QNotes, Dec. 18-31, 2015

Dec. 18-31 . 2015

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Dec. 18-31 . 2015

inside

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These neighborhoods are gayborhoods!

qnotes news & features

news. views. arts.

4 entertainment.

Person of the Year: Chad Sevearance-Turner 6 News Notes: Regional Briefs 8 News Notes: U.S./World Briefs 9 2015 Year in Review: U.S./World 10 2015 Year in Review: Carolinas

Charlotte, N.C., has the two largest LGBT gayborhoods in the state.

And, they’re growing, too.

a&e / life&style 5 17 20 21 23

Gayborhoods are growing ‘Kinky Boots’ Charlotte bound Tell Trinity Dishing with Buff Faye Q Events Calendar

page 5 Community organizations share hopes for the future

opinions & views

A number of Carolina organizations have given us their wish lists for things they need to serve the community more effectively.

Take a look at the online coverage and support the people who support us. more: goqnotes.com/40172/

23 Spiritual Reflections

for the holidays/online only

Back by popular demand: It’s ‘Kinky Boots!”

The Queen City welcomes J. Harrison Ghee and the rest of the cast and crew as they take to the stage for an encore performance run in this fan favorite. page 17

Dec. 18-31 . 2015

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qnotes connect Dec. 18-31, 2015 Vol 30 No 17

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

contributors this issue Nick de la Canal, Isai Efuru, Buff Faye, Lainey Millen, Jeff Taylor, Chris Tittel, Trinity

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Graphic Design by Lainey Millen Photography: Ann Gonzales,

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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.

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Material in qnotes is copyrighted by Pride Publishing & Typesetting © 2015 and may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent of the editor or publisher. Advertisers assume full responsibility — and therefore, all liability — for securing reprint permission for copyrighted text, photographs and illustrations or trademarks published in their ads. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers, cartoonists we publish is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or photographs does not indicate the subject’s sexual orientation. qnotes nor its publisher assumes liability for typographical error or omission, beyond offering to run a correction. Official editorial positions are expressed in staff editorials and editorial notations and are determined by editorial staff. The opinions of contributing writers and guest columnists do not necessarily represent the opinions of qnotes or its staff. qnotes accepts unsolicited editorial, but cannot take responsibility for its return. Editor reserves the right to accept and reject material as well as edit for clarity, brevity.

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Dec. 18-31 . 2015

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Person of the Year 2015

Chad Sevearance-Turner Champions LGBT business community

by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff

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hen Chad Sevearance-Turner first became a member of the Charlotte Business Guide, he admits that he had only just heard of the organization. He was asked to speak at a presentation on the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, at the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte as an HR expert, and was given a free membership to the Guild, which hosted the event, for his time.

“I had never heard of the Charlotte Business Guild and really didn’t know what they did,” Sevearance-Turner admits. “I just knew that I was going to be speaking to a room full of individuals about the repeal of DOMA and how that affects their benefits, and health insurance plans and things of that nature.”

This in spite of the fact that he is from the area, having grown up in Gaston County before moving to Charlotte, N.C., for going on 14 years, and was aware of other LGBT community organizations.

From featured speaker to president Sevearance-Turner began working as a regular member of the Guild in 2011. A few years later he was asked to be on the nomination committee for the annual meeting. He was elected as president in January 2014, even though he was not originally nominated.

“The vice president [Natasha Tutt] and I were both elected, and both of us had served on the nomination committee and nominated other people, but for some reason we were elected,” he remembers, laughing.

The board obviously knew what they were doing when they selected him for the job, as Sevearance-Turner has presided over the organization at a pivotal time and has helped bring it to a level of prominence such that it is much less likely that anyone living in Charlotte could be clued into the LGBT scene and not know about the group’s place in the community.

“When we came into the position, both the vice president and I, we did a huge overhaul of an organization that [had dwindled to] less than 50 members at the time,” Sevearance-Turner says, adding, “We inherited an organization that didn’t have any corporate sponsors.

“So [Tutt and I] just rebranded, created a new logo and sort of focused the mission on really being a chamber.”

He says they also did away with holding two to three events per month to instead focus on just one event per month.

“That way we could do one thing really well instead of trying doing multiple things,” he explains.

The changes were obviously effective, as the organization has seen a 37 percent growth in membership since he took office in 2014. There were other early indicators of success as well.

“Our events were beginning to sell out. There were waitlists for tickets. We were starting to see a huge shift in interest in the Business Guild,” he says. “I think that taking on the mindset of giving the members a return on their investment in the Charlotte Business Guild was the most important thing. The Charlotte Business Guild became less of a social club and more of an opportunity for people to tap into other businesses to gain knowledge, and also gain expertise in areas of entrepreneurship, and also become members of corporate America.”

These partnerships have been key in spurring the group’s impressive growth. It provides them, as he puts it, with “a better network to tap into.”

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Chad Sevearance-Turner has made his mark on the Charlotte, N.C., LGBT and allied business community landscape

“We affiliated with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce [in March, 2014], and we also renewed and strengthened our relationship as one of the five diversity partners for The Charlotte Chamber,” Sevearance-Turner says. “So that broadened the network for the

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life

Homo Sweet Homo

Plaza Midwood and NoDa are Carolinas’ gayest neighborhoods and they’re only getting gayer...

by Nick de la Canal :: qnotes contributor

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he 28205 zip code containing Charlotte, N.C.’s Plaza Midwood and NoDa neighborhoods has put the “queen” in “Queen City” for the last two decades, but now the area has new reason to celebrate; the U.S. Census finds it’s the gayest area not just in Charlotte, but in both North and South Carolina.

A report released by the Census Bureau this month finds Charlotte is host to around 1,300 same-sex households, and more than 350, or a fifth of them, reside in Plaza Midwood and NoDa. Only Asheville, N.C.’s 28806 zip code comes anywhere close to having as many gay couples, followed by Durham, N.C.’s 27705 zip code in a close third.

West Asheville and east Charlotte have equally dense gay populations — for every 1,000 households, 10 are same-sex — but Charlotte’s 28205 zip still has the most gay couples overall.

That, residents will tell you, should come as no surprise. Plaza Midwood and NoDa have seen massive growth over the last decade, much of it coming from an artsy, eclectic crowd drawn to the area’s trendy boutiques, hip art galleries, and quirky local businesses.

But what the latest census numbers also reveal is an upward trend in same-sex couples moving into the neighborhood. If you think the area is gay now, it appears it’s only getting gayer.

Gay households on the rise Between 2009 and 2014, the Bureau’s American Housing Survey estimated the number of gay couples in Plaza Midwood and NoDa grew from 250 to more than 350. The census doesn’t track single LGBT individuals, but it’s safe to assume their numbers are growing too.

William Archer and Jason Chamberlain were part of an early wave of gay couples moving into the Plaza Midwood neighborhood, and they’ve watched the neighborhood grow over the last decade. They moved here from Los Angeles in 2007 and knew they wanted to live close to center city because, admits Archer, “being away from tall buildings makes us nervous.”

Drawn by the historic bungalows, lush tree canopy and diverse locale, they settled on Plaza Midwood, and, eight years later, they’re still here — though just recently they sold their old home and moved into a bigger one down the street.

One of the best perks of their neighborhood? “Everybody is comfortable with who everybody is,” Archer said, “and that’s the best type of neighborhood to live in.”

Chamberlain, his partner, was less reserved. “Nobody gives an [expletive] around here, which is awesome.”

Asheville: The Carolinas’ ‘Lesbian Land’ While gay male couples are snapping up real estate in Plaza Midwood and NoDa proper, lesbian couples seem to opt for homes in the surrounding area where prices are more affordable. From 2011 to 2014, the estimated number of lesbian couples living in 28205 dropped from more than 125 to an estimated 85.

At the same time, the 28215 zip code, containing Hickory Grove and other neighborhoods just east of Plaza Midwood, saw impressive growth from lesbian couples. The census estimates 135 lesbian couples live there.

“Women tend to be more conservative with their money,” said Dawn Pugh, a realtor who moved to Charlotte last year with her wife and two children, “If you move to the outskirts you still have access to the same amenities as you did if you lived in Plaza Midwood proper, but it’s at less of a cost.”

And buying a home in a less popular area of east Charlotte is a good deal, said Charlotte realtor Beverly Newell, considering “you’re still about 10 minutes from uptown, and a lot of those neighborhoods are growing so fast, you can get twice as much house for half as much money.”

Plus, many older gay couples are childless, Newell points out, so living in a good school district or a kid-friendly neighborhood isn’t a big concern.

Charlotte, as a whole, has fewer lesbian couples than gay male couples. The Carolinas’ most lesbian-heavy zip code isn’t in

A beautiful day in the gayborhood: A Human Rights Campaign flag flies from a front porch in Plaza Midwood.

Photo Credit: Nick de la Canal

Charlotte at all. It’s Asheville’s 28806 zip code, boasting more than 230 lesbian households.

