PRIDE & Equality magazine's 2015 Gay Pride issue

cover story

14 KENNEDY DAVENPORT P&E learns more about this feisty and passionate drag queen who is showing the world what she’s made of on this season of Rupaul’s Drag Race.

featured stories 07 MODELS OF HOPE 2015 Learn about this year’s honorees.

extras 13 NAME GAMES Royce’s thought on a story we’ve come to know as simply Leelah.

17 FIVE TIPS FOR DATING AFTER DIVORCE: YourTango Offers Advice For Getting Back in the Dating Game

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Kennedy Davenport - The drag beauty who is continuely passionate about her work.

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Yoruba Richen shares what he learned during the process of filming the groundbreaking documentary, The New Black, coming out this June.

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Stop, Look, and Listen

The Final Word

Neon Hitch, Kristen Merlin

The New Black

Words from the Publisher

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Here we go again

The Book Report

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Loving Allie, Bullied Kids Speak Out, Time on Two Crosses

Minor Details

Coming Out from Under the Covers

20 Get OUT - P&E Travel

Ten Reasons to stay in a Boutique Hotel

21 P&E Picks

The latest releases on screen, DVD and Blu-Ray.

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words from the publisher

Here we go again!

Another year has come and gone and it has been an exciting one. Same-sex marriage is still in the forefront and we are months away from having a final resolution on this issue. This year’s theme, Color Our World with Pride, shares a feeling that should be a daily goal, not an annual one. Make this years Pride one of your many blessings for those who came before you and made a difference in the fight for equality.

Teresa Robinson-Ewers, Editor-in-Chief PRIDE & Equality magazine

VOL XI - ISSUE 1 PRIDE & Equality is published every other month by Overdrive Publications. Contents copyrighted Š 2015. Reproduction in whole or in part by any means without the express written consent of the publisher is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Editorial: Submissions are welcome through mail or by email. Publisher reserves the right to edit, reject, or comment editorially on all material submitted. PRIDE & Equality is not responsible for lost or damaged submissions. For submission questions or to send submissions email to prideequality@gmail.com.

Hard Copies: $15.00. Visit www.myprideonline.com to purchase your copy.

Advertising: If you are interested in advertising, please email OverdrivePub@gmail.com, call (505) 450-4706, or visit our web site at www.myprideonline.com for rates and information.

Distribution: To have PRIDE & Equality distributed in your store, contact Teresa Ewers at (505) 4504706.

Overdrive Publications Teresa Ewers, Publisher 4200 Silver SE, Ste. C Albuquerque, NM 87108 (505) 450-4706 www.myprideonline.com

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featured stories

Another year and another round of inspirational individuals and organizations for this year’s Vincent R. Johnson Models of Hope Awards. On February 6th, 2015, they were honored at an awards dinner held at the UNM Ballroom. It was an evening filled with truly humble moments.

Learn more about your Models of Hope!

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featured stories

How did you get involved with your organization(s) in the GLBTQ community?

I was voted unanimously into being the president of Manzano High School's Gay Straight Alliance, where I held that title for three years before graduating. That was the opening to all the opportunities I had from then on. I became a youth board member for Albuquerque PFLAG and a Youth Council Member for the New Mexico Gay Straight Alliance Network.

What are some of your achievements and/or awards that you've received for your service?

In high school I received the Manzano Renaissance Award for social justice. I was also responsible, along with my GSA members, for making sure our club was treated fairly and received letters for Letterman jackets. I received an award from Common Bond and became the first youth judge of the Albuquerque Pride Pageant.

Tell us about your history. What was life like when you were a youth?

Like too many of us, I had many suicidal attempts and thoughts as a youth. Feelings of loneliness and isolation, mixed with confusion, and feeling like I'd never be good enough. What I had failed to notice was that I was not alone.

I actually had the most amazing support system one could hope for. I had fantastic friends and family members that helped through all of it. It wasn't until my senior year of high school that I began to figure out what I needed to do to truly be myself - the me that you see today - Lance. That was the last time I ever thought or attempted to take my own life and I could not be happier today.

Lance McDaniel 8

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What was the changing moment in your life that lead to you wanting to make a difference and live life as the real you?

The moment I realized I needed to be a visible member of this community was in high school. I had just become president of the GSA and was walking through the halls when this kid came up to me and gave the biggest hug. Nearly crying, they said, thank you and asked if I remembered them. I didn't. They said that we had met one other time in middle school, when we were in a very acute suicidal state of mind, and that when they met me and saw that I was out and just living my life confidently that they could too. It was this moment that I decided I needed to make myself as visible as humanly possible for anyone else that may be going through the same thing.

What piece of advice would you give today GLBTQ youth?

Be you and be proud of who you are. You are not alone and I am with you.

featured stories

How did you get involved with your organization(s) in the GLBTQ community?

