MetroEast NEWS

Claire-ity: Queering Identity Part 2

2012-02-18T20:39:00.000-06:00

Claire-ity: Queering Identity Part 2
VITAL VOICE

"Your Lavender Marriage"- By: Aaron Phillip Ruiz – MetroEast NEWS

2012-02-14T22:04:00.002-06:00

Your Lavender Marriage
By: Aaron Phillip Ruiz – MetroEast NEWS

It’s like everything has been covered with a thin glycerin
Slippery and vigilance is necessary. It coats,
And when she turns catching in the right light, this woman you married

It is a silver lining, the moon
Catching on the hair of her body, she glows
A hot promise of fore-head wrinkles, and a scent of Old Spice like your father wore
And the Beryl cream of his father, and a hundred fathers before him.
A scented slime to rub through your hair, and a tie to wear, and a pile of pornography you don’t really like

But rub your genitals to because one day you’ll grow to like it.
And you’ll marry one of them one day. These wives,
And you’ll fill a church pew full of children. And there will be football on the television.
And a thanksgiving dinner.

And when she turns, this woman, a slow circle the length of your entire life, you marry her,
And in the gleam, for a second, you see yourself happily. One day, if you can keep your constant focus,
Yet so much like a leaf on the face of a pond, you float, light, suspended in the quiet emptiness of air.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruiz is a resident of Swansea, Illinois and has attended Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville. Aaron has also served as the Co-Editor of the McKendree Montage at McKendree University in Lebanon, IL. Look for his first articles in the coming weeks and in our March issue.

Show Me Bears Makes Substantial Donation to Four Community Non-Profits

2012-02-10T18:54:00.000-06:00

Show Me Bears Makes Substantial Donation to Four Community Non-Profits

Open Mic Night @ The Inn Is Becoming a Local Standard

2012-02-10T18:05:00.000-06:00

“Open Mic Night @ The Inn”
BellevillePride~ MetroEast News

By: Susan Spit-Fire Lively / MetroEast NEWS

February 10, 2012
(BELLEVILLE)

“Open Mic Night @ The Inn” on Thursday, Feb. 9^th The Cigar INN hosted another incredible evening of the best live entertainment this side of the river!

In addition to our annual Valentine’s Day Party (hot drink specials and all the chocolate aphrodisiacs you can eat!), we will be having our very first CD Release Party!! Local R&B sensation Chrissy Renick has released her first EP – “A Thousand Shades” (currently available on ITunes) and will be sharing some of her new music with us!

Chrissy is an exceptional musician, songwriter, and vocalist originally from Cape Girardeau, Mo. She attended college at Murray State, KY., and currently resides in St. Louis. She plays piano and guitar and has a gorgeous singing voice, perfectly suited for the Rhythm and Blues she so loves. Possessing great range both in her voice and her songwriting, she plays Pop, Classic Rock, and Alternative-Soul music as well. Renick has performed at The Old Rock House, the Way Out Club, Cicero’s, The Over/Under, Petra Hookah Lounge, FOAM Coffee & Beer, The Benton Park Café, The Wood, and many other area venues. Her influences include, Alicia Keyes, Corinne Bailey Rae, India Arie, MeShell Ndegeocello, Lauryn Hill, Joss Stone, Fiona Apple, Aaliyah, Jack Johnson, and Sarah Bareilles.

Chrissy Renick at Cigar Inn

Warming up the stage for Miss Renick will be wildly popular poet Blackstone (Cyral Laban Vaughan). Blackstone is a talented poet, author, spoken word artist, radio personality, emcee, and public speaker. His spoken word performances are magnetic and intriguing, and his writing is of great strength and depth. Blackstone has been featured at Café Annie’s (Orlando), The Blue Shark (Tampa), Solstice Lounge (Tampa), Spice Lounge (Tampa), Sacred Ground (Tampa), The In Spot (STL), and Midtown (STL), among others. He co-produced (with author and spoken word artist X Blu Rayne) the iconic show “S.W.A.U. - Spoken Word Addicts Unleashed” at Escalades Bar & Grill. Cyral has a CD he is working on called “Raise a Man, Raise an Individual; Raise a Woman, Raise a Nation”, and his latest book, entitled “Oil and Water”, was released on June 15th of last year. Mr. Vaughan lives with his family in St. Louis, Mo.

Gracing our stage for the first time will be Cris Gualberto, a multi-talented artist originally from Quincy, IL. His live performances are intense, and his work is deeply intriguing. His most recent performance was at The Regional Arts Commission for the world-wide event “100 Thousand Poets For Change”, in which he delivered captivating performances separately and in group format. Gualberto attended and graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, and then went on to become a Peace Corps volunteer, where he served in Gambia from 2002 to 2004. Upon his return to the states he worked as a substitute teacher, Upward Bound summer instructor, teaching assistant, political campaign worker, and office assistant. He is currently a research technician and laboratory manager in the Department of Molecular Biology at Washington University School of Medicine.

Cris first put pen to paper in 2007, and has written two collections of poetry – “Blossoms of the Fading World”, and “Amaryllis in Dreams”. He is now in the process of creating a third book that is tentatively titled “Alcestis”. His poetry is an attempt to “explore the intersection of human perception with memory and the construction of identity through myth and the awareness of time”. Cris’ influences include timeless poets such as Walt Whitman, Arthur Rimbaud, T.S. Eliot, Constantine Cavafy, Guillaume Apollinaire, George Trakl, and Ezra Pound.

Tres Morrison, a brilliant up and coming musician, songwriter, and vocalist who is originally from London, UK, will be here as well. His range of musical styles is impressive, ranging from Alternative Rock to Heavy Metal to Gospel. His influences include Leonard Cohen, U2, Jason Mraz, Jeff Buckley, The Script, and Mumford and Sons. He has been singing since he was very young, and he has performed at many local fundraisers and charity events. He has a great voice and his musical performances are amazing. He is currently working on his first CD and is in two new bands: “Dead by Six” and “Endless October”. He is forming a third band with his friend Lamone Waller. Tres also recently auditioned for the hit show American Idol. He and his family reside in Cahokia, IL.

Special Guest: Mocha Williams

Our Special Guest for the night will be Miss Mocha Williams,(pictured left) a well-known and much-loved poet, writer, and spoken word artist originally from St. Louis, Mo. She attended Northwest High School and is currently a Registered Nurse. Her work ranges from fiery love poetry to the hilariously comedic, and her performances are electric, to say the least. She has performed at Exo Lounge, Club 15, The Cigar Inn, STL’s Finest Bar & Grill, and many other local venues. In her spare time Mocha enjoys writing poetry, reading, watching sports and movies, and listening to contemporary R&B.