The 28655 zip code in Morganton, N.C., also has a high population of lesbian couples, more than 140.

Higher demand, higher prices Life is good for LGBT people in Plaza Midwood and NoDa, where queer-friendly businesses abound.

There’s Zada Janes, the organic, locavore-minded (locavore: a person interested in eating locally-produced foods) cafe on Central Ave. Just around the corner, Snug Harbor draws a hip, queer audience for its live music and regular drag shows.

And on the weekend, a crowd of rowdy, jersey-clad lesbians take over Steamer’s sports bar off Albemarle Rd. to watch the Panthers.

“Gays will generally gravitate to a creative area,” said longtime Plaza Midwood resident Lisa Wilker, herself living down the street from William Archer and Jason Chamberlain, “and that’s what Plaza Midwood has become.”

But the area’s artsy vibe and proximity to uptown are pulling in more than just LGBT people. New families, young professionals and historic home lovers are also flocking to 28205’s neighborhoods. That high demand has pushed prices higher.

This year the Urban Institute published a report ranking Plaza Midwood in the top 10 percent nationally in socioeconomic status. The Charlotte Observer reported average rent in the neighborhood at $965, and the average home runs for $315,000.

Compare that with neighboring Belmont, where the average rent is $677 and an average home sells for $110,000.

“The area is absolutely being gentrified,” says realtor Dawn Pugh, “At one time, this area was full of artists and musicians, and you could buy a house for $200,000. Well now that same $200,000 dollar house is going be torn down, or completely renovated, and it’s gonna be a $600,000, $700,000, up to a $1 million house.”

Residents fear their neighborhood’s growing popularity could be a double-edged sword.

As one resident, Tina Bambauer, wrote on the Plaza Midwood Facebook page in October: “Please stop moving here.

Please stop running over my friends with your cars. Please stop it with your unwanted condos and apartments. Plaza Midwood used to be a 5. Now it’s just like every other basic place you can buy.”

Unwanted condos and apartments? Okay. But taking the latest census numbers into account, “basic” couldn’t seem further from the truth. : :

Dec. 18-31 . 2015

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news notes: carolinas compiled by Lainey Millen

New center explored

Brown installed president of family physician state association RALEIGH, N.C. — Dr. Rhett L. Brown, a family physician from Charlotte, N.C., was installed as president of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, Inc. (NCAFP) in Asheville, N.C., on Dec. 5. Brown serves patients at Novant Medical Group’s Midtown Family Medicine in Charlotte and will be serving a one-year term.

Brown urged family physicians to provide unwavering and compassionate support to their patients and families, ever while respective of the diversity of today’s needs in his inaugural address to NCAFP members.

“Family. It is at the core of what we do. We look to our own families when we need support, guidance and acceptance. As family physicians, we can also be there for our patients and their families to provide the same support, guidance and acceptance on their life’s journey as well,” Brown noted.

Brown is a graduate of Davidson College, Davidson, N.C. He attended the Medical University of South Carolina before completing his residency in family medicine at Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) in Charlotte. He was in private practice for 10 years before re-joining CMC’s family medicine residency as a teaching faculty member in 2002.

In 2011, Brown played an instrumental role in establishing Novant Health’s Midtown Family Medicine practice where he continues to serve patients.

Brown has been active with the NCAFP since 2009, beginning as an at-large director on the academy’s board of directors. Afterward, he served as chairman of the academy’s Practice Management Council, a group that addresses topics related to the professional practice environment, including issues such as overall management, health information technology and managed care.

Outside of his NCAFP service, Brown has been active in the areas of practice redesign, implementation of chronic disease models, quality improvement projects, electronic health record applications and physician management. He is also a passionate advocate on health issues impacting diverse patient populations, including those within the LGBT community.

Brown resides in Charlotte with his partner, Mr. Carl Brinson. info: ncafp.com.

Charlotte TOY sets year-end goal

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Time Out Youth Center, 2320 N. Davidson St., is attempting to reach a year-end goal of raising $20,000 by Dec. 31.

LGBT youth have added challenges as they navigate the world. Pepper in added complexities of being a sexual minority and things get more difficult.

“I am repeatedly impressed by their resilience, their perseverance and their determination to overcome taunting, rejection and criticism. But what makes them remarkable is the grace with which they learn to proudly wear the mantle of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, without fear or shame,” Executive Director Rodney Tucker said.

The center needs adults to serve as role models, as well as mentors. It knows that LGBT and allied community members can be important to the development of youth during the teenage years.

Monies raised will go to support center programming for its youth. Denominational examples are: $25 pays one day of food for a LGBT homeless youth in the Host Home Program; $50 provides bus fares for 15 LGBT youth to get to work or attend center events; $100 provides LGBT cultural competency training for 25 teachers, social workers, police officers or other youth service providers; $500 pays for healthy after-school snacks for LGBT youth at the center for an entire month; $1,000 sponsors a safe, welcoming and fun community dance for 200 LGBT youth; and $5,000 pays for an LGBT youth advocacy camp for 30 youth so they can learn how to make their schools and communities safer spaces for all youth.

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Dec. 18-31 . 2015

Triad

An acknowledgement card with a contributor’s personal note will be sent to those who are honored or the family and/or friends of those who are memorialized. Online contributions are available. info: timeoutyouth.org.

Council assignments made

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte City Council has new committee assignments.

Mayor Jennifer Roberts announced these on Dec. 9, saying “After consulting with council and community partners I have selected committee members to provide a balance of perspectives across the committees and to create new leadership opportunities. The committee members are well positioned to develop policy recommendations for the council.”

Assignments for LGBT councilmembers are: Community Safety — Al Austin, vice chair; Economic Development & Global Competitiveness — LaWana Mayfield, member; Environment — Austin, member; Housing & Neighborhood Development — Mayfield, chair, Austin, member; Governance & Accountability — Mayfield, vice chair; Budget — Mayfield, member; and Retreat Planning/ Coordinating — Austin, member.

In other news, Roberts attended the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce holiday party and annual meeting on Dec. 8 at Sugar Creek Brewing Company, 215 Southside Dr. In her address, she stressed how important it was for the community to be united, in addition to affirming the chamber’s moniker of “coming out is good for business.” She was appreciative of the support that the LGBT community offered to her during her bid for the mayoral seat. info: charlottenc.gov. clgbtcc.org.

BURLINGTON, N.C. — A conversational meeting to continue the formation of an LGBT center will be held on Jan. 4, 2016, 7 p.m., at Starbucks, 451 Huffman Mill Rd. Meetings began on Dec. 7 and will continue throughout the year on the first Monday of each month, except for July and September when the second Monday will be used due to holidays.

To learn more, email founder Eddie Talley at lgbtcenterofburlington@gmail.com or call 336-588-7312. info: lgbtcenterofburlington.yolasite.com.

GGF gets red

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Guilford Green Foundation will hold its fundraising Red Party, previously known as Women’s Party, on Feb. 6, 7 p.m., at Kress Terrace, Suite 300, 212 S. Elm St. The event serves to be inclusive as a community building and networking/socializing event for the Triad LGBTQ community and their straight allies, organizers said.

Attendees will be able to enjoy appetizers and a cash bar.

Entertainment will be provided by Big Betty and the Punchbowl and DJ Jessica Mashburn.

A suggested contribution of $15 will be collected at the door. info: ggfnc.org.

Triangle Center welcomes holiday visitors

RALEIGH, N.C. — The LGBT Center of Raleigh’s Affirming Faith Forum, 324 S. Harrington St., will host a winter holiday open house on Dec. 25 from 12-5 p.m.

Attendees will be able to enjoy a light meal, homemade sweets and family favorites throughout the event.

Drop by to celebrate with friends in between other festivities for a bit of respite, organizers said. Bring a homemade treat or dish to share.

Donations of baked goods are encouraged and can be dropped off prior to the open house. info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

The organization also encourages the community to attend one of its monthly events.

On Dec. 20, 11 a.m., it will celebrate the sixth anniversary of Drag Brunch at Babylon, 309 N. Dawson St. info: crapemyrtlefest.org. smile.amazon.com.

NDC schedules planning session

RALEIGH, N.C. — The National Diversity Council Carolinas will hold its 2016 strategic planning session on Jan. 28, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., at Citrix, 120 S. West St. The session serves as an annual check-in with local business and community leaders to gather thoughts, ideas and suggestions about various ways to further enhance NDC Carolinas as it proceeds through the new year.

Registration is available online. For additional information, email nationaldejoron. thorpe@nationaldiversitycouncil.org. info/registration: ndccarolinas.org.

University launches HIV/AIDS initiative

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Red Ribbon for Courage, a social media initiative designed to end HIV-associated stigma and promote the Cure HIV collaboration, has been launched by the Community Outreach, Dissemination, and Education (CODE) Office within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Center for AIDS Research (CfAR).

Red Ribbon for Courage seeks to eradicate stigma and promote work toward the HIV Cure through the use of multimedia on social media, organizers said.