Well, to be honest, it was a "right place, right time" opportunity. I was a few months beyond graduating with my Master of Public Administration degree, and I began seeking opportunities to come home to New Mexico. Senator Jacob Candelaria, my predecessor, had been elected to the Senate, and via some of my family members and other contacts I learned that EQNM would be in search of a new Executive Director.

Initially, I didn't think I was ready to assume this level of responsibility, and I opted not to apply. But a few weeks later I received a call from EQNM's headhunter. It just so happened that he had reached out to several of the folks I met with, and I had been recommended as a candidate.

What are some of your achievements and/or awards that you've received for your service?

Honestly, the gratification of seeing our work making real, tangible changes in people's lives is worth all of the time and energy that goes into running an organization like EQNM. Awards and accolades are just icing on the cake.

Nevertheless, we were quite proud to receive the Albuquerque Pride OUTstanding Nonprofit Award, and the International Jose Julio Sarria Civil Rights Award in 2014.

Those awards are testaments to how much we've grown as an organization in terms of our impact, credibility, and visible commitment to our awesome community.

Tell us about your history. What was life like when you were a youth?

I grew up in an Evangelical Christian, staunch Republican household. So, coming to terms with my sexual orientation was quite challenging, though I didn't really start questioning until my junior and senior years in high school. I even underwent reparative therapy in a church right here in Albuquerque...(which apparently didn't work so well).

It took me leaving home to come to terms with myself, and was a very painful journey. Having been indoctrinated into the ways of the evangelical christian cult, I hated myself. I questioned how I - a faithful "child of god," scholar-athlete, and obedient oldest daughter - could be burdened with the "sin" of homosexuality. I spent way too much time on my knees trying to pray my gay away, but the more I tried to avoid the truth, the harder it became to hide and ignore it. Finally, having suffered through an emotional breakdown, self-harm, and dropping out of college, I stopped fighting against myself and let go of the things - the dogma and the judgement - that was only causing me pain.

And, it was only then that I truly found peace.

Thankfully, my coming out coupled with my parent's divorce after over 20 years of marriage helped them realize that life doesn't fit into these nice, neat little boxes that so many religions and churches try to force us into. It's unnat-

Amber Royster P&E Pride 2015

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featured stories

ural and incredibly traumatic. But, after being "out" for nearly 15 years now, and with my family members making their own strides as human beings, I'm happy to say that my family embraces and loves me and my wife unconditionally, we are all fierce advocates for equality and justice in all forms, and none of us are republicans (smile).

What was the changing moment in your life that lead to you wanting to make a difference and live life as the real you?

I can't really pinpoint a specific moment - it was really more of a journey that started at the end of my military service in 2005/2006. Having deployed twice during the Iraq War, and given the military was still under "Don't Ask Don't Tell," I was ready to move on. I no longer believed in what I was a part of; and, frankly, I had come to the understanding that war just doesn't solve anything. So, that experience really started to shift my world view.

After I was honorably discharged, I enrolled at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington where I completed my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration degrees. If you don't know Evergreen, it was recently named the most politically liberal college in the U.S.; and, it is also famous for its beginnings during the

Vietnam Era as a counter educational model and culture as compared to traditional higher education institutions. It was through my experience and education at Evergreen that I evolved as a critical thinker, and become more self-reflective in the privilege, biases, and values that inform who I am and how I present in the world. The more I became attuned to these things, the more I was inspired to participate in solidarity with movements and work that address the inequities and injustices people face every day - including my own.

What piece of advice would you give today GLBTQ youth?

There are so, so many of us out there now who are out, proud, and ready to support and defend anyone in our community who is struggling or lost - especially our youth.

You are not alone, and you are not expected to figure things out on your own, though I know it often feels that way.

Yes, it does get better - but you never have to suffer the growing pains of getting to that place alone. Be brave and reach out - asking for help, asking for a friend, asking for a listening ear is absolutely one of the most courageous things you can do.

featured stories

How did you get involved with your organization(s) in the GLBTQ community?

I have been blessed to work with Equality New Mexico shortly after moving back from NMSU, where I had been active in establishing a GLBT Resource Center.

The work at EQNM introduced me to many organizations working on a vast number of issues facing our community.

What are some of your achievements and/or awards that you've received for your service?

I was honored as Big Brothers and Big Sisters Big of the Month and Volunteer of the Year.

Tell us about your history. What was life like when you were a youth?

I grew up in Albuquerque with a loving and supportive family, yet still struggled with coming out. Being active in sports and activities in high school, I thought it would be a negative component to my high school experience to be openly gay.

I looked at this time period as a real transitional time for me. I turned to gay figures in the media and literature while I was trying to come to terms with being gay. Ellen came out on TV, Queer As Folk made it to America, and Will and Grace showed that many types of gay men exist.

