Q5 SUV, which had sustained heavy damage overall, stopped in the northbound lane. Both of the men in the car were killed as a result of the accident. Nearby officers found a 2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI with heavy front end damage, driven by Thomas Nix, 26. Nix was reported as having suffered minor injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police department’s major crash unit is currently investigating the crash and requesting anyone who witnessed the accident to contact authorities at 704-334-1600. Preliminary
evidence confirms that the Drawdys were attempting to turn left in the Audi onto North Tryon Street from a side entrance of the shopping center Terraces at University. At the same time Nix was traveling at a high rate of speed going southbound in the left lane on North Tryon Street. As the Drawdys attempted to turn left, their car was struck by Nix’s Volkswagen on the driver’s side. Nix has been charged with Driving While Impaired, two counts of felony Death by Motor Vehicle and Reckless Driving. Following release from a local hospital that treated Nix for injuries sustained in the accident, he was booked into the
Mecklenburg County jail at 7:18 p.m. on Thursday, November 25. He was released on $21,000 bail less than five hours later on Friday, Nov. 26 at 12:11 a.m., records indicate. Posts across multiple social media platforms in response to the tragic accident indicated that many in the LGBTQ community were both angry and deeply saddened. “Shocked is an understatement,” wrote one friend on Facebook. “I and many others are blessed to have called you friends. We love you, we miss you. We will never forget you.” Restin Drawdy and the former Luke Joiner had been together as a couple since
2013. The two were married in 2015 and Joiner took Drawdy’s last name. Luke Drawdy was an active member of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte and both had been a part of Stonewall Sports. Professionally, Luke worked in finance and Restin was a professional trainer. The two men had just sold a house they owned on State Street Nov. 14, and were excited because they had reportedly doubled the amount of money originally invested. Friends confirmed their plans to build what the Drawdys had referred to as their “dream home.” From all indications, the Drawdys were a devoted and happy couple who were wellliked and lived life to the fullest. A post dated Feb. 14, 2019, from Luke’s Instagram account and dedicated to Restin was both telling and touching: “Happy Valentine’s Day to the best man I could ask for. You make me smile when I don’t want to. No matter how bad a day I have, I know you will turn it around. It’s been a great sixplus years and almost four years married! I can’t wait to see what the rest of our lives together [has] in store for us.” A Memorial Service/Celebration of Life was held for the Drawdys at Whitley’s Funeral Home in Kannapolis, on Saturday, Dec. 4. : :
Holiday Candle Sale! “Winter White Birch”
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news Governor Cooper Appoints Gay Man as NCDHHS Deputy Secretary to Lead Department Governor Roy Cooper announced Nov. 30 that North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Mandy K. Cohen will be stepping down from the agency after five years of service to the state. Governor Cooper has appointed Kody Kinsley, current NCDHHS Chief Deputy Secretary for Health and lead for COVID-19 operations, to succeed her beginning Jan 1. Kinsley will be taking an historic step as the state’s first gay man to serve in the position. “Mandy Cohen has shown extraordinary leadership during her tenure, and she has worked every day during this pandemic to help keep North Carolinians healthy and safe,” said Governor Cooper. “We are stronger because of her efforts, and I am enormously grateful for her service. She has built a remarkable team of talented people, including Kody Kinsley. I know he will continue the strong legacy of competence, effectiveness and efficiency as he takes over as Secretary.” Kinsley is a native of Wilmington and currently serves as the Chief Deputy Secretary for Health at NCDHHS and Operations Lead for North Carolina’s COVID-19 pandemic response. During his nearly four years of service at NCDHHS, he has overseen the state’s response to the Opioid Epidemic. Increased investments in services and support for individuals with
behavioral health needs and developmental disabili ties, and has been a driving force behind the state’s COVID-19 pan demic response, including North Carolina’s vaccine distribution efforts. Kinsley re turned home to North Carolina after serving as the presiden tially appointed Assistant Secretary for Management Kody Kinsley served as Assistant Secretary for at the U.S. Department of the Management at the U.S. Department of the Treasury where he led operations Treasury during the Obama administration and finances for the cabinet-level and while Trump resided in the White House. agency, a posi tion he held during both the Obama and Trump Administrations. He has also held roles at the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A recipient of SEANC’s Unsung Hero Award and the Alexander Hamilton Award, Kinsley is also a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Brevard College in Brevard, N. C., and a Master of Public Policy from the Goldman School at the University of California at Berkeley. info: bit.ly/3pwezgJ — Jordan Monaghan
Harris and Buttigieg Visit Charlotte
Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg paid a visit to the Queen City Dec. 2, to talk about President Joe Biden’s recently passed $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure law. While White House spokesperson Jen Psaki has repeated the line time and again to reporters that current President Joe Biden plans to run again in 2024, he would be 82, which casts some doubt as to whether or not he would actually choose to follow that path when the next election rolls around. Speculation has continued to swirl that his probable successors would be Harris and/or Buttigieg. Whatever the case, the two put any potential competition aside for the visit. Vice President Harris praised the city, calling it world class, and emphasized how Biden’s trillion dollar package would be a windfall for Charlotte and other cities around the country. Said Buttigieg in an interview with local media: “North Carolina is a state that will benefit enormously from this legislation. You’ve got fast growing communities like Charlotte and surrounding areas that have enormous infrastructure needs.” North Carolina is set to receive $910 million over the next five years. Buttigieg maintains a close relationship with Vice President Harris. His husband, Chasten Buttigieg, has also developed a fast friendship with Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Harris. So far, Pete Buttigieg has not indicated he has any plans to mount a presidential election when the next term rolls around and continues to defer to Harris. Following departure from Charlotte and return to D.C., he was asked by reporters whether or not the two might run on a joint ticket. “It’s 2021. And the whole point of campaigns and elections is when they go well you get to govern. We are squarely focused on the job at hand. I am excited to be part of a team led by the president and the vice president, and I think the teamwork that got us to this point is really just beginning.” info: bit.ly/31w62BO — David Aaron Moore
North Carolina Slapped with Lawsuit over Birth Certificate Discrimination for Transgender People
The State of North Carolina is being sued for an antiquated and discriminatory policy requiring transgender people to have undergone “sex reassignment surgery” in order for them to obtain an accurate birth certificate reflecting who they are. “It’s dehumanizing and demoralizing being denied a birth certificate that reflects who I am,” says plaintiff Lillith Campos, a transgender woman who lives in Jacksonville, N. C., where she serves as the Vice Chair at the Onslow County LGBTQ Community Center. “I cannot afford surgery and do not have access to surgery through my health insurance. It is wrong for North Carolina to require that I obtain surgery in order for them to recognize me as the woman I am. As a trans woman, having incorrect documentation makes me feel like a second-class citizen because I am denied the same rights as the rest of the population. It just makes me feel like I am ‘less than’ before the eyes of the state.” The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina by Lambda Legal and a legal team on behalf of three plaintiffs: Lillith Campos, who is an adult, and two minor teenagers, C.B., through his parent Shelley K. Bunting; and M.D., through her parent Katheryn Jenifer. Campos, C.B. and M.D. were all born in North Carolina but are unable to obtain a birth certificate accurately reflecting their identity due to the state’s surgical requirement. “Birth certificates are essential and foundational identity documents critical for people navigating life. North Carolina’s policy explicitly requiring transgender people have surgery to affirm their identity is not only discriminatory but arbitrary and inconsistent with standard medical practice. This discriminatory requirement presents a significant barrier,
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Vice President Kamala Harris, along with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, NC Governor Roy Cooper, Representative Alma Adams and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles talk with CATS representatives about a new electric city bus.
