Echo Magazine - Arizona LGBTQ Lifestyle - April 2016

A Royal Makeover Phoenix Pride hosts all-inclusive pageant for 2016

PLUS: Phoenix Pride Preview

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 27, #7 | ISSUE 679 | APRIL 2016 | COMPLIMENTARY

David Sedaris

Saturday, April 30, 8 p.m.

Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix Back by popular demand, a reading and book signing with the best-selling author and public radio personality, known for his sardonic wit and incisive social critiques.

“… one of the greatest humorists writing today.” – Chicago Tribune

Order your tickets today!

Click Call Visit

Phoenix.TicketForce.com 602-262-6225 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix

inside this issue Issue 679 | Vol. 27, #7 | April 2016

features NEWS 10 4 Your Information 12 News Briefs

2016 Phoenix Pride Preview

18 Datebook 20 ASU’s new research unit aims to diversify science and technology fields

presented by

PREVIEWS AND REVIEWS 54 At The Box Office Photo by Scotty Kirby.

60 Opening Nights 62 Recordings 64 Between the Covers

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A Royal Makeover Phoenix Pride hosts all-inclusive pageant and sets out to crown Miss and Mister Phoenix Pride 2016.

COMMUNITY

34

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/thedinah.

68 Talking Bodies

Phoenix Pride Preview From local performers to our longestrunning Pride parade, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s festivities.

Photo by Marques Daniels.

70 All Over The Map 72 Money Talks

ON THE COVER Mister Phoenix Gay Pride 2015 Dee Jae Galaxy-Broadway and Miss Phoenix Gay Pride 2015 Trixxie Deluxxe.

Photo by Scotty Kirby.

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Doing ‘The Dinah’ Club Skirts brings star-studded weekend to Palm Springs. Bonus: Echo caught up with Hunter Valentine.

50

White Party 2016 Palm Springs gets a white-hot weekend (for the boys). Bonus: Echo goes behind the scenes with DJ Wayne G .

A Royal Makeover Phoenix Pride hosts all-inclusive pageant for 2016

PLUS: Phoenix Pride Preview

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 27, #7 | ISSUE 679 | APRIL 2016 | COMPLIMENTARY

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inside this issue

on echomag.com web exclusives

Tommy Tune. Photo by Franco Lacosta.

Opening Nights Echo’s theater expert Richard Schultz highlights six productions heading to Valley stages this month. echomag.com/opening-nights-april-2016

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/mapplethorpefilm.

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures Echo’s film expert Hans Pedersen reviews the new documentary on photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. echomag.com/mapplethorpe

A Rainbow of Voices Community members share unified desire for – and continue to work toward – acceptance at all levels. echomag.com/a-rainbow-of-voices

Photo credit: Michael Ging/Michael Ging Photography

The Debutante Echo’s music expert Cait Brennan shares the inspiration and anecdotes behind the tracks on her debut album. echomag.com/the-debutante

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notes from the

managing editor

By KJ Philp

LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill

O

n behalf of the entire Echo family, I’d like to be among the first to wish you a happy Pride! We’ve worked incredibly hard to get you an issue filled with Pride press ahead of this year’s festivities – and we hope you’re ready to celebrate with us!

First up, Liz Massey spoke with the reigning Miss and Mister Phoenix Gay Pride 2015 to get the details on what’s different about this year’s pageant, which takes place March 20 at DoubleTree

by Hilton. Find out more in “A Royal Makeover,” on page 28.

From there, we present Echo’s annual Phoenix Pride preview, complete with event coverage, the festival’s schedule of events and a variety of artist interviews.

As part of the 10 Days of Pride, Echo is cordially inviting all of you – our readers – to Hula’s Modern Tiki in Phoenix. Stop by any time (all day long) March 31 and 10 percent of your total bill will benefit the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center. We have all the details on page 52 and we hope to see you there!

For more 10 Days of Pride events, see “Datebook” on page 18.

As the 10 Days of Pride come to an end, we find ourselves at the beginning of Pride weekend, but don’t wait until April Fools’ Day to plan your itinerary. We hope our coverage in the pages ahead help you navigate this year’s festivities.

In “Running the Rainbow,” on page 34, Laura Latzko caught up with the Phoenix Frontrunners to bring you all the information on the 18th annual Pride Run, which will take place April 2, but also the run expo and first-ever arts festival, which have become part of the event.

In honor of Arizona’s longest-running Pride tradition, Tiffany Hopkins brings

you “#CommunityStrong” on page 35, complete coverage of Phoenix’s annual Pride parade, which will take place April 3.

We’ve also got the scoop on this year’s Pride festival, which takes place April 2 and 3. Find out what to expect and who will be taking the stage(s) in “A Celebration of Pride” on page 36.

Speaking of the Pride festival, don’t forget to come by the Echo booth to say hi to us and let us know how we’re doing.

We always look forward to hearing the ideas and feedback from our community and meeting our readers in person.

And, as part of this year’s Pride festival, the Echo Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony will take place April 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Community Stage. Mark your calendars because you won’t want to miss our “localebrity” co-hosts or your opportunity to take photos on the pink carpet with your faves. For more information, be sure to read “Sweet 16” on page 14 and check out the complete listing of all the finalists on page 27.

But before we shift the focus to the winners of this year’s most coveted awards, Team Echo would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the thousands of nominations we received and went on to spread the word and cast more than 800 individual votes this year. Your loyal readership and your participation are what make these awards mean something special year after year. Thank you again, and have a safe and happy Pride!

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR: KJ Philp CONTRIBUTORS: Danae Barnes Cait Brennan Anthony Costello Tiffany Hopkins Tamara Juarez Laura Latzko Lorraine Longhi Art Martori Greg Marzullo

Liz Massey Melissa Myers David-Elijah Nahmod Tia Norris Hans Pedersen Terri Schlichenmeyer Richard Schultz Michael J. Tucker Megan Wadding

ART DEPARTMENT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jake Rojas PHOTOGRAPHY: Brittany Lea and nightfuse.com.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES: Adrian Bradley Gregg Edelman Randy Robinson NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863

ECHO READERSHIP: 40,000 SUBSCRIPTIONS: $29/year ACE PUBLISHING, INC.

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 16630 Phoenix, AZ 85011-6630 PHONE: 602-266-0550 NON-PHOENIX METRO: 888-echomag EMAIL: manager@echomag.com Copyright © 2016 • ISSN #1045-2346

KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at editor@echomag.com.

Member:

Join the conversation with #EchoMagAZ.

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Echo Magazine is pub­lished by and is a trademark of ACE Publish­ing, Inc. All rights re­served. Written permis­sion must be obtained in advance for par­tial or com­plete re­production of in­clud­ing any advertising ma­te­ri­al contained therein.

Opin­ions ex­pressed in are not necessar­ily those of the pub­lisher or staff or ACE Publishing, Inc. does not as­sume re­spon­sibil­ity for claims by its ad­ver­tis­ers. Publication of the name or pho­to­graph of a per­son or or­gani­za­tion in ar­ticles, ad­ver­tising or list­ings inis not to be con­strued as an in­di­ca­tion of the sexual ori­en­ta­tion of such or­gani­za­tions or persons (unless such ori­en­ta­tion is specifically stat­ed). Manuscripts or other ma­te­ri­als submit­ted re­main the property of ACE Publishing. Free copies lim­it­ed to one per per­son.

Photo by Lilly Wachowski.

ON THE RECORD pride #UncorkEquality this Pride season. Just in time for Phoenix Pride, ONEHOPE Wine, the popular wine brand that “integrates causes and impact into every bottle,” has launched a special edition Sparkling Brut encased in a rainbow glitter-encrusted bottle as a tribute to the LGBTQ community’s Pride flag. Half the profits from the sale of each bottle will go directly to The Trevor Project, with every four bottles funding one hour of operational costs for The Trevor Project Lifeline. The ONEHOPE California Brut Sparkling Wine is available at onehopewine.com/shop/rainbowglitter-edition-brut-sparkling-wine.

“To be transgender is something largely understood as existing within the dogmatic terminus of male or female.

And to ‘transition’ imparts a sense of immediacy, a before and after from one terminus to another. But the reality, my reality is that I’ve been transitioning and will continue to transition all of my life, through the infinite that exists between male and female as it does in the infinite between the binary of zero and one. We need to elevate the dialogue beyond the simplicity of binary. Binary is a false idol.”

– Lilly Wachowski in a statement to the Windy City Times that was published March 8. The Matrix co-director is the second sibling of the filmmaking duo known as The Wachowskis to come out as transgender (her sister Lana came out in 2012).

BY the numbers

television

60 Photo courtesy of Gaycation

Viceland, a new cable channel that debuted Jan. 28, premiered its new docuseries, “Gaycation,” March 2. In each episode, Ellen Page and her best friend, Ian Daniel, travel to various destinations across the globe to learn more about the LGBTQ experience – from the Gay District in Tokyo to Jamaica’s first Pride parade.

“I’m on a journey to explore what it means to be lesbian, gay, bi or trans all around the world,” Page said in the show’s trailer.

“We want to join the celebrations, document the stuggles, feel the love and the hate and bring home every human story we encounter along the way.”

For more information, visit vice.com/tag/gaycation.

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The number of companies that are members of the Human Rights Campaign’s newly launched business coalition officially endorsing the bipartisan Equality Act, according to a March 10 press release.

Since HRC joined lawmakers and advocates last July to introduce the Equality Act in Congress, the organization has continued to build support from the business community.

The Business Coalition for the Equality Act launched with 60 leading American companies. With operations in all 50 states, headquarters spanning 22 states and a combined $1.9 trillion in revenue, the companies that make up the coalition employ over 4.2 million people in the United States.

For more information, including a list of the businesses, visit hrc.org/resources/companieslaunch-business-coalition-for-the-equality-act.

4 your information

news briefs

Huzzah ...

As part of the 2016 LGBTQ Day at the Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace, community members gathered in front of the Royal Pavilion for a group photo March 13.

Photo by Gregg Edelman.

UGIMA Honors Jason Green For 17 Years of Service United Gay Informed Men of African Descent (UGIMA) recognized Jason Green (pictured), and 2014 Echo Magazine Hall of Fame inductee, the group’s co-founder as well as an activist and a leader in and for the LGBTQ community here in Arizona, with its 2016 Invisible Heroes Award Feb. 23 at the Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix.

The Invisible Heroes program has also recognized individuals who are now making a significant difference in the lives of people in the target communities, including Dr. Neal Lester, Robbie Fields, Donna McHenry and others.

This year, Green was the sole honoree of the event, which will be presided over

by D. Babe Caylor and Arcelious Stephens.

After 17 years of contributions to the local community, including serving as one of the principal organizers of the Arizona

Black AIDS Task Force, serving as the Maricopa County Chair and as a facilitator with Arizona Man2Man and raising money and recruiting volunteers for the Arizona AIDS walk, Green recently announced that he will be relocating to Boston this year. “[I]t is with both joy and sadness that UGIMA will celebrate Jason’s time here with us,” a recent UGIMA press release stated. “We will do so on the occasion of our annual Invisible Heroes Program, [established] six years ago by Jason and Louis and held during Black History Month. [T]he program … recognizes and honors African-

American men, women and allies whose contributions to the Black and LGBTQ communities, and to the larger public, may not have received the recognition that they deserved.”

UGIMA is a men’s discussion group that meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix to take up subjects of interest and importance to the Black LGBTQ community and is a sanctuary for Black Gay men living their lives authentically.

For more information on UGIMA, visit ugimaphx.wix.com/ugima.

Phoenix Pride Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications The Phoenix Pride Scholarship Program, a charitable program that was established to provide scholarships to LGBTQ college students or dependents of an LGBTQ parent, recently announced that it is accepting 2016 applications.

Since its inception in 2008, the Phoenix Pride Scholarship Fund has awarded $142,500 in scholarships. The organization announced that it will be awarding six $5,000 scholarships, totaling $30,000 in scholarships, again this year. Funds for this program are administered by the Arizona Community Foundation.

• Intent to enroll as a full-time student while receiving the scholarship (minimum 9 to 12 credits per semester).

Award Details:

• Self-identified member of the LGBTQ community with a record of involvement in the LGBTQ community or dependent of a self-identified LGBTQ parent.

• A previously awarded student may apply and be considered for subsequent awards along with new applicants, but the scholarship is not automatically renewed. A student will not be awarded for more than a total of four years on the scholarship.

• Financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (fafsa.ed.gov).

• Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA in high school or college courses.

• $5,000, in payments of $2,500, before the start of each semester.

Applications must be received by April 15.

For more information, visit azfoundation. academicworks.com/opportunities/1589.

Award Criteria: • Students must be currently attending an accredited school in Arizona; or be a May graduate from a high school in Maricopa County accepted at an Arizona college for the following school year.

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news briefs

ON THE RECORD sports In one of the first campaigns of its kind, the players of Mexico’s national soccer team are speaking out against the use of antigay chants in their games. The team recently launched an antidiscrimination initiative, dubbed “Abrazados por el Fútbol” (Let’s hug for football) to encourage its fans to be more inclusive.

The official video, which has more than 120,000 views since it was posted to the team’s YouTube channel March 29, asks spectators to refrain from using derogatory language. To watch the full video, visit bit.ly/1PUk6BX.

“My name is Charlie. I’m following a law that was passed on March 23rd. I am a transgender man who would rather be using the men’s room right now. This is likely uncomfortable for both of us. Please contact your legislature and tell them you oppose HB2.”

– The words Charlotte, N.C. resident Charlie Comero had printed on business cards following the state’s discriminatory bathroom bill was passed March 23. Comero shared a photo of the business cards in a March 25 Facebook post that has been shared nearly 15,000 times in two weeks.

BY the numbers

43,000

television

After 27 years on “The Simpsons,” the character of Smithers has officially come out of the closet. While Smithers never says, “I’m gay,” his sexual orientation was revealed when Homer Simpson and co-workers try and find their boss’ grumpy assistant a man on Grindr. They throw a party at Homer’s house and invite guys they found on Grindr, including one voiced by Star Trek icon George Takei who takes a jab at fellow Star Trek alum William Shatner. Titled “The Burns Cage,” this episode was written by Rob LaZebnik, who said he wanted to write the episode for his 21-year-old son who is gay. To watch the entire episode, “The Burns Cage,” visit fox.tv/1RYbQoY. 10

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The number of people who signed an online petition to get General Mills to belatedly feature Olympic diver Greg Louganis, who they say was overlooked for the honor at the height of his career.

The four-time gold medalist, who came out as gay publicly in 1994 and revealed he was HIV-positive a year later, has said that homophobia likely blocked him from being featured on a Wheaties box after the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics. As part of the revamped “legends” series, Louganis will join two other former Olympians, hurdler Edwin Moses and swimmer Janet Evans on boxes that are expected to be in stores beginning in May. 4 your information

news briefs

Out @ SMoCA ...

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art hosted Out @ SMoCA, an event welcoming the LGBTQ community for an evening of cocktails, conversation and provocative art March 23. For more photos of the event, which was sponsored by Echo Magazine and benefited one n ten, visit echomag.com/gallery/2016-photos.

Photo by Bill Gemmill.

Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS receives grant from The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation has awarded a $15,000 grant to Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS. The grant is helping to reduce new HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities by helping the agency meet a 73 percent increase in the demand for HIV testing.

“This grant from The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation is helping cover some of the funding gap,” said Cindy Quenneville, the center’s CEO. Unlike many other states, Arizona does not provide funding for HIV testing with the

exception of some funds to test in county hospital emergency rooms.

“The work that Southwest Center for HIV/ AIDS does to help people living with HIV/ AIDS is very much aligned with Elizabeth Taylor’s passionate commitment to the cause,” said Joel Goldman, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation’s managing director.

