President Signs Hate Crime including Gays into Law

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

When longtime gay activist and founder of the AIDS quilt Cleve Jones first started talking about a national march for gay equality about six months ago, many, including openly gay U.S. House Representative Barney Frank, said it couldn't be done and that it was a waste of time and resources. But as thousands of supporters, mostly young men and women barely able to vote, some straight but pledging their allegiance to their gay friends and relatives, charged into the nation's capitol, the message was clear - more Americans now believe that equal rights should be extended to LGBT citizens.

 

In fact, the National Equality March, a three-day event that took place during the recent Columbus Day Weekend, illustrated that grassroots efforts can still be effective in bringing about positive change. "There were some who doubted if anyone would show up - I was not one of them," Jones said. "We [LGBTs] have existed in every culture, history and land since the beginning of time and we are here to say that we are equal in every respect. We have supported our country even when we were thrown out of the military and loved our church despite being defrocked or excommunicated. We refuse to accept any more compromises or delays." Jones went on to criticize President Obama for not keeping his earlier promise to end several highly disputed policies and statutes including "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and DOMA. "The President is known for giving wonderful speeches but he still has not answered the key question - when."

Sasha Bruce Youthworks and friends march to Congress in support of homeless youth as part of a series of events scheduled during the National Equality March in DC, Oct. 9, 2009.   Photo by Daniel Nicoletta

One of the most talked about events during the weekend's many activities and the speech to which Jones may have been referring was the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner where Obama served as the keynote speaker. The dinner was held on the eve of the March. In his address, he responded to the concerns of Jones and many of the other protesters who say they have waited for their rights for far too long. "I will end "Don't ask-don't tell," Obama said to a crowd of over 3,000 at the gay civil rights advocacy group's most important annual assembly. "I appreciate that many of you don't believe progress has come fast enough. Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach." Perhaps the actions of Jones and the surprisingly turnout on the lawn just behind the Capitol may have had more impact that anyone could have known. Earlier this week, the Senate approved a bill named for Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. that would make violence against gays and lesbians a federal hate crime. President Obama, as expected, signed the piece of legislation which includes penalties for assaults based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender, disability or gender identity, signaling a victory for civil rights groups that have long sought to expand the federal statute beyond attacks motivated by religion, race, color or national origin.

Friends and staff of C2AE pause the relish the moment. Photo: Larry Bryant

Prior to signing the bill, also referred to as H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, Obama had this to say in a public statement: "I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance - legislation that will enhance civil rights protections, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association." And while the passage of this legislation is certainly good news for all Americans, the March for Equality remains proof positive that other rights for a portion of our population remain unsecured.

Please continue to Full Story

True Colors Theatre Company Scores with Lesser-known Comedy/Drama

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

Playwright Philip Hayes Dean won the New York Drama Desk award in 1971 for his mind-blowing, mesmerizing comedic drama Sty of the Blind Pig and while some theater lovers may be unfamiliar with this piece, its powerful prose and the poignant performances from a talented cast are two reasons that True Colors Theatre Company's season opener is a definite hit.
The play opens slowly, with the strong but opinionated matriarch Weedy Warren (Margo Moorer) patiently waiting for her still-single daughter Alberta (Tonia Jackson) to arrive home from her frustrating maid's job.

The two live in a crumbling apartment on Chicago's Southside. And Weedy is worried because as usual, Alberta is late. But as we soon discover, despite her faith and zeal for the church, she enjoys worrying - sometimes about her daughter, other times about her flamboyant, "whiskey head" brother Doc (Earl Billings) who consistently begs her for money to play the numbers and has a penchant for much younger girls.

The banter between Weedy and Doc goes on throughout the play, moving the audience from moments of light chuckling to outright hysteric laughter. Those less familiar with Black culture may not get some of the jokes and jabs, but with two parents from the South, this writer not only followed the dialogue but at times remembered hearing his own family engage in such diatribes of the "dozens." Alberta, however, does not fare well in this 50s household, constantly suffering from bouts of anxiety and depression - even succumbing to the bottle to help her deal with a life that is unraveling before her eyes. But when a knock on the door reveals the handsome, guitar-playing Blind Jordan (Jahi Kearse), on a mission from New Orleans in his search for a woman he says he once loved, the lives of this slightly troubled family are changed forever. And the change is anything but positive.

