Watermark Issue 29.25: The Remarkable People

LEGACY IN THE AMERICAN WEST

Connie Horne, Black Miners, 2021, (detail)

Sandra Noble, Annie Box Neal, 2021 (detail) April Shipp, The Bull Dogger, 2021 (detail)

IHAVE A PROBLEM REMEMBERING

things. If I don’t write something down, it is likely it will be forgotten with two weeks.

That is because Watermark publishes every other Thursday so my brain works on a two-week cycle. After an issue is put to bed my full attention goes to the next issue, making sure everything is lined up and good to go for it. A major positive of this is that at the end of the year, I have 26 issues full of what I have been thinking about and talking about for the past 12 months.

This time of year, during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I like to kick back with a cup of coffee and re-read each issue of Watermark that published over the past year. This not only helps me to remember what happened but it also reminds me of all the amazing people in our community. This is particularly important as our editorial team

is also looking to pick the Most Remarkable People of the Year.

A time-honored tradition, Watermark recognizes those in our local community who have shown themselves to go above and beyond in the name of equality, have made a historical contribution to the movement or have been unsung heroes in the fight for LGBTQ people every year.

This year we have selected 10 trailblazers — five in Central Florida and five in Tampa Bay — who have shown themselves to not only be champions of our community, but also have proven to be some of the most caring and passionate warriors in the fight for equality. We then asked another leader in the community who knows and/or works with each of them to write a profile on why this person is remarkable to them.

In Central Florida, picking 2022’s five Remarkables was difficult. Not because there weren’t enough remarkable people, but because so many people did such impactful work in the community this year.

Remarkable people like U.S. Rep.-elect Maxwell Alejandro Frost, the first person from Generation Z to be elected to Congress. I had the honor of sitting down with Maxwell for an interview before his election victory and to be in his presence is to know that you are talking with someone destined for greatness.

Another remarkable Gen Zer this year was Winter Park High School student Will Larkins. Will testified against the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill in the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee days before they helped to organize and lead a walkout at their school. Their “Say Gay Anyway” walkout saw more than 600 students join Larkin in protesting the legislation. They followed that up by going viral with a video of them leading a classroom discussion on the Stonewall Uprising in a red dress.

The Central Florida Remarkables list also highlights several activists who have fought in the community for many years. Michael Slaymaker, the Orlando Youth Alliance CEO, and Andrea Montanez, Hope CommUnity Center’s LGBTQ Immigration Coordinator, fight for some of the most vulnerable members of our LGBTQ family while also living open, authentic lives as members of the community.

Michael has dedicated his life to helping LGBTQ youth, something that has been shown this year to be vitally important. The LGBTQ youth of Florida were under constant attack by ring-wing politicians, conservative groups and mostly dangerously by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Andrea has been working at the intersection of LGBTQ rights and immigration rights here in Central Florida and is one of the most visible community leaders out there. Literally, it seems like she is everywhere. I see her at every event, cheering and advocating for equality for all. As you will read in Debo’s profile on her, I too often wonder when this superhero sleeps. I am in awe of her strength and passion.

The final Central Florida remarkable person this year is someone who I have had the privilege of knowing for several years and someone who has always been remarkable, The Orlando VA’s Keri Griffin. As a

Congratulations to this year’s Most Remarkable People.

veteran, I use the Orlando VA for my own health care needs and have seen such a change in service over the last 10 years toward LGBTQ vets that is almost entirely because of Keri. Imagine going into a VA hospital, a place always seen to have traditional conservative views, and seeing posters that say we will respect your chosen name and pronouns. Or seeing rainbow lanyards around the neck of your nurse and doctor. The work that Keri has done at the VA is some of the most remarkable that I have ever seen and I am so happy that she is starting to get more recognition for it in the community.

Thank you to all of you unsung heroes in the community who do the work needed to be done, not because you expect recognition but because it is the right thing to do, and congratulations to this year’s Most Remarkable People.

JERICK MEDIAVILLA

is a former journalist from Mexico City, an educator in Central Florida and an human rights activist for the LGBTQ community. Jerick is one half of an Orlando power couple with State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith. Page 17

JOHNNY V. BOYKINS

is a Democratic Strategist in Pinellas County, a husband, bow tie aficionado, amateur chef and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. He also serves as Director of Outreach with the Pinellas Democratic Party. Page 19

In issue 29.24’s in-depth feature “On the Frontlines,” incorrect spellings of the names Cherie Goyette and Kathryn Norsworthy were used. Watermark apologizes for the error.

PHOTOGRAPHY

BRIAN BECNEL, NICK CARDELLO, BRUCE HARDIN, JAMARQUS MOSLEY, CHRIS STEPHENSON, LEE VANDERGRIFT

DISTRIBUTION

LVNLIF2 DISTRIBUTING, KEN CARRAWAY, RAYLENE HUNT, ZACHARY WELCH

responsible for damages due to typographical errors, except for the cost of replacing ads created by WATERMARK that have such errors.

Watermark Publishing Group Inc.

SABRINA AMBRA, NATHAN BRUEMMER, SCOTTIE CAMPBELL, MIGUEL FULLER, DIVINE GRACE, HOLLY KAPHERR ALEJOS, JASON LECLERC, MELODY MAIA MONET, JERICK MEDIAVILLA, GREG STEMM, DR. STEVE YACOVELLI, MICHAEL WANZIE

Jeremy Williams

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com

MANAGING EDITOR Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

night to see a post from Pulse’s Facebook page from 2:09 a.m.

I started following the venue after my sole trip there about six months prior. My husband, some of our loved ones and I were celebrating a friend’s birthday with an Orlando weekend at the time and really enjoyed ourselves.

“Everyone get out of pulse and keep running,” their post read. It has more than 40,000 reactions now, but as haunting as those words were then it was impossible to understand how heartbreaking they would become.

Eventually we learned that they meant 49 people had been killed, 58 more had been injured and that a community had been shattered. They meant that an LGBTQ safe space – at the time – had become the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

nothing. Too many in this country are content with banning books instead of guns and silencing drag queens or teachers instead of the NRA.

It has to change, and one of the ways we start that process is by electing leaders who aren’t afraid to change it. Who aren’t afraid to speak out against LGBTQ hate or gun violence. Who aren’t people like Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Marco Rubio or Rick Scott.

The Republican Party of which they’re a key part has introduced and passed a record amount of anti-LGBTQ legislation this year, all while turning a blind eye to

JERICK MEDIAVILLA

is a former journalist from Mexico City, an educator in Central Florida and an human rights activist for the LGBTQ community. Jerick is one half of an Orlando power couple with State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith. Page 17

JOHNNY

BOYKINS

V.

is a Democratic Strategist in Pinellas County, a husband, bow tie aficionado, amateur chef and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. He also serves as Director of Outreach with the Pinellas Democratic Party. Page 19

IRARELY SHARE

MY PERSONAL thoughts about Pulse in this space. Not because I don’t feel like they’re valid, but out of respect for Watermark’s proximity to the tragedy.

While we proudly serve the majority of Central Florida and Tampa Bay – the latter of which I’m honored to say I’ve helped guide for five years Dec. 11 – Watermark has deep roots in Orlando. It’s where we were founded in 1994 before expanding to Tampa Bay the following year.

Each area is Watermark’s home, but like they did on June 12, 2016, most of our staff lives in Orlando. That’s why I tend to leave space for their perspectives on that tragic night.

My default tends to be that there isn’t much I can say that they or other local leaders haven’t used these pages to say since then. Even so, I knew the morning of Nov. 20 that I was going to use this column to reflect on Pulse.

It was impossible not to, because that’s when the horrific news from Colorado about Club Q started taking substantive shape. It’s still difficult to digest, so I want to caution readers that I’m going to weigh in on gun violence after this.

“Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community,” the Colorado Springs venue shared on social media Nov. 20. It was posted at 4:53 a.m.

“Our pray[er]s and thoughts are with all the victims and their families and friends,” it continued. “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”

Like so many, it brought me back to June 12, 2016. That’s when I woke up in the middle of the

Not just any LGBTQ safe space, either, but one that I’d created memories inside of with people that I cared about. One that was so close to home that I and others in my circle were left wondering if we knew anyone who was inside; some of us did.

I’ve said before that I don’t know a single LGBTQ person whose life wasn’t somehow changed by Pulse, if only because we’ve never felt entirely safe in an LGBTQ bar again. It was the end of an era, one perhaps we never should’ve lived in to begin with.

Of course, far worse than losing a sense of security is losing a loved one, and so many did. My heart broke for our entire community that night and never fully healed, a wound that reopened with the news about Club Q.

When you come for one of us, you come for us all. Daniel Aston, Raymond Green Vance, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh and Derrick Rump, we remember you.

The U.S. has a sickness that will impact every American at some point if we continue to do next to

the epidemic of gun violence. The idea that any one of them or their supporters could be surprised by horrific attacks like these is absurd.

Our community doesn’t need thoughts and prayers, we need advocates and action. My heart goes out to everyone impacted by Club Q and my hope is that every LGBTQ American takes action to bring about serious change.

In this, our annual Remarkable People issue, we highlight local members of the community who are working to make Tampa Bay and Central Florida better in their own ways. We detail 10 incredible individuals, five from each area, and much more.

Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.

In issue 29.24’s in-depth feature “On the Frontlines,” incorrect spellings of the names Cherie Goyette and Kathryn Norsworthy were used. Watermark apologizes for the error.

SABRINA

PHOTOGRAPHY

BRIAN BECNEL, NICK CARDELLO, BRUCE HARDIN, JAMARQUS MOSLEY, CHRIS STEPHENSON, LEE VANDERGRIFT

DISTRIBUTION

LVNLIF2 DISTRIBUTING, KEN CARRAWAY, RAYLENE HUNT, ZACHARY WELCH

responsible for damages due to typographical errors, except for the cost of replacing ads created by WATERMARK that have such errors.

Watermark Publishing Group Inc.

AMBRA, NATHAN BRUEMMER, SCOTTIE CAMPBELL, MIGUEL FULLER, DIVINE GRACE, HOLLY KAPHERR ALEJOS, JASON LECLERC, MELODY MAIA MONET, JERICK MEDIAVILLA, GREG STEMM, DR. STEVE YACOVELLI, MICHAEL WANZIE

Our community doesn’t need thoughts and prayers, we need advocates and action.

