Camp Magazine April 2018

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH KANSAS CITY CAME OUT

BY THE THOUSANDS FOR THE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES.

READ MORE ON PAGE 16 camp april 2018 AND SPECIAL PHOTO PAGES INSIDE.

KANSAS CITY’S VOICE FOR THE LGBTQ & ALLIED COMMUNITIES 1 3 APRIL 2018 VOL. 15 • NO.

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The only LGBT-owned magazine in print in Missouri. www.camp.lgbt 2

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ALAN CUMMING LEGAL IMMIGRANT

Sunday, May 13, 2018 | 7:00 P.M. | Helzberg Hall KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

TICKETS: (816) 994-7222 OR KAUFFMANCENTER.ORG Kauffman Center Presents Series Sponsors

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By Bradley Osborn

If you are free April 14, consider stopping by the Kansas City Center for Inclusion.

There, from 3 to 5 p.m., you can listen to three authors read from their locally relevant books, while the city’s favorite harpist plays in the background.

On the Harp: Calvin Arsenia

Calvin Arsenia in Paris, France - instagram calvinarsenia

Whether you’re a local arts aficionado or simply a dilettante, chances are you’ve heard of acclaimed musician Calvin Arsenia. He plays several instruments and is a trained vocalist with a range of three and a half octaves. But most folks know him as the surprisingly tall and beguiling guy with a harp. You might call his style avant neofolk but it really defies categorization.

Born in Orlando, Florida, Arsenia graduated from Olathe South High School.

A vocalist since his youth, he taught himself the harp at

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The event is free and open to the public.

After the readings, there will be a Q&A session, followed by book-signings. To buy the featured books for the April 14 event, go to amazon.com or the authors’ websites.

age 20. He draws inspiration from many musical genres, including folk, gospel, neo-soul, R&B and Motown. Aresenia’s captivating vocals are pure and richly powerful, and it is his voice that truly defines him.

As a younger man traveling with a LifeMission Church group, Arsenia visited Scotland and performed in Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival. Later on, the pastor of Mosaic Church in Edinburgh offered him a job as an arts/music liaison between the church and the city.

So, in 2012, Arsenia relocated to Scotland for a couple of years. There, he was able to work on his art and gain confidence in his personal style of performance. Since returning home to Kansas City, he has released the EPs Moments and Prose and his Folk Alliance exclusive album Catastrophe.

Arsenia has performed all over the metro in showcases, art events, band collaborations and more. He teaches music to elementary students and is a graduate of the Artist INC professional development program at the Mid-America Arts Alliance.

“My job on the stage is to find the end of myself – to bleed

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Three authors will share April 14 from their books that have local links. The event will be at the KC Center for Inclusion.

for my audience – and thereby doing so, giving the audience permission to feel all of the emotional landscapes that we experience to the farthest extent,” explains Arsenia.

For more information on Arsenia, go to calvinarsenia.com.

For tickets to his performance on April 20 at the RecordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd., go to goo.gl/Ba4D1Z.

into the gay liberation movement that occurred in Kansas City, Mo., in 1966, three years before the Stonewall riots.

Jackson co-founded the Gay & Lesbian Archive of MidAmerica (GLAMA) and is director of The Orderly Pack Rat, a historical research, consulting and publishing service he founded in 1996.

He has worked with the Veterans History Project in collaboration with the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center, written many newspaper and scholarly periodical features, written several topical guidebooks, and published books through the Jackson County Historical Society.

He has worked on books covering such topics as Missouri painter George Caleb Bingham and the American Civil War. His honors include the Southeast Missouri State University Historic Preservation Association’s Arthur Mattingly Award in Historic Preservation, the City of Independence Heritage Commission’s Hickman Award and the Kansas City Area Archivists’ Fellow Award.

Changing Times Almanac and Digest of Kansas City’s LGBTQIA History by David W. Jackson - The Orderly Pack Rat

Historian David W. Jackson Historian, author and archivist David W. Jackson will read from his book Changing Times: Almanac and Digest of Kansas City’s LGBTQIA History, which gives some insight

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Jackson believes everyone’s experience is worth recording.

To document Kansas City’s gay and lesbian past, stories, memories and even objects from one’s life can help. He encourages donations of oral histories and unique artifacts of local LGBT interest to GLAMA at UMKC (goo.gl/mc8UU2).

He also wanted to thank Samantha Ruggles and the Kansas City Center for Inclusion and he encouraged readers to support this local LGBTQ+ center.

For more information on Jackson, go to orderlypackrat.com. con’t on next page

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that resulted in the victim’s death, Bourbon was convicted, sentenced to prison, and died there.

Patrick Byrne attended Rockhurst Academy and College here in the Kansas City metro. He plans to donate his Bourbon materials to GLAMA for future researchers.

Double Entendre is Byrne’s first LGBTQ-themed biography.

He co-wrote an earlier book with Taylor Pero titled The Colors of Callas: Reflections of an Icon. The book was released at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, during a gala presented by the Maria Callas International Club.

Byrne has also worked as an opera critic for The Belgian Opera Guide. His interest in opera led him to found the record label Ombra, which has released several recordings of Maria Callas’ live performances.

Double Entendre, the Parallel Lives of Mae West and Rae Bourbon by Patrick C. Byrne - BearManor Media

He has an interview coming up on promohomo.tv.

For more information on Byrne, go to facebook.com/ patrick.c.byrne.

Biographer Patrick C. Byrne Patrick C. Byrne is an author, opera critic, record producer and the founder of Ombra Records. He will read from his biography Double Entendre: The Parallel Lives of Mae West and Rae Bourbon.

As many know, Mae West was an actress, singer, comedian and bawdy sex symbol in the early part of the 20th century.

Less well-known, Rae Bourbon (born Hal Waddell) was an actor, singer, playwright, comedian and female impersonator who performed at Kansas City’s Jewel Box Lounge. Bourbon was a contemporary of West’s, and the two were friends, sometimes working together. Byrne’s biography tells the story of how West and Bourbon’s lives intertwined.

Bourbon was born assigned as male, but in later years, is said to have identified as female and to have undergone gender-confirmation surgery in Mexico.

West is remembered for her scandalous Broadway plays and early Hollywood films. Bourbon’s performance venues included the music halls of London and vaudeville stages.

Look up Bourbon online to hear some of the risqué recordings, which are still fairly popular.

Bourbon was known as the Lenny Bruce of drag queens, and the risqué performances were often raided by the police. West had similar experiences with her play Sex. Bourbon’s life ended tragically. Implicated in a battery

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Midland Club by Mark Spano - Thunderfoot Press

Writer/Filmmaker Mark Spano Filmmaker and author Mark Spano will be reading from his murder mystery novel Midland Club. The protagonist of the book is a gay man shunned by his wealthy family in 1958 Kansas City. Spano lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but was raised in Kansas City, Mo.

