Watermark Issue 29.24: On the Frontlines

Todd

IFIND MYSELF STRUGGLING TODAY.

Struggling to find the right words to say, struggling to reconcile senseless violence with the hate-filled political rhetoric. Mostly though, I struggle with the realization that we find ourselves at the intersection of gun violence and the queer community and I can feel June 12, 2016 with an intensity I haven’t experienced in some time.

As of press time, we don’t have all the details of the shooting at the Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub, Club Q. My heart is with the victims, their families and the long journey to healing the community has in front of it.

To send support to this grieving community please do so through The Colorado Healing

Fund. This fund provides a single, secure point for donations to support the victims of this tragedy. Donations go directly to victims and their families to provide immediate and long-term support across a broad range of needs. That could include a plane ticket or rental car for families to get to town, direct-cash payments

to cover medical expenses or long-term mental health services for survivors.

This tragedy is especially hard to fathom as we approach the holiday season. While my family gathers for Thanksgiving, it is with the realization that some families will not have that luxury. Some families will be missing loved ones, again from gun violence.

I often talk about my experience in a 12-step program, and I am reminded in times like this how useful this program has been for me. I was eight months sober when the attack at Pulse happened and I wasn’t sure it would stick. My fellow group of drunks helped me through the tragedy with gratitude. I found it comforting acknowledging the things I had in my life for which I was grateful, and I don’t think there is a more fitting week to do so.

In this moment, I am most grateful for my community. I am lucky enough to work with some of the most wonderful, passionate advocates for the LGBTQ community as a board member for the One Orlando Alliance. This amazing group was founded out of the Pulse tragedy to make sure no one in need was falling through the cracks. Recently we have had the need to meet often and I am reminded every time I am around this group of community leaders that the greater Orlando area is better place because these people are fighting for us.

I am also grateful for my family; work, chosen and the one I was born into. It’s been a lean year for the work family at Watermark. We’ve operated the majority of the year with just seven of us, two in Tampa Bay, four in Orlando and me driving back and forth. I am constantly amazed by their dedication to

their work and this community. We are starting the new year with an additional two employees and I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store for us.

I am lucky to say my chosen family includes my husband, someone who simply gets me and loves me for who I am. He is pretty amazing. Together we accomplish so much more than I imagined we ever would. What’s better is his family accepts me as his husband and I love them just as much.

In my home away from my husband is my roommate, best friend and common law wife. She and I have been in each other’s lives for nearly 25 years and

TATIANA QUIROGA

is the executive director for Come Out With Pride. She is a proud mother, wife and LGBTQ advocate in Central Florida. Page 17

BIANCA

GOOLSBY is

Page 19

I couldn’t imagine my life without her or her family.

Finally, there is my biological family. It is because of them Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. Apparently my love language is food and nothing makes me happier than making them Thanksgiving dinner to say thank you for being a bright light in my life.

This Thanksgiving I encourage you to reflect on gratitude and share it with those in your life that bring you joy. Share some love with them and spread some joy of your own. Remind yourself what in your life is worth fighting for. Reinvigorate that passion to march forward. We have a long road ahead of us and will need as many voices of support that we can get.

We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

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In this moment, I am most grateful for my community.

Rick

CENTRAL FLORIDA REACTS TO CLUB Q SHOOTING

Ryan Williams-Jent

ORLANDO | The LGBTQ community and its allies are reacting to the shooting at Club Q, the Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub where five people died and at least 25 more were injured.

Confirmation of the shooting came early Nov. 20, also Transgender Day of Remembrance. “Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community,” the venue shared via social media. “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”

The shooting is the first in an LGBTQ nightclub since Pulse, which devastated Orlando and the world June 12, 2016. The onePULSE Foundation – the nonprofit which formed after the tragedy to honor and preserve the legacy of those killed and more – responded early Nov. 20. “We are deeply saddened and horrified by the mass shooting at the Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs that killed five people and wounded [at least 25] others,” they shared. “Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the victims and their families, as well as the wounded and those affected by this tragedy.”

The One Orlando Alliance reflected on the news and TDoR. “Central Florida knows intimately the painful experience of violence against LGBTQ+ safe spaces,” OOA said. “Violence against our community is not new, as a matter of fact, the Colorado Springs attack happened on the weekend of Transgender Day of Remembrance. As we are getting ready to honor at least 32 members of the trans community violently killed, we are now also mourning 5 people taken too soon at Club Q.”

OOA Board Chair Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet also called on elected officials to respond with action. “As a community that intimately knows the painful experience created by an attack on our safe spaces,” he said, “we call upon our elected officials to act by creating common sense gun safety legislation.”

The LGBT+ Center Orlando announced community members would gather at the Pulse Interim Memorial Nov. 20. Participants came together “to stand together for the families of the victims, the survivors, first responders and the LGBTQ+ Community of the Colorado Springs shooting at Club Q.”

Community members spoke, signed a banner outside of the memorial with messages of solidarity and more. It will be sent to Club Q as Orlando continues to showcase its support. View photos at WatermarkOnline.com.

Pulse survivor Brandon Wolf, the press secretary for Equality Florida, also reacted to the news. “Oh god,” he shared Nov. 20 via social media. “My heart is broken and I’m transported right back … my heart aches for a community waking up to the hate-fueled hell we went through. Orlando is with you.”

Colorado Gives 365, which supports the Colorado Healing Fund, is accepting donations to help victims of the Club Q shooting. Visit ClubQOnline.com and ColoradoGives.org to donate and learn more.

Next Chapter

OOA presents findings, ED departs

Jeremy Williams

ORLANDO | One Orlando Alliance’s Josh Bell completed his tenure as the coalition’s executive director with the State of the LGBTQ+ Communities event at Orlando City Hall Nov. 15.

Bell became the Alliance’s second executive director in Oct. 2020. The Alliance has not yet named a successor for Bell. In a Nov. 14 release, the organization said it will “enter a period of evaluation of its structure” and “will be engaged in strategic conversations about future growth and effectiveness ... to fulfill their vision of transforming Central Florida into a community where ALL LGBTQ+ people can belong and thrive.”

Bell’s final act as ED was to host the event that revealed key findings found in the OOA’s “We Belong Here” survey, a first-of-its-kind, LGBTQ-focused survey in Central Florida. It was funded by Contigo Fund, facilitated by Polis Institute and launched this past summer to gather information in an array of areas.

Dr. Bahiyyah Maroon, Polis Institute CEO, presented several of the findings to the crowd, breaking down who actually took the survey.

“As we look at these answers, we should think about who we were not able to reach when we conducted this survey,” Maroon said. Respondents skewed mostly gay, white and male identifying, with the lesbian and Black communities particularly underrepresented.

The survey also found that those who responded to the survey, more than half said they have an annual income of over $80,000, one third reported an annual income of over $100,000 and only 12% said they have children under the age of 18.

The survey also found that members of Central Florida’s LGBTQ community avoid being open about their sexual orientation in many spaces for fear of a negative reaction, with nearly one third of respondents saying they are not out at work or church, and a quarter stating they are not comfortable being out in public spaces and on public transit. The survey also found that bisexual individuals are significantly more

ALLIANCE FINDINGS:

likely to avoid being open about their sexual orientation.

The lack of members of the community being open was most alarming when it came to health care. Nearly 33% of respondents answered that they never share their sexual orientation with health care providers. Respondents did note that 26Health, LGBTQ health centers and the VA clinics and hospital are health care spaces they have found to be particularly welcoming.

“I did not see that coming,” Maroon said of the VA. The positive feedback on Central Florida’s VA didn’t come as a surprise to Keri Griffin, Orlando VA’s LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Program Coordinator & Special Emphasis Program Manager, who has been working for the last 12 years to make Orlando’s VA a welcoming environment to LGBTQ veterans.

“I’m happy to say visual queues like rainbow lanyards, pronoun posters up on the walls, things like that; I have had a lot of veterans give me positive feedback that they feel like they are being seen and heard and validated,” Griffin says.

Another positive takeaway, Maroon said, was that within the actual city, “a majority of respondents said that Orlando is a place that they generally feel comfortable as a member of the community.”

The “We Belong Here” survey in Central Florida is expected to be launched every two years.

Josh Bell speaks to the crowd at the State of the LGBTQ+ Communities event at Orlando City Hall.

PHOTO FROM OOA’S FACEBOOK PAGE

In Service

Tampa Bay Sisters reflect on 20 years of necessary trouble

Ryan Williams-Jent

TAMPA BAY | The Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence marked two decades of service this year, raising nearly $10,000 for local charities in what they’ve deemed “necessary trouble.”

The organization is a chapter of the California-based Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the global order that’s used drag and religious imagery to advocate for LGBTQ and other issues since 1979. They are one of its longest-running Houses in the region, having formed to participate in the inaugural St Pete Pride. They donned nun wimples to roller skate through the celebration’s first promenade.

Sister Agatha Frisky, who expected that to be the end but now serves as president of the 13-member body, was among the participants.

“We were reached out to by the ‘Mother House’ afterwards,” he remembers. “They explained they were a nonprofit in California and

said ‘we have so many chapters, but there’s nothing on the East Coast, there’s nothing in the South. We would love it if you wanted to join so we could plant some roots in the Southern U.S.’”

The group’s founders began raising awareness and funds in the area, working for a full year to form their chapter’s ministry. It takes at least that long to become a fully professed sister, which is done through phases including aspirant, postulant and novice. Their trademark white makeup, veils and more evolve accordingly.

Guards are also a key part of each House, which operate independently of one another as a reflection of the region they serve.

Frisky says that the Sisters have raised $20,000 for local causes since their Tampa Bay inception.

He sees it as a critical part of the organization’s work to help those who help others. Each sister takes a vow to “promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt.”

“I do think that visibility and representation – just knowing that there is safety in being yourself – is something that can only be

communicated by those who are brave enough to go forth and do that,” he says. “Whether that’s in the form of fundraising or just going out and meeting the public.”

This year, the Sisters led 10 major events spanning Tampa Bay. Fundraisers have benefited the American Legion, Empath Partners in Care and more.

Joining Frisky are Sisters Alison Wonderland, Paula Poundtown, Franki Stein, Regina Apis, Nora Torious, Abbie Normal and Imma Gitaround; Novice Sisters Spitta Swallow and Battie Mage; Guards Matt Hatter and Issac Weiner as well as Novice Guard Dixon Cutt. Two as-of-yet unnamed aspirants have also offered their support, with more always welcome.

