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SouthFloridaGayNews.com
March 21, 2018 • Volume 9 • Issue 12
2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com
Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate Publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com
Editorial
Palm Beach Pride in 2016. SFGN File Photo.
Palm Beach Pride Returns This Weekend This year’s theme ‘Rainbow Resistance’
Senior Features Correspondents Jesse Monteagudo • Tony Adams
Correspondents
Michael d’Oliveira
Dori Zinn • Donald Cavanaugh • Christiana Lilly • Denise Royal • Sean McShee • David-Elijah Nahmod
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n President Donald Trump’s back control protest in D.C.] on March 24, but yard, Mar-a-Lago, hosting Palm Beach we’ll march in solidarity on March 25 [during Pride is just as important as ever, said the parade],” Murphy said. Julia Murphy, chief development officer for But even with Trump in the White House, Compass Community Center. Murphy said local authorities “This sends a message. matter more. “We can’t be at Absolutely,” Murphy said. “What matters the most is “Regardless of what’s going your local politics and what the [March for on, we have a high amount of happens to you on an everyday Our Lives gun support.” level.” Murphy said the LGBT control protest in Organized by Compass, the community here is lucky to two-day festival will be held D.C.] on March 24, have strong allies, such as the Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, Palm Beach County Sherriff’s but we’ll march March 25 from 12 to 6 p.m. at Office and the City of Lake in solidarity on Bryant Park in Lake Worth. Worth. Trump has supported various “We welcome everyone. March 25 [during measures decried by LGBT I think our community is the parade].” advocates, including support of stronger together . . . That’s not the “Conscience and Religious everywhere though. In some - Julia Murphy Compass Freedom Division” which places, they have to fight to get allows healthcare workers to something like this,” Murphy deny medical treatment to LGBT patients said. According to various news outlets, a because of religious or moral beliefs. permit for an LGBT parade in Starkville, “This year’s theme is Rainbow Resistance. Mississippi was initially denied. Earlier We can’t be at the [March for Our Lives gun this month, the decision was reversed after MEMBER
organizers threatened a lawsuit. Palm Beach Pride’s parade will start at 11:30 a.m. on March 25 at Lucerne Avenue and Lake Avenue. Murphy said 100 groups have already signed-up to be in the parade, and she estimates the final number could be about 150. As for the rest of the event, about 25,000 people are expected to attend both days. Headlining this year’s festival is CeCe Peniston, the dance club artist famous for her 1991 hit “Finally.” The cost is $8 in advance and $10 at the entrance. Murphy said Palm Beach Pride charges an entry fee because it incurs a lot of expenses, including paid staff workers. “We close down the roads and we have to pay for the park. Typically, pride events are volunteer-based. Compass is a local non-profit. So, in order to produce [the event], we have to charge. We’re not the biggest pride but we definitely represent the community in the best way we can.”
MEMBER
Visit compassglcc.com/community-and-events/palm-beach-pride for more information. See our news in video Online now!
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Cover photos: Broward credit of Steven Shires, Key west credit of Larry Blackburn, Miami credit of J.R. Davis, Palm Beach credit of Michael Cushman. MEMBER
Associated Press
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For ad placement in SFGN, contact 954-530-4970 Sales Manager • Justin Wyse Justin.Wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann Edwin.Neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Clark Rogers Clark.Rogers@sfgn.com Distribution Services • Rocky Bowell Dilan Hebert National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping Printing by Sun Coast Press
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NLGJA Journalist of the Year South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright © 2018 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.
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MEMBER
In adults with HIV on ART who have diarrhea not caused by an infection IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION This is only a summary. See complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or by calling 1-844-722-8256. This does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.
What Is Mytesi? Mytesi is a prescription medicine used to improve symptoms of noninfectious diarrhea (diarrhea not caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on ART. Do Not Take Mytesi if you have diarrhea caused by an infection. Before you start Mytesi, your doctor and you should make sure your diarrhea is not caused by an infection (such as bacteria, virus, or parasite).
Possible Side Effects of Mytesi Include:
Tired of planning your life around diarrhea?
Enough is Enough Get relief. Pure and simple. Ask your doctor about Mytesi.
Mytesi (crofelemer): • Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV • Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract • Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies • Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest What is Mytesi? Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Important Safety Information Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection (5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).
Should I Take Mytesi If I Am: Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant? • Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi • This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed A Nursing Mother? • It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi • Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop taking Mytesi Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age? • Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age • Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to find out if Mytesi is right for you
What Should I Know About Taking Mytesi With Other Medicines? If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, herbal supplements, or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting Mytesi.
What If I Have More Questions About Mytesi? For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist. To report side effects or make a product complaint or for additional information, call 1-844-722-8256.
Rx Only Manufactured by Patheon, Inc. for Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. San Francisco, CA 94105 Copyright © Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
For Copay Savings Card and Patient Assistance, see Mytesi.com
Mytesi comes from the Croton lechleri tree harvested in South America.
Please see complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com. NP-390-29
• Upper respiratory tract infection (sinus, nose, and throat infection) • Bronchitis (swelling in the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs) • Cough • Flatulence (gas) • Increased bilirubin (a waste product when red blood cells break down) For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
RELIEF, PURE AND SIMPLE 3.21.2018 •
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NEWS local Dean Trantalis being sworn in. Photo credit: Carina Mask. See more on page 52.
Fort Lauderdale Elects First Openly-Gay Mayor in Landslide Michael d'Oliveira
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ith 64 percent of the vote, in the City of Ft. Lauderdale about the Dean Trantalis became the first importance of voting in this election. openly-gay mayor elected in We look forward to working with both Fort Lauderdale’s history. Dean Trantalis and Steve Glassman “It was our time,” Trantalis told his as they continue the work to keep Ft. supporters Tuesday night. He thanked Lauderdale a beacon of inclusion in the the community for its support and said South,” stated Equality Florida Senior that the “really hard part [of governing] Political Director Joe Saunders. starts now.” In the Dist. 2 race, the Trantalis, who represents other LGBT candidate, Dist. 2 and also the city’s first Steve Glassman, beat openly-gay commissioner, former city commissioner defeated Vice Mayor Bruce Tim Smith 61 percent to 39. Roberts. This marks the first time “I haven’t seen anything Fort Lauderdale will have like this in years,” said Ken two openly-gay elected Keechl, former Broward officials serving at the same County mayor. “I think its time. one of the best things to On a video posted to his happen . . . a rejection of the Facebook page, Glassman status quo.” said he was “humbled” by In a press release, the victory and thanked his - Equality Florida Equality Florida touted supporters. “The results are press release Trantalis becoming the great. I’m so appreciative first openly-gay mayor of a of everybody’s vote. We’re major Florida city. going to work really hard to protect the “As soon as Dean declared his integrity of each neighborhood.” candidacy we knew this would be a Michael Albetta, the regional director horizon race for our LGBTQ community. of the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus Equality Florida Action PAC members and president of Fort Lauderdale’s and supporters have showed up in force Lake Ridge Civic Association, said he in this election. We’ve made tens of now expects to see a lot of pro-LGBT thousands of calls to pro-equality voters ordinances passed in the city.
“As soon as Dean declared his candidacy we knew this would be a horizon race for our LGBTQ community.”
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NEWS local
SunServe to host Women’s Day of Empowerment on March 24 Brittany Ferrendi
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Accounting and Tax Services Timothy S. Hart, CPA Managing Partner
2929 East Commercial Boulevard, Penthouse D | Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308 954-202-9770 | 954-202-9777 Fax THart@R3Accounting.com | www.R3Accounting.com
his day is for the ladies. On March 24, Sunserve Women’s Services will present Women’s Day of Empowerment, a full-day event meant to embolden women to “take charge of their health and lives.” The event will take place at the Center for Spiritual Living in Oakland Park. They will serve free breakfast and lunch, and will have events like 80’s Neon Yoga, theater and art workshops, body positivity and more. “We’ve all had experiences where we know our situations might be unique, but we’re afraid to talk about it with our doctor because we don’t know what to say or what to expect,” said Emily Cohen, Director of Women’s Services for Sunserve. “By getting to know who we are and what we need through self-empowerment, we can take the first steps
towards becoming advocates for ourselves.” The University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center funded the event via a grant. Event partners include United Way, IGNITE Women South Florida, The Sunshine Cathedral, Susan G Komen Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida Health, Women In Network, CenterLink and more.
The Center for Spiritual Living is located at 4849 N Dixie Highway, Oakland Park, FL 33334. To register, visit SunserveWomen.Eventbrite.com. For questions, call 954-764-5150 x 201 or email Cohen at ecohen@sunserve.org.
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3.21.2018 •
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NEWS local Photo: Equality Park Garden Club.
Tropical Plant Fair Finds New Home at Richardson Park Damon Scott
A
Looking for something to keep cool?
The Mirror Magazine is all you need to
Wind Down.
Ahh... Refreshingly gay. TheMirrorMag.com
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fter years of hosting its annual event at The Pride Center in Wilton Manors, the Equality Park Garden Club has a new location for its plant fair. “A Tropical Plant Fair” will now be held about a half a mile from Equality Park at Richardson Park, located at 1937 Wilton Drive. The sixth such event takes place March 24 and March 25. The current president of the Garden Club says the reason for the change of venue is, in part, because of the event’s growth. “As you know the Pride Center is going to build apartments on the area we have always held our fairs,” Paul Durbin said. “Last year parking became a problem. Long before we would be replaced by the apartments, we had already started to outgrow the location. We were presented this opportunity by the city of Wilton Manors to use Richardson Park, which is the perfect location for a sale,” he said. Durbin, who is spearheading the event with show chairman Chip Jones, expects more than 2,500 to attend the fair. The event is the largest fundraising event for the group and a time when membership increases, Durbin said. Durbin and Jones expect more than 30 plant vendors, including more than 10 plantrelated organizations with booths. “There will be food for sale, a fantastic,
huge silent auction and much more,” Durbin said. “Everything is in a gorgeous nature preserve which people are welcome to stroll through,” he added. Other features include a large picnic area and a “plant check” booth for those who want to leave plants while still enjoying the event. “We will have a loading area a few feet from the plant check,” Durbin said. “You can pull right up and load your purchases. Not many plant fairs have that,” he said. Durbin said the group is already planning for a “bigger and better” fair in spring 2019 — its seventh event. Durbin is a master gardener and garden hobbyist. He said he’s completed large projects at the Mounts Botanical Garden in Palm Beach County, and was formerly the horticultural adviser to Casa Phippsberger, a privately owned botanical garden on Palm Beach. Jones is the owner of Jones Landscaping and also owns a plant nursery in Davie. He is the past president of the club. The free admission event runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the first day and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. the second day. Proceeds from the event will help community service efforts in Broward County that are sponsored by the club. More is at epgcwm.com.
in memoriam
Photo via Facebook.
Activist Bill Rettinger Remembered as
Tireless, Outspoken Michael d’Oliveira
B
efore “she persisted,” it was “he persisted.” That’s how Robin Bodiford described Bill Rettinger, 63, an LGBT and disabled rights activist who died last week. “Whatever Bill Rettinger undertook to do: he persisted. He was quick to laugh, earnest, cute and handsome,” Bodiford said. “I remember Bill as a tireless democrat, an unrelenting advocate for the disabled, and a tireless comrade in arms in the Americans for Equality’s successful campaign to preserve gay and lesbian rights under the Broward County Human Rights Ordinance. He was always loved and is already missed.” She went to write that Rettinger, who was married to Gene Crane and lived in Palm Bay, was an unsung hero. “He was also remarkable in the South Florida gay political community in that he never betrayed my trust and did not engage in some of the misogyny that was so prevalent among gay pols back in the day.” Rettinger served as the president of the Democratic Disability Caucus of Florida, was an active member in the Dolphin Democrats, president of the Brevard County Chapter of the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus, and its regional director. Michael Albetta, the regional director of the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus, knows exactly what made Rettinger a great activist: fearlessness and a big mouth. “He was not shy about keeping his mouth closed,” he said. “He could be eloquent in his words and bombastic at times. He was a good person to have on your side in a fight.” Rettinger was also willing to go against the grain sometimes. “I think Bill was different in his ideas,” Albetta said. He wasn’t afraid to call people out, including, according to Albetta, when former School Board Member Marty Martin “Marty” Rubinstein broke promises he made to the LGBT community. “Basically, Marty said one thing to placate the Dolphin Democrats and he did the opposite. Bill called him out on it. We went hook, line, and sinker and we finally got
Marty Rubenstein out of office.” “The passing of Bill closes yet another chapter on another activist in our local LGBT history. He will be remembered for his commitment to the community and for the many hours of dedication he made to achieve equal rights for everyone,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis. In a statement, Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus President Terry Fleming said, “Bill Rettinger was a tireless advocate for disability and LGBT rights . . . Most importantly, he was a friend – to me and countless others – and he will be sorely missed.” Rettinger’s activism also crossed party lines. “I was saddened to hear that a former activist colleague recently passed away. Bill Rettinger…was more to me than just a community activist. Bill believed in outreach and inclusion when, for the good of the community, a need arose. I will always remember jointly walking and working together during the formative years of the “Rainbow Bridge” coalition headquartered in the Whimsey office and archives in West Palm Beach. Bill joins some really wonderful allies who are no longer with us, those who may have been forgotten and/or unknown to later arrivals, yet did so much in crating positive change here in the Sunshine State,” stated Andy Eddy, a member of the Broward Log Cabin Republicans Club, in an email.
To help with funeral expenses, a GoFundMe page has been established –
gofundme.com/bill-rettinger-memorial-fund.
3.21.2018 •
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What is TRUVADA for PrEP?
Who should not take TRUVADA for PrEP?
TRUVADA for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that is used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to prevent getting HIV. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.
Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: ® Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If you are HIV-1 positive, you need to take other medicines with TRUVADA to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. ® Also take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about TRUVADA for PrEP? Before taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative. ® Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. ® You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. ® If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away. ® To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1: ® Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. ® Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. ® Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. ® Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. ® If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. TRUVADA can cause serious side effects: ® Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking TRUVADA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.
What are the other possible side effects of TRUVADA for PrEP? Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include: ® Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA. ® Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. ® Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. ® Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking TRUVADA for PrEP? ® All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. ® If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRUVADA can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking TRUVADA for PrEP, talk to your healthcare provider to decide if you should keep taking TRUVADA. ® If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can be passed to the baby in breast milk. ® All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TRUVADA may interact with other medicines. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. ® If you take certain other medicines with TRUVADA, your healthcare provider may need to check you more often or change your dose. These medicines include certain medicines to treat hepatitis C (HCV) infection. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Important Facts about TRUVADA for PrEP including important warnings on the following page.
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I'm passionate, not impulsive. I know who I am. And I make choices that fit my life. TRUVADA for PrEP™ is a once-daily prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 when taken every day and used together with safer sex practices. ® TRUVADA for PrEP is only for adults who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex. ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
Ask your doctor about your risk of getting HIV-1 infection and if TRUVADA for PrEP may be right for you. Learn more at truvada.com
9/6/17 2:18 PM 3.21.2018 •
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NEWS state
Photo: Robert Thompson. Courtesy of PBSO.
