QNotes, Feb. 12-25, 2016

Feb. 12-25 . 2016

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inside

Q

qnotes news & features

arts.

6 entertainment.

News Notes: Regional news. views. Briefs 8 News Notes: U.S./World Briefs 9 HRC Carolina Gala 10 Legal battle mounted 11 Non-discrimination vote pending

Bar owner shares his story Milton Howard kicks back at The Nickel Bar. Learn more about him in our Q&A in Our People. page 23

a&e / life&style 12 15 16 18 20 21 22 23

Black LGBT History Month QCTC mounts ‘Casa Valentina’ Q&A with Mondo Guerra Dishing with Buff Faye McGillis Tournament Tell Trinity Q Events Calendar Our People: Milton Howard

opinions & views 4 Spiritual Reflections 5 MLK Jr. Retrospective

more news & features

Mondo Guerra ‘Project Runway’ winner and outspoken HIV/AIDS activist serves as mentor, designer and more. page 16

Charlotte non-discrimination ordinance up for vote Community forum focused on understanding issues, finding resolve. page 11

Feb. 12-25 . 2016

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spiritual reflections

by Bishop Tonyia M. Rawls :: guest contributor

North Carolina black clergy stand for LGBTQ rights and protections from the ‘What’s Race Got to Do With ______?’ series

When we consider the fact that Jesus said As a black, same-gender loving woman, nothing about homosexuality, and that the few who is a pastor, Bishop and activist, I can solreferences in the Bible that do mention sameidly say that my wife, children, grandchildren, sex encounters, have nothing to do with loving, and community have stronger allies, greater same-sex unions and families like mine. John opportunities, and more protections than we McConahay and Joseph Hough shed some have ever had. This is in many ways attributlight on why this issue of sexuality has taken able to a growing number of black clergy up so much space in the hearts and minds of who are no longer willing to stand idly by and reasonable people. They conducted a 1976 watch large segments of the communities study (bit.ly/1PYBLZI) they were called to serve that defined symalienated, stripped of rights, bolic racism as “the physically abused, and treatexpression [by whites], ed unjustly. They have taken in terms of abstract the costly stand against the ideological symbols and notion that LGBTQ people symbolic behaviors, [of] are unworthy of God’s love the feeling that blacks and full acceptance within are violating cherished the church. values and making Contrary to popular belief, illegitimate demands for there is power and hope at changes in the racial the intersection of race and status quo.” These LGBTQ life. are the same beliefs When preparing to write that have negatively this essay, I was reminded affected LGBTQ people. of Mr. Bunny. All of the youth Marriage equality, in my community called him Bishop Tonyia Rawls has been active workplace rights, and Mr. Bunny because when I and outspoken in fighting for injustice grew up we were not allowed and LGBT rights and acceptance, both in accommodations that support varied gender to call any adult by their first the church and in the world at large. expressions, have all name. As a show of honor and challenged many individuals’ long held beliefs. respect we had to address them as miss or misHowever, the deeply held attitudes and beliefs ter. If he were around today, we would have acabout justice and equality for all has led a knowledged Bunny as gender variant or trans, growing number of black clergy to stand with but those words were not used at my black the LGBTQ community in our fight for justice.

Baptist church home in Newark, N.J., in the I have seen the best of what is possible ‘60s. He was a beautician who styled the hair of when we reason together and let unconditional many of the women in the church I attended. He love lead. was their confidant and “good girlfriend.” The In fact, many black clergy, led by the two things I most recall is how much he loved president of the North Carolina NAACP, Rev. the church and how much my mom and many of Dr. William Barber II, have assembled a moral the other women loved him. They did not judge movement that has refused to leave anyone him or the male “friend” he lived with. The rabid behind. We have fought side by side in support homophobia we see in the church today did of LGBTQ people’s right to equal protection unnot exist back then. We figured out how to live der the law. We have been holding “Meetings together because there was no place else to go. in the Upper Room,” which is a program of the Bunny was one of ours.

Charlotte-based Freedom Center for Social Contrary to popular belief, there is power Justice. Black pastors and clergy have come and hope at the intersection of race and together to learn more about the scriptures that LGBTQ life. deal with homosexuality and explore ways to The separations that we do experience be more supportive and welcoming to members today are largely charged by a political and of the LGBTQ community. Working and learning socially conservative machine that has used retogether has allowed us to foster healing and ligion and fear-baiting to build a divide between help create the beloved community that Rev. Dr. the black church and the LGBTQ community.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of.

The goal was to weaken collective power by When I first deeply engaged in this work, placing wedges where tolerance once resided. there were many who felt we were wasting This has proven an effective tool in determining our time working with black preachers and the the outcomes for elections and shifts in policies. black church. I am here to report that I have But now black folks everywhere are waking up seen the best of what is possible when we and realizing that while we each have a right to reason together and let unconditional love lead. our own beliefs, when those beliefs infringe on In North Carolina we found that our commonalithe rights of others and do not advance justice, ties far outweighed our differences. then we must call out such injustice. We must I am grateful for the support of this couraresist efforts to divert our attention from the geous generation of black clergy, scholars, intersection of social justice, race, religion, and civil rights leaders, and others, who refuse to LGBTQ rights and protections. hide in shadows as it relates to their support of In reality, black people are not any more LGBTQ children of God. We need each other to homophobic than any other group. The fresh survive. Come on and meet us at the corner of memories of slavery, Jim Crow, the killing of love, justice, and equality for all. We have work black men (regardless of sexual orientation), to do! : : over incarceration and poverty have helped — Originally published in Sojourners magazine. many see that LGBTQ people are not the enemy Reprinted with permission of the author. nor the real threat to their families.

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Black History Month

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qnotes connect Feb. 12-25, 2016 Vol 30 No 21

arts. entertainment. news. views. goqnotes.com twitter.com/qnotescarolinas facebook.com/qnotescarolinas

contributors this issue

Bill Day through Cagle Cartoons, Buff Faye, Nick de la Canal, Oriol R. Gutierrez, Jr., Lainey Millen, Bishop Tonyia Rawls, Jeff Taylor, Chris Tittel, Trinity

front page

Graphic Design by Lainey Millen Original Illustration: Coby Bottoms Mission:

The focus of QNotes is to serve the LGBT and straight ally communities of the Charlotte region, North Carolina and beyond, by featuring arts, entertainment, news and views content in print and online that directly enlightens, informs and engages the readers about LGBT life and social justice issues.

Pride Publishing & Typesetting, Inc., dba QNotes P.O. Box 221841, Charlotte, NC 28222 ph 704.531.9988 fx 704.531.1361 Publisher: Jim Yarbrough Sales: x201 adsales@goqnotes.com Nat’l Sales: Rivendell Media, ph 212.242.6863 Managing Editor: Jim Yarbrough, editor@goqnotes.com Assoc. Editor: Lainey Millen, specialassignments@goqnotes.com Social Media Editor: Jeff Taylor, socialmedia@goqnotes.com Production: Lainey Millen, x205 production@goqnotes.com Printed on recycled paper.

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news notes: carolinas compiled by Lainey Millen :: qnotes staff

Dems elect gay delegate ROLESVILLE, N.C. — On Feb. 6, Ryan Butler was elected as one of five delegates to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from North Carolina from the North Carolina Democratic Party’s State Executive Committee. That marks the first time an out LGBT DNC member and super delegate has ever been elected by the state Democratic Party, Butler shared.

Every four years delegates are elected from hundreds of Democrats from across the state.

“Almost 20 party activists and leaders ranging from precinct chairs, to city council members, to a member of the N.C. House of Representatives ran for the five spots,” Butler shared in an email conversation with qnotes. The process took a number of hours to complete with numerous rounds of balloting and runoffs to net the five representatives. Prior to the meeting, candidates campaigned in advance through email to members of the committee, as well as distribution of stickers and flyers on the day of the election where candidates sought endorsements. Brian Fitzsimmons, the chair of the Wake County Democratic Party was one of the individuals who endorsed Butler’s campaign.

Butler was nominated by his husband, Chris Sgro. Sgro is the executive director of Equality North Carolina. Sgro “explained that this was our first full year as a legally married couple, and thanked all of the Democrats in the room for the hard work they had done to make equality a reality.”

He added, “I’m a proud Democrat! North Carolina Democrats also stand for racial justice, fight income inequality and fight to protect recent Republican efforts to dismantle our schools and public education system.” Butler also shared that the party was diverse and rallies around LGBT people with regard to securing equal rights.

“According to the DNC, there are currently only about five out LGBT DNC members from the entire South. While we’ve had many current and former DNC members who were and continue to be strong allies in the fight for LGBT equality, it is essential that we have out LGBT people in the room when talking about LGBT issues. This is the same reason we need women in the room when we’re talking about reproductive health. It’s also why we simply must have people of color in the room when we’re talking about racial justice,” said Butler.

Butler serves as the president of the LGBT Democrats of North Carolina. He is an attorney and works as the in-house counsel for Replacements, Ltd., in McLeansville, N.C. He was a former television editor and producer for CNN in Washington, D.C., and an editor for National Geographic. Butler was the director on “A Union in Wait,” the first documentary about samesex marriage to air on national television (Sundance Channel) in the U.S. He received his Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law, in Washington, D.C. info: ncdp.org.

Charlotte Pride hosts fundraiser

SALISBURY, N.C. — Salisbury Pride will hold its annual wine tasting fundraiser on Feb. 20, 7 p.m., at the Salisbury Wine Shop, 106 Main St. Rickety Bridge Winery CEO Andy Woolgar will serve as the lead during the event. For those who prefer beer, it will be on hand as well.

Tickets are $20 and are available in advance, online or at the door. info: salisburypride.com.

