(Elje Jînrtlanh (Observer Page A6 March 12. 2003 B e a u ty continued sonal questions about sexuality, relationships, coming-out experi ences, HIV and other topics fans are eager to get his input on. "I get all these people telling me, ‘I want to be like you,’” he said. “ It’s great to be a role model, but it was nothing I ever meant to be. At first I was scared, but it made me realize I had better be able to live what I’m talking.” Cook said his most important m entoring engagem ent is with W om en's Intercommunity AIDS Resource, a northeast Portland group that provides services for women with AIDS and their fami lies. Each year the group sponsors Camp Starlight, a week long sum mer camp for children aged five through 17 who are infected with AIDS or have been affected by AIDS. Forthe past two years. Cook has acted as a volunteer counselor at the camp. “ I know it sounds so Miss America, but it totally changed my from Front life,” he said. “Going to camp with these kids really puts the whole world in perspective - and we have fun, too. It’s not like we sit around andsay, ’So,yourmother’sill,huh?’ and stuff like that. No, we have a blast!” Camp Starlight brought Cook some personal introspection. The realization came when Cook saw a 10-year-old boy with AIDS take 10 pills as big as thumb nails before breakfast. Cook said if that little boy could choke down those pills each day without complain ing, he figured he should be able to better maintain a positive outlook on life. “ If that little boy can deal with this disease,” Cook said. “ I should be able to deal with my ex-boy friend being ajerk .” After that defining moment. Cook vowed to quit worrying about nega tive things. He took stock o f the good things in his life and elimi nated the bad things, like recre ational drugs and drinking too much. photos bv W endy Now every time he makes a deci sion, Cook stops and asks if he would be embarrassed if a camper or their parents saw him. ££^04 Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health A program of the African American Health Coalition. Inc. Sponsored by the COC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Wellness Within REACH: Mind. Body, and Soul Activity Calendar M on Matt Diskaaa 77 NE Gott Tues W ed Fri T h u rs Sat Strength Training Strength Training 8 -9 » and 2 3 » 8 -9 » and 2 - 3 » 8 - 9 » and 2 - 3 » 103)0-11:00» Brown Brown Brown Addo Strength Training African Dance Chicago Step 63)0-73)0» Kendrick Salvation Aray Saba 6:30 7 :30 » Water Aerobes Water Aerobics 5325NWiSun. In n 3/3/13 2:00 3:00pm 2 3 )0 -3 3 )0 » S b D » A S tf M m a H.unplun Hatgbnd Natire's 3535NE15ÜL • In®. Toga O'Reorke Bod; Conditioning 7 :3 0 -8 3 0 » 7:45-8:45» 9 3 0 -1 0 3 0 » (bgms 3/27/03) i’ ickírwR OBoerke Penda P ut • Walking Groep Walking Gronp 700NPartW 63)0-7310» 1230» Nickerson Nickerson (Meet inside Ihr Ue;d Center m Iront of Sears ) Malan Avene Oraba Onth (Cm) 126ICAkrta fefcU Dried OnddCbitf «35 I t Nt Ave. Aerobes Aerobes Aerobes 6 30-7:30» 6 3 0 -7 3 0 » 6 3 0 -7 3 0 » mcnmon Nxiersoo N U .m r.aw . Aerobes Aerobes Aerobes Aerobes 6310 700am 63)0-700» 6:00-7:00» 6:00-700» Pierce l eher Pierce Keller D yer /T he P ortland O bserver Dressed to the nines as "Poison Waters" in a sparkling dress with a neck o f rhinestones, Kevin Cook shakes hands with an audience member. Cook tries to acknowledge all of his fans and runs a website where they can ask him for personal advice. “ Must be 21 or older to participate Please check with AAHC before showing up to the first class 503-413-1850. Please receive approval from your doctor before beginning exercise class All classes are free o f chargel African American Health Coalition, Inc. 2800 N. Vancouver A ve , Suite 100 • Portland, OR 97227 • Phone 503-413-1850 E-mail kdempsey@aahc-portland org • Web www aahc-portland.org Camp Starlight also caused him to slow down and spend some time thinking about where he came from and who he wanted to be. Cook w as born near Santa Monica, Calif, to an African Ameri can father and a Mexican-Indian mother. He said the family moved from "a multicultural middle-class melting pot o f everything” to outer northeast Portland when he was 11. He and his sister were usually the only African Americans in his classes at Parkrose. In high school, he excelled aca demically, socially and in extracur ricular activities like band, choir and orchestra. But Cook said he always felt like there was some th in g d iffe re n t ________ about him. He had ■ crushes on girls * fresh air. His family and friends accepted his sexuality without is sue. “I hear these terrible stories from kids about their parents