We hope you will join us every 2nd & 4th Thursday at The Cigar Inn. Doors-8; Show-9

Love & Hugs,

Spit-Fire

Open Mic Night At The Inn

Show Me Bears Makes Substantial Donation to Four Community Non-Profits

2012-02-10T17:34:00.000-06:00

Show Me Bears Makes Substantial Donation to Four Community Non-Profits

Marriage Equality Bill Introduced in Illinois

2012-02-08T16:25:00.000-06:00

Marriage Equality Bill Introduced in Illinois

The Politics of Drag - VITAL VOICE

2012-02-03T09:03:00.000-06:00

The Politics of Drag
By: Colin Murphy - VITAL VOICE

Longtime Bar Owner Tim "Grandma" Craddock Dies

2012-01-31T16:55:00.000-06:00

Longtime Bar Owner Tim "Grandma" Craddock Dies
VITAL VOICE

MetroEast News - FEBRUARY 2012

2012-01-29T13:55:00.002-06:00

BellevillePride~ MetroEast News
FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE

2012 St. Louis ICONS - VITAL VOICE

2012-01-24T21:48:00.000-06:00

2012 St. Louis ICONS

via VITAL VOICE

Thoughts From a Mouthy Saint: Following Your Path

2012-01-24T16:04:00.001-06:00

BellevillePride/MetroEast NEWS
by: Colby Kluthe
January 24, 2012

I often say that listening is one of those things I find offers the best guidance when it comes to the big decisions in life. For me that means asking yourself what the path is, and taking time to hear what others say.

Before you really get into this, I must advise you that you may not always like what you hear, but I truly beleive the truth is there if you are willing to work with it.

I always say "Keep Walking", and it most recently reminds me of the guinea pigs in the GEICO commercial. "ROW!" and sometimes its just that simple.
In closing...
Row~

MEPSI Seeks Event Volunteers (Metro East Pride of Southwestern Illinois)

2012-01-13T16:42:00.000-06:00

Metro East Pride of Southwestern Illinois (MEPSI) is currently looking for volunteers for upcoming fundraisers and our Pride festival held in June. If you would like to volunteer and support your local LGBT community please contact Metro East Pride through our gmail account at metroeastpride@gmail.com
For more information: www.MetroEastPride.com

Coming Summer 2012 - ZANDER MANDER: CLUB TALK

2012-01-12T11:26:00.000-06:00

Coming Summer 2012 - ZANDER MANDER: CLUB TALK
by Zander Mander on Tuesday, January 3, 2012

After being approached by three different major television production companies regarding developement of a reality TV show featuring yours truly... I thought, met with them, negotiated and eventually turned them all down. Why? Each of these teams wanted to just produce yet another show that featured all the bullshit that every reality show features. Crass entertainment filled with the shit side of the club world. I wanted to interview performers and everyone else that works within the industry that brings us all the fabtastic shows we see throughout the year at all of our favorite clubs around the country. I wanted to show the POSITIVE side of the club world. They wanted cat fights and back stabbings.. you know all the usual shit you see on these types of shows. So I said fuck 'em and have taken the matter in my hands.

This summer will debut the new online show Zander Mander : Club Talk. In each episode you will be introduced to a different club and the club's stars and staff. I will then interview everyone so you and I can learn and enjoy more about them. Different citys. Different clubs. Different stars.
There is a very positive side to the club world. A place where everyone really does like each other, gets along and works extremely hard to bring you the best in entertainment. I hope you will watch, laugh, cry and simply enjoy!

Until this summer XXXOOO&///2!! (hugskisses&scratchestoo!!!)
Zander Mander

Any performer/ staff / club wishing to be interviewed / featured please send me a private message with contact info. zmqcproductions@yahoo.com

EQ-IL APPLAUDS SPRINGFIELD REGARDING SPOUSAL BENEFITS

2012-01-11T05:46:00.000-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org / MetroEast NEWS

January 10, 2012
(SPRINGFIELD)
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, at 312-520-4919 or
Randy Hannig, Director of Public Policy of Equality Illinois, at 773-477-7173

EQUALITY ILLINOIS APPLAUDS SPRINGFIELD COMMUNITY FOR ENCOURAGING PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SPOUSAL BENEFITS
Equality Illinois, the state's oldest and largest organization advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality, issued the following statement in response to Springfield’s Joint Labor and Management Health Care Committee’s unanimous decision to reverse its earlier ruling and allow spousal health insurance benefits for city employees in a civil union:

“We commend the LGBT community and our allies in Springfield for speaking out in favor of equal treatment for each and every couple,” Randy Hannig, Jr., Director of Public Policy for Equality Illinois, said. “In the end, nearly 150 Springfield residents signed our petition urging the mayor and the Joint Labor and Management Health Care Committee to do the right thing and not discriminate against couples in a civil union.

Because of the community’s support, along with the leadership of Mayor Houston and Alderman Cory Jobe, the committee made the right decision in the end to reaffirm Illinois’ civil union law that explicitly states that all benefits available to couples in a marriage must be available to couples in a civil union.”
Equality Illinois was founded in 1991 to secure, protect and defend full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. It is the state’s oldest and largest LGBT advocacy organization.

www.EqualityIllinois.Org

"DNA of DEA" - By: Daniel McCree

2012-01-04T06:59:00.001-06:00

www.DanielMcCree.Org
Daniel McCree Foundation

(Written 2006)

"A janitor and a jailbird a judas and a judge. Alchemy can kill you, whats a little smudge? A most impervious inquisition, an affinity for fudge. Marble cake can make you swoon and the boys will have to wait. A junior in the making hinges on your fate...

Aztec. Incan. Mayan. Incongruent counterparts. Congressional acts of post traumatic stress induction.

Affiliations with affluent artisans are invitations for acts of attrition. Stars are for shooting; dress for dinner. DNA of DEA.

Endowed: A mission in nouns Hyperactive Son of Sam Entwined in cords Harmonious Dischord Apocolyptic Astroturf with lane lines rolling by

A swimmers penchance for backstroke flags And baseballs distaste for fags Acute Rimbaus: lofty goals Combined in the By and By

sanguin fields of yesterday swept behind the clock time zones cull; the recipe for beefing up the flock calloused clocks and paradox a rauckous combination aleviate the urge: innate to strike the iron hot if your in canterra rest assured canmando is next 567"

Daniel McCree Foundation - Collection of Original Writing

Daniel McCree Foundation - In the Words of Daniel McCree, our collection tells his story in his own words. This selection is an excerpt from "Aids Daze" as featured in the January 2012 Issue of MetroEast NEWS

From the Vagina Monologues to Mass Marketing: Healing These Wounds that Hold Us Together

2012-01-01T19:54:00.001-06:00

From the Vagina Monologues to Mass Marketing: Healing These Wounds that Hold Us Together
by: Tess Farnham, MetroEast NEWS
(As Featured in the January 2012 Issue)

MetroEast News - January 2012

2012-01-01T12:10:00.001-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

2012 DIGITAL DIRECTORY (JANUARY 2012)

Thoughts From a Mouthy Saint: The "Joy" that's only one click away

2011-12-31T03:25:00.001-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
by: Colby Kluthe, MetroEast NEWS

As I prepare my spirit for the year ahead, I usually try to start by reconnecting with where I have been, and take a breath before building up the momentum to keep walking. Its not unlike the walk to the nearest store. It's only 3 blocks away, but in Tower Grove- its a 1/2 mile block and uphill. And for me, I much prefer to walk an alleyway than a sidewalk. It's the "hidden" gem in any city. "Where Real meets the Road" if I may imply. -Thats another story for another time.