“We’re very happy house,” Frisky says. “We’ve been very fundraiser-oriented this year and next year, because it is so important politically – there’s no way to not be political when you are what we are, although we are not a political organization – our efforts are going to be a lot more demonstrative.

“It’s in our mission,” he adds. “Promulgation of universal joy, expiation of stigmatic guilt, we work to make people feel good about who they are because there’s so much out there making them feel bad about it.”

To learn more about the Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, visit Facebook.com/ TampaSisters.

ST PETE PRIDE’S RED & GREEN RETURNS WITH CELEBRITY HOST

Ryan Williams-Jent

ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride will hold the Red & Green Party at Sunken Gardens Dec. 3 from 7-10 p.m., celebrating the season with the organization’s long-running, 21+ holiday fundraiser.

Sunken Gardens is billed as the city’s oldest living museum, featuring more than 50,000 plants, flowers and more. Last year’s Red & Green Party welcomed 600 of St Pete Pride’s supporters to the popular venue.

“The Red & Green Party … offers a meaningful experience to attendees and promises a wonderful holiday party atmosphere,” St Pete Pride announced Nov. 9. “As the non-profit’s major fundraising event, it also encompasses a time of giving, allowing St Pete Pride to raise needed funds to keep key Pride month events free to the public.”

As in years past, attendees can expect an evening of entertainment, drinks and dancing. The evening’s celebrity guide is one of the newer additions.

Red & Green 2022 will be hosted by actor and activist Jai Rodriguez, who rose to prominence as one of the stars on Bravo’s original “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” In recent years he’s been seen on Netflix’s LGBTQ series “Uncoupled” and Billy Eichner’s LGBTQ film “Bros.”

Tickets are $75 and include an open bar, light bites and entertainment from local drag favorites and more. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Southwest Florida Pride and Naples Pride, two LGBTQ organizations which were impacted by Hurricane Ian earlier this year.

“This fun and friend filled fundraiser would not be possible with the generosity of our partners, the Lewandowski Group, PM1 and Love the Golden Rule, Inc.,” St Pete Pride added. “We look forward to celebrating with you all!”

Following this year’s festivities, Cocktail will hold the official after party. Starting at 10 p.m., the LGBTQ hotspot hopes to keep the party going with cocktails, entertainment and dancing. Shereé Whitfield, an original cast member of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” will host.

“We are thrilled to be the official after party of St Pete Pride’s Red & Green Party,” Cocktail shared Nov. 12.

VIP tickets are available for $100 and include two complimentary cocktails, a private VIP entrance and bar with a covered seating area at The Wet Spot. The price will also include a meet and greet. Tickets for Red & Green and the official after party are on sale now.

St Pete Pride’s Red & Green will be held Dec. 3 from 7-10 p.m. at Sunken Gardens, located at 1825 4th St. N. in St. Petersburg. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at StPetePride.org. Cocktail’s official After Party, located at 2355 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg, is from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. VIP tickets are $100 and available at Facebook.com/CocktailStPete.

ALL OUT: The Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, including President and Sister Agatha Frisky (C) receive an award from Empath Partners in Care in August for participating in Strike Out for AIDS for 15 years. PHOTO COURTESY TB SISTERS

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LGBTQ AND ALLY CANDIDATES CELEBRATE ELECTION WINS, REFLECT ON LOSSES

Ryan Williams-Jent

LGBTQ and ally candidates throughout Florida celebrated their victories and reflected on their losses after the Nov. 8 election.

Voter turnout largely favored Republicans throughout the state, with the regions’ races greatly impacted by Florida’s new redistricting map. According to ProPublica, Gov. Ron DeSantis redrew it for that purpose.

DeSantis bested Democrat Charlie Crist to win a second term, calling his victory over the LGBTQ ally a “win for the ages” from Tampa. Initial returns show Crist won only five of 67 counties, among them Orange by 7 points. He lost his native Pinellas by 10 and Hillsborough by 9.

Crist’s concession in St. Petersburg was brief. He congratulated DeSantis on his reelection and reflected

on his years as governor and congressman. “Thank you all for raising your voices with me, for standing up for our freedoms and our democracy,” he also shared Nov. 9. “I’m eternally grateful for your support. Together, we stood up for what’s right and we treated everyone with dignity and respect. I am very proud of that –and you should be, too.”

Orlando’s Val Demings also lost her race to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. The LGBTQ ally thanked supporters during her concession speech, among them her husband Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings who stood at her side.

Openly LGBTQ Orlando State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith lost his race as well. The trailblazing lawmaker had represented District 49 since 2016 but was seeking his latest term in District 37 due to redistricting.

The newly drawn district includes parts of Orange and Seminole counties. The candidate

won the former but lost the latter, resulting in his Republican opponent’s victory with more than 50% of the vote.

“Thank you for sharing your words of inspiration and hope for what lies ahead,” he said Nov. 9. “Florida is my home and I’ve got plenty of fight left in me to protect it.”

In District 42, LGBTQ accomplice Anna Eskamani easily triumphed over Republican Bonnie Jackson. She received over 56% of the vote. Back on the national level, Orlando’s Maxwell Alejandro Frost made history.

The 25-year-old Democrat will become the nation’s first Gen Z member of Congress, representing Demings’ previous district. He received 59% of the vote.

In Tampa Bay, LGBTQ and ally candidates had victories and losses of their own. State Rep. Michele Rayner – who became the first Black, openly LGBTQ woman

elected to the Florida Legislature in 2020 – will represent District 62. She faced Republican Jeremy Brown, who ran his campaign from Pinellas County jail on charges related to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and received nearly 80% of the vote in Pinellas County and nearly 60% in Hillsborough.

Eunic Ortiz, who could have become the first openly gay woman elected to the Florida State Senate, lost her bid for District 18. She received 43% of the vote to Republican Nick DiCeglie’s 57%.

Ortiz thanked supporters Nov. 8, noting that her work was only beginning.

“We fought hard and spoke to thousands of voters across this county to share our vision of a better future for everyone,” she shared. “Tomorrow, our work continues to advocate for more affordable costs of property insurance and rent, protecting a

woman’s right to choose, fighting for LGBTQ+ equality, keeping our communities and kids safe from gun violence.”

Key allies throughout the region also won their races, among them Fentrice Driskell. She received 54% of the vote and will serve as the State House Democratic Leader while representing District 67.

The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus reflected on the election Nov. 9. “Democrats are the party of the real Florida,” President Stephen Gaskill said. “Our candidates laid out their visions for the future of our state and for the country. We congratulate all those who ran, regardless of the outcome of their elections. We especially congratulate those who stood up for the LGBTQ+ community ... The 2022 election is over, but we are looking ahead to continuing our fight for a Florida for all.”

CLUB Q PATRONS HIT GUNMAN WITH HIS WEAPON Wire Report

COLORADO SPRINGS | As bullets tore through an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and wounding many more, one patron who had been partying moments before rushed into action, grabbing a handgun from the suspect, hitting him with it and pinning him down until police arrived just minutes later.

That customer was one of at least two whom police and city officials credit with stopping the gunman and limiting the bloodshed in Saturday night’s shooting at Club Q. The violence pierced the cozy confines of an entertainment venue that has long been a cherished safe spot for the LGBTQ community in the conservative-leaning city.

“Had that individual not intervened this could have been exponentially more tragic,” Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers told The Associated Press.

“It’s an incredible act of heroism,” the mayor said Nov. 21 on NBC’s “Today.”

Police identified the suspected gunman as 22-year-old Anderson

Lee Aldrich, who was in custody and being treated for injuries.

A law enforcement official said the suspect used an AR-15-style semiautomatic weapon in the attack, but a handgun and additional ammunition magazines also were recovered. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Club Q on its Facebook page thanked the “quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.” Investigators were still determining a motive and whether to prosecute it as a hate crime, said El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen. Charges against the suspect will likely include first-degree murder, he said.

Already questions were being raised about why authorities didn’t seek to take Aldrich’s guns away from him in 2021, when he was arrested after his mother reported he threatened her with a homemade bomb and other weapons.

Though authorities at the time said no explosives were found, gun control advocates are asking

why police didn’t try to trigger Colorado’s “red flag” law, which would have allowed authorities to seize the weapons his mother says he had. There’s also no public record prosecutors ever moved forward with felony kidnapping and menacing charges against Aldrich.

The mayor said on “Today” that the district attorney would file motions in court to allow law enforcement to talk more about any criminal history “that this individual might have had.”

Of the 25 injured at Club Q, at least seven were in critical condition, authorities said. Some were hurt trying to flee, and it was unclear if all of them were shot, a police spokesperson said. Suthers told the AP there was “reason to hope” all of those hospitalized would recover.

The shooting rekindled memories of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people. Colorado has experienced several mass killings, including at Columbine High School in 1999, a movie theater in suburban Denver in 2012 and at a Boulder supermarket last year.

MARRIAGE ACT CLEARS KEY US SENATE HURDLE

Wire Report

WASHINGTON |

Legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages crossed a major Senate hurdle Nov. 16.

Twelve Republicans voted with all Democrats to move forward on the legislation. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Nov. 17 proceedings would continue after the chamber reconvenes Nov. 28.

“It will make our country a better, fairer place to live,” Schumer said, noting that his own daughter and her wife are expecting a baby next year. Senate Democrats are quickly moving to pass the bill while the party still controls the House. Republicans won the House majority Nov. 16 and are unlikely to take up the issue next year.

In a statement after the vote, President Joe Biden said that he will sign the bill once it is passed.

“Love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love,” Biden said.

The bill has gained steady momentum since the Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and the federal right to an abortion. An opinion at that time from Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that an earlier high court decision protecting same-sex marriage could also come under threat.

The legislation would repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act and require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed. The new Respect for Marriage Act would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.”

Congress has been moving to protect same-sex marriage as support from the general public — and from Republicans in particular — has sharply grown in recent years. Recent polling has found more than two-thirds of the public support marriage equality.

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat who is the first openly gay senator that as more individuals and families have become visible, hearts and minds have changed.

“And slowly laws have followed,” she said. “It is history.”

Schumer said the issue is personal to him, as well.

“Passing the Respect for Marriage Act is as personal as it gets for many senators and their staffs, myself included,” Schumer said. “My daughter and her wife are actually expecting a little baby in February. So it matters a lot to so many of us to get this done.”

