QNotes January 21, 2022

LGBTQ Local News, Voices and Community

JAN. 21 - FEB. 3, 2022|VOL 36, NO 20

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BIG PLANS FOR 2022?

SHARON GLESS LGBTQ projects focused on making a difference in 2022 – pg 8

Clay Aiken running for Congress again – pg 6

The Job Hunt: Gender can impact employment

– pg 5

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inside this issue

feature

news

History maker and ground breaking forerunner for women in the music industry, has passed. Ronnie Spector was a strong supporter for the LGBTQ Community throughout her life.

6 Out American Idol Singer Clay Aiken Announces Second Bid for Congress 6 BOOM Charlotte Is Back for 2022 6 Potential Grants Available for Charlotte Area LGBTQ Organizations 7 Two N.C. Cities Are Among the Top Ten U.S. Housing Markets

a&e

11 Out In Print: High-Risk Homosexual 12 Sharon Gless Talks About Her New Book 14 Tell Trinity 10 ‘Girl Group’ Pioneer Ronnie Spector Passes

life

15 Health and Wellness – Preparing for a New Job

views

4 Political Voices –The New Year Is Finally Here

events

charlotteobserver.com/1166/ a local news partner of The Charlotte Observer

‘Girl Group’ Pioneer Ronnie Spector Passes Unexpectedly

5 The Job Hunt 8 LGBTQ Projects Advancing

For event listings, visit qnotescarolinas.com/eventscalendar.

PAGE 10

The Job Hunt

For the transgender community, much of what many of us take for granted creates stressors that can often feel insurmountable. In this article, we will uncover the experience of gaining employment in the transgender community.

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The New Year Is Finally Here Political Voices

by Kendra R. Johnson, Equality NC Executive Director Contributing Writer

T

he new year is finally here. We are headed into the third year of a devastating pandemic in a nation that seems more divided than ever. Continuing our work towards a thriving, liberated North Carolina with a powerful LGBTQ+ community united in service of racial and social justice remains our top priority.

We’ve made progress, but there’s still so much work to do!

Already this year, several states have proposed anti-trans legislation, following a year of record numbers of anti-LGBTQ+ bills.

A divisive narrative targeting education and LGBTQ+ and BIPOC elements of curriculum is driving book bans across the nation.

Efforts to limit children’s access to books about race, gender and sex identity have recently increased in frequency and intensity. The freedom to read is a right most of us hold dear. Many of us, especially those of us who are LGBTQ+, first saw ourselves reflected in literature. In light of the growing hateful rhetoric from some politicians, the current campaign to ban books is all the more chilling. In 2021, according to the ALA, more book challenges

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were initiated than in previous years.

Alarmingly, across the nation these proposed bans are gaining traction, and several school and public library systems have capitulated to pressure from conservatives and pulled books from their shelves.

In December 2021, when many were distracted by upcoming holiday plans, the Wake County Public Library system quietly removed the award winning and widely acclaimed graphic novel “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe from the adult collection. WCPL serves over 1.2 million North Carolinians. Their actions often set precedents for the rest of the state, and this censorship was widely followed and criticized. Under tremendous pressure from the community, the book has been placed back on the shelf pending a full

review. It is critical to stay vigilant to keep material like this accessible so that gender expansive and trans youth and adults can see themselves reflected.

Some frame this move to ban books as an organic movement initiated by parents, when in fact, this is part of a well-funded, national and strategic attempt to gain political capital at the expense of queer and trans kids and their caregivers. Many library advocates have shared that while they agree that parents do have the right and responsibility to monitor their own child’s reading materials, they do not have the right to restrict books for all children. Public libraries serve all community residents, and their collections ought to reflect that.

Recent surveys show more individuals identify as LGBTQ+ than previously thought.

According to the recently released Trevor Project report, “LGBTQ Youth in The South,” LGBTQ+ children in southern states such as North Carolina experience less support than their peers in other parts of the country. Additionally, the report shows these youth are less likely to attempt suicide when they feel “affirmed in their sexual orientation and gender identity.” Children’s lives are directly affected by attempts at censorship. Book bans send the message that queer and trans identities should remain invisible.

In some places, library leadership is resisting the call to censorship, as they should. The Texas Library Association issued a statement that said in part “Freedom in selecting materials is a necessary safeguard to the freedom to read and shall be protected against irresponsible attempts by self-appointed censors to abridge it.”

The rising tide of censorship in our country should be seen for what it is: an attempt to legislate us out of existence. The existence of LGBTQ+ individuals should be celebrated, not hidden! Queer and trans students, parents and community members thrive when they see themselves reflected in the books offered by their libraries. We must stay vigilant to prevent further attempts at silencing our voices! : :

feature

The Job Hunt: What to Expect When You’re Transgender How Gender Identity Can Impact Employment

BY L’MONIQUE KING QNOTES STAFF WRITER

O

ver the years conversations on employment have run the gamut, from hiring trends to the wage gap between men and women. In recent years these discussions have included the LGBTQ community in a multitude of ways.

While the COVID-19 pandemic changes the landscape of just about every facet of our lives, employment hasn’t escaped its reach. During the last two years, we’ve watched businesses close, rebound, break ground and restructure all in the interest of safety mandates and the fall out COVID-19 infection rates has produced.

But what about marginalized communities? As you might imagine, for those who have historically faced challenges and barriers in the employment sector, COVID-19 has once again altered the landscape.

Sometimes this is a good thing and at other times, not so much. One thing is clear, for some folks, identity, not COVID, has seemingly been the greatest obstacle to finding gainful and rewarding employment.

For the transgender community, much of what many of us take for granted creates stressors that can often feel insurmountable. Imagine showing up for a job interview, filling out an application and feeling as though “you’ve got it in the bag” until the Human Resources department asks you to provide your identification.

Most of us don’t give that process a second thought. Our sex and gender correspond and we don’t have to appeal to anyone at the Department of Vital Records or the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to change our sex or so that all our documents match and line up with our identities. For many of our transgender friends, family and community members, however, depending on where they are in their journey of transition, this can be daunting.

In Charlotte, organizations like Transcend Charlotte and There’s Still Hope offer help to trans jobseekers with the provision of such services as wig and personal undergarment fittings, resume writing, interviewing assistance and job leads. Clearly the outlook is improving, but there’s still so much work to be done and many barriers to address.

