Support MTUG. and Trans Visability

Metro Trans Umbrella Group - MTUG

April 24 at 8:25am · 

When i was 15 years old and came out as a lesbian my mother said " I am going to take you to this festival in forest park, so you can meet your people" being in community in the late 80 was vital to my survival and feeling part of our movement. When i came out as a transgender man in my early 30' s in the mid 2000 i was at a loss on where to meet my people. This is not to say that there has not been many trans folks at pride throughout the years we just may not have been as visible or organized as some of our L and G and maybe B family. We feel like it is now our turn.
MTUG wants to march in the Pride parade this year not as an add on to some of our fantastic allys or as an addition to group but as our own powerful movement. MTUG is ready to take up some space. We need your support. The generous folks at Left Bank Books have already stepped up with a donation of $150 to support us but we need more to make this a reality. $ponsorship will allow us to pay the entry fee, purchase umbrellas and hopefully some fun MTUG swag to spread the word! If you support us with this drive to march in Pride 2015 You will help provide the space for all of us to gather in the shadow of the arch and show St Louis Trans are here and we are a proud valuable part of the community. Message us if you would like to support! --Sayer JohnsonPresident MTUG

Sherrill Wayland of SAGE Metro St. Louis Receives Top Honor

BellevillePride~ MetroEast News shared SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders)'s photo.

Posted by Colby Kluthe · Just now · 

Congrats Sherrill Wayland, no the rest of the nation knows an advocate we have appreciated for a long time! Thanks for all you do.

SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders)

Major congrats to Sherrill Wayland, Executive Director of SAGE Metro St. Louis for being awarded the 2015 Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Award for her outstanding contribution in service to older adults! Great work Sherrill, you deserve it!

Equality Illinois Advocacy Day - April 15th

LGBT Advocacy Day

Equality Illinois Event Pending Legislation | March 26, 2015

Equality Illinois is holding our annual LGBT Advocacy Day onWednesday, April 15 at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield.

It’ll be a great opportunity to talk to lawmakers about legislation that affects the LGBT community. Our agenda includes strengthening hate crimes legislation, protecting LGBT youth from ineffective and dangerous conversion therapy, and saving important funding for public services in the state budget.

Registration for a bus ticket from the Chicago area includes admission for one round trip to Springfield, lunch, and registration to the LGBT Advocacy Day.  Or you can drive on your own from anywhere in the state and participate in our program when you arrive. Share your plans on social media with #LGBTadvocacy.

BUS TRIP RESERVATION

DRIVING RESERVATION

Call for Vendor Enrollment! 8th Annual Festival Season

www.metroeastprideswi.org 

Or email 

mep.chanceb@gmail.come

Second verse... same as the first, third and so on...

MetroEast Pride

April 8 at 10:19am · 

It gives us great pleasure to announce that Chance Baker was voted in and he has excepted the position of Vice President of MEPSI. His past leadership on the Board and enthusiasm for this community is exactly what our organization needs. Congrats Chance. We are so happy and excited for this new chapter.

Tristen Lennox

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  Tristen Lennox The more things change the more they don't change at all. congrats chance and all of the yesteryear leaders.

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  Sarah Gray Congratulations Chance! 
  He is an exceptionally awesome leader and organizer. He will certainly be an asset to this organization.

MetroEast NEWS~EVENTS: All Things In The Fullness of Time

MetroEast NEWS~EVENTS: All Things In The Fullness of Time: By: Colby Kluthe  -Metro East NEWS "All things in the fullness of time."  Its a phrase that I have probably said a hundred ...

Governor Rauner makes commitment to Illinois LGBT citizens

Equality Illinois

March 20 at 5:57pm · 

Breaking News: Governor Bruce Rauner holds first meeting with LGBT leaders, commits to strict enforcement of non-discrimination laws and appoints liaison to LGBT community.

Rauner Makes Commitment to LGBT Illinoisans « Equality Illinois

CHICAGO – In the first of its kind meeting with LGBT leaders, Gov. Bruce Rauner today committed his administration to strict enforcement of non-discrimination laws and suggested an openness to new initiatives to protect Illinoisans who experience unequal treatment.

EQUALITYILLINOIS.US

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Thanks Alton for a fantastic weekend!

