auQusl 2 .2ÛÛ2 • J n t M t ] 13
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erhaps you noticed them floating by
anywhere you are. I went to the market one day
in this year’s Portland Pride Parade.
with my friend who was a little fern, and every
Men dressed as colorful butterflies
body was throwing tomatoes at him— and me,
moving to a Latin beat beside others
because 1 was with him. And you think, ‘I don't
wearing tall lion masks decorated
want to be like him, because that is going to
with feathers and mirrors and some with rumba
happen to me.’ ”
silk shirts waving flags from Latin American
Candela came to Portland 14 years ago;
countries.
needless
to say, it was a big change. He is lucky
Poder Latino de Oregon quickly makes its presence known
They are one of the state’s newest and
to have found acceptance in his family here and
by Kim Stephenson
fastest-growing queer groups, Poder Latino de
in the white world, but he still faces hostility
Oregon, a social and educational organization
from his larger culture.
that is an outgrowth of Cascade AIDS Project.
“When I came here 14 years ago my aunt
Willamette Week certainly noticed them: They
asked me if I was gay, and I answered, ‘A little
won first prize in the Pride float contest!
bit,’ ” Candela says. “And she
Their organization to pull together such an
said: ‘No, you don’t have
imaginative and beautiful float is even more
to hide here. We hear
impressive considering Poder Latino de Oregon
some things about
" l think one o f the
only has been around for one year. Salvador
you, and it’s OK to
main reasons I am in
Candela began the group as part of his position
be gay here.’
at CAP, where he does HIV prevention out
“So that was a
the United States is
reach to Latino men who have sex with men.
big step for me, to
“It is unusual to be out in the Latino com
because I am gay. It is
have my family
munity,” he says. “ But last year we were a
recognize I was
hard to say am g a y '
group of about 25, and now we have about 50
gay and accept it.
people! O f course, it took some effort and
Here,
I am accept
in M exico."
calls to get people interested, to make the
ed by the Anglo
— Salvador Candela
meetings less boring. We have snacks and
community and my
drinks, and we try to be open and social, not
family, but if I try to fit
like a m eeting.”
in with the larger Latino
Candela says he tries to keep the group’s
community here as a gay man it
activities closely tied to Latino culture and roots.
would be hard. ” j n
Besides creating fabulous parade floats, they also
celebrate the Day of the Dead in October.
P oder L atino de O regon meets from 6:30 to
Poder Latino de Oregon won the Willamette Week float contest during Portland Pride 2002
Candela tries to create a safe place for every
8:30 p.m. every other Thursday at Outside In,
body because he knows Portland has a big pop
“ I think one of the main reasons I am in the
Mexico I never said to anybody that I was gay.
1132 S.W. 13th Ave. The next meeting is Aug. 8.
ulation of Latino men who have sex with men
United States is because I am gay,” says C an
“My friends were gay and a little feminine,
For more information call 503-806-6416 or
but who do not identify as gay or hi. And the
dela, who believes religion plays a big part in and other men would throw things in their face,
503-871-7146.
reason they have difficulty feeling good about
Latino homophobia. "It is hard to say ‘I am
whatever they had on hand. They called you
being queer is as tangible as a tomato in the face.
gay’ in Mexico. In my small hometown in names— awful names— right on the street or K im S tephenson is a Portland free-lance writer.
P roud L ions
and B utterflies
P
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