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LGBTQ Literary Lammy Award Winners

Lambda Literary announced the winners of the 34th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Saturday evening at a live virtual award ceremony hosted by award-winning writer, activist & media strategist Raquel Willis. Championing works published by emerging authors & small presses this year’s winners list is once again an impressive mix of books from publishers both large & small. For just the second time in Lammy history a self-published work has been recognized with Milena McKay’s "The Headmistress" winning the Lammy for Lesbian Romance. As the Lammys have always done this year’s awards honor exciting new LGBTQ voices like Brian Broome winner in the Gay Memoir/Biography category for his masterful debut memoir “Punch Me Up To the Gods: A Memoir” & Lee Lai whose debut graphic novel “Stone Fruit” won in the LGBTQ Comics category as well as writers who have been excelling in their respective genres for years like Jeanne Thornton whose critically-acclaimed novel “Summer Fun” won the Lammy for Transgender Fiction & Sarah Schulman whose “Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993” one of the best reviewed books of 2021 & won the Lammy for LGBTQ Nonfiction. The evening’s celebration held virtually for the 2nd year due to the COVID-19 pandemic also doubled as a fundraiser to help support Lambda Literary’s programs. Lambda Literary nurtures & advocates for LGBTQ writers, elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve our legacies & affirm the value of our stories & our lives. Their programs include the Lambda Literary Awards, the Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices & LGBTQ Writers in Schools. 
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Pulse Nightclub Massacre & Gun Control

During Pride six years ago I woke up to the horrific news about the Pulse Nightclub Massacre in Orlando where 49 people were killed by a homophobic deranged person with an assault rifle. Now six years later in 2022 our country is overwhelmed by AR-15 armed domestic terrorists murdering innocent people & children & once again Congress still can’t seem to pass obvious sensible gun legislation that would prevent future brutal, hate-fueled violence attacks. Recently Brandon J Wolf, Pulse Nightclub survivor stated, “To every politician who scapegoats mental illness, saying that simply addressing our poor mental health infrastructure will end gun violence: show me the bill. Show me the bill to make physical & mental health care free at the point of care for people in this country. Show me the bill to end the for-profit scam that is our healthcare system & put in place a system that does what you say we need.” I talked to Brandon in 2018 about his experience on that horrendous night six years ago that claimed the lives of 49 people & left 53 injured most of who were LGBTQ Latinx people & people of color about what his personal commitment is to LGBTQ equality. Wolf stated, “My personal commitment is that we continue to move forward; that we continue to move towards a place where we don’t have to feel like we’re fighting for our rights every single day. A place where you can’t be fired just for being LGBTQ; a place where harassment & discrimination are not legalized; a place where I don’t have to go to a nightclub looking for the exits because I don’t fear someone is going to harm me for who I am.” LISTEN
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LGBTQ Virtual HIV/AIDS Panel Event

The National LGBTQ Task Force is partnering with AIDS United for a virtual Creating Change 365 Town Hall entitled Pandemics, Politics & Progress: A Discussion about HIV/AIDS Across Generations & Communities on June 15th at 5:30P ET/2:30 PM PT via Linktree. Panelists include Moisés Agosto-Rosario (he/him), Director of Treatment for NMAC, formerly known as the National Minority AIDS Council, Dominique Morgan (she/her), Executive Director of The Okra Project & Black & Pink National, Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr. (he/him), Editor-in-Chief of POZ magazine & POZ.com, Kenyon Farrow (he/him), Managing Director of Advocacy & Organizing of PrEP4All, Charles Sanchez (he/him), Performer, Musical Director, Director & writer for WritingRaw.com & HuffPost's Queer Voices & Jade Lenore LeDuff (she/her), Public Educator, Advocate & Humanist, an Active Member, Volunteer & Leader for Black Transwomen Inc. The event will be moderated by Cathy Renna (she/her), Communication Director, National LGBTQ Task Force. Renna stated, “I am so looking forward to this. In HIV & LGBTQ+ advocacy spaces, it takes an intersectional & multigenerational sharing of knowledge & experience to build long-lasting action. We're partnering with AIDS United to hold a panel around the continued fight to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.” Panel members will examine media approaches in the HIV & LGBTQ+ advocacy spaces through an intersectional & intergenerational lens. Panelists will share their experiences & how their advocacy translates to action. Creating Change 365 is a new series of virtual events presented by the Task Force to build community, organize & mobilize our LGBTQ+ community. To Register…
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In The Aftermath Of Boston Pride