Ryan Williams-Jent

TIDAL WAVE PARTY TO MOVE TO VEGAS

Jeremy Williams

ORLANDO | Tidal Wave Party, the bear-focused gay celebration held during the first weekend of June, announced that it is moving its 15-year anniversary events to Las Vegas in 2023 after they were unable to secure a contract with their Orlando host hotel.

In an email exchange posted to Tidal Wave’s Facebook page Nov. 11, representatives from Avanti Palms Resort and Conference Center Orlando stated that their corporate office “decided on another direction for 2023/24” and they would “not be moving forward in executing the agreement.”

“Avanti said that corporate told them that they had a two-year contract versus our four-day contract, so they we’re going to go with the two-year contract. We totally get it,” says Danny Gallegos, co-founder of Tidal Wave.

After first deciding to just scrap the 2023 events, Gallegos says that the Tidal Wave team started to look at options to hold their 15th celebration in a new location.

“We had it down to either Chicago, Las Vegas or Atlanta,” he says. “Out of all three, Vegas was where we went with because of Vegas’ ability to handle our group and the ability to do more things for adults. It is Sin City.” Tidal Wave teased the announcement on social media Nov. 21 with a clip of the Village People’s song “Go West” before making the official announcement Nov. 23.

Tidal Wave 15: Ohana will take place June 1-5, 2023 at the Tuscany Suites and Casino in Las Vegas, and events for the four-day celebration have begun to be announced. Along with the usual pool parties, Bearaoke, trivia nights and Dirty Bingo, Tidal Wave will also feature a special production of “The Golden Gals Live!” starring drag sensations Ginger Minj, Gidget Galore, MrMs Adrien and Divine Grace, as well as a waterpark event at Cowabunga Canyon Waterpark.

For those who are unable to go to Vegas, Tidal Wave has worked it out with One Magical Weekend and Orlando Bear Pride to have Tidal Wave events held at one of the One Magical Weekend’s overflow hotels, the Crown Plaza.

Bear Jamboree will feature bear pool parties, karaoke, bingo, trivia nights, a Saturday Night Main Event and more. One Magical Weekend will also continue the Bear Lagoon at RipTide.

“Billy and Tom have been great and are offering these events for those who aren’t able to go to Vegas,” Gallegos says. “Our guys have been loyal to us and we don’t just want to say, ‘hey, there is nothing offered for you in Orlando.’”

Gallegos says no definite plans have been made yet whether this is a one-time change of location or if this will become a permanent move for Tidal Wave.

“Right now we are just focused on making this a great event,” he says.

For more information on Tidal Wave 15, visit TidalWaveParty.com. For more information on Bear Jamboree, visit OrlandoBearPride.com.

Held Accountable

TikToker calls out homophobia at Gilt Nightclub

Jeremy Williams

ORLANDO | Gilt Nightclub is facing accusations of homophobia after local social media influencer Bryan the Diamond, who has nearly 6 million followers on TikTok, posted a video Nov. 30 saying that he and a group of friends were denied access to the club because his best friend Andrew had a purse and was told by security that he cannot go in with it because “he doesn’t have a period.”

In a follow up video, Bryan went into more detail about the incident, saying that after security refused to let them in an individual who identified themselves as a Gilt manager repeated the same comments.

“I asked for a manager and I expected the manager to say ‘sorry,’ because that is homophobic and sexist,” Bryan said in a phone interview with Watermark. “The manager comes out and I tell her what security said to us and she repeats, ‘he does not have a period so he should not have a bag.’ Another gentleman with security started to

beef up to me and said, ‘What are you gonna do about it?’” he says.

Bryan’s original video has 3.7 million views with the follow up video accumulating 1.2 million.

Gilt responded with an apology post on its Facebook page before speaking with Watermark on Dec. 2.

“Our policy to keep people safe was in turn used as a weapon of bigotry,” says Gilt operating partner Bosko Lazic.

Lazic says the club policy does allow purses into Gilt and that it is not a gender specific policy emphasizing that Bryan, Andrew and their group should not have been turned away or treated the way they were. He also says that the person who identified themselves as a manager was just an employee and has been terminated because of this incident.

“When I heard what was said to them it made me sick to my stomach,” Lazic says. “For some reason the employee who was not a manager thought it was ok to assume that role in this instance, and what they said has never and would never be a part of our policy.”

Lazic says that Gilt’s security has been outsourced to a local company for the last 20 years, that the incident has been addressed with them and the security team from that night will not be allowed back at Gilt.

Lazic says he has reached out to both Bryan and Andrew.

“I offered my apologies,” he says. “I also offered to right this wrong with some kind of charity event that would benefit the community. They seem receptive. We would donate the proceeds raised to wherever they felt it appropriate.”

Bryan says that his management team is working out the details to see if this is something they want to move forward with.

“The only way Bryan will feel comfortable doing something like this with Gilt is if it’s really benefiting the LGBTQ community in Orlando,” says Gianni Pasciuto, Bryan’s talent manager. “If we see that they are making a clear effort then I think it is a good idea, but if we aren’t seeing that after a few calls then I don’t think it is something we’ll move forward with.”

Outside of a possible event, Bryan says he doesn’t see himself going back to Gilt.

“The charity event I think is a good fix,” he says. “Mistakes happen and I think there is always redemption for situations like this but I’m never going to go out of my way to go to that club ever again.”

DENIED ACCESS: Bryan the Diamond films a TikTok after his friend is not allowed into Gilt with a purse. SCREENSHOT FROM TIKTOK

ALLEGED MURDERER PLEADS GUILTY, SEEKS DEATH SENTENCE

Ryan Williams-Jent

TAMPA | A man accused of brutally murdering two gay men in 2003 has formally changed his plea to guilty and is seeking the death penalty.

Steven Lorenzo, 63, was convicted of drugging and raping nine men in 2005, among them 26-year-olds Jason Galehouse and Michael Wachholtz. He is currently serving a 200-year federal prison sentence for his crimes.

Scott Schweickert, his co-defendant, confessed to helping lure the two men to Lorenzo’s Seminole Heights home from a now-defunct gay bar in 2003. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2016 for confessing to their murders but avoided the death penalty for testifying against Lorenzo in prosecutors’ efforts to convict him.

“Although Wachholtz’s body was later found wrapped in a sheet in the back of his SUV, Galehouse’s remains were never recovered,” Watermark reported at the time. Schweickert confessed that the men dismembered his body, disposing of his remains in trash receptacles throughout the city.

Lorenzo has avoided trial in the years since. Last year he offered to plead no contest to the murder charges in order to avoid the death penalty, a request prosecutors declined. Things changed drastically Dec. 2 when Lorenzo represented himself in a Tampa courthouse. The hearing followed a 16-page letter he wrote to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Hillsborough County.

“Lorenzo expressed his wish to withdraw his not-guilty pleas to charges that he murdered Jason Galehouse and Michael Wachholtz in December 2003,” the Tampa Bay Times reported. He indicated he wanted to plead guilty and be sentenced to death without a right to appeal.

“Regardless of whether or not there would have been a trial … the end results will prove to be identical,” Lorenzo wrote in his letter. “Simply because the defendant has no intention of taking the witness stand under oath or at a trial. Therefore the state’s case against the defendant would have gone unchallenged anyway.”

According to News Channel 8, Assistant State Attorney Darrell Dirks said “The State’s position is that even if the Defendant requests that the death penalty be imposed, the Court must conduct a separate penalty proceeding, with or without a jury, to evaluate alleged aggravating factors and mitigating factors, including any legally required comprehensive presentence reports by the Department of Correction and not a foregone conclusion.”

Prosecutors also noted that they would allow the plea so long as Lorenzo made his decision “knowingly and intelligently.” Judge Christopher Sabella questioned Lorenzo on the matter and more Dec. 2.

“The judge explained to Lorenzo that he couldn’t just sentence him to death,” the Tampa Bay Times reported. “He said there is a legal process that still has to be followed, including the presentation of evidence of the aggravating factors – circumstances that qualify capital punishment – and mitigating circumstances – facts that would weigh against the death penalty.”

Lorenzo’s guilty plea was accepted by a judge Dec. 6 ahead of a sentencing scheduled for February.

Tampa Strong

Mayor Jane Castor launches 2023 re-election campaign

Ryan Williams-Jent

TAMPA | Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, the city’s 59th and first openly LGBTQ mayor, will officially seek a second term. Castor first made history in 2019, a feat which followed her 31 years with the Tampa Police Department. The Democrat’s 2023 campaign launched Nov. 28 when she filed for re-election with the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.

In a press release, the campaign highlighted Castor’s “aggressive agenda to lift up local neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for every Tampa resident.” They said she’s worked to increase access to affordable housing, enhance workforce development, improve the city’s infrastructure and more.

“As a police officer for over 30 years, I’ve walked every neighborhood in Tampa, talked with neighbors and developed lasting relationships,” Castor said in a statement. “As your mayor, I’ve seen firsthand the needs of this community, worked to solve

problems and delivered results for the City of Tampa.”

Castor’s first-term priorities have included building the East Tampa Recreation Center, the West Tampa Riverwalk and extending Tampa’s streetcar services. She also directed the city to officially recognize LGBT-certified businesses in contracting opportunities, oversaw its perfect scores in the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index and navigated Tampa through the height of the pandemic.

The mayor reflected on that and more during her first in-person State of the City address in May.

“I was born and raised here and firmly believe that this city is going to change more in the next decade than it has in my entire lifetime,” Castor, nearly 62, shared at the time. “We can choose to be a city where households of all income levels have housing opportunities and choices. We can choose to be a city with world-class transit and safe options for getting around instead of growing potholes and traffic jams.

“We can choose to be a city where better jobs reward hard work and lift families out of poverty and into the middle class, and we

can choose to be a city that puts the quality of life for our residents first,” she continued. “It is the job of this administration and this city council to bring Tampa together – to harness our collective strengths as a city and to meet this moment.”

The city noted afterwards that “the past three years have seen major success in enhancing workforce development, establishing sustainability and resilience, improving infrastructure and mobility, increasing housing affordability and strengthening community-centric services.” Officials say the progress has led to a more resilient city “for generations to come.”

