On Saturday, April 18, the North Lincoln Lions Club honored Lincoln City’s Scott Summerfield and Eric Simpson for their service to the coastal community, naming them Couple of the Year.

This is the second time a same-sex couple has been given the award, as part of Lincoln City’s Community Days. The first same-sex duo to be recognized was Rick Brisette and his partner, Daniel Beck, in 2002. Brisette and Beck were given the award by The News Guard, a Lincoln City newspaper.

In a recent phone conversation, Brisette extended his congratulations to the 2009 winners, stating, “It’s wonderful because it proves that Dan and I are not an anomaly.”

Brisette also expressed his thanks to the Lions Club “for putting any biases they may have had aside and honoring another gay couple.” After winning the title, he admitted “small resistance in the community,” which resulted in The News Guard dropping its sponsorship of the award.

There’s nothing controversial, however, about Summerfield and Simpson’s contributions to Lincoln City’s hungrier residents. The couple earned this year’s accolade for their efforts to found the St. James Meal Program, which provides dinners on Monday and Thursday evenings. Since its inception in 2000, the program has grown to include four churches and counting.

Simpson said winning the award, presented at the Chinook Winds casino, came as a pleasant surprise. “We are involved in the community just like everyone else,” he deferred, but “it really was sort of out of the blue.”

Simpson, who works as a local music teacher, downplayed the pair’s uniqueness, describing themselves as “just a plain, old, boring couple.” He said that, unlike that experienced by Brisette and Beck, there had been “no negative feedback” from the community. In fact, they received a number of cards from people wishing to congratulate them.

16th Annual Oregonians Against Discrimination Business Leaders Luncheon

Taking a cue from its “Community Conversation” theme, this year’s event bridged “the Classroom to the Boardroom” with a panel discussion of issues affecting Oregon students. Jonah Edelman, co-founder and CEO of Stand for Children, joined Gabriele Ross, homeless education coordinator and substance abuse counselor for Evergreen Public Schools; Isaac Dixon, regional director of the Office of Diversity Initiatives for Providence Health and Services; and Portland State University student Tash Shatz for the
program, which focused on House Bill 2599. Better known as the Safe Schools Act, it’s now pending a Senate decision.

Shatz spoke poignantly of the bullying and intolerance he faced, and the extreme measures many take in response: According to one statistic, 33 percent of gay, lesbian, bi and trans teens attempt suicide, four times the norm. Ross described being at “the intersection” of the tragic numbers rattled off during the luncheon. As tired as she was of hearing the statistics, she said, she couldn’t imagine how tired the children must be of living them.

A live auction benefitted the Basic Rights Education Fund, and Mayor Sam Adams and Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler were on-hand for closing remarks. Most memorable, though, was a special video presentation that left the audience with food for thought. Entitled “Is Bullying Harmless or Inevitable?” a black-and-white scroll of words – punctuated by phrases of fear, intimidation and hate – was turned on its head:

“Work so that all youth can have safe schools. / It shouldn’t be so hard to understand why so many of us / Gave up at school. / The students calling me ‘faggot’ or ‘freak’ / Shouldn’t be. It is hard for me to go to school, and it / Isn’t made an issue. My identity / Makes me the butt of the joke. / No one…” and so on. In a simple reversal from forward to back, the statements, taken from experiences compiled by BRO, became:

“No one makes me the butt of the joke. My identity isn’t made an issue. It is hard for me to go to school, and it shouldn’t be. The students calling me ‘faggot’ or ‘freak’ gave up at school. It shouldn’t be so hard to understand why so many of us work so that all youth can have safe schools.”

“Powerful words, powerful thoughts, create powerful actions,” Frazzini concluded.

Visit www.basicrights.org/luncheonvideo.html to view the video in its entirety.

— Amanda Schurr

Portland will soon have a second gay, lesbian, bi and trans publication with the May 11 bow of id Magazine.

id Magazine developed over several meetings between Editor-in-Chief West Duncan and Publisher Christian Messer, owner and operator of Whiplash Design, a full-service print and design company. Both felt there were a lot of stories that weren’t being told in the local media. They wanted to broaden the scope, and to include youth, elders, trans issues and everything else passing under the radar.

