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Queers saddle up for
equestrian event
The Gay and Lesbian Equestrian Playday
and Camp-Out will be held May 20 to 22 at
Goose Lake Ranch in Bend, Ore. For the past
three years, Steve Jones and C. Ray Gould have
held the event on their 40-acre ranch. The first
year, 20 people attended. Last year, more than
200 people attended from Oregon, California,
Hawaii, Idaho and Washington. The weekend
costs $45 and includes campsite, horse space,
events, meals and live entertainment. The
Deschutes County Coalition for Human Dig
nity will be assisting with the meals, to raise
money for the group. Horses will be available
for rental for $30 a half day. Registration dead
line is May 1. For more information, call Jones
or Gould at (503) 388-3680, or write 24166
Dodds Road, Bend, OR 97701.
Dark has served as the executive assistant for Equal
Opportunity Programs to the president of the Uni
versity of South Carolina. He was also a research
fellow at the university. He has also served as the
executive director of the National Institute Against
Prejudice and Violence and as director of the Coun
cil on Human Rights in Virginia.
“(Dark’s] professional experience.. .will en
hance our advocacy efforts and help us achieve
the league’s mission of providing an equal op
portunity to all Oregonians," said Gina Wood,
chair of the Urban League board of directors.
Dark also serves on the advisory board for
the American Red Cross Holocaust War Vic
tims Tracing and Information Center. He is a
certified trainer and instructor in African Ameri
can and general HIV/AIDS education.
Tukufu left the league to accept a position at
Lorain County Community College outside
Cleveland, Ohio.
Urban League begins
OCA measures pass in four
group for sexual minority
local municipalities
Measures sponsored by the Oregon Citizens youth
Alliance passed in three cities and one county in
the March 22 mail-in ballot election.
Marion County voters passed, by 61 percent,
a measure that would deny civil rights protec
tions for sexual minorities. In Albany, the mea
sure passed by 59 percent, in Junction City, by
57 percent, and in Turner, by 79 percent.
This brings to 20 the number of local
governments in Oregon that have passed mea
sures that ban equal rights for sexual minori
ties. The results come just as the campaign
against a statewide OCA-sponsored measure,
slated for the November ballot, swings into
full stride.
Julie Davis, executive director of Support
Our Communities PAC, which is leading the
campaign against the OCA measures,
downplayed the impact of the latest results.
“I still feel confident that when it is given to
the full light of the statewide campaign, we will
be victorious,” Davis said. She pointed out that
where larger numbers of voters turn out for local
elections on OC A-initiatives, a smaller percent
age vote in favor of them.
Because of House Bill 3500, the results of
these latest measures probably will not hold up
in court. The bill makes it illegal to implement
the results of local ordinances regarding sexual
minorities.
All four of the local governments passed
Ballot Measure 9 in 1992. In Marion County,
voters narrowly passed the measure with 51
percent of the vote. The recent local measures
passed by a larger percentage in all four places.
Similar measures are slated for May ballots
in Oakridgc, Vencta, Cottage Grove, Roseburg
and Gresham.
Urban League names
new director
Lawence J. Dark has been named the new
president and executive officer of the Urban
League of Port 1 and. He replaces Darryl Tukufu,
who left the Urban League in October 1993.
cwr i
The Urban League of Portland is beginning
a drop-in support group for sexual minority
youth of color—the first such group in the
Portland area.
The group, called Rainbow, was organized
by Urban League counselor Shala Moaydci.
While three other groups meet some needs of
sexual minority youth, Moaydci wants Rain
bow to meet the specific needs of gay, lesbian
and bisexual youth of color.
Moaydci said she visited existing groups,
such as Windfire and VOICES, before starting
Rainbow. “I didn’t see any youth of color (in
those groups], and I knew they had to go some
where. Hopefully, they will feel safe enough to
come here,” she said.
While all queer youth face difficulties, queer
youth of color have the added challenge of
dealing with racism, Moaydei said. They also
might experience cultural isolation because of
their sexuality.
One study reported that 32 percent of Afri
can American lesbians and 36 percent of Afri
can American gay men commit suicide. For
European Americans, figures showed that 21
percent of lesbians and 27 percent of gay men
commit suicide.
Rainbow will serve youth aged 12 to 19 of all
ethnic backgrounds. Moaydei said she is doing
outreach through the schools, including Jefferson
and Grant high schools. In addition, an outreach
speaker has been hired to encourage youth to
make use of the program.
Multnomah County has awarded Rainbow a
$2,(XX) grant that will fund the program for 90
days. The money will also go toward education
workshops for human resources professionals.
Moaydei said she is hoping to receive more
grant money from the state once the program is
in place.
Rainbow meetings are held at the Urban
League of Portland at 10N Russell Ave., Tues
days from 6 pm to 9 pm. For more information,
call 280-2600.
Compiled by Pamela Lyons
^Lo/miLa/tcL 3* daA & eA A '
LOCATED IN HISTORIC ST. JOHNS
PROUE >LY SERVING THE GREATER PORTLAND AREA
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8302 N. Lombard • 286-1330
GO BANSHEE
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BANSHEE
DESIGNS
WM
Beautiful batiked and
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in sizes up to 8XL by
artist Bridget Benton
FOR A FREE CATALOG
AND LIST OF STORES
THAT CARRY
BANSHEE DESIGNS,
CALL 23&-6890 IN
PORTLAND OR WRITE
2715 SE MADISON
PORTLAND, OR 97214
GREECE
RT AIR - 3 nts Athens - 4 day
classical tour by motor coach with
Greek guide - tour includes Naf-
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to Athens for 2 ngts - one day
3-island cruise - one night stopover
in Copenhagen. Includes daily full
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museums, all taxes and service
charges. From $1698 ppdo.
I have Just returned from this i
wonderful country. Call me for
details and brochure - Wayne
“ANGELS
IN
AMERICA”
Special theatre package includes
RT air to New York, 3 nights
Milford Plaza Hotel - tickets to Sat. I
performances of Angels (Millen-1
nium Approaches and Perestroika) I
- taxes and service charges. Departí
Thursday and return Sunday. Any I
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$789 ppdo. Extra hotel nights at I
$85 ppdo and we can add other!
plays too.
FRENCH GERMAN JAPANESE
SPEAKING AGENTS
“WHAT ONE DOESN’T KNOW
THE OTHER ONE DOES’’
PARKING VALIDATED
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A H aven B y
T he S ea
#
Six spacious oceanfront units on a
bluff above the beach, with easy
beach access. The hot tub in the
yard overlooks the surf and miles
of sandy walking beach. Join us for
a beautiful and restful stay.
Gift Certificates available.
Your hosts,
M arilee Haase & Sandy Pfaff
LINCOLN CITY
( 503 ) 994-5007
TRAVEL SERVICE
jib
ex
One SW Columbia, Suite 1010
Portland, OR 97258
<503) 227-3639
FAX (503) 227-0602
1-800-248-0624