Please continue to Full Story

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir
Photography by Antoine Craigwell

It was high noon on Sunday, Oct 11 as I stood at the intersection of 15th and I streets, N.W. in Washington, DC on a fall day, where with a sky an expanse of blue, the sun's warmth suffusing and highlighting the shadows, and observing a motley crew of mostly young men and women gathering on the corners, quickly becoming a crowd of several thousand, I wondered what I was really doing at this event - the National Equality March.

 

Marchers on the way to the U.S. Capitol Building

This was not the first time I had come to our nation's capitol to lend my voice and support to a cause in which I strongly believed. I wasn't under any illusions that issues of rights in the gay community would change overnight because I was here; I was feeling slightly fatigued and still a little woozy from encounters the previous night with seductive amigos at The Mill and several apple martinis. But, as the adage goes, "presence is everything." At least, that's what I kept telling myself as I waited for my colleague, Antoine, to join me so we could begin our coverage of the March. After all, it's hard enough to make it in this country when you are an African-American male, who is constantly dealing with prejudice, White privilege and the stereotypes of the "dangerous Black man" permeating every mountain and molehill. But adding the moniker "gay" to the picture and making it public knowledge is for many brothers, tantamount to slitting wrists.

Please continue to Full Story

Organizers will also seek White House intervention in the continued fight against HIV/AIDS

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

On October 10 -11 advocates and activists from across the country will gather in the nation's capitol for the National Equality March in support of equal rights for persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Key organizations that are leading the march or that are planning complimentary activities include the Campaign to End AIDS (with headquarters in Washington, D.C.) and the Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling United Methodists (BWARM).

 

The weekend's events will also include a prayer vigil by Christian supporters at Capitol Hill United Methodist Church (7 p.m., October 10th) and a rally on the Ellipse in front of the White House (5:30 - 8:30 p.m., October 10th) that will feature an impressive and inspiring roster of speakers and performers (mostly HIV-positive) culminating in a candlelight vigil. The march will take place on Sunday morning. Equality to End AIDS is organized by The Campaign to End AIDS and sponsored by Housing Works, Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS, The Human Rights Campaign, POZ Magazine, National AIDS Housing Coalition, SisterLove and a host of others. "The weekend is about achieving full equality for LGBT Americans," said Cleve Jones, founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and one of the March's organizers. "We need to use that political power to remind the country that the AIDS epidemic continues." According to recent date, gay and bisexual men are 50 times more likely to acquire HIV than any other demographic in the US. Among gay men, the number of HIV infections increased by approximately 12 percent each year from 2001 to 2006. And while treatment has become effective enough that many people can anticipate living fruitful lives despite being HIV-positive, some research now indicates that those living with HIV live an average of 21 years less than their HIV-negative counterparts. "Many of our more energized LGBT activists are too young to remember the devastating impact AIDS had on the gay community," said Charles King, President/CEO, Housing Works, in a prepared statement. "We must re-engage the larger LGBT community in AIDS activism. Ending the HIV pandemic is an issue of justice that must be their fight as well." GBMNEWS will be on hand covering the rally, March and vigils and interviewing many of the featured speakers, entertainers and activists, as well as some of the key organizers who made this important event possible. We will have a full report and photographs for our readers in the coming days. Stay tuned.

Festival of LGBT-themed dramas, musicals, comedies and documentary ends October 8th

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir

Sometimes it's hard to find a movie that deals with one of America's more controversial lifestyles - the LGBT mantra. Maybe it's because producers are a little squeamish or because theatres don't want to promote "those kinds of shows." Then again, it could just be a simple case of supply and demand - recall your fundamentals from Economic 1010.

All that aside, every fall in the city of Atlanta, the good, bad and the ugly associated with living in this world as a SGL man or woman is tackled in the form of drama and comedy at the annual OUT on Film Festival which celebrates "Pride at the Movies."

"Rivers Wash Over Me" by director John G. Young and Atlanta producer Dexter Davis

The festival, which opened on October 2nd with the hilarious comedy "The Big Gay Musical" and a documentary honoring the life and works of the late Allen Thornell, an Atlanta activist, runs through October 8th. All shows are held at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. The notion behind any film festival that targets a specific demographic is that enough people will attend the viewings so that those folks with the money are persuaded to invest in making the production available to a larger audience in venues around the country. In addition, many of the producers, directors and actors associated with the films are on hand for question and answer forums.

