local name global coverage
CHECK OUT THE latest
WMG
September 19, 2018 vol. 9 // issue 38
insert in center
Fashion task force rising LGBTQ Task Force Joins Prada in Preparation for Gala Pages 16, 31
G’mar Hatimah Tovah! SouthFloridaGayNews
@SFGN
SFGN.com
NEWS highlight
SouthFloridaGayNews.com
@SFGN
September 19, 2018 • Volume 9 • Issue 38 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com
Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli piero@sfgn.com Associate Publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com
Editorial
Lauren Baer. Photo via Facebook.
13 LGBT Candidates Vying For Congress Jason Parsley
L
South Florida’s Lauren Baer is one of the candidates hoping to win in November
GBTQ Victory Fund, a political action committee focused on increasing the number of openly LGBT public officials, announced they have endorsed 13 candidates for office this election cycle – the most ever. “Thirteen LGBTQ Congressional candidates endorsed by Victory Fund have won their primaries and will appear on the ballot in November – an unprecedented number,” said Elliot Imse, senior director of communications at LGBTQ Victory Fund. “The experiences and struggles of LGBTQ candidates make them authentic, valuesdriven leaders, and they are resonating with primary voters who are tired of the divisiveness and inaction in Washington.” One endorsed candidate is Lauren Baer, who is running for the U.S. House in Florida’s 18th Congressional District, which is currently occupied by Republican Brian Mast. The district includes Stuart, Port St. Lucie, and Jupiter. “If we can elect these out LGBTQ leaders – including Lauren Baer, a solutions-
oriented candidate who prioritizes policy be a solid representative of her Treasure over politics – we can secure a pro-LGBTQ Coast constituents, she will also be an majority in Congress and block efforts to inspirational leader and role model.” rollback equality in the next session,” Imse Hoch urged the LGBT community to said. support Baer by visiting her campaign website Judge Rand Hoch, President LaurenBaerForCongress.com and Founder of Palm Beach and signing up to volunteer or County Human Rights Council, contribute. “... I was a was impressed with Baer’s The other endorsed bit overcome candidacy right from the start. candidates include two for “When I read the press the Senate, Tammy Baldwin in when I got to release issued by Lauren Baer Wisconsin and Kyrsten Sinema the paragraph announcing her candidacy, I in Arizona. Sinema would was a bit overcome when I got mentioning her be the first openly bisexual to the paragraph mentioning member of the Senate. wife and their her wife and their daughter,” The endorsed LGBT House Hoch said. “Literally from day candidates include David daughter.” one of her campaign, Lauren Cicilline in Rhode Island; Angie - Rand Hoch Baer was running as an out and Craig in Minnesota; Sharice Judge, President & proud lesbian. Throughout the Davids in Kansas; Katie Hill in founder of PBCHRC campaign, images of Lauren’s California; Rick Neal in Ohio; family have been included Gina Ortiz Jones in Texas; Chris in both her print and television media. Pappas in New Hampshire; Mark Pocan in This demonstrates how far the LGBTQ Wisconsin; Mark Takano in California; and community has come. Lauren will not only Sean Patrick Maloney in New York. MEMBER
MEMBER
Senior Features Correspondents Jesse Monteagudo •
Correspondents
Dori Zinn • Donald Cavanaugh • Christiana Lilly • Denise Royal • David-Elijah Nahmod
Contributing Columnists
Brian McNaught • Dana Rudolph • Ric Reily • Terri Schlichenmeyer
Associate Photographers
Carina Mask • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires
Sales & Marketing
For ad placement in SFGN, contact 954-530-4970 Sales Manager • Justin Wyse Justin@sfgn.com Senior Advertising Associate • Edwin Neimann Edwin@sfgn.com Senior Advertising Associate • Clark Rogers Clark@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Kewan Smith Kewan@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Anthony Pennetti Sales@sfgn.com Distribution Services • Rocky Bowell, Lee Curtis Sales Consultant • Charles A. Reid National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping Printing by Sun Coast Press
SFGN Winner of & 5 Florida Press Club Awards And runner-up for
Photo: Matt Dzwonkiewicz, Lisa Mercado, Victor Diaz-Herman and Kris Castellano at the National LGBTQ Task Force’s fundraiser at Prada. Photo credit: Carina Mask.
See our news in video Online now!
Art Director • Brendon Lies Artwork@sfgn.com Digital Content Director • Emily Bloch Webmaster@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington Arts/Entertainment Editor • JW Arnold JW@prdconline.com Social Media Manager • Tucker Berardi tberardi@ufl.edu Food/Travel Editor • Rick Karlin Gazette News Editor • Sallie James HIV Editor • Sean McShee Senior Photographer • J.R. Davis JRDavis12000@hotmail.com
MEMBER
Associated Press
NLGJA Journalist of the Year South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright © 2018 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.
2
•
9 . 19.2018
MEMBER
NEWS local
Gayla Benefitting Animal Rescue this Friday
Variety of Designer Finishes
Denise Royal
N
o plans this Friday? Consider attending the Justin Bartlett Animal Rescue Fourth Annual Gayla Dinner Show. It begins at 7 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 21 at Blue Martini in Boca. It is located in the Boca Town Center Mall at 6000 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. The evening will feature drag, comedy, and music sponsored by SuperFit Gym. A vegan menu will be available for dining. Featured drag performers are Rianna Patrone, Velvet Lenore, Valerie Diore, Monica Chanel, Venom Lenore and comedy by Josh Rosen. All proceeds benefit Justin Bartlett Animal Rescue’s homeless cats and dogs, as well as struggling pet owners needing help with veterinarian care. The Justin Bartlett Animal Rescue is an all volunteer, and 100 percent foster-based nonprofit, animal rescue group. The organization
Unmatched Life Care Services
$6o,ooo KEEP YOUR COOL ON FUN SUMMER SAVINGS
24/7 Gated Security
OFF OUR FINEST HOMES! has helped more than 8,000 animals since its inception in 2012. You can visit its website at JustinBartlettAnimalRescue.org/animals/ stories to learn more about its success stories.
MaintenanceFree Living
Seating at Friday’s fundraiser is limited; you can purchase tickets at Eventbrite at bit.ly/2MFwbkB.
Thirteen Years Serving the CommUNITY DOCTOR ALWAYS ON PREMISES
Amenities
CALL TODAY & LEARN HOW YOU CAN ENJOY UP TO $60,000 THIS SUMMER* 3 WAYS TO SAVE!
Reserve your John Knox Village apartment home or villa with platinum package upgrades. Save BIG on your entrance fees, monthly service fees, PLUS your moving expenses. Not only will you be saving beach buckets of cash, you will enjoy an unsurpassed lifestyle that includes the peace of mind that comes with John Knox Village’s unmatched all-inclusive lifetime of life care.
LASER SKIN REJUVENATION • LASER HAIR REMOVAL BOTOX® / DYSPORT® • XEOMIN • SCULPTRA® RADIESSE® / BELOTERO® • RESTYLANE® / JUVEDERM® VOLUMA® / KYBELLA
SPECIALS
954.462.7455 www.thesilklasercentre.com
SAVE $5K on the cost of your moving expenses. We will connect you with a personal move manager, a trusted house downsizer, a real estate agent referral and even reimburse you up to $5K in moving expenses with our “Ready Set Go!” package.
Settle By September 30th October 31st
*Offer good on select designer-ready apartment or villa homes.
of 100 units or more.
Expires 9/29/18 Look at our Website for more Savings.
For Your Convenience, We Are Open Saturdays
3
Save $40K $30K
SAVE up to $15K on your monthly fees!* *Calculated up to 120 days!
(954) 783-4040
Nose & Ears $35 Dare to Be Bare, Smooth by Silk Laser Laser hair Removal of buttocks with perianal $175 (reg. $260)
Get your energy on with a B12 Shot for only $20
SAVE up to $40K on your entrance fees!
Act now, because just like Summer, these Savings won’t last forever!
Laser Hair Removal
Dysport $3.75 per unit Extra $75 OFF
2
1
924 N. Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
owned & operated by J.A. Astaphan MD
651 SW 6th Street Pompano Beach, FL 33060
web JohnKnoxVillage.com JohnKnoxVillage
John Knox Village is committed to compliance with all federal, state and local fair housing laws. It is our policy to offer senior living to those that qualify without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, familial status, or handicap. The employees of John Knox Village have a legal obligation to treat each individual in a consistent and equally fair manner. In order to assist you with your decision on your new home, we are providing a list of guidelines used to qualify residents for tenancy in our community. Please note that this is our current rental/ownership criteria; nothing contained in these requirements shall constitute a guarantee or representation by John Knox Village that all residents and occupants currently residing at the community have met these requirements. There may be residents and occupants that have resided the community prior to these requirements going into effect. Additionally, our ability to verify whether these requirements have been met is limited to the information we receive from various credit and screening services used.
9.19.2018 •
3
NEWS online
Action Online
Don't miss the
Suit Over Michigan Gay Couples Denied Adoptions Can Proceed
World’s First Queer Gaming Exhibition Comes to Berlin
Cuban President Backs Same-Sex Marriage
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Fans Waving Pride Flags Removed From Dua Lipa Concert
Romania Top Court Approves Referendum on Marriage Definition
6. Doctors Group Recommends Support for Transgender Children 7. Pro Golfer Comes Out in Historic First Photo via Instagram.
8. Vocal LGBTI Rights Opponent Named Columbia’s Ambassador to OAS Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers.
9. Indian Star Abhishek Bachchan on A Victory for Gay Rights 10. Screen Savor: Top of the Heap
Visit SFGN.com to stay up to date on all the news across the web! Twitter.com/SFGN
4
•
9 . 19.2018
Facebook.com/SouthFloridaGayNews
NEWS palm beach
Roosters Celebrates 34 Years SFGN Staff Photo via H.G. Roosters, Facebook.
T
his week Roosters celebrates 34 years in West Palm Beach, making it the county’s oldest LGBT bar. It has a jampacked week full of events to commemorate the occasion. Here’s a lineup: Wednesday: The dynamic duo, Jennifer McClain and Victor Valdez, will perform. There will also be live painting with Rolando Chang Barrero starting at 8 p.m. Thursday: $1 drink night. Friday: Lip Sync battle with a $200 prize. Open bar from 9:30 to 10:30. Saturday: Entertainers showcase featuring Melissa St. John. Drink specials from 9:30 to 11:30. Roosters also recently raised $9,500 between two fundraisers for its Smart Ride team ”The Roosters Rollers.” Currently they are number six on the top fundraising teams list.
9.19.2018 •
5
LGBTQIA bites Bisexual
B
Toronto Hosts Second Bi Arts Festival Toronto’s Bi Arts Festival became one of the world’s largest gatherings of bisexual artists in its first year, and it will be held again this September. Festival organizer Catherine Jones said that the festival is also for those who fall under the bi “umbrella,” like pansexual, bi-curious, and gender fluid people. Not only does the event give bi artists a chance to showcase their work, but it also works to help people embrace their sexuality and feel like they’re a part of a community. Although bisexual people make up the largest segment of the LGBT community, they can often feel ignored, Jones said. “If we don’t create our spaces, we can’t expect [others] to create the spaces for us … we’re so much quieter about who we are. So, taking these opportunities to be more visible is audacious. That audaciousness allows us to be free,” Eris Eady, a performer at this
6
•
9 . 19.2018
Photo credit: Bi Arts Festival, Facebook.
year’s festival, said to Daily Xtra. This year’s festival runs from Sep. 18 23.
N
By Hope Benson Non-Binary
New York City Allows Third Gender Option on Birth Certificates The New York City Council and Board of Health have voted to include a genderneutral “X” category on birth certificates starting the first day of 2019. Non-binary people will be able to change the gender marker on their own birth certificates without a doctor’s note, and parents will be able to choose the X for their children’s birth certificates. City Mayor Bill De Blasio applauded the bill, saying it will “allow transgender and gender nonconforming New Yorkers to live with the dignity and respect they deserve.” The Executive Director of the Intersex and Genderqueer Recognition Project Toby Adams also approves of the change. “It’s really damaging legally and psychologically to have your gender identity misidentified,” he said to NBC News. California, Washington, Oregon, and New Jersey currently allow their
residents to choose a nonbinary option on birth certificates. Maine, Oregon, and Washington D.C., do the same thing on driver’s licenses, and California will join this group in January.
LGBTQIA bites
T
Transgender
Trump Administration Makes Changes to Transgender Passport Editing Website The government’s “Gender Designation Change” page has showed transgender people how to change the gender mark on their passport since 2010, and while the Trump administration’s new “Sex Designation Change” site does the same thing, its wording is different. All instances of the word “gender” are now replaced with “sex,” and all links to medical associations that support transition-related care have been removed. A new paragraph has also been added that the National Center for Transgender Equality described as “undesirable and uninformed:” “A U.S. passport does not list the bearer’s gender identity. The sex marker on your U.S. passport is based on your evidence of U.S. citizenship and identity, including a medical certification of sex change.” Executive Director of the Center Mara Kiesling is not pleased.
“While ultimately pointless, this move seems designed to frighten, confuse, and keep transgender people from exercising their full rights under the current policy— the same policy we fought for and won in 2010,” she said in a press release.
Call or Come In Today
954.522.3800 www.PallantInsurance.com
Your Pallant Insurance Team
We’ll Handle It!
1800 N.E. 26th Street · Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305
Homeowners Insurance Hurricane Insurance Flood Insurance
9.19.2018 •
7
news international
By Hope Benson
Around the World
Exploring LGBT News Events Across the Globe
ASIA
CARIBBEAN
India’s Decriminalization of Gay Sex Could Boost Economy
Caribbean Encouraged to Support LGBT Rights
Now that gay sex is no longer illegal in India, the sale of LGBT-marketed merchandise has the potential to foster a soaring economy. There are an estimated 55 million LGBT adults in India, making it one of the world’s largest LGBT markets, said gay and lesbian-focused marketing agency Out Now Counseling founder Ian Johnson. He predicts that the first companies to target the community will be drink brands and travel agencies. “It can bring billions of dollars to the Indian economy if they can activate the spending of gay people in India. There is business to be done,” Keshav Suri, a petitioner in the groundbreaking legal case, said. The World Bank reported in 2014 that Indian companies’ reluctance to hire
•
LGBT workers slowed down economic growth by 1.7 percent annually. Activists hope that the new ruling will help society see the benefits of an economically involved LGBT community and accept its members, reported News Channel Asia.
