2A. JUStjpUt DECEMBER ¿1. ¿927
Continued from Page 23
A Year in
Organizations
Groups played musical chairs in 2007
Curtain calls keep gaiety in motion
by Jaymee R. Cuti
by Julie Sabatier and Jaymee R. Cuti
asic Rights Oregon’s executive director, John
B
Hummel, made a surprise announcement Dec. 13.
After seven months on the job, he resigned.
BRO spokeswoman Karynn Fish said: “It wasn’t
a gixxl fit for him. He is returning to Denver to be
closer to his family.”
Hummel was known in his hometown of Boise,
Idaho, for helping organize the state’s first gay rights
organization, Your Family Friends and Neighbors. The
group was responsible for Idaho’s first Pride celebra
tion in 1990.
“Everyone says when they leave a job that they want
to spend time with their family, but in this case it’s
actually true,” said Cris Lind, BRO board co-chairman.
“We are going to move very quickly to put an interim
leadership structure in place. We are committed to
naming an interim ED hopefully by Jan. 1.”
n June 11, Portland met Kendall Clawson,
O
Q Center’s first executive director.
Clawson, a consultant and former United Way
executive from Massachusetts, moved to Northeast
Portland to take responsibility for fund-raising
programs, administration and community relations
efforts, supporting the board and shaping the center’s
long-term vision.
“I don’t think it is possible for me to be more excit
ed to work with such a dynamic organization and to
help build more connections between the diverse ele
ments of our LGBTQ community,” Clawson.said in
June.
homas Bruner, former executive director of
T
Cascade AIDS Project, returned to the nonprof
it sector in March when he accepted the chief execu
tive officer position with rhe Oregon Trail Chapter of
the American Red Cross.
It didn’t take long for Bruner to outgrow that role.
In August, he was promoted to regional executive of
the American Red Cross, meaning that in addition to
being the CEO of Portland’s chapter, CEOs from
Salem, Eugene, Medford, Bend and Baker City also
report to him.
his was a year of tremendous change for the Revs.
T
Glenna Shepherd and Kermie Wohlenhaus.
Shepherd resigned as senior pastor for
Metropolitan Community Church of Portland and
left Portland in January to start her new position as
elder (bishop) over Western Europe and Africa.
Her partner, Wohlenhaus, planned to join her in
England until she received a breast cancer diagnosis in
March. She remained in Portland to fight the cancer.
In September, Wohlenhaus joined Shepherd.
Wohlenhaus has received a clean bill of health and is
serving as interim pastor at MCC of North London.
Shepherd spent her first year assisting congrega
tions with transitions and conflict, working with
congregations and clergy who want to be part of MCC
and creating liturgy and music resources.
“1 have worked with our churches in Scotland,
England, Denmark, Germany, France, Nigeria and
South Africa," said Shepherd via e-mail. "We support
an orphanage in Zimbabwe, and spending time with
the staff and children there was a highlight of my
year—our work with these 175 children who’ve been
orphaned because of HIV truly touches my heart.”
Shepherd says she has also worked with new pas
tors in Kenya and Zimbabwe as they affiliate with
MCC. “All over sub-Saharan Africa, our LGBT peo
ple are longing for affirming faith communities! I’ll
travel to Uganda and Nigeria in early 2007 to visit
churches and explore interest there as well," she said.
T
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organization that had been serving people with
AIDS for 17 years. The Friends of People with AIDS
Booty DJ Puppet (bottom) and reveler Wayne Bund
Foundation folded in June because its executive direc
gave the queer dance party a sendoff Sept. 27.
tor, Kevin Friends, retired for health reasons. Leaders
within the organization decided to close the group
because they could not find a replacement for Friends,
whose demanding position was unpaid.
Instead of ending its programs—Tod’s Corner,
Esther’s Pantry and the Kids and Holidays gift-giving
program—Our House of Portland stepped in to take
over every service provided by Friends of People with
AIDS. Allen Brady, director of administrative services
at Our House and co-founder of Friends of People with
AIDS, smoothed the transition.
Meanwhile, Friends continues to rack up good
karma by volunteering for Oregon Greyhound
Silverado patrons will walk to the bar’s new
Association.
location at 318 S.W. Third Ave. on Jan. 1, 2008.
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Portland’s queer history when
Sissyboy took the stage for the last time
Oct. 6 at Holocene.
The punk drag troupe of self
described “gender terrorists” ended three
years of monthly shows with a bang, per
forming a revue, appropriately titled
Sissyboy Goes Away, full of musical num
bers, outrageous costumes and raunchy
humor. At the end, the boys went “full
monty” for the standing-room-only
crowd (except Lee “Splendora” Kyle).
When asked what he learned from
the Sissyboy experience, Kyle said: “I’m
more comfortable with myself as a drag
performer, and I’m more comfortable
with breaking eggs on myself and
shoving things up my ass on stage. We
pushed ourselves as performers, and we
had a really gracious audience.”
Kyle continues to perform with a new
group called the Gender Fluids with
Chad Tolson and former Sissyboy Garrett
“Kaj-anne” Winter. The new venture is
distinct from Sissyboy, incorporating
gender-bending elements but eliminating
some of the gross-out factor that helped
define Sissylxiy.
lso leaving the altema-queer scene
A
was the popular dance night Booty.
After three years in at least as many
venues, Booty walked the plank Sept. 27,
bidding farewell to DJ Puppet, who
relocated to San Francisco in November.
Much of the real estate
in
Portland’s gay district on Stark
Street changed hands this year,
perhaps most notably the Continental
Building, which was once home to the
Club Portland bathhouse and contin
ues to house Silverado. Gerding Edlen
Development acquired the 15,760-
H ollywood A ntiques
PORTLAND'S PREMIER ANTIQUE MALL
EST. 1982
FUNKY & FABULOUS!
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1969 NE 42nd Ave.
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Phone: 503-288-1051
E-mail: hollywoodantique@comcast.net
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