I am willing to imagine that over the past year I have "liked" or "shared" or "stumbled","Tweeted" & Blogged more than 1000 links. And more than any link I have ever shared, one I have to set apart as perhaps the best kept secret in our global community. They have become old friends and deserve a formal introduction. They were on hand in 2009 broadcasting about our pride celebrations in Belleville, (MP3 DOWNLOAD)so I gladly give them a nod and wish them all the best in 2012!

Joy 94.9FM Radio is a non-profit broadcast radio station in Melbourne, Vic. Australia. Joy94 took to the airwaves in 1993, and today broadcasts and webcasts to a global audience. For a St. Louis native, if you can imagine National Public Radio from an LGBT perspective. While I have heard several podcast stations and webcasters in the United States, nothing can be compared to the level of programing and perspectives available here.

JOY 94.9 is an independent voice for the diverse lesbian and gay communities listened to by 216,000 people in Melbourne and more online. Access podcasts, blogs and listen online to award winning music & talk, news & current affairs, arts & cultural programs.

The station provides over 450 free Community Service Announcements on behalf of organisations that serve and support our community. The station is fuelled by the dedication of over 200 volunteers and only a handful of paid core staff. JOY 94.9 is proudly self-funded through on air sponsorship and most importantly membership.

Listen Live - JOY 94.9 - gay and lesbian radio for Melbourne, Australia and the world

joy.org.au

JOY 94.9 is a member of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia www.cbaa.org.au

Passages: Sasha Valentino -by Kate Sosin, Windy City Times

2011-12-28T04:51:00.001-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
via Windy City Times

Passages: Sasha Valentino News update posted Dec. 27, 2011 by Kate Sosin, Windy City Times (CHICAGO)

Sasha Valentino, a legendary Chicago-based female impersonation performer, passed away on Dec. 26 after a long battle with dementia. She was 40.
Valentino was a nationally-known pageant performer, whose titles were many and whose chosen family was extensive.
"Sasha Valentino was an icon and an inspiration to us all in the Trans world," said performer Angelique Munro.
Friends and family remember Valentino as a mentor and example to many, who regularly adopted "children" into her ever-growing family and encouraged them in their goals.
In her own work, Valentino won numerous honors for her performances. She was crowned Miss Black Universe in 1996, Miss Universo Latina, Miss Sweetheart International and Miss Liberty International.
In total, friends estimate that she carried over 40 titles.
(READ MORE)

Original Story

Sherwood Forest Camp Provides Opportunity for Youth

2011-12-20T13:49:00.001-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
via Daniel McCree Foundation

SHERWOOD FOREST CAMP

Did you know that families pay just $50 for their child to attend camp, regardless of the length of the session? Siblings cost only $25. However, the actual cost of camp is nearly $150 per camper, PER DAY. The difference is covered by your generous contributions. We thank you for making camp possible for hundreds of St. Louis children each summer!

The Daniel McCree Foundation supports this important organzation as both Alumni and Volunteer efforts. You too can support them, and the opportunities they make possible for our youth in need.

Holiday Dinner at LGBT Center

2011-12-20T13:24:00.000-06:00

www.BellevillePride.org
via SAGE METRO ST.LOUIS

Holiday Dinner at LGBT Center

(ST. LOUIS)
You are invited to the 1st Holiday Dinner at The LGBT Center of St. Louis. This day is designed for people who need a place to spend Christmas Day. It's family time here at the Center.
The Center will be open from 9 am to 9 pm with a Holiday Dinner being served at 3 p.m. (Please bring a side dish)

Location: 4337 Manchester Ave., Saint Louis, MO 63108

RSVP by calling the LGBT Center of St. Louis 314.472.5428.

MetroEast NEWS welcomes Aaron Phillip Ruiz

2011-12-17T06:23:00.000-06:00

www.BellevillePride.org
by: Colby Kluthe -MetroEast NEWS

(BELLEVILLE)

MetroEast NEWS is currently undergoing an expansion in preparation for the new year, and will be adding additional writers and potentially photo contributors. This is a necessary step to improve our reach and coverage throughout the Southern Illinois region.

We are happy to announce Aaron Phillip Ruiz will be joining us in 2012 as a contributing writer. Ruiz is a resident of Swansea, Illinois and has attended Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville. Aaron has also served as the Co-Editor of the McKendree Montage at McKendree University in Lebanon, IL. Look for his first articles in the coming weeks and in our January issue.

2012 EQIL Gala is set for Saturday, February 11

2011-12-09T01:07:00.000-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
on behalf of Equality Illinois

The 2012 EQIL Gala is set for Saturday, February 11, 2012 at the Hilton Chicago. Please join us for a spectacular evening! Tickets are available now. For general information about this spectacular event, please click here.

Holiday announcements from MEPSI

2011-12-07T02:15:00.000-06:00

www.BellevillePride.org
via Metro East Pride of Southwestern Illinois (MEPSI)

(BELLEVILLE)
Metro East Pride of Southwestern Illinois will be offering pictures with our Sexy Santa or Ms. Claus at Club Escapade's Christmas Party. Proceeds to go towards our annual PrideFest, June 16th. Location is at Club Escapade 133 W. Main Street 62220 www.MetroEastPride.com

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE
MetroEast Pride of Southwestern Illinois is proud to announce that it will be collecting non-perishable food items throughout the holiday season to benefit The Food Pantry at Bethany Place. Please visit one of our drop box locations: Wagner Buick GMC in Belleville, Club-Escapade Belleville, The Tan Company in Shiloh or The LGBT Center of St. Louis (FINAL PICKUP DEC 19TH).

Thoughts From a Mouthy Saint: The G "Live"

2011-11-30T16:39:00.002-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
by: Colby Kluthe, MetroEast NEWS

Thoughts From a Mouthy Saint: The G "Live"

The God Show was a title of writing Danny completed in 2005, which speaks to the variance between who we think ourselves to be, and the reality of who we are or fear we have become.
I think each of us have a perception of ourselves, and for the most part it must be comprised of how we "hope" others see us. For me, I seem to anchor myself upon just how often I neglect to be our best version of who I know myself to be. Afterall, its too easy to miss the mark. The sounds and rhythms all have to be in synch.

For me at least that journey has lead me to both desperate places, as well as those places and feelings you want to hold on to and remember forever, as what you think you know could actually be true. Could it actually be as fantastic as it's been made out?

The short answer of course is Yes, absolutely~ just not like you think.

