SEPTEMBER 23 .2006 • Q-NOTES I I
NOR T H C A R O L i N A
workshops for teens, young adults and adults
with LGBT parents. TTie focus will be on develop
ment of critical social analysis, including ways to
educate and incite social change in communities,
schools, media, policy and in politics with regard
to issues LGBT parents face.'ITiis programming
will also highlight the role adult COLAGErs can
play in social justice and LGBT organizing as
community leaders.
The pre-conference leadership workshop
will be held on Oct. 27, followed by Act Out.
Meet other chapter leaders and develop
skills to help support local chapter efforts. The
weekend will be filled with activism, education,
empowerment and community celebration.
Act OUT will also feature an expo that will
be fun for adults and kids alike.
To learn more about COLAGE visit
www.colage.org. To register, visit Family Pride
at www.familypride.org.
Space is limited. Sponsorship and
fundraising resources are available. COLAGE
is working hard to secure funding for travel
scholarships for chapter leaders to attend Act
OUT and tihe pre-conference institute.
For those interested and available to
attend, contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE
program director at meredith@colage.org. Let
her know if financial assistance is needed in
order to attend.
COLAGE-Rainbow Kids NC in Asheville is
a participating chapter. For more information
about the N.C. chapter, email
hdmichelle@yahoo.com.
Kaleidoscope winners announce
WINSTON-SALEM — Area leaders in
advancing equality for local LGBT residents
were honored on Sept. 9 at the PFLAG
Kaleidoscope Awards Banquet.
The evening started with an address from
Jimmy Creech, a former minister who was
removed from his position in the church
because he presided over a same-sex commit
ment ceremony. He is now the director of
community service for North Carolina-based
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Inc.
The Kaleidoscope Business Award went to
Wachovia Corporation for its strong stand for
equality and fairness in the workplace.
The North Carolina School of the Arts
(NCSA) received the Kaleidoscope Safe School
Award for being one of the first public schools
, in N.C. to include sexual orientation in their
non-discrimination statement and the second
school to include transgender.
Trinity Presbyterian Church was the recipi
ent of the Kaleidoscope Faith Community
Award because of the work it has done for
more than 15 years. Trinity is public about its
openness and acceptance of LGBT people in
the full life and ministry of their congregation.
The Kaleidoscope Individual Award was
presented jointly to Frank Benedetti and Gary
Trowbridge who have been together over 40
years and have set an example of how one can
live successfully and be out of the closet.
For more information, visit
www.pflagwinstonsalem.org.
[Habla Espafiol?
CHARLOTTE — The Lesbian & Gay
Community Center, 1401 Central Ave., has
announced the start of English as a Second
Language classes. Miguel Llamas will serve as
instructor.
“We want The Center to be a home for
everybody in our community, even if English
is not your first Ir^nguage. It is a great first step
in building bridges with the LGBT Latino
community by offering these classes here.”
The classes are totally free and feature a
beginner and advanced track.
For more information, visit
www.GayCharlotte.com.
Coaliton to hold gathering
RALEIGH — On Oct. 14, join the North
Carolina Religious Coalition for Marriage
Equality (NCRC4ME) at Pullen Memorial
Baptist Church, 1801 Hillsborough St., for its
“On the Matter of Liberation: A Day with Rev.
Dr. James Forbes.”
NCRC4ME will bring together religious
leaders and people of faith from across N.C. to
strengthen the movement toward LGBT rights
and marriage equality with a focus on how
marriage equality has been used as a “wedge
issue” between predominantly white commu
nities of faith and faith communities of color.
Its hope is to build a movement grounded in
faith, loye and respect for the full human
rights of members of the LGBT community.
Forbes, senior minister at the historic
Riverside Church in N.Y., will be the keynote
speaker. He is the first African-American to
serve as senior minister of one of the largest
multicultural congregations in the nation. He is
an ordained minister in the American Baptist
Churches and the Original United Holy Church
of America. The 2,400-member church is affili
ated with the American Baptist Churches and
the United Church of Christ.
A rousing interfaith service and sermon by
Forbes will touch on how the struggle for LGBT
liberation is intimately connected to other lib
eration struggles throughout our history.
Cost to attend is $20 that includes lunch.
Scholarships are available.
To register, call Pullen’s Rev. Jack McKinney
at 919-828-0897 or visit www.pullen.org.
Those wishing to volunteer for this event,
contact Chantelle Fisher-Borne by email at
chantelle@ncrc4me.org.
Annual retreat slated
MAGGIE VALLEY — A multi-denomina
tional LGBT retreat is being held Oct. 6-8 at
the Living Waters Reflection Center in Maggie
Valley. Fr. Richard Sotillo from El Paso, Texas,
will serve as the retreat director, which is open
to people of all faiths.
A light meal will kick-off the weekend
between 6-8 p.m., on Oct. 6, followed by an
opening session at 8:30 p.m. The first morning
session with Fr. Sotillo will take place at 8:30
a.m., preceded by breakfast at 8 a.m. After
lunch, attendees will be able to choose activi
ties including a nature hike, quiet time for
reflection, shopping or napping. Dinner will be
served at 5 p.m. and mass will be celebrated at
7 p.m. On Oct. 8, the second morning session
will be held, followed by lunch at 12 noon.
Cost to attend is $90 per person.
To make a reservation, call 704-921-5711
or email devinsleigh@aol.com. I
info: Announce your community event in NC News
Notes, email: editor@q-notes.com or (ax 704-531-1361
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