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DETROIT BLACK GAY PRIDE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITS 15TH ANNIVERSARY
This weekend, Detroit will play host to one of the gay community's largest Black Pride events in the country.
Hotter Than July organizers are celebrating the event's 15th anniversary, which in past years has grown to about 20,000 people flocking to Palmer Park.
The event is a celebration within the gay community, organizers and activists say, of the positive impact lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have had on Detroit and the nation.
"Detroit really is one of the jewels in the crown" of Black Pride events, said Earl Fowlkes, president of the Washington, D.C.-based International Federation of Black Prides.
more at http://www.freep.com/article/20100723/NEWS01/7230329/1320/Festival-Black-gay-proud Full Story. [7/23/10]
LARGEST LGBT FRIENDLY ROCK CLIMBING CONVENTION
History will be made on July 14 – 18, 2010 when more than 60 climbers from around the United States and Canada arrive at the New River Gorge in West Virginia for North America's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ("LGBT") friendly bouldering and rock climbing convention. The event, organized by Homo Climbtastic ("HC"), is the third annual event for the organization and the largest to date. "It's the biggest queer climbing event in history," says Laurie Watkins of Atlanta, Georgia. "It's going to be rad! I'm totally stoked!"
Others agree that history is being made as climbers from around North America come out to climb. "There's never been anything like this before," says Mike Abell, boulderer and founder of San Francisco LGBT climbing organization Flame & Flash. "This is history making because we are becoming more comfortable being ourselves in the sport and don't feel the need to separate our 'gay lives' from our 'climbing lives' anymore. I know some people would distance themselves from me if they knew I was gay. I like to bring it out after I flash their project."
Creating a climbing community for people who identify as LGBT and for those who support their equality was one of the founding purposes of Homo Climbtastic. In the three years since its founding, HC has grown to more than 500 members and has successfully helped create local LGBT climbing organizations in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Toronto. Other groups have chosen to associate with HC, such as New York's Crag & Crux Climbers and St. Louis' 'Mo Climbers.
It's also about challenging climbers to be better at the sport. "Everyone's gotten a lot better over the last few years," says founder Alex Rowland. "And we've also gotten a lot of indoor climbers outside." Consistent with this objective, HC has organized trips to Red Rocks, the Red River Gorge, the New River Gorge, Chattanooga, and Sand Rock. Affiliated groups have also organized numerous outdoor trips.
HC has been working hard to bring together a diverse crowd around one major thing: the love of climbing. Sponsors for the 2010 annual convention include the Access Fund, Prana, Black Diamond, Friction Climbing, Chaco, Aveda, Beta Clothing, Water Stone Outdoors, and Pandora Boxx. Special thanks to our sponsors.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: email press@homoclimbtastic.com, call 901-466-6254, or visit http://www.homoclimbtastic.com
> Full Story. [7/14/10]
FERNDALE PREPARING FOR ANNUAL GAY PRIDE FESTIVAL
A Detroit suburb is gearing up for its annual gay pride festival. > Full Story. [6/3/10]
AWARD-WINNING COUNTRY ARTIST, CHELY WRIGHT, TO PERFORM AT THE 2010 MICHIGAN PRIDE DIVERSITY FESTIVAL
The 2010 Michigan Pride Diversity Festival will welcome country artist Chely Wright to the Mainstage on June 12 at Burchard Park, Monique Goch, Outreach Director of Michigan Pride, announced that Wright will also be featured as the Grand Marshal of the Michigan Pride March and is to perform at the Capitol earlier in the day in downtown Lansing.
Wright, whose hits include chart-toppers "Single White Female" and "Shut Up and Drive," has recently launched her seventh album, "Lifted Off the Ground," which coincided with the release of her autobiography, "Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer." Wright appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to discuss her recent public "coming out" as a lesbian. She will also appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Thursday, May 27, 2010.
The performance is made possible by Michigan Pride, Equality Michigan, and Lansing Association for Human Rights (LAHR), along with other private donors.
About Michigan Pride:
Established in 1988, Michigan Pride aims to reunite the Michigan LGBT Community through outreach, education, and networking. It is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that serves the community by celebrating and nurturing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organizations, institutions, and culture. For more information, visit www.michiganpride.org .
To make a donation to Equality Michigan, click this link: http://bit.ly/b7plsJ
> Full Story. [6/1/10]
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