“With 75 million HIV positive people worldwide, and an estimated 1 in 5 that don’t know they are positive, this is a very relevant initiative,” Red Ribbon campaign Director Julian Wooten says. “Using social media to introduce the issue and reach more people will help to make a true difference in the fight against the infection.”

The initiative’s goal is to create a network of individuals and organizations united to achieve an HIV/AIDS-free world as a goal. The Red Ribbon team has filmed HIV positive individuals who have volunteered to share their story, as well as innovators in the HIV/AIDS field that have pioneered discovers ranging

Holiday fundraising begins

DURHAM, N.C. — The LGBTQ Center of Durham, 114 Hunt St., has begun a holiday fundraising effort using AmazonSmile and will continue to use this method throughout the year.

Those who purchase from the online megastore will see that .5 percent of purchases will go to support the center.

To join in, visit smile.amazon.com/ch/271277498 and sign up.

Also, the center is selling T-shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, hats, onesies, aprons and more from their Swag Shop. Visit lgbtqcenterofdurham.org/swag-shop.html. info: lgbgtqcenterofdurham.org.

Crape Myrtle seeks funds

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Crape Myrtle Festival has extended its thanks to the community for its support over the past 35 years and is asking that it be considered as one’s holiday contributions recipients.

It is working with smile.amazon.com to obtain the .5 percent of purchase price from the online retailer toward its efforts. Contributions can also be made directly online on Crape Myrtle’s website.

from introducing the first HIV therapeutics to now leading the Cure HIV effort.

The initiative will also release a full-length documentary, “Tested,” in January 2016. It chronicles for the first time the development of the HIV cure and the lives of three HIV positive individuals struggling to cope with the daily challenges of the virus. The film also highlights famous figures impacted by HIV, including Charlie Sheen, who recently announced that he was HIV positive.

“I’m hoping the film shows that people from all walks of life are still suffering from the pandemic but there is new hope for a cure,” Wooten added.

More information is available online. info: cfar-code.unc.edu/red-ribbon-for-courage.

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Western Senior make lunch date

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — LGBT Elder Advocates of Western North Carolina, in conjunction with Blue Ridge Pride Center, are partnering on luncheons to facilitate educational opportunities, as well as data exchange.

Exploration is underway to affiliate with SAGE, the national organization for LGBT elders. Local participation is essential in being able to bring this program to the Western North Carolina area and make it sustainable.

Dates planned are Dec. 17, and for the first quarter in 2016, Jan. 7 , Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 18, March 3, March 17 and March 31. Location for the lunches is at Denny’s Restaurant, 675 Patton Ave. info: lgbtelderadvocatesofwnc.org. blueridgepride.org.

Winter youth event seeks sponsors

HICKORY, N.C. — OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley will hold its Fifth Annual Evening of Distinction, “Silhouettes on a Winter’s Evening,” on Feb. 6, 6:30 p.m., at Cafe Rule & Wine Bar, 242 11th Ave. N.E. Organizers are currently soliciting sponsors for the signature event. Sponsorship forms are available online.

Either use the PayPal link on the organization’s website to make payment or mail the form with a check to OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley, P.O. Box 2222, Hickory, NC 28603.

Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased online or via snail mail to the address above.

Of course, year-end tax-deductible contributions are always welcome for those who are unable to become a sponsor. info: youthoutrightcv.org.

South Carolina AFFA to feature Kaplan’s story

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Roberta Kaplan, an attorney who was at the forefront of the marriage equality battle, will present “Then Comes Marriage: United States vs. Windsor and the Defeat of DOMA” on Jan. 13, 2016, 7 p.m., at Synagogue Emanu-El, 5 Windsor Dr. The program will share the story of Kaplan’s work in the defeat of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) before the Supreme Court. It further tells of the account of this historic political ride and ultimate victory for civil rights for the LGBT community.

A reception and book signing will follow.

The Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA) and the synagogue’s sisterhood serve as sponsors for the event.

AFFA is currently using AmazonSmile as a fundraising resource. Visit smile.amazon.com and select AFFA as the recipient of .5 percent of the price of eligible purchases. info: affa-sc.org. smile.amazon.com.

MCC welcomes pastor

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) of Charleston, 7860

A Dorchester Rd., will welcome Rev. Danny A. Spears and his husband Richard Lofstrand as its interim senior pastor on Dec. 20, 10:30 a.m., at its morning service. A potluck will follow.

Spears previously served MCC of Northern Virginia in Fairfax, Va., and MCC of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas. info: mcccharleston.com.

Org rings in new year

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Takeover Grand Strand will host a New Year’s Day party on Jan. 1, 5 p.m., at Martin’s Restaurant, 7200 N. Ocean Blvd.

Enjoy a cash bar at 5 p.m., followed by a complimentary buffet complete with traditional southern New Year’s Day fare.

Drinks and tips are not included with the complimentary buffet. info: takeovergrandstrand.com.

ASO releases report

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Lowcountry AIDS Services released a report that stated that the area’s community was facing an HIV epidemic, especially among those under 30-years-old.

Its “State of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Charleston” said that the year-to-date figures on Dec. 1 showed that the ASO had administered nearly 1,500 HIV tests in the tri-county area. From those tested, 37 had tested positive and were mostly young African-American men.

Previous year’s’ stats showed 20 in 2014, 23 in 2013, 16 in 2012 and 22 in 2011.

“As we began looking at the number of HIV positive tests in 2015, it became clear the HIV in-

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fection rate wasn’t improving in our community.

In fact it was worsening,” said Brad Childs, executive director of Lowcountry AIDS Services.

“And what was particularly frightening was the high number of HIV positive tests among people under the age of 30. Clearly the youth in our community are facing an HIV crisis.”

Childs added, “Contributing to this issue is the fact AIDS doesn’t receive the same level of attention as it did in the 1990s. It doesn’t seem as ‘scary’ as it once did, so it’s just not something young people think about. They don’t fear it and don’t think it will happen to them.”

Contributing factors included socioeconomic disparities and higher rates of poverty, especially among African-American youth.

Additionally, absent from South Carolina schools is sex education. That leaves young people’s learning at the disposal of friends, internet and media resources.

Lowcountry also outlined its plans for 2016 in the report targeting community involvement, educational sessions, and testing, among others.

The full report is available online. info: aids-services.com.

Regional & Beyond Congregational survey released

DURHAM, N.C. — Findings for the National Congregational Study are now available, Duke University’s Professor of Sociology Mark Chaves announced.

Chaves, whose concentration is in religious studies and divinity, serves as the director of the study.

see Carolinas on 23

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

Photo Credit: LGBTQ Nation

Burt Reynolds unsympathetic toward Charlie Sheen

Burt Reynolds had some harsh words for Charlie Sheen during the week of Dec. 6.

During an appearance on ITV’s “Loose Women” on Dec. 8, Reynolds said Sheen “deserved” HIV after years and years of “misbehaving,” adding that he had zero sympathy for the actor.

“His father [Martin Sheen] is a very, very decent man and a dear friend of mine,” Reynolds said. “I feel bad for him. For Charlie, I don’t feel bad for him. He’s getting what he deserves. … He misbehaved badly. Very badly.”

Reynolds went on to say he believed Sheen did a poor job at announcing he was living with the virus, implying that perhaps he should have kept his HIV status silent instead.

Last month, anti-vaxxer Jenny McCarthy, who once worked with Sheen on “Two and a Half Men,” publicly shamed him for not telling her about his status before they taped a love scene together.

“You would think there would be some type of, I don’t want to say criminal issue, but I don’t even know how to feel about that,” McCarthy said.

Takei takes on Trump

Speaking to [Donald] Trump’s latest stirring of the national discourse pot — this time the candidate said “all Muslims” should be banned from entering the United States — George Takei called upon his own experience at an internment camp to draw a parallel.

“It’s ironic that he made that comment on December 7, Pearl Harbor Day, the very event that put us in those internment camps,” Takei stated.

“In the 1980’s Congress organized a commission to look into the reasons why that internment happened,” he said. “They found that it was three things that brought that about. One was racial hysteria, second was war hysteria, and third was failure of political leadership.”

“Donald Trump is the perfect example of that failure,” Takei added.

Screenwriter hurt over reaction to androgynous character

“Zoolander 2” screenwriter and actor Justin Theroux swears he wasn’t trying to cause offense by creating the film’s androgynous character, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.

In November, a trailer for the sequel —

which stars Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson and will be out in February — resulted in a petition calling for the film to be boycotted.

The trailer features an androgynous character named All, who is asked “Are you a male or female model?” and whether they “have a hot dog or a bun.”

The petition has already garnered over 20,000 signatures.

Speaking to “The Wrap,” Theroux says: “Our target is not, and never was, to disenfranchise anyone. I don’t even know what to make of it, because it hurts my feelings in a way. I take great care in the jokes I write, and the umbrage being taken is out of the context of the scene. I wish people would see the movie first. Satire is a thing that points out the idiots.”

