for Arts & Heritage, is proud to announce OutBeat: Americas First Queer Jazz Festival, set to take place on the nal days of summer Thursday, September 18 to Sunday, September 21. Sure to be a groundbreaking event in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, Philadelphia will play host to a number of critically acclaimed jazz artists across a broad musical spectrum including: Andy Bey, Grammy Award- winning pianist Fred Hersch, Patricia Barber Quartet and drummer Bill Stewart. Additional headliners and further details will be announced throughout the Summer. OutBeat, the rst LGBT jazz festival ever produced in the United States, will include events ranging from public discussions hosted by JazzTimes to intimate performances, special receptions with the artists, and historic concerts in a variety of spaces. Festival sites will include lead venue partner, the William Way LGBT Community Center, The Painted Bride Art Center, and Chris Jazz Caf as well as participation in the Philadelphia Museum of Arts popular Art After 5 series. Philadelphia has enjoyed a legacy of being a great music city. Were also a city that afrms the lives of LGBT people, says Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Hosting the rst LGBT jazz festival in North America provides an opportunity to showcase the rich and vibrant culture of our city. Well be celebrating all of this for 4 days in September with OutBeat. I hope to see you there! Additionally, Union Transfer which Rolling Stone cited as one of the Top 20 Venues in America will be the culminating site for the celebratory daylong closing event featuring numerous headliners. The popular Northern Liberties venue will be transformed into a festival setting with Spring Garden Street blocked off to host Phillys nest food carts, crafters, local musicians, and other merchants. Vendors, surprises and special guests performing in multiple spaces will make this closing day especially memorable. The festival will serve as the nale for the William Way LGBT Community Centers annual music series and highlight the intersection between sexual orientation and gender identity within jazz history and culture. OutBeat will feature a vibrant and eclectic mix of world-renowned jazz musicians brought together for a series of once-in-a- lifetime performances and panel discussions. Philadelphia was founded more than 300 years ago by Englishman William Penn on principles of equality and freedom of expression. Today, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection is a welcoming place for people from around the world, and a great destination for gay and lesbian travelers, states Tami Sortman, vice president at Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus. While many other citiesNew York, Chicago, New Orleansmay consider themselves jazz capitols, its an incredible coup for the city of Philadelphia to be the home base of this landmark event. Very special thanks to sponsors and lead partners: The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, Stoli, Brooklyn Brewery, Coors Light, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Swarthmore College, WRTI, the Philadelphia Gay News, and JazzTimes. There are still sponsorship opportunities available, so if you want your companys name attached to this landmark event and all the press and coverage it will receive, please contact Michael at mpomante@waygay.org. For more information or to buy tickets, please visit OutBeatJazzFest.com. WWCC TO MAKE HISTORY WITH FIRST LGBT JAZZ FEST IN THE US The William Way LGBT Community Center | 1315 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 | www.waygay.org | (215) 732-2220 | info@waygay.org Help us go paperless! To receive our newsletter by e-mail, visit www.waygay. org and click on the Go Paperless link, or call (215) 732-2220. 