This Week in LGBT Alaska 3/20/09

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown. 


Fairbanks

Gender Bender Party, a fundraiser for Fairbanks PFLAG and Interior AIDS Association. 3/21, 8 p.m. 21-and-over.


Mat-Su Valley

Mat-Su LGBT Community Center social support group meets Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Vagabond Blues in Palmer.


Anchorage

LunaFest women's film festival at Out North 3/20-3/21, 7 p.m.

Electronox 3/21, 9 p.m at Mad Myrna's.

"Sordid Lives" performed live at Mad Myrna's. Sunday Dinner Matinee on 3/22, 5 p.m. 

Fourth Sunday of Lent with Rev. Norman Van Manen and MCC Anchorage at their new location. 3/22, 2 p.m.

Transgendered Alaskans' Social Group (TASG) meets Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Happy 40th Anniversary, Dan & Al

Dan & Al Carter-Incontro have been together for 40 years, and 32 of them were spent in Alaska. 

They got together in 1969, three months before the Stonewall riots began the modern gay rights movement, and lived in Alabama four years before moving to Alaska. In 2005, they moved to Florida and are celebrating their 40th Anniversary on March 21.

During their decades in Anchorage, Dan & Al were involved in the gay community and were plaintiffs in the case that won partner benefits for state and city employees. The conference room at the Gay & Lesbian Community Center (GLCCA) is named in their honor.

"At the GLCCA, we have created a celebratory photo booth to help Dan & Al celebrate their 40th," wrote Phyllis of Identity. "Come by any time the GLCCA is open and the volunteer on duty will take your photo with the 'Happy Anniversary Dan & Al' sign." The complete set of digital photos will be sent to Florida as a present from their many friends in Alaska.

Visit the Gay & Lesbian Community Center, M-F 3 to 9 p.m. and S-S noon to 6, to take the 'Happy Anniversary' photo, browse the library collection, use the computers and socialize in a safe LGBT environment. 

Dan & Al, congratulations on your 40th Anniversary! May you enjoy many more good years together.

MCC Anchorage is Moving





MCC Anchorage will hold the March 22 Sunday service in their new location at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, on the corner of Lake Otis and Tudor Road. The service marks the fourth Sunday of Lent, and Pastor Van Manen's sermon is titled "Day of Action." The worship will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the A-frame chapel.

"Come and enjoy an action packed day of celebration and worship," wrote Pastor Van Manen in his Pastor's Ponderings. "Come and worship with us as we move through this Lenten season."

The MCC newsletter includes this message of appreciation: "Thanks to our Board of Directors for all of their hard work in making this move a reality, and thank you to the good people at St. Mary's who saw fit in welcoming us into their home. This move, which has been three months in the making, affords the congregants of MCC Anchorage the opportunity to worship God in a welcoming, accepting & collaborative environment."

"We are excited to say the least," wrote Vice Moderator Matthew Moak about the move. "It is the second step in rebirthing MCC in the community [and] our attendance has grown dramatically over the months."

MCC Sunday worship: St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 2 p.m. Beginning on March 25, MCC's mid-week program Step by Step will be held on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.

Equality Works Update

Equality Works is the coalition working to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the Municipality of Anchorage. We are grateful for your support and hope that we can work together to bring equality to Anchorage in the upcoming year.

February was a busy month for our coalition:
* We held a well-attended Town Hall meeting on February 12 to spread the word about Equality Works and recruit volunteers.
* We added five new organizations to our coalition: Alaska Women's Lobby, Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network [GLSEN], Parents, Friends, & Families of Lesbians and Gays [PFLAG], and Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest ... Bringing our total to 15 coalition organizations.
* And we tripled our contact list!

Thanks to all the people who helped to make February a success, including Steve, who is responsible for those nifty neon-colored Equality Works buttons, Mia, who moderated the Town Hall meeting, and Jackie, who helped to gain the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship's support for Equality Works. Our work will not be successful without people willing to volunteer and speak up for our cause, and in the following months we're going to need you even more.

Here Are More Ways You Can Help:

Host a Party for Equality Works
If you're interested in raising money for our cause and helping to spread the news about our efforts to your friends and associates, we encourage you to host a party for Equality Works! You can host your party at home, work, church, or wherever you can secure a good amount of space. If you are worried about turnout, consider co-hosting a party with friends. We will provide you with any resources and volunteers you might need to make your party a success. Email Equality Works for the house party kit and guidelines.

