GLBT News

National photo exhibit honors Modesto native and gay culture

Fellow Travelers: Liberation Portaits by Mark Thompson, opens June 1st at Deva Café in downtown Modesto. The exhibit, on a national tour, includes 14 large-format black and white, historic portraits of gay liberation pioneers. The exhibit is sponsored by the Stanislaus PRIDE Center and is part of the local celebration of gay pride month. Modesto Art Museum is providing curatorial advice for the exhibit. The opening celebration is Friday, June 6th, 7:00 p.m.

Portraits in the exhibit include religious leaders Malcolm Boyd, Ram Dass, and Harry Hay; controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe; and influential sexologist Joseph Kramer. Men who have two things in common: their enormous contributions to civil rights for gay people, and the powerful effect their lives and friendships have had on photographer and author Mark Thompson. The former editor of The Advocate calls this exhibit Fellow Travelers, or a collection of images of “like-minded companions.”

“[These are] brave brothers who are building a community, moving forward together,” Thompson said in an interview with White Crane, the gay men’s cultural and historical organization sponsoring the exhibit’s tour. “It is also a sly reference to the use of the phrase during the early days of the Cold War when people who were accused of being communist sympathizers were dubbed “fellow travelers.” It was a coded word used pejoratively, so I wanted to redeem that and give it a more positive application for today.”

The exhibit includes Modesto native James Broughton. Broughton was born in Modesto in 1912 and developed an international reputation for his poetry and films. He is remembered for being the father of the West Coast avant-garde film movement and for being part of the literary movement of the Beat Generation. He made more than 20 films, winning an award at Cannes for The Pleasure Garden and in 1989 earned a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute.

Referring to the Broughton portrait, Thompson says. “I was this timid gay boy volunteering at a gay film festival,” recounting the day he first met the poet. “After his performance, there was a reception. He saw me and walked through the crowd towards me, and they parted like the Red Sea. He took my face, kissed me on the cheek and said, “Don’t worry, everything will be alright.’ It was a transferal of spirit from an older gay man to another.”

The exhibit’s national tour started in San Francisco last year. Before coming to Modesto, it made stops in Los Angeles, New York, Salt Lake City, Philadelphia, and Portland.

Fellow Travelers: Liberation Portraits by Mark Thompson
June 1st - 28th, 2008 at Deva Cafe, 1206 J Street, Modesto, CA
Monday - Sunday, 8:oo a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Opening reception: Friday, June 6, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

Media quotes about the exhibit:

“Fellow Travelers is the manifestation of a masterful collaboration between photographer Mark Thompson and writer Mark Thompson. With uncommon sensitivity, he manages to capture the heart and soul of 14 extraordinary men who redefine what it is to be beautiful. The pictures in tandem with the text achieve an intimacy and vibrancy that is electric–at once graceful, insightful, political and lyrical.” — Michael Kearns, actor-playwright-activist

“Even the briefest glimpse of these pictures is worth the bother. The show is dedicated to the exploration of gay male spiritual consciousness.” — David Lamble, Bay Area Reporter

“Author, journalist, therapist Mark Thompson has spent more than 30 years articulating the ineffable. As an artist, he waits for that one ‘perfect’ moment to capture the interior of the gay soul.” – Karen Ocamb, IN Los Angeles Magazine

As appeared in The Modesto Bee, April 26, 2008

Enochs and Oakdale teens join in national on-campus protests

By MERRILL BALASSONE
mbalassone@modbee.com

Sophomore Jacob Shackelford walked an Enochs High School hallway on Friday with his girlfriend on one arm and a black armband that said “Erase Hate” on the other.

The 16-year-old, who is straight, spent most of his day in silence to bring attention to the name-calling and bullying experienced by some of his gay and lesbian classmates. Jacob said he was the target of glares and some homosexual slurs in return.

“I just kept my head high and kept walking,” he said. “I support my friends the way they are. I wish more people saw that.”

Students at Enochs and Oakdale high schools, along with 6,000 middle and high schools around the country, took part in a silent protest against the harassment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and their supporters, called the National Day of Silence.

At Enochs, students made armbands that read “Promote Peace,” “Love is Love” and “God doesn’t hate.” Others wore tributes to Lawrence King, an openly gay Southern California eighth-grader who was shot and killed in his school’s computer lab in February. Lawrence allegedly was killed because of his sexual orientation.