Please continue to Full Story

New Musical Delivers with Multi-media Tribute to the Beatles

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir

Utilizing today's technology in a show that features actual footage of the musical group that led the "British Invasion" in the early 1960s, and perhaps causing baby boomers to leap to their feet with joy while singing refrains like "Yeah, yeah, yeah," and "Help, I need somebody," Atlanta's Fox Theatre ushered in a celebration of The Beatles with the foot-stomping and highly nostalgic musical Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles.

 

Joey Curatolo, Joe Bithorn, Ralph Castelli, Steve Landes Photo by Joan Marcus

The show which runs through October 11th is brought to the Fox by Theatre of the Stars (www.theatreofthestars.com) who keeps pumping out the hits with such recent critically-acclaimed productions including The Color Purple, Chicago and Grease. From their introduction to the American public one Sunday evening on the then-popular Ed Sullivan Show, which was their first live US television performance and with such early hits as "Love Me Do" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" behind their belt, The Beatles would go on to become one of the most commercially successful bands in the history of popular music. And here is a bit of pop music trivia for you. Consider that when The Beatles made their winter 1964 debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, an estimated seventy-four million viewers tuned in - a number representing about half the country's population at the time.

Please continue to Full Story

Record Numbers Expected at Writers Festival for GLBT People of African Descent

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

In 2002 as the winter approached in the city of Chicago, a visionary group of writers pulled off a groundbreaking gathering that brought together hundreds of journalists, academics, playwrights, filmmakers and fiction writers - all of whom were GLBT people of African descent. This writer had the opportunity to attend that consortium and witnessed first hand the power and pride that comes when negative attitudes and stereotypes about our community are replaced with positive expressions and genuine invitations for building alliances.

One writer from Black Issues Book Review described that first event as one which "helped introduce a wide range of writers to each other and their work in ways previous, mainly non-black writers' gatherings and small literary salons could not match."

Now, with an expanded list of goals, a hardworking group of volunteers and talented board members and a topnotch schedule of activities and workshops, Fire & Ink III: Cotillion is set to swoop down on Austin, Texas, October 8 - 11 with the majority of events taking place at the Hilton Austin.

But what can you expect? First E. Patrick Johnson will take to the stage - author of Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales, who has taken time away from his professor's position at Northwestern University to travel the country with his one-man show. Jomama Jones will reign supreme during an intimate cabaret evening in which she will celebrate Cotillion's Hope Warriors. And then there's Sharon Bridgforth's staged reading of delta dandi and the performance of Daniel Alexander Jones. And that's just the beginning.

Please continue to Full Story

"Mama Dearest" is a Fitting Postscript to the Legacy of Harris

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir

In the world of book publishing, one often discovers those authors who appear to be resting on their laurels, cranking out tales with unbelievable plots, chockfull of poorly-constructed characters, cliffhangers that only a juvenile would enjoy and endings that simply don't make sense. But then, once in a great while you run across genius - like the late and certainly great, E.Lynn Harris.

 

And in his final book, Mama Dearest (Hunter Publishing, 2009), New York Times Bestselling Author Harris returns to the formula that has made him a household name and his characters some of our very best friends and enemies. The diva herself, Yancey Harrington Braxton, is back - this time struggling to return to her former days of glory with her own reality TV series, a hot but secretive lover and the realization that America's newest star is none other than the child she "thought" she had given up for adoption. Yes, Madison B. is a talent to be reckoned with and is just as beautiful and sometimes, devious as her own mother, Yancey.

Mama Dearest Hunter Publishing 2009

But Yancey's dreams may all disintegrate before her very eyes when "Mama Dearest" - the self-absorbed and always evil Ava "darling" returns from prison with a plan for sweet revenge aimed at her very own daughter.

Please continue to Full Story

Jerry Springer flops while Bianca Marroquin steals the show

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

Almost anyone who loves the theater is familiar with the Bob Fosse- choreographed musical Chicago set in the city of Chicago during the prohibition era. Since its opening on Broadway in 1975 at the 46th Street Theatre and then the smash revival in 1996 during which time the play earned the distinction of being the longest-running musical revival on Broadway, it has played for an estimated 5,000 performances and snagged a host of awards including six Tony Awards.