Prayer breakfast slated

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS breakfast will be held on March 3, 9:30 a.m., at St. Luke’s Missionary Baptist Church, 1600 Norris Ave. Sponsored by the church and Carolinas Care Partnership, it invites those from houses of faith for a morning of fellowship, breakfast and education about HIV/AIDS in the community. This is part of the national observance held between March 1-4 and embraces compassion and hope.

“Through the power of faith we will educate all about HIV prevention facts, encourage and support HIV testing, advocate for the availability of compassionate care and treatment

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for all those living with the disease, and love unconditionally all persons affected by HIV/ AIDS,” organizers shared.

Toolkits will be provided to assist faith communities in educating their congregations about the facts and needs of the community.

The event is free, however, contributions are welcome to support Carolinas Care Partnership. Reservations are requested due to limited space. Email leshad@carolinacare.org to be included. info: carolinacare.org.

Band opens season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Pride Band (CPB) will present its first concert of the season, “El Ritmo Americano,” on March 5, 5 p.m., at Myers Park Baptist Church, Heaton Hall, 1900 Queens Rd. The Latin American themed performance features music from Latin American compositions, a featured performer and music inspired by the region. The concert represents the diversity of the Carolinas’ population and highlights how the Latin American community is growing and influencing the collective culture.

Highlights include: Piazzolla’s “Obllivion;” Hanson’s “Volver a la Montana;” Lalo’s “Cello Concerto in D Minor’” Williams’ “Symphonic Dance No. 2;” Marquez’s “Conga del Fuego

Nuevo;” Moliero’s “Joropo;” and Reed’s “La Fiesta Mexicana.”

CPB is Charlotte’s LGBT concert band and includes both members of the LGBT community and straight allies.

Tickets are $13 and are available online or at the door or online. info: charlotteprideband.org.

Music benefit slated

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s “Musically Chic” benefit will be held on March 10, 7 p.m., at the Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. This melodious evening event features Sick of Sarah, Namoli Brennet and One Voice Chorus. Emcee will be Francene Morris from “The Francene Marie Show” and My Media Tutor and honors the memory of Barbara Green who died in 2015.

The concert proceeds will go toward the funding of The Barbara Green Entrepreneurial and Small Business Grant. The goal is to raise the initial $5,000 to seed the grant. The grant is named for Green who was a long-time LGBT advocate and ally within the business community.

Contributions can be made online in advance or at the door. info: clgbtcc.org.

discussions, as well as enlightened conversation and friendship, Marsh shared. There is also space for laughter when appropriate. Each meeting utilizes volunteer professionals within the LGBT community who serve as facilitators and offer assistance, guidance and availability, but is not group therapy.

Participants also get together for dinners, plays, museums and more.

Dues or fees are not assessed, but contributions are welcome at each meeting to help defray the cost of the website, as well as to support Holy Trinity for their generosity in providing the space.

For more detailed information, contact Marsh at charlottefriendsindeed@gmail.com. info: charlottefriendsindeed.com.

Triad Guilford names new executive

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Guilford Green Foundation (GGF) has announced the appointment of Nancy Vaughan as its new executive director.

“On behalf of Guilford Green Foundation’s Board of Directors, I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Nancy Vaughan as our new executive director,” said Board Co-Chair Melissa Greer.

“Nancy’s demonstrated leadership in serving Vets summit planned our community will be essential to our success CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The National Diversity as we move forward in advancing Guilford Council will hold a veterans summit Green Foundation’s on April 29 at DeVry University, 2015 mission to unite our Ayrsley Town Blvd., #109. community by fosterSpeakers are: Andres Barnes, ing organizations that Wells Fargo enterprise talent acquisiadvance Lesbian, tion project manager; David A. Smith, Gay, Bisexual and Bank of America enterprise military Transgender (LGBT) talent acquisition manager; and Denise persons and issues,” Moses, The Urban League of Central she added.

Carolinas job development director.

Currently, Vaughan Topics include: How to develop serves as mayor of and launch a veterans program within Greensboro, N.C., and an organization; recruitment best brings a wealth of practices — how to become a leader leadership to the post. in the veteran recruiting community; Foundation Board Coand career progression and advanceChair Jeff Smith shared, Mayor Nancy Vaughan ment — how to capitalize on veter“we believe she will be ans’ leadership skills in the workplace. a tremendous asset as we all work together to Sponsors are DeVry University and Postduty. create a new LGBT center in Greensboro.”

For more information, email Dejoron Thorpe GGF will engage the community’s input and at dejoron.thorpe@nationaldiversitycouncil.org. ideas for development of the center. “I have Registration is available online and is free for always been impressed by the people behind veterans and $25 for individuals.

Guilford Green Foundation and plan to hit the info: ndccarolinas.org. ground running,” said Vaughan. “By harnessing the unique power of Greensboro’s diversity, the Men’s group offers support foundation has unlimited potential.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Friends However, not everyone is excited about Indeed, a support group for gay men that began Vaughan’s hiring. The Greensboro News & about a year ago, meets twice monthly on the Record reported that activists had spoken out first and third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Holy against the situation.

Trinity Lutheran Church, 1900 The Plaza.

A contingency of LGBT individuals and the The group was formed by Jeff Marsh upon Queer People of Color Collective spoke out the suggestion Wes Thompson, a physicians against the move on Feb. 2. The objections assistant and therapists Jim Green, Warn stem from protesters assessment that a “white, Blanchard, Joe Pope and Eli Branscomb. Its heterosexual, non-transgender woman” was premise is “friends in need are friends indeed “inappropriate for a group that represents and together we can help one another keep LGBT interests,” the newspaper shared. moving forward.” The primary focus addresses The article went on to say that Carly a wide range of topics from general well being Springs who represented the collective read and happiness, life stressors and sensitive isa statement and answered some questions. sues for those whom depression resonates in a The statement read: “Greensboro’s queer and warm and safe environment, Marsh added. trans community of color stands in outrage and Meetings are covered by mutual respect opposition” to the hiring of Vaughan. “This is and agreement to anonymity. Time is spent in offensive to us because it continues the history silent meditation, participant sharing and then of erasure and suppression experienced by facilitators gauge the needs of the group and LGBTQ people of color and our grassroots pursue subjects that surround those topics and organization. Queer and trans people of color concerns. Gatherings can consist of serious experience the most marginalization of the

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LGBTQ community and yet our needs are the least represented and our leadership the least recognized by supposed ‘LGBTQ-affirming’ organizations.”

The statement was critical of GGF for its lack of inclusivity of transgender individuals in event programming and its leadership, the News & Observer reported.

Vaughan offered no comment to the statement, sharing that she felt it inappropriate for her to speak on behalf of the foundation.

Greer voiced that she had received “nothing but positive feedback” since the hiring. She added that Vaughan would be able to unite communities, a mission of the foundation.

Vaughan was Equality North Carolina’s 2015 Ally of the Year. Its executive director, Chris Sgro, said that “full equality” was not possible unless “we are walking arm-in-arm with our allies.” He added that straight ally attacks were tragic for advocacy.

Holden Cession, who is with the collective, said it was returning the $1,300 grant awarded to NC Trans Pride in Action for a pride event which was received from GGF. In other news, the foundation has announced that after an extensive review that it was modifying its granting and partnership process. It will adjust the number of grantees, but make awards higher; will align with partners who offer valued programs and services to the community; and it would become a leader in facilitating the delivery of programming to address the needs of the local LGBT community. info: ggfnc.org.

PFLAG slates meeting

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Greensboro will hold its upcoming chapter meeting on Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m., at College Park Baptist Church, 1601 Walker Ave. The organization has also announced that its Carter Stroupe Memorial Scholarship is accepting applications. LGBT and allied recipients are able to use the $1,000 funds to further their education. Criteria for selection is based upon an applicant’s exhibition of courage and leadership in their schools and communities.

Deadline is March 30. For more information and eligibility visit PFLAG Greensboro’s website. info: pflaggreensboro.org.

Foundation seeks input

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Adam Foundation is gearing up for the 2016 Adam Festival in late fall.

They are currently seeking input from the community on its theme, as well as feedback on the 2015 event. Visit surveymonkey.com/ r/2CXL6RM to lend a voice to the conversation.

Contact the foundation’s administrator, Jasmine Gregory, with questions, concerns or festival information at admin@adamfoundation.org. info: adamfoundation.org.

Triangle Valentine’s dance slated

RALEIGH, N.C. — SAGE Raleigh will hold its Valentine’s dance on Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., at the LGBT Center of Raleigh, 324 S. Harrington St. This event is hosted by Jeanne K who has secured the services of DJ Robert Murray who will spin throughout the evening.

Attendees will be able to socialize, enjoy assorted snacks and dance the night away.

Cost is $10 per person. The soirée is open to the community, regardless of age or sexual orientation.

The organization will also have a ladies dutch treat lunch on Feb. 29, 12 p.m., at Brigs, 1040 Tryon Village Dr., in Cary, N.C. Other upcoming events sponsored by the center or held in the Triangle are: Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m., Mardi Gras Blue Light Bingo, Durham Armory, 220 Foster St. in Durham, N.C.; and Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m., Raleigh LGBT Game Night, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, 3313 Wade Ave. info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

The program is a groundbreaking model for delivery of culturally-competent, integrated medical care to transgender individuals across Western North Carolina.

CSE has donated $10,000 toward funding the program which was originally launched in 2007 and serves over 200 clients. The infusion will enable the THP to grow its primary care services, as well as continue the high quality of integrated services that is currently provided, the partners shared.

Pioneered by WNCCHS, the program ASO, others hold ball covers 18 Western North Carolina counties.