sometimes insurmount able, to many transgender people, particularly those who may not be able to afford gender confirmation surgery, or who may not want or need it,” said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Senior Attorney and Health Care Strategist at Lambda Legal. “North Carolina is out of step with the rest of America and trails behind the majority of states that permit transgender persons to correct the : ‘It’s dehumanizing and sex designation on their birth certificates withdemoralizing.’ says plaintiff Lillith out a surgical require ment.” Campos, a transgender woman The lawsuit argues that denying transgenwho lives in Jacksonville, North der North Carolinians the ability to obtain acCarolina. curate birth certificates unless they undergo ”sex reassignment surgery” discriminates against them on the basis of sex and transgender status, invades their privacy, and violates their rights to liberty and medical autonomy. In addition, the lawsuit argues that forcing transgender people to hold essential documentation with an inaccurate sex designation infringes on their free speech under the First Amendment, and also prevents transgender people from accurately expressing their gender identity. North Carolina’s surgical requirement also stands in contrast to North Carolina’s own policy permitting transgender persons to correct the sex designation on their driver’s licenses and state identification cards to accurately reflect their sex, consistent with their gender identity, without any requirement that they undergo surgical procedures. In addition to Lambda Legal, the team of attorneys representing the plaintiffs include Baker Botts LLP and Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP. info: bit.ly/3G5ZKYO — Samy Nemir
news Lambda Legal Claims Victory in Spousal Benefits Cases
Lambda Legal has claimed victory in multiple class action lawsuits on behalf of surviving same-sex partners and spouses across the country who were denied Social Security survivor’s benefits because they were unable to be married for at least nine months before their partners and spouses died because of discriminatory state marriage laws. As of Nov. 1, the Social Security Administration has dropped appeals on all rulings and is now processing survivor’s benefits claims for all surviving same-sex partners and spouses who were barred from marriage, regardless of whether they had applied for those benefits at any point in the past. That decision is now having an impact on a 77-year-old Hendersonville, N. C. gay man, Frederick Colosimo, who was in a 43year committed relationship with his husband, Harvey Lucas. Colosimo is now receiving Suvivor’s Benefits payments from the federal government. Filed in 2019, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina argued that the SSA’s imposition of a nine-month marriage requirement for Social Security survivor’s benefits is unconstitutional in a place where same-sex couples were not able to be married for nine months because of discriminatory marriage laws. Colosimo and Lucas traveled from North Carolina to New Jersey in November 2013 to get married – two weeks after that state’s ban was struck down – because North Carolina would not let them marry. Regrettably, Lucas died in June 2014, just seven months later. “This lawsuit is the fourth Lambda Legal joined against Social Security, including lawsuits filed in Washington, Arizona and New Mexico,” said Lambda Legal Senior Advisor Tara Boreli. “In all the cases, there is no question that these couples were in committed relationships and married or would have married as soon as possible.” “I met Harvey in 1971 in Florida,” Colosimo recalled. “Friends had invited me down because they thought we would like each other. They were right: It was love at first sight. We eventually moved in together, established a joint checking account, named each other as our beneficiaries, and cared for each other when sick – basically, all the things that committed couples do. And when Harvey got sick in 2004, I took early retirement and became his full-time caregiver. There was never any question, so I did what had to be done. Harvey was my love, my balance and my life. Losing Harvey was hard enough. But having Social Security
NC Lt. Gov. in Hot Water Again: Mark Robinson Caught on Video Berating Democratic State Senator Julie Mayfield for Calling Out His Hateful Words
Anti-LGBTQ North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) allegedly wagged his finger in the face of a state lawmaker who made a speech about supporting LGBTQ people, yelling at her for “equating Black people with gay people.” “It was a rant. He berated her, and he yelled as loudly as he could,” said state Sen. Natasha Marcus (D), who witnessed the confrontation. State Sen. Julie Mayfield (D) gave a speech in the North Carolina Senate Monday, Nov. 29, condemning anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and expressing the need for politicians to represent everyone, Raleigh’s News & Observer reported. She did not, however, mention Robinson explicitly. “We have a responsibility to serve all of our constituents, not just those who look like us, or think like us, or who worship in the same church as us,” Mayfield said. “We are here to serve everyone…even if they love differently from us.” “It is convenient fiction that we can say something in a particular forum and not expect
tell me I don’t qualify for Harvey’s benefits because we were blocked from marrying feels like adding insult to injury.” Colosimo and Lucas were in a committed relationship from 1971 until Lucas died in 2014. After Lucas became ill, they divided their time between North Carolina and South Carolina, where a number of Lucas’ doctors were located. Both U.S. military veterans, Colosimo was a longtime employee of the U.S. Postal Service, and Lucas worked for MartinMarietta Corporation [later, Lockheed Martin]. Lucas was diagnosed with heart disease in 2004, and Colosimo took early retirement to become his full-time caregiver. In the ensuing 10 years, Lucas was in and out of hospitals until he died in 2014 of cancer. In the midst of this struggle, Lucas and Colosimo managed to travel to New Jersey in November 2013 to get married. “Same-sex couples who weren’t able to marry for most of their relationship faced discrimination throughout their lives, and surviving spouses like Fred face[d] it all over again, after their loved one died,” said Borelli. “These benefits are no less essential to the financial security of surviving same-sex spouses in their retirement years than to heterosexual surviving spouses.” For Colosimo the battle may have been an uphill fight, but he insists it was worth the effort. “I’m just so glad we finally got here,” he says. Colosimo v. Berryhill is the fourth lawsuit filed challenging Social Security’s requirement that couples be married for at least nine months to qualify for survivor’s benefits. To determine if you may qualify for benefits, consider these circumstances: If you would have been married to your same-sex partner for at least nine months before their death but were never able to marry because of discriminatory marriage laws where you lived. If you married your same-sex spouse, but were unable to be married for at least nine months before your spouse’s death because of discriminatory marriage laws where you lived. If you have reviewed the FAQ that applies to your situation and you still have additional questions, please click here to submit an inquiry to Lambda Legal’s Help Desk and a representative will be in contact with you. info: bit.ly/2ZSZIUA — qnotes Staff
to be held accountable for those words in another,” she said. That may have been a reference to Robinson, who has made most of his anti-LGBTQ comments in churches. “We are elected officials. And if we can’t respect our constituents rather than viciously attack some of them, then maybe we’re in the wrong job.” She ended her speech saying, “I stand in solidarity with LGBTQ North Carolinians.” Robinson – who has called LGBTQ people “filth,” compared gay people to cow dung, and repeatedly disparaged the trans community – approached Mayfield in the hallway after the speech. Both Mayfield and Marcus, who was present for the confrontation, said Robinson started yelling at Mayfield and wagging his finger in her face. “Sen. Mayfield’s remarks speak what’s in the hearts of most North Carolinians, and the fact that it set the lieutenant governor off that much is shocking to me,” Marcus said. During the confrontation, Robinson reportedly told her he didn’t like her “equating Black people with gay people” since she opened her speech by talking about the ceremony for the victims of lynching. Marcus only recorded the tail end of the conversation, which she posted to social media. In the video, Robinson says, “Next time, before you get ready to say something on that floor, come see me,” before turning around and storming off. In the speech, Mayfield said that she attended a ceremony to honor three victims of lynching in the state, and she said that it reminded her that elected officials “have a responsibility to serve all of our constituents, not just those who look like us, or think like us, or who worship in the same church as us. We are here to serve everyone…even if they love differently from us.” info: bit.ly/3EzuzEQ — Molly Sprayregen
Dec. 10 -Dec. 23, 2021
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Moving Up
A Fireside Chat with Dianna Ward and Ra’Shawn D. Flournoy by Chris Rudisill qnotes Contributor
