GAY PEOPLE'S

Chronicle

·

Ohio's Newspaper for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

Center hires Phyllis

Harris as new director Facility will likely move to Gordon Square's ground level

by Anthony Glassman

Cleveland--The Cleveland LGBT Center announced on April 10 its new executive director will be Phyllis Harris.

The role has been filled by interim executive director Cindy Yu since the end of August, about a

Phyllis Harris

week after former director Jan Cline returned to Virginia.

Harris, a 46-year old Cleveland native, has been involved with the center for two decades, having worked as a volunteer and, last year, being approached to be on the board of directors.

She comes with a heavy background in nonprofit organizations, including a master's degree in nonprofit management from Case Western Reserve University, tenures at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cleveland and work at the Cleveland Sight Center. She is also on the boards of Spaces and Community Shares.

Board chair Bob Sferra was excited about the announcement.

"I'm elated," he said. "I feel like she's a great fit for the job. She's been somebody that's always been in a role right below the leadership role, and now is the time for her to make the leap and take charge. It's the right time for the right person."

He noted that she was selected after a community panel and many positive references.

Many in the community know

Harris as "Seven," and the announcement listed her as Phyllis "Seven" Harris.

When asked about it, she explained, "I never had a nickname, and Phyllis is such an old-school name, so I decided six or seven years ago to claim a nickname."

While a lot of her friends call her Seven, however, her mother still calls her Phyllis, and professionally she tends to go by her given

name.

Harris was approached to join the center's board last November; she was hesitant, since she had just committed to the Spaces board and Community Shares, but after attending a volunteer recognition event and board orientation, she had her first official board meeting in January.

"After that meeting, I decided I like the opportunity to put my name in the ring for the [executive director] position," she said.

Her first priority when she assumes the role on April 23 will be to keep her ears open and listen to members of the community, allies and partners. She also wants to look at other organizations who might want to collaborate with the center on programming.

"There was a new class of board members when I came on the board who are just ready to work and really excited," Harris said.

While she maneuvers the hazards of running an LGBT nonprofit organization, she also will have to deal with the burden placed on her as the first African American executive director of the Cleveland LGBT Center.

"It's not an unfamiliar feeling, unfortunately, in terms of being the first African American in a role," she said. "I do think it's interesting. I'm glad people ask the question and point it out. My first reaction was, this is a bold move, seeing someone who has some leadership capabilities, this is what is needed, and moving forward."

While she will ensure that the center is culturally competent and

Inside This Issue

These are the monsters?

Volume 27, Issue 22 April 20, 2012

き

Intrepid reporter Lucinda Marsh (Zac Hudak) is determined to get to the bottom of things when the fat, lazy men of Lizard Lick, Florida are replaced by muscled stud-puppies like Gort and Tattoo (Clint Elston and Geoffrey Hoffman) in Convergence-Continuum Theater's production of Devil Boys from Beyond, Buddy Thomas and Kenneth Elliott's camp-fest spoof of 1950s science fiction and horror films.

The play, directed by Clyde Simon, runs from May 4 to June 2 at the Liminis, 2438 Scranton Rd. in Cleveland. Tickets are $15, $12 for seniors and $10 for students. For reservations or more information, call 216-687-0074 or go to www.convergencecontinuum.org.

conscious of the role it should play in fighting all forms of oppression, it will not be her primary focus.

"I'm very proud to be African American, but it's not the issue," she said. "Racism exists. I don't

Continued on page 7

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-Anthony Glassman

T-shirt allowed, but

only on Day of Silence

by Eric Resnick

Waynesville, Ohio-A federal lawsuit against the Wayne Local School District and high school principal Randy Gebhardt will continue although the school will now allow a pro-gay T-shirt to be worn on April 20, the National Day of Silence.

Maverick Couch, the gay student who brought the suit said, "It's good to wear the shirt on the Day of Silence, but we need to push for equal rights all the time, not just special events."

The suit was filed by Couch on April 3 in U.S. District Court in Continued on page 6

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