SGN November 20, 2020 - Holiday - Section 1

Celebrating 46 Years!

Issue 47 Volume 48

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N E W S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T W E E K LY

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“Stories of the Past, Stories of the Present” The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center honor World AIDS Day

The Seattle public art installation will virtually unveil Storme Webber’s recently completed work “In This Way We Loved One Another” with performances and storytelling from the upcoming Discovery Center exhibition “Through Positive Eyes”

SEATTLE (November 12, 2020) – To commemorate World AIDS Day, The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway is partnering with the Bill & Melinda Gates Founda-

see STORIES page 7

LGBTQIA+ Civil Rights pioneer, Roger Winters, remembered as a Hate crimes at 10-year high, FBI says “visionary” leader Photo by Bullit Marquez / AP

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Reported hate crimes are at a 10-year high, according to the FBI, which collects hate crime data from police jurisdictions around the country.

Localities are not required to participate in the FBI’s data collection program, and many choose not to, so the numbers are probably even higher than the FBI reports.

see HATE CRIMES page 15

Roger Winters – Photo courtesy of Renee Raketty

by Renee Raketty SGN Contributing Writer Roger Winters, a civil rights pioneer for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, passed away this week at his Shoreline, WA home. He was 75-years-old.

“The Seattle community – and the world at large – lost a true champion for Gay rights with his passing,” said Krystal Marx, Executive Director of Seattle Pride, organizers of the annual Seattle Pride Parade

see ROGER WINTERS page 5

THIS AD SPACE HAS BEEN GENEROUSLY DONATED BY KRISTIN COSTELLO IN MEMORY OF SGN PUBLISHER GEORGE BAKAN

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November and December author readings at the Seattle Public Library

SEATTLE (November 12, 2020) – Attend author events, book discussions, and literary programs from the comfort of your own living room this fall. The Seattle Public has a wide variety of online author events coming up in November and December.

Library events are free and everyone is welcome. Registration is required for each event, visit the Library’s calendar to sign up.

Author reading schedule 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22 - Setsuko’s Secret. Author Shirley Ann Higuchi, chair of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, uncovers her family’s past and embarks on a transformational journey as she learns about Japanese-American incarceration during World War II. She will be joined by Darrell Kunitomi and Aura Newlin, who are also descendants of for-

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mer incarcerees featured in the book. They will discuss the book, the multigenerational effects of trauma, and the incarceration’s relevance to contemporary issues of racism and identity in America. Tom Ikeda, founding executive director of Densho, will moderate the discussion.

6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11 - Black Trans Prayer Book. Don’t miss an incredible evening with J Mase III and co-editors of the Black Trans Prayer Book, an interfaith, multidimensional, artistic, and theological work that collects the stories, poems, prayers, meditation, spells, and incantations of Black transgender and nonbinary people.

More information The Library believes that the power of knowledge improves people’s lives. We pro-

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mote literacy and a love of reading as we bring people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and build community.

All physical locations of the Seattle Public Library are currently closed in accordance with public health guidelines. Find out more at spl.org/ChiefLibrarian. Visit the Library’s Road to Reopening page for more information on book returns, Curbside Service, and other library services being offered while library buildings are closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

For more information, call 206-3864636 or [go to www.spl.org/using-thelibrary/ask-us].

Editor’s note: Readings before the SGN’s publication date are not listed.

Courtesy of the Seattle Public Library

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OBITUARY

ROGER WINTERS continued from cover

and publisher of Seattle Pride Magazine.

“Roger’s decades of advocacy and political savvy helped to propel LGBTQIA+ rights forward in a way we would not have had without his involvement.”

The scope of his work to further equality for the LGBTQIA+ is breathtaking, according to Susan Priebe, who met Winters in 2002 and became close friends. She agreed to handle his affairs on behalf of his family.

“Roger was an insanely involved person, politically astute, a creative soul, and a very devout atheist,” she recalled. “In the LGBT arena alone, Roger was involved with many groups from 1977 through the rest of his life.”

Former Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen agreed. “Roger was a go-to leader and pioneer who helped pave the way for LGBTQ equality,” he said.

In 1977, Winters became the office manager for The Dorian Group, a statewide LGBTQIA+ rights organization. That same year, he traveled to Olympia, WA, to testify in support of what later became known as the Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill (in recognition of Senator Cal Anderson’s and Senator Ed Murray’s work on the bill), which extended legal protections to members of the state’s LGBTQIA+ community.

The measure was finally passed in 2006.

Winters also co-chaired the first candidate evaluation committee for the Seattle Metropolitan Elections Committee (SEAMEC), when it was formed in 1977. The organization rates a candidate’s knowledge, actions and understanding of the concerns of the LGBTQIA+ community. After a couple of years as the Steering Committee co-chair, he took several years off before returning again this year to evaluate candidates ahead of the 2020 elections.

In 1978, Winters helped to form Citizens to Retain Fair Employment, which – along with other groups and allied politicians – helped to defeat Initiative 13, which would have eliminated new employment and housing protections for the LGBTQIA+ community in Seattle. The initiative was defeated by a notable 63.5% “No” vote.

Winters went on to help form the “Police/ Gays Task Force,” in the 80’s. The effort aimed to reduce Police violence against gays in Seattle and to improve relations with the police.

Roger Winters – Image courtesy of The Legacy Project

In 1985, Winters joined the Board of the Pride Foundation, where he worked to grow the organization’s capacity to improve the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community in the Pacific Northwest. Today, the foundation continues to provide scholarships to LGBTQIA+ students and awards grants to LGBTQIA+ organizations and projects, among other initiatives.

Winters also co-founded the Legal Marriage Alliance of Washington in 1995 to further the cause of marriage equality for LGBTQIA+ Washingtonians. State Senator Jamie Pedersen said he “worked closely” with him in the mid-90s while serving on the Legal Marriage Alliance of Washington board.

“He was way ahead of the times – a visionary – who had been through the wars on LGBTQ civil rights from Dorian Society times onward. I will miss him,” he said.

Dave Kaplan, a political consultant and former mayor of the City of Des Moines, added that “Roger was special and one of a kind.”

“He provided thoughtful leadership to so many of our organizations over the years,” he said. “I had friends who remembered him from the Dorian Group, who talked about his early work there as inspiring. Roger’s dedication and determination laid the foundation for most of the legal protections we have today and his efforts with the Pride Foundation ensured that LGBTQ folk across the region, in towns large and small, were supported and didn’t feel isolated and alone.

“While his passing is yet another huge loss for our community in the span of the past year, it is his life’s work that will be

remembered in the history of Queer Seattle.”

According to Priebe, who has been going through his extensive personal collection of local LGBT historical memorabilia and copies of his written accounts of local LGBTQIA+ history, he also took part in many other efforts.

He had been appointed by Seattle Mayor Charles Royer as a Commissioner of the Seattle Women’s Commission. In 1988, he co-founded the Gay and Lesbian Association of King County Employees. In 1990, he was the treasurer of Seattle Gay Democrats.

He served as a volunteer coordinator for the Tacky Tourist Club’s “Queen City Cruise” – where Roger was the only paying attendee who had been a participant of the Cruise every year since the beginning in 1981. Roger also assisted the Northwest Lesbian and Gay History Museum Project in conducting interviews with longtime LGBTQIA+ community members. More recently, he assisted in the development of a board structure for the Lavender Rights Project.

Winter was also a popular guest during efforts to record the oral history of the LGBTQIA+ people in Washington. In 1997, he was interviewed by the Northwest Lesbian and Gay History Museum Project. In 2014, he was again interviewed by the Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project at the University of Washington. The Legacy Project uploaded their interview with Winters to YouTube just six months ago.

Dave Horn, an attorney who once chaired the Legal Committee for the Legal Marriage Alliance and held the position of President of The Privacy Fund, took the time to remember Winters. “I got to know Roger 25-years-ago when we were both

active in the Legal Marriage Alliance of Washington. He was one of the founders, along with John Wilkinson, Jamie Pedersen and others,” he recalled. “Roger was wicked smart and held strong opinions but was always kind, gentle and soft-spoken in manner. I’m sure he felt the same anger the rest of us did at discrimination against LGBTQ people, but Roger fought fire with logic and could remain calm and cool in any discussion. He also exuded a warmth that always made me feel welcome.

“Roger seemed to possess a vast store of documents and photos from the [LGBYQIA+] civil rights movement and often posted excerpts on Facebook. He made history and kept track of it at the same time.”

His accomplishments extend beyond the LGBTQ community. Winters was the Electronic Court Records Manager for the King County Department of Judicial Administration (Superior Court Clerk) in Seattle. Before his retirement in 2008, he was instrumental in the implementation and development of techniques and standards for court filing and storage. He was involved in several work related organizations and had previously served as President of the American Records and Management Association. In 2007, he was among a group at King County that was awarded the “Innovation in American Government” award from Harvard University.

Recently, Winters took a job as a supervisor at the U.S. Census.

Winters grew up in a conservative Christian household in Indianapolis, IN, and spent time on farms during his youth. He attended Indiana University and went on to attend Harvard University on a fellowship where he became a Senior Tutor at Dudley House on campus and, later, graduated with honors in Political Science. He became an Intern for Senator Birch E. Bayh, Jr. In 1972, he became Assistant Professor of Political Science at Central Washington University.

He became involved in Seattle politics as he traveled from Kittitas County to attend board meetings of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington.

Winters is preceded in death by his father Donald E. Winters; his biological mother Edna Pauline Winters; his mother Halcyon Eileen Winters; and his older brother Larry D. Winters. He is survived by his sister Deborah Eileen Winters and several cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made in his honor to the Pride Foundation.

5 ways to feel gratitude in the face of challenges

LAKE CITY, WA (November 13, 2020) – November is a month for giving thanks. Yet with the challenges our country has faced this year, a popular notion as we approach the final weeks of 2020 is “let’s just get this year over with.”

While he understands the sentiment, Lake City physical therapist assistant Tom Spencer would like to remind people that it’s possible to be thankful for, and even embrace, the challenges we experience in life.

“When we consider what we have to be grateful for this Thanksgiving season, let’s not overlook the ways challenges can have a positive effect on our lives,” said Spencer, clinic director of Peak Sports & Spine Physical Therapy in Lake City.

“Yes, it’s been a tough year in so many ways, but being able to express gratitude in the face of all these challenges isn’t just good for the soul. Research shows it’s also good for overall health.”

One study published in the peer-reviewed psychology journal Personality and Individual Differences (2012), for example, reported that grateful people generally experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling

“healthier” than other groups.

This is no surprise when you consider that, based on various research, grateful people exercise more, get better sleep, and follow up on regular health check-ups.

From a psychological perspective, higher levels of gratitude increase happiness, reduce depression and aggression, and cultivate resilience in life – this according a 2009 study titled “Gratitude Predicts Psychological Well-Being Above the Big Five Facets,” also published in Personality and Individual Differences.

“We could all use a little more positivity, whether we’re talking about 2020 or any other year,” Spencer said. “The key, even in the face of big challenges, is to actively identify and express gratitude in our dayto-day lives.”

How? Spencer offers the following advice: Embrace your challenges: This is oftentimes easier said than done, especially during the fallout of a long-term global pandemic.

Keep in mind, though, that when approached constructively, challenges often bring out our best selves. They make us stronger and more focused, confident, and capable.

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Celebrate minor victories: You’ve heard the phrase “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” This simply means that victories regularly come in increments, and that small improvements are often worth celebrating.

Keep this in mind as you work to achieve your goals (regardless of size) and as we continually strive for post-COVID normalcy.

Acknowledge & express gratitude: Knowing you have a lot to be thankful for isn’t the same as regularly considering, jotting down and expressing your positive thoughts.

Being grateful should be an active process.

By forcing yourself to consider specific things you’re grateful for every day, you’ll train your mind to more naturally think in these terms.

Expressing gratitude in overt (i.e., writing a thank-you letter) and creative ways can give this positivity an even bigger boost.

Surround yourself with positivity: The levels of positivity in the company you keep can directly affect your ability to feel gratitude. Being around positive people and those you love and respect can feel energizing and lead to greater levels of optimism in your life.

If not in person, you may connect with others virtually through Zoom, FaceTime, or other

apps that allow you to meet up with people who make you happy.

Volunteer: As a way of giving back to others in your community, volunteering – especially during this era of the coronavirus and economic downturn – can make you feel more grateful about your own life. This, too, can be done from home by making masks for essential workers, blankets for local hospitals, or sorting donations. Studies have shown that helping others through volunteering can increase our personal level of well-being.

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Peak Sports & Spine Physical Therapy is made up of seven independently owned physical therapy clinics that provide rehabilitation services in the greater Seattle Eastside metro region. The Peak Sports & Spine team consists of highly skilled licensed physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and athletic trainers that help restore patients to their highest possible levels of function.

For more information, visit peaksportsandspinept.com.

Courtesy of Peak Sports & Spine Physical Therapy

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Durkan Digest: Gov. Inslee’s updated COVID-19 restrictions

Photo by Ted S. Warren AP

SEATTLE (November 15, 2020) – Our region was home to the first COVID-19 outbreak in our nation nearly nine months ago. Our quick response, backed by science and recommendations from experts, made Seattle a leader in the nation, with some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 of any major city. However, with the onset of colder weather in the fall and winter, we have seen an alarming spike in the number of cases and hospitalizations in our region over the last several weeks.