Raise Money as Fundraising Chair
Equality Works is looking for two well-connected, organized, outgoing people who know how to put the "fun" in fundraising to head up our Finance Committee. You should be energetic, aggressive, and like asking people to donate to a good cause. Fundraising and/or event-planning experience is ideal. You will not serve as the Treasurer (but you might help us recruit one.) If this description sounds like you or someone you know, please send a note of interest or referral to Equality Works.

Become a Neighborhood Ambassador
Equality Works needs your help recruiting community councils to join our coalition! Do you live or own a business in any of the communities listed below? Do you want to help Equality Works while getting to know some of your neighbors? Do you enjoy working with a team? Are you ready to speak up for equality in Anchorage? 

If so, please sign up to become a neighborhood ambassador in one of the following communities:
Airport Heights, Bear Valley, Downtown, Fairview, Girdwood, Glen Alps, Government Hill, Hillside East, North Star, Portage Valley, Rogers Park, Spenard, Tudor, Turnagain, University Area.

Tell a Friend
Help us double the number of people in our network during the month of March! Do you have friends or family members who should know about Equality Works? Have you been looking for an easy way to get them connected and involved? Encourage them to sign up for email updates on the Equality Works newsletter sign up page.  You can also join Equality Works on Facebook and invite your friends to join as well. 

Share Your Story
Our Story Gathering Committee is looking for stories of discrimination or harassment. If you're interested in sharing yours, please contact Equality Works, attention Melinda.

Thanks, again!

Tiffany McClain
ACLU of Alaska
Equality Works

One Year of Getting It On

Friday was the one year anniversary of the Get It On Campaign by the Four A's.

 

A few highlights of the campaign over the past year include: 
  • 1,744 page loads from 1,529 visitors on the www.getitonak.org website
  • A trip to Homer to launch the campaign to the local Public Health and Family Planning Center
  • A trip to Bethel planned for March 20th to launch the campaign                                            
  • Over 350 posters sent to individuals and organizations throughout Alaska
  • Over 60,000 custom Get it On Condoms distributed to organizations in rural Alaska
  • Statewide airing of the Get It On PSA on GCI Cable

Most importantly, the campaign has educated countless individuals about safe sex and how they can make and keep their community a safe place!


 What can you do to help the Four A's GET IT ON throughout the next year?

Thank you for your support of the Get it On Campaign and the Four A's!

This Week in LGBT Alaska 3/13/09

Check out this week's events from Alaska GLBT News.


Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown. 


Fairbanks

MILK at the Blue Loon, the last showing is 3/14, 8 p.m.


Mat-Su Valley

Mat-Su LGBT Community Center social support group meets Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Vagabond Blues in Palmer.


Anchorage

"Sordid Lives: A Black Comedy About White Trash" opens tonight! Performed live at Mad Myrna's, Fridays & Saturdays 3/13-3/28, 7 p.m. (the date on the poster is incorrect.)

Third Sunday of Lent with Rev. Norman Van Manen and MCC Anchorage 3/15, 2 p.m.

Transgendered Alaskans' Social Group (TASG) meets Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

PFLAG meeting 3/17, 7 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Bent's First Birthday

Bent Alaska is one year old today. 

When I became the editor of Alaska GLBT News a year ago, I saw in the Readers' Survey that you wanted photos, videos, and reports of the events listed in the newsletter. So I created Bent Alaska, a blog that could contain all of that and much more. 

It's been quite a year. I've had the great pleasure to meet dozens of interesting LGBT people and our allies from all over the state, and to tell you about them and their events week after week. I've learned about Alaska and blogging and news writing and the LGBT community. I even won an award for Bent from the Imperial Court. (Thank you, ICOAA!)

And it's all because of you: You've sent news of our community's weddings and funerals, dances and drag shows, protests and parades. Your reports and photos keep us connected across the vast distances of Alaska, and beyond to our friends Outside. Your knowledge and opinions inform the LGBT communities and allies in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and rural Alaska. Your words give comfort to gays new to Alaska and long time Alaskans just coming out, isolated Alaskans looking for 'family' and family members needing support. Your comments engage others who search for signs of queer life in Alaska. 

Bent Alaska and Alaska GLBT News would not be possible without the many, many people who take the time to write messages, send photos, forward links and add comments. I'm just the messenger - without you, there wouldn't be anything to say. 

Thank you for this incredible year.

Copyright © 2008 by Bent Alaska.