Thankfully, as we progress as a human race and evolve to keep up with ever-changing technology, there are more options for employment than in years passed. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, ecommerce was already taking off quite nicely. Following the presence of COVID, they have soared. According to DigitalCommerce360.com, online sales hit $791.70 billion in 2020, up 32.4% from $598.02 billion in the prior year – the highest annual online sales growth of any year for which data is available.

Granted, Amazon purchases counted for more than half of all U.S. ecommerce, but the other 50% wasn’t completely made up of local retail chains. This means small business and the employees that keep them running are part of the mix as well – offering opportunities for those who prefer to work remotely or from home.

Gina Duncan is a transgender advocate, self-employed trainer and consultant.

The COVID-19 crisis has spawned more work at home job opportunities than ever. Many brick and mortar companies now offer hybrid or full remote working opportunities. This can be a real blessing for anyone seeking to avoid the oppressive gazes and discriminatory behavior many transgender people experience. Outside of companies that have only recently jumped on the “work from home bandwagon” other opportunities exist as well. Technology has allowed for growth in the entrepreneurial realm as well. For those looking for an open door – a recent article in Business News Daily offered a list of 22 internet-based startups that included occupations such as Social Media Consultant, Web Designer,

Resume and Cover Letter Writer, Virtual Assistant, Remote Tech Support, Tutor and Handmade Craft Seller, among others.

For transgender jobseekers still faced with some of the obstacles in-person interviews and employment present, there’s hopeful news regarding the handling of discrimination in the workplace.

Attorney Connie Vetter is a practicing lawyer based in the Charlotte Metro area.

Of the burdensome challenge the trans community often faces in finding employment, Vetter said, “the Bostock vs. Clayton County Supreme Court decision was a game changer. In that decision, sexual orientation and gender identity are protected classes [applying to every employer with

15 or more employees]. It doesn’t mean that you won’t get fired because people are still going to discriminate, unfortunately, but it means that there is legal recourse if it happens.

“To have the Supreme Court uphold that is huge. It’s a statement like the marriage decision – in some respects it’s validity of who we are to exist as our true and authentic selves.”

And exist authentically we must, though it is frequently easier said than done.

Ideally, our employers would assist in affirming such authenticity, and sometimes they do.

Gina Duncan is a self-employed trainer and consultant. She’s also an openly transgender advocate who has worked for others in the past.

Duncan worked for Wells Fargo for 30 years in the field of mortgage banking.

Seven years in, she made the transition to living as her authentic self. Easing the process was her place of employment.

While sharing her journey with qnotes, she explained how it all began. “I went to my boss, the divisional manager, sat down with him over a martini, told him I was trans and that I loved my job.”

According to Duncan, her supervisor replied with exactly what he should have said: “I need to know more about this and will talk to HR, but know two important things, you are a very valuable part of our management team, and…we will support you in your journey.”

And so, the journey began.

Wells Fargo’s DEI Swat Team (aka the Diversity and Inclusion Transition Specialist Team) has the job of training, educating and communicating with staff on matters of transgender transitioning. Duncan is enthusiastic about how supportive the team was during her transition.

“Two days later [after breaking the news to her boss] a woman from the San Francisco Human Resources Department called to say ‘You will be the seventeenth person who has transitioned that we have supported.’ I thought I was something special but to Wells Fargo and the DEI Department I was chop liver [no big deal].”

In support of Duncan, Wells Fargo orchestrated a massive conference call which began with recalling and reaffirming the company’s mission of inclusion.

While she recounted her experience, Duncan recalled, “I remember feeling so free and unencumbered, such a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”

She also offered a few words of advice.

“In today’s current corporate environment, transgender Americans can do research to truly understand the diversity and inclusion of a company,” Duncan explains. “Look at their non-discrimination policy: does it include gender identity and expression as a protected class? Do forms contain affirming language and expanded gender options?”

How diversity is shown on marketing materials offers a window into a company’s culture. Peeking through those windows can offer us a glimpse into whether or not an environment is a welcoming, affirming, safe space. That’s a definite necessity for those of us who just want to be ourselves!: :

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news Out American Idol Singer Clay Aiken Announces Second Bid for Congress

Out singer and former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken has announced he will run for Congress again. It will be the second time the North Carolina native has sought a seat in the House of Representatives.

The Durham-area district will not have an incumbent legislator in the race.

Whoever wins the primary is expected to win the general election in the stronglyDemocratic district.

Aiken lost a run in 2014 to Rep. Renee Ellmers (R). Ellmers was the first congresswoman to endorse Donald Trump’s

presidential campaign.

Aiken, however, has been a vocal critic of Trump.

“The people in the Triangle gave me the platform that I have, and I wanna’ use it to give back to them,” Aiken told The News & Observer. “I want to be a loud voice for the Triangle when I get to Congress, I will tell you

that. And we need a big voice.”

With high name recognition, Aiken has a decided advantage over state legislators and county commissioners in the crowded race. And he willingly acknowledges the advantage – and explains how he could use that in government.

“It’s not very often that a freshman can join Congress and have a strong voice on day one,” Aiken said.

“The folks here in the Second time around: singer Clay Triangle let me repreAiken hopes to fill the seat that sent them nearly 20 will be vacated by Democratic years ago when I was Congressman David Price. just a kid on a singing

BOOM Charlotte Is Back for 2022 For the past two years Charlotte’s annual arts and performance festival BOOM has been adapting its event offerings to pandemic guidelines that included a mix of online and limited capacity shows.

With 2022 comes the return of the annual in-person fringe art festival Charlotte has come to know.

BOOM Charlotte has a reputation for being a space where all types of art, cultures and communities converge. The array of art offerings at BOOM include: theater, dance, music, spoken word, comedy, film, visual art, public art installations and more. With this vast variety of art disciplines to explore, BOOM decided to create categories for grouping the submitted works: BOOM Fringe, BOOM Intersection and BOOM Street.

Applications for Fringe, Intersection and Street are now open. Included below are details about each category, helpful info about where your artwork best fits and access links to the applications. The deadline to submit your work to each category is midnight, Feb. 4, 2022.