Duncan explained id will be different than existing media because other outlets have yet to provide representation to those groups asking for it. Content wise, he said id would be a regular newsmagazine, featuring hard and soft news, sports, health and gardening writing.

With a staff of four and a projected circulation of 1,000, Duncan described id as a streamlined, grassroots publication.

“There’s going to be a lot of stuff that’s DIY,” he said. “We really want to utilize loyalty in this community to our advantage.”

Duncan said physical copies of the free, monthly magazine should be available all over town. He encouraged people to subscribe or visit the website to minimize the environmental impact of printing unread issues.

The magazine was originally slated to debut May 4, but the date was pushed back to put finishing touches on a few things. However, West seemed confident everything was on course for a Pride week launch.

Check out id online at www.idmagazineor.com.

— Josh Gross

This Sunday, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) looks to the future of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender legislation, mobilizing members in 26 cities across the country. In a night put on by local steering committees, the May 3 event marks the first 100 days of President Obama’s administration and sets the stage for the next 100 to come.

“We recognize that we have opportunity now to really pass the federal legislation that’s important to our community, and we need financial support to make it happen,” said Barb Bloom, co-chair of the HRC’s Portland Federal Club. Bloom and Scott Langley organized the local event. Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley is the featured speaker.

The evening, presented by Federal Club members of the HRC, aims to recruit 100 new members to the club nationwide. The Federal Club is composed of donors who give a minimum of $1,200 annually. These members – who total 5,000 across the U.S. – cover 33 percent of the organization’s operational budget.

As Just Out went to press, the HRC was pursuing legislation to pass an inclusive Employee Nondiscrimination Act and the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Other endeavors include repealing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell military bill and the Defense of Marriage Act, and expanding the Violence Against Women Act to include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender families.

“When you look beyond the federal legislative agenda, it’s important to note the fact is that there’s a new tone by having Barack Obama in the White House. We have witnessed eight years of an unfriendly administration setting anti–LGBT policy,” said Susan Lamb, director of HRC’s Federal Club.

Lamb cited the successes of the Obama administration’s initial 100 days, and its newfound inclusions. For the first time, the HRC was formally invited to attend the presidential Easter egg hunt; there are thirty openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals in key positions in the administration; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently signed on to a UN statement to decriminalize homosexuality, something that the Bush administration never signed.

“We’ve been invited to the table. And now we have work to do,” said Bloom.

The HRC fundraiser for Portland Federal Club members and friends is Sun., May 3, 2:30-5:30 p.m. at West Café, 1201 SW Jefferson St., hrc.org/100days. Admission is free and includes appetizers, champagne and cake.

— Adina Lepp

Pride Northwest has named Kendall Clawson, Executive Director of Portland’s Q Center, Grand Marshal of the 2009 Pride Parade.

Clawson owned a private consulting firm in Massachusetts before moving to Portland two years ago to take the reigns at Q Center.

During her time in the position, Clawson has won widespread support and admiration for her work, quickly becoming a major figure in Portland’s “Q” community.

As Grand Marshal, Clawson will get a place of honor on the Wells Fargo float in the Sunday, June 14 parade.

Pride Northwest also announced Frank Roa as recipient of the Spirit of Pride Award. The title is given “to recognize individuals or organizations and their outstanding contributions within the lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer community,” according to the Pride Northwest website.

Roa received the award for his work as director of human rights group Umatilla-Morrow Alternatives. “Frank very much exemplified the spirit of the award,” said Pride Northwest Board President Debra Porta. “He has done consistently good work advocating for people living with HIV in Eastern Oregon and organized the first ever Hermiston Pride event.”

Porta added, “He’s done all of that with very limited resources and support, and has really done amazing things.”

“We have to face a lot of discrimination here in rural Oregon,” said Roa. “And it feels good to know that work is recognized by the larger community.”

More information is at www.pridenw.org.

— Josh Gross

A bum economy and a broken elbow didn’t dampen the festive spirit at Cascade AIDS Project’s 20th Annual Art Evening & Auction. According to CAP Executive Director Michael Kaplan, the non-profit remains “a very stable organization,” despite considerably lower returns for the April 18 fundraiser, typically its biggest moneymaker of the year.

