Page 4

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE July, 1990

Letters

Cleveland chapter of GLAAD to form

An open letter to the community:

Recently, the lesbian and gay community has been a target of another assault by the Sysack Sign Co. Their billboard in front of their shop is smeared with obscene comments directed at our community. The comments are of a defamatory nature and are not to be tolerated.

The following is a sample of Russell Sysack's idea of wit:

Gays & lesbians show off their quilt of shame

Like these victims should be in a hall of fame.

The real tragedy is that taxpayers are

being fleeced out of a billion or two To cure a disease that is caused by the immoral behavior of a few.

This is just a sample of the sort of attacks to which our community is being subjected.

On the morning of June 19, just a couple of days after our Pride '90 celebration, lesbians and gays woke up only to be verbally assaulted by "Those Two in the Morning," of WNCX Radio, under the guise of humor.

Our print and electronic media are full of slurs aimed at the lesbian and gay community which defame, dehumanize and in some instances incite violent acts against it.

What can we do? Sit tight and hope that these assaults will go away; go out of fashion? We can do that. But I don't put much stock in the approach.

I say that it is time we do something, that it is time that we form a chapter of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

This organization monitors the media through various means — telephone calls, letter-writing campaigns and face-toface confrontation. It seeks to change the way the media portray lesbian and gay persons.

GLAAD is a New York based organization with chapters around the country. In the last couple of years the organization has taken to task a few of the media's notables, including Mike Royko, Andy Rooney and Morton Downey Jr.

Wouldn't you like to have a shot at them? I know I would, and I'd like to get together with you.

That is why I am calling for the formation of a Cleveland chapter of GLAAD. We are meeting at the Center, at 1418 West 29th St., on Saturday, July 14, from 3:30 to 5:00 in the afternoon. For more information, call me at 229-8418.

Let's tell 'em how we feel.

Drew Cari

Wants to know more about NOCI

To the NOCI board,

Since my last correspondence with you in February's issue of the Gay People's Chronicle I haven't heard a word

answering my many questions about Northern Ohio Coalition, Inc. and its operations.

However, in May's Spring Into Summer benefit program, I did find a listing of organizations which NOCI has funded over the last seven years. I also found your mission statement, an address, and a list of your board members. I was happy to see this in print.

I am wondering if there is a list of the organizations you have funded listed chronologically. This would give your long-time supporters a better view of your generosity over your seven-year timeline. I also did not see any mention of picnic funds. Where does this money go? Does the picnic make money? Does this money go into your general operating fund or the hospice fund?

Also, although NOCI is only the guardian of the Hilly Smith monies, how does a community member access from this fund? What would be an appropriate request procedure? Are there written guidelines around this fund?

Is there a yearly financial report? How do I, or anyone from the community,

gay-lesbian organizations and other charity groups in conjunction with state and local government could make it happen. We stay in contact with AIDS Housing Council which is trying to pull this all together.

Last year, the Housing Council sent us a proposal for "Prospect House" The price tag was well over a million dollars. Prospect House did not materialize, but the amount of money a hospice will cost is staggering. What we have raised so far may seem to some insignificant, but it's a good start. The Hospice Fund monies will be used to help purchase and or renovate an AIDS Hospice in the city of Cleveland. These funds cannot be used for anything else. Our statement of purpose for this fund reflects that. As of this writing there is $43,922.90 in the Hospice Fund.

As the enclosed financial report shows, [not included with the letter sent to the Chronicle], we don't have the vast sums of money some feel we do. I think that impression comes from the fact that we do so much with so little, as our enclosed funding report proves. We have no office space, no paid staff and no monthly newsletter. Just a post office box and a phone number that happens to

belong to the president's home phone. Everything we've done and will do in the future will be done in the spirit of volunteerism. We do things quietly with no fanfare or acclades for organizations. There's no mystery to a group of men and women who are dedicated to the betterment of the Cleveland gay-lesbian community.

I hope this clears up some of your questions about NOCI. If you have any other questions suggestions please feel free to contact us again. Your idea of having an article in the Chronicle was a good one. We will be having something in the "Bits and Pieces" section periodically from now on.

Paul Richards Treasurer Northern Ohio Coalition, Inc.

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express their opinion about the paper or life in general. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. We will print your name unless you specifically ask us not to.