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n March 2021, Qnotes launched Stories of Black LGBTQ Resilience and Economic Mobility, supported by Solutions Journalism Network. The project sought to connect responses to economic security and upward mobility to the lives and future of Black LGBTQ people. Multiple reports show that Black LGBTQ people face stark disparities in economic security and upward mobility, and these have only been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This urgent problem has created the prevalence of increased research and the launch of innovative responses by grassroots organizations, individuals and communities to improve outcomes for those at the intersection of two marginalized identities. Qnotes’ reporters have investigated responses and found solutions that can impact future efforts. From access to healthcare for Black transgender women in Nevada to a housing initiative that raised $3 million in Atlanta, the story of Poor No More and founder Jermaine Nakia Lee to food truck entrepreneurs. Most recently, on November 18, Qnotes hosted a fireside chat with Bishop Ra’Shawn D. Flournoy and Dianna Ward in front of a live audience. The event was held at Sacred Souls Community Church in Charlotte. The Guests Ward and Flournoy have created their own economic mobility success stories, and are now helping to shape and inspire the future of Charlotte for generations. Publisher Jim Yarbrough welcomed a small group of community members, socially distanced and masked, while a local caterer started setting up food in the church’s community room. Flournoy grew up in Spartanburg, S.C. Seeking bigger and better things, he moved to Charlotte to become a pastor and start his own church. He learned about hard work from his mother. “My mom was an executive at BMW,” said Flournoy during the event. “The day the doors opened up at BMW, she was there.” After moving to Charlotte, he gained
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professional success in the nonprofit world and had a good job as the Ryan White Director at the CW Williams Community Health Center. But, on a leap of faith, he left his secure job to support his husband Justin’s dream of opening up a hair salon. They didn’t have a plan. “All we had was a couple of checks worth of stuff to make things happen,” he said. Flournoy described it has one of the hardest things they have ever done. No one tells you that it takes time to build a business. It takes a lot of money to build a business. The two ended up losing everything and ended up living in the salon before eventually losing the building. After a series of struggles, they started their own credit repair business. “We started helping thousands of customers,” said Flournoy. According to his website, Flournoy has been able to leverage this pioneering vision and instinct that helped him and his husband survive into serving others in areas extending beyond the church and into the marketplace. Today, they provide small business funding, up to $5 million for small business. “We do millions of dollars a month in funding,” he said. “We refuse to go back.” As a visionary leader, Flournoy encourages people to think differently, and
progressively, so they can create more meaningful life experiences. Each year, he helps underserved communities through Dream Center Charlotte as well, where he also serves as executive director. The nonprofit is volunteer driven and provides mobile hunger relief, medical programs, youth programs, narcotics anonymous, job and life skills training, counseling, education, HIV/STD testing and more. Flournoy has been featured on CNN, Fox News, CBS News, NBC News and Yahoo Finance, and the couple have provided mini grants to nonprofits through the Flournoy Enterprise, LLC. Born in New Mexico, Ward is the third of five children. After holding down several corporate jobs, including in banking, she launched her first business venture, Charlotte NC Tours, in 2009. “I think I’m just my parents kid,” said Ward. “They poured a lot into us, and one of the things they didn’t do was tell us what we had to be.” Early on, she knew she wanted to be an investor. “Nobody in my household was interested in investing, but I started reading up on investing and in eighth or ninth grade, I was like ‘Hey, let me,” she recalled. That early start brought out something special in Ward – something that would guide her into the future.
In 2012, Charlotte Center City Partners tapped Ward to run its bike-sharing program and she is now the executive director of Charlotte Joy Bikes, along with Segway tour operations in Charlotte, Greenville, S.C., Chattanooga, Tenn. and Kansas City, Mo. After selling a bike-share business in New Orleans to Uber, she used the money to launch Sankofa Partners, LLC, along with two of her friends. Sankofa Partners purchased a commercial building in the Five Points area of Historic West End and Ward is now one of the most recognizable leaders in Charlotte working to create generational wealth and spark future investment in the area. In the Room “It was bike share that got me into the rooms with the people who then helped me,” said Ward. Well-known in banking circles, she wasn’t in the right circles to start investing in commercial real estate. “Moving on to run bike share got me in the room with every leader in this city. It got me in the room with all the CEOs in this city.” Ward’s personality made the difference. “I was not some shrinking violet accepting my tiny little place in this world,” she said. “That’s how I’ve kind of gone through life. I don’t care what your position is, there’s a reason we’re both in this room together right now, and we need to make sure that we know one another.” Flournoy and Ward enjoyed a warm conversation that led to some inspirational moments with members of the audience, seeking their own business advice. Following the event, people shared their own personal economic mobility stories in a video room where Bobby Kerns captured these individual interviews. “In the African American community, we end up swallowing ourselves versus just having a conversation and saying, ‘Hey, help me. I’m an aspiring this, or I’m an aspiring that. I need you to help me,’” reflected Flournoy during the event. “I’m thankful for a platform like this to be able to share stories like this.” To view the conversation with Flournoy and Ward and to watch individual interviews from the event, visit qnotescarolinas.com/features/. : :
Thank you to the Charlotte LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce for awarding Dudley’s Place the
DUDLEYSPLACE.ORG
Life Plan Living 101 BRUNCH & LEARN FRIDAY, JANUARY 7 | 11AM The best way to evaluate a community is to meet it in person. At this small boutique brunch event, you’ll get the inside scoop on Aldersgate’s Life Plan Community and tips on how to make a successful move. Learn what everyday life is like on our campus and ask questions! READY TO MAKE A MOVE? Take possession of a clever-value apartment by December 31, 2021, and receive 10% off your entrance fee. Call for details. To RSVP, learn about more events or schedule a tour, call (704) 318-2018 or visit AldersgateLiving.org. 3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215
Dec. 10 -Dec. 23, 2021
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From Currency to Capital
How Some Black LGBTQ Communities Invest and Build Wealth BY L’MONIQUE KING QNOTES STAFF WRITER
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wo hundred years ago most Black individuals residing in the United States were slaves: bought, sold and used as currency. It was Jan. 1, 1863, when the Emancipation Proclamation made humans owning other humans illegal and began the process of ending chattel slavery across the country. In effect – Black people in America have since gone from being currency, to turning their earned money into capital by investing in stocks, bonds and small businesses. The idea of economic mobility isn’t new for Black folks. In fact, there was a time, particularly during the era of segregation, that Black Americans had no choice but to build and invest in our own communities. Communities like the Greenwood area in Tulsa, Okla. and Parish Steet in Durham, N.C. were both areas of distinction and influence and both known as Black Wall Streets. According to history.com, the largest number of Black townships after the Civil War were in Oklahoma. Between 1865 and 1920, African Americans founded dozens of Black townships and settlements in the region. The Greenwood area was the first. In 1906 O.W. Gurley, a wealthy Black landowner, purchased 40 acres of land in Tulsa, naming it Greenwood after the town in Mississippi. Restaurants, hotels, luxury shops, pool halls, barber shops, salons, nightclubs and offices for lawyers, dentists and doctors could all be found on Tulsa’s Greenwood Avenue. But the area was also home to less affluent African-Americans, as well. A significant number still worked as janitors, dishwashers, porters and domestics. The money they earned outside of Greenwood, however, was largely spent within their own community. “It is said within Greenwood every dollar would change hands 19 times before it left the community,” said Michelle Place, executive director of the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum. As you might imagine, the investing this community and others like it were involved in at the time was often community driven. That is to say, it wasn’t all about banks and businesses, it was also about people investing in the empowerment of their people. Sadly, however, this wasn’t championed by everyone. It wasn’t long before Tulsa’s community of affluent African-Americans attracted the attention of local white residents, who resented the upscale lifestyle of people they deemed to be an inferior race. This resentment would eventually lead to what is now known as The Tulsa Race Massacre or Tulsa Race Riots. During the massacre, scores of Black lives were lost while white Tulsa residents burned and destroyed property worth millions of dollars. No assistance in rebuilding was received from the city, though Greenwood residents, with the help of the NAACP, other Black townships and Black churches, really tried. Today, what’s left of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street area pales in comparison to what it once was.
