Quest Features:
PrideFest 2010 A Look Back
Dear Ruthie Interviews Comediane Devin Green

City of Milwaukee settles with MGAC over “naked boys singing”

Milwaukee - After nearly five years, the city of Milwaukee settled a lawsuit suit brought against it by the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center (MGAC - a 501C3 nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers). In existence barely 6 months, the little arts center that could originally filed against the city in 2005. The action, filed in U.S. District Court, alleged the city unfairly targeted MGAC because it’s a gay organization when it closed an August 2005 run of Naked Boys Singing.

Naked Boys Singing is well-known musical revue that ran for years in cities around the world. As the name implies, it contains male nudity. After a successful opening weekend, the MPD’s Vice Squad threatened to arrest show participants if it continued. Police said the center lacked the license needed to run a theatrical production. MGAC, a nonprofit organization, is exempt from the license ordinance. The City License division later acknowledged its mistake, saying the center didn’t need a theater license after all.

The original suit called for punitive damages, attorney fees and reimbursement for lost ticket revenue. That suit was dismissed without prejudice in 2007. At that point, the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center approached the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to review the case. The ACLU found merit in MGAC’s claim and agreed to represent the arts center. It filed a new suit against the city in November 2008. The ACLU based its complaint against the city on 1st amendment issues. The claim for damages was significantly reduced and the ACLU requested the city change the ordinance that it deemed unconstitutional.

After arbitration in 2009 failed to resolve the claim and trial dates were set for later this year, Milwaukee and MGAC met again. Both parties agreed to the settlement that gives $20000 to the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center to drop its suit. Half of that amount will reimburse the ACLU for incurred legal fees.

MGAC executive director Paul Masterson stated “The whole process been an emotional and exhausting exercise – as well as an education. I have a certain degree of satisfaction over the settlement. The award will pay for a several month’s rent and a desparately needed new computer. But, ultimately, it’s always been about principle and our rights. When the city claimed the unlawful closure was in fact a PR coup for MGAC, it just baffled me. That’s not the way it works in a city with a not so sterling history of LGBT community relations. It’s important that the LGBT community understands it can exercise its rights to bring about a just and positive victory for us all.
But most of all, I would like to thank the ACLU for taking our case and lawyers Larry Dupuis, Steve Porter and Jeff Scott Olson for their dedication and hundreds of hours of work. Their commitment to MGAC’s rights and, by extension, the rights of all underserved communities, gave me the fortitude to continue through this.

I am also very grateful to the members of the MGAC board of directors and community individuals like Craig Bodoh, Bea Green, Joe Pabst as well as organizations like Equality Wisconsin, Washington Heights Rainbow Association, PrideFest and many others who have given MGAC both moral and financial support throughout the years.”

UMOS hosts Teen & Family Health Fair

Milwaukee - UMOS will host a Teen and Family Health Fair on June 25th 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Kosciusko Community Center located at 2201 S. 7th Street in Milwaukee, WI 53215. This health fair will be for all teens and their families including the LGBT youth. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.

(LGBT) youth are coming out at younger ages, but schools and communities have not changed as fast as the culture, leaving many youth isolated and at risk of violence, harassment and limited resources. For Latino LGBT youth, these problems are intensified by racism and the risk of rejection by their ethnic community. Children of LGBT parents are also commonly targeted and harassed by peers.
Families in the Latino community face many challenges. Some of these challenges are due to language barriers, unemployment, undocumentation, and lack of resources. For this reason, UMOS will bring Latino families , teens and LGBT youth together for a health fair in their own community.

The purpose of UMOS Health Fair event is to:
• Increase health awareness by providing health screenings, activities, materials, demonstrations, & information;
• Increase awareness of local, state, and national health services and resources for youth and families;
• Motivate teens and their families to make positive health behavior changes;
• Teach self-care practices;
• Promote health awareness to teens at critical decision- making times in their lives.
• Teach teens the importance of volunteerism.
• Offer an opportunity for youth leaders to positively influence their peers.
• Provide interactive and engaging medium for teens to learn about the benefits or consequences of their actions.

The health fair will be held indoors in the gym at Kosciusko Community Center. We have reserved a hospitality area for volunteers and agencies who participate with two private rooms for HIV and STI testing. We will also have free ethnic food and bottled water, t-shirt and key chain give-aways, a DJ and an array of different agencies to provide community resources.
Our goal for the health fair is to secure 40-50 agencies to participate with a booth. We have already secured a few agencies such as 16th Street Community Health Clinic, Milwaukee County Health Department, LGBT Community Center (Project Q for youths), Diverse and Resilience, Pathfinders (Run-a-way shelter for youth), Milwaukee Christian Center, and Milwaukee County’s “NO CONDOM, NO WAY” campaign for youths.