I remember starting to see gay people on TV shows like The Real World, who were not ostracized but accepted and celebrated for who they were. That was a big point for me as a teen and helped me tremendously.

What was the changing moment in your life that lead to you wanting to make a difference and live life as the real you?

At some point I realized that the people who loved me would love me for who I was and those who couldn't did not deserve my love. It wasn't really until college that I decided to just be myself and work for the world I wanted.

What piece of advice would you give today GLBTQ youth?

By sharing our stories we can change hearts and minds.

Even within my short time working within Queer issues, I have seen a tremendous change in how the world views GLBTQ people. It can only get better as we continue to live to our full capacity.

Christopher Salas P&E Pride 2015

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featured stories

UNM LGBTQ Resource Center

2015 Models of Hope Business / Organization Honoree: The LGBTQ Resource Center was established in 2010 at the University of New Mexico to provide services to UNM students, faculty, and staff of all gender identities and sexual orientations through support, advocacy, education and safety.

featured stories

Name Games

D

ecember 28th, a debate raged in newsrooms across the county. Leelah or Josh.

He or she. And it immediately becomes obvious that this wasn’t a game. Identities can be stolen, but apparently we aren’t supposed to exercise agency in shaping them for ourselves. The fact is, there’s nothing simple about names and pronouns today in America. The dance between name and identity is beyond tricky, as we saw in this case, and is sometimes painful and deadly. As we all watched Leelah’s mother grieve in public, claim to have loved her child unconditionally, and use names and pronouns that Leelah was very clear were not part of who she was, we can see that this is a tangled web.

Religion. Conversion “therapy.”

Parenting. Articles on these topics about Leelah abound. The gender threads in this web seem clear at first, but what I rarely, if ever, hear anyone bring up is who benefits from the polarized binary gender system. In the end, it always comes down to money.

For the longest time, I refused to list a gender on Facebook. The one and only reason Facebook needs my gender is so that they can market to me. So they can commodify my identity to their advertisers. Gender is the first step in narrowing a market focus. And until recently, there were no options other than male and female on Facebook because the advertisers demanded those two options.

While that is a fantastic surface example, the challenge with how much influence money and market have exerted in our culture is a long, long story. So much so that our very language, specifically pronouns, has been shaped to be exclusive to the binary system. When someone tells you they just had a baby, what’s the first question they get asked? What is it, a boy or a girl? Because it cannot become human until a gender has been assigned and enacted. He, she, or it. These are the choices.

I must add a personal thank you to Leelah. As the horrific story of her life and death unfolded, my own 16

year old son came to me and asked to change his name. He shares a first name with 4 generations of first born men in my family, with all that entails. I deeply respect the courage it took for him to open this can of worms. Leelah’s story made it clear to me what I needed to do, and my son is legally changing his name to add the middle name Elijah (he wants to be called Eli). Adding it as a middle name gives us hope that maybe the school district won’t screw up his records too badly, and eventually he will probably drop the first name on his birth certificate all together.

Thank you, Leelah, for reminding me of my own duty as a parent, that of supporting my amazing child as Eli learns to be excited by and responsible for his own identity.

Royce TevisTownes is an "a-ha" moment midwife who works with people who want to kick a little more ass. Whether working with Project Wholeness doing life coaching, small business coaching, executive coaching, or facilitating a monthly networking meeting for the LGBTQ Qmmunity, Q Biz Matters, he works with folks who want more! Learn more at www.projectwholeness.com.

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cover story

R

upaul's newest gurl, Kennedy Davenport is on fire! Proving herself to be a fierce competitor, she is showing America that she was made to be one of the most entertaining and beautiful drag queens around. Davenport will be in Albuquerque for this year's Pridefest.

Before she paints our town red, I sat down with me to talk about the show, childhood and the future.

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cover story

“This is not an easy career and I wouldn't wish this on my worse enemy - only the strong will survive.”

Where does your drive come from to do drag? What does the experience offer you?

The drive comes from just wanting to be on stage and entertain.

To get that reaction of unconditional love from the crowd keeps me driven. It’s the inner passion for the art-form of female impersonation that keeps you going.

The experience offers me the opportunity to meet new people and also it offers me the opportunity to entertain the world, my way.

Is your passion supported by family / friends?

I have a big support system thank God. I didn't have a problem at first when my family found out. I believe it's about how you present it and present yourself. If you respect your craft then people will respect it, whether they like it or not. But my family is a great support.

What was life like as a kid for Ms. Kennedy Davenport?

As a kid, life was good and bad.

On a good note, I was exposed to the arts at a very early age, so my dad kept me active, whether singing or dancing - competing and performing all over the state of Texas wherever they would let me. On the bad side, being as talented as I was at such a young age definitely made me the oddball. I was teased and bullied, battling with my sexuality, and taking on adult responsibilities helping my dad raise my sister who is mentally challenged. We were also in a single parent home. I had a lot on my plate, but was still able to push through it and perform, which later became a way of escape.