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Alliance of AIDS Patients of WNCCHS who are at or below 200 Services-Carolina Board of Directors, Empire percent of the federal poverty level number 95 Properties and ThemeWorks will hold its elpercent. Many do not have health insurance. egant Red Ribbon Ball on Feb. 20, 8 p.m., at the Nationally, transgender individuals are subStockroom at 230, 230 Fayetteville St. jected to harassment in healthcare settings at a Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, wine and craft rate of 28 percent according to a 2010 National beers while dancing to music by DJ Fred. Pam Center for Transgender Equality report. They Saulsby will entertain. Attire is creative semialso may have their specific healthcare needs formal or formal. overlooked and are at a higher rate of suicide Tickets are $75 (which includes two drink attempts compared to the general population. coupons) and are available online at tickets.

“Our service area for transgender health aas-c.org. and HIV care is large and rural, and we have info: aas-c.org. learned the impact of stigma on an individual’s ability to receive healthcare services. We strive to provide appropriate, up-to-date, evidenceWestern based care for our trans patients, including New prez takes helm preventive services, behavioral health services, ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Blue Ridge Pride hormone therapy, general medical care, and Center has announced that it has elected referral to community resources. Along with Michael-David Carpenter as its 2016 president. these direct patient services, we have had a In an email dispatch, Carpenter shared mission to educate other healthcare providers in that the center has several ways by which to Asheville and other communities to increase acbecome involved and lend support. Opportunity cess to healthcare for transgender patients. We options are The White Party recognize that there is a huge gap (its annual fundraiser to in healthcare that is accessible support the fight against HIV/ and appropriate for transgender AIDS), the annual 5k Pride patients in the United States, and Run, the Winter Wonderland we are thrilled that this donation Party, The Miss Blue Ridge will allow us to work with the Pride Pageant and the anCampaign for Southern Equality to nual Pride Festival. expand access to services for all They have also added a patients,” said Dr. Jennifer Abbott, new event this year with an director of WNCCHS Transgender LGBTQ Wedding Expo and Health Program.

Conference on April 9, 10 a.m.“WNCCHS is at the cutting 3 p.m., at the DoubleTree by edge of providing transgender Hilton Asheville-Biltmore, 115 healthcare in the South — they Hendersonville Rd. provide accessible, integrated Organizers said, “This services and, just as critically, Michael-David Carpenter three part event will feature treat people with dignity, respect a conference with panels and guest speakers and affirmation from the time they walk in the addressing marriage and commitment within door. The need for these services could not be the LGBT community. Secondly, there will be more urgent. Their model is working, their team an expo featuring Asheville’s LGBT-friendly is incredible and what they need is more rewedding vendors. Additionally, there will be a sources to serve more people. We are honored group commitment ceremony where couples to provide that,” Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, can marry or renew their vows to one another CSE’s executive director, said. followed by a lively reception. The American info: southernequality.org. wncchs.org.

Red Cross will also be on site for a blood drive.

This event is open to all members of the LGBT South Carolina community and allies.”

“Seminars will be held to guide couples on ASO fundraiser announced wedding preparations, as well as legal issues MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – The Fifth Annual from taxes, adoptions, estates, government Charleston Beer Garden will be held on May 14, benefits and many other important topics 12 p.m., at The Grove at Patriots Point, 40 Patriots including transgender issues. The event will Point Rd., to benefit Lowcountry AIDS Services. also have local vendors set up to display their Beer lovers will gather to celebrate and saservices,” Carpenter added. lute the suds during the fifth annual Charleston info: blueridgepride.org.

Beer Garden.

Funds raised will go to help people living Partnership formed for trans healthcare with HIV/AIDS in the greater Charleston area, ASHEVILLE, N.C. — An expanded partas well as its community outreach, education nership has been formed between the and prevention programs.

Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE) and Attendees can spend the day enjoying Western North Carolina Community Health craft brews from more than 20 craft brewerServices (WNCCHS) to promote the WNCCHS ies featuring over 40 varieties, along with live Transgender Health Program (THP). music, food trucks and vendors. An expanded

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Homebrewers’ Village is on tap for this year’s festival, along with Beer Games that will test feats of knowledge, brawn and skill.

Tickets are: general admission — $15/presale through Feb. 14, $25/advance early bird through March 14 and afterward at $25/advance and $32/day of; VIP oasis — $35/pre-sale through Feb. 14, $40/advance early bird through March 14 and afterward at $50/advance and $60/day of.

General admission tickets include entrance to the festival, a commemorative festival mug, five beer tickets and entertainment. VIP tickets include 15 beer tickets, plus a separate VIP entrance, access to the VIP Oasis and VIP swag bag.

This event is for ages 21 and up only. Valid ID is required. info/tickets: charlestonbeergarden.com.

Regional & Beyond Elder stories requested

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Carolyn Reeves, a Masters in Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida, is collecting stories from members of the LGBT elder community who are 50-yearsold and above.

Reeves asks, “At any point in your life, has the quality of your healthcare experience been affected by your identity as a member of the LGBTQ community?” This is the framework behind the educational art project that aims to raise awareness about health disparity in the LGBT community.

“Creative participation in the art project is welcome and encouraged for those interested in doing so,” she added.

She hopes to have story contributors recruited by Feb. 19, but said that she would be collecting and cultivating the submissions between now and April 8.

For more information, email Reeves at carolynalexis@gmail.com with “Story Telling” in the subject line.

Victory seeks future youth leaders

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute is receiving applications for its 2016-17 congressional fellowship.

Young professionals are placed in the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus for a year-long fellowship. There they work with congressional staff on policies affecting LGBT individuals, thus having a first-hand experience with the federal legislative process.

Program dates are July 2016-July 2017, as well as Dec. 8-11 for the LGBT Leaders 2016 Conference. Application deadline is Feb. 29.

Visit the website for full details on compensation, benefits and qualifications. info: victoryinstitute.org.

PFLAGers to convene

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays organization will hold its North and South Carolina conference on March 12, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at Myers Park Baptist Church, 1900 Queens Rd. Keynote speakers and breakout sessions will take place in both morning and afternoon sessions. Door prizes will be awarded.

Cost to attend is $20 per person which includes breakfast, lunch and snacks. More information on securing tickets will be made available in the near future. Email Joan Gale at ckpflag@gmail.com. info: pflag.org.

Have news or other information? Send your press releases and updates for inclusion in our News Notes: editor@goqnotes.com.

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news notes: u.s./world compiled by Chris Tittel :: qnotes contributor

New digital LGBTQ entertainment site debuts Feb. 14 The Internet is getting a whole lot gayer!

International drag star Sherry Vine and former Here TV executive Josh Rosenzweig are combining their style, humor and sensibility into a one-stop, digital destination for all of the world’s LGBTQ entertainment needs. gaySVTVworld premieres Feb. 14 with original shows, specials, music videos, short films and more, all free at YouTube.com/ MissSherryVine.

“The world needs gaySVTVworld because they are hungry for original programming from top queer talent,” said Vine. “We got ‘em all: Haus Of Mimosa, Pickles, David Serrano, Chris Semers…and this is only the beginning.” “gaySVTVworld is created by and for LGBTQ audiences,” said Rosenzweig.

“Nobody is going to tell our stories like we will. While our visibility has increased enormously over the last decade with the launch of several LGBT television networks, it is essential that the community have an online space to call our own, a destination where we can go to find like-minded artists and feel the power of the collective.”

While gaySVTVworld draws inspiration from a traditional television model, it also presents a modern digital age spin with all shows under seven minutes long.

“We’re offering short content so people can view several episodes in the same amount of time as one traditional TV show,” said Vine.

“Maybe you only have five free minutes on your way to work or during a lunch break. That’s enough time to catch a hilarious episode of ‘Fashion Puhleez’ on your smart phone!”

The network will kick off its first season with a slate of eight programs, releasing daily, beginning with Sunday’s Sherry and the Greek, an original talk series starring Vine and Semers discussing a variety of fun topics and performing skits, characters and musical numbers.

Vine’s video parodies have made her a YouTube sensation, being viewed over 14 million times. She got her start in New York City, but today tours the world with her live singing and comedy shows. Vine has appeared on the off-Broadway stage and in numerous films, including “Stonewall” and “Wigstock,” and starred in two seasons of Here TV’s variety show, “She’s Living For This,” produced and directed by Rosenzweig.

Rosenzweig served as senior vice president of Here TV for 10 years, where he produced over 200 hours of television programming, including “She’s Living For This” and “Heart of Broadway: An Inside Look at Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS.” He was also the host of the hit TV talk show “Just Josh.” Rosenzweig has directed many music videos, award-winning films and more than 40 productions for the theater. He has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards.

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Feb. 12-25 . 2016

Gay-Straight Alliance supporters call for boycott

It began when a group of students at Franklin County High School in Winchester, Tenn. (pop. 8,527), formed a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) in early January.

When parent and small business owner John Wimley learned of the group, he launched a Facebook page encouraging people to attend the next school board meeting to stand up against the “future ISIS members of America” (AKA gay kids) and “protect traditional marriage.”

“OK F.C. [Franklin County] if we do not ban [sic] together and stop this B.S. the next thing you know they will have a F.I.M.A. (Future ISIS Members of America) #PutGodInSchoolsPlease,” Wimley rallied. “Time to Stand Up for what is RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Others were quick to join the cause.

“GOD bless you for standing for what is right,” Tina K. Millson wrote. “These gays have no right forceing [sic] their lifestyle of sin on these poor children of GOD.” “Why is it so important for the LBGT [sic] WXYZ community to have 100% support with no opposing opinions?” Greg Gunn added.

“School is for learning, library is for reading, restaurants for eating,” Kayla Ehlers said. “Lets [sic] keep loving, hugging, hand holding, kissing, and sexual ordination for our personal lives at home.”

In response, supporters of the GSA launched their own Facebook page calling on people to boycott Wimley’s business, the Tennessee Car Care Center.

But the damage caused by Wimley was already done.