Last summer the org behind Boston Pride call it quits after over 50 years of LGBTQ Pride celebrations in the city. With Boston Pride dissolved Pride celebrations in Boston have been left to the LGBTQ entrepreneurs to carry on some sort of activities & events. However without a parade all the block parties scheduled cannot quite fill this void. For our lesbian community the traditional Dyke March will take place Friday June 10th starting at around 6:30P at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common. Then Lesbian Night Life takes over the hottest rooftop bar in the city at The Revere Hotel Friday night from 7P to Midnight. The party continues with Esme Women's Block Party-Boston Pride on Saturday June 11th from 2P to 7P. On Sunday June 12th there are 2 traditional block parties taking place; the Back Bay Block Party on Stuart Street in Boston from 2P until 9P & JP Block Party from Noon until 7P at 2 Perkins Street in Jamaica Plain. Then next week from June 16th to 19th Queer Cabarets will be presenting a rotating cast of intergenerational & intersectional performers that perform live - cradled by an installation of previously recorded multi-media interviews featuring area & national LGBTQ+ community members ages 20’s to 70’s & from all points on the LGBTQ+ spectrum at the Central Square Theatre in Cambridge. Expect performances of stellar music, dance, spoken word, comedy & just downright fabulousness along with the funny & often poignant reflections on gay to queer lives over the span of 100 years. However you choose to celebrate..Happy Pride Boston!  For More Info…
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Rainbow Lullaby Album Launch Event

 

The Ali Forney Center & Broadway Records are hosting The Rainbow Lullaby’s album launch at Hush in NYC with a benefit for the Ali Forney Center on Monday June 13th from 6P to 9P. The event will feature LGBTQ Broadway stars performing numbers from the album with all proceeds going to The Ali Forney Center. Sutton Lee Seymour & Brita Filter will emcee with performances by Madge Dietrich (Kinky Boots), Ernie Pruneda (Sister Act), Richie Leone (PROJECT LEONE), Jonathan D. Burke (HARLEM), Jamie Cepero (SMASH) & album creators Ryan Bauer-Walsh & Fred Sauter. Queer activist speaker Jason Rosenberg will also be addressing the crowd to rally the community to fight the over 200 pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation filed nationally in the last 6 months. Bauer-Walsh stated, “238 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been filed in less than three months of this year. It is crucial that we create visibility for queer families in the march towards equality as we fight this fascist legislation. This album is the first of its kind despite LGBTQ+ families having existed as long as lullabies. It is time to ensure the protection of LGBTQ+ citizens & families- it is time to rally once again as a community to protect our families!” Hush HK at 348 W 52nd Street in NYC has offered their space for the Rainbow themed benefit & will be donating 10% of the bar tab to The Ali Forney Center. Fred Sauter concluded, “The creation of queer cultural traditions is a part of arts activism & acts of protest through demonstrations of love, empathy & family are a crucial part of our way forward.” I talked to Ryan about the inspiration for creating “The Rainbow Lullaby” album in this exclusive chat. LISTEN  
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LGBTQ Asylum Seekers In Sweden

 

West Pride the LGBTQ cultural festival in Gothenburg, Sweden is demanding that the Swedish government guarantees a legally just asylum process for LGBTQ people in their country. The current Swedish model is based on stereotyping that all LGBTQ people have the same experiences of growing up in homophobic & transphobic societies. They are therefore expected to be able to tell in detail about their experiences in asylum investigations which can be very difficult for people who are raised in cultures where LGBTQ is considered taboo, sinful & associated with legal sanctions. Emma Gunterberg Sachs, General Manager of West Pride stated, “Letting an arbitrary process decide if LGBTQ refugees are approved asylum or not is inhumane. Far too many are wrongly sent back to a lifetime of persecution, imprisonment or death. We need to stop this now.” On June 1st West Pride launched a new campaign & petition to highlight the problems with the current asylum process by highlighting six different LGBTQ refugees' stories about their path through the Swedish asylum process. They have appointed them as Pride ambassadors & honorary members of West Pride to give them the credibility they currently need to stay. In connection with the campaign West Pride is starting a petition that will be handed over to Minister for Migration Anders Ygeman on World Refugee Day on June 20th. 'Serena' from Iraq stated, "I have seen friends stoned to death because of their sexual orientation & I would never be able to return to Iraq & live as who I am. I have the courage to take my own life if I have to return." Sign Petition...  West Pride runs from June 13th to 19th. For More Info…
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MBCC Against The Tide Fundraisers

Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) is hosting its annual statewide Against the Tide athletic fundraising events as both virtual & in-person events this summer. MBCC will hold two in-person events kicking off on Saturday June 18th at DCR’s Hopkinton State Park in Hopkinton, MA for the 30th year & then on Saturday August 13th at DCR’s Nickerson State Park in Brewster, MA for the 23rd year. These events will feature 1-mile recreational or competitive swims, ½-mile recreational swim, 5K or 10K runs, 3-mile walk & a 1-mile USMS sanctioned swim. Cheryl Osimo, MBCC's Executive Director stated, "We are grateful to the many people who continue to support MBCC & we’re so encouraged by how well our virtual events were received by participants both locally & nationally in 2020 & 2021. In 2022, we hope that providing multiple virtual & in-person event options will give even more people a chance to be a part of the Against the Tide events to swim, walk & run in support of breast cancer prevention." Additionally MBCC will host two virtual events each with an 8-day participation window. First the Against the Tide June Virtual Event will run June 11th to 18th & Against the Tide August Virtual Event will run August 6th to 13th. Registration for both the virtual & in-person options is $40 for an individual participant & $100 for a family registration up to 5 family members. MBCC is the leading breast cancer organization dedicated to preventing the environmental causes of breast cancer through community education, research advocacy & changes to public policy. For More Info... 
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