What was your first performance in drag like?

My very first performance was a talent night with very few people in the audience lol. I was like a

deer in headlights, but comfortable because the stage was my life, so it came as second nature. It was a great experience that sparked something in me to do it again and again.

What did you see yourself doing if drag wasn't your full-time job?

If I wasn't doing drag I would probably be in an office pushing papers. I actually like administrative work and I like to be depended on. So yes, office work, filing, typing, running fax and copy machines etc.. I love it all. It's fishy too! LOL What has the experience on RuPaul's Drag Race been like for you?

The experience on RuPaul's Drag Race was a great eye opener for me. It helped me to rediscover who I was as an entertainer. It woke my creative juices within me. Although the journey was not easy, I am grateful for the oppor-

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tunity. I really know now who Kennedy Davenport is.

What advice can you offer those trying to make their mark in the field?

They need to understand and accept the fact that there is a great possibility that it won't work, so be ready for a plan B. But stay optimistic and driven.

Being humble in every situation will take you far. This is not an easy career and I wouldn't wish this on my worse enemy - only the strong will survive. So best wishes to you and never give up on your passion.

What can we expect with your performance here at Albuquerque Pride?

It's PRIDE so they need to expect nothing but high energy entertainment and definitely some good ole old school drag. I want the children to get their life.

What would you like your legacy to be?

The legacy of Kennedy Davenport would be a queen who worked hard. One who put her patrons and fans before anything. She aimed to please and went above and beyond to entertain. She was a true dancing Diva!

extras

Five Tips for Dating after Divorce: YourTango Offers Advice For Getting Back in the Dating Game

G

etting back into the dating game following divorce can be daunting- but getting back on the relationship horse doesn’t have to be as scary as you might think! CEO Andrea Miller from YourTango, the premier media company dedicated exclusively to love and relationships, share the following tips: • Prepare Mentally and Emotionally: When you are ready to schedule your date, be sure that you consider what you have planned both before and after the date. You don't want to be rushing to meet your date right after work.

• Take it Slow: A fun strategy is to try to think of the date the way you might think about interviewing someone for a position in your company or even a contractor who may be doing work for you. Although

you would like to fill that position, you don't need to fill it right this second. You can take your time until the right person comes along. You can interview every candidate until you find the right fit. There are plenty of fish in the sea.

• Make it Fun: Think about something that will make this date fun for you. Remember that you are learning about you. The “you” that may have been lost in the last relationship. Create a date that also allows for self-discovery. It might be learning something new about your date, telling a joke to test your date's sense of humor and your delivery skills, or trying out a new restaurant or a new part of town. Treat the date as a fun experience in which you have an opportunity to get to know someone new, both your date and you, regardless of whether or not you want to continue the relationship.

• Be Honest: Do not lie about your

weight, your athleticism, your height or anything else in a profile or on the date. He or she is going to see you soon enough to possibly get to know you more. Be the fantastic, charming intelligent, witty person that you are. It's a lot easier to go into the date knowing you don't have to pretend or fake anything • Be a Good Listener: Everyone loves to be heard. When you're listening, you also have an opportunity to breathe slowly and relax. It also allows you to eat without worrying about talking with your mouth full.

Even if you're nervous, be sure to use the basic listening skills of making eye contact, nodding your head, making slight exclamations like, "Oh," or "Wow" and responding with follow-up questions to show you're paying attention.

This article was www.YourTango.com.

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minor details

Coming Out from Under the Covers

T

he danger facing the movement for equality for LGBT people today isn’t just the furious backlash of the religious right-wing, but a response of the movement, which Michelangelo Signorile labels “victory blindness.” In fact, he writes in his new must-read It’s Not Over: Getting Beyond Tolerance, Defeating Homophobia, and Winning True Equality, we are in a “dangerous moment” - in spite of great victories, “discrimination, violence and tragic horror stories – in addition to the daily slights that all of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender have experienced for years – have not only continued, they’ve sometimes become more blatant.”

“It’s a moment in which all of us, LGBT and straight, who support equality risk falling prey to what I’ve come to call victory blindness. We’re overcome by the heady whirl of a narrative of victory, a kind of bedtime story that tells us we’ve reached the promised land, that can make everything else seem like a blur.”

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This victory narrative says that LGBT people have made it, or that the end of homophobia is inevitable, that they’re now as accepted as straight people.

Therefore, the movement shouldn’t do anything to rock a boat that’s smoothly sailing toward Eden.

LGBT people should be thankful for what they have, magnanimous in their responses, and patiently awaiting for the tide to further turn. They’re given that counsel from some of their own leading personalities who are high enough on economic and social ladders to feel personally safe and above the fray everyday LGBT people face.