1 WWCC to Make History with First LGBT Jazz Fest in the US 2 Greetings from the Executive Director 3 August Calendar 4 August At A Glance 6 This Month in LGBT History 7 Traveling Together: Stories from the Young, Queer, and Faithful 7 WAY GAY U Returns this Fall! 7 Support the Center via AmazonSmile! THIS ISSUE AUG 2014 2 July 15 th , 2014 was the fourth anniversary of my tenure at the Center. The time has own by so quickly, and I am so grateful to the many people who make it such a pleasure to work at William Way. Its time for acknowledgment! Many thanks to my fantastic colleagues: Candice Thompson, Michael Pomante, Avis Albaladejo, Ezra Berkley Nepon, Freddy Shelley, Ed Miller, Eric Bunting, Steve Seran, Marshall Siegel, and Jim Crouch. Your dedication to the Center and our communities is unparalleled, and you are a steady inspiration to me. Thank you. To a champion Board of Directors, especially co-chairs Jeffrey Sotland and Laurie Ward, Secretary Steve Brando, Treasurer Kim Keegan, and the eleven other wonderful board members who dedicate their hard work to making a difference for the Center, our communities, and the region. (Yes you... Amber Hikes, Tricia Dressel, Rudy Flesher, Jocelyn Block, Paul Steinke, Robert Lenahan, Leona Thomas, Chris Durr, Mandeep Jangi, Anh Dang and Adam Van Jessurun Hymans.) Thanks also to all of you who have helped to create a community center that meets your needswhether it is through OutBeat: Americas First Queer Jazz Festival (thanks to the The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage for their support), the incredible growth of our John J. Wilcox Jr. Archives (thanks Bob Skiba and the William Penn Foundation), the development of the remarkable Reminder2015 history celebrations slated for next Spring at the National Constitution Center (thanks for your leadership John Cunningham, Tami Sortman, and Rich Wilson), the Loft23 young adult programs (thanks to the The Attic Youth Center and Carrie Jacobs for being fantastic partners), the wonderful ongoing conversations at TransWay (thank you April L Murdock), or our wonderful senior community (thanks Mark Kleinwichs for your leadership) and the growth of the John C. Anderson Apartments and our programs there. Theres always more to be done! Were focusing on bringing our splendid building, with all its leaky nooks and crannies, up to 21st century standards (a constant work- in-progress.) Were working to strengthen our information technology. We are also always seeking to build and strengthen our fundraising infrastructure so that the Center will be alive and thriving for many generations of LGBT people and allies to come. If you are one of the people who gives to the Center as a donor, as a volunteer, as a participant, or as a cheerleader, THANK YOUand thanks for supporting the Center and me as we continue our work. Join us for our next big celebration of the Center on July 26th at the INDIGOGO Dance Extravaganzaits a night not to be missed! In other news, weve been working on our building making improvements small and large. Perhaps most notably, weve been focusing on the grand entrywayreplacing marble steps and cleaning all of the older marble pieces to restore them to their glory. Since our entryway is the rst point of contact for many people who visit the Center, we want it to shine! Many thanks to Bill Wood (Woody) and Knock Tavern for beginning the process of sharing the memorabilia from Woodys Bar for inclusion in the John J. Wilcox Jr. Archives. Woody dropped off two pieces of art that used to hang on the walls at Woodys, and hes promised us that theres more to come. We love that our archives documents the history of our communityand Woodys is certainly an important part of that community history. I recently joined Mel Heifetz and other friends of the Center to see a screening of The Nance, with Nathan Lane, at the Ritz Theater. I was very moved by the show, which tells the story of a 1930s gay actor who lives in Manhattan and performs on stage as the Nance, the very-gay sissy in a New York burlesque. I loved the movieit brought me so much joy to see such a broad expression of gay cultureand a celebration (and acknowledgment) of the role of high camp, exuberance, and the sissy in our history. Three cheers for Nathan Lane and the ongoing history of the Nance, the sissy, and high camp. Congratulations are due to four long-time supporters of the community center who tied the knot in JulyMark Segal and Jason Villamez (married by Judge Dan Anders)mazel tov on your wedding; and likewise to David Fair and Rudy Robinson (married by Mayor Wilson Goode Sr.). Both couples are married after many years of partnershipand we celebrate their contributions to our community and wish them all the best in wedded bliss. Sincerely, Chris Bartlett Executive Director GREETINGS FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR If you are one of the people who gives to the Center as a donor, as a volunteer, as a participant, or as a cheerleader, THANK YOU and thanks for supporting the Center and me as we continue our work. 3 STAFF Avis Albaladejo, Facilities