Stonewall 25 plans are reaching beyond June

by Kevin Beaney

Ohio activists formally began organizing in December for Stonewall 25, the International March on the United Nations to Affirm the Human Rights of Lesbian and Gay People. For several of the preceding months, interim state delegates Victoria Carter, based in Cleveland, and Tituba Yao, based in Cincinnati, had been working to raise consciousness, commitments and funds for the June 26 event.

On December 18 a statewide meeting was held in Cleveland to elect the permanent state delegates. After several hours of information exchange and caucusing, Carter and Richard Duarté of Columbus were elected as delegates. Shannon Martin, also of Columbus, and Yao, who was unable to attend due to a personal emergency, were named as alternates. The two delegates are to attend the January U.S. Steering Committee meeting in Atlanta. The delegation meets the requirement of parity within a region with at least 25 percent people of color and 50 percent women.

Before the elections a diverse group of panelists from Northeast Ohio each spoke of their interest in Stonewall 25. The featured speaker was Robin Lange, the Illinois regional delegate, who has been part of the planning process from the beginning.

During an interview the preceding day, Lange explained that she had been involved with the Illinois committee for the March on Washington and stayed active after that. "I wanted to see more than just a march happening; I wanted to see our community— people oppressed because of their sexuality-work towards our rights."

During the last steering committee meeting in Boise, Idaho, the suggestion was made to keep the Stonewall 25 national contact structure in place after the event. From that discussion a "Fight the Right"

coalition was formed, a contact and referral network that will outlive the Stonewall 25 committee and continue to grow. This is not the same as the "fight the right" work being done by national and state groups, and in fact Lange sees the coalition and the activist groups serving as tools for each other.

The Fight the Right coalition plans to request mission statements from national groups to work towards eliminating duplication of effort: "We waste a lot of energy re-creating things; we don't seem to talk to each other," she said.

She also envisions that this coalition not become a monolithic hierarchy. She wants to establish the chairs with a maximum oneyear term and to make the organization fluid and welcoming enough to encourage participation. "I want people to see that they don't have to go to someone for permission to fight for their rights."

Carter is considering joining the Fight the Right coalition, but not until it embraces more than the sexual orientation focus of Stonewall 25. "There are many struggles; that's the problem in this country-everybody is fighting different struggles," she said. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community "is not just white people. We have Latino people, we have black people, we have all people of colors... it's not just a gay or lesbian issue."

Carter continued, "If I decide to participate in Fight the Right, it's because we will give some type of support or credence to fight all struggles."

Stonewall 25 Ohio continues to need financial support to spread the word both within Ohio and in neighboring states that are not as organized. The delegates also need funds to get to the remaining planning meetings. Contact addresses and phones are P.O. Box 6177, Cleveland, OH 44101,216522-1999; or P.O. Box 10814, Columbus, OH 43201, 614-299-7764.

JANUARY 14, 1994 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Cleveland Public theatre

presents the

12th Festival of New Plays

January 14-30

Fri, Jan. 14 at 8 PM & Sun, Jan. 16 at 2:30 PM

The Sun & the Moon Live In the Sky

By Ellen Lewis-Directed by Lauren Boxley

A hip urban black professional woman is mysteriously called home by her Gullah leland kin to fulfil a task: berating an ancestral cloth from a New York munnum.

An Afrocentric myth-journey of return-full of ritund, humor, music, and dance.

Family Secrets

By Barbara LeBet-Directed by Nancy Burkinshaw

In a nursing home, an old woman is prompted to remember and relive the deepest secrets of her near-forgotten past. Ms. Lefel won an OAC Playwrighting Fellowship for this play.

Sat. Jan. 15th at 8 PM & Sun. Jan. 16th at 7 PM Shadow Play

By Barbara Blatner-Directed by Debra Whitford-Gallo

Relaxing after making love, a couple's game of lacking at shadows besemas a Rorschach of their relationship: a haunting, comic exploration of male-female communications.