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The son of Sicilian immigrants, he grew up at Ninth and Chestnut Streets. He traveled each day to 93rd Street and State Line Road to attend Rockhurst High School. “That trip across town was something like traveling to the moon. It was culture shock. I looked different. My speech was different. I dressed differently. I didn’t even listen to the same music as my classmates,” recalled Spano.

He added, “I chose to go to Rockhurst. A decision I made when I was 13, thinking it would give me the foundation I needed. Even then, I was interested in writing, film and television. Rockhurst wasn’t the right place for me, but at that time, there were very few choices.”

Spano left Kansas City nearly 50 years ago.

“I have always worked in the mainstream. I will continue to do so. I don’t view my novel as a gay novel. It’s just a novel.

There are gay people in it, but there are all sorts of people in my writing and films. I simply try to bring something to my reader or viewer that is authentic, that I know to be valid based on my own experience. In that way, Kansas City is one of the veins that I mine in my work,” Spano said.

His films include The Quality of Light: A Biography of Claude Howell and the documentary Reimagining Sicily.

“I will continue to make films of whatever gets funded. I think I make films because it gives me more control over my destiny, but by no means complete control,” he said.

Spano has six unpublished manuscripts and a first draft of another novel nearly completed.

He will be visiting Kansas City for the U.S. premiere of his new documentary Sicily: Land of Love & Strife on April 11 at Screenland Armour Theatre, 408 Armour Rd., North Kansas City, Mo. For more information on Spano, go to markspano.wordpress.com.

For tickets to the premiere of Sicily: Land of Love & Strife, go to goo.gl/sgFqzS.

Event information Facebook event: goo.gl/nmG2NY Kansas City Center for Inclusion 3911 Main St., Kansas City, Mo., 816-753-7770 inclusivekc.org On April 14, the meeting space could be tight and may be standing room only for about an hour-and-a-half. We would ask for everyone’s patience and understanding.

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editorial The Season of Activism

By John Long

It’s that time of year again when we see our community engage in what we do best.

AIDS Walk is right around the corner on April 28, and this will be the 30th year of walking. If you haven’t formed a team or started a fundraising page yet, it’s not too late. You can learn more at www. aidswalkkansascity.org.

PrideFest will follow about a month later, on June 1-3. Area organizations and businesses will have tables, making this event a great chance to learn more about how you can get involved. This year, PrideFest is bringing back the Youth Royalty Court, and they already have an outstanding roster of entertainment including Thelma Houston, the Grammywinning disco, soul and R&B singer.

The Kansas City Center for Inclusion will have their LGBTQIA Leadership Forum on April 18. It’s a great chance to plan community events and learn more about the various community organizations.

And near the end of March, we saw perhaps 6,000 people in Kansas City standing up for gun control and millions more around the world doing the same.

You can read more in our story on page 16 of this issue. We are featuring extra photos from the Kansas City event, simply because it was so powerful. As I watched, it was heartbreaking to hear the speeches, poetry and more from high school students who should be more worried about graduation than being gunned down.

The important thing about the marches

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is that they were led by students who are sick and tired of adults doing nothing but sending thoughts and prayers. As the students have indicated, it’s time for action.

The student-led marches reminded many of us older folks about the student activism during the Vietnam War, when students protested the war at colleges around the country. As with current students who do not want to live in fear of gunmen attacking schools or colleges, the Vietnam-era college students did not wish to be drafted into what many viewed as a senseless war, where they could also die.

Many young adults were also part of the civil rights marches.

The Gay Liberation Movement that stemmed from the Stonewall riots and led to Gay Pride festivals and parades of celebration also began with college student protests.

When the time came for the community to stand together during the early days of AIDS, when the government was doing nothing, it was groups like ACT Up that led “die-ins,” similar to the “lie-ins” that the young people of the gun control movement have done in front of the White House and other locations.

It’s been inspirational to see the young people so engaged in the effort to get our lawmakers to finally create sensible gun control legislation. con’t on page 14

www.camp.lgbt The Only News Monthly Serving the Gay, Lesbian, and Allied Communities of Greater Kansas City. Publishing — and locally owned — since 2004.

Publisher & Editorial Director John Long Editor Designer Juli Warren Terry Newell News Editor Webmaster Bradley Osborn Sarah Withee Contributors in this issue: Contributors in this issue: Ron Blake, John Long, Bradley Osborn, Isaac Sanders, Monica Soto,Terri Schlichenmeyer, Mark Thomas and Susan K.Thomas.

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We Have a Problem: Racism and LGBTQ+

By Isaac Sanders

So far, 2018 has brought us not only the Florida school shooting and the March For Our Lives in response, but also the March 4 shooting death of Ta’Ron Carson, 24, in Midtown Kansas City. Gun violence has been a regular kitchen-table conversation lately.

But this type of kitchen conversation was like “the talk” I had at the age of 8 when my mom had to let me know that because of the color of my skin, gun violence was more likely to be my cause of death, whether it came from the police or the dealers down the street.

It was a sobering realization, but a conversation that has propelled me to the age of 23. I’ve been pulled over for many DWB (Driving While Black) stops and had a couple of guns in my face from overly anxious police officers, but that talk from my mom has helped me survive all that. My black body’s greater susceptibility to gun violence is a harsh reality that America does not seem to get.

I happen to also be queer. I frequent dating apps for casual sex with other men, I go to bars full of people who span the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and sometimes I get jumped by straight people walking home for being too much of a fag. No guns, but violence just the same.

Just recently, while messaging someone in the Kansas City area, I was called a “nigger fag” because I was not willing to sleep with another man. He “needed my BBC down his throat,” and when I refused, he retaliated. This is not the first time this has happened to me, and it won’t be the last. I am

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sure I’m not the only one who’s had a similar experience.

As a black queer person, I am reduced to a stereotype, just as black people in general are reduced to stereotypes. This stereotype, however, is trapped within another marginalized identity that already has preconceived notions of what being black is.

Black queer scholars such as Cody Charles of the University of Kansas, whose brilliant work is available on Medium; James Baldwin; Bayard Rustin; and many others discuss the invisibility, hypervisibility, and overall gatekeeping of black people in the LGBTQ community.

We did not make this up, you can still be racist and be oppressed, and I am exhausted!

Equality does not look like you being better then another group.

Equality does not look like marriage equality but the over-policing of black and brown bodies. Equality does not look like white queer people being free to be “out and proud” while black and brown queer people are still facing death, poverty and racial problems at the complacency of our fellow members of the LGBTQ+ family.

I’m not a spectacle to be gawked at because I can “twerk” better then you can. I’m not an exceptional black person because I am where I am at (although I am an exceptional person). I’m just another person trying to survive in a world that does not care for me as much as it cares for others who look different from me and act differently than I do.