BOOM Fringe provides a space to showcase new and original work that can

be described as edgy, weird, provocative and inspiring. This category brings the underrepresented art in Charlotte to the forefront. Fringe is seeking performances of short form works (15-20 minutes) and full length works (45-60 minutes).

Application decisions will be announced

by Feb. 28.

To fill out an application and get details about venues, set requirements, tech support, payment structure, marketing and festival participation, please go here: https://bit.ly/33FCbIv BOOM Intersection and BOOM Street provide an outdoor space to showcase a wide array of family-friendly art that is free and open to the public. Intersection includes live performances, while Street focuses on public art installations, participatory visual art and games.

The goal is to create an art space that is welcoming. Intersection serves as a central location in the festival where art, culture and community collide. It is a hub where people can enjoy art as they get cozy on couches in the outdoor living room, while the kids enjoy age-appropriate art activi-

Potential Grants Available for Charlotte Area LGBTQ Organizations The Plus Collective (TPC), formerly the Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund, is a collective giving and endowment fund of Foundation for the Carolinas and one of the largest funders of LGBTQ organizations and issues in North Carolina. As of Jan. 5 they’ve kicked off their latest grant cycle.

Since 2007, TPC has awarded grants to organizations serving the LGBTQ community in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area through its grant programs: • Basic Operating Grants provide unrestricted operating funds to build capacity and strengthen the effectiveness of 501(c)3 organizations whose primary objective is to provide services or benefits to the LGBTQ+ community.

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• Programs, Projects and Events (PP&E) Grants are awarded up to $7,500 to encourage 501(c)3 organizations to serve the LGBTQ+ community either directly or in partnership with another 501(c)3 organization. Due to the financial strain placed on LGBTQ organizations by the COVID pandemic, all available funds will go to Basic Operating Grants during this grants cycle. No PP&E grants will be made

competition. I owe my friends and neighbors here everything.”

Rep. David Price (D) announced he will not seek reelection. Price first won a seat in Congress in 1987 and was Aiken’s mentor and inspiration.

“It’s hard to wrap your head around what we’re losing with Congressman Price’s retirement,” Aiken said. “He’s delivered so much for the Triangle.”

In case you’re interested, Aiken just released a short video clip talking about North Carolina, politics and his plans to run for office. You can see it here: https:// bit.ly/3tyQidA This story appears through the courtesy of our media partner LGBTQ Nation. info: https://cbsn.ws/3FDAybo — Bil Browning

ties. Street creates of collaborative a welcoming art works. space by breaking Accepted apdown the barrier plicants will be between artists announced by and the audience.

March 15. For apIt allows people plication and info to wander into on Intersection and mini outdoor Street, go here: art experiences https://bit.ly/3KtieWj without the need BOOM Charlotte for a stage or Volunteers Needed gallery. Street art In addition to pieces sometimes the artists, volunA scene from (performance by Taproot) offer the audipre-COVID BOOM Charlotte. The festival teers are needed ence a chance to returns this year with in-person perforto make BOOM participate in mance and presentation. (Photo Credit: Charlotte 2022 collaboratively David Huff) happen April 22-25. creating the work Past volunteer posiwith the artist. tions included: item Both art organizations and local artists pick-up/drop-off, event set-up/breakdown, curate the Intersection stage and the festivenue managers, tech and stage assisval grounds with short form performances tants, box office sales, info./merch table (10-30 minutes), off-stage performance and brand ambassadors. art pieces, visual art pieces and public If you are interested in being added art installations. All types of artists are to the volunteer contact list for future upinvited to share at BOOM Intersection and dates about available positions and time BOOM Street: music, dance, spoken word, slots, fill out the form here: theater, comedy, mime, performance art, info: https://bit.ly/3Ifp9QX visual art, installation art and other forms — QNotes Staff

this cycle.

• Grassroots Grants are awarded up to $2,000 to build capacity and strengthen the effectiveness of startup organizations with or without 501(c)3 status serving the LGBTQ+ community. Previous recipients of TPC’s Basic Operating and PP&E Grants are not eligible to apply.

Grant applications and application guides for Basic Operating Grants are currently available online at fftcgrants.communityforce.com.

Grassroots Grant applications are taken throughout the year. Detailed information is also avail-

able at thepluscollective.org/guidelines.

The deadline for submission of completed Basic Operating Grant applications is 12:00 p.m. on March 4, 2022.

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

For more information about the grant application process, including to request a Grassroots Grant application or any application-related questions, contact David Snider at dsnider@fftc.org.

• About The Plus Collective The Plus Collective (formerly Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund) is a giving program and foundation that awards grants to organizations that support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community in the Charlotte, N.C. region while also cultivating partnerships with community. info: https://bit.ly/3GCFhvt — QNotes Staff

news Two N.C. Cities Are Among the Top Ten Hottest U.S. Housing Markets in 2022

Two North Carolina cities found themselves – again – ranked in the top 10 hottest United States real estate markets for 2022.

Zillow has ranked Raleigh third and Charlotte fifth out of the 50 largest U.S. metros, as some of the faster-growing markets of 2021, Austin, Texas and Phoenix, were expected to slow somewhat this year. Tampa Bay, Florida was ranked at number one overall for 2022.

The typical home value in Charlotte is $329,961 according to Zillow, and home values are forecast to rise 21% through November.

The housing market will slow a bit compared to last year, economists expect, but the market will remain a seller’s one.

The usual seasonal cool down reappeared this fall as fewer homes were selling above listing price, homes were staying on the market a few days longer than they did in the summer and more sellers were cutting their price, the Zillow report said.

Those trends are expected to continue, but the market will stay on the seller’s side. Charlotte and Raleigh, along with other Sun Belt cities like Jacksonville, Florida and San Antonio, Texas saw home values increase, high job growth, fastmoving inventory and a big number of

likely buyers. “At the same time, inventory of available housing has been limited, as builders play catch-up after years of underbuilding and sellers list their homes in fewer numbers,” Zillow reported.

“None of those trends is expected to change much in 2022 from 2021, and limited housing supply coupled with skyhigh housing demand is a classic Econ 101 recipe for rising home values.” Larger cities like New York and Chicago are expected to fare okay this year but have some of the coolest markets in the country, according to Zillow. Each has relatively fewer new jobs and less favorable shifts in demographics.