The petition claims that “Cumberbatch’s character is clearly portrayed as an over-the-top, cartoonish mockery of androgyne/trans/nonbinary individuals. This is the modern equivalent of using blackface to represent a minority.”

Pennsylvania woman goes on trial following violent attack

On Dec. 9, the trial began for Kathryn Knott, the young woman accused of participating in a violent attack on a gay couple in Center City Philadelphia in 2014.

Knott, who hails from Bucks County, faces charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, conspiracy and reckless endangerment.

According to Philadelphia police, she and a group of her friends beat the couple at 16th and Chancellor Sts. in September 2014.

Philip Williams and Kevin Harrigan both apologized, admitting their roles in the beating.

Earlier tin 2015, they both pleaded guilty to assault and conspiracy charges, agreeing to pay fines and participate in 200 hours of community service at an LGBTQ organization.

Neither received any jail time.

On the other hand, the 25-year-old Knott rejected a plea deal, choosing instead to stand trial.

A judge ruled that a series of homophobic tweets written by Knott can be used as evidence against her.

Boxer’s invitation to British Sports Awards rescinded

Over 125,000 people signed a change.org petition calling for the BBC to remove Tyson Fury from its short list of Sports Personality of the Year 2015 in the British Sports Awards after he compared being gay to pedophilia and said it will lead to the apocalypse.

Now, the 27-year-old heavyweight boxing champ’s invitation to the awards has officially been rescinded, but not for the reasons petitioners had hoped.

According to a statement released by the Sports Journalists’ Association on Dec. 9, Tyson was “reluctantly” disinvited to the British Sports Awards happening later this month “as a consequence of threats made by Fury against at least one sports journalist, an SJA member, who has written about the boxer’s repugnant comments on homosexuality and women.”

That’s right, it’s not the horrible comments he said about gay people that got him in trouble.

It was a flippant remark he made to a reporter that did it.

As for Fury, he hasn’t yet responded to having his invitation rescinded, but he certainly seems to be enjoying all the attention. Earlier during the week of Dec. 6, he tweeted: “I have the press camped outside my house! Lol me famous.”

— all news stories via LGBTQ Nation (lgbtqnation.com), a qnotes media partner

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news

Year in Review 2015

To Love, honor and cherish Year marked by advances, challenges around the globe

by Chris Tittel :: qnotes contributor

I

t would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.

—————— U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s words sealed the deal on what turned out to be the LGBT story of the year.

On June 26, Kennedy and four of his colleagues on the bench managed to win majority vote to legalize same-sex marriage across the nation.

Joining Kennedy in the historic vote were Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

The remaining justices — John G. Roberts Jr., Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. — dissented.

The watershed moment in the nation’s history came in June, which President Barack Obama had declared only four weeks earlier — ironically enough — to be LGBT Pride Month.

Scofflaw Since the Supreme Court ruling, select communities across the country have been struggling to come to grips with the idea that two people of the same gender now have the same legal right to marry as do one man and one woman.

Many who oppose same-sex marriage say that it’s against their religious beliefs.

Some of the more vocal dissenters are invoking the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of religion to justify colorful acts of civil disobedience in the wake of the ruling.

And no one can argue who the most colorful of these characters turned out to be, long bushy hair, wire-rimmed glasses, thick Southern dialect and all.

In July, Rowan County (Kentucky) Clerk Kim Davis ignored the Supreme Court ruling and refused marriage licenses to several same-sex couples.

Two months later, Davis found herself in jail for not honoring the oath to uphold the law of the land that she took after she was elected to her post.

On Sept. 8, Davis emerged from jail after several days to live her 15 minutes of fame.

Mike Huckabee, Republican presidential candidate and outspoken opponent of the court’s ruling, took Davis’s hand as she stepped onto the dais before a huge crowd of cheering sympathizers outside the prison and raised it above her head in a show of…victory?

At your service?

Questions surrounding the right to refuse service to same-sex couples on grounds that it violates the religious freedoms of those offering the service were also raised this year.

In March, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Within a week, family-owned Memories Pizza in Wakerton, Ind., announced that it refused to cater a same-sex wedding on grounds that it would violate the owners’ religious freedoms.

In July, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback issued an executive order prohibiting state government from taking action against clergy members or religious organizations that deny services to same-sex couples based on religious beliefs. One Topeka paper reported that, among other things, the order allows organizations that provide adoption services for the state to refuse to place children with gay couples if doing so conflicts with the organization’s beliefs.

Also in July, Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian ordered the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa to pay $135,000 in damages to a lesbian couple on grounds that refusing to bake them a wedding cake violated the women’s civil rights. The bakers said they refused service based on their Christian beliefs against same-sex marriage.

Have faith Houses of worship across the nation tried to figure out how to react to the same-sex marriage ruling and other advances on the LGBT rights front.

For some, it was easy: The U.S. Presbyterian Church simply reworded its constitution to acknowledge same-sex marriage in March, while U.S. Reform Jews adopted a transgender policy in November.

For others, it has been a much bigger challenge.

In November, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka, the Mormon Church) declared married same-sex couples outcasts and their children ineligible for baptism.

Mormons began resigning from the church almost immediately after the announcement was made.

Pope Francis’s tour of the U.S. in late September also generated headlines.

On Sept. 23, shortly before his private meeting with President Obama, Francis participated in a 15,000-strong reception at the White House that included a number of gay Catholics and LGBT advocates, an openly gay Episcopal bishop and a nun who’s a prominent social justice activist.

For some, it was history in the making; for others, Francis’s public appearances with LGBT activists rang hollow.

Four days later, as he was about to leave the U.S., Francis granted an audience with gay rights defeatist Kim Davis. (LGBT Catholics were surprised that Davis was granted an audience with Francis when their repeated requests to meet with him were denied.)

And as Michelangelo Signorile, gay voices editor-at-large for The Huffington Post, pointed out on line, Francis said nothing about the issue of same-sex marriage or the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision that was handed down just three months earlier.

“It’s astonishing how silent Francis is on the issue,” Signorile wrote. ’T’riumph and ’T’rouble The transgender movement shared more face time with the American public in 2015 than ever before, with at least two new role models popping up on TV screens.

In February, Zoey “Chopper Bud” Tur became the first openly transgender TV reporter in the U.S. She has since appeared on “Inside Edition,” CNN, TMZ and HLN. Two months later, Bruce Jenner revealed to the world in a TV interview that he identified as a woman. The former Olympian then launched “I Am Cait,” a reality TV show that tracked his transformation into Caitlyn Jenner. Jenner appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair in June and was recognized at Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year Awards in November.

Even as the transgender movement continued to carve its own niche, however, some in the “LGB” community were calling for disassociation from the “T” community.

A petition headlined “Drop the T” appeared on change.org in November, calling for disassociation on grounds that the transgender ideology revolves around gender identity, while the LGB ideology revolves around sexual orientation. Authors of the petition also write that the transgender ideology is “ultimately regressive and actually hostile to the goals of women and gay men.”

LGBT rights groups rejected the petition, with GLAAD describing the idea of disassociation as “outrageous and destructive” and Human Rights Campaign declaring it “unequivocally wrong.”

Globe-Trotting While great strides were made on the LGBT rights front in this country in 2015, brothers and sisters around the world were making some pretty amazing headlines of their own.

Thailand (January): Officials agree to change the nation’s constitution to recognize a “third gender” to help ensure all sexual identities are protected under the law.

India (January): The central Indian community of Raigarh elects Madhu Kinnar as the nation’s first transgender mayor.

United Nations (February): U.S. State Department names Randy Berry first-ever LGBT human rights envoy.

Slovenia (March): Same-sex marriage and adoption legalized.

Cuba (May): LGBT activists stage mass samesex symbolic wedding in Havana.

Ireland (May): Same-sex marriage legalized.

Ireland (July): Law recognizing transgender people enacted.

Sweden (September): First LGBT retirement home opens.

Chile (October): Same-sex marriage legalized.

Japan (November): Hiroko Masuhara and Koyuki Higashi receive the first same-sex partnership certificates to be issued in Japan. : :

Dec. 18-31 . 2015

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Year in Review 2015

The Carolinas: Looking back News spans diverse landscape

by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff January 01.02.15 Five members of an anti-LGBT church in Springdale, N.C., The Word of Faith Fellowship, were indicted on felony charges stemming from a young gay man being kidnapped and abused by them because of his sexual orientation. The grand jury released the indictments on Dec. 9, 2014.

The church has a past history of coming under scrutiny for cult like behaviors. It was the subject of an “Inside Edition” report on its technique of circling church members and “blasting” them with high-pitched sounds, screams and prayers. The church previously faced allegations of abuse in 2012, leading to a hate crimes investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. u Nearly 50 Black Lives Matter activists staged a “die-in” protest at SouthPark Mall on Dec. 20, demonstrating against police brutality.

An organizer shouted, “No justice, no peace,” as others fell to the ground. They then marched through the mall and briefly blocked a lane of traffic on Fairview Rd. The protesters said they chose the location for the disproportionate number of “brown shoppers to brown workers.”