You should get that. In the shadow of these marches to protect lives, black people are still being killed. Racism in the LGBTQ+ community must fade out to nothing.

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campbiz

by John Long

News Briefs Missouri Supreme Court to hear two LGBT discrimination cases PROMO, Missouri’s statewide organization advocating for LGBT equality, reports that two discrimination cases coming before the state Supreme Court on April 25 for oral arguments.

The first, Lampley v. Missouri Commission on Human Rights, involves Harold Lampley, a gay man who faced discrimination from his employer because he didn’t conform to masculine stereotypes, or sex-stereotyping, and his co-worker who faced retaliation for standing up for Lampley.

The second, R.M.A. v. Blue Springs R-IV School District, involves a transgender student who was denied access to the men’s restroom and other facilities, forcing him to leave the football and track teams and limiting his success at school. PROMO has filed an amicus, or “friend of the court,” brief in this case.

PROMO reports, “These cases make an argument that many other courts have successfully made: that sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex-stereotyping are included within sex discrimination, even if LGBT protections are not explicitly included in the law.”

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Equality Teen Prom The Kansas City Center for Inclusion (KCCI) is planning this year’s Equality Teen Prom for Friday, May 4. This event is an opportunity for all teens — regardless of sexual identity or orientation — to get together and express themselves.

The Equality Teen Prom’s purpose is to provide a safe and welcoming space for area youth, ages 14-18. Teens can feel free to be themselves at an event where personal privacy is respected. Everyone is welcome.

Details are forthcoming. KCCI is also seeking sponsors for the event. Those who are interested should contact KCCI interim executive director Samantha Ruggles at 816753-7770.

Calendar Through April 13

Late Night Theatre presents ‘The Kraft’ During this cheesy hour of parody, Late Night Theatre takes on ’90s teen angst movies and songs.

The plot centers on four teenage outcast girls who combine witchcraft and cheese for their own gain, but soon encounter negative repercussions. After transferring

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to a Los Angeles high school, Sarah finds that her cheesy telekinetic gifts appeal to a group of three wannabe cheeseloving witches, who happen to be seeking a fourth member for their coven rituals. Bonnie, Rochelle and Nancy all have troubled backgrounds, which, combined with their nascent powers, lead to dangerous consequences for other teens.

Starring Jessica Dressler as Nancy, Ron Megee as Bonnie, Molliann McCulley as Sarah, Stephonne Singleton as Rochelle, and Austin Schreck as “Everyone Else.”

Performances will be on the Missie B’s Stage, 805 W. 39th St., Kansas City, Mo. Must be 21 to attend. For tickets and information: www.latenighttheatre.com.

March 28

Transgender Day of Visibility The Mid-America Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Human Rights Campaign-KC will present the fourth annual observance of International Transgender Day of Visibility at Californos, 4124 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, Missouri. A Transgender Resource Fair, featuring over 20 exhibitors, will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. A reception will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

This day is dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of the discrimination that they face worldwide. It is a day for transgender people to stand up and be counted and for cis-gender people (people whose gender identity aligns with their sex at birth) to learn about and celebrate their transgender friends and family members.

A program will take place at 6:15 p.m. The speakers will include:

• Retired Army Col. Sheri Swokowski, who has 22 years of active service and 35 years of total service. Swokowski is the country’s most senior transgender veteran who is out.

• Christian Mitchell, president of All Is Fair in Love & Wear, a company specializing in garments for transgender, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, gender neutral, gender-queer, and intersex individuals.

• Leena Porras, student.

Music will be provided by Elara “DJ Baby Boi” Roland.

The emcees will be Madeline Johnson and Nyla Foster.

Light appetizers, wine and beverages will be available. To con’t on next page

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campbiz register, go to https://goo.gl/v9ybxh.

be from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Chair Building in the Crossroads Art District, 2020 Baltimore, Kansas City, Mo.

March 30

April 14

Meet Missouri State Rep. Greg Razer

Missouri State Rep. Greg Razer

This event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Bistro 303, 303 Westport Rd., Kansas City, Mo., will be an opportunity to meet and show your support for openly gay Missouri State Representative Greg Razer, a Democrat, and learn about the work he is doing for the state. One of his goals is to see the Missouri Non-Discrimination Act (MONA) passed during this year’s legislative session.

April 2, May 7

Elevate men’s group, sponsored by HIMM Project This men’s group meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at Cornerstones of Care’s Hyde Park location, 300 E. 36th St., Kansas City, Mo.

April 6

Mosaic tile exhibit High school students, youth groups, and artists have donated their time and talent to this annual exhibit called Mosaic, using the theme “A World Without AIDS.” The participants interpret the idea using glaze on six-by-six-inch ceramic tiles. Over the last 20 years, nearly 18,000 glazed ceramic tiles have been created for this Kansas City AIDS awareness project. Supplies for the project are provided by the AIDS Service Foundation of Greater Kansas City or donated by local businesses. The exhibit will

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LGBTQIA College Night Join other LGBTQIA+ students and allies in learning about college opportunities, student life, and campus safety while getting connected to LGBTQIA+ friendly colleges in the Midwest and beyond. The event, hosted by JOCO QSpace, will be from 3 to 5 p.m. at Johnson County’s Central Resource Library, 9875 W 87th St., Central Conference Room #02, Overland Park, Kan. The list of colleges confirmed is growing and it includes representatives from UMKC, Kansas State, Pittsburg State, Baker University, Northwest Missouri State, and Florida Institute of Technology. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information or to see your college represented, email jocoqspace@gmail.com.

April 13-15

Alphabet Soup, Kansas City’s LGBTQ short play festival Presented by Whim Productions, Alphabet Soup will feature eight plays written by members of Kansas City’s LGBTQ community:

• Kids playing house explore the limits of traditional roles.

• A gay couple on spring break with their son meet a fetching young beach-goer.

• Two men look back over their shared history with Detroit’s gay scene.

• A hamster gets an unexpected roommate.

• A woman wants more than what her religious parents envision for her. camp april 2018

• Men navigate the depths of hookup apps.

• Two boy sleuths ponder the death of a friend while investigating the haunting of a local pond.

• A transgender actress faces uncomfortable questions during rehearsal.

This year’s playwrights are John Adams, Diane Hightower, Randall Jenson, Kevin King, Jamie Mayo, Christopher Steinauer, Isabella Tate and Vincent Wagner. Directors include Diane Bulan, Phil Kinen, Kevin King and Ashley Monteath.

The festival will be at MTH Theatre at Crown Center, Level 3, 2450 Grand, Suite 301, Kansas City, Mo. Tickets are $15 (+ $3 ticketing fee online and at the door). Parental guidance suggested.

