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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE Pride Guide 2001
Founded for a Pride event, BlackOut has branched out
by Aaron D. Morrow
and Lincoln Pettaway
Cleveland-The concept for the city's premier African-American same gender loving (SGL) organization began as a spark in the minds of two ambitious young men on New Year's Eve 1996.
It was that evening, five years ago, that friends Larry Webb (executive director) and Derek Barnett (vice president of the board of trustees) realized that there was really no outlet for a pride celebration for the African American SGL community.
Organized primarily for this reason, what has now become known as BlackOut Unlimited quickly identified various unmet needs within the community.
Subsequently, BlackOut re-organized as a
PEPSI
TWIST
racer
for men
non-profit with a board of trustees to meet the needs of the under-served African American SGL community.
For many in the SGL community, the inability to reconcile family relationships, employment/career, religion/spirituality and civil rights with sexual orientation is a supreme challenge. BlackOut's work over the years has been committed to raising the level of consciousness of the African American SGL community through developing several educational, cultural and social programs.
"Blackout creates a space for people who have continuously been marginalized within both the black community as well as the gay community. Over the years we have not only developed a space, but we have also collectively created a voice," said Barnett. “As a result our community has developed a sym-
The Brother Circle
joined the BlackOut
family in January of this year.
biotic relationship with both the gay community, the black community as well as the black gay community."
AND FRONTIUNNERS
RIDE 5K
HERMES
3RD ANNUAL
sports & events
Sunday, June 17
Club 1722, BlackOut's core youth program, is focused on addressing the needs faced by African American gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and deciding youth. Club
Edgewater State Park in Cleveland
F R O N Tx
S
R
H
31 [0] O ୪ CLEVELAND Y
CLE
UNNER
S
ELAND
PRIDE
The Center
A Special Event For All In Conjunction With Lesbian Gay Pride 2001 Runners and Walkers Welcome!
8:00 a.m. 8:45 Race-day registration upper-level pavilion (different from last year). 9:00 a.m. 5k (3.1 miles) Run/Walk begins.
5k run or walk: $12 pre-registration by mail or online (received by June 12th) $15 race day registration.
A
Net proceeds will benefit the SSAFE (Safe Schools Are For Everyone) Project, a collaborative effort of the Lesbian Gay Community Center of Greater Cleveland, GLSEN Cleveland, PFLAG Cleveland, and Cleveland TransFamily. Cleveland Pride also benefits from this event.
Name
For more information, call (216) 623-9933 or (216) 382-6715 register online at www.hermescleveland.com
Address
City
Home Phone
State
Zip
Make Checks Payable and Mail to: Frontrunners Cleveland PO Box 18727 Cleveland Heights, Oh 44118
MFO
Age on day of race
T-Shirt Size M L XL XXL
XXI.
Signature
Entry Fee
$12 Before June 12 2001 514 After June 12 2001 Donations Ac
Date
As in the past, donations above the amount required for registration will be contributed in their entirety to SSAFE and will not be used toward race expenses.
1722 is fully funded through an AIDS education and prevention grant administered by the city of Cleveland.
"Our youth are nurtured in the space provided by Club 1722," said Webb. "More importantly, Club 1722 helps our youth develop the internal mechanisms necessary to nurture themselves by reinforcing the positive steps which they have already taken towards self-actualization."
Club 1722 activities are held weekly at the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center, 6600 Detroit Ave., under adult supervision. Webb believes that HIV prevention messages can be delivered to gay youth through activities that promote self-esteem. "Handing out condoms is not enough for a youth program, but if they feel good about themselves and confident about their sexuality the more likely they will be to use a condom every time and make their partners use a condom every time."
BlackOut recently partnered with another program with an emphasis on HIV awareness and prevention. As the first African American Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) organization of Cleveland, the Brother Circle has achieved great success and notoriety.
However, in an effort to maximize scarce resources in that same community, the Brother Circle and BlackOut Unlimited decided to consolidate. While consistently being collaborative partners in the past, the Brother Circle officially joined the BlackOut family in January 2001.
The Brother Circle offers black gay men a safe place, a circle of positive affirmations in which SGL men have defined and redefined themselves. The Brother Circle also provides a positive outlet as well as offers much needed services to effect change and awareness in the community.
With programming sponsored by BlackOut Unlimited and funds contracted through the AIDS Taskforce of Cleveland, The Brother Circle has been able to provide much needed services to those living with AIDS. Each year the group collects toys to donate to HIV and AIDS infected children at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. In 2000 members of the Brother Circle donated their time and cooked Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner at Kamana House, a residence for people with AIDS.
"In this circle, membership harnesses energy to fuel healthy relationships and creates brotherhood and cooperation to encourage, educate and outreach to one another," said Webb.
The Brother Circle activities are held monthly at the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center. The program also hosts quarterly and annual workshops on various topics such as identity development, community development and discrimination in the workplace.
One of the newest components of BlackOut Unlimited's programming is the Women's Initiative. "The African American same gender loving community lacks a foundation and structure for lesbians. We are trying to bring the black sisters together to see what activities we may need to strengthen within our community. Our initiative is to reach a point that we can equip ourselves with the skills which would allow us to directly address the specific needs of our community," said BlackOut Unlimited board member Marcia Lane.
The Women's Initiative is in its first stages of development and is dedicated to affirming women's inclusion and respect in the SGL community. On Saturday, May 19, the Women's Initiative hosted a conversation series, "What Sistahs Want," that provided a space for women to voice their concerns.
"What we originally intended to do was to plan an African American pride celebration. We never imagined that this would grow into an all encompassing service and resource center for our community," said Webb.
While many of BlackOut Unlimited's functions will continue to be held at the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center, BlackOut recently leased office space in downtown Cleveland.
For more information on BlackOut Unlimited or any of its programs call 216462-0257, e-mail info@blackout unlimited.org, or visit www.black outunlimited.org.
Aaron D. Morrow and Lincoln Pettaway are members of BlackOut Unlimited.