fabruary 4 .2000 » Jn a t m
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asten your seat belts, boys and girls,
we’re going for a ride! Pride Northwest
Inc., the force behind Portland’s pride
parade and festival, has traded in its
polyester for a sassy new look.
An estimated 40 energetic people showed up
at Portland State University for a recent Pride
Northwest volunteer meeting— a marked jump
from the seven individuals who attended the
group’s community meeting in October. It’s also
an improvement over the traditionally dismal
number of volunteers who get involved this
early in the game. (Pride is slated for June 17
and 18.)
Much of the burgeoning interest can be
linked to Rose Empress XXXVIII Misha Rock-
afeller, who has, through her charitable works
and fund-raising activities, influence and loyal
friends in the community.
Just O ut spoke recently with Misha at
Boxxes, a gay nightclub on Portland’s bustling
Southwest Stark Street, where she has played
Cupid every Tuesday night since 1994 in
Misha’s “Make-A-Date” show.
Clad in hiking boots and green khakis, she
led a reporter from the Brig bar, through the
labyrinth of hallways and rooms that connect
Boxxes, Fish Grotto Seafood Restaurant and
Panorama, to a dressing room where she talked
about pride 2000, giving to the community and,
well, herself.
F
hile running an electric razor around her
face, Misha says, “Pride is an expression
of our talents, of who we are as people, and that
hasn’t been done.”
Essentially what Pride Northwest does, she
adds, is “throw a party for 50,000 of our closest
friends.”
As the newly appointed chair of the group’s
entertainment committee, Misha replaces Janna
MacAuslan, who chaired the committee for
eight years. Misha also serves as Pride North
west’s board secretary.
“I thought there was a real need for me to be
there,” she says o f the totally volunteer-
driven organization. “I felt we were 20 to 25
years behind. We could do a lot better.”
Misha’s experience in grass-roots politics has
given her the training to solve problems and
pull resources together. She has promoted envi
ronmental causes and once served as a field
manager for Greenpeace.
She sits in front of the mirror, bare-chested,
with numerous items from her makeup kit
spread out in front of her.
“We are planning some incredible entertain
ment for Pride 2000,” Misha says. “We want
folks to leave pride this year saying, ‘How
incredible was that? I never had so much fun!’ ”
She adds: “This is a crucial changing point
W
P arty G irl
Rose Empress XXXV III Misha strives
to pump new vigor into Portland's
pride parade and festival b y t . k . M an tese
for pride. It should have happened a long, long
time ago.”
<,rl ' h e entertainment committee is huge,”
Jl says Christopher Webster, board chair
man o f Pride Northwest. Indeed, the committee
is at capacity— 24 folks— quite a difference from
the usual two or three.
And major changes are in the works for this
year’s pride celebration, whose proposed theme
is “In Your Face: Celebrating Queer Art and
Culture.”
The parade route, which normally begins at
the North Park Blocks, will be reversed to start
at the South Park Blocks— city approval pend
ing. The parade will wind its way through down
town and pass not only the Stark Street clubs,
but the Old Town establishments as well.
Pride Northwest has applied for an expanded
permit that would double the festival space at
Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park. A second
stage, tentatively called the “rally stage” for pub
lic forums and scheduled speakers, would be set
up in the southern half of the area, where non
profit groups’ booths would be located as well.
Aesthetic improvements are also in store.
For instance, lighting and set decorations on the
main stage are to be enhanced. Additionally,
increased access from backstage will speed up set
changes, eliminating down time and moving
the show along faster.
Saturday night, after the Dyke March, a
dance party will be hosted by five disc jockeys
from clubs around the city. Following the parade
on Sunday, a 20-minute production number will
open the festivities.
“We’ve got some surprises for people,” Misha
divulges.
Several entertainment acts have been
retained, including the Mamba Queens and an
African American feminist hip-hop artist. Pro
duction numbers and entertainers will engage
the crowd throughout the day. And, Misha says
convincingly, “I am determined we are going to
have a headliner.”
With the city’s approval, a community mural
will be installed along the sea wall. Fitting in
with the theme “Celebrating Queer Art and
Culture,” each panel will be designed and creat
ed by various community businesses and organi
zations. Panels will be auctioned, raising money
for Pride Northwest and providing purchasers
with a piece of art and history to take home.
s Misha finishes applying the preliminary
layers of foundation on her face, her hair
dresser, Scott Alexander, appears with his latest
creation: a blond wig with wisps of red, the idea
apparently stolen from their “mom,” Rose
Empress XXV Champagne.
A
Alexander is Mr. Gay Pride 1999-2000. He
calls Misha “Dragula” and shows off the wig.
They inspect and admire it— the wig is quite
striking. Then Chris, Misha’s “crush,” steps in to
join the banter. He leaves and momentarily
returns with what looks like a 30-pound dumb
bell in one hand and flexes his bicep, teasing
Misha: “This is what you need.”
Michael Kennedy, Misha’s alter ego, attend
ed the University of Oregon, where he was a
member of the student senate and threw javelin
on the track and field team. (“Something
about a big, long stick ...” Misha quips.)
Kennedy says he was outed on the
cover of the school newspaper after a
debate with well-known writer Ken
Kesey— and before he had even had a
sexual experience with a man or been to
a gay bar. A member of a fraternity,
Kennedy returned to the frat house,
where the brothers were less than
amused and his girlfriend slapped him
across the face.
W ithin a week he moved into a
gay co-op house, and on Halloween—
after blurting, “Are you insane? No
way in hell are you getting me into a
dress!”— he appeared in drag for the first time.
Misha finishes applying her makeup, trans
forming her face from that of an earthy, mascu
line Pacific Northwestemer into the seductive
look of a temptress to be reckoned with. She
glues on the wig, looks adoringly at herself in the
mirror and bitchily says, “Don’t hate me if I’m
beautiful— and if you do, fuck off!”
While Misha dresses backstage, about 40
people relax in the Boxxes lounge, where black
lights make the white shirts glow. Music plays
from a fine stereo system until several small and
big screen televisions around the room broad
cast a W ill & G race episode.
W hen Misha appears, she is stunning,
adorned in a short black-and-silver beaded dress
and black four-inch spike heels. She mingles
and jokes with the crowd, which now numbers
60, and plays matchmaker for a group that is a
bit shy this early in the evening.
“Walk around with a hard-on,” Misha advis
es the crowd. “T hat always gets their attention.”
Misha, 33, says she is ready to settle down
and notes the irony in the fact that she hasn’t
benefited from her amatory enterprise.
“Misha needs a man," she said while apply
ing her makeup earlier. “I’m ready for a husband.
It’s not fair to keep all this fun and excitement
to myself.”
m ore inform ation, call PRIDE NO RTH W EST
at (503) 295-9788.
To find out m ore about MiSHA’S “M ake -A-
D ate ,” check out u>uw. them akeadate .com .
■
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