April 14

Celebrating LGBTQ Books and Music in KC Three authors and a harpist will perform at this event from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Kansas City Center for Inclusion. (See Brad Osborn’s story on page 4.)

April 18

April 28

30th annual AIDS Walk Kansas City This year’s 30th annual walk in Kansas City will once again support the HIV/AIDS community. To register, donate and learn more, to go http://www. aidswalkkansascity.org.

April 29

HRC Equality Brunch

Join the Human Rights Campaign to celebrate Kansas City at the fourth annual Equality Brunch from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. at the Armour Loft Event Space, 406 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Mo. Enjoy two hours of complimentary cocktails and a delicious brunch while hearing a brief presentation from local HRC and political leaders. Revel in good music, great friends, and a guaranteed fabulous time. Upgrade to a VIP Experience ticket to extend the fun by adding an extra hour of complimentary cocktails and a commemorative souvenir. For more information, check out the HRC Equality Brunch Facebook page.

LGBTQIA Leadership Forum The Kansas City Center for Inclusion is planning its quarterly LBGTQIA Leadership Forum to embrace communication and collaboration among LGBTQIA leaders and groups in the Kansas City metro. This month’s topics will include LGBTQIA Pride festival, the Kansas City Police Department, volunteer collaboration and more. All interested individuals may participate. Represent your organization and learn about other groups. The session will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 4801 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, Mo.

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The only LGBT-owned magazine in print in Missouri www.camp.lgbt 13

editorial

con’t from page 8

Kristi Parker of ‘Liberty Press’ Speaking of activism, Kristi Parker, a Kansas pioneer in LGBT publishing, passed away at age 49 in March. She was the founding publisher of the LGBT magazine Liberty Press, based in Wichita.

Our paths never crossed, but as a fellow publisher, I admired Parker’s dedication to Liberty Press and to offering a voice for Kansans since 1994.

Her magazine’s motto was “We were gay before it was cool.”

Her activism was well-known in the Wichita community, where she was involved in the early days of their Pride festivals. Her magazine had features from people who are familiar to many of us in Kansas City, including columns by activists such as Stephanie Mott and Robert Minor.

We know Kristi Parker will be missed, and we salute her dedication to the community through her work.

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Thousands in Kansas City Students managed the stage for the March for Our Lives. Adults helped with organizing. The crowd was a diverse mix, and Mayor Sly James told them that they represented the real America.

Mayor Sly James Photos: J. Long and Terry Newell

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About 5,000 to 6,000 people joined Kansas City’s March For Our Lives to protest gun violence on the same day that marches were held in Washington and other U.S. and international cities.

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y Say: Enough is Enough Students from Parkland High School in Florida organized the Washington march after 15 students there and two staff members were killed in a shooting on Feb. 14.

Representatives from Kansas City Mothers in Charge, Indivisible KC and other groups spoke. Voter registration volunteers were there signing up residents to vote.

More than 800 sibling marches were reported. The events drew millions of people rallying in support of better gun laws, an amazing feat that was organized in barely five weeks after the Parkland shooting. Crowd estimates in Washington, D.C., ranged widely – from 200,000 to 800,000.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver spoke briefly, saying that he was there to show his support for the youth and that he would be there for them in Washington.

Kansas City’s march was held at noon in Theis Park.

Originally, the event planners organized it for the J.C. Nichols Fountain and Mill Creek Park, but they quickly realized that the number of people signing up on their Facebook page would exceed that space, and there was also another event using the park that day as well.

Key student organizers included Rachel Gonzalez, a freshman at Missouri Western State University; Denny Rice, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School; and Danielle Foster and Sakina Bhatti, seniors at Lincoln College Prep.

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Emily Riegel, who founded Indivisible KC, spoke about what it’s like to have to learn to call herself a widow after her husband, Tom Pickert, was shot and killed in October after walking their kids to school one morning.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver In a stirring speech, Mayor Sly James said this was one of his proudest moments in Kansas City. James asked the members of the crowd to look around and see the people around them – old, young, black, brown, white, gay, straight, etc. This crowd, he said, is the real America. con’t on page page 19

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Enough is Enough Students managed the stage, and many spoke on behalf of their high schools. The event also included poetry readings, group performances and an interfaith speaker.

from only one Facebook page.”

He said that a large part of their fundraising was from the sale of the March For Our Lives T-shirts and hoodies, which raised more than $6,000 for their expenses.

The three organizers were Mohammed Azeem, Kevin Evans and Tom Kessler.

“It’s exciting and gratifying, and it feels like the time is right. It’s way, way overdue,” Evans said.

Evans, who goes by the name of Kevy Cat on the Facebook page March For Our Lives, spoke with me in the days before the march and explained more about why he got involved.

Evans, who is openly gay, spoke about the initial rush to establish a Kansas City Facebook presence for a local march after word went out about the national march. He said that this led to two Facebook pages, with the other page being directed by Azeem and others.

“So I started my page and, about an hour later, I was notified that at least one person had started a page, so I immediately contacted them,” Evans said. “We have coordinated since. The page that I created was for the actual event. The other page is more for the group and for ongoing because we want to carry this beyond this just this day. At least all the way to the November midterms. And we know this is going to likely take time.”

“This has been a very social media event.”

Kevin Evans

Evans said he doesn’t have a fundraising background and that that wasn’t what led him to get involved in planning the march.

Mohammed Azeem

“I just felt like Kansas City should have a presence and stand up nationally on this same day and be heard and be seen,” he said.

“We just simply need to stop accepting that so many people can be shot and, worse, killed in every year in our nation.”

The costs associated with putting on the event, Evans said, included the stage, the city permit and more.

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Evans said that students submitted their presentations by videos or other means to the student organizers. “The students evaluated that and picked the ones that would present on the day.”

“I’m a father, and I have a daughter who is 26 years old, and as a parent, I can relate to this. And I also happen, by coincidence, to be gay myself. For all of us, we just wanted to create a platform for the students to give presentations and speeches and stand up and be heard.”

Evans, 61, a trust banker for a local bank and a Missouri native, has lived in the Kansas City area for 35 years.

“This blew up wonderfully, almost immediately,” he said. “I thought if we had 100, 200, or in my wildest dreams, 300 or 400 people, it would be wonderful. And then it hit 800, 1000, more than 1,000 and over 3,000 people saying they were coming and 10,000 people interested. And that was

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Evans said he was encouraged by the great response to Kansas City’s march and was hopeful that it has begun an important dialogue that will have lasting impact on gun laws.

Tom Kessler

“It isn’t just a one-day thing. We just think the time has come. It’s smart and good for the nation and society.”

More photos from the event on the next page.

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Theis Park in Kansas City on Saturday, March 24.