One danger in all this is that the right-wing is constantly working on strategies to prevent anything further and to turn back what has previously been gained. At this point they’ve concluded that they can win in polls, legislatures, and courts with a nationally organized and highly scripted scenario that has them posing as the real victims of LGBT people whose gains are taking away their religious liberties.

In legislatures they plan to pass more “religious freedom” bills and laws

to overturn local protections. In the courts they hope that “religious freedom” for businesses (think the Hobby Lobby victory) and religious individuals will work better than blatantly singling out a protected category of people. And politically they are counting on younger generations who wouldn’t support discrimination to vote for those who support their freedom from government interference in people’s lives.

All of this is modeled on their so-far successful fight to eat away at women’s reproductive rights or to curtail voting rights of minorities and others that are likely voters against them. So, just as they have been able to do that, there’s no guarantee that unless movements for equality are actively engaged in protecting gains and moving forward, America will be a place of full equality.

What cannot be the strategy, no matter how it is counseled by insiders is what Signorile calls “covering.” Based on Kenji Yoshino’s book, Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights, covering is the precarious attempt to downplay the differences from the majority that a group of people have in

minor details

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order to convince the majority that the minority are not only “team players” but are just like them.

Covering is a reaction of fear that concludes that fitting in is the best strategy. It teaches that oppressed people should be thankful for what they’ve gained and fearful that any further demands for full equality and acceptance will result in the loss of any gains.

Covering says that it is too much to ask for anything more, that doing isn’t magnanimous. It might not be going back into the closet, but it’s keeping silent for fear of the risks involved.

As Signorile warns, covering is “a trap that allows equality’s enemies to foment a backlash.” Celebrations in 1973 of the Supreme Court decision for women’s choice in Roe v Wade, didn’t anticipate the new and multiple curtailing of women’s reproductive rights in the forty years since – the decision fomented a deceptively dangerous and more violent backlash involving political and legislative setbacks and even murders.

Even in some of the safest cities, LGBT harassment and mistreatment remains blatant. And recent polls about marriage equality aside, employment, accommodation, and financial discrimination still exists. The reported number of hate crimes against LGBT people continues to be significant.

Signorile references a telling study that was published in the November 2014 issue of the American Sociological Review. It supports the observation that though Americans might reject explicit discrimination against LGBT people and speak of full civil rights, they’d still rather not see LGBT expressions of any affection in public.

In other words, though, they would respond to polls favorably, they still had an implicit bias against LGBT equality. And keeping the gains that have been made as well as moving to full equality requires confronting those

biases not covering while the rightwing schemes to play on them.

Just as LGBT people and their allies had to come out of their respective closets to make these gains, at this time of surprisingly fast victories we have to take off the covers and go for complete equality. Tolerance is not a worthy goal.

That means we’ll have to upset some apple carts, reject magnanimity, and really act as if all people are worthy of full equality. It means not settling when there are incremental wins, for history, as Signorile documents, has shown that these were not actually won through the incrementalism that has stalled a federal Employment Nondiscrimination Act for decades and allowed the slow eating away at the gains previously won by women and minorities of all genders.

It means we have to face our fears that provide the space for continued hate and develop, as Signorile points out, “a new attitude that is uncompromising and empowering. “There will be an impulse now to accept less than we deserve, especially with conservative and Republican voices increasingly proposing that we cut deals and make compromises on equality.” But the empowering and necessary approach is, instead, that LGBT people and allies come out from under any covers.

---------------------------------------Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas, is author of When Religion Is an Addiction;Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to Be Human: and Gay & Healthy in a Sick Society.

Contact him at www.FairnessProject.org

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get out: p&e travel

Ten Reasons to Stay in a Boutique Hotel

W

hen you travel, there are always plenty of options when it comes to choosing accommodations.

All too often, travelers fall back on wellworn choices, choosing the stay at a large, chain hotel with buildings in multiple cities in many different countries. This is an understandable decision because the traveler knows exactly what they’re getting when they book with these larger companies.

However, what isn’t talked about nearly as often is what is missed when a chain hotel is picked over a boutique hotel. Yes, you know what you’re getting, but that’s because it is the same in every single city in every single country, which results in a less rich traveling experience. Staying at a boutique hotel can provide a far richer experience when it comes to exploring the area and the accommodations provided. Here are the top ten reasons to stay in a boutique hotel instead of a large chain.

Unique experience: Staying at a boutique hotel means that you’ll get an experience you cannot get any place else on the planet.

The hotel is unique, one of a kind, and what it offers travelers can’t be replicated any place else.

More personal service: Many boutique hotels have a lower capacity – fewer rooms overall are available – so it’s possible for owners and staff to provide a much more personalized experience for their guests.

They will recognize your face, pet and be

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more aware of any needs you may have.