According to Florida Politics, two Republican candidates have also filed for mayor, Jeff Godsell and Belinda Noah. The nonpartisan race is scheduled for March 7, 2023.

“Tampa is on a roll. We are the envy of communities across the country – but we still have work to do,” Castor also noted in her statement. “Everyone in our great city deserves access to a safe neighborhood, a home, a job and better transportation. I’m excited to continue building an even better Tampa to ensure we deliver America’s greatest city to the next generation.”

Jane Castor for Mayor will hold a campaign kickoff Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. at Hotel Haya, located at 1412 E. 7th Ave. in Tampa. For more information about her campaign, visit JaneCastorForTampa.com.

TAMPA PROUD: Mayor Jane Castor marches at Tampa Pride 2019. PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

ANTI-LGBTQ, NAZI PROTESTORS TARGET EVENT

Ryan Williams-Jent

LAKELAND, FLA. | A group of anti-LGBTQ, pro-Nazi protestors targeted the Rose Dynasty Foundation’s “Celebration of the Arts” fundraiser Dec. 3.

The Rose Dynasty Foundation, Inc. was formed in 2017 to provide a safe, family-friendly atmosphere for all. “Celebration of the Arts” promised “a night of performing and visual arts from local artist of all ages” while raising funds for CampOUT, an LGBTQ youth summer camp.

The protestors were “a complete surprise to me,” RDF President Jason DeShazo says. The LGBTQ advocate performs as Momma Ashley Rose. As a part of the group’s Nazi paraphernalia and messaging, they displayed a banner reading “Drag queens are pedophiles with AIDS.”

“At that point one of the officers came in to speak to me and asked what was going on,” he remembers.

He says there were at least 10 officers on site who were efficient and respectful, securing exits and escorting attendees in and out.

“They were very present and as an organization, we made sure people were safe,” DeShazo says.

“Our people were being yelled at, being screamed at, being called pedophiles; they were filming children and adults walking through. They even projected things on the side of the building saying “Warning: Child grooming in progress.’”

The Lakeland Police Department confirmed their presence to The Ledger, a local news source.

Spokesperson Robin Tillett told the outlet “the representative from the protesting group advised they were not Lakeland residents and said they were there to protest an event occurring at the location.”

RDF also reflected on the event in its official statement. “This is an example of how the climate that we are in today has pushed extremists and given them a voice,” they said.

“Rose Dynasty Foundation will continue to provide a safe space for all people – it’s just a shame that these are the type of things we have to worry about,” they continued.

Through it all, DeShazo still calls the event a success. He says the foundation has received widespread support and that around 70 people attended, including 10 minors. They raised more than $2,500 for CampOUT.

“This affected a lot of people and we want them all to know that we’re not going anywhere,” he says. “It wasn’t only the LGBTQ community that this traumatized, it was people of color and Jewish people alike. We’re going to do our best to keep everyone safe but we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing –providing a safe space for everyone, one way or another.”

For more information about the Rose Dynasty Foundation and to support the nonprofit’s work, visit RoseDynastyFoundation.org.

HRC RELEASES 11TH MEI

Ryan Williams-Jent

The Human Rights Campaign released its 11th Municipal Equality Index Nov. 30, revealing a record number of cities excelled in protecting LGBTQ rights this year – including in Florida.

The MEI examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies and services are for LGBTQ people who live and work there. 120 of the 506 cities rated earned the highest score of 100 this year.

In Florida, HRC scored Cape Coral, Coral Gables, Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville, Hialeah, Hollywood, Jacksonville, Miami, Miami Shores, Oakland Park, Orlando, Pembroke Pines, Port Saint Lucie, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Wilton Manors in 2022.

Daytona Beach scored the lowest with 30 points. Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Oakland Park, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tampa and West Palm Beach and Wilton Manors each received perfect scores.

Learn more and view each city’s scorecard at HRC.org/MEI and read more from local leaders at WatermarkOnline.com.

in Tolls

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BILL WINS SENATE PASSAGE

WASHINGTON | The Senate passed bipartisan legislation Nov. 29 to protect same-sex marriages, an extraordinary sign of shifting national politics on the issue and a measure of relief for the hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalized gay marriage nationwide.

The bill, which would ensure that same-sex and interracial marriages are enshrined in federal law, was approved 61-36, including support from 12 Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the legislation was “a long time coming” and part of America’s “difficult but inexorable march towards greater equality.”

Democrats are moving quickly, while the party still holds the majority in both chambers of Congress. The legislation now moves to the House for a final vote.

President Joe Biden praised the bipartisan vote and said he will sign the bill “promptly and proudly” if it is passed by the House. He said it will ensure that LGBTQ youth “will grow up knowing that they, too, can lead full, happy lives and build families of their own.”

The bill has gained steady momentum since the Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion, a ruling that included a concurring opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested same-sex marriage could also come under threat. Bipartisan Senate negotiations got a kick-start this summer when 47 Republicans unexpectedly voted for a House bill and gave supporters new optimism.

The legislation would not force any state to allow same-sex couples to marry. But it would require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed, and protect current same-sex unions, if the court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision were to be

overturned. It’s a stunning bipartisan endorsement, and evidence of societal change, after years of bitter divisiveness on the issue.

A new law protecting same-sex marriages would also be a major victory for Democrats as they relinquish their two years of consolidated power in Washington, and a massive win for advocates who have been pushing for decades for federal legislation. It comes as the LGBTQ community has faced violent attacks, such as the shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado that killed five people and injured at least 17.

The vote was personal for many senators, too. Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat who is the first openly gay senator and was the lead sponsor of the bill, tearfully hugged Schumer and others as the final vote was called. Baldwin, who has been working on gay rights issues for almost four decades, tweeted thanks to the same-sex and interracial couples who she said made the moment possible.

COLORADO GOVERNOR VISITS CLUB Q SITE

Wire Report

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. |

In a crowded brewery, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis embraced Richard Fierro, the veteran hailed as a hero after tackling a shooter who killed five people and injured 17 others at the LGBTQ enclave Club Q.

There was a festive atmosphere Nov. 29 at Atrevida Beer, owned by Fierro, where patrons clutched pints of beer, a long line stretched across the room to the door, and above the bar was printed a message: “Diversity, it’s on tap.”

Fierro’s event, where Polis and the Colorado Springs mayor both made an appearance, was the paradigm of a catchphrase Fierro has repeated since the shooting: “Be nice, hug each other, take care of your neighbor.”

The hugs seemed contagious. Fierro squeezed Wyatt Kent, a drag queen whose 23rd birthday was being celebrated the night of the shooting, and chatted with his family.

Kent, who’s drag name is Potted Plant, was still reeling from the horrific night. Kent remembered

shots, then collapsing below Kelly Loving, who had been shot in the chest. Squeezing her hand as they asked Siri to call 911, Kent then held Loving’s head, repeating “one more breath, just one more breath” before paramedics arrived.

Loving was among the five dead, along with Daniel Aston, who Kent was in a relationship with.

Kent, who’d written 119 poems about Aston, went completely numb in the days afterward. Then, they began connecting with Aston’s family and friends, those “who loved him, it’s really healing,” they said.

Club Q’s community had been a steadfast support network, said Kent, one which has continued to undergird the community’s healing since the tragedy.

The broader Colorado Springs community is pouring out support for the survivors, too. At his brewery, Fierro was honored with $50,000 from a local credit union.

Matt Gendron, chief engagement officer at Ent Credit Union and who’s employee had been in Club Q that night, said that Fierro “saved the lives

of many people, including one of our family members.”

Earlier that day, Polis solemnly walked along a line of flowers, crosses and signs bearing the photos and names of the victims outside Club Q in Colorado Springs.

When he reached the end, he picked up a piece of pink chalk and drew a heart and wrote “We remember” on the pavement in front of the memorial, which had been covered with tarps to protect it from snow until his arrival.

“Five people are lost forever. We celebrate their lives. We mourn them,” Polis said while speaking to reporters afterward at the site.

Polis, who spoke earlier in the day to relatives of those killed as well as the injured, wore a gay pride ribbon pinned to the zipper of his puffy jacket. The Democrat, who became the first openly gay man elected governor in the U.S. in 2018, said he was concerned about rhetoric associating mainly transgender people with grooming and pedophilia and feared it could “inspire acts against the LGBTQ community.”

IN OTHER NEWS

SHEPARD PORTRAIT DEDICATED AT NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

Matthew Shepard, the gay college student who was murdered in a 1998 anti-gay hate crime outside Laramie, Wyoming, was honored with a new portrait at the Washington National Cathedral Dec. 1. Officials at the cathedral said the portrait, by artist Kelly Latimore and commissioned by LGBTQ members of the Cathedral staff, is the only artistic image of Shepard created in collaboration with Shepard’s parents, Dennis and Judy Shepard, who were present during the ceremony. Matthew Shepard’s ashes were interred at the Washington National Cathedral in 2018, 20 years after his death.

WHO RENAMES MONKEYPOX AS MPOX

The World Health Organization has renamed monkeypox as mpox, citing concerns the original name of the decades-old animal disease could be construed as discriminatory and racist. The U.N. health agency said in a statement Nov. 28 that mpox was its new preferred name for monkeypox, saying that both monkeypox and mpox would be used for the next year while the old name is phased out. To date, there have been more than 80,000 cases identified in dozens of countries that had not previously reported the smallpox-related disease. Outside of Africa, nearly all cases have been in gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.

SINGAPORE REPEALS SODOMY LAW

Lawmakers in Singapore repealed a colonial-era law Nov. 29 that criminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations. The Straits Times newspaper notes 93 MPs voted to repeal Section 377A of the country’s penal code after 10 hours of debate that spanned two days. A constitutional amendment that ensures marriage remains defined between a man and a woman also passed on Tuesday with 85 MPs voting in favor of it. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in August announced his country would decriminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations.