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Terri Schlichenmeyer

bookworm sez

A Sunny Way of Looking at Things Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality, by Sarah McBride, c. 2018, Crown Archetype, $26, 288 pages Things are never as bad as they seem.

There’s always a brighter spot if you look for it, always something to be thankful for, a way of making yourself feel better because things aren’t as they seem. As in the new book Tomorrow Will Be Different by Sarah McBride, there’s always a chance to make a change.

volunteer in her home state of Delaware.

Starting in the Office of Public Engagement, she was quickly engaged; activism, as McBride learned, was something she could sink her teeth into as a trans woman.

Author Sarah McBrides Photo: Mat Marshall

Though Sarah McBride was 10 years old the first time she heard the word transgender, she knew from an early age that she was really a girl. Problem was, everyone around her saw her as a boy, and she didn’t want to disillusion them because she didn’t want to disappoint them.

And so, McBride tamped down a feeling of “homesickness” inside herself and she tried to be a boy by dating girls, joining a fraternity at college and doing guy things that felt wrong. It wasn’t until the end of her time as student body president at American University that she took the leap and came out publicly as a woman.

It was a relief, she says, and although there was some initial shock, her friends and family never stopped loving her. For that, she acknowledges her good fortune; a high percentage of her LGBTQ peers aren’t so lucky.

Not long after this major life-changer, McBride made one of her career dreams come true, landing an internship at the Obama White House. She’d been fascinated by politics since she was small and was a campaign

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Happier than she’d ever been, McBride’s life continued to rise: She fell in love with Andy, whom she’d met at a party, though she didn’t see him again until he emailed her months later. He was transgender, too – a homegrown Wisconsin boy with a sense of humor, and she adored him. The future was bright.

And then things changed again.

There’s a message inside this book – and it’s not the activism one that you think is there. Oh, there’s no denying that the author is an activist and she’s played a big part in making change, both at the state level and nationally. She’s a history-maker and a shaker. But this book isn’t just about that.

Subtly, McBride makes readers’ brains itch. LGBTQ teens can be fragile, and you’ll watch closer after reading this book. Health care isn’t just an issue for the middle class, and you’ll understand better now. Politics aren’t just something to rant about, and in the midst of all this, believe it or not, you may be better off than you think you are. This book forces a different way of looking at things, but you might not initially notice that as you’re crying over the rest of this memoir.

So bring tissues while you read, and let your brain itch.

Let Tomorrow Will Be Different sink in because things can always be better than they seem.

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Monica Soto

musicality

Daisy Buckët, Calum Scott, Logic, Halsey Daisy Buckët Pansy This independent album by Kansas City’s very own drag icon Daisy Buckët is an absolute blast from beginning to end. It’s a mix of interesting covers and some excellent originals from Daisy, who also performs internationally with the Kinsey Sicks, known as America’s Favorite Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet. Two tracks feature the popular Kansas City band called The Philistines, and it’s a true romance between these two. The album mostly features varying styles of jazz and lounge, but there are some surprises peppered in. One of my favorite tracks is “Balls of Brass,” which, at its core, is a classic rap song. Yes, Daisy can rap, and she throws in some love for Kansas City. I was slapped in the face and awakened by “Friday Night in the Castro,” a fantastic disco dance bop from the opera I Am Harvey Milk. Daisy’s voice is razor sharp. The entire album, which shows her range, is a delight. The release date is April 10; check https://www.missdaisybucket.com for details.

Calum Scott Only Human (Capitol Records)

This is Calum Scott’s first full-length album, and it’s stunningly beautiful.

Before this powerful album release, the Britain’s Got Talent 2015 finalist was mostly known for his great cover of the Swedish singer Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own.” Lucky for us, Scott decided to ride the wave and work on his own original music after he came out as gay to his father. He’s a quickly rising star, and it’s easy to see why. His voice is so good that it would be almost paralyzing if it weren’t for the intensely catchy beats beyond the vocals. His original compositions are excellent. Scott can make you dance or make you cry. He makes me excited about pop music again.

It’s hard to choose, Director Michael J. Saul but my favorite songs are “Come Back Home,” “Only You,” and “What I Miss Most.”

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Logic Bobby Tarantino II (Def Jam/Visionary)

This is the sixth mixtape by Logic. The last album he released, Everybody, was extremely popular, especially “1-800273-8255,” a song featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid that offers a powerful message about clinging to life when thoughts of suicide come up. The biggest difference between Logic’s albums and his mixtapes is their tone. His mixtapes have some rougher edges and some harder raps. This one is excellent. Sure, the rap is a bit more hardcore, but the melodies are incredible. Logic teams up on these tracks with some big names, such as Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, and Big Sean. My favorite tracks from the mixtape are “Midnight,” “Warm It Up – Young Sinatra,” and “Everyday.”

Halsey Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (Astralwerks)

Somehow, I’ve accidentally managed to avoid Halsey during her rise. Now that I’ve listened to this album, I know that’s been a mistake. Halsey wrote and delivered a poem about sexual abuse in January at the 2018 Women’s March in New York. The poem reached into the hearts and minds of thousands, me included, and I knew I couldn’t ignore this artist for a second longer. Her latest album, from last year, is Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, and it’s wonderful throughout. Halsey is a strong pop singer, but her lyrics carry much more depth. Underneath, it seems she’s a poet disguised as a pop star – a lyricist at her core. My favorite songs are “Heaven in Hiding,” “Alone,” and “Bad at Love.”

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Photo by Michael Marius Pessah

How ‘Guys Reading Poems’ Reached its DVD Release “It’s sort of like having a somewhat unusual kid who’s going off to college,” says the out and proud director and writer Hunter Lee Hughes of his film Guys Reading Poems. “…

Especially because the kid is different, you’re concerned that he finds the right major and someone to love that accepts him for who he is. I feel like that about this movie.”

guest of Velasquez.

Guys Reading Poems is a moody tale about one young man’s recollections of his unhappy (and at times, downright distressed) childhood and how he found solace and strength through the words of various poets. Last year, it was one of the most intriguing and consistently best-reviewed films on the LGBT festival circuit. Camp reported on the film’s big-screen release last May (https://goo.gl/4PU4CQ).

Bort was impressed with what he saw, and through his connections and recommendation, Hughes and company came into contact with Gravitas Ventures, a worldwide distributor of independent films renowned for its LGBT-themed releases.

Now, with April being National Poetry Month, it seems fitting to revisit this one-of-a-kind viewing experience that has recently been released on DVD, Blu-Ray and V.O.D. by Gravitas Ventures. Guys Reading Poems has quickly been embraced by a whole new audience, yet the enthusiastic acclaim remains the same.

Hughes says the search for the right distributor/releasing partner for this film, his first feature, began practically when primary shooting started. He says: “This was a six-year journey and stars openly lesbian actress Patricia Velasquez, not to mention some of some of the most beautiful men I’ve ever encountered!”

