CommUNITY Vol 3 Issue 6 (Aug. 2015)

Your Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Com m unity Center since 1970
OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE

Center Support: Offering low-cost counseling, and
peer support groups such as Mens Group, Womens
Group, and Family and Friends of LGBTQ people. Also
providing comprehensive and culturally specific referrals
for LGBTQ individuals. Our Rainbow Caf has been
offering peer support opportunities and vital referrals
since 1971 and is an open community space for recurring
events such as Game Nights & Supper Sundays.
Center Youth: Providing support, outreach & advocacy
for LGBTQ youth ages 18 and under. Programs include 3
regional youth groups, Albany Youth Organizing! (AYO!)
Drop in Space through a partnership with St. Anne
Institute, HIV testing, civic engagement, the
Center Youth Action Team, opportunities with state and
local legislators, and annual events like the Alternative
Prom and Youth in Power! Camp. Pride Center staff also
support schools in 11 counties by providing training for
staff and students on how to support LGBTQ youth.
Training & Education Services : Creating safer spaces
and services for LGBTQ people in the Capital Region by
offering comprehensive trainings for mental health and
medical providers, colleges, businesses, organizations,
and governmental agencies. Our nationally-known trainer
is an expert in providing high quality, individualized
trainings for entities seeking to improve services for
LGBTQ individuals and communities.
Center Fam ilies: Dedicated to helping LGBTQ headed
families in the Capital Region achieve their goals of
building and sustaining happy and healthy families
through providing ongoing social and community building
opportunities.
332 HUDSON AVE. ALBANY, NY 12210
Center Arts: Our Romaine Brooks Gallery is a creative space

and outlet for LGBTQ artists and themed work. The gallery is
located on the first floor of the Pride Center. The LGBTQ Book
Club also meets monthly to discuss works written by LGBTQ
authors.
Trans Pride: Promoting the wellbeing of transgender and
gender non-conforming communities in a safe,
empowering space through social opportunities,
community building, peer support, resource sharing and
advocacy.
Vintage Pride : Connecting LGBTQ older adults to each other
and to the broader community with monthly social gatherings,
special events, educational and leadership opportunities, and
taking time to celebrate and honor their resilience and
contributions to our community.
Business Alliance : Business Alliance members gain
exclusive visibility, ways to leverage customer allegiance &
access to a dedicated consumer base. Join monthly Mixers to
meet up with friends, distribute business cards, and make
important business contacts.
Capital PRIDE: As the producer of the largest annual Capital
Pride celebration in Upstate NY, the Pride Center brings a
record breaking 30,000 festival and parade attendees, and
35,000 people celebrating throughout PRIDE week each year.
Com m UNITY Magazine: The Pride Centers monthly
publication highlights & informs the larger Capital Region on
local LGBTQ news and events as well as supports other
LGBTQ organizations. Over 3,000 avid readers reached per
month across 10 counties.
CapitalPrideCenter1
CapitalPrideCtr
518-4 62-6138
W W W .CAPITALPRIDECENTER.ORG
Our m ission is to prom ote the w ell-being of all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer
identified people and those affected by discrim ination based on gender identity and expression.
Hilton Albany
Friday, October 16
5:30 pm Reception
6:30 pm Dinner & Awards
Join us on a special night to benefit the Pride Center of the Capital Region and celebrate the important
contributions of this years awardees who work hard to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community.
This year we will be honoring the following community members:
Marielle McKasty-Stagg, Volunteer of the Year
John Prokop, Community Service Award
Bank of America, Business of the Year Award
Maria Westbrook, Paul Postiglione Youth Services Award
Mike Mitchell, Libby Post Council Leadership Award
Neil & Jane Golub, Nancy Burton Straight but not Narrow Award
Planned Parenthood- Mohawk Hudson (Saratoga location), Organization of the Year
Kenneth Mortensen Jr., Harvey Milk Award
Capital PRIDE Steering Committee- Ed Davis, Corey Polesel, Scott Levine, Special Recognition Award
Purchase Your Tickets Today

www.capitalpridecenter.org/gala-tickets
FEATURES
Celebrate 45 Years as the Communitys
Center with a look back at this years
Capital Pride celebration
PRIDE In Pictures
pg. 6
Sail Along the Hudson with

Vintage Pride in Pictures
pg.21
Understanding Identities
pg. 8
We Asked
pg. 9
Ageing into Lesbian-Feminism

- An Excerpt from Life
by
Arlene Lev
pg. 21
NEWS,UPDATES
& INFORMATION
From the Editors Desk
pg. 7
Program Directors Corner
pg. 7
Quick Clips
pg. 9
Joe Norton Laid to Rest with Military Honors
pg. 9
Affiliates Calendar
pg. 35
Weekly Events Calendar
pg. 36
Special Events Calendar
pg. 37
CommUNITY Calendar
pg. 38
Advertisers Index
COLUMNS
Trans View
What Will it Take?
by
Moonhawk Riverstone pg. 14
Ask the Lawyer
by
Geri Pomerantz pg. 17
Vintage Pride: Who We Are

Cricket Grillo...8 Hugs a Day

interviewed by
Chuck Zimmerman pg. 20
To Be a Blessing
Stretch Out Your Hand
by
Audrey Seidman pg. 25
Ask Mark Your Tax Questions
by
Mark D. Witecki pg. 27
Money Matters
Love Wins
by
Thomas Walling
Out in the Garden

A Class in My Garden
by
Judith Fetterley
pg. 29
pg. 31
Michael Cooks and You Can Too

Summer Salads
by
Michael Meade pg. 33
Heres Guffman
The Play That Changed My Life
by
Patrick White pg. 35

pg. 30
Photo credits
Cover ,this page:
Pilar Arthur-Snead /
Photographic Expressions
Opposite Page:
Dawn Sylvester
August 2015
Volume 3, Issue 6
CONTENTS
What will it
take, if
tremendous
violence and
hate seems to
be the only
foundation
upon which
legislatures
move forward?
~Moonhawk
RiverStone
Capital PRIDE Parade
2015 Capital PRIDE Festival

photos: Dawn Sylvester
Capital PRIDE Festival
Marriage Equality become

the law of the land.
But only just the day before,
the New York State Senate
once again failed to pass the
Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA).
While 18 states, the District
of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
F R O M T H E have already passed similar
E D I T O R S D E S K non-discrimination laws and
implemented them successfully, New York State still has
not. Cities across the state,

The past two months including Albany, Binghamhave been a whirlwind of ton, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York
monumental activity for the City, Rochester, Troy, and
LGBTQ movement, both na- Syracuse, have passed local
tionally and in our Capital transgender inclusive nonRegion, with joyous victories discrimination laws as well
and heart-breaking defeats. has Albany, Suffolk, TompOn June 26, 2015, almost 46 kins and Westchester counyears to the day of the Stone- ties.
wall Riots, the US Supreme
Court ruled that the Constitu- Our movement has come so
tion guarantees a nationwide far, yet there is still so much
right to same-sex marriage, left to do. We are now able
striking down bans in 14 to focus our time, energy
states, a landmark victory for and resources as an LGBTQ
lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans- movement to fighting for othgender and queer (LGBTQ) er basic human rights desperrights in America. While we ately needed by those often
here in New York State have forgotten in our community.
had marriage equality since Heres to continuing to orga2011, it was amazing to see nize around LGBTQ youth
PROGRAM
DIRECTORS CORNER
by
R O S Y G A LVA
This month, I am pleased to

witness our magazine dedicated to one of my favorite
programs at the Pride Center,
Vintage Pride. Older adults
in our community face many
challenges ranging from having to go back into the closet
for safety in nursing homes, to
experiencing intense feelings
of isolation and disconnect
from our community. One
thing is clear: older LGBTQ
adults urgently need our support.
Hello! This is my very first

entry in our new Program Directors Corner in CommUNITY Magazine! I am excited to
be able to share my thoughts
with you, as well as communicate any important changes
related to our programming.
Equally as important, they

need our gratitude and they
need visibility. As I write this,
the United States Supreme
Court recently agreed that
marriage is a human right for
everyone as upheld by our
constitution. We cannot possibly celebrate this huge ac-
homelessness, transgender
discrimination and violence, high quality affordable
healthcare, senior services,
dignity and safety. The fight is
NOT over, its just begun
Be well and be empowered!
Michael Weidrich
Interim Executive Director
complishment without taking into account the bravery

and courage of older LGBTQ
adults, whose existence shattered preconceived notions of
sexuality and gender identity/
expression, and paved the way
for acceptance like weve never
seen before. Please join me in
thanking all of the older adults
in our lives, for without them
we would not be here.
Vintage Pride is a social program of the Pride Center for
LGBTQ older adults ages 55 +
and friends. We host monthly
potlucks and quarterly events.
If you know anyone who
would benefit from this program please connect with me:
rgalvan@capitalpridecenter.
org.
Understanding Identities : Asexual
We asked:
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
QUICK CLIPS
PASSING OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY?
Just a few short weeks after the Supreme courts historic decision in
Obergefell v. Hodges we met up with some attendees at the Pride
Centers monthly Vintage Pride Potluck to see how they felt about this
major victory in a fight for equality that many attendees had been a part
of since its inception.
Im glad they passed it; maybe states that didnt have it will go along
and accept it without rejecting the decision. - Roger Minch Jr.
The U.S. is growing spiritually; to me, its a spiritual thing. - Greg
McCormick
#translivesmatter
(Its time to ask what will it take on pg. 12)
Its about damn time! -Brother Ron Smith

Long Overdue - Bob
* Vintage Pride is a casual social opportunity for LGBTQ people 55
& older and their friends of all ages. On the thirds Sunday of every
month the Pride Center holds a themed potluck at the First Presbyterian Church in Albany from 1-3pm. For more on Vintage Pride please
visit: www.capitalpridecenter.org/programs-services/vintage-pride
They Sailed Along the Hudson
(a look back with Vintage Pride on pg. 21)
Ageing into Lesbian-Feminism

(An excerpt from a life on pg. 23)
Above, left to right: Roger Minch, Greg McCormick, and, Brother Ron Smith. Not pictured Bob
Joe Norton Laid to rest with military honors

On July 20, 2015 Pride Center founder Joe
Norton was interned at Saratoga National
Cemetery. Nortons longtime partner, Da...and Money Matters
vid Epple was presented a memorial flag on (Tom says farewell and calls for an investment
in our future fight on pg. 29)
behalf of the President of the United States
for Joe's service during World War II. Joe
Norton was buried with full military honors in a joint plot shared with Mr. Epple.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORmweidrich@capitalpridecenter.org
Dan McCoy:
An Ally to Albanys LGBT Community
Declared June Pride Month in Albany County

Within 6 months of taking office, Dan issued Executive Order 12-02
which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity and
expression.
Actively speaks out on behalf of the LGBT community throughout
Albany County
Works closely with the Pride Centers Youth Support Program to
make Lawson Lake available without charge for the programs
Summer Leadership Camp
Works closely with LGBT organizations such as the Pride Center and
In Our Own Voices to develop trainings and seminars throughout the
county to combat bullying.
Authored one of the first bills to make cyber-bullying a crime
Increased awareness and assistance for alcohol and substance abuse
Dan McCoy believes government should mirror the community it serves,

he has appointed members of the LGBT community
to positions of leadership in Albany County government.
Re-Elect Dan McCoy, Albany County Executive.