“Think about all the people that go to SouthPark,” said an organizer, who wished to remain unnamed. “It’s where a lot of money goes to spend time, people who maybe are not focused on issues we’re representing. We wanted to bring it to them.”

“SouthPark is one of the biggest symbols of segregation in Charlotte,” said another organizer.

“I’ve been racially profiled in SouthPark so many times. I get followed every time I go there.”

No arrests were made, although CharlotteMecklenburg Police officers were present. An organizer said the group was told by CMPD that they had four minutes to complete their action and that after that time arrests were possible. u Twirl to the World organizers donated $15,000 to Campus Pride, one of its beneficiaries. Campus Pride is a Charlotte-based national non-profit serving LGBT college and university students. This was the sixth annual event.

01.16.15 qnotes looked at Charlotte’s, and the nation at large’s, LGBT homelessness and poverty issues. Homelessness hits the LGBT community particularly hard, as discrimination can lead individuals to be kicked out of their homes. It can also make it harder to find a job. Getting reliable statistics is complicated by the fact that to qualify one has to demonstrate chronic homelessness. Further, couch surfing or even living out of a storage facility can cause someone to be classified as not being homeless.

Service provider Chelsea White recounted how her clients at the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) often have a hard time meeting their basic needs. This makes keeping up with any kind of health and drug regimen nearly impossible.

Rodney Tucker, executive director of Charlotte’s Time Out Youth Center (TOY) sees similar issues, and reported that many of those he works with live in unstable environments, such as relying on a series of friends and acquaintances to put them up, but they are not counted as homeless.

Charlotte city and county officials said their annual count of the homeless population does

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not include questions on sexual identification, but does ask those who wish to fill out the voluntary form if they identify as transgender. u Jack Register is appointed the new executive director at the National Alliance on Mental Illness North Carolina (NAMI NC). Register formerly worked as a government relations director for North Carolina’s Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and was a former board member for NAMI NC. “I am humbled and deeply honored to be joining the NAMI NC team at this critical time in our state,” said Register. “I have the privilege of working with a dedicated team to expand on our legacy of advocacy for the citizens of our state.”

“Jack will bring leadership and creativity to NAMI NC’s programs and a deep sense of commitment to our mission,” said Mike Mayer, president of the organization’s board. “He has extensive experience in non-profit management and program development, in addition to his work as a social worker.”

01.30.15 qnotes reported, with media partner The Charlotte Observer, that Charlotte’s first female rabbi, Rabbi Judy Schindler, would be leaving her position at Temple Beth-El to focus on social justice and academic pursuits in July 2016.

“Fellow clergy and other Charlotte leaders called Schindler a strong voice for the most vulnerable members of society and said they were encouraged she plans to remain in town,” the Observer said.

She and other local clergy took couples to Washington, D.C., to officiate at same-sex marriages in 2011. She performed the first same-sex wedding in the synagogue on Oct. 17, 2014, between members Kim Pearl and Karen Millman when same-sex marriage became legal in Charlotte. u MeckPAC elected a new board, selecting Scott Bishop as its chair. Bishop was first appointed in 2011. He was joined by Jamie Hildreth, vice chair; Larry Ferri, treasurer; and Crystal M. Richardson, secretary.

February 02.13.15 The Diocesan Ministry for Gay and Lesbian Catholics had a mass on Feb. 21 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. u Time Out Youth Center and the Human Rights Campaign of North Carolina teamed up to bring Welcoming Schools to the Charlotte region. The initiative was set up to provide tools, lessons and resources on embracing family diversity, avoiding gender stereotyping and putting an end to bullying in elementary schools.

“We are elated to foster this local partnership with HRC [Human Rights Campaign] and Time Out Youth Center. Full equality has always been the goal for HRC and that includes our local school systems. We are proud to offer this training to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Cabarrus County Schools,” N.C. HRC Board of Governors and Gala Co-Chair Jeremy Carter said. u qnotes featured Charlotte African-American and LGBT community leader Jermaine Nakia Lee, who was honored in January 2015 with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Medallion Award, presented to those who exemplify King’s ideals. Lee, a playwright and artist, is a founder

of several black gay Pride events across the Carolinas, including in Charlotte and Columbia.

He works as the MPowerment Coordinator for the PowerHouse Project, an HIV prevention and education agency. u qnotes also ran a feature on LGBT AfricanAmericans making history in North Carolina politics. LaWana Mayfield, the first-ever openlyLGBT elected official won her bid to the District 3 city council seat in 2011, winning 78 percent of the general election vote. She was re-elected in 2013. Marcus Brandon was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2010, the first openly gay man to win election to the statewide General Assembly, and only the second openly LGBT person to serve there. Al Austin was elected to his District 2 seat in 2013, coming out as a gay man to qnotes immediately following election. He’s the second openly gay man to serve on the council, following Billy Maddalon’s short tenure. Austin has lent his name and efforts to some of the same LGBTinclusion efforts as Mayfield and has been a staunch advocate for District 2. u On Feb. 23, over 1,100 LGBT and ally community members, dressed in their finest attire, showed their support by attending the 18th Annual Human Rights Campaign Carolina Gala at the Charlotte Convention Center.

Recognition was given to the gala’s sponsors, both from a national and local level.

The awards presentations followed with Executive Director Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara accepting the HRC North Carolina Equality Award for the Campaign for Southern Equality. Amos McClorey, Cabarrus County NAACP president, was on hand to pick up the HRC North Carolina Legacy Award for Rev. Dr. William Barber.

Actor Mandy Patinkin took center stage when he was presented with the HRC Ally for Equality Award. After receiving the award he said that he was moved to be a part of “this community.” He added that LGBT human rights is a family issue and that “we are all equal partners in the family [of citizens].” He also said that for those who discriminated against the LGBT community that [we] “must disabuse them with the knowledge that we are right.”

March 03.13.15 Charlotte failed to pass an LGBT non-discrimination ordinance. After almost six hours of debate from nearly 120 citizen speakers, Mayor Dan Clodfelter called for a vote. There were six votes against and five in favor. Six votes are needed for anything to move through city council. A compromised package, which would have left out transgender bathroom and locker room protections, was also voted down.

There is hope that the non-discrimination ordinance will come up for a vote again and that it has a better chance of winning this time out, with what appears to be a more friendly city council. u Time Out Youth expanded its outreach by re-opening its Q-tribe program for youth who are 12-20 and identify as transgender or are gender questioning or non-conforming. They also teamed up with Safe Alliance to host an eight-week skillsbuilding group workshop for LGBT youth who have had traumatic sexual abuse experiences. In addition to that, they announced the opening of a

Hundreds of people filled a capacity meeting chamber, with the city opening several overflow rooms during debate on LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances.

new computer lab, made possible by a grant from the David Bohnett Foundation.

April 04.10.15 Transgender youth Blake Brockington was mourned and remembered after passing away as a result of suicide on March 23. He was named homecoming king as an openly transgender student, which is believed to be the first for an openly transgender student in Charlotte. He was active in the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as a spokesperson for transgender rights.

Brockington would later be one of the individuals for whom the LGBT King-HenryBrockington Community Archive is named.

04.24.15 Transgender leader and Democratic Party activist Janice Covington Allison was awarded the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party’s Rosa Parks Award at their annual county convention on April 18.

The award is given annually to an individual who has been a trailblazer for equality.

Allison has been an outspoken proponent of LGBT equality in Democratic circles and the broader community in Charlotte and across the region. In 2012, she became the first openly transgender person elected as a North Carolina delegate to a Democratic National Convention, held that year in Charlotte.

May 05.08.14 The PowerHouse Project awarded Charlotte City Councilmember Al Austin, Nickel Bar owner Milton Howard and the Rev. Clifford Matthews, Jr., pastor of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church. Austin is the second openly gay man to serve on the city council.

05.22.14 qnotes previewed Pride events around the Carolinas and beyond, as well as summer cycling excursion trails and tips, recipes for grilling out, foodie destination spots and Carolina day trips from the mountains to the coast to help get readers in the full swing of summer in the South.

June 06.05.15 North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory vetoes an anti-gay magistrate bill. Senate Bill 2 allows for magistrates to opt out of issuing same-sex marriage licenses if it conflicts with their religious beliefs. The bill later become law when the veto was overridden. (A Charlotte-based law firm recently filed suit representing plaintiffs against the law, in a case called Ansley v.

North Carolina.)

This is a bright spot in an otherwise less than stellar LGBT record for Gov. McCrory. He was praised by activists, who were deflated to see it become law nonetheless.

goqnotes.com/to/news

06.19.15 The anti-gay magistrate bill becomes law as the governor’s veto is overridden.

Following the vote, Gov. McCrory released a statement expressing disappointment at the legislature’s decision.