“He had worked on the distribution for Patricia’s earlier same-sex romantic hit Liz En Septiembre [Liz in September],” Hughes recounts, “so he was especially curious to see her work here.”

Gravitas was supportive and artist-friendly, Hughes said, and they also introduced a new, brighter graphic for the DVD and online release.

“The original poster we had was fine for the theatrical release — darker and more moody,” Hughes said. “It suggested a lot to movie-goers about what they were about to see. But once you’re on a website, you’re listed in a whole line of other releases, and we needed something a bit brighter and more inviting to make us stand out. I feel confident this new design does just that.”

The DVD release also features a director’s commentary by Hughes, which he says will give viewers more insight into the film’s distinctive layers, as well as interviews with the cast and several filmed “shorts” of them reading poems.

Even as the film was doing well at festivals, Hughes and his team were also holding special “distributor screenings,” inviting representatives from companies that could help it along to a DVD release.

Actor Daniel Berilla, an open and proud member of the gay community, plays the role of the assistant. An up-and-coming young talent, he found working with a creative mind like Hughes highly enjoyable and educational.

On a fittingly dark and rainy night at the Raleigh Studios, Daniel Bort, an independent producer’s rep, attended as the

“When he first approached me regarding this project, my first thoughts were, ‘Thank you Hunter – I don’t get it,’”

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Photos: T. Newell

Production and promotion took six years for writer/ director Hunter Lee Hughes.

Actor Daniel Berilla, who gave the film “much-needed comic relief,” says he’s eager for a wider audience to see it.

Berilla says, alluding to the seemingly arcane way that the story unfolds on the printed page. “But Hunter told me what the direction was he was going for with the film, and … he said he had full confidence in me and that this role was perfect for me. He later even added that he wrote the role while having me in mind, so I’m very grateful for that.”

Hughes said: “I saw Berilla’s role as providing some muchneeded comic relief in an otherwise dark piece. So I wanted someone who could bring some joy and lightness and fun to the table.”

The role of the assistant, Hughes says, is part of a larger group of characters that becomes kind of a substitute family for the lead character. Berilla’s energetic positivity was precisely what the part required, Hughes said.

“Daniel is just adorable in a very specific way – his size, his features, his charm,” Hughes says. “When you meet Daniel, you almost want to smile straightaway. He makes you feel a little bit happier just by being in his presence. Those qualities come across here in the film and were important for the world we were building. You almost feel like he could be your cousin, so all of what he gives on-screen works.”

What does Berilla himself think he brought to his character that only he could? He says that for practically the first half of his life out in Hollywood, he actually was an assistant to an assortment of celebrities and executives.

“That’s where this whole ‘method’ part comes into play,” he says, “and I was really able to pull from my honest life experiences and portray that through my character.”

Berilla, whose “regular” job is working behind the scenes on the Paramount Network’s hit reality show Bar Rescue,

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said he found it gratifying that his director really understood the process a performer goes through in connecting with a character.

“Hunter is very good at getting actors to kind of become ‘methodic’ before even going in front of the camera,” Berilla says. “He loves to work one-on-one with an actor and really listens to their points of view and ideas. That can be pretty rare anywhere, but especially for those at the relative start of their professional careers, so I was pleased to find that he puts the time and effort into really making the actor become their best for their character. He also made the environment so relaxing and accepting.”

During the interim between the movie’s film festival success and its release onto DVD and V.O.D., Hughes initiated an unusual form of marketing by holding monthly poetry readings, inviting members of the community to the microphone to recite poems that they’d written themselves or that had some significance in their lives.

One such reader who was called upon to participate was a certain writer for this very publication (my selection was a dramatic recitation of Stephen Sondheim’s song “Finishing con’t on next page

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“Guys Reading Poems” con’t from previous page The Hat” from his 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park with George).

“With all the waiting, I felt, when in doubt, it’s always great to try and give something back,” the filmmaker explains.

“Hence the idea behind these live, open-mic poetry readings.”

At another of these events, Berilla read a poem that he wrote himself.

This observation became the inspiration for an impromptu shot included in the finished piece, he says. “After seeing this, we quickly put together that because the guys were going to cheat at poker anyway, it would be great to add a shot of what was happening underneath the table, and to then see the boy’s feet just in mid-air like that. It’s still one of my favorite shots in the film.”

“I like to write,” Berilla says. “And I have written a few poems in my life, but poetry was just a hobby of mine to cope with life when I was growing up.

I won’t claim any particular poet has influenced me or what I put together — and it was definitely nothing like Hunter would give you, for sure!”

Now that the film is more widely available, Berilla is eager to share Guys Reading Poems with different audiences.

“I have seen the film now seven times in its entirety,” he says. “The things that always stand out to me are the great acting chops the ‘Guys’ that actually read the poems possess. They’re so real, raw and beautiful! Also, Hunter has his own poem that he wrote just for this film, and it is amazing! You can see his true self as a human being come out during this poem.”

As far as his favorite scenes in the film, Berilla says: “I like that people always laugh when I get spanked on the ass in one of the scenes. I also like anytime the camera is inside the ‘puppet box.’ Those moments are beautifully created by our production designer, Nathaly Lopez, and our cinematographer, Michael Pessah. Our cinematography throughout is absolutely gorgeous!”

Hughes plays a supporting role in the film, besides writing, directing and producing it. What was his own favorite scene involving Berilla?

“I’m not sure he’ll like my telling you this …,” the director says. “In the scene where the guys are playing poker, we were setting up and they were all seated, when we realized that Daniel’s feet weren’t touching the floor because ... well ... he’s pretty short in stature. But it was so cute to see his feet just dangling like that, not quite making it to the ground.”

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GRP Open Mic - Hunter and Daniel Photo courtesy Gravitas Ventures

Berilla says: “My realistic hope for GRP is to spark conversations which will allow it to acquire the momentum that we had during its time on the festival circuit. I want everyone to know going into it that this is a very, very unique movie, and to go in willing to accept what’s on the screen. Once they do, they’ll be drawn in piece by piece and be captivated by everything as a whole – the acting, the blackand-white cinematography and the very specifically chosen poems for that exact moment of the film. I also want people to see how this inventive writer and director named Hunter Lee Hughes made a movie that everyone should experience – no matter who you are.”

Hughes remains unabashedly thrilled with the end result of his years of preparation, production and promotion.

He says, “I know it’s an unusual film that escapes easy categorization. It’s black and white, framed by 32 poems, and hops around between two different time periods and an imaginary world, but I hope it continues to find its soulmate audiences. From the considerable amount of feedback we’ve all gotten, I know they’re out there.”