 

Photo by Paul Kolnik

And of course there's the 2002 film version, starring Renee Zellwegger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and Queen Latifah that swept the Academy Awards with six Oscars - just in case you missed this cultural icon on the stage. So, the audience at Atlanta's fabulous Fox Theatre was pumped up and ready as the curtain rose - ready for that hot opening number, "All That Jazz," which in this production featured actress Terra MacLeod whose legs and sultry voice could give Tina Turner a run for her money - almost. The music, vocals and choreography, reminiscent of those vaudeville acts from the 20s, are what move this exciting show along from start to finish and the plot, a satire on corruption in the adjudication of justice and the "celebrity criminal" is the kind of story that never loses its luster. No matter what the era, from O.J. Simpson to Britney Spears, our celebrity-obsessed culture is always looking for gossip on the stars - whether it is good news or bad.

Please continue to Full Story

City activists and promoters prepare for annual Labor Day "Black Pride" celebration

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir

Black Pride celebrations begin each year April, traditionally beginning in Austin (Texas), Philadelphia and then Washington, D.C. right around Memorial Day Weekend. So it should be no surprise that an estimated 75,000 are expected to swoop down on the city of Atlanta like the birds of Capistrano to take part in the country's largest cultural event promoting a positive look at SGL and LGBTQ communities of color and African descent.

 

The 13th Annual Atlanta Black Pride celebration runs Sept. 2 - 7 during the Labor Day Weekend and is presented by In the Life Atlanta (ITLA) Inc. This year the bulk of the activities, not including the numerous parties that promoters and private hosts will sponsor throughout the area, will be held at The Grand Atlanta Hyatt in Buckhead. "ITLA is still here and still here for you and we [will] continue to provide safe spaces that affirm the lives and contributions of Black gays and lesbians because of the perseverance and determination of our outstanding volunteers," said Raymond R. Duke, president, ITLA board of directors, in a prepared statement.

The weekend will once again bring parties with a purpose, celebrity appearances and performances, workshops and seminars intended to inspire participants and health and wellness programs to a community that is quite diverse in its likes and dislikes.

Please continue to Full Story

Small Can Sometimes Mean "Outstanding"

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir
Photographs courtesy National Black Arts Festival and Gudron Stone  

When residents in the greater Atlanta area heard that the annual National Black Arts Festival (NBAF), a summer spectacular of music, lectures, African arts and crafts and films, had been scaled down from its normal 10-day stint to only five days (July 29 - August 2nd), many people wondered if the quality of the Festival would suffer.

 

And to make matters worse, word leaked out that Stephanie Hughley, founding artistic director of the NBAF in 1987 who after serving as vice president of programming for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center before returning to NBAF as its executive director in 1999, would be stepping down prior to the start of the Festival to pursue other opportunities. But with the leadership of the Festival's Board of Directors, a dedicated volunteer pool and a downsized but far from downtrodden staff, the Festival went on this year without a hitch. The Woodruff Arts Center would serve as the primary venue for the Festival's events this year, ending a tradition of having events scattered throughout the City. The rains held up, the weather was superb and many of the featured programs, like the concert that served as a tribute to the late Nina Simone, and the lecture by motivational guru Les Brown, sold out. It all goes to show that bigger does not necessarily mean better. Here are a few highlights from this year's festival including some outstanding photographs obtained through the generosity of Margaret Kargbo (public relations). It should be noted that Neil A. Barclay has been appointed as the new CEO and executive producer for the Festival, replacing the incomparable Hughley. Barclay has agreed to an interview with GBMNews later this year.

Please continue to Full Story

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

In 1963, after years of protests, sit-ins, deferred dreams, lynchings, murders and legal confrontations, 250,000 civil rights supporters gathered in the nation's capitol for one of the largest and most unforgettable political rallies in U.S. history. It would be referred to as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The date was August 28th.

 

It was during the march that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech in which he advocated racial harmony, envisioning a future perhaps not to be enjoyed personally but certainly available to his four children, when all races, particularly blacks and whites who had been in conflict since the days of slavery, could live together in harmony as equals. It was a defining moment for the civil rights movement but more than that it was a day that all Americans, regardless of race, creed or color (today we would add sexual orientation) should never forget.

