October 15 . 2 QQ 4 * J lI S t O U t 9
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C ontinued from P age 7
If elected, Adams would be Portland’s first
openly gay commissioner. He says there is “a
lot of work left to do” for the sexual minorities
community.
“There is a lot that can be accomplished
when we have openly gay member of City
C ouncil,” he told Just Out. “Not only will it
give you a vote [but also] you will have a bully
pulpit to raise these issues and lobby state
government.”
Adams says his top priorities regarding queer
rights include “prohibiting discrimination based
on gender identity in the city’s contracting sys
tem” and “recognizing gay marriages or civil
unions recorded here in the U .S. or abroad as
eligible for domestic partner benefits.”
He will also continue to push forward the
creation of a queer community center.
“I’ve been at this for one year, full time, and
the response from queer community has been
fantastic,” he said of his campaign. “If elected,
I’m going to work hard to pursue my vision of
equality for all, regardless of sexual orientation
or gender identity.”
W o r k sh o ps fo r
HIV+
J ob S eekers
ascade A ID S Project is offering a free
workshop series for people with HIV who
want to return to work.
Positive Work Search classes take place
from 11 a.m. to noon Mondays through
Nov. 15 in Suite 300 at 620 S.W. Fifth Ave.
Lunch will be served.
Organized by Lynn Wiles, coordinator of
C A P ’s Working Choices program, the work
shop schedule is:
• To Disclose or N ot to Disclose: T h at Is
the Question (O ct. 1 8 ): Americans with Dis
abilities A ct specialist Denise Speilman talks
about discussing your health status with an
employer and asking for reasonable accommo
dations on the job.
• Benefits Planning (O ct. 2 5 ): Certified
benefits planner Doug Zeh discusses Social
Security disability benefits, how to calculate
your benefits against your earned income, the
trial work period, the “ticket to work” and
extended medical and prescription coverage.
• Vocational Rehabilitation Services
(Nov. 1): Counselor Connie Foster talks about
resources available to individuals with 1IIV and
other disabilities, including on-the-job train
ing, asking for an accommodation and worksite
modification.
• Family Leave Medical A ct (Nov. 8 ):
Helen Russon, a Bureau of Libor and Industries
attorney, tells you what you need to know
about this important act.
• Ask the Hiring D irector (Nov. 1 5 ): Jeff
Pearl, human resources director for Washing
ton Mutual Bank, talks about what employers
look for in a job candidate and in an employ
ee, and how they view issues around disclosure.
C
A F resh F a ce a t P o r t la n d
G a y M e n ’ s C h o r u s
ortland native and seasoned arts administrator
Tomi Douglas has taken the helm as executive
director of the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus.
T he 30-year-old straight woman brings a
fresh perspective to the 25-year-old queer group.
“Not only does [TomiJ bring a wealth of expe
rience to the job, but her already established net
work in the Port land-
area performing arts
community will be a
great asset to the cho-
rus,” P G M C artistic
director Bob Mensel
told Just Out. “I look for
ward to lively discus
sions about P G M C ’s
future
direction— a
future that will be great Homegrown girl
ly enhanced by her sense Tomi Douglas is the
of innovation and her new head honcho at
vision for implementing the Portland Gay
our combined missions M en’s Chorus
of musical excellence and social justice.”
Douglas returns to Portland after three years
away. She spent one year as the marketing direc
tor for San Diego Repertory Theater and then
traveled to New York City, where she worked
most recently as executive director of the New
York Gay M en’s Chonis.
With a degree in marketing and in theater,
Douglas’ credentials also include three years as the
marketing manager at Portland Center Stage. She
is thrilled about her new place of work.
“I think it’s fantastic,” she told Just Out.
“There’s a ton of stability in the organiza
tion ... we’re one o f the permanent players.”
Douglas and Mensel are the only paid staff at
PGMC. Douglas commends the organization for
its dedicated volunteer base and hoard of directors.
“This organization has really reached out to
community,” she said. “We don’t have a large
budget [so the] volunteers and board take on a
lot of responsibility.”
PGM C is one of a handful of gay men’s cho
ruses nationwide that are celebrating a quarter-
century of existence. Now that being a queer
chorus is not such a novelty as it was in the
1980s, Douglas says many are facing a similar
question: How do you produce gixxl art that
doesn’t rest on being queer?
She hopes her experience in regional theater
and in New York will be an asset to the organi
zation. “Once you’ve produced an event at
Carnegie Hall,” she says, Keller Auditorium
seems like a piece o f cake.
“I can challenge myself and the organization
to think in different ways,” she says. “I bring a
broader arts perspective.”
Douglas is kxiking forward to the first PGM C
event of the season, Adults Only Cabaret. This
“annual evening of bad taste” takes place 8 p.m.
Oct. 16 at Reed College’s Kaul Auditorium,
3203 S.E. WcxxlstiKk Blvd.
P
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Fm tickets call 503-226-2588 <rr visit
www.fxlxgmc.org.
To register contact Lynn Wiles at 503-223-5907,
ext. 217, or luiles@ cascadeaids.org.
In Celebration of its Sweet 16 Birthday. The
LaurelThirst Public House will be holding a
Fundraiser and Silent Auction with benefits
going to Project Quest, a community health center
which serves many people with chronic and life
threatening illnesses. Silent Auction from 7 -1 0 :3 0
PM. Sliding scale cover $ 3 .0 0 and up starts at
9:00PM . Entertainment features Andi Starr and
The Henrys from 9 :30-midnight.
Project Quest Website: projectquest.org
C on tin u ed on P age 11
W hen you buy or sell a home with me, you'll know your dollars
are helping support a greater cause. I contribute at least 10% of
my earnings to community and environmental organizations.
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