Address letters to the Chronicle, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, Ohio, 44101. Include your address and phone number, so we may contact you.

receive a copy of NOCI's financial U4ia's 'Fridge' not really

reports?

Is there a financial plan for the

hospice? Is there a financial goal we, as

straight, says owner

a community, are aiming for? Is there a by Bob Boone hospice budget?

I am hoping that someone from the board can answer my questions about this organization. There just seems to be a lot of mystery about the workings of NOCI; perhaps an article in the Chronicle would really work towards informing the community about your goals, history and monies.

On Friday nights the West Side club U4ia converts into the Fridge, a club which is searching for a mixed crowd of gay and straight people. The Fridge was the concept of Micheal Gilberto, who was hired by the owners of U4ia for special promotions. Gilberto was at one time responsible for the once-a-month parties at the Ritz and also arranged for Zak Haley the Cleveland apperance of Grace

NOCI treasurer Paul Richards responds:

Dear Zak,

I must apologize for the organization for not responding to you sooner. Your address was not forwarded to us after your letter appeared in the Chronicle. I would be very happy to answer some of questions now.

As you know, our annual picnic is coming up on September 9. The picnic is

Jones.

Joe Costa, one of U4ia's owners, claims the club is "not trying to play straight" He describes the Friday night crowd as a mix of gays, lesbians and straight people who are accepting of gays. He insists that the Fridge "does not mean that gays and lesbians are not welcome." According to Costa, it is too soon to judge the success of the Fridge, but he sees the response so far as being positive. Responding to disappointment and criticisms to U4ia's ending of Friday

night as women's night, Costa casts it as purely a financial decision. Despite the efforts of Bluefish Productions with such shows as Scrawl and Sue Fink, Costa termed Friday nights an economic disaster. He said that the lackluster results of women's nights were "perhaps due to our original attitude toward women." U4ia had initially imposed a dress code deemed by many to discriminte against lesbians, an act that led to picketing and boycotting of the club.

Costa feels that U4ia has attempted to redress its image with the women's community and insists that women's events are still welcome at U4ia.

As part of the Pride '90 celebration, in conjunction with Oven Productions, on Friday June 15, U4ia hosted. Robin Flower and Libby McLaren, as well as Romanovsky and Phillips that Saturday night. ▼

our major fundraiser event of the year. Volunteers needed for Names Quilt display in Chicago

All the proceeds from the picnic go into the general fund. The general fund is used for all funding requests and our minimal yearly operating expenses. The picnic generates about nine thousand dollars yearly on average. The general fund is separate from all the other funds that will be covered here.

You asked about community access to the Hilly Smith burial fund in your letter. Tom Glynn would be the person to contact about the particulars on this. It is my understanding that requests for monies from this fund would contact the Lesbian-Gay Center or Health Issues Taskforce and they would direct it to Mr. Glynn. The organization issues checks to the designated funeral home for no more than five hundred dollars. This is also a separate fund.

The establishment of an AIDS hospice in the city of Cleveland will be a monumental task. Too large for any one organization. We feel that a coalition of

Specialized & Nishiki Bicycles Terry Bicycles for Women Burley Trailers

BIKE ONE

Bicycle Sales, Accessories and Repairs

This October, the Names Project will have its largest ever display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The sad reality of the AIDS epidemic is that the Quilt has grown to the point where it can no longer be displayed in its entirety in a single location.

On Columbus Day weekend, October 6, 7, and 8, there will be displays in five major cities across the United States Washington D.C., Houston, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles. The five displays will be connected by a simultaneous closed broadcast so that a participant in the display in Chicago, for example, can view activities at the four other display locations. The satellite hookup is being underwritten by Home Box Office in appreciation of the Names Project's help with the production of

Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, an HBO presentation which won the 1990 Academy Award for best documentary.

New panels need to be at the Cleveland NAMES Project office by July 15, to be included in the Chicago display. Organizers prefer to send in the panels as a group so all the panels from Cleveland can be displayed together.

The Cleveland chapter of the Names Project is looking for volunteers to help with the Chicago Quilt display. Volunteers are needed for many jobs, such as monitors, readers or unfolders. For more information on becoming a part of this display, please call Dale Melsness at 281-1610.▼

1791 Coventry Rd Cleveland Heights

932-4830

GIFTS OF ATHENA

An Alternative Bookstore

2199 Lee Rd.

Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 (216) 371-1937