Palette, Vol. 14 by Sole Sastre

palette south florida’s lgbtq magazine aug|sept 2017 • vol. 14

EVER AFTER Ever Chavez discusses self-discovery, the community and FUNDarte HIV in the Latino Community • Make Room for Baby • Bangkok is a Drag Miami Spice and Fort Lauderdale CRAVE • Jazzy Days • Amelia Island & more...

WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE

GETTING IN TOUCH ALL OVER AGAIN

Get an extra 25% off your stay at when you use promo code USA. Valid for direct bookings on janthielresort.com / reservations@livingstoneresort.com

contents•

palette•aug|sept 2017

FEATURES 018 • latinos & hiv

Gay Latino men in South Florida are contracting HIV at an alarming rate. The reasons are varied and challenging.

024 • ever chavez

After a lifetime of artistic exploration that has taken him across the globe, Ever Chavez explains why Miami is home.

030 • achy obejas

Cuban-American writer and professor Achy Obejas discusses sexuality, nationality and her latest book.

032 • making a family

For LGBTQ couples looking to start a family, there is an ever-growing number of options, each with its own set of benefits and challenges.

038 • bangkok, bangkok!

Invoking a sense of exotic adventure, the journey into Bangkok offers much more than you’d expect. Historic sites, legendary food and a killer drag scene make this a city that’s well worth discovering.

on the cover: Ever Chavez photographed by Nick Garcia at the W South Beach; hair and makeup by JPenn Hair and Makeup Artist

002

Love and let love.

The rest of the country has fi nally embraced the openminded attitude that Key West has been committed to forever, but there will never be a more beautiful place to celebrate this historic achievement. fla-keys.com/gaykeywest 305.294.4603

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DEPARTMENTS

010 • reviews

These selections invite you to go on a path of self discovery and make your mark on the world.

011 • tech & gadgets

It’s time for the fall television line-up, if you are not streaming already, these devices offer options you may not have considered before.

012 • home décor

Oskar Torres is back with his suggestions for elevating any dorm or home office into a space for intellectual pursuits.

014 • arts & culture

You might think of jazz as something you’d experience in a dark and smoky night club, but South Florida is home to a number of venues where you can do it in broad daylight, too.

015 • after hours

If you’ve ever had the nerve to sing in front of a crowd of strangers or are still wanting to try it out, read about Andrew Printer’s experiences belting it out at the karaoke bars in Key West.

016 • dining

048 • local getaways

When a vacation is in order, but time is at a premium, a quick trip to Amelia Island can offer a refreshing escape.

050 • q & a

It’s that time again! Miami Spice and GFL CRAVE offer more than enough dining options to keep your palate happy.

Aryah Lester, the founder and director of Trans-Miami, shares her thoughts about the state of South Florida’s transgender community.

044 • editorial column

052 • social events

Daniel Shoer-Roth shares his insight as someone who identifies with multiple minority groups.

046 • health & wellness

The kids are headed back to school, so it’s the perfect time to get all the health screenings needed, make sure their vaccines are up-to-date and kick off healthy eating habits.

Were you there? Find out who was at the Key West Pride parade, the Equality Rally for Unity & Pride, TransArt Miami and the Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic.

056 • final thoughts

Even 20 years after his tragic death, much still fascinates us about fashion legend and pop-culture icon Gianni Versace.

004

No matter your desire, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau organizes carefully crafted, money-saving programs to indulge your every whim. MiamiTemptations.com

ORGANIZED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

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masthead•letter

south f lorida’s lgbtq magazine MIAMI HERALD

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER ALEXANDRA VILLOCH

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DESIRÉE BLANCO EDITOR IN CHIEF SOLE SASTRE MANAGING EDITOR ROSA CALDERÓN SENIOR EDITORS CHRISTINE BORGES CAROLINA CARDONA DIGITAL EDITOR VANESSA MARTIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SHAYNE BENOWITZ LAWRENCE FERBER WYATT MYERS GREGG SHAPIRO DANIEL SHOER ROTH OSKAR TORRES JULIE BALTER

ART & DESIGN

HCP MEDIA CREATIVE DIRECTOR SCOTT GLICK PALETTE CREATIVE DIRECTOR ETHAN DURAN SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER CARLOS MARTIN GRAPHIC DESIGNERS JESSICA BECERRA-ORTIZ EDWIN CRUZ LOURDES FERNANDEZ CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CARINA MASK CHRISTINA MENDENHALL ANDREW PRINTER

•

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER MARISA BEAZEL CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS SEAN LATTRELL BARBARA POLLACK-LEWIS

KEYNOTER

PUBLISHER RICHARD TAMBORRINO

HCP MEDIA PRODUCTION DIRECTOR LUISA ZELAYA-MORILLO ADVERTISING SERVICES COORDINATORS DAYAN AGUDELO YVONNE CLOUD ELIZABETH RINDONE PROJECT & EVENT MANAGER INGRID MARTINEZ

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MIAMI HERALD VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING LESLEY DECANIO MIAMI HERALD ADVERTISING MANAGER KRISTINA SCHULZ-CORRALES MIAMI HERALD ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES DAISY ABREU BONITA ADAMS ELAYNE CARDOSO MELINDA DE ARMAS JOSH ELENBERG KELLY NOTT GREG ROMANELLI SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER JEANIE SCHOONMAKER MARKETING & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR LOURDES M. ALVAREZ EVENTS & PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER SILVIA LARRIEU

MIAMI-DADE GAY & LESBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – CLARITY PRESIDENT AND CEO STEVE ADKINS DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PROGRAMMING JORGE RICHA DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT SCOTT BADER

PALETTE ADVISORY BOARD HOLAM ALVAREZ ANTONETTI ROBERT BOO MARY-JOE CASTELLS JAMES DAVIS SUSAN KENT JASON KING TONY LIMA ARIANNA LINT CARMINE MARTORILLI RAQUEL MATAS, ESQ. HERB SOSA SUSANNA TADDEI GISELA P. VEGA

NATIONAL SALES

RIVENDELL MEDIA NATIONAL AD RESPRESENTATIVES 212.242.6863

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HCP MEDIA CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER GIOVANNA SANCHEZ

Visit us online at miamiherald.com/palette | Follow us Advertising, sales and distribution information: 305.376.2801 kcorrales@miamiherald.com

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HCP MEDIA

PaletteLGBT

@palettelgbt

A special publication produced by In partnership with

@palettelgbt

palette•aug|sept 2017

USEFUL RESOURCES Miami-Dade Aqua Foundation aquafoundation.org Care Resource careresource.org Latinos Salud latinossalud.org OUT Miami Foundation outmiami.org Pridelines pridelines.org SAVE save.lgbt

HEADY SENSATIONS

The Alliance for GLBTQ Youth glbtqalliance.org Unity Coalition | Coalición Unida unitycoalition.org

ike most major metropolitan areas, living in South Florida offers a daily sampling of languages, flavors and colors. It’s a place that can feel wildly exotic one minute and have all the comforting trappings of home the next. Many of us have come to embrace the chaos and have even learned to delight in it. Some of this whirlwind is quite intentional and is brought to us courtesy of visionaries who choose to impose beauty wherever they go, like our local profile, Ever Chavez, who traveled the world before settling down in Miami and starting FUNDarte. Others fear for the lack of clarity that exists in our party-driven culture, especially around issues as relevant and vital as HIV education, prevention and care. A number of local organizations are working hard to get the word out that all is not well in our local community. A growing number of people are adding to what they already contribute to this mesmerizing place by forming beautiful, dynamic families that just a few decades ago would have been nothing more than a passing daydream. With this issue we celebrate the many nuanced ways our seaside cities ebb and flow with magnetic people, aromas, flavors, music and more. Take a look around. You’re bound to see something that’s remarkably South Florida. While you’re out, don’t forget to tweet us @palettelgbt, or drop me a line at ethan@miamiherald.com. We look forward to hearing from you. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook as well.

Yes Institute yesinstitute.org Broward Broward House browardhouse.org Pride Center at Equality Park pridecenterflorida.org Stonewall National Museum & Archives stonewall-museum.org Safe Schools South Florida safeschoolssouthflorida.org SunServe sunserve.org

Stay Gold, @palettelgbt

Dmitry Zhitov

@palettelgbt

Ethan Duran Creative Director

PaletteLGBT

World AIDS Museum and Educational Center worldaidsmuseum.org Monroe AIDS Help ahmonroe.org Key West Business Guild gaykeywestfl.com

contributors•

palette•aug|sept 2017

GET

CONNECTED

Steve Rothaus covers LGBTQ issues in South Florida and is also the Miami Herald’s assistant community news editor. Don’t forget to check out Steve Rothaus’ LGBTQ South Florida News in the Miami Herald and at miamiherald.com — and follow his Twitter account, @SteveRothaus — for the latest information about our community.

NICK GARCIA

BARBARA POLLAK-LEWIS

DANIEL SHOER ROTH

Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Nick began his photography training as an apprentice under his father, Enrique Garcia, and later studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. He now fields assignments for numerous international titles, including Billboard Magazine, The Guardian and Women’s Health, and also contributes regularly on local publications like Miami Magazine, Ocean Drive, Indulge, Haute Living and Weddings South Florida, among others.

Barbara is an illustrator, painter, animator and published author who lives and works in San Francisco. With over 20 years experience, she has illustrated articles and book covers, designed cards, posters, computer games, apps for kids and teens and has worked on advertising campaigns and products. In her free time, she enjoys painting, making soup and collecting cookbooks and other artifacts from the 1950s and 60s. freckleshop.com

An author, journalist, biographer and essayist, Daniel’s Sunday column in el Nuevo Herald casts a spotlight on critical issues often neglected in South Florida’s melting pot. His work has received multiple honors from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Publications. Daniel has published three books.

SHAYNE BENOWITZ

ANDREW PRINTER

LAWRENCE FERBER

Shayne is the Hotels and Travel editor for Miami.com and a frequent contributor to the Miami Herald. She is also the Miami destination expert and a hotel critic for the Daily Telegraph in London. Her work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune and Charlotte Observer newspapers and in Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida and Aventura magazines.

