^ north & sou^ Carolina noted . notable . noteworthy GLBT issues Calling all DJ’s! We want H your Top 10 *** TAKE OUR ONLINE Q-POLL www.q-not>s.cot" Q-POLL sponsored by: liJilliamsliurQ: on ConimoiUueaUI) Townhome Style Condominiums SEE PAGE 3 ... 1992... Ozzy Osbourne invites MAP to distribute condoms at concert — uh oh. Fieldstone House opens to care for low income people with HIV VOLUME . ISSUE 18 SINCE 1988 WWW. q-NOTES. COM JANUARY 19.2002 Welcome, change! Six months ago, the Q.-Notes staff began talking about redesigning the news paper. The talk has obviously turned to walk ... and here’s the result of what we hope will be an ever-evolving effort. Change — we are committed to it and we are invigorated by it, and be assured we will continue to work very hard for it. You inspire us. You motivate us. We are here for you, because of you. Thank you. And there are things we promise will never change, except perhaps to grow stronger — our commitment to being a strong community presence and a coura-. geous community voice. Kathryn Mahan A singular, but never solitary, voice for change by Leah Sepsenwol when this interview took place, the world had not yet changed. Since that time in September, music above all, has held us together, we let it lead us, let it be pen for the poem we could not write, brush for the image we could not paint, and comfort for the loss we could not believe. To understand that power, is to begin to understand what inspires the woman and the talent, the activist and the friend who is Kathryn Mahan. Kathryn Mahan was co-director of the gay, lesbian and gay-affirming chorus, OneVoice in Charlotte for seven years. After much soul-searching, she decided it was time for a change. Her years with the chorus have been rich with satisfaction, accomplishment and a history of making great music with wonderfully talented peo ple who gather in shared passion for social change. Immediately apparent in her expres sion, in her jokes, in her unwavering eye contact, Kathryn Mahan is passionate. Passionate about social justice. Passionate about music being a force for change. Passionate about the quality of her contri bution. Passionate about' the chorus. One Voice. Passionate about sharing message. Passionate about staying passionate. And far from last, passionate about her co director, John Quillan. You can’t have one without the other — at least not when it comes to music, to OneVoice, to vision, to finished sentences and corhpleted >•—t t— thoughts, r )r\j 1- to forged alliance. The combined tal- ^ ents of Mahan and Quillan survived, rose above, endured and remain nurtured by their singularly unique friend- ' ship. They credit one another easily, pro claiming the root of their combined success is planted deep in the respect they have for one another. Mahan and Quillan, sounds like a com pany — and it is; good company, and how fortunate for us all they merged. They remain of one voice and vision. Mahan infused OneVoice with her own passionate purpose and yet left it a strong. entity, unique and evolving. Kathryn Mahan understands change: the demand, the expectation, the achievement and the collaborative effort. bier work with John continues. “Sing for the Cure” is Mahan’s current challenge for change — a VOICE bring focus and money to the fight against breast cancer. The diver sity of the choral groups is significant ly representative of a disease which affects us all: OneVoice: a gay- OT v'" affirming chorus; Myers Park Baptist choir, and Contemporary Voices, a black choir. We learn from her how music deepens the meaning of cause, sets the mood for change, and pushes us to demand it in ourselves. Kathryn, brava. info: "Sing for ihe Cure" May 12, 2002.7pm ..Belk Theater Blumenthal Center for the Performing Arts Equality Fund grants will pave the way for significant change in North and South Carolina NC will sponsor legislative poll; and SC will hold meeting to devise state strategy by David Smith Human Rights Campaign WASHINGTON, DC — Equality North Carolina (ENC) and South Carolina’s Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFA) were among those awarded 2001 Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Fund Grants for projects on behaif of their respective LGBT communities. ENC received $5,000 for sponsoring.a poll to determine effective messaging for legisla tive campaigns on sodomy, hate crimes and non-discrimination. South Carolina’s Alliance for Full Acceptance was awarded $3000 for a strategy meeting with GLBT organizations and allies to develop a strategic plan for the state. HRC awards Equality Fund Grants to GLBT advocacy groups to help further advance equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans at the state level, HRC said. “We are pleased that in this second year of the Equality Fund Grant program we were able to support so many great projects,” said HRC National Field Director Seth Kilbourn. “The Equality Fund grants, along with strategic staff support help build the partner ships essential to making progress on the issues our community faces at the local, state and federal levels. In the 2000-2001 cycle (HRC FYOl), HRC awarded $114,115 to 27 groups. In the most recent cycle of 2001 -2002 grants (HRC FY02), HRC awarded a total of $122,000 to 28 organizations. Fifteen grants totaling $65,000 will be used for direct lobby ing efforts and 6 grants totaling $28,000 will be used for grassroots strategies to advance state legislation. TVvo grants, $10,000 total, will help pay for voter file projects. Three grants totaling $10,000 were granted for use towards ballot measure campaigns. TWo grants, $9000, are slated for polling projects to determine effective messages, level,” he said.