Ironically, on that same date, August 28th, some 45 years later in Denver, Colorado at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, a U.S. Senator from the state of Illinois, the son of a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya on the continent of Africa, a man referred to and comfortable with being identified as a black man, would accept his party's nomination as its candidate for president of the United States. Little did we know that Barack Obama would sail into the White House and become the first African-American president in this country's history. While King's speech would be heard countless times because of the advent of television cameras and the ability to tape the march, Obama was heard in real time - using satellites, cell phones and the Internet to transport his message of change to almost every hill and valley on the planet. However, in one respect both men demanded the same things despite their coming from two very different generations - jobs and freedom for all Americans. Now, as we try to make sense of powerful banks that have folded, mighty automobile companies that stand on the brink of bankruptcy and an increasing number of able-bodied men and women who for the first time in their lives face an uncertain future without jobs, health insurance and for those who lack faith in the Creator - hope. Indeed, these are certainly the "times that try man's soul."

And yet Dr. King, like President Obama today, must have felt equally as frustrated, even disheartened by the series of events that had taken him from his small church in Montgomery, Alabama to the gleaming steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

For a while, chaos would rule the land marked by the senseless assassinations of Malcolm X, John F. Kennedy, King and then Robert F. Kennedy. Anger would reach epidemic proportions as urban centers from Detroit to Newark exploded in riots. It was a time when many doubted if this country would survive as we were rocked to our very core. And yet somehow we did survive. As Annie would sing in that classic Broadway play, "the sun will come out tomorrow." But the remnants of civil unrest, shattered dreams and the possibility of more destruction in the future, would remain -- "lest we forget." August 28th is a day that we should tell our children and our grandchildren about. Indeed, it is one date that we should always remember, because it was on that day that the unthinkable occurred - not once in America's history but twice. It was a day when the people of this country paused, when hope was reborn and when we dared to dream once more about a future where all of our citizens could exist together in peace.

Theatrical Outfit Opens New Season with Cotton Patch Gospel

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

During the 1990s one of those popular fads that briefly grabbed the public's attention before fading into obscurity was wearing armbands, t-shirts or even placing bumper sticker's on one's car that read "WWJD." But What Would Jesus have Done if his mission had taken place in mid-century American South with Gainesville (Georgia) taking the place of Bethlehem, Valdosta for Nazareth and Atlanta as the fateful Jerusalem?

 

That's the backdrop in Cotton Patch Gospel, one of the all-time favorites currently being performed at Theatrical Outfit, The Balzer Theater at Herren's in Atlanta that continues through August 30th. Based on the book The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John, the play was originally performed as a one-man show by Tom Key, who directs the performance and also serves as the executive artistic director for Theatrical Outfit. Over time the piece has been modified to include more storytellers and been transformed into a musical with bluegrass harmonies and tunes compliments of Harry Chapin who wrote the music and lyrics. In this year's performance a much younger narrator, Daniel Thomas May, replaces Key, assuming a variety of characters including Jesus. And as he leaps from tables, changes accents and vocal intonations, cuts a lively two-step or bursts out in song, May proves that he has taken this fascinating role and truly made it his own.

Please continue to Full Story

Debut collection of short stories focuses on individuals determined to be free

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir

G. Winston James is a Jamaican-born poet, short fiction writer, essayist and editor whose work is well known, both among those within the LGBT and without. He holds a Master of Fine Arts from Brooklyn College, City University of New York (CUNY) and has shared his gift of poetry in numerous anthologies and publications. In addition, he has collaborated with a number of choreographers, sharing his work in public readings here in the United States and abroad.

 

This prolific writer first came to this writer's attention in two ways: with the publication of his first collection of poetry, The Damaged Good: Poems Around Love and through his affiliation with Fire & Ink: A Writers Festival for GLBT People of African Descent, which he co-founded along with Lisa C. Moore and launched in Chicago in 2002. Now with his latest work, Shaming the Devil (Top Pen Press, 2009), James is back with twelve gripping tales about fundamentally flawed human beings who grapple with "violence, oppression, negligence and their own courage to be who they are at whatever the cost." One reviewer and noted playwright, Stanley Bennett Clay, writes that James's book is "a collection of short stories that examine black, predominantly homoerotic experiences with beauty, passion and a boldness that renders it both transcendental and deeply personal." James, a clearly gifted writer and a startling handsome SGL brother, sat down with this writer and talked about his book, the black gay community, sex and the daily challenges that his fellow Jamaicans must face back home because of their sexual orientation.

Please continue to Full Story and Interview

Author writes fiction but couples dealing with HIV/AIDS are a new reality

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

Rodney Lofton, author of the recently released novel No More Tomorrows: Two Lives, Two Stories, One Love (Strebor Books, 2009), says he's doing pretty well these days. "We all have our personal journeys we must go through, but I love the man I see in the mirror."