Will Charlotte’s House Market Cool Off? In Charlotte, you can expect the housing market to remain a seller’s market.

“We don’t expect a cooling off whatsoever,” said Lee Allen, president of the Canopy Realtor Association, which covers a 16-county region around Charlotte.

“The only way you’re going to get that is if more inventory comes online, either from homeowners listing their houses or from new construction. Issues with the global supply chain have contributed to builders struggling to get supplies,” Allen said, and that has contributed to lower inventory.

Sellers, too, have held back a bit because they’re unsure about getting into their

Charlotte recently placed fifth in a report from Zillow ranking the country’s 50 hottest real estate markets. next home. It will take a long time to get back to “market equilibrium,” Allen said.

A true market has three to five months of supply, or homes available for sale. Right now, it’s only in the days or weeks.

The growth in home values around Charlotte and elsewhere was fueled by historically low mortgage interest rates and shifts among millenials and boomers who are retiring or downsizing. Still, Allen said Charlotte continues to be an attractive place for people to move to, including for its quality of life, relative affordability and proximity to the beach and mountains.

He pointed to how people have options to choose to live in the center of uptown, along Lake Norman or in a small town like Fort Mill, S.C. “It’s the livability,” he said.

“You can find something for everyone.”

Affordable Housing Concerns In October, Charlotte ranked No. 6 for hottest housing market, according to the

Urban Land Institute. Charlotte was listed as a “magnet” city, meaning it’s a destination for both people and companies.

But the issue of affordable housing has worsened as U.S. home prices and rents bounced back after the worst months of the pandemic. Higher home prices strain younger households, including first-time home buyers, because they lack the savings needed for a down payment, the Urban Land Institute report found. That challenge is especially acute for many households of color,” the report states, “as the racial ownership gap has widened since the onset of the housing crisis and the Great Recession.”

In recent months, housing inventory in Charlotte has been low, real estate experts have told the Observer.

This story appears courtesy of our media partner The Charlotte Observer. info: https://bit.ly/3KjhqTw — Gordon Rago

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feature

LGBTQ Projects Advancing

Despite Pandemic-Related Challenges Queer Projects Are Focused on Making a Difference in 2022

by Chris Rudisill qnotes Contributor

P

andemic-related challenges continue to abound for LGBTQ organizations and cancellations of in-person gatherings once again have become the norm.

The National LGBTQ Task Force’s annual Creating Change Conference, which was scheduled for this weekend in New Orleans, has been postponed for a virtual conference to be held later in the year.

The annual gathering of LGBTQ activists, advocates and organizations – often seen as a rallying point around key issues facing the community, started in 1988, one year after the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It is the largest LGBTQ conference in the country.

“We know that Creating Change is a unique and empowering experience for our community and everyone who attends brings so much love and passion to the conference but our responsibility first and foremost is caring for each other,” said Kierra Johnson, executive director of the Task Force, in a press statement.

Other major events like the Queer History South Conference, which was slated for Feb. 18-20 in Dallas are also being pushed out based on the Omicron variant. “Out of an abundance of caution, and in consideration of health and safety of our attendees, our Queer History South conference has moved to Sept. 30 - Oct. 2, 2022,” according to planning committee co-chair Robert Emery. The event will now aptly kick off National LGBTQ History Month that takes place each October.

Early expectations in Spring 2021 were

From parksmcallister.com

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that the COVID-19 pandemic would have subsided and we’d be back to normal by now. But new variants, like Delta and Omicron, have proven to be more contagious and the quick spread has brought new uncertainties.

The Movement Advancement Project, has released quarterly reports since September 2020 demonstrating the impact of COVID-19 on organizations providing services and support to LGBTQI people. According to the latest data, released in December, organizations continue to delay or cancel key programmatic and operational goals.

“Nearly all [44 out of 50] participating organizations reported clear and challenging impacts from the resurgence of COVID-19 and the emergence of the Delta variant,” read the report.

Despite inperson cancellations, some major projects for the queer community are launching, or continuing to grow, in 2022. Below are a few that caught our attention.

Growing up Queer in the South Kicking off the list is news from the Greenville Art Museum [the one in Greenville, N.C.] of a new exhibition showcasing artwork that is centered on experiences of growing up LGBTQ in the South.

Applications for artists are currently open to “queer individuals who are 18 years or older, and who have spent part of their lives or can identify with ‘growing up’ in the American South.”

The juried exhibition is slated for June 3 – Sept. 24, 2022 and is being curated by Parks McAllister. Art has been a source of healing for McAlister who grew up in a small, conservative town in North Carolina.

According to his website, he turned to art to explore his identity after feeling unwelcomed and judged. “Knowing that many people face similar experiences, McAlister hopes to spark safe conversation through the artists and their exhibited work.”

Submissions are open through Feb. 27 and information can be found at gmoa.org.

Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project (BLMP) Whenever Creating Change does happen, Ola Osifo Osaze will be awarded the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund Award for Outstanding LGBTQ Leadership for Immigration Rights. Osaze has been a community organizer for years and is the director of the Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project (BLMP). Led by people that have been directly impacted, the organization is housed at the Transgender Law Center.

Osaze migrated from Nigeria and found alienation both at home and in the U.S. “When I looked around me for some type of queer and trans-African or Black immigrant community, I found a community for whom the word invisible does not even begin to describe our reality,” Osaze said in an interview with the Akonadi Foundation. The organization is currently

providing cash assistance to Black LGBTQ migrants and first generation people dealing with the impacts of COVID-19. It participates in national organizing, has local networks across the country, engages and supports those detained for deportation and conducts research on the queer Black migrant experience.

The Front Page The Front Page was founded by Jim Baxter in 1979. The Raleigh-based newspaper was devoted to the gay and lesbian community and was published biweekly through 2006, when it merged with QNotes. With help from the UNC Charlotte Special Collections and University Archives and Jim Yarbrough, issues of the publication from 1979 – 1986 are now available through the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center, a statewide digitization and digital publishing program.

DigitalNC.org is housed in the North Carolina Collection at UNC’s Wilson Special Collections Library.