The reality is we have to make just as many bad choices as good ones, and once we have fallen far enough, we somehow fall forward like a Radio Jesus. Which brings me to my last and certainly most important point. Our community must also wrestle with the reality of the substance of GHB , and the price we are paying for our adventures with it. As someone who has admittedly had my rounds at the theme parks, I can think of no other substance that has so routinely sent our brothers and sisters in tow to nearby hospitals, some with extended stay packages. We must consider carefully the cost if we do not stand up for ourselves and others in this regard.

"Marsupials may contract a virus. Rest assured; you'll find your way. Keep your thrill: take your pill. Aztec dreams and cortizone creams. Cornish maze peeled from Dutch haze among cloudy skys and stipend lies. Education grants and hollow rants. Young Mister Peyton belongs in Clayton. Great Danes around bamboo canes. Choose on taste and lose your haste." - Daniel McCree (June 12,2005)

Lily to Lily. . .Lost in the Moss and Fog of Love’s Austere and Lonely Offices. . .Monet as Inspiration Once Removed

2011-11-30T11:52:00.001-06:00

Lily to Lily. . .Lost in the Moss and Fog of Love’s Austere and Lonely Offices. . .Monet as Inspiration Once Removed

by: Tess Farnham
Posted on November 28, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

Speaking indifferently to him, who’d driven out the cold and polished my good shoes as well. . . what did I know, what did I know of love’s austere and lonely offices? –Robert Hayden, “Those Winter Sundays”

I was first introduced to Robert Hayden’s poem, “Those Winter Sundays” while doing double duty as single mother and non-traditional student. Those days were frantic and full, and as such, I could relate to both protagonist and anti-hero in this poem.

Always that inexhaustible ache to make a home for us somehow, but also the tug on my guts that too much time was slipping away; meanwhile, I wished there were four of me: one to study, one to write and make art, one to work, and one to nurture and be a safe harbor for my kids.
Better make that five. . . because I almost forgot the me who needed to collapse and just scream from the insanity of it all. (yes, there is mental illness in this recipe too, surprise!)

Pffttt. . .and I totally forgot to mention sex up there, didn’t I? So much for those frills and fancy matters!

There was never enough skin or bones on me, it seemed, to excel at any of those things. Mostly I felt like we were just getting by on what little we had to work with.

I had such dreams then too. I was going to get a wonderful job, write a screenplay (yeah right), get the house with the picket fence; I WOULD make a home for us on my own. I wasn’t getting help from their dad; he didn’t have the means to do it.

I was angry about that then.

Now that anger has evaporated into clouds of anguish that won’t stop raining these days. . and here I sit, swimming through the muck of it all. . .because idiot that is me, I lost them in the water somehow. I lost the truest loves of my life.

And at the moment, I am sick with treading against the tide. . . and the dam breaking. . .and I just can’t reach out for fear of taking everyone else down with me. ..I don’t even know how to reach myself anymore. Except to take it a day at a time, I guess.
And be thankful that my parents can still be there for me at the hardest times too.

This is the price you pay for making such a leap at eighteen. . .wanting to fill that gap of unhappiness with husband love and children, that ache, that undeniable ache to fall down a well of love and security.

Ironically here I was the day I first found that poem as I find myself now, so full of the same kind of longing. . .and falling so very short of my desperate expectations.

I remember too how Hayden’s last couplet made me stop and reconsider all the words I had wasted complaining as a child, but even more than that I realized the importance of pauses to just let go in the moment and be thankful.

Now it makes me wish we all had the maturity to embrace this kind of wisdom while we are young and still a little bit hungry.

Those Winter Sundays

–Robert Hayden

Sundays too my father got up early

and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,

then with cracked hands that ached

from labor in the weekday weather made

banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I’d wake and hear the cold
splintering, breaking. The rooms were warm, he’d call,

and slowly I would rise and dress,

fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,

who’d driven out the cold

and polished my good shoes as well.

What did I know, what did I know

of love’s austere and lonely offices?

********************

Once again I feel the same flood of complex emotions encapsulated as I read “Monet‘s Waterlilies.” So much ache and push pull at taking it all in.

And again, those last lines really hit in a place where it hurts and soothes simultaneously.

”Here is the aura of that world each of us has lost/Here is the shadow of its joy.”

Today as the news from Selma and Saigon
poisons the air like fallout,
I come again to see
the serene, great picture that I love.
Here space and time exist in light
the eye like the eye of faith believes.
The seen, the known
dissolve in iridescence, become
illusive flesh of light
that was not, was, forever is.
O light beheld as through refracting tears.
Here is the aura of that world
each of us has lost.
Here is the shadow of its joy.

Laffy Taffy for the Holidays: Putting the Crack back in Christmas

2011-11-30T11:45:00.000-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

Laffy Taffy for the Holidays: Putting the Crack back in Christmas
by: Tess Farnham- MetroEast NEWS

Rep. Barney Frank Announces Retirement

2011-11-28T17:55:00.000-06:00

Rep. Barney Frank Announces Retirement

Daniel McCree.Org Newsletter: Celebrating the life of Ray Henry Ulrich

2011-11-17T06:23:00.000-06:00

Remembering and Celebrating the Life of Ray Henry Ulrich

As Clair Janz mentioned, we are going to have a celebration of Ray's life.

The Koken Art Factory has opened up their doors to us on December 10th. Please spread the word. Brenda and I are putting together some of his favorite songs to perform that night.

Ray was a friend of Daniel's and supporter of the Daniel McCree Foundation. We shall join with family and friends in the celebration of this important spirit from our vine. He shall be missed.

To read his contributions to the foundation, (CLICK HERE)

A story from RAY ~ a grape on the grapevine
by Daniel McCree Foundation on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 7:09pm

Daniel McCree.Org Newsletter: Celebrating the life of Ray Henry Ulrich: Remembering and Celebrating the Life of Ray Henry Ulrich As Clair Janz mentioned, we are going to have a celebration of Ray 's life. The ...

2 MEPSI Board Vacancies in 2012 (BELLEVILLE)

2011-11-17T03:18:00.003-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
via MEPSI
(BELLEVILLE)

MetroEast Pride of Southwestern Illinois announces community wide elections for two open MEPSI Board (member at large) seats. If you are interested in becoming more involved in the LGBT community, send us a brief bio and a descriptive graph of why you'd like to serve!
Please email metroeastpride@gmail.com if interested.

www.MetroEastPride.com

Illinois Teen Sentenced for Gay Bashing

2011-11-15T21:46:00.000-06:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

BellevillePride~ MetroEast News

Illinois Teen Sentenced for Gay Bashing
unfinishedlivesblog.com

Yorkville, Illinois- An 18-year-old man was sentenced by an Illinois court to two years in prison for his role in a violent attack upon a gay man. Marquitte West was found guilty of hate crime.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

2011-11-15T21:25:00.000-06:00

Transgender Day of Remembrance
via VITAL VOICE MAGAZINE

(ALTON)
Each November 20th, Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is observed by the Trans and allied community around the world who gather in memory of those lost to violence and hate during the previous year.
(READ MORE)

Aint That Right, Bus Driver?