Jaevion Nelson, YouTube.
the challenges we face and what the agenda is about,” he said, reported Loop News Barbados. Nelson believes that this conversation should be empathetic, and advocates for the LGBT community to have the patience and tolerance with the other side that they seek for themselves.
AFRICA
MIDDLE EAST
Director of ‘Illegal’ LGBT film Sues Kenyan Government to Lift Ban
Trans Woman Burned to Death in Pakistan
Film director Wanuri Kahiu is suing Kenya Film Classification Board chief Ezekiel Mutua and Kenya’s attorney general after they banned her lesbian romance movie “Rafiki.” Rafiki was the first Kenyan film to ever premiere at the international Cannes film festival, but it can’t be Kenya’s entry for best foreign language film at the 2019 Academy Awards if the ban isn’t lifted by Sep. 30. It was banned this April for its “clear intent to promote lesbianism,” the Board said. “It’s not a government’s right to say what you can imagine and what you cannot imagine, and who is allowed to exist. That’s not a way that you can run a country, because we’re made up of diverse people,” Kahiu told Vanity Fair. Gay sex can lead to a 14-year jail
8
Madurai Pride, 2012.
Jaevion Nelson, the executive director of the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, AllSexuals and Gays (JFLAG), has urged Caribbean countries to support the “gay agenda” in a recent lecture. This statement comes after Trinidad and Tobego ruled that their gay sex laws were unconstitutional, and after Barbados staged a successful Pride parade. He emphasized that the LGBT community needs to work together on a local, national, and regional level to make change, and that the goal is for both sides to come to an understanding. “It becomes about who can out-scream the other person and then we leave the conversation with the individual who has these warped ideas about the LGBT community, never having an opportunity to allay those concerns and understand
9 . 19.2018
Wanuri Kahiu.
sentence in Kenya. But activism is gaining momentum — Kenyan filmmakers have been arguing against a law that allows authorities to “control the making and exhibition” of audio and visual materials, reported the Guardian.
A transgender woman who resisted sexual assault was set on fire by a group of four men in Pakistan, dying on the way to the hospital with burns on 80 percent of her body. Local media reported her as male, but TransAction Pakistan confirmed that she identified as female. The attackers have been identified, but it’s unknown if they are in police custody. Pakistan’s Parliament passed a transgender rights bill this year and some trans people have begun to run for office, but it is still extremely dangerous to be trans in the country, reported the Advocate. Transgender murders are common in Pakistan — a trans woman was dismembered last month, and in April another trans woman was beaten and shot to death in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Pakistan trans activists.Photo: Aurat Foundation.
region. The latter was the 56th trans person to be murdered in that region in the past three years, Pink News reported. Police departments are now required to share anti-trans violence daily by the Humans Rights Directorate, said the Times.
NEWS miami-dade Tony Lima and Jason Jenkins (Miami Dolphins) passing out the People’s Choice Luminary award. Photo credit: Carina Mask.
SAVE Honors Local Heroes NBC6’s Jamie Guirola among the honorees
Carina Mask
S
AVE held its Luminaries award ceremony at the Bacardi Headquarters in Coral Gables on Thursday, Sept. 13. Jonathon Barrios gave the first award to John Byrne, “founder and owner of a political news site, RawStory.com, recognized as a PrEP champion by the University of California, and he recently founded the non profit Prevention305, that raises awareness and access to PrEP, the once a day pill that prevents HIV. “ In the following months, Prevention305 will launch a digital campaign on dating platforms in South Florida in order to educate the LGBT community on the proper use of PrEP. Jamie Guirola was unable to attend the award ceremony because he was in North Carolina reporting on the impending arrival of Hurricane Florence, however he was able to send in a video. Guirola energetically exclaimed, “Hi everybody, I am in Wilmington, North Carolina and by the time you see this I will be in the middle of Hurricane Florence. It is an honor and a privilege, and I am humbled, to receive this luminary award from a great organization. It is ironic to me that somebody who was bullied and in the closet back in the day, back in high school, that today people consider me as a voice for equality – I can do my best to make sure that the LGBTQ community is represented on air and online at NBC 6.” Tony Lima, the managing director at SAVE gave the next Luminary award to Charo Valero, the former SAVE Field director and now Florida State Policy Director at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. Lima grins from ear to ear as he introduces Valero, “Charo Valero, is the iconic, quintessential Luminary, she is a beautiful
person inside and out but with a very strong voice to advocate for the queer, the female identified, and the LGBTQ community as a whole. She continues to lift up the narratives of the people in the community that are in need.” Over 5,000 votes were cast for the People’s choice Luminary award. Jason Jenkins of the Miami Dolphins and Tony Lima presented the People’s Luminary Award to Patricia Hernandez, an immigration lawyer in Miami. Hernandez upon receiving her award, started, “This is incredible, thank you to everyone who voted. I will continue to fight for undocumented immigrants.” She paused for a moment and then began again, “I was an undocumented immigrant, a long time ago, and I know how hard it is. And I will continue to fight for LGBTQ asylum seekers.” The room exploded in cheers. Then Kenny Stills, the Miami Dolphin’s wide receiver was awarded the Luminary Icon from SAVE. Three years after the protests against police brutality began, players kneeling en masse have disappeared, but he is one of very few NFL players that continue to kneel during the National anthem. Stills prepared a short speech, “I knew it was my time, I didn’t want to look back at this period in my life and regret not getting involved in activism, and letting people know this wasn’t okay.” Stills paused briefly. “Everyone deserves equality. Everyone deserves safety. Everyone deserves to be able to live their lives without fear, or hate or discrimination.” The crowd of over 200 people roared in approval in unison.
See more photos of the Task Force on Page 32. 9.19.2018 •
9
NEWS national
STD Rates:
A Public Health Crisis
For the fourth consecutive year STD rates have risen Jason Parsley
C
risis. Emergency. Epidemic.
expected by the end of September that will include state level data. While STD rates continue to increase, new HIV infections continue to decrease. “We know that investing in prevention works because of the progress we’ve made in HIV prevention,” Prior said.
These are just some of the words public health advocates and officials are using to describe the rising rates of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia in the U.S. A recent report from the Centers of for Disease control showed in 2017, about 2.3 The Consequences million cases of STDs were diagnosed. It marks the highest number ever reported, by Sukhija-Cohen and Prior both were more than 200,000 (the record previously set particularly concerned about mothers in 2016). passing syphilis to their In regards to syphilis public children which is called health officials went from “plans to congenital syphilis. It’s eliminate (the STD) to a public health life threatening and crisis,” said Adam Sukhija-Cohen, entirely preventable. the Director of Advocacy and Policy Those rates have Research for the AIDS Healthcare doubled over the past Foundation. “This is an insane decade. resurgence.” “Forty percent of Sukhija-Cohen noted that at the babies born with turn of the century public health syphilis are stillborn. It’s officials were preparing for the tragic,” Prior said. All it elimination of Syphilis in the U.S. but takes is to make sure to then “the CDC budget has decreased test pregnant women by a third since early 2000s.” for the infection, which While there are many factors is fairly easy to do since involved in why STD rates are most women receive increasing all three of the public regular checkups health advocates SFGN spoke with during their pregnancy. cited the decrease in federal funding “Ultimately we as a main cause. don’t a healthcare “This is a public health emergency,” - Matthew Prior infrastructure for our Director of Communications said Jeffrey D. Klausner, Professor of for the national coalition of pregnant women,” Medicine and Public Health at UCLA. std directors Sukhija-Cohen said. “But most concerning is a lack of a Prior added “It’s so easy federal response. We’ve not seen any response from the secretary of health and to test for, in most places it’s just checking a box.” human services’ office.” Drug resistant gonorrhea is another Matthew Prior, Director of Communications for the National Coalition of STD Directors major concern. Right now cases have been concurred that a federal response is needed to reported overseas. It’s only a matter of time before a strain appears in the U.S. If normal address the growing epidemic. “We’re seeing STDs increase across the treatment of gonorrhea fails it may require nation, every age group, every demographic… an expensive hospital stay to rid a patient of these national trends are very worrisome,” he the infection. “Our public health system is ill prepared said. for this,” Prior said. A more detailed report from the CDC is
“We’re seeing STDs increase across the nation, every age group, every demographic.”
10
•
9 .19.2018
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Photo via AHF, Facebook.
Obamacare Some people might assume the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, would have addressed this public health issue. It hasn’t. While it’s been a tremendous success in getting people covered by insurance and access to primary health care, it has not really impacted the STD rates. “STDs are public health issue. They are not controlled with better primary care,” Klausner said. “That’s partly why Obamacare is not a solution. It takes special knowledge, special training, and special management.” Prior had similar thoughts. “We fully support the ACA but
unfortunately that network is ill-equipped. Many doctors have a severe lack in knowledge about STDs,” he said. Prior noted that many areas of the U.S. do not have STD clinics like South Florida. In fact Klausner pointed to Broward County’s Wellness, a joint venture between the Florida Department of Health and AHF, as a very effective model. “Broward has the newest and most advanced testing and treatment program in the United States,” Klausner said. “That’s a breakthrough in terms of sexual health services. There is no reason, other than funding, that this couldn’t be replicated in urban areas around the United States.”
in memoriam
NEWS national What can be done?
Lastly Sukhija-Cohen recommends more access to rapid result testing. Rapid testing “We are calling for a 70 million dollar for HIV has been around since the 1990s but increase in STD prevention... this will kick only recently have rapid tests for STDs come start our response to rising STDs,” Prior said. onto the market. This year in Florida AHF “We need federal funding to support the rolled out rapid testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia, which takes about public health infrastructure. 90 minutes. AHF is currently STD programs should be conducting a pilot test for supplemented by state and rapid syphilis testing in some local level, but we really need locations across the country. a national response to address Those results take 10 minutes. this. I will say in most states In regards to Syphilis the federal STD funding line Klausner noted there may be is the only funding stream for some hope on the horizon in STD prevention.” terms of prevention. Just like All three public health PrEP, the once a day pill to advocates are calling for an prevent HIV, has ushered in increase federal funding. a new era of HIV prevention Increased condom usage Klausner said one drug has would also reduce the rates of shown promise in reducing STDs. Beyond those two items the rates of syphilis, and there are other things that can chlamydia. According to the be done. The Lancet, a medical journal, Sukhija-Cohen explained using doxycycline, a common that currently the CDC antibiotic, after a sexual recommends opt out - Jeffrey D. encounter significantly testing for HIV, meaning all Klausner reduced the rates of syphilis, healthcare patients should be Professor of Medicine and and chlamydia. It had no screened for HIV unless they Public Health at UCLA affect on gonorrhea. That specifically ask not to. There study was focused on men is no such recommendation for other STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea who have sex with men, a high risk group for STDs. and syphilis. “It’s been talked about in STD meetings. Sukhija-Cohen also said that there needs to be anatomically site specific testing. For There have been whole debates on it. instance gonorrhea and can occur in the Journals have written about it,” Klausner genitals, and the mouth. Many healthcare said. “So it’s emerging from under the radar. providers only use a urine test, which will But there is not a whole lot of awareness not pick up gonorrhea of the throat or yet. It’s definately something people should know about.” rectum.
“It’s emerging from under the radar. But there is not a whole lot of awareness yet.”
South Florida Personality Jeanette Mojica Dies at 59 John McDonald
J
eanette “Jen” Mojica, a longtime South Florida LGBT community activist, passed away Sept. 14. She was 59. Mojica is survived by her partner Laurie Whittaker. Together, the women ran Sidelines, a once popular sports bar in Wilton Manors. Mojica attended Florida State University and graduated with a Bachelors of Musical Education. During her time in college she met Whittaker after singing at a halftime show. They were together almost 38 years. Besides her time at Sidelines Mojica spent 20 years working in the cruise sales industry and ten years for VISA as an executive in marketing. “Some of the best times on the Drive!” posted Mike Trottier, a friend of Mojica,
Jen Mojica (right) with Laurie Whittaker. Photo via Facebook.
on Facebook. “I will always love you sweet, funny lady. And big laugh too! This brings tears to my eyes and breaks my heart.” There will be a celebration of life for Mojica in October in or near Wilton Manors. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to AHF Wellness Center-Broward.
Read Norm Kent’s editorial in WMG.
This is a first part of a series of reports SFGN will publish on the rising STDs rates in the U.S.
A young man receiving a free test courtesy of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Photo via AHF, Facebook.
9.19.2018 •
11
NEWS national
Trump dismissal of Hurricane Maria death toll condemned Michael K. Lavers Washington Blade
P
resident Trump was widely condemned recently when he dismissed Hurricane Maria’s official death toll in Puerto Rico without any credible evidence to support his claims.
“3,000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico,” said Trump in one of two tweets, referring to Maria, which made landfall in Puerto Rico’s southeast coast on Sept. 20, 2017, and Hurricane Irma, which brushed the U.S. commonwealth less than two weeks earlier. “When I left the island, after the storm had hit, they had anywhere from six to 18 deaths. As time went by it did not go up by much. Then a long time later, they started to report really large numbers, like 3,000.” Trump in a second tweet accused Democrats of inflating the death toll “in order to make me look as bad as possible when I was successfully raising billions of dollars to help rebuild Puerto Rico.” “If a person died for any reason, like old age, just add them onto the list,” he said. “Bad politics. I love Puerto Rico.” Trump made his comments less than three weeks after Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló accepted the findings of a George Washington University study that attributed 2,975 deaths to Maria. Trump also took to Twitter as Hurricane Florence was beginning to batter the North Carolina coast. “The president’s statements questioning the number of people who died as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria are deplorable,” said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, a staff attorney for Lambda Legal who is from Puerto Rico, told the Washington Blade on Thursday from the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan. “They demonstrate that the president is not only divorced from reality, but also his utter
disregard for people’s suffering and, frankly, his cruelty.” “Nearly 3,000 Puerto Ricans died as a result of Hurricanes Maria and Irma,” he added. “Their lives matter.” Wilfred Labiosa, co-founder of Waves Ahead, a group that is helping LGBTI Puerto Ricans and other vulnerable groups recover from Maria, echoed Gonzalez-Pagan when he spoke to the Blade on Thursday from Puerto Rico. Labiosa added Trump’s tweets “reflect the lack of acceptance of Puerto Ricans as U.S. citizens.” “It reflects that Puerto Rico is not a commonwealth but a colony of U.S., that we can be dispensable to the U.S.,” Labiosa told the Blade. San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz is among those who remain vocal critics of Trump’s response to Maria, which included throwing paper towels into a crowd of people at a suburban San Juan church less than two weeks after the hurricane made landfall. Cruz on Thursday in a lengthy statement said Trump’s comments show “a lack of respect for our reality and our pain.” “He simply is unable to grasp the human suffering that his neglect and lack of sensibility have caused us,” said Cruz. “3,000 people died on his watch and (it is) his inability to grasp that makes him dangerous.” Rosselló, who has been reluctant to criticize Trump, also pushed back against the tweets. “Neither the people of Puerto Rico nor the victims deserve their pain to be questioned,” Rosselló told CBS News.