Location: Many boutique hotels are located in the heart of the city – their smaller size is less disruptive and means they don’t need to be on the outskirts. These hotels are often closest to shopping, dining, and adventures.

No Two Stays are the same: Boutique hotels change with the years and the seasons in a way that large chain hotels simply cannot do. You can stay in different rooms with radically different aesthetics and lay outs, experience different events, and much more.

Knowledgeable staff: The staff at a boutique hotel are often local, dedicated and incredibly knowledgeable about the area, which allows them to help guests with more nuance and detail than the staff of a large hotel.

Local connections: A boutique hotel is a local business, which makes it easier for them to make connections to other local businesses. This can include partnerships with restaurants, tour agencies, spas, and many others that guests can benefit from when they stay.

Distinctive architecture: Rather than following a pre determined design, many boutique hotels have their own distinctive architecture that sets them apart from the

multi-floored cookie-cutter rooms at the larger chains. With unique style and beautiful buildings, boutique hotels can be an experience in and of themselves.

Award winning: There are plenty of instances of boutique hotels receiving awards from such well known travel organizations as AAA and Trip Advisor where travelers have recognized the unique experience provided by such one-of-a-kind hotels.

Take a look at information pages to find out what kind of recognition these gems have received and see!

Intimate Atmosphere: The smaller capacity of boutique hotels makes for a cozy, private atmosphere that is almost impossible to find in the long hallways and echoing lobbies of large, chain hotels. The quiet spaces of boutique hotels, their unique architecture, and their attentive personnel help create an intimate, relaxing environment during your stay.

Pet Friendly: Being an independent business allows for more creativity in hotel rules, so many boutique hotels have accommodations that larger chains simply don’t have. One such accommodation is the welcoming of guests as well as their pets. Pet friendly hotels provide a caring environment for animals as well as people.

This article was provided courtesy of El Portal Sedona Hotel - www.elportalsedona.com

p&e picks

ALL LOVE IS DIVINE Creator and Producer Stephan Durell Davis along with Actor and Producer Max Rhyser, Vocalist Kimberly Michelle Thomas, Music Director and Lead Arranger Matt Podd and CoArranger Ben Wexler have joined forces to create All Love is Divine, a new musical film for LGBT youth.

Inspired by timeless jazz ballads and black and white films, All Love is Divine is planned for release on June 12, 2015, which is "Loving Day", the 48th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that allowed interracial marriage in the United States. The short film tells the story of an interracial gay couple from their first embrace through their wedding day "Although we are beginning to see more representations of gays and lesbians in the media, LGBT youth still do not have the same access to films and other works of art that convey the romantic fantasies their heterosexual counterparts enjoy so freely," said Davis, who wrote the music and lyrics and created the concept for the film. "With help from our donors, All Love is Divine will contribute to an important body of work aiming to fill this void."

"All Love is Divine brings the important messages of inclusion and acceptance to a wide audience," said Thomas. "We are all equal in all things and that‚ IS all that matters."

Learn more at www.AllLoveIsDivine.com.

PRIDE PRIDE is inspired by an extraordinary true story. It’s the summer of 1984, Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers is on strike, prompting a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists to raise money to support the strikers’ families. Initially rebuffed by the Union, the group identifies a tiny mining village in Wales and sets off to make their donation in person. As the strike drags on, the two groups discover that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.

The movie has many standout performances including the brilliant Bill Nighy, Sherlock’s Andrew Scott and Imelda Staunton. George MacKay as Joe provided a profile of a youth struggling to find his identity.

An inspirational story that should be viewed by all.

SPARE PARTS

George Lopez leads an incredible cast in the inspiring film Spare Parts, arriving on DVD (plus Digital), Digital HD and On Demand May 5 from Pantelion and Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Based on a remarkable true story of four Phoenix high school students who come together against all odds to compete against MIT in a national underwater robotics competition, the "crowd-pleasing" (LA Times) story features an all-star ensemble cast including George Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Carlos PenaVega and Marisa Tomei.

When four wildly different high schoolers team up to enter a robotics competition against the nation's top tech colleges, no one believes they have a chance-no one but Fredi (Lopez), their new substitute teacher.

As Fredi challenges his students to be the best they can be, they show him the power of never giving up, in an unforgettable tale that shines with heart, humor, and hope.

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stop, look, and listen

Neon Hitch

Kristen Merlin

ritish singer, songwriter Neon Hitch’s astounding voice and magnetic presence are creating waves internationally in the music industry. Her uncanny vocal range combined with an electric passion on the stage has spread from hometown London, to India to America. Hitch debuted her music in London (where she was roommates with Amy Winehouse), making her way to India and most recently completed her 22- city, national tour in America.