Vote Thursday, September 10th in the Democratic Primary
Polls Open Noon to 9 p.m. For more info, www.danielpmccoy.com
Paid for by the Friends of Daniel P. McCoy
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TR A NS* V IEW
What Will It Take?

by

These past few months have
been remarkable in ways, and in others, paralyzingly the same. On the
eve of the 150th Anniversary of Juneteenth, the country was shocked
by the murder of 9 men and women
during their prayer meeting at historic Emanuel African Methodist
Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC.
As we all well know by now that hate
crime created a firestorm of protest
about the Confederate battle flag
that is flown all over the South and
at the South Carolina Statehouse for
over 54 years. What was once a flag of
the Confederate States had become a
symbol of right wing hate groups and
the target of protesters rallying for
it to be removed. On July 10th, the
Confederate flag was permanently
removed to the Confederate Relic
Room and Military Museum after
Lt. Governor Henry McMaster and
Governor Nikkie Haley signed legislation into law authorizing its removal within 24 hours of the signing of
the legislation. The overnight of July
8-9th saw an intense debate in the SC
House after the Senate had passed
the bill. What was remarkable here
was that Republicans and Democrats
worked together to end this wrong
and do the right thing. The most impassioned speech was given by Ms.
Jenny Horne (R), a descendant of Jefferson Davis. Times can change. People from both sides of the aisle can
work together to heed the will of the
people and do the right thing.
It seems, as I noted in last months
column, it takes an event such as
Kent State or the wholesale murder
of black men by white police officers
before change happens. Many, if not
The will of
New Yorkers is for
GENDA to pass,
yet,
the Senate defies this
will with their lack of

action
14
Moonhawk RiverStone
most times. Huge sea change has happened in this country--or the world-only on the heels of atrocity, often of
atrocity long unacknowledged. But
what happens when whats happening is not seen as atrocity? Not visible enough to gain media attention?
What then? For instance you may
remember how long it took for the
world to recognize the atrocities of
What will it take, if
tremendous violence and

hate seems to be the only
foundation upon which
legislatures
move forward?
What does that mean

for us who are
transgender?
What pain and suffering

are we to look to that
will finally
get the Senate to vote?
I shudder to consider
the answer to that
question.
the Holocaust, Cambodia, Uganda,

Rwanda, Srebrenica? What does it
take for human beings to act to stop
hate and violence, to bring peace, or
to right wrongs perpetrated way too
long.
I did not feel joy on Friday, July 10th.
I felt heartened and had a sense of at
long last, we can begin, but there is
tremendous healing work to be done.
My tears were not of joy, but of recognition of the pain and suffering the
Confederate flag represented and the
hate it can come to embody.

I come round again to New York
State and our recently ended legislative session, and the deep disappointment felt on many fronts. Once
again, I come back to the fact that we
got promised about GENDA coming
up for a vote in the Senate and once
again, we were left wanting and once
again, GENDA did not pass. There
is, perhaps, no right way to compare
what happened in South Carolina to
GENDA, but still theres a comment
to be made here. That is, what exactly
will it take to pass GENDA? Certainly our Senate is an embarrassment
when compared with the courage
and ability to act swiftly demonstrated by the South Carolina legislature.
The will of New Yorkers is for GENDA to pass, yet, the Senate defies this
will with their lack of action. There is
no debate, there is no reaching across
the aisle for compromise or unity,
there is no doing the right thing. No
stirring speeches of the urgent need
to protect transgender people. (Yes,
South Carolina does not have any
SOGIE laws--yet, but change is happening there, unlike New York.)
If Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, DC, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota,
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon and Washington can get it right, why cant New
York? Yes, 31 states still do not have
statewide civil rights laws, but 19 do.
What will it take?
Already hate crimes against transgender people are frequent and often
terribly violent--an epidemic, but not
one that reaches into the media as do
other crimes of hate such as those
in South Carolina or Staten Island.
What will it take, if tremendous violence and hate seems to be the only
foundation upon which legislatures
move forward? What does that mean
for us who are transgender? What
pain and suffering are we to look to
that will finally get the Senate to vote?
I shudder to consider the answer to
Huge sea change has
happened in this
country only on the
heels of atrocity,
often of atrocity long
unacknowledged.
But what happens

when whats
happening is not seen

as atrocity?
What then?
that question. Instead, I would like
to consider the alternative--that we
do the right thing before more lives
are lost. Before more families are
torn apart in wrenching grief and
pain. Cannot our lives become visible? Become valued integral parts of
our communities without that being
the result of violence? Cannot our
lives become a source of joy now-before some awful tragedy forces
the Senates eyes open and they pass
GENDA. We could learn to do it differently--to do the right thing when
it is called to our attention and not
wait until atrocity strikes. What will
it take to pass GENDA? My suggestion--Governor Cuomo could learn
a thing or two from Governor Nikki
Haley. And Senator John Flanagan
could learn take a page from Representative Jenny Hornes book. And,
in our turn, we could raise a flag to
that. Until next time...T
TRANS
VIEW
#135
Rev. Moonhawk River
Stone of Riverstone
Consulting is an
Interfaith Minister,
transgender activist,
writer, educator,
consultant, keynote
speaker and psychotherapist in private
practice for over 25
years with experience and extensive
expertise in all aspects of transgender
policy and health.
Trans Pride
Trans Pride
The Trans Pride program is dedicated to empowering trans* and

gender non-conforming people and their allies through social
opportunities, community building, resource sharing, and advocacy.
The Trans Pride program is dedicated to emDiscussion Group

Meet & Greet
powering
trans* and gender non-conforming
discussion group
informal social evening
peopleA and
their allies throughAnsocial
opportufocusing on issues
for trans* people to
nities, community building, resource sharing,
important to trans*
and advocacy. connect and build
people and community.
1st Tuesdays, 7-9PM
community.
3rd Tuesdays, 7-9PM
The Discussion Group and Meet & Greet are open to

all trans* people and those questioning their gender, ages 18+.
Trans* denotes a wide range of people including those who identify as transgender,
transsexual, two-spirit, genderqueer, gender-non-conforming, questioning their
gender, and more. We use the asterisk to help us remember that trans* identities and
experiences are diverse, while still sharing a common thread.
All meetings take place at the Pride Center, 332 Hudson Avenue, Albany
P: 518.462.6138 PROGRAMS@CAPITALPRIDECENTER.ORG
www.capitalpridecenter.org
Discussion Group - A discussion group focusing on

issues important to trans* people and community.
1st Tuesdays, 7-9PM
Meet & Greet - An informal social evening for trans*
people to connect and build community.
3rd Tuesdays, 7-9PM
The Discussion Group and Meet & Greet are open to

all trans* people and those questioning their gender,
ages 18+.
Trans* denotes a wide range of people including those who
identify as transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, genderqueer,
gender-non-conforming, questioning their gender, and more.
We use the asterisk to help us remember that trans* identities
and experiences are diverse, while still sharing a common thread.
All meetings take place at the Pride Center, 332 Hudson Avenue, Albany
P: 518.462.6138 PROGRAMS@CAPITALPRIDECENTER.ORG
www.capitalpridecenter.org
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ASK THE LAWYER

by
Geri Pomerantz

Short Answer: It depends on your

particular circumstances. Please do
consult with an attorney.
Much Longer Answer:
We had occasion to celebrate the
advancement of civil rights with
the US Supreme Court decision in
Obergefell v. Hodges, decided on June
26, 2015, holding that, as a matter
of constitutional law, the states must
allow same sex couples to marry,
and must recognize those marriages
lawfully performed elsewhere.
In New York State, we have of course
had the right to marry since 2011.
With the passage of the marriage
equality act in NY, came the statutory
requirement that all laws referring
to marriage must be read in a
gender neutral manner. Of note, the
Obergefell Court struck down other
states laws that prohibited same sex
marriage because those laws exclude
same-sex couples from civil marriage
on the same terms and conditions as
opposite sex couples.
Legal parents have rights and
obligations with respect to their
children. In general, parents have the
right to make decisions concerning
the care, custody and control of their
children. This includes directing the
childs upbringing, raising the child
as she/he deems appropriate, making
medical, legal and educational
decisions for the child, deciding
where the child resides, determining
with whom the child associates, and
NOW THAT MARRIAGE EQUALITY IS