Aeighva Secrett

5 hrs · 

OK kids this weekend was amazing Friday was wonderful as always and Saturday was just the same sending all the fans a big shout out who come to support both shows both with a different feel to them and equal the same fun!!! Send a special shout out to Miss Bubby and Sissy's Essence Mizrahi girl you are so beautiful and glad to have you represent the bar! I can't wait till November for my second try! To both my TT'S Passion Principal and Mariah Candy I love you both!!! As always thank you to bubby Michael Paynic for giving us a place to work!!!!

 — feeling blessed with Mariah Candy and 3 others at Bubby & Sissy's.

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MetroEast NEWS: A Rock, a River and a Tree

MetroEast NEWS: A Rock, a River and a Tree: October 9, 2014 (JOPLIN) By:Colby Kluthe- MetroEast NEWS For far too long we have sped past them in our cars and strolled by them on fo...

MetroEast NEWS~EVENTS: "First Bloom" Women's History Month Series

MetroEast NEWS~EVENTS: "First Bloom" Women's History Month Series: Kranzberg Arts Center Hide Map Kranzberg Arts Center 501 North Grand Blvd, St. Louis 63103 Hear the voi...

"Metro East Pride, Pull Yourselves Together"

AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE EDITOR:
"Metro East Pride, Pull Yourselves Together"

Any idea when your website will be repaired? Every year we at MetroEast NEWS get requests from the community on how to contact you and I never know what to tell them since there's little continuity to the organization. 
Please remember that Mepsi was established to serve all of the metro east, not simply the bar crowd at club escapade. However the real issue is your ability to communicate with vendors, entertainers and those who are outside the local area. 

I am very proud of my tenure on the board and the hard work of those who served before and after me. Now is that time of year to begin pulling yourselves together with the entire community to pull off another successful pride season. I challenge this years board to personally meet with every business owner and vendor possible to garner support and maybe even take a whole board field trip to Carbondale before june. Thanks again for all you do and never loose sight of the communities you serve.
Sincerely,
COLBY KLUTHE,
Editor MetroEast NEWS
MEPSI board member 2009~2011

A Rock, a River and a Tree

October 9, 2014 (JOPLIN)
By:Colby Kluthe- MetroEast NEWS

For far too long we have sped past them in our cars and strolled by them on foot.  However, when was the last time you sat on a rock and were simply thankful for it's inherent stubbornness that left itself clinging to the banks of the river with its never ending motions and forces?

While the river may be looked down upon for its forceful and unpredictable current,  it is sometimes helpful to recognize and appreciate that had it not been for the river, the rock would not be well rounded, but rather jagged and far from the refreshment found in a cool drink at your feet.

The rock indeed has been through the storms and baked in many of summer's suns.  Sometimes in july the rock may even burn us if we linger upon it too long.  It knows its story of years gone by, but a rock will not often tell of its hardships.  Instead, the rock has weathered and aged long enough not to worry about forces it has no control over, and chooses to embrace all that surrounds it's resting place.

"My heavens would you look at that" cries out the rock,  "someone long ago planted this tree next to me, and the tree has grown and kept me company even in the bitterness of winter.  I am surely a blessed rock.  And when the long awaitef sping arrives, my friend the tree blooms it's branches to sheild me from that summer heat.  Now im much more appealing to the passerby and both myself and my tree enjoy the company. "

"Last October,  we found ourselves at odds, and I decided I could do without tree, it doesn't even have any leaves left to offer shade anyway."  So the rock wouldnt talk to tree all winter, and the tree felt the blisters of snow on it's bare branches, and creaked when the wind gusts battered it's dried out trunk.

The tree and rock remained in silence until all of winters snowpack began to melt on a particularly warm February day.  In fact neither of them could remember the last time so much snow had leaped its way into the now swift moving, and nearly violent splashes of the river.  As the water levels rose,  the rock could no longer see tree for all the desbris and water which now forced its way over, around, and directly onto the rock.  In just a few moments the rock began to feel its footing being washed away,  and soon he might be tumbling downstream,  never getting the chance to see tree one last time.

Just as the flashes of lightening reached maximum decibel,  and the river had all but reclaimed the rock,  the rock wondered why or how he wasn't already tumbling downstream.   As mid afternoon turned into evening,  the sunlight faded, and the waters began to calm.  It was at that moment the rock realized that his weight was being held in suspension by the roots of his friend the tree.   Rock wasn't going to miss this opportunity and began to cry out in both appreciation and relief: "thank you tree!  I have not been very kind to you lately, but you were holding me up the entire time.   I don't deserve to have such a wonderful friend ad you."

