Q Center

Join Q Center July 18th For Award-Winning Filmmaker & Novelist e.E Charlton-Trujillo At Powell’s Bookstore

Logan Lynn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:59:45 +0000

Join Q Center on Thursday, July 18th at Powell’s Bookstore in Portland as we host another in our series of author spotlights! This time we’ll be hosting award-winning filmmaker and novelist, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo. She’ll be with us to present her new novel (aimed at a young adult audience), Fat Angie. The book deals with many issues including war, death, suicide, cutting, bullying, and being LGBTQ.

About Fat Angie

Her sister was captured in Iraq, she’s the resident laughingstock at school, and her therapist tells her to count instead of eat. Can a daring new girl in her life really change anything? Angie is broken – by her can’t-be-bothered mother, by her high-school tormenters, and by being the only one who thinks her varsity-athlete-turned-war-hero sister is still alive. Hiding under a mountain of junk food hasn’t kept the pain (or the shouts of “crazy mad cow!”) away. Having failed to kill herself – in front of a gym full of kids – she’s back at high school just trying to make it through each day. That is, until the arrival of KC Romance, the kind of girl who doesn’t exist in Dryfalls, Ohio. A girl who is one hundred and ninety-nine percent wow! A girl who never sees her as Fat Angie, and who knows too well that the package doesn’t always match what’s inside. With an offbeat sensibility, mean girls to rival a horror classic, and characters both outrageous and touching, this darkly comic anti-romantic romance will appeal to anyone who likes entertaining and meaningful fiction.

Watch the Fat Angie book trailer here:

About e.E. Charlton-Trujillo

A small-town Texas native, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo has worked on over thirty short films, recently Executive Produced the film Home and has been featured on the Huffington Post for directing NOW for GLSEN-Cincinnati. Charlton-Trujillo began her career at Killer Films (Boys Don’t Cry, Far From Heaven) and later worked with directors Betty Thomas, Douglas McGrath and Lucy Walker.

Charlton-Trujillo won the prestigious Delacorte Dell Yearling Award for her first novel Prizefighter En Mi Casa which garnered a number of accolades. Her second novel, Feels Like Home, received critical praise and earned a host of awards. Charlton-Trujillo took the top prize at the 2009 Cincinnati Fringe Festival for Vanessa Rising. The following year she directed Rhonda Pettit’s The Global Lovers, a poetic drama about sex trafficking for the stage at the Fringe, being the first crossover in Cincy Fringe history. She served as head writer for Cincinnati Innovates 2010 Finalist AccelerateFX. All the while, she has managed to curate a number of film festivals.

The multiple award-winning author, filmmaker and poet was nominated for the Oscar Armstrong III Service Award in 2012 for tirelessly pursuing her goals while demonstrating an unwavering commitment to family and community. Her third novel, Fat Angie, releases through Candlewick in March 2013. Early buzz from authors Gregory Maguire (Wicked), Pat Schmatz (Bluefish) and Jo Knowles (Lessons From A Dead Girl) have made Fat Angie the must read of 2013.

Charlton-Trujillo is currently co-writing the feature to her short film One Day Summer with Sara St. Martin-Lynne and two additional novels. All the while, she remains the gal wearing hoodies and sporting Vans while running Piñata Productions in Ohio.

Queer Heroes NW – June 18th, 2013 – Featured Heroes: Mary Beth Brindley and Evelyn Hall

Logan Lynn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:01:56 +0000

For most of their time together, Mary Beth and Evelyn lived in the closet. After all, they were in Texas and that seemed the prudent thing to do. But when they moved to Portland in 1996, they were determined to live their lives in the open. They joined many groups, and Mary Beth was one of the founders of Portland’s chapter of Old Lesbians Organizing for Change. They attended WNBA Portland Fire games while wearing matching shirts and went to practically all of Portland’s Gay Men’s Chorus programs.

Even though they were “out and proud,” they knew there was work still to be done for gay rights. The issue closest to their hearts was senior housing. After watching a friend go back into the closet when he moved into a retirement home, Mary Beth and Evelyn knew something had to be done. They joined other seniors and founded Senior Housing and Retirement Enterprises (SHARE).