“He simply is unable to grasp the human suffering that his neglect and lack of sensibility have caused us. Three Thousand people died on his watch and [it is] his inability to grasp that makes him dangerous.” - Carmen Yulín Cruz San Juan Mayor
12
•
9 .19.2018
Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico in September 2017 and heavily damaged the power grid. More than 3.4 billion hours of electricity have been lost there. Source: Leyla Santiago/CNN
San Juan mayor: ‘Our lives matter’ Maria had winds of 155 mph when it made landfall. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans did not have electricity or access to safe drinking water for months. Labiosa and other activists in Puerto Rico with whom the Blade has spoken have said people with HIV/AIDS did not have access to antiretroviral drugs in the days and weeks after Maria’s landfall. They also said LGBTI Puerto Ricans faced discrimination at emergency shelters across the island. Houses with blue tarps as temporary roofs were still commonplace throughout the San Juan metropolitan area and southeastern Puerto Rico in May when this reporter was on the island. CBS News reporter David Begnaud recently reported FEMA said it moved millions of bottles of water to an old runway in Ceiba, a town on Puerto Rico’s northeast coast, that were photographed this week with weathered tarps over them. BuzzFeed reported FEMA approved only
75 of the 2,431 requests for funeral assistance it received from Puerto Ricans after Maria. Trump on the same day again defended his administration’s response to Maria as he spoke with reporters at the White House about Florence. “While he is busy trying to ‘save face,’ he will continue to turn his back on all those who suffer,” said Cruz on Thursday in her statement. “Simply put: He is fully unhinged from reality. One thing is for sure, our lives matter and we do not need a tweet from Trump to remind of us that.” Labiosa agreed, noting his organization and others continue to help Puerto Ricans recover from Maria and Irma. Labiosa also told the Blade that Waves Ahead, SAGE Puerto Rico and other groups that continue to provide assistance to LGBTI Puerto Ricans are also working to respond to the island’s growing mental health crisis. “The community, diaspora, and local non-government entities are making the difference by working hard to provide the necessary services to those devastated by the hurricanes,” he told the Blade.
NEWS local Healthvana CEO Ramin Bastani at the White House in 2016. Photo via Healthvana, Facebook.
Rapid Results Testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Comes to Fort Lauderdale Damon Scott
R
apid results tests for HIV have been Bastani said results are sent through text around of decades. Now rapid testing or email notification. You can also download is available for other STDs, namely a free app. If everything is fine with the gonorrhea and chlamydia. lab results, you’ll see “negative.” If there is Ramin Bastani, the CEO of Healthvana infection, it will say “positive,” and give you has teamed up with Cepheid Inc. and the instructions on what to do next. AIDS Healthcare Foundation “Healthvana has reduced the (AHF) to bring rapid testing time by two full days,” Bastani to South Florida. The tests, said. “It helps patients stay on which are now available, offer top of their care,” he said. quick lab results (90-minutes The testing has been versus typically eight days) of launched in other cities like chlamydia and gonorrhea — London and England, and two of the most common STDs Bastani said the results have in the country. The free tests been “insanely positive.” will be available at the Broward “To the point where people Wellness Center in Fort were lining up — 800 in one Lauderdale, where AHF already day. People don’t have the offers free HIV tests and other anxiety once the barriers are services. reduced,” he said. The Wellness Centers run But Bastani said there’s by AHF, said Bastani, are the another practical reason for - Ramin Bastani CEO of Healthvana first sexual health clinics to having the test results at your incorporate the rapid test fingertips. technology. “People often ask a potential partner: The issue is a big focus because the Centers ‘Have you been tested?’ Through our for Disease Control (CDC) recently released technology you can share the test results,” a report saying STDs are on the rise for the Bastani said. He said he’s seen people take fourth consecutive year. AHF and others are a screenshot of results and share on dating seeking ways to slow down the epidemic. sites.
“Healthvana has reduced the time by two full days. It helps patients stay on top of their care.”
The AHF Wellness Center — Broward is located at 750 SE 3rd Ave. (1st floor) in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-767-0273 for more information. 9.19.2018 •
13
FAITH & PRIDE spirituality
SPIRITUAL LISTINGS
spirituality
St. Nicholas St. Episcopal Church 1111 E. Sample Road, Pompano Beach (954)942-5887 - stnicholasfl.org office@stnicholasfl.org Service Times: Sundays 8:00AM & 10:30AM (9:30AM only from Memorial Day through Labor Day)
SouthFloridaGayNews.com
G’mar Hatimah Tovah: “May you be sealed for a good year [in the Book of Life].”
Traditionally Progressive 1st Ordination of LGBTQ Person in a Mainstream Christian Denomination We Celebrate YOU! 14
•
9 .19.2018
UCCFTL.org
United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale 2501 NE 30th Street, Ft. Lauderdale (954)563-4271 - uccftl.org revpatrickrogers@gmail.com Service Times: Thursdays 10:30AM (Elliot Hall) & Sundays 10:30AM (Sanctuary)
Congregation Etz Chaim 2038 N. Dixie Hwy (Pride Center Building B), Wilton Manors 954-564-9232 - etzchaimflorida.org RabbiNoahKitty@etzchaimflorida.org Friday Night Shabbat Service 8pm Holy Angels Catholic Community 2917 NE 6th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33334 954-633-2987 - HolyAngelsFL.net Sunday Mass at 11AM St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 1750 East Oakland Park Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale 954-563-5155 - saintmarksftl.com info@saintmarks.com Sundays: 8:00 a.m - HE Rite I, 10:00 a.m. - HE Rite II
FAITH & PRIDE spirituality
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Fort Lauderdale
U
nited Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale is a family church! We believe in family! We are a part of mainstream Christianity with 5,600 churches and 1.3 million members. We are part of a Mainstream Christian denomination of firsts. From the 1700s when the Congregationalists took a stand against slavery, to 1785 with the ordination of the first African-American Protestant pastor, to 1853 with the first woman ordained as a Christian pastor, to 1972 with the first LGBT pastor in a mainstream Christian denomination, to 2005’s celebration of marriage equality. United Church of Christ is a spiritual home where “All Are Welcome” and is known as a dwelling place where “God is Still Speaking.” Gracie Allen was a brilliant and perceptive woman. She left a message in her papers to be discovered by her husband after her death that has become the motto for the United Church of Christ: “Never put a period where God has placed a comma.” God is indeed still speaking! October, 14, 2018 United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale will be celebrating 64 years of ministry. One of our outreach programs is called “Ruth’s Ministry” and has been feeding and clothing those in need for over 14 years. Every Thursday morning, the guests are invited to a church service which begins at 10:30am. Eighty to ninety guests gather with many of our 25 or more weekly volunteers for the optional church service held prior to the meal. Ruth’s Ministry
provides over 8,000 meals a year, clothing for women and men, referrals to temporary housing, toiletries, and more and all served with compassion and love. UCC Fort Lauderdale believes in unity. We work closely and partner with many community organizations such as Out of the Closet, Poverello, Smarty Pants’ annual Pet Project fundraiser, the KiKi Project and HIV Testing Center of The Pride Center, Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, World AIDS Museum and many others. We hold an annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Service, the Thursday prior to Thanksgiving with as many as 15 spiritual communities’ participation. The United Church of Christ denomination follows Jesus’ example of and passion for social justice. Our Children’s Justice areas include bullying, Economic Justice fighting hunger and poverty, Global Concerns regarding immigration, Human Sexuality including LGBT Rights, Racial Justice, Women’s Justice relating to Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking, and Health Justice in the areas of HIV/AIDS and Mental Illness. UCC Fort Lauderale’s worship style for our Sunday morning service is a blended style and very diverse. We are blessed by a spiritfilled music ministry consisting of a large spirit filled choir, and also liturgical dancers, dramatic presentations for the gospel readings, and music ranging from traditional hymns to spiritual secular arrangements.
You are invited to come visit United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale, where love and ministry happens. Our address is 2501 NE 30th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306, www.UCCFTL.org, or call 954.563.4271. 9.19.2018 •
15
RESTORE YOUR SEX LIFE! HOW
HARD CAN IT BE?
NEWS miami-dade
THE BENEFITS: • No Needles • No Drugs • No Surgery • Long Lasting Results Have Viagra® and Cialis® let you down? Think your best days are behind you? If you suffer from any type of Erectile Dysfunction, regardless of your age or medical history, the doctors at Florida Medical Group can help you. We have a breakthrough technology used in the field of Urology for decades that has been shown to regenerate blood vessels and erectile tissue with short, in-office sessions. SCHEDULE A VISIT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS NEW TREATMENT
561-961-0596 or SwissWaveNow.com
Individual results may vary. © All rights reserved.
Guests of the National LGBTQ Task Force browsing Prada. Photo credit: Carina Mask.
Task Forces Teams up With Prada For Fundraiser The organization is preparing for their annual gala on Oct. 6 Carina Mask
I
t’s that time of year again! The National LGBTQ Task Force’s gala at the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach is right around the corner on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 6:30 p.m. As a creative and fun way to raise money for the task force and to prepare for the gala, the task force partnered with Prada on Sept. 14 for a night full of champagne, tequila tastings, and perusing the latest fall fashions in the brand new Prada store in the Design District all while giving back to the community. Ten percent of all proceeds from the night are going to benefit the Task Force. South Florida philanthropist and activists Charles Million and Tim Nardi were both in attendance at the Task Force fundraiser. On Oct. 6, they will both receive the Eddy McIntyre Award for Community Service. Prada’s second event boasted an RSVP list of over 150 people. Josue Santiago of the National LGBTQ Task force welcomes everyone, saying “The Gala is an incredible event, where the community comes together and parties for a purpose, and honor heroes, [and] advance equality. We have the privilege of honoring
local heroes and national ones who make an impact. We also get to honor those who make a significant impact on a national level, we are so incredibly thrilled to honor Sam Champion and Robin Roberts.” Santiago also announced that Jai Rodriguez from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” will emcee the night. “We’re here tonight because we want you to shop, we want you to enjoy the fabulous Prada products and there’s also a multitude of ways you can support the Gala. One, you can become a sponsor of the Gala, you can host a table, or even volunteer the night of the Gala.” Santiago turns the microphone over to Jorge Pascual of Prada. Pascual exclaims, “Welcome to Prada! This is the second event that we have hosted since we opened here. As Josue said, we are here to shop, please don’t be shy and feel free to ask us anything, try something on! It looks better on the body than a mannequin!” The Task Force Gala and it’s sister event, Winter Party partnered with Miami Foundation, and has raised over $3 million over the last decade. Those funds support more than 70 local organizations.
Ten percent of all proceeds from the night are going to benefit the Task Force.
Visit bit.ly/2Owq7N7 for more information about the upcoming gala.
See more photos of the National LGBTQ Task Force on Page 31. 16
•
9 .19.2018
9.19.2018 •
17
Convictions
Guest Column
Five Takeaways from the 2018 United States Conference on AIDS Photo via USCA, Facebook.
Mark S. King
“What family doesn’t have its ups and downs?” — Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Lion in Winter
T
he 2018 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), the HIV advocacy, education and networking behemoth produced by the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), is the benevolent and wealthy grandfather of the HIV advocacy scene. We adore him sincerely, we marvel at his station in the world and the fortitude that got him there, and we tread carefully. And sometimes, to our delight or to our chagrin, Grandpa does the damnedest things. The recent USCA in Orlando was no exception. Thousands of community HIV advocates converged in Orlando from Sept. 6-9 for a highly professional event rich with corporate sponsors – and a conference that is also careful to keep one foot firmly planted in the grassroots arena it has served since its early days as the annual “Skills Building Conference” for AIDS service organizations. It is a perilous balancing act that NMAC has honed through the last twenty years. No report about the weekend’s many Photo via USCA, Facebook.
18
•
9 .19.2018
events and hero sightings and educational revelations can sufficiently encapsulate the conference, so allow me to offer five of my personal takeaways from the conference. The U=U bandwagon plays on — and allows space for thoughtful dissent. The U=U (“undetectable equals untransmittable”) rallying cry continued to grow in volume among diverse communities at USCA, getting namechecked by one speaker or another at nearly every plenary. It was satisfying, too, that the Prevention Access Campaign chose to devote two hours of its U=U pathway at USCA to explore whether or not the movement it has created might somehow be leaving those who are detectable behind – and feeling like failures. It was my privilege to lead the workshop, “Are We Shaming Those Who Are Detectable?” with the formidable Charles Stephens of The Counter Narrative Project – a two hour interactive process in which
A packed room of engaged attendees explored contemporary AIDS deaths and whether or not we are creating space for those who are detectable to be open about it.
we countered the prevailing narrative ourselves. A packed room of engaged attendees explored contemporary AIDS deaths and whether or not we are creating space for those who are detectable to be open about it. It was fascinating. (Special thanks to break-out group leaders Dazon Dixon Diallo, Charles Sanchez, and Manuel Rodriguez.) The one remark during the workshop that remains with me: “I’m detectable,” said one attendee. The room was quiet with unsure responses. How have we come to a place where someone who is detectable – and half of those living with HIV in the United States are – is met with confused reactions even from the most informed advocates in the country? The workshop left me convinced that the U=U message isn’t the problem, per se, but we must also sensitize ourselves to the plight of those who may feel isolated and silenced for not having achieved this clinical goal.
conference. It’s literally been scheduled into the agenda in past years. This year, that slight was corrected with a major plenary devoted to trans issues, including a woman speaking as the first trans community relations person representing pharma. Meanwhile, it might surprise you to know that USCA has never devoted a plenary to long-term survivors of HIV before. That was also rectified this year, with a plenary on trauma-informed care that featured “The Survivor Monologues,” six long-term survivors, myself included, offering glimpses of our lives, challenges, and personal victories. Here’s a video of the monologues (thanks to Derrick Mapp for taping it!). It was terrific to see NMAC so willing to soothe past wounds. Alas, sadly, the conference stumbled right into a brand new one.