“ETAF is thrilled to present Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS with these funds to help further our shared mission.”

According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control, more than 90 percent of new HIV infections in the U.S.

could be averted by diagnosing people living with HIV and ensuring they receive prompt, ongoing care and treatment. Southwest Center’s testing program includes HIV education, counseling, and linkage to treatment for those who test positive.

To date, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation has granted funding to over 675 organizations in 44 countries.

To learn more about the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS visit, swhiv. org. For more information about The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation visit, elizabethtayloraidsfoundation.org.

Aunt Rita’s welcomes Glen Spencer

By Tamara Juarez

The Phoenix Pride Scholarship Program, a charitable program that was established to provide scholarships to LGBTQ college students or dependents of an LGBTQ parent, recently announced that it is accepting 2016 applications.

Loving

For the past 10 years, Glen Spencer has dedicated his life to increasing community awareness of HIV and AIDS, one of the world’s most lethal health threats.

After being diagnosed with advanced AIDS in 2002, Spencer decided to transform his struggles into an opportunity to help others by working with such local organizations as HIV Care Directions and Aunt Rita’s Foundation, where he was appointed the executive director in late 2015.

Kit Kloeckl (left) and Glen Spencer at Red Brunch in 2015.

Photo by Randy’s Vision Photography

tientinception in 2008, the Paits Since At least 21 Phoenix Pride old Scholarship Fund has years ContactThe us today! awarded $142,500 in scholarships. ble Sta (602)-264-9891 le organization announced that it will Dependab humor Sense ofsix be awarding $5,000fostercare@fsaphoenix.org scholarships, totaling $30,000 in scholarships, again Family Service Agency was this year. Funds for this program are established in 1902 and is a licensed and Child administered by the Arizona Community WelfareAdoption Placing Agency.

Foundation.

TAKE IT ONLINE

www.fsaphoenix.org

ArizonaArizona Department Department of ChildofSafety Child Safety Arizona Department of Child Safety

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To read Echo’s interview with Glen Spencer, the new executive director of Aunt Rita’s Foundation, visit echomag.com/glen-spencer. news

Night For Life 2016 continues the conversation about HIV prevention

By Liz Massey

O

rganizers of Night For Life, the signature fundraising gala for the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS, say that this year’s event will focus on reigniting the conversation about the disease while infusing the evening with fun and celebration.

This year’s event will take place May 14 at the Camelback Inn Resort & Spa. A VIP cocktail reception and silent auction starts at 6 p.m., with dinner, entertainment and presentations starting at 7:15 p.m.

According to Cindy Quenneville, CEO of the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS, “Cocktails, Conversations and Celebrations” is the theme for this year’s event.

“We are looking to bring back the fun to the event,” she said. “Attendees will be able to gather with old friends and talk about why we are all here, remember the cause and celebrate those who have helped advance our work around HIV/AIDS in our community.”

The event will include silent and live auctions, as well as performances by homegrown vocal sensation CeCe Peniston and other entertainers, but the centerpiece of the evening will be an award ceremony

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that will honor individuals and companies for their contributions to the fight against AIDS in Phoenix.

In addition to performing at the event, Peniston will also serve as emcee. She said the role would give her a chance to give back to the Phoenix queer community.

“I’ve been involved with the LGBT community for a long time,” said Peniston, whose 1991 dance hit “Finally” is regarded by many as an LGBTQ anthem. “A lot of people have told me they came out to my music. So I’m happy to be bringing awareness to the cause. Until there’s a cure, there’s going to be a need for awareness.”

According to Quenneville, the center is hoping to raise $559,000 from the gala this year. She added that she hoped it would also help maintain a sense of urgency around HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

“This year will take us back to the beginning, to remember why the Night for Life gala began and why the community’s support is so important,” she said. “We want people to know that, although the buzz around the virus and disease may not be as prevalent, this spread of the virus is quietly still relevant.”

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/therealccp.

Night For Life 2016 May 14 Camelback Inn Resort & Spa 5402 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale Tickets are $350; VIP, $500 per person nightforlife.org Liz Massey has been involved in LGBTQ community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine. She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com.

news

May 14 - 15

datebook april 23

April 28 - May 1

Join Barbra Seville for a Doggie Drag Show, an event benefiting local dog rescues, beginning at 6 p.m. at The Rock, 4129 N. Seventh Ave. in Phoenix. bit.ly/239dUTm april 27

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” Battle of the Seasons 2016 Extravaganza Tour is taking the stage at Celebrity Theater, 440 N. 32nd St. in Phoenix. Doors open at 7 p.m. celebritytheater.com

Girl Bar owners, in association with Total Rewards by Caesars Entertainment, present the fifth annual Dinah Vegas in Sin City. (See story, page 20.) dinahshoreweekend.com April 28 - May 2 Bears of the West present Phurfest 2016, a gathering of bears in the sun, at Embassy Suites Airport @ 24th Street, 2333 E. Thomas Road in Phoenix, and various other locations. phurfest.org

As a preparatory concert for its appearance at the 2016 GALA Festival in Denver, the Phoenix Women’s Chorus presents “Take Flight,” a climax to this season’s theme, “She Began To Fly,” at the Church of the Beatitudes, 555 W. Glendale Ave., in Phoenix. phoenixwomenschorus.org May 15

May 1

april 28

Barbra Seville’s fifth annual Salsa Challenge, benefiting the Phoenix Pride scholarship fund, will take place at 3 p.m. at Karamba Nightclub, 1724 E. McDowell Road in Phoenix.

KarambaNightclub.com Dining Out For Life, an international fundraiser for the fight against HIV and AIDS, will take place at participating restaurants in Phoenix and Prescott. A portion of your check will benefit the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS. For a list of participating restaurants, visit: diningoutforlifeaz.org

May 5 - 9

The Compete Charity Golf Classic, benefiting Aunt Rita’s Foundation, will take place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Starfire Golf Club, 11500 N. Hayden Road in Scottsdale. competenetwork.com May 20

Coronation XI: An Imperial Fire and Ice Ball, including the crowning of Reign XI, will take place at the Phoenix Airport Marriott, 1101 N. 44th St. imperialcourtaz.org

The Greater Phoenix Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce presents LGBT Night at the Ballet, including a private reception at 6 p.m., an artist reception at 7 p.m. and a performance at 8 p.m., at the Desert Botanical Gardens, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, in Phoenix. gpglcc.org May 20 - 22

May 8

Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury will take on the Seattle Storm at 3 p.m. at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St. in Phoenix. mercury.wnba.com/tickets

The Phoenix Metropolitan Men’s Chorus presents its annual spring concert and first-ever commissioned piece Bustin’ Out All Over! May 20, 21 and 22 at the John Paul Theater at Phoenix College, 1202 W. Thomas Road in Phoenix, with showtimes at 8, 7 and 2 p.m., respectively. phoenixmenschorus.org May 14 - 28

May 12

Phoenix Pride, in partnership with Borderlands Food Bank, presents Produce On Wheels With Out Waste (POWWOW) on the second Saturday of each month.

POWWOW distributes fresh produce– $10 for up to 60 pounds – at the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, 801 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. phoenixpridelgbtcenter.org May 14

The Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS presents Night For Life 2016, “Cocktails, Conversations and Celebrations,” which includes dinner at 6 p.m. and entertainment and presentations at 7:15 p.m. at Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, 5402 E. Lincoln Drive in Scottsdale. (See story, page 14.) nightforlife.org 16

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The Phoenix Phantomz, a women’s fullcontact football team belonging to the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL), will host the Bakersfield Bombers and the North County Stars (respectively) at Moon Valley High School, 3625 W. Cactus Road in Phoenix. phoenixphantomz.com

MARK OUR CALENDARS

To have your event considered for Echo’s print and online calendars, submit your event details to echomag.com/ community-calendar. All submissions are subject to Echo’s discretion. events

Presented by Aetna Medicaid, Mercy Maricopa Integrated Care, Mercy Care Plan and Richard P. Stahl

A signature formal gala to support programs and services provided by Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS to those impacted-by HIV or at-risk in Phoenix.

Saturday, May 14, 2016 Camelback Inn Resort and Spa 5402 E. Lincoln Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85253 Performances and entertainment include CeCe Peniston, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Yve Rojas (shown left to right, below) and more to come!

For information and tickets please visit nightforlife.org or call 602-595-8154.

Event Co-chaired by: Jamie Hormel, Owner of The Wrigley Mansion Christopher Gross, Chef and Owner of Christopher’s Crush Proceeds benefit:

Miss Gay USofA Newcomer Kimberly V. Devin sets her eyes lashes on the national prize

By Anthony Costello

E

ach year, fiercely intense Miss Gay USofA Newcomer hopefuls go wig-towig to bring home the coveted crown.

Miss Gay Arizona USofA Newcomer 2016 Kimberly V. Devin recognizes that, although the competition involves friendly camaraderie, it also requires laser-sharp focus.

While being a newcomer guarantees its fair share of challenges, the Miss Gay Diamond of the Desert 2016 is using them to fuel her fight to bring the National Gay

USofA Newcomer title home in August.

Echo caught up with Miss Gay USofA Newcomer 2016, who was crowned Jan. 31 at the Rock, to find out how she felt about her new title.

Echo: How did you first get into drag?

Devin: I got into drag because I was working as a go-go shot boy at BS West, and I met several of the drag queens there during the Elements show. The queens kind of just took me under their wing, or wig you could say, and later I dressed up for drag for the first time on Halloween one year and the rest is history.

Echo: Describe your drag style.

Devin: I like my look to be very clean for the most part. I like high drag; big hair, updos, rhinestones, nails, lots of embellishing. I think what inspires my look most is what I’ve seen at the pageants, mostly at USofA. The high drag aesthetic of USofA has always appealed to me, and that’s what I like to go with.

Echo: How has your drag art evolved since you first entered the scene?

Devin: I think slowly … things get better over time. The more you do your hair, the more you do your nails, then the better you get at picking outfits, getting ready and all those other things. It’s an all-encompassing experience.

Everything has continually evolved for me since day one.

Photo courtesy of Scotty Kirby.

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Echo: What was your first ever performance like?

Devin: It was at BS West. It’s my home bar, so it’s kind of soothing. I did ‘Foolish’ by Ashanti and it was a mess. I think I almost fell during my number as well. I had gotten through most of the song, thought I was doing well and then that stumble happened and it kind of got me. I’ve learned to keep my heels less than four inches since then!

Echo: How did you get involved with the Miss Arizona USofA Newcomer pageant?

Devin: Saellah V., who is also my drag mother, and my sister, Cloey V. Monroe, got me into it after watching them perform so many times. Cloey competed for the first time in the third year of the USofA Newcomer competition. Kira Daniels, another friend was in it, too, at the time.

Watching [Cloey] and Kira perform made me realize it was something I wanted to do, something I needed to have. I’ve always liked competition and enjoyed the aesthetic of USofA. I’m not ready for the big girl stuff yet, so newcomer was kind of my first step into it. It’s something that sparked my interest and my competitive spirit came out and it was something I wanted done.

Echo: Describe your emotions when you were crowned Miss Newcomer.

Devin: Happy, relieved and ready for nationals, but I’m just ready for the next step, on to the next one, let’s go!

Echo: What do you have planned now that you hold the title?

Devin: I’m hoping to bring the National title back to Arizona. I wouldn’t be going if I didn’t think I could do it. I was just crowned a month ago but I already have some fundraisers in the pipeline but no specifics yet. I’m just back at it prepping for the next one.

Echo: Do you have any advice for any up and coming queens?

Devin: Follow your heart, always.

READ THE REST For Echo’s full interview with Miss Gay Arizona USofA Newcomer 2016, visit echomag.com/kimberly-v-devin.

Anthony Costello is an award-winning writer, a graduate of ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a fraternity brother of Sigma Phi Beta, a gay, straight, bisexual and transgender fraternity.

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Echo Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony returns to Pride festival

By KJ Philp

A

s part of the 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards, Echo is proud to announce that its annual awards presentation is returning to the Phoenix Pride festival.

The ceremony, during which the winners in all 16 categories will be revealed, will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. April 2 at the Phoenix Pride festival’s Community Stage.

“We’ve changed the entire competition for this year,” said Bill Gemmill, Echo’s associate publisher. “So it seemed like the perfect opportunity to pair our awards celebration with the Pride celebration – especially since so many of our readers’ favorites play such a big part in our community.”

This year, the awards ceremony will

be hosted by “The A Team” – former Echo Readers’ Choice Award winner and 2008 Miss Phoenix Gay Pride Afeelya Bunz and Echo cover model and co-host of LIVE 101.5’s “The Morning Mess” Aneesh.

“We’ve refocused our event on the community members – from those nominating and voting to those attending and winning,” said Ashlee James, Echo’s director of sales and marketing. “We don’t need a big production to let you know that you’re all important to us. Just mark your calendar and expect all the makings of your favorite awards show, including the best co-hosts in town.”

The event will also include a drag number, a pink carpet with professional photography and a meet and greet with the winners following the ceremony.

(Selfies are highly encouraged, just be sure to use #EchoMagAZ.) Meet the Sweet 16

Afeelya Bunz.

Aneesh.

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In honor of 2016, Echo’s all-new award categories were decided in an effort to give everyone in the community an equal opportunity to be recognized.

“We felt it was time to eliminate the super-specific categories that had

been limiting so many of the people, organizations and businesses that are an important part of what we do,” James said. “We also introduced entirely new categories, like ‘Dazzling Advertiser,’ because we wouldn’t be here today with out them in our pages.”

Winning Numbers

This year’s 83 finalists were a result of more than 7,000 nominations, in all 16 categories combined, made between Jan. 4 and Feb. 12. From there, finalists went on to receive more than 800 votes between Feb. 18 and March 17, ultimately deciding who was most-deserving of these honors in 2016.

Due to an overwhelming response to last year’s awards, Echo moved its voting platform to Survey Monkey.

“The need to take this entire campaign to Survey Monkey was evident after the overwhelming response we received last year,” Gemmill said. “This is just another sign that out readership is supporting the changes and growth they’ve seen us make.

We can’t say thank you enough for that.”

For more information, visit echomag. com/sweet-16 and stay tuned to future issues of Echo.

Echo Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony 3 to 5 p.m. April 2 Phoenix Pride festival’s Community Stage Steele Indian School Park RSVP (not required) at on.fb.me/1Ra3fCd

EchoMag.com

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OUT & ABOUT The 12th Annual HRC Gala Feb. 27 at Sheraton Grand Phoenix.

Photos by Fernando Hernรกndez.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

benefit the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center.

datebook presents IGNITION Phoenix 2016” on Facebook.on.fb.me/1QKfSR6 march 30

MARch 20

The 2016 Miss and Mister Phoenix Pride Pageant will take place at 6 p.m. at DoubleTree

by Hilton, 2100 S. Priest Drive in Tempe. (See story, page 28.) pridepageanttickets.org march 26

march 19

Desert Overture, Valley’s premier LGBTQI and ally wind symphony, presents “Name That Tune,” a game show concert extravaganza, beginning at 7 p.m. at Glendale Community College, 6000 W. Olive Ave. Tickets: eventbrite.com (search Desert Overture) march 21

Join Equality Arizona, HRC Arizona, Competitive Arizona, One Community and SAGA for Equality Day at The Capitol to APRIL 2016

on.fb.me/1Lh21mt

echomag.com/communitycalendar-event/retro-launchparty-event April 1

The Pride Weekend Kick Off Pool Party, featuring DJ Tsunami and appearances by Miss Diamond Of The Desert USofA Kira Daniels and Arizona Entertainer Of The Year F.I. 2016 Karime Lixaldi, will take place from noon to 7 p.m. at the Wyndham Garden Phoenix Midtown, 3600 N. Second Ave. in Phoenix. For details, search “Pride Weekend Kick Off Pool Party” on Facebook. on.fb.me/1P4i7ux April 2

march 31

As part of the 10 Days of Pride, Lerner & Rowe Injury Attorneys presents the second annual IGNITION Phoenix 2016 Auto Show, benefiting the QU Scholarship Fund, will take place at noon at the Arizona State fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Road in Phoenix. For details, search “Lerner and Rowe

18 |

As part of the 10 Days of Pride, Gay Skate 2016, benefiting the Pride Scholarship Fund, will take place from 8 to 11 p.m. at Great Skate Glendale, 10054 N. 43rd Ave., in Glendale. For details, search “Pride Skate Night” on Facebook.