In a Facebook post, one supporter of the GSA reported that some students have begun wearing “Straight Pride” signs around school and that the GSA’s posters advertising the club’s meetings had been defaced with words like “no gay allowed” and “faggots.”

Despite all this, members of the school’s GSA refuse to be intimidated.

“We are incredibly grateful for this extraordinary showing of love and support for our LGBT community here in rural TN,” the club’s faculty advisor wrote. “We never imagined that the love in the world for us was this strong.

Thank you for walking with us on our journey.”

— LGBTQ Nation (lgbtqnation.com), a qnotes media partner QUICK HITS —————————— Utah bill favoring heterosexual parents in adoptions is ‘unconstitutional’ bit.ly/1nNXmhi Gay veteran kicked out of Army receives honorable discharge bit.ly/1KYeg1x Ellen Page: Now I’m gay, I can’t play a straight person? bit.ly/1o7e6QG

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community activism

For a second year, HRC Gala will call for action on non-discrimination ordinance Plus, celebrities, politicians, and awards expected at the 21st annual HRC NC Gala

by Nick de la Canal :: qnotes contributor

W

hile the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 2015 North Carolina Gala was hailed as a wildly successful blacktie fundraiser, selling more than 1,200 tickets and drawing in politicians and celebrities from across the Carolinas last year, not everything went off without a hitch.

Earlier that day, a surprise snowstorm stranded HRC President Chad Griffin on a runway in Washington, D.C. He never made it to event.

The singer who was booked to perform that night also had trouble getting to the gala, just barely making it into the room in time to perform her number.

And despite hundreds of call-toaction postcards littering every table in the room, encouraging attendees to lobby Charlotte’s city council to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes to the local non-discrimination ordinance, city council voted down the proposal 6-5 the following month.

This year, organizers are hoping for better weather, and another shot at swaying city council to expand the ordinance.

They may only have a small window to do it, though. The gala is scheduled for Feb. 20. City council is likely to take a vote on Feb. 22, a mere two days later.

“We had hoped that we would have had the vote, and we could be celebrating at our gala,” said Dan Mauney, an event organizer and a past co-chair, (the vote was originally scheduled for Feb. 8, but council members pushed it back to Feb. 22, and they could postpone it further). Now, city council’s delay will give the HRC an opportunity to garner last-minute support in the last days leading up the vote.

This time around, things are looking sunnier for the HRC. Since last year’s defeat, city council added two new members who say they support the ordinance, and the city’s new mayor, Jennifer Roberts, regularly voices her support for LGBT protections — so much so that gala organizers invited her to deliver this year’s welcome speech. (She accepted.)

Still, gala Co-Chair Crystal Richardson says event goers should expect more call-to-action postcards this year, and she hopes to convince them to show up to the Feb. 22 meeting together en-masse.

“It will be so critical,” Richardson said, “We will definitely be advocating for the LGBT community and others at the gala to attend the city council meeting.”

On The Menu: Politics, Performances, and Honorees For months, volunteers with the HRC have been locating corporate sponsors, fretting over menu items and ensuring there will be enough cocktails to satisfy a crowd of around 1,200 LGBT people and their allies.

Overseeing the whole operation are the 2016 gala co-chairs: Jason Boone, Richardson and Tracy Sanchez. They have lined up speakers ranging from Jim Obergefell, the Supreme Court plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, to comedian Dana Goldberg. Griffin will also speak at the dinner, and LA-based singer-songwriter Wrabel will perform.

The HRC will also honor this year’s HRC NC Equality Award Rodney Tucker winners. The HRC NC’s Person of 2016 Person of the Year the Year Award will go to Time Out Youth Center’s executive director, Rodney Tucker.

Tucker has worked with the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN), and served on the board of directors of the North Carolina AIDS Fund. He also helped create successful events like the annual AIDS Walk and Gay Bingo in Charlotte.

Since becoming executive director of Time Out Youth in 2012, Tucker has expanded the non-profit’s programs to offer increased guidance, counseling and safe spaces to local LGBT teens.

“Time Out Youth has helped schools learn how to deal with out trans students and gender non-conforming students,” said Richardson, “We’re really proud and honored to be able to award Rodney Tucker this year.”

The HRC NC’s Organization of the Year Award will go to the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce, formerly Human Rights Campaign Carolina welcomes (left to right) Activist James Obergefell, HRC known as the Charlotte President Chad Griffin and entertainer Wrabel to the upcoming gala slated for Feb. 20.

Business Guild.

“And talk about a force,” said Mauney, “that organization has gone from 0 to 60 in less than seconds. And it’s all because of their board, because of their members, and HRC wanted to honor them and recognize them.”

The chamber was formed in 1992 as a network for LGBT friendly businesses, and much of the work the organization has done since focuses on promoting LGBT businesses, sponsoring LGBT events, and advocating for LGBT business and social interests in local government.

After marriage equality victory, gala ticket sales remain strong The HRC NC Gala is one of the largest of its kind. It consistently surpasses other regional HRC galas in attendance numbers. Since 2007, the HRC NC gala has sold more tickets than galas in Atlanta, Ga., San Francisco, Calif., and even New York, N.Y., Mauney said.

But there were fears among some in the organization that after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality last year, support for the HRC and its regional offices might drop off.

“I think some people thought maybe after marriage equality became the law of the land, we were going to turn our lights off and everyone could go home. You know — our work is done.” said Mauney, “And we’re like, well, we won a part, but we didn’t win the big picture yet.”

While attendance at other HRC galas slightly waned over the last year, Sanchez says ticket sales are remaining steady in North Carolina.

“Our numbers are really strong. They’re very close to last year’s,” Sanchez said, “Now will we get the 1,500 that we were hoping for? Probably not. But all in all, it’s going to be a great attendance.”

HRC representatives declined to say how much money the gala raised in past years.

Early bird ticket sales ended on Feb. 5, and remaining tickets are selling fast. Interested attendees can purchase tickets by visiting hrccarolina.org. Tickets start at $250. Student, senior, and military discounted tickets are also available.

The gala kicks off at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Charlotte Convention Center, 501 S. College St. : :

Feb. 12-25 . 2016

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From the Capitol

NC General Assembly leaders, magistrate hire outside attorneys to defend same-sex marriage exemption Right-wing contingency handle legal representation

by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff Members of the North Carolina General Assembly and a magistrate who refuses to issue a marriage license to same-sex couples have hired attorneys to defend the bill, Senate Bill 2, which allows for the exemption.

The bill was passed over Gov. Pat McCrory’s veto but has since been challenged in court under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Senate Pro Tempore Phil The North Carolina State Capitol Building, in Raleigh, N.C..

Berger and House Speaker Tim Photo Credit: Jim Bowen. Creative Commons 2.0 license.

Moore said they have hired outside council. Berger spokesstate Sen. Thom Tillis in an attempt in 2014 to woman, Shelly Carver, said the legislative leadstop the progress of same-sex marriage in ers have hired the Alliance Defending Freedom, North Carolina. with John Eastman and North Carolina lawyer Eastman is the chairman of the board of Bob Potter. the National Organization for Marriage, a nonEastman and Potter were also brought in profit established in 2007 to fight same-sex

by Berger and then house speaker, and current marriage. They were the single largest donor

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Feb. 12-25 . 2016

in the fight to pass Amendment One, the constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

They filed a motion to intervene on Feb. 4, and on Feb. 5, Atty. Gen. Roy Cooper’s office filed a motion to dismiss the legal challenge.

Cooper, through his own representative, said that it was a waste of taxpayer money to hire outside lawyers when the case is already being handled by his office. Cooper has expressed his opposition to the bill.

He is also running against McCrory in the gubernatorial race.

The bill will once again be paid with taxpayer money, which the General Assembly has been setting aside ever since a law was passed in 2013 allowing them to intervene in legal cases on behalf of the state.

In the fall of last year, the Republican-led General Assembly passed a budget which set aside $8 million over two years to “pay for current and pending litigation,” The Citizen-Times reported this past November.

They also reported that at the time of writing, over $3 million had been used to defend state laws since July 2014, according to invoices obtained by The Associated Press.

In addition to the same-sex marriage battle, a large chunk of money went to defending a 2013 election law that requires photo ID and cuts back on early voting. They are moves seen by many as attempting to disenfranchise minority voter blocks, which are more likely to vote for Democratic candidates than Republicans.

“Once again, Roy Cooper is publicly disparaging the case of his clients — the people of North Carolina — and instead arguing the opposition’s case for them,” said Berger and Moore in a statement. “Nobody in North Carolina would accept this behavior from his or her private lawyer, and the taxpayers should not have to in this case.” : :

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news

Taking a Stand

Charlotte LGBT non-discrimination ordinance debate renewed Vote likely on Feb. 22

by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There were around 250 residents in attendance on the evening of Feb. 1 for a forum at The Palmer Building to discuss adding LGBT protections to the city’s non-discrimination ordinance, one week ahead of City Council taking up the issue again after it failed to pass last March in a 6-5 vote against the measure.

The forum was hosted by the Charlotte Community Relations Committee and the Committee Building Initiative, at the request of Mayor Jennifer Roberts, who has been vocal about her support for updating the ordinance to include protections for the LGBT community.

After an overview of what the updated ordinance would include, as well as some brief history concerning last year’s vote delivered

by City Attorney Bob Hagemann, there was a presentation by experimental theater group XOXO Performance Ensemble, who portrayed community members with four different perspectives on the ordinance.

Two were on the side of passage, and two on the side against. One portrayed a businessperson for, one a businessperson against, another a mother worried about her children

over the transgender bathroom issue — which was a key sticking point of contention last year — and finally a transgender male who has experienced harassment in both male and female restrooms.

They were drawn from real stories, taken in part from last year’s debate before City Council.