IN OTHER NEWS

FEDERAL COURT RULES BEAUTY PAGEANT CAN BAR TRANS WOMEN

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 decision ruled that a beauty pageant can bar transgender women competitors. The court found that that requiring the pageant to be inclusive of trans contestants would be a violation of its First Amendment rights to free speech. Anita Green, a trans woman who has competed in multiple beauty pageants including Miss Montana and Miss Earth, filed an application to participate in the Miss USA pageant, but was rejected on the basis that the pageant’s rules specified that only natural born females can compete.

TREVOR PROJECT CEO REMOVED

The Trevor Pro ect has elected to make a change in leadership by removing from its CEO and executive director since 01 , Amit Paley. Teen Vogue broke the news about Paley’s dismissal in a Nov. 4 story. The story cited an unidentified source familiar with the organization as saying the dismissal was brought about following staff dissatisfaction, particularly as it relates to the organization s quick large-scale growth and the burden it put on employees. Peggy Ra ski, one of Trevor Project’s founders and longtime board member, will serve as interim CEO and Gina Mu oz, the board s chair emeritus, will serve as special assistant to the interim CEO.

MILITARY’S BAN ON ENLISTMENT BY HIV-POSITIVE PEOPLE CHALLENGED

Lambda Legal and a coalition of law firms filed a lawsuit Nov. 10 challenging the U.S. military’s prohibition of HIV-positive Americans from enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces. The challenge was filed on behalf of three individual plaintiffs and the Minority Veterans of America in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The action comes on the heels of the Department of Defense’s updates this summer to its policies concerning HIV-positive service members. On June , the agency announced it would not restrict the deployability or ability to commission, nor discharge or separate any service members based solely on their HIV-positive status, provided they are have a clinically confirmed undetectable viral load.

GRINER MOVED TO PENAL COLONY

WNBA star Brittney Griner has begun serving her nine-year sentence for drug possession at a Russian penal colony, her lawyers and agent said Nov. 17. Griner was transferred to a penal colony in Mordovia, about 10 miles east of Moscow, after a Russian court last month rejected her appeal of her sentence. The all-star center with the WNBA s Phoenix Mercury and two-time Olympic gold was detained in February when customs agents said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. She was convicted in August and sentenced to nine years in prison.

Tatiana Quiroga

PARENTAL GUIDANCE

ILOVE YOU, ORLANDO!

As many implants to Central Florida, when I chose UCF in 1996, I unknowingly chose my new home. There’s a uniqueness that I can’t put my finger on. I’m not sure if it’s your historic downtown with craftsman style houses, cobblestone, tree-lined streets, the endlessly thrilling theme parks or the majesty and serenity of your lush, green palm trees and huge old oaks. Regardless of how you seduced me, your magic turned months into years and years turned into decades.

You were here when I came out, terrified, alone and lost. You gently guided me to a loving, colorful and growing community — my people. You were here when I met my wife and we embarked on our life’s journey, raising our first generation Orlandoans, who have never seen snow. Your endless, sticky summers, short winters, dense humid air, torrential thunderstorms and native wild black bears and alligators are all part of the package. You are my City Beautiful!

As executive director of Come Out With Pride, I have the unique opportunity to serve you, to host you and to represent you. 2022 Pride was bigger and better than ever! It seems every year, more and more LGBTQIA+ community members and our allies turn out, making us the largest single day event in Central Florida. We are the longest parade in Orlando’s history and one of the biggest Pride celebrations in the southeast. WOW! As an internationally recognized city, it fills my heart to call you home.

A few weeks ago, I joined a delegation to represent you in Mexico. We proudly invited the world to Orlando, submitting our bid for WorldPride 2026. Unfortunately, we didn’t win the bid but it wasn’t for our lack of effort. I will always sing your praises Orlando, yet as

any family, unfortunately, I see some cracks and a growing divide in our LGBTQIA+ community, which simply saddens me. We are increasingly being attacked by politicians proposing and passing discriminatory and life-threatening legislation. Plus, the escalated activity by more organized anti-LGBTQIA+ and transphobic hate groups threatens our safety. Instead of using this opportunity to stand together, some members of our own community choose to pick us apart. Like other nonprofit organizations, Come Out With Pride is a work in progress, ever evolving and developing, and constantly aiming to do better.

As the only paid staffer, I recognize our shortcomings and I’m actively working towards closing those gaps. However, despite my efforts, it’s an interesting feeling being told by members of my own community that I am not diverse enough, I am not Brown enough, I am not Latin enough, I am not handicap enough. Basically, I am just not enough nor doing enough. All this while most have never spoken to me, know nothing about me or have ever walked a day in my shoes. It may be easier to brush them off, not to read the comments or ignore them all together; but guess what? I am enough.

I am a lesbian, Latina community leader who is most times the only female in the board room, trying to shatter the glass ceiling. I am an immigrant from South America and English is my second language. I am living with an invisible disability.

I am a wife and a parent of a special needs child. Most importantly, I am creating progress and change, which I recognize is slow acting, yet the needle is moving and there’s always room for more improvement because I am not done yet!

Strongly believing in accountability, I ask you, Orlando, to keep me honest while having constructive

conversations. Historically, the LGBTQIA+ movement has had internal bickering and conflict from its conception. If we pick each other apart, who will be left standing? To move forward, we must march together. Based on our diverse lived experiences, I recognize we may not always be aligned, but that adds to our depth, to our communal culture and keeps us challenged to grow and move forward. Orlando, let’s refocus our energy and please join me in these efforts. Let’s do better by intentionally seeking collaborative opportunities.

Let’s actively support our LGBTQIA+ youth. Let’s be more than allies, let’s be co-conspirators in fighting for basic human rights such as access to healthcare for our trans, our immigrant, our indigenous and all our community members who are living in the margins

United we stand, divided we fall. In our darkest days, we showed the world our resilience, our unity, our strength — let’s remember we are the City Beautiful, where our largest celebration is a colorful explosion of Pride! We are unlike any other city. We

and are disenfranchised. Let’s stand in true solidarity for our Brown and Black community members. Most importantly, let’s lessen our egos, remember our common goals and priorities, and let’s constructively and effectively communicate and plan progressive action steps.

are #OrlandoStrong and #KeepDancingOrlando!

Tatiana Quiroga is the executive director for Come Out With Pride. She is a proud mother, wife and LGBTQ advocate in Central Florida.

It’s an interesting feeling being told by members of my own community that I am not diverse enough, I am not Brown enough, I am not Latin enough, I am not handicap enough. Basically, I am just not enough nor doing enough.

We Must be United

WE ALL NEED A SAFE

space. We all need a village. A place where we can be ourselves without judgment; where we feel loved and supported. We all need freedom and fulfillment.

A village is a close group of people who we feel connected to and love in our lives. The village can be our family, friends, or even a group of people online who share similar values. Having a village is important because it allows us to feel seen, heard and loved. It gives us a sense of belonging. It gives us a sense of safety.

When we don’t have a village, we can feel isolated and alone. We can feel like we’re the only ones going through whatever it is we’re going through. This can lead to feeling lost, hopeless and depressed. That’s why it’s so important to find our village – the people who understand us and can offer us the support we need. To find a safe space where we can be ourselves without judgment.

As we are approaching another holiday season, I encourage you to take a step back and reflect on all of your relationships. Who in your life makes you feel seen, heard and loved? Who do you turn to when you need support? Who makes you feel like you belong? These are the people who are part of your village. These are the people who matter.

If you don’t have a village, it’s never too late to find one. Surround yourself with people who love and support you. People who will celebrate your successes with you and help you through your failures. People who will be honest with you and give you constructive criticism. People who will challenge you to be the best version of yourself.

No matter where you are in your journey, know that you are not alone. There is a village out there waiting for you. Waiting to love and support you. So go find them. Life is too short to spend time with people who don’t make us feel good about ourselves. We deserve to be surrounded by people who love us unconditionally and support our dreams.

I’m thankful for my amazing village. They have supported me through some of the darkest times in my life and they have celebrated with me during my happiest moments. My village has taught me the importance of self-love and self-care. They have shown me that I am not alone in this world and that I am loved.

Without self-love, we cannot truly love others. When we love ourselves, we are more likely to treat others with kindness and respect. We are also more likely to take care of ourselves and our needs. Without their support, I would not be where I am today.

As my village has grown, I’ve been able to accomplish things I never thought possible. I am more confident and thriving. I know my worth and I refuse to settle for anything less than I deserve. I am living my best life and I owe it all to the people in my village.

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle culture and forget to connect with our village. We get so wrapped up in our jobs, our families and our everyday responsibilities that we forget to take time

for ourselves. We forget to nurture our relationships.

I challenge you to reach out to your village after your reflection. Spend time with the people who make you feel good about yourself. Let them know how much they mean to you. Make time for self-care and self-love.

work together to lift each other up. Let’s build each other up and create a village that we can all be proud of.

So, how do you create your village? It starts with being unapologetically yourself. It’s about being honest about who you are and what you want in life. It’s

that matter most to us. It’s a time to be grateful for the people in our lives. So, take a moment to reach out to your village and let them know how much they mean to you.

Explore what freedom and fulfillment look like to you – and most importantly, live your best life.

When we live life more intentionally, we recognize the importance of a village. We realize that we need people in our lives who will love and support us unconditionally. We realize that self-love is the foundation of a happy and fulfilled life. The world is a better place when we all

about setting boundaries and saying no to things that don’t align with your values. It’s about being vulnerable and allowing yourself to be seen.

When you’re unapologetically yourself, it’s easy to attract the right people into your life. The people who will love and support you unconditionally. The people who will help you grow and thrive.

The holiday season is a time to reflect on the things

Let’s create a world where we all feel supported and loved. A world where we can all be our best selves. A world of freedom and fulfillment without apology.

Happy holidays! May your days be filled with love, light and happiness. I love you!

Bianca Goolsby, MBA is a digital strategist and activist who partners with mission-driven organizations to increase their impact through innovative and effective online communications. She also empowers and equips families to curate safe social spaces for themselves and their children.

We deserve to be surrounded by people who love us unconditionally and support our dreams.