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Dianna Ward Photo: Thai A similar story can be told about Durham’s Black Wall Street area. The fourblock area of Parish Street in Durham was once a bustling area for Black business and Black economic empowerment. In the early 1900s, Durham’s national success was said to have been due to this [former] hub for Black business and the Black middle-class. N.C. Mutual Life Insurance Co. and Mechanics & Farmers Bank were among those businesses – successes that were also celebrated by well-known authors like Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. By the 1960s desegregation and eventual gentrification brought about the regrettable demise of Durham’s Black Wall Street, though the influence still remains. Today, however, when Black Americans are not purely restricted to patronizing Black-owned businesses as a result of segregation, Black folks investing for their families and in their communities looks a little different. Many invest in their families and communities via owning and operating their own businesses. Bloomburg.com reports that after suffering a crippling blow early in the pandemic, Black-owned firms are seeing
One of Dianna Ward’s investment properties before
the strongest rebound among U.S. racial or ethnic groups. The number of AfricanAmerican business owners in operation surged to almost 1.5 million in August of 2021, up 38% from February 2020, before COVID-19 hit the United States, according to new research from Robert Fairlie, a professor at University of California, Santa Cruz. The ranks of Hispanic owners rose by 15% in the same period, while White and Asian entrepreneurs fell by three percent and two percent, respectively. For others seeking to invest outside of owning a business, information on investing is more accessible than in days past. With the advent and popularity of apps like Acorn and Robinhood investing has become less scary and more tangible for African Americans. Charlottean and local business owner Dianna Ward has found great success in a hybrid of investing. Beginning with mutual funds as a middle schooler to arriving where she is today: owning multiple properties, both private and commercial, and continuing to invest in stocks and community. Clearly, Ward is an entrepreneurial force to be reckoned with.
One of Dianna Ward’s investment properties after
She has lived in Charlotte since 2001 and is the owner of Charlotte NC Tours LLC. Her company provides Segways, bikes, buses, walking tours and team building activities for groups and organizations. In discussing her journey of Black economic mobility, she shared her experiences and a few suggestions. “I started investing when I was in middle school. It was nothing big; we had a church member who sold mutual funds, and so I invested in a mutual fund out of Kansas City, Miss. – every month I invested $25 in that mutual fund. “We were middle class, we were not rich. Many of the good things that helped me to become who I am were in church. In church, I was introduced to people who opened my world. These people opened my mind to something that I didn’t have to wait to become an adult to understand. I learned about financial investing, golfing and other things.” While pondering the state of Black economic mobility, Ward lamented that she’s not a financial advisor, but believes anyone working at a company willing to match a 401K by a percentage should acquire one. “Everybody should be maxing out their 401K and contributing the maximum amount, especially if your company is going to match your contribution.” Regarding property ownership, Ward continued, “Many times in our efforts to get away from urban areas, we move to areas where our properties don’t appreciate. People need to be looking for their primary residence to be appreciating. I’ve made money off every house I’ve purchased, and I’m now on the sixth house. Every one of my homes has appreciated at least 50%. We kept them for the mandatory two years so that we wouldn’t have to pay capital gains.” With all of Ward’s success, she was vehement in expressing that she hasn’t found success solitarily. “Everything that I’ve done was a matter of great partnerships. There are very doable things that everyone should be able to do to increase their net worth and in the process of doing, make sure that you’re also doing good, investing in the community, investing in yourself. More than anything, we need to do the small things first.” Those small things Ward spoke of begin with sharing information, “If you know something share it.” As the country grapples with an affordable housing crisis, there’s an even larger issue of closing the gap in homeownership rates among Black Americans. “People are waking up to how we got to this point. They’re learning about redlining and deedrestricted covenants, things that made it impossible for Black families to own homes,” says Dr. Tiffany Manuel, founder of TheCaseMade, a social justice leadership training organization. A report by the Urban Institute shed additional light on the inequities of residential property ownership today. Whereas redlining and deed-restricted covenants may be a thing of the past, “Since the 2008 financial crisis, the Black homeownership rate has fallen behind; and the gap between Black and white homeownership is now wider than it was more than 50 years ago. The
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U.S. Census Bureau reports: As of the first quarter of 2021, the homeownership rate of non-Hispanic white households was 73.8%. This stands in stark contrast to the 45.1% for Black households. The Biden administration has outlined numerous plans to close the racial wealth gap and invest in communities that have been the target of racist policies or were collateral damage in a system that was designed to segregate people by skin color. Some of these plans include addressing appraisal bias, which is the practice of valuing Black-owned homes or homes in predominantly Black communities lower than white-owned homes of otherwise equal characteristics. Homeownership builds wealth. The perpetrators of the Tulsa Massacre knew that, red liners knew it and apparently so does the Biden administration. Because of discriminatory laws of the past, many of today’s Black homebuyers are first generation homebuyers. President Biden’s Neighborhood Homes Investment Act aims to increase housing supply, refurbish outdated housing and offer down-payment assistance for first-generation homeowners. It is designed to assist first-time homebuyers and homeowners in neglected or outdated communities to increase their home values. Sybil Ingram, an entrepreneur who lives in Rock Hill, S.C. with her partner Thai, said she knows some things about home ownership and increasing property values. Despite all the odds against a Black and lesbian woman, Ingram has found economic mobility in property ownership. Currently she owns three houses, one which she lives in, and two empty lots she plans to build on. She purchased her first house back in the ‘90s and spoke a little about her shifting mentality towards home ownership. “Being a homeowner was part of the American dream I was bred into; my parents instilled that into me, but my parents didn’t look at a house as investment property. They looked at it as a way of raising a family. So when I initially purchased, I looked at home ownership the same way. As I began to have children, home ownership seemed like a natural progression – but because my father was in home improvement, I looked at it a little differently than my parents. My daddy fixed homes for people, but never thought, ‘I’m gonna buy this house and sell it.’” For Ingram, “Purchasing property for investment purposes – means having assets and using them to propel you [forward] financially and hopefully set you up for future financial growth. “When you don’t look at owning a home as an investment, it is a liability. It takes you
Unicorn Hunters
New series creates access for LGBTQ investment by Chris Rudisill qnotes Contributor
A Sybil Ingram Photo CREDIT: Michael Hernandez 30 years to pay a mortgage that is probably 30% to 60% of your income every month. So, when you look at it as an investment, you look at ways to improve it to make it worth more than it was. “When you do nothing but pay a mortgage, all you end up with is money going out of your salary every month with nothing coming in to offset that. So, what I have done is gone out and invested in properties that I can make money from, whether that means fixing it up or renting it out. Now, the land I currently own is a liability at the moment because I haven’t developed it yet and still have to pay out for the upkeep. When I develop it or sell it, that’s when it becomes an asset.” With the support of her partner, Ingram is in the midst of flipping her first house, a property in Columbia, S.C. “And I’m not the average flipper, I’m over 50 and just flipping my first house, slow and steady because I care about maintaining the integrity of the house. I’m paying homage to the Black female professional who lived there for over 30 years by keeping the original structure and painting it red. She enjoyed red wine, and it’s also a favorite color for us both. So, it’s never too late to start investing in your dreams. For Ingram, property ownership coupled with a retirement nest egg from working with the same company for over three decades has led to economic mobility. At the end of the day, one thing is clear, Black economic mobility sought through the conduit of investing takes thought, time and collaboration. : : -
ccording to Backstage Capital, less than 10% of all venture capital deals go to women, people of color and LGBTQ founders. A crunchbase study found that since 2015, $15 billion has been raised by Black and Latino founders, representing just 2.4% of the total venture capital raised over time. The investment company was founded by Arlan Hamilton in 2015 who built a venture capital fund from the ground up, while experiencing homelessness. She is the first Black, queer woman to build a venture capital fund in the United States. Since 2015, Backstage has invested more than $15 million into more than 180 startups led by underestimated founders. A new business series hopes to make access to wealth for historically marginalized communities in the field more widespread. “Unicorn Hunters,” which released its first episode on May 10, 2021, combines entertainment with the potential for consumers to back select pre-IPO investment opportunities. It also provides an opportunity to invest in companies that might not have an opportunity to pitch their ideas. The show has already amassed more than 14.5 million viewers around the world and received more than $50 million in equity requests for featured companies. The series was launched by TransparentBusiness and reality TV icon Craig Plestis (“The Masked Singer,” “I Can See Your Voice”) and includes some major names in its “Circle of Money” – the name
for its panel of entrepreneurs and business titans. One of the series co-stars and co-executive producers is Moe Vela, the former Director of Administration to President Joe Biden (during his term as Vice President). Vela made history by being the first Latino American and LGBTQ American to serve twice in a senior executive role in the White House. He is the current CEO and President of Washington, D.C.-based global consulting firm, The Vela Group, and is the author of “Little Secret. Big Dreams.” He is one of two LGBTQ panelists on the show, along with singer/actor and entrepreneur Lance Bass. qnotes spoke with Vela recently about the show. “For me, this was a continuation of my life and career of advocacy for marginal-
ized communities,” says Vela. When he saw the alarming statistics about minority communities in venture capital, he wasn’t surprised but wanted to help provide a platform for change. The show’s creators came up with the idea to democratize access to wealth groups. “If you can’t participate in the preIPO investment ecosystem, we’re going to have a world where the poor just stay poor,” he says.
