Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 16, 2008)
MAY 16,2006 northwest Former Aspiring Politician Turns Anti-Gay Activist Once she was a frontrunner Republican can didate for the Oregon House of Representatives. Now she’s a self-described “wall design diva.” But one thing hasn’t changed for Suzanne Gal lagher—-she’s still a staunch equality opponent holding forth from her little comer of Tigard. As the names of churches, busi nesses and indi viduals associated with Concerned Or egonians’ efforts to re peal the Oregon Equality Act and the Oregon Family Fairness Act have begun to emerge, a number of interest ing names—former political candidates, Republican party leaders, prominent business owners, artists, philanthro pists and at least one Catholic priest—have surfaced. When reached by Just Out this month, the onetime aspiring state rep turned designer sounded rattled by the phone call. When informed that her name had been disclosed as a member of Concerned Oregonians’ petition distribu tors list, Gallagher responded initially that she was not involved in the effort “at this time.” But when pressed, she added, “There’s nothing to talk about until we have petitions.” It seems that after her public defeat in 2004 by Democrat Larry Galizio—who is running for re election against Tigard Republican Tony Marino, a voice-over artist—Gallagher retreated to her family’s 4,500- square-foot estate on Bull Mountain, then re-emerged in recent years as an interior design consultant specializing in “art and fabulous art framing design.” In a 2007 interview in The Tigard Times highlighting her new ca reer, Gallagher posed this question of herself: “Why do we display art at all?” she asked. “It feeds the soul.... It can remind us of the places we’ve been, the great times we’ve had.” Gallagher refused to further discuss her in volvement with Con cerned Oregonians, but had this to say: Ooh-la-loser: Gay-hating “I’m in the public eye Gallagher gets fabulous because I’ve published with Concerned a book. It’s called The Oregonians. Experience the Rewards of being a Foster Parent! Fine Art of Wall Design,” which her Web site de scribes as a guidebook for “how to create PIZZAZ [sic] and ‘Ooh la la’ in your interior spaces!” Gallagher added: “You can interview me about my book and my fabulous designs. You can read all of the articles on my Web site. Check out my Web site and call me back. Buh-bye.” Opportunity in Crisis for SMYRC A $2 million budgetary shortfall that left state and county officials scrambling in recent weeks to bail out Oregon’s largest mental health care pro vider might leave a queer youth organization with a new opportunity. Cascadia Behavioral Development fell into crisis mode last month when its bank, Capital Pa cific, froze its account because of a defaulted $2 million debt. The Sexual Minority Youth Resource Cen ter, not its own 501 (c)3, resides under Cascadia’s nonprofit status. SMYRC controls its own budget and is responsible for its own fund raising, but contract money from Multnomah County is fun- neled through Cascadia. Cascadia also provides SMYRC’s administrative support and human re sources. Five SMYRC staff members are actually employees of Cascadia. For now, SMYRC program director Jonathan Weedman says, “The finger is off the trigger.” Multnomah County and the state of Oregon entered into an intergovernmental agreement May 6 to stabilize services to Cascadia’s clients. The state and county will loan Cascadia $2.5 million to operate through June while transition plans are finalized. This leaves SMYRC with the decision to continue operating under Cascadia, find another parent nonprofit agency—Janis Youth Program, Outside In and Q Center have offered to help—or become its own entity. “We have some time to figure out what the best thing is,” said Weedman, who raised the issue at a SMYRC youth steering committee meeting earlier this month. “I can engage the youth and community in that conversation.” Multnomah County Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey, a loyal SMYRC supporter, con tinues to be involved with its possible transition. “SMYRC is going to be fine, I promise you that,” she said. -Pride Unites Partners at Mixer With Pride season upon us, and the many preparations that accompany it, it’s possible for the community to feel as though it’s operating in a vacuum. Pride Northwest recognized this frenzied state leading up to the big event and is holding a mixer to meet and greet board members and partners from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 31 at Q Center, 69 S. E. 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