Stretch for equality
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The inaugural HER Human Rights Campaign Yoga event, Om for Equality, comes to the Queen City on Sept. 6, 10 a.m., at Flex at SHU, 1426 S. Tryon St. It is presented by Progressive Urban Realty and SHU.
An after party will follow at 11:30 a.m.
Tickets are $12 for yoga and party or $5 for the party only.
Enjoy music by DJ Little Betty and dance the afternoon away. Sip on beer from local breweries and munch out on fare from food trucks.
Tickets are $12/advance, $15/at the door and include the class, bottled water and HRC membership.
info: facebook.com/events/549586351812423/.
— Lainey Millen
Seniors’ dinner upcoming
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The LGBT Aging Solutions Dinner group will hold a meeting on Aug. 18, 7 p.m., at Flying Biscuit Cafe, 4241 Park Rd.
Presenter will be Julie Hutt, director of education and community outreach for PACE of the Southern Piedmont.
Reservations are due by Aug. 15.
The meeting will also provide opportunities for participants to sign up for Issues and Solutions groups. Currently, there are five: housing; diversity training and support services; legal and financial; medical; and social.
info/reservations: clt.lgbt.elders@gmail.com.
— Lainey Millen
Theatre mounts ‘Performers’
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Queen City Theatre Company will present “The Performers” from Aug. 21-Sept. 4, 8 p.m., at the Duke Energy Theatre, 345 N. College St.
The comedy is written by David West Read and is directed by Glenn T. Griffin. It recounts the ups and down of life and love in the adult entertainment industry. This marks the play’s regional premiere.
An award-winning cast includes: Alyson Lowe, Kristian Wedolowski, Scott A. Miller, Veda Covington, Karen Christensen and Hank West.
A late performance will be held on Aug. 29 at 10:30 p.m.
Tickets are $22-24. Student and senior discounts are available. A special discount is available on Aug. 26 at a rate of $15. Purchase tickets online at carolinatix.org/events/detail/the-performers.
info: queencitytheatre.com.
— Lainey Millen
Trans conference announces schedule
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The organizers of The Transgender Faith and Action Network (Trans*FAAN) conference at the University Hilton Hotel, 8629 JM Keynes Dr., slated for Aug. 29-31 have announced their program schedule.
On Aug. 29, Bishop Tonyia Rawls will lead interfaith prayer and deliver opening remarks.
Following here will be an opening plenary panel, “How Welcoming Are We Really?” Breakout sessions during the day include Clergy in Specialized Fields, Trans 101 for Allies, Changing Policy in a Changing World, The Transitions Within the Transition, Your Health: The Mind and the Body, Aging: Let Me Tell You A Story, Trans Youth in Schools: Multiple Perspectives, Our Special Walk: Partners of Trans* People, and Know Your Rights.
Keynote for the lunch will be Angel Collie from MCC. She will speak on Education that Leads to Success. That evening an opening reception and young folk gathering for those 16-30 will round out the schedule.
On Aug. 30, an awards breakfast will be held. Afterward breakout sessions resume with Name and Gender Marker Changes in NC and Beyond, What’s Moving The Landscape?, Trans Youth In Action, Trans Employment: Old Challenges and New Opportunities, The Power of Trans History, HIV and the Trans* Community, LGBT and the Bible, Trans Religious Leaders Presentation and The Power of the Vote.
During the evening enjoy dinner on one’s own, networking and TFAAN party.
The conference ends on Aug. 31 with an interfaith service.
Some of the presenters and moderators include: Rev. Brendan Boone, St. John’s MCC; Dr. Lisa Griffin; Dr. Rhett Brown; Todd Rosendahl and Sarah Alwran, Time Out Youth; Kelly Durden and Sarah Demarest; and a host of other local and national leaders.
Awards will be presented to: Pioneer Award, Andrea Jenkins and Louis Mitchell; Rising Star Award, David Michael Battle; Ally Award, Rev. Dr. William Barber, President of the NC NAACP and Keith Morrison, Superintendent, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools; Youth Award, Blake Brockington and Andraya Williams; and Bobbie Jean Baker Award, Ms. Tracee Daniels.