see page 18 for continuation
Unicorn Hunters combines entertainment and the democratization of wealth in new online business series. Courtesy of Unicorn Hunters
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Greg London is Betty Jean Baker Carolina Born and Bred Actor Tackles Drag Character Through Social Media
BY DAVID AARON MOORE QNOTES STAFF WRITER
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reg London is a man of many talents. As an actor, singer and occasional dancer, he has worked in Shakespearean theater in New York and travelled the globe while appearing in stage presentations of the Broadway shows “Hairspray,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Sound of Music,” “Annie” and “West Side Story,” among others. Now he’s trying something a little different and in an alternative medium: social media. To be more specific, we’re talking YouTube and TikTok and comedic drag queen cooking clips, called “The Betty Jean Baker Show,” with a character, Betty Jean, named after his mother and inspired by a few significant TV personalities and southern Carolina women who shaped his life while growing up. “I grew up in Charleston and Kershaw, S.C.,” says London. Although Kershaw is not considered part of the Charlotte Metro region, it is just a stone’s throw away. It’s 60 miles from Charlotte and plenty of Kershaw residents make the trek to the Queen City for work, shopping and entertainment. “I remember coming to Charlotte when I was much younger,” says London. “Compared to a tiny little place like Kershaw, Charlotte was pretty cool.” London had a lifetime of experiences ahead of him when, as a young gay man, he would venture into Charlotte and visit gay and gay-friendly clubs like Scorpio and Pterodactyl. It was at Scorpio where he was first exposed to Charlotte’s specific brand of drag entertainment at the time. “My knowledge of drag culture started with Charlotte queens at Scorpio,” he
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reminisces. “They were all such legends back in the day – Boom Boom Latour, Tracy Morgan, Grand Prix.” But drag queens weren’t all he found at the club on Freedom Drive, which has been in operation now for over 50 years. “My first night out at Scorpio back in the 1980s, I walked into the bar thinking I would never see anybody from Kershaw, but there were seven people [I knew]. I thought we must be doing something right down in Kershaw ‘cuz we were turning ‘em out like crazy.” Fast forward to 2021 and London is living and working in the Myrtle Beach and Conway, S.C. area. He’s the founder and executive director of Myrtle Beach’s newest non-profit and professional theater company, Long Beach Theatre, which has staged original presentations and classic Broadway shows such as “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Forever Plaid,” “Ring Them Bells,” “Godspell” and more. To date, he’s appeared in 14 episodes of “The Betty Jean Baker Show,” which you can stream on YouTube and TikTok (there are a number of short outtakes and bloopers on the latter not available on YouTube). London even has a website for the venture, available to explore here (https://www.thebettyjeanbakershow.com/). London explains the method behind the madness that led him to create “The Betty Jean Baker Show,” which features the six-foot-four man dressed as a southern queen, generally sporting a blond Loni Anderson wig and any number of costumes ranging from a standard Julia Child blue cooking dress to various floral prints he admits he picks up at Dillard’s for an authentic “southern woman” look. The focus of the show is storytelling and southern cooking. And the food is no joke, either. London confirms he enjoys spending time in the kitchen and hopes viewers will get a good laugh, while trying their hand at some of the delectables Betty Jean has to offer, like Meatloaf Wellington, Dragzilla Extravaganza Macaroni and Cheese, Brown Butter Peach Cobbler, Betty Jean’s Pimento Cheese and a fried chicken biscuit with bacon and hot honey mustard. “I guess how it all happened, and this is how I write so many of my plays, I woke up in the middle of the night and said out loud, ‘Betty Jean Baker.’ I thought to myself what am I doing with this, where am I going? “Then I thought I would love to do a character that is
based on all of the women I knew growing up. I was raised primarily by southern women. I never knew a father and I was raised by all these crazy southern women. They were loud, obnoxious, hilarious and irreverent southern women. All of my life was spent standing with them in the kitchen.” When prompted, London admits various sides to his Betty Jean character include an inspired blending of all the good parts of television personalities like Julia Child, Paula Dean and even a bit of Tammy Faye Bakker. Along with the golden fried goodness of Betty Jean and her various edible items comes the stories she shares, which roll off London’s tongue like fastpaced improvisational theater. “I’d say 90 percent of the stories I tell are absolutely real,” London chuckles. “I’ve even had cousins reach out to me and say, ‘I can’t believe you told that story, it’s so hilarious.’ They may have been based on my cousin Becky or my cousin Sherry, I usually change the names, but they’re absolutely real stories and most of them are my family. “I don’t script anything. I don’t even know what I’m going to say when I start cooking on these shows, but I do know I wanted to be a drag queen storyteller that made really good food. “Sometimes I get so engrossed in the story. I have a little mini crew, a camera crew [with] my friend Silas and my friend Tilman and I have them remind me to keep cooking because I will just lean over and start talking to the camera, and they’re like, ‘Hey, hey, it’s a cooking show,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, let me put some ingredients in here.’” While the program has evolved, so has London’s approach and Betty Jean’s look. “I’ve tried to play with the format. I obsessively watch cooking shows. I really like Claire Saffitz, an angry little cook that was with “Bon Appetit.” She’s not afraid to fail. And I stole that from her. It’s okay to do something wrong in front of people. You don’t see that with the Martha Stewarts of the world. Martha would never turn the
blender on and have flour shooting up everywhere because she’s working with a different food processor. This is real, and I like to keep it that way.” As for the changing look, says London: “It’s been a brand new journey for me, and I’m not sure I have landed on it just yet. The wigs changed because I started cutting [the main one], and I absolutely fucking ruined it <laughs>, because it just kept getting shorter and shorter and shorter! I want to get back to the Julia Child or the Paula Dean look. I really want that helmet hair look, but I think I finally shot myself in the foot because I was contacted by ‘Chopped’ on the Food Network, and they wanted to do a drag cooking show. Nothing ever happened with it, so now I’m thinking I should’ve simplified. I think my brand got fuzzy and I kind of lost who [Betty Jean] was. London’s mother, who’s soon to turn 80, was surprisingly receptive to her son’s idea to name the character after her. “Betty Jean is my mother’s name,” London explains. “[One of] my grandmothers’ maiden name was Baker. When I came up with the idea, I called my mother and asked her how she would feel about me doing a drag character named Betty Jean Baker. She said, ‘You’re
going to use my name?’ I told her yes, and she said, ‘I love it!’” London admits he had reservations about the way he expected some friends and family would respond to Betty Jean. “I thought the world would accept it so differently than it has, but maybe that’s because of the way I grew up. I thought some members of my family might be a bit perturbed. I thought some of the redneckiest and trashiest people would say, ‘Oh my God it’s Greg, he’s a fag and he’s wearing a dress.’ Instead, they messaged me and said, ‘It’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,’ and ‘You’re telling Kershaw stories.’” London says response has been so positive, he’s even had friends and acquaintances share other quirky stories about Kershaw he hopes to incorporate in future episodes. As a reader, you’ve just been fed the crash course on the Betty Jean Baker Show, and the man who created and channels the character. But there’s been a lot of living between the time Greg London left Kershaw and returned to South Carolina and the place he is today – both personally and professionally. “I lived in and out of New York for the last 30 years,” he says. There are parts of that journey he recalls with a slightly bittersweet edge. “On one of my moves back to New
