www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com
·
July 31, 2009
GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE
5
obituaries E. Lynn Harris
by Josh L. Dickey
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Los Angeles-E. Lynn Harris, a pioneer of gay black fiction and a literary entrepreneur who rose from self-publishing to bestselling status, has died, his publicist said July 24. He was 54.
Publicist Laura Gilmore said Harris died on July 23 after being stricken at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, and a cause of death had not been determined. She said Harris, who lived in Atlanta, fell ill on a train to Los Angeles a few days before and blacked out for a few minutes, but seemed fine after that.
An improbable and inspirational success story, Harris worked for a decade as an IBM executive before taking up writing, selling the novel Invisible Life from his car as he visited salons and beauty parlors around Atlanta. He had unprecedented success for an openly gay black author and his strength
Sandra Kurt
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Kurt is also supported by state representative Mike Moran and Akron school board president James Hardy. Both were at the fundraiser.
Kurt says being an industrial engineer is all about efficiency, and she wants to bring her professional expertise to Akron government.
If successful, Kurt will be the only elected official in the city with a technical background.
as a romance writer led some to call him the "male Terry McMillan."
He went on to mainstream success with works such as the novel Love of My Own and the memoir What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.
"He was a pioneering voice within the black LGBT community but also resonated with mainstream communities, regardless of race and sexual orientation," said Herndon Davis, a gay advocate and a diversity media consultant in Los Angeles. "Harris painted with eloquent prose and revealing accuracy the lives of African American men and the many complicated struggles they faced reconciling their sexuality and spirituality while rising above societal taboos within the black community."
Harris published 11 novels, 10 of which were on the New York Times best-seller list. There are over 4 million copies of his books in print, according to his publisher, Doubleday.
"There are lots of ways to make processes more efficient," said Kurt, giving an example of a system she designed for Goodyear that allows electronic routing of budgets instead of passing papers around for signatures.
"Now we do in a week or less what we used to do in months," she said.
If elected, Kurt will be the city's first openly gay official.
She has been endorsed by the Lesbian and
charlie's calendar
To Sunday, August 2
World Outgames, second international LGBT sporting and cultural event, Copenhagen, Denmark; www.copenhagen2009.org.
To Saturday, August 22
Big Love, modern retelling of the ancient Greek play The Danaids about 50 brides escaping from their 50 grooms, 8 pm Thurs-Sat, $15, $12 students and seniors, Convergence-Continuum Theater at the Liminis, 2438 Scranton Rd, Cleveland; 216-687-0074, www.cover gence-continuum.org.
Friday, July 31
My Games Rock, bid party to support the efforts to bring the Gay Games to Cleveland in 2014, print out invitation on website for admission, 8 pm, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd, Cleveland; www.clevelandsynergyfoundation.org, 216-
583-0833.
Diana Chittester, energetic young singersongwriter, the Nickel, 4365 State Road, Cleve-
Thursday, August 6
Gaming Hour, presented by Colors of Cleveland Pride, happy hour fundraiser, board games, card games including bid whist, pinochle, spades, dominoes, chess and more, $2 domestic beer and cocktails, complimentary appetizers, 6 pm, Cadillac Ranch, 200 Euclid Ave, Cleveland; 216-923-1518, info@colorsofcleveland pride.org.
Friday to Sunday, August 8 and 9
Cleveland Black Pride Weekend, two days of events for African American LGBT people and their allies; www.bgpcleveland.com.
Friday, August 7
Talent Bash Competition and Dance Party, open to all LGBT performers, cash bar, restaurant menu available, raffles, DJ, presented by Colors of Cleveland Pride, $15, meet and greet 7 pm, show 9 pm, dance 12 midnight, Studio 62nd, 1030 East 62nd Street, Cleveland; sonja@colorsofclevelandpride.org, tedora@colorsofclevelandpride.org.
land; 216-661-1314, www.myspace.com/ Saturday, August 8
TheNickelBar.
Saturday, August 1
Beach Party, second annual event presented by the Cleveland Women's Network, 4 pm, grilling until 7 pm, RSVP by July 29, $10, members free, at a private home in Sheffield Lake (Cleveland); 440-962-3662 for RSVP and directions, www.clevelandwomensnetwork.org.
Full Cleveland, Cleveland-themed cocktail party with pierogis, pop and pink flamingos, part of the TaDa Dinner Series benefiting the Cleveland LGBT Center, $25, 99 guest limit, 9 pm, at a private home in Cleveland; 216-651-5428, www.lgbtcleveland.org.
Tuesday to Sunday, August 4 to 9
Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, 34th annual gathering of women, Walhalla, Michigan; www.michfest.com, www.myspace.com/ michfest.
Wednesday, August 5
Grovewood Tavern, part of the Cleveland LGBT Center's Summer Restaurant Tour, mention the tour and 50% of your bill will be donated to the center, 17105 Grovewood Ave, Cleveland; 216-651-5428, www.lgbtcleveland. org.
White Fantasia, annual gala ball is part of Cleveland Black Pride, full dinner buffet, open bar, 7:30 pm, $35, Tizzanos Party Center, 1361 East 260th Street, Euclid (Cleveland); 216233-1411.
Sunday, August 9
Cleveland Black Pride Worship, traditional service 10 am, Worship and Praise service 12 noon, Mt. Zion UCC, 10723 Magnolia Drive, Cleveland; 216-456-4423.
