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Community
Lesbian/Gay Conference Rolls Out Welcome Mat In Helms' Home State
by Matt Montgomery
The oldest regional gay and lesbian conference in the nation,
the Southeastern Conference for Lesbians and Gay Men,
declares that in 1990 it is "working to strengthen our
Southeastern communities". In keeping with that theme, the
Conference is wo r king its way right into Jesse Helms' home
state; its 15th annual session will be hosted by Raleigh, North
Carolina March 22-25.
The Conference was last held in North Carolina in 1985; it
returns during the year of Helms' attempt to gain reelection to
U.S. Senate and emerging organized opposition to that cam
paign.
Willie Pilkington, co-chair of the event, told the Front Page,
"the only story the community at large knows about us is what is
being spoken by people who hate us. They accuse us of being a
wasted people, of not doing anything good for the communi
ties. . .It's our job to prove them wrong."
Raleigh Co-sponsors the Quilt
Pilkington and his co-workers have done a good job of that
already. Opening the conference on Thursday, March 22 is a
candlelight vigil on downtown's Fayetteville Street mall. After
the vigil, the NAMES Project/AIDS Memorial Quilt Display
will open with a reading of the names by local dignitaries. The
display—which will run throughout the conference—is co-spon
sored by the Raleigh City Council and open to the public. The
council gave $3,000 to support the Quilt's exhibition.
The Wake County Health Department also donated $3,000 to
the project and City leaders will welcome conference attendees
to Raleigh at the opening reception on Thursday night.
The Sodomy TVack
"The most dangerous thing that faces our community, now
and in the future are oppressive sodomy laws," said Pilkington.
Thus, sodomy law repeal efforts will be the primary topic at
the Conference. Activists, legal professionals and educators will
discuss "crimes of nature" laws in the Southeast.
Panels will analyze these laws from religious perspectives as
well as analyzing how some states have successfully fought
against this oppression.
"If we can get rid of these laws, our generation will have
made a major advancement for lesbians and gay men,"
Pilkington added.
Activists and Authors to Speak
Major speakers who featured at the Conference include a
legal activist, an author, a policeman and an educator.
Co-chair of the National Association of Lesbian and Gay
Lawyers, Abbey Rubenfeld, will reveal her legal plan to repeal
the sodomy laws that plague the South. Rubenfeld, who resides
in Tennessee, is a practicing attorney and the former Legal
Director of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Friday afternoon, Allen Berube will talk about his book,
"the only story the community at large knows
about us is what is being spoken by people who
hate us. They accuse us of being a wasted peo
ple, of not doing anything good for the commu
nities.. .It's our job to prove them wrong."
Coming Out Under Fire, to be released in April. In writing his
book, Berube researched accounts of lesbians and gay men in the
military during World War I and n.
Ambrose Sims, an openly gay police officer in Miami, "who
also happens to be black," will be the 11AM speaker on
Saturday. Sims is working to reverse the damage done during
the Anita Bryant crusade against homosexuals in Florida. He
will explain how to build grassroots community action.
The director of the Harvey Milk High School in New York
City, Joyce Hunter, will discuss the development of successful
youth programs at a Saturday afternoon session.
More Than Politics
The 1990 Conference promises more than political and per
sonal education. The event will feature major film showings as
well as comedy and music.
On Friday and Saturday, a community stage will highlight
regional acts from Conference attendees. They include magi
cians, poets, vocalists, two-steppers and dance teams.
Gay and lesbian non-pomo flicks not often seen at main
stream theatres will hit the screen on both afternoons of the festi
val.
There will be four headline acts. Friday evening. The
Washington Sisters with Melanie Monsue will use their soulful
combinations of voice and guitar to entertain music lovers. Their
music is a blend of jazz, swing, reggae and calypso.
Tracy Drach of Drach N 1 Droll will perform her "female
blues". Her performances have been praised as having "honest
witty lyrics, pretty melodies and the feeling of satisfaction that
comes from seeing a big league talent in an intimate setting".
Saturday evening performances headline Joe Bracco, a gay
vocalist who mixes satirical humor into his music. Following the
music of Bracco is Lynn LavnerJfe Advocate said of Lavner,
".. .no other lesbian songwriter is so appealing to both gay men
and lesbians".
Consumer Culture and Workshops Galore
Opening at 8 AM each day, a marketplace will offer vendors
from across the nation the opportunity to show and sell their
goods and services.
Workshops, of course, make up the bulk of the schedule.
These sessions provide the opportunity to discuss and learn
about important issues in all aspects of our lives. In addition to
the sodomy track sessions, there will be discussion on AIDS,
business, personal development, developing community
resources, religion and sexuality. Even gays and the military
will be covered.
For Information
Full conference tickets arc $80 in advance and $100 at the
door. Lodging, meals and transportation are available at reduced
rates. To contact the conference organizers, call (919) 833-1209
or write SECLGM 1990, Post Office Box 28863, Raleigh, North
Carolina 27611-8863.
The Radisson Hotel where the Conference will be held offers
reduced room rates and van service from the airport. Call (800)
333-3333 or (919) 834-9900 for reservation information.
The official conference airlines, American, provides round-
trip service at reduced rates also. For specifics, call (800) 433
1790 and mention the STAR FILE #SO230GC.
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Obituary
Randall Willis
July 10,1954-Feb. 8,1990
Actor-Singer-Dancer
Randall once wrote "Live in and for the
moment, for the moment is soon gone," and
so it was for him.
He knew how to be a nice person and
could make friends with anyone. He made
time to be interested in people, and always
embraced the outstretched hand. With a scin
tillating wit, an arresting originality, a talent
for entertaining that amounted to genius, and
humility poured literally like rain.
He will miss us and we him.
Memorial Service Saturday, March 3, 2
PM, 1109 Monroe Drive, Atlanta, GA. For
his friends and loved ones.
Address
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S/Southern Voice • March 1,1990