Suspect Arrested in Murder of Gay Lake Worth Man Michael d’Oliveira
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obert Thompson, a suspect in the Police allege Thompson stole the card and death of Stanley Parrales, has been car from Parrales. The arrest report states arrested and charged with second that Thompson is captured on video using degree murder. Parrales’ card at a Walmart and purchasing On March 9, CBS 12 in West Palm Beach gas for Parrales’ Infiniti. reported that Parrales’ body was found. According to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Before his body was found, his partner, John Office [PBSO], Thompson said Parrales gave Bickley, reported him missing on Feb. 16. him permission to use his car and his card. Parrales lived with Bickley in Lake Worth. The two, claimed Thompson, had known In a Facebook post on March 9, Bickley each other for 10 to 15 years and had met talked about the arrest and his relationship around 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 16 at the Old Key with Parrales. Lime House in Lantana. Video “My dear friend, and love of footage shows the two leaving my life, Stanley Parrales was the restaurant together, which taken from us three weeks contradicts Thompson’s claim ago. I’ve never loved and cared he left the bar alone. for someone so deeply in my Deputies also found blood in life, he was my soulmate. We Parrales’ vehicle and clothing spent almost 19 years together that matched the kind worn in a wonderful relationship. by Thompson the night he was The person responsible for seen on surveillance footage. his death is now in custody George Pagan, a childhood and more will be revealed. friend of Thompson’s, told The pain is immeasurable, PBSO that Thompson showed I wish I could turn back up to his house one night with time, to escape this horrible blood on his forearm. Pagan - John Bickley nightmare! Thank you to also stated that Thompson Partner everyone for your support in asked him for bleach to clean these very trying time of our the blood from the vehicle. lives.” He said he refused and also stated that In addition to the murder charge, Thompson said he got into an argument Thompson has also been charged with with someone, hurt them, and may have fraudulent use of a credit card, possession killed them. According to PBSO, the blood of a stolen credit card, and grand theft belonged to Parrales and samples of it were auto. He appeared in court on March 9. also found on Thompson’s clothing.
“The pain is immeasurable, I wish I could turn back time, to escape this horrible nightmare!”
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NEWS miami-dade
LGBT leaders strategizing to remove ‘harmful clause’ from human rights ordinance Jose Cassola
jocacommunications@outlook.com
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he Miami-Dade LGBTA Democratic Caucus and members of SAVE, a local LGBT rights group, met March 13 to discuss the religious exemption clause in Miami-Dade County’s anti-discrimination ordinance. The meeting, which took place at the Hotel Gaythering, was a discussion and strategic planning session held in response to the recent news of a local lesbian Catholic school teacher being fired for marrying her longtime girlfriend. First-grade teacher Jocelyn Morffi was terminated from Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School after school officials learned she had married her partner, Natasha Hass, Feb. 3. Florida remains one of the few states where employers can still fire someone based on sexual orientation or gender identity. “It’s frightening that in 2018 someone can be fired just because of who they love...and
"It's frightening that in 2018 someone can be fired just because of who they love... and that's exactly what happened to Jocelyn." - Justin Klecha
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Miami-Dade LGBTA Democratic Caucus and SAVE say the goal is to identify and groom pro-equality candidates to run for county commission
that’s exactly what happened to Jocelyn,” said Justin Klecha, deputy director of SAVE. “She left work on a Friday, married her longtime partner, and then on Monday was fired. Employees should only be judged on their ability to do their jobs, but despite Jocelyn’s excellent record and eight years of service she was fired.” Mary Ross Agosta, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Miami, told Politico Florida that Morffi was fired for violating her contract. She said Catholic school employees have to sign a contract pledging they will follow church policy, which includes a prohibition on same-sex marriage. Klecha said the goal of last week’s meeting was to have a conversation about religious exemptions and to strategize a way to remove “this harmful clause” from MiamiDade County’s Human Rights Ordinance. “Unfortunately, with the current composition of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, this isn’t a viable option at the moment,” Klecha said. “Employers who are accepting of LGBT people help attract the best and the brightest, but I think that it’s clear the Archdiocese in South Florida isn’t interested in that, which is really alarming considering we’re talking about educating children.” Walker Burttschell, president of the Miami-Dade LGBTA Democratic Caucus,
said Morffi’s situation is “heart-breaking and infuriating.” “I think most Catholics, especially in South Florida, believe no one should be fired based on their sexual orientation or because they chose to marry the person they love. I say this as a former Catholic,” Burttschell said. “Change, in this case, has to come from within — a task better left to the students and parents of the school.” Burttschell said the Miami-Dade LGBTA Democratic Caucus, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party and other progressive organizations need to actively identify and groom viable candidates and work on getting pro-equality candidates elected to the Miami-Dade County Commission. But he added “there is no short-term, immediate fix to this.” “We as a caucus want to identify an open-LGBT person to run and reshape the commission,” Burttschell said. “We need to start thinking strategically and developing longterm plans to address this particular issue with religious exemption and the litany of other issues that affect us and the broader community.” Burttschell says progressives need to “step up,” adding the issue “just makes it clear that progressives do not have much of an influence in this town, politically speaking.” “I’m not sure if a more progressive
commission would’ve completely prevented [Jocelyn] from being fired,” Burttschell said. “However, a more progressive commission would’ve been able to have a conversation on this subject and re-examine the religious exemption clause, something the current commission will not do.” Klecha said SAVE is non-partisan and will continue to be, but “for the LGBT community to achieve full equality, it needs to stop being a partisan issue.” “Unfortunately, it’s very unlikely the outcome of Jocelyn’s case will change,” Klecha said. “However, we can make sure there isn’t another case like Jocelyn’s by removing the religious exemption in our Human Rights Ordinance or by passing comprehensive statewide protections.” Klecha said right now, “our best shot at doing that” is to identify and groom LGBT Democrats for office and work to get more pro-equality leaders elected. “What’s most important to us when we work with a candidate is that they are the best person for the job and fully supportive of LGBT rights regardless of party affiliation,” Klecha said. “While we will continue to educate the [current] commission, our best bet is to make sure we are forward-thinking and start working to get more pro-equality commissioners elected in 2020.”
WMG Volume 5 • Issue 5 March 21, 2018
Wilton Manors Gazette
POLITICS
Mayor Hopes to Attract LGBT-Friendly Corporation to City By Michael d’Oliveira Mayor Gary Resnick said he hopes skills to target select businesses and to the city’s new economic development bring them home to the city.” The city’s decision to hire a consultant will attract the regional or corporate headquarters of an LGBT- consultant comes at a time when high rents have forced some business friendly corporation. At its Feb. 27 meeting, commissioners owners to either close or relocate. In approved an agreement with R. Miller September, Pink Sub owner Dawn & Associates for $49,500. As part of Halloway said she moved to Oakland Park from Wilton Drive its agreement with because her rent was the city, R. Miller’s too high. responsibilities include “It just got way too implementing short “the businesses expensive for me, term and long term that are going especially on the side of goals, promotion of The Drive where I am. I the city, updating to be interested had a great opportunity marketing programs, in coming into to take a space in the organizing workshops [Oakland Park] Culinary and seminars, and Wilton Manors District [near Oakland identifying ways are going to be Park Boulevard and to retain current Dixie Highway] where businesses. those that are I don’t have to worry Resnick called it a LGBT-friendly.” about another sub shop “pretty high fee” but or deli moving right also expected a lot. - Gary Resnick next me. It’s been an “Let’s face it: the mayor amazing almost 10 years businesses that are but it’s time to move going to be interested in coming into Wilton Manors are going forward with Pink Sub.” City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson to be those that are LGBT-friendly and have products and services targeted to said there’s nothing the city can do the LGBT community and their friends. about how much property owners So, doing something like this is good charge their tenants, but she pointed to the plan to narrow Wilton Drive as for economic development.” He added that he was surprised it something city officials believe will hadn’t already happened, but expressed help business owners. WMG confidence that the consultant has “the
Sculptures of George Gadson The Sculptures of George Gadson are on display at Art Gallery 21, 600 NE 21 Ct., Wilton Manors. Art Gallery 21 is open to the public Saturdays from 7 to 9 p.m. Gadson’s sculptures will be on display until April 7. Admission is free. Visit artgallery21.org for more information. WMG
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Opinion
A Fairy’s Tale… By Sal Torre
WMG March 21, 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 5 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington
Editorial
Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com Digital Content Director • Brittany Ferrendi Webmaster@sfgn.com News Editor • Michael d’Oliveira
Correspondents James Oaksun
Staff Photographers
Once upon a time, there was a crafty courtier who masterly went about serving his Queen in the land of the Island Realm. A long long time ago, before the time of the Sly Fox Network delivering fake news throughout the realm, before the social media empire of Facebook was infiltrated by Russian hordes, long before the self-absorbed oligarchy with their leader King Trump gained control of the entire kingdom, there was a small protectorate at the end of the rainbow known as the Queendom of the Island Realm. It was there that this crafty courtier went about serving his majesty, Queen Garyela. The courtier spent his days spinning tales of the wonders of the Queen and of the Queen’s great powers of leadership, vision, financial stewardship, and so much more. This crafty courtier spun such tales of grandiosity over the years that most of the Queen’s subjects did not know of anything other than those tales as truth. The tool so sinisterly used by this crafty courtier was a tabloid called the Island Realm News. It was with this glossy publication that exaggerated truths, self-glorification, misrepresentation of facts, and other cunning methods were used to hold subjects in their state of admiration and servitude to the Queen. Lord Angelo and other righteous knights who stepped forward and tried to free the realm of this darkness had their characters ruthlessly assassinated by the glossy torturous pages of the crafty courtier’s printed word. So, Queen Garyela ruled on, with those who rose to battle against her reign slain by the arrows of Sir Kelley and others, their service secured with bags of gold coins retrieved from the campaign chest of Her Royal Majesty’s treasury. Such wealth was the rewards of homage paid to her greatness by traders, outsiders seeking to do business with the realm, those seeking the blessings of court, all the way down to subjects seeking not to lose their prized positions on the courts’ boards and advisory committees. Then one day the crafty courtier made a mistake when he presented a very special gift to the Sovereign. This very rare and unique gift was a magical talking mirror secured from the vast treasures of the Lohr Castle in Germany. He was sure that such a valuable and treasured gift would win favor from Her Majesty, but it turned out to be the undoing of Sir Kelley and ultimately of the Queen herself.
The magical mirror had a reputation for always speaking the truth. To the pleasure of Queen Garyela, the mirror always confirmed the greatness of her highness. Queen Garyela would ask, “Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the most wonderful Queen Mayor of all?” The magical mirror would respond by affirming that the Queen Mayor was the most wonderful and majestic Queen Mayor of them all. This went on for years, years when expensive tennis courts were installed on the palace grounds, years when the citizenry was asked to give more to the Treasury while the crown went on more and more trips abroad; and still the mirror kept offering the selfgratifying response to the Queen. Then one day the Magical Mirror changed its tune. On that day the mirror’s response to Queen Garyela’s question told a tale of someone new in the realm, someone even greater and more wonderful than the Queen. The enraged Queen lashed out at Sir Kelley and demanded an end to such lies and treachery; but all Sir Kelley could do was to report that rumors of a Lord Justin had begun spreading throughout the realm. The rumors told of great feats, of a wonderful vision, of new and fresh ideas, and of a firm commitment to the citizenry of the realm not experienced for years. Growing ever more frenzied each day, Queen Garyela could not stop asking the same question of the magic mirror, “Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the greatest Queen Mayor of all?” Again and again, the magic mirror would respond with the answer that drove the monarch further and further into a state of rage and indignation. The mirror continued to boast of Lord Justin’s greatness, of his good deeds throughout the realm, of how the Queen was no longer the greatest in all the land. As Queen Garyela spiraled further down into a state of disarray and frenzied hysteria, with Sir Kelly stripped of his weapons and slanderous tabloids, and with citizens of the fabled Island Realm coming out into the streets and town squares demanding change, Lord Justin rode triumphantly up to the castle gates to claim the crown as his. And for years to come the new King Mayor ruled the Island Realm with such wonderfulness and greatness that life in the kingdom had become and would always remain … just better there. WMG
“Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the most wonderful Queen Mayor of all?”
J.R. Davis • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires
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Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Clark Rogers clark.rogers@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. MEMBER
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Correction In the March 7 issue of The Gazette, commission candidate Paul Rolli’s title when he worked for the IRS was incorrectly reported. He was director of overseas operations, not budget director.
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BRIEFS
Check out what’s happening
Around Town By Michael d’Oliveira
Gas Tax Revenue At their meeting on March 13, commissioners voted to approve an interlocal agreement for the “original” local option gas tax of six cents per gallon that was first adopted in 1988 and is effective through Aug. 31, 2018. Per the agreement, Wilton Manors gets a percentage of gas tax sales throughout Broward County. Based on its population size, the city will get $130,000 for the 2017-2018 budget year. WMG
Island City Book Club The Island City Book Club will meet Wednesday, March 21 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Richard C. Sullivan Public Library, 500 NE 26 St., Wilton Manors. The group meets monthly. Call 954-390-2195 for more information. WMG
Tropical Plant Fair The Tropical Plant Fair will be held Saturday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Richardson Historic Park, 1937 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. Admission is free. WMG
Kiwanis Yard Sale The Kiwanis Club of Wilton Manors will hold its Big Yard Sale on Saturday, March 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its clubhouse, 2749 NE 14 Ave., Wilton Manors. Vendors can get a spot inside for $20, a spot outside for $15, or a back patio spot for $15. All vendors get an 8 foot table and two chairs. Coffee, donuts, soda, chips, water, hamburgers, and hot dogs will be for sale. No pets allowed. To sing-up, call or text 954-260-9597 or 954-729-0837 or email sjchesler@gmail.com. Money raised from the yard sale will benefit children’s programs organized by Kiwanis. WMG
Neighborhood Block Party Wilton Manors’ next Neighborhood Block Party will be held on Thursday, March 22 at 6 p.m. at Mickel Park, 2675 NW 7 Ave., Wilton Manors. The city will provide games, activities, light refreshments, tables, and chairs for the free event. Attendees can bring food to share if they choose. Call 954-390-2130 for more information. WMG
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SFGN’S PICKS FOR THE TOP 50 PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO DESERVE RECOGNITION
The secret is INSIDE!
Who are the biggest lgbt heroes in South FLorida?
OUT 50 March 2018
SouthFloridaGayNews
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SouthFloridaGayNews.com South Florida’s OUT 50 • March 2018
Welcome to SFGN’s Out 50 Welcome to SFGN’s fifth OUT50 list. When we decided five years ago to move forward with this idea we thought it would be difficult putting together enough names. It turned out the difficult part was narrowing it down to only 50 individuals. Each year since I’ve worried that we were going to start running out of people. But after five years the hard part is still cutting our list down. There are just too many LGBT people in South Florida who are making a difference. We’ve already recognized 200 local LGBT leaders, activists, business people, artists and others. And now we’re adding 50 more. SFGN is proud to tell these stories and honor them in this year’s OUT50 list. Stories of gay men like Andis Tamayo, an activist who is working to save child slaves in Haiti; lesbians like Rachel Simpson who is tackling substance abuse in the LGBT community; drag performers like Sushi, the famous queen shown around the world each New Year’s Eve as her shoe drops on Key West; and non-binary activists like Jack Lee Jordan, who leads a leadership program for local queer youth and Logan Meza, who helped organize the Florida March for Black Women and LadyFest Miami. Those are just five people in this issue. Make sure to read through them all. These folks aren’t important because they are LGBT, they’re important because of their accomplishments and the work they do. But because they are LGBT they serve as role models for our community — and for future generations. These individuals prove that we are no longer a sideshow, but nowadays, the main show. I hope these people inspire you – as they have inspired me. So welcome to the 2018 South Florida OUT50, a list of activists, business leaders, organizers, and other out and proud members of the local LGBT community.
