_____________________________________________________________________________ JANUARY 18. 2008
JUStfOUtj.7
outstanding
just asking
One Charitable Diva
Just Out went to Q Center's “Building Equality:
Stories of Struggle for Civil Rights" event to ask,
"What historic event has had an impact on you?".
or more than 20 years
F
Maria Council has
been a pillar in
Portland’s queer com
munity. Council, who
wishes to be referred to only as
“Maria,” moved to the Portland
area at the age of 15. She has
been involved with numerous
charitable organizations and has
spent thousands of hours both
promoting and raising money
and awareness. One of Maria’s
most successful endeavors has
been her involvement with the
Imperial Sovereign Rose Court.
In 1990 she became the first
Maria is bringing the one-named diva back.
woman ever to be elected a
Princess of the court, and in October 1993 she
I like to spend my down time being in complete
became the first woman crowned Empress. Maria
peace and quiet wherever I can find it.
now works both domestically and internationally for
the organization. She is on the board of governors for
My proudest moment was being elected the first
the International Court System and has been travel female Empress on the Rose Court in 1993.
ing throughout North America interviewing candi
dates for the court’s annual Jose Honors Awards.
My biggest challenge was being elected on the
Another event Maria has been involved with was
court and convincing people I could play the drag
the well-loved summer festival Peacock in the Park.
queen game.
She has worked with Peacock Productions since the
organization began in 1987. She and Kimberlee Van
A perfect day in Portland would be spent
Patten were in charge of event from 1994 to its finale
having a mellow day with my family, which rarely
in 2004. They are trying to raise enough money to
happens.
bring the popular event back to life and would “love
to host Peacock again if the money is there,” said
My first job was being a Santa’s helper for
Maria. For more information on Peacock in the Park
Cherry Hills Photography in Mall 205.
visit www.peacockinthepark.com.
My vice is 1 am always on the move and not
My name is Maria.
stopping. It can drive my friends crazy.
I am known as a charitable diva.
My cause is to work hard with the Imperial
Sovereign Rose Court and make money for our
community.
I am 43 years old. I feel 21 years old.
My childhood ambition was to be famous in
any way, shape or form.
My first same-sex crush was on a lady whose
kids I used to baby-sit when I was a teenager.
T erry B ean
Activist/Philanthropist
“1 was on the first Gay Games board in 1982. Walking out of the tunnel with
the Oregon flag to 60,000 screaming people at Kezar Stadium was a very
emotional time to me.”
V erne W illson
Activist
“The Walk for Love and Justice from Eugene to Portland in 1992 against
Measure 9. We were educating people that we were human beings, not the
hateful things they were calling us.”
D aniel T orrence
Senior Housing and Retirement Enterprises Board President
“It was when Keith (Moree] and I got married on the Lincoln Memorial steps
at the March on Washington on April 29, 2000, with 3,000 other gay and
lesbian couples.”
D onna R ed W ing
Activist/Advocate/Agitator
“Ballot Measure 9. People of Oregon had a conversation about whether or
not gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people were human or not. That
conversation lasted for 18 months. We organized. People were harassed,
beaten, murdered. Churches were arsoned. It was like being in a war. We
threw everything we had into that fight, and when it was over, we stood at
the same place we began. Our movement was forged in the crucible of Ballot
Measure 9, and everything after that was informed by the ballot measure.”
J o -A nna N akata
Social Justice Activist
My inspiration is the people before me in the
community; the drag queens of the '70s and '80s were
true divas.
“The Democratic Convention in 1968. To me, that was common people
demanding to be heard.”
The last queer or philanthropic event I par
ticipated in was the court’s Prince and Princess
Ball.
K ristan K napp
Longtime Activist
My highest hope for the cause is that the court
will continue to raise money for our community and
our organization becomes stronger and even more
publicly known.
—James Maxwell
“One of the biggest times for me was a woman nominated from a major party
running for [vice president, Geraldine Ferraro in 1984]. As a feminist, I was
looking for reflections of myself in the culture, and I didn’t see them. This year,
as Hillary Clinton is running, I’m reminded of how far we’ve come for equal
rights for women, not that we’re done.”
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