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January Letter from the Editor |
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Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. And now that the holidays are over, it’s already time for the Illinois primaries on Tuesday, February 2.
 This past month, I had the opportunity to speak with Jacob Meister, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate. Jacob is running a hard race in the primaries to be held February 2 in Illinois. After speaking at length with Jacob, and reviewing all of his positions and opinions, I am very pleased to endorse Jacob Meister for the U.S. Senate and I hope that you will agree!! The full story and interview with Phil Reese is on pages 4-5, so I won’t repeat all that here.
It’s easy to sit back and complain about what is going on in Washington. The gridlock and endless political games have many of us upset with Democrats and Republicans alike, and everyone seems to be wary of politicians. But, then I met Jacob, a successful lawyer who isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and who has a remarkably firm grasp of ALL the issues. Of course I am concerned with LGBT issues, but let’s be honest and admit that those are not the only, or the most important, issues facing America today!!
I encourage you to please take a look at Jacob’s website at www.meisterforsenate.com and learn his positions on all the issues facing our country. Then head out on Tuesday February 2 and VOTE ... it only takes a couple of minutes and it’s the only way that we can elect someone to the U.S. Senate who will represent us responsibly and intelligently. And before you start with the “it’s just one vote, it doesn’t really matter” routine, just consider how many political races in recent history have been separated by only a few votes!!!! Every vote DOES count.
The LGBT community has come quite a ways, but there is still a long road to travel to gain the equality we deserve. When we have the chance to elect someone of Jacob’s caliber, it’s our duty to make that trip to the polls and cast our vote.
We have the chance to make history here!!! Please stand with me at the polls on Tuesday February 2 and vote for Jacob Meister, a candidate who I believe will help bring the changes we so desperately need to the U. S. Senate!!
We all want to leave the world a better place for future generations. Now we have the chance to help a committed gay candidate get elected to the U.S. Senate and really help those changes happen!!
See you at the polls!!!
Until next month,
Dave Barker
Publisher, Out & About Illinois |
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November Letter from the Editor |
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Well, it’s the holiday season once again. I always get a bit sentimental during the holidays as I reminisce about all that I truly have... a wonderful partner of 13 years, 2 beautiful daughters, a granddaughter and a brand new grandson who will be born November 6th and some great friends. I am also lucky enough to have a caring family who is supportive of me and my life’s pursuits.
The holidays are a time of family and friends, good cheer and looking forward to the quickly approaching new year. As I look back over the past year, I am incredibly grateful and humbled by the friends and support that have been there for me as I founded Out & About and the brand new Central Illinois Alliance for Diversity & Equality (CIADE) which produced the first ever Peoria Pride and already has two events planned for early 2010. We have put together a great group of motivated individuals who are as committed as I am to forming an LGBT community center for the greater Peoria area and beyond to lead the way to a brighter future for our vibrant and strong community.
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October Letter from the Editor |
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The inaugural Peoria Pride Festival on Sunday September 13 was a huge success. Thanks again to all our sponsors, supporters and those who participated, volunteered and attended. The 1,700 plus attendees of all ages, from all over Central Illinois, enjoyed a sunny day full of entertainment, shopping and camaraderie. The local media coverage followed up with positive pieces about the GLBT community. People of all ages were able to bring their families, many who had never attended a "gay" event. Same sex couples were able to walk hand-in-hand and celebrate who they are. We should all be proud of what we accomplished together.
Yet, let’s not rest on our laurels or rest at all. There is still a lot of work to be done. Many of our local non-profits and organizations that support the GLBT community need volunteers and action takers. Our community needs to be active all year long, not just at Pride!
What can you do? Find the many organizations who support and service our community and see what you can do to help. In these times of a struggling economy, organizations need volunteers to help continue their vital missions now more than ever.
We have formed a new non-profit organization, the Central Illinois Alliance for Diversity & Equality (CIADE) which produced the Peoria Pride event. Our next project for CIADE is to organize a LGBT Community Center for Peoria and Central Illinois. Our vision is to create a multi-faceted organization that can bring our entire community and host of organizations who support us together to continue what Peoria Pride started - working together to gain a broader acceptance in our community. We have huge plans that will only work with the support of EVERYONE!!! Stay tuned for more about this exciting new project. We will also have a new website up soon at www.ciadeillinois.org.
Peoria Pride showed that we have an active, vibrant LGBT community right here in Central Illinois. You don’t have to go to Chicago or other huge cities to find friends and supporters. Now is the time to come together to keep that momentum going.
Working together, we CAN accomplish great things if we keep focused on a postive future. We aren’t that far from the day when every LGBT person can feel proud of who they are without being afraid of negative repercussions from others. Together we really can stop the discrimination that still affects our community every day!!