We need to reverse this trajectory now, before it gets worse, to protect our community’s health and our economy.

Earlier today, Gov. Jay Inslee issued new statewide restrictions on social gatherings and businesses in response to the surge of COVID-19 across Washington state. We must continue to listen to doctors, healthcare workers, and public health officials who are warning about rising cases and hospitalizations.

While Seattle has one of the lowest rates of cases of any major city, we are not immune to the virus surging in the nation,

state, and region. Seattle’s cases and hospitalizations are skyrocketing. During the first two weeks of November, Seattle had 1,550 residents diagnosed with the virus, which is nearly 20% of our total cases since March 2020. The number of hospitalizations in King County last week increased by over 70% compared to the previous four weeks. You can find more data [at https:// bit.ly/2UyVLOL] or by visiting Public Health – Seattle & King County’s data dashboard [https://bit.ly/35DlP1h].

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn have impacted so many small businesses and workers. People are hurting. These actions will have a particularly profound impact on our small businesses as we head into what normally would be a busy holiday shopping season.

While Seattle will continue to work creatively to provide direct financial assistance to our workers and small businesses, we are grateful the state will create a new $50 million relief fund. We also need the federal government to immediately pass another COVID-19 relief package.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the City of Seattle has worked quickly to launch COVID-19 relief programs, including rent relief, expanding shelter for people experiencing homelessness, grocery vouchers for working families, direct cash assistance for immigrants and refugees, and financial assistance to small businesses. Residents and businesses can find a list of existing COVID-19 relief resources and policies [at www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19]. I will work with the City Council, and our philanthropic and business community to provide further emergency relief in Seattle.

Not being able to gather during the holidays with our loved ones makes an incredibly hard year even harder. As challenging as it is, we all need to be mindful of social and family gatherings.

As always, please continue to write me at Jenny.Durkan@seattle.gov, reach out via Twitter and Facebook, and stay up-to-date on the work we’re doing for the people of Seattle on my blog.

Stay safe and healthy, Mayor Jenny Durkan

Gov. Inslee announces new statewide restrictions for four weeks Gov. Jay Inslee today announced a set of four-week statewide restrictions in response to the recent rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus in Washington and across the country.

The new restrictions come as Washington is seeing a consistent increase in daily case counts, with over 2,000 cases a day over the weekend and average cases in the state doubling over the past two weeks.

“This spike puts us in a more dangerous a position than we were in March,” Inslee said during a press conference Sunday.

“And it means, unfortunately, the time has come to reinstate restrictions on activities statewide to preserve the public’s wellbeing, and to save lives. These were very difficult decisions that have very real consequences to people’s livelihoods. I recognize that and don’t take those impacts lightly, but we must act now and act quickly to slow the spread of this disease.”

The restrictions are statewide and will take effect Monday, November 16 at 11:59 PM and will remain in effect until Monday, December 14. (The modified restrictions of restaurants, however, will take effect Wednesday, November 18 at 12:01 AM.) To help mitigate financial impacts on businesses and their employees, the state will commit $50 million in aid. Businesses can also apply for Paycheck Protection Plan forgivable loans from the Small Business Administration, or from their local bank.

If workers are kept in their jobs, the loans aren’t required to be paid back.

The full guidance page is available [at https://bit.ly/3lIaiTZ].

City of Seattle to open applications for $4 million in Small Business Stabilization Fund grants Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced that the City will now accept applications for $4 million in new Small Business Stabilization Fund grants provided by the Office of Economic Development (OED). Launching the expanded Small Business Stabilization Fund was one of Mayor Durkan’s first COVID-19 relief actions, and to date, OED has provided 469 small businesses with $10,000 grants through this fund. The Small Business Stabilization Fund application will accept

As COVID-19 soars, AHF urges “Don’t Share Air” in new national billboard campaign LOS ANGELES (November 12, 2020) – As rates of COVID-19 continue to skyrocket in the US – with a reported 60,000 hospitalized as of earlier this week and more than 100,000 new infections being logged daily – the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is rolling out an urgent new nationwide public service billboard and transit advertising campaign headlined and hash-tagged “#DontShareAir.” The goal is to encourage mask use and social distancing as a means to reduce new infections of the deadly novel coronavirus that has wreaked humanitarian and economic devastation across the country and around the globe.

Earlier this week, CNN reported “The US has averaged 108,737 new COVID-19 cases a day over the past week – a record high, according to Johns Hopkins.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, COVID-19 has infected 59.1 million people globally and claimed over 1.3 million lives.

The devastating effects of the pandemic on all aspects of human activity cannot be understated. The impact of the virus on public health, the global economy, politics, and civic institutions will likely be felt for generations. Amid this crisis, the possibility of an effective vaccine for COVID-19 holds a hopeful promise for a gradual end to the pandemic. However, until that time, our best course of action is to deploy simple yet effective measures like mask use and social distancing to prevent new infections.

Over the past few weeks from late October to early November “#DontShareAir” billboards, bulletins, bus bench ads, interior cards, and/or transit ads have [been] posted in California (Los Angeles), Florida (Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Pensacola, South Beach/Miami, and St, Petersburg), Georgia (Atlanta), Illinois (Chicago), Louisiana (Baton Rouge), Maryland (Baltimore), Mississippi (Jackson), Ohio (Cleveland

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and Columbus), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), Texas (Dallas), and Washington State (Seattle).

The artwork for the AHF’s “#DontShareAir” public service message looks somewhat like a modernist or abstract art painting. It features highly stylized graphic silhouettes of the heads of two individuals facing each other but standing a few feet apart. The hashtag “#DontShareAir” appears to spill from the mouth of one, together with thousands of tiny droplets that appear to make their way across the space toward the second silhouetted face at the other end of the billboard, suggesting the coronavirus on the move.

“As the numbers of new infections, hospitalizations, and deaths due to COVID continue to climb and we head into our first full winter with the coronavirus, the AHF is seeking to reinforce prudent public health messaging and practices with

this new ‘#DontShareAir’ awareness campaign,” said Michael Weinstein, president of the AHF. “We want to strongly encourage the general public to get back to basics and remind people that masks and social distancing are an effective, inexpensive – and often free – prevention tool.”

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/ or services to over 1.4 million individuals in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/the Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific region, and Eastern Europe.

To learn more about the AHF, go to www. aidshealth.org, find us at www.facebook. com/aidshealth, and follow us: @aidshealthcare.

Courtesy of the AHF

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an emotional and historic journey related to the AIDS epidemic in Seattle and King County, from the early 1980s to today.

Works of physical and digital art, created by artists of different backgrounds and perspectives, tell stories of remembrance, reflection, creativity and action related to this public health crisis and the community’s ongoing response. The AMP will be complete in 2021. For more information, visit theamp.org.

STORIES

continued from cover tion Discovery Center to host a powerful virtual event titled “Stories of the Past, Stories of the Present” from 5 to 6 p.m. on December 1, 2020.

The event will celebrate the recent completion of the first of four artworks that have been commissioned, “In This Way We Loved One Another” by artist Storme Webber, a historical remediation, restoring missing narratives of working-class activists, healers, leaders, witnesses and ancestors lost to the AIDS crisis. The images and narratives were collected through decades of community building and more recent oral histories.

The program will also include stories from community members living with HIV who are part of the “Through Positive Eyes: My Photo, My HIV Story,” an upcoming photography and storytelling exhibition at the Gates Foundation Discovery Center.

To register to attend and receive all final event details, please visit cutt.ly/ GgNuT1V. This virtual event will begin with a look at “In This Way We Loved One Another,” the first of four permanent installations commissioned for The AMP, now viewable in the Cathy HillenbrandCommunity Room at the Station House Building.

Additionally, The AMP’s team will share updates about the remaining three public art installations that will be completed by June 2021. More information about each artist contributing to the project can be found at theamp.org.

Additional program highlights include the following: • Musical performance by Tory Trujillo • A song by Patrick Haggerty and Lavender Country • “Artivists” (artist-activists) sharing stories of living with HIV, from the exhibit “Through Positive Eyes,” which “puts the camera in the hands of people most deeply affected by HIV, allowing their voice, experience and point of view to be heard.”

• Insights from community leaders of area HIV/AIDS-related organizations There are approximately 38 million people currently living with HIV worldwide, and millions more have been lost to

ABOUT THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION DISCOVERY CENTER The Gates Foundation Discovery Center is a catalyst to educate, inspire and motivate local and global awareness and action.

Through exhibits and programs, the Discovery Center convenes and connects people to relevant topics, stories and resources to inspire action in Seattle and beyond.

More information is at discovergates.org.

Installation view of “In This Way We Loved One Another” by artist Storme Webber – Photo courtesy of The AMP

the pandemic. This event, along with the efforts of The AMP and the “Through Positive Eyes” exhibit, seeks to raise awareness and honor those that have died or are currently living with HIV. The AMP project is funded by community partners, public funds and private donations in order to make its vision come to life. With the community’s help, The AMP will ensure that the emotional and historical journey of the HIV/AIDS crisis becomes the new narrative. Donations can be made at theamp.org/donate.

In addition, the National AIDS Memorial is hosting a 50-state AIDS Memorial Quilt virtual exhibition. The AMP’s website will feature a selection of beautiful quilt blocks, and an individualized narrative will accompany each curated display.

The AMP will be one of many panel makers, individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations from across the country to participate. This is the first-ever 50-state

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exhibition. More details can be found at www.aidsmemorial.org/virtual2020.

Other World AIDS Day happenings on December 1 include a locally based online event at 9 a.m. PST hosted by Gay City.

More details are available at gaycity.org.

At 10 a.m. PST the National AIDS Memorial will present “World AIDS Day 2020: A National Conversation,” with Anthony S. Fauci, MD and David D. Ho, MD. More details are at www.aidsmemorial.org/ wad2020. At 11 a.m. PST the United Methodist Global AIDS Committee will host a special service to commemorate World AIDS Day online at facebook.com/UMCglobalaidsfund AND at umc.org/en/content/world-aids-day-2020-worship.

ABOUT THE AMP The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway is a public art installation located along the plaza above the Capitol Hill Link light rail station and Cal Anderson Park. The installation is designed to take visitors through

November 20, 2020

ABOUT THE “THROUGH POSITIVE EYES: MY PHOTO, MY HIV STORY” EXHIBITION OPENING IN 2021 AT THE GATES FOUNDATION DISCOVERY CENTER “Through Positive Eyes: My Photo, My HIV Story” features photography, stories, sculpture and video created by people living with HIV/AIDS in 11 cities across the world.

In each city, a photography and storytelling workshop was conducted, putting cameras in the hands of people most deeply affected by HIV. Combined, these works show a broad picture of the epidemic, organized around themes such as the “Burden of Stigma,” “Stories My Body Tells Me,” “Alive and Well,” and “What Makes Me Laugh.” The images and stories range from everyday life to joy, grief, solitude and resilience.

The exhibit’s photos and stories, from people living with HIV/AIDS in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Mumbai, Bangkok, Port-Au-Prince, London, Durban, and Seattle, coalesce around a belief that challenging the stigma against people living with HIV/AIDS is one of the most effective methods for combating the epidemic.

Courtesy of The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway

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West Virginia Medicaid participants and state employees file lawsuit to challenge unlawful ban on Transgender health care coverage (November 12, 2020) – A federal lawsuit challenging West Virginia’s blanket exclusions of coverage for gender-confirming care in West Virginia’s Medicaid and state employee health insurance plans was filed today. The class-action lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on behalf of Christopher Fain, a Medicaid participant; and Zachary Martell and Brian McNemar, a dependent and state employee, respectively. The suit was filed by Lambda Legal, Nichols Kaster, PLLP, and the Employment Law Center, PLLC. “Transgender and nonbinary West Virginians are denied coverage for essential, and sometimes lifesaving, gender-confirming care – while cisgender West Virginians receive coverage for the same kinds of care as a matter of course. The exclusions of gender-confirming care in West Virginia’s state health plans are unconstitutional and discriminatory, and deny transgender and nonbinary West Virginians basic dignity, equality, and respect,” said Avatara Smith-Carrington, Tyron Garner Memorial Fellow at Lambda Legal and lead attorney on the case, who uses “they” pronouns.

Fain v. Crouch is a class-action lawsuit challenging blanket exclusions of coverage for gender-confirming care in West Virginia’s state health plans. The blanket exclusions of coverage for care are stated expressly in the health plans offered to Medicaid participants and to state employees. West Virginia’s state health plans serve approximately 564,000 Medicaid participants and 15,000 state employees.

“No one should have the door slammed

on them while they’re just trying to access basic health care. But that’s what these discriminatory exclusions do to people just because they’re transgender. This health care is about my very survival, and the health and survival of thousands of other transgender people in our community forced to go without care because of these exclusions. We feel like we are being swept under the rug, treated as if we don’t exist, and that is not okay,” said Christopher Fain, 44, who was born and resides in West Virginia.

“It is both humiliating and painful to be denied access to coverage for essential health care simply because of who I am. For years, my husband has served as a dedicated public servant, and the health coverage we receive through the state employee health plan is a basic part of the compensation he earns through his job. The discriminatory exclusion, which bars me from care simply because I am transgender, denies state employees equal pay for equal work,” said Zachary Martell, a student at Mountwest College in Huntington, West Virginia.

