SFGN 06/10/21 V12iss23 by South Florida Gay News

LOCAL NAME GLOBAL COVERAGE

JUNE 10, 2021 VOL. 12 // ISSUE 23

FIVE YEARS WE REMEMBER THE 49 LIVES LOST AT PULSE PAGES 26 - 36

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NEWS HIGHLIGHT

PRIDE KEEPS ROLLING IN PALM BEACH COUNTY John Hayden

SouthFloridaGayNews.com

@SFGN

June 10, 2021 • Volume 12 • Issue 23

2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com

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Photo credit: J.R. Davis. To see many more photos, visit SFGN on Facebook!

ommunities reconnecting, drag queens on stage, and a mimosa tent to keep spirits raised. Pride in Palm Beach County was scaled back, but after a year away people didn’t care about the when, where, and what as long as it happened. Normally a two-day party with a parade, this year the event was a “farmers market” style event from 8 a.m.1 p.m. on Saturday, June 5 at Bryant Park in Lake Worth. Hundreds of people came out to celebrate being together along the Intracoastal. It was a sunny and hot day, but a light breeze and shade from the park’s trees helped keep people cool as they roamed the rows of tents. Hosted by Compass Community Center, more than 90 local organizations and businesses showed up to remind everyone that despite the pandemic the LGBT community remains strong. “It was great to

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• 6 .10.2021

see the community come out and support Palm Beach Pride Market,” RaeJean Cox told SFGN. “The attendees were out in full Pride regalia from the adults to teens and even the little kids and fur babies!” RaeJean was joined by Melissa St. John, Velvet Lenore, and Rianna Petrone as Masters of Ceremonies on the main stage. Along with a DJ they kept energy up and the party going making it feel more like an evening party than a morning event. For RaeJean it was a much-needed moment. “This amazing day gave us a sense of normalcy from the past 15 months of the pandemic. I feel our community needed a day like this and it was felt throughout the park. As an emcee of the event the love was felt all day!” Vendors included everything from community and service organizations to area businesses.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office had a tent, along with Temple Beth el and the Rusty Gordon LGBT Democratic Caucus of Palm Beach County. Businesses were selling everything from jewelry and skin care to fun Pride T-shirts to rainbow colored gear for your pets. As Pride Market ended, After Pride parties began. Around 12:30 p.m. people started walking over to Lilo’s Streetfood & Bar and quickly filled the booths, tables, and bar. Elsewhere at the Mad Hatter Lounge and Penny’s at the Duke people poured in for music, games, togetherness, and flights of pride-colored shots. While the celebration is over, the spirit of Pride lives on in Palm Beach County. A Palm Tran bus is sporting a “Ride With Pride” wrap featuring the Progress Pride flag. In Boynton Beach and Delray Beach intersections are painted in the Pride colors.

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NLGJA Journalist of the Year SOUTH FLORIDA GAY NEWS.COM, INC. — — FOUNDED, DECEMBER, 2009 BY PIER GUIDUGLI AND NORM KENT 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 or gender identity of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations in SFGN. SFGN contracts with independent entities for stock images. 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.

6 .10 . 20 21 •

NEWS LOCAL

J.R.’s SNAPSHOTS

OF THE

From your life... into our pages! SFGN takes a weekly look at a community that has stood together through countless trials and victories in the past year alone.

Andrew and Jesse Tsygan.

• 6 .10.2021

Photos by J.R. Davis

Cindy Brown, Senior Program Manager at Lambda Living, Michael Bath, events director for the Task Force and attorney Elizabeth Schwartz.

Husbands Raul Griffith Valentin, owner of Vizion Productions, and Jason GriffithValentin of One Line Design Studio.

Best friends Bill Huelsman and Harry Watters (associate director of Healthcare Center Operations at AHF) with husband Tommy Forcella, realtor.

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LGBTQIA BITES

BY KENDALL LITTLE

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G Lesbian

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS HIRES FIRST OUT SUPER BOWL COACH Katie Sowers, the first out Super Bowl coach, has been hired by the team that beat her own San Francisco 49ers in the 2020 Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs hired Sowers this month and she shared the news through an Instagram post. “Retired from coaching in the NFL? Nah. Kansas City. I’m home!” Sowers wrote in the caption. The football team hired her through the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, which aims to give former NFL players and former or current coaches at all different levels an opportunity to coach an NFL team. Sowers came out in 2017 as lesbian and became the first out coach in the NFL.

Katie Sowers. Photo via Instagram.

... HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY

Queer

BURGER KING RELEASES PRO-LGBT CHICKEN SANDWICH

To celebrate Pride Month, popular fast food restaurant Burger King launched the Ch’King Sandwich. For every sandwich ordered, the chain will donate 40 cents to The Human Rights Campaign. The company promoted their new menu item on Twitter and people noticed that the tweet seemed to take a dig at ChickFil-A. “The #ChKing says LGBTQ+ rights! during #pride month (even on Sundays) your chicken sandwich craving can do good!” the promotional tweet read. The tweet references how competing chain Chick-Fil-A is not open on Sundays. Chick-Fil-A has been under fire for years regarding the company’s donations to anti-LGBT organizations, so some people

A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH AND

PRIDE ALL ARE WELCOME SFGN is here for you, no matter who — or what — keeps you going. Check out the Spirituality Section each week to stay in touch with your local religious LGBT community. The only requirement? Be yourself.

SEE MORE ONLINE AT SFGN.COM/TABLE/NEWS/RELIGION 6

• 6 .10.2021

and

Ch’King Sandwich. Image via Burger King.

speculated that Burger King was also taking a shot at the company’s lack of support for the LGBT community.

LGBTQIA BITES

Bisexual

MICHAELA KENNEDY-CUOMO COMES OUT AS BISEXUAL

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s daughter Michaela came out as bisexual June 3 on Instagram. The caption of her post went into detail criticizing Instagram for censoring useful information for queer individuals. She also left words of encouragement for the LGBT community, including those who aren’t out yet. “Today, I stand in my queer identity with pride, and in memory of those who came before me. I stand indebted to the activists who fought for my right to love and happiness,” Cuomo wrote. “I stand with a helping hand outreached to those finding their way from under socially constructed boxes to emerge from the closet. I’m standing with you.” In her post, she also included the phone number for the Trevor Project for her followers to use for support.

Michaela Kennedy-Cuomo. Photo via Instagram.

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6 .10 . 20 21 •

NEWS LOCAL

DESPITE BAD NEWS FROM TALLAHASSEE, FORT LAUDERDALE COMMEMORATES PRIDE MONTH Christiana Lilly

ith the Florida governor signing an anti-trans bill on the first day of Pride Month, Fort Lauderdale was undeterred and recognized June as Pride Month in a proclamation, as well as raising a rainbow flag above City Hall. “The city proudly reaffirms its commitment to protecting and respecting the rights of every resident, business owner, student and visitor who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community by flying the rainbow flag above city hall during this month of June for the fourth year in a row,” Commissioner Steve Glassman said while presenting the proclamation on June 1. The proclamation made mention of this Pride Month’s 52nd anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which kicked off the Equality Movement, as well as the 44th anniversary of the state’s first Pride in 1977 after the Commissioner Steve Glassman holding the community lost its fight to repeal a Miamiproclamation while posing with board members Dade County ordinance protecting the LGBT of Pride Fort Lauderdale. Photo via the City community. Glassman also highlighted the of Facebook, Facebook. importance of having fixtures such as the World AIDS Museum, Stonewall National Women’s Sports Act in Jacksonville, banning Museum & Archives, and Sunshine Cathedral trans women and girls from participating in in the city. sports with other women and girls. Members of Pride Fort Lauderdale and “It will ensure fairness for women athletes South Florida Afro Pride Federation were for years to come in the state of Florida,” the present to receive the proclamation. governor said in a news conference. “We are “It’s our honor to be in a city that cares so going to go based on biology — not based on much about its community and everyone in ideology.” it,” said Miik Martorell, the president of Pride The topic of transgender athletes is not Fort Lauderdale. “We are the foreign to the Fort Lauderdale very first pride in Florida and commission chambers. In May, our history is rich and we have “IT’S OUR Carvelle Estriplet, a Wilton a community that’s just as rich.” Manors business owner as HONOR TO Pride Fort Lauderdale will a Black trans woman, spoke BE IN A CITY be in November this year due before the commission to share to COVID-19 with the theme THAT CARES SO her disappointment of the “Glitter and Gratitude.” Kevin commissioners who did not vote MUCH ABOUT Clevenger, who was present at in favor of a resolution slamming ITS COMMUNITY the proclamation ceremony, anti-trans bills. During her has taken the helm as executive AND EVERYONE comments, Vice Mayor Heather director. In the meantime, Moraitis shared that she does not IN IT.” FLoatarama will be returning believe that trans women should - Miik Martorell for the second year on June 12 be able to play on women’s PRESIDENT OF as a kickoff to Wilton Manors’ sports teams, going so far as to PRIDE FORT LAUDERDALE Stonewall Pride Festival on June say that Estriplet had a physical 19. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean advantage over her and asked, Trantalis will be serving as grand marshal of “Do you want to stand next to me? Do you the boating event. want to compare? Do you want to arm wrestle The proclamation coincided with Florida me?” “I do believe men are biologically Gov. Ron DeSantis signing the Fairness in stronger,” she added.

• 6 .10.2021

6 .10 . 20 21 •

NEWS NATIONAL

9 TRANS AND NON-BINARY PEOPLE MURDERED IN MAY Photos via the HRC.

Kim Swan

t least nine LGBT people were found murdered in May — three of them on the same day.

The number of trans and non-binary individuals killed this year increased to 28 with the deaths of Keri Washington, Jahaira DeAlto, Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, Sophie Arrieta Vasquez, Thomas Hardin, Danika Henson, Serenity Hollis, Poe Black, and Oliver Taylor. In 2020, the number was 44, according to the Human Rights Campaign. KERI WASHINGTON

THOMAS HARDIN Following Washington’s death was the death of Hardin, 35, who was found dead in her York home in South Carolina May 2. Although police did not disclose the cause of death, a neighbor and friend told WBTV that she was shot. According to friends, Hardin “identified as a woman” but continued to use the name Thomas and used both he and she pronouns. The police are searching for 26-year-old Tyler Terry, who is accused of several murders and attempted murders that happened during May, including Hardin’s. According to WisNews, Chimere Hicks, a friend, said Hardin and Terry were at one point romantically involved but their relationship deteriorated. “He [Terry] would always send him [Hardin] threatening messages, calling him names, just doing a lot of things to him,” Hicks told WisNews. “I just kept telling Thomas it’s not safe. You know you come home at night. But he always said, ‘No I’m not scared of him.’” Camer

The first death was Washington, a 49-year-old Black trans woman, whose body was found in the back of an apartment building in Clearwater May 1. Although there are no reports that reveal the cause of death, police have identified a suspect, Arthur Benjamin Jr., and issued a warrant for his arrest on a charge of first-degree murder, according to The Advocate. The police created a Facebook post with his face and information asking the public for help in locating him. On her Facebook profile, friends have paid tribute to - Doris her: MOTHER OF “Rest easy Keri Washington JAHAIRA DEALTO JAHAIRA DEALTO aka Bobo we love U,” read one Facebook post. “Bobo was the Jahaira DeAlto was killed real deal slay queen,” wrote another. the following day in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Washington’s relationship She was fatally stabbed in an apartment on status, she was engaged. Taft Street in Dorchester along with another “Such tragic news, again,” the Blue Ridge individual, Fatima Yasin. Marcus Chavis, 34, has Pride Center posted on Facebook. “When will been charged with two counts of murder and the killings end? Now more than ever we must was held without bail at his arraignment May 3. stand together in the face of discrimination and DeAlto was a 42-year-old trans woman who hate and work to educate, advocate and yes, described herself as “a staunch advocate for love.” marginalized communities” and dedicated

“SHE HAD SUCH A COMPLICATED LIFE AND SHE DID A LOT OF GOOD. A LOT OF GOOD. SHE SUFFERED A LOT BECAUSE SHE WAS TRANSGENDER.”