Isolated Incidents

By Eric Coble-Directed by Jan Bruml

In our 10,000-channel tomorrow, where humane only connect via modem, phone, cable, and cyber sex,

a serial killer becomes a cult figure by stalling and slaying talk-show hosts:

Eri

a satirical dystopian comedy from the shards of our media-coated future-or is it our present? Jan. 21st at 8 PM & Sun, Jan. 23rd at 2:30 PM What the Bones Say

By Jane Bradley -Directed by Christa Carvajal

What is a woman artist's meet daring, impossible creation? Hersell. A feminist leak at the intertwining of art, love, politics, and identity in the life of German artist Kasthe Kollwitz and her life-long intimate, Emms Jeep.

She-Who-is-Made-of-Clay

By Simon Levy -Directed by Jairo Cuesta

A forgotten leef from Native American and gay history: the ritual farewell song of a Bordache (a shames of the "third gender").

Sat Jan. 22nd at 8 PM & Sun. Jan. 23rd at 7 PM

Aubergine

By Christine Child -Directed by Suzanne Snelson

Two best friends share a povullar series of dressmer a brasing plunge into the surprising, renewing fountain of women's inner lives and friendships. By the award winning auther of Motown at the Mean Palace and The Purple Gang.

The Silence of a Kiss & The West Hollywood Affair

By Guillermo Reyes-Directed by Ansley Valentine

The Silence of a Kise-A gay man falls head over heels with a handsome South American emigre who can speak no English: a comedic culture clash of love's projections

by the auther of September 11, Farewell to Hollywood, and The Milesien Romance.

The West Hollywood Affair-A suspenseid look at the politics of a one-night stand between two men.

TICKETS: $6 regular, $4 stu/sr.

FESTIVAL PASS: $22 regular, $15 stu/sr. Cleveland Public Theatre

for reservations, call 631-2727

6415 Detroit Ave (at W. 65th St.)

3

Family of Friends offers fun and frolic

We, as persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and our friends, of various cultures and races, have often had to survive in a family of origin and community that we have felt is not welcoming to us. It will be the objective of a new program— Family of Friends-to be held at the Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center of Greater Cleveland, to be open and supportive to everyone.

"It will be our effort to help ourselves and others through mutual expression and sup-. port. We will do this through fun social activities, lively open discussions, bringing in special guests, and any other way the group decides," mentioned founder and cochair Fred Smith. "If you would like a safe place to meet a few friends or make some new ones, we are sure you will have a great time."

The program and activities will be tailored similarly to those that have been successfully held in Mentor at HUGS East (the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Community Center of Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga Counties), where Smith is president. Many local friends approached him when he moved to the Cleveland area and asked if he would help start a group here.

Alice Jackson, who co-chairs this program, is the facilitator for the "Let's Communicate" lesbian and bisexual women's group at the Center. Alice stated, "Activities scheduled in the months of January and February include a Pizza Party, Bowling and a Potluck Dinner. Topics include an enjoyable and thought provoking combination of "Musical Delights," "Exploring the Personals," a "Recipe Swap and Talent

Night" along with "Coping with Depression" and "What does it mean to be Gay?"

Milton Hoyos, volunteer representative of the new Center Spanish Information Line, encourages all Hispanic persons of the community to come share in the activities of the program to begin on Tuesday evenings.

"You'll be invited to contribute in meetings, and express your ideas and evaluate the program on a regular basis, for that is how we will be able to continually improve the quality of the program," noted the plan-

ners. The program began on January 4 and will be held each Tuesday at 8 pm with

activities planned on both week nights and weekends. You are invited to make a great family of friends and see what community and fun are all about.

COMMITMENT Vows

I perform ceremonies outside the traditional fold with sincere respect for each couple who love, honor & cherish each other.

Please call Rev. Renee Goodman 216/247-2772

Melamed Friedman & Key

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