Christopher Fain studies nonprofit leadership at Marshall University and works at a clothing store in Huntington. He is enrolled in Medicaid, the nation’s largest health care provider for low-income individuals, but the program does not cover his testosterone prescription, forcing Mr. Fain to cover the cost of his care out-of-pocket, creating a stressful and inequitable financial burden. The Medicaid plan’s exclusion of coverage for his care has caused Mr. Fain economic hardship and humiliation.

Zachary Martell is married to Brian

McNemar, who works as an accountant at a state hospital. Both Mr. Martell and Mr. McNemar rely on the state employee health plan for coverage. Mr. Martell – who receives coverage for care as Mr. McNemar’s dependent – has been denied coverage both for his prescriptions and office visits with his health care provider because the state employee health plans explicitly exclude coverage of “treatments associated with gender dysphoria.” As a result, Mr. Martell and Mr. McNemar have been forced to pay out-of-pocket for Mr. Martell’s care and, at times, even delay or forego care altogether.

“West Virginia shouldn’t single out certain communities to deny health care coverage. These blanket exclusions are another hurdle that people shouldn’t have to jump over just to go to the doctor. The exclusions stop people from getting the care they need, which can be lifesaving. It’s time to ditch the exclusions and let doctors decide what care is best for their patients,” said Andrew Schneider, executive director of Fairness West Virginia.

The state’s civil rights advocacy organization recently released its annual Transgender Health Survey, reporting that close to 45% of respondents experienced discrimination by medical or mental health providers, and 17% were outright refused care.

“West Virginia should be protecting its most vulnerable citizens by providing all Medicaid participants and state employees with access to essential health care. Instead, West Virginia uses blanket exclusions of coverage to deliberately discriminate against transgender people,” said Nichols Kaster attorney Nicole Schladt. “We are proud to

represent the plaintiffs in this lawsuit – Mr. Fain, Mr. Martell, and Mr. McNemar – as they challenge West Virginia’s discriminatory exclusions and stand up for the state’s transgender and nonbinary community.”

Lambda Legal has filed similar lawsuits against other states that include blanket exclusions for gender-confirming in state employee health plans. In March, Lambda Legal secured a victory for an Alaska state librarian denied coverage for her gender-confirming care. Also, in March, a US district court judge denied an effort by the state of North Carolina to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal on behalf of North Carolina state employees and their dependents denied coverage for genderconfirming care.

Avatara Smith-Carrington, Tara Borelli, Sasha Buchert, and Nora Huppert are handling the matter for Lambda Legal. They are joined by Anna Prakash and Nicole Schladt of Nichols Kaster PLLP; and Walt Auvil of the Employment Law Center, PLLC. Learn more about the case at www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/cases/fain-v-crouch.

Read the complaint at www.lambdalegal. org/in-court/legal-docs/fain_wv_20201112_ complaint.

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.

Courtesy of Lambda Legal

Lambda Legal urges court to halt implementation of ban on speech about systemic racism, sexism, and implicit bias SAN FRANCISCO (November 17, 2020) – Lambda Legal last night urged a federal district court to bar the Trump administration from implementing its recent executive order that prohibits federal contractors and grantees from conducting workplace diversity trainings or engaging in grant-funded work that explicitly acknowledges and confronts the existence of structural racism and sexism in our society. Lambda Legal last week filed a lawsuit challenging the ban.

“The Trump administration has been characterized by its disdain of everyone it considers an other, and its efforts to squash the truth. Even as the sun sets on it, this administration seeks to suppress the truth about the harms of systemic racism and sexism, and implicit bias,” said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, a senior attorney at Lambda Legal. “We are under no illusions as to the long-term damage the Trump administration can inflict on its way out the door. Cutting federal funding now for organizations on the front line combatting COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, and the violence perpetrated on Black and Brown people by law enforcement – epidemics linked by their disproportionate impact on communities of color – would severely restrict their ability to protect people from harm and deliver critical services at a time when those services are needed more than ever.”

“Black and Brown LGBTQ and gendernonconforming youth and adults are dispro-

portionately represented in the youth and criminal justice systems,” said Bernadette E. Brown, proprietor of B. Brown Consulting.

“From interaction with law enforcement to incarceration, they face inequitable treatment and harm, including sexual victimization.

Addressing systemic racism and implicit bias within the justice systems is essential to ending this epidemic and protecting youth and adults from harm.”

“Disparities with respect to both COVID19 and HIV/AIDS are also shocking,“ Gonzalez-Pagan added. “Black and Brown people are more likely to get sick, and more likely to die as a result of systemic racism and sexism, structural inequities, and the role of explicit and implicit bias on the part of health care providers. Our plaintiffs are committed to working with these populations, but to do so effectively they have to train people about the role of implicit bias in contributing to disparities, and explicitly acknowledge and confront systemic racism, sexism, and anti-LGBT bias.”

The executive order, issued September 22, 2020, and later Trump administration guidance labels the discussion of intersectionality, critical race theory, white privilege, systemic racism, or implicit or unconscious bias in diversity training as “race and sex scapegoating” and forbids agencies from “promot[ing]” these “divisive concepts.” The order describes such trainings as un-American, directs

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November 20, 2020

agency heads to audit internal training curricula and discontinue these trainings, to conduct a similar audit of federal contractors, and to suspend or deny funding to contractors and grantees whose trainings or grant-funded activities cover these topics.

On November 2, Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit challenging the ban in the US District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of a consulting company, an individual plaintiff, and six organizational plaintiffs.

The organizational plaintiffs include LGBT Centers, an advocacy and service organization for LGBT seniors, and HIV/AIDS health and advocacy organizations from across the country. In its brief filed today, Lambda Legal is seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the Trump administration from implementing the order and cutting funding for federal contractors.

The consultancy plaintiff is B. Brown Consulting, a Michigan-based business with a federal contract to train correctional facility staff, governmental agencies, and nonprofits. The individual plaintiff is Dr. Ward Carpenter, co-director of Health Services at LA LGBT Center. The organizational plaintiffs include: the Los Angeles LGBT Center; The Diversity Center in Santa Cruz, CA; the AIDS Foundation of Chicago; CrescentCare in New Orleans, LA; te Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in Allentown, PA; and, SAGE, based in New York City.

The lawsuit is The Diversity Center v.

Trump. Read the brief at www.lambdalegal. org/in-court/legal-docs/diversity-center_ us_20201117_plaintiffs-motion-preliminaryinjunction, and more about the case at www. lambdalegal.org/in-court/cases/the-diversitycenter-v-trump.

More about the clients is available at www.lambdalegal.org/the-diversity-centerv-trump_plaintiffs.

Lambda Legal’s team working on the case includes: Camilla Taylor, Karen Loewy, Scott Schoettes, Currey Cook, Omar GonzalezPagan, Avatara A. Smith-Carrington, Alexis Paige, and Cheryl Angelaccio. They are joined by pro-bono co-counsel from Ropes & Gray, including: Douglas Hallward-Driemeier, Kirsten Mayer, Nathalia Sosa, Jessica Soto, Thanithia Billing, Annie Monjar, Jennifer Cullinane, Ethan Weinberg, Fred Boehrer, and William Richard Allen.

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and policy work. More at www. lambdalegal.org.

Courtesy of Lambda Legal

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Adrienne Maree Brown, Big Freedia, Pose’s Dominique Jackson to join thousands of LGBTQ activists for “Creating Change” WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2020) – Thousands of LGBTQ advocates, activists, leaders, and allies will, for the first time ever, gather virtually for the 33rd Creating Change Conference from January 28 through January 31, 2020.

The Creating Change Conference, run by the National LGBTQ Task Force, is the foremost political, leadership, and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ social justice movement. Since 1988, Creating Change has created opportunities for tens of thousands of committed people to develop and hone their activist skills, build community, and inspire.

This will be the third Creating Change Conference managed by Andy Garcia, who has guided this year’s complete overhaul of the conference as an entirely virtual experience.

Garcia said, “We knew that 2020 was going to be a critical year for all of us, but we could never have predicted the overwhelming challenges we face, from a global pandemic to an economic depression to the uprising against racial injustice facing this country.

“I am thrilled that we have Big Freedia, Adrienne Maree Brown, and Dominique Jackson participating, along with thousands of LGBTQ+ activists and allies. We will have the chance to create community, learn from each other, and plan for the year ahead.

“When Creating Change begins we will be living under a new White House administration and hopeful but also facing a possible sea change in the status of queer rights from the Supreme Court and needing to see real institutional and policy change for racial and economic justice. All while we continue to grapple with the impact of the pandemic and other obstacles we face as a community.

Given its virtual nature, we hope more queer people than ever before participate in Creating Change, as we need each other now more than ever,” concluded Garcia.

The program will include the following, MC’d by Sandra Valls: • Opening Keynote: Dominique Jackson • Closing Keynote Speaker: Adrienne Maree Brown • The Annual State of the Movement Address: This year’s State of the Movement holds more meaning than ever, as the country faces unprecedented challenges and the Task Force officially transfers leadership of the organization from longtime executive director Rea Carey to incoming executive director Kierra Johnson.

• Several performances by Big Freedia The program will include two days of daylong institutes and dozens of workshops and caucuses, the annual “Agents of Change Ball,” and other activities.

Accessibility The Creating Change Conference is committed to radical accessibility. Everyone benefits when everyone participates fully and equitably in every aspect of the conference. When you register online for Creating Change, you can request ASL interpretation or Spanish interpretation.

More information • Sandra Valls is a comic, actor, singer, writer, and badass. She is a funny, high energy, smart, outspoken Latina, best known for her powerful, electric, stand up comedy performances in Showtime’s The Latin Divas of Comedy and Pride: LGBT Comedy Slam.

• Known as the Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia is a New Orleans–based rapper and ambassador of bounce music. A vibrant twist

on hip-hop, bounce music is characterized by call-and-response lyrics over rapid-fire beats and booty-shaking. After running the New Orleans club scene for over two decades, Big Freedia is now bringing the bounce movement to a worldwide stage with her hit reality show, Big Freedia Bounces Back on Fuse.

The weekly docuseries, now in its sixth season, follows the life of a gay choirboy turned bounce rapper and remains the highest rated original series on the network.

• The multitalented Dominique Jackson is a Tobagonian-American actress, author, model, and reality television personality.

As an actress, she is most known for her leading role of Elektra Abundance on the FX television series Pose, but she has a long history in the ball scene.

• Adrienne Maree Brown is an American author, doula, women’s rights activist, and black feminist based in Detroit, Michigan.

From 2006 to 2010, she was the executive director of the Ruckus Society. Much of her work as a writer is based around the writings of Octavia E. Butler. Her second book, Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, was published in 2019 and demonstrates how activists can tap into emotional and erotic desires to organize against oppression.

The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice, and equity for LGBTQ people. It is building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement, and basic human rights. More at www.thetaskforce.org.

Courtesy of the National LGBTQ Task Force

NBJC statement on Transgender Day of Remembrance WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2020) – Tomorrow, November 20, is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to honor trans family who have lost their lives to acts of anti-transgender violence.

It’s also Transgender Day of Resilience, a day when we celebrate and support the brilliance, resistance, and importance of our trans sibilings who are alive.

“With 42 trans, gender-nonconforming, and nonbinary people stolen from us, that we know of, 2020 has been the deadliest recorded year for our community to date,” said David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC).

“While all Black people know the sting of bias, stigma, and violence, this is especially true for our Black and Latinx sisters and femme-identified members of our communities. We call attention to this epidemic of violence because it is too often ignored, because hostile legislation and policy make it worse, and because it must end. We have to prioritize protection, fight shame and stigma, and do the work of healing, so we no longer need to remind people that our trans family deserves to be here. Nobody should live in fear of being their authentic self.

Especially not now. Not ever.”

November 20, 2020, hits particularly hard this year, as we also mourn the passing of #TransGriot Monica Roberts, advocate,

activist, and storyteller. She resolved in 1998 to take a stand against the misinformation and disrespect she saw surrounding trans life and death, launching a more than two-decade-long career.

“Trans rights are human rights issues.

That is a given. That is non-negotiable.

That is also something that needs to be an accepted reality in this country and across the world,” said Monica Roberts in 2017. She would go on to say, “our trans lives matter,” and “Black trans lives matter. Latino trans lives matter. We are not your political wedge issue. We are not your secret fantasies. We are human beings who want to live our lives to the best of our ability and express our talents to the world just like anybody else.”

We join Sister Roberts’ friends across the country and the world in blessing her home-going, honoring her life, and mourning her departure.

Each person listed below should be here with us today. As we say their names, let’s redouble our commitment to eliminate anti-transgender violence and let’s honor our TransGriot by continuing the work.

Say their names: Dustin Parker (25), January 1 Neulisa “Alexa” Luciano Ruiz (27), February 24 Yampi Méndez Arocho (19), March 5

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Monika Diamond (34), March 18 Lexi (33), March 28 Scottlynn Kelly DeVor (51), March 30 Ashley Moore (26), April 1 Johanna Metzger (25), April 11 Penélope Díaz Ramírez (31), April 13 Layla Peláez Sánchez (21), April 21 Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos (32), April 21 Nina Pop (28), May 3 Helle Jae O’Regan (20), May 6 Jayne Thompson (33), May 9 Tony McDade (38), May 27 Selena Reyes-Hernandez (37), May 31 Riah Milton (25), June 9 Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells (27), June 9 Brian “Egypt” Powers (43), June 13 Brayla Stone (17), June 25 Tatiana Hall (22), June 29 Merci Mack (22), June 30 Shaki Peters (32), July 1 Bree Black (27), July 3 Summer Taylor (24), July 4 Marilyn Monroe Cazares (22), July 13 Dior H Ova (aka Tiffany Harris) (32), July 26 Kemar Soloman (32), July 26 Queasha D Hardy (22), July 27 Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears (32), July 28 Kee Sam (24), August 12 KaKedius Reid (31), August 28 Lea Rayshon Daye (28), August 31

Elie Che (23), August 31 Isabella Mia Lofton (21), September 7 Aerrion Burnett (37), September 19 Tracy “Mia” Green (29), September 28 Michelle Michellyn Ramos Vargas (33), September 30 Felycya Harris (33), October 3 Brooklyn DeShauna Smith (20), October 7 Sara Blackwood (39), October 11 Angel Unique (25), October 25 On November 20, the NBJC asks everyone to consider attending a vigil in honor of the trans, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary community members lost. To see if one is happening near you, check the website or social media of local LGBTQ+/ SGL organizations and activists. Follow @ NBJCOnTheMove and #TDOR2020 for more information.

November 20, 2020

Seattle Gay News 9

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is America’s leading civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and same-gender-loving (LGBTQ/SGL) people, including people living with HIV. Courtesy of the NBJC

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KC Council passes $12.59 billion biennial budget

that invests with purpose in housing, antiracist policies, programs for the vulnerable, community engagement SEATTLE (November 18, 2020) – At a time of immense division across the political and social spectrum, the King County Council again demonstrated its ability to come together to invest in the region’s future with the passage of a landmark $12.59 billion budget for the next two years.

With funding for antiracist programs, transformation of the criminal legal system, [and] public health and major investment in regional supportive housing, the council’s 2021–22 biennial budget responds to the needs of residents across King County as well as to building back our economy for the future.

“At a time when our country is facing so much political dysfunction and economic uncertainty, the King County Council and Executive Constantine have teamed up in working collaboratively on a budget that truly delivers for our region even in the midst of a worsening pandemic and with the need to make painful cuts,” said Jeanne Kohl-Welles, King County Council budget chair. “We have passed a budget for the next two years that invests with purpose, makes responsible reductions, supports our BIPOC communities and vulnerable populations, and does so in a way that is fiscally prudent and sustainable. I applaud the executive and his team for working with us in laying down an effective and systemic framework. And I commend my fellow councilmembers for having stepped up to the vast and continually evolving challenges we have faced in working for the public good under extraordinarily difficult conditions for the entire county.”

The economic recession driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the need to respond to systemic racism highlighted by events this year [and] uncertainties about continuation of federal COVID-19 response assistance and the outcome of the presidential election, made for a host of challenges in crafting a budget this year. Despite that, councilmembers were able to collaborate with Executive Constantine to finalize a budget of which they can all be proud.

DURKAN

continued from page 6 applications from Monday, November 9 until Monday November 30, 2020.

The newest round of the Small Business Stabilization Fund is funded by the joint COVID-19 relief bill that the mayor and city council passed in August. In the joint legislation, the mayor and city council allocated $5.5 million for Small Business Stabilization Fund grants and committed to spend $2.5 million in 2020, and another $3 million in 2021. After accounting for administrative costs, OED will be able to provide small businesses and economic opportunity nonprofits $2.37 million for grants in 2020 and roughly $1.6 million for grants in 2021. Additionally, the City is committing $1.25 million in 2021 to work with community-based organizations to help improve our prioritization of grants to the most vulnerable and traditionally underserved businesses.

Think small for game days and holidays This year, our game days, family gatherings, and holidays will be different. And that’s hard. But there are lots of ways to be a little more together, even when we’re apart.

As of Nov. 16, Gov. Inslee announced that indoor gatherings with people outside the

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Photo by Ted S. Warren AP

Investments against racism The approved budget represents major investments against historical racism and oppression, including around the criminal legal system. The council approved proposals to shift $4.6 million in marijuana excise tax revenue away from law enforcement and toward community-based programs that support reversing some of the disproportionate damage the war on drugs placed on Black communities.

Building on that, the Council also added requirements in the budget for Metro to reimagine its transit police duties and operations and to report on the future of fare collection, all with an eye toward making transit more equitable and accessible to all.

Beyond funding the Restorative Community Pathways diversion program with more than $6 million that will provide comprehensive, community-based services to 800 young people in lieu of filing criminal charges, the council also added a requirement that $1.5 million be used to build capacity at community-based organizations involved in work related to the restorative community pathways diversion program.

While the budget did push for transformation of law enforcement and the criminal legal system, it also continued to invest in policies that help keep communities safe, including adding $1.2 million and four full-time employees to support expansion of electronic home monitoring to 24/7.

Additionally, the council approved as part of the budget $500,000 to fund preapprenticeship programs in two South King County school districts to help better prepare students entering high-paying trades and technical careers through apprenticeship training. This funding is included as part of the county’s priority hire program.

household will be prohibited unless they quarantine for the fourteen (14) days prior to the social gathering or quarantine for the seven (7) days prior to the gathering, and receive a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 48 hours prior to the gathering.

Outdoor gatherings are limited to no more than five people.

In addition to the recommendations and ideas provided by the Washington State Department of Health [https://bit. ly/32UEpjJ], the [best] way to stay safe, however, is to visit with extended family over a video-conferencing platform like Zoom. Check out this article from Business Insider [https://bit.ly/3lICKFn] if this is your first time throwing a Zoom party.

If Thanksgiving just isn’t the same for you without a classic turkey dinner, this article from the New York Times [www.nytimes. com/2020/11/06/dining/thanksgiving-dinner-for-2.html] gives you a recipe for a delicious small-scale turkey dinner that you can share with the people living in your house.

businesses in high displacement risk neighborhoods. The City awarded $4.4 million to community organizations for site acquisition and major capital projects and another $1.25 million is intended to provide capacity-building support to existing EDI partners providing services during the current pandemic and economic crisis. The awards to organizations led by and serving people of color will be used for organizational capacity building, property acquisition, and capital expenses. In addition to the $36 million in EDI funds awarded, these community-based organizations leveraged that amount to more than $105 million in City-funded dollars since 2017.

Along with these award announcements, Mayor Durkan signed ordinances, approved unanimously be the Seattle City Council, that transfer City property to Black-led community organizations in the Central District. The two ordinances permanently transfer the Central Area Senior Center (CASC) to community ownership and establish a 99-year lease with Africatown Community Land Trust (ACLT) for Fire Station 6, an EDI award recipient.

These property transfers build on the September transfer to Byrd Barr Place, another Black-led advocacy organization.

Mayor Durkan announces $5.65 million to community organizations through the Equitable Development Initiative Earlier this week, Mayor Durkan announced nearly $6 million in awards through the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI), part of the City’s effort to support Seattle’s existing residents and

November 20, 2020

Housing and support for those who need it Included in the budget is a small sales tax increase that will allow the county to create permanent supportive housing for up to 2,000 people suffering from chronic homelessness. The approved measure will use bonding against proceeds from a 0.1% sales tax increase generating $340 million to purchase disused existing hotels, motels, and nursing homes to provide housing quickly for those who need it most.

Courtesy of Mayor Jenny Durkan

Additionally, the approved budget invests in community engagement and support programs, including $1 million for a White Center Community HUB project [and] $1.65 million to extend the Public Defenders Association’s JustCARES program that provides emergency housing and support services for individuals suffering from chronic homelessness in Pioneer Square and Chinatown/International District, with planning to take place to expand the program to Ballard Commons, Lake City, West Seattle Junction, and other urban villages. The budget also includes $2 million to support MIDD behavioral health and recovery programs reduced by the loss of sales tax revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, with future federal funds unknown at this time, the budget adds $4.25 million for an additional month to operate isolation and quarantine facilities related to COVID-19 in King County.

Equitable access and ensuring the future of transit With Metro facing a $200 million shortfall in expected sales tax revenue, the councilapproved budget helps ensure that transit continues to provide its vital services across the county and works to improve access for all.

Funding included in the budget will support expansion of youth ORCA card distribution and transit education in schools, planning for restart of RapidRide lines, updates to Access paratransit, a study on the feasibility of transit-oriented development at the Shoreline Park and Ride, and much more.

Additionally, $500,000 is included to begin planning for previously studied water taxi routes from Kenmore and Shilshole (Ballard).

Quotes King County Council Budget Vice Chair Rod Dembowski: “As vice-chair of the budget committee it’s been an honor to work with our budget chair, Councilmember KohlWelles, to put this 2021–22 biennial budget together. This budget reflects our values: responding to the pandemic by fully funding public health and supporting impacted residents. It advances reforms to our criminal legal system, continues our work to make transit accessible for all, and makes critical investments in environmental protection and climate change work. It’s balanced, responsible, reflective of King County’s values, and responsive to its needs.”

King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci: “I’m proud that the council and the executive stood together in a time of pandemic and economic crisis to build a budget that provides critical services while retaining the flexibility to navigate the ongoing economic uncertainty we all face. We are making sound investments in programs and projects that will make a difference to people now, while positioning the county toward a better and more equitable future.”

King County Councilmember Joe McDermott: “There’s no way to overstate how challenging the pandemic has made life for everyone, and the economic impact will continue to cause harm to families, communities, and governments for years to come. In the face of these challenges and massive uncertainty and facing revenue shortfalls not seen since the Great Recession, we worked together to craft a budget that promotes smart, targeted investments to help our region move forward.”

Courtesy of King County Council Office of Council Communications

Celebrating 46 Years!

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November 20, 2020

Seattle Gay News 11

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Celebrating 46 Years!

It’s time to start healing.

Sacred Rain Healing Center is open for therapeutic massage & acupuncture six days a week. Strict COVID precautions followed, with client arrivals staggered & deep sanitizing between every treatment. Masks required to enter the facility & during treatment.

Outdoor sauna, spa pool, sundeck, lockers, indoor chill spaces are all dormant until King County hits Phase 3 reopening.

Open Monday through Saturday 10am - 8pm Temporarily closed Sunday

Sacred Rain Healing Center

1100 NW 50th St. Seattle ~ 206.789.6288 ~ sacredrainhealing.com ~ info@sacredrainhealing.com

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November 20, 2020

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Shenanigans!

Trump targets election officials in attempt to steal election

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani – Photo by John Minchillo / AP

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer With Joe Biden clearly the winner of the 2020 election, loser Donald Trump is resorting to desperation tactics in an attempt to cling to power.

Having filed multiple lawsuits to change the ballot counts in multiple states – almost all of them unsuccessful – the Trump team is now pressuring Republican election officials to refuse to certify results that show him losing.

For example, in Michigan Republican election board members in Wayne County – which includes Detroit, the largest concentration of votes in the state and solid Biden territory – initially refused to certify perfectly valid election results.

Had Biden not won overwhelmingly in Detroit and other urban centers, he would

HATE CRIMES continued from cover

There were 7,314 hate crimes last year, up from 7,120 the year before – and approaching the all-time high of 7,783 in 2008. The FBI’s annual report defines hate crimes as those motivated by bias based on a person’s race, religion, sexual orientation, or other protected categories.

Among the findings that the FBI reports, hate-motivated killings are at their highest level since the FBI began collecting that data in the early 1990s.

There were 51 hate crime murders in 2019, which includes 22 people killed in a mass shooting that targeted Mexicans at a Walmart in the border city of El Paso, Texas, the FBI report said.

The suspect in that August 2019 shoot-

have lost Michigan to Trump.

Under heavy public pressure, the Republicans later caved and did certify the ballots from Detroit. However, after a subsequent phone call from Trump, they signed affidavits saying again that they “remain opposed to certification.”

According to the Associated Press, some Republicans have called on the GOP’s statewide canvassers to so the same.

There is no precedent for the Trump team’s widespread effort to delay or undermine certification, according to University of Kentucky law professor Joshua Douglas.

“It would be the end of democracy as we know it,” Douglas told the AP. “This is just not a thing that can happen.”

Certifying results is normally a routine step after local election officials have tallied votes, reviewed procedures, checked to ensure votes were counted correctly,

and investigated discrepancies. Typically, this certification is done by a local board of elections often made up of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. Later, the results are certified at the state level.

But as Trump has refused to concede to Biden and continues to spread false claims of victory, this mundane process is taking on new significance.

In the key battleground states – all won

by Biden – counties in Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin have all made it through the initial step of certifying results. Except for Wayne County, this process has largely been smooth.

Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia still haven’t concluded their local certifications.

Most counties in Arizona are pressing ahead with certification, but officials in Republican-controlled Mohave County decided to delay until November 23, citing

what they said was uncertainty about the fate of election challenges across the country.

While Pennsylvania was visited by Trump lawyer and surrogate Rudy Giuliani, lawsuits in hand, Philadelphia plans to certify results on November 23.