THE LAW OF THE LAND, DO I STILL
NEED TO ADOPT OUR CHILD TO
PROTECT MY PARENTAL RIGHTS?
managing the services and wages of
the child, all without interference
from the state and/or third parties.
Parents also have the duty to support
their children, and provide for their
care and nurturance. With that come
the rights of the child to dependent
benefits, such as social security,
workers compensation, and their
parents employer provided health
insurance coverage. A child has a
right to inherit from her legal parent,
even if there is no will.
Of
particular
concern
upon
the termination of the parents
relationship, legal parents have the
right to seek custody, and visitation,
of their children. In New York
State, except in extremely limited
circumstances (called extraordinary
circumstances) only legal parents
have a right to seek custody or
visitation of a child. When the parents
relationship is intact, or where they
are united in their position that both
are the childs parents, there may be
a dispute with third parties, such
as a sperm donor who wants to be
recognized as the legal parent, or
with a medical provider as to who
can give consent for the childs care,
or a government entity as to benefits
which flow from the legal relationship.
A legal parent of a child is either
the biological, gestational or genetic
parent, or the adoptive parent. All
legal parents have equal parental
rights, unless there is a court order
to the contrary. For example, if one
parent is the childs biological parent
and the other is the childs adoptive
parent, the two parents have equal
rights to seek custody of the child.
Like most other states, New York
State law assumes that a child born

during a marriage is the child of both
parents. Under NYs statute, (DRL
24), the marriage can take place
before or after the birth of the child.
The presumption of legitimacy of a
child born during a marriage, means
that the legally married couple are
both presumed to be the legal parents
of a child. But, this is a presumption
that may however be rebutted, if for
example the couple separates and the
biological parent challenges the other
parents parentage. Or a known sperm
donor seeks to establish his parentage.
Its important to note that the concept
of legitimacy was created to protect
property rights of men, for example
to preclude a child who was not born
during a marriage from inheriting
his fathers wealth. Common law
disabilities were imposed upon the
illegitimate or bastard child.
The modern statutes were designed
to address these inequities, in part.
While in our more modern times
we see it as offensive to refer to a
child as illegitimate, our laws have
not caught up with reproductive
technology, nor the many ways in
which our LGBT community forms
family, with or without children. Still
in NY, there is no legal recognition
of a parent-child relationship, unless
there is a biological relationship, an
adoption, or a relationship established
and recognized because of a marriage.
First, if you want to try to rely on
the marital presumption to establish
parentage, you must be married to
the biological parent of your child. If
you are not married, the only way to
establish a legal relationship with your
child is to adopt her.
Ask the Lawyer continued on pg. 18
LAW OFFICE OF GERI POMERANTZ, ESQ.

Proudly serving the LGBT community and our friends
Practice focused on family and matrimonial law
694 Columbia Turnpike

East Greenbush, NY
12061
Tel: 518-479-3713
http://pomerantzlaw.org/
17
Ask the Lawyer continued from pg. 17
A legal parent of a child

is either the biological,
gestational or genetic
parent, or the adoptive
parent
If the child is born to a married

woman by means of artificial
insemination performed by a medical
provider, with the spouses written
consent, appropriately signed and
acknowledged by both the spouse
and the medical provider, under NY
law the child is deemed the child of
both the mother and her spouse. As
required by the marriage equality act,
this statute (DRL 73) has been held
to be applicable to same sex married
couples. If this is exactly your situation
(which means that you have followed
the statute exactly), and if your legal
dispute is inside NY state and would
be decided by a NY court (or federal
court), you likely would not need
an adoption to assert your rights
to parentage. This should be true
whether the dispute arises between
you and third parties, or between you
and your spouse upon separation. If
your dispute arises elsewhere in the
USA now, or in a foreign county that
recognizes the marriage, you would
have a good argument that your
parental rights should be recognized
there too. However, if your dispute
arises under the laws of certain US
states (say for example, Kansas), you
might have to litigate the issue to
have your parental rights recognized,
at least until there is a body of case
law establishing the right. Further, if
you (or the child) travel to a country
where the marriage is not recognized,
your parental rights flowing from the
marriage will likely not be recognized.
If your situation does not fit exactly
within the requirements of DRL
73, there is still a presumption of
legitimacy of a child born to a married
couple. However, there have been
some recent cases in NY that have not
applied that presumption to children
born to same sex married couples.
In one case, the child was conceived
through artificial insemination, but
without medical supervision (e.g. a
18
turkey baster). Both parents clearly

held out the child as the child of
the marriage. However, upon the
biological mothers objection to her
spouses parentage, the court held
that the presumption of legitimacy
of a child born to a marriage was
inapplicable because it is based on
the presumption of a biological
relationship between the child and
spouse that is not possible with a same
sex spouse. Therefore, the spouse had
no right to seek custody or visitation.
This case was upheld on appeal by
an intermediate level appellate court.
Paczkowski v. Paczkowski, (Ap Div,
2nd Dept 5/20/2015). There was a
similar holding, in a Monroe County
case decided last year. In that case, the
child was born to a married woman,
who got pregnant as a result of having
sex with a man while she was married
to a woman. QM v BC and JS (sup Ct
Monroe County 10/21/14). Hopefully,
other courts will address these issues
in different ways to protect parent
child relationships.
A legal parent of a child

is either the biological,
gestational or genetic
parent, or the adoptive
parent. All legal parents
have equal parental
rights, unless there is
a court order to the
contrary.
If you are not the biological parent of

your child, the only way you can be
sure that your parental rights will be
respected is if you adopt your child.
This is true for straight parents as well
as LGBT parents, in certain respects.
Second parent adoptions are common
in New York, and elsewhere. In a second
parent adoption, a co-parent adopts
his or her partners child without
terminating the parental rights of the
partner. If you are married, it would
be called a step parent adoption.
Adoption does of course require
the consent of the biological or legal
parent. I understand that adoption is
costly and intrusive. I also believe that
a parent should not have to adopt his
or her child. However, adoption is far
less costly and draining than extensive

litigation in an effort to establish a
parental right to seek custody.
When he ruled that the spouse in
Paczkowski v. Paczkowski was a legal
stranger to her child, the lower court
Judge acknowledged the inequity and
imbalance in the law. While several
other states have proceedings for
parentage judgments, these are not
available in NY. In other states, for
example, someone who has lived with
a child and held herself out as a parent
can establish her legal parentage,
regardless of marital status. Several
states allow couples, regardless of
marital status, who intend to become
parents through ADI or surrogacy, to
declare the partner as a legal parent.
While we certainly have come a long
way, there is still a lot of work to do.
The legal rights of

LGBTQ families are
an ever-changing
landscape, to be
addressed monthly in
this column. The
material in this
article is provided
for informational
purposes only and is not intended
to give legal advice, and should not
substitute for the independent advice
of counsel. The views expressed in this
column are solely those of Ms. Pomerantz
and do not reflect the opinion of the
Pride Center.
The material in this article is provided for
informational purposes only and is not
intended to give legal advice, and should
not substitute for the independent advice
of counsel. The views expressed in this
column are solely those of Ms. Pomerantz
and do not reflect the opinion of the Pride
Center.
Geri Pomerantz is an attorney in the
capital district with a practice focused on
family and matrimonial law, specifically
including LGBTQ families. Geri
conducts continuing legal education
training for other lawyers, and conducts
community education, on issues of
importance to the LGBTQ community.
She recently presented on parentage
issues at the LGBT law day at Albany
Law School. Geri is a member of the
Collaborative Divorce Association of the
Capital District. She can be reached at
GPEsq@pomerantzlaw.org.
19

My
interview
with Cricket Grillo commenced with some typical questions with brief
answers:
geographic
timelines,
siblings,
early education, typical and unique childhood
experiences and..Hey,
wait a second. Youre the
subject of my next Who
We Are article, I boomed.
Cricket had been asking
me the questions about my
early experiences. I protested and
her response was direct and simple.
Chuck, as we start the interview I
had wanted you to feel comfortable.
Let the FUN begin! I mused.
Cricket Grillo..
8 Hugs a Day!
Pope?
eventually led us to a discussion
of
spirituality and of Crickets emerged
thoughts on life as a creative force
and stardust and the Big Bang.
Firmly hold on to your Friends!
and My Friends are my Family are
Nora Grillo saw the light of day in two statements that Cricket utilized
Brooklyn, New York and she was when we approached the topic of
raised in ordinarlove, loves and relationships.
ily suburban
It became very clear to
R os e d a le,
me that she had alQueens.
ways, and continues
The famto place long-term
ilys evenfriendships in extual retremely high relocation
gard.
interviewed by
to Glens
Chuck Zimmerman
Falls
in
Grillo,
her
inby
the
ter vening
way, means
teen years
Cricket in
was precipiSpanish and
tated by a change of her fathers em- Italian! this recently
ployment. Glens Falls, the Siberia retired educator
exof my new existence!, Cricket in- plained enthusiastically
terjected. Each Vintage Pride: Who to me while we discussed
We Are interview follows its own Crickets workforce expecourse. What began to emerge in rience in the Chatham,
my notes as I spoke with my pres- New York School Disent subject was a series of personal trict where she taught
maxims and random phrases enthu- Social Studies on both
siastically rendered. Im a Lesbian the Middle and High
Feminist! Cricket Grillo perked as School levels. I often
she described to me her eventual think of myself as part
involvement with the LFL, Lesbi- detective in this interans for Liberation, a 1970s womans view business, and when
support group whose interests were I hinted about her age,
as much social as political within the Cricket quirked, If I do
Capital District and on the SUNY tell you mine I will need
Albany front.
to shoot you! Subject
changed.
I am a recovering Roman Catholic and Why cant I [and women] Among my friends and
have the opportunity to be the
Vintage Pride:
Who We Are
20
acquaintances who know

Cricket Grillo, I believe
that effervescence could
be one single common description of her personality. She related to me
that she was shy in parts
of her past life. Lives and
personalities can change,
and with the realization
of the need to love oneself
first, and also that not loving
yourself better than loving
others can be life-altering.
In retirement Cricket enjoys being
creatively idle, which includes varied physical health activities, film/
film noire, drumming with a formal
group, dancing, history, biking, easy
hiking and well, she was on
her way to a yoga Pilates class following the interview. In retirement
we are not finished Cricket perked,
so Life is a Trip, get on the Ride!
Crickets cheerful advice/suggestion
simply stated as we parted was Be
sure there are eight hugs a day in
y o u r
life! We hugged.
SAIL ALONG THE HUDSON WITH VINTAGE PRIDE!

On June 2nd we celebrated a breathtaking start to Pride Month by singing, dancing, eating scrumptious
food and enjoying the charming sights of the Hudson River aboard the Dutch Apple Cruise!
Here are some snapshots of our night to remember.
* Vintage Pride is a program of the Pride Center for LGBTQ older adults ages 55+ up and friends.
21
22
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rethinking gender that continues on
today. Like all important tasks, dismembering patriarchy is the work of
my many lifetimes.

