Pride Guide 2002 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE B-15
The Queen City's got a brand new sound
Rainbow band and flag corps to kick off their first year at Cincinnati Pride
by Doreen Cudnik
Cincinnati-Looking back on the 2000 march and festival, Pride Committee member and local transgender activist Paula Ison concluded that there just wasn't enough music to suit her taste. So when planning began for the following year's event,
she decided to do something about it.
As a result of her efforts, along with the enthusiasm of dozens of local gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender musicians, the Queen City Rainbow Band will march down the hill to Hoffner Park during this year's Pride parade. They are Cincinnati's first ever
band here, much less help found it," Hibben said. "But Cincinnati, with its strong musical heritage, has a potential to form a fantastic LGBT marching and concert band and auxiliary units, if the musicians are willing to come out of the closet."
The band has attracted dozens of people with varying degrees of musical experience. One band member plays in a local symphony. A few, like conductor and music arranger David Shaffer, are music educators. But most, Hibben said, "are people who are amateur musicians."
"We have people returning to band music after a long hiatus and some people who are
LGBT marching band and RAINBOW learning a brand new in-
flag corps.
After Pride 2000, Ison
contacted the Lakeside Pride Band of Chicago and invited them to march in
BAND
Cincinnati in the 2001 Pride parade. Roughly 45 musicians, flag corps members and drum majors accepted the invitation, making 2001 the first year that the Cincinnati Pride Parade included a marching band.
Marching with the Lakeside Pride Band that year was saxophonist Maryhelen Hibben, a Cincinnati resident who founded the GLB Freedom Trail Band of Boston. The experience was an inspiring one, and the next thing Hibben knew, she was adding “co-founder of the Queen City Rainbow Band" to her long list of musical accomplishments.
"I never anticipated that I would return to Cincinnati after college and play in a LGBT
instrument."
strument," Hibben said. "We welcome people with any ability, and help and encourage them to re-learn how to play their
The band and flag corps have served to foster friendships between individuals who may not have otherwise met, let alone spent several evenings a week hanging out and practicing together.
Head "flaggie" Simone Wieczorek said she "loves being a flaggie and loves being a lesbian," which is what brought her to the Queen City Rainbow Band. She treasures the moments when the flag corps gets a routine down.
"There is such excitement in the air. We know we rock!"
Fellow flaggie Sam Clemons is an active
Pride has many phases, that come as you mature
by John Edward Nelson
Cincinnati—The Pride season is upon us once again, and here at AIDS Volùnteers of Cincinnati, we are getting ready. As the risk reduction specialist, for the past year I've been networking with and reaching out to the gay community of Cincinnati. I work hand in hand with the African American risk reduction specialist, Anthony Glover, focusing prevention activities on this hard to reach, but very important population.
As a 25-year-old gay man, I've gone through many phases of pride. When I first came out of the closet, I felt completely alone. I was a junior in high school and I thought there were maybe ten other gay guys in the world.
I don't think I even knew what gay pride was. Then I got into college and started
As a 25-year-old gay man,
I've gone through many phases of pride.
telling people about my homosexuality. I even told my mother, which to this day was one of the hardest things Lever had to do. After I started telling people I felt a sense of accomplishment. It was different than anything I had ever felt. It
was like I had earned something as a buman being, not a student or an actor or a writer. I guess that's the core of my gay pride.
Once college ended, I had succeeded in living a life where everyone knew I was gay. My friends, family and co-workers all knew. Then an interesting thing happened. I decided that I was against gay pride. I felt that my sexuality, like my eye color or my height, was not a choice and so there was nothing to be proud of.
It wasn't until I took my job at AVOC that I truly understood the idea of gay pride. I always thought I'd graduate college and take a job in some corporation where I'd pretend to be straight, but working at AVOC could not be more different. This is a workplace where all kinds of diversity are welcomed, expected and celebrated. The diversity of the staff at AVOC is only matched by the kindness and compassion they show each other and the community. This is a team where everyone is truly allowed to be proud of themselves and of one another. And we are proud.
For the Cincinnati Gay Pride Rally, Farade and Music Festival, AVOC will be there. We'll be providing volunteers to help things run smoothly and we'll be taking part in the festivities.
Anthony Glover is organizing a tear march in the parade and I'll be runnin stop by and say hi to me at AVOC's bo about my Men in Touch group or vention, give me a call at 513-421Ison@avoc.org. Remember to be
Always
Award Nelson is the gay of Cincinnati.
BAVOC employees and volunteers to VGC booth at the festival. Feel free to would like any more information Related to HIV and AIDS
13) ext. 215, or e-mail me at during pride weekend and
ctton specialist at AIDS
RAINBOW BAND
Members of the Queen City Rainbow Band.
member of the Cincinnati Men's Chorus as well as the Imperial Crown Prince VIII of the Imperial Sovereign Queen City Court of the Buckeye Empire, better known as "the Court." "Everything about this experience has been fun," Clemons said. "I think the most fun for me has been being able to be myself as a member of a color guard for the first time. I was not out as a member in high school or as a member of the Bluegrass Brass Drum and Bugle Corps of Louisville, Kentucky."
Clemons added that what he is most looking forward to this Pride season is his daughter Chelsea "being part of the Pride celebration with me and my partner Jon. She is really looking forward to seeing me perform with the band and in the parade."
Joining the Queen City band this year will be members of Chicago's Lakeside Pride Band and Flag Corps. The group is making a return appearance to help swell the ranks during Queen City's inaugural year.
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"But this year," Hibben said, "I am anticipating that exact moment when the realization hits the audience that this marching band and flag corps is Cincinnati's own group, and not a group brought in from another city." In addition to performing at Cincinnati's Pride festival on June 8 and the parade on June 9, the band plans to perform at Pride events in Lexington, Columbus and possibly Dayton, Indianapolis and Louisville. Corporate sponsorships are being sought to offset the cost of music, uniforms and equipment. Sponsorship levels and a schedule of performances are posted on the band's web site at http:// www.qcrb.org. The band is still recruiting new members, and welcomes anyone who may want to be a baton twirler or start a rifle twirling corps. Interested parties can contact Hibben at qcrbprez1@yahoo.com.
For more information about Cincinnati Pride, visit their web site at www.cincypride.com.
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for all nations. Is 56:7
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