Coordinator Chris Bartlett, Executive Director Eric Bunting, Facilities Assistant Jim Crouch, Maintenance Technician Chris Hart, Silver Foxes Coordinator Ed Miller, Senior Programs Coordinator Ezra Nepon, Interim Development Coordinator Michael Pomante, Development Director Steve Seran, Peer Counseling Coordinator Freddy Shelley, Bookkeeper Marshall Siegel, Front Desk Administrative Assistant Candice Thompson, Director of Center Services BOARD OF DI RECTORS OFFICERS Jeff Sotland, Esq., Co-Chair Laurie Ward, Co-Chair Steve Brando, Secretary Kim Keegan, Treasurer BOARD MEMBERS Jocelyn Block Anh Dang Tricia Dressel Chris Durr Rudy Flesher Amber Hikes Adam Hymans Mandeep Jangi Robert Lenahan Paul Steinke Leona Thomas AUGUST CALENDAR The William Way LGBT Community Center is a not-for-progit, 501(c)3 organization serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communites of Greater Philadelphia. * Indicates a new program 4 ANNOUNCEMENTS Book Club: Summer Break! On hiatus for the summer! The Book Club at the Center will not meet in July and August but please check back for our September selection. The Book Club at the WWCC meets on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7pm for a discussion on a variety of diverse, LGBTQIA topics. For more information, contact 215-732-2220. Out and Faithful Presents Congregation Crawl: On hiatus for the summer! But dont worry, our popular church shopping event will return in the Fall with a robust selection of welcoming congregations to choose from. Whether you are looking for a spiritual home or are interested in experiencing spiritual traditions and rituals other than your own, this is a great way to tap into the local LGBTQ OUT and faithful community!
ONGOING Art Gallery: Proud Exposures: Youth Identities and Icons On view in the gallery: July 11 - Aug 29 Opening Reception: Fri, July 11, 6-8 pm Mural Arts invited printmaker and activist Leah Girardo to work with students at the Attic Youth Center, where she has created a space for young people to creatively explore their identity. After developing their own lexicon of identity symbols, students resisted binaries and have adhered to a language of gender expression that is their own. After thorough discussion about how they see themselves as LGBTQ youth in the world, the young artists created introspective self-portraits. By learning the techniques of printmaking and photography with Girardo, students screen printed their invented vocabulary of identity symbols and formed them into a frame. Inside each frame, students used the photographs they took of each other to create cyanotype portraits. Come and see the full exhibition of youth work from the Attic. John J. Wilcox, Jr. Archives: 15th Anniversary of Philly Dyke March On view: May 8 August 29, 2014 Opening Reception: Thur, May 8, 6-8pm Rich in history throughout the country but especially in Philadelphia, dyke marches are our protest in response to the corporate, traditionally male-dominated Pride events. Year after year, the Philadelphia dyke march (PDM) brings together hundreds of self-identied dykes and allies, nurturing a beautifully diverse, empowering, and dyke- positive space. As we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we cannot help but reect with deepest gratitude to our community, respect for those who organized and marched before us, and pride for how far weve come. Our radical, grassroots history on display this summer will include photographs from past marches, newspaper articles, video footage, signs, banners, memorabilia, and more. 01 AUGUST Loft 23 presents The Exchange Loft Friday, August 1, 15, 6-8 pm (1st and 3rd Fridays) This month, join us for casual conversation and mingling at the Center. Loft23 is an inclusive social/support group where LGBTQ individuals between the ages of 21 and 29 can have engaging and constructive experiences that lead to self-improvement and the development of positive connections within the community. FREE. 04 AUGUST HIV and Hepatitis C Testing (free and condential) Monday, August 4, 18, 3-6 pm The William Way Community Center is partnering with BEBASHI, founded in 1985 in response to the increasing incidence of HIV/ AIDS in the African American communities in Philadelphia, to provide free and condential rapid HIV testing and Hepatitis C testing. Trained counselors will be on-site to provide testing and education. Drop-ins only. 06 AUGUST Volunteer Orientation Wednesday, August 6, 7:30 pm Volunteer Orientation is a monthly information session for new volunteers to learn about the Center and the various ways to get involved. Call (215) 732-2220 to register. 