2011-11-05T07:04:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

Aint That Right, Bus Driver?

by: Tess Farnham MetroEast NEWS

On the bus ride through the rain and cold tonight, all the way from the Central West End to Southtown, I found myself locking smiles and bumping fists with this woman who was keeping herself amused by leaning into the aisle, over and over again and shouting through toothlessness:

“Aint that right, bus driver?”

And each time, without the slightest bit of hesitation, the driver would reply rather matter of factly from behind the fourth of the way wall of plexiglass that separated herself from the rest of us: ”That’s right.”

And each time afterwards, the woman would wrap her arms around her own waist and
roll back in the seat laughing, seemingly pleased with herself for having elicited one more positive response from the person in charge.

In response to that bit of repetitive interaction. . .for the whole twenty-minute ride home, between spasms of laughter and fidgeting, I could feel that oddly familiar sensation moving through my skin, sensation that can only be described as being caught between the wish for someone to make it stop and waiting for it to start all over again. This went on until I pulled the bell cord for my corner…though at times she would mix things up with the obsessive repetition of news flashes and singsong bits of wisdom:

“Everybody thinks Popeye was strong, but really he was a sissy,”

“Read my lips; catch my drift,”

and “Stare too long, you’re doing it wrong.”

At one point, she stopped to unwrap a very large sandwich and fondle it in anticipation, all the while casting her weary eyes down at its wrapper like a prized catch, the bag emblazoned with the name of the priciest gourmet grocer in the Cental West End , most likely anticipating the moment when the rain would let up just long enough for her to leave the bus and enjoy it.

But for now, she had found a warm place to find refuge from it all, no doubt thanks to the means of strangers, the first one with money enough for that sandwich, the second letting go of a transfer pass that paid for the ride. . . followed by the brown-eyed girl behind the wheel. kindly and obligingly saying those same two words over and over again. That’s right.

A loaf of bread, a jug of vitamin water and thou. . .

It was so very wet and cold on the walk to my place and I could feel the rain pelting my pant leg as I gripped the handle of the umbrella to brace against the elements. In a matter of minutes, I could see the stop on the street running perpendicular to my own ride. As I approached it, I realized I would have to raise my umbrella enough to clear the height of a man for whom I could not yield the right of way without taking someone else’s eye out.

And aside from the sound of his laughter as I passed, accompanied by that of the wind and rain, all I could hear in my head was the echo of the broken record lady.

“Read my lips; catch my drift.”

Now safely inside and sitting in front of my laptop…bowl of soup on the table. .. tea. ..and jammies. ..
I still have a very playful earworm that is slowly eating its way through to my teeth.

Aint that right, bus driver?

That’s right.

TessiluStudio Holiday Gift Give-away: Two Fine Starving Art Prints Can Be Yours Including (whee!) Postage, a $36.00 value :

Southern Illinois AIDS Walk 2011 Dec 1, 2011

2011-11-03T04:10:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

(CARBONDALE)

Southern Illinois AIDS Walk 2011
Thurs. Dec. 1, 2011 6PM SIUC Student Health Center

The Southern Illinois AIDS Walk has moved, and will be held at 6pm on Thursday, December 1 at the Student Health Center located on the SIU Carbondale campus. Volunteers will begin set-up at 3pm, and a health fair and registration will begin at 4:30pm. The event will end by 7:45pm.

Volunteer meetings will be held at 7:30pm at the SIUC Newman Center, 715 S. Washington Street, on the following dates: Thursday, Sept. 8; Monday, Oct. 3; Monday Oct. 24; Thursday, Nov. 17 and Wednesday, Nov. 30. Pizza and soft drinks will be provided at all meetings.

Volunteers are needed to help attract corporate sponsors, $50 t-shirt sponsors, and to motivate Southern Illinois to participate in the walk (the SIUC campus, high schools and community colleges throughout Southern Illinois, and communities throughout Southern Illinois).

Proceeds benefit the Southern Illinois AIDS Holiday Project, which serves 150 low-income households impacted by HIV / AIDS in the 19 southern-most counties of Illinois.

For more information, contact AIDS Walk founder Wally Paynter at 812-480-0204 or wallypaynter@aol.com, or AIDS Walk Chair Scott Ramsey at sramsey@siu.edu.

Please use this site to register or join a team, register yourself as an individual walker, sponsor a walker or make a general donation to the cause.

2010 AIDS Walk photo courtesy of Southern Illinoisan and staff photographer Alan Rogers.

Jaye Westermann Named To TransHaven’s Staff

2011-10-31T04:20:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

Jaye Westermann Named To TransHaven’s Staff

10/30/2011
(ST. LOUIS)
TransHaven is pleased to announce that Jaye Westermann of Saint Louis, Missouri has been named Project Coordinator. Jaye will be reporting as staff personnel and has accepted the volunteer and uncompensated position.

Jaye is a graduate of Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville and is employed by Planned Parenthood as a Clinical Instructor, Jaye identifies as Intersex and GenderQueer. Among Jaye’s primary duties will be to represent us in advocacy’s reflecting the Intersex and GenderQueer Communities and represent TransHaven as our laison to those Communities. We welcome Jaye to our Team, who will share in reflection of our diverse outreach to the entire Community.

TransHaven: Advocates for Trans Equality, the Homeless / Shelterless, the Disabled, Anti-Violence initiatives, and cross-sectional advocacy’s for all that are LGBTIQA

www.transhaven.org

Court rules transgender Illinoisans can update their birth certificates without genital surgery.

2011-10-27T04:16:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

via Claire Louise Swinford

Court rules transgender Illinoisans can update their birth certificates without genital surgery.

lexiecannes.wordpress.com

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT -- A ruling from a Cook County (IL) Circuit Court judge has made it easier to obtain a gender change on one's birth certificate, but it is far from being certain for ever...

Contest carries extra weight for local choir

2011-10-27T01:57:00.001-05:00

(ARCHIVED STORY)

Contest carries extra weight for local choir

Via St. Louis Post Dispatch

ST. LOUIS • The sound was good. Really good. But choir director Jerry Smith wanted to try something different.

He moved the altos away from the sopranos to the opposite side of the risers, sandwiching the tenors and basses.

Smith seemed to like the change. So did the choir members.

"Let's record it this time," Smith said.

The balance and blend of sound needed to be as close to perfect as possible for the choir of Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis. Winning a contest that would designate the group as the best gospel choir in the country is on the line. And with it comes additional pressure: being the first choir at the national level representing a predominately gay and lesbian congregation.