“It’s a disappointing day for the rule of law and the process of passing legislation in North Carolina,” the governor’s written statement read. “I will continue to stand up for conservative principles that respect and obey the oath of office for public officials across our state and nation. While some people inside the beltline are focusing on symbolic issues, I remain focused on the issues that are going to have the greatest impact on the next generation such as creating jobs, building roads, strengthening education and improving our quality of life.”

July 07.03.15 Charlotte Black Gay Pride looked ahead to their 10-year anniversary. Jermaine Nakia Lee spoke with qnotes about the backlash and controversy he and fellow co-founder Damon Blackmon faced over simply wanting to represent their community.

“We knew that black and Latino LGBT people were very diverse, but they were just in hiding,” Lee recounts. “If they wanted to be with their peers, it would only be at the clubs at night or somebody’s house party or they would have to leave Charlotte to be gay.”

But all that has changed in a decade, Lee says. “What’s beautiful is that now people come to Charlotte to be gay,” he says. “Men and people of color come to Charlotte to be gay and people from smaller, surrounding communities don’t feel like they have to go to Atlanta or D.C. in order to celebrate and socialize and galvanize.

I’m really proud of being a part of that change.”

all of these horrible stories for all these years.

Everything is put in the context of these personal rejections that I know people have faced and this is just one more.”

The doors have since been painted over in rainbow colors.

September 09.11.15 qnotes presented its annual Best of Charlotte QList Awards, honoring businesses, organizations and individuals who stood out among the crowd for their work and excellence. Readers can find the complete list online at goqnotes.com/36554.

09.25.15 The Charlotte LGBTQ Archive was named at a ceremony at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Sept. 17. The King-HenryBrockington Community Archive of Charlotte honors activists Donaldson King, Sue Henry and Blake Brockington. It contains publications, memborabilia, various ephemera and correspondence with connection and relevance to the local LGBT community’s history in the city. It is housed in the UNC Charlotte Special Collections in the J. Murrey Atkins Library.

An exhibit featuring a portion of the archive had its opening after the naming ceremony, in the art gallery at the UNCC Student Union, along with a timeline of LGBT events in Charlotte’s history, “Publicly Identified: Coming Out Activist in the Queen City,” which debuted in 2014 at Levine Museum of the New South. qnotes also ran a more in-depth feature on the LGBTQ archive at goqnotes.com/38196, which ran in the Oct. 23 issue.

October 10.09.15 North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory attended a prayer rally on Sept. 26, after previously trying to distance himself from it.

After speaking about substance abuse, August Gov. McCrory asked for prayers, both for him08.28.15 self and for those who suffer from addiction, at Charlotte Pride hit records in 2015 for both which time religious leaders took to the stage attendance and alcohol sales. The festival, and surrounded him where he sat. held Aug. 15-16, featured a parade which They laid hands upon him and American close to 3,000 people marched in on Aug. 16.

Renewal Project founder David Lane spoke to An estimated 115,000-120,000 people were in the crowd, casting America as a lost country that attendance, and alcoholic beverage sales were “deserves judgment” and must be saved. up 20 percent over last year.

“The problem is us,” Lane said. “A Christian nation, founded for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith, has left God.” He proceeded to lay out a litany of what he sees as offenses, including “homosexuals praying at the inauguration.” u Wake County added sexual orientation and gender identity to its employment protections. It is the second largest county by population in North Carolina.

Equality NC Executive Director Chris David Lane and other religious leaders place hands on Gov. Sgro said, “This is an important first step McCrory and pray at a rally held at the Charlotte Convention towards the full complement of necesCenter, Sept 26. Source: YouTube screen capture. sary protections for gay and transgender Wake County residents. We look forward to u An LGBT-inclusive Charlotte church was vanworking with local governments all across the Old dalized with anti-gay slurs overnight on Aug. 19.

North State on the county and city levels to pass Among the damage at Wedgewood Church similar protections.” in Charlotte’s Madison Park neighborhood were two lines marking out the words “LGBT Equality” November on the church sign’s marque. Additionally, van11.06.15 dals spray-painted the words “Fags are pedos” qnotes marked Transgender Awareness across the church’s front doors.

Month with several features on transgenPastor Chris Ayers was taken aback when der issues. qnotes asked local transgender he saw the sign and doors. individuals to share with readers their hopes “Heart-piercing was the thing that came for the future of the community. Many topics to my mind,” Ayers told qnotes. “I really didn’t were cited, such as the decrease in trans think about the church. I thought about the marginalization, an increased awareness in the LGBT friends that I have. As a pastor, you hear

news

issues individuals face, increased instances of violence and poverty and the passing of laws that will ensure non-discrimination.

11.20.15 qnotes marked World AIDS Day with the annual Life, Positively issue. qnotes ran a feature on what one needs to know about HIV if sexually active today, including a glossary of terms such as ART (antiretroviral treatment), a collective term for the medications HIV-positive people take to control the virus, and PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), a pill used to help prevent the spread of HIV. qnotes also looked at advances in research over the past year which shows signs of progress in the fight against HIV. These included: human trials for a vaccine created by the same doctor who discovered that HIV was the virus that causes AIDS and who developed the blood test to detect it; a rise in the use of PrEP; and a new pill that fights an HIV/AIDS-related parasitic infection which hit the market, costing a mere $1.

December 12.04.15 qnotes reported on Charlotte Pride announcing they are switching to a governing board structure, and looked into why numerous board members have left over the past year.

Some former board members, like Jonathan Hill, Dave Webb and Patrick Paige, report past instances of conflict. Paige and Hill noted an issue with management styles of the co-directors as part of the problem. All of this comes as the festival continues to grow year after year.

— from staff reports and press releases

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‘Kinky Boots’:

North Carolina native kicks up heels in Queen City Popular stage staple back by popular demand

by Chris Tittel :: qnotes contributor

W

hat makes “Kinky Boots” so irresistible? The alluring thigh-high cut? The dominatrix-style lacing? The fiery red leather?

Lola makes it clear: The sex is in the heel.

“Kinky Boots,” the smash-hit musical inspired by true events, takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in rural England to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos.

The musical earned six Tony Awards in 2013, among them Best Musical, Best Score (Cyndi Lauper) and Best Actor (Billy Porter).

J. Harrison Ghee, a North Carolina native, will reprise the role of Lola later this month in Charlotte, N.C., just one stop on the musical’s nationwide tour.

In an email interview with qnotes, Ghee shared his excitement not only about performing in his home state, but also about helping to instill Pride in the LGBT community.

“Kinky Boots” will run Dec. 29-Jan. 3 at the Belk Theater at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Tickets are on sale at blumenthalarts.org, by phone at 704372-1000 and at the Belk Theater box office (130 N. Tryon St.).

QN: I read you’re a North Carolina native, a fact that qnotes readers will surely be happy to know.

Where are you from in North Carolina?

JHG: I’m originally from Fayetteville, and it is the most amazing feeling to come back to my home state and be the star of such an inspiring show and share this message with friends and family!

QN: What/who got you interested in theater? What other roles have you played?

JHG: After playing the Tin Man in my high school production of “The Wiz,” I was hooked on the theater bug; I’ve always loved the 1978 movie production of it. I also performed in show choir in high school and I got such a thrill singing and dancing.

(left to right) Steven Booth and J. Harrison Ghee on stage with the national touring company’s ‘Kinky Boots’ cast.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

QN: Tell me about your interest in “Kinky Boots.”

Where did you first hear about it?

JHG: My first knowledge of “Kinky Boots” was reading a casting breakdown for it when they were originally casting for it and I knew it was something I had to be a part of. I’ve followed the show ever since, and am honored to be here in this moment with this opportunity.

J. Harrison Ghee plays Lola in ‘Kinky Boots’ at Blumenthal Performing Arts beginning Dec. 29.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

QN: What did you do to prepare for the role of Lola?

How many times have you played this role?

JHG: I’ve been doing drag for five years, so I guess you could say that was a major factor in preparation for the role; there was also all the time I spent watching any and every video I could of Billy Porter dealing with the show. From his backstage process to inter-

views and performances, I’ve pretty much seen them all. I had the opportunity to do it for about a month and half in the spring when Billy took a leave of absence on Broadway and our original tour Lola went back to fill in for him, on top of a few times I’ve stepped in since then before taking over.

QN: Why is this production particularly important to the LGBT community?

JHG: It’s a universal message of being true to yourself and letting your light shine bright without apology, and it’s definitely an affirmation for the LGBT community to continue to stand tall and be bold. “You change the world when you change your mind” is definitely something I’m sure the community would like the world to understand more and be open to the beauty of what we as individuals bring to society. : :

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Chad Sevearance-Turner continued from page 4 members, and it also broadened the network for our corporate sponsors to be able to be in a larger group, to provide more of a supply of diversity type environment for them to not only gain access but also to gain notoriety.

“Because obviously small businesses have a very hard time with branding, especially if they have a small budget and they’re not able to market properly. Giving them a network such as The Charlotte Chamber, and also The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber, as well as the Business Guild, became invaluable, and they started to see the great value of paying that yearly fee to be a member.”