Past slights were corrected.
Consider my eyebrow raised when I heard that USCA had invited the iconic activist and ACT UP founder Larry Kramer to be a plenary speaker. I loved the gesture, of course, and it was clever for USCA, so often maligned for playing it safe, to roll the
There’s practically a tradition at USCA that, at some point during a plenary, trans activists will mount a protest to call for better recognition and support from the
Nobody puts Larry in a corner.
Convictions
Guest Column
dice on a volcanic speaker who kicks ass and historical trauma and how it reverberates takes names. through generations – centuries, even – was But, as the saying goes, the best laid worth the trip to Orlando for me. Brava! plans… When Larry was unable to attend in person for health reasons, NMAC videotaped The power of our community his address. The video ran long, as it was transcends all. explained during the plenary, so they showed an edited version for the crowd — Everywhere in the conference hotel – a version that conveniently deleted Larry’s the hallways, the lobby, the smoking area, excoriation of pharma greed, and of Gilead the workshop rooms – you could witness in particular. You know the one. The pharma old friends and fellow soldiers in this fight that is a major sponsor of USCA. greeting one another, embracing, laughing I would love to know who the genius in over shared victories and tribulations. the room was who thought People we know on social media that was a good idea, to whom we’ve never met before cut Larry’s references to a sprang to life before our eyes. It was terrific corporate sponsor and then This is the value and to see NMAC hope that no one would notice. the miracle of USCA. Our Well, Mr. Kramer noticed community spirit spills out from so willing to (thankyouverymuch), and the the workshops and into the halls soothe past boneheaded act of censorship and beyond. wounds. Alas, backfired horribly when Larry There were too many old made public his disgust with friends and personal heroes sadly, the being trotted out on video in on site for me to mention, but conference the service of NMAC’s agenda I was especially delighted to stumbled right and with his fangs cut. meet South Florida’s Rajee Apologies were made. The Rajindra Narinesingh, the trans into a brand full video was then shown activist who won the hearts new one. at the closing plenary. But it of television viewers during left activists like me shaking her three appearances on E our heads. NMAC’s inspired idea to include Channel’s series “Botched.” Her pure joy an outspoken voice became an example of sends you reeling. She has never allowed the their devotion to corporate ties – and Gilead disfigurement of her early facial feminization could have handled the criticism to begin surgeries – a condition the surgeons on with! NMAC’s miscalculation squandered a “Botched” were able to correct — to dampen wonderful opportunity to truly honor Larry her spirit. I practically pounced when I in all of his mercurial glory. And what a spotted her, and our Facebook Live interview shame that is. has her funny, audacious personality on full display. “Historical Trauma” was the best And that, my friends, is what keeps me presentation I’ve seen at USCA… ever. coming back to USCA and enjoying the experience as much as I do. Activism is joy. This presentation taught me things that Activism is friendship. Activism is life. I will use in my advocacy right away. Dr. Thanks for all that you do in this struggle, Michele Andrasik’s brilliant insight into and please be well. Photo via USCA, Facebook.
9.19.2018 •
19
Convictions
Guest Column
Community Partnerships Offer Solutions for LGB Adults with Alzheimer’s September is World Alzheimer’s Month
David Jobin
President and CEO of Our Fund Foundation
I
n July, the first dementia prevalence data from a large population of LGB older adults was released by researchers from the University of California at the 2018 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Chicago. After following 3,718 LGB adults age 60-plus for nine years, the data revealed dementia in 7.4 percent of the participants. As we acknowledge World Alzheimer’s Month, this new data, along with the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the 65-plus general public, highlights the need for effective outreach and accessible healthcare services for all people suffering with Alzheimer’s, including the special needs of specific populations. While the LGBT community faces many of the same age-related health challenges as everyone else, those who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s often have additional While the LGBT obstacles to overcome. They are more likely community faces to be unmarried and live alone, and far less likely to have children. For heterosexuals, many of the same children often are the ones who notice age-related health early signs of dementia in their parents and arrange for their care. Planning for challenges as the future while the person with dementia is still able to do so can avoid turmoil and everyone else, those family disagreements later on. who are diagnosed Situations often are made worse by the with Alzheimer’s fact that LGBT people are more likely than plan is the training of knowledgeable research is needed to better evaluate the needs of the heterosexuals to delay reaching out for support group facilitators who are community and the best solutions. According to AARP, often have support services for fear of the dual stigma sensitive to the pressing needs of 24.5 percent of Broward County residents – one in four of being LGBT and having dementia. Their additional obstacles caregivers and patients alike, including -- will be 65 and older by 2040. The County’s 80-84 reluctance to seek care can lead to isolation challenges that are unique to LGBT population will grow 73 percent by 2030 and the 85to overcome. and related health problems, such as people. Such support groups are not plus sector will grow almost 32 percent. We know that cardiovascular disease and alcohol abuse. currently available and we believe they the prevalence of Alzheimer’s increases with age. As our In short, Alzheimer’s is a downward trajectory for those will make a huge difference in the lives of people who local communities become more senior and we grapple who are afflicted and takes an enormous toll on their otherwise would be struggling alone. with a deficit of services, innovative collaborations caregivers. Prior to the California study, little was documented among people who care, such as the Alzheimer’s To begin meeting the needs of this growing about the prevalence of dementia in the LGBT Association of South Florida and Our Fund, are most population in Broward County, Our Fund and the community, and while the study is a good start, more likely to lead the way. Alzheimer’s Association of South Florida have formed an important new partnership. Working together, we are establishing LGBT community support groups David Jobin is president and CEO of Our Fund Foundation. Our Fund secures the LGBT where caregivers and people afflicted with Alzheimer’s community’s future by promoting and increasing responsible philanthropy, strengthening disease can find comfort, speak freely and connect with community organizations and their leaders, and connecting donors to causes that matter. the resources they need. The first step in our action For more information, visit Our-Fund.org.
20
•
9 .19.2018
CONTEMPORARY BY DESIGN Galleria Lofts fuses contemporary design with spacious comfort to form a tranquil, urban oasis ideal for any lifestyle. Downtown, Las Olas, the beach, everything you love about Fort Lauderdale is just moments from your door.
PRICES FROM THE $500K s IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY AND MOVE-IN READY! PURCHASE TODAY WITH ONLY 10% DOWN* Stop by today to tour designer decorated models
954-362-9351 • GalleriaLoftsFL.com 1025 NE 18th Ave # 102, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304
*APR4.811%INFORMATIONDISPLAYEDISASOF07/02/2018ANDISSUBJECTTOCHANGEWITHOUTNOTICE.RATESCHANGEDAILY.PLEASECONTACTUSFORCURRENTPRICING.THESEMORTGAGEINTERESTRATESAREBASEDUPONAVARIETYOFASSUMPTIONSANDCONDITIONS.PROGRAMSAVAILABLEONLYTOQUALIFIEDBORROWERS.PROGRAMSSUBJECTTOCHANGEWITHOUT NOTICE.UNDERWRITINGTERMSANDCONDITIONSAPPLY.SOMERESTRICTIONSMAYAPPLY.SAMPLEMORTGAGEINTERESTRATESDISPLAYEDAREFORACONDO,PRIMARYRESIDENCE,720+CREDITSCORES,LOANAMOUNTSHIGHERTHAN$250,000ANDAREBASEDONARATELOCKPERIODOF30DAYS.LOANPRICINGCANONLYBELOCKEDTHROUGHALOANOFFICER.NMLS#328285 ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY THE DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. THESE MATERIALS DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY A UNIT IN GALLERIA LOFTS, A CONDOMINIUM (THE “CONDOMINIUM”). NO SOLICITATION, OFFER OR SALE OF A UNIT IN THE CONDOMINIUM WILL BE MADE IN ANY STATE OR COUNTRY IN WHICH SUCH ACTIVITY WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO ANY REQUIRED REGISTRATION IN SUCH JURISDICTION, AND NO STATEMENT HEREIN SHOULD BE CONSTRUED AS OR RELIED UPON AS A REPRESENTATION OR GUARANTEE. ALL OFFERS AND INCENTIVES HEREIN (“OFFERS”) ARE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL TERMS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS. OFFERS ARE GOOD FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY AND SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. GALLERIA LOFTS, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (THE “DEVELOPER”) RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR WITHDRAW ANY OFFER AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT NOTICE. OFFERS ARE SPECIFIC TO THE CONDOMINIUM AND MAY NOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS. ALL OFFERS ARE VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW AND IN STATES WHERE PRIOR REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
52SBC-001898 GL - SFL Gay News 9-12 FP ad.indd 1
9.19.2018 •
21
9/6/18 4:46 PM
lifestyle photos
Aqua Foundation Holds Panel on Immigration Issues LGBT immigrants face uncertain future Carina Mask
I
mmigration issues are very much administration spoke passionately about the intertwined with LGBT issues, especially failures of due process and gave a personal in South Florida during the Trump era. anecdote. The Williams Institute at UCLA estimates “I represented a client who is a Mexican that there are over 250,000 undocumented national who is a gay man, who was not people who identify as LGBT. only expeditiously removed once [from the Robin Schwartz, the managing director country], but twice,” Sanchez-Roig said. of Aqua Foundation for Women stated that, “Never knew it, was lied to, and deceived.” “Aqua Foundation for Women supports “When my client was removed from the South Florida’s lesbian, bisexual and United States a second time, and he makes transgender women through scholarships, it into the country a third time, and he is mentors, grants and initiatives. This year, married to his husband. By the time he Aqua has expanded our programming to came to me, I discovered that there include more opportunities to have was a reinstatement of removal, important conversations about [which he] wasn’t aware of, he subjects that matter such as never received a copy of it, One morning at 6 our voting education series [nor was] was he ever given a.m., her client and his notice.” and today’s immigration panel.” Sanchez-Roig’s client husband were dragged Historically speaking, was informed that if he into the streets by an Aqua Foundation is not an voluntarily left the United assault rifle wielding States that he would be able advocacy group, however SWAT team. it wants to help educate and to go back to his country of get as much information out to origin and then apply for a visa as many people as possible about and enter the country legally. what they can do to protect themselves “When my client applied for an and encourage people to vote in the adjusted status because of his American upcoming elections. husband’s petition, I was horrified to learn On Saturday, Sept. 15, Aqua held a panel that my client was removed. Now I have a discussion at O Cinema in Wynwood. client who can be arrested and then tried in One of the panelists, Rebeca Sanchez- federal court for re-entry after deportation.” Roig, managing partner of Sanchez-Roig The Border Patrol initially refused to hand Law, and a former Deputy Chief Counsel for the documents over to Sanchez-Roig. 17 years during the Bush, Clinton and Obama One morning at 6 a.m., her client and his Tina Alexander, Managing director of Digital Faire.
From Left to Right: Patricia Hernandez, Jennifer Anzardo Valdes, Brenda Medina, Christine J Alden, and Rebeca Sanchez-Roig.
husband were dragged into the streets by an assault rifle wielding SWAT team. Her client was then arrested and taken to the federal detention center in Miami. After countless hours of pouring over thousands of documents that Sanchez Roig requested from the Border Patrol, she discovered that the evidence was completely fabricated against her client. The documents listed addresses of where Sanchez-Roig’s client’s family was allegedly living. However, both parents had already passed away 12 years prior.
Judge Ungaro was shocked to find all the inaccuracies, and upon witnessing the testimonies from the Border Patrol agent who filed the documents against SanchezRoig’s client, Ungaro dismissed the case and dropped all criminal charges. Sanchez-Roig exclaims, “This happens on a daily basis at our border. Expedited removal orders, reinstatement orders are issued to unsuspecting individuals that have absolutely no idea that their rights that have been denied and then [they are] arrested.”
To see many more photos, visit South Florida Gay News on Facebook. 22
•
9 .19.2018
WMG Volume 5 • Issue 17 September 19, 2018
Wilton Manors Gazette Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette
Business
Wilton Manors Approves Pride Center Housing Project But questions remain
By Sallie James
The Pride Center’s Lot Area.
An LGBT-friendly affordable housing contribute $900,000 towards the project if project for seniors will be built at the Wilton Manors also contributes, according gateway to the “second gayest city” in the to Commissioner Julie Carson. The project, which has been both sharply United States. Despite concerns about parking and criticized and resoundingly applauded, possible tax abatement issues, last still has unresolved issues. Wilton Manors week city commissioners unanimously Gary Resnick requested Carrfour explore the possibility approved the 48-unit housing of giving Wilton project. The complex is slated Manors residents for construction at 2040 N. some percentage Dixie Highway, where it will of preference as adjoin The Pride Center at far as occupancy. Equality Park. Coviello said that The project, to be built by determination will be Carrfour Supportive Housing subject to state and Inc., will include low income federal law. housing tax credits from City commissioners Florida Housing Finance also wondered about Corporation, already secured the possibility of by Carrfour. receiving a payment “We’re very pleased to have from Carrfour in lieu finally reached the finish of taxes if some of the line,” said attorney David units are subject to tax J. Coviello, who represents - Tom Green abatement because 34 Carrfour. Commissioner of the 48 units will City commissioners are still be set aside for the mulling the idea of allocating $200,000 from the Wilton Manors disabled. They requested answers on or Affordable Housing Trust Fund for the before October 9th. Carrfour President Stephanie Berman complex. The project is expected to cost $15 said all applicants for the affordable million. The county has said it will housing project will undergo a background
“How are they going to do parking with this when there are these events on the campus?”
check. Protecting children from sexual offenders become a hot topic in the city earlier this year after it became public that a registered sex offender was employed at The Pride Center at Equality Park. The man was subsequently arrested for failing to for failing to re-register as a sex offender. The facility has a playground that is used by children and will be in close proximity to the 48-unit affordable housing complex. “As we do in all Carrfour properties, we will be conducting sexual offender/predator
screenings on all tenant applicants at The Residences at Equality Park,” Berman said. The affordable housing complex will be designated as a 55 and over community. Restrictive covenants will run with the property, Coviello said. According to the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995, communities that wish to be designated as 55 and over must follow the 80/20 split meaning at least 80 percent of the occupied units must be occupied by persons 55 years or older. There are no
Continued on page 7
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 •
September 19, 2018
9.19.2018 •
23
Opinion
Tennis Courts and Stipends WMG and Strip Clubs…Oh My!