PUTIN SIGNS LAW EXPANDING LGBTQ ‘PROPAGANDA’ RESTRICTIONS

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law Dec. 5 that significantly expands restrictions on activities seen as promoting LGBTQ rights in the country. A 2013 law banned what authorities deem to be spreading “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” to minors. The new law expands that ban to spreading such information to people aged 18 and older. The new law outlaws advertising, media and online resources, books, films and theater productions deemed to contain such “propaganda.” It also broadens the existing restrictions by banning information about gender transitions to be spread to minors and bans information deemed to be propaganda promoting pedophilia.

EVERY YEAR, AS VARIOUS

holidays open the door to families, friends and chosen allies, we come together and celebrate the season’s shindigs. For many, especially those who live far away from their families, it is the ideal moment to spruce themselves up, clean up their smiles and prepare for that picture-perfect portrait. More often than not however, that snapshot perfection is shrouded in yearlong, and sometimes decadeslong, struggles that seem to dissipate the minute we light up that pumpkin spice candle wick.

A few weeks ago, during a conversation with a friend regarding upcoming Thanksgiving dinners with family, we safely shared what it was like to suck it up and show up to these family affairs. What we ended up realizing is that the reality for so many people around us, if you are somewhat estranged — either because of your marital status, custody agreements or the too common being LGBTQ+ within a conservative family setting — is one that could be construed as no less than difficult.

In the midst of approaching back-to-back holiday family affairs, we cannot help but sometimes feel like stuffing ourselves, not only with the starchy sides, but with the feelings of rejection we carry from bigoted family members. In times when more and more of us feel not only the need, but the pressure, to speak up against hypocrisy and thinly veiled discrimination, the only way I can Lovehandle this sort of holiday truce starts with compassion.

Yes, I know I seem to bring the “c” word up more and more to heal or soothe emotional distress, but in the case of this holiday truce, I want you to consider giving yourself compassion first rather than giving it to somebody else. Hear (read) me out. For many

of us estranged LGBTQ+ individuals, to navigate uncomfortable circumstances when it comes to social settings is not new. It is a situation we have faced before or possibly were even raised in. We grow up being bullied, beaten up, spat on (I’m personalizing here) and looked on with disdain. I know we’ve all been there, which is why it makes even more sense that the first person who should receive your compassionate treatment is your own self. The very reason we, as a community, are so capable of uplifting and offer solace in times of grief, provide support to those in need and organize around an issue to stand up against it, is because we know what it is to be oppressed, to be shunned from our homes and to find in ourselves the gumption to stand back up and make a life for ourselves; a life that we know works for us, rather than what works for those who will never see us as equals.

Interestingly, one of the motivators for us to come back to our familial interactions is the fact that, fortunately, there is oftentimes that one family member who loves us unconditionally, which is why we make our return to the shaky field of forced handshakes, hugs and uneasy life catch ups that fill up uncomfortable voids when left alone in the room. Wouldn’t it be perfect if everyone would think like that family member who loves us and/or stands up for us? In a perfect world, yes; but in reality, we all have to deal with those who choose to be bigots against our very unchangeable nature; or should we?

Whenever you read the word “compassion” most of us may think of the church, religious activities or prayers, when in fact compassion is a human capability, not an inherently exclusive skill for religious people. Compassion feeds our hopes, loves and dreams, and if you allow me to say, compassion can also exist with a good sense

of egotistical care. This selfish trait I am trying to advocate for has nothing to do with the selfishness we are used to that can wedge in detrimental consequences, but rather a wise selfishness that precludes those with the unconscious (or conscious) intention to harm us, to be

of these family affairs, facing unreasonable relatives, you must stay true to the real reason for your showing up, which is not about the one or two bigoted people, but because of yourself. You deserve to take up those spaces with your full self in their presence, and those who

supposed to be bilateral, and sometimes we need to strap a good amount of selfish compassion for ourselves and skip one holiday or two, and that is perfectly fine. If that is what your soul needs today, please do that, and be kind to yourself during these times. You do not need

disarmed instantly. Nothing disables a rotten spirit more than an immovable compassionate stance, and in the meantime, you may experience how true compassion works for the self. This selfish compassionate stance requires commitment and a consistent deal of reminding of what your priorities are when in these holiday circumstances. If you have decided to attend one

truly enjoy having you in their lives deserve to see the full tenacity of your compassion, and how much we are the real reason to celebrate the holidays.

Truces are commonly employed by families (and countries) around the world, whether to stop the everyday hostilities or to take a moment to stop and think about what is really worth fighting for. Truces are also

to share space with those who do not know how to love you because, truth be told, it is a reflection on their own incapacity for self-love. With this compassionate selfishness, I want you to prioritize yourself, and take up the space you need to show those around you why the holidays are truly worth celebrating.

Happy Holidays, Lovehandlers!

[I]n the case of the holidays, I want you to consider giving yourself compassion first rather than giving it to somebody else.

Jerick Mediavilla

AS WE HEAD INTO THE

holiday season, I am incredibly thankful for the young Americans who leaned into their civic duty during the 2022 midterm elections. A change is coming – a transformational generational political shift is on the horizon – and if we are smart enough to embrace the developing political climate, we will start seeing the country we all deserve.

Generation Z and millennials showed up in force to curtail the “Red Wave” in the midterms. The Biden-Harris Administration and the Democratic Party were bracing for impact when the race was called or Maxwell Alejandro Frost, the March for our Lives activist turned Congressman from Florida’s 10th District.

Congressman-Elect Frost, 25, is the first member of Generation Z to be elected to Congress and will set the standard for what is coming next. According to data from the Pew Research Center, Generation Z is the most diverse and trending to be the most well-education generation in the United States and worldwide.

Generation Z’s political sensibilities align with their millennial siblings on various issues, from the economy and social issues to expectations of the role of government. By the time we enter the 2024 presidential election cycle, Gen Z and millennials will be the largest demographic in the electorate, giving me hope.

The Biden-Harris administration came to power bookended by what they referred to as four historic and converging crises – the COVID-19 pandemic, the

economy, climate change and racial justice – and they have made noteworthy progress in combating them. In part, that could be because of Generation Z. Its members are far more outspoken than millennials and demand more from the government. They have a sense of urgency because their lives have born witness to government failures, multiple economic downturns, a once-in-ageneration global pandemic, fallout from the racial reckoning of Black Lives Matter and the summer of 2020 and the devasting impacts of climate change on us all.

Young people have watched constitutional rights be stripped away by the Supreme Court, state legislatures systematically target their LGBTQ+ friends, and our country’s inability to do anything meaningful to address the sickness of gun violence. A change is coming.

The research and data coming out of the Edison Research Institute are promising and will result in transformational change, if proven true. While the data is preliminary, Edison reports that 63% of Gen Z and millennial voters ages 18-29 voted for Democrats, while 35% voted for Republicans. Millennials, those from the ages of 30-44, favored Democrats by a 6-point margin. 51% said they voted for Democrats Young voters’ impact on future elections is palpable. The Republican Party –shaken by the rebuke of their agenda, Trumpism and their deeply unpopular policy choices – will use their limited control of the House of Representatives and state legislatures to push back on this political shift, but in my view, it is too late.

Change is already here. Generation Z and millennials may have stopped the “Red Wave” from crashing us backward, but we cannot take this progress for granted.

In my political circles, there is ongoing discussion and debate about what the Democratic Party needs to do next. The answer is simple. We need to lean into the swell of progress on the horizon. The Democratic Party should embrace the next generation of leaders,

for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus.”

Other members in House Democratic leadership have also stated publicly that they would be stepping aside to make room for a new generation.

How we manage this generational shift in politics

The service and leadership of the older guard do not go unnoticed, but this new generation is ready.

The United States still faces challenges. Those four converging crises are still with us. But with a commitment to and by embracing

champion the policy agenda and issues important to the younger electorate and pass the torch.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi perfectly demonstrated and modeled for the party how this should be done. In a graceful speech delivered on the floor of the U.S. House, Speaker Pelosi stated that “for me the hour has come

will have the ability to shape the next 50 years. Generation Z can now turn to Rep-Elect Frost as a source of what is possible. As a millennial, I recognize that AOC, The Squad, Katie Porter and the next Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, will represent the next iteration of the Democratic Party.

the next generation of voters, progress will come to America.

Johnny Boykins is a Democratic strategist and organizer in Pinellas County, a husband, bow tie aficionado, amateur chef and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. He also serves as Director of Outreach with the Pinellas Democratic Party. Learn more at PinellasDemocrats.org.

Change is already here. Generation Z and millennials may have stopped the ‘Red Wave’ from crashing us backward, but we cannot take this progress for granted.

Johnny Boykins

talking points

If I had my way, I would shield everyone I could from the nonsensical acts of hate in the world, but I am only one person. Thankfully, we are a family and family looks after one another.

BRENDAN FRASER, WHOSE PERFORMANCE IN “THE WHALE” HAS MADE HIM A LIKELY AWARDS CANDIDATE this year, says he won’t attend the Golden Globes in January if he’s nominated. In 2018, Fraser said that he was groped by longtime Hollywood Foreign Press Association member Philip Berk, a former president of the organization behind the Globes, in 2003. Berk, a member from South Africa, was expelled from the HFPA last year after calling Black Lives Matter “a racist hate movement.” Earlier this year, the HFPA, after reforms, said the 80th Golden Globes will be broadcast Jan. 10 on NBC. But Fraser won’t be there. “No, I will not participate,” Fraser told GQ Magazine. “It’s because of the history that I have with them and my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”

LA DODGERS DONATE $1M TO ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION

THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS

ANNOUNCED A $1 MILLION DONATION to the Elton John AIDS Foundation during one of the star’s weekend performances at Dodger Stadium, the last North American stop on his final tour. The team’s principal owner, Mark Walter, and Dodgers co-owner Billie Jean King presented a symbolic giant check at the Nov. 19 show. John thanked the team for its generosity and called Dodger Stadium “an iconic venue which has meant so much to me and my career.” John famously appeared at Dodger Stadium in a sequined Dodgers uniforms in 1975. His foundation is an independent organization dedicated to ending AIDS.

CHAMPIONS

tournament of champions in an episode that aired Nov. 21. Schneider, a writer from Oakland, California, won three games in the tournament finals, narrowly beating Andrew He, a software developer from neighboring San Francisco, who won two games. The third contestant, Sam Buttrey, was another Californian who won one game. Schneider had a 40-game winning streak earlier this year, the second longest in the game show’s history, which began when she defeated He.