• 6 .10.2021

Keri Washington

Thomas Hardin

Jahaira DeAlto

Whispering Wind Bear Spirit

Sophie Arrieta Vasquez

Danika “Danny” Henson

Serenity Hollis

Poe Black

Oliver “Ollie” Taylor

her life to her work, according to friends and family. “She wanted nothing more than to advocate for people who were desperate,” Doris Camer, her mother, told The Boston Globe. “She had such a complicated life and she did a lot of good. A lot of good. She suffered a lot because she was transgender.” WHISPERING WIND BEAR SPIRIT Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, a 41-year-old non-binary Indigenous person, was shot to death during an attempted robbery in York, Pennsylvania May 4. While staying in a home with friends, they were shot once in the torso while trying to protect a male resident from being assaulted, according to WPMT. Bear Spirit was taken to a nearby hospital where they died during an operation. Police said that at least three people were

involved in the robbery attempt, according to WPMT. One suspect, Oscar Cook, 19, was charged with burglary, robbery and conspiracy to commit burglary and robbery. Police have not released any information regarding the other two suspects. “I loved her very much and will be receiving her ashes,” Tammy Johnston posted on Facebook. “I’ve picked out a beautiful Native American urn with a white bear spirit on it. I will be creating a memorial place for her at our cabin, appropriately named the bear house … She will finally have a permanent and peaceful home with us.” SOPHIE ARRIETA VASQUEZ Vasquez, a 36-year-old trans woman, was killed on the same day as Bear Spirit. The homicide almost went unnoticed until community activists planned a vigil to

NEWS NATIONAL honor her, according to The Atlanta JournalConstitution. She was found shot to death in her Brookhaven apartment in Atlanta, Georgia. Police have identified a person of interest but have not released the person’s name or a possible motive, AJC reported. “Stop killing us. We are not hurting anyone,” said Li Ann Sanchez, executive director of Community Estrella, to AJC. “The only thing we are doing is surviving, which is something that society imposed on us.” Sanchez added that they will not “let her death go in vain or be swept under the rug.” Angela Arrieta Vasquez, the victim’s sister, told AJC that police have kept her family updated on the homicide investigation. “We have faith that sooner or later, everything will come to the light,” she said in an email. DANIKA “DANNY” HENSON Along with Vasquez and Bear Spirit, Henson was also killed May 4. Family and friends gathered for a vigil to remember and honor the 31-year-old trans woman, who was found dead in a home in Baltimore, Maryland. A cause of death was not reported. At the vigil, loved ones said that Henson did not deserve to die like this. “I’m still emotional, but I’m trying to hold it together,” Danny’s brother, Michael Henson, told WMar2News. Michael added that Henson was transitioning to become a woman and believed she got into an altercation with someone they knew and possibly had a relationship with. Michael said he wants justice and the murderer to be held accountable. “I want to have faith in the system I really do,” he told WMar2News. “I mean otherwise it hasn’t proven to be any good to me.” No information has been released about a person of interest. SERENITY HOLLIS Hollis, a 24-year-old Black trans woman, was found shot to death while walking down the street in Albany, Georgia May 8. The police suspect it may have been a hate crime, according to WALB News 10. Hollis’ family described her as being “wellknown in the community,” and couldn’t think of any reason as to why someone would kill her. “That was my child and having to have buried two sons is the most painful thing I’ve ever had to endure,” Hollis’ mother, Robyn Osberry, told WALB News 10, while misgendering her. “And that the person that’s responsible has no idea what they took from us, absolutely no idea what he took from us. Joshua was special, he really was.” This isn’t the first time Hollis was attacked. Sara Osberry, her sister, told WXFL that Hollis was stabbed multiple times at the Albany

nightclub House of Jazz two and a half years ago. “The loss of another young person in the LGBTQ+/SGL community is extremely disheartening,” Victoria Kirby York, deputy executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, said in a press release. “Serenity finally found the world inviting enough to show her authenticity. We stand in solidarity with the Hollis family and other loved ones who appreciated her existence.”

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POE BLACK Black, who also went by Oliver Jackson and Legion, was a 21-year-old transgender man who was killed in Niland, California. The time of death remains unconfirmed, but his body was found May 11. According to friends, he was “stabbed seven times, including several times in the genitals and then his body dumped in a nearby canal.” Black was a resident of Slab City, an unincorporated collection of camps occupied by homeless folks and others who choose to live outside of the conventional community, PGHLesbian reported. Friends said he identified as “mixed Indigenous” and was part of the Wyandotte Nation according to sources. His friends also said that Black was active in Indigenous activism and committed to Native issues. There have been no arrests or suspects identified as of yet.

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3RD ANNUAL PRIDE DAY

OLIVER “OLLIE” TAYLOR Taylor was a 17-year-old trans boy who died May 19 after being kidnapped and shot May 12 in Gervais, Oregon. Police are charging Kenneth Peden III for the kidnapping and murder. The murder happened when police responded to a disturbance call and found Arik Reed, 22, suffering from a gunshot wound, and was taken to the hospital. The father of Reed told KPTV his son was trying to stop the alleged kidnapping and got shot in the process. Officers learned that Peden, 20, had kidnapped Taylor after the shooting and left the area in his truck. After locating the truck, Peden got into a firing match with officers, but was still arrested and taken to jail. Taylor was flown from the scene for treatment of life-threatening injuries, but died regardless, according to Oregon Live. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE VIOLENCE Transgender and non-conforming people aren’t only facing violence. The number of anti-LGBT bills that state legislators have introduced — more than 250 — has surpassed 2015, marking it as the worst year for antiLGBT legislation in recent history. HRC has detailed each of them on its website.

JOIN US FOR FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN ALL DAY LONG!

WHEN: June 26, 2021 • 10 a.m.–5 p.m. • WHERE: Museum of Discovery and Science

Visit our Rainbow Science Lab, make your own Pride flag, explore the amazing colors created with prisms, and see an explosion of colors in our special Pride Kaboom Show! Bring a white t-shirt, and transform it into a tie-dyed masterpiece! FREE for City of Fort Lauderdale Residents with Proof of Address at the Museum Box Office • $5 General Admission

FREE VIRTUAL FAMILY PRIDE CELEBRATION!

WHEN: June 24, 2021 • 10:30 a.m.– 12 p.m. • WHERE: Comfort of Your Own Home

Gather your family to celebrate Pride virtually! Watch as we create foam rainbows of elephant toothpaste, an explosive shower of colorful ping pong balls with liquid nitrogen and learn to make super slime! A unique zoom link will be sent prior to the event. FREE For more information or to register, please visit mods.org/2021pride Virtual Event Sponsored by

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6 .10 . 20 21 •

NEWS NATIONAL

BY COREY ROSE

THE COUNTRY ACROSS

COLORADO

CONNECTICUT

COLORADO COURT OF APPEALS APPOINTS LGBT JUDGE

CONNECTICUT PARENTING ACT PROTECTS LGBT FAMILIES

When Colorado Gov. Jared Polis appointed W. Eric Kuhn to the Colorado Court of Appeals, he thought he was adding the only judge from the LGBT community, according to a statement from his office on Thursday. The since-updated statement read, “With this announcement at the beginning of pride month, the diversity of the Court of Appeals is increased with the addition of their only LGBT judge.” Kuhn, as the governor’s office corrected, will join Judge Anthony Navarro as the second LGBT judge on the court, leaving his role of senior assistant attorney general for the state’s health care unit. Polis wrote, “Eric has been indispensable to the state since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing

W. Eric Kuhn. Photo via Twitter.

thoughtful and measured legal counsel on a wide variety of public health and constitutional issues. I am confident he will bring these same skills to the bench.” In his new role on the state’s secondhighest court, Kuhn will review decisions made by lower tribunals.

TEXAS Twenty-six-year-old math teacher Jalen McKee-Rodriguez will represent District 2 for the San Antonio City Council, making him the first openly gay Black man elected to any office in Texas history. In 2019, Mckee-Rodriguez left his job as communications director for incumbent councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan, filing a complaint against her chiefof-staff over claims of discrimination and harassment. An investigation was launched, but no action was taken by the city. After facing her in a run-off election last week, McKee-Rodriguez unseated Andrews-Sullivan in a with 63% of the vote compared to Andrews-Sullivan’s 37%. Robert Salcido Jr., executive director of Pride Center San Antonio, told KSAT News, “It is historic to see a Black, out

• 6 .10.2021

A newly signed law will make it easier for those who don’t share a biological connection with their child to establish parentage. The Connecticut Parentage Act passed unanimously in the Senate and by a vote of 141-1 in the House. The new updates to existing laws remove gendered titles from parentage law, clarify the rights of non-biological parents who use assisted reproduction, and allows non-biological parents to establish legal parentage without a second-parent adoption. Yale Law professor Douglas NeJaime, one of the primary drafters of the bill, told NBC News that the gender-neutral acknowledgement of parentage “has the effect of having a judgment from a court, and all other states have to treat it as valid.”

Photo via Adobe.

Connecticut joins California, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont in enacting a parentage act that acknowledges same-sex and transgender couples. The law goes into effect January 1.

VIRGINIA

FIRST GAY MAN ELECTED TO SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL

COVERING LGBT NEWS SWEEPING THE NATION

Jalen McKee-Rodriguez. Photo via Facebook.

and proud gay candidate like Jalen McKee-Rodriguez be elected to the San Antonio City Council. At a time when racism, homophobia, and other issues disproportionately affect people of color and LGBTQ+ people, Jalen will bring unique perspectives based on lived experiences never before represented in San Antonio.”

CLOTHING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AFFIRMS TRANS IDENTITIES Trans individuals all over the state of Virginia are finding free, genderaffirming clothing in a care package program helmed by the Transgender Assistance Program of Virginia (TAP VA). TAP VA Director of Development Sarah Noffsinger said the program is an alternative to an in-person closet the organization ran before the pandemic. In the few days since opening the online option, Noffsinger said they’ve received over 36 orders. Noffsinger told the Virginian-Pilot, “There is such a need for trans people to have clothing that they feel comfortable in and that they feel aligns with not only their gender identity, but their gender expression as well.” When Noffsinger gets a notification that someone has filled out the Google

Photo: Transgender Assistance Program of Virginia, Facebook.

form, she and her wife hand-pick the pieces at Nomads Clothing Exchange in Norfolk based on sizing and styling needs, and ship five to seven pieces per order at no cost to the program participants. The site will be open from the 1st to the 10th of each month, with the rest of the month used to fill orders and restock the online closet. New arrivals will be added to the website July 1.

6 .10 . 20 21 •

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

BY EVERITT ROSEN

THE WORLD AROUND

ASIA

EUROPE

THAI POLICE ARREST DOZENS DURING ‘CHEMSEX’ PARTY

LGBT POLICE IN PARIS REFUSE TO TAKE PART IN PRIDE PARADE

In a raid on a gay “chemsex” party, Thai police said they had arrested 62 men for violating coronavirus regulations, the country’s greatest such sweep during the pandemic. According to Reuters, the men were arrested at Faros Sauna 2, where police also discovered drugs, needles, and used condoms. “[In the past] we have reprimanded people for gathering to drink at home,” Police Colonel Ekapop told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “But under the current circumstances, there shouldn’t be so many people in such a crowded area.” According to Ekapop, anyone who attended the party and its organizers might face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to 40,000 Baht ($1,276) for

Photo via Faros Sauna 2, Twitter.

breaking an emergency order enacted in March to combat COVID-19.

Due to concerns over officer safety, an LGBT police group has said that it will not be participating in a Pride march in Paris, which is planned to begin in the no-go areas of Seine-Saint-Denis. According to Breitbart, the police LGBT group FLAG! issued a statement stating that they will not be marching in the Pride parade this year owing to safety concerns for cops. According to Johan Cavirot, the association’s president, the change happened because this year’s march will begin in Pantin, Seine-Saint-Denis, and will pass through neighborhoods where police personnel are not always welcome. “The route of the march coupled with the terrorist threat and attacks with weapons toward the forces of

Gendarmeries in Paris. Photo credit: Brendon Lies.

law and order require the securing of the procession of FLAG! is much more important than in previous years in order to guarantee the safety of our members,” Cavirot told Breitbart.