You can watch video from the performance online at goqnotes.com/41619/.

“I have a right to protect my children, and I don’t support a measure that would put my daughters at risk,” actress Anne Lambert said in a statement from the perspective of the concerned mother.

Performer Che Busiek, portraying the transgender male, said, “I’m not asking for special privileges. I just want a safe place to go to the bathroom, where I’m not touched, or harassed or yelled at.”

After the performance, those in attendance were asked to break up into small groups and discuss what the stories stirred in them, what is at stake for them personally and what the passage of the ordinance would mean to them.

This writer’s small group was about as diverse as could be, including, among others,

a supportive mother of a gay son, a man who claimed to have struggled with samesex attraction before deciding it was an illegitimate identity, a member of the LGBT community who shot back that “gay people exist, all over the place, whether you like it or not,” an AfricanAmerican man who took umbrage with some comparing the fight for LGBT equality XOXO Performance Ensemble actors from left, Gerard Hazelton, Che Busiek. with the 1960s Civil Photo Credit: Robert Lahser, The Charlotte Observer.

Rights Movement and eryone to continue thinking about and discussa man who said he ing these issues, which will persist whether the was raised Baptist, with anti-gay beliefs, and ordinance passes or not. had come to understand that all discrimination City Council added the issue to the agenda is wrong and wanted to hear the stories of gay for the Feb. 8 meeting just as qnotes went to and trans people so he could be more informed. press, although a vote was not planned. The After the small groups had completed their vote is expected to take place on Feb. 22. : : meeting, city representatives encouraged ev-

Feb. 12-25 . 2016

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Gay Black History Month

Key LGBT black leaders make significant history in Charlotte Each a champion for the cause in their own right

by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff

C

everybody to come and partake of that celebration. It was never about separation at all.”

Lee says that people now seem to understand the purpose and need for the event, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.

He would eventually step down from the board of directors to start Carolinas Black Pride Movement, under which he started South Carolina Black Gay Pride, Triangle Black Gay Pride and Triad Black Gay Pride.

Lee works for the PowerHouse Project, an HIV prevention and education center, which provides testing, counseling and basic social services, primarily focusing on young men of color.

He is also a noted playwright who currently works for the Charlotte African-American repertory company On Q Productions, where he serves as its education director, as well as a resident director.

He says he feels fulfilled in his work, which allows him to be an educator, artist and healer. Charlotte is lucky to still have him. : :

harlotte’s black LGBT history has been shaped and driven by countless leaders and creatives. Here are four such individuals who have had, and continue to have, a substantial impact locally and beyond.

Tonyia Rawls Spiritual Leader and Activist Bishop Tonyia Rawls has played a key role in the spiritual and social development of Charlotte, N.C.’s minority communities since arriving in the city a decade and a half ago from Washington, D.C., to found the first Unity Fellowship Church Movement congregation in the Bible Belt. The liberal protestant denomination is centered on the philosophy of embracing those who have been marginalized by larger society and its institutions.

Rawls has since gone on to found Sacred Souls Community Church, in 2014, a separate church which is in the process of joining the United Church of Christ, and which seeks to reach a broader cross section of the city.

“One of the things that I had been grappling with was the fact that in so many parts of my work it was extremely intersectional, and there were ways that my work outside of my congregation was looking different than my work in the congregation,” Rawls says.

She stresses that she stands firmly behind the work the United Church of Christ is doing in Charlotte.

“It was just about taking the ministry to its next phase of life,” she says.

Social justice advocacy work continues to be at the forefront of the work Rawls and her congregation are doing as well, with plans to attend the Feb. 13 Moral March on Raleigh, organized by the North Carolina NAACP and Democracy North Carolina, to call attention to a host of issues such as attacks on voting rights, public education and the working poor.

Rawls understands that all of these issues are interconnected, just like those who have been discriminated against, be it due to their race, sexuality or gender identity.

“If they can separate us, it is easier to attack us, and at the point where we realize where these things are coming from, as we think about some of the egregious actions that have been taken by some of our political structures here in our state in particular, what we know is that the same people who are coming for the gay, lesbian, bi and trans community are also stripping healthcare and are denying access to equality and voting, and are supportive of systems that lead to over incarceration of the poor and of people of color…and we’re no longer drinking that Kool-aid. We realize that we’re at a very pivotal point in our life as a community,” Rawls says, confident that progress will continue to be made.

She describes herself as an eternal optimist and points out that, slowly but surely, we are winning the culture wars. : :

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Jermaine Nakia Lee Renaissance Man Jermaine Nakia Lee cannot, for the life of him, quit this city.

“I joke with my friends that I’ve been moving out of Charlotte for the last 20 years,” he says, “but Charlotte has been really good to me.”

While he has spent some time in New York, N.Y., and Atlanta, Ga., for extended creative projects, he has spent most of his time in the Queen City and reports that he is glad about that fact.

“What I love is that…I still feel like there is a gold rush going on in Charlotte,” Lee says. “You know, it still has things to be desired, but you can come and get your fortune here. You can create what’s missing.”

What Lee felt was missing in the African-American gay community was primarily visibility. To that end, he began having conversations with his friend Damon Blackmon as to why there wasn’t a black gay Pride in the city.

He recounts that at first he went to Charlotte Pride to talk to them about adding more diversity in their programming, offering to take the lead in helping to create it, but was met with a lack of interest.

So they decided to start their own event, Charlotte Black Gay Pride, founded in 2005.

“We formed the first board of directors, and we had no money, we just had a dream and a lot of energy and enthusiasm,” Lee remembers.

“Eventually we did get a little money: donors from the community, HRC (Human Rights Campaign) gave us some cash, the International Federation of Black Pride gave us cash, the National Black Justice Coalition gave us cash,” Lee says. “This was closer to the actual Pride date, though, because I don’t think anyone even thought we were going to do it. People admit that to us now.”

Lee says that there were also many in those organizations who wondered if it would be possible to mobilize the community.

“They knew there was a lot of self-hate and stigma in the black (gay) community itself,” he says. “But it happened, and it actually was a record breaking first Pride. We had over 5,000 people attend that Pride.”

He remembers that there was a lot of support from the white LGBT community, but that there was also a backlash from people who called the event “separatist.”

“And it wasn’t that at all,” Lee says, “but what we wanted to acknowledge is that there is such thing as African-American gay culture, and there is such thing as Latino gay culture, and such thing as Asian gay culture. That gay culture isn’t defined by white American culture. There are certainly habits and elements that we share but it’s okay to acknowledge that other cultures celebrate Pride in their own unique ways. And we always invited

Jonathan Perry HIV/AIDS Activist When Jonathan Perry came out as a gay, HIV positive man on the campus of Johnson C. Smith, it was a revolutionary act. He was the first to do so at a historically black college or university.

It was also the early 2000s, and the disease, while no longer the death sentence it once was, still had a lot of stigma attached to it.

Perry spoke at a sorority-sponsored forum on HIV/AIDS his sophomore year. The occurrence, along with the continued activism that followed from Perry, caught both local and national attention.

“One of my first actions was to put together a forum on diversity and sexual minorities, a first for Johnson C. Smith. The forum was based on what I had witnessed and heard about the needs on the campus…I had heard stories of attempted suicide because of difficult coming out,” Perry told qnotes in 2004.

He also went on to form the LGBT student group A-3 (AfricanAmerican Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Education), which he reported took longer than usual because of fear that “the school would somehow lose funding if they recognized our group.”

After seeking the advice of members of the LGBT AfricanAmerican community, including Rawls, and said that he threatened to go to the press about the delay. The group was then approved.

Lee says that everything going on at Johnson C. Smith University right now that is inclusive and accepting of the LGBT community can ultimately be tied back to Perry and his

see next page u

bravery in standing up at a time and in a place where it was not expected or easy.

Perry continues to speak on HIV/AIDS at conferences and other events, continuing the education and advocacy work he started over a decade ago in Charlotte, N.C. : :

LaWana Mayfield Community Political Representative When LaWana Mayfield was talked into running in a primary election against District 3 incumbent Warren Turner, who had held the job since 2003, even she thought it might be a long shot.

Not only was she an unknown, but there had never been an openly gay Charlotte City Council member and only one AfricanAmerican female, Ella Scarborough.

She raised over 15 times the money as Turner and won the election with 51 percent of the vote, to his 34 percent, with a third candidate, Svend Deal, taking 15 percent.

Before a life in politics, Mayfield worked as a community organizer with such organizations as the Charlotte Mecklenburg

Community Relations Committee, Charlotte Community Justice Coalition, as well as serving on the board of the Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund.

Just by being openly gay, Mayfield was helping to make a difference, when in 2012 the city decided to extend health and other benefits to same sex partners of city employees.

“One of my colleagues said to me three or four months afterwards that it was because of knowing me and [Mayfield’s partner] Gelissa, that they knew that to vote against domestic partner benefits … they felt like that would be a vote directly against us,” Mayfield told qnotes when it named her as one of its persons of the year in 2013. “I didn’t realize until after the fact the impact of just being at the table and how important it is to just have a voice.”

She was one of the city council members to vote down an amended version of the LGBT non-discrimination ordinance last year, which would have removed transgender protections.

Mayfield stressed the importance of not leaving anyone behind in the fight for equality and justice. It was a controversial decision, but one that earned her respect from many corners of the community as it showed her commitment to full LGBT rights.

Mayfield is the Housing and Neighborhood Development chair, and is actively involved in working on affordable housing in Charlotte, N.C., which is becoming more and more of an issue.

She recently attended a forum in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood to discuss the issue with residents. The area is both home to many of the city’s LGBT residents, but is also one of the parts of town most affected by the condo and apartment boom that threatens to leave the less fortunate permanently displaced. : : — Photo Credit: Charlotte Observer

Did you know?