The choir won regionals last month in St. Louis. It will perform for the national title Friday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/article_8cc50d1b-5163-5e22-bd70-3d2c6984da18.html#ixzz1bxkzKccp

23 Oct. 2011 -- ST. LOUIS -- Soloist Adria Nichol Webb (center) leads the choir at the Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis during Sunday morning services at the church in St. Louis Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. The choir recently qualified to represent the St. Louis region at the national gospel choir competition "How Sweet The Sound" at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Oct. 28. Photo by Sid Hastings for the Post-Dispatch

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/article_8cc50d1b-5163-5e22-bd70-3d2c6984da18.html#ixzz1bxlBlzu0

Celebrating the life of Sreeja Smith

2011-10-06T12:01:00.003-05:00

(ARCHIVED STORY)

Warmest thoughts go out to the family and friends of Sreeja Smith. Your loss is all our loss and we shall keep you in prayer in the days, months and years ahead. Daniel McCree Foundation

Daniel McCree Foundation

We are saddened by the loss of one of our 'vines' to suicide. As the news of our loss is being shared among Sreeja Smith's many wonderful friends, we extend an invitation to you to join us in remembering her loving spirit. Visitation will be Sunday (3:00 - 6:00) at Brown Funeral Home in Hillsboro with funeral services to follow on Monday at 10:00. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and words of comfort. Let us all remember her with love.

MetroEast NEWS - October 2011

2011-10-01T02:48:00.001-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

(ARCHIVED STORY)

VIEW OUR MONTHLY ISSUE OF MetroEast NEWS

Same Sex Legal Offers Advice on Illinois DUI Laws

2011-09-30T23:05:00.003-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

Same Sex Legal Offers Advice on Illinois DUI Laws
By: Todd Sivia, SLBS (Edwardsville)

“Even in an age of anti-drunk-driving organizations
and awareness commercials, people still violate laws against drunk driving.”

If public service messages and ads reminding citizens to "drink responsibly" don't work, it may be helpful to realize the legal consequences of driving under the influence.
Drivers who are suspended either for having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above, or for refusing to submit to the breathalyzer test may not receive permission to drive to and from work or school. Instead, suspended drivers must get monitoring device driving permits (MDDP) for the duration of their suspension, which requires a Blood Alcohol Interlock Ignition device (BAIID) in the car at all times. While the monitoring device driving permit is far more expensive to the driver, it is also less restrictive. Previously, suspended drivers, upon receiving a Judicial Driving Permit (JDP), were allowed only to drive to and from work, school, or for medical purposes only. As of 2009, with an MDDP, the driver may drive at any time, as long as the device is installed on his or her car.
Summary suspension periods are doubled under the new Illinois law, which means that drivers who have 0.08 or over blood alcohol content (BAC) will automatically have their driving privileges suspended for six months instead of three months, regardless of the outcome of their DUI case. Drivers who refuse to submit to breathalyzer testing will have their driving privileges suspended for a full year
These new penalties and procedures mean that anyone accused or convicted of an Illinois DUI will face even higher fees than before. The installation of the BAIID device is very expensive and it is the driver's responsibility to pay all costs associated with it.
If you are facing the consequences of DUI laws and need to know what to do next, please call or email our office today. Our attorneys understand the legal implications of your mistakes and can help you get back on track.

MCCGSL Choir wins regional How Sweet the Sound award for Best Overall Choir!

2011-09-27T17:11:00.003-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
via Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis

MCCGSL Choir wins regional How Sweet the Sound award for Best Overall Choir!
by Mccgsl Church on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 12:50pm

Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Saint Louis is excited to announce the results of the How Sweet the Sound: A Verizon Experience regional choir competition held at the Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri, on Monday, September 26, 2011. The Best Large Choir prize was awarded to Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Saint Louis (MCCGSL) for their 53 member choir performance of “Psalm 68, Let Our God Arise” by Kurt Carr. Jerry Smith, MCCGSL Director of Music, accepted the $10,000 award from Host Donald Lawrence in front of a packed house at the Scottrade Center.

Additionally, the MCCGSL choir was selected as Regional Competition, Best Overall Choir. As winners of this award, the MCCGSL choir received all expense paid travel to Los Angeles, California, to perform in the Verizon Best National Choir Competition on Friday, October 28, 2011, at the Staples Center. Each choir member received a medal with the inscription “Regional Competition, Best Overall Choir”; a Droid mobile phone, and a $50 gift certificate for activation.

The Judges for the How Sweet The Sound Regional Competition in St. Louis were Marvin Sapp, Shirley Caesar, and Dorinda Clark-Cole. In commenting on the MCCGSL choir performance, Pastor Marvin Sapp said, “Let me start by saying this is what heaven is supposed to look like! It’s supposed to look like a multiplicity of cultures, colors, creeds all coming together for the sole purpose of magnifying and glorifying the God of our fathers.” Judge Shirley Caesar shared, “They did not miss a beat.” Dorinda Clark-Cole reported, “This is what heaven really does look like. You all did a wonderful performance."

Jerry Smith told the choir before the stage, “Sing to God and do not worry about anything else. We are here to worship and to give God our best.” Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. Carol Trissell stated, “I am so proud of our church choir! Their vocal performance was amazing – truly the best of their three years in Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound competition. Yet, I am even more proud of their genuine, praise-filled spirits which demonstrated without a doubt that God’s love is for ALL people.”

MCC of Greater Saint Louis was founded in 1973 as an outreach to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities. Today, it has a membership of 413 and owns its own facility for worship and ministry at 1919 S. Broadway, in the Soulard neighborhood. Its mission is to accept, embody, and declare God’s love for all. MCCGSL lives out this mission by providing direct ministries of worship, education, pastoral care, and outreach to those seeking a progressive and inclusive faith community. MCCGSL also collaborates with other community nonprofits such as One St. Louis, Peter & Paul Community Services, Winter Outreach, St. Louis Pridefest, Black Pride, MetroEast Pride, St. Louis Effort for AIDS, Metropolitan Congregations United, Doorways, Food Outreach, Growing American Youth, and Show Me No Hate.

VIDEO

Vintage Drag & River Queens- VITAL VOICE

2011-09-19T15:08:00.000-05:00

Vintage Drag & River Queens
via VITAL VOICE
Celebrating 40-years in the art form, James Massey’s Candy James is without question one of the matriarchs of modern St. Louis female impersonation. Up until 1971, Massey had only dressed in drag twice for the Mandrake Society's annual Halloween Ball. The event was a fundraiser for St. Louis’ first LGBT rights organization, and the novice queen caught the attention of the legendary Miss Tracy. (READ FULL STORY)

Robyn's Trans Advocacy Tour II

2011-09-16T17:46:00.000-05:00

Robyn's Trans Advocacy Tour II
VITAL VOICE

My 2011 Trans-Advocacy tour will be conducted with Claire Swinford of Tucson, Arizona. Our goal: To bring awareness of other issues that affect the LGBT Community, such as disability and homelessness—as well as lobbying for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and Medicaid Reform.

We will be at conferences, rallies and on Capitol Hill. We will attend outreach events in Phoenix, Tucson, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. And to end our tour, we will make a pilgrimage to the Stonewall Inn in New York City. We do this to bring the memory of the riots there by LGBT individuals, back in mind for our youth.

(READ MORE)

Internationally Acclaimed Tim Miller will appear at SIU (CARBONDALE)

2011-09-16T09:28:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
via Southern Illinois Gay-Straight Alliance

September 28th Tim Miller will bring his one man show to SIU-Carbondale.

