Tucson Observer

Here is a list of some of the upcoming events of note, taking place for Tucson and Southern Arizona’s LGBT Community.

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Contrary to Richard Fimbres’ Republican opponent’s unfounded, scurrilous and unsubstantiated allegations, he did respond, more than two months ago (August 19), to the attacks made on him by his successor, Alberto Gutier, a longtime Phoenix Republican political operative, strategist, activist, Sergeant at Arms for the State Republican Party, and currently the Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) under Governor Jan Brewer.

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Many events and items of note for the LGBT Community of Tucson and Southern Arizona are upcoming.

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TUCSON (Observer Update) – Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) will be holding our volunteer orientation on November 12th from 5:15pm to 9:15pm. The orientation will take place at First Congregational UCC which is located at 1350 N Arcadia Ave, Tucson.

TIHAN is a volunteer driven organization with a commitment to providing compassionate, nonjudgmental care to those living with HIV/AIDS. Visit us at tihan.org to learn more. Here are some of our volunteer positions:

Care Team Member – Make someone’s day brighter by visiting them, running errands with them, or helping them get to their doctors appointments. Care Teams provide compassionate nonmedical support to people living with HIV/AIDS.

Link Specialist – This position was rated the second most important to wellbeing by the people living with HIV that we serve. Link specialists provide referrals and well calls to our CarePartners.

Administrative Support for TIHAN Staff – The TIHAN office seeks fun-loving people to help with a data entry and administrative tasks.

Grants Team Member – Looking to keep your grant writing skills fresh? Looking for experience in grant writing, editing, or research? TIHAN is searching for both experienced and inexperienced-but-interested volunteers to join our grants team. We are a small, but dynamic nonprofit and your skills will make a huge difference here!

To sign up for orientation, simply contact Katelyn, Volunteer Resources Coordinator at (520) 299-6647 or email her at katelyn@tihan.org. We hope to see you there!

TUCSON (Observer Update) – There’s an old saying that says, “The early bird gets the worm”, well, in this case two local LGBT organizations Eon and Wingspan rose to the occasion and their worm came in the shape of a 700 item shopping spree at a local Dollar Tree store. With ideas of necessities in their heads, Eon Youth group members as well as Eon Youth Program Director Khara Ellasante and Youth Outreach Specialist Kevin Jackson came prepared to conquer the store and stock up on supplies that this local LGBT organization so desperately needed.

The timer was set and the “Dashers” had exactly 30 minutes to shop to their hearts content. Among necessities for the shopping spree were hygiene products, cooking, and office supplies. But, with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, party supplies were also priorities on their minds in order to ensure that they could provide their deserving local youth with celebrations to remember this holiday season. As the wild round of shopping came to a close, nearly half a dozen Dollar Tree store carts were overfilled past the brim. The timed shopping spree had came to a close and 500 items ($500 dollars) were accumulated. A TucsonLGBT.Com representative realized that more than a cart and a half of supplies had yet to be rung up at the cash register.

Keeping the flow of generosity going, it was announced that there would be a “Bonus Round” that would ensure all the extra items would also be included in the shopping spree and allow the three (3) Eon Youth Group members to each fill three more empty carts with an additional 50ea items ($50 dollars worth) of merchandise. This would give them the opportunity to tie up any loose ends and grab all the last minute supplies the Eon Youth Group sorely needed since facing recent budget cuts.

The timer was set once again for 10 minutes, a Tucson LGBT representative announced, “READY SET GO!”, and the Eon Youth Group Members blasted off to conquer the aisles once again. Three more shopping carts were filled up again and it was time to do the final ring up at the register. The gracious staff at the Dollar Tree location at Grant and 1st Avenue worked diligently to ring up the badly needed items, all while providing their regular clientele with assistance as well, showcasing the kind of superior service the staff at TucsonLGBT.com have come to enjoy and appreciate in their charity events.

When all was said and done, 45 minutes of shopping later, 6 super sized carts filled to overflowing, and a cash register receipt over 8 feet long, everyone was all smiles! With the help of TucsonLGBT.com this Halloween is sure to be one long remembered by the local LGBT organizations Eon and Wingspan.

TUCSON (Observer Update) – The November breakfast meeting of the Tucson Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Chamber of Commerce will take place Thursday, November 19, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m., at the Hotel Tucson City Center Conference Suite Resort (formerly Inn Suites), 475 N. Granada Ave.

The program, is a Town Meeting: An Action Plan to Promote Economic Development in Our Community, Chair: City Councilman Rodney Glassman. The Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Committee is putting this forum together as part of its mission to provide leadership in the business community on local government issues.

RSVP by Monday, November 16, noon (any member who RSVP’s after this day will be charged $20), 615-6436 or info@tucsonglbtchamber.org.

TUCSON (Observer Update) – There are still tickets available for the upcoming Desert Voices November 14 and 15 performances (season tickets as well), so it’s not too late to get great entertainment by your favorite non-profit chorus at a gonga price – one ticket for $15/two for $25 – and you will be supporting a local business, important in difficult economic times. (Season tickets are one for $50/two for $100 – also a gonga deal!)