Black History Month traces its origins back to 1926 when the observance was known as Negro History Week. In 1976 it was changed to Black History Month to allow time to recognize the cornucopia of black contributors throughout history.

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Feb. 12-25 . 2016

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Theatre Lights

Self-made women Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hysterical, Queen City Theatre Company stages Harvey Fierstein’s ‘Casa Valentina’

by Nick de al Canal :: qnotes contributor

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asa Valentina” begins with a darkened stage. A light fades up, revealing a posh vanity and a large man seated behind it, carefully applying lipstick and rouge. He turns on the radio, and a poppy tune from the 1960s innocently floats out of the receiver.

This man is not a drag queen, nor is he transitioning into a woman. As he fiddles with a turban concealing his cropped, manly haircut, a woman wearing an apron sits in another room, presumably the kitchen, and considers what to cook for the halfdozen other men who will soon arrive.

One by one, they do, garment bags strewn over shoulders and boxes stuffed with wigs and makeup. They dress, cinching their corsets and zipping each other’s gowns, until finally settled, they begin their meeting.

Acclaimed playwright Harvey Fierstein had written several shows featuring men in women’s clothing (“Kinky Boots,” “La Cage aux Folles,” “Torch Song Trilogy”), but in his latest work, “Casa Valentina,” the men aren’t campy queens prancing around the stage in six-inch stilettos, in fact they’re not even gay, at least, there’s no reason to suspect so.

No, “Casa Valentina” turns a spotlight on a subculture that’s rarely discussed in decent society. These men are crossdressers, and they’ve left their families and flannel suits behind to embrace their inner women for a weekend in a bungalow tucked away in the Catskill mountains. The house, named Casa Valentina in the show (after the transvestite who owns property with his wife) is based on a real place named Casa Susanna that harbored closeted transvestites in the 1960s.

It’s the latest show to be staged by Queen City Theatre Company, a non-profit theatre group that bounced back from a

hiatus last year, and it comes at a timely moment in Charlotte, N.C., when city leaders are debating whether to extend protections for transgender people in public spaces.

But are the men in “Casa Valentina” actually transgender?

“Well the show takes place in 1962, and the word ‘transgender’ didn’t come about until 1965,” said artistic director Glenn Griffin in an interview with qnotes. Some of the men are just crossdressers, plain and simple, but others say they yearn to live their lives as women full time.

The show’s conflict arises when one transvestite, Charlotte (Joe Rux), proposes the secret club go public as part of a national visibility campaign, potentially giving its members greater freedom to be themselves, while also putting their personal lives at risk.

One of the biggest challenges for director Glenn Griffin was finding the right men to play the shows multi-layered characters.

Two of the show’s cast members have performed in drag before, and while that meant they had valuable experience walking in heels and sitting in skirts, Griffin told them to throw the rest of the camp and schtick out the window.

“As a director, you have to say, you’re not doing drag,” Griffin said, “You are portraying transvestites, or you’re portraying what would later be termed as transgender.”

Neither did Griffin want his actors to play men pretending to be women. He wanted the characters to be at their most comfortable when dressed as women. If anything, the actors should play women who have to act as men.

Take the show’s title character, Valentina (Kristian Wedolowski), for example. When he first appears on stage, he’s dressed in male form. He goes by George.

“When you see him as George,” said Griffin, “he has this almost false bravado of being a man, because that’s what he’s playing. He’s playing a man. When he’s Valentina, he’s not playing anymore. That’s who he is.”

Long-time costume-designer Jamey Varnadore created the production’s wardrobe with authenticity in mind. Each dress is made from a real pattern from the 1960s and custom fit to the actor. Actual dresses from the period probably wouldn’t fit these blokes, certainly not Matthew Corbett, who plays the older dowager named Amy (and The Judge as a male), and in real life stands at six feet, five inches — that’s before he puts on heels.

Other cast members are Barbi Van Schaick as Rita, Berry Newkirk as Jonathon/Miranda, Matt Kenyon as Bessie, Steven Martin as Gloria, Christopher Jones as Terry and Amanda Liles as Eleanor.

Don’t expect over the top drag makeup or wigs that ascend into the fly system either. Griffin wanted everything on the stage to remain authentic to how things might have looked in the 1960s.

He even dug up old photographs from Casa Susanna, the real life retreat Casa Valentina is based on, to ensure the production had an authentic look.

After all, this is a show that revolves around authenticity and what it means to be an authentic person. That’s why you don’t necessarily have to be a member of the LGBT or crossdressing community to enjoy it. Says actor Wedolowski, “It resonates with anyone who lives a life that is not fully the life that they want to live.”

The show runs for a limited engagement from Feb. 18-27, 8:00 pm., at the Duke Energy Theatre, 345 N. College St. Tickets range from $23-$25 and are available online.

For more information, visit queencitytheatre.com. : :

——————— CASA VALENTiNA ————

Cast members for Queen City Theatre Company’s ‘Casa Valentina’ include (left to right) Matt Kenyon, Berry Newkirk, Joe Rux, Christopher Jones, Kristian Wedolowski, Steven Martin and Matthew Corbett.

Photo credit: George Hendricks

Feb. 12-25 . 2016

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life

Positive Thoughts

Q&A with Mondo Guerra Designer, ‘Project Runway’ winner, HIV/AIDS activist

by Oriol R. Gutierrez, Jr. :: QSyndicate contributor

M

ondo Guerra is a fashion designer who first came to fame in 2010 as a contestant on the eighth season of the reality television show “Project Runway.� Although he didn’t win, Guerra was a fan favorite, even before he disclosed his HIVpositive status on the show. At that moment, he also took on the role of HIV/AIDS activist.

Guerra went through a whirlwind of media attention. Since then, his celebrity profile has certainly increased. He won the debut season of “Project Runway All Stars� and became a mentor on “Under the Gunn� (a spinoff series named after “Project Runway� host Tim Gunn). His designs include apparel, accessories and jewelry.

Guerra has also found a way to connect his design career with his advocacy. In addition to being a spokesperson for “I

Design,� an HIV/AIDS media campaign sponsored by Merck, Guerra is a spokesperson for “Dining Out for Life,� an annual fundraiser sponsored by Subaru, in which restaurants donate proceeds to local HIV/AIDS groups.

Five years after publicly disclosing he has HIV, Guerra explains how his life has changed and shares his goals for the future.

What prompted you to get tested for the virus in 2001 at the age of 22?

When I was younger, I believed, like every young person, that I was invincible. I was not making the best decisions. I could feel there was something different about me. So I got tested, and my test came back positive.

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Feb. 12-25 . 2016

After the diagnosis, I was devastated. I grew up in a Latino household and community, and there was never any discussion about HIV/AIDS, so it was definitely scary to me. I did not know how to deal with it.

When I was newly diagnosed, I was very ashamed and afraid. I didn’t really seek any support. I hate to say this, but in a lot of ways, looking back now, being raised Roman Catholic, I felt like it was some kind of punishment.

I stayed silent about my positive status even up to when I was in the hospital with pneumonia over Christmas in 2009.

With my family and friends visiting me, I asked my doctors not to disclose any information.

see Mondo on 19

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dishing with buff faye

by Buff Faye :: qnotes contributor :: info@bufffaye.com

MASC 4 MASC ONLY: Drag Queen Love February is the month for Valentine’s Day and for falling in love (and chocolate). And, yes, even drag queens need love and romance too. Oh and did I mention chocolate. Well my muse for this column on “Drag Queen Love” came from my good Judy (drag lingo for friend) Shelita Bonet Hoyle and her recent Facebook post. She states: “Sorry…Couldn’t help myself…Had another negative run in again by another gentleman caller because I dress as an oversized woman on the weekends…Geeeee, to be the “most inclusive underrepresented minority” we sure do beat ourselves up, break each other down and judge harshly, don’t we?

When will we stop focusing on bullshit, internalized homophobia, and the fear of femininity — and start paying attention to the PEOPLE we meet…Life passes you by every single day — are you so focused on certain aspects that your [sic] missing other beautiful things that could be added to your life?”

This Facebook post was alongside her photo with the caption “MASC 4 MASC ONLY” and then at the bottom it reads: “And by MASC I mean Mascara.” Well, way to tell those boys what they are missing girl.

You are exactly right.

You see, I have heard this same thing from other drag queens all to many times in Charlotte and elsewhere. And then I see these same gay or bisexual men who have these trivial concepts of “masculinity” complain that they are not able to find a relationship or anyone to date. Duh. Apps like Grindr only reinforce the mentality of labels like “masc for masc” or “top only.” These labels are misleading and destroying the potential for true love. It is one thing to have great sex and you can do it often on these apps. But it is another thing to connect with someone you love and have a relationship.

What we fail to understand is that the assertion you will only date other masculine men is rooted in your own internalized homophobia.

Limiting yourself to “masculine” men is a false notion. It can also be an indicator of transphobic stereotyping and other underlying mysognist feelings.

Many gay or bisexual men get stuck in their sexual identity development at this stage.

They were taught early-on by society about stereotypes which equate being gay with be-

SHOUT OUTS:

ing feminine. As a result, some gay or bi men assert a false masculinity to prove this wrong.

This only harms these individuals by not allowing them to be free to be who they are and their life-long relationships.

It is sad to be queer and live in a box of hetero-normativity. There are straight men that are more relaxed and comfortable with the spectrum of gender expression than some gay and bisexual men in our community. Sad face.

The fact that a gay man who is cisgender wears makeup, dress and heels should not be an indicator of his masculinity — or femininity.

The clothing we wear is just drag.

If a guy you really like looks like Ryan Kalil #67 for the Carolina Panthers and you find out that he wears a dress as a drag queen, does that make him less masculine? Why does the aspect of being a drag queen matter, if you are attracted to the person? And by person, I mean who they are emotionally, spiritually, physically — a real connection.