08 AUGUST Loft23 presents The Game Loft Friday, August 8, 22, 6-8 pm (2nd and 4th Fridays) The game loft is a space geared towards gamers (21-29 years old) within the community and is an opportunity to meet new people, play games, and socialize outside of the bar/club scene. There will be board games, a Wii console and PS3 provided within the group space. So come out, join the group and have fun!!!!!! FREE. 12 AUGUST SAGEWorks Introduction Tuesday, August 12, 6:30 pm SageWorks is an employment assistance program for LGBT adults (40+) that provides access to online worksearch sites, RECURRI NG PROGRAMS AUGUST AT A GLANCE Bridge Club Mondays, 2 pm Party bridge for the experienced player. Reservations required. Please call the Center at 215-732-2220. Mornings OUT Senior Social (Free) Tuesdays, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm A social/educational group for older men with occasional outings, speakers and events. Light refreshments served. Chess Club (Free) Sundays, 2 - 4 pm This is an inclusive group seeking players of all skill levels interested in socializing and working on their game. Absolutely free, and youre guaranteed to hone up on those skills you havent used in awhile or to learn new ones! David Bohnett Cyber Center Free WiFi in our lobby! $1 per 15 minutes for WWCC computer use. LGBT Age 50+ Rap Session Thursdays, 1 - 2 pm This is a unique forum where people can discuss their feelings and experiences related to being LGBT and age 50 + in a casual, open and non-judgmental environment. This new outlet has been created by and for older adults. Stop in to share whats on your mind and to just listen to what others have to say. Library (Free) Mon - Fri 12 - 9 pm Sat 3 - 5 pm, Sun 12 - 5 pm. Mah-Jongg Thursdays, 12 pm & 7:30 pm For experienced and new players. Mah-jongg is a game of skill, strategy, calculation, and luck for four players. Reservations required call 215-732-2220. 5 job coaching, resume building, career workshops and free computer training courses. This introduction will provide you with information about the program and how you can become involved. Registration required. For more information or to RSVP please contact Ed Miller at 215-732-2220 or emiller@waygay.org 16 AUGUST A Penny for Your Thoughts Saturday, August 16, 2-5 pm This guided discussion on all issues which impact lesbian, bisexual and questioning women will provide an opportunity to address a variety of topics including but not limited to sexuality, role playing, politics, relationships, etc No subject is off limits! Each question will be written on a 3 by 5 index card, folded in half. The cards are then picked randomly by the facilitator, Yvette Lassiter, MSW, and read to the group at large. FREE. RSVP is required to info@ waygay.org or 215-732-2220 as space is limited. 18 AUGUST PECO SAGEWorks Workshop Monday, August 18, 6:30 pm Human Resources representatives along with the LGBT PECO employee group will hold a workshop on the Electric Companys hiring policies, the application process at PECO, job opportunities and more. RSVP preferred to Ed Miller: 215-732-2220 or emiller@waygay.org 19 AUGUST Volunteer Velada & Dinner Tuesday, August 19, 7 pm (Every 3rd Tuesday of the month) Help us fold and assemble our monthly mailing. Its a big job and we need your help! 20 AUGUST Womens Wednesdays: Lady Luck Potluck Summer Sizzler Wednesday, August 20, 5:30 pm Womens Wednesdays will host a potluck summertime cook-out on our neighbors backyard grill. Join us for all of the summertime cookout favorites like burgers and hot dogs, great summer salads and all the rest. Its a potluck so let us know what you plan to bring to add your summertime favorite to the party. RSVP to Ed Miller 215- 732-2220 or emiller@waygay.org for more info. Womens Wednesdays is a social and cultural program for women 50 and over. 23 AUGUST Big Queer Book Sale Saturday, August 23, 1-4pm Come and help the Center clear out some of its Library overow by buying a bag of books, your choice! Hundreds of current titles including everything from Sedaris to Audre Lorde. Works of ction, poetry, art books, books on LGBT/Queer history, etc. are all for sale to help support Philadelphias only LGBTQ lending Library. $5 per bag this one day only. Select overow items from