AFRICA

NORTH AMERICA

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL DEMANDS RELEASE OF ACTIVISTS IN GHANA

CANADA DECLARES SUMMER PRIDE SEASON

A Ghana court kept a group of LGBT activists in custody on Friday, their lawyers said, in a case that advisors to the UN’s Human Rights Council likened to arbitrary detention. According to RFI, the defendants in the new case — 16 women and five men — were detained in Ho, Ghana’s southern Volta region, for “unlawful assembly.” “The judge hasn’t given a ruling, and has adjourned to give the ruling next week,” Julia Selman Ayetey, one of the group’s attorneys, told RFI. “But the bail has been denied previously, so the prosecution can continue with their investigation.” The gathering, according to the rights group Rightify Ghana, was aimed at strengthening LGBT activists, including providing them with paralegal training to document rights violations.

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

• 6 .10.2021

Attorney Julia Selman Ayetey. Courtesy photo.

“All evidence available to us points to the fact that they were detained while they were peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association,” the UN’s Human Rights Council said in a statement.

The Government of Canada, led by Justin Trudeau, has determined that one month is insufficient for LGBT pride celebrations and that the festivities would be extended to include the whole season. “One month isn’t enough to celebrate Pride in Canada!” declared his Twitterverified “Free to be me” account, according to Breitbart. The “Free to be me” account links to Canada’s LGBTQ2 Secretariat, which has already celebrated an “International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia” in May and is committed to “working across the federal public service to support the integration of LGBTQ2 considerations into the government of Canada’s everyday work.” The LGBTQ2 Secretariat earlier issued

Photo via PxHere.

an official apology to sexual minorities who were “harmed by federal law, policies, and practices that contributed to the oppression of and discrimination against two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in Canada.”

CHECK WEBSITES AND FACEBOOK PAGES FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING IN PERSON ATTENDANCE OF SERVICES AS WELL AS VIRTUAL VIEWING OPTIONS.

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” (Ruth Reichl) We’ll be back together soon! Until then please join us online on our YouTube channel!

Shabbat Service Friday 8pm on our YouTube channel

Congregation Etz Chaim

2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, on the Pride Center campus www.EtzChaimFlorida.org / RSVP HERE: info@etzchaimflorida.org

Church of Our Savior, MCC 2011 s. Federal Hwy., Boynton Beach, FL 561-733-4000 www,churchofoursaviormcc.org

SPIRITUALITY

Until further notice: Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, our worship services are streamed on Facebook Live every Sunday at 10 AM, rather than held at our church property. https://www.facebook.com/ ChurchofOurSaviorMCC. Visit our web site for more details & updates.

Join us for masked, socially distanced in person worship. 11 AM Sundays. Services also LIVE-streamed on Facebook and posted on website for safe at home viewing.

“Love without judgement” Holy Angels National Catholic Church 1436 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors. 33305 Facebook.com/HolyAngelsFL www.HolyAngelsFL.org

954-633-2987

A home for your spirit. Mass Schedule: Sabado 6:00 PM misa en español • Sunday Mass at 11 AM in English • All are welcome!

SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNEWS.COM

LISTINGS CONGREGATION ETZ CHAIM 2038 N. Dixie Hwy (Pride Center Building B), Wilton Manors 954-564-9232 - etzchaimflorida.org RabbiNoahKitty@etzchaimflorida.org Friday Night Shabbat Service 8p.m. HOLY ANGELS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 1436 NE 26th St Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-633-2987 - HolyAngelsFL.net Sunday Mass at 11AM

CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOR, MCC Church of Our Savior, MCC 2011 S. Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach. churchofoursaviormcc.org | 561-733-4000 Sunday Service 10AM TEMPLE BAT YAM 5151 NE 14th Ter Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 954-928-0410 Friday Night & Saturday Morning Streaming Online at templebatyam.org

6 .10 . 20 21 •

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o honor the more than 700,000 lives lost to AIDS during the past four decades, the National AIDS Memorial hosted a virtual ceremony June 5, and invited the public to join them. The ceremony took place at National AIDS Memorial Grove, a park in San Francisco, California. Those who were interested watched from aidsmemorial.org. Leaders from the AIDS movement laid a wreath where the names of thousands of lives lost to AIDS are engraved. Invited dignitaries and special guests such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco Mayor London Breed shared stories of remembrance and activism, surrounded by the beauty of the Grove and the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The Forty Blocks of The Quilt went on display — the largest display of The Quilt in nearly two years. June 5 is also HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day, and marks 40 years since

the first cases of AIDS were reported by the federal government. There were artistic performances as well, including members from the Messengers of Hope Gospel Choir and a spoken word poetry reading. The ceremony concluded with a Reading of Names of loved ones lost to AIDS. The public strolled through the National AIDS Memorial Grove to see the names engraved and left personal tributes on AIDS Quilt signature panels of loved ones lost to AIDS.

CONVICTIONS

EDITORIAL CARTOON By Mike Luckovich

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6 .10 . 20 21 •

LIFESTYLE CELEBRITY

BY ELLIOT RODRIGUEZ

GAY VINE THE

KEEP UP WITH THE CELEBRITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY

FILM

CELEBRITY

ONE OF US!

FIGHT BACK!

ANNA PAQUIN STOMPS OUT TROLLS

KAYLEE BRYANT IS QUEER Actress Kaylee Bryant took to Instagram to announce that she is indeed a member of the LGBT community. The post read: “Hi My name is Kaylee and I’m queer! Happy Pride Month.” The 23-year-old actress got her start as a “zombie slut” in season one of “American Horror Story” according to OUT. Since then she has been a force to be reckoned with, making appearances in the “Santa Clarita Diet,” “The Real O’Neals” and “Legacies.” In another recent Instagram post, the actress and model is working on her singing voice. Could she be practicing for a musical? Maybe she’s trying to add “singer” to her title? For all we know, this young star is still

Kaylee Bryant. Photo via Instagram.

blooming and it seems that the road ahead of her young career is still wide and vast. Way to go Bryant!

Here’s a common occurrence — trolling! It seems like trolls are everywhere on the internet, which is pretty much true. It can be easy for them to get under someone’s skin, but what happens when a celebrity has had enough of their foolishness? Anna Paquin can answer that question for you, since she has been at the center of all the trolling nonsense. Paquin decides to fight back and speak her mind to online trolls that criticize her bisexuality. In a recent Instagram post, Paquin decided to speak up and give her trolls a piece of her mind. She wrote, “Hey! FYI (for those unaware) June LGBTQIA+ pride month. So the folks who put their bigotry on display in the comment sections of my recent posts, why

Anna Paquin. Photo via Twitter.

don’t you hit that unfollow button right now,” followed by her caption for the post which read, “... and go fuck yourselves.”

MUSIC

LOVELY!

HAYLEY KIYOKO DROPS NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR ‘CHANCE’ When it comes to Hayley Kiyoko, you know whatever she makes is going to be a bop. She seemed to go all out on her new music video however for Pride Month. Kiyoko dropped a new music video for her track “Chance,” embodies the vibe and style for her nickname “Lesbian Jesus.” The YouTube video shows Kiyoko and actress Alexandra Shipp out on a ranch. It starts with Kiyoko helping out the girl who dropped some Granny Smithlooking apples on the ground, and the rest was history. After that, the two embody the essence of a strong lesbian couple and the rest of the video shows the two having a great time with one another on the ranch. Kiyoko said in an interview with Buzzfeed, “I was thinking about how I had all these opportunities with

• 6 .10.2021

women, and how I just never took a chance on myself … Complaining and being upset that I didn’t have a chance with these women and I didn’t even take a chance on myself. I didn’t even believe in myself, that I was worthy or that I had something to offer. So that’s what inspired this song.” Kiyoko and her team for the music video were all women! She told Buzzfeed, Kiyoko was amazed by the “female energy on set.” Kiyoko described the making of “Chance” as a “family trying to make it happen,” and that’s what it felt like indeed. As if Kiyoko was looking and speaking to the viewer and encompassing them with her words. Catch Kiyoko’s new music video for “Chance’’ on YouTube and it can also be streamed on all major platforms.

“Chance.” Image via YouTube.

Free COVID-19 vaccinations (Pfizer) are available at DOH-Broward locations for individuals 12 and over. No appointment necessary and no insurance required! Please visit GetVaccinated.Broward.org for locations and hours of operation.

6 .10 . 20 21 •

ARRESTED? CROSS MY ART LIFESTYLE SHOP WITH PRIDE

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MONEY ISSUE

Kendall Little

lannah Moody, much like other lockdown participants, picked up a new hobby during the pandemic: cross stitching. Unlike others, she decided to make a business out of it. Moody began her business, Cross My Art, in May and is planning a product launch for this month. “I’m starting out by doing cross stitch designs, framed in embroidery hoops! I’m working on custom work at the moment, and setting up for my first collection release in June, which is very exciting,” she said. Moody creates custom, colorful designs in embroidery hoops made to be displayed as decoration. Ordering a custom hoop is made easy through the business page’s open DMs. “Each month I’ll hopefully release a collection of limited-edition pieces around a particular theme. My first one is going to be [called] ‘PRIDE’ to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June, which I’m buzzing to share,” she said. Moody doesn’t want to end the LGBT representation after June though. “Obviously I’m gay myself, so pride will always be very important to me, and will continue to feature beyond just this collection,” she said. Her business is more than a display of her art. Moody just finished her bachelor’s degree in English and will begin her master’s degree in a few months. For Moody, Cross My Art is a way to be financially stable too. “[I love] how well it fits my life, and will continue to work alongside

Alannah Moody showcasing her art. Photo via Instagram.

my university study. My mental health struggles mean that working a typical student job is difficult for me, especially in a pandemic, so being able to work for myself and prioritize selfcare, while also sharing my artwork with others, makes it a perfect fit for me at the moment,” Moody shared. Though she has just begun, Moody is excited for where her small business journey will take her. “[My goals are] to get my business firmly up and running, and keep producing collections I’m proud of,” she said.

To support this LGBT-owned small business, visit the CrossMyArtUK Etsy shop or check out Moody’s Instagram page @crossmyartuk.

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• 6 .10.2021

Got the itch to shop for more? Visit SFGN.com/ShopWithPride.

THE

GAZETTE VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 12 JUNE 10, 2021

FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WMGAZETTE COMMUNITY

WILTON MANORS

Republished from the Sun Sentinel, a media partner of SFGN.