Bianca Goolsby

Jo in y ou r l oc al LG BT C ha mber , as w e ar e the pr em i er a dv oc a te s fo r the Ta mp a B ay Are a’ s LGBT bus i ness commun ity.

year. “DC

talking points

CNBC AXES SHEPARD SMITH’S NEWSCAST

CNBC HAS CANCELLED SHEPARD SMITH’S NIGHTLY NEWSCAST after two years, with the openly gay anchor’s final telecast on the network airing this month. Smith began his career at Fox News in 1996 at its inception, working for the company until 2019. He quit abruptly after a run-in with opinion host Tucker Carlson and established the weeknight news show at CNBC. “The News with Shepard Smith” averaged 222,000 viewers this year, down from 2021. In late 2020, the show was reaching 280,000 viewers. “I believe we must prioritize and focus on our core strengths of business news and personal finance,” CNBC’s new president shared. He announced Smith’s exit Nov. 3.

CHRIS EVANS NAMED SEXIEST MAN ALIVE

CHRIS EVANS HAS BEEN NAMED PEOPLE

MAGAZINE’S SEXIEST MAN ALIVE. The outlet announced this year’s pick Nov. 7 and featured the longtime LGBTQ ally in their Nov. 11 issue, in which he quips “my mom will be so happy.” The “Captain America” star, who this year voiced the titular star of Pixar’s Lightyear” and appeared in Netflix’s “The Gray Man,” joins the likes of Idris Elba, Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, John Legend, Ryan Reynolds and Paul Rudd and more in the honor. The magazine has named someone annually since 1985. “The most enjoyable aspect of my career right now is feeling secure enough to take my foot off the gas,” Evans told People.

‘DANCIN’’ RETURNS TO BROADWAY

CHOREOGRAPHER BOB FOSSE’S “DANCIN’” WILL RETURN TO BROADWAY in 2023. The show originally ran from 1978-1982 and won two Tonys, including Best Choreography, and features dances to songs from Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton and more. Fosse’s daughter Nicole told the Associated Press “It’s got politics, childlike humor, history, romance. My father knew that people go to the theater to learn but also to be entertained. He never forgot you have to keep an audience entertained.” Wayne Cilento, an original star who was nominated for a Tony for it, will handle direction and musical staging. The revival’s performances begin March 2 with an opening night of March 19.

It is not just stateside that we want to bring attention to social issues … We are a group who believes in inclusivity and we will continue to project that message going forward.

– U.S. MEN’S SOCCER TEAM COACH GREGG BERHALTER NOV. 14 AFTER DISPLAYING A RAINBOW LOGO AT THE WORLD CUP IN ANTI-LGBTQ QATAR

ACTOR KEVIN CONROY, KNOWN FOR VOICING AND APPEARING AS BATMAN FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, died Nov. 10 at 66. Conroy, who was openly gay, originated the titular role in 1992’s “Batman: The Animated Series.” His voice became synonymous with the DC Comics character over the years, appearing as Bruce Wayne and/or Batman in dozens of films, television shows and video games. Reports indicated Conroy died after a “short battle with cancer.” DC subsequently reflected on the loss, publishing a feature Conroy wrote for the company’s Pride anthology earlier this

is deeply saddened at the passing of Kevin Conroy, a legendary actor and the voice of Batman for multiple generations,” they shared. “His iconic voice made Batman real not only through his work in Batman: The Animated Series, but a host of video games, animated features, and more.”

ACTOR KEVIN CONROY, VOICE OF BATMAN, DIES AT 66

On the Frontlines

Jeremy Williams

THE FIRST WORLD AIDS DAY TOOK

place on Dec. 1, 1988, less than a decade after the first known cases of the virus were reported in young, gay men in the U.S., and was the first international day dedicated to a global health crisis. The day was conceived by two men at the World Health Organization as a way for all the people of the world to unite in their fight against HIV/AIDS, to show support for those living with the virus and to remember those who were lost to AIDS-related illness.

In that first year and every year since, World AIDS Day takes on an annual theme. For

World AIDS Day 2022 the theme is Equalize, a call to action to address the inequalities which

are holding back progress in ending AIDS. In 1990, during the third annual World AIDS Day, the theme was Women and AIDS.

Most of the attention of those early years of the AIDS crisis was put on gay men, focusing on who was getting diagnosed and who was fighting for answers, but women — especially queer women — were some of the earliest activists and are unsung heroes in the fight.

Patty Sheehan is the Orlando City Commissioner for District 4 and came out as lesbian in 1981. At the time, Sheehan says the community was fractured.

“The men were not very nice to the women,” she says. “[In Orlando] we would all go to the

Central Florida and Tampa Bay women who fought in the early days of the AIDS crisis

the future remember the past with 30 years of specialized medical care experience.

BREAKING BARRIERS TO CARE

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same bars, except you did have [lesbian bar] Odds & Ends, before it became Faces. Then you had the Parliament House, that catered to everybody, but it was pretty male. You had other bars like Silver Hammer and some other bars that were mainly for men. But you didn’t really have a cohesive community, not until AIDS struck.”

What wouldn’t be called AIDS — Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome — until 1982, was at the time called Gay Related Immune Deficiency, or GRID, because it primarily affected gay men at first.

“It was very scary in the beginning because no one knew how it was transmitted,” Sheehan says. “Nobody knew it was transmitted sexually at that point in time. Everyone was worried about getting it.”

Sheehan remembers that in the early days of the crisis in Orlando, it was the drag queens who first started to show signs of the virus.

“The drag queens got sick first, and because they were doing performance work and doing shows, when they got sick they couldn’t perform and make money, and a lot of them were off the books so they didn’t qualify for social security and disability,” she says. “So a lot of lesbians were taking in the drag queens and performers, and it was tough because a lot of them really couldn’t afford to take people in but they did it because they had nowhere else to go.”

Two of the first lesbians to open their homes to the performers in Orlando were Donna Coleman and Cherie Goyette, both members of the lesbian group Loving Committed Network.

“LCN was a lesbian potluck group and women’s only space, and Donna and Cherie were two of the leaders of LCN,” Sheehan says. “Donna took in Doug Burke, who was the local drag queen Monica Burke, and Cherie took in several folks. They were just trying to get people through to the end without living on the streets and give them some dignity in their final days. Cherie was the most vocal at that time.”

Many people who contracted AIDS would develop lesions caused by Kaposi’s sarcoma, a type of skin cancer, and would experience extreme weight

loss. Sheehan says that most didn’t last more than six months before they died.

“I had friends who literally looked like walking skeletons,” Sheehan adds. “And I was scared because all my friends were dying. It was awful. There was a time there where I lost six friends in one week. It was horrific. It got to the point where I couldn’t go to anymore funerals.”

The fear and anxiety quickly turned into anger as little was being done outside of the LGBTQ community to get information out about AIDS.

“We didn’t have the internet so the ways we communicated, in the lesbian community it was newsletters, and in the larger gay communities there was The Weekly News,” Sheehan says. “That’s how everyone got their information — flyers, The Weekly News and the LCN Express.”

The same fight could be found in the queer and ally women of Tampa Bay. Watermark spoke with Dr. Joyce Stone and Becky Williams, a lesbian couple in St. Petersburg, in 2017. Stone was a deacon at King of Peace MCC Church and Williams was on the board of directors, and both of them along with other members of their church formed AM Ministries, an AIDS outreach service that was the first of its kind in St. Petersburg.

The organization would assign a “buddy” to each patient who would become familiar with their case, their family, their support systems and guide that person in finding whatever help was

available. Williams was the only female buddy in the group.

“[Y]ou have to understand how divided the men and the women were back then,” Williams said to Watermark in 2017. “There were many gay men who didn’t feel comfortable discussing some of the very private details of their lives, including their sex lives, with a woman.”

An unlikely advocate in the fight against AIDS in the Tampa Bay area was Sister Anne Dougherty, a Franciscan nun who founded Tampa’s Francis House, a support center for people with HIV and AIDS, in 1989. Francis House merged with AIDS Service Association of Pinellas in 2016 to form EPIC, or Empath Partners in Care.

“[Sister Anne] was working in the hospitals with HIV patients because nobody else would,” says Joy Winheim, executive director of EPIC. “Even nurses didn’t want to at first. The patients were on a separate floor, and everyone would be dressed all in PPE, with masks and shields and body suits because everybody thought just by walking in the room they were gonna get it.”

Dougherty talked about her first experience with a person with AIDS in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times in 1999.

“His name was Don, and his partner and I were there with him when he died,” she said at the time. “For me there was this sensation that God was present in the room and that Don was safe, that he really was with God. That was my first experience of

knowing a gay couple. I was like, what is this love all about?”

A month later, Dougherty said she started to volunteer with the Tampa AIDS Network.

“She was providing spiritual counseling and [some of the patients] expressed to her that they had nowhere to go when they got out of the hospital so they might as well die here,” Winheim says. “‘My family doesn’t talk to me, my friends don’t talk to me and I don’t believe in God anymore.’ She said ‘we have got to do something about this.’”

Dougherty took an old auto mechanic garage in Tampa that was donated to her and turned it into Francis House.

“She made it all happen. Something in her heart led her to do this and it has provided great refuge to a lot of people,” Winheim says.

Vicky Oliver, director of supportive services and program implementation at EPIC, came to Florida from New York in the 1990s to study social work at the University of Southern Florida. She started interning with Tampa AIDS Network and has been in the field ever since.

“When I started, I remember just being in awe of the nurses and doctors, many of who were women, working on the HIV floors at the hospitals — St. Joes, Tampa General and Memorial Hospital — they were amazing. They were all unsung heroes of the time,” she says. “The things that they did for the patients, and the things they would let us do for the patients, bring in things we weren’t supposed like cats, dogs, birds.”

During the holidays, Oliver says you would forgo spending time with your own family to provide holidays for the patients.

“So many times their families would want nothing to do with them,” she says. “We would go get the gifts and wrap them, we would sit with them and we would have meals together. We did the things that needed to be done to help them feel loved and supported.”

“Francis House was specifically created for those people who lost their family, their friends and their faith,” adds Winheim. “Being able to sit with someone when they died. It was the best worst experience ever. To be able to say ‘you don’t want to die alone, I’m gonna make sure that doesn’t happen. I’m gonna sit with you until you go.’”

Kathryn Norsworthy is a professor of clinical mental health counseling at Rollins College in Winter Park and a licensed psychologist. She came to the area in the early ‘90s to work with Centaur, Central Florida’s oldest AIDS Services Organization.

“Before coming to Central Florida, I led support groups for gay men who had AIDS and HIV,” Norsworthy says. “These groups were complex because they were filled with joy and celebrating living in the present but they were also filled with grief and anger and rage for the fact that so little was being done to stop the crisis. They were also full of hope that things would change.”