•

As part of the 10 Days of Pride, Echo and Hula’s Modern Tiki present a Pride Retro Launch Party. Stop by the Phoenix location, 4700 N. Central Ave., any time – all day long – and 10 percent of your total bill will

meet with elected officials and learn about important issues for the LGBT community from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. (lunch at Wesley Bolin Plaza is included), 1700 W. Washington St. in Phoenix.

RSVP: onecommunity.co/ arizona/phoenix/events/ equality-day-at-thecapitol-192 march 23

april 2-3

As part of the 2016 Echo Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony co-hosts Afeelya Bunz and Aneesh will reveal the “Sweet 16” from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Phoenix Pride festival’s Community Stage at Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix.

RSVP (not required) at on.fb. me/1Ra3fCd

RSVP by Mar 21 at outatsmoca. rsvpify.com

The 2016 Phoenix Pride Festival will take place from noon-9 p.m. at Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road in Phoenix.

(See story, page 36.) phoenixpridetickets.org april 1-2

The Phoenix Frontrunners present the Fitness Expo and Art Festival will take place from 5-10 p.m. April 1 and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. April 2 at the Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave. april 2

The Phoenix Frontrunners present the 18th annual Pride Run, including half marathon,10K, 5K and Kids Run races, beginning at 6:30 a.m. at Christown Spectrum Mall and concluding at the Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave. (See story, page 34.) priderun.phxfr.org april 3

The 2016 Phoenix Pride Parade will kick off at 10 a.m. at Third Street and Thomas Road and run to Steele Indian School Park. phoenixpride.org/events/prideparade

april 8-10

march 26

The 10th annual Hope in the Face of AIDS dinner, benefiting the International Alliance for the Prevention of AIDS, will take place at 5:30 at The Sheraton Grand Phoenix, 340 N. Third St. iapaindia.org/event/hopedinner march 29

The Saguaro Cup, the Southwest’s finest LGBT softball tournament, returns to Valley fields. The weekend kicks off with an opening party April 8 at 8:30 p.m. at DeSoto Central Market, 915 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix.

RSVP at onecommunity.com

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art welcomes the LGBTQ community and friends to Out@SMoCA, an evening of cocktails, conversation, art, a live DJ, light snacks, raffle and opportunity to explore the spring exhibitions. Space is limited.

EchoMag.com

march 26

One Community and Go Daddy present the LGBT Workplace Inclusion Conference, “cultivating a welcoming and inclusive workplace,” from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Go Daddy, 1445 N. Hayden Road, in Scottsdale.

RSVP at onecommunity.com

Arizona Gay Volleyball Association presents Sets in the Sand, a two-person sand volleyball tournament, will take place at the Rose Wofford Sports Complex, 9833 N. 25th Ave. in Phoenix. azgv.org datebook

ASU’s new research unit aims to diversify science and technology fields

By Tamara Juarez

A

rizona State University has launched a new program to help minority women pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology, founded by ASU associate professor Kimberly Scott, provides women of color with resources to help further their academic goals and nurture their interest in technology and science.

“Our goal is to change the STEM pipeline,” said Gabriel Escontrías, Jr., CGEST manager and ASU LGBT Devils’ Pride alumi chapter president. “We want to diversify the STEM fields and provide girls with the opportunity to make their voices heard through the use of technology.”

Because CGEST fully adheres to the university’s policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment and retaliation, Escontrías said this includes transgender students who identify as female.

“Our center is committed to advancing all girls and women of color in STEM through an intersectional and culturally responsive approach,” Escontrías said, “which, without question, includes trans girls and trans women of color in STEM.” Within the STEM community, women

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continue to be severely underrepresented.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women comprise 47 percent of the U.S. workforce, but make up only 26 percent of people employed in computer or mathematical occupations.

Asians, Hispanics, Blacks, American Indians and Alaska Natives account for a small portion of the STEM workforce, but double minorities fare far worse. In fact, as reported by the National Science Foundation, women make up less than one in 10 employed scientists and engineers while Black and Latin women make up 2 to 3 percent.

The purpose of ASU’s new center, which is a research unit of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is to increase the number of underrepresented women in STEM by offering students the opportunity to engage in research-based programs, explore various STEM fields and connect with other minority students.

READ THE REST For Echo’s full story on ASU’s Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology, visit echomag.com/cgest.

Andrew Williams observes CompuGirls participants. Photo courtesy of cgest.asu.edu.

The key to raising awareness, according to Escontrías, is understanding that each minority group faces unique struggles that prevent them from having access to valuable resources.

Former CompuGirls mentor Jessica Williams has seen the effect that CompuGirls and CGEST has had on students and strongly believes in its mission.

“We need this program in our community, especially for minority women,” said Williams, the education and development specialist for the Greater Phoenix Urban League. “If we want this world to work, we need women. We need them in every sector of society, especially in STEM.” Tamara Juarez is a student at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. During her spare time she loves to read, hike and make bad puns.

news

OUT & ABOUT ASU LGBT Devils’ Pride Annual Scholarship Benefit Dinner March 12 at Old Main, Tempe Campus.

Photos by KJ Philp.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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OUT & ABOUT Melrose Street Fair March 5 on Seventh Avenue, Phoenix.

Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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You’re Invited!

Echo Readers’ Choice Award Ceremony 3-5 p.m. April 2 at the Phoenix Pride Festival’s Community Stage

Meet the Sweet 16!

2016 Readers’ Choice Awards Finalists:

1

Local Trailblazer

• Blaise Caudill • Bobby Gordon • Stacy Louis • Barbra Seville • Meg Sneed-Dupps

2

Amazing Ally

• Howard and Patty Fleischmann • Gina Florio • Lili Montoya • Mayor Greg Stanton • Nicole Stanton

3

Dazzling Advertiser

• Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair • Easley’s Fun Shop • Hula’s Modern Tiki • Open Wide Dental • Stacy’s @ Melrose

4

Politically Correct

• Arizona State Senator Katie Hobbs • Former U.S. Congressman Ed Pastor • U.S. Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema • Mayor Greg Stanton • U.S. Supreme Court’s Marriage Equality Ruling

e

5

FUNdraiser

• AIDS Walk Arizona • Barbra Seville’s Wonderful 100 • Phoenix Pride • Sparkle, Glitter, GLSEN • Stacy’s @ Melrose Monthly Charity Shot

6

Get Involved

• Aunt Rita’s Foundation • GLSEN Phoenix • HERO • The Imperial Sovereign Empire of Arizona • one n ten

7

Mark Your Calendar

• #KirbyGirls – Scotty Kirby • Miss Gay Arizona America Pageant • Phoenix Pride Festival • Rainbows Festival • Romantasy Cabaret

8

Take The Stage

• The Barbra Seville Show • #KirbyGirls • Miss Gay Arizona America • Garden Variety Review with Olivia Gardens • Phoenix Metropolitan Men’s Chorus • Romantasy Cabaret

9

The Star of the Show

• Barbra Seville • Coco St James • Mizz Lucy Morals • Nevaeh McKenzie • Olivia Gardens

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Raise the Bar

• BS West • Kobalt • R Lounge • The Rock • Stacy’s @ Melrose

11

Happiest Happy Hour

• Bar 1 • Fez • Kobalt • R Lounge • Stacy’s @ Melrose

12

Savor Local Flavor

• Fez • Harley’s Italian Bistro • La Grande Orange Grocery & Pizzeria • Red Thai Southeast Asian Kitchen • Ticoz Latin Kitchen

13

Get Your Art On

• The Cats & Guitars Art Show • First Friday, Artlink • Heard Museum • #KirbyGirls • Phoenix Art Museum

14

Retail Therapy

• Boom Boom LaRue’s • Green Gurl • Off Chute Too • Seventh Avenue Merchants Association (Melrose District) • Tan United/TUC Shops

15

Mind, Body, Soul

• Community Church of Hope • First Church UCC • Japanese Friendship Garden • Metropolitan Community Church • Rebel & Divine UCC • Sunday Assembly CenPho

16

Get Sweaty

• Arizona Cardinals • Friends With Benefits Kickball League • LA Fitness (Camelback Road and Seventh Avenue) • Phoenix Mercury • Phoenix Unified Gay Bowling Alliance • Tangible Tanning & Fitness

cover story

A Royal Makeover

Phoenix Pride hosts all-inclusive pageant for 2016

By Liz Massey

F

ashions and fads come and go, but many individuals and organizations in the public eye manage to keep on top of trends by refreshing their look and their brand from time to time.

Following this line of thinking, the Miss and Mister Phoenix Gay Pride Pageant has introduced several key changes to the event for 2016, in hopes of creating a more inclusive event that’s representative of the entire LGBTQ community.

“After last year’s pageant, we took a look at the pageant and how it reflected on the community as a whole,” said Dani Logan, program manager for Phoenix Pride.

The Name Change

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“I think it will help,” she said. “Kids can come as they are and not have to develop a drag persona. We’re excited about the 2016 event.”

Reigning Royalty

According to Logan, the current titleholders, Dee Jae Galaxy-Broadway and Trixxie Deluxxe, have been instrumental in encouraging people to enter as well as communicating these changes to the 2016 contestants.

Big change number one for the competition is a change in the event’s name, from the Miss and Mister Phoenix Gay Pride Pageant to the Miss and Mister Phoenix Pride Pageant. Logan explained that the new name aligns with the organization’s brand more closely, and better describes who is competing for the title.

“Our current titleholders are phenomenal,” she said. “They’ve been out during the preliminaries discussing what the changes are to the pageant and what that means.”

“‘Gay’ doesn’t fully describe who wears the sash now,” she said. “And we are Phoenix Pride, not Phoenix Gay Pride.”

“I was very excited about that news,” he said. “There are so many talented and well-rounded non-drag performers who would do so well for the community and our title. The reason I love our community is the inclusivity, no one should be left out.

I’m very excited about all our [non-drag] performers competing; they’re really bringing the heat this year! This will also open the door for more interest in the title and Pride.”

In a similar vein, the pageant changed its contestant requirements, broadening who can compete in each category.

Previously, organizers had limited competition in the Miss and Mister Gay Pride categories to female and male drag performers/illusionists, respectively. But interest in nondrag performances at the pageant has surged, so organizers have changed contestant requirements to include those who present themselves as the gender they identify with, as well as illusionists who present in a drag persona.

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According to Logan, Phoenix Pride enacted similar updates with the Miss and Mister Junior Phoenix Pride Pageant last fall. However, there were no contestants in any category before the scheduled finals at the Rainbows Festival in October, so the junior pageant will re-launch with the changes this year. Logan added that she felt the changes would be especially beneficial for youth performers.

Mister Phoenix Gay Pride 2015 Dee Jae Galaxy-Broadway, who is also known as MK Underwood, said he was very excited and motivated about communicating the 2016 pageant changes.

A Community Cause

An aspect of the pageant that the recent changes may reinforce is its function as the primary fundraiser for the Pride organization’s student scholarships.

Each year, the pageant, which is not affiliated with any other local or national drag pageant systems, raises $30,000 in cover story

“The reason I love our community is the inclusivity, no one should be left out. I’m very excited about all our [non-drag] performers competing; they’re really bringing the heat this year!”

Dee Jae Galaxy-Broadway

funds for the student scholarships. It is for this reason, Logan said, that potential titleholders needed to be prepared to step into a community leadership role.

“The pride titles truly are community titles,” she said. “It requires maturity and experience … people really rise to the occasion and they become pillars of the community, if they weren’t already.”

Miss Phoenix Gay Pride 2015 Trixxie Deluxxe, also known as Marcos Sandoval, said she decided to compete for the Pride pageant title because of her experience as Miss Arizona Gay Rodeo 2012, which involved fundraising for the Arizona Gay Rodeo Association.

“I wanted to be able to continue to give back to the community, and felt being Miss Pride was the best way to do that,” she said. “I wanted to create my own path and start in the nonprofit sector and then continue on to the more competitive systems … [the Pride pageant] can be a great place to start for someone who is new, but also a great place for the more seasoned performers.”

Dee Jae Galaxy-Broadway said that he and Trixxie Deluxxe had planned out their fundraising activity to ensure they hit their monetary target, and that they were making progress toward that goal.

Participating in the annual Pride Gala last summer, he said, helped him focus on why the scholarships were so important.

“My favorite event so far would have to be the Pride Gala – to actually see the scholarship recipients and the good that the scholarship fund does is incredibly humbling,” he said. “It really puts things in perspective. It just motivated us to work harder!”

Stepping into the Spotlight

According to Logan, there are 16 finalists (11 in the Miss category and five in the Mister category) going into the 2016 Miss and Mister Phoenix Pride Pageant, which will take place March 20 at the DoubleTree

by Hilton in Tempe.

All contestants have competed in preliminary contests, with categories that include eveningwear, on-stage question and talent. At the finals, contestants are also judged based on cover story

Photos by Scotty Kirby.

how much fundraising they have done for the scholarship fund, and compete in a professional interview category, which Logan likened to a “job interview” for the position of Miss or Mister Phoenix Pride.

Once the new titleholders have been crowned, they will quickly take their place as a key part of the 2016 Phoenix Pride

weekend festivities by kicking off the weekend’s entertainment on the festival’s main stage April 2 and riding in the parade April 3.

“Pride weekend is the first big duty that they fulfill,” Logan explained. “It’s their introduction to the community - and their time to shine.”

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2016 Miss Phoenix Pride Contestants

Former miss phoenix pride titleholders

• Maxine Hart • Payda Parc • Miley Mitchells • Aubrey Ghalichi • Mishal Mishal • Daynah Rivera • Charmaine Knight • Naomi St. James • Valentina Grayson • Tyra Marie • Patricia Mason

2015: Trixxie Deluxxe 2014: Barbra Seville 2013: Khloe V Monroe 2012: Grecia Montes D’ Occa 2011: Olivia Gardens 2010: Diamond Dallas 2009: Chane’ Jordan 2008: Afeelya Bunz 2007: Claudia B. 2004: Paula Sha’ 2003: Anita Champagne Pride 2002: Aurora Gayheart 2001: Antwenette 2000: Mimi Rae Rose 1999: Paula Sha’ 1998: Pussy LeHoot 1997: Diane Daniels 1996: Ellie 1995: Felicia Fahr 1994: Roxy Blue 1993: Markus

2016 Mister Phoenix Pride Contestants

• Geo • Buster Cherry • Jay Krawford • Roman Holiday • Ish

Former mister phoenix pride titleholders

2015: Dee Jae Galaxy-Broadway 2014: Eddie Broadway 2012 and 2013: Jensen Dean 2011: Freddy Prinze Charming 2010: Nikki Kidd 2009: Brandon Packer 2004: Tomi Boi

2016 Miss and mister phoenix pride pageant

6 p.m. March 20 DoubleTree by Hilton 2100 S. Priest Drive, Tempe Tickets: $15; VIP table for 10, $250 pridepageanttickets.org

Liz Massey has been involved in LGBTQ community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine.

She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com.

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Running The Rainbow Phoenix Frontrunners add Fitness Expo and Arts Festival to Pride Run festivities

By Laura Latzko

S

ince 1999, the mission of the Phoenix Frontrunners has been to cultivate an inclusive fitness community and create awareness about health and exercise.