September 19, 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 17 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
By Sal Torre Last week marked the ten-year anniversary of the economic meltdown that devastated Wall Street and Main Street alike. Unfortunately, Wall Street is now steaming ahead while Main Street has been left behind, struggling to hold on. Articles in national newspapers document how the longest running economic boom currently has enriched just a few in our society, the very wealthy 1 percent. Ironically, over 50 years ago Dr. Martin Luther King advocated for organizing the working poor of our nation as a second phase of his fight for civil rights and voting rights. The push to incorporate union workers, working poor, and civil rights was King’s dream of creating a national movement to replace the self–seeking individualism of the rich with a concentration on the common good of all citizens of this great nation. Unfortunately, an assassin’s bullet ended that dream. So many years later, the gap between the wealthy few and the struggles of the rest of our society is even greater. We are not immune from this debate in our Island City, and recent budget discussions have made me think about how disconnected some in our society are from the day-to-day struggle of so many. Last week at our City Commission meeting and then at a special budget meeting the following night, our city’s officials debated spending $90,000 over three years to convert two tennis courts to clay. At the same meeting our officials discussed giving our parttime employees a $500 stipend to assist them as low-wage earners. I advocated giving them a living wage instead, to do something that will actually make a difference in their lives. A one-time stipend does nothing for their long-term daily struggle. Ironically, the cost of raising our city’s employees’ wages to match the Living Wage Ordinance of Broward County would easily be covered by the cost of what we are spending on making two tennis courts easier to play on for aging residents. How does one advocate for the working poor when in the same breath they advocate throwing away so much money on providing clay courts to so few of our residents? One justification is that our aging community requires clay courts. However, many younger residents do not want to play on or enjoy clay courts. Our city officials need to be concerned about the needs of all residents in our city, not just to those who fall into the AARP demographics. Mayor Resnick has been a strong advocate of clay courts for years. When voices of opposition started to rise from other commissioners last year, Mayor Resnick pushed the item through by softening the one-year hit and spreading the cost over three years. This year Commissioner Green has taken a very strong stand against this large expense, and I commend his actions! There is one more budget hearing for residents to voice their opinions before the commission votes to approve the proposed budget for the next fiscal year. That meeting is on Tuesday, Sept 24 at 6:30 at the Commission Chambers. There were plenty of other happenings at last week’s commission meeting. One event that is still on my mind was how Mayor Gary Resnick made such a big deal about a local business owner making a $5,000 donation to our city’s Leisure Services Department child care program. Yes, that’s a good amount of money, and such a donor should be recognized and thanked by the community. However, the Mayor went out of his way on this one. The donor even had a large over-sized check ready for the photo ops. What
Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington
Editorial
Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com News Editor • Sallie James
Correspondents James Oaksun
Staff Photographers
J.R. Davis • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires
Sales & Marketing For ad placement in the Wilton Manors Gazette, contact 954-530-4970
Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Clark Rogers clark.rogers@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. MEMBER
MEMBER
makes this whole scene a bit unusual is that the owner operates Johnson’s, the questionable all-male dancers’ nightclub right on Wilton Drive. He is also a very large donor to Mayor Resnick’s campaign for City Commissioner and has hosted a campaign event at his home. So, if you operate a questionable business in our community, have outstanding code violations, and want to send a message to city staff about how well you are connected to the elected officials, what better way to do it than in front of everyone at a City Commission meeting with a large check in hand. None of this might be the case, but appearances do matter, and this one is just a bit too much, even for Gary Resnick. Speaking of appearances, I recommend that everyone take a look at the Financial Reports of our municipal candidates running for election. They are posted on the city website. You can draw your own conclusions, but I would much rather vote for someone who has the support of many local residents donating what they can afford over someone who is collecting bags of donations from law firms, developers, and other entities located outside of our Island City. In closing, my hero of the week is Commissioner Tom Green for taking a firm stand over the money being allocated for the tennis courts. Standing up for your beliefs, seeking to assist the common good, and helping those in need will help make life just better here. WMG
Associated Press MEMBER
MEMBER
Copyright © 2018 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.
Eucalyptus Gardens in Wilton Manors, where local artists and eucalyptus trees intermingle. Photo credit: Brendon Lies.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 24
•
9 .19.2018
2 •
September 19, 2018
Real Estate
How Much Does Neighborhood Matter? By James Oaksun Of late, I have been shifting my professional concentration into specializing in prewar architecture – which in South Florida means pre-World War Two, not pre-Revolutionary War. There are some prewar homes here in Broward, although not as many as you would find in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties. I was curious to see (roughly) how much people were willing to pay to buy prewar homes in different neighborhoods, holding all other factors constant. Interestingly I found that buyers were willing to pay substantial premiums for the privilege of living in prewar homes in the Victoria Park, Colee Hammock, and Rio Vista neighborhoods of Fort Lauderdale, compared with Tarpon River, the original settlement area of Hollywood, and even Miami Shores. This type of analysis can be extended into the Island City. I have written before and at length on the severe allergic reaction I have to the valuation measure my colleagues in Realtor Land utilize, i.e., price per square foot. I do think if you’re going to use one measure only, that’s the best one to use. However, I don’t think it is very useful when drilling down further or making comparisons. The majority of single family homes in WilMa
were built in the 1950s – 73 percent according to the Property Appraiser record. Thus you could (theoretically; or I suppose in actuality if you had the resources) lift up a home in the northwest corner of Wilton Manors, plop it down in the southeast corner… and it would be the same as nearly all the homes around it. Thus any differential in aggregate value, when fully teased apart, has to do with the implicit “cost of entry” to the neighborhood. The attached map spells out the differences I found. I divided WilMa into the three neighborhood associations the city has established. Then I added a horizontal divider right down 26th Street to evaluate six separate areas. With the far northwest corner as baseline, I analytically estimated how much premium a buyer would be willing to pay in the other five sections of the city – holding everything else constant (e.g., square footage of home, lot size, pool or no pool, waterfront or no waterfront). Relative to the northwest corner, buyers are willing to pay more to live in all the other areas of the city – with premiums ranging from $50,000 in the southwest corner to $150,000 in the southeast corner. The premium in Center
3 •
Wilton and the northeast corner is the same. Or, to paraphrase Julius Caesar, in considering WilMa valuations, “Wilton Manors est omnis divisa in partes quattuor.” Hopefully this information will be of value to those seeking to relocate into the Island City, as well as to those
September 19, 2018
estimating and reflecting upon pricing strategies here. WMG James Oaksun, Florida’s Real Estate Geek(SM), is Broker-Owner of New Realty Concepts in Oakland Park. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).
9.19.2018 •
25
this, justin
Wilton Manors’ Big Ideas By Justin Flippen Vice Mayor Justin Flippen (right) speaking as Big Ideas panelist.
Recently, I, along with the mayors of Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale, Weston, and Hollywood, participated in the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s Big Ideas Conference, held at the Riverside Hotel. It was a great opportunity to exchange and share our respective “big ideas” and vision for our communities’ respective futures. Joined by over 100 members of our local business, commerce, and civic community, including Assistant City Manager Pamela Landi, here are the thoughts that I shared:
BIG IDEA ONE: Leveraging Common Interests and Resources
We need to learn to get outside our box and our wheelhouse. Instead of competing for limited resources, the City of Wilton Manors is learning to find common ground and ways to collaborate to achieve shared goals with other cities and perhaps in the not too distant future, private entities as well. For example, Wilton Manors and Oakland Park are engaged in creating a joint climate action plan and hope to apply jointly for grant funds, use orders of magnitude to increase purchase
I’d like to envision and work towards a Wilton Manors that doesn’t give out speeding or parking tickets because we don’t need to.
Vice Mayor Justin Flippen (center).
power, and eliminate artificial perceptions of political boundaries. This is particularly important when the beneficiary of leveraging our common interests and resources is our mutual community at large.
balance protecting our neighborhoods and affording the right kind of modest commercial and residential investment and smart growth along our corridors and in the right places.
BIG IDEA TWO: When Resources Are Limited, Prioritize, and Don’t Dilute.
BIG IDEA FOUR: Through Increased Walkability and Other Incentives, Encourage Residents and Visitors to Reduce, and Aspirationally, Eliminate the Need to Get in the Car.
Wilton Manors (and every other city in Florida) is preparing for a reduction in ad valorem taxes. This will probably happen for two reasons. First, if Amendment Two, which creates an additional $25,000 homestead exemption, passes in November, it will result in a reduction of about $330,000 to Wilton Manors. This may not seem like much to others, but to our small city it’s a very big deal. For example, this equates to over 40 percent of the annual cost to run our library or 50 percent of the City’s annual EMS budget. Second, we’ve been riding a property value increase for almost a decade, and experts tell us that will likely come to an end soon. These two factors mean city governments will either have to raise taxes or tighten belts, and the latter is more likely than the former in Wilton Manors. So how do we decide how to allocate very limited resources? In Wilton Manors, we are spending money to make money. Our priority for the foreseeable future is to invest in economic development, and thoughtful commercial and residential development. This will increase our tax base, and increase visitors coming to our city to generate revenue.
Wilton Manors should be a city where you can live without a car and travel to desirable venues and locations nearby with a car service or mass transit, a city where the road is not just for cars, but for all users. With our close proximity to the FEC railway, mass transit available on all our primary corridors, designated bike lanes and sidewalk connectivity as well as miles of waterways available citywide, I’d like to envision and work towards a Wilton Manors that doesn’t give out speeding or parking tickets because we don’t need to, a city where parking problems are history because public and private stakeholders have worked together to solve them. These are just a few of my “big ideas.” I certainly have others, and I’m sure you do too. Please feel free to share your ideas – big or small – with me; for “life’s just better here” in Wilton Manors when we exchange, collaborate, and share. In your service,
BIG IDEA THREE: Don’t Overdo It! Know Your Brand, and Maintain It Carefully. Since we have heard over and over again from our residents that maintaining our small town sensibility is their number one priority, we recognize that not all development is good development. Figuring out the density equation and where it makes the most sense is a key factor to our future success. We have to properly
Justin S. Flippen, J.D. Wilton Manors Vice Mayor and “The People’s Commissioner” WMG
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 26
•
9 .19.2018
4 •
September 19, 2018
in memoriam
Photo
The Face of Sidelines Has Passed By Norm Kent Today, the editorial pages of WMG, the Wilton Manors Gazette, pays tribute to the life and passing of Jeanette Mojica, arguably the First Lady of the hospitality industry in our fair city. Known as the face and life of Sidelines for so many years, Jen did so much more than pour drinks for many of us. She poured her heart and soul into the lifeblood of the LGBTQ community. Of course, this is a loss felt most deeply by Lori Whitaker, her partner of many years. But this is a life we should all celebrate, because Jen’s energy and effusiveness rubbed off upon everyone she met. From hosting barbecues at Sidelines, to running charity tournaments for softball teams, here was a bar that embedded itself in our LGBTQ lives, socially and politically. Guided by passion and principle, Jean understood that a popular bar had the capacity to become a ‘home away from home’ for customers and consumers. Jen understood the meaning of running a ‘hospitality establishment.’ Sidelines welcomed everyone. It was a sports bar, and a place to watch championship basketball games, share birthday parties, and nights out. For a decade, it was a place that generated good times, and had a life of its own, once even rated in the Advocate Magazine as one of the top ten gay sports bars in the country. Sidelines earned the distinction and recognition it won. Under Jen’s stewardship, it gave back to all of us as well, sponsoring
athletic teams, donating time and money for pride festivals, and supporting so many political candidates, organizations and groups in worthy charitable ventures. We therefore say goodbye while saluting the good deeds achieved as much as the memories shared. Bars have been the venue and forum for the LGBTQ community to stand up and be counted. Like our lives and the liquor they pour, they have a shelf life. Jen was top shelf, facing adversity as an adventure to be challenged. Her life was one of dignity and demeanor, humor and healing. SFGN salutes a life well lived, generously supporting the LGBTQ community and the people who make our lives worth living. We will cherish her memory. WMG
Wilton Manors Officer Mike Haverman was honored on Sept. 11 with the David Dodson Memorial Officer of the Quarter Award for outstanding service. (Left to right: Wilton Manors Police Chief Paul O’Connell, Officer Michael Haverman and Assistant Police Chief Gary Blocker.) WMG
Photo courtesy of Dale Mack.
• • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • 5 •
September 19, 2018
9.19.2018 •
27
Community
Corbin’s Campaign Literature Attacks Former Opponent, WMPD By WMG Staff Boyd Corbin’s race for mayor took a In Corbin’s campaign brochure circulated new turn last week with the publication of through Wilton Manors last week, he also a brochure one of his political opponents accused Blevins of “using the Wilton Manors has concluded is defamatory, and which police department to unsuccessfully become also contains numerous charges against the a false witness against me.” Corbin then Wilton Manors Police Department. added the police department had it in for him Last year, Corbin unsuccessfully tried to as well, claiming “the police department is get a permanent restraining order against encouraging perjury against him.” Doug Blevins, who had run against him in the In the same campaign mayor’s race in 2014. brochure, Corbin talked about However, after a bifurcated not only losing his circuit court “it was Corbin’s three-day trial, Corbin’s case against Blevins, but how allegations against Blevins were attempt to secure “officers abusing steroids... deemed to be unfounded by a gave him $500 worth of tickets a permanent circuit court judge. and 6 points against his driver’s The brochure Corbin restraining license.” circulated nevertheless states that Actually, it was the traffic order against Blevins’ “false allegations against judge who did that after he me were dropped by the judge.” me which was was found guilty, not a police “That is totally misleading,” officer. Nevertheless, Corbin’s dismissed as Blevins replied. “In fact, it was literature recommends the without merit.” Corbin’s attempt to secure a police should “go back to permanent restraining order reading parking meters.” - Doug Blevins against me which was dismissed Former Mayoral The brochure also candidate as without merit.” Court records complains that Manors police bear out Blevins. Corbin’s case have illegal window tinting against him was dismissed. on its cars, and “there are too many home “Corbin called it a waste of time,” Blevins invasions in the city.” said. “It was. Corbin totally wasted the court’s Corbin, who has himself previously been time over frivolous and deceitful allegations found guilty of illegally parking in disabled which were found not sustainable. Now he spaces in Pompano Beach, lambasted the is accusing me of lying? This time he is going police because “they have illegal window tint to have to explain his misconduct to a jury. I on their cars.” hope he has good insurance for libel.” Corbin initially gained notoriety at city
The brochure deemed to be defamatory.
hall, protesting the condition of Manors drinking water at commission meetings. He then drew the attention of law enforcement when he was arrested and prosecuted for an attempted aggravated battery, after allegedly attacking a performer outside the Alibi, while dressed in a Ku Klux Klan costume during a Halloween event. While the charges were eventually dismissed, his campaign brochure promotes the incident, stating he was “falsely accused of trying to light a drag queen on fire.” He accused the Manors police of suborning perjury, complaining that he will now permanently have a record of “violent stalking.”