Norsworthy recalls sitting with members of her group in hospital rooms, taking turns with other men to make sure the person in the bed knew he was not alone.

“We would cry together, we would tell stories, share memories, try to buoy each other and hold the hand of the person who was dying,” she says. “We did everything we could to be as connected as possible and make sure they felt our presence.”

When Norsworthy came to Centaur, the focus of her group went from the men who were living with HIV and AIDS to leading a support group for the staff. That’s when Noseworthy met Debbie Tucci.

“Debbie was the director of Centaur at the time,” Norsworthy says. “She was a fierce ally for the community during the height of the AIDS epidemic.”

Queer women were also rallying in the streets during the AIDS crisis, fighting as a part of grassroots groups like ACT UP,

IN MEMORIAM: An historical photo of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in Washington, D.C. PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL

or AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, for medical research, treatment and advocacy, and working to change legislation and public policies.

“We had people who had health insurance through their jobs and were being told their health insurance wouldn’t cover AIDS,” Sheehan says. “That’s when we had to fight and make sure there weren’t any discriminatory practices and make sure people weren’t getting fired from their jobs for having HIV.”

The fight culminated with a march on Washington, D.C. in 1987.

“Donna was the head of the LCN then and organized for everyone up to D.C.,” Sheehan says. “These guys knew they were going to die and yet they still insisted on going and advocating for those who they knew were going to come after them. They were heroic. They went to the march on Washington in wheelchairs, and they had posterboards with the names of their friends who had died tied to the back of them.”

The National March on Washington was Oct. 8-13, 1987 and more than half a million people attended. It was also the first display of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, a project conceived by San Francisco LGBTQ and AIDS activist Cleve Jones. Each panel of the quilt project was created in memory of someone who died of AIDS. The quilt that was displayed in D.C. on Oct. 11, 1987, consisted of 1,920 names and covered a space larger than a football field.

“I’ll never forget Whoopi Goldberg being the first person to walk out and say, ‘When is this shit gonna stop?’ She was amazing, and when they unveiled the quilt and it just kept going and going,” Sheehan recalls. “And each panel is [6 ft. x 3 ft.] roughly the size of a coffin. It brought it to a human level. It individualized everyone, they weren’t just a statistic, and that really helped us get the changes we needed. We were very creative because no one liked gay people then. You could lose your job for being gay, hell I got demoted at my job for going to the march, it was risky.”

On the last day of the event, a mass civil disobedience action at the Supreme Court occurred, resulting in the arrest of some 800 people.

“The LCN was there when they threw the blood on the steps of the Supreme Court, which was fabulous theatre by the way,” Sheehan remembers. “I wanted to get arrested but the boys wouldn’t let me. They told me ‘No, we have better things planned for you.’ Looking back now, it’s probably best that I didn’t get arrested that day.”

The community coming together and standing united made the world stand up and notice, but more importantly it made the lawmakers and medical community notice. The Food and Drug Administration approved AZT, the first anti-HIV drug, in 1987. More drugs were developed in the 1990s and into the 2000s, and the numbers of those dying began to decline. Through it

all, the LGBTQ community remained united.

“The community came together because they had to,” Winheim says, “and if you look at the history of employees at Francis House or Tampa AIDS network or TBAN, it’s all women. You have men scattered in there but the case managers and the nurses, it is all women.”

“For the most part, everyone came and stayed together,” Sheehan says. “Gay Community Services became Gay and Lesbian Community Service, which is now just The Center [Orlando]. You did see that change and I think it was a good change. It’s a shame that it took something so horrific to bring everyone together but sometimes you don’t know you need someone until you do. The men thought they didn’t need the women for anything and then it was the women that took them in and took care of them.

“I watched friends die horrifically, and it’s something I won’t ever be able to get out of my head,” Sheehan continues. “I’m so glad I was able to hold that space with them, hold several of my friend’s hands as they transitioned, but it was some of the hardest things I’ve ever done. So today it frustrates me when I see the number [of HIV cases in Florida] going up. Your health is important, don’t be fatalist like you’re gonna get it anyways. Still protect yourself, go on PrEP if you need to. I don’t care how you do it, just take your health seriously.”

World AIDS Day 2022 events

World AIDS Day: Rock the Ribbon 2022

DEC. 1, 2-4 P.M.

JOYCE GOODE CENTER (1509 N. HARBOR CITY BLVD., MELBOURNE)

Unconditional Love Inc. will be holding a free World Aids Day event at the Joyce Goode Center featuring a display of artwork, World AIDS Bell, educational material and more. Guests will also receive a complimentary support ribbon.

World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil

DEC. 1, 5-7 P.M.

EAU GALLIE PARK (1453 HIGHLAND AVE., MELBOURNE)

Project Response will hold a candlelight vigil at Eau Gallie Park for those who we have lost since the start of the AIDS epidemic. Earlier that day, Project Response will also hold an Art & History exhibit at Comprehensive Health Care, located at 1495 N. Harbor City Blvd. Ste E, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Both events are free to attend.

Intimate Reflections

DEC. 1, 6-9 P.M.

ORLANDO SHAKES (812 E. ROLLINS ST., ORLANDO)

The Central Florida HIV Planning Council and Heart of Florida United Way invite you to an evening celebration with long-term HIV survivors. The evening will feature music, free food and prizes. The event is free but you are asked to register. You can find the Eventbrite link on Central Florida HIV Planning Council’s Facebook page.

World AIDS Day Health Fair

DEC. 3, 10 A.M.-2 P.M.

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, OSCEOLA COUNTY (1875 FORTUNE RD., KISSIMMEE)

The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County is partnering with the LGBT+ Center Kissimmee to host the World AIDS Day Health Fair. During the health fair, free HIV and Hep C testing with on-site results will be available. In addition, there will be HIV and STD education, PrEP education, and free condoms. Attendees will also be able to visit vendor tables to learn about services offered to the community. This event is free and open to the public with no appointments necessary.

World AIDS Day Gala

DEC. 10, 6-10 P.M.

GARDEN CLUB OF DELAND (865 S. ALABAMA AVE., DELAND)

Rising Against All Odds and DeLand Pride present the 2022 World AIDS Day Gala featuring a silent auction, raffles, entertainment hosted by Kirk T. DaVinci and featuring Aaliyah Nouveau, King Neal Debonair and other special guests with proceeds benefiting both organizations. Tickets are $40 in advance (via Eventbrite) and $50 at the door. Tickets include admission to the event, one free signature cocktail, light bites and access to a cash bar.

World AIDS Day 2022

DEC. 3, 1-5 P.M.

THE SANDERLIN CENTER (2335 22ND AVE., ST. PETERSBURG)

The Pinellas Planning Partnership invites you to its 2022 World AIDS Day event at The Sanderlin Center. The Pinellas Planning Partnership was established June 2011 to facilitate collaboration between HIV/ AIDS service organizations in Pinellas County. The event will feature entertainment, free food, music, community resources, free testing and free vaccinations. For more information, contact PPPStPete@gmail.com.

LOCAL LEADERS: Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan in Central Florida (L) and Empath Partners in Care Executive Director Joy Winheim in Tampa Bay. PHOTOS BY JEREMY WILLIAMS AND DYLAN TODD

RIDING THE JOY TRAIN

Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls on her latest solo album

WHETHER OUT SINGER/SONGWRITER

Amy Ray is performing with longtime musical partner Emily Saliers as one half of the Indigo Girls, as she has since the mid-1980s, or going solo, as she did with her 2001 album “Stag,” you can recognize her instantly.

Her distinctive vocal style, which suits whatever genre she’s performing – folk, punk, Americana or gospel – has become as much her trademark as the outspokenness of her lyrics. “If It All Goes South,” Ray’s exceptional seventh solo album is a welcome addition to her singular output, touching on themes of queerness and social issues, all performed in her warm and welcoming manner.

Ray was gracious enough to make time to talk about the new album, which was released digitally in September and is currently available for pre-order on vinyl.

WATERMARK: YOUR 2001 SOLO ALBUM “STAG” AND ITS 2005 FOLLOW-UP “PROM” ARE FIRMLY ROOTED IN A PUNK ROCK/RIOT

collaborators. Those were people I’m a fan of, most of them are people that [Ray’s record label] Daemon Records had an association with, in some way or another. It was kind of like this other camp of people that were different from the collaborators that the Indigos would typically play with. It tended to be more studio accurate, in some ways. As opposed to that punk rock ethic which is music being from a different place, and accuracy maybe being less important than technical prowess.

A LITTLE MORE DIY.

Yeah! And I also think the subject matter, the songs were just a little more singular in a way that was hard to do them as the Indigo Girls and not dilute the message. As soon as you get us together, we really shift the other person’s song, it becomes a duet. The subject matter to me was so specific and gender queer and punk rock edge, that it didn’t feel like it would work. At that time, when I wrote “Lucy Stoners,” Emily wasn’t interested in doing some

AMY RAY: Yes. I think it was because of two things. One was the

Gregg Shapiro

GRRRL AESTHETIC. WHILE THE INDIGO GIRLS ARE MORE THAN CAPABLE OF ROCKING OUT, DID YOU FEEL THAT THE SONGS ON THOSE ALBUMS WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN A GOOD FIT FOR WHAT YOU DO WITH EMILY?

of those songs. She wasn’t down with the attitude. Now, she would say, I’m sure just knowing her, that [laughs] she’d do it now. Because her attitude has changed. I was hanging out with and influenced by people that were from that DIY movement, and there was lots of gender queer conversation. It was a different place than Emily was in as a gay person. Emily can play any song [laughs] and I know. Now, I look back on all of it and I think I was, all the time, reaching around to different collaborations because I love collaborating with different kinds of people. It always teaches me something. It’s also a different itch that I get scratch.

YOUR MOST RECENT SOLO ALBUMS FEEL LIKE AN AMERICANA TRILOGY. DO YOU CONSIDER THEM TO BE LINKED?

Yeah. I mean I didn’t say to myself, “This is the third one and then I’ll stop.” But “If It All Goes South” was definitely a record where there was a thread from the other ones and some things that I wanted to achieve that I didn’t feel like I was able to do on the other ones. I think I didn’t even know that until we started making this one. This is more successful at combining a few of my punk-abilly influences into an Americana world. Also, some of that spontaneity we were starting to get on “Holler.” Now that we’ve played together as long as we have as a band, it was at its peak on this record. I think we just needed to make a couple of records to get to that place. I like them all, but for different reasons. They do different things for me. This one gathers up all the loose ends of “Holler” and “Goodnight Tender” musically and ties them up and puts them in a different context, and almost raises the bar. Lyrically, I wanted to have songs that were about healing, a “you’re not alone” kind of vibe, because of the time period that we had just been through.