As part of the mission, the local LGBTidentified and allied running and walking group has produced 17 Pride Runs in Phoenix.

Not only does this year mark the 18th annual Pride Run, which will take place April 2, it also marks the introduction of an art festival into the weekend lineup.

Runners, Take Your Mark

According to Phoenix Frontrunners vice president Dan Shabra, the Pride Run has grown and gained greater support from the LGBTQ community in recent years.

“The community is coming together for support, equality, inclusion, diversity and acceptance,” Shabra said. “Not everybody goes to the festival, so here’s another outlet for the community to still be part of pride week.”

The Pride Run, which takes place April 2, invites LGBTQ and allied runners and walkers to participate in half-marathon, 10K, 5K and Kids Run courses.

The half marathon and 10K courses begin at the Christown Spectrum Mall, at 19th Avenue and Bethany Home Road, and the 5K and Kids Run courses begin at Palm Lane and Central Avenue. All courses end at the Phoenix Art Museum.

The top male and female finishers in each run will receive medals. The Frontrunners also gives out finisher medals to all participants who complete the courses in the allotted time (indicated on the website).

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extended the invitation to get involved to everyone – not rust runners and walkers – with the Rainbow Charity Challenge.

As part of the new challenge, the Frontrunners are acknowledging donations with medals and chances to win additional prizes (depending on the amount donated).

All funds raised will benefit Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development, Aunt Rita’s Foundation, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, Arizona Animal Welfare League and Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

This year, Shabra said the Frontrunners are aiming for 1,500 participants. Last year, about 850 runners and walkers – from 21 different states and Canada – participated in the Pride Run. Fitness Expo and Arts Festival

This year, the Frontrunners expanded the pride-themed festivities with a two-day fitness expo and arts festival, which will take place April 1 and 2 at the Phoenix Art Museum.

According to Shabra, the expo and arts festival gives runners and walkers a place to socialize before and after the run, adding that the museum will offer free admission to festivalgoers April 1 as part of its First Friday programming.

The two-day event will have a beer garden, live music from a Power 98.3 DJ, local vendors, a Phoenix Frontrunners Pride Run gear store, health and nutritionthemed booths and food vendors.

Additionally, four local bands – Cosmic Shindig, Soul Selective, New Wave Order and About Time – will add to the festival atmosphere with classic rock, ‘80s, soul and ska/reggae music, respectively.

Phoenix Frontrunners

With its participation in International Front Runners, a collection of LGBTQ running clubs throughout the world, Phoenix Frontrunners has become globally known.

“It’s an individual sport, but you build relationships and partnerships, and you create these running buddies,” Shabra said.

In addition to the annual Pride Run, the Phoenix Frontrunners hosts group runs/walks on Tuesdays at Dreamy Draw Recreation Area, first Wednesdays in downtown Phoenix, Thursdays at Tempe Town Lake and Saturdays throughout the summer on Murphy’s Bridle Path in Phoenix.

The walks and runs draw anywhere from 15 to 40 participants, depending on the time of the year, and new members are always welcome. For more information on the Phoenix Frontrunners, visit phxfr.org.

Fitness Expo and Art Festival 5-10 p.m. April 1 and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. April 2, Phoenix Art Museum 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix Free admission Pride Run April 2 Half-marathon start time: 6:30 a.m. at Christown Spectrum Mall 10K start time: 7:30 a.m. Christown Spectrum Mall 5K start time: 9 a.m. at Central Avenue and Palm Lane Kids Run start time: 11 a.m. at Central Avenue and Palm Lane priderun.phxfr.org

READ THE REST For Echo’s full interview with the Phoenix Frontrunners, visit echomag. com/running-the-rainbow.

Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

pride preview

Photo by leakedglass.com.

#CommunityStrong Phoenix Pride parade honors history and celebrates progress

By Tiffany Hopkins

T

he Phoenix Pride parade is one of Arizona’s longest-running LGBTQ traditions.

Throughout the years, this procession has served as a melting pot for businesses, organizations, individuals and families to celebrate, demonstrate and gain visibility as a unified community.

The tradition continues April 3 (on Sunday for the second consecutive year) as the 2016 parade – under the theme of #CommunityStrong – hits the streets of central Phoenix.

“I think the greatest part about this parade is the power of its history,” said Justin Owen, Phoenix Pride executive director. “The first-ever Pride parade was an actual march for political activism.”

The nation’s first Pride parade, which took place in New York City in June of 1970, commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots – the nearly weeklong uprising between young LGBTQ people and police officers following a raid of Stonewall Inn – and has since been adopted by cities all over the world.

What started solely as a push for political activism, Owen explained, has evolved into a grand celebration for LGBTQ communities everywhere.

“We are showing everyone who we are and doing it proudly,” he said, “It’s a time to celebrate our presence … This event makes it clear to see how far we’ve come.”

According to Dani Logan, Phoenix Pride program manager, the parade is a community collaboration that includes allies, partners and many outstanding

pride preview

volunteers.

“With this event, everything and everyone just comes together,” Logan said.

“Bring your kids. Bring your parents. We want everyone to be a part of it.”

The parade is more than just balloons and rainbows, Logan said, adding that it is an atmosphere of support and visibility where everyone in attendance is saying, “We support you and the LGBT community.”

In recent years, Owen said the parade has received more support than ever from allies who want to become more involved in LGBTQ community and its progress.

“In the last couple years, the LGBT community has really been attacked,” he said. “Our allies see that and they want to get involved. They want to stand with us, and say, ‘No, this isn’t right.’”

Parade organizers said they expect to draw local politicians (in both attendance and participation), including Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton – who hasn’t missed one parade yet, according to Owen.

Parade entries are judged in four categories, which include: best vehicle, best walking group, best float and best of parade. Winners will be announced at a later date.

“The diversity of all the contingents is great,” Logan said. “I’m so excited to see all the floats – the groups always get really creative.”

This year’s Phoenix Pride parade grand marshal is Empress X of the Imperial Sovereign Court of Arizona Olivia Gardens.

As a former Miss Phoenix Gay Pride

(2011), Gardens was selected due to the overwhelming amount of community nominations made via Phoenix Pride’s online survey.

“This year’s parade theme is #CommunityStrong and based on the number of nominations for Miss Gardens, there is no individual who exemplifies this theme more,” Logan said.

According to Logan, the consensus from the community is that Gardens is a person who turns their words into actions.

“As the nominations rolled in, it was clear the Phoenix LGBTQ community describes Olivia as authentic, genuine, selfless, hilarious and an advocate for all,” Logan said.

Gardens will lead an estimated 2,000 parade participants – representing 150 contingents– before 15,000 spectators, and you’re invited.

Phoenix Pride Parade April 3 beginning at 10 a.m.

The parade kicks off at Third Street and Thomas Road and run to Steele Indian School Park.

Announcer stages will be located at Third Street and Osborn Road as well as Third Street and Clarendon Avenue. phoenixpride.org/events/pride-parade Tiffany Hopkins is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication who spends her time freelancing and traveling.

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Photo by leakedglass.com.

A Celebration of Pride Festival brings community together to honor history and celebrate progress

By Laura Latzko

M

embers of the LGBTQ community celebrate their pride in multitude of different ways – that’s part of what makes us so diverse.

As part of the Phoenix Pride festival, which will take place April 2-3, community members are invited to celebrate their pride with a weekend of art, live music, drag, fashion, dancing, erotic demonstrations, burlesque shows and inter-generational family time.

According to Dani Logan, Phoenix Pride program manager, the two-day festival highlights what makes the greater Phoenix LGBTQ community special and multifaceted.

“Our community is diversity. It encompasses so many different people, and all of those people have different things that they like,” Logan said. “We want everybody who comes to Pride to find something that they love.”

While the festival has a celebratory atmosphere, Justin Owen, Phoenix Pride executive director, said there is also greater meaning behind it.

According to Owen, the festival continues to bring LGBTQ people together to remember their history, commemorate important victories in the fight for equal rights and look to toward future goals.

“We still have the struggles for workforce equality, for nondiscrimination,” he said. “We still have a lot of those things moving forward, but we are taking steps.”

What started as a march on the Capitol in 1981, Phoenix Pride has grown into a large-scale event attracting 35,000 people each year.

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Last year, the Phoenix Pride Festival celebrated its 35th anniversary with the launch of the History Project, an effort to preserve Arizona’s LGBTQ history. This year, project organizers will take the next step by reaching out to people interested in sharing their stories about Arizona’s LGBTQ rights movement at the Phoenix Pride booth.

Let’s Get Festive

Much like years past, returning attendees can expect this year’s festival to feature the Main, Community and Bistro stages, Dance Pavilion, Arts Expo, Erotic World, KidSpace, exhibitor and food vendor areas.

But this year, there will be a change to the overall layout.

Most noticeably, the Community and Bistro stage will switch spaces. Bringing the community stage to the front of the festival, Logan said, will ensure the pride experience starts right inside the entrance.

“It’s a wonderful introduction to the festival,” Logan said. “Instead of going off to the side and seeing the back of the food vendors, you’ll run right into the community stage and the food vendors.”

The Bistro stage will move to the more serene lakeside area, which will also bring the Arts Expo closer to the exhibitor area.

New this year, Dance Pavilion DJs will spin music in a custom-built booth located on top of Heathen, a colorful art vehicle with light and fire effects.

The popularity of the last year’s VIP Experience – an air-conditioned tent, with exclusive entertainment, a shaded patio, private bar and restrooms, and front-row view of the Main Stage – resulted Phoenix Pride doubling the size of the space.

Photo by leakedglass.com.

Setting the Stages

Following last year’s performance by headliner Wilson Phillips, event organizers aimed to feature more well-known entertainers. This year, The B-52’s, a punk and new wave band known for the hit song “Love Shack” will headline the festival’s Main Stage at 8 p.m. April 2.

According to Logan, 3,000 addition people came out to last year’s festival to to see the Latin pop artist Ana Barbara.

Following that enthusiastic response, Phoenix Pride announced another Latin headliner for 2016: Los Horsocopos De Durango will take the Main Stage from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 2.

Other Main Stage headliners include former closeted boy band star Ricky Rebel and his Pop, Rock, Synth band from 6 to 6:45 p.m. April 3 and Daya, the 17-year-old songstress behind the current hit “Hide Away,” from 8 to 9 p.m. April 3.

“What’s great about Phoenix Pride being in April is that our community gets to see these acts first,” Logan said. “[The groups] have this fantastic experience in Phoenix, and they go on to do other pride festivals.”

The Bistro and Community stages will feature a mix of local and touring bands and artists, including progressive/art rock group PIPELiGHTS and hip hop/electronica/ funk group Snailmate, who will both be making their Phoenix Pride debut.

Among the returning favorites are performances by local drag performers, as well as male and femme entertainers, from the Phoenix Pride, USofA and EOY systems.

The Center of the Community

According to event organizers, this 2016 festival theme, “Community Strong,” ties back to the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center and its mission.

“A lot of it has to do with our community coming together,” Owen said. “The center is the heart of our community, and it’s only made possible by the festival.”

Proceeds from the festival support programming offered at the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, located at 801 N. Second Ave. pride preview

Phoenix Pride Festival Schedule of Events Main Stage

Photo by Fernando Hernández.

Photo by leakedglass.com.

Through the festival, Phoenix Pride also offers local nonprofit organizations the opportunity to participate in its volunteer and beverage grant programs in exchange for charitable donations from Phoenix Pride.

“By coming to Pride, [attendees] are support[ing] their community,” Logan said. “They are helping community members go back to school. They are helping nonprofit organizations, like Joshua Tree, fulfill their missions.”

reed Shea F

Phoenix Pride Festival Noon-9 p.m. April 2 and 3 Steele Indian School Park 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix phoenixpridetickets.org Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

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April 2 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m........ Astony 2-2:20 p.m.................. Pride Royalty 3:30-5 p.m.................. Run Jenny 5-6 p.m........................ Phoenix Phollies 6-6:30 p.m.................. Stephen Sorrentino & Randy Jones 6:30-7:30 p.m............. Los Horsocopos De Durango 7:45-9 p.m................... The B-52’s April 3 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m... DJ Vince Urban 3:45-4:45 p.m............. Fame Fusion 6-6:45 p.m................... Ricky Rebel 8-9 p.m......................... Daya

Bistro Stage April 2 Noon-12:45 p.m... House of Stairs 2-2:45 p.m............. Laura Sawosko 3-3:45 p.m............. Audrey Hicks 4-4:45 p.m............ Shea Freedom 5-5:45 p.m............. 76th Street 6-6:45 p.m............ Josh Zuckerman 7-7:45 p.m............. Chasin’ A Butterfly April 3 12-12:45 p.m......... Dawn Bowman 1-1:45 p.m............. The Kenny Thames Combo 2-2:45 p.m............ Pearl Ridge Duo 3-3:45 p.m............ Sistahs Too 4-4:45 p.m........... Korbe in the Moment 5-5:45 p.m............ Adam Smith 6-6:45 p.m........... Jacob Acosta

Community Stage April 2 1-1:50 p.m............ Phoenix Pride Pageant Contestants 2-3 p.m................. Flashback with Afeelya Bunz 3-5 p.m................. The Echo Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards Ceremony 5:10-5:30 p.m...... Fashion Show presented by Women’s Touch Apparel 5:40-6:30 p.m..... Entertainer of the Year Royalty Hour 6:40-7:30 p.m...... PIPELiGHTS April 3 1-1:50 p.m.............. Elements feat. Illusions 2-3 p.m.................. USofA Royalty Hour 3:10-3:30 p.m....... Fashion Show presented by Women’s Touch Apparel 3:40-4:40 p.m..... The Urban Experience Showcase with Devina Ross 4:50-5:50 p.m...... Femmtastic 6-6:50 p.m............ Snailmate EchoMag.com

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Pride and Politics

The B-52’s front man Fred Schneider talks everything from election to entertaining ahead of festival appearance

By Greg Marzullo

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Left to right: Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland and Cindy Wilson. Photos courtesy of The B-52’s. pride preview

W

hile The B-52’s are known to be the “world’s greatest party band,” the group’s lead male vocalist, Fred Schneider (pictured), had a different kind of party on his mind when Echo Magazine caught up with him to discuss headlining one of Arizona’s biggest LGBTQ parties of the year – the Phoenix Pride festival April 2.

“The rat-publicans, that’s what I call them,” Schneider said, referring to the GOP. “The republican [presidential] candidates are a joke, except maybe for [John] Kasich, but I wouldn’t vote for him either. The rest are buffoons, with no qualifications to be president. I should run for president. I haven’t done anything in the Senate either.”

Known for a campy aesthetic and hits, including “Love Shack,” Rock Lobster” and “Roam,” The B-52’s might not seem like the go-to choice for politically-charged conversation, but the group rose to prominence during the ’80s, during which it lost one of its original band members, guitarist Ricky Wilson, to AIDS. Their punk-alternative sound – great for dancing – also hid a commitment to saying something important in culturally charged times, a commitment Schneider still hints at today.

“I like to … say the most ridiculous things in the most sophisticated way and get away with it,” he admitted.

To whit, the performer had some choice words about the recent death of Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia.

“Good riddance,” he said. “He helped Bush to steal the election and all that stuff, saying that corporations are people.”

In a recent Facebook post, Schneider said as much on Facebook, which garnered some pushback from people, who told him to play nice for the sake

of Scalia’s family, but Schneider sounds unconvinced.

“I don’t think Scalia’s nine children are following me [on Facebook],” he quipped.

The singer’s energetic, over-the-top persona has long been a part of what he projects in performance, along with a playfully confrontational vocal delivery and admonishments to the often rockin’ crowds to dance more.