Guys Reading Poems has been released across all major online platforms, including streaming on Amazon Video, Google Play and iTunes. For more information or to view the trailer, go to: http://guysreadingpoems.com/ or like them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/GuysReadingPoems/.

To keep up with Daniel Berilla and his latest projects, go to http://danielberilla.weebly.com.

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Ron Blake

health and fitness

Telling Strangers What Happened to Me

(This is Part 2 in a series of stories about my journey beyond sexual assault. I hope it will open up healthy dialogues about sexual assault in our LGBT communities. For more resources, go to https://www.thehimmproject.org/other-resources/.)

Meeting strangers has become my daily regimen in my recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder.

It started Nov. 12, 2015, which now seems like such a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away. (Yes, it does remind me of a Star Wars movie.) I am doing so much better now because I began (and have continued) this innovative therapy to talk about my sexual assault openly and often.

this journey: a moment of fear overcome not once, but twice.

We fear what we do not know. I did not know Joshua. He did not know me. He took a chance on me. I took a chance on him.

Many months later, I met a group of strangers taking a break outside an improv theater. I learned something from those guys and gals puffing on their Parliaments that gave me a better understanding of how to manage this thing called fear.

I keep talking about my trauma – one person at a time and one day at a time – so that I can heal. Either despacito – slowly – or at light speed works just fine. The most important thing to remember is to just keep moving forward each day.

They told me that the main tenet of improv is to follow the fear. Only when you do that, they said, do you truly realize the magic on the other side. That knowledge is worthy of Jedi masters.

That autumn day, I walked up to the first stranger I met to gain support for my journey. It has been my therapy to re-engage with society after isolating myself so badly because of PTSD.

On this journey, I’ve had little reason to use my light saber.

Fear was not to be my enemy. I’ve embraced that fear and used con’t on page 22

Enter Joshua, who allowed me to walk up to him and share my story. I told him what happened on that suicidal night just 10 days earlier: A moment when I laughed at Stephen Colbert’s monologue on The Late Show changed my life. That laughter made me pause to appreciate the moment, and it inspired me to make a plan: My goal was to become a guest on Colbert’s show.

Consequently, Joshua is one of the most important people I’ve ever met. If he, the first person I approached, had dismissed me completely that day, I might have given up on this therapy. It could have destroyed any hope that was remaining in me. And that just might have turned me to the dark side for good.

But he wasn’t dismissive of me. He didn’t try to make me go away. He simply listened. And that is incredibly powerful and helpful for survivors of sexual assault. We need people to just listen to us and hear our stories.

Joshua is the only person I’ve met on this 862-day crosscountry journey who saw a blank poster board, which I was determined to fill by asking people to write me messages of support. Yet he showed his support by writing on the board.

His actions said: I believe you. I support you. These are the first two important steps to help sexual assault survivors. (For more information, go to startbybelieving.org.)

That first message came to represent something amazing on

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the camp10 Susan K. Thomas

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I recently noticed a post from a friend who performed at Naka-Kon, the Kansas City area’s oldest anime convention. Feeling a little glum from the weather, I pulled up a clip of Steve Nguyen DJing and bringing the crowd to life during his performance that night in March.

Many of our readers may know Steve as one of the Video DJs at Missie B’s. I’ve known him since he was a student in the first LGBT literature class I taught years ago. Since then, I’ve enjoyed watching him grow and evolve into an amazing performer. After watching that clip, I knew exactly who I wanted to interview for this month’s column!

How old were you when you first became interested in DJing, and how did you get started?

When I was 8 years old, I would have one of those mini-cassette tape recorders so that I could record anything I wanted to listen to. However, I only had one take at capturing what I wanted to hear. As I got older, my parents gave me a portable CD player and I bought my first CD, which was the soundtrack to the movie A Night at the Roxbury.

For those who aren’t familiar with the CD, it was a nonstop megamix full of popular ’90s dance tracks that was seamlessly mixed. I don’t remember how many times I listened to that disc, but that was when I wanted to make my own megamixes.

In 2006, I attended KU, and during that time, I thought about working for KJHK, a local college radio station. A couple years later, I got approved to host a program called Club Soda. This was a program where I started mixing live; however, the equipment had limits as to what I could do in terms of matching beats. In 2009, I bought a DJ mixing unit for CDs, and I started DJing for Pride nights on Wednesdays in Lawrence.

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When did you start DJing at Missie B’s, and what do you like most about it?

I started DJing at Missie B’s in 2010. The staff and attendees are generally nice, but what I like most about DJing there is working as a VDJ (video DJ).

This started my transition from CDs to digital audio and video files, as well as using the computer for mixing. It made DJing much easier. Yet learning to use various mixing programs was a great challenge. Also, the crowd is fun to work with because I can deliver various new tracks they can groove to.

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Recently, you DJ’d at Naka-Kon at the Overland Park Convention Center. What was that experience like?

I must say that I was nervous and anxious to perform in front of a larger headcount than usual.

Actually, I still get nervous even when I DJ on my

Friday nights at Missie B’s. When I took center stage at Naka-Kon this year, pressing play on my first song seemed to cause all of my worries to go away. The crowd was amazing and willing to accept what I mixed. Normally I play at a steady dance club tempo; however, this event was different for me because I was given the opportunity to mix with a faster and hard-hitting pace. The music I chose for my Naka-Kon sets are from my favorite music rhythm games, such as Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania IIDX. It was quite an accomplishment to guide the crowd on a journey through the music I like other than what I play at the club.

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How do you keep your DJing fresh?

There are many sources I tune in to, such as certain programs on iHeartRadio or even fellow DJ friends who put out their own mixes.

This gives me some inspiration and influence as to what direction I want to steer my DJing style towards. I also like to gather tracks and visuals and try to incorporate them into my sets. Working for the radio station has given me that foundation in what it means to throw songs into rotation; out with the old, in with the new, yet push the trend.

That’s essentially what I do with every DJ set I play at Missie B’s. It makes each night become unpredictable.

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How would you describe the persona that you embrace while DJing, and how is that different from who you are when you’re not performing?

As DJ Chef Nguyen, I like to see myself as the head chef of a five-star restaurant. For each night I DJ, I want to be able to serve what the people would like to hear with mainstream music. I also want to deliver different sights and sounds for a new experience. I’m usually laidback when I spin, and I have to keep myself flexible enough to read and react to the crowd. I want everybody to go home happy and satisfied. If something isn’t right, then I’ll personally talk to affected individuals and see

Steve Nguyen what I can do to make things better for them. Just like in culinary, it’s all about presentation and taste.