Originally from England, Andrew is an artist, writer and photographer. Andrew’s arts coverage has been recognized with three Press Club awards. His video-work has been broadcast internationally, and his photography is included in several national and private collections. He currently lives in Key West. keywestphotoworks.com

Born and raised in New York, travel and arts journalist Lawrence Ferber has written for National Geographic Traveler, CondeNastTraveler.com, Islands Magazine, Fodors.com, The New York Post, Passport Magazine, Time Out New York and many others. He co-wrote the 2010 gay romantic comedy BearCity, and his hobby photo project, I Am A Tourist chronicles tourists across the globe. @iliketogetthatthere

Steve Rothaus: Carl Juste

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JUNE 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SEPTEMBER 10

ARE YOU READY? Discover the triumphs, challenges and possibilities of space exploration in this new special exhibition.

Produced By:

More at frostscience.org/space

With support from NASA

1101 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132 I 305-434-9600 @FROSTSCIENCE The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County. This project is supported by the Building Better Communities Bond Program and the City of Miami. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. Frost Science is an accessible facility. All contents ÂŠPhillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. All rights reserved.

reviews•tech & gadgets

EXISTENTIAL SENSIBILITIES These selections invite you to think big and embrace everything life has to offer, on your own terms. by GREGG SHAPIRO

rom Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir to Colin Wilson, we owe a great debt to the existentialists. After all, where would we be if we didn’t face our own mortality, challenge entrenched gender roles or forge our own paths? Things Fall Apart Death keeps the superstitious narrator of The Disintegrations (UW Press, 2017), the second novel by L.A.-based Australian gay writer Alistair McCartney, “focused” even as his memories become increasingly “brittle.” It doesn’t help that Alistair — a protagonist who shares the author’s first name and also has a performance artist boyfriend named Tim — works across the street from Holy Cross Cemetery where he spends more time than is probably recommended. Employing a tone that is equal parts friendly and detached,

McCartney takes the reader into what he labels his “auto-fiction” as he details memories of when he “brushed up against death” — a dead grandmother, serial-killer neighbors, an attempted abduction, a childhood friend’s suicide. More recent examples he include waiter Robert, songwriter Mike Hazelwood, accountant Heidi, dancer Jill, chef Chris, nephew Cooper, faculty member Aino, lesbian Sandra and others, all of whom make a lingering impression on him before they’re gone. The Disintegrations is an intimate tour through one man’s experiences with loss and obsession with death. Dead Heat Directed by married filmmaking duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, with a screenplay by Oscarwinner Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Slumdog Millionaire), Battle of the Sexes

• From top: Chastity Brown; The Disintegrations by Alistair McCartney

(Fox Searchlight) stars Emma Stone, fresh from her La La Land Oscar win, as lesbian tennis legend Billie Jean King and Oscar nominee Steve Carell as former Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs. Taking its name from the 1973 tennis match that pitted the professional and driven King against the outrageous sexist antics of Riggs, Battle of the Sexes examines conflicts being fought on and off the court, including the issue of King’s sexuality (she was married to a man at the time) and the struggle for gender equality. Carell, who earned praise for his portrayal of gay uncle Frank in Dayton & Faris’ Little Miss Sunshine, and the indomitable Stone, are evenly matched. Featuring a stellar supporting cast, including Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Alan Cumming, Elisabeth Shue and Fred Armisen, promises to be one of the highlights of the fall movie season. Sultry Songstress With outstanding new albums by queer women such as Sera Cahoon, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Ruthie Foster and Sleater-Kinney, among others, 2017 is turning out to be stellar. Taking its rightful place among the best of these is Silhouette of Sirens (Red House), the latest offering from singer/ songwriter Chastity Brown. To begin with, there’s Brown’s voice — all honey, smoke and passion. It’s a powerful instrument, capable of soothing and causing a commotion, sometimes in the same song. Equally remarkable is the way she glides effortlessly across musical styles without sacrificing her own artistic identity. The jangling rock of “Wake Up” is far more effective than any alarm clock. Sexy, soulful and fittingly titled, “Carried Away” transports you to erotic places. The love is just as palpable on the acoustic “Whisper,” and “Lies” is 21st century blues at its bluest.•

Top: Wale Agboola

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STREAM INTO FALL No need to schedule, plan or DVR. These devices will have your TV needs covered.

t’s been some time since the first streaming devices made their appearance in the market, promising to change the way we watch television forever. A number have disappeared, but the ones with staying power are now several generations in and offer an array of features that can intrigue even those who were never particularly TV-oriented. Low price points combined with an ever-growing library of impressive original programming — like Netflix’s House of Cards and Stranger Things or Amazon’s Transparent — make it easy to dive into streaming.•

where to buy • 1. Amazon Fire Stick: Best Buy; 2829 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale; 954.564.7733; bestbuy.com 2. Google Chromecast: Bed Bath and Beyond; 19205 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura; 305.935.6244; bedbathandbeyond.com 3. Apple TV 4th Generation: Apple Store, Lincoln Road Mall; 1021 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; 305.421.0400; apple.com 4. Roku Premiere+: Target; 3401 N Miami Ave., Miami; 786.437.0164; target.com

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BEAUTIFUL MINDS Creating a study — in a dorm or at home — can inspire intellectual pursuits.

by OSKAR TORRES

ome iconic geniuses are recognized by their disheveled hair and chaotic workspaces, others by a signature black turtleneck and stark, minimalist aesthetic. While these extremes may work for some, most often it’s the tranquil, thoughtfully appointed spaces that entice us to immerse ourselves in thought. Most dorm rooms — and home office spaces — are small, but size shouldn’t determine how much thought you put into your study. Clean lines, geometric details and just a pop of color can engage your mind and pique your senses.•

where to buy • 1. Feathergrain Wooden Accessory Organizer: The Container Store; 7200 N. Kendall Drive, Miami: 305.670.8181; containerstore.com 2. Oviedo Leather Desk Chair: Restoration Hardware, Aventura Mall; 19575 Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 751; 305.935.1253; restorationhardware.com 3. Industrial Wall Clock: Pier 1 Imports; 1860 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale; 954.563.0205; pier1.com 4. Marco Table Lamp: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Miami Design District; 3800 Miami Ave.; 786.609.9920; mgbwhome.com 5. White Lacquer Modern Desk: West Elm, Village of Gulfstream Park; 401 Seabiscuit Trail, Ste. 810, Hallandale; 305.457.3363; westelm.com

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arts & culture•after hours

straight out of New Orleans. And that’s not in a kitschy French Quarter bar way, but rather a lively backyard shindig. Christmas lights dangle from banyan trees, and the patio furniture feels like it was picked up at a Parisian marché aux puces. Of course, there’s the wine — more than 150 selections of wine varietals — as well as beer and a fine assortment of cheeses you can handpick from an outdoor fridge. Known for its eclectic and exceptionally talented line-up of artists, Lagniappe House’s live music offerings range from blues to bluegrass. And on weekends, you can laissez les bons temps rouler until the wee hours.

ALL THAT JAZZ You may think South Florida’s jazz scene lurks underground (whatever that means here), but some of the best places to bee-bop are actually out in the open.

by JULIE BALTER

hen it comes to jazz, South Florida is certainly no Chicago. But why would we want to be? It may appear to some that our most significant musical contribution of late is the massive electronic music fest Ultra, but in true South Florida form, you can find a diverse assortment of jazz venues under the sun — and stars — almost every week of the year. Here is a highlight of not-so-hidden spots where spectacular jazz, South Florida’s best scenery and maybe even the chance to bump into Ryan Gosling’s gay doppelganger can get you in a swinging mood.

longer) to Condé Naste Traveler’s “100 Best Places to Stay in the World.” Bring your boyfriend and your dog for a weekend escape, or just stop in to get your jazz fix. Like many places in Key West, this postcard-perfect property prides itself on being LGBTQ friendly. The Gardens’ gardens are its prize possession. Early Sunday evenings you’ll find locally favored (and seldom advertised) performances featuring some of the island’s premier jazz musicians. In keeping with the Gardens’ signature laid-back luxury spirit, you can help yourself to a bottle of wine from the hotel’s celebrated self-serve bar.

Way Down South The Gardens Hotel has garnered all kinds of awards from USA Travel Magazine’s “Best Kept Secret” (no

Blue Miami Lagniappe House, skirting Midtown and the Wynwood Arts District, feels like something

Get Your Fill Maybe you thought we’d rave about a smoky hole-in-the wall joint where a neighborhood saxophonist with a devoted following toots around small outdoor café tables tucked into some alleyway. If you know of such a place, please pass it along. In the meantime, the mass attended Riverwalk Sunday Brunch gets our vote for best jazz event under the South Florida sun. This free, community gathering, which features three jazz venues along Fort Lauderdale’s scenic river walk takes place the first Sunday of every month. Pack a blanket and a cooler, and enjoy the music as you get to know your neighbors.•

Rain Date When South Florida’s summer thunder storms roll in, you’ll want to get your jazz fix at one of a handful of intimate bars and cafés that have made a name for themselves locally. Miami’s most famous, Le Chat Noir, is inspired by the 19th century Montmartre arts district of gay Paris. Fort Lauderdale’s Q Bar is all about smooth jazz, soulful blues and gastropub offerings. In Key West, we love the Little Room Jazz Club, especially the Thursday night special featuring allfemale musicians. Now, that’s my kind of cool-cat jazz club!