I read the obituaries in feminist papers

today before I read the festival news.
Every paper reports the deaths of the
women who changed my life, women
who died of cancer, and women who
died from their own hands. Feminist
leaders, thinkers, activists who died of
disabilities that were supposed to kill
them 30 years ago, and crones who
dared to die as old old women. It is the
continued on page 24
23
Traditional & Holistic Psychotherapies

Traditional
Psychotherapies
Traditional & Holistic Psychotherapies
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women girls and to embrace (not
fear) feminism. My breasts still miss
the sun at Michfest every summer.
I admire the queer youth of today,
and I know they can do what they
are doing precisely because we did
the work of feminism. I plan to get
old, grow my facial hair, get another
tattoo, and wear bright red lipstick.
Feminism has given me the freedom
to be fully myself.
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(www.
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&
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choicesconsulting.com),
and
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Relationship Violence Relationships,
Identity and
Sexuality
(TIGRIS www.tigrisinstitute.com).
She

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or Arlene@choicesconsulting.com.
24
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Fax 438-7777
Fax 438-7777
Fax 438-7777
Welcoming Congregations
Join Us In Exploring Your Spiritual Side At One Of The Welcoming Congregations Below:
Community Congregational Church (UCC)
221 Columbia Tpke,
Rensselaer
www.clintonheightsucc.org
Community Reformed
Church of Colonie
701 Sand Creek Road,
Colonie
www.coloniereformed.org
(518)869-5589
Congregation Agudat Achim
(Conservative)
2117 Union Street,
Schenectady
www.agudatachim.org (518)
393-9211
Congregation Bnai Shalom
(Reform)
420 Whitehall Road, Albany
www.bnaishalom.albany.
ny.us
(518) 482-5283
Congregation Berith Sholom
(Reform)
167 Third Street, Troy
www.berithsholom.org
(518)272-8872
Congregation Beth Emeth
(Reform)
100 Academy Road, Albany
www.bethemethalbany.org
(518)436-9761
Congregation Gates of
Heaven (Reform)
842 Ashmore Avenue,
Schenectady
www.cgoh.org
(518)374-8173
Congregation Ohav Shalom
(Conservative)
113 New Krumkill Road,
Albany
www.ohavshalom.org
Congregation Temple Sinai
(Reform)
509 Broadway, Saratoga
Springs
www.templesinai-saratogasprings.org
(518) 584-8730
Eastern Parkway United
Methodist Church
943 Palmer Avenue,
Schenectady
www.easternparkway.weebly.
com
(518)374-4306
St. Georges Episcopal
Church
30 North Ferry St.,
Schenectady
www.stgeorgesschenectady.
org
Emmanuel Baptist Church
275 State Street, Albany, NY
www.emmanuelalbany.net
(518)465-5161
First Church in Albany
110 North Pearl Street,
Albany
www.firstchurchinalbany.org
(518)463-4449
First Congregational Church
of Albany
UCC & NACCC
405 Quail Street, Albany
www.firstcongregationalalbany.org
(518)482-4580
First Lutheran Church
181 Western Avenue, Albany
www.FirstLutheranAlbany.
org
(518)463-1326
First Presbyterian Church
362 State Street, Albany
www.firstpresalbany.org
(518)449-7332
First Reformed Church
8 North Church Street,
Schenectady
www.1streformed.com
First Unitarian Society of
Schenectady
1221 Wendell Avenue,
Schenectady
www.fussonline.org
(518)374-4446
First Unitarian Universalist
Society of Albany
405 Washington Avenue,
Albany
www.albanyuu.org
(518)463-7135
First United Methodist
Church
603 State Street, Schenectady,
www.gbgm-umc.org/schenectady
(518)374-4403
First United Methodist
Church, East Greenbush
www.fumceg.org
First United Presbyterian
Church
1915 Fifth Avenue, Troy
www.unitedprestroy.org
(518)272-2771
Friends Meeting (Quaker)
727 Madison Avenue,
Albany
(518) 436-8812
Presbyterian New England
Congregational Church,
Saratoga
http://pnecchurch.org/
Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church
501 Albany Shaker Road,
Loudonville
www.goodshepherdchurchloudonville.org
(518)458-1562
Holy Trinity National
Catholic Church
405 Washington Avenue,
Albany
www.NCCofA.org/holytrin.
html
(518)434-8861
Journey United
Church of Christ
500 Kenwood Blvd, Delmar
www.journeyucc.com
Saratoga Springs United
Methodist Church
175 Fifth Avenue,
Saratoga Springs
www.saratogaspringsumc.
org (518)584-3720
Saint Aelreds Priory and
Retreat House
(National Catholic)
670 Bunker Hill Road,
Northville
staelredpriory@aol.com
(518) 863-8086 / (518) 4348861
St. Andrews Episcopal
Church
Main at Madison Avenue,
Albany
www.standrewsalbany.org
(518)489-4747
St. Johns Lutheran Church
160 Central Avenue, Albany
www.stjohnsalbany.org
(518)465-7545
Temple Israel
600 New Scotland Avenue,
Albany
www.tialbany.org
(518) 438-7858
Unitarian Universalist
Congregation of Saratoga
624 North Broadway,
Saratoga Springs
www.saratoga-uu.org
(518)584-1555
Unity Church in Albany
21 King Avenue, Albany
www.unitychurchinalbany.
org (518)453-3603
Woodstock
Jewish Congregation
(Reconstructionist)
1682 Glasco Turnpike,
Woodstock
www.wjcshul.org
(845)246-1671
Proud
To Be
Open!
Affirming!
Welcoming!
Joyous!
T O
B E
B L E S S I N G
Stretch Out Your Hand by Audrey Seidman

Bridge building is sweaty work.
Im not talking about the Tappen Zee
here; Im talking about creating a path
to hear, understand, accept and respect
those we may consider to be the other. Im talking about taking baby steps,
sometimes even a courageous leap, into
territory that may feel strange and even
dangerous.
I find that crossing a great divide becomes easier when you have a partner
approaching from the other side. As a
Jewish, lesbian progressive, I feel blessed
to have found such a partner in my
friend Gary, a conservative Evangelical
Christian, an ordained minister not currently serving in a pulpit.
I met Gary in the fall of 2012 as we began a journey of studying pastoral care at
Albany Medical Center. Our differences
offered up juicy opportunities to notice
and explore conflicting views. Our footings were grounded in our common
purpose, in the intentional interfaith
environment, in the practice of offering
honest feedback, in the soil of curiosity. How could I not care about a man as
gentle, caring, prayerful and open-hearted as Gary?
A friendship blossomed. And over the
past three years Gary has demonstrated
in multiple ways his interest in learning
more about different viewpoints of how
one might interpret what the Bible says
about homosexuality.
Then, in April, as members of Advocates
for Welcoming Congregations began to
plan our June Interfaith Pride Service,
the country was abuzz about the Indiana
Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This
state law says the government cannot intrude on a persons religious liberty unless it can prove a compelling interest in
imposing that burden and do so in the
least restrictive way. Many interpreted
this a cover for those who wished to deny
services to members of the LGBTQ community, especially as same-sex marriage

was gaining momentum.
Our committee agreed that as people of

faith, our hope was to find the humanity in all people, to reduce the fear and
the hateful rhetoric that is flung both
ways across the divide on this issue. We
agreed to use the theme Building Bridges of Compassion and Community for
our service and, to offer inspiration and
hope. We invited Gary to join me in talking about the growth of our friendship.
Gary prayed long and hard about this
invitation. We talked about what good
might come from sharing how we came
to grow a friendship, about how he might
be received. And on June 8, we told stories to those present about how weve
come to see the Holy in each other.
And then Gary invited me to the nondenominational church he attends; he
was to preach on July 5 while the pastor
was on vacation. It was surely my turn to
step towards his world. The service was
mostly inspirational music, most of us
standing as we sang the words projected
on the screen, led by a beautiful Hispanic voice backed up by a sizeable band. I
found myself enjoying the music, singing
along, hearing the cries of Jesus, and
Hallelujah.
And then the unexpected, but not surprising. A white-bearded man seated in
the row behind me testified to his pain
and disappointment in the recent turn of
events the Supreme Courts same-sex
marriage decision. I sat down to ground
myself as I listened. The man talked about
his own inner work that was needed for
the change he wanted to see; he didnt attack. The pain that had quickly grabbed
my heart eased.
I hoped that Gary and his wife werent
show up, step forward and stretch out your hand
made uncomfortable on my behalf. I

recalled the email Gary sent me on
that historic day of June 26: Naturally I
thought of you today when I heard about
the Supreme Courts decision. I imagine
it is a happy day for you.
And then it was Garys time to preach.
Using the story of Jesus healing the man
with a withered hand in synagogue on
the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6), Gary distilled
the teaching into three steps and a recommendation: show up, step forward
and stretch out your hand; the moral, he
says, is to stretch or die.
His message echoed what I am reading
in Rabbi Amy Eilbergs book, From Enemy to Friend: Jewish Wisdom and the
Pursuit of Peace. She writes it is a mark
of Hebrew wisdom to actively work at
expanding our hearts capacity to hold
multiple views. Stretch your heart, it encourages...expand your heart and mind
so that you have space for your own
worldview and also for those of many
others, for they may contain as aspect of
divine truth that eludes you.
Encouraged by the message of Garys
sermon, strong in my own center, and
with a vulnerable and stretching heart, I
belted out the closing song at church that
morning in true prayer:
You make me brave
You call me out beyond the shore into
the waves
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now the love that
made a way.
the moral is to stretch or die
Audrey Seidman is Co-President of the In

terfaith Story Circle of the
Tri-City Area. She is also
a spiritual director, nurturing and companioning
others on their spiritual
journeys.
She can be reached at
seidmanaudrey@yahoo.com.
This article is one of a series provided by Advocates for Welcoming Congregations, a Capital Region group that encourages the
welcoming of LGBT persons into the full life and leadership of communities of faith. The group also works to make visible for
members of the LGBT community opportunities for practicing their faith traditions.
25
Members
as of May 15, 2015
Albany Medical Center