It’s also the same producer [Brian Speiser] on all three, and we’ve worked together on projects. It started off casually – “Hey, I’ve been wanting to do this country record with these songs. Let’s do this together.”

We also had Bobby Tis, who had engineered the last one and mixed this one. That made the whole

experience like a closed loop in a good way. Because he engineered and mixed it, he got to bring his own sounds to fruition. We also went full tilt on the tape, where the last two records we had, for budget reasons, had to transfer everything to Pro Tools and then mix in a Pro Tools session, and then transfer it back to half-inch tape. Trina [Shoemaker] did that. But this time we mixed to tape.

AM I READING TOO MUCH INTO THE TITLE “IF IT ALL GOES SOUTH” OR IS IT A PLAY ON WORDS?

You’re not reading too much into it. There’s even more you can read into it, politically. When I was writing “Chuck Will’s Widow,” Georgia was the epicenter of some big political movement. When [Sen. Raphael] Warnock got elected and [Stacey] Abrams declared running for governor again, I was like, “Oh man, I’m in the right place for once.” But we knew it wasn’t always going to be easy. My perspective in that song was a couple things. “If it all goes south, count it as a blessing, that’s where you are.” Yes, it’s directional and also like if things get really shitty, try to make the best of it, of course, it’s what you tell your kids all the time.

WHEN YOU BEGIN THE RECORDING PROCESS FOR AN ALBUM, DO YOU HAVE A WISH LIST OF MUSICAL GUESTS?

I usually have a wish list when I’m writing the song. Alison Brown, she’s part of the band, so I always think about her banjo playing when I’m writing. She

doesn’t tour with us, but she’s in the band. I started writing “From This Room” a long time ago, and I started writing it as a duet. I didn’t have anybody in mind at that point but I hadn’t finished it yet. When I was finishing it for the record, I had just seen Natalie Hemby with The Highwomen, and had also just met her, and Emily writes with her sometimes. So, I knew her and I was thinking about her voice.

I wrote “Subway,” in part, in tribute to [the late DJ] Rita Houston, who had been so crucial. She and Brandi Carlile were super close. She really helped develop Brandi’s career in being such an indicator station, getting other people on board. So, I was thinking about Brandi and the chorus vocals that would be there because I was writing kind of an ambitious chorus for me [laughs]. I’m like, “I’m gonna have to have Brandi in here!”

For “North Star,” that kind of gospel song at the end, when I wrote it and Jeff Fielder, the guitar player, and I were demoing it, I was like, “This is not right. There’s another ingredient. I don’t know enough about the kind of music I’m trying to write to do it.” I got Phil Cook to come in, as a co-writer really, to finish the song musically. Fill out the chords and make it the gospel song I was trying to write. The only person I wanted to do this was Phil Cook.

I am just very specific. Like Sarah Jarosz, on this record in particular, I wanted to get a mandolin player and I wanted Sarah to play mandolin. We’re always covering the parts

ourselves. Jeff’s a great mandolin player but Sarah Jarosz is a fucking prodigy [laughs]. Jeff’s a prodigy on the guitar. He could play any instrument, including a great mandolin, but he’ll say he’s no Sarah Jarosz. It’s like I envisioned who would be this group of people that would be together live. It’s never like a wish list of, “Who’s famous? Who can we get?” It’s more a case of who are these songs geared towards, so that when they come into the studio, you don’t tell them anything, really. They just do what they do great, and it works.

YOU MENTIONED THE LATE, QUEER WFUV DJ RITA HOUSTON. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LOSS OF HOUSTON MEANS FOR NEW ARTISTS?

It’s a huge hole in the universe of people that would take a new artist and sort of help develop them, take chances at radio and give people that space. She also was a mentor to artists. She wasn’t ever judging your art by whether you were gay or not, or what color your skin was. If the song wasn’t a fit for the station, she would tell you why. It wouldn’t have anything to do with whether you’re this or that. If it was a fit, it also didn’t have anything to do with this or that.

She was a mentor in shared musicality. Being able to trust her and understanding how that taught you about the terrain that you’re in and who you can and can’t trust in that way. The people that one day build you up and the next day cut you down because of your politics or who

your audience is; those are not the people to look to for advice. Someone like Rita, who you can trust, was a very important barometer for the other kind of people you should be looking for. All of a sudden you find this human and you’re like, “Oh, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. I’m going to make sure that when I’m moving through this musical ecosystem, the people that I try to be around and get to know and trust and look up to are like Rita Houston.”

Without that the younger musicians have one less person in that arena who was a huge influence on so many people in the radio and journalism worlds. You can’t fill her shoes. You have to hope that there’s enough other people out there that were influenced by her, that came up through the ranks that can do what she did and share that mantle.

“SUBWAY” ENDS WITH THE LINE “THIS GEORGIA GIRL HAS GOT IT BAD FOR NEW YORK.” COULD THERE BE AN AMY RAY OR INDIGO GIRLS MUSICAL ON BROADWAY?

[Big laugh] That’s Emily’s territory. She’s working on some things. A couple of different musicals, and I’m not working on them with her. She’s developing two different ones, and I think one of them has actually gotten some traction and some workshopping that’s pretty important. There is a musical that a friend of mine from high school has been writing that’s really interesting and it’s gotten a lot of workshops. It’s still in the early stages. It uses Michelle Malone’s music and my solo music. Then there’s a movie coming out called “Glitter and Doom” which is a movie musical that’s just Indigo Girls music. It’s coming out next year, I think. We’re still working on the final credits’ song.

AFTER THE CURRENT INDIGO GIRLS TOUR WRAPS, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF A SOLO TOUR?

Yeah. We’re booking dates in February for the south. I’ve tried touring in cold places in February and it’s hard [laughs]. We’ll head up to the North in May.

Amy Ray’s “If It All Goes South” is out now and available on all major platforms. Pre-orders for the album on vinyl are available at DaemonRecords.com and will ship in early 2023.

SOLO SENSATION: Amy Ray’s solo album “If It All Goes South” is out now. PHOTO BY SANDLIN GAITHER

(ABOVE)

GOING STRONG:

Pop star Taylor Dayne is celebrating 35 years of her first hit song.

BY PETER BARAT

From the Heart

Taylor Dayne on LGBTQ fans, drag and 3 decades of pop

In addition to its lead single, three others ranked in the Top 10 for the U.S., “Prove Your Love,” “I’ll Always Love You” and “Don’t Rush Me.” In the years since, Dayne has charted nearly 20 singles and sold more than 75 million albums.

The crossover artist – celebrated for her work in Pop, Dance, R&B, Adult Contemporary and Rock music – has earned three Grammy nominations, an American Music Award and other accolades. She’s also written music for artists like Tina Turner and found new success on stage.

Dayne’s Broadway roles have included a celebrated run in Elton John’s “Aida” and more. In 2018, she also celebrated 30 years of “Tell It To My Heart” by launching a tour, bolstered by a deluxe edition of the album with new music and a memoir of the same name.

Dayne has also competed on reality competitions in recent years, among them Fox’s “The Masked Singer.” She reached the semifinals of the anonymous singing show as “Popcorn” in 2020 before lip syncing for her life on VH1’s “RuPaul’s Secret Drag Race” this year.

Her turn as drag persona Electra Owl – a direct ask from host, longtime friend and drag legend RuPaul – is just one of Dayne’s latest ties to the LGBTQ community. She recorded “Facing a Miracle” in 2010, the official anthem for the 2010 Gay Games, and has long performed at Pride events.

Despite the controversy, Dayne hasn’t slowed down. The singer is currently planning to mark the 35th anniversary of her original hit. She’s also touring again and advocating for health care, having shared on “Good Morning America” Nov. 9 that she recently was diagnosed with and successfully treated for colon cancer.

Watermark spoke with Dayne about her LGBTQ fanbase, upcoming music and more ahead of her concert in St. Petersburg, which features a special guest appearance from local drag performer Daphne Ferraro. The concert is scheduled for Dec. 11 at The Palladium.

WATERMARK: WHAT STILL EXCITES YOU ABOUT LIVE PERFORMANCE?

Taylor Dayne: I can answer that so clearly now because of the pandemic, when touring was at a screeching halt. I felt like I hadn’t stopped moving and trying to be out there working in 30 years … I was not used to not having this connection with my fans. It was really difficult. All this stuff shifted and changed and everybody was struggling to figure it out, and most touring musicians, we were right there.

So now, being back and moving and touring heavily for the last eight months, I have such gratitude and I feel the audience has shifted too. We’re all just so grateful and I feel like it’s a wave of one when we’re out there. We want to be where we are and that moment really matters. And that connection with your fans – certainly new fans, old fans – all that really matters. The music really connects us and it was very missed, so there are a lot of celebratory aspects to it right now.

WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE CELEBRATING THESE MAJOR MILESTONES IN YOUR CAREER?

THE WORLD FIRST TUNED INTO

Taylor Dayne with her debut single “Tell It To My Heart.” The 1987 hit turned her into an international sensation almost overnight, premiering on the Billboard Hot 100 to critical and commercial acclaim.

The song went on to peak in the top five of most major markets. The success led Dayne to finish her first

solo album – now certified as double platinum – in just eight weeks.

That LGBTQ connection was, in part, what led to backlash after New Year’s Eve 2020. That’s when Dayne performed at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – though the former president, well known for his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policies, was not in attendance.

Dayne provided very little public comment at the time, responding in a since-deleted tweet in Jan. 2021. “I’m saddened by all this,” she wrote. “I have a [30-year-career and] many diverse friendships. … I try to stay non-political and non-judgmental and not preach.”

It’s a great point of entry, right? This year, as of October, is my 35th year anniversary of “Tell It To My Heart,” so we’re working on projects to commemorate that and celebrate that, just like I did on my 30 year.

I did the book, I wrote my memoir; I really wanted people to how I found my voice, lost my shit and conquered my fears, you know? (Laughs.) Now, there are other things to tackle.

If you see “Good Morning, America,” I had a big piece on there, it’s health and wellness and womanhood and women’s rights, and there’s a lot of things that didn’t affect me at one point are affecting me now. You know, health concerns

PHOTO

Ryan Williams-Jent

and more staying really on top of that and being more of an advocate for myself and for women’s voices. For our voice to be heard, you can feel very small at times.