Tim Miller

www.timmillerperformer.com

Home of internationally-acclaimed solo performance artist Tim Miller.

TIM MILLER is an internationally acclaimed performance artist. Miller's creative work as a performer and writer explores the artistic, spiritual and political topography of his identity as a gay man. Hailed for his humor and passion, Miller has tackled this challenge in such pieces as POSTWAR (1982), COST OF LIVING (1983), DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA (1984), BUDDY SYSTEMS (1985), SOME GOLDEN STATES (1987), STRETCH MARKS (1989), SEX/LOVE/STORIES (1991), MY QUEER BODY (1992), NAKED BREATH (1994), FRUIT COCKTAIL (1996), SHIRTS & SKIN (1997) GLORY BOX (1999), US (2003) and 1001 BEDS (2006). Miller's performances have been presented all over North America, Australia, and Europe in such prestigious venues as Yale Repertory Theatre, the Institute of Contemporary Art (London), the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis), and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He is the author of the books SHIRTS & SKIN, BODY BLOWS and 1001 BEDS, which won the 2007 Lambda Literary Award for best book in Drama-Theatre. His solo theater works have been published in the play collections O Solo Homo and Sharing the Delirium. Miller’s newest book 1001 BEDS, an anthology of his performances, essays and journals, was published by University of Wisconsin Press in 2006. Miller has taught performance at UCLA, NYU, the School of Theology at Claremont and at universities all over the US. He is a co-founder of two of the most influential performance spaces in the United States: Performance Space 122 on Manhattan's Lower East Side and Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica, CA.
Miller has received numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1990, Miller was awarded a NEA Solo Performer Fellowship, which was overturned under political pressure from the Bush White House because of the gay themes of Miller's work. Miller and three other artists, the so-called "NEA 4", successfully sued the federal government with the help of the ACLU for violation of their First Amendment rights and won a settlement where the government paid them the amount of the defunded grants and all court costs. Though the Supreme Court of the United States decided in 1998 to overturn part of Miller's case and determined that "standards of decency" are constitutional criterion for federal funding of the arts, Miller vows "to continue fighting for freedom of expression for fierce diverse voices."
Since 1999, Miller has focused his creative and political work on marriage equality and addressing the injustices facing lesbian and gay couples in America. Glory Box and US are funny, sexy, and politically charged explorations of same-sex marriage and the struggle for immigration rights for lesbian and gay bi-national couples. They recount the trials Miller has been forced to undergo in trying to keep his Australian partner in the United States. Says Miller, "I want the pieces to conjure for the audience a site for the placing of memories, hopes, and dreams of gay people's extraordinary potential for love." After a nine-year stint in New York City, in 1987 Miller returned home to Los Angeles, California where he was born and raised. He currently lives there with his partner Alistair in Venice Beach.

VENUE:
Communications Building Marion Kleinau Theatre • SIU Campus
http://www.carbondalerocks.com/node/52486

MetroEast NEWS: Illinois State Bar Assoc. to host Civil Union Semi...

2011-09-15T05:27:00.000-05:00

MetroEast NEWS: Illinois State Bar Assoc. to host Civil Union Semi...: www.BellevillePride.Org via Jennifer Shaw P.C. (CARBONDALE) A Roadmap to the Illinois Civil Union Act* September 16, 2011 1...

Artistically Speaking! debuts at Seven Restaurant Oct 5th (Belleville)

2011-09-13T20:45:00.002-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
by: Susan Spit-Fire Lively

September 13, 2011
(BELLEVILLE)

On Wednesday, October 5th I will be producing and hosting a brand new show called Artistically Speaking! at a fresh new club called 7 Restaurant and Lounge, which is located at 7 S. High St., Belleville, IL, 62220. The phone number is (618) 277-6700 and you can learn more on their website: www.sevenrestaurantandlounge.com.

Located in a historic building created in 1871, this venue has been completely remodeled into a modern and luxurious Creole-bistro style restaurant and lounge, complete with a diverse array of exotic food and beverages. Patio seating is conveniently located on the front and side of the building, adding to the spacious and inviting atmosphere. 7 is brought to you by Brian Besse, the former owner of Iron Horse Saloon and other great St. Louis venues.

Artistically Speaking! will occur on the first Wednesday of each month, beginning October 5th, and we will meet in the second floor art gallery. There is no cover charge for this event!! The doors open at 8:00 p.m. and the show, which also features an Open Mic and an Annual Poetry Slam, will begin at 9:00 p.m.

Come and vibe with extraordinary local Musicians, Poets, Comedians, and more in a gorgeous setting, complete with incredible appetizer and drink specials. To learn more, please see attached flier. Our Special Guests for our kick-off night will be Musician, Vocalist, and Songwriter Fior Baptiste, Poet, Author, and Educator Rennell “Random Thought” Parker, Musician, Vocalist, and Songwriter Kevin “Up in the Air” Renick, and Poet, Author, and Spoken Word Artist Dana “Kels” Kelly. So please support local art and join us for a great night out on the town.
Looking forward to seeing you!

L<3ve, Spit-Fire

Mortgage Relief Project- SEPT 17th (EDWARDSVILLE)

2011-09-08T08:32:00.002-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
September 8, 2011
(EDWARDSVILLE)

Governor Pat Quinn has established the Mortgage Relief Project to help take advantage of new goverment programs that can help you lower your mortgage payments, avoid foreclosure and keep your home.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
9 am to 1pm (registration until noon)

Edwardsville High School (auditorium)
6161 Center Grove Road
Edwardsville, IL 62025

FREE housing counseling is available.

Also, learn how to recognize the tell-tale signs of mortgage fraud.

Be sure to bring your latest mortgage documents (bills, statements, notices, etc.), two most recent paystubs, and your state ID or driver's license. For a list of all the documents that you would need to complete a full application for a loan modification, go to http://www.idfpr.com/.

To register for the event or for more Mortgage Relief Project information,call toll-free at 1-800-532-8785 or visit http://www.idfpr.com/.

Illinois State Bar Assoc. to host Civil Union Seminar (CARBONDALE)

2011-09-05T18:18:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
via Jennifer Shaw P.C.

(CARBONDALE)

A Roadmap to the Illinois Civil Union Act*

September 16, 2011
1:55 – 3:45 p.m.
1.75 MCLE hours
Presented by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Co-sponsored by Family Law

Carbondale
SIU School of Law
1150 Douglas Drive
Room 204
(map and directions)

Learn to navigate your way through Illinois’ new Civil Union Act

with this informative Law Ed seminar!

This program provides an overview of the new Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act which became effective June 1, 2011. Topics include its form and purpose; the formation of civil unions, their recognition while intact, and their dissolution; the rights, interests, benefits and burdens to spouses under the Act; special considerations, including the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and its limitation on the new law; and federal/state law conflicts. Judge Nancy Katz, a long-standing Domestic Relations judge, provides her perspectives on the impact this new law may or may not have on the process and procedures applicable in domestic relations proceedings. Lawyers from all practice settings will benefit from attending this program, including family law, trusts and estates, business advice and financial planning, elder law, employee benefits, federal tax, general practice and more.