The colorful four-page brochure illuminates Corbin’s background and where he grew up, saying that because “I am financially secure, I don’t need to steal taxpayer money or take kickbacks from developers.” Stated Blevins, “Corbin has a right to say what he wants. But if it is defamatory and untrue, and puts me in a false public light, I have a right to hold him accountable. The truth is alien to him, apparently. I suspect the voters in November will have to remind him again what the truth is.” In two previous runs for mayor, both of which he lost, Corbin garnered percentages of 4 percent, then 27 percent. WMG
Boyd Corbin at the Halloween event that gained him notoriety.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 28
•
9 .19.2018
6 •
September 19, 2018
BUSINESS
Wilton Manors Approves Pride Center Housing Project But questions remain Continued from page 1
requirements for the other 20 percent. So a 55 or older community could theoretically designate 80 percent, or 100 percent of the units for persons 55 years or older. These communities can also mandate that all persons living in the household be 55 or older, or they can mandate that only one person in the household be 55 or older. It’s unclear what Carrfour’s affordable housing project’s specific rules will be. SFGN asked for clarification, but Carrfour they declined to answer at this time. It is also unclear what criteria will be used to determine if a potential resident is “disabled.” Carrfour has agreed to designate 34 of the 48 units for “lowincome seniors living with disabling conditions, such as physical illnesses or disabilities due to complications from HIV/AIDS.” Carrfour declined to elaborate at this time. “There’s a growing need for affordable housing in South Florida, particularly among underserved populations such as the senior LGBT community and those living with disabilities,” Berman said in a press release. “Beyond providing a place to call home, Carrfour will partner with The Pride Center to ensure that residents at The Residences at Equality Park have convenient access to community services, healthcare, financial planning, and social networks that combat isolation.” Commissioner Tom Green worried about inadequate parking at a site already plagued by a parking crunch but ultimately voted for the project. “When the Pride Center has meetings and when the Pride Center has the yard sales, the cars just go - there is no way they can be contained on the site,” Green said. “How are they going to do parking with this when there are these events on the campus?” Vice Mayor Justin Flippen said affordable housing has been part of the future vision for Wilton Manors. “This was an opportunity for us to truly transform plans on paper into reality,” Flippen said after the commission vote in favor of the project. A payment in lieu of taxes for affordable housing has never been done before in South Florida, he added. Carrfour’s affiliate Crossroads Management LLC will manage the
building and have a presence on-site. The property will be leased from the Pride Center under a 65-year, long-term lease and must be maintained as affordable housing for 50 years.
• Units would include a mix of studio, onebedroom and two-bedroom apartments of varying sizes • The complex will include a club room, a library/computer room, a gym, laundry and an administrative office • The main lobby will physically connect with the main Pride Center building According to the lease agreement, the Pride Center will receive a one time payment based on the maximum lease amount of $24,860 per unit, for a total of $1,193,280 for 48 units. The lease is for 65 years. After year 15, the building can revert to the Pride Center, subject to the lease, Coviello said. The 50 year affordability restriction comes from Florida Housing Finance Corporation, and will be memorialized in a recorded covenant running with the land, he added. WMG Jason Parsley contributed to this report.
• • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • 7 •
September 19, 2018
9.19.2018 •
29
f o t Bes 2018
The nominations are in...
VOTe fOr yOur fAVOriTes!
Vote for your favorite South Florida businesses
Throughout August our readers nominated their favorites in each “Best Of” category. Now, readers like you have until October 2 to vote for the finalists.
Visit sfgn.com/BestOf Best Restaurant Best Take Out Best Pizza Best Guest House Best Neighborhood Bar Best Nightclub Best Place To Shop 30
•
9 .19.2018
Best Happy-Hour Best Pet Groomers Best Coffee Shop Best Drag Queen Best Movie Theater Best City to Live In Best Non-Profit
8 •
September 19, 2018
Best Gym Best Live Theater Best Business Group Best Beach Best Hair Salon Best Spa ... And many more!
LIFESTYLE photos
LGBTQ
Task Force Takes on Fashion
To raise money for its gala on Oct. 6, the National LGBTQ Task force partnered with Prada on Sept. 14 for a night full of champagne, tequila tastings, and fall fashions in the new Prada store in Miami Beach all while giving back to the community. Read the full story on page 16. Carina Mask
The Prada Crew.
To see many more photos, visit South Florida Gay News on Facebook. 9.19.2018 •
31
LIFESTYLE photos
SAVE Honors Local Heroes SAVE held its Luminaries award ceremony at the Bacardi Headquarters in Coral Gables on Thursday, Sept. 13. Honorees at the event included NBC6’s Jamie Guirola, John Byrne of RawStory.com, and Charo Valero, the former SAVE Field director and now Florida State Policy Director at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, among others. To read the full story, see page 9. Carina Mask
Marsharee Chronicle, Corey Davis, Jason Jenkins, Patricia Hernandez and Tony Lima.
Justin Klecha, David Richardson and Tony Lima.
32
•
9 .19.2018
Tony Lima, Kenny Stills (Miami Dolphins) and Jason Jenkins (Miami Dolphins).
HOME | AUTO | BUSINESS
We know Insurance, because We Insure Florida.
CONSTANTINE PATSIMAS cpatsimas@weinsuregroup.com
HOME • FLOOD • AUTO BUSINESS • UMBRELLA • RVs BOATs • JETSKIs • MOTORCYCLE
ALEJANDRO KALAF III alejandro.kalaf@weinsuregroup.com
954.903.7519
1975 E. Sunrise Blvd, Suite 602 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 www.WeInsureFTLaud.com
? e t o v ! ing to
n ered t s n i g e a r l e r P ke sure you’ Ma
ation r t s i g a re Florid line is on dead
9 r e b octo d ostmarke
, or p
-person online, in
R
ne, visit li n o r e t s To regi da.gov i r lo F e t o V egisterTo
Richard C. Petryk Attorney at Law Courthouse Square Building 200 Southeast Sixth Street, Suite 306 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 RichardCPetryk@Yahoo.com
We Handle Traffic Tickets
Telephone: (954) 763-3120
Aaron’ s
Low Cost Cremation & Funeral Exceptionally High Quality at Low Prices Complete Direct Cremation
$555*
Graveside Burial
$1855
Includes Basic Casket
We Operate Our Own Off-Site Crematory
2201 Wilton Drive | Wilton Manors
833.227.6671
AaronsCremation.com * Death Certificates Additional
Free Notary Services 9.19.2018 •
33
lifestyle food
Eating Well & Doing Good Rick Karlin
A Taste of History - Celebrating National Coming Out Day with The Stonewall National Museum & Archives
Photo via SOBEWFF, Facebook.
Stonewall National Museum & Archives (SNMA) will benefit from “A Taste of History” on National Coming Out Day during Gay & Lesbian History Month, Thursday, Oct. 11 at the historic Stranahan House, 335 SE 6th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. During the event, those attending will be able to sample tastings from local restaurants including Kilwins, New York Grilled Cheese, and SideCar Kitchen, among others. For the most up to date list of participating restaurants, go to stonewall-museum.org. Tickets for the event are $50 in advance, $60 at the door and include the tastings, an open bar, and a tour of the historic building. “As we come together during National LGBTQ History Month, this event combines good food, friendship, and celebration around the museum’s work in the community. ‘Come out’ for the inaugural Taste of History, supporting Stonewall National Museum & Archives,” said Chris Rudisill, the museum’s Executive Director. You can purchase tickets at Stonewall-Museum.org/shop/taste-of-history-ticket/. Parking is available at the Riverside Hotel parking garage ($3.00 first hour, $1.50 each subsequent hour).
The Swank Table Announces Its New Season Swank Farms has announced its Swank Table schedule for the upcoming season. Swank Table brings together celebrated chefs during the harvest season for a true “farm to table” dining experience. Those attending literally dine in the fields of Swank Farms, albeit under a tent at tables set with fine china. The season kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 18 with Crazy Uncle Mike’s Southern Brunch. Each Swank Table family-style dining event unites several of the area’s top chefs with mixologists and breweries for an all-inclusive, all-local meal incorporating products from partnering providers and, of course farms, brews, wine, and delicious just-picked Swank Farm vegetables. Owners Darrin and Jodi Swank lead farm tours prior to each dinner and guests can also wander around the fields to see the farm in action before taking their seats. Live music, provided by some of South Florida’s favorite local bands, accompany each meal. Each dinner benefits a different local charitable institution. This season Swank has hired a resident chef to oversee all meals. The new chef, Sam Horrocks, will also host the Easter and Mother’s Day brunches. This season master chefs from Milwaukee, Martha’s Vineyard, Boston, and Louisville will show off their skills. Based in Loxahatchee Groves, Swank is a hydroponic farm that has become regionally famous for the veggies grown onsite, producing more than 350 varieties of vegetables, edible flowers, and micro-greens for the area’s top restaurants. Among the dinners being offered are the kick-off Réveillon Dinner, on Dec. 2, benefiting New Horizon Service Dogs, the Jan. 6 Farm Market benefiting Slow Food, Glades to Coast, and on Jan. 27, a Chinese New Year celebration benefiting Festival of the Arts, Boca Raton. For a complete list of dinners and to buy tickets, go to swankspecialtyproduce.com.
South Beach Wine & Food Festival The 18th annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) kicks off Feb. 20. The five-day, star-studded event features an unprecedented line up of more than 100 events spanning MiamiDade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. To date, the festival has raised more than $28 million in support of its charities. Pre-sale for the 2019 Festival begins at midnight on Mon., Oct. 22. Kicking off the 2019 Festival, as well as the featured CRAVE Greater Fort Lauderdale Series, will be a dinner hosted by Donatella Arpaia, PJ Calapa and Michael Chavez. The series continues throughout the festival with events hosted by Food Network stars and celebrity chefs, including; Anne Burrell and Angelo Elia, Alex Guarnaschelli, Adam Richman, Valerie Bertinelli, Jeff Mauro and Geoffrey Zakarian. A complete line up of 2019 events can be found online at sobewff.org, and by following along with the hashtag #SOBEWFF on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
34
•
9 .19.2018
Cheeseburger in Paradise Wynwood’s Octoberfest
Sept. 18 was National Cheeseburger Day and that means that lots of restaurants will be offering freebies and discounts. At Sonic every Tuesday get half-price cheeseburgers from 5 p.m. to closing, and the Carhop Classic deal is back. Get a Quarter Point Double Cheeseburger plus medium tater tots for $2.99 all day. Wendy’s is offering a free Dave’s Single Cheeseburger with any purchase for the entire month of September. The offer is available only to those who have the Wendy’s app. White Castle is featuring six Bacon Cheese Sliders for $6.99 all month long.
While it’s not a benefit, you might want to skip that flight to Munich and immerse yourself in Miami’s own re-created Bavarian Bier Haus at Wynwood’s Octoberfest Friday, Sept. 28 through Sunday, Sept. 30. The three-day festival will feature music and entertainment featuring an accordion player, a polka band and DJs. In addition, there will be an artisan market, food trucks, a photo booth and dog-friendly activities. It’s free to get in. For additional info go to WynwoodOctoberfest.com.
Hungry for more?
If asked to name the most popular burger chain, most folks would choose McDonald’s, but it turns out that the house of the golden arches does not hold the top slot. According to a survey held by Offers.com, McDonald’s comes in third, behind Wendy’s and Five Guys. The company’s data revealed that Five Guys is the favorite cheeseburger chain (25%) according to consumers. Wendy’s follows closely behind (21%) and third place goes to McDonald’s (20%).
Visit SFGN.com/FOOD!
PEACE PIPE YOur One stOp shOp fOr all YOur vapOr needs!
large Selection | lowest Prices
VAPORIzERS • E-lIqUIDS • HOOkAHS • CBD Incense + candles + TapesTrIes • ashTrays • Torch lIghTers • Flasks • Body Jewelry • games • rollIng ToBacco • posTers • sTaTues • FIgurInes • T-shIrTs • shIsha • rollIng papers • ZIppos • ToBacco accessorIes • loTs more!
OPEN MON - SAT: 10AM - 9PM • SUN: 12 - 6 PM EVERYTHING YOU NEED! MORE THAN YOU EXPECT! The Best Since 1996
954-267-9005
15 Minutes From The Beach or I-95 754-779-7007
4800 n. dIxIe hIghway, ForT lauderdale JusT souTh oF commercIal Blvd
Two locations!
fACEBOOk.COM/PEACEPIPEfl
821 n. Federal hwy., ForT lauderdale JusT souTh oF sears Town nexT To cuBBy hole @PEACEPIPEfORTlAUDERDAlE
9.19.2018 •
35
SFGNITES
F O R T H E W E E K O F se p te m ber 2 0 - se p te m ber 2 5 , 2 0 1 8 • W W W . S F G N . C O M J.W. Arnold
She’s Back!
jw@prdconline.com
THU
9/20
Nightlife Drag diva Daisy Deadpetals hosts her weekly show, “C U Next Thursday,” tonight at 10 p.m. at The Pub, 2283 Wilton Dr. in Wilton Manors. Bring your charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent —there’s a hidden clue there—and play “The Snatch Game.” Naughty fun for all and even naughtier performances by Daisy and her friends. Enjoy drink specials and win prizes, too. More information at ThePubWM.com.
FRI
9/21
comedy Jerry Seinfeld returns to South Florida with his quirky brand of comedy tonight at 7 p.m. at the Arsht Center in Miami. Hailed for an uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life that relate to audiences everywhere, Seinfeld’s latest projects include the Emmy-nominated web series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,“ and Netflix special, “Jerry Before Seinfeld.” Tickets start at $72.50 at ArshtCenter.org.
x
Saturday
9/22
Comedy
If you thought you had missed your opportunity to see sharp-tongued comedian Kathy Griffin last week, here’s your chance. Due to unforeseen circumstances, her “Laugh Your Head Off” world tour performance at the Arsht Center in Miami was postponed to tonight and the good news is there are still tickets available. Wanna wager who the biggest butt of her jokes will be tonight? Tickets start at $39.50 at ArshtCenter.org. Photo courtesy of Kathy Griffin.