the Archives will also be available for purchase, vintage magazines, buttons, etc. Queer Writers Collective Saturday, August 23, 3-5 pm (Every 4th Saturday of the month) Join this free group for monthly workshops and discussions to develop your unique queer voice via the written word at the Center. Contact Candice for information at (215) 732-2220 or info@waygay.org. Free. 24 AUGUST Silver Foxes Sunday, August 24, 3-5 pm (Every 4th Sunday of the month) For LGBT 50+ folks. A monthly social and discussion group at the Center. Light refreshments will be served and feel welcome to bring other food. 27 AUGUST Out and Faithful presents Traveling Together: Stories from the Young, Queer, and Faithful Wednesday, August 27, 6:30 pm Join us for an intimate evening of story sharing and conversations with a number of young queer people whose spirituality is a core part of their identity and life journey. Youll hear from story tellers of various faith perspectives and backgrounds about why spirituality is relevant in their lives as young queer people, and how theyve stayed resilient and faithful against the odds. $5 suggested donation. 28 AUGUST SAGEWorks Introduction Thursday, August 28, 12 pm SageWorks is an employment assistance program for LGBT adults (40+) that provides access to online worksearch sites, job coaching, resume building, career workshops and free computer training courses. This introduction will provide you with information about the program and how you can become involved. Registration required. For more information or to RSVP please contact Ed Miller at 215-732-2220 or emiller@waygay.org Peer Counseling Mon - Fri, 6 pm - 9 pm One-to-one condential counseling. We help with issues such as coming out, sexual identity and expression, relationships, family issues, isolation, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, legal issues, health and safety concerns. This is a free and condential service. 215-732- TALK (8255). PhilaVentures: Wissahickon Hike Last Sun of the Month, 2 pm An opportunity for walking at a moderate pace with a talkative group of LGBT folks who like fresh air and exercise! Some ups and downs and uneven paths are found along the way, so wear proper footwear and be ready to hike! This groups meets at 2:00 PM at Cosimos Pizza, 8624 Germantown Ave. at Bethlehem Pike. Rainbow Buddhist Meditation Sundays, 4-5 pm This free group is for both practicing Buddhists and those interested in Buddhism and includes both a discussion and meditation. Tai Chi Classes (Free) Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 pm Tai Chi Chuan is an ancient Chinese system of mind-body-spirit health, based on the wisdom of the Tao and the I Ching. You will learn the gentle movements and deep breathing of the Yang Style 37 Postures Form. Tai Chi can have many health benets including: lowering blood pressure; reducing leg, neck and back pain, etc. All ages and all tness levels are welcome! TransWay (Free) Thursdays, 7-9 pm A weekly social group for the transgender and gender nonconforming community. 6 THE RADNOR AFFAIR Throughout the summer of 1960, Philadelphia area lesbians and gay men had been working with representatives of the New York Mattachine Society to organize a local chapter of the national organization. On August 22, those plans were shockingly disrupted when an organizational discussion group at a private home was raided by the police. Here is an excerpt from the rst Philadelphia Area Council Mattachine Society Newsletter in 1961 describing the incident: LAFFAIRE RADNOR It all happened one beautiful August evening in a small (but sensitive) town along the Main Line. The Philadelphia Area Mattachine Society had been developing very nicely, when what started out to be one of our best attended meetings terminated in confusion resulting from a police raid. To quote from the local newspaper, Eighty-four persons were arrested Monday night (August 22, 1960) in a dimly lit Radnor Township barn and two of them were held on disorderly house charges. The 84, almost all of whom were men, were rounded up by 17 law enforcement ofcials operating on a tip. It was considered the biggest raid of its kind in the township history. This was the rst time the police have ever disrupted any Mattachine meeting, and we have condence it will be the last. To those of you hiding in the bushes, up in the hayloft, under beds, and behind locked doors, we would like to shoutCOME OUT! COME OUT! WHEREVER YOU