Has Hamburger Mary’s Come Back To

Haunt Rosie’s Bar & Grill? By Phillip Valys Sun Sentinel

For John Zieba, co-owner of Rosie’s Bar & Grill in Wilton Manors, the result, lately, has been an amusing revival of old rumors, bitter breakups and an oddly persistent local urban legend. “I’ve literally walked up to people having conversations about us being sued by the franchise and losing our name, and I have to giggle, because they explain what happened with such conviction,” Zieba says. “And none of it’s true.” Here’s what is true: Hamburger Mary’s, a San Francisco-born franchise with 18 locations, will debut in June inside the former Rumors Bar & Grill at 2426 Wilton Drive, and will be operated by California-based partners Dale Warner and Ruben Lopez. It will feature over-the-top hamburgers, salads, flatbread pizzas and nightly drag performances. It’s a one-minute walk across the street to Rosie’s, which began its life as a Hamburger Mary’s in 2002 before dropping its franchise deal and rebranding after a mutual breakup in 2006. Lately the rumor mill has flared up on public Facebook community groups like “What’s Happening on the Drive Wilton Manors,” full of these comments: “Rosie’s ripped off Hamburger Mary’s and Hamburger Mary’s sued so they had to change the name to Rosie’s.” And “Rosie’s ripped off Mary’s menu and style cause THEY didn’t want to pay the franchise fee price.” And, best of all: “This is gonna be one big cat fight!” In reality, Rosie’s split from Hamburger Mary’s and changed the menu to avoid $15,000 in monthly franchisee fees, Zieba

says. Another reason Rosie’s left: The franchise wanted the restaurant to install expensive pizza ovens because flatbreads were trendy in the mid-2000s. “I can’t believe we’re still talking about this 15 years later but you just have to brush it off,” Zieba says. “It’s not a competition, and we don’t have to make ordering burgers a tribal experience. It’s like what George from Georgie’s Alibi told me when we first opened: ‘Any business that you bring to the Drive is good business.’ “ “The fact that Hamburger Mary’s is moving across the street shows that, despite this pandemic, good restaurants are still coming to the Drive,” says Resnick, who has eaten at Rosie’s and its predecessor. Hamburger Mary’s menu, still being finalized, features 17 gourmet burgers with cheeky names such as “Buffy the Hamburger Slayer,” stuffed with garlic, Swiss cheese, Caesar dressing and doused in red wine; and the “Barbara-Q Bacon Burger” topped with bacon, Jack and cheddar cheese, crispy onions and western barbecue sauce. Customers can also build their own hamburgers with choice of patty (American Wagyu, ostrich, buffalo, ground chuck or Angus beef blend), or go leaner with salmon, chicken breast, quinoa, black bean-and-veggie and Beyond meat. All hamburgers come with choice of French fries, coleslaw and garden rice, and premium sides include onion rings, tater tots and steak-cut fries. The restaurant’s appetizer menu, also massive, includes mac ‘n’ cheese balls and

Hamburger Mary looms in the background of one of their signature burgers. Photo via Hamburger Mary’s Chicago, Facebook.

jalapeno poppers, chicken tenders, Asian potstickers and “Macho Mary Nachos” topped with steak chili or two-bean vegan chili. There are even non-burger entrees, such as Mary’s Fish & Chips with beer-battered cod, chicken and beef fajitas and seven flatbread pizzas ranging from tomato and basil to Hawaiianstyle. Along with beer, wine and champagne,

www.WMGAZETTE.com

Hamburger Mary’s cocktail menu includes Mary’s Glamorous Manhattan (whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, cherry) and Orange Creamsicle (orange vodka, candied oranges, whipped cream, Sprite). Which may, of course, compete with Rosie’s popular Sunday brunch. So does this mean we’re in store for another “big cat fight”?

6 .10 . 20 21 •

OPINION

WILTON MANORS

Parks and Rec

Kiwanis Club property might be the ‘deal of the century’ but it’s not a good deal for Wilton Manors

2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305

Webmaster • Kimberly Swan webmaster@sfgn.com

Editorial

Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com Oakland Park Editor • Christiana Lilly Wilton Manors Editor • John McDonald

Correspondents

Christiana Lilly• Sal Torre • James Oaksun

Staff Photographers

J.R. Davis • Carina Mask • Steven Shires

Sales & Marketing For ad placement in the Wilton Manors Gazette, contact 954-530-4970

Photo via the Wilton Manors Kiwanis chapter, Facebook.

bar is located, and get paid a sum of $350,000. Now granted, the $350,000 is so they could carry on with the philanthropic endeavors that are the foundation of Kiwanis International, however, not sure if all the taxpayers of Wilton Manors are looking to endow the interest of the Kiwanis Club. Another troubling part of this story is how certain Eastsiders are supporting this deal as a means to have their own community center and additional park space while over the years these same individuals have fought tooth and nail against any development for the long vacant church property off of NE 26th Street and the extension of the TOC-East. Having prevented any development and denying a much needed and continued tax revenue source year after year, these individuals now want to increase the financial burden to our city’s budget year after year with the acquisition of additional recreational facilities that the city does not need. Our city recently made a large investment in the expansion for Colohatchee Park. We still haven’t figured out how to repay the loan taken out from the Water and Sewer Fund to purchase land for the expansion at a cost of 1.3 million dollars. Add to that the cost for renovations and upkeep, one can begin to see the high cost of such park expansion

plans. The city’s current necessity to carry out significant infrastructure improvements, to maintain existing public facilities, the cost of police and public safety and many more urgent budget demands offer many reasons why this might not be the best time to make a deal on the Kiwanis Club. Over the past ten 10 we have heard over and over that we must take advantage of purchasing additional park space due to the expected growth in population. Well over the past 10 years that population growth never materialized. We hear the same arguments today, but with recent actions to prevent any serious new development in our city, we are not going to see the growth in numbers to where we will need to make additional purchases of park land. Thanks to Commissioner Mike Bracchi and Vice Mayor Paul Rolli for acknowledging this reality in comments concerning the donation of a small parcel of land from Broward County known as Site 92. This free parcel of land, if the city agrees to take ownership from the county, along with the recent land purchases for Colohatchee will offer more than enough park land to cover future population growth estimates for our city. Expanding and stretching our limited resources will only weaken our wonderful parks and recreation facilities. Let us maintain and improve what we already have, so that residents can enjoy first class facilities. Walking away from the “deal of the century” might be Leisure Services best option to maintain existing facilities for all to enjoy and to keep life just better here….

www.WMGAZETTE.com • 6 .10.2021

June 10, 2021 • Volume 8 • Issue 12

Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com

Expanding and stretching our limited resources will only weaken our wonderful parks and recreation facilities.

GAZETTE Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

By Sal Torre This week’s city commission meeting on Tuesday night had a few surprises for us Island City political junkies. Leisure Services was front and center with the appointments of new members to the Recreation Advisory Board and with discussion on the possible acquisition of the Kiwanis Club property as a park facility. The large number of applicants seeking appointment to the Recreation Advisory Board demonstrates residents’ interest to serve our city and community. The Island City is very fortunate to have such vibrant interest amongst our citizenry who look to volunteer, serve on city boards, and seek to be active members in our community. Bravo to all who continually step up and look to serve, not just this week for the Recreation Advisory Board, but for all boards and committees as well as neighborhood associations and non-profits throughout our city. In the past, long serving board members were pretty much a sure bet on reappointment when their terms were up. Not the case these days, as commissioners bypassed long serving members seeking re-appointment with some bright new energetic faces. This influx of new members to our advisory boards is a good thing for our city. Any organization must adapt to change, bring in new membership and be flexible if they are to continue with their mission and their existence. Perhaps the few remaining members of our local chapter of Kiwanis should take a lesson from our city commission. Unfortunately, internal division caused many active members to leave in recent years, leaving behind those unwilling to broaden membership, embrace the diversity of the surrounding community, and to accept new ideas and new leadership. Now faced with dire circumstances, the organization is seeking to play “Let’s Make A Deal” with our city. In a recent letter to our mayor, the Kiwanians laid forth a plan that would turn over the parcel of land known as the Kiwanis Club to the city, but with stipulations that would allow them continued use of the club for their meetings, keep possession of one of the outbuildings which I believe is where the

THE

2 •

JUNE 10, 2021

Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@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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Out Of The Closet’s Wilton Manors location, located on The Drive right next to City Hall. Photo credit: Carina Mask.

ON THE MENU

A CHAT WITH BRAVO PERUVIAN CUISINE’S OWNER Since 2008, Bravo Peruvian Cuisine at 2925 NE 6th Ave has been gracing Wilton Manors with its flavors, adding another unique menu to the local collection of restaurants. Co-founder Vanesa Oliva said Peruvian cooking has a mix of influences, including those from China, Italy and Africa, and has found popularity in Wilton Manors. “I know a lot of the same faces because they are very regular,” she said. “We have a lot of regulars, same as new clientele.”

THE

ISLANDER A WILTON MANORS NEWSLETTER

Oliva said the restaurant’s best seller is a dish called Lomo Saltado, pictured above – steak, onions and tomatoes with wine and soy sauce on top of french fries. Oliva said she also credits her husband and co-founder Dennis “Beto” Quiroz for the restaurant’s success. She said her experience as a server and her husband’s knowledge of cooking has led to a flourishing business. “With that combination – he in the kitchen and me on the floor – thank God, we made it,” she said. For more information visit Bravo Peruvian Cuisine’s website.

By Avraham Forrest

A string quartet played in the first summer concert, performing works from Ludwig van Beethoven and Antonín Leopold Dvoŕák,

Ginger’s Bar and Restaurant is hosting its weekly open mic from 7:30-11 p.m. Check it out!

SATURDAY Produce, baked goods, handmade items and jewelry are waiting for you at the Las Olas Oceanside Park Market from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at 3000 E. Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

SUNDAY SUN: Live music and Sunday brunch at La Mexicana Taco Bar! For more on fantastic tunes and bottomless mimosas, check out the event here.

MON: Celebrity server Terry Dyer will work at Bona Italian for Sunserve’s Give Back Monday from 4:30-9 p.m. Ten percent of all dine-in and takeout dinners will be donated to Sunserve.

THE MAESTRA ON THE 2021 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

“I felt like I was experiencing on another level, because it just felt so good, and it felt so live,” Alfonso said.

THURSDAY

MONDAY

MUSIC TO OUR EARS The South Florida Symphony Orchestra, headquartered in Wilton Manors, kicked off its summer concert series on May 21, and with the second of three events set for later this month. Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso, who founded the Orchestra in 1997, said she felt the energy while in the audience of the May concert.

CALENDAR

according to the SFSO website. The next program will have performances on June 17 and 24 with music from Franz Schubert, Francis Poulenc and John Gottsch, the symphony’s Composer-in-Residence.

ON THE HORIZON Friday, June 18: Congregation Etz Chaim will celebrate Pride Shabbat in-person at 8 p.m. at 2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors.

Alfonso encouraged people to mask and vaccinate and remained optimistic about the revival of live music in South Florida.

Saturday, June 19: Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival.

“I think that’s what this summer is about, reminding people the joy of being together and hearing this fabulous music with these top notch musicians,” she said. For more information, dates and ticket prices, visit southfloridasymphony.org.

Tell us about upcoming events we should know about!

Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso. Photo by Steven Shires.

THE NEWSLETTER YOU NEED NEED. WILTON MANORS NEWS... RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. From events to local announcements, fun facts and so much more, the Islander is everything you need to wake up ready for a beautiful day in the Island City.

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6 .10 . 20 21 •

NEWS

WILTON MANORS

Broward County Asks Cities To

Join Trash Compact By John McDonald It’s a dirty assignment, but somebody has Mayersohn said. “I do recognize that there is some difficulty regarding the state. The fear to do it. That somebody is Broward County is the state could come in at any time and Commissioner Beam Furr, who has been amend the parameters.” A dependent special district is also an visiting municipal chambers in an effort to option that the county could fund with an unite cities in taking out the trash. Furr gave the county’s solid waste ad valorem tax. Mayersohn said he is leaning presentation via Zoom to the Wilton Manors towards this option because of its flexibility. “My mind is still open,” he said. Commission May 25. Furr’s goal is to bring Ultimately it comes down enough cities together to to trust and recognizing a create a local agency to growing problem. Broward manage garbage disposal. produced nearly four million “No matter which way tons of solid waste in 2019, you look at it, the county up from 425,000 tons in 2013 and all the cities are gonna while seeing a big drop in have to find some way to recycling rates. finance it so we can take care “The recycling rate of the garbage,” said Furr, plummeted and the landfill who represents District 6 rate skyrocketed because on the county commission not everybody is taking which includes the cities of garbage to the incinerator Hollywood, Hallandale Beach anymore. One incinerator and Pembroke Pines. “We’re was dismantled because there trying to bring more and was not enough garbage to more cities into this because make it feasible,” Furr said. it gives us better leverage and While Broward was negotiating with whoever dismantling its incinerator, we’re dealing with.” Palm Beach was building The county ensures all a new one. Furr called the cities have a place to take switch a “hard lesson to processable waste, a different learn.” Palm Beach, with more service from hauling where - Beam Furr unincorporated land, has companies contract with developed a 45% recycling cities for curb-side pick-up. BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER rate, compared to 31% for The dilemma is a looming Broward. expiration date on a contract Furr said Broward is aiming with Wheelabrator. Wilton Manors is one of 13 cities in the contract for a 75% recycling rate with an emphasis on with Wheelabrator which expires January 15, repurposing materials such as glass, plastic and metals. 2022. “We’re looking to do a robust recycling A working group was formed to come up with solutions. The group’s main focus, said program,” Furr said. Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton said Parkland Vice Mayor Bob Mayersohn, is to determine “what type of governance model the city once took pride in its high recycling we want solid waste to be in the county.” rate but when word got out all the materials Mayersohn is leading small cities in this were simply being dumped in a landfill it left effort and he joined Furr remotely for the “a bad taste in the city’s mouth.” Commissioner Gary Resnick, who once presentation. “I support the ILA [Interlocal Agreement],” presided over the Broward League of Cities,

“THE RECYCLING RATE PLUMMETED AND THE LANDFILL RATE SKYROCKETED BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY IS TAKING GARBAGE TO THE INCINERATOR ANYMORE.”