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Past Out50 Honorees 2014 Andy Amoroso Richard Alalouf Anthony Timiraos S.F. Makalani-MaHee Robin Bodiford Cindy Brown Charlie Fredrickson Craig Stevens Deidre Newton Dean J. Trantalis Emilio Benitez Elizabeth Schwartz William F. Collins George Castrataro Michael C. Gongora Glen Weinzimer Rand Hoch John Castelli Joe Pallant John Paul Alvarez Lisa Porter Jowharah Sanders Ken Keechl Kim Ehly Kristofer Fegenbush Lea Brown Robert Lee Lillian Tamayo Leslie Tipton Miriam Richter Michael McKeever Meredith Ockman Michael Rajner Mike Silver Nikki Adams Chuck Nicholls Noah Kitty Pat Burnside Tony Plakas & Jaime Foreman Pompano Bill Ralph Wolfe Cowan Robin Schwartz Sebrina Maria Alfonso Steve Rothaus Steve Stagon Toni Armstrong Jr. Tony Finstrom Tony Lima Victor Diaz-Herman William Green
2015 Steve Adkins Jessica Aguilar Roya Amirniroumand Dan Bassett Nick Berry Vanessa Brito Brice Brittenum Mark Budwig Kerensa Butler-Gile Marsharee Chronicle Peter Clark Enbar Cohen Andrew Eddy Electra Stephen Fallon Luigi Ferrer Justin Flippen Debbie Frazier Jorge Gardela Jason Gibson Robert Griffin Ron Gunzburger Steve Haas Sabrine Johnston Brett Karlin Andrew Kato Jason King Nate Klarfeld Lea Krauss Aryah Lester AL Magdaleno Carol Moran Michael Murphy Penny Johnson & Julie Seaver Gary Richmond Gordon Roberts Luiz Rodrigues Rick Rose Lee Rubin Ted Scouten Victoria Sigler Carla Silva Theo Smith Will Spencer Melissa St. John Karen Stephens Nicole Waters Bruce Williams LJ Woolston Heather Wright
Want to nominate someone in our community for next year's Out50?
Visit sfgn.com/out50nominations
2016
out 50
2017
Christopher Bates Ruth & Connie Rodney Briguglio Katharine Campbell Leticia Carrazana Heather Carruthers Carly Cass Orlando Castellano Chapman/Quattrone Danny Eguizabal Ken Evans Sue Gallagher Lacey Camper Rod Hagwood Dan Hall Tom Hantzarides Brenda Hartley Suzi Hollis Randy Katz Mark Kent Leland Kolbert PJ & Mary Jeff Lehman Velvet Lenore Arianna Lint Jacqueline Lorber Carol Lynn Listron Mannix Chad Matthews Cathy & Karla Mimi Planas Atticus Ranck Shanna Ratliff Lorenzo Robertson Andy & Michael Chris Rudisill Det. Sanchez Josue Santiago Rob Shore Heidi Siegel Mark Silver Paul Smith Steve Smith Terry Stone AJ Wasson Davy Whims Bryan Wilson Keith Hart
John Adornato Paulette Armstead Chris Caputo Julie Carson Myron Davidson Harold Dioquino David Dunlap & Wesley Pennington Kezia Gilyard Emery Grant Mandi Hawke Jarad Gibson Robert Lamarche Julia Landis Marvin Shaw Morgan Mayfaire Miik Martorell Rajee Narinesingh Jodi Reichman Roger Roa Tom Runyan Tiffany Arieagus Tatiana Williams Denise Spivak Durrell Watkins Victor Zepka Caspian Cassidy Steve Torrence Susan Kent May Sifuentes Annie Segara Maria Dominguez Gabriel Garcia-Vera Victor Giminez Trey Jones Johnnie Mejia Parker Phillips David Richardson Charo Valero Johnathan Welsh Howard Grossman Jess Blackman Shirley Herman & Joan Waitkevicz Mason Phelps Tia Jolie Tonya Johnson Trent Steele Rolando Barrero Michael Grattendick Jana Panarites Michael Woods
Read their stories, and see how this year's honorees compare. View 2014 honorees online at SFGN.com/2014out50
View 2016 honorees online at SFGN.com/2016out50
View 2015 honorees online at SFGN.com/2015out50
View 2017 honorees online at SFGN.com/2017out50
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SFGN’s OUT50
Some Departed Greats Jesse Monteagudo
F
ive years ago, South Florida Gay News began an annual tradition when it published its first “Out50” issue. This week SFGN reveals its fifth list; and it is to our community’s credit that SFGN managed to find 50 qualified individuals who were not featured in previous years. And while there might be arguments about who was included and who was left out, the fact remains that SFGN does a pretty good job in its selection process. Still, by featuring 50 individuals who are still active members of our community, SFGN’s annual list leaves out qualified people who did a lot for our community but who are no longer with us. There are enough departed greats in our community’s grateful memory to fill more than one Out50 list. Here are just a few.
demand these unjust laws be removed,” Ramos said. “Only when we come together and stand up for what is right will change ever come. Our community has become complacent in its way of life and this can be very dangerous.”
JAMIE BLOODWORTH, who passed away in 2005, was a political activist who was active in South Florida LGBT and women’s movements. Bloodworth was president of the Broward County National Organization for Women and the Gwen Cherry Women’s Political Caucus, the Broward County Commission on the Status of Women and the Broward County Human Rights Board. Together with her life partner, Beverly Cothern, Bloodworth was a founder (1982) of the Dolphin Democrats, and was instrumental in the passage of Broward County’s domestic partnership TONY RAMOS, who died in ordinance. Bloodworth was inducted 2014, did enough in his 47into the Broward County Women’s year lifetime to deserve a Hall of Fame in 1998. After she place in any Out50 list. passed away, the Dolphin Ramos was President of Democrats created the There are enough GUARD - Gays United to annual Jamie Bloodworth departed greats in our Attack Repression and Leadership Award to honor community’s grateful Discrimination - from women who have “shown memory to fill more 1906 to 2003. Under his excellence in leadership than one Out50 list. leadership, GUARD played and/or sponsorship of issues a leadership role in South improving the human rights of Florida’s LGBT community. the LGBT community at large.” According to Art Greenwald, “under Ramos’s watch, GUARD flexed its DIANE ARNOLD, who died in 2009, muscles and affected change without the was an early trans activist and pioneer. radical militancy, the antagonism and Arnold was the first trans person to be unruliness that epitomized other LGBT elected (1999) area leader for Broward activist groups throughout the country. The County Democratic Executive Committee mild-mannered, polite and unflappable and the Dolphin Democrats’ Board of Ramos favored a more low-keyed and Directors. “In April there was an opening for cooperative diplomacy to confrontation an area leader for the Democratic Executive and problem-solving.” Committee, and I decided I wanted to be the Ramos led community protests against area leader,” Arnold told Out and Elected in Fort Lauderdale’s Coral Ridge Presbyterian the USA. “The people who voted for me, they Church, which under the late Rev. D. knew who I was before, they knew David. James Kennedy was a leader of the anti- But they still voted for me because they felt I LGBT religious right. He also forged could do the job, which is why I was elected. bonds between the LGBT community, the I wasn’t elected because of the fact that I Broward Sheriff’s Office, and local police was a transsexual or gay or anything. I could departments. “Many laws in the state of do the job. The person before me didn’t do Florida need to be repealed, but instead the job, and he was gay! I knew I could do of wondering what others are doing about the job.” In addition to her political work, them every member of our community Arnold was a trendsetter and a role model should be calling, faxing and writing to our who paved the way for generations of trans city, county and state elected officials and activists who came after her.
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Michael Robert Greenspan.
The last departed great that I want to mention is personal. When MICHAEL ROBERT GREENSPAN, my partner of 32 years, died in 2017, he left behind a legacy of activism, education and music. Michael was an active member of Congregation Etz Chaim, which he served as cantorial soloist for 25 years, and other LGBT groups in South Florida. As an educator in Broward County schools, he was a finalist for
Broward County Teacher of the Year (1999). Michael was also a talented accordionist, singer, composer and recording artist; who delighted audiences as a solo artist and member of the American Balalaika Company. In 2008 the Pride Center honored Michael with one of its Stars of the Rainbow awards. If he was alive today, he would surely be in SFGN’s Out50 list.
Thanks to all of our contributors for this special issue... Denise Royal Brittany Ferrendi Michael d'Oliveira Ryan Lynch John McDonald Jose Cassola J.W. Arnold Donald Cavanaugh Special thanks to our photographers: Steven Shires Michael Cushman J.R. Davis Larry Blackburn ... and to everyone who submitted a photo! Thank you to Compass GLCC, the Pride Center in Wilton Manors and the LGBT Visitor's Center in Miami for allowing SFGN to host its photo shoots!
Broward OUT 50
an, tt Herm ski, Sco w lo s o K Anne Casey Mar tin, i Cobb, ra, Naom eter K aldez, Tim : Steven Shires. d u M a credit guez, P : Tabath Pictured son, Rich Rodri i-Dade). Photo p m ia im S M ( l e Rach i Mar tin and Kish Atwell,
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Javier Gonzalez The Veterinarian
When he’s examining one of his patients, Dr. Javier Gonzalez likes to get down to their level –the floor. Gonzalez, a veterinarian and owner of Fort Lauderdale Veterinary Center, said most of his canine patients are more comfortable on the floor, at least at first. So, that’s where he tries to examine them. He said it’s a way to build trust. “It’s just another way to get to know the patient and get them more comfortable, as opposed to putting them up on the table right away. If you get down to their level, they’re not as intimidated.” Gonzalez, who has been married to Jarad Gibson for three years, opened Fort
Lauderdale Veterinary Center six years ago. “I never really had a plan b. I always wanted to be a veterinarian. I’ve always liked animals and helping them out, even though I was never allowed to have dog or cats in the house when I was a kid. It’s always been my passion.” The majority of his patients are cats and dogs, but he also treats hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, and some birds. In addition to helping animals, Gonzalez said he also enjoys that no two days are alike. “Even though we might have similar appointments, they end up not being the same. It keeps it fresh.” – Michael d’Oliveira
Donna Watson The Animal Activist
Donna Watson began her life involved in multiple sports, including tennis, golf and triathlons. Around her late teens, she was in an auto accident that eventually hurt her ability to move like she once did. “A year later I woke up and I could barely walk, I was in so much pain,” Watson said. “So I couldn’t do any of my activities. So my mother, god bless her, took me to one of the best orthopedist in North Miami Beach and the guy did whatever he did and said there's really nothing I can do to help you, just kind of live with the pain and take pain pills.” Watson’s mother later learned of a North Miami chiropractor by the name of “Doc Bailey.” The doctor saw Watson and later helped her get back to playing sports. After an 11-year career as a police officer, Watson later bought the practice from Bailey.
She’s now had a career which has spanned 23 years of doing work with patients throughout the area with massage, acupuncture and nutrition. On top of her chiropractic work, Watson also helps dogs with her organization Dr. Donna’s Pet Foundation. The group helps with getting better abuse prevention laws and assisting with the amount of dogs that come through shelters in the area. “It’s my two loves. I’m so split in my heart,” she said. “I’m 100 percent committed to my human work with the chiropractic and medicine while enhancing and enriching people's lives, but my love and commitment to these animals, especially the ones who have been abused or neglected, that is something that keeps me awake at night.” – Ryan Lynch
Andis Tamayo
The Traveling Philanthropist Before Andis Tamayo and his husband, Renato Silva, started the Renand Foundation three years ago, he was looking for a way to help people in Africa. He had fallen in love with the continent when he was working for the U.S. government there. “I always wanted to make a difference in the world. I wanted to do something more in Africa and it just didn’t work out,” said Tamayo, who serves as president of the Renand Foundation. Instead, he ended up helping in Haiti. “It was sort of like one thing led to another.” Now, he and his husband, who serves as chairman of the Renand Foundation, work with others to help people in Haiti with education, housing, health, and other needs. When SFGN contacted Tamayo, he was in a small village, Bassin Bleu, located in the southern
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peninsula of the country. He was already there for two weeks and has plans to leave and return to the island multiple times between now and the summer. “I came here because a friend of mine was moving down here to take over an orphanage. I found out there was child slavery [children either forced into physical labor or sexual servitude] and I wanted to do something about it.” He said his drive to do something is something very personal. “I know that if I were a child I would not want to be a child slave or sexually exploited by anyone.” So, every morning, he wakes up and takes it one child at a time. “That’s what keeps me going.” – Michael d’Oliveira
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Photo courtesy of Tabatha Mudra.
Tabatha Mudra The Filmmaker
Tabatha Mudra is an artist with a purpose. The photographer/videographer is part of a mostly-female team of filmmakers called 1310 Bandits. The Broward-based film crew consists of women from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and many, like Mudra, are part of the LGBT community. Having a female-led crew makes a difference. “When leadership comes from a woman, we tend to get a fuller communication style and productivity empowering them,” Mudra said. “Where they may not have had the same roles at male-dominated sets.” Inclusion is a big part of Mudra’s mission both onscreen and off. Mudra holds her work to high standards—it must pass the Bechdel Test that evaluates the portrayal of women in film and the
Vito Russo Test that examines LGBT representation in movies. 1310 Bandits recently made a film "Kali Mah Tina" reflecting and honoring those we lost during the Pulse Nightclub shooting. Future screening locations include Provincetown and South Florida. “This is a special movie. Because it was a hyperspeed cinema challenge, we had only 48 days to write, cast, produce, shoot and edit it,” Mudra said. “We want to be inherently now. Unfortunately, the theme of mass shootings is not a part of our past in Florida.” Stay up to date with Mudra on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @1310bandits. – Denise Royal
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Denise Yoezle
The Public Works Director Denise Yoezle said she’s able to be herself because of her LGBT-friendly work environment and that allows her to put more of herself into her work. The public works director of Cooper City for almost three years, Yoezle, who has been married to Donna Cook for two years, has been in the public works field for 30 years. Cooper City, she said, is the best environment she’s ever worked in. “The city is just a wonderful place to work. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. It’s the best environment I’ve ever had in terms of feeling like family. I am who I am. Everybody knows me, knows of my wife and it’s been that way since day
one. It’s very normalized. And that makes it easier to focus on her job. “As a public works director, I need to be able to make decisions and policy decisions that we can consistently carry out with many different residents . . . as long as we’re consistent and fair across the board. That’s who I am and that’s how I operate as work. It makes decision-making easy. But our commonality and our common ground is just coming to work every day and doing a good job.” – Michael d’Oliveira
Naomi Cobb
Photo: Steven Shires.
The Advocate
“I do this kind of work because it is necessary. Because I am a woman. Because I am gay. Because I am black. Because I am a partner. Because I am a parent. Because I am a sister.”
Naomi Cobb is an advocate and activist. Before retiring from public service and teaching about 18 months ago, Cobb spent more than 40 years working to change health disparities around people of color and people in the LGBT communities. As a cultural anthropologist, she also worked to train court systems, specifically judges on how people communicate culturally and cross culturally. These days, most of her time is focused on philanthropy. She is a Board Chair of the L.A. Lee YMCA. “As a board chair, I look at the same issues that I look at in my personal life in terms Photo: Steven Shires.
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Casey Koslowski
The Guest House Owner Casey Koslowski is a successful resort owner and real estate agent. “I learned from my parents to treat your employees right and to treat them like family,” Koslowski said over drinks at Infinity Lounge in Wilton Manors. One of South Florida’s most eligible bachelors, Koslowki owns the Grand Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale Beach. He took over the property in 2001, not long after arriving in South Florida from his native Wisconsin. “We’ve had quite a few notable guests,” Koslowski said of The Grand. In real estate, Koslowski has sold more than $300 million in the condo market, closing deals at venerable projects such as The Setai, Ten
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of access, care and ways to engage teens,” she said. “For people with health issues, I look at ways to get them directed towards better health care. So even my community service work is still in the arena of my paid work.” Cobb is also an HIV/AIDS activist, involved with the LGBT Cancer Consortium and Volunteer at Gilda’s Club. “I do this kind of work because it is necessary,” said the Miami native. “Because I am a woman. Because I am gay. Because I am black. Because I am a partner. Because I am a parent. Because I am a sister.”