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SING IT SISTER Karaoke is a great way to spend a night… and overcome some of your longeststanding fears.

by ANDREW PRINTER

ike most people, I’ve wrestled with a few random fears over the years: confined spaces, talking on the phone and karaoke. Yes, karaoke! Once upon a time, everything about it horrified me, from the prospect of performing for a group of drunks to watching a poor soul squirm while butchering Beyoncé. Public humiliation is not my thing. My story could end there. But it doesn’t, because I actually like to sing — in private. As it turns out, I can carry a tune, too. People within earshot have always told me so. Blushing I would shush them away and then listen to myself for a few bars, thinking perhaps I could give it a shot. And if I did, Key West is where it would happen. It’s a comfortable town where looking foolish for fun or a good cause is lauded. That perspective alone dilutes the prospect of crushing embarrassment. Plus, Key West is far from longtime friends. The Venue 801 Bourbon Bar and Bobby’s Monkey Bar are where karaoke fans go for entertainment. Both are home to Jeff Kucin, the town’s de facto karaoke host, who is usually in a corner organizing an endless stream of song requests or keeping time with his tambourine. It’s hard

to miss him. He has a penchant for outlandish — though seasonally appropriate — outfits: a joker’s costume, disco sparkle for Pride, green everything for St Paddy’s day. “People are like cats,” Kucin says. “The more shiny and strange the outfits, the more likely they’ll stay and listen.” Bobby’s Monkey Bar is the kind of place where everybody knows your name. Stop by after midnight and you’re likely to run into any number of regulars who saunter in after work to relax, listen or sing. Most are quite good but all emphasize they sing for the fun of it, not the praise. The Selection Bobby’s is a few blocks from the main drag, but 801 is right at the gayrainbow intersection of Petronius and Duval. It’s a busy spot, where famed drag queen Gassy Winds shares hosting duties with Kucin. Despite the endless foot traffic, it is less intimidating, perhaps because most performances are by happy tipsy tourists who don’t remember a thing the morning after, no lingering recollection of my foolhardy attempt at “Starboy.”

Advice from the peanut gallery on song selections: • “Bohemian Rhapsody,” anything Queen, really • The Eagles • “Don’t Stop Believin’” • “Sweet Caroline” — enough already! • Oh, and rap is hard!

• “Those who know the words by heart typically offer the better performance, because they are not preocupied with reading the screen.” – Jeff Kucin

With venues fully scoped out, I decide to sing “Living the Dream” by Drake White, because I know the words and like a faster tempo. So on an ordinary night I walked into Bobby’s Monkey Bar, ordered vodka, filled out my slip, sang my song and… survived. And just like that, a long-held fear was broken. The Take Away Though karaoke is not for everyone, it’s definitely about having a good time. Patrons and performers tell me how much more they prefer the friendly “atta-boy” vibe on karaoke nights to that of bars that are just about drinking. Michelle Moseley, a superfriendly regular, sums it up: “A karaoke night is different, because there’s never a negative energy. Look around and people are smiling, singing, dancing.” Since my epiphany, I’ve become a bit of an addict, singing everything from Lily Allen to Jason Aldean. I’ve been buoyed by compliments and even enjoyed some applause. I’ve also had my fair share of embarrassment, and that’s okay. If you’re with friends, even a major bust is a night to remember.•

dining•

CRAVING SPICE Tis the season of delectable dining and enticing offers. Get ready to heat things up with Miami Spice or indulge in CRAVE GFL.

by SOLE SASTRE

• This page, from left:

Anticucho de Costilla and Causa de Pulpo from Pisco y Nazca

ust as summer is reaching fever pitch — from August 1 – September 30 to be precise — restaurants across Miami take the edge off the dog days with a veritable festival of flavors. After 16 years (yes, it has been that long) many of us locals look forward to tucking in to Miami Spice Month, during which some of the hottest restaurants in town treat

us to three-course meals that can feature signature dishes or inventive creations made specifically for the occasion. The joy lies in the reduced prices. This year a Miami Spice dinner will only set you back $39, and lunch is a grand total of $23. In addition to lunch and dinner, this year’s program is launching weekend brunch at select restaurants as well. Many of the city’s finest eateries are once again on board, and many new ones have joined too. If you want to elevate your lunch break in Doral or want to enjoy dinner after happy hour, head to Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar for an authentic taste of Peru. From a selection of delicious Anticuchos — Peruvian skewers — that feature shrimp, short ribs or roasted chicken and refreshing ceviches to the restaurant’s celebrated causas, a number of its most popular dishes are included in the specialty menu. If you’re celebrating — or just ducking out of work after an extended lunch hour — start the meal off with a Pisco Sour or Nazca Mule. Another Spice veteran in Doral is the modern American steakhouse BLT Prime. From Brickell, Wynwood, Downtown, Coral Gables and South Miami to Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles, hundreds of restaurants across the city have signed up once again. Notable favorites include Beaker & Gray in Wynwood, Lure Fishbar at the Loews Miami Beach, the carnivorous sanctuary that is Meat Market Miami Beach, Scarpetta by Scott Conant at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach and Andrew Carmellini’s chic bistro at the W South Beach — The Dutch — among others. A number of new eateries have joined this year, too. Artisan Beach House in Bal Harbour features a diverse and flavor-forward menu with seafood, steak and a number of globally inspired dishes. Big Easy Winebar & Grill brings Western Cape region South African cuisine — think Napa Valley — to the brand new Brickell City Centre.

Courtesy of Pisco y Nazca

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• This page, clockwise

Courtesy of Hakkasan; Michael Pisarri; Courtesy of 3030 Ocean

from top left: the sleek dining room at Hakkasan; Happy Sac cocktail at 3030 Ocean; ahi tuna poké at 3030 Ocean

CASUAL OFFERS Once upon a time, Key West’s summer season stretched from May through October. It was a long, hot, slow time of year. Thanks to the island’s growing popularity the slow season got whittled down to just September, which has turned into a month of awesome dining deals. If you happen to get into town a little too early, don’t worry. You don’t want to miss the Key West Lobster Fest. Marking the end of fishing season for the island, the 21st annual edition takes place from August 10-13. Just about two weeks later, September rolls in with quite a few dining deals to please the palate and the wallet. Café Marquesa is offering two courses for $26. All meals are 50 percent off before 7 p.m. at Azur. You can combine a meal with a drink special at Café Solé, where all entrées are priced at $20 and you can get two glasses of wine for the price of one until 7 p.m. marquesa.com azulkeywest.com cafesole.com

While the River Yacht Club has offered Spice menus before, if you happen to be at the club some time this summer you can also enjoy traditional Japanese fare at the recently opened Dashi. Likewise, fans of Mignonette Downtown will be happy to know they can shuck oysters at Mignonette Uptown during Spice Month this year, too. Honestly, you should clear your calendar for the entire month of September. In addition to Miami Spice, South Floridians can enjoy deep discounts at some of the region’s premier restaurants in Broward that month, too. The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) replaced the former Dine Out Lauderdale program with CRAVE GFL Restaurant Month. From September 1–30 you can indulge in prix-fixe, three-course culinary experiences for $37 throughout Fort Lauderdale. A new component of the program is the special foodie experience, which might come in the form of a winepairing dinner, chef-demonstration, or a cooking or mixology class. Restaurants participating in CRAVE GFL include Oceans 234, 3030 Ocean, Sea Level, Eduardo de San Angel, Kuro at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Burlock Coast, among a dozen others.• To get more information on either program, visit ilovemiamispice.com or go to sunny.org/restaurants/cravegfl.

Â© Nito100 / Dreamstime.com

HIV HOT

ZONE SOUTH FLORIDA IS IN THE MIDST OF AN HIV CRISIS. THE LOCAL GAY LATINO POPULATION IS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY HIV AND LIVES ONLY HALF AS LONG AFTER AN AIDS DIAGNOSIS AS CAUCASIAN GAY MEN. BY DANIEL SHOER ROTH

020

ike a snowball rolling downhill, the HIV epidemic in South Florida is picking up momentum and size. Standing at the foot of that mountain, the gay and bisexual Latino community is bearing a disproportionate burden. For many gay Latino immigrants yearning for a life of freedom, this alarming trend is also potentially fatal. Attractive men abound in South Florida, as do opportunities for casual sex. But many who visit or are recent

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arrivals aren’t aware that the region comprised of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties has the highest rates of new HIV infections in the country. “Many [people] immigrated from countries where sex education doesn’t exist, or if it does, it certainly doesn’t detail [the] ways that gay men can stay safe from HIV,” says Dr. Stephen Fallon, executive director of Latinos Salud. “As a result, many arrive without the basic information about HIV and STDs that we take for granted. Some believe myths that HIV can’t transmit if a person looks healthy or if a partner withdraws before climax.”

Opposite page: © Rawpixel / iStock by Getty Images; This page: Christina Mendenhall

BETWEEN 2006 AND 2015, HIV diagnoses in Miami-Dade county increased by 70 percent among Latino men who have sex with men (MSM), according to the Florida Department of Health. In contrast, the number of HIV cases among their white, non-Hispanic counterparts actually decreased by 28 percent. Among black MSM — a group that for many years made up a disproportionate share of HIV patients — diagnoses increased 10 percent, a figure health officials consider progress. Latinos also represent the highest number of new HIV infection cases among MSMs age 20–29. Within this group, the infection rates over the past 10 years have increased significantly among all groups: Latinos by 158 percent; blacks by 127; and white, non-Hispanics by 33, according to Lorene Maddox, surveillance data analysis manager at the Florida Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS Section. “We can see how the epidemic is shifting towards Hispanics,” says Kira Villamizar, public health services manager at the Department of Health in Miami-Dade county. At the root of these high infection rates are several factors, including

Kira Villamizar, the public health services manager at the Department of Health in Miami-Dade county, is concerned about the sweeping effects that increased HIV infection rates could have on the local community.

declining condom use, the stigma associated with HIV, lack of education, misconceptions about the disease, langauge and culture barriers, and a complex network of issues related to socioeconomic and immigration status, experts agree. Because cultural norms in Latin America generally discourage open discussion about taboo subjects such as sex, studies have found that many Latinos do not talk about the risk of HIV, prevention or testing. Eddy Orozco is chair of the Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership, an advisory board that serves the mayor and board of commissioners. Too often he says gay Latinos adhere to an “it’s not going to happen to me” mentality. And once they do find out they are HIV positive, they go into denial. “Some are still having unprotected sex,” he says. In 2014, the Behavioral Science Research Institute (BSRI) conducted a series of focus groups within Miami-Dade’s MSM population. Most participants identified as Latino or African-American. Many described Miami as a “party city” where recreational drug use and sex are inextricably intertwined, which leads to risky sexual behaviors. Particularly in communities of color, the report concluded, stigma leads “to feelings of shame” and a sense that their status is “something they need to hide.” Orlando Sosa, 28, leads the testing program at the Latinos Salud office in Miami Beach. He shared a story about a 23-year-old Venezuelan man who went in for an HIV test while his boyfriend waited outside. “He tells me, ‘I am positive but my partner doesn’t know,’” Sosa recalls. “I asked, ‘Are you in treatment?’ and he answered ‘no.’ They were having unprotected sex, and he didn’t disclose his status because he was afraid [his boyfriend] would ditch him.” Fortunately, the partner tested negative, and the young man is now on medication. Nevertheless, “I see a lot of irresponsible behavior around that spreads the disease,” adds Sosa, himself an HIV-positive Cuban immigrant who volunteers for the Centers for

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Disease Control and Prevention’s Spanish-language version of the “Start Talking. Stop HIV.” campaign.

