Thanx For A Great Week of NCOD Events

Hey Friends, Family, and Allies,

We made it through our second year of National Coming Out Week events, and on behalf of the Pride Center, I would like to thank all of those who worked so hard to make all of these events possible. It was very appreciated to see our Straight Allies, Marguerite Felice, and Steve and Toni Schildcrout at so many events. To our core team, Bob Holmes, Marita Emmert, Liam, Diana Shaheen, Karen and Laura Davis, Anita Davis, Javonne LFontaine and Don Rowinski, you all went above and beyond.

Lunch with a Decision Maker finally got Congressman Tim Ryan to make an appearance at the Pride Center, and David Betras showed as well and re-affirmed his commitment to the LGBT community. Good job Don on arranging the luncheon, and representing us with a contingency in Washington DC for the March for Equality. Pride Youngstown held an excellent panel discussion on working with the police and the LGBT community with excellent speakers from Cleveland and Columbus as well as Pride Youngstown founders Carlos, Anita, and Kim. YSUnity had a couple of good movie showings, but didn’t really have the attendance. In a school of 14k there needs to be more support to their organization. The interesting but enjoyable movie, “Breakfast on Pluto,” was enjoyed by a small group of people at the Pride Center, and each having our own individual microwave popcorn was yummy! Over 15 members of the First Federated Church in North Jackson came to a showing there of, “For The Bible Tells Me So,” always an eye opening movie. Marita brought some great experts on gay adoption and family rights for the panel discussion Thursday night. We all learned a lot and we really learned how All Families Matter. The Cocoa Mocha dance was decorated fantastic and had plenty of food at the Unitarian Church on Friday. Everyone who went had a great time. Saturday we had coffee and wine enjoyed by all as we wrapped up our week of events and again, thanx for everyone who made it possible. There were a lot more donations this year than last, and we are learning more and more each year how to make it better.

Our only regret was that as nice as all the events were and as much as we liked seeing each other, it was the same dedicated group of active people in our community. National Coming Out Day was founded by someone who wanted us to be able to come out to at least one another in our community and stand up for who we are, and what we want to be. We want our NOCD week-long events to do the same. We want to bring people out to our community that we don’t normally see. People who need the friendship, fellowship and resources, that all of our organizations have to offer. We are taking baby steps growing in visibility, and we look forward to more and more people coming out not only of the closet, but to all of the opportunities the LGBT community in the Mahoning Valley has to offer, which is much more than people realize. Like politics? The Stonewall Democrats are for you. Need family resources and help with others who know what it’s like adopting, creating lives together, and becoming an LGBT family? All Families Matter is the place to go. Mom, Dad, Best Friend, Grandma doesn’t really know how to react to you now that you are an out member of our community? PFLAG gives them a place to talk about it, provide support, and offer many resources. Feel like you are minority in a minority? People of All Colors Together, (PACT,) offers great support and a sense of community within our LGBT community. Out and Proud, and love to organize events and have a good time? Pride Youngstown needs energetic volunteers to make the 2010 Youngstown Pride Festival and their other events a big success and are always looking for motivated members of our LGBT community.

Finally, we at the Pride Center are happy to act as a facilitator and resource group for the entire LGBT community, organizations and our allies. My goal as Chairman is to raise the visibility of our community, get the leaders in all of our associations to work together for a common goal of being out and affirming the good we all can do, and to be a resource for those that are questioning, confused, scared, and need a place to hang out where they can be who they are, among others who understand what they are going through and want to help. Welcome to the LGBT community, tell your friends, and Just Show Up! I hope to see some of you this Wednesday at our regular Pride Center meeting at 7:30. We will be having, support, fellowship and popcorn and a movie.