York, I had a very tragic auditioning season,” he laughs. “It felt like nobody liked me and everybody hated me and I was about to give up. I wanted to come home for a visit. It was all so tragic! [If there was] a movie version of this whole moment – but this is actually true – I was late to the train station because of the subway, and I missed my train. I was taking the train to go visit my family in South Carolina from New York and I didn’t have any more money, and they wouldn’t refund my ticket. “So I’m at Penn Station in New York, devastated, not knowing what to do. I had a dollar twenty-five left to my name. I’m standing at the Dunkin’ Donuts eating a stale bagel that I bought and ‘Blue Christmas’ starts playing on the radio. Then one of the Christmas decorations falls off the ceiling and hits me in the face! “I thought, I hate New York. Everything about this is a sign that I have to go home, so I called my best friend and she said, ‘I’m buying you a ticket, go to LaGuardia. Just get there, and come home immediately.’ “So I did. I went home and when I got to her house I got a phone call saying that a company wanted to cast me as Edna Turnblad in the traveling version of Hairspray. It was a national tour and that was a big shock to me because I had never really done drag before, except like most gay men, at an occasional party here and there. I didn’t really have any experience. “I even told them that when I auditioned. I said I can’t do that, I’m six-foot-
four. And they said, ‘Oh well, Harvey Fierstein is six-foot-three! So I did it, I took the part and my version of EdnaTurnblad was a nod to my mother and a mix of Ethel Merman.” But the whirlwind journey didn’t stop there for London. Not long after, he was offered the role of Daddy Warbucks in “Annie” and Admiral Von Schreiber in “The Sound of Music.” “Out of them all I picked the one that sounded the most fun. And I did the Hairspray tour for a year, moved back to Myrtle Beach for a year and then returned to the role of Edna in Hairspray for another year-long tour that later took me to China, Japan and Korea.” Along the way there was college and a later return to school for a Master’s in Contemporary Theater, as well as stints spent teaching and roles in multiple plays too numerous to cover here. Now in his 50s, London seems happy to be where he is with Long Bay Theatre and Betty Jean, and the Carolinas are lucky to have a versatile talent so eager to entertain. If you’re up to date on all the latest episodes of “The Betty Jean Baker Show,” the next one hits the small screen on YouTube and TikTok just before the Christmas holiday. Moving forward, London says he expects to continue refining the series and release a new installment each month. : :
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Absent from Court: Where are the Tenants Who Miss Their Eviction Hearings?
A missed eviction hearing results in an automatic eviction for renters. Many tenants in Mecklenburg County and the United States are evicted for this reason. BY LIZZIE KANE |CHARLOTTE JOURNALISM COLLABORATIVE
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n a recent day at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse, people milled about the hallway, waiting for eviction hearings to start. Later, in a courtroom, a magistrate called a list of 10 names, answered only by silence. These were the names of tenants who were supposed to be in court that morning; they had not shown up. Denise Chapman, 51, who requested to use her middle name, is a tenant who decided to skip her eviction hearing. “I ain’t going to court because they won’t give us a place to stay,” Chapman said. “I am not saying you should take responsibility for me and my kids, but what I am saying is that there has got to be some more empathy in you.” After being homeless for seven years with her kids and grandkids, Chapman found a stable source of income through cooking and eventually started her own food truck business, but the pandemic shut it down. She is now behind about $16,000 in rent. She reached out to RAMP CLT — the organization in charge of doling Bags and belongings lined the walls in Mrs. Chapman’s north Charlotte apartment, which is in the out rental and mortgage assistance in process of being packed up in preparation for her forced eviction. Wednesday, November 10th, Mecklenburg County — for help, but said 2021. Charlotte, NC. Photo: Grant Baldwin / Charlotte Journalism Collaborative that she has gotten no response. Chapman’s story is not unique. This is the reality for tenants in Mecklenburg federal eviction moratorium on August 26, tor of the Greater Charlotte Apartment County and throughout the United States. more renters have been at risk of eviction, Association. Additionally, the courts are Many renters facing eviction do not apalthough eviction filings are still below still hearing fewer cases per day than pear in court for their hearings, which then historical levels. The CDC moratorium was before the pandemic to limit the number leads to a default judgment: an automatic put in place to limit overcrowding and of people in a courtroom, a precaution in eviction. In North Carolina, renters can be prevent more people from experiencing place due to COVID-19. locked out of their homes in a matter of homelessness as COVID-19 was spreading. Those facing eviction are more likely weeks if they do not appear in court. With a shortage of rental properties and to be women and racial minorities, as Reasons abound for absent tenants prices spiking for units around the counthey have been disproportionately imThere are numerous reasons as to try, tenants do not have many options for pacted economically by the pandemic, the why tenants might not show up for their places to go. Eviction Lab reports. These findings were eviction hearings, said Juan Hernandez, a Across the country, the number of evictrue long before the pandemic as well. lawyer with the Charlotte Center for Legal tion filings varies depending on the state Many of these renters vacate their Advocacy. Eviction notices could be taken and county. Jurisdictions that had local properties as soon as they receive an evicoff their doors moratoria are tion notice, even though tenants who do or blown away still seeing lower appear in court for their eviction hearings by the wind; levels of eviction are more likely to receive help. Tenants people might filings, whereas who skip court typically move to different not understand the numbers properties, decide to live with family, go to the eviction proare higher a homeless shelter or are homeless. cess; unauthorwhere the fed“I think people are afraid of the reized immigrants eral moratorium alities that they are in,” Hernandez said. may worry their wasn’t enforced “People think there is no defense, that efforts to apply or there were they will be forced to be evicted anyways, for legal status no local moraso many people just leave.” could be negatoria, accordChapman holds this mindset. tively affected; ing to Emily “I don’t have time to figure out looppeople might Lemmerman, a holes,” she said. “I am going to figure out not be able to research specialwhere to find the money to find a take off work or ist at the Eviction new place.” find childcare. Lab at Princeton Tami Griffin, 48, is a tenant who was Since the University. laid off from her job as an administrative Supreme Landlords assistant for a healthcare company at Court ruled have been the beginning of the pandemic and was the Centers for delayed in filing late with one payment in August. Now, Mrs. Chapman’s north Charlotte apartDisease Control evictions in her landlord will not take her payments. ment in process of being packed up and Prevention Mecklenburg Unlike Chapman, however, she was able to in preparation for her forced eviction. did not have County, said Kim attend her hearing. Wednesday, November 10th, 2021. the authority Graham, the “I have flexibility because I am unemCharlotte, NC. Photo: Grant Baldwin / to extend the executive direcployed due to COVID-19 and don’t have Charlotte Journalism Collaborative