The health fair committee consists of 9 members; Leonor Rosas-Director of UMOS Health and Family Services, Tina Rivera-UMOS Tobacco Program Coordinator, Abraham Calleros-UMOS Case Manager/Health Promotions Assistant, Earl Blair-City of Milwaukee Health Department, Gina Allende-UMOS Health Promotions Manager, Kerry Hoey - Kosciusko Community Center Manager, Jose Salazar-Program Coordinator at 16th Street Community Health Clinic, Mike Aragon-UMOS Project Coordinator - Milwaukee Hispanic Youth Partnership and Milwaukee County Supervisor-Peggy West.

We will diligently work to bring in health agencies/schools/organizations to provide health screenings areas such as like diabetes, blood pressure, mammograms, HIV/STI testing, and healthy teeth demonstrations (Marquette University). We will also show case our UMOS programs such as HIV/STI prevention, Tobacco Prevention, UMOS Tobacco Teen Mentors program, Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking, Immigration services, Welfare-to Work (W-2), UMOS Workforce Development, Migrant Farm Workers and Housing programs.
This event will serve to bring much needed information to the Latino community. The benefits will be immeasurable! Thanks you once again for the opportunity to provide this service to our community.

2010 Milwaukee LGBT Film/Video Festival Runs October 21-24
Festival Continues with Monthly Screenings Throughout the Year

Milwaukee - The Peck School of the Arts Film Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) has announced the dates for the year-round Milwaukee Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transsexual (LGBT) Film/Video Festival, made possible thanks to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation's Johnson & Pabst LGBT Humanity Fund. As one of Wisconsin's longest running film festivals, the 23rd annual LGBT Festival will open on Thursday, October 21 in Milwaukee's signature Oriental Theatre, with additional film showings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the UWM Union Theatre. As announced in Quest previously, new this season, the Festival will continue throughout the year with film events on the first Thursday night of almost every month at the UWM Union Theatre.

"There is still a short supply of LGBT images and stories on the big screen locally," says Festival director Carl Bogner, of the UWM Peck School of the Arts Film Department. "This new format allows us an opportunity to showcase LGBT films and videos - new and classic - all year long while still hosting a Festival that remains one of the annual highlights for the LGBT and film-loving communities. And, we will have even more opportunities to partner with community groups while working to present an even richer selection of films that reflect the diversity of our community and the diverse accomplishments of international film culture."

At a Festival kick-off meeting in early May at the home of Festival supporter and Milwaukee philanthropist Joseph Pabst, leaders from the LGBT community enthusiastically embraced the new format. "I always look forward to the annual LGBT Film/Video Festival and am really excited to now have film screenings almost every month, in addition to four compact days of films in October," says Pabst. "The Festival is a true highlight for the LGBT community and Wisconsin in general."

The Festival is co-sponsored by UWM Union Programming, the UWM LGBT Resource Center, the UWM LGBT Studies Certificate Program, the UWM Women's Resource Center and other supportive individuals, businesses, and campus and community organizations. Up-to-date information about the Festival, films, dates, and general information can be found at arts.uwm.edu/lgbtfilm.

Event and Ticket Details
The Festival will take place from October 21-24; confirmed dates for monthly films are November 4 and December 2, with additional dates forthcoming. More information about prices and purchase locations for festival passes and tickets will be available this summer.

For general information about the LGBT Film/Video Festival please email lgbtfilm@uwm.edu.

MILWAUKEE LGBT PRIDE PARADE ENJOYS ANOTHER RECORD YEAR

Milwaukee - The Annual Milwaukee LGBT Pride Parade enjoyed another phenomenal year possibly breaking a record for attendance and number of entries.  The 2010 Parade that marches down 2nd street in Milwaukee’s core central LGBT bar area had 51 entries this and grew in attendance to over 6,000 people!  We had a number of great units including Wisconsin Rainbow Families, Alliance School, and the world renowned FagBug which was sponsored by PrideFest. 

Brent, a Milwuakee Pride Parade Coordinator told Quest, “We of course would like to thank all who participated in this year’s parade and to all of the people and business which sponsored us this year, for without their support there would be no parade.” Sponsor list and winners listed at the end.

“We also had a very beautiful parade this year and the awards really did show it, but before we get to the awards we would like to thank all of our great judges : David Boyer, Patty from 94.5, and Dion from WOOF’s in Madison,” continues Brent.
The parade was hastily formed several years ago by James, the former owner of Outbound Magazine along with several area bars after PrideFest decided to cancel the PrideFest Parade due to budgetary issues with the then struggling festival. The parade with a new route that passes through many of the LGBT?owned bars storefronts has increased in attendance and the number of entries have also increased each year.

2010 Sponsors included:
• Miller Lite
• Avant-Garde
• Boom
• KRUZ
• LaCage
• Castaways M.C. of Milwaukee
• G/L Community Trust Fund
• Boot Camp Saloon
• Raymond and Greg Konz-Krzyminski
• Quest and Outbound are the media sponsors.