Albany Renaissance BBL Hospitality
Albany.com/Mannix Marketing
Alliance for Positive Health
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Aras Performance Group, Inc
Trans*,Queer & Allied
Bank of America/ Merrill Lynch
Professionals
Bombers Burrito Bar
Networking Event
Buenaus Opticians
Canterbury Animal Hospital
Capital District YMCA
Casswood Insurance
Central Avenue BID
Classy Body Art
Connections Psychotherapy
Consumer Optical
Corey Jamison Consulting, LLC.
Deb Best Practices
Decrescente
Deja Vu
Empire Merchants North
Experience and Creative Design, Ltd.
Geri Pomerantz, Esq
GP Fund Solutions LLC
HomoRadio
Interim Healthcare
Janet Stein / Arbonne International
Jay Zhang Photography
Joseph Roche, Accounting
Journey United Church of Christ
Key Bank
L&P Media
Lucas Confectionery and Wine Bar
Mark D. Witecki, CPA
Mazzone Hospitality / Aperitivo Bistro
Mexican Radio Schenectady
Montgomery County Office for Aging
New York Life
Nicos Rooftop Tavern
Northeast Acura
Oh Bar
Pecks Arcade
Price Chopper Supermarkets
Rain Modern Chinese
RBC Wealth Management
River Street Mens Club
ROCKS
PM
Ronnie Mangione / Wealth Advisory Group
Mexican Radio Samaritan Hospital
Scofield Access Solutions LLC
Schenectady
Security Plumbing & Heating Supply
325 State St.
Skylands Services, INC
Schenectady,
12305
Spectrum 8 Theatre
Sunrise Management and Consulting
$10 Suggested Donation
TD Bank
donate in advance at
The Desmond
www.capitalpridecenter.org/events/augustnetworking
The Grocery
The Mansion Inn
Tri City Rentals
University at Albany Foundation
Warner & Warner
Waterworks Pub
Augusts event is brought to you by the
Wells Fargo
Pride Center of the Capital Region &
Wolff s Biergarten, Schenectady
General Electrics GLBTA Alliance
Monday, August 17
6-8
26
ASK MARK YO U R TA X Q U ESTI O N S
Welcome to the DEAR MARK column

where you can ask a tax question. Of course
some questions cannot be answered to due
to the limited space in this column or warrant more facts due to specific circumstances of the taxpayer. Answers that apply to
specific taxpayers may not necessary apply
to others. Changes in tax law and rules may
affect answers given at any point. You can
write Mark at Mark Witecki CPA CFP(R)
CFE, 3701 State St, Schenectady, NY 12304
----------------------------------------------
Dear Mark,
Years ago I rolled over my New York
State Pension to an IRA that I set up
myself at a local broker. Now I want to
take some of the money out but dont
know how NYS will tax it. I am aware
of the 59 /12 year rule. I am 61. I know
that if the pension was withdrawn
from NYS directly that NYS would
not tax it because it is a government
pension. Also I did not mix any other
money into that IRA. I have no other
pensions.
I need help!
Dear I need help!,
Only the amount that was rolled over
directly into the IRA is considered a
return of investment and not taxable
assuming that amount is included
in your federal taxable income. The
earnings above and beyond the original contribution as taxable but may be
excluded up to twenty thousand dollars a year also assuming that amount
is included in your federal taxable
income. I assume you are still a NYS
resident and are filing NYS taxes.
Dear Mark W,
Mark Witecki CPA,
I hired a financial planner. He gave me

a one sheet questionnaire and started
giving me advice. He doesnt return
my calls. I gave him a deposit. I dont
know what to do. I asked for advice on
retirement . I see you are a certified financial planner.
I have not yet filed my 2014 tax return

but did file an extension for it. I am going
through my receipts and found that I purchased office equipment for my business
in 2013 on a credit card but did not pay
for the card until 2014. What to do?
Please sign me,

Exasperated.
Dear Exasperated,
If the person was a CFP(R), then that
person should have had you sign a
retainer agreement as well as a disclosure agreement and some other documents before the engagement began.
My response would take more space
than this column would allow. Please
contact me for further assistance.
============================
Mark,
I have not filed New York State taxes
for the last three years although I have
filed my Federal returns. Last week I
received a nasty notice from the New
York State Tax Department asking me
for the back returns. The problem is I
also worked in Vermont in 2012 and
never filed there. I dont want to have
problems.
Sincerely,
JB (no relation to JB Fletcher)
Dear JB,
The simple answer is to file the back
returns including Vermont as quickly
as possible. If you need assistance
please contact me There is a program
that New York State has when filing
back taxes where penalties may be
waived.
Dear What to Do?

A charge on a credit card is equivalent
to writing a check. You should amend
your 2013 return to take that expense
and should consider whether to take
the amount as Section 179 depreciation
Please contact me with any questions.
Answers that apply to specific taxpayers may not necessary apply to others.
Changes in tax law and rules may affect answers given at any point. You
can write Mark at Mark Witecki CPA
CFP(R) CFE, 3701 State St, Schenectady, NY 12304. Mark D. Witecki specializes in small businesses and professional
individuals. Mr. Witecki has a B. S. in
Accounting from S. U. N. Y. Albany and
an M. S. in Accounting from Syracuse
University. Mark D. Witecki is a Certified Public Accountant, CERTIFIED
FINANCIAL PLANNER practitioner, Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified
College Planning Specialist and is admitted to practice before the United States
Tax Court. Certified Financial Planner
Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and federally
registered CFP (with flame design) in the
U.S., which it awards to individuals who
successfully complete CFP Boards initial
and ongoing certification requirements.
Marks office is located at 3701 State
Street, Schenectady, New York
============================= ============================= =============================
Mark D. Witecki
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Financial Planner
Certified Fraud Examiner
Tax Preparation
3701 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12304
(518) 346-4000 f: (518) 346-5196
Certified
Financial
Planner
Board
of
Standards,
Inc.
owns
the
Certified
Marks
CFP
(c).
Certified
Financial
Planner
and
federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S. which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFPs initial and ongoing certification requirements
27
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28
CW Kelleher
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30 S Pearl St P-2
Albany, NY 12207
Direct: (518) 455-7461
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www.melecodinallokelleher.wfadv.com
0214-03393
MONEY MATTERS
by
Thomas
J.
Walling
Love
Wins

Marriage Equality is now nationwide, in case you havent heard.
My own best case scenario estimate
was for this to happen in maybe, 2020.
Here it is today, in my opinion, way
ahead of schedule. In the last decade
or so, I have made a point to creatively
discuss ways of legally and financially
protecting our families from the inequities caused by homophobia and
discrimination.
Initially, when the common people
saw orientation as a choice, I can almost understand their throwing the
Special Rights defense around.
What I could not understand was how
everyone had an opinion regarding
the validity or sanctity of our unions.
To this day, when someone says they
think it is a right of the individual
states to decide, I wonder who gives
anyone a right in America to judge
our love.
Even when supporters relayed to me
that they believed in my life decisions regarding my family, a little
voice would always say to me who
gives you that right? Sexual orientation is really no ones business unless
they are looking to date you. I have
always seen it as puzzling when states
thought it was their decision whether
or not to give us the same rights. People use this defense over and over. If
this were actually the case, are we sure

states like Louisiana and Mississippi
would even have legalized inter- religion or inter-racial marriages? I am
not. The majority should not be the
moral compass of the minority.
Does anyone remember lobotomies,
electroshock therapy, or conversion
therapy? Those who have probably
do not remember the first two, I say
tongue in cheek. How about listing us
in the DSM as being mentally ill? Do
we remember Conservatives wanting to ship us all to an island and
let us all die during the AIDS crisis?
How about t-shirts saying really witty
things like AIDSKills Fags Dead?
The infamous Reverend Phelps and
his band of morally superior people using signs reading God Hates
Fags? I forgive them, for they knew
not what they did.
We should never forget from where
the pink triangle comes. It comes from
Nazi Germany and the death camps.
When did it turn purple? That was
originally reserved for the religious
fundamentalists and Seventh Day
Adventists. McCarthy era hunts for
the sexual deviants that ended in suicide or extortion? Countless youths
bullied ending in countless suicides?
Harvey Milk, Matthew Shephard,
Stonewall, the dark first decade of the
AIDS crisis? These are all threads that
are woven into our tapestry of LGBTQ culture. They are all products of
treating people as less than. We have
Marriage Equality. We need to work
toward social and religious equality.
Things still need to change. That is
why it is so important to support your
local groups, like the Pride Center,
who still wage the battle every day. It
may seem maudlin reminiscing the
negatives of the past, but that is the
only way to truly appreciate and protect our present and future. So many
have worked so hard and given so
much.
Over the past years, my mission with
writing this column has been to educate and inform readers of legal and
financial issues targeting our community. I find it fitting to conclude my
column with the fall of DOMA and
Marriage Equality nationwide. My
point for this last column is to try to
ensure our history resonates forward
and to show my amazement at how
speedy our road to equality is traveling. It is also to thank my readers for
taking the time to include me, even
in the smallest way, in your lives. Remember, money matters!
We have Marriage
Equality. We need
to work toward
social and religious
equality
Thomas J. Walling
CFP is an Investment
Advisor Representative of and offers
securities and investment advice through
Cetera Advisor Networks, LLC. (Member
FINRA/SIPC) and a
Registered Investment Advisor. Branch
office:235 Lark St. #43 Albany, NY 12210.
He is also past presenter at the Pride
Center on financial affairs affecting the
LGBT community as well as for SAGE of
NYC. Tom Is past president of the board
of directors of Our Brothers Keepers
Foundation.
Reach Thomas at 518.878.1294 or
ceteranetworks.com
Thomas J. Walling, CFP
INVESTMENT ADVISER REPRESENTATIVE
NY Insurance License #LA910069

235 Lark St., Suite 43
Albany, NY 12210
Direct: 518.878.1294
thomas.walling@ceteranetworks.com
Cetera Advisor Networks, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC
Customized solutions to allow you to

maintain your independence.
www.scofieldsolutions.com
518-956-0345
29
Advertisers Index
Albany.com.....12
Albany Gay Mens Chorus....32
Alliance for Positive Health.....13
Buenaus Opticians.....28
Canterbury Animal Hospital.....11
Choices Counseling & Consulting.....11
Corey Jamison Consulting.....12
Drue Sanders Custom Jewelers.....16
Fourth Man Out.....39
Friends of Dan McCoy.....10
HomoRadio.....12
Interim Healthcare.....16
Jay Zhang Photography.....11
Law Office of Geri Pomerantz....17
Joseph Roche, Accountant.....31
Ronnie Mangione, Financial Advisor.....12
Nicos Rooftop Tavern.....11
Northeast Acura.....16
Project Hope.....16
Queer Engineer.....35
Realty USA - The Capital Team.....28
RiverStone Consulting.....11
Saratoga Pride.....32
Scofield Access Solutions, LLC.....29
Security Plumbing and Heating Supply.....11
Skylands Services.....12
Spectrum 8 Theatre.....39
Tri City Rentals.....40
Welcoming Congregations.....24
Wells Fargo Advisors.....28
Thomas J. Walling, CFP / Cetera Advisor Networks.....29
WAMCs The Linda.....39
Warner and Warner Attorneys at Law.....28
Mark Witecki CPA, CFP......27
30
out
in
the
garden
Ab yClass in My Garden
Judith Fetterley