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children,” Griffin said. Legal experts also said confusion over how the moratorium worked led to tenants not appearing in court. Tenants may not have known that in order to qualify for the CDC eviction protection, they had to sign a statement confirming that their difficulty paying rent was related to COVID-19. As of recently, more tenants have begun showing up to court. Mediation offers support During the pandemic, the court’s mediation program was asked to assist tenants facing eviction, as opposed to just helping with pre-eviction-filing disputes. The mediators assist tenants with their applications for rental assistance and facilitate discussions with the landlords. Representatives have also been in courtrooms since the last week of August to advise magistrates about the status of tenants’ rental assistance applications in an effort to get eviction cases dismissed, said Mary Williams, the community relations manager with the dispute settlement program. While Mecklenburg County has taken strides to address the increased levels of housing insecurity caused by the pandemic, it does not have a formal eviction diversion program in place like other cities in the United States. In Philadelphia, the courts, legal aid, mediators and housing counselors — individuals trained to help renters and homeowners with housing questions — work together to mitigate the number of evictions filed. The program in Philadelphia was intentionally set up to address the high rates of automatic evictions, said Rachel Garland, the managing attorney at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. Prior to the establishment of their program, more than half of evictions in Philadelphia resulted in default judgments against tenants who did not come to their eviction hearings, according to Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. Now, landlords must apply to rental assistance before they can file an eviction for nonpayment. Additionally, before a nonpayment eviction can be filed, tenants and landlords must go through mediation. Both tenants and landlords are notified by email and text messages to remind them about their mediation sessions. Housing counselors also call the tenants to discuss their options and explain the mediation process and potential outcomes prior to the sessions. These steps have significantly lowered the number of eviction filings in Philadelphia. Garland reports that the city is at one-third of its pre-pandemic eviction filing levels. “The outreach is so vital,” said Annette Rizzo, a former judge who spearheaded the program. For tenants in Mecklenburg County, the
main form of outreach is the eviction notice itself, which has a list of resources on it. April Mack, a Mecklenburg County civil magistrate, said the court is sharing the information about resources, too. “It is a great time right now for people who are involved with the eviction process to come to court to learn about these
programs because we definitely tell them in court,” Mack said. Chapman, the tenant who did not go to eviction court, thought that the court could not help her and decided to prepare for her move instead. Her belongings are in trash bags and boxes, with much of it being thrown away and some in storage. She said
she will leave when the sheriff tells her to, but she does not know where she will go. Her 10-year-old daughter does not want to leave. “I have to go to school, and I don’t want to go to school feeling down because I don’t have nowhere to stay; I can’t concentrate on my work,” she said. “I don’t want to be homeless.” : :
Dec. 10 -Dec. 23, 2021
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A City of Historic Color
Pride Journey: Charleston, South Carolina BY JOEY AMATO GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
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am a huge lover of history and usually jump at the chance to visit any historic sites when I travel. What I didn’t realize about Charleston, S.C. was that I would be walking into a history book. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t do much research before traveling to Charleston. Sometimes I like to visit a destination without any expectations. One of the first things I did when I arrived was jump on a walking tour. Bulldog Tours organizes a variety of tours, including haunted history, culinary and LGBTQ history tours, so of course that is the one I chose. My knowledgeable guide, Zach, and I spent two hours strolling around downtown Charleston, visiting many of the historic sites of the city while he recanted tales of the city’s harsh past. He also included some LGBTQ historical facts, and we visited some significant sites along the way. Charleston was one of only three walled cities in North America and the historic society has imposed some of the strictest rules and regulations in the country to ensure that the city remains well-preserved. Charleston sits on a peninsula surrounded by two rivers which lead to the Atlantic Ocean, so it became one of
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the earliest port cities in the country due to its geography. It is also extremely walkable, giving it a European feel. I was able to walk almost everywhere I visited with the exception of a few off-the-beaten path restaurants. A person can’t visit Charleston without learning about its controversial past. Given its location as I described earlier, the city was a key port that was responsible for the sale and transport of enslaved Africans. Numerous plantations still exist throughout the region, including McLeod Plantation, a former slave plantation located on James Island. The plantation is considered an important Gullah heritage site, preserved in recognition of its cultural and historical significance to African-American and European-American cultures. The plantation grounds include slave cabins, a gin house, and gardens. The property has served in many capacities over the years, including a Confederacy Hospital, a burial ground for slaves and Union soldiers, and a headquarters office for the Freedmen’s Bureau. Touring a plantation can be emotionally draining, so after grabbing a quick bite at Leon’s Oyster Shop, head to the South Carolina Aquarium to lighten the mood. My main reason for visiting this aquarium was to tour its renowned sea turtle hospital and rehabilitation center. Guests are given the chance to learn about all of the turtles at the center including how they were injured as well as their path to recovery and ultimate release back into the ocean. The aquarium also features a wonderful stingray touch pool where guests can feed the rays. I’ve done this activity many times in the past, but I can’t remember the last time the rays were so excited and friendly. After a long day of touring the city, head to The Loutrel, a brand-new boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Charleston. The elegantly appointed property is conveniently located to almost every attraction in the city and just a block away from the City Market. The 50-room property has a 24-hour fitness center, mezzanine level where friends can gather and enjoy complimentary snacks and beverages as well as a rooftop patio boasting panoramic views of the city. My corner room contained a living area, large bedroom with king-size bed and a bathroom complete with a walk-in shower. The
property is so new, I am pretty confident that I may have been the first guest to stay in that particular room. After a quick wardrobe change, grab a signature cocktail at Veranda Lounge before heading out for the evening. For dinner, check out The Grocery, about a 25-minute walk from the hotel. Begin your meal with the Marinated Beet, served with Granny Smith apple, walnut, feta, and herb-tahini yogurt. The restaurant prides itself on its fresh produce, and this dish was a testament to their vision. If you visit with family or friends, I recommend sharing the Lowcountry Seafood Pilau, basically Charleston’s version of paella, served with shrimp, clams and fried fish over a bed of rice. Charleston is home to one LGBTQ bar, so after dinner at The Grocery, head over to Dudley’s on Ann, the oldest gay bar in the city. The space hosts drag performances throughout the week as well as a small dance floor. Even though there is only technically one LGBTQ nightlife venue in the city, the people of Charleston are pretty laid back and non-judgmental. It has an East Coast sophistication and many of the locals told me they feel comfortable expressing affection in non-LGBTQ specific establishments as well. I had the opportunity to speak with Harlen Greene, a local historian and archivist who most recently began a project to collect materials and documentation about Charleston’s LGBTQ history. “Charleston prides itself in its history but sells various versions of its history to people,” Green mentioned. “History is an elite club, so finally LGBTQ people came and started telling me about their history.” In 2018, an initiative called The Real Rainbow Row was launched to collect photographs, diaries, memoirs, religious and institutional records, as well as Pride, bar, and other items related to Charleston’s LGBTQ history. Input and suggestions from individuals regarding archival materials and oral histories are eagerly sought and tax-deductible financial contributions are necessary to keep the project active. Wake up early the next morning and enjoy the complimentary breakfast as The Loutrel before setting out to explore the city. I suggest heading south from the hotel as that is where many of the stately mansions are located. As you get closer to the tip of the peninsula, the houses become grander in stature. Swing by Rainbow Row, a collection of 13 colorfully painted homes along East Bay Street. It isn’t a gayborhood unfortunately, but it does make for some wonderful Instagram photos. End your tour at Riley Waterfront Park, home of the city’s iconic Pineapple Fountain. Before you depart Charleston, stop by Rodney Scott’s BBQ for a taste of true South Carolina BBQ. The award-winning establishment is home to delicious meltin-your-mouth BBQ and is famous for their pulled pork. I decided to try a little of everything, but given how much I walked on this trip, I decided to treat myself. To book your Charleston gaycation, visit https://www.orbitz.com/lp/lgbtq-gaytravel-hotels. : :