Program Coordinators/Moderators:

Richard A. Wilson, Law Offices Richard Wilson P.C., Chicago
Comments from June 17, 2011 Presentation:

Very nice overview of the new law and some of the complexities that raise unanswered questions and protect one’s self and clients. --Anonymous

I thought it was a great update on a very relevant issue that affects our legal system. --Anonymous

Very good CLE, MCLE. --T. Yaur

Jennifer A. Shaw, Jennifer A. Shaw P.C., Edwardsville

Agenda

1:55 – 2:00 p.m. Welcome and Introductions

2:00 – 2:15 p.m. Overview of the New Law: Form and Purpose

This brief overview examines the new law, as well as how it’s structured and its stated purpose.

Richard A. Wilson, Law Offices Richard Wilson P.C., Chicago

Jennifer A. Shaw, Jennifer A. Shaw P.C., Edwardsville

2:15 – 2:30 p.m. Forming an Illinois Civil Union: Who, How, When, and More.

This segment offers a roadmap to the formation of a civil union under the new law, including the application process, eligibility requirements, licensing, and much more.

Richard A. Wilson, Law Offices Richard Wilson P.C., Chicago

Jennifer A. Shaw, Jennifer A. Shaw P.C., Edwardsville

2:30 – 2:45 p.m. Civil Union Partners: Rights, Interests, Benefits, and Burdens

This presentation discusses the rights, interests, benefits, and burdens available to parties in a civil union – both while intact and upon dissolution – and introduces federal law issues and limitations on the new law.

Richard A. Wilson, Law Offices Richard Wilson P.C., Chicago

Jennifer A. Shaw, Jennifer A. Shaw P.C., Edwardsville

2:45 – 3:15 p.m. Special Considerations

This segment provides an overview of the special considerations in civil union cases, including conflicts between federal and state laws. Topics include: relevant tax concerns, estate planning issues, and other financial problems that may arise due to contention with the Defense of Marriage Act.

Hon. Nancy J. Katz, Circuit Court Cook County, Chicago

Raymond W. Prather, Prather Ebner LLP, Chicago

3:15 – 3:45 p.m. A View from the Bench: An Examination of the new Civil Union Law from a Domestic Relations Judge

Examine the new law from the point of view of a long-standing Domestic Relations Judge, which includes an overview of the process and procedures applicable in domestic relations proceedings. Special considerations in dealing with same-sex dissolutions are also discussed.

Hon. Nancy J. Katz, Circuit Court Cook County, Chicago

*Please Note: This program was originally presented on June 17, 2011 in Fontana, Wisconsin at ISBA’s Annual Meeting. Attorneys cannot receive credit for viewing the same program more than once within a 12 month period.

"Thank God I Can Be OverSexed Again" - Tess Farnham

2011-08-29T23:44:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
By: Tess Farnham-MetroEast NEWS

August 29th, 2011
(BELLEVILLE)

"Thank God I Can Be OverSexed Again"

On Finding a Photo of an Ex-Boyfriend in the Seedy Section
of the Riverfront Times

O Here I sit with rum and raisins
poring over yesterday’s photo

Your skin. Your nipples.
Berry rubbed and airbrushed

"Romance
finis.
Your chance
finis.
Those ants
that invaded my pants
finis."

They’d cropped the top half
of your head
and I traced along your jawline

A blue band of language
barked out your armpit:

Wanna See the Rest of Me?
Dial 555-Guys

Another band higher, this time
fantastic with scat and jazz

"Thank God I can be oversexed again."

I might have known it was poetry
taking off the top of your head

(italicized excerpts are borrowed from Ella Fitzgerald’s recording of“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”)

Q&A: (SWIC) First Meeting of Semester - AUG 30th

2011-08-25T09:27:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org - Belleville Transgender and Friends
Q&A: Alliance for Gender and Sexual Diversity (SWIC)
via: Naomi Warner President, Q&A Alliance (SWIC)-

Our first meeting of the semester will be next week,
Aug 30 at 400pm in room LA 2218

Q&A Alliance is geared towards the students of Southwestern Illinois College but is open to anyone of interest. This group has become an important advocacy in the MetroEast Region, offering SafeZone Trainging with the faculty & staff, as well as on campus support to students. Participants enjoy both outreach opportunities and safe-space for social connection. For more information the Faculty Advisor is Barbara

barbara.hunter@swic.edu

SmartChoice Center Adds New Web Services

2011-08-24T22:38:00.000-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org
via SmartChoice Center

August 24,2011
(ST. LOUIS)

SmartChoice Center publishes MetroEast News on Behalf of the Daniel McCree Foundation.
They offer low-cost solutions for all types of web development and digital publishing. Over the past few years they have had a most certain impact on the web presence of the LGBT communities of St. Louis and Metro East regions. In 2011, the co-founder took over the enterprise full-time and has continued to expand the network of websites, and portfolio.

SmartChoice Center began in the fall of 2005, with only a few domains. In 2007, they added www.DanielMcCree.Org, which has become a top traffic-driver recieving more than 70,000 visitors over the past few years. In 2008, the largest project was The Hope and Help Center, which brought together health resources & referrals on behalf of the MCC Church in St. Louis. Also in 2008, BellevillePride.Org went online, as well as several small business owner's websites.

Over the next two years, SmartChoice Center had launched more than a dozen domains from Fishing & Tackle companies to Real Estate Agencies. They provided web services for Metro East Pride (MEPSI) in 2010, and launched social media outreach and support on behalf of large non-profit organizations such as justinePETERSEN and Paducah Pride.

Today SmartChoice Center continues to offer low-cost solutions to many well known brands and organizations essential to the St. Louis area. Visit online to browse the most recent projects, and learn more about services available for the growth of small business and non-profit organizations.

www.SmartChoiceSTL.com

MetroEast News is moving to "The ORG"

2011-08-23T00:33:00.001-05:00

www.BellevillePride.Org

It has been mentioned (casually) a few times, but by morning our move will be complete, we
decided that after all the pride celebrations were wrapped up for 2011, we would move from our primary domain to "THE ORG"

So when you visit us online, we will have a new look, but can be found at www.BellevillePride.Org
as our primary domain. And may retire the DOT-COM. Nonetheless you will find the SAME great content of News, Events and Rants from the "Mouthy Saint" :)

Thanks for everyone's support over the years, and we are looking forward to the coming year!
The 2011 Pride Season, was perhaps the most diverse to date~ And one for the history books.

Congrats to all the pride teams that pulled of pride celebrations of Metro East Pride, Carbondale Pride, and Pride Saint Louis and most recently STL Black Pride!

Our September issue is underway, so look for it in 7 days!
And see us at sunrise and take a gander at our new website~ www.BellevillePride.org

The 2011 Digital Directory has been read by more than 4000 readers~ We LOVE YOU ALL!