At lunchtime, students gathered in a “Silent Space” in the school’s quad.

“The kids are really courageous to step forward and stand up for what they believe in,” said Debbie Adair, Enochs High’s Gay-Straight Alliance Club leader. “I think that’s just so admirable of people their age.”

Several parents called Enochs High about the day’s events, some threatening to pull their children out of school as a result of the silent protest, Adair said.

About 30 students at Oakdale High also spent the day, and their communal lunch period, in silence.

“We definitely made a very loud statement with our silence,” said Michael McKibban, an Oakdale GSA adviser. “There were some intolerant comments, but there was a fair amount of respect for what they were doing.”

Keith Highiet, board president of the Stanislaus PRIDE Center, said a shift in popular culture that includes gay icons such as Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell has made it easier for students to “come out” on campus in recent years.

But the boundaries broken by Hollywood don’t always translate into teenage social circles.

“I still think the same feelings of the unknown and the same fears persist,” Highiet said. “There are still going to be those kids, especially in school, (who are) just going to punish and harass people they see as weaker or see as people they can step on.”

In 1996, Modesto City Schools began crafting a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy to protect students from harassment on campus.

Then-Superintendent Jim Enochs said he was spurred to action after hearing the high school-age son of a former student describe being tormented at school for being gay.

The students broke their day of silence Friday night at a “Make Some Noise” rally at Modesto’s King-Kennedy Memorial Center.

Executive director Nic Freitas to start immediately, location move now fully completed
(Modesto, California) April 23, 2008

The board of directors of the Stanislaus PRIDE Center, Inc. (SPC) proudly announces the hiring of executive director, Nicholas “Nic” Freitas. Freitas begins his tenure immediately, and fills the newly created executive director position at an exciting time for the SPC - on the heels of a recent move.

A native of Gustine and a resident of Modesto, Freitas comes to SPC from the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI), where he worked as the well-respected nonprofit’s national alcohol education trainer. In his role at the YLI, he educated and assisted communities across the United States in planning and implementing strategies for reducing alcohol usage.

Previously, he worked as a prevention specialist for the Center for Human Services (CHS) of Modesto, where - through a partnership between the CHS and Stanislaus County - he conducted alcohol education training to more than 7,000 area youths and their parents, and assisted government leaders and community members in developing and passing social host ordinances throughout the county.

Mr. Freitas managed A Thousand Cranes Day Spa for a number of years in Modesto, and continues to work as an event planner for Simple Flowers, a local floral specialty firm.

Mr. Freitas brings to the SPC a vision for how to set up the organization for even greater and longer-term success through his proven management skills and a nonprofit-specific knowledge from his past employment positions.

The hiring of an executive director for the SPC comes on the heels of a recent move for the organization - to 201 Needham Street in downtown Modesto - in the lower level of the Great Valley Center. The SPC’s drop-in hours remain Wednesdays through Saturdays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Clients are encouraged to use the door service on the Elmwood Avenue entrance to the building.

Come visit us in our new location in the lower level of the Great Valley Center at 201 Needham Street, located near five-points in downtown Modesto.

We recommend using the side entrance on Elmwood Avenue. We have a sign posted with our own doorbell. Please ring and a Volunteer will assist you. If you enter the building through main entrance on Needham Street, go down the stairs immediately to your left and follow the signs.

Our hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday from 3-7pm. We offer a lending library of 1300+ books, dvds, videos, and magazines, two internet workstations, free counseling services, a community bulletin board, and meeting space for small groups.

If you have any questions please contact Desiree Holden, Center Coordinator, by phone at 209-221-5252 or by email coordinator@stanpride.org.

We are looking for a strong leader to fill a part-time Executive Director position with the Stanislaus PRIDE Center.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will serve as the chief executive officer of SPC, with responsibility for advancing its vision and strategic direction and helping us grow from a small organization to the next level of impact and organizational effectiveness.

The full job description is available online. Please forward the link to anyone you think would be a desirable candidate.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 5th, 2008, from 5:00 p.m. to midnight for a ‘Spring Fling’ at Eagle’s Hall in Modesto. This event is hosted by the Stanislaus PRIDE Day 2008 Committee and the Owl Empire of Stanislaus County, Inc.

The event is open to ages 18-up only. Tickets are available at the door, and are $15.00 per person.