The Winners in each category are:

Best Float
 1. Boom,
2. Club Icon
3. Walkers Pint/fluid

Best Marching
 1. WI Rainbow Family's
2. Lakeside Pride Band
3. Milwaukee LGBT Center

Best Car
 1. Sage
2. 16th Street C.C.
3. Fag Bug

Distance Award - Carl Sanders

Spirit Award - Nut Hut

Be sure to check out all the parade photos online at www.quest-online.com there is a link on the main page. Also we will print a bunch in Outbound.

2nd annual Pride Alive Art Exhibition Announced

Green Bay - Pride Alive, a program of Rainbow Over Wisconsin and the producer of the popular Pride event held in Green bay the past three years has informed Quest of the 2nd annual Pride Alive Art Exhibition that begins Wednesday, July 7th with an opening reception from 6pm-9pm at 231 N. Broadway. The opening reception coincided with the weekly Farmer’s Market on Broadway which has grown every year and now blocks off an entire block of Broadway making for a safer event.

The art exhibition will showcase a wide array of 2D, 3D and performance art from more than 15 local artists.  All art will be available for sale.  Appetizers and wine from Captain’s Walk Winery of Green Bay will be made available. 
After the opeing reception, the exhibition will remain available for several days including Thursday, July 8th from 6pm-9pm and Friday, July 9th from 4pm-7pm. 

This year's Exhibition is being juried by Chelly Boutot of WFRV-TV 5, local artist Christopher Cannon and Alex Galt of Kavarna Vegetarian Coffee House. 

Andrew DeBaker, NEW Pride co-chair told Quest, “To help celebrate the Exhibition opening, Pride Alive is excited to announce this year’s Flash Mob.”  Flash mobs from around the world have become quite popular on YouTube recently. People “randomly” come together and start dancing as the crowd looks on. It is a great way to use viral marketing, and looks to be a lot of fun. To join in the flash mob be outside The Urban Frog at 5:55pm as we dance to MIKA’s “Love Today.” 

For more information and to see an instructional video, so you can dance along, visit our website at www.newpride.org.

Senior Resource Information Project Presentations at OutReach

Madison - June marks the start of The Senior Resource Information Project presentations held monthly or semi-monthly at OutReach (600 Williamson St.--unless otherwise noted) on a weekday afternoon.  These events are free and open to the interested public. OutReach, Madison’s & central Wisconsin’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center, is collaborating with a retired lesbian senior case manager to bring us information from several Dane County senior-serving agencies, businesses and facilities.
The first meeting was held Wednesday, June 23. Courtney Doescher-Hino, Lead Case Manager from the North/Eastside Senior Coalition did a presentation of the range of services available through a senior coalition and how case managers help seniors and their support systems and families.
The second presentation is set for Wednesday, June 30, from 3-4pm, Jane Nelson Worel, a Nurse Practitioner from Meriter's Women's HeartCare program and a WomenHeart champion (survivor of a heart attack) will tell us the risk factors for heart disease and tell us how we can prevent a stroke or heart attack.  This is addressed specifically to women, but men can attend since the information applies generally to both.  Refreshments will be served.  Contact OutReach at (608) 255-8582 or e-mail harrys@lgbtoutreach.org fmi or if transportation is an issue, for resources that may be of assistance.   Other presentations tba.

Pride Alive VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Green Bay - It's true what they say - that all the cute ones are...Pride Alive volunteers!  Please consider helping out at one of this year's Pride Alive events as a volunteer and get some free stuff in the process!  All volunteers get a free tshirt, goodie bag, and at certain events, even more!  Plus, by volunteering you get to be a part of the event that is helping to make Northeast Wisconsin an area that embraces its community, diversity and equality.

Sunday, June 27th: Join us again this year at Rascal's Bar and Grill in Appleton for Grillmaster Larry K's BBQ extraordinaire.  Larry would love to see your smiling faces and would love if you would help out by bringing a dish or helping out for an hour or so with food prep.  Make sure to let us know if you're bringing something so that we can make sure we don't end up with 28 potato salads!  Food will be served from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. and Rascal's will have a beer bust and other specials throughout the day.  (21+ event please)

Saturday, July 10:  The big event.  Volunteers are needed for the main Pride Alive festival throughout the day.  Spots are open between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. for bartenders, welcome stations, help setting up, clean up crews, and so much more!  We really rely on the LGBT community to come through and help out for a few hours that day - we hope you'll consider emailing us and signing up for a shift.  Did we mention that you get a free t-shirt and goodie bag?  All ages can help out with this one! Thanks again for volunteering!  Call us at 920-562-3830 if you want to sign up to help out, or shoot us an email at info@newpride.org.  We couldn't make these events a success without your support!  Happy Pride month!