BARRY MANILOW ANNOUNCES 2023 TOUR

MUSIC LEGEND BARRY MANILOW IS TAKING A SHORT BREAK FROM HIS RESIDENCY AT THE WESTGATE LAS VEGAS RESORT & CASINO in 2023 for a limited, seven-city tour in the southern U.S. The tour titled “Manilow: Hits 2023” will mark Manilow’s 50th anniversary as a recording artist and will highlight the legend’s greatest hits including “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs” and “Copacabana (At the Copa).” The tour kicks off Jan. 12 at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida before Manilow heads to Tampa’s Amalie Arena Jan. 14 and Orlando’s Amway Center Jan. 17. Other stops include Savannah, Georgia Jan. 15; Atlanta, Georgia Jan. 19; Nashville, Tennessee Jan. 20; and concludes in Charlotte, North Carolina Jan. 21.

—NAVY PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS THOMAS JAMES, ONE OF THE HEROES WHO HELPED TO STOP THE SHOOTER WHO ATTACKED CLUB Q IN COLORADO SPRINGS

AMY SCHNEIDER WINS ‘JEOPARDY!’ TOURNAMENT OF

FORTY-GAME WINNER AMY SCHNEIDER CAPPED HER BIG YEAR BY WINNING A HARD-FOUGHT “JEOPARDY!”

E n d i n g t h e HIV epidem i c

Maxwell Alejandro Frost

U.S. House of Representatives-elect, District

ANNA V. ESKAMANI, FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DISTRICT 47

MAXWELL ALEJANDRO FROST

made history this year by becoming the first Generation Z member of Congress.

I was proud to endorse him during his crowded Democratic Primary in District 10 where he came out on top.

A truly remarkable individual, Maxwell was born to a Puerto Rican woman of Lebanese descent and a Haitian father. He was adopted as an infant, his mother is a special education teacher who migrated to the United States from Cuba in the Freedom Flights and his adoptive father is a musician from Kansas.

A young man who understands struggle, Maxwell came of age as mass shootings, economic upheaval and discrimination took center stage in the United States. But instead of turning a blind eye towards these very real problems, Maxwell found power in pain and took action for his community.

I first met Maxwell following the devastating shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School; he and I were both working with impacted students and helped to organize a major gun

safety rally in Orlando. He soon became the National Organizing Director for March For Our Lives, and would spend time working with the ACLU too.

When Maxwell decided to run for Congress, a lot of folks told him not to. Some said it “wasn’t his time” and that he should wait.

I 100% disagree. We’ve seen around the country the power of Generation Z. This is a power that should not be hindered, it should be unlocked and supported. So when Maxwell asked me if he should run I didn’t hesitate to support him.

Our country is desperate for a new generation of leaders who are not bought and sold by

10

corporations, for leaders who solve problems and focus on delivering results for the American people. For leaders who inspire engagement and unity — not apathy and division.

Maxwell is that leader. He is someone who centers policy around people and believes in bold change. Maxwell is exactly the kind of voice we need in Congress, the type of role model the next generation deserves and I cannot wait to see how he’ll continue to make history as the remarkable person he is.

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

Nicole Berman

St Pete Pride Executive Director

TIFFANY FREISBERG, ST PETE PRIDE PRESIDENT

NICOLE

BERMAN

IS A remarkable pain in the ass, especially when she has her mind set on something. Nicole on a mission means the demands flow in abundantly and at all hours of the day by text, email and calls. In fact, as I was writing this, my phone just pinged with another “request.”

All of this is what makes Nicole exactly what St Pete Pride needs as we celebrate our 20-year history and move our organization into its next era.

When St Pete Pride started its search for a new executive director, we knew we needed an out-of-the-box thinker with grit and a tireless work ethic. More so, we needed someone committed to making St Pete Pride more diverse, inclusive and equitable than ever before. Over 300 applicants from around the world threw their hats in the ring. We interviewed almost 80 candidates – many of them multiple times. It became increasingly clear with each round of interviews that Nicole was just who the hiring committee had been looking for.

Since arriving in St. Pete, Nicole has integrated herself into the community with intention and purpose. She is singularly driven by an unwavering commitment to equality and justice, and she is not afraid to ruffle feathers. Always professional but never apologetic in her

fight for LGBTQ+ rights, Nicole is the kind of advocate any community would be fortunate to have.

As board president, I spend a lot of time working alongside Nicole. We talk almost daily and have become close friends through our time in the Pride trenches together. Nicole challenges me in the most infuriating ways. But admittedly, she’s often right, and her opinions are never rooted in ego but always in her belief about what’s right for the organization. I’m continually impressed by Nicole’s willingness to throw herself on her sword and stand up for what she believes is right.

At St Pete Pride, we have a clear mandate: we will not compromise on the integrity of our mission for anything or anyone. So, if a prospective sponsor doesn’t share our organization’s values, we will not take their money. I have watched Nicole fulfill that promise repeatedly – and even so, for the first time in our history, our organization brought in over a million dollars this past June.

None of these words come close to capturing the spirit of our tattoo-sleeved, Birkenstock-wearing, puppy-loving, tequila-drinking ED. She’s exceptional for so many reasons – a significant one being that she convinced Cait Dooley, one of the kindest, coolest humans ever, to marry her earlier this year.

If you haven’t had the chance to meet Nicole yet, treat yourself. There’s no one quite like her, and I’m so honored to call her a friend. Even if she is a remarkable pain in the ass.

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

Andrea Montanez

Hope CommUnity Center LGBTQ Immigration Coordinator

DEBO OFSOWITZ, HOPE COMMUNITY CENTER DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

HOW DO I WRITE ABOUT MY friend Andrea? Where do I start? I guess I start at the beginning … not her beginning, but the beginning of our friendship.

In December 2019, just before the dark days of COVID shutdowns, I brought my beautiful wife to a holiday gathering of friends called the T-Network. We walked in and, very shortly after arriving, a quiet lady sitting off to the side began speaking to my wife in her native Portuguese. Soon they were having a conversation in Portuglish, a mixture of Portuguese and Spanish. In her own thick Colombian accent, the lady introduced herself as Andrea. And so, a friendship was born. We quickly connected on social media and soon had many online interactions.

As with all things, COVID shutdowns dampened our opportunities to further connect … until October 2021 when I took a new role in Development for Hope CommUnity Center (or simply, Hope) in Apopka,

Florida. Andrea had begun working there as an LGBTQ+ Immigrant Advocate only one week before I did. It was serendipity for sure.

At Hope, Andrea and I are both working in our different roles for the same goal. She works in Advocacy and Community Organizing, building community committees, securing safe spaces, visibility and representation for those who sit at the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Immigrant identities, and fighting for justice, equity and belonging for immigrants and others marginalized to the corners of society through bias and unjust laws. While I help raise the money necessary for her and others at Hope to continue their work.

In my time working with Andrea, I learned much more about her background. I learned how her life of “living undercover,” as she puts it, gave her the skills to be successful as an undercover agent in Colombian anti-drug law enforcement. She shared with me how she was under threat both for her work and for her identity and that pushed her to seek asylum in the USA. I learned that Andrea is fierce. Het-cis people will often refer to transgender people as being brave for

living authentically. Andrea is brave because she was an undercover bad ass in her past life in Columbian law enforcement and because she is an authentic bad ass in her life today.

Hope was founded 50 years ago when some radical Catholic nuns were invited by the Orlando Diocese to come to Central Florida and work with the area’s orange pickers and farm workers. The Sisters chose to love unconditionally and live their faith through action. And while the nuns themselves welcome everybody and love everybody, there are many very religious, Catholic conservatives that feel connected to Hope.

Recently when a visiting priest from Poland asked Andrea how she would explain herself when she meets the almighty, she responded that she wouldn’t need to “explain herself” but would instead thank God for making her exactly as she should be. They prayed together and this interaction left the priest admitting that he had much to think on and learn. And such is the power of Andrea.

In the community she sits on numerous boards and committees, working with Come Out With Pride, Peer Support Space, Contigo Fund, The Mexican Consulate and Hope’s own QTIs (Queer Trans Immigrants) group. I often wonder when she sleeps. What I do not wonder about is where her power comes from. It comes from her infinite capacity to love and her unapologetic authenticity.

TAMARA

Rocky Butler

9 Colors Initiative Founder

LEIGH,

BLAQUE/OUT MAGAZINE MANAGING EDITOR

IHAVE BEEN AN

ACTIVIST, EDUCATOR

and advocate for the intersectional LGBTQ+ community for over a decade. I came to Florida from New York for a fresh start, but one thing I could never leave behind was my work.

I met Rocky when I was asked to attend a conversation about uplifting diversity in Tampa Bay’s Pride community. I listened to his story about working tirelessly to break into the existing Pride network to be able to make it to a table and create real change.

It’s a hell of a mountain to climb. It’s frustrating and exhausting to know you have insights and connections to communities that are underrepresented and misunderstood but that your influence is downplayed and your suggestions are ignored. When you are young and Black, it happens all the time.

Rocky and I talked for a long time about the tremendous things he’d already accomplished. He talked about the diversity and equity work that 9 Colors Initiative does and about the connections and collaborations he was building.

I had done some DEI work around Pride and was able to make some introductions. He took off and did the rest of the work himself.

Those are the type of people you want to push doors open for, because you know they will make every bit of it count and achieve more than you could imagine. In the short time since, Rocky has continued

to uplift and provide a stage for the Ballroom scene in Tampa Bay, which is iconic in Black Queer culture. 9 Colors continues to grow and not just as an avenue of entertainment or education but in outreach and community care.

My organization was able to stand by his while they were feeding folks who were down on their luck or affected by Hurricane Ian, thanks to his amazing collaboration with Sysco food. Rocky formed a diversity advisory council to hold St Pete Pride accountable for centering inclusion in their festivities and we worked with the board to hold their second annual Juneteenth celebration during Pride this year.

Whether we are meeting to plan, vent or collaborate, it is always something I am so grateful for. There is just nothing like building with folks who understand your passion and the very different way of life you have when your work centers community.

Meanwhile, Rocky knows absolutely everyone and has a plug for everything, so I’ve also benefited in so many ways from the introductions he has made for me in my work. I’ve called him the hardest working man in show business. Most days this work feels like anything but show business, but his work ethic toward it is absolutely undefeated.

It has been a pleasure to get to know him and learn how his mind works. I get pure joy watching him tilt his head slightly to the side right before he is about to go in and tell someone exactly what he thinks, in a way only he can.

That may be my favorite and the most remarkable thing about him: his innate ability to be his most authentic self at all times.

Michael Slaymaker

Orlando Youth Alliance Chief Executive Officer

PATRICK HOWELL, ORLANDO YOUTH ALLIANCE BOARD PRESIDENT

EMARKABLE” IS CERTAINLY A word that I would use to describe Michael Slaymaker. He is truly one of the kindest, most humble and hard-working people I have ever met. Orlando is a better place because of Michael.

“R

I was able to get to know Michael when he asked me to serve with him on the Orlando Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Committee in the early 2000s. I was impressed by both his enthusiasm and positive outlook. Politicians just can’t seem to say “no” to Michael!

Through his leadership, OADO was able to obtain bipartisan support for anti-discrimination ordinances, domestic partner registries and other important legislation benefiting the LGBTQ+ community here in Central Florida. Under Michael’s direction, numerous ordinances were drafted, debated and passed.

Michael is the reason Orlando has a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s municipality scoring index. There’s just no way we would be the inclusive community that we are without his hard work and persistence.

More recently, Michael has been serving as CEO of Orlando Youth Alliance. OYA has been helping Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ youth for over 30 years, but the last few have seen tremendous growth for the organization, both in fundraising and in the services

that have been made available to the youth.

For the youth served, OYA has provided fun recreational and entertainment options, given out countless college scholarships and created a safe place for youth to discuss issues important to them during weekly rap sessions. During his tenure as CEO, Michael has truly transformed OYA and the organization is able to help more youth than ever before. As

Michael likes to say, “the children are our future.” So very true.

It really is an honor to assist in recognizing Michael Slaymaker for Watermark’s “Most Remarkable People” list. I can’t think of a more deserving person.

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

Roger Capote

CAN Community Health Senior Vice President, Marketing & Community Relations, Chief Communications Officer

DR. DEBORAH HAWKES, CAN COMMUNITY HEALTH EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

ROGER CAPOTE IS CAN Community Health’s senior vice president and chief communications officer. As the country’s second largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, CAN has established that excellent healthcare starts with a foundation of inclusion, compassion and respect for all communities regardless of race, color, gender, creed, personal beliefs, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or the ability to pay.

Roger has been with CAN for almost five years and was hired as the chief advancement officer. He has since been promoted and has had his role expanded due to his executive acumen, contribution and ability, and is currently responsible for leading the communications, community engagement, marketing, social media, prevention and outreach departments.

Roger manages the strategic plan, personnel and leadership for each of these functions, while also serving as a consultant to the CEO and COO relative to public relations and affairs. His work promoting, memorializing and publicizing CAN’s 30 years in the fight against stigma and HIV treatment for all culminated this year in the development of CAN’s first Annual Report, the Strategic Executive Retreat and CAN’s attainment of numerous achievements.

They include being selected as one of the 2022 Best Nonprofits to Work For by The Non-Profit Times for the fourth time; recognition in the Gator100 by the University of Florida Alumni Association, which honors the world’s fastest-growing businesses led by UF alums; being named among the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s One Tampa Bay honorees receiving the Champion of Healthcare

Award from the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.

Roger has more than 16 years of experience leading marketing and community engagement in the non-profit sector, with previous executive experience at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. He is the Chair-Elect for the Glasser-Schoenbaum Human Services Board of Trustees and was recently elected to the Safe Place Rape and Crisis Center’s Board of Directors. Roger further demonstrated his commitment to the community through his work with the Asolo Youth Board this year.

Lastly, Roger has served as both coach and mentor to youth in the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that they have positive guidance and support as they navigate the difficulties they face in society. Roger’s leadership and his work with CAN, Asolo and SPARCC are all in complete devotion to the uplifting and advocacy of the community that he serves and is a member of.

He has proven to a be a wonderful executive and contributor here at CAN, a loyal family member and a community service disciple. I am proud to call him friend. Roger is truly remarkable and has earned this distinguished and honorable selection!

Keri Griffin

Orlando VA’s LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Program Coordinator & Special Emphasis Program Manager

KARA V. BOYER, PH.D., ORLANDO VA HEALTHCARE

SYSTEM’S

DEPUTY ASSOCIATE CHIEF OF STAFF

KERI GRIFFIN HAS WORKED AS

a substance use disorder and mental health provider in the Orlando VA Healthcare System for the last 17 years.

For the past 12 years, Keri has served the facility and their veterans in the roles of OVAHCS’s LGBTQ+ Special Emphasis Program Manager and Veteran Care Coordinator.

In these positions she has provided support and services for employees and veteran patients, as well as training and educational opportunities, outreach and the development of strong community relationships.

In October 2021, Keri, through dedication and hard work, was able to facilitate and elevate the LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Program

Coordinator to a full-time position at the OVAHCS to better support the staff and veterans.

Keri has since worked tirelessly to expand the program to better serve the OVAHCS community’s LGBTQ+ veterans and employees.

In January 2021, Keri was nominated and selected as the Veteran’s Integrated Service Network 8 LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator Lead. This has allowed Keri to increase her advocacy to other facilities within VISN 8 as she supports those LGBTQ+ Care Coordinators.

Keri has also developed a monthly Inter-Disciplinary LGBTQ+ Treatment Team at the OVAHCS and has chaired the OVAHCS LGBTQ+ Special Emphasis Program, working closely with the Diversity and Inclusion Team and the Equal Employment Opportunity Office at OVAHCS.

At the beginning of 2022, Keri was voted by the other VISN LGBTQ+ Leads to be the national LGBTQ+ VCC Forum Lead. Due to her hard work with the LGBTQ+ Veteran population within VHA, Keri has received several national I CARE awards over the years for her commitment and advocacy to LGBTQ+ veteran patients and employees.

Keri has not only fostered flourishing partnerships with programs at her facility, in her

VISN and nationally within the Veteran’s Health Administration, but also with the greater Orlando LGBTQ+ community through various organizations.

Keri has developed these relationships and respect through regularly participating in numerous outreach events within the community.

From 2021 to the present Keri has been an active part of assisting with the national federal employee resource group, PrideVA, where she has assisted with federal employee advocacy and advancement with employees across departments in Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.

Keri was selected to be on one of the eight national VHA workstreams in the beginning of 2022 as VHA continues to strive towards providing gender affirming surgeries in VHA within the next couple of years, along with continuing to enhance access to the other services already provided by VHA for our gender diverse veterans.

In June 2022, Keri received Federal Employee of the Year Honorable Mention for her Service to the LGBTQ+ Community and she was also honored by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto as a Distinguished Leader in Central Florida for Pride Month and had her biography read into the Congressional Record.

OVAHCS is extremely fortunate to have Keri within their ranks providing consistent advocacy and care for LGBTQ+ employees and Veterans!

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

Samantha Luque

Sllama Productions Founder CASEY CHAVEZ, FRIEND

REMARKABLE CAN MEAN MANY things, but the one person that upholds the significance of that word would be Samantha Luque. She took it upon herself this year to shine a spotlight on Tampa Bay’s LBGTQIA+ and drag community through her film “The Heart of Ybor.”

Eyes are constantly on the drag community when it comes to the glitz and glam, but seldom do we talk about the process, the history, the struggles, the community’s work and everything else behind the scenes. She changed that with her film.

She was a one-woman, LGBTQIA+ company who put together the documentary in a matter of a months. It features multiple well-known and beloved performers from throughout the area, including Brianna Summers, Gabrielle Santi, Esme Russell, Jade Embers, Joey Brooks, Lady Fatalya and more.

I had never seen such dedication and vigor from anyone. Samantha wanted nothing other than to be able to tell the whole story of one that should be noted and celebrated. She stayed up day and night, filming and interviewing these artists, gaining a real side of the story.

The performers do so much more than their few minutes on the stage and that can get overlooked. Samantha captured the hard work that goes into each of their performances and detailed their efforts right here in Tampa Bay. Each performer highlighted has a heart of gold and were so open and excited to take part in this project.

The documentary and the entire process was inspiring! Samantha worked with their schedules and respected who they are. Their stories are not ones that could be told lightly. They hold passion and truth.

Samantha’s project with the performers landed a nomination for Best Documentary at the Gasparilla Film Festival. The crowd was packed with supporters, new faces and even the performers themselves, receiving a level of applause that was full of love and support.

None of this could have been possible without her dedication of the performers and their story. Her love for the community and her unwavering commitment to the story of Tampa’s drag scene was remarkable.

Samantha’s dedication to these communities didn’t stop there. She is now in the process of building up her film company, Sllama Productions. Their mission is to “give a voice to minority groups that have been put aside by society to not only ensure understanding, but to instill empowerment and create a ripple of change.” She’s worked with countless nonprofits to help spread awareness and community support for those in need. It’s hard to find someone with such

pure energy and motivation. If you ever need a helping hand, an ear to speak to or some hype, then she’s your girl. Samantha worked diligently this year to make each day brighter for all.

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

Will Larkins

Central Florida student and LGBTQ activist

BRANDON WOLF, EQUALITY FLORIDA PRESS SECRETARY

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME, “WHAT

gives you hope right now?” Let’s face it: it’s a fair question. So much about the current political climate in Florida is designed to demoralize LGBTQ people and leave us sapped of hope. Our governor has staked his future on terrorizing LGBTQ young people and their families, leading the charge on book banning, classroom censorship, denial of health care and making our state as hostile to them as possible.

He has revived age-old anti-LGBTQ tropes, likening us to a contagious ideology and vowing to curb our spread. In totality, it is a strategy meant to drive us back into the darkest days of hiding from our family and friends, terri�ied of being seen for who we are. So, it may come as no surprise that a new generation of leaders, a youthful resistance rising up to meet that bigotry head on, is what gives me hope. One such leader is blazing the path toward a better, more inclusive future right here in Central Florida: Will Larkins. I met Will just a few blocks from the Florida Capitol. I was tucked into a restaurant booth, burying the emotional weight of the day in a plate full of soggy french fries, when Will approached the table. They were practically buzzing with de�iant energy, undeterred by the toxic politics of the building down the street and laying out their plans to �ight back with focused

intensity. They were determined to see schools in Florida treat everyone with dignity and respect and content for anyone in earshot to know. Moments like those stand out above the numbing hum of politics because they’re real. Authentic. They inspire.