Dr. Stephen Fallon and Will Portalatin during one of Latinos Salud’s many fundraising and awareness raising efforts.

DISPARITIES AT THE INITIAL phases of HIV medical care among Latinos — whether because of late diagnosis or delayed access to treatment — have also raised concern. According to Fallon, about half of South Florida’s gay Latinos are diagnosed late and end up receiving an AIDS diagnosis within the year. This delay in testing and seeking medical care after a positive HIV result occurs for a number of reasons: lack of health insurance, cultural barriers, fear of disclosing immigration status, inadequate knowledge about the breadth of services available and inaccurate information about eligibility for unauthorized immigrants are just part of the lengthy and complicated list of obstacles. Tragically, because of these perceived barriers to care, only 32 percent of all Miami residents diagnosed with HIV are virally suppressed, compared to 78 percent statewide, according to the state’s HIV/AIDS Section. The consequences are fatal. While life expectancy among people with HIV has considerably improved in the U.S. — provided antiretroviral therapy is started sufficiently early — the median time from AIDS diagnosis to death for a gay Latino in South Florida was only 77 months according to records taken between 2007 and 2014. That’s half as long as their white, non-Hispanic peers. “This is the reality that frustrates me most,” says Fallon. “With timely diagnosis and adherence to today’s medicines, guys with HIV should be living to age 75.” Last year, Antonio, a 43-year-old Ecuadoran man from Fort Lauderdale felt terribly ill. He went to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with pneumonia, but he didn’t respond to the antibiotics. Then lab results revealed he had developed full-blown AIDS. He had been diagnosed with HIV in 2009 after having unprotected sex with his boyfriend in Mexico, but he felt healthy and was told his viral load was undetectable, so he didn’t seek medical care. “It’s a combination of fear and ignorance that we bring from our countries,” Antonio proposes. “I never paid attention to my HIV. Then I almost died.”

Adult HIV Infection Cases among MSM by Race/Ethnicity and Year of Diagnosis in Miami-Dade County

800

Hispanic

700 Black 600 White 500 400 300 200 100 0 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Source: Florida Department of Health

2014

2015

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TAKE NOTE A number of local organizations, including Latinos Salud, AHF, Care Resource and Pridelines among others, offer free HIV testing. Not only are the testing units often mobile and present at high-visibility areas, but patients receive their results immediately.

THE TRANSIENT nature of South Florida’s population, as well as the region’s popularity as a mecca for gay tourists, makes infection control difficult notes David Forrest, the University of Miami researcher overseeing the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS) Miami-Dade site. Furthermore, many foreign-born residents travel regularly to and from their homelands, where access to condoms and medical treatment usually differs dramatically. “This movement is a big issue, and then tourism, of course, is another one. We have no control of those tourists and what they do,” Forrest says. As he points out, many Latinos in Miami — especially the younger ones — are having sex with both men and women. Research shows this population is at increased risk for contracting HIV when compared with men who have sex with men exclusively. The 2014 focus group report cited a perception of invincibility or invulnerability among youth as a key factor in HIV acquisition. Luigi Ferrer, director of Health Services at Pridelines, attributes this disheartening trend in large part to a lack of LGBTQ-inclusive sex education. “Despite the fact that Miami-Dade County [Public] Schools has good policy regarding sex education, the implementation of this policy is left up to individual school principals. The net effect is that no sex education — let alone scientifically accurate, up-to-date comprehensive sex education — is taking place,” he laments.

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TO CONTAIN THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, health authorities and communitybased organizations have expanded routine testing, enacted rapid-response programs to connect newly diagnosed individuals with treatment, and increased capacity for PrEP and nPEP administration for prevention. Outreach efforts have also been bolstered. Just last year, Latinos Salud launched the “DiversiSafe” campaign. Its programs and messages are fully customized to help each person stay safe from HIV or live a healthier life despite testing positive. Villamizar also proposes a more holistic approach. “People at risk don’t live in a vacuum,” she says. “HIV may not be a priority in a person’s life when they are dealing with issues such as housing, unemployment, substance abuse and immigration status.” Looking at education efforts, she acknowledges there is room for improvement when it comes to gay Latinos. The one-size-fits-all message just doesn’t work. “We need to make sure translation is not the answer because the meaning is lost.”•

Many people think they know a great deal about HIV, prevention methods and ways to live a healthy life while positive. But it’s always a good idea to brush up on what you know. Consider the following points:

+ HIV is sneaky! You can’t tell

someone is infected just by looking at them or at what their profile says. Confirm it with a test.

+ An HIV test today can confirm

if you were still HIV-negative three weeks ago or more, but it can’t disclose if you were infected just last week. A second test is always a good idea.

+ Condoms can only protect you if used from start to finish. But remember to avoid oil-based lubricants, as they can “melt” condoms.

+ PrEP is an anti-HIV medication that’s taken in advance daily. The medicine builds up a “wall” of protection that blocks HIV.

+ Had a slip? If you get on anti-

HIV medicine (nPEP) right away, you have a good chance of keeping the disease from “latching on.”

+ If you are living with HIV, you

can’t “feel” what the virus is doing to your immune system. You have to take your medication regularly to live a long and healthy life.

+ HIV medications are expensive, but the Ryan White program may help offset the cost of your medication if you do not earn a high income.

+ For all of this information and

help with for the medications and services described, Latinos Salud offers free assistance. Source: Stephen J. Fallon, Ph.D., Latinos Salud

EVER CHAVEZ LIVING THEATER Story by Carlos Martin | Photography by Nick Garcia

In his continual search for an ever-greater stage, Ever Chavez has crafted an artistic engine for the city.

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“

It was a very special time, because I was able to release myself of all the bonds that held me back, and I was able to embrace my life as an openly gay man.”

rom an early age, Havana native Ever Chavez, 50, wanted to escape the pressures of living in Cuba under his family’s watchful eye. “I remember being 13 years old and already having an intense need to carve out a personal space,” he shares during our meeting at the W South Beach. “I had the kind of angst that comes with the age, and I was just beginning to define my own tastes and preferences.” Chavez’s big moment came in 1982, when he earned a scholarship to study radio communications in what was then the Soviet Union. He describes it as an intense experience that helped him define his earliest views of the world. When he returned to Havana at 19, he says he felt like a foreigner in his own country. He felt lost, no longer able to recognize friendships and having everything seem odd and distant. The one thing that kept him going was his newfound love for the arts. “It was a very special time, because I was able to release myself of all the bonds that held me back, and I was able to embrace my life as an openly gay man.” Overcome by his new restlessness, he became a voracious consumer of anything artistic. He wanted to fashion himself into an integral part of the city’s cultural landscape and set out to meet artists and network with those people who were fixtures in the arts scene. Then the Instituto Superior de Arte de La Habana announced it was starting a theater production program. “At the time, no one had any experience in production in Cuba. It was a profession that did not exist, at least not in the way we know it,” says Chavez. “I felt the skies open. I registered, and in less than a year I graduated.” It was during his studies that he started work as a stagehand for the Teatro Nacional, a state-run cultural institution. There he learned about the inner workings of the theater and discovered a world of creative possibilities.

By 1992 he was working with El Publico, a fledgling theater company that he had been following closely. “I saw their production of three American plays: A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, and Robert Anderson’s Tea and Sympathy. I fell in love with the group’s aesthetic and with the kind of work their director, Carlos Diaz, was doing.” His time with El Publico was marked by intense creative growth. He was in Carlos Diaz’s production of Albert Camus’ Caligula, and got the opportunity to travel and collaborate with other theater companies as well. The group made a name for itself and became one of the most respected theater organizations in Cuba. A particularly successful year-long tour through Spain saw the group participate in a number of prominent international festivals. At the same time, Chavez began work as an event producer for the Festival Internacional de Cine de La Habana, which opened other avenues of exploration. “I began to make contacts with musical organizations and dance groups, and I learned the logistics of producing larger shows.” Right around the year 2000, after visiting South Florida a few times, Chavez decided to settle in Miami, where he felt he could flex his creative muscle in a more diverse environment and eventually achieve his dream of running his own arts organization. “I was 33 and felt like it was the right time to start a new chapter in my life. In Miami, I saw potential, not for what the city could offer me, but rather what I could offer the city.”

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“

In Miami, I saw potential, not for what the city could offer me, but rather what I could offer the city.”

Like most of Miami’s recent arrivals, Chavez had to make a living doing “whatever was available.” “I was enthusiastic and full of energy. I felt this was the right place for me,” he says. “I was fortunate to meet the right people, who guided me so I could adapt successfully.” He worked at a number of organizations and with various programs, including Miami Dade College’s former Cultura del Lobo and Teatro Avante, spending a year at each. This complete immersion informed the kind of work he would later take on as an entrepreneur and producer. Chavez wanted to create a different kind of organization, one that would allow him to bring Ibero-American performers that were still mostly unknown in Miami at the time. He saw a void in the city’s cultural landscape, which he says lacked alternative shows. “At first I faced a lot of obstacles, especially financially, but we took it step by step, trying to make the most of the grants, endowments and other forms of funding we could access. I made it a point to design a sustainable project that would place Miami on a global stage culturally, while offering audiences the kinds of performances they were previously only able to enjoy in cities like New York.” The end result was FUNDarte, whose programming was a shot in the arm for South Florida’s small but promising theater scene 15 years ago. “We are truly proud of everything we have accomplished,” Chavez admits. “We offer all kinds of programming, and we are

happy to have earned the respect and support of an incredibly diverse audience with people from all over the globe.” FUNDarte remains a nonprofit that’s primarily funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which itself is in survival mode. With its own existence in question, the NEA continues to do its work by supporting state and regional agencies, including the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs. “The NEA carries out rigorous annual evaluations,” explains Chavez. “We are sensitive to what it means for us to maintain this line of funding, so we are constantly raising the bar.” As part of his never-ending effort to keep FUNDarte relevant and financially viable, Chavez travels constantly, scouting talent that will enhance the kind of balanced program portfolio that’s at the core of the organization’s mission. FUNDarte’s annual programming has naturally organized itself into four distinct components over time. The first, Borders, is actually comprised of three separate events: a children’s festival, a flamenco festival and a world music festival. In March, it’s time for Global Cuba Fest, a joint effort with Miami Light Project that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this coming year. “We try to turn the stage into neutral territory, where artists from the Cuban diaspora can practice an exchange with their island counterparts,” says Chavez. CLIMAKAZE MIAMI — in its third year next May — offers a forum for the public to present artistic work that focuses on the environment and climate change. The last of the annual programs is Out in the Tropics, an LGBTQ arts festival that just completed its eighth run. “It’s our way of helping create dialogue around issues that affect the community,” says Chavez. “We don’t aim to organize a festival that is for an LGBTQ audience exclusively, but rather to present shows that offer a creative space for artists and that promote tolerance.” The future is promising for Chavez. “I am 100 percent fulfilled,” he says smiling. “The most important thing is to believe in yourself and stand up for your principles. I am happy for what we have achieved, and I could not be more grateful with life.”•