Given how committed he is on stage, it’s hard to imagine that he’s been plying these routines since 1976, when the band was formed over drinks at a Chinese restaurant. Since their first gig in 1977 at a friend’s house on Valentine’s Day, The B-52’s have made it onto multiple topalbum and song lists from Rolling Stone.

And they’ve toured so much that, up until two years ago, Schneider said he feared the group was getting overexposed.

With a long history in a fickle business and the even more capricious public eye, Schneider, who’s gay, reflects on the differences he’s seen in the music industry and the LGBTQ presence since he came out in Athens, Ga., where he went to college and formed the band.

“It’s totally changed,” he said of coming out in the entertainment industry. “I think actors, actresses, singers, people are more comfortable. People seem to come out when they feel they’re financially secure, and they can be secure from harassment. Everyone is coming out.

Maybe Marco Rubio will come out.”

Phoenix won’t be the first time The B-52’s take the stage at a Pride festival, of course.

“We did a Pride in San Francisco and a million people showed up – some topless woman was doing the hula. It doesn’t go with the music, but who cares?” he said. “[Pride] brings the [LGBTQ] community together. People love it, and it’s several days of great fun for everyone involved.

Except for the ones that don’t get dates.”

The B-52’s have more appearances scheduled this spring and summer, and Schneider also has his own projects, including an upcoming album with his other musical group, The Superions, and the release of a country album.

“It’s going to be trashy as hell,” he said of his new genre, “I don’t know if it’s country or hick. Maybe it’s white trash country.”

Behind all the wit and almost selfeffacing tone, one gets the sense of an artist who’s all business when it comes to the creative process. When asked about his sources of inspiration, he talks about the collection of records he has, some of which he’s never played, so that when he does get around to them, he discovers something new.

“If I’ve never heard some ’70s funk track, that’s dynamite,” he explained. “I like old song structures – verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge. I’m constantly writing. Whatever I do, I try to make sure everything I do really meets some really high standard I set for myself.”

That sense of completion is something he plans to bring to all the upcoming concerts for The B-52’s, not only in performance but in the audience’s political involvement, too.

“I want to have a set of voting registration booths at our concerts,” he said. “Now is the time to do it.”

The B52s are scheduled to play Phoenix Pride festival’s Main Stage from 7:45-9 p.m.

April 2.

Greg Marzullo is an award-winning arts critic, journalist, author of the book Bad Yogi and creator of the Weekly Scourge, a blog focused on religion-related news. He can be reached at greg.marzullo@gmail.com.

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OUT & ABOUT Arizona Entertainer of the Year Pageant March 6 at Wyndham Garden Phoenix Midtown.

Photos by nightfuse.com.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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OUT & ABOUT Community Church of Hope’s 20th Anniversary Celebration March 13 at the Community Church of Hope.

Photos by Bill Gemmill.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

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OUT & ABOUT OUTLOUD: More Stories from the Gayborhood March 5 at The Helen Mason Performing Arts Center, Phoenix.

Photos by Brittany Lea.

For more Echo photos, visit echomag.com/gallery.

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Photo courtesy of facebook.com/thedinah.

travel feature

Doing ‘The Dinah’ Club Skirts brings star-studded weekend to Palm Springs

By Megan Wadding

C

elebrating 26 years, the “largest girl party music festival in the world” returns to Palm Springs for a starstudded weekend March 30-April 3.

Formally known around the globe as Club Skirts presents The Dinah, the annual music festival and pool party event will take place at the Hilton Hotel, the Palm Springs Convention Center and other venues throughout Palm Springs.

This year’s line-up includes two-time Grammy nominee Elle King, “Orange is the New Black” stars DJ Taryn Manning and comedian Lea DeLaria, celebrity DJ Samantha Ronson, “The L Word” star Kate Moennig and Uh Huh Her’s lead singer Camila Grey (who together form The X-Names), international top model Madison Paige, pop newcomer JoLivi, pansexualand agender-identified rapper Angel Haze and the all-female power pop/punk band, and“The Real L Word” Season 3 cast members, Hunter Valentine.

According to Mariah Hanson, the event’s founder and producer, The Dinah has grown into something much larger than she originally envisioned.

“It will always be a music festival and world-renowned event for women where you can see the next big thing in music,” Hanson said. “We’ve created a unique niche in the music festival circuit that has become widely respected. It’s exciting for me to produce the event knowing that my customers are going to see at least one act they will never again see in such a relatively intimate venue.”

This year, Hanson said the focus was on celebrity DJs. “Dinah is always celebrity-packed, but this year you get to see them in action at what they love doing,” Hanson said. “The line-up is one of our best to date and should be a thrill for our attendees to see their favorite celebs in action. I can say I am excited beyond words that they all agreed to join our line up 46 |

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and that they are going to bring it!”

While women from all over the world descend on Palm Springs for this event, Hanson said Arizona is always well represented.

“We love our Arizona attendees and see more and more coming every year,” Hanson said. “Thousands of people come from all over the world to attend The Dinah and it just keeps on growing and expanding … once you’ve come, you realize there is nothing else like it anywhere.”

Every Night is Ladies Night

While the weekend itinerary kicks off March 30, attendees will not want to miss the “Hot as L” pool party March 31, which will feature appreances by some of the ladies from Showtime’s hugely popular lesbian drama series and reality TV show, “The L Word” and “The Real L Word,” including Elizabeth Keener, Clementine Ford and Tracy Reyerson and a performance by Hunter Valentine.

Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig will also make appearances throughout the weekend.

“Showtime has been a great friend to the lesbian community and to The Dinah,” Hanson said. “The actresses attending are some of the [fan] favorites and will be on hand throughout the weekend to join in The Dinah festivities.”

Later that night, the famous White Party takes place at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The evening will feature a full performance by headliner Elle King at 9 p.m. followed by all of the weekend’s “celesbians” walking the red carpet at 10:30 p.m. and Madonna’s DJ Mary Mac will start spinning at 11 p.m.

As part of Wet & Wild Pool Party, April 1, The Dinah’s third annual Battle of the DJs will feature contestants from across the country going head-to-head on the turntables beginning at noon. The newly formed X-Names, including DJs Cam Grey and Kate Moennig, will perform at 4 p.m.

That night, attendees are invited to the Hollywood Party – the largest of the weekend – at the Palm Springs Convention Center. “[The Hollywood Party] is a recurrence of a popular theme we’ve used in the past.

People will be amazed at how many famous people attend the party. The red carpet will be one of our best,” Hanson said. “We brought it back because we have so many famous people attending this year, many of whom we have not yet announced. It’s a celebrity-studded year.”

The Hollywood Party will also include a performance by Angel Haze and the music of DJ Samantha Ronson.

“Samantha Ronson is one of the premiere celebrity DJs, but she’s also the real deal,” Hanson said. “Our crowd is going to be blown away at her talent, energy and presence.”

Conveniently taking place at the same venue as the Hollywood Party is the Comedy Show night with host Lea DeLaria of “Orange is the New Black” fame. The show starts at 9 p.m.

The Wet & Wild Pool Party, which takes place April 3, will feature the final round of the Battle of the DJs and performances by Madison Paige and DJ Taryn Manning, star of “Orange is the New Black.”

“I’m especially thrilled to present [Taryn Manning] in a format that compliments this event so well. You rarely find such a talented actress [who] is also a DJ. What a perfect fit for The Dinah. Her performance is going to be a highlight of the weekend,” said Hanson.

The weekend wraps up on Sunday night with the official closing party featuring a performance by JoLivi.

“We have put together the most exciting Dinah line up ever. Everyone we asked said yes, and as a result we have the most starstudded, talented Dinah ever,” Hanson said. “If I could only pick one Dinah to attend, it would be this year. It’s going to be a supreme year.”

For more information, visit thedinah.com. travel feature

Hunter Valentine to headline Club Skirts The Dinah weekend

H

unter Valentine has captivated audiences with four successful releases, unparalleled energetic live performances across the world, and their unforgettable personalities on Showtime’s “The Real L Word.”

Having announced their indefinite hiatus, the band is set to launch their EP, The Pledge, and embark on new tour for a last hoorah with their unwavering supporters. The Dinah is their last scheduled stop.

“Hunter Valentine has been a popular act at The Dinah and we are more than proud to produce their final concert,” said Mariah Hanson, founder and producer of The Dinah.

Echo caught up with founding band member, Kiyomi McCloskey, to find out more about the band’s hiatus.

Echo: Are you excited to be playing The Dinah again this year?

McCloskey: Absolutely! It is always a great time.

Echo: How many times have you performed at The Dinah? What’s your favorite part?

McCloskey: We’ve played three times and I’ve hosted once.

Echo: You’re making a lot of stops in a relatively short period of time. How did you decide what cities to include?

McCloskey: We are hitting all of our usual spots. We wanted to make sure that we played as many cities as possible before taking this break.

Echo: For this tour, will you do a blend of new and old music?

McCloskey: We are playing music from every single record that we have recorded. We will also be playing the new record front to back.

Echo: What can you tell me about Hunter Valentine’s new EP, The Pledge?

Left to right: Laura Petracca, Lisa Bianco, Kiyomi McCloskey (standing) and Leanne Bowes.

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/huntervalentine.

McCloskey: It’s a well-rounded pop record, with big rock songs and a couple of lovely [little] ballads.

Echo: Did you know while making it that it would be Hunter Valentine’s last?

McCloskey: Yeah, we knew this would be our last effort for now. The record has a bittersweet sound and theme to it because of that.

Echo: The big question is, why the hiatus? And why now? How did you know it was time?

McCloskey: We have been a band for over 11 years and we just wanted some time to explore what we are capable of as individuals. We also wanted the time to do this without our fans waiting for the next y Mac DJ Mar Hunter Valentine move.

Echo: What is your plan for after the tour finishes up? Will you then focus on your solo stuff?

McCloskey: I am going write and record a solo record when I get back from this tour.

I like to keep busy and I still have a lot to say in music, it’s just going to be from a different voice that is not Hunter … I’m going to get right into the studio and start writing. I’ve also been working on a podcast and writing in other forms that are not music.

Echo: Can you share any additional .com. sy of thedinah details of your upcoming solo project?

Photo courte , McCloskey: I am not sure what I will be DJ Mary Mac ive Q&A with s, visit us cl calling this side/solo project, but I am ex ’s ho DJ For Ec nah’s featured really excited about it. I spent a lot of one of The Di /doing-the-dinah. time in Nashville writing with different echomag.com artists. I also have been writing with

travel feature

Lisa Bianco [guitar player of Hunter] and Tom Thacker [Sum 41]. I can’t wait to see what my musical future holds for me.

Echo: What is Laura’s plan after the tour?

McCloskey: Laura’s plan is to get back into cooking. She is even talking about going to work on a farm!

Echo: What do you want Hunter Valentine fans to know going forward?

McCloskey: We couldn’t have done this without them and we are extremely grateful for everything they have given us. The last decade of my life was awesome because of Hunter’s supporters and that is something that you never forget. We love you!

Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism.

Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.

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Presented by Richard P. Stahl A signature formal gala to support programs and services provided by Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS to those impacted-by or at-risk in Phoenix.

Saturday, May 14, 2016 Camelback Inn Resort and Spa 5402 E. Lincoln Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85253 For information and tickets please visit nightforlife.org or call 602-595-8154.

Event Co-chaired by: Jamie Hormel, Owner of The Wrigley Mansion Christopher Gross, Chef and Owner of Christopher’s Crush Proceeds benefit:

travel feature

White Party 2016

Palm Springs gets a white-hot weekend

By Megan Wadding Photos by Marques Daniels Photography.

E

ach year, Jeffrey Sanker’s White Party Palm Springs draws tens of thousands of gay men from all over the world for a weekend-long dance and pool party extravaganza.

new look. According to Sanker, huge staging with enormous LED walls along with great sound, lighting, lasers and the famous White Party dancers will really dazzle the guests.

In its 27th year, the party will take place April 8-11 and include guest appearances by the hottest DJs from around the country, pool parties, celebrity sightings and a day at a water park.

“I get inspiration from everywhere; music, movies, TV [and] pop culture,” he said. “I also travel abroad frequently to see what’s going on in other countries.”

“I came up with the idea back in 1987 [and] the first White Party was in 1989 in the ballroom of the Marquis Hotel, now known as the Hard Rock,” explained Jeffrey Sanker, the event’s founder and producer. “It all started with 500 of my closest friends and now has grown to over 30,000 people over the weekend.”

A White-Hot Weekend

Not only has Sanker’s event grown in attendance, it’s also drawing guys from across the globe.

“Most come from California, [but] we always get a strong contingent from Arizona, including Phoenix and Tucson,” he said. “We’ve also had guys from as far away as Bosnia and Kuwait attend.”

According to Sanker, the White Party was originally designed to be a weekend getaway to get boys out of Los Angeles to bask in the beautiful city of Palm Springs, but it has grown and evolved over the years beyond his expectations.

“Both White Party and Dinah Shore take over the whole town of Palm Springs now,” Sanker said. “We are part of the community, [and have been part] of what goes on in Palm Springs for over 28 years.”

For 2016, all the events have been totally redesigned to give the weekend a fresh 50 |

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The weekend kicks off April 8 with the Splash Pool Party, followed by the allnew Commando Military Ball. Commando attendees are encouraged to dress up in their best camouflage gear, in commando underwear or just commando. Both events take place at the Renaissance Hotel Palm Springs (the event’s host hotel).

The following day, April 9, is the second annual Jeffrey Sanker Presents Wet ‘n’ Wild Palm Springs, where White Party attendees will exclusively take over the 21-acre water park – which boasts more than 18 water rides and private cabanas – for the day.

This year, attendees can expect a larger dance floor and party areas with Aussie DJs Dan Slater and Wayne G on the turntables.

The White Party, the weekend’s main event, takes place later that evening at The Palm Springs Convention Center.

An illuminated entrance will welcome attendees and custom LED visuals and state-of-the-art lighting will take the venue – and the experience – to another level, Sanker promised.

“It’s all day and all gay,” said Sanker.

“This year’s White Party main event will be something no one has seen before, an all-

new White Party experience,” said Sanker.

Entertainment will include international mega-DJ and producer Offer Nissim and many more. Attendees are encouraged to dress in white or at least to be “white carpet ready.”

Sanker said he wanted to re-imagine and jazz up the White Party this year, drawing some inspiration from international dance parties.

“White Party itself is getting an overhaul with a new look and feel,” he said. “I’m combining White Party with the after-hours party into one main event this year that goes from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. It will be a 10hour dance marathon similar to what they do in Europe and South America.”

The Sunset T-Dance, which takes place April 10, an outdoor dance party with music

by DJs Grind and Ralphi Rosario. Erika Jayne will be celebrating her coronation as the “Queen of the White Party” and a surprise performer (TBA). This party, held at White Party Park in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains, features the world-famous White Party Ferris Wheel and the desert’s largest fireworks display choreographed to a special musical remix by DJ Grind and Toy Armada.

“This year at the Sunday outdoor T-Dance, the ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ star Erika Jayne will be performing,” said Sanker. “And there will also be a huge surprise performer at the Sunday T-Dance.

It will be legendary.”

For more information, tickets and a complete list of events, DJs and venues, visit jeffreysanker.com travel feature

Wet ‘n’ Wild DJ Wayne G brings signature style to the water park

By Megan Wadding

D

J Wayne G is coming back to Palm Springs and will be spinning April 9 at Splash! at Wet ‘n’ Wild Party – as part of the White Party’s exclusive day at the water park.

Echo: Are you excited to be going to the White Party?

DJ Wayne G: I am! It’s one of my favorite events in my annual calendar. Jeffrey [Sanker] knows how to throw a party and I love that. After playing the Sunday Tea Dance for a few years at the main White Party, we decided to put me into the brand new water park party. After its debut last year, we thought we would take it to another level. We have some big things planned for the day. You are going to be amazed.

Echo: What can attendees expect from you this year at the White Party?