As Steven Nguyen, I’m just a guy who likes to have a plan for each day. I like to live my life with structure and organization because it’s what helps me feel like I’ve accomplished something during the day. I’m also a nerd who enjoys listening to different genres of music other than mainstream, such as jazz, K-Pop, and lounge. During the work week, I’ll stop by the nail salon I own, and do some bookkeeping and inventory. If needed, I may do a manicure or pedicure for my regular clients. On top of all of that, I also host trivia, in which I have to put together my own questions and slides to present in the evenings. With all of the things listed, I like to keep myself busy. Perhaps that’s just how I was raised: to be a hard worker.

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Now, you are a DJ by night, but a microbiologist by day. How did you choose microbiology as a profession?

I graduated from KU with a B.S. in molecular biosciences, which opened up many career paths I could dive into.

After going through many interviews and offers, I chose to go with working in a microbiology lab. I work as a quality control technologist, where I inspect and ensure the products manufactured at the site are within specifications before they are released to the company’s customers. I would test the products using all different types of microorganisms, such as E. coli or strep. con’t on next page

Photo courtesy of Steve Nguyen

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What do you enjoy most about being a microbiologist?

The result of my work is the most important thing to me as a microbiologist. After releasing a certain batch of broths and agar plates from production, they get sent out to hospitals, clinics, schools and food plants. These customers use those products on patients, lab classrooms and food to test for any contamination.

In a way, my contribution to the world is making it a healthier, cleaner and safer place. It’s actually rewarding to think about that.

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The STEM fields are often pretty conservative. Do you feel comfortable being out at work? Please explain.

Every day, journalists all over the world are working hard to tell the truth with accuracy, speed and integrity. We deliver life-enhancing, and sometimes lifesaving, information to audiences who are overwhelmed by a deluge of messages, many of them dubious.

And now our leaders are aggressively trying to destroy the free press, which is one of the four pillars of our democracy.

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What do you like to do when you’re not performing or working?

I like to cook, simple or sophisticated, depending on my mood. My favorite dish to cook would have to be Salmon en Croute, drizzled with homemade hollandaise, served with a side of steamed zucchini medallions and couscous. In my spare time, I like to play Japanese music rhythm games, such as Dance Dance Revolution, Beatmania IIDX, and Sound Voltex. I also like to hang out with my younger brother. We have so much in common, and I see him as a carbon copy of me.

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it to make me stronger and find that magic every day. And I’ve done that now with tens of thousands of complete strangers I’ve met across the United States over 862 days.

There are now 24,672 moments of fear that have been overcome (twice) and are represented on 370 giant foam poster boards that I’ve carried on this journey. I continue to move toward my goals: gathering support for being a guest on The Late Show and for conquering my sexual assault and PTSD. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the question that pops up during this journey. It’s a question that can impede the ability of many in our LGBT community to begin healing from sexual assault.

One day, I took a deep breath and answered the question for the first time. And I nervously waited for a response.

This article of hope and support is brought to you by that guy with a lot more to share. That guy with more stories than the Central Library is Ron Blake. You can find him at Blake Late Show on Facebook and Instagram.

Reserve your ad in the special AIDS Walk May 2018 issue!

OK, now something a little fun. Think of all of the music you have for DJing. If you were a track, which one would you be and why?

This is actually a tough one, but I’ll pick one that I like to dance to. There’s a song made by Barry Harris (from the DJ duo Thunderpuss) called “What Makes Your Heartbeat Faster (Toy Armada & DJ Grind Defibrillator Mix),” and it was released almost three years ago.

This song may have repetitive lyrics, but the overall composition is smooth, tame and pleasant. It’s a fun track to dance and strut to. It’s also a song I like to start my live DJ mixes with because it helps set the mood and atmosphere.

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“Telling Strangers” con’t from page 19

May Issue: Closing date for advertising: April 18

To reserve advertising space contact: John Long (816) 221-0199 • jlong@campkc.com

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APRIL CALENDAR 3911 Main St, KC, MO 64111 • (816) 753-7770

April 1.............1:30-3 p.m. Queer Crochet April 2 ............6-8 p.m. Lesbian Movie Night April 3.............6-8 p.m. TGI Women’s Support Group April ................ 6-8 p.m. Ayombi – A Black Transwomen Inc. Support Group April 5 . ...........6:30-8 p.m. Heart of America Softball League Coaches Meeting and Ratings Clinic April 7............. 2-4 p.m. Midwest Writers of LGBTQ F iction April 8............. 1:30-2:30 p.m. LGBT+ Yoga Class 3-4 p.m. Situational Awareness & Self Defense April 9.............6-8 p.m. Lesbian Movie Night April 10........... 6-8 p.m. HRC Steering Committee Member Meeting April 11...........6-8 p.m. LGBTIA Open Mic Night April 12........... 6-8 p.m. Squad of Siblings Member Meeeting April 14........... 3-5 p.m. We Three Queens Book Reading Trio April 15...........1:30-3 p.m. Queer Crochet April 16...........6-8 p.m. Lesbian Movie Night April 17...........6-8 p.m. TGI Women’s Support Group April 18...........6-8 p.m. Black Transmen Akanni Meeting April 19...........5-7:30 p.m. EQUAL Trans Support Group April 22........... 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mimosa Brunch for KCCI 1:30-2:30 p.m. LGBT Yoga Class 3-4 p.m. PFLAG Kansas City April 23...........6-8 p.m. Lesbian Movie Night April 24 .......... 6-8 p.m. The HIMM Project – Member Meeting April 26...........6-8 p.m. Squad of Siblings Member Meeting April 27...........3-7 p.m. GLSEN Day of Silence April 28........... 5:30-8 p.m. Mature Adult Gay Group (MAGG) Potluck April 29...........1:30-3 p.m. Queer Crochet April 30...........6-8 p.m. Lesbian Movie Night Kansas City Center for Inclusion Events For more info about scheduling and programming, contact Samantha Ruggles at samantha.kay@inclusivekc.org

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bars&restaurants where you can find Camp

kansas city bistro 303*

303 Westport Road 816.753.2303 bistro303.com

buddies

3715 Main 816.561.2600

cafe trio

4558 Main 816.756.3227 cafetriokc.com

cucina della ragazza*

*bar & restaurant

301 Westport Road 816.960.4744 ragazzakc.com

hamburger mary’s* 3700 Broadway, Suite 110 816.842.1919 hamburgermarys.com/kc

missie b’s

805 W. 39th Street 816.561.0625 missiebskc.com

sidekicks saloon 3707 Main

816.931.1430

sidestreets bar 413 E. 33rd Street 816.531.1775

woody’s sports pub* 3740 Broadway 816.888.3340 woodysclassic.com

columbia yin yang nightclub

128 East Nifong Blvd., #E (573) 303-5663 yinyangnightclub.com

Want your business included? Call (816) 221-0199 or email jlong@campkc.com

springfield wichita touché

424 N. Boonville 417.831.4700

club boomerang* 1400 E 1st Street N (316) 247-0350 clubboomerang.com

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camp april 2018