They raised the issue of gays wanting to feel safe in retirement homes; safe and free to be who they are – No going back into the closet.

When Evelyn died in 2008, Mary Beth lost the love of her life and partner of 49 years. And Portland lost a hero. Today, Mary Beth carries on with SHARE, Gay and Gray – any way she can to make sure that elders never have to go back into the closet.

Q Center and the Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest (GLAPN) have partnered on an annual multi-media celebration of LGBTQ pioneers and leaders from our local movement called Queer Heroes NW!

The project features a new queer hero (nominated by the greater LGBTQ community) every day online during Pride month (June). The 30 queer heroes are also featured on the walls of the Aaron Hall Gallery at Q Center for the months of June and July, as well as in Q Center’s Pride booths all over the region.

After Pride is over each year the portable display hits the road and makes the rounds all over community centers, schools, churches, and businesses in the Pacific NW! Help us honor our queer heroes by spreading the word.

Queer Heroes NW: 2013
Queer Heroes NW: 2012
Queer Heroes NW Videos by Q Center Media Team
Queer Heroes NW at the Oregon Department of Justice

Queer Heroes NW – June 17th, 2013 – Featured Hero: Thalia Zepatos

Logan Lynn — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:01:36 +0000

Few allies have had more impact on the lives of LGBTQ people than Thalia Zepatos, a longtime citizen of Portland. A co-founder of Basic Rights Oregon, she played a leading role fighting every statewide anti-gay ballot measure in Oregon – and subsequently many other states – since 1988. In the 1990s, Thalia trained hundreds of LGBT candidates to run for political office for the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. As Director of Organizing and Training for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Thalia trained and mentored a team of LGBTQ organizers that fought ballot measures and defended trans-inclusive non-discrimination laws nationwide.

After the loss of California’s Prop 8, Thalia focused full-time on changing the way Americans talk about marriage for same-sex couples. At Freedom to Marry, she collaborated with leaders in Oregon and beyond to develop Why Marriage Matters, a public education partnership of over 30 state and national organizations. She then played a leadership role in creating Familia es Familia, a national partnership of two-dozen Latino civil rights organizations. Widely credited as a “message guru” who cracked the code on marriage, Thalia’s work led directly to the first four statewide marriage victories at the ballot in 2012. Zepatos is the co-author (along with Liz Kaufman) of Women for a Change: A Grassroots Guide to Activism and Politics, and also published two travel books for women. She lives in Portland with her husband, Mike.

HERE is a link to a lengthy article that explains quite a bit about Thalia’s work.

Queer Heroes NW: 2013
Queer Heroes NW: 2012
Queer Heroes NW Videos by Q Center Media Team
Queer Heroes NW at the Oregon Department of Justice

Queer Heroes NW – June 16th, 2013 – Featured Hero: Linda Brown

Logan Lynn — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 07:01:39 +0000

Linda Brown has been active in the Northwest Gender Alliance for 10 years, serving as Public Relations Director for over six years. In 2007, Linda received the NWGA Roni Lang Service Award. She has worked to reinvigorate the NWGA Speakers Bureau, educating groups and organizations on “what it is to be transgender.” As she has come out as transgender to old friends, politicians and community leaders, she has become a strong advocate for transgender people and the LGBT community, as a whole.

Politics and community outreach are two of Linda’s favorite areas of interest. As a dedicated champion for equal rights for the LGBT community, Linda has volunteered on local and state-wide political races and ballot-measure campaigns, primarily with the Democratic Party of Oregon and Basic Rights Oregon.

In recent years, Linda has taken a significant leadership role with the Human Rights Campaign, representing Oregon and Southwest Washington as a member of HRC’s National Board of Governors and the National Diversity and Inclusion Committee. As a member of HRC Portland’s Steering Committee, Linda has served as Political and Community Outreach Co-Chair for the HRC Portland Steering Committee. At HRC’s 2013 National Equality Convention, Linda was honored as “Diversity and Inclusion Leader of the Year.” In addition, Portland was named as the top Political and Community Outreach Committee in the country.