 

A powerful testimony, considering the fact that after 1993, when he was diagnosed with HIV, he began to face discrimination from those as close to him as his father, often labeled as "dirty" and "unclean." But Lofton, a self-professed gay man with "killer looks" that have often gotten him into all kinds of situations, somehow found the power within to survive low self-esteem, physical and emotional abuse, homophobia, racism, rape and attempted suicide.

Now with his second book doing well in a challenging economy, and a book tour that is garnering him plenty of praise for No More Tomorrows, Lofton appears to be sitting "pretty." But he says he has more important issues to ponder these days and wrote the book not to become rich and famous, but to help other men like him - men who are positive - grapple with the difficulty of finding love and acceptance. No More Tommorows Rodney Lofton

"The story is told from two perspectives - Mark who is HIV-positive and Kevin who is HIV-negative - and traces their relationship from their very first date, their first kiss, the first time they make love, to the last time they are able to say good-bye," Lofton said. "I pose the question to the reader 'what will you do when it is time to say good-bye?' Lofton says he wrote the book because he wanted to explore and illustrate the kinds of trials and tribulations that a "discordant couple" must handle in the course of their relationship. [By definition, a discordant couple is a pair of long-term sexual partners in which one has a sexually-transmitted infection and the other does not. With the onslaught of AIDS, the CDC has developed guidelines for counseling such couples in which the woman is HIV-infected and her husband is HIV-uninfected].

Please continue to Full Story

Faison's 12.6: Blessing or Curse - A Controversial Tale of Debauchery

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

T.D. Faison, is a young, startling attractive man who only wanted one thing - to be a good father to his children. But after years of being stuck in a marriage that as he says was "not made in heaven," his wife filed for divorce with plans to take assume full custody of their daughter. But unlike most fathers, Faison refused to give in, thus becoming entangled in a lengthy and expensive court battle over guardianship of their child. And with his carpet installer salary, he found himself falling behind - unable to pay child support and the escalating court costs.

 

Then, upon the advice of a successful female broker that he had met while installing her carpet, he began to find other ways to make money.

His novel, 12.6: Blessing or Curse (Bagnot Publishing, 2009), chronicles the decisions he made and the steps he took as he entered a strange but exciting new world in order to keep his daughter. Readers should be warned that this book gives uncensored tales of how a man who in contemporary terms might be described as "hung" used his body, first as an exotic dancer, then a gigolo and finally entering the world of prostitution in order to make the money he so desperately needed. "What is unique about my story is that I am challenging the stereotype," he said. "Where most of the stories we hear about today are women doing anything to support their children and fighting for custody … that is my reality. I was struggling to support my children by any means I knew how, while trying to fight within the system for my rights to be a father and have partial custody. Aside from the wild stuff and 'taboo' elements, people are also interested in my story because my experiences as a man fighting for parental rights are unfortunately all too common." In the book, Faison first shares how he realized in high school that he was exceptionally endowed and that it provided him with an inordinate amount of attention - from both his female and male schoolmates. And as he shares, he took full advantage of it. But that was just the beginning.

Intimate Secrets of Men Explored in a "Real Talk" Atmosphere

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir
Photos courtesy of Audphotogirl and JL King
 

One of the most powerful things about live theater is its ability to both inspire and educate. And in the case of the Atlanta world premier of The Penis Monologues: LIVE, which recently opened at Danneman's Coffee House in the city's historic Fourth Ward, the buzz has already begun about this unique production that not only chronicles the secrets about men's relationship with their penises but attempts to empower women so that they can understand the male psyche and make more sound decisions about their relationships.

 

JL King, executive producer/screen writer and party host, Dr. Richard Goodjoin and actor Jason Steed pause during a pre-play reception for Steed.

And what better way to open conversation then through the "mouths" of characters like Good, Big, D***, Alternative, Envy and Wh***-D***? Co-written by JL King and Christopher Beckwith and produced by LFTM Productions, the play opens with a feisty, sensual woman (Vicky James) who is frustrated by her inability to find a man that can be honest about his needs and desires. After sharing some of her more recent disappointments and the anger that seeks to consume her, she turns to six men for advice. Through their lively, hilarious and sometimes earth-shattering revelations, they give her and the listening audience a real education on how men think not with one but with "two heads."