DJ Wayne G: A slightly tougher sound than I have previously played at Tea Dance, but layered with vocals, of course. [Also], some classics I am revising in the studio. We are going to make this an extra special set that will never be repeated anywhere else in the world.

Echo: How would you describe your set to someone who has never seen you at work before?

travel feature

DJ Wayne G: That’s a tough one. I like to take people on a musical journey. It is all about the melodies, percussion, vocals and taking people to a higher level through the journey of musical numbers. Expect the unexpected.

Echo: What inspires you musically?

DJ Wayne G: I love so many genres. It’s hard to describe what my musical influences are, but artists as far apart as David Bowie, Rolling Stones, Madonna, Darren Hayes, Adele. You name it.

Echo: Will you debut any new remixes or new original music of your own at White Party?

DJ Wayne G: Oh, yes, that’s what I love about this party. I get to create songs that fit with theme of the party I am playing. I produced the fireworks song for [Sunday] Tea [Party] for the last four years. I love doing that. I can take all emotional elements from the past and artists we have lost in that last year, making it a moment that people will remember forever. You can expect the same for [the] water park.

[Sanker and I] have some big stuff planned.

Echo: There has been a lot of talk about vinyl records making a comeback. Do you think this is true?

DJ Wayne G: They certainly are, but not all

DJ Wayne G. Courtesy photo.

tracks are making it to vinyl, unfortunately.

A lot of the stuff I produce is exclusively for my sets and for this party. So it would be too costly to put those onto vinyl.

Echo: Is there one “signature song” you always try to include in your sets?

DJ Wayne G: Anything with Whitney in it! She was my idol. I always include something of hers. I am working on a new mix for the water park.

Echo: Are there any especially hot new tracks we should keep an “ear out” for during your set?

DJ Wayne G: That would be telling! You need to be there to experience that with the thousands of others that are attending!

Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism.

Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.

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Echo is currently seeking Phonix-based freelance restaurant reviewers

Qualified candidates are invited to send published restaurant/food reviews to editor@echomag.com for consideration.

EchoMag.com

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at the box office

By Hans Pedersen

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice In theaters March 22 | PG-13 | 151 minutes

Love Now Available | Unrated | 135 minutes

In the latest movie by Gaspar Noé (Irreversible, Enter the Void), an American named Murphy (Karl Glusman) and his lover, Electra (Aomi Muyock), allow their beautiful neighbor, Omi (Klara Kristin), into their lives and into their bedroom. While the non-linear film is filled with unsimulated sex, what makes the movie a step above porn is the fact the narrative is propelled by the sexual action.

When Murphy prefers to be pleasured by one person instead of another, the sexual act impacts all their relationships. Intended as an immersive experience, this movie may be the first in cinema history to feature a three-dimensional on-screen ejaculation. Can the virtual reality version be far behind?

Guys who cannot resist watching a muscle man in tights may find it even tougher to resist a man in body-tight armature equipped with toys. Gals get their eye candy too: Gal Gadot plays the firstever silver screen appearance of Wonder Woman. Facing off in this superhero epic are Batman (Henry Cavill) and Superman (Ben Affleck) as the Gotham City vigilante grows concerned there’s no oversight on the Kryptonian. Of course a greater threat emerges putting humanity at risk – if only the superheroes could work together, but watching them tussle is tons of fun. Directed by Zack Snyder, the film co-stars Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Amy Adams as Lois Lane and Laurence Fishburne as Perry White.

That’s Not Us Available April 22 | Not rated | 97 minutes

The Lobster In theaters March 25 | R | 118 minutes

While not explicitly gay, the movie is a parable about the absurdity of society’s rules around relationships. It’s a surreal comedy set in a near-future world where single people are sent to a hotel and must find a mate in 45 days; otherwise they are turned into animals and released into the woods. “Is the bisexual option still available?” inquires newcomer David (Colin Farrell). “I’m sorry,” he’s told matterof-factly, “that option is no longer available.” Written and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, this French- and English-language film was the winner of the Jury Prize and Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival and has snagged several accolades and nominations along the way.

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Three couples head to a beach home in upstate New York at the end of summer. One couple is gay, one is lesbian and another is straight, but their relationships are equally tested as they find common ground in their efforts to sustain love. Directed by William Sullivan, this independent film is being praised for its honest portrayal of romance and its exploration of what it takes to nurture a healthy relationship. David Rysdahl and Mark Berger play boyfriends, Spencer and James, who may split up over career choices; Sarah Wharton and Nicole Pursell play girlfriends, Alex and Jackie, who are struggling with their sex life; and Elizabeth Gray and Tommy Nelms are the token straight couple, Liz and Dougie.

Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix.

movies

TAKE IT ONLINE To read Hans Pedersen’s review Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, visit echomag.com/mapplethorpe.

Mapplethorpe

Doc trio offers behind-the-scenes look at latest project

By Hans Pedersen

F

enton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the directors and executive producers of Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, have found their niche in telling unique stories that are relevant to the LGBTQ community, including previous documentaries The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Party Monster and Becoming Chaz.

In addition to their extensive work in film and television, they’re also co-creators of the Logo series “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

The prolific directing team enlisted the help of Robert Mapplethorpe’s brother, Edward, to shed light on the documentary’s subject. Edward began working as his brother’s assistant and now enjoys a successful career as a photographer in his own right.

The three talented artists sat down for an interview with Echo at this year’s Sundance Film Festival to discuss the new HBO documentary.

Echo: What was the genesis of this project?

Bailey: Randy and I were living in the ’80s in the East Village and we were aware of Robert Mapplethorpe. He was a famous artist to talk about, but we never met him.

[Executive producer] Sheila Nevins at HBO brought up his name and we thought, “My God, this would be incredible!” We hadn’t realized since his passing in ’89 there hadn’t been a feature-length documentary about him, so it felt like an untold story … a full generation had passed. Twentyfive years is a long time and suddenly we could look at the work perhaps in the light Robert had originally intended. Then we started researching … and we needed Edward and were prevailing upon him to 56 |

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participate. And that’s when we knew it was going to be great.

Echo: What made you decide to finally participate?

Mapplethorpe: I met Fenton first and was sort of apprehensive; I think he’s indicated that … I like to go by my instinct on character and I felt a kinship to him immediately … It soon became apparent to me they were the people to tell the story …

Once I got involved I jumped onboard. I felt a responsibility to my brother and family … and it’s a beautiful documentary.

Echo: Do you think you would have been a photographer if Robert had not?

Mapplethorpe: I think I would have chosen a creative path. Having Robert as a brother and having his career start before I got out of school was certainly a big encouragement to me. I was taught photography by my father … He knew about f-stops, and shutter speeds and depth of field, and I enjoyed that. I also had this academic science, engineering, and math training, and it was really when I went to the university and got into a darkroom when the two sides of my brain were married …

Echo: Could you talk about the decision to keep Jesse Helms out of the story?

Bailey: The thing is, Jesse Helms hijacked his work. And so really, what’s true about his work is not what Jesse Helms brought to it. That was a sideshow. I think we’re correcting the historical record. It’s not about ignoring the controversy – the controversy sort of ran away with itself – and it’s not what he [Robert Mapplethorpe] was about. I don’t think he was necessarily

particularly political.

Mapplethorpe: Robert? No, not at all. I don’t think politics was ever discussed at the studio.

Barbato: We knew we had to include Jesse Helms, and we didn’t want it to hijack the film. But at the same time, Jesse Helms gave us the title of the film. And we thought, “OK, we’ll use it at the beginning, we’ll remind everyone, and then we’ll get it out of the way.” So that’s what we did. The rest of the story was what was important to us. Twenty-five years later it didn’t feel like you could tell the rest of the story without that cloud hanging over the rest of the narrative.

The fact that LACMA and the Getty, these two amazing art institutions, were planning this huge joint retrospective gave us this additional narrative, but also helped us frame this film and his work in the arena that it really deserved to be framed in, not on the Senate floor with Jesse Helms waving around a black penis.

It really deserved to be filmed in a different context.

Bailey: And they did so by deliberately taking those images out of context. So when we return to them at the end of the film, hopefully you can see that the final show he planned was 175 pictures, and only a handful went on trial. And the jury wasn’t allowed to see the other pictures in the exhibition. They were only allowed to go to the venue after the show was closed … and forced to focus on these pictures and exclude everything else. So by the time we return to the controversy at the end, you’ve seen everything else and you can see how ridiculous the whole thing was. movies

Photos courtesy of facebook.com/ mapplethorpefilm.

Echo: Was there anything you chose to leave out because maybe it was too graphic or too much?

Bailey: It’s all in there. We thought HBO might want to take a few things out…

Barbato: So we put a couple extra things in there, and they didn’t!

So it was never really intended to be quite that explicit … It’s important the explicit images are there and we’re not tucking them away, but when you start to see them with everything else it’s like, “oh there’s artistry at work.”

Mapplethorpe: I have an interesting take on that. In the film we interview two of our studio managers … they talk of how we just got numb to it… It’s about sexuality that exists whether it’s recorded or not. If you have a problem with it, then you have a problem with it. It made us giggle in the studio, how ridiculous it all was. Certainly after Robert’s death, Robert couldn’t have asked for a better promotion than Jesse Helms. It all sort of backfired, in a way.

Echo: I liked what you said about how it felt like Robert helped guide the project.

Bailey: We’d do an interview and it would get interrupted every time. This happened a lot. Every time there was going to be a revealing moment, or maybe something Robert wouldn’t like to be said, there was a crash or a bang or a siren. And then with Edward it was non-stop. Every 60 seconds. And we were so apologetic and he was like, “oh this happens all the time.”

Mapplethorpe: Early in the process I think I let them know, are you really sure you want me to get involved in this? I’m not a religious person, I have my certain beliefs and stuff. But I will say, Robert’s spirit is very much alive.

Bailey: The first time we showed you the film at HBO… we were all very anxious.

Barbato: It was intense, Sheila Nevins was there.

Mapplethorpe: They were telling the story about my changing my name. Lo and behold all of the sudden, out of the blue in this office the telephone rings and somebody from HBO, I think it was Sara, answered the phone… I said to Sara who was on the phone? She’s like, “No one.” We were all like, oooh…

Barbato: It was creepy.

Bailey: It was very weird. It’s a conference room where they shut the phones off during the screenings.

At that moment, an incident occurred that must remain off-therecord, and the group took it as another sign that Robert is still around. The incident caused a technical issue with the recording, effectively rendering the remaining couple of minutes of the interview inaudible.

Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix.

pride preview movies

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You are a child of God, gifted and called for a purpose in God’s design

Lyric Opera Theatre 2015-2016 Season

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April 15, 16, 21, 23 at 7:30 p.m.

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Performances are held in the ASU School of Music’s Evelyn Smith Music Theatre, located just north of ASU Gammage. $8–$21

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THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

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Retreat for Gay and Lesbian Christians May 20 - 22, 2016 For more information or to register, call 480.948.7460 or visit bit.ly/1VHyPp0

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2. Register your event! At auntritas.org/savorlife create your event page to share with your invitees. Provide the details about your event, post pictures, and provide instructions on how to RSVP. 3. Have fun! When your guests arrive they will enjoy the good times and leave their donations with the host unless they have already donated online. A SAVORlife ambassador can can be at your event to help manage donations if you like.

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opening nights

Southern Comfort Local trans actor lands role in NYC

By Richard Schultz

D

onnie Cianciotto (pictured), a transgender man with an extensive performance career in Arizona, has been cast in a new musical in New York City.

Presented by The Public Theater, Southern Comfort is a true story of a group of transgender friends living life on their own terms in the back hills of rural Georgia.

Based on Kate Davis’ 2001 Sundance Award-winning documentary, Southern Comfort is the winner of the prestigious Jonathan Larson Award. This folk and bluegrass-inspired musical is a celebration of redefining family and choosing love over every obstacle.

Cianciotto, who has been performing in community theater since the age of 3, attended Sabino High School in Tucson.

He then enrolled in the American Musical and Dramatic Academy’s accelerated conservatory program in New York City.

Robin Skye and Donnie Cianciotto (right) in Southern Comfort. Photo credit: Carol Rosegg.

“When I was nine years old, my father told me I should watch a show called ‘Into the Woods’ on PBS,” he said. “At first, I almost didn’t because ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ was on at the same time. Yet, as soon as I turned on ‘Into the Woods,’ I couldn’t turn it off. It was like something clicked in me while watching. I remember thinking, ‘That. I want to do that.’ “ In Tucson, Cianciotto worked with Desert Players, Wilde Playhouse, Millennium Theater, Bloody Unicorn Productions and the Old Tucson Studios. He created Tucson’s longest running comedy improv troupe, Not Burnt Out Just Unscrewed.

In Phoenix, he was a cast member of two improv troupes, The Originals and Light Rail Pirates, and is the artistic director of Insurrection Theater Company. In 2011, he created Musical Mayhem Cabaret, Arizona’s under rehearsed and over dramatic musical comedy troupe which later moved to Tucson where it is still in performance. He also performed as a drag king under the name Anson Reign and won several state and regional titles.

Echo recently caught up with Cianciotto to discuss his upcoming role in Southern Comfort.

Echo: How were you cast in Southern Comfort?

Cianciotto: A friend posted the information from The Public Theater regarding an open call for transgender actors on my Facebook page. They were accepting video submissions. I contacted them and was sent

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three sides to learn: a monologue, a scene and a song from the show. I sent the video and was asked the next day if I could fly to NYC for a callback the following week. In New York, I performed the same pieces from the show and “Something to Talk About”

by Bonnie Raitt. As I flew back to Tucson, I received a call offering me the part. It was shockingly quick, but I didn’t have to wait in angst to find out if I got it.

Echo: What is your role and how did you prepare for it?

Cianciotto: I play Sam, a transgender man who is married to, and very much in love with, his cisgender female wife, Melanie.

He is quiet and introverted, but very gentle and loving. Sometimes there is an aura of sadness around him, but he is quick to laugh when he is around the people he cares about. He has had top surgery that was somewhat botched, and now lives with pretty bad scars on his chest that trouble him a great deal. He does not have the support of his parents or family regarding his transition. I watched the documentary several times to prepare for the role, which is based on Cas. Some names were changed for the musical. Although I’m not impersonating him or specifically trying to “play” him, I do emulate him in many ways.

Echo: What is the greatest challenge in the role?

Cianciotto: This may sound odd, but my theater

greatest challenge is allowing Sam to be transgender. I’ve been performing for over 30 years, but this is the first full show since my transition and starting hormones three and a half years ago. I am still learning to be comfortable in my own skin. I went into the rehearsal process determined to make Sam very manly – to “pass” as a cisgender man, which I try to do every day. When I speak to people, I lower the pitch of my voice, be less flamboyant with my hands and basically “butch it up.” It took at least half of the rehearsal process to sink into my head that this character didn’t need those things. I was distracting myself from the reality of him due to my own concerns and issues arising from being a transgender man. To play Sam authentically, I embraced his transgender status and identity, and stopped worrying about “passing.” As soon as I did that, I finally got to know Sam by honoring him as he is.

Echo: What is your favorite scene or song in the show?

Cianciotto: A scene in Act Two where my wife, played by the force of nature Robin Skye, gives my character a necktie with Christmas trees. It’s her way of inviting me to her company Christmas party; something she hadn’t previously done out of fear of how we would be received by her nosey and ignorant co-workers. It’s a very touching moment that goes into a fantastic upbeat song called “I’m With You.” It’s an enormous crowd pleaser. It’s the most fun moment for me because it’s so fun and very human.

Echo: How’s life New York City?

Cianciotto: It’s fantastic! Being back in my favorite city and with my favorite person, Rebecca, my fiancée, and doing the thing I’ve always dreamed of is just amazing!