In Pennsylvania’s Luzerne County, a Republican election board member said she will not certify the county’s election without an audit of at least 10% of the votes to ensure that some voters did not vote twice.

There is no credible evidence of any such election fraud.

Officials in all of Georgia’s 159 counties were supposed to have certified their results by last Friday. But a few have yet to certify as the state works through a hand tally of some five million votes.

ing, which left two dozen other people injured, was charged with both state and federal crimes. Local authorities said his motive was to scare Spanish-speaking people into leaving the United States.

The data also shows there was a nearly 7% increase in religion-based hate crimes, with 953 reports of crimes targeting Jews and Jewish institutions last year, up from 835 the year before.

The FBI said the number of hate crimes against African Americans dropped slightly to 1,930, from 1,943.

Anti-Hispanic hate crimes, however, rose to 527 in 2019, from 485 in 2018.

Excluded from the FBI data are incidents of police violence against people of color.

The total number of hate crimes based on sexual orientation stayed relatively stable, with one fewer crime reported last year, compared with the year before. However,

there were 20 more hate crimes against Gay men reported for 2019 than 2018.

Some of the 2019 increases may be the result of better reporting by police departments, the FBI said, but law enforcement officials and advocacy groups agree that hate crimes are on the rise. Justice Department career prosecutors – if not the Trump DOJ appointees – have been specifically prioritizing hate crime prosecutions since the Obama administration.

As the data was made public on November 16, advocacy groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, called on Congress and law enforcement agencies across the US to improve data collection and reporting of hate crimes.

“The total severity of the impact and damage caused by hate crimes cannot be fully measured without complete participation in the FBI’s data collection process,”

the Anti-Defamation League’s president, Jonathan Greenblatt, said in a statement.

Last year, only 2,172 law enforcement agencies out of about 15,000 participating agencies across the country reported hate crime data to the FBI, the bureau said.

While the number of agencies reporting hate crimes increased, the number of agencies participating in the program actually dropped from the year before. A large number of police agencies appeared not to submit any hate crime data.

“The FBI’s report is another reminder that we have much work to do to address hate in America,” said Margaret Huang, the president of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

November 20, 2020

Seattle Gay News 15

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Rep. Smith introduces bill to fund community-based public safety programs, divert nonviolent 911 calls to specialized responders WASHINGTON, DC (November 17, 2020) – Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced the 911 Diversion to Unarmed Personnel Act, which would provide funding for unarmed 911 response programs that divert nonviolent 911 calls to specialized service providers instead of law enforcement.

“It’s abundantly clear that we need to fundamentally reimagine what law enforcement looks like in our country,” said Rep. Smith. “A critical step in this process of addressing systemic racism and restructuring law enforcement is reexamining the hyperactive approach to policing that tasks law enforcement officers with responding to situations they are neither trained nor equipped to handle.

“The 911 Diversion to Unarmed Personnel Act would support programs that enable 911 call dispatchers to direct nonviolent calls toward unarmed responders who can connect

people with the services and care they need.

Community-based public safety programs across the country have shown incredible success in responding to nonviolent 911 calls with specialized service providers, like social workers, medical professionals, and restorative justice practitioners. These programs reduce violent and hostile encounters, help restore trust between law enforcement and community members, and provide for better services and care to community members.

“Our communities deserve an emergency response system that recognizes the range of urgent needs that are best addressed without police involvement. Unarmed 911 response programs are a critical component to reimaging public safety in a holistic, equitable way that centers on getting individuals the resources and services they need.”

911 receives more than 240 million calls every year. The overwhelming majority

these calls involve nonviolent, noncriminal incidents such as neighbor disputes, nuisance complaints, truancy, reports of “suspicious” activity, requests for wellness checks, and mental health crises. Both the police and policing reform advocates often assert that specialized service providers – such as social workers, paramedics, and peer support counselors – are better equipped to handle such situations than armed officers. The “send the police to everything” approach that prevails in much of our country often places armed law enforcement officers in situations they are neither equipped nor trained to handle and leads to encounters between police and civilians that turn violent and, in many cases, deadly.

The 911 Diversion to Unarmed Personnel Act would provide funding to state, local, or tribal jurisdictions to support unarmed 911 response programs that divert nonviolent

911 calls toward specialized service providers and away from traditional law enforcement. The funding may be used to hire and train service professionals and 911 dispatchers, modify existing 911 call systems, or obtain necessary equipment and technological capabilities.

The bill requires that the programs are managed independently from and are not subject to oversight from state or local law enforcement agencies. These diversion programs will help ensure that individuals who are the subject of calls to 911 and who are experiencing addiction, homelessness, or mental health crises are met with professional service providers capable of providing screening, assessment, de-escalation, and transportation to immediately necessary treatment.

Courtesy of Rep. Adam Smith

Rep. Smith introduces bill to protect at-risk workers and enhance workforce training WASHINGTON, DC (November 12, 2020) – Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced the Emergency Economic and Workforce System Resiliency Act, which would provide new funding to states and localities to prevent layoffs, meet the needs of dislocated workers, and collaborate with employers on innovative strategies for preserving existing and creating new jobs.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers have been laid off and displaced. This disruption in the labor market has only further highlighted the need for an updated workforce training system that coordinates across public and private sectors and better prepares our workers for the changing job market,” said Rep. Smith.

“The current systems in place meant to prepare workers and spur economic development are siloed from each other – economic development activities are often completely separate from programs that provide unemployment and other benefits to unemployed or underemployed workers.

“Whether it is growing automation and technological advancements or the transition to a green economy, there will inevitably be changes to our workforce needs. We must ensure that our workforce system can prepare workers for these transitions. This bill would provide desperately needed funding to states and localities over the next five years to help prevent layoffs, support workers in vulnerable jobs as they prepare to transition, and financially support workers during transition. It would provide resources to develop training, retraining, and other programs to help workers gain the skills and credentials they need to obtain and keep high quality jobs in in-demand fields with family-sustaining wages and benefits.”

The Emergency Economic and Workforce System Resiliency Act creates a fiveyear funding stream to states and localities to invest in new programs to prevent layoffs, meet the needs of displaced workers, and strengthen the viability of employers to preserve existing jobs and create new ones. This

funding would help states meet the exacerbated needs of the workforce system during the pandemic and economic downturn and would be a model going forward as new and unexpected disruptions impact workers.

The bill encourages states to collaborate across state agencies and with other nonprofit and for-profit entities. States are encouraged to prioritize partnerships with firms and industries that offer high quality, in-demand jobs with competitive wages and benefits.

The bill also funds five-year pilot programs for states to pilot innovative workforce-system-wide layoff-aversion models.

These grants will promote innovation at the state level to support workers throughout the career life cycle and to bolster firm resiliency in the wake of economic disruption.

Eleni Papadakis, executive director of the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board [said,] “I am struck by the potential long-range impact inherent in this bill. It is rare to see

federal legislation that addresses the issues of the here and now, while also supporting transformative investments for future impact. While this bill would provide significant new resources to help displaced workers prepare for high-demand, highwage employment, it will also enable states to learn from the pandemic and reengineer public systems for the future – to better support businesses, workers, and communities for economic resilience. I so appreciate the bill’s aim toward shared prosperity and equitable and inclusive economic recovery. The bill also shows a solid understanding of how globalization, technology, environmental, and security issues are inducing tremendous changes to work and workplaces – and supports states to face these critical challenges to our economic vitality.”

Courtesy of Rep. Adam Smith

HRC & partners release guide to help educators & parents advocate for LGBTQ students with disabilities WASHINGTON, DC (November 17, 2020) – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, released “Advocating for LGBTQ Students with Disabilities,” a powerful new resource that provides educators and parents an overview of the rights of LGBTQ students with disabilities, as well as actionable recommendations on how to best support them. It includes a blueprint for successfully developing an individualized education program (IEP) for special services or a 504 plan for academic accommodations for LGBTQ students with disabilities.

The resource was developed in collaboration with legal and education experts at the National Education Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

“LGBTQ students with disabilities face unique challenges as a result of their disability status that can be exacerbated by bias related to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression,” said Vincent Pompei, director of HRC’s Youth Well-Being Program and annual Time to THRIVE conference. “Educators, school pyschologists, parents and other adult allies play an important role in ensuring the safety, inclusion and wellbeing of these students -- including developing Individualized Education Programs and

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November 20, 2020

504 plans so they are free from discrimination, both because of their disability status and their LGBTQ identities.”

The guide offers specific strategies for supporting LGBTQ students with disabilities, including creating school policies to affirm students’ gender identity, name, and pronouns; assisting students in developing selfadvocacy skills; and implementing schoolwide, multitiered behavioral frameworks that instruct students and school staff on how to behave respectfully and outline how to address problem behavior.

The HRC will also use this resource to inform a variety of HRC Foundation programs for youth and youth-serving professionals, including the Historically Black Col-

leges and Universities Program; Welcoming Schools; All Children-All Families, Project THRIVE; and the annual Time to THRIVE Conference.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. The HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

Courtesy of the HRC

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Marking the deadliest year on record, HRC releases report on violence against Transgender and gender-nonconforming people WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2020) – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, released “An Epidemic of Violence: Fatal Violence Against Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming People in the United States in 2020,” a distressing report honoring the at least 37 transgender and gender-nonconforming people killed in 2020 and shining a light on data that the HRC has collected since 2013 on the epidemic of violence.

With 37 known deaths this year, the HRC has officially recorded more violent deaths of transgender and gender-nonconforming people than any year since we began tracking this violence in 2013.

Previously, the highest known number of fatal deaths of transgender and gender-nonconforming people was in 2017, when we reported 31 people violently killed. Since January 2013, the HRC has documented more than 200 transgender and gendernonconforming people who were victims of fatal violence. The release of this report comes one day ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance, a time to remember the transgender and gender-nonconforming people who have been lost to fatal violence over the course of the previous year.

“This year, we reached two grim milestones – the Human Rights Campaign has recorded the most deaths of transgender and gender-nonconforming people of any year since we began tracking this violence, and we have documented more than 200 total deaths. Every life that we have lost this year and every year had value and did not deserve to be cut short,” said Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David.

“Divisive and dehumanizing rhetoric from anti-equality political leaders has contributed to the toxic mix of racism, sexism, and transphobia that drives this horrific violence. It’s on all of us to fight for change at every level and take action to support trans and gender-nonconforming people. We must work to dismantle the stigma that so many in the trans and gender-nonconforming community face, and bring this violence to an end.”

“These victims, like all of us, were loving partners, parents, family members, friends, and community members,” said Human Rights Campaign Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative Tori Cooper. “They worked, went to school, and attended houses of worship. They were real people – people who did not deserve to have their lives taken from them. As we work to ensure that they are remembered with dignity in death, we will also continue to uplift the resilience and humanity of the entire transgender and nonbinary community.”

Many factors can lead to this violence, including anti-transgender stigma that can lead to the denial of opportunities in society, such as employment discrimination and exclusion from health care, as well as to increased risk factors such as poverty and homelessness. The combination of these factors, which are often exacerbated by racism and sexism, can lead to an increased risk of fatal violence. Learn more in HRC’s “Dismantling a Culture of Bias.”

Although there are a few existing legal protections for transgender and gendernonconforming people – such as the Violence Against Women Act, the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the decision in Bostock v.

Clayton County, Georgia, and some state and local laws – this violence cannot be

stopped until the rights of transgender and gender-nonconforming people are fully realized and our systems are reformed to address the epidemic and its root causes.

The report lays out federal and state actions that would move us closer to ending violence against trans and gender-nonconforming people.

The report also lays out what people can do to help combat this violence. This includes working to eliminate stigma against trans and gender-nonconforming people, using the correct names and pronouns, supporting laws and policies that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity, uplifting transgender and gendernonconforming voices, and building inclusive communities throughout society. The HRC’s Transgender Justice Initiative was launched in 2019 to dismantle unjust systemic barriers to transgender empowerment and help end the epidemic of violence by addressing the root causes of the physical danger, hatred and discrimination faced by transgender people in the US. Last month, HRC President Alphonso David and Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins launched a “Pledge to End Violence Against Black and Brown Transgender Women” as part of HRC’s Transgender Justice Initiative. The pledge asks state and local elected leaders to acknowledge the disproportionate and record-breaking fatal violence against transgender people in America, especially Black and Brown transgender women, and take decisive steps to deliver change that saves lives and advances the cause of LGBTQ equality. Earlier this month, the HRC also released the “Blueprint for Positive Change 2020,” an important brief that includes 85 individual policy recommendations, reaching across the federal government, aimed at bettering the daily lives of LGBTQ people at home and abroad. The Biden-Harris administration has the opportunity to not only put our democracy back

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on track but deliver real positive change for LGBTQ people’s daily lives, and the blueprint has been shared with the Biden transition team as they evaluate the policy steps of the incoming administration.

This year’s annual report found that since the start of the year, at least 37 transgender and gender-nonconforming people have been killed in the US. Of those 37 victims, 22 were Black and 7 were Latinx; 25 were Black or Latinx women. Since January 2013, the HRC has documented more than 200 transgender and gender-nonconforming people who were victims of fatal violence. Two-thirds of these known victims have been Black women, and nearly 60% of known fatalities have involved a firearm.