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Museum Park, 900 Biscayne Bay, Paramount Bay, the W South Beach, Auberge and 100 Las Olas. Koslowski credits multi-lingual skills as one of his strengths. He’s signed off on deals with Spanish clients and routinely travels to Germany to promote the greater Fort Lauderdale area as a tourist destination. Koslowski grew up in the Milwaukee suburbs and came out while attending the University of Wisconsin. He said he knew he was gay after seeing a television commercial for Tab Cola. “This guy was in a swim suit coming out of the pool and that was it, I knew I was gay,” he said. – John McDonald
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Photo courtesy of Hell's Kitchen.
Robyn Almodovar The Celebrity Chef
Robyn Almodovar is cooking up a culinary dynasty. The celebrity chef is the co-owner and executive chef at Rumors Bar and Grill in Wilton Manors and also owns Palate Party Gourmet Food Truck. She recently wrapped up a season on “Hell’s Kitchen All-Stars.” (She also won Season 24 of the Food Network's "Chopped” “CutThroat Kitchen,” and has competed on CHOPPED Impossible and Camp Cut Throat.) A self-described triple threat—lesbian, Latina, and woman, Almodovar is showing no signs of losing her competitive edge or slowing down. A private chef for celebrities including Timbaland, John Corbett, and DJ Irie, Almodovar is in the process of writing a cookbook
that she hopes to publish at the end of the year. She is humbled by being named one of this year’s OUT50. “I am really glad that I am a staple in South Florida, especially the Wilton Manors area since I live there,” she says. “I want to give as much back to the community as possible.” Almodovar’s culinary delights are available at Rumors – it has a weekly Sunday brunch; in April it turns up a notch for a Drag Brunch. Stay up to date with Almodovar by following her on Twitter at @chefrobynHK and Facebook @chefrobynalmodovar. – Denise Royal
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Gary Santis The Promoter
For promoter Gary Santis, looking at the planning of an event can be a lot like how one looks at life. “I think every little situation you get into, you have to look for some kind of positive. Everything in life is about growing and learning . . . no matter what you’ve gone through. Sometimes, it’s difficult to see. But there’s always an opportunity.” Santis, owner of Gary Santis Events & Design, which he started in 1988, is the general manager of The Manor and in charge of event planning for The Venue. Both are under the same roof on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Santis has been there for eight years. “I oversee the business as a whole,” said
Santis, who is engaged to Michael McClurkin. “Creatively, it takes a lot of thinking. You have to produce an event and think of all the demographics.” For every patron who enters The Manor and The Venue, Santis said he doesn’t want them to soon forget the visit. “I see night clubs, experiences, and events as cars. Which car you want to operate that week?” For him, a very high end party or event is like a Rolls Royce. Everything has to look amazing. But, even if the party or event is a lesser model, it still has to perform to its utmost potential. “Everything has to be perfect.” – Michael d’Oliveira
Johnny Diaz The Writer
The author of six books, Johnny Diaz writes stories to inspire gay men. “I decided to write my books because I didn’t see a lot of positive portrayals of gay men – especially gay Latino men -- in fiction,” Diaz said. “And so all my characters are out, they’re professionals and are all good friends that support each other. So when people read my books hopefully they walk away with a good feeling or think of their own friends. Whether they are in Wilton Manors, or P-Town or San Francisco, my books are about celebrating the power of friendship and love among gay men.” In his latest book, “Six Neckties,” Diaz
writes from the perspective of a gay man watching all his friends get married and wondering when his time will come. When he’s not writing books, Diaz works for the Sun Sentinel. He prefers to report on trends in social media and society. A Coral Gables resident, Diaz recently overcame a battle with bladder cancer that left the 45-year-old cherishing the little things like his love for running and drawing. “I really appreciated not letting things get to me as much and not stressing out as much,” he said of his recovery process. – John McDonald
Photo: Steven Shires.
Scott Herman The Veteran
Scott Herman took over Florida’s oldest LGBT political club last year and the results speak for themselves. “Under my leadership, the Dolphins have increased membership, improved diversity and become a fully functional and relevant organization,” said Herman, President of the Dolphin Democrats. Herman, 46, arrived in Broward County 12 years ago from North Carolina. A disabled U.S. Army combat veteran, Herman is no stranger to politics. He ran for the Florida House of the Representatives twice – once as a Republican and more recently as a Democrat. Herman credits former Vice President Joe Biden with motivating his changing of party. “When the Vice President came out for
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marriage equality and Republicans banned it from their party platform that was it for me,” said Herman, in an interview with SFGN from the Dolphins’ second floor office inside Pride Center at Equality Park. Herman married his husband, Cale Choi, in 2014 in Vancouver, Canada. Choi is an airline pilot. Herman is also a pilot. He was disabled as the result of his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, when his helicopter was shot down and Herman was exposed to nerve gas. Still keeping a busy schedule, Herman serves on various veteran’s committees and boards in Miami, Oakland Park and Wilton Manors. – John McDonald
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Photo: Julie Slater (right) and Karen Carroll. Courtesy of Chic Optique.
Julie Slater and Karen Carroll The Eye Specialists
Chic Optique has been through multiple hurricanes and multiple recessions. But owners Julie Slater and Karen Carroll have kept it going through it all. Both women, who have been in the optometry business since before Chic Optique, Carroll in New York and Slater in Davie, cite their passion for customer service and wanting to help people as a big part of who they are and why they’re successful. “We believe in customer service. We are always there to try and lend a hand,” Slater said. A lot of it, they say, is listening to people and what they need. They also believe in being a part of the community and contributing to it, including SunServe, Broward House and other local organizations.
When Carroll opened Chic Optique in 2002 and Slater became her business partner in 2003, the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, where they’re located, was having problems with crime and most of the storefronts were empty. Now, 15 years later, there are a couple empty storefronts, but, overall, the shopping center is in much better shape and Slater says Chic Optique is right where she and Carroll wanted it to be years ago. “We’re a staple here. We are known in the gay community, at least nationally,” said Carroll, who said that being in the community is as much a passion as being in business.
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Josie Smith
The Restaurateur Openly gay “human and fluid” Bubbles + Pearls business owner Josie Smith came to Wilton Drive to bring something new to the scene. “I was inspired by the need to diversify the options for food in an already diverse town,” she said. “Every gay city I’ve ever know has everything so why not Wilton Manors too? Plus, we have plenty of burger and wing spots.” Bubbles + Pearls is a raw bar focusing on oysters. Her favorite part about owning a business on the Drive is being an active part of the community. “My entire life is about being a contribution in this world and of course I want to be a contribution to my LGBT community as
well. I am proud to represent the community here in South Florida. Plus, I love seeing all my Wilton neighbors strolling the Drive.“ For other LBT women who want to take a step into the world of business ownership, Smith offers this advice: “Go for it! Look into grants for women and put your whole heart into it! Don’t forget you have an entire community to support you. Oh and don’t leave anyone out, be inclusive.” Smith’s background is full of inclusivity; her mother is Puerto Rican-Italian, her father Filipino. Smith is also known for appearing on season 2 of Bravo’s Top Chef series. – Brittany Ferrendi
Rachel Simpson
The Addiction Specialist Rachel Simpson never planned to work in the recovery field. “I started out as a psychiatric nurse specialist,” she said. “I lost a brother to addiction when he was 26-years-old. After that, I knew I was meant to work in this field and bring my perspective. My wife was in the field when we met, and it’s been a desire of mine to serve our community.” Simpson is the CEO of Dynamic Recovery Center, a family-oriented rehabilitation center with an LGBT affirming team of professionals committed to transforming the standards of what has always been the norm of treatment services. LGBT communities have a higher incidence of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction., according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. “This community is underserved and in need of help,” says Simpson. “There are many subcultures in the gay community when it comes to addiction, and we have found our home doing this work.” Dynamic Recovery is putting a renewed focus on patient aftercare. “It’s amazing to see what recovery is like for our clients when they have each other and a treatment center that’s wrapped around them in love, kindness, and dignity. Because of our LGBTQ specialty, people here are comfortable sharing their truths, when they haven’t been at other treatment centers.” – Denise Royal
Michael Mendillo The Arts Executive
When someone takes a new job, they’re often told they “have big shoes to fill.” That’s definitely not the case with Michael Mendillo, the new executive director of Slow Burn Theatre Co. in Fort Lauderdale. He’s actually the first person to step into the newly created position with the critically-acclaimed theater company in residence at the Broward Center. I’m excited because Slow Burn has grown so quickly in such a short time. I’m really looking forward to strengthening the relationship with the Broward Center,” he said. “Since I moved here two years ago, I’ve admired their artistic vision...I’ll be tackling the challenges on the business
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side, matching the administration with the artistic quality.” The former Pittsburgh resident and Shenandoah Conservatory graduate originally moved to South Florida to work as director of development for the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, another strong regional arts organization. During his tenure, contributions more than doubled. “What I’ll miss most about the chorus is that it’s such a brotherhood, a family and, as a staff, we were very close-knit. But, I see that with Slow Burn Theatre Co., as well,” he said, and he’s ready to get to work. – J.W. Arnold
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Photo: Steven Shires.
Rich Rodriguez The Leather Man
Donating money to worthy causes and people is a good thing. But for Rich Rodriguez, president of the Lambda Men's Brotherhood, seeing the impact on people is the most rewarding part of what he does. In particular, Rodriguez, who has been president of Lambda for almost four years, thinks about sending a family with a transgender child to Tertium Quid, a camp in New Jersey for families with transgender children. “It was one of the most heart-warming things we ever did. It was fantastic to really help people . . . see a direct benefit in someone’s life.” It’s just one of many things Lambda Men's Brotherhood does for the LGBT community. Essentially, the organization raises money for other LGBT organizations. The brotherhood is also closely tied to the leather
community hosting the annual Leather Masked Ball. Rodriguez, who said he likes to think in ambitious ways, wants Lambda to also think along the same lines. “We’re getting away from merely being the producer of the Leather Masked Ball to one that’s more broadly looking to invest in the community, identify critical needs in the community.” It’s a change he gives the entire organization credit for, but one he also said he had a part in. “Well I certainly think the ambitious aspirations are something I engender. The organization itself, we make decisions as a group. But the leader at the top of the organization is going to have an impact.” – Michael d’Oliveira
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Bernadette Zizzo The Cancer Survivor
Photo by Brittany Ferrendi.
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Openly lesbian Bernadette Zizzo kicked breast cancer in the butt and she’s been riding that energy into staying active and social. When she’s not giving back to the community at her co-owned Wilton Manors gallery Art Frenzie, Zizzo is singing her heart out at her weekly karaoke nights at gay adult entertainment bar Boardwalk. “I always promote diversity,” she said, noting people of all genders and sexualities come out to sing. “I always promote the love, peace, and bringing people together.” Her Sunday night karaoke sessions bring nostalgia to the band she was in four years ago, Altered Ego. Her group played for years at various
gay pride events like Stonewall Pride. Since being diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago and spending the majority of that time in treatments, Zizzo has a handful of projects going on. She’s currently organizing a quality of life program to help people with autism by providing haircuts, facials and more. She’s also working on a magazine meant for all with a focus on diversity and education. Zizzo sticks to her motto: “Stay humble and kind. Stay positive. Give good vibes. All you need is love — that’s all you need for life.” – Brittany Ferrendi
Tony Dee
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The Entrepreneur Timing, Tony Dee says, is everything. “Being in the right place at the right time and things just happen,” Dee replied when asked the secret to his entrepreneurial success. Dee recently resurrected Chardees Lounge on the northeast section of Wilton Drive. He brought with him three bartenders with over 27 years of experience and had entertainers knocking at the door on the first day of business. “We are very, very comfortable here,” Dee said. “The name is what brought them in.” Dee, 83, grew up on Long Island, New York and took his first job as a barber. He eventually styled men’s
hair for performers at the Westbury Music Fair and was even married, albeit briefly, to a woman. “I signed a one year lease but didn’t pick up the option after that,” he joked. Moving to South Florida in the 1970s, Dee got into the real estate business. “My partner and I built 60 condos together in the 1980s,” Dee said. Dee and his current partner, Andy Martin, have been together for five years. The couple owns several properties in Wilton Manors. “I’ve worn many hats in my life,” Dee said. “What I am is a work-a-holic.” – John McDonald
Gloria Stein The Mentor
For Gloria Stein, her life has taken her more places than a junked-up car. The speaker and LGBT activist was born in 1935 and worked in a vehicle graveyard in Ohio while marrying twice. In 1997, she changed her name to Gloria. “I’ve always loved women, to me women were the greatest things on the face of the earth,” Stein said of her transition. “I had the time, I had the money, I had no one to answer to, I said ‘why the hell not?’” Stein is now retired and lives with her partner Dan Friedman. She serves as a mentor to LGBT people in South Florida. When she does talk to people, she said she likes to kibitz (Yiddish word for joking) with people. “I have a good time whatever I do, I always bring a joke in it,” Stein said. “One of the main things I say to people is ‘look, if I did what I did at 67 years old,
if there is something that you wanna do, as long as it’s not hurting someone or breaking the law, then go ‘what the hell’ and do it.’” Stein has been featured in a 2013 memoir titled “My Uncle Gloria,” which was written by her nephew Steven Shulman. She also was the focus of a 2016 documentary titled “Uncle Gloria: One Helluva Ride” directed by two-time Emmy winner Robyn Symon. Outside of her speaking work, Gloria and her partner take care of four cats and are active in Congregation Etz Chaim and the Unitarian Universalist Church. Gloria also still has a love for vintage automobiles. “Do you know how fortunate and lucky I am?” she said of her life. “How many 83-year-old people do you know that can say this?” – Ryan Lynch
Samantha McCoy The Pansexual activist
Samantha McCoy takes a lot of pride in her work at the Pride Center at Equality Park. If you’ve ever attended an event at the Pride Center, McCoy likely helped organize it. The Florida native is the Customer Service Coordinator—she manages groups, rentals, volunteers and more. “I make sure our calendar is managed, and we have events seven days a week,” she said. “I take on as much as I can, as often as I can.” McCoy has been at the Pride Center for seven years and cannot imagine working any place else. “I want to continue for another 700 years,” she said. McCoy started as a volunteer—working
with the Beta Phi Omega sorority. Her work also changed her life in many ways. “I have met so many amazing people, and I have learned a lot about the community,” said McCoy, who identifies as pansexual. “I had no idea what pansexual was before working here. I learned so much during our community conversations. Working here has shaped the way that I think and the way that I am in the community. I am very open in speaking with people about race, sexuality and different ways to identify if that’s what they choose to do.” – Denise Royal
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Photo: Steven Shires.
Peter Kaldes
The Aging Expert Peter Kaldes’ path to non-profit work started in the White House. Kaldes worked with then-president Barack Obama in the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as the White House’s National Security Council from 2010 to late 2013. His finance background led him to JP Morgan Chase, where Kaldes managed a $20 million account which provided funding to nonprofits. When Kaldes moved down to the area in late 2015 with his husband, he later was hired to work at non-profit Impact Broward (now the South Florida Institute on Aging). With the institute, Kaldes leads a “think-andact” tank which does work regarding the need of older adults within South Florida. This includes caregiving and other engagement work to tackle isolation as well as technology training for older adults. “Particularly with the older adults we work with,
who historically do not self-identify as LGBT, I think it’s been refreshing for the population we serve to have someone who’s out and comfortable in a leadership role of an organization that has been around for 50 years,” he said. Outside of work, Kaldes sits on the board of a local theater company at the Broward Center. He also loves to travel, with one of his favorite destinations he has been to being the island of Mykonos in Greece. “My family’s from Greece, but I remember growing up, I would visit Mykonos and was still struggling with my sexuality it was hard for me to have fun on what was otherwise regarded as an accepting island,” he said. “Only as an adult when I finally came out was I really able to appreciate Mykonos as an accepting island.” – Ryan Lynch
Photo: Steven Shires.