After these partnerships were cemented, membership grew from around 50 members to well over 250 in less than a year.

Fighting for equality and unity in Charlotte and beyond The group is not only involved in creating a network for its members to help grow their businesses, they also work to make the city of Charlotte, and beyond, a more LGBT-friendly environment.

“Probably the second most important initiative that we do [after providing a network for our members], is partnering with organizations within the community to assist in endeavors to bring equality to Charlotte, N.C., and the nation,” Sevearance-Turner notes. “We have strategic partners through the Charlotte Chamber, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, the HRC [Human Rights Campaign], Equality North Carolina and Visit Gay Charlotte.”

It is a necessary development that, as he points out, cannot be taken for granted.

“The gay community in Charlotte — our organizations have not always worked well together, or played well together in the sandbox. In years past, organizations could carry grudges… [which] could get in the way of actually accomplishing good for the community. What we did was, as a board, we decided to put aside all the strife or any issues that may have arisen within the com-

munity — whether it was through the Community Center, or if it was through HRC, or whatever group it was — and we endeavored to partner with every organization that shared the same mission.”

A time of continued change, growth Sevearance-Turner has seen the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce effectively create a unifying space for organizations and businesses throughout the region and beyond, and is confident that the trend will continue.

Charlotte Business Guild becomes the “This year, most of the organizations [affiliated or working Charlotte LBGT Chamber of Commerce with the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce] adopted the Adding new members, selling out events and partnering with theme ‘Stronger Together,’ and it is the first time that I think most major players in corporate America were not the only ways in of our organizations have come together and said, ‘Okay, this is which the Guild endeavored to become more visible. the umbrella we’re going to be under this year,’” he says, noting In October of this year, the organization announced that the non-discrimination ordinance, the they would no longer be known upcoming presidential election and as the Charlotte Business Guild, changes in Charlotte as motivating but were changing their name to factors for unity around shared interthe Charlotte LGBT Chamber of ests and concerns.

Commerce. It was a move many, inIt is also a time of change in his cluding Sevearance-Turner himself, personal life, as he recently married saw as the organization effectively his partner Nate Turner, himself a “coming out of the closet.” small business owner.

“We must embrace who we Sevearance-Turner credits his are and allow others to realize success to his husband’s support what market we represent. When and patience. a corporation or company makes a Oh, and that’s not all. Shortly after commitment to sponsor or join as a concluding this interview, he conmember, they want the full value of tacted qnotes again to let us know being a part of an organization that is that he had forgotten to add another proud of and deliberate in its mission piece of good news: For the first time for economic empowerment and in 23 years the organization will have equality within the city it serves,” he permanent office space, in Packard said in a press release during the an- Chad Sevearance-Turner and Nate Turner, shown in Uptown Charlotte, N.C., were married in 2015.

Place in Uptown Charlotte. nouncement of the name change.

Sometimes there is so much While he admits the board had good news to deliver that you forget to mention it all. It is clear a contentious debate over the name change, they eventually that Sevearance-Turner and the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of came to an agreement and have seen an overwhelmingly posiCommerce are living in those times. : : tive response from both the LGBT and ally communities.

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tell trinity

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

Is keeping your job really just about fitting in?

Dear Trinity, I have a feeling I may lose my job. Any ideas on how to keep a job and/or keep from losing one?

Job Doubts, Charleston, WV Dear Job Doubts, Even though last year you may have won “Employee Of The Year,” this years bad economy, loss of profits and/or someone with more tenure, could put you into the unemployment line. It seems like most employers simply want two things from employees 1) to make their company grow and 2) to fit in and work well with others. Thus, if you try to get along with your co-workers (even if it means biting your tongue), then all that’s left is prayer. Although, honey, opening your own business and being your own boss is the other cure for the “unemployment jitters.” You may not always get a steady paycheck, but you’ll never worry about getting fired!

Dearest Trinity, If you really like someone and they really like you, then why is it wrong to talk about living together…on the second date?

Moving Fast, Providence, RI Dearest Moving Fast, Question: If you win the lottery should you,

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a) tell everyone right away or b) enjoy the moment, get a financial advisor and then tell everyone? The correct answer is “b” — shut up, enjoy the moment, spend time figuring out your new situation and then open your big mouth! In other words, pumpkin, be excited but be cautious! Be in love, but be practical! Go on your second date and be quiet about moving in, at least until you have time to know “something more” than someone’s zodiac sign! (U-Haul trucks are great for moves. Just make sure you aren’t moving too fast! My cartoon sure shows this dilemma!)

Hello Trinity, I hosted a party so my friends could meet my new boyfriend, but I messed up, got drunk and “made-out” with an old boyfriend! What a mess!

Hosting Horrors, Ogunquit, ME Hello Hosting Horrors, Since you know you messed up, then let me just remind you that when hosting a party that includes a new boyfriend: 1) don’t invite old boyfriends, 2) don’t fight with your new boyfriend in front of company, 3) don’t spend too much time away from him and 4) for God’s sake, sweetie, don’t get caught kissing someone else in front of him!

a&e

Hey Trinity, Lately, my other half is doing things that lead me to believe that I’m being cheated on. How can I find out without appearing suspicious?

Cheating Thoughts, Reno, NV Hey Cheating Thoughts, There are many things a cheating spouse or lover does that gives them away, that’s why, darling, I’ve compiled: Trinity’s Smart Scenarios For Knowing If You’re Being Cheated On 1. S /he becomes “unnaturally” jealous of you, usually as a protective mechanism for his or her own wonton activities.

2. S/he insists on spending time alone, yet can’t explain where or with whom s/he goes out to lunch, dinner or on a late night rendezvous with!

3. S /he acquires items on your joint credit card that cannot be explained.

4. H is/her “new” secretary is gorgeous, single and s/he spends a hell of a lot of extra time “at the office!”

5. S /he suddenly starts dressing and acting sexier then s/he ever has in your last five years together.

6. S /he freaks out when you simply ask, “Where are you going, honey?” or “Where have you been, baby?”

7. H is/her personal items start disappearing or new items suddenly start appearing and s/

he acts like your questions are crazy! (“I’ve always had these earrings, honey!”)

8. S/he doesn’t want to have sex anymore and gets upset when you start suggesting it?

9. S/he is hardly ever at the office when you just out of the blue drop by or call to “say hi” (doing a little spy work)!

10. Lastly, s/he smells like, feels like, tastes like and even worse looks like someone else. 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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dishing with buff faye

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

Change the world with random acts of drag queen kindness Now is the time to give back. And it is the main reason why I even do drag. Drag queens always have been supporters of their community and many support different charities.

With the holidays upon us, it can be a busy time, but it is never too late to do something good for someone else. You don’t have to spend a lot of money or do a benefit show to make a positive difference. Plus, doing something kind is the best way to get in the spirit of the season.

Make the world a better place by starting with you this holiday season and new year.

Choose one, two, three or more of these simple, random acts of kindness.

• Smile at someone you do not know.

• Post something positive about someone else on social media.

• Donate clothing or food to a local shelter.

• Volunteer to deliver meals to those in need or work at a food pantry.

• Throw away your trash or clean/stack your dishes at a restaurant for the waiter.

• Spend time with someone you don’t know asking about their life.

• Let the other person in the car behind you have the parking spot.

• Send a kind note or text message to someone you have not spoken with in awhile and tell them how much you appreciate them.

• Pay for the person behind you in the fast food drive thru.

• Bake some cookies and share them with employees who have to work during the holiday — fire station, police, hospital, etc.

• Pay for someone’s coffee.

• Wrap gifts for charity donations in shopping mall.

• Compliment someone you do not know.

• Push someone’s shopping cart inside.

• Offer to share your umbrella if raining.

• Help someone at the store carry their groceries to their car.

• Offer to give your seat on public transportation to someone else.

• Volunteer time at a nursing home or senior care facility.

• Offer to rake leaves (or clean sidewalks) for a neighbor.

• Give a gift card or food to someone in need on the street.

• Offer a ride to someone who needs one.

Do you have ideas? Add to this list in the comment section of this column. Together we can change the world by simply acting with kindness. Start your random acts now and make a good habit all year round.

DRAG TIP: Commit to doing three of these before the New Year. The positive vibes will put a kick in your heel!

— Buff Faye calls the Queen City her home and loves a great smile (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

SHOUT OUTS: Come out

to the Night of Cher-ity on Monday, Dec. 28 at 9:30 p.m. at The Bar at 316. You can “turn back time” before the new year with over a dozen Cher impersonators and decades of fun. Proceeds benefit LGBTQ youth this holiday with Campus Pride. Suggested door cover donation is $5.

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EVENTS

Submit your event to our calendar!

December-January 2015 Derek Bishop in Concert Aloft Charlotte Ballantyne’s WXYZ Bar 13139 Ballantyne Corporate Pl., Charlotte 7-10 p.m.

Mint to Move Cultural SEP DEC MO Dance Night Mint Museum Uptown 500 S. Tryon St., Charlotte 8-11:30 p.m.