Check out the website at desertvoices.org to purchase your tickets on line through Brown Paper Tickets (a very secure internet site), call the Desert Voices Box Office at 791-9662 to purchase via mastercard or visa, or mail your check (made out to Desert Voices) to PO Box 270, Tucson 85702-0270. See how easy it is?!

Performances will be held at the Proscenium Theatre, West Pima Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road – 7:30 pm on the 14th and 3:00 pm on the 15th. Join Desert Voices as the chorus pays tribute to memorable musicals from Broadway and Tinseltown in Upstaged! Divas and Mis(s)Leading Men. See you at the theater!

TUCSON (Observer Update) – The Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) is pleased to announce the addition of staff member Natalie Brown, who will be serving as its Director of Education and Community Relations.

Natalie is a University of Arizona graduate with a degree in molecular and cellular biology. She has a passion for public health and has been involved in AIDS education efforts in the United States, Mexico, and anzania, as a volunteer with Support for International Change and the United Methodist Church. She currently serves on the United Methodist Church’s Desert Southwest AIDS Task Force and assists with Strength for the Journey, a retreat for individuals living with HIV and their care givers. Natalie is thrilled to make the transition from TIHAN volunteer to staff member and is excited to work more closely with TIHAN’s wonderful education volunteers.

In her role as Director of Education and Community Relations, Natalie coordinates HIV/AIDS awareness and education programs, including developing HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention materials for faith communities, trainings for volunteers, working closely with liaisons and congregations, and building relationships with other agencies, service providers, and the general community.

Before a speech, a song was played to those in attendance and it wasn’t the song “Promises, promises,” by Naked Eyes but “Hail to the Chief,” for President Barack Obama, whom on Saturday, October 10, addressed a gathering of 3,000 individuals, most of which, so aptly put by Lawrence O’Donnell, the substitute host on Countdown on Monday, October 12, for the national Equality March and which applied here too, as “treated as second class citizens.”

President Obama stated the stood with the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Community in its fight for equality under law, declaring, “you are Americans who care deeply about this country and its future.”

Continuing, the president said, “he expected it would look back on his administration as a time when “we put a stop to discrimination against Gays and Lesbians, whether in the office or on the battle field.”

Obama also stated that:

He would be signing federal hate crimes legislation; he supports ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act);

Funding for HIV/AIDS programs should continue,

The end of, with another promise, for the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of preventing those Gays and Lesbians, who want to serve in this country’s armed services openly, and honestly, from doing so, and his support for extending federal benefits to committed same-sex couples (and families), which opposite-sex couples currently get.

LGBT Americans, the president said, should continue pressuring their elected officials, including himself, to work for pro equality laws and polices.

Excuse me but wasn’t that the reason for the 2008 election, subsequent vote, etcetera, or was this just more “promises, promises?”

For example:

With two ongoing wars, Gays and Lesbians continue to be discharged on an average of more than two per day from the military under “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and the president has not issued an order, as Commander in Chief, or an Executive Order, halting discharges by stop-loss or the pending cases under “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

People who are HIV+ or living with AIDS still can not either, emigrate or travel to this country due to the ban, with America being one of the few countries with such.

Despite fulfilling their legal and constitutional obligations, the federal, Department of Justice, used questionable language and arguments to defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act law (which prevents same-sex couples from being recognized legally on the federal level of government), in several court challenges this year.

Some of those who are treated as “second class citizens,” cheered the remarks the president made and the following day, took part in the LGBT March for Equality in Washington D.C., protesting the Obama Administration and the Democratically-controlled Congresses, lack of action on issues of concern.

TUCSON (Observer Update) – Tickets are now on sale for Kate Clinton’s YES on K8 show, Sunday, November 8 at 7 p.m. at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Avenue.

This performance benefits The Alliance Fund, a special project of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. This year YES on K8 will tour the US and Canada. Clinton has said, “Our long mental curfew has been lifted! It’s time for some restoration comedy.” From ponzi schemes to stimulus packages, from Obama to Rick Warren, nothing is sacred and Clinton will bring her unique levity to some of today’s most controversial topics. Last presidential year, Kate’s show Hilarity Clinton ‘08 toured nationwide. It followed her 2007 show, Climate Change. In 2006, Kate Clinton celebrated her 25th Anniversary of performing with a 50-city It’s Come To This! tour.

As an actress, humorist, panelist and host, Kate has worked with some of the great writers and performers of our time. Kate participated in a staged reading of Tony Kushner’s play, SLAVS, with Olympia Dukakis, Tracey Ullman and Madeline Kahn at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York. Kate was a panelist in a public discussion Satire in America and hosted an evening at The Kennedy Center when Richard Pryor received the first-ever Mark Twain Award. Kate has performed nationally since 1981 from Joe’s Pub in New York City to the Park West in Chicago to the Herbst Theater in San Francisco, and back to New York for several off-Broadway runs, with hundreds of comedy club dates in between. She has come a long way from those first performances in Unitarian Church basements.

Tickets are $30 balcony, $50 main floor, $100 VIP Main Floor and can be purchased at the Temple of Music and Art Box Office or by calling (520) 622-2823.