Tim Martin
The Softball Enthusiast On Sunday afternoons Tim Martin can likely be found at Mills Pond Park playing games. Softball to be exact. The former journalist turned recreation league chairman coaches the Alibi Angels -- the fourth-longest running gay softball team in the nation. Martin took over the team in 2011. This spring will be the Angels' 21st year. “As Chair, I am the face of SFAAA with our league sponsors and represent Fort Lauderdale on a national level,” Martin said. SFAAA stands for South Florida Amateur Athletic Association, a league Martin describes as “very healthy” with 28 teams,
three divisions and close to 450 participants. Martin was born and raised in Detroit, the son of a fireman. He came out while attending the University of Michigan. In 1987, Martin began his journalism career at the Ann Arbor News. He moved to Florida in 2005 and worked for the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, providing an out gay voice in the newsrooms and on the sports desks. In addition to softball, Martin is an avid bowler and a member of the International Gay Bowling Organization. As an IGBO member, Martin has bowled two perfect 300 games. – John McDonald
Martin Childers The Theater Man
Marty Childers was perfectly happy in Kentucky, where he had managed the Jenny Wiley Theatre, an award-winning regional company, for 14 years. Then he saw the announcement of an opening for an executive director with Island City Stage in Wilton Manors. “I thought if I’m ever going to leave, I’m going to leave now,” he recalled. Childers submitted his resume and got a phone call the very next day. He was hired soon after. There was a little bit of a learning curve. His previous employer was more than 50 years old and had an established reputation. During his tenure, he worked to transform the organization from a summer stock theater company performing in an amphitheater to a year-round producing company with a new $4 million indoor venue.
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“Island City was only five years old—it’s in its sixth season now—and they wanted to grow,” he said, a mission he has tackled whole-heartedly for the LGBT-centric theater company. “They are doing thought-provoking, really good work and winning awards and I knew I could work there.” Childers admits it is a time-consuming challenge: “When I’m not working theater, I’m hardly ever unconnected from the phone, every day. It doesn’t matter, whether I’m in the office or not,” he said. When he’s not working, he spends time with his partner, Harold Dioquino, the artistic director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, and enjoys theater, architecture and design. – J.W. Arnold
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He freely admits to helping others – at his own cost. “I’m not a good selfpromoter,” Mark Ketcham said. Ketcham is sitting in a swivel chair behind a long desk in the headquarters of SunServe, an organization he helped build into a $2.2 million agency with 38 fulltime employees. This gruff, bear of a man came to Florida from New York, where he started his LGBT career working for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis. In Manhattan, Ketcham served as Central Operations Manager for the famed Bailey House on Christopher Street during the early days of AIDS. “That changed my life,” he said. Ketcham, 57, has been Executive Director at SunServe for seven years,
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growing the agency and adding key programs for women, seniors and the transgender community. He wants SunServe to be known as a place where people can “get help.” Ketcham flirted briefly with a career in politics, running for the Fort Lauderdale Commission but said his talents are best suited as a candidate’s body man. “I remind them who they are meeting and who they represent,” he said, jokingly adding, “I stand in the background and point.” Ketcham and his partner, Werner Lutz, have been together for 30 years. The couple own a home in Fort Lauderdale, “with the required dog and two cats,” he said. – John McDonald
Bryan Carstensen The Radio Personality
Bryan Carstensen’s days start early. The radio producer and co-host for Cox Media’s ratings leader HITS 97.3 rolls out of bed at 3 a.m. and he is in the studio by 4 or 4:30 a.m. to prepare for the morning broadcast. Granted, he wraps up his “work day” by 12:30 or 1 p.m., but then he devotes much of his free time promoting the station at community events. He’s particularly passionate about organizations that help youth and combat bullying. For years, Carstensen had dreamed of a career as a disc jockey, but “unfortunately, a former boss told me that I sounded too gay and I took that to heart. I decided it wouldn’t be for me.” Then he got the job at Cox’s
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Hollywood station as a producer. “They were so open to me being me,” Carstensen said, and when the chance to work on air arose, he jumped at the opportunity. “Miss Bryan” was born and has since become one of the region’s most recognizable personalities. “It started as a funny joke because I’m often mistaken for a woman on the phone or the drive-thru speaker and addressed as ma’am or miss, but I like it because it sets me apart,” he explained. “The community here is so diverse and welcoming and I’m really proud to be a part of that.” – J.W. Arnold
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Emily Cohen
Photo: Emily Cohen (left) with her daughter.
The Women's Empowerment Leader Emily Cohen has a lot going on, and all of it is directed toward helping LBT women develop a sense of community. “We connect women with really anything they need in the community,” she said as the director of women’s services for SunServe. “It’s mainly healthcare navigation for women. We just started in July, and so we’re just picking up steam and doing some great things.” Those great things include helping trans women by “connecting them with competent care they didn't know they can get where they don't feel like they're under a microscope. Where they’re being treated as human beings by doctors who really care.”
On top of her director position at SunServe, Cohen also co-founded an organization called Ignite Women South Florida to connect a community for LBT women. They host mixers on the first Thursday of every month, with info available on their Facebook page that showcases events in the community beneficial for women. “Creating that sense of community is really what I think we’re lacking in the women's community. I think that's what women want. It's not about a bar for us — a place — it’s about having a community. So that’s what I’m doing.” – Brittany Ferrendi
Dawn Holloway “Creating that sense of community is really what I think we’re lacking in the women's community. I think that's what women want. It's not about a bar for us — a place — it’s about having a community. So that’s what I’m doing.”
The Sub Maker
When it comes to labels, Dawn Holloway couldn't care less. “I just identify as me,” she said. “You just can’t help who you love — black, white, Hispanic, male, female, trans.” But regardless of how she identifies, one thing is clear: she loves pride. Holloway is one of six voting board members of Pride Fort Lauderdale, travelling the country on her own dime to connect and learn from other pride events. “I love being on the board. It gives me a chance to get involved with everybody all over.” Beyond pride, the Wilton Manors family knows and loves Holloway for her food. She opened
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Anne Atwell
The Spiritual Leader The Reverend Anne Atwell followed the call to ministry in 2008. That’s when the former human resources representative left Corporate America and made a home for herself at Sunshine Cathedral. Atwell is now the Minister of Connections—a role that allows her to link people in the congregation with resources at church and in the community. “It’s a kind of human resources to benefit our community, rather than the bottom line of a large corporation,” she said. Atwell also oversees the foodsharing program that provides more than 130 lunches each week and leads a weekly bereavement group
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Pink Sub on Wilton Drive, and nine years later the gourmet sandwich shop is still going strong. “Pink Sub is my bitch. That is my life,” she said. “Making the best 8 inches on the drive. But I should say making the best 8 inches, period.” She’s now moving the shop to a new location on Oakland Park, and hints she will open the shop by the end of April to serve breakfast and lunch. “We’re going to serve you a mild six inches in the morning, and then eight inches in the afternoon. Everyone should be loose enough to take that by then.”
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for LGBT members. She is also in talks to create a caregiver support group, specifically for the LGBT community. “The work that I do is living out the gospel message that we care for others,” she said. “We care for those who are marginalized. We care for those who are hurting. So frequently in the LGBT community, there are people who are hurting, who want to talk and who have needs, but all we hear about are the rich and the famous, and that’s not all of our community. I try to reach out to the people who don’t have a lot and help in any way that I can.” – Denise Royal
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Camille Lewis The supporter
Camille Lewis loves helping people. That’s why her job at Empower U Community Center in Miami is such a great fit. Lewis oversees the Translluminati programs for young transgender persons of color, their sexual partners, and friends. The activities are in a safe and welcoming environment. “I help transgender individuals get on HRT. I help link them with legal services. I help with anything that I can,” Lewis said. “The work that I do is rewarding. I have had the opportunity to touch, hug, cry and help many people. I wouldn’t change anything about it.” Most recently, Lewis was a speaker at TransCon 2018,
a conference held at Barry University. When she's not advocating for others and inspiring them with her story, Lewis stays busy by feeding the homeless and doing what she can to help others in need. “Camille D. Lewis is a modern-day phoenix that continues to blaze high in her own authenticity,” said her friend Lorenzo Lowe, Director of HIV Prevention at Compass, the LGBT Community Center of the Palm Beaches. “Her personal story and dedication to our community are what's needed to create change and promote advocacy.” – Denise Royal
Photo: J.R. Davis.
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Eddie Orozco
The HIV ambassador Eddie Orozco was diagnosed with HIV more than 30 years ago at a time when survival rates were at its lowest. “My diagnosis was back in 1987, so I am a long-term survivor,” said Orozco, a program facilitator at Pridelines, who appeared as one of the top 100 long-term survivors in “POZ Magazine” back in 2016. A community and national activist working in the HIV field for the last 20 years, Orozco has worked as a Greater than AIDS ambassador to put a face to the HIV epidemic — primarily in the Hispanic community, where infection rates continue to rise among homosexual men. Orozco is board president of the Miami-Dade HIV Planning Council. He
has also participated in the Florida AIDS Walk and has been involved with The Smart Ride charity cycling event for the last 10 years. At Pridelines, Orozco coordinates a monthly educational lecture for people living with and affected with HIV in Spanish and English. Additionally, he facilitates gay/ bisexual men HIV support groups. “Giving back to organizations who serve people and families living and impacted by HIV....these are causes that are close to my heart,” Orozco said. “I love community involvement because I know I am making a difference in my community.” – Jose Cassola
Herb Sosa
The Latinx Activist Herb Sosa serves as Founder, President and CEO of Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida. The organization lives up to its name by producing workshops to empower the community. It also brings local, state and federal law enforcement together with our community to reduce crime. UC|CA offers tools and programming, like its 4th annual ELEVATE- a day of being Nicer; LGBT Scholarships for the Arts, Design, Education & Cosmetology; 4th annual TRANSART series – showcasing Transgender art & artists; the 8th annual Celebrate ORGULLO Hispanic Pride festival, and various other workshops, services & empowerment for the community.
“What inspires me to lead the work we do Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida, is the injustice, hate and inequality that we all wake up to each day – some much more than others – and my never ending passion to influence positive change,” Sosa said. “In certain circles and settings, I am considered privileged because of situations and conditions I had little or no control over - my skin tone, birth gender, nationality, economics …and I do know I am... The ability to use this privilege and position for good, for positive change, for equality and to strive to give everyone a seat at the table – That is what inspires me each day. – Denise Royal
Jack Lee Jordan
The Young Revolutionary Jack Lee Jordan is a 23-year-old non-binary demiboi who identifies as black-latinx born and raised in Miami. Jordan uses they/them/ their as their pronouns. They started doing activism work at the age of 13 to help medical professionals, teachers, social workers and most important of all, parents, accept their queer and trans children. Jordan continued this work until they were 19 when they changed the framework of a local queer youth leadership program, Changemakers, to be led by queer youth activists to teach other queer youth activists about a variety of topics. They also created a trans youth support group called Spectrum in the following years. Jordan helped lead a few queer youth
enrichment programs that centered on the development of queer youth leaders while “giving them the language they needed to grow as activists,” they said. “I’ve used my experiences to try and independently educate folks on risk awareness, safer sex education, youth empowerment, intersectionality, queer liberation and mental health while dismantling transphobia, homophobia, racism, ableism, ageism and other systems of oppression so they can bring it back to their communities,” Jordan said. Jordan believes that “there is no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.” – Jose Cassola 3 . 2 1 . 2018
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Photo: J.R. Davis.
The Architect
Jason Hagopian began his career as an architect at TSAO Design Group more than 20 years ago as a project coordinator. Now the managing principal of the group’s Miami office, he is responsible for establishing and growing the organization’s hospitality, private and public projects sectors. A registered architect in Florida, California, New York and Georgia, Hagopian is also a director on the board of The Pride Center at Equality Park in Wilton Manors. “I have been instrumental in assisting the Pride Center in their master plan and senior housing projects,” Hagopian said. “The board is immensely talented and inspires me every day to be a better person and a stronger voice for our community.”
Hagopian, who has been with his partner for 17 years, has been an out gay man since he lived in San Francisco back in 1993. “Since [then], I’ve done what I can to make up for the lost time of being afraid and closeted,” Hagopian said. Hagopian says he’s always given back where he can, specifically to such causes as the STOP AIDS project in San Francisco and the AIDS Ride in California. “I’ve done more MS, cancer and AIDS rides than I can count and raised a great deal of money and awareness for these organizations as a result,” Hagopian said. – Jose Cassola
Michelle Solomon The Editor
“We are building a movement for queer and trans people of color and our allies that radically redefines leadership, the spaces we occupy and the impact we have.”
Perhaps more than any other journalist in South Florida, Miami ArtZine editor Michelle Solomon has her finger on the pulse of the region’s arts scene. Even though her online magazine is headquartered in Miami Beach, Solomon covers performances and events from South Miami-Dade all the way to Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. She supervises a team of writers and photographers, too. “South Florida doesn’t get its due for all the arts that are going on. I could go to three really good, professional performances on just about any night— theater, dance, visual arts, all that. It’s a whirlwind, we can barely keep up there’s so much constantly going on.” Solomon, who studied drama in college, got her start as a cub reporter at her local newspaper in northeast Photo: J.R. Davis.
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Corey Davis
The QTPOC Trainer When Corey Davis and Daniel Anzueto launched Maven Leadership Collective last April, they did so to create a vehicle to promote intersectionality centered on queer and trans leaders of color. “We believe meaningful inclusion is the best way to build effective community organizations,” said Davis, co-founder and executive director. “That wasn’t part of the narrative in our community when it came to QTPOC, and no organization was making it its singular focus. We are building a movement for queer and trans people of color and our allies that radically redefines leadership, the spaces we occupy and the impact we have.” Maven Leadership Collective is a social impact organization which offers
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Pennsylvania with an arts beat including a new performing arts center with a varied and full calendar. “They needed somebody who could cover everything from soup to nuts. Every single night, I was on deadline. I’d go to the show—it could be Polish dancers or Chinese acrobats one night and Johnny Mathis or Eddie Money the next—and then I’d have 45 minutes to write my review. That’s breaking news! I never went back to New York to become an actress,” she recalled. After stints as the arts editor for the Albany Times Union, Detroit Free Press and a Detroit television station, she came to South Florida and worked as the online executive producer for WPLG-TV, before landing at Miami ArtZine more than five years ago.
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a free capacity building program that “creates more resilient social impact leaders.” An advocate for meaningful inclusion for more than 20 years in the nonprofit and private sectors, Davis has volunteered for Miami Beach Gay Pride, The National LGBTQ Task Force and the Miami Gay Men's Chorus. He said Maven’s work is important because “without harnessing all available talent, there is no way we can tackle complex issues facing South Florida.” “Together we can find sustainable solutions for improving our quality of life and making our community more prosperous, vibrant and just,” Davis said. – Jose Cassola
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Logan Meza The Grassroots Organizer
As the youth community organizer for SOUL Sisters Leadership Collective, Logan Meza plays an active role in mobilizing people while “providing safe, affirming and radical spaces in the efforts to achieve true liberation and equity for all folks of color.” Meza uses they/them/their pronouns. They have co-organized the Florida March for Black Women and LadyFest Miami and facilitated workshops, front porch conversations, restorative circles and more. After their mother’s death in December 2013, Meza said they had two options: sell narcotics to take the first bus out of Miami and disappear or attempt to find their purpose in honor of their mother. Meza chose the latter. Soon thereafter, they stumbled across SOUL Sisters, thus beginning their journey in
the world of professional organizing. “As a queer, trans-masculine, non-binary person, [I’m] very intentional and passionate about carving out spaces for other queer and trans/non-binary folks, especially in movements and spaces that tend to forget about trans/non-binary folks,” Meza said. “[I’m] also very committed to the health and wellness of the trans and non-binary community because in order to fill the cups of others, your cup must first become full.” Meza says they are “extremely committed” to the world of grassroots organizing. “[I] plan to be a part of this organizing world for many years to come,” Meza said. – Jose Cassola
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Kishi Chad Martin, 29, has been a health promotion outreach educator for four years. He has spent the last six months of that time as a peer navigator at Care Resource, performing community outreach, condom distribution, internet outreach, linkage to services, PrEP navigation and working on the youth advisory board. “This job has given me an opportunity to help others empower themselves and make their health a priority,” Martin said. “It has also taught me accountability, boundaries and self-care.” Martin has volunteered for the Pride Center, Pride Fort Lauderdale, Pridelines, CampOut, Impulse South Florida and The M Project. He has also served as president of the Broward College Gender
Photo: Steven Shires.