Photo via Waste Management - Fort Lauderdale Sun Recycling, Facebook.

recalled some of the messy history with managing waste. “I was around when the resource recovery board was falling apart so I still have sort of the battle scars from that,” Resnick said. “There really was a lot of lack of trust. A lot will depend on getting a lot of the larger cities to join in if we do an ILA.” Whatever district is formed, the county has voted to fund half of it with each city getting its share based on population. “Trust is the absolute key,” Furr said. “We have to understand everything way upfront. There’s not a lot of historical examples of big ILAs in the state.” When the last ILA dissolved in 2013, the garbage business became like the wild west, Furr said. “The county back then controlled everything unilaterally,” Resnick said. “When the [Resource Recovery Board] dissolved there were millions and millions of dollars unaccounted for and by the way we’re still

www.WMGAZETTE.com 24

• 6 .10.2021

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JUNE 10, 2021

waiting for that audit and I’m not kidding about it.” Furr said a waste generation study is needed at an estimated cost of $1 million which would also require an amendment to the memorandum of understanding between the county and cities. Using Palm Beach as an example, the annual single family residential rate is $175. “To get some of these big cities that were really hurt back then to join in is going to be a lot of work,” Resnick said. “Wilton Manors will have to follow along with what other cities decide to do. If big cities don’t join in it’s not going to succeed.” Furr said the county is moving slowly and methodically to earn back trust. In making his pitch to Lauderhill on Haitian Flag Day, Furr said he was struck by the Haitian proverb, Men Anpil Chay Pa Lou. “It translates into ‘Many Hands Make a Light Load’ and it really speaks to this if more cities are involved the assessments are reduced,” he said.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

WILTON MANORS

NEWS

WILTON MANORS

Expect Big Things from Parks & Recreation in Wilton Manors! As we emerge from COVID-19, our Wilton Manors parks and recreational services are beginning to thrive once again. Our small city has a lot to offer from tennis and pickleball courts, spaces for your kids and dogs to play, nature-oriented activities like bird watching or kayaking, and so much more. Our city is blessed to have an incredibly talented parks and rec staff as well as an advisory board made up of residents who are passionate about our community. Those residents serving on our Parks & Recreation Advisory Board play an integral role in creating and supporting the services we offer. At the June 8 city commission meeting, we appointed five residents to serve new terms on the advisory board. As a result of our increased emphasis and outreach efforts to attract a more diversity to our city boards, there were 12 extremely qualified applicants representing a diverse range of professional and personal backgrounds. If their applications and interviews were any indication, any of the 12 applicants would have been an asset to the board and our city. With so many well-qualified, diverse applicants, it took several rounds of voting to identify the top five appointees. I’d hope you’ll join me in congratulating the following newly appointed board members: • DION WESTERMAN • JANET YUEN • JOSÉ CEDENO • LISA THEISEN • PATRICK HARRIS

Photo via the City of Wilton Manors, Facebook.

Wilton Manors Remodels Parks & Recreation Board and benefits associated with park assets are tremendously complex, and we’ve collectively agreed to do it holistically rather than making decisions in a silo. Money spent on acquiring new property might arguably be better spent upgrading our existing parks or providing additional programs for seniors and kids! Our city commission has made improving quality of life for our residents a priority, and recreational programs and park upgrades are likely to play a role in that. Budget cuts have put the creation of an (expensive) Parks Master Plan out of reach. Instead, we’ll focus on continuing to gather input and ideas from residents about what’s most important to them in order to craft a plan with short- and long-term goals. I am confident our newly appointed board members will be instrumental throughout the process. I hope you’ll be a part of the conversation by sharing your ideas with our Parks & Rec Board as well as your city commissioners. You can email me directly at ccaputo@ wiltonmanors.com, I’d love to hear from you!

With so many well-qualified, diverse applicants, it took several rounds of voting to identify the top five appointees.

If the rest of the commission meeting was any indication, our Parks & Rec Advisory Board members will have plenty of opportunity to provide input and share their ideas. The commission had a healthy debate about potentially taking over the Kiwanis Club location in East Wilton Manors, acquiring the county-owned park land behind Wilton Towers along the water, and whether the recent land addition to Colohatchee Park was the highest and best use of our city’s limited budget. Evaluating the potential cost

— Chris Caputo

WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSIONER

New board better reflects city’s diversity By John McDonald

Wilton Manors Commissioners appointed five members to the city’s Parks & Recreation Advisory Board on Tuesday night. José Cedeno, Patrick Harris, Lisa Theisen, Dion Westerman and Janet Yuen were selected by commissioners to serve on the volunteer board. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board makes recommendations on the acquisition, development and maintenance of parks, parkways and playgrounds. Wilton Manors has six parks, five pocket parks, a boat ramp, boat launch and the waterways of the Middle River in its parks’ inventory. Commissioner Chris Caputo said the new board reflects the city’s vibrant diversity. “Each member brings unique value to the board,” said Caputo. “The important thing now is to identify needs and evaluate what to do with our parks.” Yuen and Westerman received the most votes by the commission. Westerman, a senior probation officer with the Florida Department of Corrections, said he wanted to join the board to develop programs such as sports leagues and summer camps to deter young offenders from further engaging in criminal activity. Yuen brings an array of event management and communications experience having

developed strategies and programs for the Humane Society of Broward County, Lupus Foundation of America and National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “My agenda is to meet new people and engage them to participate in our local parks and facilities,” said Yuen, who has lived in the city for three years. “Diversity enhances brainstorming and encourages representation of all voices. It’s healthy to bring different viewpoints together — working towards a common goal.” Board members are appointed to two-year terms. There are seven board members with a staff liaison. The city received 12 applicants for five positions. John Fiore, former mayor and chair of the board, was not re-appointed. Fiore had served on the board since 2004. “Having that many very good, qualified people was great for the city,” said Mayor Scott Newton. “It just shows the love and care for this city.” Vice Mayor Paul Rolli added, “I am pleased to welcome all new members to city boards. These individuals bring a variety of perspectives that will assist the city to move forward in a comprehensive and inclusive direction. These appointments are yet another part of the winds of change.”

www.WMGAZETTE.com 5 •

JUNE 10, 2021

6 .10 . 20 21 •

REMEMBERING PULSE |

FIVE YEARS LATER

THE PULSE OF OUR LIVES Five years later, a community still mourns Steve Rothaus Special to SFGN

n moments, the Pulse gay nightclub shooting in Orlando five years ago extinguished the lives of 49 young people, wounded 68 others and altered the destinies of many impacted by the early morning massacre. An estimated 320 people, most Hispanic, were still at Pulse for its popular Saturday Latin Night when about 2 a.m. Sunday, June 12, 2016, a shooter from Port St. Lucie came in firing a Sig Sauer MCX rifle and a Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol. “It took that man less than five minutes to kill all of them,” said Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan, a lesbian who has served the city since 2000. “That man had a weapon of war that did not belong in a nightclub – or on our city streets.” After the rampage, police went into the nightclub, found Omar Mateen and fatally shot him eight times during a gun battle. By 8 a.m., Sheehan was with law enforcement on Orange Avenue outside the Pulse crime scene. “It was very difficult to make identifications. Unfortunately, many of them were undocumented,” she said. “And the gunman shot many of them in the face to make it harder to identify them.” Many of the undocumented survivors feared what would happen if authorities found them, Sheehan said. “There was this young man who came to me,” Sheehan said. “He said that his friend had been shot, that he was in his apartment. I said, ‘Why is he in your apartment? You need to take him to the hospital.” He said his friend is undocumented. I said, ‘Promise me you are going to take him to the hospital. Immigration is not going to take him.’” Even before Sheehan arrived on the scene, Terry DeCarlo of the local LGBT community center “was there on the street at 6 a.m.,” she said. DeCarlo and his husband, Bill Huelsman, both longtime LGBT activists in South Florida, moved to Orlando in 2014 when Terry became executive director of The Center (now known

Photo via the onePULSE Foundation, Facebook.

• 6 .10.2021

as The LGBT+ Center Orlando). Less than two years later, DeCarlo and Huelsman had planned to move back to the Fort Lauderdale area after Terry accepted a position with AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Then Pulse. In the hours, days and weeks after the massacre, DeCarlo became the international face and voice of Orlando’s devastated LGBT community. “Those first 12 hours were so completely unorganized, we just had people there, standing in the hot sun just hugging each other,” Huelsman recalls. “Terry and I stayed there almost three days. We made a run back to the center for the press conference. He gave close to 200 interviews in those first days. I had two legal pads and a pen. I had his cellphone and my cellphone. Everybody just wanted to freakin’ talk to him.” The afternoon of the shooting, gay men in Orlando and across Florida volunteered to donate blood for the victims. Bloodmobiles were dispatched to LGBT centers and vigils across the state. Then came the shocking realization that decades earlier – during the early days of the AIDS crisis – the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had imposed lifetime bans on blood donations by men who had sex with other men. “People were freaked out about it,” Huelsman said. “The line was down the block and around the corner. Hundreds and hundreds of people were on line. We saw a couple who drove down from Georgia to give blood. It was what they could do to help. … People were trying to help their community and were told they couldn’t.” Six months after Pulse, the FDA relaxed its lifetime ban on gay men donating blood – just barely. Beginning December 2016, gay men could donate if they hadn’t had sex with

REMEMBERING PULSE | another man for 12 months. In April 2020 – development director of HIV-service center during the height of the COVID-19 crisis – the Broward House, returned to Wilton Manors in FDA relaxed the policy again, now allowing 2018. Terry then became a manager in Broward blood donations from gay men if they have County’s government communications not had sex with other men in the past 90 department. days. On June 12, 2019, he posted on Facebook: “Our own community can’t donate the “Please hold your loved ones a little blood that it desperately needs. That’s so closer today as we commemorate the 3rd archaic. It’s 1980s thinking,” said Robert Boo, anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre a longtime friend and colleague of DeCarlo, and remember the 49 lives that were taken who is chief executive officer of the Pride from us that morning.” Center at Equality Park in Wilton Manors. Weeks after that post, doctors discovered CenterLink, the Fort Lauderdale-based DeCarlo had a fast-growing cancerous tumor “Community of LGBT Centers,” is currently in the roof of his mouth. He underwent major participating in an FDA-funded study with surgery and endured chemotherapy and OneBlood (along with other national blood radiation. centers Vitalant and American Red Cross), Throughout the fall and early winter, he in the hope of completely continued to attend South eliminating the gay ban, Boo Florida LGBT events, wearing said. face masks and, sometimes, DeCarlo’s personal and glittery eye patches. work lives intersected so DeCarlo died January 27, greatly after Pulse, he and 2020, of face and head cancer. Huelsman decided to pass The New York Times deemed on the AIDS Healthcare his death so significant, it Foundation job and stay in published a full obituary: Orlando. “Terry DeCarlo, Gay Leader in “If it hadn’t been for The the Wake of a Shooting, Dies Center being open – and the at 57.” efforts of Terry – there would “After he passed away, I have been a lot more trauma, got thousands and thousands a lot more suicides,” Sheehan of messages from around the said. world,” said Huelsman, his DeCarlo helped hundreds husband of 22 years. “They of parents and other relatives were all singing his praises, find help to work through their saying they don’t know overwhelming grief, she said. what they would have done After the shooting, former without him. From Australia, President Barack Obama from China. From people who described The Center as passed through Orlando and “Ground Zero for community had met him. healing.” “He had no regrets. That - Patty Sheehan “Terry ended up leaving the last day, when I was lying ORLANDO COMMISSIONER center. It was too much. He in bed with him, I said, needed to go somewhere else, ‘Remember all you have done. because it was completely overwhelming,” I can take care of myself. Always remember Sheehan said. “He had a heart attack. He was what you did for everyone else.’” really working his ass off and people were For more than a year – until a gunman on trying to nitpick what he was doing. That man October 1, 2017, killed 60 people and wounded was an absolute hero.” 411 in Las Vegas – the Pulse nightclub tragedy Huelsman said his husband had no regrets was our nation’s worst mass shooting in about leaving Central Florida. history. “He was very proud of himself, as he “Pulse was not just the deadliest attack on should have been,” Huelsman said. “We LGBT people, but the deadliest attack [at the moved back. The decision was we had to get time] on U.S. soil since 9/11,” said Brandon out of Orlando. We lived it every day, mental- Wolf, who escaped the packed nightclub health wise. Even two years after, it was with dozens of others, but lost two of his something that was constant. He was dealing best friends, Christopher Andrew “Drew” with survivors and the families that came in. Leinonen and Juan Ramon Guerrero, in the It really took a toll on us. Not that we didn’t shooting rampage. love everyone there, but there was a time “Drew was the first person who taught when you just had to move on.” me to love myself,” said Wolf, 32. “He was a Huelsman and DeCarlo, a onetime mental-health professional. He had a master’s

“IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR THE CENTER BEING OPEN – AND THE EFFORTS OF TERRY – THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE TRAUMA, A LOT MORE SUICIDES.”