This fatal violence affects trans and gendernonconforming people nationwide, with the HRC and advocates tracking cases of fatal violence since 2013 across 113 cities and towns in 33 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. These disturbing numbers likely underreport deadly violence targeting transgender and gender-nonconforming people, who may not be properly identified as transgender or gender-nonconforming by police, media, or other sources.

The 37 known transgender and gendernonconforming people killed so far this year are: Dustin Parker; Neulisa Luciano Ruiz; Yampi Méndez Arocho; Scott/ Scottlynn DeVore; Monika Diamond; Lexi; Johanna Metzger; Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos; Layla Pelaez Sánchez; Penélope Díaz Ramírez; Nina Pop; Helle Jae O’Regan; Tony McDade; Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells; Riah Milton; Jayne Thompson; Selena Reyes-Hernandez; Brian “Egypt” Powers; Brayla Stone; Merci Mack; Shaki Peters; Bree Black; Summer Taylor; Marilyn Cazares; Dior H Ova; Queasha D Hardy; Aja Raquell RhoneSpears; Lea Rayshon Daye; Kee Sam; Aerrion Burnett; Mia Green; Michelle Michellyn Ramos Vargas; Felycya Harris; Brook-

November 20, 2020

lyn Deshuna; Sara Blackwood; Angel Unique; and Yunieski Carey Herrera. In addition, the report also profiles three other cases of Black transgender women, Ashley Moore, Tatiana Hall, and Draya McCarty; not much information is available in these cases, but the HRC will continue to monitor for additional developments. This year’s report also contains updates on the deaths of Nikki Kuhnhausen, Yahira Nesby, Mia Penny, and Layleen Cubilette-Polanco, which occurred after the publication of the 2019 report, as well as Jennifer Laude.

The report comes just days after the Federal Bureau of Investigation released 2019’s hate crimes data, which shows an uptick in gender identity–based hate crimes, rising from 4.2% in 2018 to 4.8% in 2019. Because reporting hate crimes to the FBI is not mandatory, these alarming statistics likely represent only a fraction of such violence. That is why since the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2009, the HRC has worked with the FBI to update the agency’s crime reporting. The HRC continues to press for improved reporting, passage of state laws that protect LGBTQ individuals from hate crimes and expanded education and training initiatives.

This past week, the HRC commemorated Transgender Awareness Week, an annual event that is dedicated to illuminating both the progress and unfinished work in the fight for transgender and nonbinary equality. The week culminates in Transgender Day of Remembrance, held every year on Nov. 20.

To mark the week this year, the HRC participated in a conversation with Angelica Ross at the TransTech Summit, hosted an Instagram Live with Luchina Fisher, Gia Parr, and Ellen Kahn and an Instagram Live with Sarah McBride, held two film screenings of Mama Gloria and Born to Be, both of which included panel discussions after the screenings and joined an HBO summit around the new documentary Transhood.

We also released the next videos in our stop the stigma campaign with WarnerMedia, See Each Other. Save Trans Lives, which feature uplifting vignettes that tell stories of joy. The videos are available at the following links: Nakiya Lynch [https://twitter. com/HRC/status/1327408403921170434], Alexis Abarca [https://twitter.com/HRC/ status/1328035039272169473], and Tori Cooper [https://twitter.com/HRC/status/1328427628634591235].

Additionally, the HRC Foundation released a call to action to support trans and gender-diverse youth with new CDC data, and HRC’s Trans and Gender-Expansive Staff Employee Resource Group released a new resource on the history of the trans and nonbinary community. Finally, the HRC will be hosting a panel tomorrow at 11 a.m. EST to mark Trans Day of Remembrance. See a full list of HRC’s actions and resources from the last week [at www.hrc. org/news/hrc-honors-transgender-awareness-week].

For more information on the Human Rights Campaign’s work on transgender and nonbinary equality, visit hrc.org/transgender.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer equality. The HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

Courtesy of the HRC

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FILM

Washington State Historical Society wants your help to evaluate markers and monuments TACOMA (October 7, 2020) – The Washington State Historical Society is seeking public participation in identifying monuments, markers, and plaques across the state that are imprinted with the Society’s name. Its goal is to work with local communities and stakeholders to develop a full inventory of these historical markers and to audit them for physical integrity and historical accuracy, as well as evaluating whether they represent the Society’s mission and professional standards.

This collaborative project is one of the actions outlined in the Society’s recently issued Statement of Commitment to examine its past and build a more inclusive future.

“We’re asking the question, ‘Do markers and monuments established a century ago represent our mission of partnering with our communities to explore how history connects us all?’ Does the historical interpretation support our values of scholarship and diversity?” explained Jennifer Kilmer, the Society’s director.

To read the full Statement of Commitment, go to www.washingtonhistory.org/about/ belonging-diversity-equity-and-inclusion.

The Society has developed a simple process for the public to contribute to this statewide inventory of monuments and markers. “When you find a marker or monument that is attributed to the Washington State Historical Society, please send us a link to the GIS coordinates in Google maps, along with photographs of the item and its surroundings. You can send that information to monuments@wshs.wa.gov,” said Allison Campbell, the Society’s heritage outreach manager.

She added, “The Washington State His-

torical Society was founded in 1891, and today, 129 years later, the way we interpret and teach history has evolved. We recognize that history has multiple perspectives and includes important stories that are often overlooked or ignored due to racial, gender, or other biases. It’s time for a thorough review of commemorative pieces representing Washington’s history. And it’s a big state so we are asking for the public’s help in conducting this audit.”

The Society plans to facilitate a public dialogue around any markers, monuments, or plaques identified for possible changes.

Monuments and markers attributed to the Washington State Historical Society come in different shapes and sizes. They might be statues, columns, stone markers, roadside signs, or plaques on buildings. The Society is

also seeking information about highway heritage markers placed in collaboration with the Department of Transportation and Washington State Parks between 1950 and 1990. To contribute to the inventory, the Society kindly requests that you take photos capturing the entire monument, along with close ups of the complete inscription, any damage or natural wear and tear, and anything notable in the surroundings that would help to identify the location of the monument or marker. In addition, photos of adjacent or nearby interpretive signage, labels, or markers would be helpful and appreciated.

“We do have a list of markers, but we have partial information, some have been relocated over the years and we do not have current condition reports. With participation from our communities across the state, we

hope to generate a full and detailed list of monuments and markers with the Washington State Historical Society’s name on them.

If you’re unsure of whether a name indicates our organization, for example if something says Washington History Society or something similar, please go ahead and submit and we can research it,” said Kilmer. “Once we have a complete audit, we’ll gather historians and preservationists to review, identify those that need repairs, updating or changes, consult with relevant tribes and communities, and prioritize actions to take.”

To participate in this statewide audit, if you find a WSHS marker, monument, or plaque, or a DOT highway heritage marker, please e-mail photos, and GIS coordinates if possible, to monuments@wshs.wa.gov.

The Washington State Historical Society is grateful for your participation.

For further information, contact Allison.Campbell@wshs.wa.gov, or see www. washingtonhistory.org/get-involved/monuments-inventory/.

The Washington State Historical Society partners with communities to explore how history connects us all. The Society’s most visible activity, the Washington State History Museum (WSHM), is located in downtown Tacoma on Pacific Avenue. The museum features interactive permanent exhibitions about Washington’s past in the Great Hall, unique rotating exhibitions highlighting the Society’s collections, and dynamic feature exhibitions.

Courtesy of the Washington State Historical Society

FILM

ENCORE: Seattle Queer Film Festival Nov. 20-22 The Seattle Queer Film Festival’s will present ENCORE screenings from last month’s SQFF from Friday to Sunday, November 20-22.

Jury and audience award winners from this year’s film festival are part of the lineup as well as two new short films (not previously screened), one in each of the short programs.

Following are the featured films: THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE, Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature – GOSSAMER FOLDS, Honorable Mention for Best Narrative Feature – THE DILEMMA OF DESIRE, Audience Award for Best Documentary – OUR DANCE OF REVOLUTION, Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature Film – COMEDY LIGHT SHORTS program – DRAMA SHORTS program – SUBLET – ELLIE & ABBIE (AND ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT).

Individual Tickets: • Regular: $13 • Household: $20 • Student/senior/low-income: $8 ENCORE Pass: See all eight film programs for just $35!

Viewers will have 72 hours to watch each program once they start. For complete information, visit https://threedollarbillcinema.org/sqffencore Courtesy of Three Dollar Bill Cinema

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THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE – Photo courtesy of Three Dollar Bill Cinema

November 20, 2020

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Optimism and hope: Chatting with Summerland writer/director Jessica Swale about her heartfelt debut

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer SUMMERLAND BLU-RAY DVD, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD & HULU Now out on Blu-ray, DVD, digital download and available to stream on Hulu, writer/director Jessica Swale’s Summerland is one of the best films I’ve seen in 2020.

An empowering, emotionally empathetic WWII British home front melodrama, this story moved me to honest tears multiple times. Featuring superb performances from Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Courtenay and spellbinding young newcomer Luca Bond, it’s rare a motion picture has enraptured my soul with this much joy.

The plot follows Alice (Arterton), a reclusive and cantankerous writer living in a small village who is currently writing a book debunking local folklore. She wants to find a scientific reason for all that’s perceived as otherwise unexplainable, and she’d rather not be interrupted by any of the local townsfolk.

All of which makes the arrival of Frank (Bond), a 14-year-old evacuee from London who the British War Office has inexplicably sent to live with her, something of an unexpected annoyance. While the village schoolmaster Mr. Sullivan (Courtenay) attempts to find a new situation for the boy, Alice and Frank decide to make the best of their current situation. In the process, both discover they have far more in common than they originally estimated, forming a tight-knit bond that catches each of them by surprise.

An award-winning play writer, Summerland marks Swale’s debut behind the camera. I had the opportunity to briefly chat with the filmmaker about her film. Here are a few edited excerpts from our conversation: Sara Michelle Fetters: You’ve had incredible success as a playwright and as a theatrical director. What was the impetus to write this script as a motion picture?

What prompted you to make this leap?

Jessica Swale: Good question! It was quite an interesting process. I had been writing for movies a bit already. I had been adapting plays that I’d written to the theater for the screen, but this was the first time that I had the opportunity to write something from scratch for the cinema. That was such a pleasure. I was on a bursary award from BAFTA. They were trying to encourage theater writers to write original screenplays.

It was an opportunity to think about what cinema could be and why I would want to write for the cinema. This led me to think about how much you can do in an imaginative landscape and to ask, what would I want to see in the cinema? I didn’t want to explore everyday daily life. I don’t want to watch something too close to reality. I wanted to escape. The theme of magic in the everyday world came from that thought. I wanted to see things that were a bit bigger than real life and allowed me to explore the “what if.”

Sara Michelle Fetters: Yet you examine those magical elements in a very literal, almost fact-driven way that is really compelling. You get to see all these little pieces start fitting together. Was that always by design?

Jessica Swale: It was. I began writing and it sort of fell out quite naturally. Of course, once you have the story, the more that you write, the more you go back and you edit and you add details, but it was really important to me that Alice was somebody who was interested in magic. I think in earlier parts of her life she might’ve liked to believe in it. But then she was so cut off

Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Gemma Arterton in Jessica Swale’s Summerland – Photo courtesy of IFC Films

from the optimistic possibilities of allowing herself to imagine anything other than this grim reality of life. She’s so disappointed by the events of her past and so hurt. It was important to me that she became a cynic.

What I loved was the science of that, the fact that there should be something in

time I got to the end it all made perfect sense.

You made it so that I couldn’t be angry.

Jessica Swale: [laughs] Whew! That’s good. I’m sure some people will still think it’s too convenient, what happens, but this is a movie that is about possibility, and one of the elements of that was that, yes, there

Summerland director Jessica Swale – Photo by Michael Wharley Photography

this story which is the sort of treasure map, and then Alice and Frank trying to unpack the folklore, put it all together. There’s something about the investigation of that.

I wanted their board in the film to appear like a crime notice board where you’re trying to make connections between this place and that place in order to solve the mystery.

Sara Michelle Fetters: Talking about connections, I commented to somebody immediately after watching the movie that some part of me thinks that I should maybe hold it against this movie that it embraces some of its melodrama, that it embraces some of its coincidences. Except, you did such a great job connecting everything that by the

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are things that happen that are unlikely.

But that’s what makes it interesting! Coincidences do happen. To me, there isn’t that much coincidence in it. Even with the twist, when I went back and sorted that through and worked out the reality, I verified all the pieces fit.

Suffice it to say, what I enjoy as a writer is when things fall out of the story that I don’t expect. When I’m surprised by what characters do. I write quite subconsciously in my very early drafts. I didn’t know that some of these twists were going to happen until I was literally in that moment writing! For me, I know that if I am surprised by what characters do, then the audience will be, too.

November 20, 2020

Sara Michelle Fetters: I guess the reason that it works so well for me is that much like say Joe Wright’s Atonement or Lone Scherfig’s Their Finest, which also had Gemma in it, I could go back and watch it a second time and put the pieces together.

When I went back and watched your film a second time, I could use my analytical eye and see all of these connections. They aren’t coincidental. You’ve laid the groundwork.