Family Picnic, wrap-up to the Cleveland Black Pride Celebration, food and refreshments provided while they last or bring your own, no alcohol, 12 noon to dusk, Edgewater Park, Cleveland; 216-233-1141.
Tuesday, August 11
Michelle Tomallo, FIT Technologies cofounder and VP, discusses raising capital in the skittish northeast Ohio market, at the Plexus August joint Cleveland and Akron meeting, 6 pm, Doubletree Hotel Cleveland, 1111 Lakeside Ave, Cleveland; www.thinkplexus.org. P-FLAG Dayton Annual Picnic, bring a side dish, salad or dessert to share, barbecue, beverages and place settings provided, 6:30 pm, Cross Crek Community Church, 667 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd, Dayton; 937640-3333, www.pflagdayton.org.
In an interview last year, Harris recalled the first time he realized he was poor, when as a young boy family was invited to
E.Lynn Harris
his
the house-
of
warming of a well-todo family in his hometown Fayetteville, Ark. Fresh from an afternoon of playing outside, he tried desperately to tuck his
bare, dusty feet underneath the sofa after another guest remarked on his appearance.
"I didn't grow up in the kind of environment that my characters grew up in, or the kind of environment that I live in now," he
Gay Victory Fund, and talks about her involvement with the Stonewall Democrats on the stump, on her campaign literature and at voters' doors as she canvasses six days a week.
"There's only been one less-than-positive remark," she said.
Of being out as a member of city government, Kurt said, "It will have the same impact on members of council as it did my co-workers at Goodyear. As people hear me talk about my life
For A Full Year of Events:
GAY
said. "It was one of the things that I always aspired to."
His 1994 debut, Invisible Life, was a coming-of-age story that dealt with the thentaboo topic.
Harris was not living as an openly gay man when Invisible Life was published, and could not acknowledge the parallels between himself and the book.
Harris said that the courage readers got from the book empowered him to be honest about himself. He continued to tell stories dealing with similar issues, to tell black middle class readers about people they knew, but who were living secret lives.
His tenth novel, Just Too Good to Be True, focused for the first time on a straight relationship, telling the story of a 21-yearold football star, his mother, and his cheerleader love interest. Harris taught writing classes at his alma mater, the University of Arkansas, and leaned on his students there to gather material for the book.
The last book Harris published, Basketball Jones, focused on a relationship between a successful business professional in New Orleans and an NBA star.
and my partner, they become more aware of our issues. It takes away the weirdness or otherness about our lives.
Kurt was an active member of Stonewall Akron and Out in Akron in the 1990s.
While Kurt is campaigning, her partner of eight years, Tina Jarosch, looks after the house and runs things behind the scenes.
Kurt's campaign is on the Internet at http:// kurtforcouncil.com.
Chronicle.com
Thursday, August 13
Community Open House, presented by Community AIDS Network to introduce the public to their new administrative offices, refreshments, remarks from community leaders, 4 pm8 pm, 895 North Main St,. Akron; 330252-1559, www.communityaidsnetwork.org. Friday to Sunday, August 14 to 16 Transgender and Ally Symposium, second annual event presented by TransOhio, featuring keynote address by author Helen Boyd, Capital University Law School, 303 East Broad Street, Columbus; www.transohio.org.
Sunday, August 16
Miami Valley Prime Timers, group for mature gay men and their admirers, social meeting and potluck, 3 pm, Possum Creek MetroPark, 4790 Frytown Rd, Moraine (Dayton); RSVP to www.g-hosting.info/mvopt.
Asians and Friends Business Meeting, planning session for Cleveland followed by dinner at a local restaurant, 4 pm, private home in Middleburg Heights (Cleveland); www. afcleveland.org, 216-226-6080 ext. 3.
PATIO OPEN!
Highlights of upcoming weeks
For a detailed list of events extending months into the future, see our web site: www.gaypeopleschronicle.com
Sunday, August 23
Dancin' in the Streets, 25th anniversary of party to benefit the AIDS Taskforce of Cleveland, 1 pm to 10 pm, Clifton Blvd. between West 116th and 117th Streets; $5 advance, $10 at gate; http://twistsocialclub.com/ dancinginthestreets.aspx 216-221-2333
Friday, September 11
Pride Night at Kings Island, benefit for Cincinnati Gay and Lesbian Center, amusement park will be closed to the public, open only to those buying tickets through the center, 6 pm to midnight, free parking after 5 pm with advance tickets, $40 at center or www.cincyglbt.com: $45 at gate; 513-591-0200 or pridenight @cincyglbt.com.
-Compiled by Anthony Glassman
MON-FRI 11am-Close SAT-SUN 4pm-Close
Uptowne Grille
III
bor
restaurant
Lunch 11am-3pm Dinner 5pm-1am
11312 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106 www.uptownegrille.com (216)229-9711
HAPPY HOUR
•
•
11am-7pm Weekdays⚫ $2 Domestics $3 Well $5 Martinis
LIVE JAZZ in JULY & AUGUST LIVE JAZZ STARTS AT 8pm Thurs: 7/30 ⚫ALEX MORRIS TRIO
Fri: 7/31 Sat: 8/1
SUN: 8/2
•MASTERS OF THE NEW MILLENIUM •INTRANSIT (LATIN JAZZ)
•SOUL SUNDAY W/Q-NICE FEAT. GWEN MAUL