SAT
9/22 SUN
9/23 MON
9/24 TUE
9/25
current events
nightlife
television
concert
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and “the most famous undocumented immigrant in America,” Jose Antonio Vargas tackles the defining issues of our time in his new book, “Dear America: Notes from an Undocumented Citizen.” Vargas, who is also openly gay, will appear tonight at 8 p.m. at Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 DeSoto Blvd. in Coral Gables. Tickets are $25.99 at BooksAndBooks.com.
Boogie the night away at the “Classic 54” tea dance at Hunters Nightclub, 2232 Wilton Dr. in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors. D.J. Richie Rich will be spinning all your favorite dance classics from the heyday of the iconic Studio 54 in Manhattan. “Low T” begins at 7 p.m. but the action really gets started with “High T” at 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. Drink specials all night long. More information at HuntersFortLauderdale.com.
The fall television season kicks off tonight on CBS with top-rated sitcoms “The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon,” both featuring gay Emmy winner Jim Parsons. The latest season of singing competition “The Voice” premieres on NBC and John Schneider (“Dukes of Hazzard”) and Nancy McKeon “(“Facts of Life”) compete on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Check local listings for channels and show times.
Grammy Award-winning pop princess Christina Aguilera is kicking off her new North American tour at the Hard Rock Event Center at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood tonight at 8 p.m. The former “The Voice” judge will perform hits from her latest album, “Liberation,” including “Accelerate,” “Maria,” “Unless It’s With You” and “Fall in Line.” Tickets start at $112 at MyHRL.com.
36
•
9 .19.2018
9.19.2018 •
37
A&E music Matthew Morrison will be featured in the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida’s holiday program at the Hard Rock Event Center in December. Photo Credit: Matthew-Morrison.net.
Chorus Announces 2018-19 Season, Musical Tribute to Stonewall J.W. Arnold
T
he Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida (GMCSF) recently announced its 201819 season, kicking off with traditional holiday fare and culminating with the world premiere of a work commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. “Up Rise Sing! A Tribute to Stonewall and a Vision of Peace and Equality,” features performances by the 150-voice chorus at several South Florida venues and diverse musical programs. “As I was researching the history of the Stonewall riots, ‘Up Rise Sing!’ became a clever play on the word ‘uprising,’” explained artistic director Harold Dioquino, who is in his third season leading the chorus. The season opens with two holiday programs: “The Heart of the Holidays” on Saturday, Dec. 15 at the Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale, a chorus tradition. On Sunday, Dec. 16, the chorus will be joined by Emmy, Tony and Golden Globenominated artist Matthew Morrison (“Glee,” “Neverland” on Broadway) at the Hard Rock Event Center at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. Long before planning for the concert formally began, Dioquino envisioned Morrison as the perfect guest artist for that holiday event. “It’s sort of like a dream come true,” Dioquino admitted. “Matthew is such a talented performer and he has quite a following from ‘Glee.’ I know the chorus is going to enjoy working with him. The audience will love him, too.” “From the Heavenly to the Divine,” March 22-23 at the Sunshine Cathedral, promises to be a “sensational evening of music ranging
from the glorious to the outrageous.” “We’ll begin with ‘Requiem of Solace’ by young Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen, but it will not be just a concert performance. We’re planning a dramatic production with staging and lighting,” Dioquino said. “The second half [of the concert] will be lighter, but also divine in a different way.” Soloists and small ensembles from the chorus will be featured on April 27 in “Proud Mary 2,” a sequel cabaret performance featuring favorites from female musical icons. “Last year’s concert was so successful, we decided to do it again,” he said. “We had so many songs that we really wanted to sing last year, but couldn’t get them all in.” The chorus concludes the season at the new Lauderhill Performing Arts Center on June 22 with “Up Rise Sing!” GMCSF will be joined by the Original Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus and the Miami Gay Men’s Chorus for the southeastern premiere of “Quiet No More: A Choral Celebration of Stonewall 50,” a new work paying tribute to the Greenwich Village riots that would mark the beginning of the modern gay rights movement. This eight-movement work, cocommissioned by 24 LGBTQ choruses from across the country, is classical in nature, but will also feature musical theater, jazz and other popular styles, with women and other minority composers central to the project. “This will be the first time all three choruses have performed together,” Dioquino observed. “We’re very excited and this is the perfect occasion to bring us all together.”
Tickets and concert information will be available online beginning Sept. 21 at GMCSF.org.
38
•
9 .19.2018
9.19.2018 •
39
Datebook
Theater Tucker Berardi
Calendar@SFGN.com
Top
September 19 - September 25 broward county * Louie Anderson
Picks
*Lucia Micarelli
Friday, September 28 at 8 p.m. at the Parker Playhouse, 707 N.E. Eighth Street in Fort Lauderdale. Acclaimed violinist Lucia Micarelli, who has expanded her dazzling musicianship far beyond the classical world to explore jazz, rock and pop, comes to Parker Playhouse. Tickets $30 to $50. Visit ParkerPlayhouse.com.
Saturday, September 29 at 8 p.m. at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale. One of the country’s most recognized and adored comics, the three-time Emmy® Award winner delivers his inimitable brand of humor and warmth as he shares the ups and downs of his life experiences. Tickets $24 to $45. Visit BrowardCenter.org.
La Cage Aux Folles
Thursday, September 29 at 8 p.m at the The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach. Last year’s Netflix special, Brian Regan: Nunchucks and Flamethrowers, is the first in a two-special deal with the streaming giant, putting the funnyman in the ranks of Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld. A Carnegie Hall veteran hailed as “the funniest stand-up alive” by Vanity Fair, Regan riffs on board games, un-derwear and other relatable family topics. Tickets start at $20. Visit kravis.org.
August 31 to September 23 at the Stage Door Theater, 3800 NW 11th Place, Lauderhill. Nightclub and drag show owner Georges is presented with the challenge of acting the part when meeting his son’s finances ultra-conservative parents. When he fails to take on the role of masculine uncle, he takes more creative measures to meet the family. Tickets $48. Visit LPACFL.com or call 954777-2055.
Actors Playhouse Season Kick-Off Party
Friday Night Sound Waves Music Series
Brian Regan: Netflix Comedian
Thursday, September 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hotel Colonnade, 180 Aragon Avenue, Coral Ga-bles. Actors’ Playhouse cordially invites you to kick-off and celebrate the Pre-Broadway World Premiere of “Havana Music Hall.” Enjoy a live 23-piece mambo band, savory hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and more! $50 donation per person. This event will be held at the Hotel Colonnade’s Rotunda. Tickets $50. Visit actorsplayhouse.org.
Fridays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Hub, Las Olas Boulevard and A1A in Fort Lauderdale. Enjoy live, outdoor music spanning genres and tributes every Friday evening through November. Free. Visit FridayNightSoundWaves.com
Lucia Micarelli will be performing on Friday, September 28 at 8 p.m. at the Parker Playhouse. Photo via Facebook.
palm beach county * Dina Elwedidi On Tour
October 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mashall E. Rinker, Sr. Playhouse. With her powerful, nuanced voice and authentic style, Egyptian singer and composer Dina Elwedidi channels the heritage and contemporary identity of Cairo. A sophisticated innovator with a charismatic stage presence, Elwedidi’s rich repertoire ranges from jazz to folk to underground rock and has established
her as a global cultural force. Tickets $32, one drink included. Visit kravis.org.
Free Friday Concerts
Fridays at 7:30 p.m. at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. Enjoy live music from the comfort of your picnic blanket or lawn chair every week, for free! Returns in October. Call 561-2437922 or visit DelrayArts.org.
miami-dade county Superior Donuts
September 20 to October 21 at 6766 Main Street, Miami Lakes. Enjoy the final show of the 2017-2018 season, a touching and hilarious story of unlikely friendship. Tickets $25 to $30. Visit mainstreetplayers.com
Outdoor Music Series
Third Thursdays at the Perez Art Museum Miami, 101 W. Flagler St. in Miami. Come out for live music from DJs and musicians by the bay. Drink specials available. Free with museum admission. Call 305-375-3000 or visit PAMM.org.
Full Charge Bookkeeping Services
The Big Show
Fridays and Saturdays at 9 p.m. at Just the Funny Theater, 3119 Coral Way in Miami. A collection of comedy mixing the likes of improvisation and sketches. Tickets $12. Call 305-693-8669 or visit JustTheFunny.com.
* Denotes New Listing 40
•
9 .19.2018
BUSINESS spotlight
Business SPOtlight A Grand Opening for The Grandeur September 8, 2018 marked a great milestone for The Grandeur in Oakland Park as they celebrated their Grand Opening. Eighteen luxury apartments with great amenities are now available for leasing. The Grandeur at Oakland Park is the second of multiple planned projects brought to the city by TONA Construction and Management. The brochure promoting the project illuminates the intimacy of the enterprise, stating that “The small buildings bring residents a sense of community while providing many of the features and amenities provided by larger projects.” The Grandeur in Oakland Park will bed situated four blocks east of Dixie Highway and four blocks north of Oakland Park Blvd. Its amenities will include an intercom, new appliances, washer/dryer, granite counters, beautiful tile work, a roof top sky deck, swimming pool, pet-friendly, covered parking, fitness room, and a brightly lit parking area. The ribbon cutting is pictured right. Pictured: Ron Falk, Realtor RE/MAX Experience, Michael Carn, Oakland Park City Commissioner, Tim Lonergan, Oakland Park Mayor, along with builders/owners: Dominique Tonacchio, Frank Tonacchio, Danielle Tonacchio, Domenick Tonacchio, and Jimmy Cunningham, Realtor RE/MAX Experience. Photo credit: Steven Shires.
Johnson’s first anniversary
Owner of Leboy awarded by poverello
Congratulations to Matt Colunga, on the celebration of Johnson’s first anniversary. The venue has become one of the hottest clubs in the Manors, a clean, smoke-free emporium, pouring true drinks and featuring striking male performers dancing on stage. Giving back to the community matters, and on the occasion of his first anniversary, Matt generously donated to the city of Wilton Manors $5,000 to use towards the municipality’s after school programs for kids. Here he is pictured presenting the check to the city commissioners two weeks ago.
Sean David’s popular Fort Lauderdale club LeBoy not only features male dancers and live performers on stage, but an outdoor patio with large screen TVs. Located on NE 13th street in the emerging business district near the Pride Factory, the venue is a local favorite. And Sean is another business owner giving back to the community. Here he is pictured with his staff and Poverello supportersgetting an award for his charitable contributions in support of the Poverello Food Bank, in a ceremony held Tuesday in the Manors. Congrats to our good friend, who also operates Late Night Liquors, adjacent to LeBoy, and offering top shelf bottles with the lowest prices in town
9.19.2018 •
41
September 19 September 25
Datebook
Community Tucker Berardi
Broward Support Services
Calendar@SFGN.com
Top Picks
PFLAG
*September Jam Session
Tuesday, September 25 at the Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. Our monthly JAM SESSION brings local musicians together in a collaborative performance environment creating a nurturing community of and for the participants. Kick back and vibe with Delray’s musicians in an ever-changing improvised jam session. No memorized notes or lyrics: just bring your instrument and let the music play. Free for performers, $5 for patrons. Visit artsgarage.org.
*Miami Dolphins Pride Game
Sunday, September 23 at 1 p.m. at the Hard Rock Stadium. Join SAVE and the Miami Dolphins and show your pride in this special game against the Oakland Raiders. Tickets $50. Visit fevo.me/ save.
Jaguars of the Atlantic Forest
Saturday, September 29 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Miami Zoo, 12400 SW 152 St, Miami. Today, the forests of Brazil are being cut down displacing thousands of animals including the jaguar. With less than 300 individuals left in the Atlantic Rainforest, Project Jaguars of Iguacu seeks to protect this species. Hear the story of how a group of people seek to protect this beautiful animal. Tickets $5. Register at zoomiami.org.
Tuesdays in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Southwest Ranches. A support group for parents of LGBT youth 13 to 21. Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com for dates and locations.
SunServe Youth Group
Tuesdays and Thursdays in Fort Lauderdale, Southwest Ranches, Coral Springs and Hollywood. A support group and night of fun for LGBT youth 13 to 21. Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com for dates and times.
Survivor Support
First and third Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Broward Health Imperial Point Hospital cafeteria, 6401 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. Find support from counselors and peers who have lost loved ones to suicide. Call the Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention at 954-384-0344 or visit FISPOnline.org.
broward county SHAMELESS Art Exhibit
September 8 to October 5 at the Claudia Castillo Art Museum, 2215 Wilton Drive. From the Blue Freedom Collection by Jessica Fox, renowned television & radio personality, actress, producer and creator. Call 954-2747047 for details.
Remember to React Art Exhibit
September 9 to November 18 at the NSU Art Museum, One East Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale. Representing various periods and developments in the history of art, Remember to React also traces the collection’s growth from its origins to today. Sections of the exhibition will change over the course of the year with installations of other core holdings, to reveal the nuances of the interrelated and reactive narratives among the works in the Museum’s unique collection.
42
•
9 .19.2018
Arts and Crafts Happy Hour
Wednesday
Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Arts and Crafts Social Club in Fort Lauderdale. Enjoy a two-for-one ‘freestyle’ painting session with hands on assistance as needed. Tickets $20. Visit artsandcraftssocialclub. com
Lunch With Art
Every Wednesday from 12:15 to 1:15 pm at 41 NE st 33060, Pompano Beach. Indulge your creative side in this free hands-on program. Bring your own lunch or grab a bite to eat at the in-house cafe.
Voices of Pride
Meets at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. Join the Gay Men’s Chorus as they practice every week. Free. Call 561-533-9699 or visit CompassGLCC. com for rehearsal details.
September 19 - September 25 Life Coaching
Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Latinos Salud Clubhouse, 2300 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Get one-on-one life coaching from certified CRCS coaches. For guys living with HIV, their partners, and anyone who identifies as transgender. Free. Call 954-765-6239 or visit LatinosSalud.org.
Lauderdale Bridge Club Lessons and Games
Mondays at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 401 SE 15th St. in Fort Lauderdale. Join the club for bridge lessons and try your hand at some games. Cost $4. Call 610-4016475 or visit MarpleBridgeClub.com.
palm beach county *Family Art Day
Saturday, September 29 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Schmidt Center Gallery At the Ritter Arts Gallery, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. This annual exhibition features painting, photography, film/video and mixed media works by new and emerging artists from four southeastern Florida counties who have won the prestigious and highly competitive “South Florida Consortium” grant. Free to attend. Visit fau.edu/galleries.