Jessica Swale: Right. That was one of the joys of writing. Once I had discovered the twists for myself, I then went back and layered them all in knowing full well that there were things I wanted to hint at. Tying current events between items, objects and colors that we see in the flashbacks, allowing all of this to somehow creep very subtly into Alice’s experience once Frank arrives.

It’s just lacing in tiny little hints. I love watching a film with a twist for a second time and trying to spot all those little hints and clues that I missed the first time.

Sara Michelle Fetters: What was that like for you to be there as the filmmaker and to realize you could put in those clues, you could hint at these different things that are happening to these characters in a very visual way for audiences to pick up on in a way that’s typically not possible when you’re directing for the stage?

Jessica Swale: That was such a joy for me. The level of detail that you can work at with a creative team visually is so enjoyable. I really enjoy the visual elements of working in the theater, but as a writer in the theater, your job really is the dialogue. As a writer in film, you’re a “wrighter.” Wright.

In terms of the wright, like a wheelwright, someone who makes the wheel, not someone who writes just the words. As a screenwriter and a director, you have more agency to get involved with the visual picture. It’s a very happy place for me to have landed.

Not that I’m turning my back on the theater. I am actually writing for the theater at the moment, too.

Sara Michelle Fetters: The foundation here, obviously, is this blossoming friendship-slash-not-so-much-mother-sonbut-something-close relationship that ends up developing between Alice and Frank.

When you were filming, when did you know that Gemma and Lucas had it, that they were bringing to life this relationship in a way that equaled, maybe even sur-

see SWALE page 21

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Report domestic violence and sexual assault.

Equal Rights Washington - (206) 324-2570; www. equalrightswashington.org Everett/Snohomish Cty - www.gaysnohomish.org Freely Speaking Toastmasters - www.freelyspeaking.org Gay City promotes wellness in LGBTQ communities by providing health services, connecting people to resources, fostering arts, and building community. Gay City Health Project’s Wellness Center provides anonymous & confidential HIV/STD testing. 517 E Pike St. More info or to schedule an appointment, (206) 860-6969. www.gaycity.org Gay & Lesbian National Hotline (GLNH): 1-888-THEGLNH (1-888-843-4564). Non-profit, peer-counseling, information & local resources telephone hotline for GLBT people across the country.

Generations Aging With Pride empowers elder LGBTQ adults to live with pride and dignity by promoting, connecting, and developing innovative programs and services that enhance belonging and support, eliminate discrimination, and honor the lives of older members of our community - (206) 393-3400; info@gapseattle.org; gapseattle.org GLSEN/WA - Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network - (206) 330-2099; www.glsenwa.org Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) - (206) 363-9188; www.thegsba.org HIV/AIDS Program, Seattle/King County Dept of Public Health, provides confidential/anonymous information about & testing for HIV/AIDS. (206) 205-7837. For a comprehensive list of HIV/AIDS service organizations see the GSBA Guide or visit www.thegsba.org or call Lifelong AIDS Alliance, (206) 328-8979.

Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & the Olympic & Rainier Empire - www.facebook.com/ISCSORE; www. imperialcourtofseattle.com Lambert House - (206) 322-2515; www.lamberthouse. org LGBT Library - 517 E Pike St. Open Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. A wide range of fiction and non-fiction for the LGBT community and allies can be borrowed free of charge.

LGBT MS Connection - (425) 785-8593; lgbtmsconnections@comcast.net. Support group for LGBT persons with MS and their partners and their caregivers.

Sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Lifelong AIDS Alliance - (206) 328-8979, www.lifelongaids alliance.org Lion’s Main Art Collective - www.lionsmain.org MEN: Gay City: (206) 860-6969, www.gaycity.org; Knights of Mantra: (206) 329-0886, www.jetchapterkofm.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Northwest Bears: www. nwbears.com; The Olympians: www.TheOlympians. net; POZSeattle: www.pozseattle.com; Q-Squared: www.qsquared.org; Rain City Jacks: www.raincityjacks. org; Seattle Gay Couples: www. seattlegaycouples.org; Seattle Men in Leather: www.seattlemeninleather. org; Seattle Prime Timers: Gay & Bi men 40 & over, www. seattle primetimers.org; Tacoma Older LGBT: www. tacomaolderlgbt.org. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.)

MUSIC: Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; Rainbow City Band: 1-866-841-9139 ext 2126; rainbowcityband@onebox.com; www.rainbowcity band. com; Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus: (206) 388-1408, (206) 323-0750. www.seattlechoruses.org.

Northwest Lesbian & Gay History Museum Project - gayhistnw@aol.com

20 Seattle Gay News

community resources Northwest Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf - www. nwrad.org Olympia/Thurston County - www.RainbowCenterOly. org Out & Equal Workplace Advocates/Seattle Regional Affiliate supports the work of LGBT employees and the growing number of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) making a difference within local companies, including Alaska Airlines, Amazon.com, Amgen, AT&T, Bank of America, Deloitte, Macy’s, Microsoft, Russell Investments, Safeco Insurance, Starbucks Coffee, Xerox. www.outandequal.org/affiliates/seattle Out & Proud Grays Harbor Coalition - http://outandproudgh.org PARENTHOOD: Families Like Ours provides a gateway for LGBT families interested in adoption & provides a network of safe placement agencies, training, support & resources: (206) 441-7602, www.familieslikeours. org; Family Works offers support, information & activities for LGBT families: (206) 694-6727, www.familyworksseattle. org; Gay Fathers’ Association of Seattle offers support groups & social activities: www.gfas. org; Proud & Loud Families - Northwest, www.meetup.com/proudand-loud-families-northwest, plfnorthwest@aol.com; Queer Parent Networking Dinners: (206) 568-7777, qpnd@nwnetwork.org, www.nwnetwork.org; Rainbow Families of Puget Sound: www.rainbowfamiliesps.org PFLAG is the national organization for parents, families, allies, and LGBTQ people united for equality with chapters in Seattle, Bellevue/Eastside, the Puget Sound region and across Washington state. PFLAG Seattle: (206) 325-7724, info@pflagseattle.org, and www.pflagseattle.org; PFLAG Bellevue/Eastside: (425) 483-6642, info@bellevue-pflag.org, http://community. pflag.org/PFLAGBellevue; PFLAG Pacific Northwest: www.pnwpflag.org; PFLAG Washington State Council: www.pflagwsc.org.

Peer Seattle (formerly Seattle Area Support Groups) is a non-profit organization that builds community and cultivates powerful, healthy lives by providing emotional support and personal development services to those affected by HIV/AIDS, the Queer communities, and those who love them. Our work is done in a spirit of safety, trust, inclusiveness, and celebration of individual differences.

(206) 322-2437; www.peerseattle.org PEOPLE OF COLOR: AARTH (African American Reach & Teach Health Ministry), (206) 850-2070, www.aarth.org; Asian/Pacific Islander Queer Network Program at API Chaya, (206) 467-9976; Center for MultiCultural Health, (206) 461-6910, www.multiculturalhealth.org; Entre Hermanos, GLBT Latinos/as, (206) 322-7700, www.entrehermanos.org; Ile LaiLai, (206) 781-3565, iya@ilelailai.org; Men of All Colors & Cultures Together (MACCT), (206) 923-8313, macctseattle@yahoo.com, www.macctsea.org; Northwest Two Spirit Society, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/nw2spiritsociety/, Nubian Pride Productions, nubianpride@gmail.com; People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) offers rapid HIV testing, M-F, 10am-5pm, (206) 322-7061, www.pocaan.org and on Facebook; QBASS - Queer Black Alliance of the South Sound, (253) 256-1846, weareqbass@gmail. com; Sistah 2 Sistah, LBT women of African descent, (206) 322-7061, (206) 255-8951; Somos Seattle, somosseattle.org; Trikone-Northwest, GLBT South Asians, (425) 985-4376, www.trikonenw.org; Two-Spirit Honor Project, 1-866-685-0164; U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle, www.utopiaseattlewa.org; VietQ Greater Seattle, vietqorganization@gmail.com Pierce County AIDS Foundation - (253) 383-2565; www.piercecountyaids.org Pride Foundation - (206) 323-3318; www.pridefoundation. org Pride Lives - www.facebook.com/PrideLives/ Pride Radio 93.3 HD2 Project NEON is a program of Seattle Counseling Service providing FREE information & services to Gay & Bi men to reduce health risks associated with methamphetamine use. (206) 323-1768. www.crystalneon.org Public Health-Seattle & King County Online Comprehensive Health Information for Sexual Minorities: www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/personal/ glbt.aspx Q Law: The GLBT Bar Association of WA - (206) 682-6711; www.q-law.org Q Law GLBT Legal Clinic - (206) 235-7235.

Queer Geek! - queergeekseattle.org Rainbow Center - Resource Center for Tacoma/Pierce County LGBTIQA community. Through education, advocacy and celebration, the Rainbow Center expands resources, and safe space for the LGBTQIA community.

November 20, 2020

Sponsors Tacoma Pride Festival. (253) 383-2318, www. rainbowcntr.org SEAMEC interviews, researches & rates candidates for public office on issues of concern to the LGBT community. www.voteseamec.org Seattle Area Support Groups & Community Center (SASG) i- SEE LISTING for Peer Seattle.

Seattle Bisexual Women’s Network - BiSeattle.wixsite. com/SBWN and on Facebook.

Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities is a community mental health service for GLBT persons & their families providing comprehensive mental health services on a sliding scale. (206) 323-1768.

Seattle LGBTQ Commission - (206) 684-4503. www/ seattle.gov/lgbtq Seattle Out & Proud - (206) 322-9561; www.seattlepride.org Seattle Police Department Sexual Minorities Community Advisory Council: kim.bogucki@seattle.gov Seattle PrideFest - www.seattlepridefest.org Servicemembers Legal Defense Network - (202) 328-3244; www.sldn.org Sex Workers Outreach Project - https://seattle. swopusa.org Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey of St. Joan - (206) 860-3666; www.theabbey.org Snohomish Health District HIV/AIDS Program provides free confidential/anonymous HIV counseling & testing 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, until 7pm Tuesdays.

(425) 339-5298.

South Sound Q Calendar - LGBTQ events in Tacoma, Olympia & Sound Puget Sound area; www.SouthSoundQCal.com Spokane/Inland Northwest - www.outspokane.com; www.stonewallnews.net SPORTS & RECREATION: Bent Car Guys: www. bentcarguys.org; Border Riders Motorcycle Club: www.borderriders.com; Bottom Dwellers Scuba Club: www.bottomdwellers.org; Capitol Hill Cyclers: join their Facebook group or email capitolhillcycling@ groups.facebook.com or jordan.l.simonson@gmail.com; Cascade Flag Football: www.cascadeflagfootball.org; Cascade Flyers: www.cascadeflyers.org; Emerald City Mudhen Rugby: www.mudhenrugby.com; Emerald City Softball Association: www.emeraldcitysoftball. org, www.eteamz.com/womensecsa; Ethyl Forever Car Club: ethylforever@hotmail.com; Festival of the Babes: www.festivalofthebabes.com; Olympic Yacht Club: www.oycnw.org; OutVentures: outdoor education & recreation activities, www.outventures.org; Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association: www.pacificnwgra.org; Puddletown Squares: www.puddletownsquares.org; Rain City Soccer: www.raincitysoccer.org; Rain Country Dance Association: a country-western dance organization catering to the LGBTQ community but open to all, www.raincountrydance.org; Sea Dawgs: LGBT ice hockey - SkateSeaDawgs@gmail.com and on Facebook; Seattle Frontrunners: www.seattlefrontrunners.org; Seattle Gay Basketball Association: www. seattlegaybasketballassociation.com; Seattle Orca Swim Team: www.orcaswimteam.org; Seattle Otters Water Polo: www.otterpolo.com; Seattle Quake Rugby: www.quakerugby.com; Seattle Tennis Alliance: www. seattletennisalliance.org; Seattle Unified Bowling Association (SUBA): magee98106@aol.com, www. teamseattle.org/bowling.htm, www.theprideleague. com, Century 21 League; Seattle Volleyball Club: www.seattlevolleyballclub.com; Ski Buddies: www. skibuddies.org; Team Seattle Gay Sports Network is an umbrella organization for a wide range of local GLBT sports activities, (206) 367-4064, www.teamseattle.org (see website for comprehensive list of sports clubs); Triangle Recreation Camp at Bender Creek: recreational camping for GLBT folks. Must be 21; ID required. trc@ camptrc.org, www.camptrc.org, 1122 E Pike St #1069, Seattle 98122-3934.

Strength Over Speed - www.strengthoverspeed.org Tacoma/Pierce County - Rainbow Center, 2215 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, a resource center for the LGBTIQA community of Pierce County, (253) 383-2318, www. rainbowcntr.org Three Dollar Bill Cinema - TWIST: Seattle Queer Film Festival; Translations: Seattle Transgender Film Festival; Outdoor Cinema at Cal Anderson Park. www. threedollarbillcinema.org TRANSGENDER: Emerald City Social Club: (425) 827-9494; Gender Alliance of the South Sound: www.