Kaplan told Just Out prior to the event that expectations for this year’s benefit, a big ticket at $275-a-plate for the dinner, $100 for the coinciding mixer/auction, were down. Still, he didn’t expect it to go “that far down.” Last year’s tally was $620,000 – 15 percent of CAP’s annual budget. Kaplan approximated the final gross for the 2009 gala between $400–$500,000 — “at least a hundred thousand off,” leaving him with some potentially “tough decisions” to make.

“It is at a point that it may result in some slight reduction of offerings, programmatically, that aren’t contractually based,” Kaplan explained. “Our events allow us to create a program, where government contracts allow us, ‘Okay, you do this with this.’” He maintained that CAP was financially sound, with an operating balance of at least several months, saying, “We’ll just have to tighten our belts more.”

Kaplan, who joined CAP last fall, admitted he had no point of reference but had heard only rave reviews for this year’s gala. “Everyone says it was one of the best ones they went to,” he said, noting optimism despite the recession’s impact and fewer top dollar sponsors. “Frankly, I don’t at all think it’s a bad [thing].”

The auction’s smaller numbers won’t jeopardize CAP’s move to its centralized downtown offices this summer, long-term strategic planning and “creative new things” like the upcoming Project 150: Screw Stigma! event, Kaplan said. “The way the community rallied, the amount of the support, the amount of people who raised their paddles to try to give something was amazing.”

That, and a staffer who wouldn’t give up. CAP Special Events Coordinator Donna Gabriel broke her elbow in three places a couple of hours before the event and awaited surgery as Just Out caught up with Kaplan. “In her lucid moments between Vicodin, she’s doing ‘thank you’ cards to the [event] committee,” Kaplan laughed.

Ashley Flanagan profiles CAP’s Project 150 on pg. 13. For more information on Cascade AIDS Project, visit www.cascadeaids.org.

— Amanda Schurr

The Portland Area Business Association hosts its May luncheon at Kell’s Irish Pub (112 SW Second Ave.) 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, May 13. This month’s focus is gay and lesbian travel and tourism, and what’s in it for PABA and its members.

Speaking at the program is Bob Baskette, Travel Portland’s gay, lesbian, bi and trans tourism coordinator.

Baskette will discuss the positive economic impacts of the gay, lesbian, bi and trans dollar on the community. He’ll also address Travel Portland’s methods to increase gay tourism to the area and ways that PABA members can utilize higher traffic for increased profits.

Attendees will receive copies of Travel Portland’s newly updated gay, lesbian, bi and trans city visitors guide. The 18-page pamphlet was revamped after three years to eliminate out-of-date content.

However, Travel Portland VP of Communication Deborah Wakefield said that in addition to updates, the company took a very different approach to preparing this edition of the pamphlet.

“We asked local queer people what they liked to do, rather than just writing things up on our own,” Wakefield said. “It’s given us more diverse voices to cover the city.”

Topics, events and locales featured in the pamphlet come from baker Tim Healea, bartender Lucy Brennan, artist Gina Nash, Q Center Executive Director Kendall Clawson, boutique owner Fez Vartan and kayaking guide Kyle Sheeley.

May’s PABA luncheon is a chance for community members to hear more about the ideas that drove this issue and how to capitalize from its publication.

The event is open to the public, and members are invited to bring guests. Advance reservations are $22 for PABA members and registered guests, $26 non-members. All are welcome for a $5 beverage-only option. 

Call 503-280-7222 or visit www.paba.com for details. 

— Josh Gross

Red Dress may have taken off a week ago, but that’s no excuse to retire your sense of style – and charity. At 7 p.m. Sat., May 16, Luxe Autohaus (410 NE 17th Ave.) opens its doors for STRUT, a glamorous evening to benefit Basic Rights Oregon.

The fundraiser is known for showcasing ace Portland talent and sustainable wares: Past years have included designs by Project Runway winner Leanne Marshall. The 2009 lineup spotlights work by Jesse DeWall (Heating and Cooling); Sarah Seven; Modi Soondarotok’s Idom Designs; Alice Dobson’s Sofada line; Erhart Designs; maytee; and Pamela Levenson (Popina Swim).

The night also features a silent auction, raffles courtesy of roller derby girls, gift swag, free haircuts by Rudy’s Barbershop, and to-be-announced musical entertainment.

Tickets, which run $13-$75, are available at www.strutpdx.com.

— Amanda Schurr