Near its final issue, Baxter wrote, “Beyond the basics, The Front Page tried to offer (or perhaps even create) some sense of community, some sense of history, some way to stop reinventing the wheel every couple of years, some way to build a movement for change that could mark its progress in real accomplishment.”

To view copies of The Front Page, visit digitalnc.org/newspapers/the-front-pageraleigh-n-c/ or the Archives section at qnotescarolinas.com.

The LGBTQ+ Learning Project “Imagine living your truth, but not being able to tell anyone,” says VideoOut’s founder and executive director, Jordan Reeves. Growing up in small town Alabama, Reeves didn’t have the terminology we do today to talk about queerness or gender.

This year, VideoOut launched The LGBTQ+ Learning Project with support from the Google News Initiative. The first phase of the project introduces the LGBTQ+ Language and Media Literacy Program, available at https://lgbtq-language-project.uc.r.appspot.com/. Working with a team of PhD linguists, the group researched the origin, evolution and current usage of 100 words and phrases used in the LGBTQ community. They will eventually use Google Trends technology to show the popularity of search terms and is aimed at helping journalists and the public navigate the complex world of LGBTQ vernacular.

“The LGBTQ+ Language and Media Literacy Program is more than a glossary, though at its simplest, it can function that way,” says Reeves. “It’s a way to understand the LGBTQ+ community, and hopefully, it will transform the way journalists – and all of us – write and talk about LGBTQ+ people.”

The project is also meant to inform people who are less familiar. They’ve partnered with Men’s Health Magazine which will host the tool on its website.

News is Out: A Queer Media Collaborative Another exciting project in LGBTQ media this year is News Is Out: National Queer Media Collaborative, announced in

look to expand the collaboration as funding allows and will launch a national website and newsletter.

Earlier this month, LMA announced the hiring of Dana Piccoli as the group’s project manager. Piccoli is a writer and entertainment critic who has written for sites including NBC News, The Mary Sue, Decider and Curve; and was a longtime writer and staff editor for what was once the most popular website for queer women’s pop culture. She’s also the former managing editor of the Bella Media Channel, Jordan Reeves, from VideoOut Entertainment a vertical of Bella Books Publishing November by the Local Media Association that focuses on (LMA). The collaborative project will launch queer entertainment and pop culture and the founder and editor-in-chief of Queer this year with an initial seven LGBTQ Media Matters. publishers including Bay Area Reporter, “Queer media need our support not Dallas Voice, Philadelphia Gay News, Q only to survive, but also thrive, and I’m Voice News, Tagg Magazine, Washington looking forward to putting my passion and Blade and Windy City Times. According to experience to work to help achieve that,” a recent press release, the publishers will Piccoli said.

In 2021, qnotes launched the Carolinas LGBTQ Journalism Fund in partnership with the Local Media Foundation to provide support for the work of QnotesCarolinas.com. The Local Media Foundation is a charitable trust affiliated with LMA. iLead: Grow, Scale and Contract The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) announced this week a new program for LGBTQ entrepreneurs and a $500,000 investment in expanding programming established during the pandemic through a grant from Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund.

The NGLCC iLead: Grow, Scale & Contract Program will enhance the technical skills and capacity of LGBTQ firms and facilitate small group workshops over a series of months. “Together we will ensure every LGBT entrepreneur has every resource they need to scale and thrive in this difficult marketplace,” said NGLCC cofounder and president Justin Nelson in a recent press statement.

Companies in the NGLCC Certified LGBT Business Enterprise group will have the opportunity to pitch before corporate buyers and receive overall feedback and critique in addition to receiving executive coaching for a six-month period, building relationships with experts and having access to resources to take their companies to the next level. In addition, the organization’s XLR8 Program will continue, with a focus on businesses ranging from $100,000 to $750 million in annual revenues to help them create sustainable and meaningful growth. Key areas include economic and business recovery from the

COVID-19 pandemic, management and leadership innovation, access to capital and financial literacy, pre- and post-event mentorship, team development, digital transformation, as well as marketing, communications and branding.

Applications for the program are available at https://nglcc.formstack.com/forms/ xlr8application2022 Missing and Unidentified LGBT Individuals A new Facebook page, facebook.com/ missingunknownlgbtpersons/, is focused on helping solve cases involving LGBTQ people who are missing or have died but not yet officially identified.

Lazarus Rise, a transgender man in Colorado, told NBC News that he was inspired to launch the page after discovering a decades-old case where officials originally mis-identified a missing woman as cisgender. According to the report, “the unidentified trans woman was found dead and was believed to have been killed in Clermont, Florida, in 1988. Investigators learned she was transgender after her body underwent DNA testing in 2015, upending the case.”

The page acknowledges that while it is dedicated to finding all missing LGBTQ people, it has a “strong focus on missing and unknown transgender/gender nonconforming individuals.” The page also included a “remembrance post” for Thomas Hardin, a York, S.C. transgender woman who was murdered in May 2021 and posts related to the killings of Jaida Peterson and Remy Fennell in April. : :

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‘Girl Group’ Pioneer Ronnie Spector Passes Unexpectedly Pop Artist Strong Ally for LGBTQ Community

by David Aaron Moore qnotes Staff Writer

in the spotlight, although she never fully reclaimed the notoriety she had achieved earlier on.

Regardless, she maintained a devoted following, many of whom were LGBTQ fans. She never hesitated to point out that she realized much of her success was due to the LGBTQ community and the love she felt for them.

Most recently, she talked about it in an interview in 2017 with People Magazine, prior to her performance at San Francisco Gay Pride.

“The gay community started my whole career,” she recalled. “They said, ‘Ronnie, you can do this. You’re fabulous.’ It kept me going and going, and now I’m going to [perform again] in front of the whole crowd. This is something I have dreamed of for the last 20 years, so I can’t wait to get to San Francisco for Gay Pride.

“It’s amazing because performing [for the gay community] was how I started before I had a hit record with the Ronettes, and also after I came back from California [after the divorce from Phil Spector].

“Our career – the Ronettes – started working in the Village in the gay coffee shops. And then when I came back from California, where do you think I started out? I started out at the Continental Baths.

A gay club! That’s how I started my return to show business.”

Just this past June, Spector posted on her Twitter account the following: “Happy Pride Month! Besides my family the first fans the Ronettes had were Gay. I guess they liked us because we were outsiders, and different. They supported us from the beginning and still do. Love your Gay brothers and sisters and your neighbors.”