My husband and I have been together 20 plus years. We are far from perfect as a couple, but one thing we have learned is that who we are is much more than what we wear or how we look.

When we turn 70 years-old and are in the rocking chair on the front porch, our connection will be love — not superficial notions of masculinity and whether one of us is wearing heels. If we would have let gender norms get in the way, we may have never gone out on a date.

I know Shelita and my other Judys are amazing individuals. Yes, I am talking about you too, Lola Lovelace. For some lucky guy, these men who happen to be drag queens have so much love to give someone.

I challenge you to get to know a drag queen. Dig deep. Find some drag queen love.

Oh, and don’t forget the chocolate. : : DRAG TIP: Shelita loves Snickers!

— Buff Faye calls the Queen City her home and loves chocolate for Valentine’s Day (plus she loves to raise money for charities).

Find her at your favorite bars and hot spots.

Plus don’t forget her monthly Saturday night shows, Sunday drag brunch and regular Friday night party bus.

Learn more at AllBuff.com.

Follow on Twitter @BuffFaye

Come out to the opening night of Casa Valentina on Thursday, Feb. 18 and expand your mind about gender expression. Plus half of proceeds from opening night benefit Campus Pride to support LGBTQ youth. Learn more online at queencitytheatre.com.

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life

Mondo Guerra continued from page 16 They were walking into a room with a bed where I was hooked up to this and that, and in my heart and mind I was dying of AIDS. I still didn’t talk about it. I hit rock bottom, and I knew I had to start taking better care of myself.

I started taking medical advice and the proper treatments that I needed, and I got better very quickly. I had goals. For such a long time before I was in the hospital, HIV was defining who I was as a person and also as a creative.

The creative part of me was dying, so I had no reason to live. This creativity, the outlets where I was able to express myself, I used them to escape, a way to get through the day. This emotional and spiritual support is an important part of keeping me going.

Tell us about your decision to disclose on “Project Runway” in 2010.

My revelation on “Project Runway” was life-changing. It came from fear and turned into a huge sense of responsibility. I walked out on that runway in such a mood, but two hours later I was like, “What are people going to say?”

I was completely scared, so it wasn’t until four days before the episode aired that I told my parents. My parents still live in the home that I grew up in. At the dinner table, we have assigned seating that has never changed.

We had dinner. I knew in my heart — which was beating a million miles an hour — that I just had to come out with it, so I told my parents. “I know” was the first thing my mom told me, that motherly instinct I have always heard about. We talked some more, then my mom said, “I am proud of you.”

That helped me to talk about HIV/AIDS more. I get very emotional about it still because I felt the love that came from the table that

night, and it hurts me still because I didn’t trust them and that made me feel bad.

Speaking of your family, your mom and aunts inspired some of your eyewear.

My eyewear collection is inspired by family and friends. There is a whole set of eyewear that is named after my mom and her sisters. It is my way to give back to them, because they have been so supportive and inspirational. It is the least I can do.

I’ve had the great opportunity to have a reality show competition pivot me into some visibility for my designs. It has been such a blessing to have a crossover between my creative work and my advocacy.

Any collaboration that I do at this point must have some kind of way to give back. So I’m glad that part of the See eyewear proceeds goes to amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

It just makes sense to me to be able to do that for others.

What’s next for you?

Right now, I am focusing on restructuring my business. I would love to focus more on my fashion.

Advocacy remains dear to me, so I would like more ways to do this crossover of my interests.

I am working on a new show where I am allowed to communicate about HIV and my creative work. I’m not very sure on the direction of it, but it’s important for me to give inspiration and information to young people.

This interview originally appeared on POZ.com.

— Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr. is the editor-in-chief of POZ magazine.

Find him on Twitter @oriolgutierrez.

This column is a project of Plus, Positively Aware, POZ, TheBody.com and Q Syndicate, the LGBT wire service.

Visit their websites at hivplusmag.com, positivelyaware.com, poz.com and thebody.com for the latest updates on HIV/AIDS.

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life

Out and About

Carolinian hits the Keys Actress Kelly McGillis is the namesake for a Florida tourney

by Chris Tittel :: qnotes contributor and Lainey Millen :: qnotes staff

International Women’s Flag Football Association President Diane Signe Beruldsen (left) and actress Kelly McGillis at a tourney mixer.

Famed actress Kelly McGillis was in Key West, Fla., from Jan. 28-Feb. 1 for the International Women’s Flag Football Association’s (IWFFA) 25th Kelly McGillis International Women’s & Girls Flag Football tournament.

McGillis is known for her roles in such films as “Witness” (which netted her both Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for her breakout performance), “Top Gun” (in the unforgettable role as Charlie opposite Tom Cruise)

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and “The Accused” (with Jodie Foster as an attorney representing a rape victim). She was on hand during the tournament festivities and served as its director.

Originally from Newport Beach, Calif., she attended the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa Monica, Calif., and graduated from The Julliard School in New York, N.Y. McGillis has appeared on both the large and small screen. For instance, she joined the cast of “The L Word” during its fifth season. She also performs onstage in the U.S. and abroad and has numerous credits to her name. She serves as an acting instructor at The New York Studio for Stage and Screen in Asheville, N.C. She was the recipient of the 2010 Philadelphia QFest’s Artistic Achievement Award for Acting to honor her career.

McGillis resides in Hendersonville, N.C., with her wife, Dr. Lynn Bennett.

She has two daughters, Kelsey and Sonora, from a previous marriage to Fred Tillman.

IWFFA, an organization run by women, is an alliance of girls and women’s flag football teams, leagues and individual players from around the world.

Since 2000, McGillis has lent her name to the annual tournament. A humanitarian, she is a large supporter of the association’s efforts and believes in the empowerment of girls and women, the organization said.

goqnotes.com/to/arts

tell trinity

by Trinity :: qnotes contributor :: trinity@telltrinity.com

Extra marital affairs: Very common or very wrong?

Dearest Trinity, Do you think extra marital affairs are wrong or do you think that it’s common and should be treated more openly?

Extra Marital Questions, Seattle, WA Dearest Extra, Even though the animal kingdom doesn’t have monogamy or marriage, we as a society have rules that make relationships more powerful and keep society functioning as a whole. So yes, extra marital affairs are wrong mostly because the emotional hurt always outweighs the sexual satisfaction. However, men have been thinking with their crotch for millenniums. Just study the history of concubines and mistresses. So, pumpkin, if you must have that affair, be smart, careful and quiet about it. And when you’re in really big trouble, a change of hair color and address always works for me!

Hello Trinity, Men, I can’t live with them and I can’t live without them! How do you deal with those over-bearing Marlboro men types?

Marlboro-ed Out, Brooklyn, NY Hello Marlboro-ed Out, Yes, I agree men have been a problem since the beginning of time. They belch and burp,

sweat and snore, spit and swear. But, darling, they also look so damn good in those old Marlboro ads. Maybe men were put on this earth to cause trouble and the rest of the animal kingdom was put here to monitor them?

(Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay pardner! Maybe it’s time to rope ‘em in. Check out my cartoon to see how I’d handle this dilemma.)

Hello Trinity, I’ve been dating a very handsome guy for the last two months. But he’s constantly concerned about his looks, what people say about his looks and if I approve of his looks. Now I’m getting paranoid about my own looks! Help!

Paranoid, Berkeley, CA Hello Paranoia, Boy he’s a handful (of face creams)! Now instead of letting him bring you down, let his insecurities inspire you to be stronger and more self-empowered. Use this situation to help he and you to practice noticing the beauty in people and things that are not so obviously beautiful. Honey, this sounds like you both have a chance to acquire a newer lens on life. And lastly, if all his friends are “beautiful,” it’s time to acquire a more “natural” looking crowd to hang out with. Now get to work!

a&e

Hello Trinity, My best friend told a secret she swore never to tell. Now she’s begging me for forgiveness, but I can’t seem to forgive her. Why should I? Forgive-less, Palm Beach, FL Hello Forgive-less, Once you get past the stage of, “I’ll never talk to you again” try: Trinity’s Loving Tips For How To Forgive Someone 1. Saying, “I forgive you now,” then taking a few weeks to figure out how to forgive someone will start you on a healthy path towards forgiveness!

2. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean giving someone another shot at you.

It means you release them from your anger and thoughts, sometimes even your life.

3. In the moment you forgive someone your problems with them begin to dissolve. Use forgiveness to dissolve your problems!

4. F orgiveness is a gift you give yourself not the person you need to forgive.

5. K eeping anger, resentment and judgment inside means they have control over your thoughts. Do you really want this?

6. D on’t wait until someone dies or disappears in order to forgive them. Do it while they’re alive, not for their sake, but for yours.

7. If you’re mad at someone today and 10 years goes by before you forgive them, you’ve wasted 10 years. Eventually, you will forgive everyone!

8. Forgiveness starts when you let yourself look someone in the eyes while feeling a little less hatred than before!

9. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to forgive them to their face, but it does mean that you have to start the process in your mind first.

10. Lastly, forgiveness is a holy, spiritual, enlightening practice. How much time do you really need to waste before getting on a more evolved path? info: With a Masters of Divinity, Reverend Trinity hosted “Spiritually Speaking,” a weekly radio drama performed globally, and is now minister of sponsor, WIG: Wild Inspirational Gatherings, wigministries.org. Learn more at telltrinity.com.

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EVENTS

February-March 2016 ‘Show Some Love’ Bottega 262 1st Ave. NW, Hickory 5 p.m.

“Show Some Love,” a benefit for The Catawba Valley Pride’s scholarship fund, will be held this year at Bottega, and will feature live music, a dessert auction, a raffle, door prizes, refreshments and more. Tickets are $10 and are available online or at the door. catawbavalleypride.org.