Linda Brown is proud to be a native Oregonian, as well as the only transgendered blueberry farmer in the Pacific Northwest. Linda and her wife Marcia operate a “sustainable-practices” farm near Boring, Oregon. Linda knows she would not be where she is today without the support of Marcia. Looking back at her struggles and accomplishments, Linda’s motto has become “Never say never,” as she has found happiness in places where one might least expect it to be.

Queer Heroes NW: 2013
Queer Heroes NW: 2012
Queer Heroes NW Videos by Q Center Media Team
Queer Heroes NW at the Oregon Department of Justice

Queer Heroes NW – June 15th, 2013 – Featured Hero: Amanda Brings-Plenty-Wright

Logan Lynn — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 07:01:12 +0000

Homophobia is not native to the Americas – it arrived with European conquerors. Before that time, native cultures revered their LGBTQ people, calling them “Two Spirits” because they embodied both masculine and feminine energies. Two Spirit people were identified while very young, and prepared for special roles in society: ambassadors, teachers, healers, artists, war chiefs, keepers of the sacred.

Missionaries brought homophobia. Two Spirit people were killed because they were considered abominations, and the tradition was driven underground.

Amanda Brings Plenty-Wright (Klamath/Modoc) is the founder of the Portland Two-Spirit Society (PTSS). She is among native leaders nationally who are reviving the Two Spirit tradition. Amanda says although it was scary at first, overall she has found acceptance and respect while working against homophobia in the Native community.

PTSS was formed in May 2012 as a social group for Two Spirits, but has since taken on a cultural and educational role. The group recently joined forces with 2SY, the Two Spirit Youth group run by the Native American Rehabilitation Association, and is developing a youth curriculum and tool kit including coming out stories and cultural workshops.

PTSS is available to speak to groups desiring more information about Two Spirit history and Two Spirit youth.

Queer Heroes NW: 2013
Queer Heroes NW: 2012
Queer Heroes NW Videos by Q Center Media Team
Queer Heroes NW at the Oregon Department of Justice

Queer Heroes NW – June 14th, 2013 – Featured Hero: Kristan Knapp

Logan Lynn — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:05:23 +0000

With characteristic modesty, Kristan Knapp says, “I’m not a Queer Hero. I’m your basic lesbian activist who happens to have helped a lot of projects get off the ground.”

Kristan’s activism began in the early 1970s, when she joined the Red Emma Collective that helped establish the Portland Feminist Women’s Health Clinic and Prescott House. Prescott House evolved into the domestic violence organization known today as Bradley Angle.

Kristan’s musical career is extensive, having been a part of Ursa Minor Choir, a pioneering lesbian choir led by Naomi Littlebear Morena. Kristan produced women’s music concerts, festivals and several albums by lesbian artists, performed with The Dyketones, and toured nationally with the Izquierda Ensemble and Musica Femina Flute-Guitar Duo. Kristan also instigated an early incarnation of the Rose City Gay Freedom Band.

Kristan trained to become an auto mechanic, had her own shop, and taught auto mechanics for women. She served two stints on the Pride NW Board, helped organize the Walk for Love and Justice, and twice led the Lesbian Community Project. In the late 1990s Kristan created the Conversations Project to help heal our community after the Ballot Measure 9 struggle, and produced “Transparencies,” a theatrical presentation that showcased and honored the diversity of the LGBTQ community.

Kristan comes by her activism naturally. In 1972, when Kristan came out to her parents, the Reverend Charles and Rita Knapp joined with Ann and Bill Shepherd to offer support to other parents of gay people, co-founding in 1977 a group that eventually became PFLAG Portland. Kristan and her partner Janna will celebrate 33 years together this fall.

Queer Heroes NW: 2013
Queer Heroes NW: 2012
Queer Heroes NW Videos by Q Center Media Team
Queer Heroes NW at the Oregon Department of Justice