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CURRENTLY TEACHING CREATIVE WRITING AT MILLS COLLEGE, ACHY OBEJAS IS THE AUTHOR OF A SHORT STORY COLLECTION, THREE NOVELS AND A BOOK OF POETRY. BY GREGG SHAPIRO

The Tower of Antilles (Akashic, 2017) is the second short story collection by the queer CubanAmerican writer, who has also edited two anthologies. Returning to the short story format, Obejas has created some of her most unforgettable characters for the 10 stories that make up this latest release. I spoke with her about The Tower of Antilles, her experience as a writer and her thoughts on Cuba. Your first book, We Came All the Way From Cuba So You Could Dress Like This? was a short story collection. In

the interim you wrote three novels and a book of poetry. How did you know it was the right time for a new short-story collection? I’d been working on a novel, and I’d been very frustrated by it. Also, I had taken on a lot of stuff at Mills [College]. I started a translation program. I was, and am still, doing a lot [of] things basic to running a program. I had never done that. I had to learn it from scratch. I was spending a lot of times in meetings and stuff like that, and not a lot of time concentrating on the larger piece. You can’t hold a novel in your head. You have to have a

Kaloian

TOWERING ACHIEVEMENTS

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relationship with it every day in order to have any sense of continuity with it. I started revisiting the short stories. Not on purpose, they just came to me. They felt different. They started to feel right. I think it was (writer) Lawrence Schimel who said, “If you’re writing that many stories, don’t you have a book?” [laughs]. I started playing around with some possibilities. I wanted to curate this book. I wanted it to have a shape and for the reader to take a journey. Could you ever see expanding any of the stories or characters in The Tower of Antilles into a novel? It’s funny that you should say that. I’ve had a couple of people ask me that question. I tend not to think of characters in stories in that way. Sometimes, little pieces of them show up in other characters. I tend to have them selfcontained. You know this, as a writer, that that means squat [laughs]. Because if you start doing something and you can pull from somewhere else, you will. How many of your stories begin in Spanish as opposed to English? The vast majority begin and end in English. Certain things in a story will come in Spanish. On a few occasions, entire stories have come in Spanish. That story in particular, which I’m always amused by the fact that it was originally written in Spanish, was written in Havana. My brain was totally operating in Spanish. I’d been there for God knows how long. I think that piece was written in 2011. At that point, I was so comfortable with my relationship to Havana that I was no longer mesmerized by it every minute I was there. The modern myth “Supermán” is both erotic and humorous. He’s a real person, this guy Supermán. I remember hearing about him indirectly as a kid. There were men in my family who had been to the Shanghai Theatre [burlesque palace]. It’s a common setting in a lot of Cuban literature. It tends to be the scene of a lot of sexual awakening for a lot of Cuban writers, especially those who came of age in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Whenever I walked in on my dad or uncles

talking about it they would change the subject [laughs]. But I never really thought about him [Supermán] until a few years ago when I read an article in an American magazine in which the reporter was trying to figure out what happened to this guy. He had kind of vanished and the Shanghai had closed. The Cuban revolution was very puritan and one of the first things they did was close down the brothels and sex shows and eventually sent all the queers off to labor camps. I read the piece and felt like that wasn’t the whole story. I was amused. I thought, who are these guys who talked their editors into paying for a trip to Cuba so they could do this and come back with such crap [laughs]. What did they have on that editor [laughs]? I tried digging on my own and found a bunch of crazy stuff. The Cuban press in revolutionary times actually has a story about how Ava Gardner picked him up and had to be rushed to the hospital. The implication was that he was so rough and manly and large that he impaled her, I guess. They also intimated that he had a fling with [Marlon] Brando. All the unanswered questions are part of the mythology. Also, in the end I just wanted him to be every piece of Cuban lore. A Watergate burglar or the guy who killed Che. The part [in the story] where he’s dying of AIDS, that’s all Reinaldo [Arenas]. How he wrote a letter blaming Fidel for his own death. I wrote a piece for The Nation when Reinaldo died in 1990, and I described the yellow gloves and the stretcher in the photos that had run. Woven into the whole thing is the comic book Superman, as well. Finally, with everything that has happened in the past year, what is your hope for Cuba in 2017? When Obama lifted the restrictions, and started diplomatic relations, I was really hopeful for some dialogue that would help Cuba. Now I am unsure about what could possibly happen. I don’t trust our current President. What happens with Cuba depends on him. This is the problem with Cuba – its fate so often rests on the moves of the American president.•

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YOU CAN’T HOLD A NOVEL IN YOUR HEAD. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH IT EVERY DAY IN ORDER TO HAVE ANY SENSE OF CONTINUITY WITH IT.

”

babyONboardÂ The decision to start a family is highly personal, and for couples in the LGBTQ community, it is also incredibly deliberate.

byÂ Shayne Benowitz Illustration by Barbara Pollak-Lewis

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Edwin Scharlau, Victor Gimenez and their son Joshua at the end of Trouville Esplanade in Normandy Isles.

Carina Mask

or LGBTQ couples there’s a wide range of options to expand the family — adoption, insemination, surrogacy, blended families, foster care — and each poses its own set of emotional, legal and financial challenges. While samesex adoption became legal in Florida in 2010 and same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide in 2015, the path to parenthood and family has not been rubber stamped into simplicity. In almost every case, legal counsel is needed. Miami Beach attorney Elizabeth F. Schwartz, who literally wrote the book on gay marriage (Before I Do: A Legal Guide to Marriage, Gay and Otherwise, The New Press, 2016), is Board certified by the Florida Bar in adoption law and specializes in family formation. Schwartz acts as an adoption entity and top advocate for LGBTQ rights. Clients typically seek her counsel at one of two junctures: to act as intermediary in private adoption or to confirm parental rights through second parent or stepparent adoption. The latter is necessary in nearly every path to parenthood, and Schwartz has facilitated approximately 400 second parent adoptions since 2010. Second parent adoption confirms the rights of both parents, which are needed whether a couple is married or not. “It’s still the consensus of LGBT legal organizations that couples button up

their parental rights with a confirmatory second parent adoption,” says Schwartz. “Birth certificates provide presumptive, not conclusive rights, even if both parents names are on it.” This step is also necessary for blended families who wish to make a stepparent a legal guardian of his or her partner’s biological children. Private adoptions can cost $25,000–$50,000. Second parent and stepparent adoptions range from $2,500 to $5,000. Conversely, couples that decide to go through the Florida Department of Children and Families’ foster care system, receive a monthly subsidy and benefits from the state.

adoption

When Edwin Scharlau, 47, and Victor Gimenez, 43, brought their baby boy Joshua back to their home in Miami’s North Beach in 2013, their adoption experience was nothing like their first attempt. They had initially tried in 2007, shortly after their blessing of union ceremony with a California-based agency, but ultimately walked away from that attempt after myriad complications with their lawyer and the birth mother. “[With Joshua], it was unusually fast,” recalls Gimenez. Just two months after enlisting Robert C. LaMarche, executive director of ACF Adoptions agency, Joshua was born. “We got a call on October 30th that a healthy baby boy was born in Boynton Beach. Six hours later, we met him and two days later, he was in our home.” The timeline for adoptions can vary greatly. Schwartz tells her clients to expect to wait between nine months and a year, depending on how selective their criteria are. Such considerations include race, gender and age preferences, as well as the birth mother’s personal and medical history, including drug use and abuse. For Erica Freshman, 39, and Spring Keyes, 40, of Miami’s Morningside, the 2014 adoption of their son Axel unfolded in a more typical way. They enlisted Schwartz in 2010, but dragged their heels with some of the paperwork, including the home study, which is the determining factor for whether a couple is eligible for adoption.

Sharon Lothlany and Vanessa Colimorio with twins Maya and Olivia in their back yard.

Schwartz often refers clients to Ginny Berg, a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist based in Fort Lauderdale. “The people I work with are amazing people and will make wonderful, wonderful parents,” says Berg. “Look at what they have to go through compared to a heterosexual couple in order to have a child.” “When you have to plan — I’m going to go and get my fingerprints done. I’m going to have someone walk through my house and make sure my dogs don’t bark too much. I’m going to get a doctor or my friend to write a reference. That’s all very deliberate. It takes a little bit of time,” explains Keyes. In November 2013, they got an email from Schwartz that read: I think I found your baby. The birth mother was due in February. They arranged to meet over lunch in mid-January. “She was young, 19 or 20, pretty, nice, sweet, didn’t speak much English,” says Keyes. They

accompanied her to the last five medical appointments and were there when Axel was born. “I remember the second he started crying. I have a picture of him looking at Spring. He must’ve been two minutes old. It was really nice being a part of all of it — like, really all of it,” says Freshman. Still, the process was not stress free. The birth mother fell out of contact for weeks at a time, including 24 hours before Axel’s birth. This was something Scharlau and Gimenez experienced with their first adoption attempt, too. In Florida, there’s a grace period of 48 hours after giving birth or upon discharge from the hospital before a birth mother signs her consent to officially give her baby up for adoption. For Scharlau and Gimenez, their adoption’s legal documents weren’t finalized until six months after Joshua’s birth. These waiting periods are nerveracking for couples.