The tree looked down at thr rock and replied: "Don't even mention it,  those roots have been there for a very long time, and because you rest upon them, I can drink from river even in the coldest and driest of times.   I should be thanking you.  Without you at my side, the passersby would not see me fit to offer them a shaded grove, and without you a resting place would not be within my reach.   We would both find ouselves quite lonely I imagine"

Today we should take a short moment yo appreciate those blessings which surround us.  Remember that blessings exist even when they are covered by the swift moving  currents in our own lives.  Take a moment to celebrate how blessings are often intertwined like a quilt on the bed.  Someone even our divine creator not only had the plan and pattern,  and created a beautiful tapestry that will bring us warmth and comfort when we no longer see leaves on the tree.  It remains a tree, and all that has been created is blessed indeed.

Today be mindful of blessings of grace surrounding you.  If it is a person, tell them thank you just to recognize the gift.  Remember that only love exists, and release any fear you may be struggling to overcome?

Today I will remember to keep my word.

@smartchoicestl  
DanielMcCreeOrg@gmail.com

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I Support Same Sex Marriage in ILLINOIS's video.

I Support Same Sex Marriage in ILLINOIS's video.

 via  Kris Flint

#Samelove

Like · · January 26 at 8:41pm

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  Ken Easley Jr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6OVxPiZQDc

Bethany Place

Bethany Place teaching the community.

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7th Annual Metro East PrideFest

MetroEast Pride is PROUD to announce that in celebration of Same-Sex Marriage becoming official in the Land of Lincoln on June 1, 2014 we will be holding our first LEGAL wedding ceremony at the main stage during the 7th Annual Metro East PrideFest on Saturday, June 21 in downtown Belleville. Interested couples should contact mep.allenirby@gmail.com or call 314.608.4110. Remember, this is a LEGAL marriage so we'll need some time to make sure paperwork is in order beforehand and the officiate is requesting to meet couples prior to ceremony.

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(SPARTA) GUNS STOLEN WERE FAMILY HEIRLOOMS

Justin R. Lanton

Can you share this info to help me out please!! I just had my house broken into in Sparta IL. They stole my stainless steal .357 magnum 3" barrel. Also my chrome 1911 Rock island .45... If you know anyone trying to sell them or know anything please call me ASAP 618-971-0699 or the IL state police or Sparta PD?
The .357 was my grandpas and it was given to me after he passed..

March on Springfield for Marriage Equality

Equality Illinois news conference as the musical portion of the rally continues outside, Rep. Greg Harris, lead sponsor of the marriage bill, calls for passage of #SB10: "I call upon my colleagues to do the right thing." #IL4M Behind him is Gov. Pat Quinn. Other speakers included U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and other bill sponsors in the state legislature.  Historic Crowds nearing 5,000 people now at Illinois State Capitol to Stand for #MarriageEquality #IL4M

March on Springfield for Marriage Equality

The March on Springfield for Marriage Equality will bring thousands to Illinois' capital at the state of the fall veto session of the Illinois General Assembly to demand they pass Senate Bill 10, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. We urge you all to join us this day. The time is now. Visit http://www.marchonspringfield.org/ for full details including an FAQ, Travel Info, speakers concert info and more.

Rally/March Details
Tuesday October 22, 2013
Illinois State Capitol
401 S. 2nd Street
Springfield, Illinois
Noon-1 PM: Entertainment
1 PM-2:30 PM: Rally
March around Capitol: 2:30-3:30 PM

Great News for Carbondale Nightlife- The Return of TwoThirteen

BellevillePride~ MetroEast News

VIA Jodie Santana
Get ready next week the club in carbondale IL is reopen next wed night starts out with college night with 49cent draft beer and 79cent well drinks $1.49 longnecks and $1.99 jager booms and no cover charge ! get ready more to come and lets support the club this time so we all have a place to hangout and be are self ! 213 is back!

If you are outgoing and friendly and good lookin the club in carbondale is looking for Bartenders males and females but you must be upbeat ! this is a dance / showbar and people want to have fun ! contact Shauwn at 618-218-3829