Mint to Move Cultural Dance Night celebrates global unity, joy, peace and friendship. It is a celebration of similarities and differences. There will be a dance lesson

by Rumbao Latin Dance Company at 8:45 p.m. and music will be provided by a host of DJs. A cash bar and complimentary light snacks will be available. Tickets are $11 for general admission, $18 for couples and $7 for Mint Members, with Openly gay musician Derek Bishop $1 off for anyone arriving before 9 p.m. will perform songs from his new album Bring a kid’s toy or children’s book to “Bicycling in Quicksand,” which Echo donate to CMS Metro School for children Magazine called “One of the best indie with intellectual disabilities, and receive pop records of the year.” The New York $3 off general admission. More informaCity piano rocker mixes synth-pop, disco tion is available online. and cabaret. Free admission. More mintmuseum.org. information is available online.

–––––––––––––––––––– aloftcharlotteballantyne.com.

Loving Food Resources Annual Holiday –––––––––––––––––––– Cookie Party The North Carolina Harm Reduction Kenilworth Presbyterian Church Coalition Holiday Party Fellowship Hall The Pour House Music Hall 123 Kenilworth Rd., Asheville 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh 6-8 p.m.

6 p.m.

Loving Food Resources, a food pantry for Put on the ugliest Christmas sweater you those living with HIV/AIDS, will have its ancan find and get your karaoke voice ready. nual holiday cookie party. Bring four dozen Door prizes will be given to the ugliest or more homemade cookies to help fill 200 sweater. An after party will be held at cake boxes with cookies for the clients of Landmark Tavern, 117 E. Hargett St. Tickets Loving Food Resources. A time of commuare $15 if purchased by check, made out to nity togetherness in the service of helping NC Harm Reduction Coalition, and mailed those in need this holiday season. to P.O. Box 13761, Durham, NC, 27709. kenilworthchurch.org.

They can also be purchased via PayPal for $20, which includes a processing fee.

Contributions are also available for tickets on a sliding scale. More information and tickets is available online. nchrc.org.

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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 threefor-one 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).

Holiday Market Mingle & SEP DEC MO Music Salvaged Beauty NoDa 2320 N. Davidson St., Charlotte 5-11 p.m.

Join local vendors and musicians to ring in the holiday season and maybe get some last minute Christmas shopping in. Christmas karaoke will also take place, and raffle, food and beverage sales will go to benefit music and art in CMS schools. Arts and crafts projects will be available for children, and food trucks will also be on hand. More information is available online. facebook.com/events/923277057753391/.

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Breakfast With Santa NASCAR Hall of Fame 400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Charlotte 8-11 a.m.

Kids can have breakfast with Santa as he stops at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

A pancake breakfast served in the great hall will be followed by children getting to write a letter to Santa and decorate a Christmas ornament. There will also be a screening of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” in the High Octane Theater. Admission is $16 and includes a picture with Santa.

More information and tickets is available online. nascarhall.com.

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Winter Holiday Open House 324 S. Harrington St., Raleigh 12-5 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Raleigh will hold an open house for the holidays, for community with friends and family. Donations of homemade sweets are encouraged and can be dropped off in the week leading up to the event. A light meal will be served throughout the afternoon. The center’s Affirming Faith Forum will play host, and will provide refreshments as well. lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

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A Season of Peace First Congressional United Church of Christ 20 Oak St., Asheville 4 p.m.

Cantaria, The Gay Men’s Chorus of Asheville, will present holiday music to usher in the season. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $25 for VIP, and are available online. Bring printed receipt for entrance. More information and tickets are available online. cantariaasheville.org.

Continues through Jan. 10 SEP JAN MO ‘Highway 47’ Playmakers Theatre 150 Country Club Rd., Chapel Hill 7:30 p.m., plus a 2:30 p.m. show on Jan. 10 In the play “Highway 47,” writer K.J. Sanchez tells the story of the high desert town where her family were original settlers under the Spanish Land Grants of 1734. Nearly 300 years later, the town went into upheaval over disputed land rights and lawsuits, with her father as a central figure in the drama. Tickets start at $15. More information and tickets are available online. playmakersrep.org.

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Continues through Jan. 17 SEP JAN MO The Fourth Annual nuVoices Festival Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte 650 E. Stonewall St., Charlotte The Fourth Annual nuVoices Festival will feature four plays, selected from over 400 entries. Playwrights will take up artistic residence at the theatre while they workshop their plays. This year’s plays include Reginald Edmund’s “The Daughter of the Moon,” Meridith Friedman’s “The Luckiest People,” David Valdes Greenwood’s “The Mermaid Hour,” and Matthew Wells’ “Beautiful Day.” The play “The Mermaid Hour” has an LGBT storyline, telling the tale of working class parents attempting to navigate their tween daughter’s gender transition. atcharlotte.org/nuvoices/.

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views

spiritual reflections

by Isai Efuru :: guest contributor

Look behind you When I was a young girl, there would be countless school programs that I wanted to be in. In my primary grades, I couldn’t muster up the courage. However, when I reached sixth grade, there was a very bubbly music teacher named Mrs. Muhammad who encouraged me to join my school chorus. I was elated that she thought I had talent. I had not yet discovered it on my own.

At our first performance, I looked around to see if my mom was in the audience.There was no sign of her. I sang on wearily, wishing I could smile into her face like the other kids around me were doing.

Months passed and I continued to wish for the same thing, all to no avail. At our final performance in sixth grade, I happened to look near the entrance of our school auditorium and saw my mother waving and smiling at me. I beamed and belted out the last line of the Billy Joel classic “I love you just the way you are,” and held my head high. I was so glad that she could finally see me perform. Her presence gave me a joy that carried me right through the summer.

Years later, I had my very first solo in the high school chorus. As I stepped to the microphone, I looked to my left and saw her seated in the front row. She waved and smiled. I felt calm enough to sing my solo with pride.

The same thing happened when I made my debut in 1989 as a House music artist at the famous Zanzibar nightclub in Newark, N.J. As my group was announced, I looked through the dark crowd for a familiar face, and found my mother screaming and yelling my name. “Go, Jazmina!,” she yelled as I began to sing with

my group Intense. She was always in my view when I needed to believe, when I needed to feel strong, and when I needed to know that someone I loved was there with me.

God operates in a similar fashion. God is always present when we need comfort, safety or confirmation of who we are and where we are going. God is most present in the times when we are struggling and when we think He or She is not answering our prayers. It is in those times when we must know and believe that God is closer to us than our fears, our worries and our doubts. God can never be separated from us.

Strife can often confuse us into believing the opposite; however, God always knows when to make an appearance to settle us and to remind us that what we need is right at our reach.

It was always a habit to look for my mom.

Although she continuously showed up for me, I had moments when I wondered if she would.

We will wonder if and when God will appear in our tough situations. The reality of life is that God knows the outcome of our situations before we do. In Jeremiah 29:11, God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah by declaring “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Since our future is already planned, and our past has proven that we have God as our support system, there is no possibility of failure.

Anything that seems like failure is simply an opportunity to believe bigger.

When your challenges have you up against a wall, take a deep breath, believe and look behind you. God is standing by. : :

Carolinas News Notes continued from page 7 The extensive report, “Religious Congregations in 21st Century America,” covers every imaginable category with regard to congregational life. One thing to note from the data gathered through surveys is that “in just six years, the number of congregations whose leaders said that gays and lesbians could be full-fledged members increased from 37 percent to 48 percent.”

The report also stated, “Increasing acceptance of gays and lesbians is of course one of the most well-known public opinion shifts in recent years. This change also seems to be happening at a remarkably fast pace within religious congregations.”

However, there is disparity when one goes deeper into the statistics obtained.

Some denominations tend to be more inclusive, while others are not.

To read the entire document, visit soc. duke.edu/natcong/Docs/NCSIII_report_final. pdf.

Chaves welcomes suggestions for future analyses, reports that might build on these findings or involve deeper exploration. info: soc.duke.edu/natcong. today.duke.edu/2015/12/chavesstudy.

Campus Scene Class selects Windmeyer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Shane Windmeyer, founder and executive director of Campus Pride, has been selected as a 2016 SEED20 Class of non-profit Charlotte-area entrepreneurs.

Social Entrepreneurs EmpowereD (SEED) is comprised of 20 individuals or organizations who are chosen annually.

The program was created by Social Venture Partners and it is in its fifth year.

Campus Pride is the first LGBT-specific nonprofit to be chosen.

The SEED20 class occurs over seven weeks and participants receive training, coaching, feedback and mentoring on how to succinctly “tell their story.”

Participants are able to gain a variety of opportunities during the course, including strategic advise and resources, confidence building, presentation effectiveness, development of long-term relationships, donor access, funding opportunities and more.

The culmination of the program is SEED20 OnStage! The energetic event, held on April 11 at Knight Theatre, includes a competition between 10 participants for cash awards that total up to $55,000. Tickets go on sale in January 2016. info: seed20.org. campuspride.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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