Advocacy org names new board

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina AIDS Action Network (NCAAN) elected three new members to its board of directors.

Joining the board are Cindy Snyder, director of community government relations for ViiV Healthcare; Adam Linker, co-director of the North Carolina Justice Center’s Health Access Coalition; and North Carolina business owner, Tony Franco.

The HIV advocacy organization’s Executive Director Lee Storrow shared, “We are thrilled to have these long-time health policy advocates and HIV/AIDS activists bring their diverse array of experiences and expertise to our work of improving the lives of individuals living with HIV/AIDS in our state.”

Snyder’s company focuses solely on HIV research and products, as well as working with lawmakers and patient advocates with regard to healthcare policy.

Linker’s work deals with state and federal policies as it relates to the needs of those living with HIV/AIDS.

HIV-positive Franco has dedicated himself to fighting for those affected by HIV/AIDS.

info: ncaan.org.

Fest makes awards

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Crape Myrtle Festival (CMF) will bestow $83,000 in grants on Nov. 8, 5 p.m., at the ORO Restaurant and Lounge, 18 E Martin St.

The awards are given to agencies that provide services for those who are living with HIV/AIDS. The grants will help fight food insecurity among people living with HIV/AIDS in rural areas; transport patients to medical appointments; expand HIV testing; increase awareness around HIV/AIDS issues in the community; and advocate for the interests of those living with HIV/AIDS in the General Assembly among other efforts. The money to fund the grants was raised by a group of 30 volunteers over the past year.

Statewide awardees include: Asheville — Western North Carolina AIDS Project; Charlotte — Carolinas CARE Partnership and Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN); Durham — El Centro Hispano, Healing with CAARE and Health Justice Law Clinic at the Duke University School of Law; Raleigh — Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, Equality North Carolina Foundation, LGBT Center of Raleigh, GLBT Center at N.C. State University and North Carolina AIDS Action Network; and Siler City — Wellness and Education Community Action Health Network (WECAHN).

The ceremony is open to the public. Admission is $10.

info: crapemyrtlefest.org.

Dems to hold convention

RALEIGH, N.C. — The LGBT Democrats of NC will hold their fifth annual convention on Nov. 21, 12:30 p.m., at North Carolina State University, Talley Student Center, Room 4280, 2610 Cates Ave.

The election of all state officers and congressional district chairs and vice chairs will take place at the convention.

Special guests include Sen. Josh Stein, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Sen. Mike Woodard, Rep. Cecil Brockman, North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Patsy Keever, Raleigh City Councilwoman Mary Ann Baldwin, Wake County Commissioners Matt Calabria and John Burns.

More information is available online.

info: lgbtdemocrats.org.

Comedian hits Triangle

DURHAM, N.C. — Lesbian icon Lily Tomlin will bring her wit and charm to the stage on Feb. 3, 8 p.m., at the Carolina Theatre, 309 W. Morgan St.

Tomlin has been entertaining audiences for decades and has performed on stage, TV, animation, video and film. She has won Grammy, Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony Awards, among others and has received a plethora of nominations across the board, as well. She has also been a Washington, D.C., Kennedy Center Honors recipient.

Her foray into comedy came during her college years at Wayne State University where she was studying medicine, with electives in theatre arts which sparked her interest. She left school to work at local coffee houses. Since then she has become synonymous with the best in comedy and has performed with some of the greats in entertainment, i.e., Art Carney, Dustin Hoffman, Bruce Willis, Lauren Bacall, Meryl Streep, Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Dame Judi Dench, Cher, Jack Lemmon and a host of others too plentiful to name.

In 2013, she and her partner Jane Wagner were married.

Tickets are $37-$154 and are available online.

info/tickets: carolinatheatre.org.

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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.

Lainey Millen

Lainey Millen was formerly QNotes' associate editor, special assignments writer, N.C. and U.S./World News Notes columnist and production director from 2001-2019 when she retired.