Please continue to Full Story

First time is the charm for playwright Steven Lee

By Sr. Correspondent,  D. Kevin McNeir

It was shortly after joining a writer's workshop out in Los Angeles when Steven Lee, 46, an English teacher by day, began to believe that he had what it takes to make writing plays and short stories more than just a hobby. And with the positive reception of his first written and produced production, Chariot, which recently ended a two-week stint at the legendary Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, he says he feels that the sky is the limit.

 

"I've had a few readings of my work before and delved into writing some comedies, but this is my first dramatic piece and I believe it's a great launching pad to share many of my thoughts with others," Lee said. "I can't tell you how excited this all makes me - seeing others on stage speaking my words for everyone to hear."

The play focuses on the Hill clan, a black family living in the San Fernando Valley, whose proud matriarch, Angela Hill, finds herself in a losing battle to keep her family intact. For Lee, many of the issues are drawn from his own struggles and the challenges that his family faced during his formative years including the need to assimilate, homophobia and America's greatest demon - racism. "When I was younger I thought that my family was the only one dealing with issues of being accepted in society because of our race, sexual orientation and where we lived," he said. "When you're always trying to fit in you sometimes forget who you really are. Before becoming an adult I often felt like I was trying to maneuver through an atmosphere that was confusing and murky - it was certainly an environment that was dominated by denial. But when I shared that microcosm and history of my family with others I found that my story was not unique. Those experiences and the conversations I had after I left the cocoon and entered a world where diversity thrived are the basis for my play."

Please continue to Full Story

Atlanta theatrical co-production stars powerhouses Kenny Leon and Tom Key

By D. Kevin McNeir
Editor, Centre Stage, Theatre, Dance & the Arts
Senior Correspondent, GBMNews

In a reprise of their critically acclaimed 1998 roles as half-brothers, one black and one white, living in 1960s South Africa, actors Kenny Leon (Zachariah) and Tom Key (Morris) recently performed Athol Fugard's Blood Knot: A Play in Seven Scenes at Theatrical Outfit's Balzer Theater at Herren's.

 

The show was co-produced with Leon's True Colors Theatre Company and directed by Susan Booth. The three-week run coincides with the National Black Arts Festival which kicks off its annual run at the end of July. Blood Knot was the play that first earned South African playwright Fugard international acclaim and like most of his works, is a bit too long for most and at times tends to almost become a sermon. However, the premise is simple and it works: two brothers tied by the blood of a black mother but from racially different fathers, try living together in the midst of a destructive community where apartheid is the law of the land.

And like slavery in America, apartheid in South Africa, even when it is abolished, continues to have lingering, toxic effects, impacting both blacks and whites alike. But then, that is the power that racism wields on our world. "At the beginning of the 21st century when we are challenged more than ever to evolve past violence toward global community, Fugard's dramatic revelation of the bonds between us is a work that must be done," Leon said.

Please continue to Full Story

Papa Joe Aviance talks about his music and his dreams

By: D. Kevin McNeir

Shahid Manning is at it again: this time hanging out with Papa Joe Aviance - a recording artist and performer whose newest song "Now!" is on its way to topping the Billboard dance charts.
Manning, the host and senior entertainment correspondent for "Interviewing Hollywood" has been getting rave reviews since airing his first episode here on www.gbmnews.com when he interviewed popular author and playwright Stanley Bennett Clay. This time it's about the music and the "house community" that is unique to the Black SGL community - Aviance embodies both.

 

"I met Papa Joe and told him about the show and immediately knew that he would be perfect for the show," Manning said. "We want to showcase those in Hollywood who are working hard at their craft - both those are struggling to make it as well as those who have established themselves. The objective is to give folks publicity and access to our viewers and at the end of the day we believe we are providing a real service to our community." Aviance's story of how he was discovered is one of those "fairy tales do come true" tales. "I was working at a video store here in Hollywood when international hit DJ Eddie Amador came in to rent a movie," Aviance said. "He asked how I was and I told him I was an Aviance [House of Aviance]. The next thing I knew, he asked if he could record my voice and the rest is what you see before you - I mean, I'm living my dream." Papa Joe has his hands full hoping to best his previous number six spot on the Billboard dance charts with his newest song, "Now!", starting a production company with a webisode called "Rise of a Superstar," launching a new clothing line, and still holding on to his day job.

Please continue to Full Story