I was blessed in this summer of
difficult weather to catch a break. My
first on-site class, Design Challenges
and How to Meet Them (or not), was
scheduled for Wednesday, July 1 at 10.
As usual, it was raining in the morning
when I awoke. But when my first student arrived at 9:45, the rain stopped,
and it did not begin again until after
the class had ended two hours later. A
miracle indeed and one I could use in
this most stressful of all summers.
The class focused on four areas of design challenge and my responses to
these challenges: the entrance garden,
the driveway garden, the low-maintenance garden, and the patio garden.
The entrance garden proved to be of
particular interest to the 15 gardeners
who came to my class. Entrance gardens set the mood; they should reflect
the values you want your garden as a
whole to express. They also need to be
welcoming, inviting the visitor to enter the home or more of the garden. I
have tried to make my entrance garden
an experience in lushness, which to me
is both welcoming and expressive of
my gardens values. Richly foliaged and
richly colored plants set closely together reflect what I hope is a generosity of
spirit that exists throughout the garden.
Lushness, however, presents its own
challenge, as thickly planted can rapidly become chaos. Retaining the fine
line between the two requires judicial,
and fairly constant, thinning and pruning. I wish my gardens as well to have
an element of surprise. I have tried to
provide this experience in the entrance
garden through unexpected plantings
for example, a very large hosta, Sum
and Substance, planted in full sun in
front of a lamp post which surprises by

both its size and location.
A path winds through my entrance
garden leading to the front door. I
have constructed this path to meet the
challenge of slowing people down as
they approach the house so that they
may begin to see what is there. I chose
limestone for the path. Limestone is
beautiful in itself but a bit rough on the
surface; one cant race up this path. I
curved the path not only to slow down
ones approach but also to provide view
lines to specific plantings on both sides.
The path is generous in its width and
interspersed with even more generous
landings at the curves. In its size and
construction, the path sets the tone for
the visit which begins at the front door.
The front door should be visible from
the path, no matter how much it may
curve, as people need to know their
destination. I recently removed a large
barberry and a large dwarf Alberta
spruce from the foundation plantings
in front of my house because they were
blocking the view to the front door
from the path. I reminded my class
that to be a gardener you must be able
to kill.
My entrance garden presents me with

an additional challenge, as one side gets
shade and the other gets sun. Sun plants
and shade plants can have very different tonalities, resulting in a garden that
does not cohere. I have tried to solve
this problem by finding plants that will
grow well in both sun and shade (Heuchera and Astilbe) and by forcing some
shade plants to live in sun (Hostas) and
some sun plants to live in shade (strawberries), so that plantings are repeated
on both sides of the path. I have, however, relied mostly on color to do the
to be a gardener you must work of bringing the two sides together.
be able to kill
I have used a blue spruce on each side,
and repeated the blue through Hostas.
Richly foliaged and richly
colored plants set closely

together reflect what I
hope is a generosity of spirit
that exists throughout the
garden
I have used gold as well, linking the

gold shade-loving Hachonechloa with
the golden sun-loving Euonymous fortuneii. White Astilbes connect with
white geraniums; variegated iris grow
on both sides.
The class was lively and full of questions. One plant in particular attracted
their attention the fastigiate plum
yew (Cephalotaxus herringtonia). I
positioned this plant to provide a focal point from the path just before you
reach the front door. It is unexpected,
as so few people are familiar with it and
thus it provides horticultural interest
and a bit of surprise. I chose this plant
for its deep green foliage, its fastigiate shape, and the fact that, unlike the
English yew, it is deer resistant. They
were also interested in the Japanese
Ghost fern. Unlike most Japanese
ferns, Ghost is upright, not mounding. Thus it provides a striking backdrop for the mounding white Astilbe
Bridal Veil. Its ghostly foliage also illuminates the whiteness of the Astible.
Being able to share the delight that this
combination of shapes and colors creates made me hope for more miracles
and more classes.
Judith Fetterley lives and
gardens in Glenmont, New
York. She also runs
Perennial Wisdom, a
garden design business for
new and
existing gardens.
Reach Judith at
f etterleyj@gmail.com
31
agmc
is an affiliate of
AGMC
AGMC
is looking for new members
Show
Albany Gay Mens Chorus
Your
Pride
Online
Rehearsals are Tuesdays

6:45 - 9:00 pm at the
First Lutheran Church of Albany.
For more Information
Website: www.albanygmc.org
E-mail: albanygmc@yahoo.com
Voice-mail: 518-459-7563
Join us on facebook... Albany Gay Mens Chorus - agmc
32
MICHAEL COOKS AND YOU CAN TOO by MICHAEL MEADE
Summer Salads

Summers here and its time
to enjoy natures bounty. Tomatoes,
corn, beans, peppers, asparagus and
herbs, all fresh and ripe and readily
available at farmers markets, roadside stands or right from your own
garden. As Gershwin said, the livin is
easy.
Here are two summer salads that
make a perfect main dish for a picnic
or casual supper or a great side for a
potluck or a barbeque. Have a wonderful summer and Ill see you in the
fall.
Shrimp Salad w Potatoes
and Green Beans
1 lemon wedge plus 2 Tbs. fresh lemon
juice
4 green onions, finely chopped, trimmings reserved
3 Tbs. minced fresh dill, stems reserved
3/4 lb. boiling potatoes, cut into 1-inch
pieces
3/4 lb. green beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch
pieces
1 tsp. whole-grain Dijon mustard
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. coarse kosher salt, plus more, to
taste
/4 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Fill a small saucepan three-fourths

full with water. Add the lemon wedge,
green onion trimmings and dill stems
and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cover, reduce the heat to low and
simmer to blend the flavors while you
cook the vegetables.
In a steamer over boiling water, steam
the potatoes until just tender, about
15 minutes. Transfer the potatoes
to a colander, drain briefly and then
transfer to a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in 1 Tbs. of the
lemon juice.
Add the green beans to the steamer
and steam until just crisp-tender,
about 6 minutes. Transfer the beans
to a colander, drain briefly and then
add to the bowl with the potatoes.
In a small bowl, combine the mustard

and the remaining 1 Tbs. lemon juice.
Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Add
to the potatoes and green beans. Add
the chopped green onions and the
minced dill and stir gently to combine.
Increase the heat under the seasoned
water to high and bring to a boil. Add
the 1 Tbs. salt and the shrimp. Return the water to a boil, then reduce
the heat and simmer until the shrimp
are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drain well.
Cut the shrimp into 3/4-inch pieces
and add to the salad. Toss to combine.
Season the salad with salt and pepper
and serve immediately. Serves 2.
NOTE: This recipe doubles easily and
can be made 1 day ahead of time. If
you are cooking for 2, consider doubling the recipe and serving it again
for an extra-quick dinner the next
night. When steaming the green
beans, take care not to overcook them
so they will retain their fresh green
color. For even faster preparation,
purchase cooked shrimp that has already been peeled.
Roast Asparagus Salad
with Chvre
1 1/2 lb. asparagus
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper,
to taste
About 1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
3 to 4 Tbs. snipped fresh chives
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 green onions, including about 2
inches of the green portions, chopped
7 to 8 cups mixed baby salad greens
2 cups cherry tomatoes, red or mixed
red and
yellow, stems removed
1/4 lb. herbed goat cheese (chvre), cut
into 6 slices
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a rimmed

baking sheet with aluminum foil and
brush with olive oil.
Snap off any tough ends from the
asparagus spears and trim the break
with a sharp knife. Using a vegetable
peeler and starting just below the tip,
peel the skin off each spear, down to
the end. Arrange the spears in a single layer on the prepared pan, season
with salt and pepper, and drizzle with
the extra-virgin olive oil. Roast until
tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a
plate and set aside.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl,
whisk together the lemon juice, extravirgin olive oil, olive oil and mustard.
Stir in the chives and season with
pepper.
Spoon about 2 Tbs. of the dressing
over the asparagus and let stand while
tossing the salad.
In a large bowl, gently toss together the green onions and the salad
greens. Add the tomatoes. Drizzle
just enough of the dressing onto the
salad so the greens glisten and toss
again. (You may not need to use all
of the dressing.) Immediately mound
the salad in the center of large individual salad plates. Place a slice
of chvre on top of each mound of
greens and arrange asparagus spears
around the perimeter of each plate,
dividing them equally. Drizzle a few
extra drops of the remaining dressing
over the chvre. Serve immediately.
Serves 6.
Michael Meade graduated

from the Culinary Institute of
America in Hyde Park, New
York, worked at Jacks Oyster
House in Albany and is currently sous-chef at Thunder
Mountain Curry in Troy.
Questions and comments are
welcome at
Michaelmeade1215@yahoo.com
33
HERES GUFFMAN by PATRICK WHITE
THE PLAYtheTHAT
CHANGED MY LIFE
amazing performances of my con- fer from this disorder. It made me ap-