Not long after that, Will made good on their promise, leading a walkout at Winter Park High School that saw thousands of students — LGBTQ and allied — leave their classrooms to demand a stop to Don’t Say LGBTQ. That organizing action went viral, garnering millions of views across social media, as the student walkouts caught �ire and spread across the state. Will Larkins, the 17-year-old high school student who boldly declared that they would be �ighting back, was painting a vision of what’s possible in Florida right before our eyes.

Will’s work did not stop with a single walkout. In the months that followed, they penned a powerful New York Times opinion piece naming the inevitable harms of the Don’t Say LGBTQ law, appeared in documentary �ilm projects, organized successful protests against book censorship

policies at the Orange County School Board and went viral again, this time for donning a dazzling red dress and delivering a pitch-perfect lesson on the Stonewall Riots to their history class. At every turn, Will has been unwavering and undeterred in their insistence that we can do better — that we must do better.

At this year’s Equality Florida Greater Orlando Gala, I had the honor of granting the Youth Voice for Equality Award to Will. What struck me that night was not simply the chance to recognize Will’s incredible contributions from the stage, it was seeing how much hope they inspired in the faces at every table. In Will, they saw the future. They saw a Florida that is safer for and more inclusive of all people. They saw the unmatched potential of a new crop of leaders. They saw an audacious authenticity. They dared to imagine, some for perhaps the �irst time since the governor plunged our state into an anti-LGBTQ culture war, a brighter future ahead.

If you ask me what gives me hope right now, it’s Will Larkins. Things are likely to get tougher for LGBTQ people in Florida before they get easier. Those opposed to equality are well-resourced, hitched to advantageous political wagons and �iercely determined to peel away our progress. But we have been through moments like this before. And with our backs against the wall, we have blazed a path forward because people like Will refuse to be silenced. Refuse to be erased. They live boldly. Organize relentlessly. Lead with vulnerability. And never take their eyes off the future that is possible — and worth �ighting for. That future is in good hands with leaders like Will Larkins.

David Fischer

Tampa Bay Entrepreneur

ADAM HASKIN, LONGTIME FRIEND

IN 2015, DAVID LEFT HIS CORPORATE

job after serving as a vice president in the food and beverage industry for over 25 years. His full intent was to retire and to enjoy a simpler life by focusing on the growth of his newly started business, ZaZoo’d, a décor and design store.

He planned on working on a few projects to keep busy but discovered that wasn’t so simple. As you stroll through St. Petersburg, you’ll come across some exceptionally designed spaces full of rich colors that are mixed with unique textiles and lighting that gives inspiration to how old spaces can be transformed, the touch of David’s interior design work. They include The Hollander Hotel, The Avalon Hotel, Zubrick Magic Theater and so many more.

But David wasn’t content with just designing for others. He saw a grander vision at the corner of 24th and Central, where a building stood neglected. He knew that he could transform this space into something St. Petersburg had never experienced. In 2020, he opened The Saint, a sinful true speakeasy created to have its patrons explore the differences between what religion tells us to do and what we actually do in life.

Opening amid a pandemic where masks and space restrictions were in place, sinners flocked to The Saint to confess, leaving their sins hung among the back wall as a means to repent. Not even nine months into opening the space, he decided to make another dream a reality, opening an LGBTQ bar the community could be proud of. He felt the bars were often dark and hidden, speaking to the need for

anonymity within the community, but knew times have changed.

David felt passionately that the LGBTQ community needed a place they could be proud of, no longer hiding behind dark glass and closed bar fronts. So, he designed and opened the high energy bar Cocktail, featuring laser lights, drag performances, an open bar front and cheeky design elements.

But above both businesses is the historic 1926 Mari Jean Hotel, another neglected space needing a new life. As construction for Cocktail was completed, David set his sights on the hotel and the addition of a luxury pool bar and day club to accompany a grander vision of an LGBTQ resort.

In Nov. 2022, David opened The Wet Spot, a pool bar featuring live entertainment, cabanas, bottle service and other special events. The hotel is currently on track to open in Spring 2023 with over 50 rooms to serve LGBTQ travelers as they visit Tampa Bay.

Over these past two years, David has remained focused on creating safe and

elevated spaces for the LGBTQ community to be their authentic selves without fear of harm or judgment. He’s demonstrated across the city that old spaces can be renewed with the proper touch and attention to detail.

From post-Pride events held in the streets to working behind the bar, David continues to be a pivotal player in St Petersburg. I’ve never witnessed anyone with as much dedication and pride to just “getting things right.”

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

CONGRATULATIONS

St Pete Pride held its annual Red & Green Party at Sunken Gardens Dec. 3, a festive evening of fundraising and more welcoming celebrity host Jai Rodriguez. The evening benefited St Pete Pride’s future endeavors and both Southwest Florida Pride and Naples Pride, each impacted by Hurricane Ian. Read more and view photos at WatermarkOnline.com.

HOLIDAY POP-UP

American Stage has announced “Wonderful Life,” a oneman, pop-up holiday show starring Matthew McGee across four regional venues Dec. 15-24. The theatre company shared the news Nov. 28, calling it “a bona fide surprise.” The play was co-adapted from the holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” by American Stage Producing Artistic Director Helen Murray and Jason Lott. Drag performers of all varieties are invited to opening night at no charge. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

RESIGNATION

Tampa Pride apologized and Secretary and Festival Director Mark Bias resigned after posting derogatory comments regarding drag on Dec. 5. The organization says “we also must instill a renewed sense of community and trust in Tampa Pride. As always we would like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like toa ttend the monthly meeting on 12/13.” The meeting will be held at Hampton Inn Hampton Inn and Suites on 7th Ave. in Ybor at 6:30 p.m. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

St. Pete free spirit Miranda Colette (Dec. 8); Tampa Bay entertainer PheYonce Montrese aka Metro Inclusive Health’s Nate Taylor, Tampa Bay realtor Rick Fifer (Dec. 9); Tampa Bay actor Spencer Meyers, Largo pharmacist Eric Hutton, Tampa Bay entertainer Veronica Vixen aka Vincent Bailey-Santamarina, St Pete Pride mainstay Fernando Chonqui (Dec. 10); Tampa Bay Bulldog softballer Les Croy, Capital One’s AJ Cuevas, Christian minister Chancey Martinez Colon (Dec. 11); Philanthropist Ed Lally, Former state representative Jennifer Webb, Sarasota realtor Jim Jablonski, St. Pete Twirler Jose Luis Perez (Dec. 12); Bradenton MAC makeup artist Joey Killmeyer (Dec. 14); Former Tampa MCC Pastor Rev. Phyllis Hunt, St. Petersburg outdoor lover Dan Barrett, Clearwater softball stud Gregory Toth (Dec. 15); Tampa Bay lawyer David Schauer, Pastor at St. Andrews UCC Sarasota Paul Werner, Acclaimed author Rob Sanders (Dec. 16); Executive Chef of Sarasota’s Sage SRQ Christopher Covelli (Dec. 17); St. Petersburg sculptor Mark Aeling, Spectrum News’ Trevor Pettiford, former Honey Pot owner Stephen Moss (Dec. 18); IBEX puppetmaster Heather Henson, Beauty & the Burg host Cindy Stovall (Dec. 19); St. Petersburg caterer Steve Gallo, Watermark Creative Designer Dylan Todd, Florist to the stars Jacob McCall, Woodfield Fine Art owner Jim Woodfield, St. Petersburg loan officer Steven Robertson (Dec. 20); Tampa Bay entertainer Kathryn Nevets, Tampa Bay realtor Gabe AlvesTomko (Dec. 21)

1ON THE ROAD: (L-R)

Hermes actor Nathan Lee Graham says goodbye to the Sraz Center for the Performing Arts Dec. 4 after leading “Hadestown” through Tampa. PHOTO FROM NATHAN LEE GRAHAM’S INSTAGRAM

2DOING THE WORK: The Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence hold a Sister workshop at Spool Studio in Tampa Dec. 3. PHOTO FROM THE TAMPA BAY SISTERS’ FACEBOOK

‘TIS THE SEASON: Emmie Lynn (L) and Lucas Wehle share a moment under a Christmas tree at Suken Gardens for St Pete Pride’s annual Red & Green fundraiser. PHOTO BY SYLVIE TREVENA

ON PARADE: (L-R) Jason Allen Champion, Rob Kime and Greg Cadili ride Project Pride’s float in the Sarasota Holiday Parade Dec. 3. PHOTO FROM PROJECT PRIDE’S FACEBOOK

TEAM BUILDING: The staff of Johnsons Tampa enjoy a night out together at Top Golf Nov. 21. PHOTO FROM JOHNSONS TAMPA’S FACEBOOK

DAY OF ACTION: CAN Community Health’s Tampa Bay team marks World AIDS Day 2022 on Dec. 3 at the Sanderlin Center with the Pinellas Planning Partnership. PHOTO FROM CAN COMMUNTIY HEALTH’S FACEBOOK

LIGHT IT UP: Tampa Mayor Jane Castor lights up the Holiday Harbour Tree along the Tampa Riverwalk Nov. 28. PHOTO FROM TAMPA RIVERWALK’S FACEBOOK

FOR THE CHILDREN: (L-R) Jason Fields, Randini Meyer and Nick Nobell strike a pose at Balance Tampa Bay’s Party 4 Presents Drop-Off at Cocktail Dec. 2. PHOTO FROM COCKTAIL’S FACEBOOK

CHRIS DINGMAN

CONGRATULATIONS

Dr. George A. Wallace, CEO of the LGBT+ Center Orlando, was named Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the office of Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. In a post to Facebook, The Center Orlando congratulated Wallace, writing that he was recognized at a ceremony on Nov.21 at the Orange County Government Building. “Whether fighting for equality for all, meeting with partners, or hosting a volunteer community cleanup, Wallace makes sure that each person feels like they belong,” The Center wrote. “I continue to fight for equality because it is not a special right; it is a human right,” Wallace said.