disowning them,” Cook said. “I never had to deal with that. To this day my mom still comes to my shows. Nobody ever had a problem with me, I had a problem with myself.” Strangely enough. Cook fixed that problem and found comfort with his identity by putting on a dress. There w asjust something about the glitter and the glamour o f drag that drew him in — the rhinestone sparkles, the dresses with feathers, the high-heeled shoes and the able to appreciate the beauty.” On another night, Cook raised his hand when an African Ameri can drag queen by the name o f Rosey Waters asked the audience if anyone would like to learn the ropes o f becoming a drag queen performer. “1 wanted big hair and big jew elry,” he said. “I wanted everyone to love me.” Rosey took him aside and they made a plan. They spent a Saturday afternoon putting on make-up. He said Rosey would draw a line down the middle o f his face, apply one side o f pancake foundation, eye shadow, lipstick and rouge and he would try to recreate the look on ___________ th e o th e r sid e. Then they would wash it offand start and went to the all over again. The drag com prom three times but said he never r munity took Cook had romantic incli in with open arms. nations tow ards Other drag queens women. lent him old shoes, “ T h ese d ay s c lo th in g an d gay is e v e ry feather boas and w h e re ,” C o o k Poison Marie Wa said. “But at the ters was born. time I thought I The transition was the only one. was all very natu I thought that no ral for Cook, who one else could be -K evin Cook, ** PolsonWaters” In Portland'sdragcommunlty said he never had h av in g th e se ___________ an y d iffic u lty thoughts and feel wearing pounds o f ings like mine. I had no direction Colgate smiles spoke to him. m akeupor walking in 6-inch heels, and no role m odels.” Cook began envision him self in What he had a problem with was Lost and alone, when Cook a dress when he saw his first group stereotypes left over from 70s and turned 18 he looked to Portland’s o f African American female imper 80s era drag culture that sometimes under 2 1 gay community for help. sonators perform at City Night Club. paint an inaccurate picture that all He found it at City Night Club, a “The other drag queens repulsed drag queens are sassy sisters with nowclosed 18-and-older music and and disgusted me,’’Cook said. “But spitfire tongues. performance venue. It was there these ladies really knew what they “ 1 don’t understand why people that Cook realized he w asn’t the were doing. I was blown away - have to say, ‘Hey, bitch,’ when only one, and once he stepped out they looked like real women. I think they really ju st want to say, ‘Hi, o f the closet, it was like a breath o f it took seeing someone like me to be how are you?” ’ Cook said. As Poison, Cook prefers to take K r la L a c h e r the ‘h i’ road and be nice to every A ssociate B roker one and assume everybody will be nice in return, regardless ofhis race, Direct Line (503) 497-5420 sexual orientation or the sequins E-mail: kria@windeTmcre.com h e’s wearing. Business (503) 286-5477 “ I d o n ’t go around thinking, ‘I Fax(503) 220-5788 • Cell (971) 506-HOME w ant to find the racism h ere ,’ or, C e llu la r (971) 506-H O M E ‘I w ant to find the hom ophobia W in d e rm e re /C ro n ln $ Caplan here, ’” Cook said. “I think, ‘ I want Realty Group, Inc. to find the beauty in this - or the 8315 N. Denver Ave., Portland, OR 97217 p o sitiv ity .’” I hear these terrible stories from kids about their parents disowning them. I never had to deal with that. To this day my mom still comes to my shows. Nobody ever had a problem with me, I had a problem with myself. Wiodcrmcro Free H IV Testing in NE Portland Tuesday and Thursday Evenings 5 : 0 0 - 8 : 0 0 p.m. (last check in a t 7:30 p.m.) NE Health Center M IX J r . Blvd. And NE Killingsworth (Enter in re ar door near Emerson, go to 2nd flo o r) Se habla espartol los Martes For more information on HIV and tasting Call the Oregon AIDS Hotline 1 -8 0 0 -7 7 7 -AIDS ▲ Multnomah County Health Department « Summit Construction Présents Join Us! A s w e honor those who have given of th em selves to the N o r t h /N o r t h e a s t Portland Area. T ickets are a vail able by callin g The Salvation Army at (5 0 3 ) 4 9 3 -3 9 2 6 Tuesday,Marchl8th6.iWpm 2003 C om m unity P rid e A w a rd Honoree»: B e r n ie & B o b b ie D o r a e F o s te r , A s s is t a n t C h ie f D e r r ic k F o x w o r th , D e b b ie H ill, T im K e n n e d y , J o e M c F e r r in , a n d B is h o p A d o lp h A. W e lls M o o re S tr e e t C o m m u n ity C e n te r 6 3 3 5 N W illia m s A v e n u e