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Sexuality Alliance, as an adult advisor for the SunServe Youth Group and on the Planned Parenthood board on the Broward County Youth Council. Martin’s biggest inspirations have been members of his family. His sister, who died of sickle cell anemia in 2016, was crowned Miss Jamaica Universe in 2011. His mother has been supportive of the LGBT community, dedicating herself to several causes. Martin said his studies in psychology and journalism have done him well in life. “Psychology helped me embrace my sexuality when I had low self-esteem in my teens. Journalism gives me a creative outlet to express my passions,” Martin said. – Jose Cassola
Tracy Young The DJ
When Tracy Young began her career in the DJ and production industry 25 years ago, she said she didn’t give much thought to how male-dominated the field was. “I just had this passion inside me to play music and that had to be released,” Young told Billboard’s Patrick Crowley in August 2017. A quarter of a century later, Young has remixed more than 100 musical artists and has racked up nearly 50 No. 1 Billboard club hits. She has more than seven musical compilations on her record label, FEROSH. Throughout her career, Young says she has always strived to empower the LGBT community through her music, events and associations with Pride organizations. “From my empowering anthems and remixes for over 100 artists, my goal is to send a positive message of peace, love and music for everyone,” Young said. As an on-air host for iHeart Radio, 93.9 MIA, Young engages in community outreach for the LGBT community within the Miami and Fort
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Lauderdale area. She has supported domestic and international Pride organizations GLAAD and the Diversity Honors and contributes to many causes, including the Trevor Project, Care Resource and The Pride Center in Fort Lauderdale. This April during Miami Beach Gay Pride, Young will be joining forces with the It Gets Better Project for an evening of music at The Standard Hotel. “All organizations that empower change for the LGBTQ-plus community are important to me,” Young said. “I love giving back to the community that has given me so much. Even though we all get busy in our lives, I try to make giving back a top priority.” Young says she is also a “huge animal lover” who works with animal charities as often as possible. “I believe that animals give us so much and are often overlooked,” Young said. For more information about Tracy Young and upcoming events, visit TracyYoung.com. – Jose Cassola
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David Mittleman The Eye Doctor
Dr. David Mittleman grew up in White Plains, New York, where he experienced little homophobic discrimination as a youth. He knew he was gay by age 5 and he came out to his parents when he was 20. “It was no big deal,” he said. “Besides, having a straight younger brother should have taken care of the grandkids issue.” “But it didn’t,” he said. “No kids from the brother.” Mittleman earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He did his ophthalmology residency at The Wills Eye
Hospital in Philadelphia. Mittleman was surprised to observe antigay discrimination at Johns Hopkins when he attended in the late 80s to early 90s. “If they knew you were gay you could get a horrible residency,” he said. But he attributed it to the times and society’s mores. Mittleman moved to South Florida in 1992 and has built a highly regarded practice of more than 45 employees offering a wide range of ophthalmologic services. He lives with his partner of five years, Michael Fowler. – Donald Cavanaugh
Elayna Toby Singer The Natural Artist
Elayna Toby Singer used a love of nature to fuel both her professional and artistic careers. Her artwork started with jewelry that incorporated seeds and branches she found in nature. Singer said that her larger artwork, which includes long chains of those hanging elements, allows the wind to interact with it to change how people experience it. “I’m looking for people to have an interactive experience with either the object or a piece for your home or garden,” Singer said. “My real love is that you can have an individual connection with a piece in your home or garden, but the community creating I do, I really love that.” She currently works as the first-ever administrator for Palm Beach County's “Art in Public Places” initiative, which involves placing artwork in locations throughout the community. Singer has done work planning and composing public gardens in Philadelphia, Chicago and Naples and also working
with the Urban Land Institute’s Creative Placemaking National Working Group and the Florida Association of Public Art Professionals board. She believes that nature ties into celebrating both cultural and biological diversity. She said without that diversity, both cultures and organisms will struggle. “Without sounding cliche, ‘celebrate diversity’ is one of my life mantras.” she said. “I come to that from a love of otherness, and appreciation of otherness and also it ties in with my environmental background.” Singer’s connection with nature also extends outside her artistic works. She loves to garden and spend time outside as well as volunteer with the Rainbow Connection, a group who works with multiple age groups to create artwork. – Ryan Lynch
Lee Edmondson The Hairstylist
Lee Edmondson was born and raised in Erie, PA. Like many of his generation, he knew he was gay at an early age. He started dating around age 16. He came out to his family when his mother asked him if he was gay. “It was pretty easy,” he said. It was interesting that his father ended up owning the only local gay bar. Edmondson entered a relationship that lasted 23 years. They joined the flocks of snow birds on their annual trips to light and warmth. After four years of migrations, they moved here permanently and wound down their relationship to just be friends. Edmondson met his current partner, JP
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Hawksley, about 2 years ago. Hawksley has a son who is on the Autism scale. Hawksley has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer so Edmondson has been granted a guardianship to protect the youth’s interests. Edmondson owns a salon in Palm Beach Gardens called “Sheers. Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” Lots of people know his name for his philanthropy, supporting organizations as diverse as Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, Toys for Tots and MCC Palm Beach to name a few. – Donald Cavanaugh
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Janis Kidder The Rocket Scientist
Janis Kidder is a retired rocket scientist. She is also an out lesbian. Pretty impressive for a 1969 graduate of Belle Glade High School and Auburn University in Alabama. “Coming out to family was OK,” Kidder said. “My parents were divorced and dealing with their own issues. There were the usual concerns about grandchildren, etc. but mostly it was OK.” “I spent 26 years on the team at a Lockheed Martin facility in New Orleans where we designed and built the fuel tanks you see on either side of the shuttle,” she said. “Later I came back to South Florida and spent 8 years at the undersea systems in Riviera Beach.”
In response to a question about coming out at Lockheed, Kidder indicated that it was no big deal. In fact, she was instrumental in obtaining LGBT domestic partner benefits from the company. Kidder met Toni Armstrong Jr. in 2001. They were married in Canada in 2005. She assists Armstrong managing the BLAST (Bi, Lesbian and Straight Together) Meet Up group. She is also working with the We Want The Land Coalition to buy 650 acres of pristine forestland in Michigan "for women, for girls, forever." – Donald Cavanaugh
Photo: Michael Cushman. 3 . 2 1 . 2018
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Steven Caras The Image Artist
Steven Caras agrees that he has had a charmed life. When he was 18, George Balanchine invited him to join the New York City Ballet Company launching 14 years as a dancer and through Balanchine’s recognition of his skills in photography, forty years as a photographer and image artist with global recognition. “I’ve never worked in an anti-gay atmosphere,” Caras said when questioned. “It wouldn’t work in the arts.” “I also disagree with identifying myself as a gay man,” he added. “Rather, I prefer to be known as a man who happens to be gay.” He came out to his parents when he was
Adrienne Percival
18 although he knew from birth. His mother “lost it” with wailing and self blame – the usual. His father took it all in stride and told his son that he knew he was gay. “I was raised in a Catholic home and now have no interest in formalized religion,” Caras said. “But I do pray for 45 minutes every day." In the early ‘90s, Caras joined the Miami City Ballet to help with development. He has done development, fundraisings and other similar functions for organizations as diverse as Rosie O’Donnell’s Rosie’s Theater Kids, Dramaworks, the Kravis and others. – Donald Cavanaugh
Photo: Michael Cushman.
The Community Organizer
“I joined Compass and took a very visible job and I’m proud to work under the rainbow.”
Adrienne Percival was born in Maryland and grew up in central Virginia. She attended Oglethorpe University in Atlanta whence she subsequently migrated to South Florida and Lake Worth, joining Compass Community Center. She is currently taking a program on Women’s Studies at FAU. During school years in central Virginia, sexual orientation was rarely discussed so she had little experience or information. “I went to the library to see what I could learn - not a lot,” she said. When she got to college she met a particular professor who “blew me away.” “I ran back to the library,” she chuckled.
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Myra Koutzen
The Small Town Mayor She came from a family of musicians, but Myra Koutzen eventually became a politician and Mayor of Palm Beach Shores. Koutzen started out as a lighting designer for theatrical productions, but eventually got her master's degree in finance and worked in marketing. Her political start came from an issue close to home for her. “There was an infrastructure problem in the town that affected the building I was in and the whole corner of the town I lived in,” Koutzen said. “I wasn’t getting satisfaction from the town commission, so I ended up running for the commission and we eventually got the issue fixed.” As an openly LGBT elected official, Koutzen said that factor is not the main thing that defines her.
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As a self employed person before joining Compass, discrimination was hardly on her radar. “Then I joined Compass and took a very visible job and I’m proud to work under the rainbow,” she said. Adrienne and Jennifer Percival had a wedding in 2013 so Jennifer’s grandmother could attend. They made the marriage legal as soon as possible after the law was changed. One of Percival’s major functions is managing the Pride Business Alliance which has grown significantly in her care. “You just couldn’t do this job if you were in the closet,” she said.
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“The people in my town all know who I am and it doesn’t seem to play a role in whether they vote for me, don’t vote for me, support me, don’t support me,” she said. “It’s a very small town, so I have a personal relationship with many of the voters.” Koutzen said her work includes protecting the barrier island community from natural elements like sea level rise and hurricanes. This includes upgrading the infrastructure within the town to prepare for those events and keep property safe. As well as her mayorship, Koutzen likes to ride her bike in the community to stay in shape. With her musical background, she also like to play piano and go to concerts. – Ryan Lynch
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Sarah Malega (Nee Parr) has been out since age 18 when she shared her life with her grandparents, the people she called family. “I wanted them to know who I am and they were great,” Malega said. “They just wanted me to be happy and know I was always welcome in their home.” Malega has had a number of careers including the creation of two businesses: The Zoo Health Club in downtown Lake Worth and PersonalAutoShoppers.com. Her wife, Dawn, operates the club while Malega handles the auto shopping business. The couple was married in December 2013 at Lake Tahoe, CA. When they returned to Florida, they
were denied the right to use their California marriage license to change Sarah’s name. “It diminishes you,” Malega said. “I’m so glad those days are gone.” She recently jumped in the politics arena when she ran for Lake Worth City Commission District 1, but lost with 45 percent of the vote. The Malegas attend The Church by the Glades and in response to a question Sarah says that the only place where they’re wont to go back into the closet is when traveling in countries and counties where LGBT people are unwelcome. – Donald Cavanaugh
Photo: Michael Cushman.
Marcie Hall
The Unlikely Activist Marcie Hall didn’t choose activism. Activism chose her. She found her voice as an advocate after her application to Palm Beach Atlantic University, a private Christian college in West Palm Beach, was rejected. She attended the school’s master’s program as a closeted gay woman for one semester earning high marks. She dropped out because she hated not being able to talk about her sexuality. She then decided to reapply, because no other school in the area offered the program she wanted. But that time around she openly discussed her sexuality in her application. She was rejected. The Palm Beach Post would go on to feature her story in their newspaper. “That was when I said I need to make a stand for younger people’” she said. “So I said ‘go ahead and print this.’” Hall’s work with Palm Beach County Human Rights Council started shortly after that.
Since then she’s helped the organization stop gay conversion therapy on minors and pass more LGBT friendly ordinances in Delray Beach. “For me, that work has been so huge,” Hall said. “To kind of represent my lifestyle in a way that we don’t always have to be flying the rainbow flag, but we do have to represent ourselves to businesses and others who are looking up to us.” Hall previously served in the military from 1976 to 1979 as part of the last class of the Women's Army Corps. Although she was not fully sure of her sexuality, Hall did find her first love there, sharing a room with her. Hall also sat on the board of the Delray Beach Playhouse, a community theater company which hosts local productions of plays. She recently produced a play based on the life of AIDS awareness advocate Ruth Coker Burks to raise funds for the World AIDS Museum in Wilton Manors. – Ryan Lynch 3 . 2 1 . 2018
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Pictured: Gary "Sushi" Marion, Laurie Thibaud, and Dennis Beaver. Photo Credit: Larry Blackburn.
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The Grand Dame of Drag While Gary Marion — known to his fans as Sushi, the Key West drag queen — has spent the better part of the last two decades as the “Grand Dame of Drag” at 801 Cabaret on Duval Street, it’s his New Year’s gig on CNN that made him a household name nationwide. For 20 years, Sushi has been ringing in every new year at midnight being lowered in a big red shoe over the Bourbon Street Pub along Key West’s main street. The veteran drag entertainer, who married her longtime partner in 2015, says she won’t be giving up the gig anytime soon. “I'll be doing the shoe till the day I die, darling,” Sushi said. “I'm turning into the old lady in the shoe.” Sushi said she has been a “proud drag queen” for 34 years. For more than 18 of those years, she
said she has been “fortunate enough” to run the 801 Cabaret to support her fellow drag queens. Besides drag, Sushi is a frequent volunteer for several causes. She says she’s always tried her best to help others. “When I was in my teens, I found myself homeless like other young drag queens in the 1980s, so I've always tried to help people in need because I remember what it was like,” Sushi said. Sushi helps with with a lot of benefits in town, mostly AIDS Help and the Sister Season Fund. “Key West as a whole raises money for people in need. That’s why I love it here,” Sushi said. “Helping others in need should be a requirement rather than a choice.” – Jose Cassola
Photo: Larry Blackburn.
Laurie Thibaud The Volunteer
A bartender at Aqua Nightclub in Key West, Laurie Thibaud has been active in the LGBT community for many years. She has chaired events, including Womenfest, and has assisted with numerous fundraisers for a variety of organizations, raising money for AIDS Help, Breast Cancer Research, Wounded Warriors, the Florida Keys Animal Shelter and the Sister Season Fund, among countless others. Most recently, Thibaud has spent all of her free time volunteering with hurricane recovery efforts in the Keys. “My life changed after Hurricane Irma,” Thibaud said. “The devastation that affected the Keys made me acutely aware of our housing crisis in the middle and upper Keys, directly affecting the service industry down here.”
While working with the crisis relief team and Keys Strong during the aftermath, Thibaud said she developed a new appreciation for her fellow Keys residents. “Their resilience and sense of community continue to inspire me in all that I do,” Thibaud said. A resident of the Keys for more than 15 years, Thibaud says she has “embraced and been embraced by our Keys motto of ‘one human family.’” “My mother was a huge influence in my life. As a result, I don’t feel complete in my daily life if I’m not being of service,” Thibaud said. – Jose Cassola
Photo: Larry Blackburn.
