Who Swayback Sisters, Lyric, Aaron “Woody” Wood, Kat Williams, Kellin Watson, 24-7s
WhaT The Love Offering: A benefit for the Campaign for Southern Equality
Where The Grey Eagle
When Thursday, July 19 (7 p.m. Suggested $10 donation. southernequality.org and thegreyeagle.com) action — a desire to protect their family and have their family recognized as equal under the law.” Once the cuffs had come off and they’d been set free with a pending court date, Blackley decided to channel her energy into the music. She booked a date at the Grey Eagle for July 19 when, with the Swayback Sisters, she’ll join some other friends (Lyric, Aaron “Woody” Wood, Kellin Watson, Kat Williams) to throw a benefit for the Campaign for Southern Equality. They’ve titled the evening The Love Offering. The funds raised will help others who decide to join in the struggle for equality for LGBTQ people in North Carolina. Beach-Ferrara is looking forward to what might be stirred up by music during the Love Offering. “It's inspiring to see people using their gifts as artists to help us build this movement together,” Beach-Ferrara says. “Music and the arts are a really powerful way to bring people together, and to reach people." Indeed, those arrested that day broke into song as the cops were slipping cuffs on them. Blackley recalls an impromptu round of “This Little Light of Mine.” Cathleen Johnstone, who was there for moral support, was the first arrested, so was initially separated from the others. But, she says, she’ll never forget the feeling of singing in the paddy wagon. “It was powerful,” Johnstone says. “We were separated in the wagon — they had the men on one side and the women on the other — but we could talk to each other and hear each other singing. The singing was very powerful.” Blackley concurs, looking forward to the concert. She still looks back at how that day could have gone differently, what might have changed if she could do it over again. The answer is simple. Their arrest “implies somehow we shouldn’t have been there, that we didn’t have a legitimate purpose,” Blackley says. “But we did have a legitimate purpose. Just because it’s not the law of the land doesn’t mean it isn’t legitimate. We would have left if they'd given us a marriage license.” X
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Cherokee
Family Reunion Now Showing!
Written by Larissa FastHorse | Directed by Ted Sharon Cherokee Family Reunion is a comedy with heart for the whole family! Set in modern day Cherokee, NC, the longtime widower of a Cherokee family has found love again with a woman from "up North," Emma White. But before the wedding decorations are down, the two families are thrown into planning the biggest reunion of the year, full of Cherokee culture and a special appearance by Henry Timberlake!
NEW VENUE! NEW 2012 COURSE!
564 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC 866.554.4557 | CherokeeAdventure.com
33RD ANNUAL SATURDAY, JULY 28 7:30 AM
Pack Square Park • Asheville, NC For Registration or More Information, go to:
www.belechere5k.com PRESENTED BY:
SPONSORED BY:
www.greatbeginningspedo.com
www.drhaldeman.com Drs. Chambers, Baechtold, Haldeman & Pratt
Kim Ruehl is a freelance writer living in Asheville. Follow her on Twitter: @kimruehl.
mountainx.com • JULY 18 - JULY 24, 2012 47