“I’m So Horny I Just Want All My Hot Neighbors To @#% Me!“ Tell Trinity
BY TRINITY| GUEST WRITER Hey Trinity, I’m 23 and never sexually satisfied. The better sex gets with my boyfriend the more I want it with everyone else. The other day we did it four times and when he fell asleep at night all I wanted to do was knock on all of my hot neighbor’s doors and have them @#*% the hell out of me. I’ve tried to talk my boyfriend into having an open relationship but he doesn’t want it. We love each other but lately I feel that my butt has been taking command of my life. What should I do? More, More, More! Minneapolis,MN Hey More, More, More, Wanting to be with someone special i.e. your boyfriend but also wanting your “hot” neighbors basically means one thing, you’re a normal, healthy young gay man who needs to make some grownup decisions. So Honey, your choices are, a) accept the wishes of your (4 times a day) boyfriend, b) end the relationship and be a single slut for a while, I mean mingle a bit for a while
a&e tionship but finding the perfect time to end it is impossible. When is it the right time to end a relationship? The Perfect Goodbye Cambridge, MA
3. When everyone’s wearing just a towel everyone appears the same. (We’re all basically the same!) 4. Give a man a bed, a pillow, a condom and some soap and he’ll be as happy as a pig for hours. (A man’s needs are basic!) 5. It’s OK to tell someone “NO” especially when there are others to tell him “Yes”! (Everyone is responsible for their own feelings!) 6. There’s always one in the crowd who tries to ruin it for everyone else by being too loud or too pushy. (Everyone needs attention sometimes!) 7. Keeping clean can save you and others from numerous diseases. (If everyone keeps clean everyone else WILL stay clean and healthy!) 8. Men are animals. They like to eat, sleep, fart and procreate or at least create intimate experiences. (Men are really just semi-sophisticated animals!) 9. Sometimes you just have to say “No” to things that are dangerous yet adventurous. (You must always be practicing good judgment and selfcontrol!) 10. Lastly, walking around aimlessly and silently in a controlled environment IS very peaceful and enlightening. (Sometimes it takes a sauna to make us experience what the Buddhists call, “The quiet mind”.)
Hello The Perfect Goodbye, There’s really never the right time to say, “it’s over” but there is the right way to say it. Start by sitting together in a private place, be clear, to the point and try not to use words like, “well... ah... um...”And Sweetie, remember in a break up someone always gets hurt so it’s not about not hurting someone but about hurting someone the LEAST! Dearest Trinity, Don’t you think saunas and bathhouses are degrading and unhealthy? Sauna Scrutiny Toronto, ON Dearest Sauna Scrutiny, Saunas and bathhouses may be dangerous, dirty and even unhealthy but degrading? Pumpkin, saunas with sexual activities have been around for thousands of years. The Roman Empire was famous for its saunas. Today, if you’re careful you can have a great, relaxing and even enlightening time. And with that I give you:
or c) learn to take cold showers. But you have to get this hole, I mean whole problem filled, I mean dealt with. Hey maybe it’s just the full moon? XOXO Trinity Hello Trinity, After six months I want out of my rela-
Trinity’s True Enlightening Bathhouse Tips 1. Some days everyone wants you and some days no one knows you’re alive. (People experience you differently at different times!) 2. When someone shows interest, it’s because you fit their certain “type” not because they like you. (When someone’s attracted to you it has nothing to do with ”You” per se!)
With a Masters of Divinity, Reverend Trinity hosted “Spiritually Speaking” a weekly radio drama, performed globally and is now minister of WIG: Wild Inspirational Gatherings. Sponsored by: WIG Ministries, www.wigministries.org Gay Spirituality for the Next Generation! Send e-mails to: Trinity@telltrinity.com
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continued from page 11 Vela shares the example of workingclass individuals who may not have much to invest. Historically, investment in a company at the pre-IPO placement has generally been restricted to high-networth individuals with a sophisticated knowledge of financial markets, according to Investopedia. Pre-IPO, or Initial Public Offering, refers to a private sale of large blocks of shares before a stock is listed on a public exchange. The buyers are typically private equity firms, hedge funds and other institutions willing to buy large stakes in a company.
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On “Unicorn Hunters,” members who sign up as investors can then take part in investment opportunities from the series. The minimum amount is set by each company and can be as low as $100. “If you’re a waitress in Bogota, Columbia or a grad student in Nairobi, Kenya, or a mid-life working class professional in St. Louis, Miss., and all you have is $100 to invest right now, you don’t even know where or how to do that,” says Vela. “The system, in many ways, has systematically left out the vast majority of human beings.” According to Vela, if that $100 is invested into a company that happens to become a “unicorn,” or privately held startup company with a value of more than $1 billion, it might be worth $1,000 or even $10,000 in a year or two. “That is life altering,” he says. The series is focused on what Vela calls the four “E’s”: education, empowerment, equality and entertainment. “We believe that your ZIP code, your country code, or the balance of your bank account should not
make you less worthy of the chance to participate,” he says. The show also provides a good source of information for the novice investor, even without laying down any money right away. On screen definitions of investment terminology are geared at educating a broader public. Vela hopes that introduction to some of the lingo builds awareness and exposure, breaking down barriers for LGBTQ communities who previously have not had similar access. “My theory is really simple,” says Vela. “I support all of the people who protest. I support all the marches. I support all of those advocacy efforts, but at the end of the day, I have always held a strong belief that the way we really will gain true equality is to be at the table. This is a testament to that belief. We are at the table just like everyone else.” Episodes of “Unicorn Hunters” are streaming on-demand on UnicornHunters.com, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Vimeo.
This story is part of QnotesCarolinas’ special project “Stories of Black LGBTQ Resilience and Economic Mobility,” which seeks to connect responses to economic security and upward mobility to the lives and futures of Black LGBTQ people. It is supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. To learn more about solutions journalism, visit solutionsjournalism.org. : :
Thank you for an awesome year of service, support, and solidarity, Charlotte! Over the past two years, Charlotte Pride has proven resilient — bringing important and essential services, programs, and assistance directly to Charlotte’s LGBTQ community despite the hardships and restraints of the continuing pandemic. In 2021, we looked forward to a return to some kind of in-person festival and parade. And, though that ultimately wasn’t possible, Charlotte Pride continued to make community service, support, and solidarity a priority. This year — with your help — we rallied the support of more than 300 volunteers to host a city-wide Weekend of Service. We collected over 50 bags and bins of literally thousands of pieces of clothes during the Charlotte Pride Clothing Drive — and then distributed those essential items to community members in need. We granted over $38,000 in direct emergency financial assistance to assist community members struggling with housing or unemployment due to the pandemic. With a wide range of partners, along with community matching support, we provided $20,000 in direct emergency support for Charlotte’s transgender community. We hosted a job fair and skills-building conference, film screenings, local history research projects, and so, so much more. Your end-of-year donation will mean we can continue this kind of support in 2022 and every year! And, you’ll have the opportunity ensure we begin 2022 strong, with eyes toward a return to full-scale, in-person events, including the annual festival and parade in Uptown. You can give today, in any amount! Whether your gift is small or large, we know that it comes from your heart, and we thank you! GIVE TODAY:
charlottepride.org/donate/
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THE QUEEN OF CLASSICAL MUSIC RETURNS TO THE QUEEN CITY FOR AN ALL-NEW HOLIDAY SHOW!
December 22
| Knight Theater
GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 704.972.2000 | charlottesymphony.org
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ONE NIGHT O
NLY!