* September Jam Session
Tuesday, September 25 at the Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. Our monthly JAM SESSION brings local musicians together in a collaborative performance environment creating a nurturing community of and for the participants. Kick back and vibe with Delray’s musicians in an ever-changing improvised jam session. No memorized notes or lyrics: just bring your instru-ment and let the music play. Free for performers, $5 for patrons. Visit artsgarage.org.
* Jerry Seinfeld
October 26 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. Concert Hall at the Kravis Center. America’s premier comedian, Jerry Seinfeld has been hailed for his uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life that relate to audiences everywhere. Tickets start at $76. Visit kravis. org.
Coco Movie Night
Friday, September 21 at 7 p.m. at Lake Worth CRA, 1121 Lucerne Avenue, Lake Worth. Bring some chairs and a blanket and enjoy a free showing of Disney Pixar’s Coco under the stars! Visit lakewortharts.com.
miami-dade county *Miami Dolphins Pride Game
Sunday, September 23 at 1 p.m. at the Hard Rock Stadium. Join SAVE and the Miami Dolphins and show your pride in this special game against the Oakland Raiders. Tickets $50. Visit fevo.me/save.
*Fine Wine and Frost Music
Monday, October 1 at 7 p.m. at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables. Join us as we match the flavors and textures of fine wines with the tones and rhythms of beautifully per-formed live, classical music. Tickets $30. Visit booksandbooks.com.
*An Evening with Jose Antonio Vargas
Saturday, September 22 at 8 p.m. at Coral Gables Congregational church. Pulitzer-Prize win-ning journalist and “the most famous undocumented immigrant in America,” tackles one of the defining issues of our time in Dear America: Notes from an Undocumented Citizen. Vargas will be in conversation with Jorge Ramos about his explosive, deeply personal and necessary new book. Free to attend. Visit booksandbooks.com.
Jaguars of the Atlantic Forest
Saturday, September 29 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Miami Zoo, 12400 SW 152 St, Miami. To-day, the forests of Brazil are being cut down displacing thousands of animals including the jag-uar. With less than 300 individuals left in the Atlantic Rainforest, Project Jaguars of Iguacu seeks to protect this species. Hear the story of how a group of people seek to protect this beautiful animal. Tickets $5. Register at zoomiami.org.
key west Taco Brunch and All Day Happy Hour
Every Sunday (opening at 8 a.m.) at Mellow Cafe and Gastropub, 1605 N. Roosevelt Blvd, Key West. Spend the day drinking and downing tacos at this all-day happy hour, each week on Sun-day!
The Tea Dance After Party
Sundays from 7 p.m. until close at Mangoes, 700 Duval St. Upstairs Ricky Ricardo Room. Boogie the night away with a little help from delicious drinks, great music and free admission.
* Denotes New Listing
EMERGENCY LAW
ExpERiENCEd CRiMiNAL dEfENsE 24 houR AvAiLAbiLitY
Norman Elliott Kent
Attorney at Law 2520 N. dixie hwy Wilton Manors, fL 33305
Russell Cormican
Attorney at Law 12 sE 7th st fort Lauderdale, fL 33301
954.763.1900
(anytime for emergencies)
9.19.2018 •
43
THE
GUIDE
Business Directory
attorney
attorney
Law office of george castrataro 707 NE 3rd Ave #300, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954.573.1444 Lawgc.com
law office of Gregory Kabel 1 East Broward Blvd #700, Fort Lauderdale, 33301 954.761.7770 gwkesq@bellsouth.net
Law office of Robin bodiford 2550 N Federal Hwy #20, Fort Lauderdale, FL 954.630.2707 Lawrobin.com
law office of Shawn Newman 710 NE 26th St, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954.563.9160 Shawnnewman.com
To place an ad in the Business Directory, call our sales team at 954.530.4970 automotive
Trantalis & Associates attorneys Dean J. Trantalis, Esq. 2301 Wilton Drive Suite C1-A, Wilton Manors, 33035 954.566.2226 TrantalisLaw.com
a&e
Ft Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus PO Box 9772, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33310-9772 954-832-0060 www.theftlgmc.org Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida 2040 North Dixie Hwy, #218, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-763-2266 Gaymenschorusofsouthflorida.org
a/c repair
post your listing online! www.sfgn.guide
Licensed & Insured
954-725-3633
custom alarm contractors, Inc.
Est. 1989 “Experience Matters” Service after the sale! ▶ residential security ▶ commercial security ▶ closed circuit tV www.customalarmcontractors.com 44
•
9 .19.2018
STILL MARCHING FOR
EQUALITY THE FIGHT CONTINUES
While the LGBT community has seen many successes in the past decade, there are still many more milestones yet to come. Follow history as it happens by reading your weekly copy of SFGN.
www.SFGN.com
www.sfgn.guide chiropractic
final arrangements
professional services
Kalis-McIntee Funeral & Cremation Center
2505 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-7621 Kalismcintee.com
sfgn.guide handyman
Miami/Broward/Palm Beach Paint/Caulk/Remove Grout/Yard Work Fix Drips & Switches/Debris removal Assembles Furniture & Appliances Repair or Fix Call "Avrom" Keith 786-227-9981
getaway
dental Oakland Park Dental 3047 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 954.566.9812 Oaklandparkdental.com
furniture
professional services
Taylor & Turner Pest and Termite Control, Inc
William D. Turner
call us to reserve space! financial services
health insurance Medicare/MedicaID Florida Blue / Blue Cross Blue Shield 2765 West Cypress Creek Road Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 Call Steve Herbstman @ 954-554-7074
mortgage lender
taylorandturner@yahoo.com 2520 North Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305
954.630.2627
Every homeowner who is at least 62 years of age should know about Reverse Mortgage loans!
WE’RE HERE FOR ALL YOUR
Bookkeeping Small Business Advising
American Pain Experts 6333 N. Federal Hwy, Ste. 250, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954-678-1074 Americanpainexperts.com
post your listing online! www.sfgn.guide
FINANCIAL NEEDS Taxes IRS Issues Accounting
health
~ Purchase & Refinance ~
Call Today: Crissy
Your Hometown Specialist Phone: 954-290-1243 kcrissy@firstbankonline.com
954-667-9829 ACCOUNTING@STERLINGACCOUNTING.COM
2435 North Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305
NMLS# 447937 Borrowers must pay taxes and required insurance. Must meet underwriting requirements. FirstBank Institution ID 472433.
9.19.2018 •
45
real estate
W ED N ES D AY S
7:0 0P M
Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors & Oakland Park REMODELED homes:
MANNY SIMONE, NEWS ANCHOR
2 bedroom/2 bath condos from
THE BEST SERVICE, THE BEST RESULTS SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST!
$135,000
Ocean/Intracoastal from
Helping Buyers, Sellers, Renters, and Investors for over 18 years in South Florida.
$300,000
3 bedroom/2 bath homes
$250,000
Brian S. Bedigian, P.A.
RealtorBrian@aol.com www.BrianFTL.com
Your South Florida Specialist for Over 18 Years
from
Realtor
954.205.5275
transportation RAINBOW RIDES-SAVE MONEY ON YOUR RIDE! - We treat you like family! SPECIALIZING IN AIRPORT RIDES! Need a ride to FLL, MIA, or PBI? (or anywhere else?) I'm a friendly driver with a nice, clean Chevy Malibu. My fixed-rate pricing beat all ride sharing - apps every time. Call or text me to schedule a ride, I'll be there early and I'll text you when I arrive. No 'surge" prices, no hassles. Call or text Nikki at 954-600-3133. FREE Information Kit
855-407-8729
www.dental50plus.com/SouthFL
sports
Tennis Lessons at Hagen Park in Wilton Manors. Individual or group lessons. Call Robert 732-604-0362 for more information.
www.sfgn.guide
46
•
9 .19.2018
SFGN Classified$ To place a Classified Ad, call us at 954.530.4970
www.sfgn.guide
home improvement
automotive
Roller Shades, Blinds, Verticals • All That your window needs, customized To your window size, color & taste. Manual or motorized. We also specialize in installing Door bells/locks+video Reg or with WiFi. Smart A/C Thermostats That you can control from anywhere in the world. So before you spend big money you are invited to hassle us for a free estimate. Haim 954.398.3676 • hitechshade@gmail.com
HEADLIGHT RESTORATION - Headlights dull, cloudy or yellow? We make them clear again! Mobile Service. Call Joe for FREE ESTIMATE 954-494-0366
FREE Information Kit
855-407-8729
electrician
www.dental50plus.com/SouthFL
HARRY’S ELECTRIC RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL - Additions, renovations, service upgrades, breaker panels,FPL undergrounds, code violations, A/C wiring, ceiling fans, recessed, security & landscaping, lighting, pools, pumps, Jacuzzis, water heaters, FREE PHONE ESTIMATES 954-522-3357 Lic & Ins. www. harryelectrician.com
rentals fort lauderdale
employment wanted
Victoria Park 1BR/1BA - Renovated, Terrazo Floors, 2 A/C Units, New Kitchen Appliances, Large Walk-in Closet, Shared Washer & Dryer, Safe Area, 5 Unit Building. $1100 per month, Call 305-608-5877
SPECIAL HIRE NEEDED - Earn $45,000 per year. Experienced, self-motivated professional salesman needed. Work competitively in a highly flexible and relaxed LGBT-friendly environment. Fax resume to 954-530-7943.
employment positions wanted Caregiver AVAILABLE - Serving our gay community for over 10 years. Respectful and caring. Excellent letters of recommendation. Antonio 954-599-3265
seeking employment
WPB Personal Chef / House Man - Chef Daniel, prof with neat personality 25 years experience; Looking for full time job Cooking, food shopping, house maintenance, running errands, etc. CV avail on demand, adanielg26@aol.com
handyman
HUSBAND FOR RENT - Is he procrastinating home repairs? He says he will do it tomorrow?? After the football game?? We fit right in - in the house or the yard, small or big jobs: tile, dry wall, paint, plumbing, roof leaks, broken furniture, irrigation, fences, and more! It doesn't cost to hassle us to see the work - so why wait? Neat, clean work for a reasonable price. Call Haim at 954-398-3676, sidnalll@yahoo.com
men’s health/fitness
Penis Enlargement - Gain 1 to 3 inches permanently & safely. Resolve ED. Licensed medical vacuum pumps, surgical & supplements. For free brochures/consultation call: Dr. Joel Kaplan 888-978HUGE (4843). www.getbiggernow.com
CREEP OF THE YEAR
rentals wilton manors
internet AT&T - High Speed Internet Starting at $40/month. Up to 45 Mbps! Over 99% Reliability! Bundle AT&T Digital TV or Phone Services & Internet Price Starts at $30/month. Call 1-855-830-9658
office space
ALL INCLUSIVE OFFICE - 2201 Wilton Drive address and mailbox, parking space, shared conference room, high speed internet, furnished. Monthly or Annual Lease available. Text 954.801.5850.
piano
WANT TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO? Learn from an experienced teacher. All levels and ages welcome. Learn to play classical, popular, jazz, or show tunes. Visit www.edwinchad.com or call 954-826-9555 for more information.
pool service
COOL POOLS- RELIABLE POOL SERVICE Professional pool service.Covering Wilton Manors, Lighthouse Point, and eastside of Pompano Beach. 15 years experience. Licensed and insured.Free estimates. Call 954-235-0775.
Wilton Manors - Wilton Village complex. 8th Ave. Remodeled 850sf bright 2/1 end unit 2nd floor. Closets galore. Stainless steel appliances. Tile floors. Assigned parking .Condo Association application $100. Pool and laundry room. 5 minute walk to 5 points. New A/C. $1250 first, last, and $1000 deposit. Call 954-654-4910.
senior roommate wanted
Roommate - Elderly gay man seeks trustworthy, serious minded roommate. Two bedroom home located in Boca Raton. Must have car, extremely low rent. Ages 65+ preferred. Contact Gary – 561-451-0205
Reserve me
roommate wanted oakland park
for as little as
2 bedroom / 1 bath - $700. Utilities included. First & last month, and background check required. 754-3043827. coachinftl@aol.com
per month
television
DIRECTV SELECT PACKAGE! - Over 150 Channels, ONLY $35/month (for 12 mos.) Order Now! Get a $200 AT&T Visa Rewards Gift Card (some restrictions apply) CALL 1- 888-597-7205
www.sfgn.guide
$175
Wedding announcements? Anniversaries? Obituaries?
954.530.4970
painting
GREGG'S PAINTING - I paint both interior and exterior. Great rates, free estimates. I am detailed-oriented, friendly, reliable, punctual, and neat. No job too small. Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Call Gregg at 617-306-5694 or 954870-5972 Email: gmanbenn44@gmail.com
vacation rental
RENTAL - 2B2B chalet in the mountains of Western NC, 45 min from Asheville. Elegant, with panoramic views and privacy. Escape the heat and traffic. Make new friends and see new places. 3 day (min) $400, Weekly $900. 49 Pinnacle Rd, Burnsville, NC 28714. Contact Red – 954496-9000, redroosterchalet@gmail.com
Classified Advertising Works! paid for by anonymous
www.sfgn.guide
7:0 0P M
Injury or illness? - Unable to work due to injury or illness? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc., Social Security Disability Attorneys! FREE Evaluation. Local Attorneys Nationwide 1-855-643-2430 [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]
creep of the week
PALM AIRE - New Construction • 3 bed from $300’s, call for details. Mike 561-703-5533
W ED N ES D AY S
attorney
palm aire real estate sales
954.530.4970
MANNY SIMONE, NEWS ANCHOR
9.19.2018 •
47
from $939pp
Mediterranean
June 29, 2019
7-day Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona on MSC Seaview
GAY PRIDE - Rhine River Cruise
from $1499
July 27, 2019
7-Night Rhine Cruise CELEBRATE GAY PRIDE POST CRUISE IN AMSTERDAM PP
Canada - New England
from $699pp
October 8, 2019
10-Night Canada Cruise on MSC Meraviglia
Halloween Western Caribbean Cruise
October 27th - November 3, 2019
E
E FR
ps
dr
i
s nk
&
Ti
from $899pp
18th Annual Halloween Western Caribbean on Norwegian Breakaway
African Safari
November 30, 2019
10-Night African Safari with A&K
from $4899pp
(800) 592-9058 - AquafestCruises.com