Hitch’s musical talent was noticed at a young age as she released single, "Get Over U" co-written by singer Sia, "Silly Girl," "Bad Dog" and "Poisoned with Love" the latter which appeared in Teen Wolf and Now That's What I Call Music! 40. Hitch also released a series of mash ups including Wiz Khalifa's "On My Level," Waka Flocka Flame's "No Hands" and Kreayshawn's "Gucci Gucci."

Hitch was featured on "Ass Back Home" by Gym Class Heros, peaking at twelve on the Billboard Hot 100 and released singles Beg, Borrow and Steal’s "Fuck U Betta" and "Gold", co-written by singer Bruno Mars; both hitting #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songschart. Most recently, Hitch’s National Yard Sale Tour showcased new material from her much anticipated album release, Eleutheromanic and previous #1 Billboard hits, while hosting actual yard sale events at each show to raise funds and awareness for the LGBT community that has always supported her, along with local, homeless youth initiatives. While touring across America, Neon launched first ever, fan based label #WeRNeon where she can independently release her debut album, Eleutheromaniac. The movement, which is driven by fans through virtual communications on WeRNeon.com, is dedicated to bridging the gaps between the artist and fan.

“The Voice” alumni and Country newcomer Kristen Merlin is exciting to have her new album, Boomerang, out there for all the world to hear. Merlin, who finished 4th on season 6 of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning show, The Voice, is coming off the show’s US tour and making her debut with the five-song EP. Boomerang, which is available on iTunes, Amazon and other major digital retailers, was produced by Corey Britz, engineered by Paul Fig and recorded at Southland Records in Los Angeles. The five-track EP features four songs written by Merlin, while title track, “Boomerang,” was co-written by Corey and Kara Britz.

“I am super excited to take this next step in my career and finally release some original work to my fans!” shares Merlin.

“This EP is filled with heartfelt tunes that listeners will be able to relate to. Many thanks to all those who were involved in seeing this project through from start to finish! I couldn't be more proud of the finished product.”

Merlin’s music career began in the first grade where she made her solo debut with “Never Never Land” at her elementary school’s rendition of Peter Pan. From that moment on, Kristen Merlin knew the stage would be her home, and began to perform at every opportunity that came along. In her junior year of high school, Merlin’s mother gave the young talent her first acoustic guitar, and in a few short months, she was a self-taught guitarist and began writing her own material.

After earning her BA in Music and Sound Recording from the University of New Haven in Connecticut, and brushing up her performance chops all over Massachusetts with her self-titled band, as well as another one of Boston’s leading cover bands, Six Foot Sunday, her talents landed Merlin a spot on The Voice. After her audition performing Sugarland’s “Something More,” and some heated haggling between coaches Adam Levine and Shakira, Kristen joined Team Shakira and became a powerhouse female staple of The Voice: Season 6. Kristen is now making her debut with original music.

Her EP, Boomerang, is a collection of refreshingly modern classic country love songs, showcasing Kristen’s “unique and distinct tone” as well as her vocal range.

For more information on Kristen Merlin visit her official website,www.KristenMerlin.com, and follow her on Instagram, Twitter andFacebook.

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the bookworm

LOVING ALLIE

After losing Allie, her only daughter, author Dayle E. Spencer was inspired to write about her intensely personal journey through loss and its aftermath. This resulted in the composition of her new book, “Loving Allie: Transforming the Journey of Loss” (published by Balboa Press), where Spencer details how she regained the joy and love in her life after such a devastating loss.

“Loving Allie” chronicles the impact Allie’s passing had on those who loved her. Spencer provides a fast-paced, brutally honest account of the moments following the death of a loved one, identifying the ways she dealt with the grieving process and ultimately moved on from a place of suffering to one of hope and peace.

“The death of someone we love presents an opportunity for us to make critical choices about our lives thereafter,” Spencer says. “Do we choose to see ourselves as victims? Do we choose to see the death as tragic?”

According to Spencer, these two choices have a direct impact upon our ability to recover from loss.

Spencer wants her readers to know that they are not powerless when they suffer a major loss in life, but that they have the capacity to learn from the experience of loss and emerge stronger in their broken places.“Loving Allie: Transforming the Journey of Loss” E-Book | 232 pages | ISBN 9781452521954 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

BULLIED KIDS SPEAK OUT

Survivor, expert and activist Jodee Blanco is the author of The New York Times bestseller, Please Stop Laughing At Me, chronicles her years as the student outcast. The book inspired a movement inside the nation’s schools and has become an American classic. It has also been recognized as an essential resource

by The National Crime Prevention Council, The Department of Health & Human Services, and hundreds of state and local organizations from the PTA and regional law enforcement coalitions to school safety groups.