Filmmaker Ania Augustowska is releasing a documentary titled “Donnie” on Vimeo (vimeo.com/156875654), which will screen in NYC in June. For more information on Donnie, visit donniecianciotto.weebly.com or facebook.com/donniecianciottoactor.

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recordings

Photo courtesy of Michael Ging/ Michael Ging Photography.

The Debutante

Echo’s music reviewer emerges as a pop sensation with the release of her debut album

By Art Martori

A

s far as debutantes go, Cait Brennan is a ways off from the Daisy Buchanan type – one of the last people you’d expect to see fanning herself by the punch bowl or fainting before a handful of admirers.

But then, that’s the point.

Brennan explains how she chose the title of her first album – Debutante, a 13-song pop homage – as she sips an iced tea on the patio of the The Main Ingredient Ale House & Cafe in midtown Phoenix. She wears a purple shirt emblazoned with the Incredible Hulk, and the quintessential rocker’s banded leather bracelet. No beer today. She’s been a little worn out lately, dealing with symptoms of her Parkinson’s disease and long, often 22-hour days of composing and recording music.

Still, there’s her trademark dark humor.

“It was intended to be a little tongue in cheek and maybe just the slightest bit sarcastic,” she says. “You think of ‘debutante’ as young, attractive, well to do, just making their coming of age.

And here I am, 47, and not from a fancy background. Not young. Not particularly gorgeous. But none the less, still putting myself out there for the first time.”

A musician most her life, it wasn’t until January this year that Brennan, a transwoman, finally recorded a handful of the myriad songs collecting in her head for more than four decades. The flawlessly 62 |

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produced Debutante is a result of unleashing Brennan’s long-suppressed ambition, and a wellspring of financial and professional support.

Recording the album in Reseda, Calif., took only five days in the studio, guided by the experienced producer and multiinstrumentalist Fernando Perdomo.

To cover production and distribution, Brennan raised about $7,500 in just a couple months via the crowdsourcing platform Kickstarter. Another $800 in seed money came from cashing in loose change Brennan’s grandmother had socked away over 40 years.

Before, Brennan played music mostly for herself. But now, suddenly, there’s a newfound accountability to the people who’ve supported her and to the growing number enjoying her songs.

“If you have ever lived in a space where you’re a little cynical about the world and the people in it, you can’t really do it anymore when people invest in your dream like that,” she explains.

“All of the sudden, if you felt unloved, you don’t feel unloved anymore. You feel a responsibility to all those people.”

Making It Happen

Making it happen, Brennan says, is in large part due to her producer. She met Perdomo at the first show she played in Los Angeles, where she was slated to take the stage after him. Brennan

remembers his large black bowler hat, matching black suit and the little toy piano he played. Introduced by David Bash, founder and CEO of the festival International Pop Overthrow, the pair quickly hit it off, and plans to record an album soon followed.

Speaking to Echo from Los Angeles, Perdomo praises Brennan for her musical ability and commitment in the studio, as vocals alone on some songs layer multiple tracks. Brennan has the unique ability to sing in all five octaves of the vocal range, and on many songs handles both lead and accompanying vocals.

While her voice carries a Bowie-esque androgyny, her range is typical only of divas like Mariah Carey or Celine Dion.

“She’s a great singer. A great musician.

I consider her an ace. She’s a wonderful lab partner,” Perdomo explains. “When we were creating, there was the right amount of seriousness and humor. We’re both very similar people. We have a similar sense of humor. Working with her was a complete joy.”

Brennan gives much credit to Perdomo, who she says not only engineered her supremely listenable sound, but with his superior musical ability also replaced some instrumental tracks she composed and recorded as placeholders.

“If you hear something very spectacular, musician-wise, that was him,” Brennan laughs. “If you hear music

something basic, that was me.”

She’s already teamed up with Perdomo to complete a second album slated for release later this year. Its title, Jinx, is another tongue-in-cheek reference, this time to the sophomore slump musicians often face trying to follow up on initial successes.

his experience as a professional writer and musician.

Like A Hurricane

“I was just blown away. It was one of those moments,” he says of the first time he listened to Debutante. “With music made by friends, you’re always inclined to listen with a kinder ear. But I was so impressed. I can genuinely say that if I didn’t know Cait, I would love the record.”

Perhaps Brennan’s music remain locked in her head for so long because of the experiences she had growing up as a young man in Phoenix. She remembers starting her transition as a teenager, around the same time she began performing her music live. She says some people were accepting of her gender identity, but others responded with outright hostility.

So what’s next for Cait Brennan? She acknowledges her late start, paired with managing her Parkinson’s disease, means it’s unlikely she’ll be able to maintain much of a touring schedule.

But instead of dwelling on the what-ifs, it seems she’s fixed very much in the present, and through sharing her music is finally enjoying the connections with people which eluded her for so long.

“I didn’t do as well as I could’ve with the hostility,” Brennan says. “So I withdrew a little bit and focused on the writing and creating the songs, but I didn’t play them out much. I kind of became more of an artist who writes and keeps it to themselves for a long time.”

“For me, it was the beginning of something that has not stopped, at all, from the minute we started recording,” Brennan says. “I’ve been renewed. I don’t think there’s a day that’s gone by where I haven’t written a new song since then.

One of Brennan’s classmates at Deer Valley High School was Tom Reardon.

Today, he writes music reviews for Phoenix New Times, and is the bassist and lead vocalist for the Phoenix-based band The Father Figures. Reardon remembers having a friendly rivalry with Brennan in high school, a time when he first discovered shopping at thrift stores. When Brennan signed his sophomore yearbook, she described his style as “a hurricane hitting a dress shop.”

To stay up to date with Brennan’s music and local shows, find her on Facebook at facebook.com/planetcait or on Twitter at twitter.com/planetcait.

Art Martori is a Phoenix-based freelance writer who contributes to various newspapers and magazines.

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“That was a perfect example of her looking at life in a way not a lot of people had,” Reardon remembers.

He recently penned a story about Brennan in Phoenix New Times, which looks back at his friend’s journey to the studio and also reviews her latest work. He recently told Echo that his opinion of her music was influenced not by friendship, but by music

TAKE IT ONLINE To read Cait Brennan’s description and inspiration for the tracks on Debutante, visit echomag.com/the-debutante.

Photo courtesy of Michael Ging/Michael Ging Photography.

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between the covers

Gay & Lesbian History for Kids

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

E

very day, you try to catch a little news. It might be online, maybe in a newspaper, magazine or on TV, but you’re a smart kid and you like to stay informed.

Lately, you’ve been hearing a lot about gay rights and gay marriage, and you want to know more. Read Gay & Lesbian History for Kids by Jerome Pohlen (pictured), and your questions might be answered.

Knowing someone who’s gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is nothing new; in fact, history indicates that our earliest ancestors acknowledged and were “comfortable with” LGBTQ people.

Homosexuality appears in mythology, royalty, battlefields, art (Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were said to be gay) and in some religions. In North America, many beloved 19th-century authors, poets and songwriters were

Five years of helping parents build their families

Gay & Lesbian History for Kids by Jerome Pohlen. Chicago Review Press, 2016. $17.95.

gay or lesbian, and Native American culture embraced people who were of “two spirits.” Transgender individuals fought in the Civil War or were pioneers or settlers. We know that LGBTQ individuals existed elsewhere and at other times, too, because laws were made against them.

That was especially true through the early 1900s. Though we entered “the Progressive Era” in the beginning of the century, it was anything but progressive for people who were gay. When the country was stricken by The Great Depression in the 1930s, things got even worse for the LGBTQ community and many people had to hide their lives from general society.

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In some ways, things got better during World War II. The government needed military personnel and LGBTQ individuals, like everyone else, needed jobs, so they signed up in droves to fight for their country. Very few were denied a chance to serve but, sadly, after the war was over, many gay and lesbian personnel received “blue discharges,” and were denied veteran’s benefits.

Once again, LGBTQ individuals needed to closet themselves and their lifestyles.

Not doing so could mean arrest or worse.

And then, finally, things started to turn around. Activism in the ‘60s and ‘70s helped the LGBTQ community to

gain rights and support on other issues, unfair laws were changed, and many people helped make “things get better.”

I struggled with Gay & Lesbian History for Kids, but not for the reasons you might think. My biggest issue comes with its potential audience, vis-à-vis the content: mainly, that it contains either a lot of very advanced information for kids who are young enough to be excited about the “21 Activities” here; or a lot of silly, juvenile “activities” for kids who are old enough to handle very advanced information. Then, too, the presence of said activities may be moot, since they mostly had little to do with LGBTQ history.

Conversely, and to the positive, I appreciated the pre-twentieth-century info Pohlen offers; it was interesting, but is it enough to save this book? I don’t know: the target audience here is 9 and up, which I think is way too young.

Fresh-eyed 12-to-15-year-olds may appreciate what’s inside Gay & Lesbian History for Kids, but hand it to a reader over 16, and the news probably wouldn’t be good.

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talking bodies

Fool Proof: Debunking Fitness Myths

By Tia Norris

“I

pity the fool.” Everyone remembers the famous line said by the one and only muscle-bound, jewelrydecorated, Mohawk-rocking Mr. T. When it comes to fitness, I pity the fool who takes bad advice almost as much as I pity the fool who gives it. In fact, I was pissed off before even writing this article because I can’t believe some of the utterly asinine, smoke-and-mirrors bs that people believe about diet and fitness these days.

While most “health professionals,” bloggers or pyramid-climbing sales people might know what worked for them individually, they typically do not have a realistic understanding of what works for most people. Or, they may have only studied fitness from the white-glove dreamland of academia, but have a tragic deficit of real world experience. So instead, they give free advice, they blog or they sell.

So, in honor of April Fools’ Day, here are three of the worst fitness myths today, followed by the truth about what really works.

1. Cardio Will Get Me in Shape Cardio will work, for a limited amount of time, for people who have 20 pounds or more to lose. Cardio will not give your physique shape, tone or much visual change at all if you have less weight to lose (this makes up the majority of the people that I work with).

Did you know that one pound of muscle burns 50 calories per day, at rest? Gain 1 pound of muscle, burn 50 calories per day with zero effort. That means burning while you’re at work, in your car, and even while you sleep at night.

What if you gained 10 pounds of muscle? That’s 500 calories per day with zero effort. Multiply 500 calories per day, times seven days in a week, and you’ve 68 |

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burned 3,500 calories with no effort – that’s equal to 1 pound of body fat!

Cardio burns calories in the moment, while lifting has a higher metabolic demand during and after – your exercise.

Muscle is very “expensive” tissue, metabolically speaking. It takes a lot of resources to keep your muscles burning.

Lifting builds muscle, muscle burns fat.

Now hit the weights.

2. Supplements Will Get Me in Shape Supplements are not meant to be the main part of your program. They are meant to supplement hard exercise, proper dieting and healthy lifestyle changes. That means IN ADDITION to your program.

Many people look to supplements as shortcuts. Supplements are a Band-Aid over the problem, and the problem is your shitty willpower and lack of discipline.

Realize that diet and exercise will do the majority of the work. Saddle up.

Let’s also not forget that the majority of supplements are dangerous! There is no regulation on dietary supplements.

Manufacturers simply provide a disclaimer on their products that the claims have not been evaluated by the FDA, and they can sell you whatever they want. That means that you and I could collect a vial of toilet water, carpet lint and crushed Oreos and sell it as a weight loss supplement. It’s a buyer beware market … STAY AWAY! 3. Isolation Exercises Will Get Me in Shape “When I do bicep curls, bro, I’m not working my glutes. Curls for the girls, son.”

“I don’t need to worry about my shoulders when I’m squatting.

SQUATZILLA, baby!”

Wrong! EVERY lift is a total-body exercise.

If you don’t squeeze your glutes on pull-ups, your lower back rounds, your shoulders won’t fully externally rotate and your whole system collapses. Hello, rotator cuff injury!

If you have poor scapular retraction during a squat (not squeezing your shoulder blades together), your hips can’t possibly achieve the proper depth without a mobility fault.

Every single lift has the same five basic mobility maxims: 1. Squeeze glutes and abs.

2. Lower sternum directly over pelvis.

3. Externally rotate shoulders (wrists and elbows, if necessary). “Break the bar” with your grip.

4. Externally rotate hips and knees (ankles, if necessary). “Spread the floor” with your feet.

5. Generally, point/push through your whole foot when it is on the ground.

Virtually all muscles should be activated for all lifts. There is no such thing as an isolation exercise. You will feel a major difference in power and stability.

You’ll see much quicker results, in both strength and physique. Most importantly, though, you’ll stay injury free.

So, stop asking for advice from a friend of a friend, stop reading the blogs and stop thinking that you’ll find results at the bottom of a blender bottle. Instead, use your head, hit the weights, eat right, avoid quick fixes and be aware of your body when you lift … that should solve 90 percent of the equation! The other 10 percent is on you – don’t be fooled.

Tia Norris is the president and head trainer at FitPro, LLC, a local fitness company. Find out more at fitprollc.com.

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ALL OVER THE MAP

The Elements of Pride

By Liz Massey

Photo by Fernando Hernández.

I

t’s time for Echo’s annual Pride preview issue, and even if you haven’t marched in the parade or set foot inside the festival grounds in years, you can still be glad that our city has such a robust organization to run the event.

My history in the Valley is intertwined with Pride. I had just moved to town when Arizona Central Pride announced they would host a rally/parade (the first in years) in late March 1997. A couple of months later, I was introduced to my spouse for the first time at the Pride Festival held near Tempe Diablo Stadium – predictably, we met because we physically collided with one another in front of the LGBTQ bookstore booth. Just a few years after that, I was riding down Central Avenue myself, dressed like a cop and prancing around on the back of a flatbed truck to the Village People’s tune “YMCA,” as part of the Echo Magazine float.

Phoenix’s Pride history mirrors the evolution of Pride celebrations nationally.

The earliest Pride parades were actually marches aimed at commemorating Stonewall and protesting near-universal legal discrimination and social rejection.

It took courage to take to the streets in those days – one could get fired or lose custody of one’s children just for being present. Gradually, we filled the streets with drag queens, leather tops, dykes on bikes, go-go boys, marching bands and every kind of social club imaginable as our community came out of the closet.

We needed that mix of playfulness and fierceness in the 1980s and 1990s, as we found our tribe battling the horrors of AIDS and dealing with round after round of vicious anti-LGBTQ legislation.

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across the country, has gotten bigger, more professional and taken on the management of other events and programs. With so much change, it’s easy to get disoriented about the true meaning of Pride. Is it political? Selfaffirmation? Communal?

Pride is Open to All.

When considering what the essence of Pride might be, I was reminded of one book almost every journalist has in his or her library: The Elements of Style. Less than 100 pages long, the words of authors William Strunk and E.B. White have stood the test of time because they stuck to the basics and did not try to focus on issues that were particular to the times in which they lived.

Pride is Self-Organizing.

Pride appears to be a permanent fixture – an event (or season, if you consider how many local festivals are held around the country) – that is synonymous with who we are and how we live our lives. With that in mind, I offer these principles as the essential, can’t-do-without Elements of Pride: Pride is Serious.

We should never forget that Pride events commemorate a riot that protested police brutality and corruption directed at queer people. We still have a long way to go before we achieve complete equality, and before every one of our community members and our allies are safe.

Pride is Fun.

Our community has always dealt with oppression and stigma by making fun of it, and by celebrating how awesome it is to be ourselves. That’s irreplaceable part of the LGBTQ community spirit – one I hope never gets lost!

Our party is open to everyone who wants to support us and learn more about us. Ideally, every letter of our beautiful “alphabet soup” is represented at Pride through floats, booths, on-stage presentations, etc.

Heaven forbid we should ever seek to have another entity outside our community put on a Pride event for us. We thrive when we take care of our own and are accountable to each other.

Pride is Outrageous!