Scott

Pro Football Player Sticks Up For Our Team

As we approach National Coming Out Day this Sunday, October 11th, I am becoming more proud each day of our GLBT community and the people that support us. I am probably the farthest thing from a sports guy there is. I hate when they equate masculinity with sports, but thats another story altogether, I just don't want to sit down in front of the TV for hours to watch a stupid game. I just came across this article about Pro Football player from the unbeaten (i'm told,) New Orlean Saints, Scott Fujita, has come out strongly in his support of the march on Washington for gay rights this Sunday. The question and answer article HERE, is very well written, and I am happy to pass it along. Take a second and read it over, even if you are not a sports fan.....S

"Sinead's Hand," and Our Fight For Equality, Join The Pride Center

I can't find a better way to illustrate the frustration of gay marriage and equal rights, than this video that was sent to me today by a friend in our community. It also offers good timing as today in the Ohio legislature, they are going to vote on a bill that would grant protection to sexual orientation and gender identity in housing and employment. 40 years after Stonewall, and we can still be fired for being gay in Ohio. Makes you think. Supporting your local Pride Center helps make your voice known in our community. I encourage you to come to our business meetings on the first Wednesday of every month, and our support meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of every month. I would love to expand these to every Wednesday once we get enough support and growth in the Pride Center. Stay tuned for information on our National Coming Out Week's Events, October 10 - 17th. We need your help in pulling these events off. Email us at the Pride Center for more information, mahoningvalleypridecenter(at)yahoo(dot)com.....S

Septembers Flying, Wednesday Support/Movie Night, National Coming Out Week Events

September is going by fast and the Pride Center is excited to be back in the groove after our Summer off. We had a great business meeting where we set the schedule for the rest of the year, and discussed upcoming plans and activities. In 4 short weeks we will be sponsoring National Coming Out Week events, with a coalition of our other LGBT organizations here in the Mahoning Valley. There will be 8 days of events from October 10 through October 17. The last event on the 17th will be a fundraiser for the Pride Center and we need everyone to spread the word. We will be holding a wine and cheese party costs $10 dollars for the tastings and there will be a silent auction and a LGBT Expo featuring many of the Valley's LGBT organizations. The full calendar of events will be posted soon.



This Wednesday, September 16th we will be back at the Pride Center for our twice monthly support meeting. Because of low attendance in the past, (guess we are all getting some great support in our LGBT lives,) we will be combining the support meetings with a movie night as well. Each meeting we will have a choice of LGBT themed movies to choose from; newly released to old favorites. The Pride Center will be open from 7:30 p.m. and the movie will start at 7:40. Bring movie snacks if you wish. Popcorn will be provided and there will be soda for sale for 50 cents. If anyone has anything to talk about, or are in need of some advice and support, we will get together over in the Stonewall side of the building while the movie is playing, and join the movie in progress after we all get to talk it out. Let's really make the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, a time to support, fellowship, and relax with others in the LGBT community and our allies. Allies are always welcome too.



Coming soon is the newly updated Pride Center website. There will be a monthly calendar of events, and we will be asking members to send in their pictures and videos of events. Website launch will be in the next couple of days, we will send an announcement out. Until then, tell your friends about The Mahoning Valley Pride Center, we don't want to be a secret. Have a great week and enjoy life!

North Jackson Churches Makes it Official For LGBT Community

First Federated Church at 10786 Mahoning Avenue in North Jackson, OH has made it official. After airing a welcoming commercial on television showing all are welcome at the congregation, including a gay couple, the Executive Board of the Church voted this past Thursday, August 27th, to officially designate the church a "Welcoming Church," to the LGBT community. This makes a third church that I know of to create such a designation. Our close ally, First Unitarian Church in Youngstown, All Saints Church in Cortland, and now First Federated Church in North Jackson brings to my mind a triangle around the area of affirming places of worship. The triangle is known as the strongest geometrical shape known and often represents body, mind and spirit. It is fitting that this triangle now encompasses a large portion of the Mahoning Valley, and our LGBT community, we can only hope to strengthen and grow this spirit, to encompass all churches to whom our community wishes to worship with.

First Federated Church welcomes a new Pastor, Jeff Davis, who begins his work for his congregation this Tuesday, I would like to welcome him and wish him all the best from the Mahoning Valley Pride Center. I encourage anyone in our community who is looking for a place of worhship, and has not found what feels right to themselves, to give this church, or one of the other welcoming churches in the area.

As a reminder, National Coming Out Day is always October 11th, and for the second year, the MV Pride Center is sponsoring, and being aided with a coalition of most of the LGBT organizations in the Valley, a week-long series of events, promoting the theme this year of, "Celebrating Our Diversity." There will be much more information coming out about these events shortly. There will be a planning meeting of the coalition, tomorrow, Sunday August 30th, at 1pm at the Pride Center.