CONDOLENCES

Orlando hairdresser and artist Daniel “Danny” E. Wooley II died Nov. 30 at 57. He will be missed.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Former Come Out With Pride President Jeff Prystajko, former Watermark intern Christina Nicole Diaz, CFC Arts’ Brian Sikorski, Mainframe Real Estate founder and CEO Sean Frank (Dec. 8); Zebra Coalition CEO Heather Wilkie, Southern Nights Orlando bartender Cameron MacDonald, Southern Nights Orlando’s D’Andre Bims (Dec. 9); Orlando comic and actor Jeff Jones, Mitzi Morris’ alter ego Kevin Kreigel (Dec. 10); onePULSE Foundation’s Mark Cady, Central Florida actor and vocalist Zachary Thomas, Royal Caribbean International’s David Bain, Central Florida Ford-dealing bear Fred Berliner (Dec. 11); Massage therapist Isaac Torres, Orlando Chorus baritone Jamie Decker, Altamonte Springs chiropractor Dr. Bradford Levine (Dec. 12); Walt Disney Creative Entertainment Talent Casting Director Mark Catlett-Miller, 4 Corners writer Lawrence W. Caul (Dec. 13); Orlando Weekly publisher Graham Jarrett, Come Out With Pride’s former festival director Joyce Almeida, Orlando Regional Chamber Business Development Manager Greg Mason (Dec. 14); Orange County library’s Ben Garcia (Dec. 15); Central Florida drag entertainer Divine Grace, WAVE Award-winning Sephora beauty consultant Justin Jimenez, Central Florida LGBTQ ally Brittani Acuff (Dec. 16); OAK Central Florida’s Ken Terrell, actress Becky Fisher (Dec. 17); LGBT+ Center Orlando’s Daniel Fernandez de Castro; Florida Rep. Rita Harris (Dec. 18); former GayDayS owner Chris Manley (Dec. 19); Orlando bartender with flair Tish, Orlando realtor Jeff Ritchie, The District at Mills 50 manager Jamey Harper (Dec. 20); Disney darling Rae L’Heureux, Universal Orlando team captain Christian Conde, Orlando’s Hamburger Mary’s co-founder Tom Schneider; Watermark creative designer Kyler Mills (Dec. 21).

IN REMEMBRANCE:

Jeremy Williams (second from L) joined volunteers to participate in the AIDS Quilt ceremony at the World AIDS Day event “Intimate Reflections” at Orlando Shakes Dec. 1. PHOTO COURTESY JEREMY WILLIAMS

50 YEARS STRONG: Tatiana Quiroga (L) and Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet celebrate 50 years of Hope CommUnity Center at the organization’s 50 Years y Más! Fiesta at the Winter Park Events Center Dec. 3.

PHOTO FROM JEN WEST’S FACEBOOK

AWARD WINNING: Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings (L) presents Dr. George Wallace with the Distinguished Citizen of the Year award in Orange County Nov. 22.

PHOTO FROM ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT WEBSITE

FULL SUPPORT: Sister Koochie Koo of the Orlando Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence attends the World AIDS Day event “Intimate Reflections” at Orlando Shakes Dec. 1. PHOTO BY JEREMY

WILLIAMS

FESTIVE TREES: Billy Mick (L) and Brian Villa check out the Festival of Trees at the Orlando Museum of Art Nov. 20.

PHOTO FROM BILLY MICK’S FACEBOOK

FESTIVE LIGHTS: Welcome to Sam José’s Sam Cloward (L) and José Cabranes check out the Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford Nov. 20.

PHOTO FROM WELCOME TO SAM JOSÉ’S FACEBOOK

BUCS!: Alison Clarke (L) and Grace Peek-Harris cheer on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Dec. 4.

PHOTO FROM GRACE PEEK-HARRIS’ FACEBOOK

LEADER: Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani sits at her House Floor desk with sister Ida V. Eskamani by her side.

FROM ANNA

community calendar

CENTRAL FLORIDA

OGC’s “A HoliGAY Spectacular”

SAT., DEC. 10, 7:30 P.M., SUN., DEC. 10, 3 P.M. & WEDS., DEC. 14, 7:30 P.M.

ROSEN EVENT CENTER, ORLANDO & THE RITZ AT WAYNE DENSCH, SANFORD

The Orlando Gay Chorus are bringing holi-gay cheer with its yuletide concert at the Rosen Event Center Dec. 10-11 and at The Ritz at Wayne Densch Dec. 14, featuring performances by the full chorus, small group ensembles, soloists and the Footnote Dancers. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for OGC’s 30th year of collecting donations for Toys for Tots. Tickets are $25 at Rosen, start at $23 at The Ritz and are available at OrlandoGayChorus.org/shows.

Broadway Christmas

THURS., DEC. 15, 8-11 P.M.

SOUTHERN NIGHTS, ORLANDO

Southern Nights will host its annual Broadway Christmas cabaret Dec. 15 with proceeds benefiting The Trevor Project. Started by Kai’ja Adonis and Jose Marrero after losing a friend to suicide, the annual event brings Central Florida performers together for one night only to raise funds for The Trevor Project. For more information, visit Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando.

TAMPA BAY

GMCTB’s “Peace & Joy”

FRI., DEC. 9 – SAT., DEC. 10, 8 P.M.

MULTIPLE VENUES, TAMPA BAY

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Tampa Bay will present “Peace & Joy” Dec. 9 at Allendale UMC in St. Petersburg and Dec. 10 at The Portico in Tampa. The popular holiday concert returns with some of the group’s most popular songs honoring events celebrated in December. Tickets are $20 and are available at GMCTB.org.

“Wonderful Life”

THURS., DEC. 15-SAT., DEC. 24, VARIOUS TIMES

MULTIPLE VENUES, TAMPA BAY

American Stage’s pop-up show, an adaptation of “It’s A Wonderful Life” starring actor Matthew McGee, runs at four Pinellas County venues. Designed to bring holiday theatre to as many as possible, it plays Dec. 15 at Coastal Creative, Dec. 16 at Studio @620, Dec. 17-18 at The James Museum and Dec. 22-24 at the Catherine A. Hickman Theater. Times vary and tickets are $35 at AmericanStage.org.

EVENT PLANNER

Holiday Pops, Dec. 9-11, Straz Center, Mahaffey Theater, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Tampa Bay. 727-892-3331; FloridaOrchestra.org

Sunday Funday Tea Dance, Dec. 11; 18, Zoie’s, St. Petersburg. 727-855-6990; ZoiesFL.com

Taylor Dayne, Dec. 11, The Palladium, St. Petersburg. 727-822-3590; MyPalladium.org

LEGENDARY NARRATOR

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

“A Christmas Carol,” Nov. 30-Dec. 24, Orlando Shakes, Orlando. 407-447-1700; OrlandoShakes.org

Orlando Ballet present “The Nutcracker,” Dec. 2-18, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-426-1733; OrlandoBallet.org

Blacklist Babes Cabaret presents “The City Beautiful,” Dec. 10, Savoy, Orlando. 407-898-6766; SavoyOrlando.com

Queerantine Tour, Dec. 11, Grumpy’s Underground Eatery and Lounge, Orlando. 407-678-1122; Eventbrite.com

“Hadestown,” Dec. 13-18, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Cocktails and Carols, Dec. 14, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6103; AbbeyOrlando.com

Santa’s Bike Force 2022, Dec. 15, Joy Metropolitan Community Church, Orlando. SantasBikeForce.com

Healthy Living, Healthy Weight, and HIV, Dec. 15, LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.com

Candlelight Processional w/ Neil Patrick Harris, Dec. 15-18, Epcot, Walt Disney World. EpcotHolidays.com “Elf the Musical,” Dec. 1617, Trinity Preparatory School, Winter Park. 407-937-1800; CFCArts.com

April Fresh’s Comedy Brunch, Dec. 17, The 808, Orlando. 407-440-4079; The808Orlando.com

Milk Mart Holiday Market, Dec. 18, The Milk District, Orlando. 407-401-3003; TheMilkDistrict.org

Ugly Sweater Drag Brunch, Dec. 18, Island Time, Orlando. 407-930-2640; IslandTimeOrlando.com

Happy Holi-Gays Drag Bingo, Dec. 19, Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company, Orlando. 407-270-6749; IvanhoeParkBrewing.com

OUT Sports League’s Ugly Sweater Party, Dec. 20, District Dive, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ DictrictDive

TAMPA BAY

Victorian Christmas Stroll, Through Dec. 23, Henry B. Plant Museum, Tampa. 813-254-1891; PlantMuseum.com

“The Night Before,” Through Dec. 24, freeFall Theatre, St. Petersburg. 727-498-5205; freeFallTheatre.com

Enchant Christmas, Through Jan. 1, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg. EnchantChristmas.com

Big Gay Market, Dec. 14, Cocktail, St. Petersburg. 727-592-1914; CocktailStPete.com

Drag Queen Bingo, Dec. 15, Two Shepherds Taproom, Tampa. 813-769-9983; Facebook.com/ TwoShepherdsTaproom

Debbie Gibson’s “Winterlicious,” Dec. 15, Nancy and David Billheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

“St. Pete Opera’s Holiday Sparkle,” Dec. 15-22, Opera Central, St. Petersburg. 727-823-2040; StPeteOpera.org

Babes and Bulges, Dec. 16, The Event Space at Bulge, Tampa. 813-202-1000; BulgeTampaBay.com

“Next Generation Ballet’s Nutcracker,” Dec. 1618, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

“My Fair Lady,” Dec. 18, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

“Christmas Show with the Divas,” Dec. 18, Hamburger Mary’s, Clearwater. 727-400-6996; HamburgerMarys.com/ Clearwater

SARASOTA

Drag Brunch Christmas, Dec. 11, Oasis Restaurant & Bar, Sarasota. Facebook.com/ OasisSarasota

To submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com.

Neil Patrick Harris returns to narrate Epcot’s Candlelight Processional Dec. 15-18. PHOTO FROM DISNEY PARKS BLOG

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