ARE!! All charges were eventually dropped. Not only did the incident not discourage organizers, but within six months of the raid the Philadelphia Mattachine, chaired by Mae Josias, was incorporated and publishing a newsletter. In many ways, the raid had sparked the birth of LGBT activism in Philadelphia. To learn more about the early struggle for LGBT rights in Philadelphia, visit the John J. Wilcox Jr. Archives at the William Way Center. - Bob Skiba THIS MONTH IN LGBT HISTORY MorningsOut members at different sites around the city 7 WAY GAY U RETURNS THIS FALL! The William Way Center is bringing back Way Gay University! Way Gay U is a diverse series of adult life-enrichment courses offered at the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia. For an affordable price you can enjoy top-notch instructors with an LGBT group of classmates. Whether you want to get t, get wise, get a job, get crafty & creative, or get your groove on, WAY GAY Us wide array of classes has got you covered. We are excited to bring new courses into the mix as well as bring back some of the old favorites! Starting in August, please visit our website or our front desk for more information on specic course offerings as well as how to register. We will also post the courses on facebook, so stay tuned and like our Way Gay U page: http://on.fb.me/1nPKCmD TRAVELING TOGETHER: STORIES FROM THE YOUNG, QUEER, AND FAITHFUL On Wednesday, August 27 at 6:30pm, the Center will host a story sharing event focusing on the intersection of queer identity and spirituality. Queer people in their 20s and 30s are living in an increasingly secular society, especially among their peer group. On top of that, religious institutions are sometimes positioned as the enemy in queer spaces. Come and hear from a diverse group of young queer people whose spirituality is a core part of their identity and life journey. Youll hear from story tellers of various faith perspectives and backgrounds about why spirituality is relevant in their lives as young queer people, and how theyve stayed resilient and faithful against the odds. Story tellers will share their personal perspectives and experiences touching on topics such as: nding queer narratives in religious texts, reinventing religious/spiritual traditions, ght or ight strategies in dealing with congregations that are not overtly LGBTQ welcoming, talking intimately about viewing and navigating ones personal faith life in the broader context of ones institutional faith life, and so much more ... This event is building upon Marchs Coming Out Together: Stories of LGBTQ Spiritual Acceptance event which welcomed over 100 people to hear from local congregations about their journey to become welcoming to LGBTQ people. The audience let us know they wanted to hear more stories. In particular, they wanted to hear from queer young adults nding their way in spiritual spaces and breaking down the walls that prevent us from bringing our whole selves to the communities we inhabit. $5 suggested donation at the door will get you: meaningful stories, and beer/pretzels. SUPPORT THE CENTER VIA AMAZONSMILE!
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the William Way LGBT Community Center every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile. amazon.com, youll nd the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the Center! To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon. com. On your rst visit, you need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. The Center is listed as Gay Community Center of Philadelphia. AmazonSmile will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make will result in a donation to the Center! You may want to add a bookmark to AmazonSmile to make it easier to return. For more information about the AmazonSmile program, visit smile. amazon.com/about. We hope youll take advantage of this great opportunity to give without any cost to you. Thanks for all you do to help the Center! Tech Times Issue 00 Month Year T A B T A B T A B The Gay Community Center of Philadelphia 1315 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PHILADELPHIA, PA PERMIT NO. 5411 To be placed on the Centers discreet mailing list or for more information about this option, please contact us at (215)732-2220 Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm. t/a @waygay williamwaycc williamway info@waygay.org CONNECT WITH US: RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED