 I’ve always thought, with my experience in the LGBTQ community, that I would handle particular situations like a boss. The day my oldest son came out to me last year, I used a phrase that I quickly regretted. I said, “Are you sure?”
I realized what I said (during the longest three seconds of my life) and then followed with the phrase I should have started with, which was, “I love you unconditionally.” All and all, the experience ended with a hug and my son knowing that I loved him no matter what. These conversations happen every day in this country, and the results of many are not as positive as mine and my son’s turned out to be. For those conversations that end with anything less than loving acceptance, it is important that our youth have safety nets when there is no support system to turn to. In this year’s issue, we talk about TeeN’MPower and what they are doing to keep LGBTQ youth safe. We take a look at this year’s Models of Hope honorees that our youth can look up to. Cleve Jones, an activist still going strong, shares what this generation can do to help the next, and Gigi Gorgeous’ new movie, This is Everything, tells the story of a young woman who struggles to find her true self and how she comes through the other side. As you celebrate Pride this year, think of our youth. Are you showing them reasons they should be celebrating? Remember that we are the change we want to see in the world, and today’s youth need to see strong examples of that change. Happy Pride!
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  I remember feeling such excitement when I learned I would have the opportunity to meet Cleve Jones at the annual AIDS Walk back in 2010. I also found myself frustrated when many people in the community had no idea who he was. Jones worked with the likes of the late Harvey Milk and Gilbert Baker, created The Names Project, presented the AIDS Memorial Quilt all over the world, and helped shape the history of the Gay Rights Movement. Jones is still going strong as an activist and is receiving national praise, as his book When We Rise has been turned into a well-received mini-series on ABC. Jones has educated new generations of not only his story, but of the stories of other LGBTQ activists still fighting the good fight and making Gay Pride celebrations possible. When I asked Jones what it was like having his name etched in the history books, the humbled Jones just chuckled and said, “Americans have little regard for history, so I don’t know how much that’s actually worth.” Jones continued by saying, “I love what I do. People thank me, but I just love doing the work. I find it fun, and it connects me to wonderful people. It’s kind of wonderful to see some of my friends being remembered who might have been forgotten.” Those friends were not forgotten in this mini-series. When We Rise focuses on the stories of Cleve Jones, Roma Guy and Diana Jones, Ken Jones, and Cecilia Chung, and the struggles they went through to see change become a reality in the LGBTQ community. Jones shared that the experience was one that he wasn’t sure would happen. “The fact that ABC was willing to do [the show] was remarkable. What many people don’t know is ABC already committed to doing this before they contacted Lance Black or heard about my book. Usually in a situation like this, network guys would be pitched. So it’s pretty remarkable that ABC, owned by Disney, of course, would take this on, and I think it was good. There are parts that are jarring because they are so inaccurate, but I think it remains truthful, if not exactly accurate.”  When We Rise covers the Gay Rights Movement through the eyes of these activists from 1972 to current. In the show, Guy Pearce, as Cleve Jones’ character, delivered this line to the generation before Barack Obama was elected: “How does it feel to be the first generation to not fight for anything?” That line hit home for many people, even today, who are trying to get this generation to get involved. “It was a time that the generation of gay men, in particular, were not interested in people with HIV. There is always a danger of the younger generations not knowing their history, and,even as much as I would like them to take their rights and freedom for granted, I don’t think we’re there yet. So, it always worries me when people think, ‘Oh the fight’s been won, we won our rights,’ and now we see our rights are very much under attack again. But I do see an awful lot of young people accepting that challenge and taking responsibility for continuing the fight. So, I don’t give up on young people.” And the fight continues. Our current administration, causing many to rise up in protest, seems determined to extinguish rights that had advanced the community through the Obama administration. Jones is witness to the fight with the rest of the country and has his take on what the biggest fight in the community is now. “I think the LGBTQ community needs to understand that we are part of the larger movement and that the entire movement is under attack. What we need more than anything is solidarity--solidarity between men and women, solidarity between people of different colors and ethnicities, solidarity between the generations, because everything is at stake right now. Whether you care about the environment or voter’s rights or reproductive rights...if you care about democracy, if you care about any of this, you need to be involved and engage and participate.” The pain could be heard behind Cleve’s voice as the interview continued. He shared that he was still grieving the loss of his good friend and long time activist, creator of the Pride rainbow flag, Gilbert Baker. Baker’s death was acknowledged on social media and with a candlelight vigil in the Castro under the flag he helped create. I asked Jones if he wanted to share his memory of his friend. “[Gilbert] was a very compassionate man,” Jones shared while holding back tears. “He was a drag queen. He was a veteran. He was a seamstress. He could be quite imperial, but he was very intelligent and very compassionate--a sweet and kind and gentle soul who wanted to move us forward. He dedicated his life to this, so here’s an example of a person who had an idea but also was also going to work hard, persevere and persist and end[ed] up literally touching the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of people all across the planet. So, I hope anybody reading this, knowing of this story, would think, ‘Hmmm, wonder what I could do?’”  When it comes to this fight, it will take all of us to make a change. Jones shared some advice that can be applied to everyone. “I just want them to know that they’re not powerless. No one is powerless. Sometimes we spend the most energy wondering what is the most effective tactics, and being in a room with a bunch of LGBTQ people arguing...can be quite exhausting. The reality is whether you’re turning out voters, writing letters to the editor, protesting, marching, engaging in civil disobedience--all of these tactics can be effective. My advice is to find a way to participate that also brings you some pleasure. I truly enjoy the work that I do, and that’s why I’ve kept doing it. We’re all familiar with the phenomenon of burn-out, and it’s very destructive, especially right now when the when the stakes are so high and the danger is so grave. So, find a way to participate that brings you some joy, that connects you to other people with whom you can work over a long period of time, because this problem isn’t getting fixed anytime soon.”
Jones has created a legacy for himself with the actions he chose to set in motion. But he still sees himself as an “ordinary person,” hoping that folks will take the same kind of action he did. But when it comes to how people will see him once he’s gone, he looks at his greatest achievement. “I was very lucky with the people that I met and the events that I witnessed. But I’m not special. I think my greatest achievement is that I’m still happy,” Jones says with a laugh. “That’s my greatest achievement. I’m 62, and I’m still doing this. I’m in love, and I’m happy, and I survived. That’s possibly my greatest achievement.” For many, that is an achievement to look forward to.  Stacia Visage has been an energetic force in the community. One to lead a hand whenever needed, Stacia will be there to perform for a show and help out a friend. She shared a bit about what makes her tick.
What do you love about the New Mexico LGBTQ community? The strength of our community is amazing and unbroken. When attacked, we all rise to support and defend. What do you feel still needs to be improved? We need to focus on building bridges with communities outside of our GLBTQ community. I believe the United Court of The Sandia's has done a great job of building bridges, but we need to see more from other organizations. What do our youth need to know? Our youth need to know their voices are important and valid in our community. They need to know they are important as individuals, but in numbers they are more powerful. Fame is great, but it is not the most important thing in the world….Instead of being a fad that fades away, be timeless, and always be in style. What do you love about drag? Drag is an amazing art form that allows us to be the Queens of our own universes. Makeup, hair, jewels are so much fun, but drag is much more than having expensive jewels, big hair, an amazing gown, or phenomenal dance moves. It's about community, it's about helping each other, it's about expression, story telling, and having fun. Will we be seeing more of Stacia in the future? Possibly. I don't know what tomorrow brings. I am only living for today. PRIDE & Equality commemorates another year of Models of Hope. Celebrating their 9th year, the Vincent R. Johnson Models of Hope Awards honor individuals and organizations that make a difference and can be seen as role models in the community. Models of Hope has created a roster of exceptional honorees over the past eight years, and this year’s nominees are no exceptions. Take a look at who we will be honoring in August.  Community Honoree: Jacquêsán Taylor Stratton How did you get involved with the LGBTQ community? I didn’t become an active member of the LGBTQ community until I moved to Albuquerque in 2010. Before that,I was mostly just out in the club scene, dancing, drinking, and having a good time. One of my best friends who had moved here a few months before me worked with NMAS and asked if I would be involved with a fundraiser for one of our non-profits. This not only introduced me to what it meant to be involved with gays during the daytime (still drunks), but also introduced me to The Dolls of ABQ and to drag! From there, I volunteered with Verge, which was a young people against tobacco team that hosted various shows and parties for all ages but focused on youth. I have volunteered on the ABQ Pride Board as assistant to the director of entertainment and managed the community stage and really just enjoyed meeting people and the entertainers. In 2013, I decided to compete for Miss New Mexico Pride, thank you Jay Decker, not only for the title, but my goal was to make Pride great again. There was a decline in contestants and a lot of bad-mouthing, and I wanted to make Pride something that the drag community wanted to be involved with again. Tell us about your history. What was life like when you were a youth? I’ve always known I was gay since I was a small child. I liked playing outside with the other boys from time to time, but I would much rather be inside ironing Barbie’s hair with the girls. I have always been a creative person with a very vivid imagination, so a lot of times, growing up was difficult. My family went to church. They weren’t super religious, but had a deep faith and involvement within the church. So, I was always there… from music lessons, choir practice, church dance groups, to Christian boy scouts’ groups. I’ve been the church decorator, janitor, choir director, worship leader, travelling soloist, sunday school teacher, youth leader, junior deacon, live radio program singer, and I’m probably missing a few things. In school I was a pretty good student. I made good grades, and stayed out of trouble for the most part. Being in a military family, we moved every 4 years, so I don’t really have any lifelong friendships. Pretty sure I went to 9 different schools. I was always in choir, and band, I ran track, and did JRROTC. My family was loving but not always supportive of my extracurricular activities, which made it a challenge to stay involved. It seemed like they were always trying to suppress me and my gayness. I did my best to make them happy and not act on my impulses, but there were way too many incidents that my parents decided I needed to be punished for. Would I go back and live my youth again knowing what I know now? Hell no. What was the changing moment in your life that led to you wanting to make a difference and live life as the real you? There was not ONE changing moment in my life that led me to wanting to make a difference and live my life as authentically as possible. There...have been several moments that make up this puzzle of my life, and I am still missing several of the pieces. A good friend of mine from a very traditional Hispanic family would always try to hide the fact that he was gay from his family. I didn’t feel I needed to hide but also felt that it wasn’t a lot of people’s business. When I was living in Clovis and working at the church with the youth, some information came out about me, and one of the other youth leaders decided that I should not be allowed to work with the teenagers or children anymore. She felt because I was gay, I was a pedophile, and perverted, and more of a sinner than her. She took this information to our pastor, expecting him to discard me and push me out of the church. Meeting with him, I felt all the shame that I had felt when I was younger and my dad would catch me with pornographic material, or worse, trying to pleasure myself. But you know what my pastor did? He loved me even more. We sat down, and he really got to know me. He is probably one of the only people, to this day, I have fully confided in with the sexual assaults and unwanted advances that happened to me growing up. He took me away from everything I was involved with in the church for 9 months, and we went through a program called Freedom from Your Past. We dealt with all the anxieties, stress, shame, and guilt, that made me who I was to that date. It was so freeing to know that even though I was severely damaged, that I was important, that I made a difference, that I could be exactly who I wanted to be, or I could create my best self and allow others to see who I was, instead of hiding behind what I could do. After the program, I went back to my duties in the church, but I knew I needed something different, because I was different. So I moved to Albuquerque. There was still rejection from people I had known for years, that I was actually being my gay self out loud and unapologetic, but I let those people go. My female illusion persona, Jacquêsán, was created to breathe new life into Bryan. She resuscitated me. Drag allowed my life to blossom. I have met so many wonderful people because of drag. People that love and believe in me, and in turn have allowed me to express my love out loud and be a better person. What piece of advice would you give today LGBTQ youth? I think the number one problem young people face is identity. Who am I? Well, my advice is simply to take your time, don’t rush. Life is made up of the moments, and the journeys, which include heartache, as well as goodness. The mistake I made was allowing other people to shape me instead of just being myself. My parents didn’t like who I was at times, but they came around. I lost a lot of people who I thought were my best friends when I came out, but the friendships I have gained are beyond amazing. I would rather live in my truth and be content with who I am, than live a lie my entire life to please someone else.  Community Honoree: Brittany Renee Ameson How did you get involved with the LGBTQ community? I organized my first protest in support of the LGBTQ community in 2011. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I literally improvised the entire action with the guidance of a few close friends. But, guess what?! A TON OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP! After that, I was asked to join GetEQUAL NM, a grassroots organization that takes bold actions to liberate the LGBTQ community. I organized with GetEQUAL for five years and met some of the most influential people I will ever know. I have participated in more actions than I can count now, but I am still grateful for all of the people who showed up that day. Tell us about your history. What was life like when you were a youth? I grew up with four brothers—and parents that were addicted to drugs/alcohol. I moved out of my family’s house when I was almost 17 years old. When I was 18 years old, my father lost his life to an overdose. I spent most of my youth studying my ass off in school, working full-time, and creating community. My life was tough as a young person, but there is a happy ending. My mom eventually became my best friend in the entire world. She turned her life around and is one of the most ferocious allies in my life. I honor my story because it helped me become the resilient person I am today! What was the changing moment in your life that led to you wanting to make a difference and live life as the real you? I was the State Lead of GetEQUAL NM as a junior at the University of New Mexico. At the time, I considered myself to be a “straight ally.” Funny, right? That was until I heard the word pansexual, and I realized that I had finally found a term that matched my sexual orientation. Shortly after that, I started dating someone who was part of the LGBTQ community. As a white, cis, feminine person, my experiences were very different than his. Realizing these differences led me to doing more anti-racism work. White male faces continue to dominate the LGBTQ movement, and although I think it is starting to change, we still have a lot of work to do. What piece of advice would you give today’s LGBTQ youth?
 Community Honoree: Josh Garcia/Seliah DeLeon How did you get involved with the LGBTQ community? I got involved with the community shortly when I came out at the age of 18. Not knowing gay people my age, a friend introduced me to a program called MPower, now known as NMPower. There, I met many friends that I have ‘til this day. In June 2005, at the age of 21, I discovered the nightlife of Albuquerque, where I was introduced to drugs, drinking, and partying. In 2008, I decided that I wanted to make a change in my life from the partying, drugs, and drinking….I soon was introduced to ABQ Pride, [which} was in the process of bringing back the AIDS/HIV walk. From there, I got involved with giving back to my community through the art of drag. Tell us about your history. What was life like when you were a youth? Early on in my young life, I had the normal childhood—a father, a mother, a sister. Like most families, there were many secrets that my family had and kept. My father was a womanizer [and an] alcoholic who would get into arguments and physically and mentally abuse my mother so that he had a reason to leave. In the fall of 1992, my mother made a decision to no longer be a victim but to be a survivor, and she left my father and moved my sister to a small town outside of Pecos. Growing up, I went through many struggles, from starting a new school [and] being sexually molested to being teased and being called homo [and] faggot. I found myself keeping to myself, isolating myself from friends, family. At one point...in junior high, I even had suicidal thoughts.  What was the changing moment in your life that led to you wanting to make a difference and live life as the real you?
The changing moment in my life that made me want to make a difference and live life as the real me was in my mid-twenties [when] I was partying, drinking, and using drugs. It became so bad that I was blacking out and not remembering what happened the night before. One day, I woke up naked in the middle between two guys not knowing where I was or what I had done. I left right away, and throughout that whole week, it really bothered me—how my life going and where I was heading. I looked into ways to get involved with the community and use my time to give back. I saw on Facebook that an organization by the name of Albuquerque Pride [was] looking for volunteers to help bring back the HIV/AIDS walk. I thought, “Why not?” I had been part of the M'Power program and thought it would be a great way to get involved. Little did I know, that would be the start [of my] being involved with the community. Shortly after volunteering with the gay community, a friend of mine passed away from HIV. Losing him in such a short time frame...made me want to become more of an advocate with our community. What piece of advice would you give today’s LGBTQ youth? The advice that I would give to the young LGBTQ youth is be yourself. Never let anyone bring you down. Just like the rainbow flag, we are all different….[E]mbrace that.  Pride is upon us again, and in a time of turmoil for our community “Unity” takes on a new meaning. It feels like a lifetime since the 2016 election, yet we still don’t know what it means for us and our families.
I have been an organizer and leader in the LGBTQ+ community for 19 years. I’ve seen new meds for HIV/AIDS patients that ended the “death sentence” and Gay-Straight Alliances become commonplace in high schools. I’ve seen New Mexico ban workplace discrimination and a nation legalize Marriage Equality. It’s been a great time to be queer in New Mexico, but the cloud over these feelings is especially heavy during Pride Month. This year there is even more of a reason for us to look at Pride not only as a time of celebration for our fabulous queer community but also as a rallying point to re-energize for the fight. A fight that now, especially, is about us coming together with other communities to protect each other. We know that attacks on organizations like Planned Parenthood are about shaming of sex; which is also the root of attempts to strip LGBTQ folks of their access to healthcare through so-called Religious Freedom Laws. The attacks on our immigrant brothers and sisters, especially Mexican and Muslim Immigrants, is about stigmatizing those not like us, much like regulating bathrooms based on body parts is about stigmatizing our Trans-siblings for being different. Our opposition is the same, whether we are looking for access to abortion care or trying to just pee in peace, whether we want to make a better life for our children in a new land or we just want health insurance that covers our HIV meds. And make no mistake that opposition is emboldened, they are excited, and they are fighting to take us back into a terrible time! We cannot let them win this battle, but we can only beat them as a unified community. It is time for us to stop working on “our issues” and work on an overall unified social justice front. To come out for marches and phone banks, for rallies and Legislative Hearings and to remind leaders – but more importantly ourselves and our communities – that Immigrants and Trans folks are not scapegoats, that women and HIV+ gay men are worthy and deserving of care with dignity and free from judgment. It is time for the LGBTQ+ community to act united, to unify our whole communities to fight back and resist. We are Queer immigrants, we are Trans HIV+ people, we are bisexual women who need abortions and we are gay men of color who fear police brutality – and we know these issues are all part of who we are, and we will fight them all together! This pride will be our chance to share a new message of unity – and I hope you’ll join me in spreading that message – we will resist! Marshall Martinez Director of Public Affairs – New Mexico Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains Planned Parenthood Votes New Mexico   Tell us about TeenN'MPower. TeeN'MPower is for teens between 13-18 who are bi, gay, trans, or questioning, and their allies. We provide a safe place to teens to be themselves. We educate teens on HIV/STI prevention and also things that are happening in teens lives, like bullying, personal space, etc. Why is this organization so important? The organization is important because it provides youth a safe place to be who they are in a judgement-free zone. Have you seen TeeN'MPower become a strong support system for those that don't have one? Yes, we have seen teens come to us shy and timid. As time has gone by, they improved in their social skills and even in their studies. We have had teachers and GSA advisors say that since the teens have started attending TeeN'MPower, it's been like [seeing] whole new student[s]. What can we, as a community, do to help build up the organization? I think inform the teens about programs like TeeN'MPower and the under-21 group. At times, we, as a community, focus on the adults and what resources are out there for them...we forget about our youth and [their] needs. Any upcoming events you want to promote? The hours are changing for TeeN'MPower….[They] are now going to be Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:00-8:00, and Fridays, 5:00-7:00. Pride would be our biggest event coming up.
 Logo Documentary Films has presented its first documentary, titled Strike a Pose. The film catches up with seven young male dancers who made it big as featured dancers on Madonna’s acclaimed and controversial tour, Blond Ambition, followed by her titillating documentary, Truth or Dare. The dancers, Oliver Crumes III, Carlton Wilborn, Luis Camacho, Salim “Slam” Gauwloos, Jose Gutierrez, and Kevin Stea (with discussions about the late Gabriel Trupin, another fellow dancer), unwittingly become icons for gay rights and sexual freedom. Twenty-five years later, they share their experiences during and after the tour, including secrets they have kept, up until now, to themselves. The critically acclaimed documentary from directors Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan, and from the Emmy Award-winning Logo Documentary Films, was an official selection at the 2016 Tribeca, Berlin, and Hot Docs Film Festivals. “These seven dancers from the Blond Ambition tour inspired a whole generation. From the halls of the ballrooms to center stage, their bold self-expression was a true, pop-culture inspiration,” said Taj Paxton, VP of Logo Documentary Films. “We’re proud to showcase the men behind the woman and to stir the next generation of leaders and tastemakers in the LGBTQ community.” This film captures such raw emotion as you dive into the backgrounds of six individuals who were not prepared for what fame would bring them. The Truth or Dare section of the reunion dinner gives you a closer, emotional glimpse of the Madonna boys who are now men. Strike a Pose is available for download on Itunes. http://www.strikeaposefilm.com/
 Claws
Let us introduce you to your new guilty pleasure! Claws, set in a Central Florida nail salon, is a wickedly dark and hilarious look at a sisterhood of ladies. Claws follows the rise of five diverse and treacherous manicurists working at the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon, where there is a lot more going on than silk wraps and pedicures. At the center is salon owner Desna (Niecy Nash, Getting On, The Soul Man), who lives with and cares for her mentally-ill twin brother, Dean (Harold Perrineau, Lost, Oz). Desna’s staff includes best friend Jennifer (Jenn Lyon, Justified), a tenuously sober ex-party girl raising two children from previous relationships; Quiet Ann (Judy Reyes, Scrubs), Desna’s enigmatic driver who also provides security for the salon; Polly (Carrie Preston), a mild-mannered preppy who recently served time in prison for identity theft; and Virginia (Karrueche Tran), who makes no effort to hide her boredom and impatience with her job. Adding chaos to the mix is Roller (Jack Kesy, The Strain), a gangstered-out redneck who runs a barely legal pain clinic and uses Desna’s nail salon to launder their obscene profits; Bryce (Kevin Rankin, Dallas Buyers Club), Jennifer’s husband who is also newly sober and trying to stay legit by working as an abundance coach; Dr. Ken Brickman (Jason Antoon), a bona fide doctor at a decidedly un-bona fide drug clinic; and Uncle Daddy (Dean Norris, Breaking Bad), a dangerous Dixie Mafia crime boss who is deeply Catholic and actively bisexual. The show is a high-energy, laugh riot that draws you in and leaves you wanting more. Claws premieres on June 11 on TNT. - Provided by TNT  Written by Khoi Le
Most New Mexicans who have traveled outside the borders of our great state have been greeted with the same question, or some variant of it: “Oh, you’re from Mexico?” It’s fun to play with these geography-challenged people once in awhile, but it can get old fast. Yet, it is a similar question I get when I’m in my chosen city of Albuquerque, and it intrigues me. When I tell any new acquaintances I meet about my travels across the world, my hobbies and projects, and, most importantly, my dreams and passions, they always get a befuddled look on their faces, a look that’s a cross between confusion and disbelief, mixed in with a little skepticism. Then, the inevitable question is asked: “So, why Albuquerque?” Growing up in New Mexico almost guarantees that children hear a lot of negative things happening around them. The news is rampant with reports of what is wrong and rarely what is going right. This creates an environment and society were the citizens themselves have few beautiful truths to share with each other, let alone travelers who incorrectly identify us as our neighbor to the south. Answering the question, “Why Albuquerque?” is always easy for me. I grew up in a country where green foliage is not a scarcity, but a liability. Forgetting to cut your grass in Vietnam is more damaging than forgetting to water a cactus in the Albuquerque desert. It is the contrast of wet to dry, dense population to small town feel, and sandy beaches to sandy desert that makes life more interesting and delightful. After all, to know what you really want, you must first know what you don’t want. New Mexico is the land of contrasts. The people here go loco for the spicy red and green chile, but first, drizzle sweet honey on their fresh sopapillas. They enjoy the simple stroll of Old Town and the fast pace of Downtown. We love new shops that come in and stay true to the local restaurants. There is a constant clashing of ancient traditions and new ideas. Preservation of the land, culture, and historic buildings is just as important as advancing technology and building new programs like Innovate ABQ. Acoma Pueblo and Sandia Labs exists alongside each other. We dig into the Earth to understand our past, and we fly in hot air balloons and build planes to our future. And somehow, Albuquerque brings all these thing together into this contradicting, beautiful, and delicious mixture of contrast. The harmony is almost as magical as the sunsets that so many who live here take for granted. I am reminded of the beauty whenever I take clients from out of town to see homes, and I turn to see their jaws dropped, their faces in awe—you just know the beauty of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is forever etched into their memory. My friend Van Overton, Jr., highlights Albuquerque’s greatness in his poem Amiga Mejor: Albuquerque is my best friend! She can be a little rough around the edges, but has big brown eyes that can soften all those she looks at. Her heart beats to the rhythm of native drums and you can see it in her swagger as she walks on legs covered in dust and clay. Her hair flows like the Rio Grande down her back and is pinned up by turquoise barrettes! She likes to climb the trees in the Bosque and run the streets of the valley. She hikes the invisible trails of the foothills and speaks the language of the Petroglyphs. She sits with her Abuela every morning and they talk about their heritage. The mix of her blood. Of ancestors who were dancers, healers, farmers, soldiers, and slaves. In the afternoon, she sits with the children and they play with flour and water and she teaches them of fry bread and sopapillas, and their connection to the earth. In the evening, she sits with her back to the setting sun so that she can watch the Sandias change color to a brilliant pink which reminds her of watermelon juice running down her arms as a child. At night.... She dances. She dances a dance of power and sadness of hope and remembrance and as she spins… she makes circles in the dust that mirrors the Sun that gives Albuquerque her power! Why Albuquerque? Because it is a perfect place to have it all.  Silver Horizon Trey Pearson’s new music video, “Silver Horizon,” directed by Stephen Cone, marks the release of his first music video since coming out of the closet when he was frontman of Christian rock band Everyday Sunday. Speaking about the video, Trey said, “Sometimes we hang onto what we know with everything we have, even when it’s not what’s best for us, because we’re scared of what is on the other side. “Silver Horizon” is about a different kind of light that we can only experience on the other side of the dark once we have gone through the pain. This music video is about that light and freedom that comes with authenticity and being your true self.” Stephen Cone, director of “Silver Horizon, said, “What I hope this video reflects is that we may finally be at a point in history when faith and love can commingle and merge, and the doors can open wider towards a loving, revolutionary acceptance of LGBTQ people. Every living soul deserves a path to transcendence.” “Silver Horizon” is Trey Pearson’s debut solo single. He will be releasing his debut solo album later this year.   Pussycat
In support of her soon-to-be released record, Pussycat, Boston-based singer-songwriter Juliana Hatfield kicked off a national tour on April 22 in New Haven, CT. The brand new video for the song, “Short-Fingered Man,” can be seen online. Juliana is looking forward to the tour and playing the new songs in front of a live audience. About her forthcoming record, she says, “I wasn’t planning on making a record.” In fact, she thought her songwriting career was on hiatus, that she had nothing left to say in song form, and that she had finally said it all after two decades as a recording artist. But then the presidential election happened. “All of these songs just started pouring out of me. And I felt an urgency to record them, to get them down, and get them out there.” Hatfield produced and played every instrument other than drums—bass, keyboards, guitars, vocals. From start to finish—recording through mixing—the whole thing took a total of just twelve-and-a-half days to complete. “It was a blur. It was cathartic,” says Hatfield. “I almost don’t even understand what happened in there, or how it came together so smoothly, so quickly. I was there, directing it all, managing it, getting it all done, but I was being swept along by some force that was driving and controlling me. The songs had a will, they forced themselves on me, or out of me, and I did what they told me to do. Even my hands—it felt like they were not my hands. I played bass differently— looser, more confident, better.” The tour kicked off on April 22 in New Haven, CT and will make stops in Cambridge, MA; Philadelphia; Virginia; NYC; Cleveland and Columbus, OH; and Chicago. More dates to be announced. Pussycat is available for pre-order on iTunes, with an instant download of the song “Wonder Why.”  Remember The Ladies Remember The Ladies, by Angela P. Dodson, explores the many obstacles encountered on the rough road to suffrage and also places the movement in the context of the other social and political upheavals unfolding during the decades. Dodson recounts how women hoped in vain that their considerable contributions to the war efforts during the Civil War and World War I would gain them the support they needed to win the vote. She looks at schisms within the movement that sometimes set back the cause, including the ideological conflict that arose between abolitionist and women’s rights factions when black men who had been slaves gained the right to vote but women, both white and black, did not. Resentment only grew when a wave of uneducated immigrant men had the right to vote as naturalized citizens, while educated, native-born women did not. A new approach, shifting the efforts to gain the vote to a federal rather than merely a state level would be a key development. REMEMBER THE LADIES: Celebrating Those Who Fought for Freedom at the Ballot Box Angela P. Dodson, Center Street/May 2017/$26.00  The Broken Heart Toolkit With a combination of practical advice and warmly helpful personal insights, The Broken Heart Toolkit sets out a step-by-step guide to building a long-term, self-help program like no other in this field. With so many self-help books on the market promising to “mend” a broken heart, it’s difficult to know where to turn. The Broken Heart Toolkit makes no such promise. There is no quick-fix solution to mend anything. If only it were that easy! Award-nominated journalist Paul Thorn brings his considerable personal experience of loss, self-hating, self-examination, and self-helping to The Broken Heart Toolkit. It presents a set of practical tools and a method to address how to get from one to the other in a proactive way. The Broken Heart Toolkit http://amzn.to/2oUWhcb http://amzn.to/2p3JvVB http://www.e-m-press.com ISBN-10: 154312710X ISBN-13: 978-1543127102  Money, Murder and Dominick Dunne
Sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, Hofler’s biography explores Dunne’s closeted (for most of his life) sexual identity and his many relationships and affairs, including his 40-year partnership with the artist Norman Carby. The book also documents Dunne’s rise and fall as a TV and film producer and his reinvention as a bestselling novelist, TV show host, and Vanity Fair journalist covering the lives—and crimes—of the rich and powerful, including the trials of O.J. Simpson and the Menendez Brothers. Hofler also shares the details of Dunne’s close friendships with (and suppressed scandals about) Elizabeth Taylor and other celebrities, as well as Dunne’s intense rivalry with his brother and sister-in-law, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion, which became even more painful after the murder of Dominick's daughter, Dominique. Money, Murder and Dominick Dunne https://www.amazon.com c.2017, University of Wisconsin Press, 352 pages |
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