APRIL ft 2W JUStjOUt 21
While some programming was enjoyed by the
community before a location was secured, Q Center
came into its own after opening its doors at 69 S.E.
Taylor St. in March 2006. The 1,627-square-foot roll
out site has been a safe and welcoming community
gathering place for queer programs, events,wneetings
and resources ever since. The center operates with
drop-in hours Sunday through Wednesday, with
plans to expand these hours in 2007. On average,
more than 15 groups and organizations have used the
space on a monthly basis. With the help of Gene de
Haan, the center’s first coordinator, Q Center used
its inaugural year to build strong relationships with
more than 40 community organizations, engage
more than 100 volunteers and link new donors and
media to the queer community. If you somehow
missed the myriad programs and events or the first
anniversary celebration and open house April 2,
then read on to find out about all the excitement
surrounding Portland’s emerging community center.
What I k Queer Art?
second Tuesdays. For more information call
503-234-7837 or e-mail info@pdxqcenter.org.
We Are Pamily
Families have always come in all kinds. Queer
families live in cities all over the country raising
beautiful kids and building strong communities.
Q Center supports Portland’s queer families by
providing them space to gather and connect. On
first Sundays, Q Center hosts Family Playdate,
where parents can bring their kids to enjoy crafts,
music, toy stations, face painting, food and more.
The second Sunday of each month, Parenting and
Pregnant Lesbians of Portland gather at Q Center,
and a Daddies and Papas Potluck is held on third
Saturdays.
According to interim coordinator Tim Healea,
the signature families program is Spooktacular,
an annual Halloween party. “The Halloween
pumpkin carving/contest party had a great
response,” he says. “It is hosted by Darcelle and
Poison Waters, and we have carving, crafts and
music.” According to Healea, Mayor Tom Potter
has attended Sptxiktacular both years with his
daughter, her partner and their children.
Healea looks forward to future families pro
gramming, including a family Pride barbecue and
a second college scholarship night. He hopes to
bring in more speakers on family issues such as
being a trans parent, adoption and strategies for
communicating with schools about queer families.
Continued on Page 22
Board members LeAnn Locher and Bob Speltz
bond at a board retreat on Sauvie Island.
Former Q Center coordinator Gene de Haan
(left) and core volunteer Boots Davis attend
a queer art event.
MARTY DAVIS
Q Center launched its arts and culture program
ming with the event “What Is Queer Art” in April
2006. According to Paul Fukui, chairman of the
arts and culture committee, the question posed to
the community was about the nature and qualities
of queer art. “Is queer art by queer artists, for a queer
audience, about queer issues?” Fukui asks. “Can it
also be art created by a queer artist that has noth
ing to do with queer issues?” He says the committee
continues to ask these questions as it moves forward
with programming.
According to Fukui, the most consistent and vis
ible event to date has been the revolving monthly
exhibition of community artists. These exhibitions
present both amateur and professional artists as well
as collectives such as QuArt. Past shows have includ
ed Love and the Anatomical Heart and Historic Images
of Our Portland. The April show, Corpo e Anima, is
a series of photographs of baroque architecture and
the human figure by Italian artist Antimo Cimino.
Q Center holds opening receptions for its monthly
shows every first Friday. Other arts and culture pro
grams include a writing group and slam poetry group.
“We have been open a year, and now we’re
waiting for the community to show up,” says Fukui.
“We’re looking forward to greater involvement
with the queer arts community.. .a symbiosis where
the community gives to the center and the center
to the community.”
Fukui argues that the visibility Q Center offers
also makes Portland’s queer community safer. “On
volunteer appreciation night, the mayor and his
daughter and her partner came. It is much less accept
able to assault me if I’m standing next to the mayor—
personally, organizationally and culturally,” he says.
For himself, Fukui began volunteering with
Q Center to get to know more people. “I’m an
introvert and have to force myself out to get to
know the community. So that’s what’s in it for me,
and I get to make a contribution to making a
stronger community by giving what 1 know how to
give,” says Fukui, who is also an artist.
The arts and culture programming committee
holds an open planning meeting at 6:45 p.m. on
In its early days, Q Center operated out of former interim
executive director Susan Remmers' home office.
From left, Gene de Haan informally meets with current and former board
members Tim Healea, Juan Martinez and Nicole Browning at Bakery Bar.
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Ryan Crowley surveys Pride 2005 attendees
on behalf of Q Center about Mayor Tom
Potter's Vision PDX project.