FIVE YEARS LATER

degree in clinical psychology. He was an intellectual. He was politically fiery. He was a nerd. And he was genuinely the most loving and caring person I ever met.” At the time of his death, Leinonen, 32, worked with outpatients for a health services company. Guerrero, his 22-year-old boyfriend, was “goofy” and “had a giggle that was unmistakable,” Wolf said. “What was fascinating about Juan was how similar his energy was to Drew,” he said. “We were the three musketeers. We were out every week, somewhere. We traveled a lot together. We went on road trips, frequently.” Leinonen and Wolf lived two doors from each other in the same apartment complex. “That was one of the hardest parts about living there. Walking past his door, waiting for the day when he would be peeking out the window again. It’s very real and raw still. Those are the parts the world doesn’t see. The crying. The messy parts. The painful parts.” The night of the shooting, Wolf worked as Starbucks store manager in Orlando. Soon after, the coffee company promoted him to district manager for Tallahassee and Panama City. He left a few years later to fulfill a promise he made to his late friend Leinonen. “About six days after the shooting, we had a funeral service for him. His mother asked

me to be a pallbearer. And I struggled to push the casket down the aisle because I didn’t want to let go of Drew before I found the right words to say goodbye. “We got to the front of the church and I looked down at the box. I told him I would never stop fighting for a world that he would be proud of. For a world that never forgets him,” Wolf said. “So as hard as some days are, I have to do this work in this way to make good on that promise.” Leinonen in 2002 started the first gaystraight alliance at Seminole High School on Florida’s Gulf Coast. To honor him, Wolf and other friends co-founded The Dru Project, which seeks to empower LGBT youth and prepare them to be successful leaders. “To date, we have given away over $75,000 in college scholarships, $15,000 in minigrants for gay-straight alliances and out-ofwork drag entertainers, and published one of the most comprehensive GSA guides in the country, which will be translated to Spanish over the coming months,” according to the nonprofit’s website. Wolf – now a national gun safety advocate and Equality Florida’s media relations manager – refuses to define himself as a victim. “No. I call myself a survivor – in all the ways that that means.”

Journalist Steve Rothaus covered LGBT issues for 22 years at the Miami Herald.

Terry DeCarlo, the late executive director of The Center during the crisis. Photo via onePULSE Foundation, Facebook.

6 .10 . 20 21 •

REMEMBERING PULSE |

FIVE YEARS LATER

ONEPULSE REVEALS SOPHOMORE CLASS OF SCHOLARS Damon Scott

he second class of recipients of onePULSE Foundation’s scholarship program was announced May 18.

The legacy scholarships honor the 49 lives that were taken in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando on June 12, 2016. More than $236,000 in scholarships was awarded in all. The program provides academic opportunities to those who “embody love, hope, unity, courage and unconditional acceptance.” The scholarships are to be used during the 2021-2022 academic year. The nonprofit onePULSE Foundation was established after the shooting to help preserve the legacy of those who were killed through its education programs and the establishment of both a memorial and a museum. Officials said they worked with the families and loved ones of those “AS AN EXTENSION who were killed to establish the scholarships based OF THEIR IMPACT on the respective victims’ ON OUR WORLD, interests, careers or aspirations — called an THE SCHOLARSHIPS “Angel” designation. WILL INSPIRE “As an extension of their impact on our world, the AND EMPOWER Photo via the onePULSE Foundation, Facebook. scholarships will inspire STUDENTS WHO and empower students A committee of 17 involvement and/or work experience. who share similar dreams, SHARE SIMILAR community members More than 150 completed applications ambitions and goals,” a DREAMS, scored three phases of a were received, and the second class statement read. review process and made represents incoming freshmen majoring Preference was given AMBITIONS AND the final selections. The in aerospace engineering, business, to applicants who are GOALS.” committee did not know communications, clinical mental health immediate family members names of the applicants counseling, international relations and of the 49 victims, as well - Statement from the until the final interview the performing arts. Some recipients as all of the survivors of onePULSE Foundation stage. Officials said many are involved in nursing, beauty and the tragedy. Five family factors were considered cosmetology schools, or are pursuing members, two survivors, when assessing applicants, advanced degrees in medicine and law. 10 legacy scholars from Scholarship awards are up to $10,000 the inaugural class, five trade and including their personal story, financial technical students, 32 undergraduates need or independence, strong academic for use at an accredited institution of higher and 12 graduate students were awarded or self-improvement interest, and proven learning, including career and technical track record of leadership, community schools. scholarships, officials said.

THE SECOND CLASS OF RECIPIENTS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE ANGEL DESIGNATION ARE AS FOLLOWS: •Luis Moros – Akyra Monet Murray Sabrina Jean-Charles – Alejandro Barrios Martinez Kathryn Thurston – Amanda L. Alvear Victoria Humphrey – Angel Candelario-Padro Solomon Brooks – “Angel of Acceptance” Megan Leinenbach – “Angel of Hope” Brandi Milliner – “Angel of Strength” Victoria Edwards – “Angel of Unity” Elijah Vives – Anthony Luis Laureano Disla Laura Katz – Antonio “Tony” Brown Brooklyn McCool – Brenda Marquez McCool Sage Croft – Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz Tiffany Woods – Cory James Connell Jonathan Beltran Torres – Darryl Roman Burt II Shepherd Drayton – Deonka “Dee Dee” Drayton Sarah Clein – Eddie Jamal Droy Justice Hattie Bellino – Eddie Sotomayor, Jr. Georgia Bernbaum – Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera Meera Kochhar – Frank Hernandez Yahaira Rivera – Franky Jimmy DeJesus Velázquez Caidin Smith – Gerardo A. Ortiz Jimenez Kate Aldinger – Gilberto R. Silva Menendez Myreanna Bebe – Jason Benjamin Josaphat Cody Donaldson – Javier Jorge Reyes Rosamaria Febo – Jean C. Mendez Perez Quran Howard – Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez Elyana Hutson – Jerry Wright Edwin Miguel Rodriguez – Joel Rayon Paniagua Amelia Leon – Jonathan A. Camuy Vega Alexia Drayton – Juan Chavez Martinez Jon Atchison – Juan Pablo Rivera Velázquez Jack Cocchiarella – Juan Ramon Guerrero Julia Jamieson – Kimberly Jean Morris Adon Cox – Leroy Valentin Fernandez Logan Alvarez – Luis D. Conde Alejandra Espinel – Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon Jay Jones – Luis Omar Ocasio Capo Kimberly Vielma – Luis Sergio Vielma Fabiana Diez-Cianferoni – Martin Benitez Torres Valentina Diaz – Mercedez Marisol Flores Gwendolyn Smith – Miguel Angel Honorato Elizabeth Tichenor – Oscar A. Aracena Montero Samuel Vilchez Santiago – Paul Terrell Henry Nader Tabsh – Rodolfo Ayala Ayala Alex Allen – Shane Evan Tomlinson Eriyan Barrett – Stanley Almodovar III Thuy-ThuongNguyen – Tevin Eugene Crosby Reagan Nehring – Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado Carter Ford – Yilmary Rodríguez Solivan

More information is available at onepulsefoundation.org/scholarships. 28

• 6 .10.2021

REMEMBERING PULSE |

FIVE YEARS LATER

BRANDON WOLF SEES SILVER LINING IN FLORIDA POLITICS Pulse survivor, activist writes first book Damon Scott

or many progressives, Democrats and much of the LGBT community in Florida, the recently completed 2021 legislative session in Tallahassee was a hard pill to swallow.

Brandon Wolf, who follows politics for Equality Florida (EQFL), said it was the first time he felt really dialed in to the session. “It was an adventure,” he said. “I picked a good one.” He wasn’t giving lawmakers a good review. Wolf noted the slew of legal challenges in work concerning controversial legislation passed by Republicans — like banning transgender girls from women’s and girls’ sports, punishing tech companies for a perceived conservative bias, restrictions on voting and a so called “antirioting” law. “It’s really frustrating because as taxpayers we have to pay for these unconstitutional bills to be challenged in court, just so these red meat issues can be thrown to the ultra-conservative base,” Wolf said. “Think about the last year we had — all the things we’ve been through. If you made a top priority list for lawmakers, where would these land?” Wolf, 32, is in his second year as the development officer and media relations manager for EQFL. He said Florida’s residents would have been better served if the Republican-controlled legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis had focused on the state’s pitiful unemployment compensation system, its ongoing economic challenges, Medicaid expansion, education and climate change. “But they didn’t do any of that. They focused on ultra-partisan, far-right issues. It’s really disappointing,” he said. Wolf said seeing the state tip to Donald Trump in 2020 also felt like a black eye. But he’s optimistic, too. “The cohesion of House and Senate Democrats around LGBTQ issues gave me a lot of hope,” he said. Wolf said the transgender sports ban is a

good example. Democrats expectedly pushed back, but he said there was such a strong and coherent rebuttal to it that other states have been looking to Florida to emulate its strategy, which has shifted the national tone on the issue. “The offices of lawmakers and the governor were flooded with phone calls,” Wolf said. “The community response has injected us with hope and optimism. The community is on fire and passionate for issues of equality.” In the initial interview with Wolf he noted some positive developments like the legislature’s approval of funds for Orlando’s Zebra Coalition to build a housing facility for LGBT homeless youth. Then days before the Pulse anniversary, DeSantis on June 2 vetoed the $150,000 budgeted for a Pulse survivors’ mental health program at The LGBT+ Center in Orlando. “The Pulse funding, first of all, was 0.00015 percent of the budget. But in totality, he vetoed all funding for LGBTQ programming. The message is clear. And Pulse survivors are just a part of that – of using the LGBTQ community as a political football, Wolf said. “He vetoed that same line item last year, when they asked for $45,000 and he told them it was because of COVID. But this year’s budget has a $9 million surplus, so what’s the excuse?” DeSantis also cut the $750,000 budgeted for the Orlando-area Zebra Coalition. Wolf also said there are “incredible champions in Tallahassee” — out, queer members of the legislature. Voters recently elected the state’s first out LGBT state senator, Shevrin Jones; and Rep. Michele Rayner is the first Black queer woman to win a seat in the legislature. Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith had previously become the first openly LGBT Latin person

Brandon Wolf on a recent visit to Washington, D.C. Courtesy photo.