The dance party features a Dating Game hosted by “Sondra St. James”, a popular drag queen from Stockton with a cult-like following. She’s sassy, saucy and she tells it like it is…

The evening’s DJ, Diane Pena of Kustom Stars Mobile DJ Service, is a favorite amongst attendees of past Bay Area Community of Women (BACW) dances, as she provided music for such events for many years. Diane is retiring from her full time job in April to turn her DJ hobby into a full time career.

The ‘Spring Fling’ is the first of a series of year-long pride activities in the greater Modesto area. May 17th will feature a comedy night with Karen Ripley (a favorite of LOGO TV viewers) at the State Theatre, followed by the Fellow Travelers GLBT historical photo exhibit (in partnership with the Modesto Art Museum) in June at Cafe Deva, and then the area’s third pride celebration on September 27th at Graceada Park in Modesto: Stanislaus PRIDE Day 2008.

Community events in April, May, June, and public pride festival in September

Building on the successes of Stanislaus PRIDE Night 2006 and Stanislaus PRIDE Day 2007, the Stanislaus PRIDE Center’s (SPC) and it’s pride celebration committee is going year-round with activities of a varied sort in 2008. Four such specific events are planned for this year. All take place in Modesto:

An April 5th Spring Fling Dance at Eagle’s Hall (ages 18-up), featuring a dating game with host, “Sondra St. James” ($15.00/person);

A May 17th comedy night at the historic State Theatre, featuring headliner comedienne Karen Ripley ($15.00/person);

The marking of June as ‘Gay Pride Month’ when the Stanislaus PRIDE Center - with assistance from the Modesto Art Museum - brings a traveling GLBT historical photo exhibit to the area that month.

And the year’s pride festival on September 27th - Stanislaus PRIDE Day 2008 - at Graceada Park (free!).

In 2008, the pride celebration committee is under the leadership of chairperson Jerime Black. The theme for Stanislaus PRIDE Day 2008 and related events is Live.Love.Be, the theme adopted by InterPride, Inc, the international governing body of pride celebrations.

Also, as was the case in 2007, the Stanislaus PRIDE Day committee is proud to announce that the San Francisco Pride celebration committee will be working closely with Stanislaus PRIDE Day as a twinning organization. The partnership provides Stanislaus PRIDE Day 2008 with valuable and strategic planning and marketing assistance.

For the most current information about the Stanislaus PRIDE Day committee’s coming events in 2008, please visit the official pride web site, www.spcpride.org.

More detailed information on pride-related events and activities will be sent as each event approaches.

Gina Pallotta has been named an Outstanding Woman of Stanislaus County 2008 by the Stanislaus County Commission for Women.

Among her many achievements, Gina began the first GLBT-specific counseling program in Stanislaus County, at no cost. She continues to seek funds to expand the program and supervises CSU graduate-level student interns in providing counseling services at the PRIDE center.

The Counseling Program continues to be one the most utilized services at the Stanislaus PRIDE Center. We are deeply grateful for Gina’s commitment to the well-being of the GLBT community and her tireless compassion in providing counseling services that are so critically needed. We are honored to work with such an individual.

Read an article in the Modesto Bee highlighting Outstanding Women of Stanislaus County 2008.

In preparation for oral arguments in the same-sex marriage case before the CA Supreme Court on March 4, more than 90 briefs were filed by the parties to six consolidated lawsuits and from “friends of the court,” with an interest in the case.

To help the community digest the legal reasoning behind the briefs and meet the people who crafted the arguments, the Bay Area Reporter teamed up with Marriage Equality USA to launch a new online series called Friends of the Court.

The Stanislaus PRIDE Center was one of several pride organizations in California that signed on in support of the amicus brief for the Anti Defamation League and LGBT Centers.

SPC Center Coordinator, Desiree Holden, was interviewed for an articles in the online series.
Read the article: “Friends of the Court: DPs fall short on privacy”

View the entire series:
“Online series looks at legal arguments in marriage case”

Be a force for positive change and help grow PRIDE in your community!

Join the Stanislaus PRIDE Day Committee 2008 for a cocktail party at 7pm on March 20 (first day of spring) at the home of Jerime Black, PRIDE Committee Chair Person.

Light hors d’oeuvres wine and refreshments will be served.

Bring a friend!

Please RSVP to 209-602-0155 or by email at info@spcpride.org

SAVE THE DATE
Stanislaus Pride Day 2008
“Live. Love. Be Free.”
September 27, 2008
http://www.spcpride.org