Dennis Beaver The Curator
Dennis Beaver first visited Key West in 1978. He was so taken with the quaint community, he returned to New York, sold his business and moved down. Soon thereafter, he ran into another of the island community’s residents, famed playwright Tennessee Williams. Williams lived in Key West as an openly gay man with his partner Frank Merlo, and had a pivotal influence on the island’s literary culture. He penned classics including “The Glass Menagerie,” “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” in his charming cottage on Truman Ave. In 2011, the Key West Art and Historical Society (KWAHS) asked Beaver to organize an exhibit commemorating Williams’ centennial. The exhibit and month-long festivals that followed became popular with tourists visiting the keys during the 3 . 2 1 . 2018
winter months. Last December, the Tennessee Williams Museum opened in the playwright’s former home and features the largest permanent collection of Williams memorabilia available to the public. “Because Tennessee was here so long and he wrote at least part of every major work here, it’s important that we, as locals, understand this important history,” Beaver said. “Fortunately, I don’t have to work, I just give tours. The visitors keep me on my toes, and I can’t make a mistake because they’ll catch me.” Michael Gieda, executive director of the KWAHS, credits Beaver with preserving this important history: “Part of the story of the museum is the story of Dennis Beaver.” – J.W. Arnold
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Publisher's Editorial
Convictions
Why the OUT50 Issue is So Special to Me Norm Kent
norm.kent@sfgn.com
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hen people ask me, what is special about my life, I point them to this paper, and the Express Gay News before it. We are all on this planet for a short time, and if we are lucky, we find a niche that makes a notch, for ourselves and our community. Publishing a community newspaper celebrates not just your own deeds but documents the lives and loves of others; their losses and their victories, their successes and their failures. Each year, this paper selects 50 people from all walks of lives who illuminate and illustrate the diversity and the depth of the LGBTQ community. Each year we find ourselves paring down the names and excluding more than we can include. However, each year the list grows. So now I stand here as publisher of our community’s leading vehicle of gay news with a special sense of pride and purpose. I look at the list of those selected over the past five years and I realize that this paper has given light to so many others, individuals who otherwise may never have made a headline, been acknowledged for their achievements, or celebrated for their successes. As I do each year, I congratulate the honorees, reminding everyone else your name can be on this list next month or next year. The selectees do not come out of thin air. They come from a broad base of nominees proposed by a cross section of community leaders at every level. The OUT50 does not come from some magical list created by Norm Kent. As a matter of fact, while I might have been influential in naming 80 percent of our choices in our first year, today I barely know 20 percent of our selections. We wait to hear from you. Now in year 9—God knows how—SFGN has now published over 400 issues, 52 weeks a year for over 8 years. And now we are
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online daily at www.sfgn.com. We drop the paper off at over 375 physical locations in four counties. For better or worse, your work and your deeds become our voice. Of that, I am very proud, even though some of our history is not always so. That is just the way the chips fall. What a lot of community leaders do not understand is that our duty is not to only be a cheerleader for our achievements but be a newspaper first and foremost. Like it or not, we give life to our warts and wounds as well as our wins. We are not here just to pat your back and please you. Steal from a charity and you will find that out soon enough. Gay life has changed in this community over these past decades. We have stood up to disease and discrimination. We have gone from being outcasts to just being out. We have made a difference in our community that you can be proud of. We are now the mayors of this town. Think about Dean Trantalis for a moment, elected last week as the Mayor of Fort Lauderdale, arguably one of the most significant cities on the landscape of southern America—the Venice of America; an epicenter for gay life. Forty years ago, he helped launch tiny groups of barely a dozen people fighting for human rights ordinances. He helped foster a political organization which fought for the rights of gay people. He not only spoke out against gay discrimination as a rare legal voice, he fought for domestic partnerships and marriage equality. Look where those dreams have taken him. So, as the older gay man not doing AIDS walks but using walkers, here is my advice. Don’t you dare die wondering. If you have not already, stand up and be yourself. There is not enough time left to live out the future to remain stuck in a lying past. While you are here, open your heart to the hopes and
You don’t have to be the community leader, you can be the caretaker, the carpenter, the cook or the cookie cutter. You must only be yourself.
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dreams you always sought to pursue. You can’t when you are gone. 50 years ago there was no OUT50. There were closets and electro shock therapy. There was deviancy and denial. There was excommunication and freaks, homosexuals denied their place at the table, not celebrated as chefs and community leaders, but instead demeaned with indignities and kicked into corners. It never should have been that way, but it always was. Why, you ask? We were too silent, too timid, too afraid to stand up to the status quo. Please though, don’t come out of the closet only to find a new pocket of security where you are approved and accepted for doing what others think is normal and all right. Affirmation? Let it come from within. Conform not to society’s norm, but your own. Create your own universe. Play your own drum, and like Henry David Thoreau
said, march to a different drummer. If you do, you may find those chords on the pages of OUT50 one day, because the lives we try to illuminate are not the ones you were supposed to have led. They are the lives you have made on your own. You don’t have to be the mayor, you can be the mechanic. You don’t have to be the community leader, you can be the caretaker, the carpenter, the cook or the cookie cutter. You must only be yourself. That makes life matter. Don’t wait for the miracle to come. Be the miracle. Time is limited and precious. It disappears so swiftly, and can be taken so quickly, you don’t know whether the future will be 20 minutes or 20 years. We are all day to day. So, my message is to beat back the demons, and celebrate the moment; the here and now. You control the day in front of you. Make it count while you still can.
Convictions
Editorial Cartoon
Editorial Cartoon By Andy Marlette
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lifestyle photos
trantalis sworn in as mayor Dean Trantalis’ swearing in ceremony on March 20 was hosted at Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale. He was joined by Fort Lauderdale Commissioners Heather Moraitis, Ben Sorensen and Steven Glassman, who were also sworn in. Carina Mask
To see many more photos, visit South Florida Gay News on Facebook. 52
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lifestyle homo history
The Lost Gay Bars of WPB Graham Brunk
W
est Palm Beach is South Florida’s oldest municipality, founded in 1894. It’s no secret that it is probably often seen as the weakling in the tri-county area gay scene, but West Palm is able to offer an experience that probably goes unmatched in Broward and Dade Counties. The city is smaller but the gay community is certainly active and close knit. The area has four full time LGBT bars (and as of recently now has one of South Florida’s only lesbian bars), and several other major venues with gay targeted nights. There is also a large gay community center, a comprehensive AIDS program, a very active human rights council, and a branch of the Metropolitan Community Church. Behind all that, West Palm Beach has always had an extensive gay scene, whether it was obvious or not. Prior to entities like MCC and gay community centers, the gay social life was centered around the gay bar experience. Even today it remains an important focal point in creating a space that the LGBT community can come together and mingle safely among their own. Like Miami’s early gay scene, West Palm’s earliest scene saw straight and gay couples alike mingling in the audience of various female impersonation shows. The earliest such shows took place in the now demolished Kettler Theater on the corner of Clematis Street and Narcissus Ave and by the 1940s had a venue of their very own known as The Flamingo Club. In the 1950s Melody Club in the center of downtown West Palm was among the most popular with these shows hosted nightly. In fact, demand for this type of entertainment was so high in the Palm Beaches by the 1960s, Miami based Carnival Bar opened up a satellite location in West Palm Beach. Sharilyn Bergbom, a Palm Beach Post reporter and civil rights advocate who later wrote more about Palm Beach County’s gay community, in the late 1970s went into several area gay bars to get the scoop on the gay scene in the area while Anita Bryant’s campaign heckled the gay community just to the south. She found herself at Le Cabaret…a quaint discotheque on South Dixie Hwy just before the Lake Worth boundary. A sign at the club’s entrance said “LeCabaret is a GAY discotheque and Showbar operated for the GAY people of Florida and their friends…. WELCOME, but minors or undesirables will not be tolerated!” Upon chatting with patrons of the bar she learned that many chose the Palm Beach area
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for a quieter and more private lifestyle. They argued that should they want an an uptick in their night out Ft. Lauderdale really wasn’t all that far away. Still most said they were often enough able to satisfy their night out cravings with the ample selection of gay bars and clubs around the Palm Beaches. Today almost all of gay bars in the area are among the oldest operating in South Florida with an average age of about 25 years between them. H.G. Roosters on Belvedere Road has the unique distinction of being the oldest operating gay bar in Florida, opening in 1984, and the recently remodeled building’s roots go deep since it had been several gay bars prior to Roosters. Here is a list of some of the more notorious of the Palm Beach area’s long lost gay bars: Adam’s Attic (1982-1989): Owned by Betty James, Palm Beach County’s famed first openly gay mayor, the quaint neighborhood bar sat on the corner of Roseland Dr. and South Dixie Hwy. Arties (1987-1995): Not one but two locations! Arties North and South. North was for the women and south was for the men. Today you can still find Artie himself at H.G. Roosters for Happy Hour. Barracks/The Citadel (1977-1980): It was the Palm Beach’s only gay owned and operated discotheque. Remembered for its “earthquake like” speakers with tunes spun by DJ Richard. The club, being walking distance to the Port of Palm Beach, was frequented by sailors coming in port. By the time Disco died, so did this place. Club San Francisco (1983-1984): It sat just outside the city limits and across the street from Palm Beach International Airport. At this time being outside the city meant they could stay open longer. This place hardly stood a chance when Kevin’s Cabaret opened later the same year, nobody wanted to come here anymore. It did however have some very successful first months as Palm Beach’s primary gay dance venue in early 1983. Cupid’s Cabaret (1999-2008): The only full frontal male strip club to ever exist in the Palm Beaches, it was not only patronized by locals, but by people all over the country. Popular music and good looking men flaunting it all. I don’t think I have enough fingers and toes to count the amount of “straight” strip clubs long Military Trail in unincorporated West Palm today (which have been problematic as of late), but the county did not like this club’s existence and always gave them a hard time till the club was unable to operate anymore. Bourbon Street, Decadence (1984-1988 and
again 1990- 1992): Opened in the space that once occupied fondly remembered Mama Gilda’s Italian restaurant, it was just another big club (and a piano bar!). Bourbon Street featured among the “best light show in the Palm Beaches,” Decadence would have drag shows and Wednesday Wheel of Fortune tournaments. Studds/5509 Club/Dillon’s (1983-1988): In 1983, the city was outraged when it learned of plans to open an impromptu gay bathouse called Studds. An ad ran in David Magazine promising showers and sunbathing. Residents nearby complained of the venue citing the adult entertainment and homosexuality. The city refused to grant Studds a certificate of occupancy. The owners balked and bar was renamed Club 5509 which they claimed catered to straight clientele. Once the dust settled, three months later, the bar went gay again and was renamed Dillons. Dude County (1976-1981): This is that typical little hole in the wall watering hole. Light food and heavy drinks. Chances are if you hung out here, you knew everyone else here. The building was even octagonal shaped! Today it lives on as Sand Bar, a straight bar, but if you look closely at all the decor behind the bar there is at least one remnant from Dude County, can you find it? PB’s, Enigma (1970s again 1994-2001): Right in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach on
Olive Avenue just north of Clematis, this venue was known for its very timely nightclub vibe. As PB’s it featured disco, Enigma mostly 90s dance music. The venue sits mostly vacant today, but was most recently Shout! a Karaoke club. Heartbreakers (1991-1999): Originally straight and located downtown, the club’s owners, Danny and Marlane Cardona realized moving it to Forest Hill Blvd and going gay was a profitable way to go. The club occupied a gigantic space with a huge dance floor and a memorable sound system. For much of the late 1990s this was the place to go for a night out cruising and dancing. LeCabaret/Kevin’s Cabaret (1974-1977 and 1983-1991): It was gay, straight, then gay again! It was disco then it was Club Marakesh with a straight audience then gay with some New Wave dancing. Kevin’s is fondly remembered for its midnight drag shows featuring drag queens such as Melissa St. John, Dana Manchester and Brandie McDaniels and the sounds of DJ Mark Johnson. The club also played host to many charitable AIDS functions, such as Mother’s Cupboard that took place in county at the time. The owner of this building now operates an interior design store in it but will recollect the fun times she had hanging out in these clubs. She’ll even tell you about how at least a few times a year people drop in and share nostalgic moments of
lifestyle homo history Owner Bill Brunet knew how to draw in a crowd nights past they had in the building. Kashmir (1999-2007): Situated at Forest with the easy and relaxed atmosphere…piano background music and a pool table, plus amateur Hill and Congress it was accessible from all directions of the county and close to other drag shows occasionally and all right in the center of downtown Lake Worth. gay bars. After Heartbreakers went away, Paradise Club (1993-1996): One of a few Boca this became Palm Beach County’s premier gay dance venue and probably the last major Raton gay bars, this one will forever live in infamy because of what happened there. In early 1994, 4 successful one to exist. members of the Boca Raton Rugby Club dressed Kathy’s (1977-1978): “Built by wimmin for in women’s clothing and drunk marched into the wimmin,” so the saying went. It wasn’t open very bar and began tearing it apart and throwing stuff long, but this Lake Worth bar was among one of at its patrons while screaming vulgar terms. They the first primarily lesbian bars in Florida. were arrested and it was the first time a crime Kismet Lounge (1978-1987): Just left of the Southern Blvd exit off I-95 this club was in the against the LGBT community in Palm Beach perfect spot. Nightly drag shows, drink specials, County was recognized as a “hate crime” in court. Cafe Prospect (1986-1994): One of the few non videogames, and dancing. If you got tired of bars on this list, this quaint cafe located in the Kevin’s you came here later at night. Instead of Prospect Center Office complex along Dixie Hwy Culture Club, you hear Hashim’s Al-Naayfyish. Mirrors, funky wall patters, and dice hanging was the site of frequent brunch drag shows and from the ceiling made it your ultimate 80s era Sunday T-Dances. They also actively participated in hosting events in late night spot. Today it’s a vacant cooperation with Mother’s lot, but its infamous rock/gravel Cupboard to raise money for parking lot is still there as is the the growing AIDS problems outline of the building. A sign at the club’s in the area. Club Malibu (aka Club entrance said The Other Place (1973Metropolis, early 80s): Hidden “LeCabaret is a GAY 1974): It wasn’t a Turf Bar (see in the north end parking lot of next entry), but was right the Polo Grounds Mall at Summit discotheque and across from Turf West on Blvd and Military Trail this night Showbar operated Belvedere Road. It was small club not only occupied a huge but with a bar and a dance space, but had some ground for the GAY people floor you could just “boogie breaking performances one of Florida and their all night long.” Today it’s just being chart topping European friends….WELCOME, another straight strip club. Group, Baltimora performed Turf Bars (1970s): Turf their hit 1985 song “Tarzan Boy” but minors or North, Turf West, and Turf in this club one night in April undesirables will not South….no matter where 1986. Live monkeys, parrots, and you were in West Palm other animals were present with be tolerated!” Beach, you were near a Turf trainers to give it that “Jungle bar. This was West Palm’s Boy” theme. Man’s Land (1976-1994): Open till 6 a.m. daily, primary gay bar chain the 1970s with the slogan “When cruising the Palm Beaches make friends this place offered everything the others didn’t! Leather nights, roller skating tournaments, and at a Turf Bar!” Turf’s main location on Datura Street was most the Mr. West Palm Beach contests. Hey if you recently occupied by Le Rendez-vous Restaurant came in on bare chest night with no shirt you got 2 for 1 drinks! It was even raided once by police and The Turf West location would later become H.G. Roosters and retains its popular gay tradition for showing “pornographic” films. Opened in today. Turf North still has its bar facade on the 1976 as Man’s Country, a bar with the same name outside today but sits mostly abandoned. in Los Angeles threatened to sue the owners...so And that’s a wrap! But I must admit, this they became Man’s Land and the owners, Dennis hardly scratches the surface. I didn’t even and Steve, were just fine with that. mention Palm Beach’s Colony Hotel with its Mister Sisters/InnExhile/DugRocks (1985legendary unpublished gay night on Thursday 2006): This hot spot on South J Street in Lake nights that dates back 50 years or more. Maybe Worth spent the better part of 25 years as 3 different bars. Mister Sisters, a controversial a reader knows more. I didn’t have enough info to talk about Alibi (yes West Palm had a bar with lesbian bar that took its owners months of going back and forth with the city to open. By that name), Blondies (Boca), Fantasies (Boca), the 1990s, InnExhile was the Palm Beach areas Club 5101, The Forest Disco (Greenacres), Leather first “Video nightclub” where music choices & Spurs, Lulu’s, Nightstalkers, Rumors (yes West Palm had one with that name too), SIN, The pushed corresponding videos to the tv screens throughout the venue. They also had male go- Silver Dollar Lounge, Zippers (Lantana)….and that list goes on and on. go dancer nights too. Later DugRocks, today To see an interactive map of Palm Beach Propaganda, a live music club, occupies the space County’s lost gay bars visit our website. It is and every Wednesday night pays homage to its an INCOMPLETE map, contact me to fill me past with its popular DugRocks Drag shows. Music Box Lounge (1968-1982): For a time it on bar’s that have no information or if any are became the oldest gay bar in the Palm Beaches. missing. I like pictures and stories too.