Registration is available online.
info: tfaan.org.
— Lainey Millen
Youth conference seeks proposals
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 2014 Carolina Conference on Queen Youth, “Building Support and Envisioning Justice for LGBTQ Youth in Their Schools and Communities,” will be held on Oct. 17, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Student Union. The event is being held with support from Time Out Youth Center and the Lesbian and Gay Fund.
The conference brings together middle and high school students, teacher, counselors, activists and other practitioners who work with LGBT youth.
Organizers are currently seeking presentation and workshop proposals from individuals and organizations. These should be clearly tied to the conference focus and grounded in the celebration and support of queer youth in the South. Standard presentation length is 60 minutes.
Topics may include, but are not limited to: policies and practices to support southern regional LGBT youth in public schools; best practices to support queer youth of color in their schools and communities; innovative and successful strategies to improve the school climate for LGBT youth and educators; the incorporation of queer experiences into the curricula; anti-oppression and anti-bullying programs that center the experiences of queer youth; intersectional analysis of queer youth communities in the South; and professional training for educators who wish to better serve queer youth in their schools and communities.
Email proposals by Sept. 2 to conference@timeoutyouth.org with the proposal title in the subject line. Presenters will be notified by Sept. 10.
info: timeoutyouth.org.
— Lainey Millen
McColl to offer creativity trainings
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The McColl Center for Visual Arts is launching a “Think Like an Artist” series, offering community members and groups creative experiences led by an expert facilitator and professional artist. The museum claims the curriculum will help participants “fulfill their creative capacity, unleash their curiosity and summon the courage to act on their ideas.”
The first of the seminars was held June 5-6, with individuals first having the opportunity to participate in the new two-day program.
The McColl Center’s Innovation Institute is overseeing the new project.
“Since launching in 2005, the Innovation Institute has delivered powerful artist-led programs to more than 50 global companies designed to increase creativity capacity,” Suzanne Fetscher, president and CEO of the McColl Center for Visual Art, said in a release. “Participants in our programs graduate with the skills they need to make bold moves they otherwise would not have made that change their futures — some transition to more fulfilling careers, start successful business, transform company operations and even launch new products.”
McColl Center says it is the only non-profit in the country offering the unique individual creativity seminar.
With the enhanced program curriculum, participants learn to “think like an artist,” experiencing the artist’s creative process: risk taking, courage in the face of failure and working through ambiguity,” McColl said in a release. “Expert facilitators show participants how seeking different perspectives actually improves and maximizes creative efforts. Gaining this new and different perspective helps individuals to see patterns that allow them to break out of habitual thinking.”
Classes are held from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. each day are are limited to 15 participants.
Tuition of the two-day program is $1,200, including materials, breakfast, lunch and parking. Other program dates are Sept. 18-19 and Nov. 7-8. For more information or to register, visit the McColl Center online.
info: mccollcenter.org/innovation-institute/open-enrollment-individuals.
— Matt Comer
Planned Parenthood plans luncheon
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A luncheon to benefit Planned Parenthood Health Systems, “Care More. Judge Less.” will be held on Oct. 22, 11:30 a.m., at the Mint Museum, 500 S. Tryon St.
Keynote speaker will be Leslie Kantor, vice president of education for Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Planned Parenthood has been providing education and healthcare to the Charlotte community for more than 40 years.
Individual sponsorships are available at the following levels: Guardian, $5,000, program recognition, four lunch plus four VIP reception tickets and breakfast with Kantor; Champion, $2,500, program recognition and four lunch plus four VIP reception tickets; Protector, $1,000, program recognition and three lunch plus three VIP reception tickets; Ally, $500, program recognition and two lunch plus two VIP reception tickets; and Defender, $250, program recognition and one lunch plus one VIP reception ticket. Individual tickets are $100 per person. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased online at pphs.org/cart.
info: pphs.org. marcie.shealy@pphs.org. 704-536-7233, ext. 6542.
— Lainey Millen
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Share your news with us
Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBT issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBT rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.