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with IVF,

which is often implemented when egg quality has diminished or the fallopian tubes are blocked, the success rate on the first try is 80 percent.

Christina Mendhall

Dr. Yulia Watters, CEO of South Florida Center for Couples & Families

“You really are giving up a lot of control and putting it out to the universe with adoption,” says Scharlau. “There’s so many things that can go really right, which is great, but there’s a million things that can go wrong or change the process and you just have no control over those. You’re dealing with humans.” In spite of the level of uncertainty involved in adoption, when Freshman reflects on motherhood, she sees their union with Axel as inevitable. “I feel like our house is happier.”

insemination &surrogacy

The other route same-sex couples can explore is fertility treatment. For lesbian couples, this means insemination. For gay couples, it’s surrogacy. For Sharon Kothlany, 32, and Vanessa Colimorio, 33, of Miami’s Biscayne Park, it was a threeyear journey with two doctors before finding success with Dr. Fernando M. Akerman, an expert in reproduction and fertility, who specializes in the LGBTQ community at the Fertility & IVF Center of Miami. In 2012, just a couple of months after they were married in Brooklyn, they began trying with Kothlany. Emotionally she wanted to be pregnant. She went through a total of nine IUI (intrauterine insemination has sperm placed inside the uterus) and two IVF (in vitro fertilization has eggs extracted from the uterus, fertilized by sperm in a lab and placed back in the uterus as embryos) treatments. She also had to undergo two surgeries, one to remove a cyst from her left ovary and the other to open up her right fallopian tube. According to Dr. Akerman, the success rate of IUI for a healthy woman at prime child rearing age is 20 to 25 percent, so it’s normal for this procedure to take three to four cycles, with one to two inseminations per cycle. The cost is roughly $1,000 per insemination plus $500 for a vial of sperm. With IVF, which is often implemented when egg quality has diminished or the fallopian tubes are blocked, the success rate on the first try is 80 percent. The cost could be anywhere between $11,000 and $15,000. Reciprocal IVF, where one partner’s

embryo is placed in the other’s uterus, offers a more shared experience. When Kothlany got the call that her second IVF treatment was a success and she was pregnant with twins, Colimorio was by her side. “That was very special,” Kothlany says. “I thought, maybe she was meant to hear it with me.” Today, the couple has two healthy two-year old girls, Maya and Olivia. For gay couples, the path to surrogacy is more complicated and expensive. They need both eggs and a surrogate mother for nine months. Altogether it can cost upwards of $50,000. For legal reasons, gestational surrogacy has become the norm, which means a donor egg is placed in a surrogate’s uterus, eliminating any genetic connection or legal rights the carrier has to the child. Legal complications can also arise when known sperm or egg donors are used and most professionals today recommend opting for an anonymous donor.

blended families &support

Of course, family formation is often the result of new marriages. In these cases, as well as with adoption and fertility treatments, it’s sometimes wise to seek counseling from a family therapist. “Successful parenting is often related to how people perceive and work through their acceptance of their own identity,” says Dr. Yulia Watters, the CEO of South Florida Center for Couples & Families. “How do we initiate our relationship with the world, and what does it mean to be a parent?” Watters often counsels families on co-parenting, creating an environment of acceptance and issues that arise in a parent coming out, divorce and any other stressors of family formation using different counseling approaches ranging from grief to long-term therapy. In the case of blended families, she prefers to get as many members of the family in the room as possible in the quest of a common “miracle,” or what their ideal family situation would look like. “People just want to create families and love them,” Watters says. “Parents want the best for their children.”•

Yes,

Siam! In Bangkok, gender fluidity is a day-to-day affair. By Lawrence Ferber

Lawrence Ferber

omeone let the genie out of the bottle.

There are two shirtless genies, actually, swaying gently on swings at Bangkok nightclub Maggie Choo’s. The upscale, cinematically lit lounge evokes a 1930s Shanghai speakeasy ambience, with its moss green velvet armchairs, inky leather couches and VIP booths hidden behind vault doors. Sunday evenings are gay and hosted by Bangkok drag queen Pangina Heals. Fluent in English, sharply comedic and a genuinely talented dancer, Pangina — aka Pan Pan Nakprasert — would easily kick ass on RuPaul’s Drag Race if a U.S. passport wasn’t required. Pangina won

Thailand’s drag queen reality show, T Battle, in 2014, and is known throughout Southeast Asia for popularizing the fierce queer dance genre waacking. While waiting for the first set, I strike up a conversation with one of the amiable genies balanced on a tiny metal seat suspended by a single chain on either side (a sign on the back warns: RISK OF DEATH DO NOT SIT). He moved here not from a bottle, but Colorado, four years ago. “Bangkok’s a place you end up not wanting to leave,” he explains. Come 10 p.m., Pangina takes the stage, firing off sassy commentary while introducing a host of drag queens, including frequent foil Jaja Rjay Angeles. The pair do a hysterically unPC routine in which a rabid Whitney Houston is tormented by a bag of drugs. In between hourly sets, Pangina treats the entire club as her catwalk, waacking the hell out of it. Nakprasert, who studied fine art at UCLA before returning to Thailand in 2010, is just one of the performers and personalities that makes Bangkok such a unique and increasingly cosmopolitan destination, especially for Thai transgender individuals. Some are very high-profile: Sony BMG recording artist Bell Nuntita made her first splash — and viral YouTube clip — on Thailand’s Got Talent in 2011, singing perfectly in both female and male registers. She went on to co-star in Josh Kim’s 2015 movie, How To Win At Checkers (Every Time). Gene Kasidit began as the male frontman of punky electroclash band Futon in the early 2000s and later went solo with a deliciously 80s electrodisco sound and a female identity. In 2017, Kasidit launched a brand new genre-hopping musical project, Spirit. Glam rock outfit Chanudom, which released its first EP in 2016, is fronted

Lawrence Ferber

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From top: © Dmitry Pichugin / Shutterstock; Lawrence Ferber

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Page 45: Yaksha detail at the Grand Palace complex in Bangkok; Opposite page: promoter, Ken Kreangsak Lieng, a genie and Pangina Heals at Maggie Choo’s. This page (from top): Sanphet Prasat Palace in the Ancient City; everyday drag near Lumphini Park.

by the flamboyant Chanudom Suksatit, who starred in Bangkok’s production of Hedwig & The Angry Inch. From a male pharmacy cashier who wears lipstick to full-on kathoey — the Thai word for transgender women — gender in this part of the world is in constant flux. Many lesbians, meanwhile, adopt traditionally masculine appearances and mannerisms and are known as toms, short for tomboy. Tom style is so popular it’s even permeated heterosexual circles. Binary schminary! Before I delve deeper into Bangkok’s LGBTQ scene, however, I check into my hotel, the Conrad Bangkok. Some adore the rooms with balconies. I’m keen on the giant outdoor pool, ideal location — just a short stroll to main artery Sukhumvit, luxury shopping mall Central Embassy and a station for the above-ground BTS rail transit — and the Stay Inspired program, an expansive, well-curated collection of experiences and itineraries. As a repeat visitor, I also love staying at the ultra-gay, design-forward

W Bangkok. Its location in the trendy Sathorn district is now anchored by the pixelated-surface MahanaKhon Tower. Even gayer — and yes, that’s possible — SO Sofitel Bangkok overlooks Lumphini Park and is a short distance from the LGBTQ nightlife strip, Silom, and its rowdy sidestreets, Soi 2 and 4. Though renowned for its nightlife, there are several Silom spots worth visiting in the daytime. Koguma is an adorable coffee and juice stand run by a pair of Thai bears; the Everyday Karmakamet café and shop carries amazingly scented home goods; and the fabulous, authentic Somtum Der is a gayowned Isan restaurant that has spawned locations in New York City, Beijing and Ho Chi Minh City. Sister venue Supanniga Eating Room in Sathorn, and its nightly dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River, are also gay musts! Food is actually 80 percent of the reason I keep returning to Bangkok, and its flourishing fine dining scene is drawing ever more gastrotourism.

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Lawrence Ferber (6)

Clockwise from top left: a table chef at Gaggan; MahaNakhon Tower looming over The House on Sathorn restaurant; drag performance at Maggie Chooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s; cocktail at J. Boroski; HUGs Bar Karaoke; prayer break in Bangkok

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culinary trend

One growing is Thai fusion with a sustainable farm-to-table ethos.

Nahm, at the sleek COMO Metropolitan Hotel, is justly regarded as the world’s best Thai restaurant, thanks to chef David Thompson’s sublime interpretation of classic dishes. For a more playful, molecular version of Thai cuisine head to Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin. Chef Gaggan Anand’s eponymous restaurant is the El Bulli of Indian cuisine, topping Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list. His inventive, quirky tasting menu is currently comprised of 25 courses inspired by emojis (my favorite: a katsu nugget that actually contains spicy pork curry). A growing trend is Thai fusion with a sustainable farm-to-table ethos. At Sathorn’s 1-year-old Bunker, Chef Arnold Marcella incorporates regional ingredients in his dishes, from a kaffir lime leaf-enriched ceviche to fish with lemongrass water. Sharing space with a hostel, old town’s 80/20 sees executive chef Napol Jantraget push seasonal flavors and earthy, herbal ingredients using French techniques and fermentation in dishes like an Isan lamb tartare with green sauce and crumbled crickets. Don’t miss the cocktails, which spotlight local spirits and wines. Thonglor, a hip, upscale, neighborhood that’s home to VIPs and Japanese expats, is one of my favorite places to get spicy Southern Thai dishes with sataw — pungent, smelly beans — at Baan Ice and Khua Kling & Pak Sod. A hidden gem tucked down a side street, Marie Guimar specializes in “lost” dishes that are rich in texture and flavor, as well as highly underrated Thai desserts. Thonglor has also seen a boom of astoundingly good speakeasies, such as

J. Boroski and Iron Faeries, both designed by hunky Aussie expat, Ashley Sutton — easily Bangkok’s coolest interior designer and craft gin distiller (Maggie Choo’s is also his work). The area is also home to food-centric “lifestyle malls,” like The Commons. While there, I get my authentic Neapolitan pizza fix at Peppina. BRIX Dessert Bar regularly draws oodles of gays and lesbians, and the pop-up art, music and Instagram-perfect installations make it a must. Thanks to Bangkok’s significant Japanese expat population, another recent culinary trend is the emergence of world-class omakase sushi menus. Sathorn’s six-seat Meruto truly stands apart on several levels. Its passionate Thai sushi chef/owner, Kirati Butdeevong, sources top-quality seasonal fish and rarities for his original creations. Even the uni — sea urchin — is boxed in sea water and free of the chemicals typically used to keep its shape. The decadent Meruto-don with tuna, truffle, uni and Thai lime alone is worth the splurge. Another Japanese institution that has made its way to Bangkok is onsen — hot springs/baths. My local friends all love Yunomori, a family-friendly venue with massage services and a café. The maleonly, nude, wet area teems with gymtoned gays on weekend nights. Though technically illegal in Thailand, I use Uber to get around the areas public transport — the BTS and MRT — doesn’t service. Uber drivers are tech-savvy and often speak English. After Yunomori one evening, a friend and I headed to Silom Soi 4, a street lined with gay pubs, some of which offer patio seating for a see-

and-be-seen dynamic. Notable among these is the (in)famous Telephone Bar. We attended the packed opening night at HUGs, a second-floor karaoke bar for bears, who should also check out the spacious Brother’s Bar nearby. It features live performances on its stage, an extensive food and drink menu, and happy vibes. Meanwhile, on rowdy Soi 2, DJ Station features nightly drag revues. Breathing fresh air into the local scene, promoter Ken Kreangsak Lieng’s G-Spot Entertainment hosts Maggie Choo’s Sundays and first Saturday nights at Banyan Tree hotel’s stunning 60th floor bar, Vertigo Too. While some locals complain that “It’s too mainstream now,” or that “Too many straights go,” the venue-jumping party Trasher remains a colorful series with eclectic themes. Trasher, along with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, also produces an entertaining, educational gay webseries called GayOK that addresses HIV, testing and PrEP, and it has English subtitles. For my last night out, I go see Pangina again. This time at Soi 4’s Stranger Bar, where she has a Tuesday and Thursday night residency. At one point, she emerges as pregnant Beyoncé. I was taking photos when a rather drunk, scruffy Frenchman jammed his tongue into my ear. Engrossed in the show, I turned and said, “I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine!” But I fear the Chess reference was lost on him, and it wasn’t due to a language barrier (he went on to assault several Thai boys’ ears). I may not be a genie, but I never want to leave.•

editorial column•

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PEELING OFF LABELS My layered identity — gay, Jewish and Latino — has granted me a peculiar view of society.

by DANIEL SHOER ROTH

ello. I’m Daniel. I am a citizen of planet Earth. That’s what I say when I introduce myself to

new people. I could always use a more precise description: I’m an openly gay, non-dogmatic practicing Jewish Venezuelan immigrant; a foreignborn American citizen; single; vegetarian; journalist; progressive; spiritual; idealist… There are so many labels that sometimes even I cannot fully answer, “Who am I?”

I was born Jewish in a Catholic country, queer in a staunchly conservative community, fair in a mestizo and machista society that deemed me far too effeminate. When I decided to move to the U.S. 20 years ago to break free of the closet’s yoke, I was suddenly also singled out as Hispanic — one with a last name and skin that didn’t fit the stereotype. Being a minority within a minority within a minority made me yearn for the kind of belonging that usually comes from being with your own

kind. I found it in small doses — a little here, a little more there. Most of society is quite comfortable categorizing people according to a system of singular identities. Only after a lengthy soulsearching process did the puzzle pieces of my self begin to fall into place. Two experiences helped. In a workshop at the Osho Meditation ashram in India, we were assigned to put aside whatever we had learned about ourselves. We began to peel off all the layers of labels, like an onion: religion, ethnicity, nationality, profession, beliefs, looks, even the first label our parents placed on us at birth — our names — until we reached our consciousness, our true self. On another occasion, I attended a retreat for LGBTQ Jews in upstate New York. To an outsider, our entire group may have simply fallen under the “gay Jews” category. But within our group there were assimilated “pork-eating Jews” joining a Jewish social event for the first time alongside blushing closeted Orthodox Jews attending their first gay activity. The same goes for the LGBTQ community. Our sexual orientation or gender expression is certainly significant, and we ought to celebrate it with pride, but it doesn’t define us as individuals. Naturally there is an experience that unites us, and we share a common responsibility to defend our rights and care for each other, but that does not mean we should pigeonhole ourselves. Although I’ve had to overcome many obstacles, my reality has also shaped my identity, work ethic and values in positive ways. I connect strongly with the vulnerable. I pursued journalism to expose injustice, gather solutions, sound the alarm about potential dangers and issue a call for reflection. Labels keep us from fully enjoying life in a meaningful and authentic way. Yes, I am gay, Latino, Jewish and all of the above, too. But simply being a citizen of planet Earth is liberating.•

Sean Lattrell

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Hello, I am Antonia Canero, founding partner of Canero Immigration Law Firm. I have practiced

We wanted our LGBTQ community to know that there are many immigration options for LGBTQ individuals including:

in Miami, Florida, since 1992, and specialize in U.S Immigration Law. Our firm focuses on business immigration and corporate matters, but has a litigation and family law section, so it is a full-service firm. For me, my daughter Michelle and for the rest of our staff, our support of the LGBTQ community is not just about being a

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health & wellness•

SCHOOL RULES Back to school season offers the perfect opportunity to get your kids’ medical records up to date and kick off healthy new habits.

The Florida Department of Health offers free immunizations before schools are back in session. For more information, visit floridahealth.gov.

summer offers a great opportunity to assess your kids’ overall health and well-being. In fact, there are several other items you can review while you are checking off the physical requirement for your son’s participation in cross country. Here are a few health-related items to consider for your children to have a happy and healthy school year.

School Requirements When it comes to children’s health, having them properly immunized is of utmost importance. Controversies and confusion surrounding vaccines in the last decade has prompted most public by WYATT MYERS school districts in the country to become stricter about requirements long with registration, and exemptions. In Florida, waivers orientation, buying new are only approved for medical and clothing and picking up school supplies, preparing religious reasons. Before entering preschool, to send your kids back to school may also involve addressing several health- children are required to have received hepatitis B; diphtheria, related requirements. Depending tetanus and pertussis (DTaP); on their age and extra-curricular polio; measles, mumps and activities, your children may need rubella (MMR); varicella; and Hib to get immunizations, boosters and/ (haemophilus influenzae type or physicals. At the very least, you b). Boosters for these vaccines may have to provide proof that these are required prior to entering requirements are all up-to-date. kindergarten and students must While this may seem like yet also have a tetanus-diphtheriaanother series of tasks to add to acellular pertussis (Tdap) shot your seemingly endless to-do list, before entering seventh grade, too. there are advantages. The end of

Helpful Resources

palette•aug|sept 2017

Focus on Wellness The start of the school year also provides a good opportunity to focus on nutrition and fitness. Most schools provide a school lunch menu before the year begins. Take the time to review it carefully, and if you’re not satisfied with the options, you can always make arrangements to prepare healthier options at home. From Pinterest boards on creative lunch box menus to sites like healthiestweightflorida. com, ideas on how to adopt and instill healthy eating habits abound. Staying active is also key. Children who participate in sports and other activities acquire valuable social skills and also learn to enjoy making fitness a part of their lives early. Schools and clubs may have additional requirements for participation, including a physical. A Holistic Approach Finally, it’s important to include your children’s mental health when considering their wellbeing. Find out about your school’s policies on mental health and how the staff handles bullying and other such issues when meeting with the principal, counselors and teachers during orientation. Being aware of early warning signs can help your kids overcome obstacles and thrive.•

Barbara Pollak-Lewis

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local getaway•

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STROLLING THROUGH HISTORY Amelia Island is the kind of charming, picturesque town that’s perfect for a weekend getaway or an even longer stay.

by SOLE SASTRE

nyone who’s ever taken a road trip out of Florida can attest to the fact that this is a long state. It takes forever to get out of here. And some time at the end of summer, the heat and humidity instill the kind of collective cabin fever that make most of us in South Florida want to get the hell out of Dodge. Luckily, Florida is also a wildly varied state, so if you don’t have much vacation time at your disposal, a long weekend in another town can feel like you’ve traveled a world away. Get Charmed Take Amelia Island, for instance. The small barrier island in the northeast corner of the state is a mere 13 miles long and four miles wide, but offers a wealth of history, culture and naturerelated activities. As the southernmost barrier island in a chain that extends from South Carolina on down, Amelia maintains a decidedly Southern cadence. You can start exploring the 52 blocks of the Fernandina Beach Historic District. It’s easy to stroll through the area ogling at buildings that showcase lavish Victorian-era mansions. Prominent examples are Public School No. 1, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, the Fairbanks House and the Tabby House, which

were all designed by architect Robert Schuyler. To take in the scenic views at comfortable and leisurely pace, opt for a horse-drawn carriage tour. Old Towne Carriage Company and Amelia Island Carriages offer several options. Throughout the area, interesting shops, including antiques sellers, art galleries and clothing boutiques abound. For a taste of military history, head to Fort Clinch State Park, home to the eponymous fort. Though originally fortified by the Spanish in the 1730s, it was restored to its Civil War era appearance and function — as a base for Union operations. State Park personnel reenact military life there year-round.

• Hoyt House Bed & Breakfast Inn

Be Disarmed Feel free to work up an appetite as you explore. There are upwards of 76 restaurants on this tiny speck of land that range from the upscale, New York City-style steakhouse David’s Restaurant & Lounge to the wildly popular, laid-back and thoroughly satisfying Timoti’s Fry Shak. Most are concentrated right in the historic district, but others, like the classic French bistro Le Clos, are just slightly outside of the area. More options can be found closer to

the seashore and include Mexican, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Southern culinary offerings, and, of course, the seafood is fresh and ubiquitous. If you are sticking to a historic theme for your getaway, check out the Palace Saloon, Florida’s longest continuously operating saloon and bar. Classic cocktails command the beverage menu, albeit with a Floridian twist, but the most popular drink is the Pirate’s Punch. Fernandina Beach is also home to dozens of charming bed & breakfasts, and several are LGBTQ-owned. The Hoyt House Bed & Breakfast Inn is an elegant example. The intimate, 1905 Queen Anne-style mansion features 10 guest chambers and is known for its gourmet three-course breakfast. It also offers a daily English High Tea service from Wednesday through Sunday that features all the trimmings — clotted cream, finger sandwiches and a fine assortment of loose teas. This isn’t a spot for nightlife or nonstop activity, but if you’re into kayaking, horseback riding by the sea or just lounging on a pristine beach, then pack your bags.•

Courtesy of Amelia Island CVB

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q&a•

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ARYAH LESTER

and services for the transgender community. I wanted to make a change, not only for myself, but also for my community, to open doors where we haven’t had seats before at the table.