SouthSoundGender.com; Gender Diversity: www. genderdiversity.org; Gender Justice League: www.genderjusticeleague.org; Gender Odyssey: www.genderodyssey.com; Hermanos Trans Latino & Foreign-Born

Support Group: (206) 322-7700; Ingersoll Gender Center: (206) 329-6651, www.ingersollcenter.org; Lion’s Main Art Collective: www.lionsmain.org; The New BoyZ Club: www.olympiaftmgroup.webs.com; Olympia Trans Discussion Group: www.facebook.com/pages/ Olympia-Trans-Discussion-Group/262449878114; [trans] ACTION: Trans* & Gender Non-Conforming Sex Workers’ Support Group - a safe, peer-led space. mail@utopiaseattle.org; TRANSform Washington: transformwashington.com; Trans Resource & Referral Guide: kctransguide.org; Trans Women of Color Solidarity Network: Funding the collective liberation of Trans women of color – https://m.facebook.com/ TWOCSolidarityNW/; Washington Gender Alliance: (360) 445-2411, www.washington genderalliance.com WOMEN: Aging Ballard Lesbian Exchange (A.B.L.E.): We are Lesbians 60 years (generally) and up, living (mostly) in the north half of Seattle. The purpose of the group is to connect, socialize and support each other. ruthemilyvogel@gmail.com; Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS) - Lesbian Group at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center. This is a gathering primarily for Lesbians but all are welcome to attend. Kate, (206) 722-0317; www.sessc.org; BABES: support groups for HIV+ women. (206) 720-5566, 1-888-292-1912; Coming Out Women Support Group of Tacoma: www. comingoutwomen.org; Festival of the Babes: www. festivalofthebabes.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Puget Sound Old Lesbian Organizing for Change: http:// psoloc.org, (253) 777-3357; Older Lesbians Organizing for Change/WA State Chapter: gloria@oloc.org, mary@oloc.org, www.oloc.org; Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives: www.pnwlesbianarchives.org; RainshadowWomen: RainshadowWomen@aol. com; Seattle Bisexual Women’s Network: BiSeattle. wixsite.com/SBWN; Seattle Girls of Leather: www. sgol.org; Tacoma Lesbian Concern (TLC): www.tacomalesbianconcern.org; Tacoma Older LGBT: www. tacomaolderlgbt.org; Women of West Seattle (WOWS): a fun, member-driven social group for Lesbians, http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/womenofwestseattle; YWCA Women’s Health Outreach: providing low or no-cost mammograms for income eligible 40+ LBTQ individuals. Follow us at http://lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot.com, twitter.com/ingridWHO or email lbthealth@ywcaworks. org, (206) 461-4493. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.)

YOUTH: B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Questioning Adolescent Drop-In Group): Youth Eastside Services offers many programs for GLBT youth, including B-GLAD, (425) 747-4937; Coyote Central: www.coyotecentral.org; Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; GLSEN/Washington State (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) & Washington State GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) Network: GLSEN works to create safe schools for LGBT students. WA GSA Network supports youth-led GSA’s to fight harassment & homophobia in Washington state schools. (206) 330-2099; www.glsenwa. org; www.wagsa.org. GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): a support group & HIV/STD prevention program for GLBTQ youth, 14-20, in Everett, (425) 263-2908, www. globeyouth.org; It Gets Better Project: www.itgetsbetter.org; Lambert House: an activities & resource center for LGBT youth, 14-22, 1818 15th Ave @ E Denny Way, with additional support groups organized in smaller towns throughout King County, (206) 322-2515, www. lamberthouse.org; Lifelong HEYO (Health Education Youth Outreach): for LGBTQ youth, ages 16-24: (206) 957-1665; www.llaa.org/HEYO; www.MatthewsPlace. com; The Mockingbird Society: (206) 323-KIDS (5437), www.mockingbirdsociety.org; New Horizons: social services and shelter for homeless youth, 2708 3rd Ave (in Belltown), (206) 374-0866, http://namin.org; Oasis Youth Center: for GLBTQ youth, ages 14-25, in Tacoma, (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter. org; OKAY! LGBTQ+ Outreach for Kent Area Youth: (253) 859-0699 ext 3034. OKAY! is an open support group for youth ages 13-19 who identify as LGBTQ+. A program of Kent Youth & Family Services; OUT There Adventures: www.outthereadventures.org; Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)/ Puget Sound: (206) 325-7724, www.seattle-pflag.org; Pizza Klatch: weekly lunchtime support groups for LGBTQ youth in Thurston County, www.pizzaklatch. org; Prism: for LGBTQ youth, 14-21, in Puyallup Cherise.Alexander@ multicare.org; www.facebook. com/PuyallupPrism; Proud Out Wonderful (POW!): for LGBTQ youth, 13-21, in South King County, (206) 326-9112, www.facebook.com/proudoutwonderful; Q Youth Resources: in Kitsap County - (360) 698-3335; www.kchaf.org; Roots Young Adult Shelter: 1415 NE 43rd St., (206) 632-1635; www.rootsinfo.org; Safe Schools Coalition: www.safeschoolscoalition.org; (206) 451-SAFE, (206) 451-7233 (non-emergency), 1-877-SAFE-SAFE (1-877-723-3723) (crisis line); Seattle Young People’s Project (Queer Youth Resource Board): (206) 860-9606, www.sypp.org; Street Youth Ministries (SYM): (206) 524-7301 ext 111; www. streetyouthministries.org; Teen Link: (206) 461-4922, 1-888-431-TEEN; The Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor; www.thetrevorproject.org; True Colors - Connecting LGBTQ Teens: in Shoreline, (206) 362-7282 x 8018, lbagley@chs-nw.org; The Vera Project: fuels personal & community transformation through collaborative youthdriven engagement in music and art. (206) 956-8372; theveraproject.org; Vista Youth Center: for LGBTQ, questioning and allied youth, ages 14-21, in Kennewick, (509) 396-5198, www.vistayouthcenter.org; YouthCare/ Isis Program (Transitional Living Home for LGBTQ Young Adults, 18-22): (206) 522-8412; YouthCare/ Orion Center Young Adult Shelter: 1828 Yale Ave @ Stewart St. (206) 622-5555; Youth in Focus: (206) 723-1479; www.youthinfocus.org; Youth Suicide Prevention Program (OUTLoud-GLBTQ): (206) 297-5922, ext 116, 1-800-273-TALK, www.yspp.org

Celebrating 46 Years!

www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG

FILM

Action-heavy Vanguard a lackluster Jackie Chan throwback

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer VANGUARD ***NOW THAT THEATERS ARE CLOSED AGAIN WE ARE WAITING TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN VIEW THIS FILM Discovering the wild, crazy world of Jackie Chan when I was in college was a blast of adrenaline-filled bliss. From Drunken Master to Wheels on Meals, Project A to Operation Condor, every new feature was something glorious. It was all topped off by the magnificent, eye-popping heights of the original Police Story trilogy, 1992’s Police Story 3: Supercop one of the greatest actioncomedy spectacles ever made.

Even though he was the biggest star in the world, numerous books have been written as to why Hollywood initially failed to make Chan a household name in the United States in the 1980s. Between 1985’s generic James Glickenhaus actioner The Protector and 1981’s rather anemic Burt Reynolds allstar The Gumball Rally riff Cannonball Run, it’s oddly the latter that showcases the actor’s talents best. It wasn’t until a decade later and 1995’s Rumble in the Bronx that Chan had a hit with American audiences, 1998’s Rush Hour with Chris Tucker and 2000’s Shanghai Noon with Owen Wilson also both hugely popular favorites that led to financially successful sequels.

Over the past decade Chan’s star has waned considerably as far as Hollywood has been concerned, and while 2017’s The Foreigner co-starring Pierce Brosnan and directed by James Bond veteran Martin Campbell performed decently enough with critics and at the box office, that’s been the exception and not the rule for the beloved actor. There just hasn’t been much to talk about, and other than being awarded a welldeserved honorary Academy Award in 2017 I can’t say Chan has been all that high on anyone’s radar (let alone mine) for quite some time now.

SWALE

continued from cover passed, how you wrote it?

Jessica Swale: I knew before we started filming. I was pretty convinced when I first met Lucas. I auditioned him several times.

I really wanted to get the casting right because the movie rides on Frank. Lucas didn’t have a lot of experience compared to some young actors. He’s done a little bit of television but he hadn’t ever played the lead in a movie, or been in a movie, so it was a leap of faith to trust him. I have thankfully worked with some young actors before, but it still felt like a risk.

But I had so much faith in him. He’s so confident and intelligent. So curious and willing to throw himself into things. I was so impressed by him. I made sure that he met Gemma in advance. As soon as they met, I knew straight away they’d be perfect together. It was such a joy to watch the development of their friendship and the evolution of their working partnership. Gemma was so generous with her time on set, taking him

Jackie Chan in Vanguard – Photo courtesy of Gravitas Ventures

Not that he hasn’t kept busy. Chan has been involved in something like 20 features since 2011, most of them Chinese productions of varying quality. The latest of these is frequent collaborator Stanley Tong’s (Rumble in the Bronx, First Strike) untidy action-comedy Vanguard, and as throwbacks go to the actor’s 20th-century work it admittedly comes close to hitting its entertainment mark. Chan’s stunt team is as impressive as ever, and especially early on I almost believed the film was going to recapture some of that Police Story magic.

I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.

The digital age has not been kind to Tong, and there’s too much computer-generated fakery happening to fully appreciate how the acrobatic stunt performers willingly throw themselves around with such fearless abandon. Additionally, none of the central actors strike the requisite balance between the over-the-top comedy and purposefully schlocky melodrama the same way that Chan can, and while he’s the above-the-title star he’s also hardly the central figure as far

as this ensemble is concerned.

The plot is some nonsensical insanity about an international protections service called “Vanguard” whose selfless members find themselves guarding the daughter of a former mob accountant from some shady bad guys mainly because he knows the whereabouts of some missing gold. Chan runs the organization, heading out with his team on their missions as they crisscross the globe. It all culminates in Dubai in a massive set piece which includes multiple explosions, the potential bombing by hightech drone of a U.S. aircraft carrier, a pair of car chases straight out of the Fast and the Furious franchise, a guy floating through the air like he’s riding a Back to the Future hoverboard and an elongated shootout that even John Woo would likely find excessive.

Other than a CGI lion that makes the one in Rogue look more photorealistic than the creatures found in 2019’s The Lion King remake and some dodgy water effects, there’s a terrific African action sequence filled to the brim with magnificent stunt work. There’s

also an early sequence where Yang Yang and Ai Lun rescue the aforementioned accountant that’s extremely well staged, a section inside a large hotel kitchen particularly strong.

Finally, while he isn’t the focal point of the unfolding drama, Chan does have a couple of divine moments that remind viewers exactly why we all fell in love with him in the first place, and that is no small thing.

Not that it makes Vanguard worthy of a recommendation. It’s a lackluster, inanely plotted throwback that relies far too heavily on ineffective digital effects. While the ensemble surrounding Chan is pretty enough to look at (especially Yang, Lun and Mu Qimiy as the young woman the team is attempting to protect), none of them have that memorable spark of inventive inspiration their legendary costar showcases with such apparent ease. While harmless and not altogether without its minor pleasures, this film is instantly forgettable, and if one wants to see Chan at the height of his creative powers I suggest re-watching the original Police Story trilogy instead of this.

under her wing and teaching him as much as she could. They really sparked, and it meant that the chemistry they have on the screen didn’t need to be falsely created. They were naturally like that.

Sara Michelle Fetters: We’re running out of time so I’m going to split my last question into two parts.

Jessica Swale: Go for it.

Sara Michelle Fetters: The first part of my question is, how crazy is it that your two stars, Gemma Arterton and Gugu MbathaRaw, both played the same character in your hit play “Nell Gwynn,” and here you have them playing against one another in, not to give anything away, an increasingly close relationship?

Finally, for viewers, when they get the chance to experience this film, what do you hope that they’re talking about? What do you hope that they are feeling as it comes to an end?

Jessica Swale: Good double question, which is definitely two questions. [laughs] To answer the first half, it was mere coincidence in terms of casting because Gugu is one of my very, very oldest friends. We did

our very first job together. Gemma, when she played Nell, I got to know her and we became fast friends and are now regular collaborators. Now we can’t see enough of each other, and we’re even working together on our next secret project, which is the first time Gemma will be writing something herself.

I’ll be producing as well as directing and co-writing, so that’s exciting. But it was so lovely to work with two people who I know and trust so well. To have them both in my first feature? That was such a privilege.

In terms of what I would like people to take away, it’s so important to me that the stories we tell reflect the real diversity and wideness of our community and how brilliant human beings can be. To showcase how important it is to accept everybody for who they are regardless of sexuality, regardless of race, regardless of gender, regardless of their attitude, how cranky they are or what they want from their lives.

It’s one of my aims as a filmmaker, to tell those stories with a proper moral at their heart and that brings us some optimism and some hope. I am not interested in making big and depressing work. I only

want to make work which has a hopeful theme running through it because I feel like part of what stories can do is to help elevate people. To uplift people and to give people hope in dark times, particularly in regards to something like what we’ve all experienced this year. For me, there hasn’t ever been a more apt time for this movie. If people feel a little bit more hopeful and joyful and wanting to celebrate life and love a little bit more afterward, then I feel like that would be the perfect outcome.

November 20, 2020

Seattle Gay News 21

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November 20, 2020

Celebrating 46 Years!

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November 20, 2020

Seattle Gay News 23