–––––––––––––––––––– Continues through Feb. 13 Charlotte Symphony Pops: ‘A Symphonic Valentine’ Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts 430 S Tryon St., Charlotte 8 p.m.

After last year’s successful Valentine’s concerts, the Charlotte Symphony presents a collection of romantic selections of classical, popular and Broadway favorites. Albert-George Schram conducts, with vocal accompaniment by Charlotte’s own Eva Noblezada, star of London’s West End “Miss Saigon.” Tickets range from $29.50-$84.50. Tickets and more information are available online. blumenthalarts.org.

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24th Annual Johnson SEP FEB MO Valentine Bash Snug Harbor 1228 Gordon St., Charlotte 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m.

The 24th annual Johnson Valentine Bash will take place at Snug Harbor and will feature both bands and DJs, with proceeds going to Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN). Hardcore Lounge headlines, with openers Fat Face Band and Heart of a Ghost. DJ sets between bands by Starseed, Spaceboy, and DJ Godwin. Tickets are $5.

–––––––––––––––––––– Valentine’s Dance LGBT Center of Raleigh 324 S. Harrington St., Raleigh 7:30 p.m.

SAGE Raleigh is sponsoring a Valentine’s dance tailored for seniors. The annual event is describing itself as a night of “dance, drink and delicacies.” DJ Robert Murray will provide the music. Volunteers are asked to show up at 6:30 p.m. to help transform the space into a disco inspired setting. Suggested contribution is $10. lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

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Submit your event to our calendar!

You can submit your event to our comprehensive community calendar presented by qnotes, the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce and Visit Gay Charlotte. Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/ and get a three-forone entry. All Charlotte-area events will appear on each of the three calendars at qnotes (goqnotes.com), Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce (clgbtcc.org) and Visit Gay Charlotte (visitgaycharlotte.com).

Dr. Robert Jones Diversity SEP FEB MO Lecture North Carolina State University Hatteras-Ocracoke Ballroom, Student Union 2601 Cates Ave., Raleigh 6:30 p.m.

Dr. Robert Jones, the president of the State University of New York at Albany will deliver a diversity presentation called, “Institutional Culture Change in Higher Education: Leadership and Inclusive Excellence.” The presentation will be given to the university’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, but it is free and open to the public as well. For more information email jmphd@ncsu.edu.

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Continues through Feb. 27 ‘Casa Valentina’ Queen City Theatre Company Duke Energy Theatre

345 College St., Charlotte

8 p.m.

The regional premiere of the Tonynominated play, “Casa Valentina,” which is written by Harvey Fierstein, Continues through March 6 hits the Queen City. A new comedy SEP FEB MO based on a true story set in 1962 where The X Show: Art & Photographs for Grown-Ups a group of men escape to the Catskills PULP Gallery and Bookstore where they are able to shed their male image and don women’s clothes and 535 King St., Charleston act the part. Tickets are $16-$20 and are

6-10 p.m. available online.

PULP presents an erotic art show for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy free champagne, queencitytheatre.com. chocolates and a collection of adult only works of art, including photographs and works on paper by both local and national artists, including Clive Barker, Robert Crumb, Russ Meyer and Bunny Yeager (Bettie Page). The exhibition is free and open to the public.

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Condom Couture Neighborhood Theatre 511 E. 36th St., Charlotte 8 p.m.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic hosts its Condom Couture event, where designers create wearable art pieces using condoms. All proceeds go to benefit Planned Parenthood’s work to provide sexual health and safer sex information and resources.

Early bird tickets available at $25 general admission and $40 balcony.

Door prices are $30 general admission and $45 balcony. More information and tickets are available online. condomcoutureclt.com.

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The Human Rights SEP FEB MO Campaign North Carolina Gala Charlotte Convention Center 501 S. College St., Charlotte 5:45 p.m.

The 21st Annual Human Rights Campaign North Carolina Gala will include the presentation of Equality Award winners, including Rodney Tucker of Time Out Youth Center and the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce, who was named the HRC North Carolina organization of the year.

Supreme Court plaintiff James Obergefell and HRC President Chad Griffin are the featured speakers. Wrabel will perform.

There will also be an auction, a dinner and an after party. Tickets and more information are available online. hrccarolina.org.

Week of Prayer for the SEP MAR MO Healing of AIDS Breakfast 15th Annual Charlotte St. Luke’s Missionary SEP FEB MO Bartenders Ball Baptist Church Rooftop 210 1600 Norris Ave., Charlotte 210 E Trade St., Charlotte 9:30-11 a.m.

7 p.m.-2 a.m.

A coming together for breakfast and Over two dozen of communication around HIV/AIDS Charlotte’s best bars, prevention, testing, care and treatment clubs and restaurants will will be held in honor of The National present their signature cockWeek of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS. tails and beers. Six DJs will be The event is intended to spread love and on hand, and there will also be acceptance for those affected by HIV/ dancing, performers and other AIDS. No cost to attend, but donations live entertainment. Tickets are encouraged and will go toward the are $70, $100 for VIP. Drinks and heavy work of Carolinas CARE Partnership. appetizers included in price. Tickets and Space limited. R.S.V.P. by Feb. 26 to more information available online.

Lesha Dodson by email to LeshaD@ elevatelifestyle.com/events. carolinascare.org or call 704-496-9578.

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life

OUR PEOPLE:

Q&A with Milton Howard Nickel Bar owner offers intimate atmosphere at reasonable price

by Chris Tittel :: qnotes contributor experience after 30, when Milton Howard was, you want something that’s quite literally, born to be a a little more up-close and party animal. personal. That’s what The “Growing up, I pretty Nickel Bar offers. It’s simimuch was always that lar to Cheers, a place you party kid, always liked to go go where everybody knows out,” the Huntersville, N.C., your name. I wanted to add native said. “It has always back into the LGBT combeen my passion. Maybe munity here in Charlotte I’m a victim of my birth: I the humanity piece, where was actually born on New you don’t walk into bar Year’s Eve. And here it is, intimidation but into a more almost 50 years later, and welcoming environment.

I’m still kicking it!”

Milton owns The QN: I was in a bar last Nickel Bar, a nightclub night and noticed just on Rozzelles Ferry Road about everyone at the bar that has developed quite a was staring down into reputation as the place to an iPhone. How has that kick back and relax. technology changed the The Nickel Bar ability to be intimate in opened Feb. 6, 2009.

Milton Howard and his sons, Milton II and a bar?

Milton, bar staff and MH: The technology customers celebrated the Connor, spend the day at PowerHouse in the Park, an HIV awareness event. advances have been great. nightclub’s seventh anThey allow people a lot niversary in late January more exposure and contact. Some people share . a lot more of their inner personalities online. The QN: What inspired you to open The Nickel Bar? technology has definitely hurt the nightclub and MH: When I was about 22, I was working in bar industries, though, just like it has hurt shopa restaurant downtown and met a guy that ping malls. In a bar situation, you’re talking to owned a club. He invited me to it. There wasn’t someone or approaching someone face-to-face. anyone there. So, I told the guy: Why don’t you It’s, more or less, like how the shopper would go let me turn this into a gay bar that basically to the mall to see the fabrics, try on the clothes, caters to the African-American community? things like that. The technology has stripped It wasn’t so much about separation, but about the face-to-face interaction out of things. The bringing more culture to the city. In my travels, technology has been good and it has been bad.

I would go to Atlanta or DC and I would see a The Internet gives some people confidence that Latino club, a black club. I had worked in a few they otherwise would not have, but it also hurts bars around the city and always held in the relationships in that we’re paying more attenback of my mind the idea of opening my own tion to what’s going on in the outside world than bar. I didn’t have any money at all, so I took out to our partners and what’s going on in our own a small loan. We have been there ever since. homes. It also concerns me as an owner how a lot of people are not taking into account their QN: What inspired the name? personal safety. It’s definitely something that MH: I opened it up when the recession was should always be considered with any form of kicking into high gear. Everyone had lost money technology. out of the 401(k). So, I wanted a name that sounded affordable, a name that was catchy QN: Why do you do what you do? and easy to remember. There was actually a MH: I was always able to freely express myself.

Nickel Bar in New York. Friends told me about Fortunately for me, growing up in the early ‘80s, it, so that’s how I came up with the name. That’s when I basically came out to my parents, it was what I want it to be, a place you can go that’s more or less like: “Oh, I thought you were going not overpriced, a place you can relax and just to tell me something.” There was never any Bible come out and have a good time. Even though thumping, you’re going to hell, any of that. I was the economy is better, we’re always conscious embraced from one side of the family to the other. about our budget and money.

They love my boyfriend. They just think he’s the best thing since sliced bread. So, I definitely had QN: You said you’ve been to bigger cities a different kind of an experience than a lot of and seen Latino clubs and black clubs. What people do. I was very blessed in that area. made you decide there was a need for this in Charlotte?

QN: Tell me something about yourself that most MH: Most of the clubs that have opened over people wouldn’t know. the years have been big box clubs, the ones MH: They wouldn’t know that I’m the father of where there’s not too much one-on-one personal two little boys, Milton II, 12, and Connor, 11. He interaction. They have major light shows, the was named after my mother. Her maiden name huge dance floors, big bars. You would see that was Connor. His middle name is De’Leon, so cute guy or cute girl across the room from afar he’s named after his maternal grandmother’s and the space dynamic, itself, would be rather last name. They are interesting kids. One is in intimidating. That’s a great experience for when middle school. I came out to them in the sumyou’re coming out, 18, 19 or 20 years old and mer of 2015. They have been great about it. This you’re all excited about the life. But, there’s also is very interesting for them. : : what I call the after-life. That’s the life you start to

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