Q: Where is more work needed? Q: Describe how the organization functions.

Founder & Director of Trans-Miami

A: Mostly just of my own energy and resources. We have a good set of volunteers and collaborations with other community organizations, such as Unity Coalition — our mother organization that allows us to have our office space in Brickell. We recently partnered with TransTech, a national social enterprise that provides education, support and jobs for trans people, to cultivate entrepreneurship and training opportunities in Miami.

by DANIEL SHOER ROTH

s a transgender woman of color, Aryah Lester regularly experiences prejudice in employment and housing, as well as a general lack of opportunities. She has fought fiercely to remove these obstacles by working toward breaking down stereotypes and cultural barriers. An activist, writer and educator, Lester founded Trans-Miami, an organization that empowers South Florida’s transgender community through workshops, training programs, support groups and referrals to trans-sensitive health providers and social services.

Q: What challenges do transgender and gender-nonconforming people in South Florida commonly face?

Q: What inspired you to create Trans-Miami? A: When I moved from New York to Miami in 2005, it surprised me that there was a dearth of programs

job either because the interviewer is uncomfortable with your gender presentation or the company doesn’t see a place for a trans person within the organization.

• Aryah Lester, founder and director of Trans-Miami

A: Conservative views are prevalent within our Hispanic and Haitian/ Caribbean communities, which might not always be open to gender nonconformity. There is still a lot of discrimination and stigma. For example: Going to a job interview and knowing that you have the skills and experience for the position, but [that you] are not getting the

A: A lot of work is needed in education. The average person still doesn’t know much about what it truly means to be transgender, and we are still dealing with stereotypes. However, we need to move beyond the LGBT circle when it comes to addressing disenfranchised communities, to highlight people of color across the board no matter if they are gay, trans or heterosexual. We also need more work done in immigration, law enforcement and correctional institutions.

Q: Why isn’t there enough transgender representation in our own community’s leadership? A: Even in the LGBT community there still is a misunderstanding of the T. And being that for so many years we have been pushed aside when it comes to equality and public policy, only now are we filtering through in gaining access to leadership roles traditionally held by the LGB portions. We are better than before, but still not at the point of having full equity in the community.•

Carina Mask

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gaybizmiami.com

CLARITY: 16TH ANNUAL GALA AWARDS CELEBRATION – THE TOPAZ GALA The Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber Of Commerce’s (MDGLCC) 16th Annual Gala and Awards Celebration, aptly titled The Topaz Gala, continued with a color theme the Chamber has promoted for the last few years and focused all of its attention on four honorees: Royal Caribbean Cruises, Bill Warren, the ACLU of Florida and Joan Schaeffer. Clockwise from top left: Royal Caribbean International & affiliated companies team • Damian Pardo, Joan Schaeffer (recipient of the 2017 Morgan Stanley “Bob Balsam Civic Achievement” award) and Steve Adkins • Andrea Amethyst, Scott Bader and Nicole Alvarez • Robert Medina, Ric Katz, Hector Zuazo, Edwin Scharlau, Joshua Gimenez-Scharlau, Victor Gimenez and Dr. Stephen Fallon • Guests networking and socializing • Dr. Vivian Gonzalez-Diaz, Ismaray Carvajal, Mafe Cortes and Astrid Rodriguez • Yisel Rosa, Bill Warren (recipient of the 2017 Regions Bank “Business Person of the Year” award), Alexis Rosa and Carlos Rosa • Reinaldo Hernandez and William Jones

Clockwise from top left: Dale Stine; Jim Buchanan of AP Photo & Video (2); Dale Stine; Jim Buchanan of AP Photo & Video (4)

social events•

CLARITY: SPOTLIGHT MEGA-MIXER NETWORKER AT THE PROVIDENT DORAL AT THE BLUE The Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC)’s Corporate member Provident Doral at the Blue welcomed the LGBT community to the City of Doral with food bites by area restaurants, open bar, entertainment and free drawings for great prizes. Over 150 Chamber members, guests and the community at large mingled and networked, leveraging the SOCIO app and the Chamber ambassadors who were present to answer inquiries and make introductions and/or connections. Clockwise from top left: Brian Harding of 5300 Chop House offered guests delicious bites. Other restaurants present included Dragonfly, BULLA and Pisco y Nazca • Mike Ybarra, Desiree Fiallas and Darlene Fernandez, along with all the other guests, enjoyed beverages by Stoli Vodka, Bayou Rum and Real Sangria • Sue Hotujec (iHeart Media), Wolfgang Wehen (Provident Doral at the Blue) and Jorge Richa (MDGLCC) • Dario Arana and Ricardo Pino of the Provident Doral at the Blue • The event’s ambience was provided by LIGHT F/X Pro’s and Bailo Nightclub

Carina Mask

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Carina Mask

EQUALITY RALLY FOR UNITY & PRIDE AT HUIZENGA PARK Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Huizenga Park hosted a rally organized to coincide with the national “Equality March For Unity & Pride” in Washington, DC on June 11th. Participants were invited to gather, join hands, raise their voices and proclaim indivisibility for issues that ranged from LGBTQ rights to health care and gun violence. Clockwise from top left: Latinos Salud • Griffen, Jazz, Jeanette, Greg and Sander Jennings • Sharon Greenfelt Kersten and Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen • Richard Matthews and Terrell Taylor • Tom Green, Justin Flippen, Debbie Wassermann Schultz, Julie Carson and Michael Albetta • Cecilia Morales and Gina Gabb • Jason King, Jenny George and Andrew Modenese • Robin Ponce and Frank Ponce

Your insider’s guide to local community and lifestyle news. Sign up for Miami Herald e-mail newsletters • GAY SOUTH FLORIDA News from South Florida’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities Sent Monday – Friday • HEALTH & FITNESS Latest advice on healthy eating, exercise and wellness habits Sent on Tuesday • FAMILY FARE Family-friendly events, education, health news and advice for parents Sent on Wednesday

Always with you

social events•

The southernmost island whose legendary Pride festival is a week-long affair, kicked off its summer series with signature style. Festivities included a variety show, glow party and, of course, the kind of parade that only a place with a One Human Family philosophy can pull off. Clockwise from top left: Qmitch • Lane Michelle, Tracey Walker, Alexandra Dietz, Lacie, Doll, Audriana Hughes and Classic Hanson • Tonya Colston • Lane Parrott and Ryan Davey • Elle Taylor and Maya • Donald Doztauer, Thmas Ryan and Jon Baird • Brandi Patrice and Dominique Lee • Queen Diane May and King Stephen “Sunshine” Sunday • Mark Bishop and Al Smith • Bryan Sunday

NANCY PELOSI AT PRIDE CENTER The Pride Center at Equality Park was the location of Senate Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s only public appearance during her May visit to South Florida. Pelosi, along with Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Ted Deutch, were welcomed by Wilton Manors Mayor Gary Resnick during their fundraising event for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Clockwise from top left: Mayor Gary Resnick • Pamela Robertson, Michael Mendillo and George Robertson • Tom Green, Julie Carson and Dean Trantalis • Nancy Pelosi • Tom Batina, Tom Regan and Elijah Manley • Barbara Singer, Fran Epstein, Jonathan May, Gina and Betty Gambino • Mary Chimini, Jane Farland and Lori Brown • Bruce Williams, Robert Justick and Randy Kennedy • Robert Boo and Ted Deutch

Andrew Printer

KEY WEST PRIDE

Christina Mendenhall

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Carina Mask

TRANSART MIAMI With a mission to elevate the visibility of transgender artists and expose the public to some amazing work, Unity Coalition | Coalición Unida’s TransArt kicked off its third edition on June 8th at an opening party held at the Hôtel Gaythering in Miami Beach. The annual event is the first ever juried art exhibition and conference that features international transgender artists and their works. Clockwise from top left: Kevin Hilton • Alison Demzon and Rose Celano • Dave Breidenback, Kacey Carter and Peter Nova • Tanner Davis and Scott Fortney • Aryah Lester and Natalie Du Pon • Joel Alvaro, Jose Ayabe and Christian Hernandez • John O. Buckley and Kenneth Drew Carrington • Jessica Osborn and Nicole Pimental • Robbie Elias

Andrew Printer

STOLI KEY WEST COCKTAIL CLASSIC Part of the events that make up Key West Pride, the 4th annual Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic, once again descended upon the island. This year’s winner, Kayla Hasbrook, represented ABC Cocina in New York City and won with a vodka creation flavored with pineapple juice, turmeric-infused vermouth, fresh lime juice and muddled cucumber that she named No Sleep Till Sunrise. Clockwise from top left: Gustavo Lopez • John Breitenbach and Viktoria Zold • Rocky Collins and Gustavo Lords • Daniel Haas, Sushi and Roger Lords • Patti Sprague and Vanessa McCaffrey • Mathew Garwacki and Alex Imbert • Sketch Crew and Kelly Young • Joshua Pocock and Joshua Reese • Sabrina Haley

final thoughts•

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FASHIONABLE LEGACY

ooking back, it’s hard to underestimate the impact Gianni Versace had on fashion, pop culture and a burgeoning South Beach whose scene was equal parts derelict and ambitious exhilaration. Versace was the electrifying core of all the changes taking place in fashion in the 1990s and also at the heart of a long-neglected beach town with immeasurable promise. Marking 20 years since his untimely death on the front steps of his seaside home, the reasons behind his murder are still perplexing. The moment was so culturally seismic that two decades later Dateline devoted an episode to the case in April and the third installment of Ryan Murphy’s popular FX crime series — titled “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” — will dig deeper into a historic moment in pop culture.•

Victor Watts / Alamy Stock Photo

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