Born Veronica Bennett on Aug. 10, 1943, Ronnie Spector was 78 years old. : :

W

hile she may not have been exactly a household name in 21st century America, Ronnie Spector made history as a ground breaking forerunner for women in the music industry in the early 1960s.

She was a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community, even back then, and throughout the rest of her life.

Spector passed away quite unexpectedly Jan. 12. According to a press release from family members, she experienced a brief battle with cancer.

That came as a surprise to most, because she had posted pictures of herself and former romantic involvement David Bowie on Facebook just four days before her death.

“Here we are back in the day when we could still go outside,” she wrote, sarcastically taking a pot shot at the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Spector’s career exploded in the early 1960s when she was the lead vocalist for Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes. Along with producer and composer Phil Spector, who would later become her husband, she and the Ronettes found themselves center stage with such songs as “Be My Baby,” “Baby, I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain.”

Years later, after ending a rocky relationship with convicted and recently deceased murderer Phil Spector, Ronnie eventually launched an effort to return to the music industry, which resulted in a number of recorded duets with various artists, including “Take Me Home Tonight” with Eddie Money, which shot to the top of the American pop charts and put her back

Spector had planned for more studio recordings and live performances.

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notesCarolinas.com Jan 21. - Feb. 3, 2022

Carolinas LGBTQ

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“High-Risk Homosexual: A Memoir” Out in Print

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER CONTRIBUTING WRITER “High-Risk Homosexual: A Memoir” by Edgar Gomez ©2022, Soft Skull Press $16.95

I

t fits you, but the color isn’t flattering. It’s too long, too short, too tight, too loose. That’s not your style, so try something else until you find the thing that looks like you. The perfect thing is out there. As in the new book “High-Risk Homosexual” by Edgar Gomez, when something’s right, it’s right.

He was thirteen when he figured out that he was a problem to be solved.

Edgar Gomez’ mother had left him in her native Nicaragua with his tíos, just for a while because she had to return to Florida to work. He wasn’t there without her for long, but it took years for him to understand that his time with his uncles was meant to make him more masculine.

In retrospect, he says nobody wanted him to be a man more than he did. He wanted to be liked by other kids and so he told lies in school to make himself stand out. He wanted his mother to see his love of pretty things and say that it was okay.

He wanted his brother to acknowledge that Gomez was gay, and to tell him that he loved him.

Instead, after his brother left for college, Gomez got his first boyfriend, a boy he came out to but who couldn’t come out to himself. He was called names in school. He came out to his mother, who freaked out about it. He befriended a drag queen, but “Princess” used him.

Things he wanted: a real boyfriend.

Love. A ban on the stereotype of a macho Latinx man.

Things he still had, while in college: his mother and older brother. A tormentor-turned-mentor. A part-time job. His weirdness. His virginity.

Things he wanted to lose, while in college: his room at his mother’s house. His virginity, but that wouldn’t happen until later, during a painful one-afternoon-stand

with a hot man who said he had a girlfriend. That hurt, both physically and emotionally, but like so many things at so many times, Gomez tried not to think about it.

If he never considered what he didn’t have, he says, “I wouldn’t miss it.”

In a way, you could say that “HighRisk Homosexual” is a book in search of a point. It’s really quite random and told (mostly) linearly, but not quite. It has its high peaks, but also low valleys. And you won’t care about any of this, because you’ll be enjoying every bit of it.

Yeah, this memoir is good: author Edgar Gomez’s literary wandering makes it feel much like an honest conversation with readers. There are wince-worthy moments that allow empathy here, and experiences

that are unique but oddly ubiquitous, that leave space for a sense of sympatico.

There are passages that are so wistfully uncomfortable that you might squirm, or start “snort-laughing,” or want to stop a moment and just think.

And there’s room for that, too, so take your time. “High-Risk Homosexual” is an affable book with just enough seriousness to make it worth a try. : :

(Photo Credit: Joseph Osborne)

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Sharon Gless Talks About Her New Book, “Apparently There Were Complaints” Actor Explores Industry Experiences and Personal Life

Sometimes [both] because some of the memories were painful. There were times when I was reading some of it that I would go back to that place. I just finished recording it [the audio book] a couple of weeks ago. What surprised me is when I’d get to certain places, especially about Grimmy, you can hear on the recording, my voice breaks. I left it in. They asked me if I wanted to [re-record it] and I said, “No. Leave it in.” She was really the best thing that ever happened to me. It’s that she was tough.

GS: One of the things that stood out to me about “Apparently There Were Complaints” is the way that not only does it sound like you – I’ve interviewed you before so in reading the book, it sounded like you.

SG: Thank you! It’s very important to me that you hear my voice in that.

GS: It totally comes through. The other thing that shines through is your sense of humor and comic timing.

by Gregg Shapiro Contributing Writer

H

ave you ever read a memoir that is so intimate, so revealing, so honest, that as you were turning the pages it felt like the writer was sitting next to you, speaking directly to you?

Kudos to multiple Emmy Awardwinning actress Sharon Gless for making that a part of the experience of reading her new memoir “Apparently There Were Complaints” (Simon & Schuster, 2021).

The Los Angeles native with Hollywood in her veins (her maternal grandfather was a hotshot entertainment lawyer), Gless rose to prominence via her portrayal of New York police detective Christine Cagney in the popular and groundbreaking 1980s TV series “Cagney & Lacey” alongside Tyne Daly.

As if she hadn’t already established an LGBTQ+ following through that show, she went on to play Debbie Novotny, the smart and sassy mother of Michael on Showtime’s equally groundbreaking “Queer As Folk” in the early 2000s.

Gregg Shapiro: Your new memoir, “Apparently There Were Complaints” opens on a serious note with your 2015 pancreatitis diagnosis. I hope you are in good health.

Sharon Gless: Thank you, honey, I’m in very good health.

Why was now the time to write your memoir?

Well, it’s taken seven years. It’s not like it was yesterday. I never actually intended to write a memoir. I was called in to a meeting by CBS for what I thought was a conversation to offer me a new series.