I read a book awhile back put
out by the American Theatre Wing
called The Play That Changed My
Life and it interviewed playwrights
who are heroes of mine (Albee, Parks,
Vogel..) and asked them the titles question. I thought I would look around
the Capital Region and play this parlor
game with our own luminaries and ask
them- What is the play that changed
your life?
The play that changed my life would
have to be Angels in America. I was
sitting eating a bagel at SCCC, a friend
of mine walked up and said Hey Im
going to see a performance of Angels
in America: Part One at Union College, its free. Want to come? I never
heard of it and thought it might be
cool. I was a broke college kid and
since the show was free, I thought it
might be a good idea to expose myself
to something new. It was a staged reading. They performed it in a small black
box theater with movement and some
costume pieces. As I was watching the
play I found myself in awe. This was
the most simply staged piece of theater and the most powerful show Ive
ever seen. It completely changed how
I looked at theater. Now running my
own company I always think back on
how simple that show was and how the
simplicity drove the amazing acting.
When approaching a piece of theater
as a director/producer I think back to
that night in 1997 and think to myself
you have great actors, let them tell the
story...the set, costumes and props are
just secondary.
-J.J. Buechner/Artistic Director
Well, you drove me to the deepest recesses of my memory for this one. I
wont mention my starring role in Peter Pan, put on by my second grade
class in the spring of 1953, though that
production probably was EXACTLY
what got me interested in theater: the
hearty laughter from my parents; the
nifty green costume my mother fashioned out of cut-off pants and dyed
stockings; and the thrilling world of
make-believe (no harness to help me
soar, just a simple flapping of my arms).
No, I wont mention this production.
But a little later, in the spring of 1963,
I was part of a one-act play competition at the SUNY downtown campus.
My Albany High School drama teacher
mounted Chekhovs The Marriage
Proposal, in which I played the father.
During the festival I saw another high
school troupe do Tad Mosels Impromptu, a one-act in the style of Pirandello, and I was blown away by the
sophistication of the plays ideas and
34
temporaries. There was acting! There

was a thought-provoking script! Ive
seen hundreds of plays since then, and
I am always grateful when one of them
grabs me by the throat and says, Pay
attention! just the way that little play/
production did. -Paul Lamar/Critic
The most influential play I have ever

seen was the 1994 original production
of In the Heart of America by Naomi
Wallace and directed by Pauline Tyer,
both of whom were completing their
respective MFAs at the University of
Iowa. Pauline was my friend and mentor, and was urging me to come to Iowa
for college. The play explores war, patriotism, homosexuality, love, heritage
and the pursuit of truth in a poetic haze.
The production was raw, erotic and difficult. I had never seen theatre that was
so authentic, that demanded so much
from the audience. Any school that developed work like this, that nurtured
such fearless artist, was where I wanted
to be. Almost twenty years later, scenes
from that production are still seared in
my memory. Naomis haunting story
remains present in my mind and I still
seek answers to the questions the play
raised. I have resisted the urge to direct
the play, afraid that I couldnt improve
upon such perfection. It was a play that
opened my mind to what is possible in
the American theatre and how plays
can change our lives.
-Chad Larabee/Director
The first was The Sound of Music. I
was 8 years old when I saw a performance in the final year of the original
Broadway run. I cant begin to say how
many live shows Ive seen since then;
Broadway, regional, summer stock,
community, and everything in between. The second was Company. I
saw that in the second year of its original Broadway run. It was revolutionary for its time, not only musically,
but visually, as well. The songs are still
fresh! As an actor, it was to be my second show, and my first musical. (Over
the years, I have since played David,
Bobby, and Larry.) Lets just say that
seeds were firmly planted.
-Steven Leifer/Actor
I played a woman suffering from bipolar disorder in Next To Normal. It
was the greatest departure from myself
that Ive ever experienced in a role, and
it definitely changed my life. When I
began preparing, I found myself immersed in a world that I knew nothing
about and I couldnt possibly understand completely. I read every book I
could find, I talked to people who suf-
preciate so much, and to this day I remind myself that we never know what
someone else is going through, at times
in total silence. It was pretty incredible
to be a part of something that shone a
light to the cast and audience, on a part
of life that so many people suffer from
every day. -Molly McGrath/Actor
I have been acting since I was a little
boy. Ive been in over 150 plays in my
native language and about 60 plays in
English. Ive directed a few plays and
theyre usually plays that have meaning
and educational; and most of them affect me somehow. I said all that to bring
you to one particular play that I was
in at the Ghent Playhouse: The Boys
Next Door. I played a mentally challenge middle age man with a mind of a
5 year old. This play really changed my
life in many ways. I did lot of research
including watching and socializing and
tried to really understand those who
are really mentally challenge. It paid
off. When I was actually on stage performing those scenes with actual mentally challenge individual in the audience, I felt home. And when I saw how
they respond to me thinking I was one
of them. It hit me really hard and I have
been a different person since, especially every time I get to interact with one
of them. I appreciate life better and I
learned not to take whats God gave me
every day for granted. I stopped complaining when I have a migraine for it
could be worse.
-Jean-Remy Monnay/Artistic Director
As a teen, seeing Fiddler on the Roof
was the first realization that rich topics
could be tackled in musical theater. I
have come to love musicals like Next
to Normal, Lady Day at Emersons Bar
and Grill and the recent Fun Home.
With plays, again as a young adult and
an older adult, I am always amazed at
what is revealed of the human spirit
in shows like August Osage County,
The River, Death of a Salesman and
Glass Menagerie. Can I pick one? No
way. I am an easy touch. Maybe cause
I am in a theater seat more nights than
not.
-Phillip Morris/Producer
There are really two. The first is Macbeth. My reading of Macbeth in high
school really awakened me to the power of words in a play. The way so many
lines in that play completely exploded
in my ear was amazing. Additionally
that play exposed me to exploring the
psychological aspects of characters.
The impact on Lady Macbeth of her
actions not only gave me insight into
her as a character, but provided a les-
I remind
myself that
we never
know what
someone else is
going through,
at times in total
silence. It was pretty
incredible to be a
part of something
that shone a
light to the cast
and audience,
on a part of life
that so many
people suffer
from every
day.-Molly
McGrath/
Actor
son for looking at the world around
me. It opened my eyes to recognizing
that others actions may be motivated
by their own struggles (a big realization for a 15/16 year old.) The second
was a London production of Metamorphosis. Having read the short
story by Kafka, I couldnt imagine how
they would realistically bring the show
to life. I shuddered at the thought of a
Doctor Who like cockroach costume.
But through movement, a jungle gym
set, and a sense of the absurd they created the world I had seen in my mind.
It was the most exciting thing I had
seen on the London stage that year. It
opened my imagination to what could
be achieved upon the stage.
-Joe Starzyk/Playwright
Strangely enough, because Im not particularly a musical theatre actor, Les
Miserables was the play that changed
my life. As a young teen, I can remember listening with my brother to Colm
Wilkinson, Patti LuPone and Michael
Ball -- from the original London cast -and feeling the majesty of each of their
contributions. The emotional plotline
didnt hurt, and allowed me to truly empathize with each characters struggles.
Put simply, the show made me want to
be onstage. Its still a dream of mine to
play Marius...-Tom Templeton/Actor
Chorus Rehearsal
Affiliate Events
The Albany Gay Mens Chorus rehearses on Tuesday evenings from 6:45 to
9:00pm at the First Lutheran Church.
For more information: www.albanygmc.org, E-mail: albanygmc@yahoo.com,
Voice-mail: (518) 459-7563 or join us on Facebook at: Albany Gay Mens
Chorus - AGMC.
Movie Night-Second Tuesday of each month

We will begin at 5PM at Harveys Pub, 14 Phila Street Saratoga Springs,. From
there, we can decide who wants to see what movies and leave accordingly for
Bowtie Cinemas.
Lesbian Networking Breakfast

We meet on the third Thursday of each month, at the Country Corner Caf on
Church Street in the upstairs dining room at 7:30 am. Latecomers are welcome.
Monthly GLBTQ Support Group

Second Sunday of the Month
Fallstaff Building, Skidmore College
3-4:30pm.
Contact Caroline with questions:
518.857.9361
QueerEngineer
Get to know us & how you can support
LGBTQ* students in science, technology,
engineering, & mathematics.
/QueerEngineer
@QueerEngineer
Patrick White is an actor, director and

teacher who has been an adjunct instructor of acting at UAlbany, teaches acting
privately and will be in Curtain Call
Theatres October production of Conor
McPhersons The Night Alive.
A Pride Center of the Capital Region affiliate
35
SUNDAYS
EveryLGBTQ Alcoholics Anonymous

Sun.
in the Garden Level
7-8:30
WEEKLY
EVENTS
**
Game Night
in the Rainbow Cafe
Sun.
6-9
pm
of themonth
rd
Sun.
Bisexual Potluck Brunch**

in the Rainbow Cafe
11am- 1pm
of themonth
Last
Sun.
Every
Mon..of themonth
of themonth
st
Supper Sunday
on the 1st Floor
5-9pm
MONDAYS
Mens Peer Support Group
on the 1st Floor
7-8:30pm
TUESDAYS
Womens Group
on the 1st Floor
Weds.
of themonth
Weds.
Weds.
nd
(ages 18 & under)

Saratoga Springs Library, Susman Room
49 Henry St, Saratoga Springs 4:30-6pm
Tues.
of themonth
Capital Region Support Group

for Family & Friends
of LGBTQ People**
First Unitarian Society of Schenectady

1221 Wendel Ave, Schenectady
more info: Deborah Kenyon
7pm
deborahkenyon2@gmail.com, 518-584-4774 (C),
518-695-4117 (H)
Trans* Pride Meet & Greet

on the 1st Floor
7-9pm
Tues.
of themonth
th
Saratoga LGBTQA Youth Group
(ages 18 & under)

Saratoga Springs Library
Tues. 49 Henry St, Saratoga Springs
of themonth
4:30-6pm
Live from the Livingroom

Poetry Open Mic**
in the Garden Level
7pm
LGBTQ Book Club

on the 1st Floor
Womens Group
on the 1st Floor
of themonth
7pm
6-7pm
social hour
7-8pm discussion
THURSDAYS
Schenectady LGBTQA Youth Group
(ages 18 & under)
Proctors Theater, Guild Room

432 State St., Schenectady
6-7:30pm
LGBTQ Narcotics Anonymous **

in the Garden Level
7:30-8:30pm
FRIDAYS
Saratoga LGBTQA Youth Group
of themonth
6-7pm
social hour
7-8pm discussion
of themonth
Trans* Pride Discussion Group

on the 1st Floor
7-9pm
Tues.
3rd
2
rd
3
4th
nd
WEDNESDAYS
Thurs.of themonth
nd
pm
Every
of the month
AYO! Youth Drop in Space
Every
Friday
of the month
(ages 18 & under)

on 1st Floor & in the Garden Level
3-9pm
garden level only on 1st Fridays
Albany LGBTQA Youth Group