Graham, a West Palm Beach native, is a local librarian with an interest in LGBTQ history in South Florida. He welcomes emails and story ideas. Contact him at GrahamBrunk@gmail.com.
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LIFESTYLE photos
NEVER AGAIN Gun Reform, School Safety Event On March 17 at the War Memorial Museum in Fort Lauderdale, concerned Floridians gathered for a panel discussing gun control and concerns about keeping students safe. A number of hecklers during the event failed to derail the speakers, who included Mayor Elect Dean Trantalis. Carina Mask
Mayor Elect Dean Trantalis.
Marsha Ellison, President of the NAACP (Fort Lauderdale/Broward)
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Where the
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recently got to spend a delightful day sailing on my friends Steve and Robert’s boat. They belong to a group called Boys with Boats and several members sailed with us, before meeting up with more members at Pirate Republic for lunch. For a group of (predominantly) gay guys, it was refreshing to discover that this is a group where size doesn’t matter, at least in sea craft. They don’t care if you’ve got a mega-yacht or a dinghy; as long as you’re interested in boating, you are welcome. In our group there were first-time boat owners and experienced sailors. Even a land-lubber like me was made to feel welcome.
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SFGNITES
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theater Outre Theatre Co. closes out its 2017-18 season with the rock musical “Hedwig and Angry Inch” at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, 50 W. Atlantic Blvd. The incredibly talented Mike Westrich stars as the gender queer German rocker who tours the country performing in dive bars, while breaking the fourth wall to tell “their” story to the audience. Through April 8. Tickets start at $39 at CCPompano.org.
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3/23
opera Palm Beach Opera presents “The Marriage of Figaro,” tonight and Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 24 at 2 p.m. at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. In Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s tuneful and infectious masterpiece, Figaro is planning to marry his bride-tobe, Susanna, but the wedding day goes hilariously off-script thanks to a scheming Count’s lusty desires. Tickets start at $20 at Kravis.org.
x
Friday
3/23
concert
The Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, under the direction of artistic director Harold Dioquino, presents “Two Boys Kissing,” Joshua Shank’s staged musical adaptation of the Lambda Literary Award-winning novel by David Levithan. Tonight and Saturday, March 24 at 8 p.m. at the Sunshine Cathedral, 1480 S.W. 9th Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Don’t miss the musical event of the season. Tickets start at $35 at GMCSF.org. Photo Credit: Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida.
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3/24 SUN
3/25 MON
3/26 TUE
3/27
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television
Sirius XM On Broadway host Seth Rudetsky is back at the Parker Playhouse tonight at 8 p.m. and this time he’s sharing the stage with Broadway legend Christine Ebersole. She’ll be singing her favorite songs with Rudetsky at the piano—including selections from the 2007 show that earned her a second Tony Award, “Grey Gardens”—and talking about her incredible stage career. Tickets start at $23 at ParkerPlayhouse.com.
“Finally!” Yes, CeCe Peniston is headlining the Pridefest of Palm Beaches festival this weekend at Bryant Park in Lake Worth. In addition to the festival on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (admission $10 at gate), there’s a parade through downtown Lake Worth this morning, kicking off at 11:30 a.m. There will be floats, bands and plenty of drag queens heading down Lucerne Ave. For more information, go to CompassGLCC.org.
For one night only, the incomparable Electra will be taking the stage at The Wick Theatre, 7901 N. Federal Hwy. in Boca Raton in “Bette to Broadway & Bingo Cabaret,” beginning at 7:30 p.m. Yes, Electra will be performing a review of all her favorite Bette Midler numbers and then following it up with a session of wacky drag bingo! Whether you win or not, you’ve got to be feeling lucky. Tickets $65 at TheWick.org.
The Conners are back. Twenty years after “Roseanne” signed off in a shocking series finale, the iconic working class family from Lanford, Ill. is back on ABC tonight and they’re not shying away from the hot button social issues that made the show must see TV. Roseanne, John Goodman (Dan), Laurie Metcalf (Jackie) and Sara Gilbert (Darlene) return, along with both Beckys! Check local listings for channels and show times.
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TW B YS KISSING 3.21.2018 •
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A&E theater Rolfe has a boyfriend in playwright Andrew Bergh’s imaginative backstory to “The Sound of Music.” Photo Credit: Island City Stage.
‘Radicalization of Rolfe’ at Island City Asks ‘What If?’ J.W. Arnold
A
nyone who has ever seen “The Sound of Music” knows that the musical Von Trapp family escaped the Nazis by sneaking away in the night and crossing the Alps to freedom. But have you ever wondered what happened to their friends and family left behind? New York City playwright Andrew Bergh asked that question and the result was his 2016 play “The Radicalization of Rolfe,” receiving its world premiere March 29 – April 29 at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors. “Rolfe” could easily be compared to “Wicked,” the hit Broadway musical based on Gregory Maguire’s novel that created a backstory for the wicked witch from “The Wizard of Oz.” For 55-year-old Bergh, “The Sound of Music” was the iconic movie that encapsulated the nostalgia for white Christian culture of the 1950s and ‘60s. Every Easter—years before VHS tapes, cable and on demand service—the broadcast of that movie became a cherished tradition in households across the country, including his own in suburban New Jersey. “Once I decided to write this play, in the research I started to do, all of these really dark, dark facts started to pop up and colored the way I approached the play,” he recalled. A documentary included on his DVD copy included a biography of Maria von Trapp, the stern former nun who married her employer, a retired Austrian naval captain with a brood of young children. “Maria von Trapp was no Julie Andrews,” Bergh agreed with a chuckle. Also, the musical gives the impression that most Austrians were against the Anschluss with Nazi Germany and that was not clearly the case. In his research, Bergh discovered that
nearly an entire generation of young German soldiers were killed in the war, men who would have been the age of 17-going-on-18-year-old Rolfe, Liesl von Trapp’s love interest in the musical and movie. The plot twist in Bergh’s play is that Rolfe turns out to be gay. Beyond that, he remains mum on any other important points, other than to mention that, as a boy, Bergh harbored a crush on Liesl, not Rolfe. “I decided to make him gay because it added to the conflict in the play,” Bergh explained. “Here’s the thing that I discovered after writing it: It seems to be a generational thing. I was shocked at how many people under 30 or 35, had heard of it and knew the songs, but never watched the movie!” That impossibly small percentage of gay theatergoers in Wilton Manors who may have never seen “The Sound of Music,” shouldn’t fret, Bergh promised. “You don’t need to have seen the movie to understand the play. It’s about how this young man becomes a Nazi and then must deal with the consequences of his decisions…If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll get a lot more of the references, but that’s not required,” he said. Bergh, who has been vacationing in South Florida for years, is looking forward to Island City Stage’s production. He attended the first rehearsals and praised artistic director Andy Rogow stewardship of the play, which was named best of the 2016 New York Fringe Festival and is now in demand by other regional companies. “Andy has been terrific to work with,” he said. “I don’t know what’s coming after Island City Stage, but it’s really sweet that of all places where this theater was located, it happened to be Wilton Manors.”
Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors, presents Andrew Bergh’s “The Radicalization of Rolfe,” March 29 – April 29. Tickets are $35 at IslandCityStage.org.
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RAINBOW RIDES-SAVE MONEY ON YOUR RIDE! - We treat you like family! SPECIALIZING IN AIRPORT RIDES! Need a ride to FLL, MIA, or PBI? (or anywhere else?) I'm a friendly driver with a nice, clean Chevy Malibu. My fixed-rate pricing beat all ride sharing - apps every time. Call or text me to schedule a ride, I'll be there early and I'll text you when I arrive. No 'surge" prices, no hassles. Call or text Nikki at 954-600-3133.
final arrangements Kalis-McIntee Funeral & Cremation Center
2505 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-7621 Kalismcintee.com
financial services WE’RE HERE FOR ALL YOUR
FINANCIAL NEEDS Taxes IRS Issues Accounting
Bookkeeping Small Business Advising
health insurance Medicare/MedicaID Florida Blue / Blue Cross Blue Shield 2765 West Cypress Creek Road Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 Call Steve Herbstman @ 954-554-7074
health American Pain Experts 6333 N. Federal Hwy, Ste. 250, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954-678-1074 Americanpainexperts.com
professional services
954-667-9829 ACCOUNTING@STERLINGACCOUNTING.COM
W ED N ES D AY S
7:0 0P M
2435 North Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305
www.sfgn.guide
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handyman Miami/Broward/Palm Beach Paint/Caulk/Remove Grout/Yard Work Fix Drips & Switches/Debris removal Assembles Furniture & Appliances Repair or Fix Call "Avrom" Keith 786-227-9981
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3.21.2018 •
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THE
GUIDE
Business Directory
To place an ad in the Business Directory, call our sales team at 954.530.4970 professional services
social
real estate Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors & Oakland Park REMODELED homes:
2 bedroom/2 bath condos from
$135,000
Ocean/Intracoastal from
$300,000
3 bedroom/2 bath homes
Pest and Termite Control, Inc
William D. Turner taylorandturner@yahoo.com 2520 North Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305
954.630.2627 sports Tennis Lessons at Hagen Park in Wilton Manors. Individual or group lessons. Call Robert 732-604-0362 for more information.
call us to reserve space! spirituality The Parish of Sts. Francis and Clare Where we welcome and appreciate diversity.
2300 NW 9th Avenue (Powerline Rd) Wilton Manors, FL 33311 Mass Times: Saturday 5:00 PM Sunday 10:30 AM Ecumenical Catholic 954.731.8173
www.stsfrancisandclare.org Baptisms • Weddings • Memorial Services
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Helping Buyers, Sellers, Renters, and Investors for over 18 years in South Florida.
$250,000
Brian S. Bedigian, P.A.
RealtorBrian@aol.com www.BrianFTL.com
Your South Florida Specialist for Over 18 Years
from
Taylor & Turner
THE BEST SERVICE, THE BEST RESULTS SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST!
Realtor
954.205.5275
SFGN Classified$ To place a Classified Ad, call us at 954.530.4970
accommodations Public Notice - XJW Entertainment, Inc intends to file a fictitious name in Florida, primarily used in a Broward County business named XES. Email XESFLL@GMAIL.COM with any objections.
business opportunities
piano WANT TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO? Learn from an experienced teacher. All levels and ages welcome. Learn to play classical, popular, jazz, or show tunes. Visit www.edwinchad.com or call 954-826-9555 for more information.
Place an ad in SFGN’s Classifieds
954.530.4970 painting
GREGG'S PAINTING - I paint both interior and exterior. Great rates, free estimates. I am detailed-oriented, friendly, reliable, punctual, and neat. No job too small. Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Call Gregg at 617-306-5694 or 954-870-5972 Email: gmanbenn44@gmail.com
www.sfgn.guide
electrician
Classified Advertising Works!
954.530.4970
employment positions wanted Male-Caregiver - 10+ Experience, Certified in State of Florida. Call Antonio 954.599.3265
handyman HUSBAND FOR RENT - Is he procrastinating home repairs? He says he will do it tomorrow?? After the football game?? We fit right in - in the house or the yard, small or big jobs: tile, dry wall, paint, plumbing, roof leaks, broken furniture, irrigation, fences, and more! It doesn't cost to hassle us to see the work - so why wait? Neat, clean work for a reasonable price. Call Haim at 954-398-3676, sidnalll@yahoo.com
home health care
COMPANION AIDE - Strictly Professional, TBI, PCA, and NHTD certified Over ten years’ experience. Provide light personal care, light cleaning. Laundry and major meal prep. Respite for caregiver. Serious inquires call Karl 954-616-8952
massage - miami
Midtown Miami Massage - Full body massage - 65 minutes only $45; 95 minutes is only $70. I have 38 5-star Google reviews. I work on both men and women, and couples. Out calls start at $65. Over 20 years experience. LIC ma0006625. Body shaving and trimming starts $40. Nelson 305-905-5397
professional services RESUME Consulting - Nearly 20 years of recruiting experience. Consultation includes one-on-one session, job hunting tips and tricks, social media review. Email Jason@TheDriveRecruiting.com
Only one product is beyond the government’s reach when it comes to defects and safety: firearms.
FANTASTIC DUPLEX $469,000 - Unit is 3 bedrooms & 2 baths. Newer Roof, New Electric Panels and more. Huge Pie Shaped Lot on Quiet Street. Please call for Appointment Michael Tublin United Reality Group 561-703-5533
rentals fort lauderdale
PRIVATE COMPLEX FOR RENT - 1 Bed Apt, Must See, Private complex, Fully renovated, laundry, ask: $1150.00 Progresso, 1214 NE 5th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, 33304 Call 954-552-2831
www.sfgn.guide
Get more bang for your buck!
HARRY’S ELECTRIC RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL - Additions, renovations, service upgrades, breaker panels,FPL undergrounds, code violations, A/C wiring, ceiling fans, recessed, security & landscaping, lighting, pools, pumps, Jacuzzis, water heaters, FREE PHONE ESTIMATES 954-522-3357 Lic & Ins. www. harryelectrician.com
real estate wilton manors
Classified Advertising Works! Place an ad in SFGN’s Classifieds
real estate oakland park Charming, Large 3/2 Waterfront home For Sale. Dual fireplaces, granite counter tops, wood floors. 4350 NE 15th Avenue. Call Dean Lyon Sales Associate Realtor with the Keyes Company. 561-789-8588 or go to www.deanlyon.keyes.com
www.sfgn.guide
roommates miami other Suburban Homestead - Seeking LGBT Young Adults Share 3/2 Home. Miami Gardens - efficiency (couples), and rooms (singles). Includes Utilities, Internet, Laundry, Fenced Yard, Private Parking, Furnished (optional), Pets Welcome... Text 786.306.7076 for appointment Michael.
954.530.4970
employment wanted SPECIAL HIRE NEEDED - Earn $45,000 per year. Experienced, self-motivated professional salesman needed. Work competitively in a highly flexible and relaxed LGBT-friendly environment. Fax resume to 954-530-7943. Crew Leader-City of Wilton Manors - Fulltime with benefits. Supervise and perform general maintenance work inside/outside. $17.00 to $22.00 per hour. DOE. To apply, visit www.wiltonmanors.com and click on the JOBS link.
pool service
COOL POOLS- RELIABLE POOL SERVICE Professional pool service.Covering Wilton Manors, Lighthouse Point, and eastside of Pompano Beach. 15 years experience. Licensed and insured.Free estimates. Call 954-235-0775.
rentals wilton manors
MIKE THE RENTAL GUY - NE Lauderdale/Wilton Manors/Oakland Park-1/1 from $1090, 2/1 from $1140. Victoria Park-2/1=$1290.00 cable included. Credit & Income Requirements-Pets okay with restrictions Call for Details Mike 561- 703-5533 or miketherentalguy@ aol.com Rental wilton manors - 2/1 recently fluffed ground floor condo. First, last, deposit. $1,015/mo. The Grove, 8th Ave. 954-654-4910. #2055.23623
Classified Advertising Works! Place an ad in SFGN’s Classifieds
954.530.4970
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