We talked for an hour and, apparently, I was so entertaining that at the end of the hour meeting, the president of CBS said, “You know we own Simon & Schuster.” I said, “I didn’t know that.” She said, “We do, and I think you’ve got a book in you.”

I said, “I don’t usually write.” She said, “That doesn’t matter. You’re a storyteller, Sharon.” So I walked out with a book deal [laughs] with Simon & Schuster and not the series I was hoping for. Actually, I didn’t meet [with] Simon & Schuster for another year. I sort of let it go. The next day there was a text from the president of Simon & Schuster. I sort of ignored it because I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to act! A year went by, and I wasn’t so busy, and I was in New York, and I said, “What the hell!” I went to meet him. I read one chapter to him, one chapter that I had written in case he asked for anything.

He signed me that day [laughs].

Were you a journal or diary keeper, or did you rely on your memory for the details?

Never. No. My very best friend Dawn (LaFreeda), who’s been my best friend

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How important was it for you to make that aspect of your personality a part of the book?

Very important. I do have a sarcastic, not a mean sarcastic, a funny sarcastic side. Some of the complaints and some of my addictions and some of the things I talk about…you’ve got to take some of it lightly or who’s going to want to read that?

Clearly, I survived. It’s not all bad news.

When I came up with the title, [laughs] which was perfect because there were so many complaints about me in my life, sometimes you just have to laugh, even at the sadder stuff. I’m still standing!

GS: Yes, you are! Memoirs, like TV shows such as “Finding Your Roots,” are a way for both the subject and the audience to uncover fascinating details that might not otherwise have been public knowledge. The story about your boarding school classmate Gibbie, also known as the late Abigail Folger, in chapter seven feels like an example of that.

forever and… I’m a talker, a storyteller, and I would tell her stories about my life throughout our relationship. She kept them! She said, “You have a book in you.”

So, there’s another person saying so. She kept the stories. When Simon & Schuster made me the offer, Dawn dragged out all my stories. A couple of times I had gatherings at my house where I had four people over, and I said, “Ask me some questions,” and put a recorder down. I’d just start talking. Then as more of my life [kept] coming out on the page, which is hard to do, I started remembering more and more. It took a form that I had always intended. I came up with the title, “Apparently There Were Complaints,” very early on. I made the book about all the complaints people

had about me throughout my life. It helped that Dawn had kept records of all the stories I’ve told. Some of those I used [in the book]. It’s funny, as you write, as you keep going, you start remembering more and more and more because one emotion leads to the next emotion or the next time someone hurts your feelings or the next complaint.

GS: I’m glad you mentioned the emotional part of it, because writing a memoir means revisiting the past, including your complicated relationship with your parents, as well as your grandmother, who you called Grimmy.

Did you find it to be painful, freeing or both?

Would you ever consider being on one of those genealogy tracing shows?

I didn’t know a show like that existed.

I would never do something like “This Is Your Life” [laughs], remember that? I didn’t know about a show that traces your genealogy. I’m always fascinated [about] my background. I’m certainly not opposed to anybody scraping up my genealogy.

GS: You write about your interactions with LGBTQ+ people in your life, personally and professionally. Chapter 43, titled “I’ll Be There,” is about your experience playing Debbie Novotny in Showtime’s “Queer As Folk.” It was so beautiful. There is a lot of gratitude for you being there.

SG: Thank you! The pleasure, for lack of a better word, is all mine. You have all changed my life. I became so much more educated. I thought, “Oh, I know it all.

All my best friends are gay.” Right? But I learned so much on “Queer As Folk.” The stories that they wrote and the performances. I didn’t realize the real plight, the

Sharon Gless as Debbie Novotny in ‘Queer As Folk.’

CREDIT: Showtime behind-the-scenes pain that went on in the gay community. Because of “Queer As Folk” I became quite educated and impassioned. I meant it when I said, “I’ll be there.”

The Peacock streaming service is doing a “Queer As Folk” reboot. What do you think about that?

SG: Yes, I’m aware they’re doing a reboot of it. What I think about it is I’m so sorry they’re not using the original cast.

It’s never going to be better. But good luck to them, and I hope they have even close to the hit we were. I think the biggest star of that show right now is going to be the city of New Orleans. We’ll see how the stories go.

Because the entertainment industry is a central component to your memoir, if “Apparently There Were Complaints” was to be made into a theatrical movie or TV miniseries, who would you want to play you?

SG: It would take several actresses because there’s a lot of years. If there was

somebody who could span it. I’m a big fan of Jennifer Lawrence. She has a husky voice, too. And there’s also an irreverence and a sensitivity to her. If anybody ever wanted to do that, I think she’d be great.

Finally, I understand these days you’re calling South Florida your home. What do you like best about living here?

SG: The happiness on my husband’s [TV producer Barney Rosenzweig’s] face.

When he retired he moved us here. I’m married to a man who, if he’s happy, everybody’s happy [laughs]. He adores Florida. Los Angeles was always my home. I was born there, raised there. I’m an Angeleno, through and through. I’ve been to Los Angeles over the last year and I don’t like what’s happened to it.

Now I’m grateful to be returning to an island as beautiful as the one I live on.

Los Angeles needs a total reboot, rebuild, re-everything. It’s fallen on hard times, L.A. I remember it when I lived there. It was a magical city. : :

Actors Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly in a scene from ‘Cagney and Lacey.’

(CREDIT: CBS)

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Holiday Parties, Dinner Guests And When To Shut Up Tell Trinity

BY TRINITY | CONTRIBUTING WRITER Dearest Trinity, I hosted a party at my apartment so that my friends could meet my new boyfriend. But I messed up really bad, got really drunk, said really stupid things and ended up “making -out” with an old boyfriend in front of my new boyfriend, who is now really mad! Help!

Sincerely, Hosting Horrors Boston, MA

ended up talking all night. I like to talk, and I’m funny. Is that so bad?

Yours, Cocktail Talk Miami, FL Dear Cocktail Talk, Being the life of the party is wonderful, but sucking the life out of a party is another story!

As a great partygoer always asks questions, invite others to dialogue with you, and Sweetie, always watch out for cues for when to shut up. Sometimes when it’s all about you, you also have to remember to be all about… everyone else!

Dearest Hosting Horrors, Ouch! You did mess up in a really big way… but you may be able to fix this with a little time, Tylenol and two dozen roses.