(ages 18 & under)
in the Garden Level
7-8:30pm
Special Artist Reception and Opening

in the Romaine Brooks Gallery
check out the artists at
www.capitalpridecenter.org/RBG
on the 1st Floor
5-9pm
Except where noted all events take place at
The Pride Center

332 Hudson Ave
Albany, NY 12210
The Garden Level can be accessed from the street
through the door beneath the front steps
Anonymous meetings held at the Pride Center are non-affiliated, independent groups
**indicates
36
an outside group that meets at the Pride Center
Friday August 7
Special Events
Opening Reception for Chris Holmes
Friday August 21-Sunday, August 23

Youth in Power : Pride Center Leadership Camp
Join us at the Romaine Brooks Gallery for a special 1st Fri- YOUTH IN POWER will provide a welcoming, supportive,
day reception to celebrate the opening of Chris Holmes first
solo show. Enjoy complimentary refreshments and commu- safe, and fun summer camp experience for young people who
either identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer, quesnity as you visit with the artist and his photographs.
Friday, August 7
Romaine Brooks Gallery
The Pride Center
332 Hudson Ave, Albany
5-9 pm
Free!
Saturday, August 15
Center Families Playground Meet Up!
What better way to spend a summer day then among

family?
Bring a blanket, some bubbles or your favorite games
to play! There will be an epic game of freeze tag and
lots of time to have fun and play together!
Washington Park, Albany (Look for us near childrens
playground)!
Center Families is program of the Pride Center dedicated to empowering and celebrating LGBTQ headed
families across the Capital Region.
Saturday, August 15
Near the Playground
Washington Park, Albany
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
FREE!
Monday, August 17
LGBTQA Professionals Networking Event
tioning, ace, (LGBTQA) or as allies. This weekend program is

jam-packed with a variety of workshops, social activities, and
projects that focus on empowerment through social justice.
Contact James Shultis, Youth Program Manager at jshultis@
capitalpridecenter.org or call (518) 462-6138 x15 to be added
to the waiting list
Friday, August 21--Sunday, August 23

Friday and Saturday camp times: 9am-8pm
Sunday: 9am-6pm
Pick up & drop off is at the Pride Center at 8:15am each morning.
Albany County, Feura Bush, NY
(To protect campers privacy and to create a safe space, location is only
given out to registered campers/families/staff)
LOOKING AHEAD :
Saturday, September 26
2015 AIDS Walk
The 2015 Capital Region AIDSWalk will bring together our community
to celebrate the lives of friends, family, and our neighbors living with HIV/
AIDS.
Please join us for a fun filled day with food, entertainment, and awards to
support local organizations providing HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention
education, counseling, and healthcare services for those living with this
disease.
Proceeds benefit the men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS
served by the Pride Center and Capital Region AIDS organizations!
Saturday. September 26
Dont Miss a special edition of the Regions Fastest
Washington Park, Albany
Growing LGBTQA Monthly Event in conjunction with 11 am - Registration
General Electrics GLBTA Alliance!
12 am - Walk
Come and meet up with friends , distribute your busi- Friday, October 16
2015 Pride Center Gala!
ness cards, and make important business contacts.
Join us on a special night to benefit the Pride Center of the
Capital Region and celebrate the important contributions of
Monday, August 17, 2015
this years awardees who work hard to empower the lesbian,
6-8PM
gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ)
Mexican Radio - Schenectady
community
325 State St. Schenectady, 12305
$10 suggested donation
(May be donated beforehand, for your convenience at
www.capitalpridecenter.org/events/augustnetworking/)
Friday, October 16
Hilton Albany
6:30 pm
List of Honorees and Info:
www.capitalpridecenter.org/2015-pride-center-gala/
Augusts event is brought to you by the Pride Center of the Tickets:
Capital Region & General Electrics GLBTA Alliance
www.capitalpridecenter.org/gala-tickets
37
SPORTS/ FUN
& GAMES
Gay Skate
Tuesdays: An
open skate for the
LGBTQ Community! $9.50
w. Skate Rental /
$6.50 w. your own
skates. For more
info contact David
at DB40@AOL.com
or (518) 573-3962 7-9:30pm- Rollarama Skating Center,
2710 Hamburg St.,
Schenectady
Thursdays: Geek
and Gaymer
Night 9pm- Rocks,
77 Central Ave,
Albany (518) 4723588
KARAOKE
/hr ax,
$8 gas,t e!
c
s
ude ran
ni cl insu
+
Get There
with
Capital CarShare
518-545-4740 | capitalcarshare.org | Albany, NY
Mondays: Waterworks Pub - 10pm

- 2am, No Cover.
(18+) 76 Central
Ave, Albany, (518)
465-9079
Thursdays: Oh
Bar - 10pm 1am, No Cover.
(21+) 304 Lark St.,
Albany, (518) 4639004
Fridays: Waterworks Pub - 10pm
18+ (w. cover)76 Central Ave,
Albany, (518) 4659079
ROCKS- 9pm12am 77 Central
Ave, Albany, (518)
472-3588
Saturdays: Circus Cafe - 10pm
- 2am, (21+) 392
Broadway, Saratoga,
(518) 583-1106
Center Square
Pub -10pm - 2am,
No Cover. 32 Dove
St., Albany, (518)
729-2880
Individual High Holiday Tickets Available
38
OPEN MIC /
LITERARY
Wednesday 8/
12- Live from
the Livingroom
poetry open mic
w. featured poet
Thomas Dimopou-
Calendar
los.- The Pride Center, Garden Level

332 Hudson Ave, Albany, (518) 462-6138
Thursday 8/06 & 8/20: Open Minded
Mic & Talent Showcase (for all performers)- sign up 8:30pm start 9:00pm
Rocks, 77 Central Ave., Albany
(518) 472-3588
SOCIAL / SUPPORT GROUPS
Out of the Closet I Am (for women

who have sex with women): 1st & 3rd
Wednesdays- 6:30pm-8pm
Mens Empowerment Group: 1st &
3rd Thursdays -6-7:30pm
Voices of Unity (for Transgender people
of color): 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each
month from 6pm-7:30pm
Groups listed above meet at
In Our Own Voices, 245 Lark St., Albany
(518) 432-4188
YouthPride! A student led meeting that
centers around helping LGBTQ students
and allied students discuss matters in our
community, schools, and in their Gay
Straight Alliances (GSAs) that they have
in their schools. YouthPride provides leadership development and an opportunity to
help plan activities around GLSENs Days
of Action and Days of Support. 1st Friday
of the month 6-9pm- Professor Javas
Coffee Sanctuary, 217 Wolf Rd., Colonie
Trans Partners Group: provides support for people to discuss and explore
their relationships with trans-identified
or gender non-conforming individuals.
Open to people currently in partnerships with trans-people or people exploring their gender identities. Monthly on
Tuesdays at 5pm. Contact Faith Hoffman
at faith@choicesconsulting.com for more
information. Choices Counseling and
Consulting, 523 Western Ave. Suite 2A
Albany, NY 12203-1617, (518)438-2222
TRIVIA
Tuesdays: Live Trivia with Frieda

ROCKS - 8-10pm 77 Central Ave, Albany,
(518) 472-3588
Wednesdays: Oh Bar - 9pm-12am
304 Lark St., Albany, (518) 463-9004
SPECIAL EVENTS
Pride Day at the Great New York State

Fair- beginning with the raising of the
Rainbow Flag at the Main Gate and followed by a day-long information fair.
Pride Day will also feature a ceremony
that includes speakers from the LGBT
community and a prominent presence
in the Fairs daily parade. . The day will
conclude with a free Chevy Court concert
at 8 p.m. from Melissa Etheridge. Friday.
August 28- NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse,
NY. More info at: www.nysfair.org
NON-PROFIT
US POSTAGE
P
AID
PERMIT #798
ALBANY, NY
332 Hudson Avenue

Albany, NY 12210
Distinguished Living...Successful Living...Gay Living

Tri City Rentals is a Proud Supporter of the LGBT Community
Visit one of our

24 Fine Capital District
Apartment Communities
www.TriCityRentals.com
518.862.6600

CommUNITY Vol 3 Issue 6 (Aug. 2015)

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CommUNITY Vol 3 Issue 6 (Aug. 2015)

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Your Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Com m unity Center since 1970

OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE

332 HUDSON AVE. ALBANY, NY 12210

Center Arts: Our Romaine Brooks Gallery is a creative space

6:30 pm Dinner & Awards

Purchase Your Tickets Today

Sail Along the Hudson with

Ageing into Lesbian-Feminism

Geri Pomerantz pg. 17

Vintage Pride: Who We Are

Out in the Garden

Michael Cooks and You Can Too

Capital PRIDE Parade

2015 Capital PRIDE Festival

Capital PRIDE Festival

Marriage Equality become

This month, I am pleased to

Hello! This is my very first

Equally as important, they

Be well and be empowered!

complishment without taking into account the bravery

Understanding Identities : Asexual

PASSING OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY?

(Its time to ask what will it take on pg. 12)

Its about damn time! -Brother Ron Smith

(a look back with Vintage Pride on pg. 21)

Ageing into Lesbian-Feminism

Joe Norton Laid to rest with military honors

LETTERS TO THE EDITORmweidrich@capitalpridecenter.org

Declared June Pride Month in Albany County

Dan McCoy believes government should mirror the community it serves,

Re-Elect Dan McCoy, Albany County Executive.

Fun & Prizes!!

Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

Relationship & Parenting Issues

Check out our new Express Lunch - Only $599

Healing Trauma & Abuse

Call 372-6024 for details

Depression & Anxiety

441 State Street, Schenectady, NY

Counseling & Consulting

523 Western Avenue, Suite 2A (second floor) Albany, NY 12203

g out against SAFE Act

apons at noon Saturday

TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2014

They basically pushed us to this

PATRICK DODSON/GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHER

Breaks eyed for

Place your ad in CommUNITY and expand your brand

Wealth Advisory Group

EVENTS THINGS TO DO CONTESTS

Guide to the Capital Region

Providing All Your Residential,

Proudly continuing to serve as the voice

Historic & Commercial Construction Needs!

A free skill building program for individuals to understand

Self Advocacy Reaching Goals

What Will It Take?

will with their lack of

What will it take, if

tremendous violence and

What does that mean

What pain and suffering

the Holocaust, Cambodia, Uganda,