We didn’t get this far as a movement by making our parades and festivals into a plea for assimilation. Boundary-defying displays of sequins, boas, leather and latex show off our community’s more colorful side – and remind others that some of our greatest contributions have come from being different, and not exact duplicates of our cis/hetero peers.

Since Pride has evolved in such interesting ways in the 46 years since the first event in 1970, I can only speculate about what Pride events will look like on the 75th or 100th anniversary of Stonewall. I hope that Pride – both in Phoenix and around the world – will retain its distinctive queer style. And I hope that style remains true to the definition that Orson Welles gave for it: “Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn.”

Liz Massey has been involved in LGBT community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine.

She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com.

COMMUNITY

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By Melissa Myers and Michael J. Tucker Melissa Myers: We were recently asked a question about automobile insurance for households headed by same-sex couples and the considerations between being a married couple versus an unmarried couple.

driving record, maintaining separate policies could end up costing you less.

Combining the coverage on a low-risk driver and a high-risk driver will likely increase the low-risk driver’s rates.

Michael J. Tucker: As with most financial matters, we consider a variety of factors.

Tucker: On the other hand, the total cost for both could still be lower because of other factors, such as multi-car or multi-policy discounts, for example.

Myers: If two people marry, they can choose to combine their separate car insurance policies.

Tucker: Apparently, married people get into fewer accidents than their unmarried counterparts. In the world of car insurance, safer driving typically translates to lower rates.

Myers: So, if you recently tied the knot, contact your insurer to see if your newlywed status qualifies you for some savings.

Tucker: Unless your spouse has a terrible driving record!

Myers: Right! If one of you has a poor

Myers: Even if you keep the policies separate, however, your premium could increase. Why? Because insurance companies consider the driving histories of all family members living within the same household when underwriting policies, and having a high-risk driver under your roof makes you riskier by association.

Tucker: That’s right, and even if your spouse owns a separate vehicle and rarely drives yours, there may be instances when he or she might need to. And, since car insurance follows the car, your policy would have to cover the damage if your spouse has an accident in your vehicle.

Myers: Let’s switch gears and look at what an unmarried couple should consider when reviewing their automobile insurance policies.

Tucker: If the two individuals live in the same household, they may be able to get the same insurance policy with the required coverage for their vehicles.

Myers: Couples must find insurers who will insure unmarried individuals on the same policy – which has become much more common in recent years.

Tucker: Just like a married couple, when an unmarried couple that lives together combine policies, they may enjoy a lower premium compared to taking

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on two separate policies. Both parties may also be able to take advantage of the same discounts.

Myers: For instance, if the primary policy holder has different types of insurance under the same company, he may qualify for a multi-policy discount, which his partner would benefit from as well.

Tucker: A shared policy can also become a burden. If one half of the couple experiences incidents, such as moving violations or accident claims, they could drive up the auto insurance premium cost for all parties involved.

Myers: Again, if one person has bad credit or previous driving record issues, they could cause a higher premium or inability to secure the policy at all.

Tucker: Shall we discuss what happens if an unmarried couple breaks up and one moves out of the home?

Myers: Yes, that happens sometimes. Most insurance companies allow for a combined policy only if the drivers live in the same location. It is a best practice to notify your insurance company if this occurs and ask about your options.

Tucker: Yes, when an insured party fails to inform the insurer of material changes, the company can later refuse to extend coverage or, worse yet, refuse to pay a claim.

Myers: As is often the case, the best thing to do is contact your insurance carrier or, if you are shopping for a new carrier, tell them about your marital status, living arrangements and other insurance policies or needs.

Tucker: Thus, they can recommend the best approach to insuring you and your partner or spouse.

Melissa Myers is a certified financial planner with Camelback Retirement Planners, in Phoenix, a registered representative with Commonwealth Financial Network and a registered investment adviser.

Michael Tucker is an attorney with Michael J. Tucker, P.C., in Phoenix, and is a certified specialist in estate and trust law. For more information, see their ads in this issue.

This material has been provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute either tax or legal advice. Investors should consult a tax or legal professional regarding their individual situation. Neither Camelback nor Commonwealth offers tax or legal advice.

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51st Ave.

Glendale 19 Bethany

Cactus

ee

N

Dunlap

$1 drafts & HH prices all day & night Winners get $10 Bunkhouse bar tabs

Greenway Pkwy Thunderbird

S M

DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close

Your Neighborhood Community bar...

4428 N 7th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85013 (602)200-9154

Home of

Leather/Bears Entertainment (Karaoke, Drag) Go-Go Dancers Accommodations/Other EchoMag.com

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APRIL 2016

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April 28th - May 2nd

Phurfest 2016 r e st ! i g ay e R od T Phoenix, AZ

A Bears of the West Event

April 28th - May 2nd

www.Phurfest.org

CLOTHES | SPORTS WEAR | UNDERWEAR | SWIMSUITS CARDS | LEATHER | PRIDE | FETISH & MORE

Located in the heart of the Phoenix LGBT Community in Melrose

All I need is someone to play with

The Southwest’s only LGBT Superstore

4111 N. 7th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85013

FREE HIV TESTING! Each Friday from 3:30pm - 6:30pm Testing brought to by 78 |

APRIL 2016

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EchoMag.com

Enter off 6th Drive 602-274-1429

offchutetoo.com

@offchutetoo

OUT & ABOUT Fantasy Fridays March 4 at AQUA Night Club, Phoenix.

Photos courtesy of Kacey Anne.

For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.

1440 E. Indian School rd., Phoenix | 602-234-1654 80 |

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www.chuteaz.com

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APRIL 2016

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lambda directory Please support our advertisers who help keep Echo free.

To find out more about advertising in Echo, call 602-266-0550.

ACCOMMODATIONS Royal Villa ACCOUNTANTS/TAX PREPARATION Camelwest Tax Service Jeffrey J. Quatrone PLLC Robert F. Hockensmith, CPA, PC Steve Price-CPA

p. 74

p. 74 p. 61 p. 43 p. 76

ADOPTION Devereux Arizona p. 67 Family Service Agency p. 66 Southwest Adoption Services LLC p. 64 ADULT ENTERTAINMENT/ RETAIL The Chute p. 80 Flex Spas Phoenix p. 81 Off Chute Too p. 78 AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING Mustang Air Mechanical p. 75 Valdez Refrigeration p. 76 APARTMENTS @ 51 Luxury Apartments p. 5 Arizona Multifamily Association p. 24 East and West Apartments p. 75 Monarch Apartments p. 63 ART GALLERY Exposures International Gallery of Fine Art p. 13 ATTORNEYS Arentz Law Group, PLLC Jackson WhiteAttorneys At Law Karpinski, Berry, Adler & Co. O’Connor, PC, Dean W. Phillips Law Group The Law Offices of Lemuel A. Carlos, PLLC Tyler Allen Law Firm Udall Shumway Law Firm

p. 58 p. 49 p. 75 p. 61 p. 4 p. 43 p. 19 p. 20

AUTO SERVICES Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair p. 11 Compu-Tech 82 |

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Automotive

p. 65

BAR & CLUBS Bunkhouse Charlie’s Stacy’s @ Melrose

p. 77 p. 9 p. 71

BEVERAGES Hensley Beverage Company

p. 14

COSMETIC PROCEDURES Willo Medi Spa p. 76 COUNSELING SERVICES Mariann Arcari Rubin, LCSW p. 66 People Empowering People of AZ, Inc. p. 66 DENTISTS Concord Dental Omer K. Reed D.D.S. p. 65 My Dentist p. 61 Open Wide Dental p. 21 EDUCATION Maricopa County Community College District p. 67 ENTERTAINMENT DJ Rick

p. 81

EVENTS Arizona Broadway Theatre p. 55 ASU Lyric Opera p. 58 Bisbee Pride p. 44 Dinah Shore Vegas p. 15 Echo Readers Choice Awards p. 26, 27 Night For Life p. 48 OUT at SMoCA p. 45 Phoenix Frontrunners p. 32 Phoenix Pride Festival p. 40, 41 Phoenix Pride Parade p. 25 Phurfest p. 78 Retro Launch Party Event p. 52 Rupaul’s Drag Race p. 33 SAVORlife p. 59 Scottsdale Center For the Arts p. 2 The Naked Magic Show p. 79 FINANCIAL SERVICES

EchoMag.com

JW Advisors Inc.

p. 75

HOME SERVICES Arizona’s Mr. Fix It Don’s Painting Service Go Go Green Arizona Lyons Roofing Merry Maids Quandt Landscaping Rainbow Bug Studio Z The Mattress Man

p. 74 p. 74 p. 75 p. 43 p. 22 p. 75 p. 76 p. 33 p. 81

HOSPICE Hospice of the Valley

p. 58

INSURANCE Benefits Arizona Hector Cerda, Allstate

p. 61 p. 3

MORTGAGES Jeremy Schachter, Pinnacle Capital Mortgage p. 3 MOVERS Two Men and a Truck NETWORKING GPGLCC

p. 76 p. 31

PHARMACIES CVS Specialty Pharmacy p. 66 Fairmont Pharmacy p. 69 PLUMBERS Brothers Plumbing PlumberTime

p. 73 p. 75

REAL ESTATE Center 8 Townhomes p. 17 Contour on Campbell p. 74, 83 en Hance Park p. 33 REALTORS Arizona Gay Realtors Alliance p. 3 Berney Streed, Re/Max Excalibur p. 76 Bradley B. Brauer, HomeSmart p. 3 David Oesterle, ReMax p. 3 Fred Delgado Team, Keller Williams p. 3 GayRealEstate.com p. 63 Jan Dahl, HomeSmart p. 3 Joshua Fetchik,

West USA Reality p. 76 Matthew Hoedt, Realty One p. 3 Michael Smith, One Realty Group p. 75 Nicholas Yale, Realty Executives p. 3 Realty Executives, Yale Satellite Office p. 84 Shawn Hertzog, West USA p. 3 RELIGIOUS GROUPS Community Church of Hope p. 74 First Congregational UCC p. 75 The Franciscan Renewal Center p. 58 RESTAURANTS China Chili COR Tapas & Wine Harley’s Bistro Hula’s Modern Tiki Marcellino Ristorante RETAIL Easley’s Fun Shop French Designer Jeweler

p. 53 p. 53 p. 53 p. 53 p. 53

p. 73 p. 30

RETIREMENT PLANNING Calvin Goetz, Strategy Financial Group p. 3 Melissa Myers, Camelback Retirement p. 74 SALONS Athleticuts Salon Exodus

p. 69 p. 76

SOLAR Sun Harvest Solar

p. 23

VETERINARIANS Dynamite Animal Hospital p. 65 WELLNESS Anti-aging Clinic p. 57 Arizona Neuromodulation Center p. 73 Ashline p. 69 Avenger Fitness, LCC p. 74 FitPro, LLC p. 75 TERROS Incorporated p. 66 LAMBDA DIRECTORY

April 5th & 6th, 2014

Welcome to the 36th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival!

I couldn’t be happier to welcome all of you from around the Valley of the Sun and across the country to Phoenix Pride! We are thrilled to have you here for the 36th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival!

This year, we have a phenomenal weekend of activities planned for everyone, including some amazing entertainers like The B-52s and DAYA! Also, we are overjoyed to once again have a Latin Headliner, Los Horóscopos de Durango! Make sure you check out the rest of our amazing entertainment and the over 300 great exhibitors and food options! With 5 different stages, you will, without a doubt, find something to do all weekend! As well, we are ecstatic that the Phoenix Pride Festival will continue to help us keep the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center serving over 10,000 clients a year and fund over $100,000 in Grants and Scholarships. This is only possible because of YOU…the phenomenal community members that come out and support our events!

A portion of every dollar you spend at the festival goes back into the community through the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center and our programs. Once again, welcome to Phoenix Pride and I hope you have an amazing time!

Justin Owen

Justin Owen Executive Director, Phoenix Pride

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

EXHIBITOR MARKETPLACE

BISTRO STAGE & ARTS EXPO

TISH TANNER COMMUNITY STAGE

KIDSPACE

ENTRANCE

BUY TICKETS HERE

ARTS EXPO Artist Booths including: • Photography • Custom Made Jewelry • Fine Art Paintings • Drawings • Wood Designs • Henna • Body Art • and More!

PRIDE COMMUNITY ART PROJECT! Show YOUR artistic skills & demonstrate your love of renewable resources by decorating a trash can and participating in this year’s community art project!

SATURDAY APRIL 2ND 12PM HOUSE OF STAIRS 2PM LAURA SAWOSKO 3PM AUDREY HICKS FROM BREAKAWAY BAND 4PM SHEA FREEDOM 5PM 76TH STREET 6PM JOSH ZUCKERMAN 7PM CHASIN’ A BUTTERFLY SUNDAY APRIL 3RD 12PM DAWN BOWMAN 1PM THE KENNY THAMES COMBO 2PM PEARL RIDGE DUO 3PM SISTAHS TOO 4PM KORBE IN THE MOMENT 5PM ADAM SMITH 6PM JACOB ACOSTA

MAIN MAIN

SATURDAY APRIL 2ND 11:30AM ASTONY 2:00PM Pride Royalty 3:30PM Run Jenny 5:00PM Phoenix Phollies

STAGE STAGE

6:00PM Stephen Sorrentino and Randy Jones 6:30PM Los Horรณscopos de Durango 8:00PM the B-52s

MAIN MAIN SUNDAY APRIL 3RD 11:30AM DJ Vince Urban 2:30PM Erika Jayne 3:30PM Jaidynn Diore

STAGE STAGE 4:15PM 6:00PM 8:00PM

Fame Fusion Ricky Rebel DAYA

SATURDAY APRIL 2ND 11:30AM ROBBIE WINEHOUSE 1:30PM ERICK DIAZ 4:00PM DJ FRANK TERRY 6:30PM DJ DREW G SUNDAY APRIL 3RD 11:30AM 1:30PM 4:00PM 6:30PM

MUSA MIND DJ IDEAL DJ SHORTY SEAN WATSON

SATURDAY APRIL 2ND 1:00PM PHOENIX PRIDE PAGEANT CONTESTANTS 2:00PM FLASHBACK WITH AFEELYA BUNZ 3:00PM ECHO’S READER’S CHOICE AWARDS 5:10PM FASHION SHOW PRESENTED BY WOMAN’S TOUCH APPAREL 5:40PM EOY ROYALTY HOUR 6:40PM PIPELIGHTS

SUNDAY APRIL 3RD 1:00PM ELEMENTS FEATURING ILLUSIONS 2:00PM A ROYALTY HOUR 3:10PM FASHION SHOW PRESENTED BY WOMAN’S TOUCH APPAREL 3:40PM THE URBAN EXPERIENCE SHOWCASE WITH DEVINA ROSS 4:50PM FEMMTASTIC 6:00PM SNAILMATE

KidSpace Ages 12 and Under

12PM - 5PM

Free Face Painting

Bouncy House Photo Booth

Music

Bring your Metro Light Rail Pass to the Phoenix Pride Booth to enter to win Ellie Goulding Tickets!

PARKING $5 4041 N. Central Ave. (behind Phoenix School of Law)

STATION:

Indian School Rd.

Central Avenue

Highland Avenue

Seventh Street

Clayton McKee, Amy Monarrez Jonathan Brier and Kat Carlson

Indian School Road

Fairmount Avenue

Announcer’s Stage

Clarendon Avenue Judge’s Stage

Third Street

Osborn Road

Thomas Road

Sunday April 3rd @ 10am Kicks off at 3rd St and Thomas

(Must be 18 yrs or older with ID)

Our

Erot ic World

tent is where we

celebrate the dark, passionate, fun, and erotic aspects of LGBTQ life. Stop in to see what all the fuss is about!

Exhibitors, Live Demos, Exotic Dancers, and Romantasy Cabaret