elected to the legislature. “The headlines in 2020 were that homophobia has no place here,” Wolf said. He said EQFL played a role in flipping the Senate through the runoff elections in Georgia. Equality Georgia consulted with the group on strategies to increase pro-equality voter turnout and fundraising. PULSE ‘REMEMBRANCE WEEK’ Wolf was one of about 320 people inside the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016, when a shooter opened fire killing 49 and wounding 68. He was there with two of his closest friends — Andrew “Drew” Leinonen and Juan Guerrero — who were both killed. Wolf escaped through one of the club’s doors with others who had been hiding in a bathroom. He’s been in the spotlight ever since. The experience marked the start of a journey that would propel him into social and political activism on LGBT and gun reform issues, and eventually to his position at EQFL. Wolf said he stays connected with developments in the design and construction of the Pulse Memorial and Museum, which is expected to open over the next two years. Pulse “Remembrance Week” events from June 5 through June 12 will mark five years since the tragedy. “When I reflect on five years and the 49 people stolen by us, the families, survivors and first responders — to soon be able to say this community has built the largest LGBTQ+ museum in the history of the country — I’m

looking forward to that,” he said. For the first time, Wolf will be one of the speakers at the June 12 remembrance ceremony. On the same day, the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety will host a national discussion on the Pulse tragedy, streaming on Facebook at 5 p.m. EST. Wolf is involved in Everytown — a coalition of organizations that includes EQFL. It’s designed to spur a national discussion on the issues that emerged from the Pulse tragedy. Wolf also recently signed a book deal to write about his experiences and the lessons he’s learned from the Pulse tragedy. He said the working title is “Safe Space.” “Some things feel right and that title is the one I’ve had from the beginning,” he said. Even though the term is made fun of and distorted in some social media posts, Wolf said for marginalized communities, safe spaces are lifelines. He said the book is an exploration of what the term really means. “I needed to write a book because there’s so much that happened before Pulse that explains why Pulse meant so much to so many people,” Wolf said. “I talk about my best friends, what it means to be a queer person of color in this country, recovering from trauma, bridging the divides that are tearing us apart at the seams. In the darkest hours, this community saved our lives.” Wolf was set to embark on a five-week leave of absence from EQFL to finish the book, which doesn’t yet have a publish date. Steve Rothaus also contributed to this report.

For more information on “Remembrance Week” activities, go to onepulsefoundation.org. 6 .10 . 20 21 •

REMEMBERING PULSE |

FIVE YEARS LATER

ONE ORLANDO ALLIANCE Executive Director Josh Bell Settles Into New Role Damon Scott

osh Bell was named the new executive director of the One Orlando Alliance in October 2020. He said starting the job in the midst of a pandemic brought a few bumps with it.

“It made the getting settled in part take a lot longer,” said Bell, who is the Alliance’s sole full-time staff member. The Alliance coordinates with its more than 40 member organizations. It was formed in response to the Pulse nightclub shooting of June 12, 2016. “If you’re an LGBTQ+ person in the seven-county region of Central Florida, the Alliance makes sure you have everything you need to thrive,” Bell said. “If there are obstacles, we have ways to help you navigate past those – partnering with member organizations, government and social services and education.” Members include the onePULSE Foundation, Equality Florida and Pride Orlando, for example. To be a member, an organization must have at least one program specifically designed for the LGBT community.

“I’d met gay people living their lives out in the open, challenging the fundamental religious beliefs I was taught. It kept chipping away at my prior convictions. As a pastor I told folks – ‘God loves you as you are’ – and I had to apply that to myself,” Bell said. Bell still identifies as a Christian, but is no longer a practicing pastor. As a member of the executive committee of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida, however, he’s become outspoken about religious discrimination against the LGBT community. “There are segments of the faith community that are affirming,” Bell said. “But there are things that need to change.” Bell said he went through a gay conversion therapy of his own; although not in the way people might typically think of, like when a kid is sent off to a conversion camp. “You’re told to pray and ask for God to change that you’re gay,” he said. “I was COMING OUT exposed to those ideas and - Josh Bell absorbed them, but never in Bell’s life has been shaped NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF a formal therapy setting. I’ve by both religion and the Pulse THE ONE ORLANDO ALLIANCE always known I’m gay, but tragedy. didn’t have a space to express He’s a Florida native from Crestview, located in the panhandle. His it.” He’d eventually get support from a mental mother’s family has been in the state since the 1840s, his father’s since the 1890s. He health counselor. Bell began to open himself earned his undergraduate degree at the up more to the LGBT community, too. University of Florida and then went to ‘MILESTONE MOMENT’ seminary school in Kentucky. Bell, 38, was the lead pastor for the Spring Like so many, Bell remembers where he of Life United Methodist Church in Orlando for four years until June 2018. He said at the was when he heard about the Pulse shooting time he’d been questioning many aspects of – he was getting ready for church. “It’d already been a horrible weekend his life.

“THERE ARE SEGMENTS OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY THAT ARE AFFIRMING. BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO CHANGE.”

Josh Bell has been executive director since October 2020. Courtesy photo.

• 6 .10.2021

REMEMBERING PULSE |

FIVE YEARS LATER

Josh Bell (third from right) recently joined members and supporters of the transgender community to announce that the Alliance would serve as the local host organization for the National Trans Visibility March when it comes to Orlando on Oct. 9. Courtesy photo.

in Orlando,” Bell said. (Singer Christina Grimmie of “The Voice” TV show had been shot and killed and an alligator at a Disney World hotel had killed a two-year-old boy.) “As the day unfolded, I went to church and got updates throughout the morning. The numbers [of dead] kept rising. We had three services at my church and by the third we were more aware of the magnitude. There were so many layers to that day.” As others did, Bell started to worry about his gay friends. “If you knew someone in Orlando who was gay you were texting and checking in on them,” he said. The community responded to immediate needs, he said, and there were vigils and

Josh Bell (center) participated in a vaccination event for the LGBT community at the Joy Metropolitan Community Church in the spring. Courtesy photo.

services. Bell said the interfaith community in Central Florida showed its support. Many churches held services the year of the tragedy took place, and some a year later, but Bell said there’s been little interaction with the LGBT community since. Bell said as a pastor at the time he did what he could – sharing information about blood drives and offering his church for funeral services. At the first-year milestone of the tragedy he opened up the church’s sanctuary and lit candles. At 2 a.m. on the morning of the first milestone, he woke out of a sleep. He’d known there was a gathering planned at the Pulse site at 5 a.m. “I don’t live very close and it was the middle of the night,” Bell said. “I woke up and had this sharp pain in my leg – it hadn’t happened before and hasn’t since. I said ‘OK God, if you want me to drive downtown at 2 a.m. I will,’ and no joke at that moment a friend texted me and said ‘Are you here?’” Bell went to the Pulse site and joined the crowd. “The Pulse is a sacred site. It feels different there, especially when people gather,” he said. “That was another milestone moment in my journey. About a year after that I came out.” Bell said he’s happy to report that the overwhelming response from most members of his congregation were supportive. At the time, he was married with two small children. No longer married, he said he’s now grateful to be a dad and in a positive coparenting situation.

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NEVER FORGET O R L A N D O F iv e y ea rs l a t er, w e s t i l l m our n t hei r l o s s e s b ut w e m ust c el eb ra t e t hei r l i v es

All Photos: Facebook.

On June 12, 2016, a gunman wielding an assault-type rifle and a handgun opened fire inside Pulse, a crowded gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, leaving 49 people dead in what was at that time the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Here is each one of the victims. SFGN Staff

PAUL TERRELL HENRY

JERALD ARTHUR WRIGHT

• 6 .10.2021

CORY JAMES CONNELL

JASON JOSAPHAT

MARTIN BENITEZ TORRES

JAVIER JORGE-REYES

JUAN CHAVEZ MARTINEZ

ERIC IVAN ORTIZ-RIVERA

CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH SANFELIZ

REMEMBERING PULSE |

FIVE YEARS LATER

BRENDA LEE MARQUEZ MCCOOL

FRANK HERNANDEZ

FRANKY JIMMY DE JESÚS VELÁZQUEZ

LUIS DANIEL WILSON-LEON

JEAN CARLOS MENDEZ PEREZ

CAPT. ANTONIO DAVON BROWN

DARRYL ROMAN BURT II

SIMÓN ADRIAN CARRILLO FERNÁNDEZ

OSCAR A. ARACENA-MONTERO

AKYRA MURRAY

LEROY VALENTIN FERNANDEZ

XAVIER EMMANUEL SERRANO ROSADO

MERCEDEZ MARISOL FLORES

AMANDA ALVEAR

LUIS OMAR OCASIO-CAPO

EDDIE JAMOLDROY JUSTICE

SHANE TOMLINSON

MIGUEL HONORATO

JONATHAN ANTONIO CAMUY VEGA

PETER O. GONZALEZ-CRUZ

6 .10 . 20 21 •

REMEMBERING PULSE |

FIVE YEARS LATER

JUAN RAMON GUERRERO

EDWARD SOTOMAYOR JR.

GILBERTO RAMON SILVA MENENDEZ

TEVIN EUGENE CROSBY

STANLEY ALMODOVAR III

ANTHONY LUIS LAUREANO DISLA

KIMBERLY "KJ" MORRIS

LUIS VIELMA

CHRISTOPHER LEINONEN

ENRIQUE L. RIOS, JR.

ANGEL CANDELARIO-PADRO

JOEL RAYON PANIAGUA

ALEJANDRO BARRIOS MARTINEZ

LUIS DANIEL CONDE

RODOLFO AYALA-AYALA

JUAN PABLO RIVERA VELÁZQUEZ

DEONKA DEIDRA DRAYTON

JEAN CARLOS NIEVES RODRÍGUEZ

YILMARY RODRÍGUEZ SOLIVAN

GERALDO ORTIZ-JIMENEZ

• 6 .10.2021

6 .10 . 20 21 •

REMEMBERING PULSE |

FIVE YEARS LATER

DESANTIS VETOES STATE FUNDING FOR PULSE SURVIVORS AND HOMELESS YOUTH SHELTER Andrew Fraieli

n June 2, days before the 5th anniversary of the deadliest act of violence against LGBT people in the United States, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed every bill on his desk directly helping queer Floridians, including survivors of that massacre.

This $150,000 was cut despite the signed “We now must pivot to find funding budget leaving $9.5 billion in reserves. It to continue serving Orlando’s LGBTQ would have provided counseling to survivors community at the same level as we had of the shooting that took place at Orlando’s planned for the upcoming fiscal year,” said Pulse nightclub in June of 2016. the organization’s executive director, George Also taken from the budget was $750,000 A. Wallace, in a press release. “Yesterday already approved by the Florida Legislature marked the first day of Pride Month and to help the Orlando-based Zebra Coalition Governor DeSantis has once again proved renovate a motel to house that he is one of the LGBT homeless youth. most homophobic and The veto comes only a day transphobic governors in after another move targeting the United States.” LGBT Floridians where The governor’s office DeSantis signed into law a has rejected the criticism ban on transgender athletes of their budgetary participating in women’s or decisions though, saying girls’ sports in high school that the general budget’s and college. spending for community “Let’s be clear about what mental health services has this is: Governor DeSantis increased by $212 million. has declared war on Florida’s “Governor DeSantis has LGBTQ community,” said been a champion on mental Brandon Wolf, a Pulse survivor health since day one — and now working for Equality he absolutely supports each Florida, an LGBTQ civil rights and every Floridian who has organization. “Before the 2019 experienced such horrific Remembrance Ceremony, trauma, which has a lifelong Governor DeSantis stood on impact on survivors,” hallowed ground, steps from Christina Pushaw, DeSantis’s where I escaped the building spokeswoman, had said to - Brandon Wolf in 2016, and promised me the Orlando Sentinel. PULSE SURVIVOR, that he would always support But this general direction EQUALITY FLORIDA MEDIA RELATIONS those of us impacted by the of funding doesn’t change Pulse nightclub shooting. the Zebra Coalition’s Today, almost two years later circumstances, having to date, he vetoed mental health services for to afford a $1.4 million motel renovation us. I will never forget.” without the state’s $750,000 funding. Without the $150,000 of state funding, “It got past lawmakers, that’s the exciting Orlando’s LGBTQ Community Center — the thing, it didn’t die. It got all the way past main entity that supports Pulse survivors lawmakers and then all of a sudden it was and victim’s families — says they now have vetoed with the stroke of a pen,” Heather to search for funding for the next fiscal year Wilkie, the executive director of the Zebra now. Coalition, told SFGN.

“LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS IS: GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS DECLARED WAR ON FLORIDA’S LGBTQ COMMUNITY.”

• 6 .10.2021

Pulse Nightclub in 2021. Photo via the onePULSE Foundation, Facebook.

Wilkie explains they applied for funding at the beginning of the year to assist in the renovations. She said news of the veto was very upsetting as they need to expand, “because there’s such a need for these youths to have a place to go.” According to the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention among the LGBT community, 29% of all LGBT youth experienced homelessness. Wilkie has seen their own numbers go up as the pandemic has gone on, saying there’s always a waitlist of several youths at any point in time. But, the completed motel would hold about 35 youths, and would triple their capacity. The funding for the Zebra Coalition’s project was also included in a transparency report by Florida TaxWatch, called the

“Budget Turkey Watch Report.” According to their website, the report “identifies appropriations that circumvent transparency and accountability standards in public budgeting.” Their $750,000 of funding lies in the category of bills which “would not have received funding without being added at the very last minute.” Comparing the full watch report, 32 bills were included that ended up vetoed by the governor. Without the funding, Wilkie says, the Zebra Coalition will need to fully rely on the community for now — though they intend on reapplying for the $750,000 as soon as they can, in September. “I can’t imagine raising that much money, but we can try. At the same time, I will say I’m not giving up, it’s put a fire under us to say, ‘Hey, we need this.’”

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“RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT” In “In the Heights,” Miranda and Chu celebrate those Latina icons known simply as “Chita, Rita and Celia.” But Miranda went one step further as an

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“IN THE HEIGHTS” Years before “Hamilton” became a global phenomenon, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote a little show about his childhood neighborhood and its colorful residents, “In the Heights.” Miranda wrote the first draft of the show while he was an undergrad in the late ‘90s and went on to develop it with director Thomas Kail and playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes. It had a successful OffBroadway debut in 2007, transferring to Broadway the following year and winning four Tony Awards, including best musical and best original score for Miranda. After being postponed by the pandemic, the film adaptation helmed by director Jon Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians”) is finally coming to theaters and streaming services on June 11. Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), named after the U.S. Navy ship his immigrant parents first encountered entering New York harbor, is a bodega owner who looks after the Cuban abuela (Olga Merediz) next door and pines for Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), the girl who works in the neighboring beauty salon. He dreams of winning the lottery and escaping to the shores of his native Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, Nina (Leslie Grace), a childhood friend, has returned to the neighborhood from her first year at Stanford with surprising news for her father (Jimmy Smits), who has spent his life savings on building a better life for her. Ultimately, Usnavi and the residents of the closeknit neighborhood realize their dreams are right there in their home. If Miranda’s signature rap, hip-hop and salsainfused score remains, it’s Chu’s exuberant production numbers that make a good Broadway musical into an exceptional film experience. The opening eightminute sequence not only introduces each of the characters, it builds as the diverse cultures of the neighborhood are layered on like rich tres leches. And then there is the splashy, yet distinctly Latin homage to Busby Berkley at Highbridge Pool after the discovery that a winning lottery ticket was sold at Usnavi’s bodega. While “Hamilton” remains Miranda’s crowning achievement (at least to date), this film cements “In the Heights” as one of the greats of contemporary American musical theater.

Don’t miss a sFGn.com/FooD

Anthony Ramos and Melissa Barrera star in the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights,” opening in theaters this weekend. Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment.

executive producer of a new documentary opening June 18, “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It.” Over a 70+ year career, Rita Moreno defied both her humble upbringing and relentless racism to become a celebrated and beloved actor, one of the rare EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) Award winners. Born into poverty on a Puerto Rican farm, Moreno and her seamstress mother immigrated to New York City when Moreno was 5 years old. After studying dance and performing on Broadway, Moreno was cast as any ethnic minority the Hollywood studios needed filled, be it Polynesian, Native American or Egyptian. Despite becoming the first Latina actress to win an Academy Award for her role as Anita in “West Side Story” (1961), the studios continued to offer Moreno lesser roles as stereotypical ethnic minorities, ignoring her proven talent. Featuring interviews with Gloria Estefan, Morgan Freeman, Mitzi Gaynor, Whoopi Goldberg, Norman Lear, Eva Longoria, Terrence McNally and Miranda, this engaging film illuminates the humor and the grace of Moreno, as well as lesser-known struggles faced on her path to stardom, including pernicious Hollywood sexism and abuse, a toxic relationship with Marlon Brando, and serious depression a year before she emerged an Oscar winner. Moreno’s talent and resilience triumphed over adversity, as she broke barriers, fought for representation and forged the path for new generations of artists.

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J.W. Arnold

ractically every gay guy knows someone just like Gerry, a fasttalking, flamboyant — no, make that flaming — queen with a quick quip for every occasion. He’s the life of the party, but one too many cocktails — or some party favors — and he easily crosses the line from campy to cruel. And by the time he arrives in Palm Springs for the wedding of Brennan and Joshua, Gerry is already wound up and ready to unleash laughs and later havoc. The reason? Brennan’s hoity-toity mother has dictated on the invitation that guests “refrain from bright colors and bold patterns.” This is the premise of Drew Droege’s one-man comedy, “Bright Colors and Bold Patterns,” which opened last weekend at Island City Stage and stars Thomas Mark. Gerry quickly unloads memorable gay zingers to his former boyfriend Dwayne and his 23-year-old boyfriend Mack and no topic is spared his wrath, especially as the liquor starts to flow. He lights into the traffic on the I-10, Coachella hippies and especially Queen Latifah: “She shoulda been a dyke with a message. But, instead, she turned into a clown in a wig for guilty white people.” On the pastel and palm tree bedazzled patio (designed by Jodi Dellaventura): “This place looks like if Trina Turk and Betsey Johnson threw up Bacardi Razz. And sold it to Target … Look baby, only in Palm Springs can you find entire kitchens made out of rattan.” After citing iconic lines from “Steel Magnolias,” “Golden Girls” and “Designing Women,” Gerry digs to Dwayne about his twink boyfriend: “Like we don’t just reference the ‘90s, honey, we remember the ‘90s.” Gerry righteously justifies all this bitchiness: “Honey, listen, we celebrate things and make fun of them at the same time. That is called ‘Gay.’” This is all before the pitcher of margaritas and the blow start to kick in. That’s when Gerry really opens up about what’s really bugging him. Turns out he’s living in a glass house of his own making and it’s not hurricane impact grade like we have in South Florida. Mark, under the watchful eye of director

Thomas Mark stars in Island City Stage’s production of “Bright Colors and Bold Patterns.” Credit: Matthew Tippins.

Michael Leeds, cleanly navigates 37-pages of manic dialogue and the two-act, one hour and 45-minute evening with Gerry flies by. Even though Gerry rarely leaves the villa patio, Mark clearly leads him on a journey of unexpected self-awareness and eventual truth by the time the hungover friends depart for the big event the next afternoon. Unlike many traditional one-man shows that break the fourth wall and include the audience, this play does not, leaving Gerry only to interact with unseen characters and carefully responding with dialogue that enlightens the conversation. While not as lean budgetarily, it would have been even more engaging had Droege conceived the play with the real cast of four actors. In any case, the entertaining evening with Gerry still flies by as the queen holds court on this unforgettable occasion. And never forget Gerry’s fashion manifesto: “No bright colors or bold patterns is Laura Ashley for ‘God hates fags.’” Avoid the beige at all costs, this production certainly does.

Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors, presents Drew Droege’s “Bright Colors and Bold Patterns” through June 20. Some performances are mask optional. Tickets are $35 at IslandCityStage.org.

Exhibition On View Thru Sun., August 15, 2021 Artists and Identity: Portraiture, Performance, Doppelgängers, and Disguise takes a multi-level approach to understand the presentation and expression of oneself in contemporary art. Both playful and poetic, each of these artists conveys representations or misrepresentations of persona through painting, sculpture, video, performance.

Participating Artists: Mequitta Ahuja, Lex Barberio, Nash Glynn, Martine Gutierrez, Loie Hollowell, Annie Leibovitz, Helina Metaferia, Christina Pettersson, Terence Price II, Lucas Samaras, Cindy Sherman, Antonia Wright, with archives from the Felix Gonzalez-Torres Family Archive Also On View: Mark Fleuridor: Black Castor Oil an Oolite Arts Collaboration Masks: From the Faces of the World Collection of Dr. Donna L. Goldstein

For more information visit ArtandCultureCenter.org

1650 Harrison Street Hollywood, FL 33020 954. 921. 3274 ArtAndCultureCenter.org

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The Grammy-nominated South Florida choral ensemble Seraphic Fire will release a landmark recording of music by medieval composer Hildegard of Bingen on June 11. Credit: Courtesy.

ARTSBEAT FORGOTTEN AND MARGINALIZED VOICES HEARD J.W. Arnold

SIMBA

Eleven-month-old Simba (ID 642249) is ready to have fun with you. He’ll need an energetic family who can keep him entertained, is that you? Simba is crate-trained and he likes to tell you stories. He appears to be a boxer, with possibly some other breeds mixed in a bit. This fellow will do best in a home without felines since he thinks they are toys and wants to chase him. As far as dogs, he has an exuberant amount of energy and will do best as the only pet.

If you would like to meet a pet at the Humane Society of Broward County, please visit www.humanebroward.com to complete a pre-adoption application. Visit www.humanebroward.com to learn more or call 954-989-3977 ext. 6. Appointments are not necessary for the vaccine clinic which is open Monday — Friday 9 AM — 4:30 PM credit cards only. The banners rotate so click on the one that says COVID-19 update adoptions and essential services update and scroll down a little bit. There you will find an application for adoption and other pertinent information. Complete the application (even if you have adopted before) and submit it. Adoptions are being done by appointment only now. For more information call 954-989-3977 ext. 6. FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED WHEN COMING TO THE SHELTER.

SERAPHIC FIRE RECORDS MUSIC OF EARLY FEMINIST Miami-based professional vocal ensemble Seraphic Fire will release Hildegard of Bingen’s “Ordo Virtutum” on its Seraphic Fire Media label on June 11. Composed by 1151 C.E., “Ordo Virtutum” tells the story of a wandering soul, Anima, and her struggles between the forces of good and evil. The album is the first complete, historically accurate recording. Hildegard of Bingen, born to a noble family in 1098, began to experience religious visions as a young child and went on to lead an early monastic community. She emerged as one of the leading thinkers of her age, making significant contributions to philosophy, music, theology and the natural sciences. Remarkable for a woman at the time, Hildegard preached in public from the pulpit and was canonized by the Catholic Church in 2012. Today, she is revered as a feminist icon. “The music is, at its musical core, a celebration of women and their voices,” said Artistic Director Patrick Dupré Quigley. “Written for her own community of nuns, Hildegard created the music of the ‘Ordo’ and its characters for women she knew, led and sang with daily.” For more information or to purchase “Ordo Virtutum,” go to SeraphicFire.org.

THINKING CAP ANNOUNCES FALL REOPENING Thinking Cap Theatre, based at the Vanguard Sanctuary for the Arts on South Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, recently announced plans to reopen this fall with the theme, “Family Affair.” “Family Affair operates from the belief that anti-ableist, anti-homophobic, anti-racist and anti-sexist systemic change begins at the family level and proceeds with the idea that if we re-envision this identity bedrock, then we can collectively effect change. This program invites the South Florida community to investigate how it defines family and to experience the cathartic role that theatre can play as a springboard for exploring this subject,” said Producing Artistic Director Nicole Stodard. She added, “Family Affair will offer a safe setting for a more truly diverse audience to gather, experience, and discuss theatre and its importance to individual and community growth; provide marginalized groups in our community access to professional theatre productions and theatre training; and unify and ignite straight and LGBTQ+ audiences around TCT’s long-standing mission to present plays that represent our society’s diversity and our common humanity in order to enhance audience appreciation of diversity in theatrical representation, subject matter, and style.” The company will open its 2021-22 season at the Vanguard in November with “Fefu and Her Friends” by María Irene Fornés. For more information, go to ThinkingCapTheatre.org.

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