‘Union in Wait’ comes to DVD
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — For the first time in over a decade, a landmark local documentary is available for sale on DVD. “A Union in Wait” details the controversy after a same-sex couple requested to hold a holy commitment service at their church. The problem? Wake Forest Baptist met in the campus chapel of Wake Forest University, then affiliated with the North Carolina Baptist Convention.
Documentary filmmaker Ryan Butler directed and produced the film, which was finished in 2001. Butler had been a student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Butler’s film was aired on Sundance Channel, becoming the first documentary on same-sex marriage to air on national TV. It was also shown at a variety of film festivals.
But, it was never released for public sale. Frameline, an LGBT educational video distributor, had made it available to libraries and schools. That’s now changed, with copies of the DVD now on sale at Amazon.com and Butler said the film should also be set up for streaming on Amazon Prime sometime in the next several months.
info: amazon.com/A-Union-Wait-Susan-Parker/dp/B00MAS08FW.
— Matt Comer
Oz comes alive for Pride
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Dorothy tapped her heels together and said, “There’s no place like home,” and she was magically returned to her home. And, that’s what is going to happen when Pride Winston-Salem rolls out its upcoming celebration from Oct. 17-19.
Leading up to the festival is the Mr. and Miss Pride Winston-Salem Pageant on Oct. 4 at Club Snap, 1001 Burke St.
Wake up in Oz on Oct. 11 with the Rainbow Run 5K at 9 a.m. at Washington Park Neighborhood. Cost is $25/until Oct. 1, $30/after Oct. 1 and $35/race day. Awards will go to the top three male and female runners. Also, Best Male and Female Pride Attire will be awarded. Sign up and packet pick-up information and location is available online until Oct. 8, 6 p.m., at active.com and on location on the day of the race.
Start down the Little Brick Road with a stop off at the kick-off party on Oct. 17 at the Piedmont Club, 19th Floor, BB&T Bank Building, 200 W. 2nd St. Participate in the silent auction, view a live art exhibit and enjoy live music, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Tickets are $35, advance, $50/at the door.
The No Place Like Home Street Festival and Food Truck Rodeo follows on Oct. 18 on Trade St. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Two stages will roll out entertainment from artists like DJ and recording artist Bootz Durango, and Ultra Naté. The festivities continue at the official Pride after-party at Millennium Center Speakeasy, 101 W 5th St., with MisterBailey and DJ Ultra Naté. Tickets are $15/advance, $20/at the door. Visit the website to purchase.
Festival goers head back to Kansas on Oct. 19 with a Drag Brunch Crawl down 4th St. at 11 a.m.
The Pride Winston-Salem No Place Like Home Parade along 4th St. at Trade St., culminates the event. Grand marshals are Tim Young, Mark Maxwell and their family. The couple worked closely with the Campaign for Southern Equality and Freedom to Marry, serving as advocates on the forefront of marriage equality and second-parent adoption.
The Campaign for Southern Equality will present its Community Law Workshop, funded in part by a grant from The Adam Foundation. Free legal services to LGBT families will be made available during the street festival, including the opportunity to complete a Health Care Power of Attorney document.
info: pridews.org.
— Lainey Millen
It’s movie time
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Out at the Movies will present a screening of “Living in the Overlap” on Oct. 11, 7 p.m., at Green Street United Methodist Church, 639 S Green St.
Written by Mary Dalton and directed by Dalton and Cindy Hill, the film tells the story of Lennie Gerber and Pearl Perlin, a senior lesbian couple who have been together for decades. They will be present for the showing and at a post-screening Q&A.
Admission is free. Contributions to Green Street UMC are suggested and welcome.
info: outatthemovies.org.
— Lainey Millen
Gay tour hits Triad
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Comedian Sara Benincasa’s “This Tour is So Gay” show will be held on Oct. 13, 8 p.m., at Geeksboro Coffeehouse Cinema, 2134 Lawndale Dr.
The tour performance is a fundraiser for #GetEngagedNCYouth, Equality North Carolina’s youth program.
Joining Benincasa is Joanne Spataro and Ben Church. Spataro hails from Charlotte, N.C., and is a writer and web series host for “Pillow Talk with Joanne.” Church serves as director of community engagement for Equality North Carolina.
Tickets are $10 and available online.
info: geeksboro.com.
— Lainey Millen
MCC hits 20 years
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Metropolitan Community Church Winston-Salem, 4105 Patsy Dr., reached a milestone in September when it celebrated its 20th anniversary from Sept. 5-7.
The celebration kicked off with a hot dog dinner and talent show on Sept. 5. The next day a workshop series, “Church as Healing Community,” gathered congregants from across the area to engage in the conversation. Rev. Dr. Robert Griffin, a member of MCC’s governing board, served as the keynote presenter. That evening the church hosted “An Emerald Affair,” it benevolence auction.
Sunday worship was highlighted with Griffin serving as guest preacher.
info: mccws.org.
— Lainey Millen
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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.