YOU’VE BEEN OPEN ABOUT YOUR HEALTH OVER THE YEARS. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT WITH FANS?

As of now I’m in the upside of something that felt almost at one point where I was going to give up, it was a health scare; I had colon cancer. I had stage one, but once you hear that, and you’re going into it, just all the bells and whistles are going off. I took a very proactive approach with my doctors, but a lot of things can arise from that. We share because it’s beneficial information, and if it saves one person … we tell stories to educate and to share our grief or happiness, all these things.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

Well, on a lot of levels, it hasn’t changed on any level. Congressionally there are laws that need to be passed on publishing, ownership, IP, musicians in general … there are a lot of things that are just stuck in politics, because it makes a lot of people a lot of freaking money. And it’s got to change, the laws, they’re grandfathered in and they’re just not applicable anymore.

And of course, because with the internet and social media, things are so much more accessible and valuable and information, you see it more. You can learn more and it’s a different world. But it seems the same to me on one level, and then it seems wide open on another.

HOW SO?

You have complete, immediate access to a fanbase that you never had in the past, you had to go through the record label to even get a record out there. I mean, at least I went to the clubs and did a grassroots approach there. That’s how “Tell It To My Heart” even got signed. I still feel that you have to be a warrior for yourself, you have to go out there and really decide how hard you want to hit this. When one door closes you

must figure out another door, that to me is what fame is.

WHAT DO YOUR LGBTQ FANS MEAN TO YOU?

Well, we’ve grown together and I’ve learned a lot from them. I became a single parent watching the legal system [with them.] I opted to do it in a way, because of my health to some degree, that a lot of my single or coupled LGBTQ friends wanted to … I hired a surrogate, which was very ahead of the time. My kids are going to be 21 years old next month so I started that process 22 years ago.

In the LGBTQ community, sometimes you feel very on your own … and there were a lot of things that I felt very grateful

about with the families that were created [that way.] While as an entertainer, and as a performer, it really shifted my mentality on what a family is, how I could raise a family and what [that meant.] What is a mother? What is a father? So my crew is very eclectic, my core people – many gay, many straight – it doesn’t really matter. My point is that we all found each other. You have my support and I thank you for your support.

speak to RuPaul. RuPaul’s like one of my best friends and that’s the first call I made when I got a lot of flak … it had nothing to do with politics. And if I told you all these artists that were involved in that, I mean, we were in a dire time. But it made no difference.

There wasn’t any political aspect to a performance on New Year’s Eve … I hope I made amends in a way that people heard my voice, but there was nothing ill-wished on any level …

MAR-A-LAGO.

Yeah, I don’t really get into it. But I can just tell you this. If you want to know more about it,

It’s politics and I don’t see anybody getting happy about that. Hopefully you voted and your voice counts. That’s where my head’s at. Your vote matters, so put it where it can actually have an effect.

YOU MENTIONED RUPAUL. HOW DID YOUR APPEARANCE ON “CELEBRITY DRAG RACE” AS ELECTRA OWL COME ABOUT?

(Laughs.) Well, it was another call from Ru. I’ve been a judge on “Drag Race” and it’s a phenom. RuPaul in and of herself is just one of the most celebrated, fantastic television personalities and just an incredible businessperson and a dear friend. RuPaul is brilliant, knowledgeable, and he said, “You want to do ‘Celebrity Drag Race?” and I’m like, “I don’t know what that means, but am I going to be doing karaoke the whole time?”

He goes “yep” and I go, “well, shit. Drag queens do me better than I’ve ever done myself, so I can’t compete.” And he goes, “you’re gonna have the best of the best of the best.” So that’s what you saw, the best of the best of the best. Hair, wigs, costumes and obviously I laughed at a couple of them. It was funny. It was great. I loved the audience. I loved the tongue in cheek and those guys were dancing for their lives!

WILL WE SEE ELECTRA OWL AGAIN?

(Laughs.) That was actually a restaurant I’d go to, a lounge, and I thought “that seems like a great name.” I’ll say I loved it; I felt like I was right out of the B-52’s, it was incredible.

WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT YOUR NEW MUSIC?

I’ve worked on a six-song EP with [Grammy Award-winning producer] Greg Field. I had a ball with really exploring my voice and singing music and songs in a way that I haven’t in years, just as a storyteller. We’re finding and figuring out the home for that. First and foremost, I’m working with a real crushing DJ right now on a remix and redo of “Tell It To My Heart” for the celebration for this 35-year anniversary.

WHAT ELSE CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOUR ST. PETERSBURG STOP?

Oh, I just love that area. I might hang for a couple more days, so keep your eyes open! I [also want to say] I love you and thank you for showing such strong fan support. It’s just an honor to still be playing and be out there sharing my music.

Taylor Dayne Live will be held at The Palladium Dec. 11 at 8 p.m., located at 253 5th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg. Tickets are $55-80. Purchase yours at MyPalladium.org.

ALONG THOSE LINES, SOME LGBTQ FANS WERE UPSET ABOUT YOUR PERFORMANCE AT

NEW ERA: Taylor Dayne has recorded a new EP with an award-winning producer. PHOTO COURTESY BITTERSWEET ENTERTAINMENT

TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

“A Night of 1,000 Britneys,” a drag benefit remembering the late Keith Joseph Frey, raised $2,000 for Moffitt Cancer Center at Enigma Nov. 12. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa donated a total of $750,000 to Tampa Bay charities Nov. 15. Recipients included the LGBTQ-focused St Pete Pride, Tampa Pride and Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber. “The Seminole Tribe of Florida and Seminole Hard Rock Tampa take pride in their ongoing support of the Tampa Bay community … we want to give back to show we are extremely grateful for the magnitude of support from Tampa Bay throughout all of these years,” Seminole Hard Rock Tampa President Steve Bonner said.

Cyclists from throughout Tampa Bay participated in SMART Ride 19 Nov. 19, the 165-mile bicycle trek from Miami to Key West. They initially raised $988,000 for Florida HIV/ AIDS organizations, including beneficiary Empath Partners in Care, and subsequently brought the total to $1 million.

Byron Anthony Green and Elliott Calisch were married Nov. 20.

The Castle celebrates 30 years in Ybor Nov. 26.

Sarasota’s Dan and Steve Warren celebrate 34 years together Nov. 26.

CONDOLENCES

LGBTQ advocates and allies throughout Tampa Bay marked Transgender Day of Remembrance 2022 with vigils Nov. 20. More than 30 people were murdered this year. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Tampa actor Lauren Clark, Tampa Bay Sisters member John Miller (Nov. 23); Hairstylist and drag favorite Miranda Richards (Nov. 25); St. Petersburg nurse Ed Briggs (Nov. 26); St. Petersburg actor Ken Basque (Nov. 27); Tampa Bay chef Paege Cha n (Nov. 28); St. Petersburg actor Kris Doubles, Tampa softball bear Bubba De, St. Petersburg celebrity chef Jeffrey Jew, Delta flight attendant Trey Orihuela, Tampa Bay activist Stephen Hawk (Nov. 29); ALSO Youth Secretary Craig Kaplan (Nov. 30); Tampa hairstylist Marc Retzlaff, former Sarasota Pride board member Mary Hoch, Watermark contributor Deb Kelley, Tampa Bay voice Mariruth Kennedy (Dec. 1); St. Petersburg socialite Todd Wilber, Tampa trendsetter Cameron Williams (Dec. 2); City of Sarasota Human Rights Board member Michael Shelton, former Tampa bowler Dave Bauer, Watermark’s Managing Editor Ryan Williams-Jent (Dec. 3); Bambu the Eco Salon owner Joshua DeBlock,St. Petersburg staple Ron Diana (Dec. 4); Opera Tampa assistant conductor Luis Gonzalez, Spathouse’s Scott Durfee, Cider Press Cafe owner Roland Strobel (Dec. 5); Venice Theater Director of Diversity Kristofer Geddie, Tampa Bay actor Daniel Harris, Quench Lounger Theresa McGivern (Dec. 6); St. Petersburg psychiatrist Tom Young, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Tampa’s Red Herring Ltd. expert Ivan Moros (Dec. 7).

1EPIC RETURN: Tampa’s Omega Psi Phi Fraternity drops off its annual delivery of food to Empath Partners in Care’s pantry for Thanksgiving. PHOTO FROM EPIC’S FACEBOOK PAGE

2

SAY THEIR NAMES: Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw speaks at PFLAG Tampa’s Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil at Joe Chillura Courthouse Square Nov. 20. PHOTO FROM MCC TAMPA’S FACEBOOK PAGE

LOVE WINS: Rep Michele Rayner (C) officiates the wedding of Byron Anthony Green (L) and Elliott Calisch at the Museum of Fine Arts Nov. 20. PHOTO FROM REP. RAYNER’S FACEBOOK PAGE

PROUD GAMBLE: Tampa PridePresident Carrie West (L) andSecretary Mark Bias West accept a $10,000 donation at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Nov. 15. PHOTO FROM TAMPA PRIDE’S FACEBOOK PAGE

BAM-TASTIC: Lingr owner Jeffrey Jew (2nd from R) reunites with celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse (C) with his St. Petersburg team and supporters Nov. 10. PHOTO FROM LINGR’S FACEBOOK PAGE 6

RANGER NATION: Santa Nick sleighs with the ladies of “Power Rangers” Nov. 12 at Ranger Stop, the Orlando convention dedicated to the popular franchise. PHOTO FROM SANTA NICK’S FACEBOOK PAGE

VENICE PROUD: Project Pride tables at the third Venice Pride Nov. 12. PHOTO FROM PROJECT PRIDE’S FACEBOOK PAGE

EVENING OUT: Naomi Wright (L) and Jared Ketzler enjoy Enigma’s Friday night show Nov. 18.

PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

announcements CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

Comic shop Gods & Monsters celebrated its seventh anniversary, and the fifth anniversary of its geek-themed craft beer bar VAULT 5421, Nov. 14

Central Florida’s Southern Craft celebrated its fifth anniversary Nov. 16.

Blue Star and her Peek-a-Boo Lounge celebrated their 14-year anniversary with a show at the Stardust Lounge in Orlando Nov. 16.

Cyclists from throughout Central Florida participated in SMART Ride 19 Nov. 19, the 165-mile bicycle trek from Miami to Key West. They initially raised $988,000 for Florida HIV/AIDS organizations, including beneficiary Empath Partners in Care, and subsequently brought the total to $1 million.

CONDOLENCES

LGBTQ advocates and allies throughout Central Florida marked Transgender Day of Remembrance 2022 with vigils Nov. 20. More than 30 people were murdered this year. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

GOODBYES

Equality Florida’s field director Wes Davis left the statewide LGBTQ organization Nov. 18 to move to Chicago and become development director for Equality Illinois. “It has truly been an honor to work with each person at Equality Florida. They gave me a home when others closed the door. I’m so damn proud of the work my team has accomplished over the past 5 years. I know it is always see y’all later and never goodbye. I am a better human and organizer because of y’all. Thank you,” Davis posted to Facebook about his Equality Florida family.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

State Rep. Linda Stewart, Outgoing One Orlando Alliance executive director Josh Bell, Orlando socialite John Babshaw (Nov. 23); Orlando lawyer Ed Blaisdell, drag legend Rich Kuntz, AKA Gidget Galore (Nov. 24); Pandora Events CEO Alison Burgos, Savoy bartender Max Morris, USA Today reporter and former Watermark intern Christal Hayes, Orlando artist Jennifer Benjamin (Nov. 26); Edible Orlando owner/publisher Kendra Lott (Nov. 27); former HRC president Joe Solmonese, Savoy Orlando bartender Lauren Pernell (Nov. 28); Orlando Bisexual Alliance founder Sarah Wissig (Nov. 29); Orlando Gay Chorus founding member David Schuler (Nov. 30); Orlando-based writer Jim Crescitelli (Dec. 1); Zebra Coalition executive director Heather Wilkie, Orlando realtor Jeff Earley, derby volunteer wrangler Cynthia “Cynfully Vicious” West (Dec. 2); Watermark freelancer Kirk Hartlage (Dec. 3); Watermark administrative assistant Alec Perez, “Flame On” podcast host Bryan Pittard, Osceola Arts COO Jeremiah Krivinchuk, Bites and Bubbles entrepreneur Eddie Nickell (Dec. 6); Orlando Theatre goddess Beth Marshall (Dec. 7).

COMING TOGETHER: Orlando Gay Chorus members join the Club Q vigil at the Pulse Interim Memorial Nov. 20. PHOTO BY J.D. CASTO

ON CLOUD WINE: LGBT+ Center board secretary Grace Peek-Harris (L) and wife Elie Peek-Harris at The Center’s Wine-a-Pulloza Nov. 17. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA

ALLIANCE AGENDA: (L-R) Michael Slaymaker, Dr. Bahiyyah Maroon and Bob Adams at the State of the LGBTQ+ Communities event at Orlando City Hall Nov. 15.

PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

ROCKING OUT: Melanie Daily (L) and Robin Daily attend Central Florida Community Arts’ Classic(al) Rock concert at Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando Nov. 19.

PHOTO FROM ROBIN DAILY’S FACEBOOK

SANTA’S

TURKEY

SWAN

HONORING

HELPERS: Billy Looper (L) and Tom Christ get ready to start picking up bikes, courtesy of Walmart, Nov. 19 for the 19th annual Santa Bike Force. PHOTO FROM TOM CHRIST’S FACEBOOK

TIME: The Gay Of cers Action League Central Florida turn out for the groups’ Gobble ‘Til You Wobble event at The Veranda Thornton Park in Orlando Nov. 19.

PHOTO FROM BRANDON RAGAN’S FACEBOOK

ROUNDUP: City Commissioner Patty Sheehan assists in rounding up the swans at Lake Eola Park in Orlando to get them vaxxed, chipped and checked on before releasing them back Nov. 12.

PHOTO FROM PATTY SHEEHAN’S FACEBOOK

THE VETS: Navy veteran Mark Cady is recognized for his service on Veteran’s Day Nov. 11 by Body Street in Winter Park.

PHOTO FROM BODY STREET’S FACEBOOK

Hope was born thanks to the efforts of three radical Nuns who came to Apopka in the early 1970s to spread their unconditional love and faith through action. As a result, we continue to dream of immigration reform, racial equity, women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

community calendar

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Pride in Business Awards Gala

FRIDAY, DEC. 2, 7-11 P.M.

CANVAS EVENT VENUE, ORLANDO

Join The Pride Chamber at the 2022 Pride in Business Awards Gala as they recognize and honor Central Florida’s LGBTQ and ally business professionals and community leaders as well as celebrate the organization’s 30th anniversary. The gala will feature a catered dinner by John Michael Catering, a silent auction, live entertainment and more. Tickets are $250 for members, $300 for nonmembers and are available at ThePrideChamber.org.

Hope 50 Years y Más! Fiesta

SATURDAY, DEC.3, 7 P.M.

WINTER PARK EVENT CENTER, WINTER PARK

Hope CommUnity Center culminates a year-long celebration of the organization’s 50 years of serving Central Florida with an event at the Winter Park Event Center. Hosted by Nancy Alvarez, the event will feature Orlando poet laureate Shawn Welcome, a performance by Latina music group Just Imagin3, food, music and more. Tickets are $100 and available at https//hccoffm.org/50years.

TAMPA BAY

Party for Presents Drop-Offs

WEDS., NOV. 30 – SUNDAY, DEC. 4, VARIOUS TIMES

THROUGHOUT TAMPA BAY

Balance Tampa Bay’s annual Party 4 Presents returns with three drop-off events. Bring unwrapped toys for toddlers-adolescents, all benefiting Suncoast Hospice, Tampa Bay Party Project and Champions for Children. Events begin at District Tavern Tampa Nov. 30 from 6-9 p.m., move to Cocktail in St. Petersburg Dec. 1 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and conclude at Hooch and Hive in Tampa Dec. 4 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Learn more at Facebook.com/ BalanceTampaBay.

Red & Green 2022

SAT., DEC. 3, 7-10 P.M.

SUNKEN GARDENS, ST. PETERSBURG

St Pete Pride’s annual fundraiser is back, hosted by “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” alum Jai Rodriguez. This event celebrates the holiday season and allows the organization to keep major Pride events free to the public. Tickets are $75 and include open bar, light bites and entertainment. Cocktail will host this year’s after party, with a VIP experience from “Real Housewives” personality Sheree Whitfield. Visit Facebook.com/StPetePride for more details.

EVENT PLANNER

Black Friday Vendors Market, Nov. 25, Dog Bar, St. Petersburg. 727-317-4968; DogBarStPete.com

Enchant Christmas, Nov. 25-Jan. 1, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg. EnchantChristmas.com

SEASON’S GREETINGS

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

“Miracle on 34th Street,” Nov. 25-Dec. 11, The Heneger Center, Melbourne. 321-723-8698; Heneger.org

Epcot’s Candlelight Processional, Nov. 25-Dec. 30, Epcot, Walt Disney World. 407-939-5277; DisneyWorld. Disney.Go.com FusionFest, Nov. 26-27, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-836-5540; FusionFest.org

“Scrooge The Musical,” Nov. 26Dec. 18, Athens Theatre, DeLand. 386-736-1500; AthensDeLand.com

Corsets & Cuties’ Holiday Kickoff, Nov. 27, Renaissance Theatre, Orlando. CorsetsAndCuties.com

Disability Acceptance Drag Show, Nov. 27, Savoy, Orlando. 407-898-6766; Facebook.com/ HausOfJMVProductions

Dave Koz and Friends: 25th Anniversary Christmas Tour, Nov. 29, King Center, Melbourne. 321-242-2219; KingCenter.org

“A Christmas Carol,” Nov. 30-Dec. 24, Orlando Shakes, Orlando. 407-447-1700; OrlandoShakes.org

“Steppin’ Out with Irving Berlin,” Dec. 1-17, Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park. 407-645-0145; WinterParkPlayHouse.org

City of Orlando’s 2022 Tree Lighting Ceremony, Dec. 2, Lake Eola Park, Orlando. 407-246-2728; Orlando.gov/ Events

Light Up Sanford, Dec. 2, Downtown, Sanford. 407-688-5000; SanfordFL.gov

The 3 Bears All American Comedy Tour, Dec. 2, Improv Comedy Club, Orlando. 407-480-5233; TheImprovOrlando.com

“The Nutcracker,” presented by the Orlando Ballet, Dec. 2-18, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-426-1733; OrlandoBallet.org

The Santa Paws Experience, Dec. 3, Happy Trails Animal Rescue, Orlando. 407-270-7074; HappyTrailsAnimalRescue.com

Krampusfest, Dec. 4, The Milk District, Orlando. 407-401-3003; TheMilkDistrict.org

TAMPA BAY

“The Night Before,” Nov. 25-Dec. 24, freeFall Theatre, St. Petersburg. 727-498-5205; freeFallTheatre.com

Disney Villains Show, Nov. 25, The Garage on Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-235-9086; Facebook.com/ OFCLGaragePage

Christmas in the Wild, Nov. 25-Dec. 30, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Tampa. 813-395-8552; ZooTampa.org

30th Anniversary Party, Nov. 26, The Castle, Tampa. 813-247-7547; CastleYbor.com Frenz Giving Celebration, Nov. 26, Metro Inclusive Health, St. Petersburg. 9ColorsInitiative.org

Santa Parade & Tree Lighting, Nov. 26, North Straub Park, St. Petersburg. 727-893-7441; StPeteParksRec.org

Holiday Bazaar Block Party, Nov. 26, Pinellas Arts Village, Pinellas Park. 727-342-2593; Facebook.com/ PAV727

“Hadestown,” Nov. 29Dec. 4, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Dave Koz and Friends: 25th Anniversary Christmas Tour, Nov. 30, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Victorian Christmas Stroll, Dec. 1-23, Henry B. Plant Museum, Tampa. 813-254-1891; PlantMuseum.com

World AIDS Day Commemoration, Dec. 3, The Sanderlin Center, St. Petersburg. Facebook.com/ PinellasPlanningPartnership

Toys for Tots Drag Queen Bingo, Dec. 6, Creative Grape, St. Petersburg. 727-803-6004; CreativeGrape.com

SARASOTA

Drag Culture Fest 2022, Dec. 2, Sarasota Opera House, Sarasota. 941-312-1202; FabAF.org

To submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com.

The “Dave Koz and Friends: 25th Anniversary Christmas Tour” plays in Melbourne’s King Center Nov. 29 and Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall Nov. 30. PHOTO BY ANTONIO DIXON

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