It’s time to get out of the closet. Be proud of who you are and what we have accomplished so far... and join the fight to make life better for every LGBT person in our community!! Stand up, speak out and demand equality and acceptance.
Until next month,
Dave Barker
Publisher, Out & About Illinois |
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August Letter from the Editor |
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For the last several months, I have been a part of organizing the inaugural 2009 Peoria Pride Festival to be held Sunday, September 13, 2009 at the CEFCU Center Stage on the Peoria Riverfront from Noon-6:00 pm. To all of the other dedicated volunteers I thank you, for we can only achieve success together. I hope everyone who attends has a great time – listening to live music and entertainment, catching up with old friends and meeting new friends, relaxing in the Starbucks Coffeehouse Experience Café, and cruising the vendor and exhibit areas.
Yet, I also hope that everyone reflects on WHY we are holding this Peoria Pride event. After years of being marginalized and discriminated against, LGBT folks across the globe organized and came together to put us all on notice that some of us are actually PROUD to be a part of the LGBT community - What a powerful act! The first step in gaining respect from others is to respect yourself, which is cause for celebration!
The next step should be to support those who support the LGBT community. and our allies & supporters Peoria Pride could never be accomplished without the businesses and organizations that sponsor and exhibit at the event. I encourage all attendees to visit the exhibitors and educate themselves. Peoria has a strong LGBT support system – all of which do incredible work on limited budgets. Please give them your personal thanks and support them in any way you can.
Peoria Pride will be a full day of entertainment and fun. We will have top notch entertainment all day on the main stage and in the Starbucks Café. Food and refreshments will be available. People friendly pets on leashes are welcome. There will be an area with activities for kids of all ages, so make this a day for the entire family. For more information and complete schedule of events, please view the related article later in this issue, or visit the website at www.PeoriaPride.com. Bring your family and friends for the day and be a part of Peoria and Central Illinois history.
Peoria cordially invites the ENTIRE CENTRAL ILLINOIS LGBT community to join us in celebrating our vibrant community. The Hotel Pere Marquette is offering special "Peoria Pride" rates so you can join us at Diesel Bar on Saturday night for a Pride Celebration.
On September 13, please come out to celebrate yourself and your community, and take a minute to reflect on what that means. Be proud of yourself. I am.
Until next month,
Dave Barker
Publisher, Out & About Illinois |
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July Letter from the Editor |
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When are we going to rise from the woodwork and finally get pissed? Obama’s appeal and outright slogan was hope. Now that the honeymoon is over, I wonder what limits Obama puts on “hope”. To date, the gay community has benefited from a cocktail-and-appetizer reception to honor gay pride month and a Presidential memorandum expanding some Federal benefits to same-sex partners. Are we that easily won over by free food and a backdoor pronouncement? The expanded benefits do not even include health benefits or pension guarantees. Weigh these tokens against the Obama administration’s brief in defense of DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act signed in by another Democratic President, Bill Clinton. One of Obama’s promises was to support the repeal of DOMA. While we’re on the topic of Obama promises, what progress has his administration made to end “don’t ask, don’t tell” or towards supporting an employee nondiscrimination or hate-crimes bill? Obama assures us that he is working on all his promises but he must present the new policies so they work “in the long term”. Why are we not more upset that Lt. Dan Choi, a decorated Iraq veteran, was just drummed out of the National Guard? He had an exemplary service record and massive support from around the country, but he was dismissed solely because he admitted that he is gay. Lt. Choi follows over 12,500 military members that have been kicked out solely due to their sexual orientation at a time the military is lowering their standards and qualifications to keep their numbers up. It’s okay to be a convicted felon and be in the military, but you can’t be gay? Obama promised to work to repeal don’t ask, don’t tell, yet he won’t even sign an executive order stopping the discharges until the law can be fixed. We keep bitching amoungst ourselves about all these discriminatory and hateful policies and laws, but they aren’t going to change until more pressure is felt by President Obama and those in the Federal, State and local governments to actually make good on their promises. Illinois State Representative Greg Harris and Senator Dave Koehler have been trying to get a bill passed in Illinois to allow civil unions. Although the bill does not call it “marriage”, the bill provides essentially the same rights to same sex couples as marriage on the State level. These are VERY important rights!! The right to visit your loved one in the hospital, probate rights, etc. Even if you can’t imagine yourself ever getting married, shouldn’t you have the right to do so? Have you called your local representatives to find out how they are voting, and if it’s a no have you tried to educate them about why this bill is so important and so right? It’s time to come together as a community and work together to gain the equality we deserve. I encourage you to get involved and support organizations such as Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal, the ACLU and many others who fight tirelessly for the rights for everyone that the United States was built on. It takes every one of us to make our voices heard, and with that strong voice, change WILL come! Hope fades in the long term, Mr. President. Equality is long overdue. Until next month,
Dave Barker
Publisher, Out & About Illinois |
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