Blanco’s also acclaimed anti-bullying program It’s NOT Just Joking Around!™ has been presented to a combined audience of over five-hundred thousand students, teachers and parents nationwide at the behest of such entities as The United States Department of Interior, The United States Department of Justice, The National Catholic Educational Association, The American School Counselor's Association, the Illinois Association of School Boards and countless local school districts. It has also generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant awards for schools and organizations coast to coast. For more information on Blanco visit her website atwww.jodeeblanco.com

TIME ON TWO CROSSES

Last year the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and the “I Have a Dream” speech by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was celebrated.

One year later, our nation witnesses public protests that highlight the lack of social equality and reveal how tensions of class and race are far from settled.

In light of the public response to non-indictments in Ferguson, Staten Island and elsewhere, Cleis Press has just published a new ebook edition of Time on Two Crosses: The Collected Writings of Bayard Rustin. Jarred Weisfeld, President of Start Publishing, which owns Cleis Press, remarked, “As we read today’s headlines, Bayard Rustin’s strategies of nonviolent protest that he taught to Dr. King have never been more important. His ideology continues to work both for the short term and the long.”

Time on Two Crosses showcases the extraordinary career of this black gay civil rights pioneer. Spanning five decades, the book combines classic texts from Bayard Rustin, ranging in topic from Gandhi’s impact on African Americans, white supremacists in Congress, the antiwar movement, and the assassination of Malcolm X, with never-before published selections on the call for gay rights, Louis Farrakhan, affirmative action, AIDS, and women’s rights. Also included are twenty-five photos from the Rustin estate.

the final word

W

hen I began documenting the same-sex marriage quest in Maryland which ultimately became the award-winning film THE NEW BLACK, I was intrigued by the many nuances explored and positions justified when people were taking a stance either for or against.

Of particular note were those against same-sex marriage in the name of their religious platforms (e.g. “I can’t support this because the Bible says it’s wrong.”). Even now, that viewpoint resonates with me because it is laced with such innuendo, assumption and in some instances downright fiction.

Today, there are 37 states with legal same-sex marriage laws which demonstrates a quantum leap since THE NEW BLACK premiered.

To give you an idea of how far we’ve come, in February 2014 there were only 17 states with such laws. And to hopefully further progress, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to render a decision on whether states can institute a gay marriage ban. If victorious in favor of the LGBT community, it will overthrow existing bans in the remaining 13 states,

declaring them unconstitutional.

That would be a civil rights coup in the name of love and justice.

It brings to mind when less than 50 years ago a similar civil rights battle was presented before the U.S. Supreme Court—Loving v. Virginia (1967). This landmark ruling overturned Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage and was subsequently applied to the remaining 15 states that outlawed matrimony between people of different ethnicities. The similarities between today’s quest and the Loving story are astounding: 1.Today, 13 states still have bans on gay marriage; during the Loving battle there were 16 declaring interracial unions illegal.

2. Today, the LGBT community simply wants the right to a legal marriage in the states where they reside; Richard and Mildred Loving wanted to live in wedlock in their home state of Virginia.

3. Both battles call into question whether bans violate human and civil rights.

While similarities are stark, today’s challenge facing the LGBT population has an additional layer which is cloaked in the Bible.

Some who oppose legalizing samesex marriage cite their belief that it is forbidden according to the “Good Book.” Though we are making great strides, choosing to discriminate against the LGBT community for sacred reasons continues to create a convenient, thorny cross for us all to bear-pun intended.

Let’s take the resurgence of The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) which has recently passed in Indiana and Arkansas with a potentially blaring version being contemplated in Louisiana. Even with revisions to the language in Indiana, RFRA’s blatant legislation affords people legal legs to discriminate—and they can do so by applying sketchy and selective interpretation of religious doctrine.

For instance, a small business refuses to cater a wedding for a lesbian couple because Christian beliefs don’t support the lifestyle.

In the Old Testament it states that

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the final word

sex with the same gender is an abomination. It also applies this same judgement to any sexual acts other than those between husband and wife.

The New Testament condemns all forms of sexual immorality. There is no reference in the Bible admonishing gay marriage. So, I’ll argue that unless this establishment inquired about the lesbian couple’s sexual behavior and based its service refusal on the answer, it is unconstitutional to stand on religion. And for that matter, a heterosexual couple would also have to be polled to glean whether they’ve had premarital sex. Or, what if a heterosexual couple samples cake and the husband exclaims, “Oh my God, that is delicious!”? Will they be escorted from the building since one of the Ten Commandments reads, “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”?

In order to base service decisions on religious freedom, one would have to investigate each customer and determine if they’ve violated doctrine in any way. Anything short of this is cherry-picking, exercising selective rights-of-refusal. In other words, it is DISCRIMINATION, and enacting legislation which makes such behavior legal is the real abomination.

As we continue the quest for the LGBT population’s right to legally marry in every state, we must also be vigilant about opposing legislation that allows someone to discriminate in the name of the Lord.

Yoruba Richen Promised Land Film THE NEW BLACK is scheduled for Video On-Demand and DVD release in June.

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