You may even be able to throw another party one day too. But first, let’s remember that when hosting a party with your new boyfriend: a) don’t invite your old boyfriends unless they’re with their special someone, b) don’t fight in front of others or spend too much time away from your new boyfriend, and c) for God(dess)’s sakes, Honey, please don’t get drunk and kiss anyone in front of your new boyfriend!

Better luck next time, Trinity

Hey Trinity, I went to my best friend’s dinner party. It was really great, but I was the

Dear Trinity, I was recently at a cocktail party where I was accused of upstaging everyone. Well, to be honest everyone was just so boring that I

only person who didn’t bring something. I apologized but still, Trinity, when is it and isn’t it appropriate to bring something to a dinner party?

Yours truly, Dinner Doubts Austin, TX Hey Dinner Doubts, It’s ALWAYS appropriate to bring something to a dinner party! You can never go wrong with a gift! Now, Pumpkin, I know you’re thinking, “But what if the host says don’t bother?” Well, maybe if they insist, then and only then may you possibly get away with it, BUT why not just bring a bottle of wine, some cookies or a thank you card! Hosts of parties always remember and invite back the guests who bring something. People who don’t leave a lasting impression don’t get lasting invitations.

Hello Trinity, I’ll be throwing my very first party as someone who is newly single. However, my ex- used to do everything, and I just cleaned up. Now that I don’t have my ex around, I’m lost.

Thanks, Single and Hosting Chicago, IL Hello Single and Hosting, Next time, before the divorce, grab your ex’s party planner instead of the J. Queen comforter set.

So Darling, since it’s your first time and you want to start off on the right heel, try: Trinity’s Uptown Tips for Hosting a Party 1. I know it’s your house, but put the sex books and toys AWAY! 2. Serve yourself is fine, but cook yourself is unacceptable!

3. A party without background music is like a funeral with a punk band!

4. If dinner’s late, appetizers and drinks are MANDATORY! 5. Having to use a dirty bathroom as a guest is like having to use a rectal thermometer as a cocktail stirrer.

6. Potluck hosts: You should never expect the guests to bring the main course or drinks.

7. “Does this cigarette bother you?” always means YES! All smokers, including you, outside!

8. Anyone in high heel shoes always gets invited to sit first!

9. A drunk and sloppy host promises an unforgettable finale to your party-hosting career!

10. And lastly, LOCK the humping dog(s) or shedding cat(s) in the bedroom!

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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life

Preparing for a New Job Health & Wellness: Self Care During an Interview

BY JACK KIRVEN QNOTES CONTRIBUTOR

Y

ou have researched the company.

You know what they do and that you can contribute in a meaningful way.

You have researched, and yes, they have a healthy LGBTQ office culture. The position, title, pay and benefits all look good. You’ve expressed interest, and they have invited you to come in. Congrats!

Now the part most people hate.

Stress of any kind, from any source, whether it be positive or negative, triggers the same hormonal responses in your body. As I have written in the past (integre8twellness.com/inflammation-creates-diseases), stress is corrosive to your health and wellness. So, it’s important to manage it, especially when the adrenaline is making it hard to swallow. When the butterflies are driving you to distraction, the single best immediate practice to calm yourself is mindful breathing.

Breath is the fundamental pattern. It comes first and foremost before all other needs. And you can use it to your advantage, instantly and in the middle of your job interview. Auditioning for anything, whether it be for a corporation, a dance company or some other selective organization, means you are being judged and evaluated. That process can be intimidating, and all sorts of doubts might suddenly flood your mind. But remember this: You were invited to come interview, apply or audition. The organization sees something in you, and you have come prepared.

As you approach the appointment, especially while waiting to be seen, take some time to let go of all the mental and professional preparation. Whatever replies you have rehearsed, you know those as well. Check in with yourself. Sure, taking slow breaths is the simplest method, but that alone might not slow your thoughts and heartbeat. It helps to be concentrated and specific.

Some methods you might try involve time and rhythm, chromotherapy and aromatherapy, and encouraging imagery.

These are easy concepts, but you might not have considered them. They are simple

to explain, and can help you go into your meeting with a cool sense of calm confidence. They are not medicinal per se, but they serve to help you hone your focus.

Time can be stretched. Be still, and try to feel your heartbeat. Take a breath in for one pulse, hold it one pulse, exhale in one pulse. Next breath is two in, two hold, two release. Then three, four, and all the way up to 10. You will be focusing on the augmenting sense of expansion and patience, and that in and of itself slows your heart.

So, actually, each breath will take longer beyond the count of beats, because those beats become slower. By the time you get to 10, you will probably find at the end of the last exhale that you feel rested, alert, and light.

Chromatherapy uses levels and colors of light or pigment to adjust mood. Wear or carry something with a color that makes you feel powerful. It doesn’t have to be obvious to anyone else. It might be a gem stone in your pocket or an accessory in your outfit. Whatever works. As you take your deep breaths, focus on that color. Imagine its energy nourishing you.

This is abstract, but it adjusts the inner firing of your neurons and affects your state of mind. If you want a specific sugges-

tion: Red is the color of the root chakra.

It’s located underneath you where your bottom touches the chair. It is the chakra of health, wellbeing, safety, and stability.

Perhaps you have something red with you that can help you bring your intention to creating the sense of safety that will help

you remember how to keep everything in context. For aromatherapy, try dabbing a few drops of lavender essential oil on a handkerchief and breathing purposefully through the material.

And then there is imagery. This is very straightforward. Think of the three best impressions or memories you can remember off the top of your head. Is it a picture of a blooming flower or an interesting building? You appreciate beauty. Maybe the time you scored on something really significant — remember you’re successful. Or are there any encouraging words or people who make you feel appreciated? You circulate wisdom. As you take your breaths, leave all the other thoughts about the interview behind, and dwell only on those specific images that make you happy, or that consistently interrupt emotional funks. I like running through the music video for “Miss You Much,” but you do you.

Your frame of mind is translated into your life experience. I am not a proponent of any concepts about “laws of attraction,” but I do know that thoughts become things. Your thoughts direct your focus and intention, and you can wrangle all this into presenting yourself as you are: a qualified applicant who brings a great deal to the table. : :

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