Download Current Issue
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Buttigieg Tapped to Become First Openly Gay Person Confirmed to Cabinet Role A Zoom of A Year PrideSource.com DECEMBER 24, 2020 | VOL. 2852 | FREE 2 BTL | December 24, 2020 www.PrideSource.com NEWS 4 Communication in the Era of COVID-19 VOL. 2852 • DECEMBER 24, 2020 How LGBTQ Community Orgs Adapted Services in Physical Isolation ISSUE 1164 6 A Look Back on 2020 PRIDE SOURCE MEDIA GROUP 8 HTJ Retrospecitive: A Cold As Hell Interview Phone 734.293.7200 PUBLISHERS 12 Buttigieg Tapped to Become First Openly Susan Horowitz & Jan Stevenson Gay Person Confirmed to Cabinet Role EDITORIAL 14 Mombian: 2020 LGBTQ Parenting Year in Review Editor in Chief Susan Horowitz, 734.293.7200 [email protected] OPINION 16 Entertainment Editor 10 Parting Glances Chris Azzopardi, 734.293.7200 [email protected] 10 Viewpoint: Michelle E. Brown News & Feature Editor 10 Creep of the Week: Donald Trump Eve Kucharski, 734.293.7200 [email protected] News & Feature Writers ENTERTAINMENT Michelle Brown, Ellen Knoppow, Jason A. Michael, 16 Dolly Parton on the Other Pandemic Cure (Rhinestones!) and Her Gay Dance Drew Howard, Jonathan Thurston Album CREATIVE Webmaster & MIS Director 20 Deep Inside Hollywood Kevin Bryant, [email protected] 14 21 Q Puzzle: The Queen’s Gambit Columnists Charles Alexander, Michelle E. Brown, 22 Michigan Community Resources Mikey Rox, D’Anne Witkowski, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, Dana Rudolph Cartoonists Paul Berg Contributing Photographers Andrew Potter, Andrew Cohen, Roxanne Frith, Tih Penfil ADVERTISING & SALES Director of Sales Jan Stevenson, 734.293.7200 [email protected] 4 - 7 COVER STORY Sales Representatives 12 Ann Cox, 734.293.7200 [email protected] National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863 MEMBER OF Michigan Press Assoication Online @ Pridesource.com National LGBT Media Association National Gay & Lesbian Chamber Here are some of our latest online-only pieces: Q Syndicate Plymouth-Canton Schools Approve Inclusive Bathroom-Usage Policy By Jason A. Michael “Between The Lines Newspaper” Pay Attention, Be Astonished and ‘Read This for Inspiration’: Ashly Perez Talks Creativity During 2020 Follow us @YourBTL By Eve Kucharski Email your op–eds to Jody LaMacchia Elected Chair of Oakland County Democratic Party [email protected] By Ellen Shanna Knoppow Sign up online to receive our E–Digest Bhutan Lawmakers Vote to Decriminalize Homosexuality Our rate cards are available online. All material appearing in Between The By Michael Lavers Lines is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Between The Lines is supported by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility Jody LaMacchia. for claims made by our advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or their agents. Copyright 2020 www.PrideSource.com BTL | December 24, 2020 3 Cover Story Communication in the Era of COVID-19 How LGBTQ Community Orgs Adapted Services in Physical Isolation BY EVE KUCHARSKI along with working in a virtual world. Our staff the challenge of providing services for our meetings were usually heavy brainstorming movement — the pandemic was no exception. SAGE Metro Detroit — Angie s 2020 winds down, conducting sessions when hosted in-person, so it took some 2020 saw some of the most programming we’ve Perone, Executive Director meetings via Zoom or phone calls adapting for us to become used to things like had in recent years, and we were able to reach seems like an average day of work slight audio delays and other Zoom-related an even broader audience with technology A 1. When did you learn that your office would be for many Michiganders. But back in March issues. eliminating some barriers to access. when the first stay-at-home order was put in switching to primarily/partially remote work? place by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer because of 4. What’s something that’s been made easier 3. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had SAGE Metro Detroit is unique in that the novel coronavirus pandemic, the 70-day or better, if anything, by shifting to this kind of because of telecommunications work? we operate more like a virtual community long period was a time of intense adaptation work? The biggest challenge LGBT Detroit faced center. Before COVID-19, we already had an and uncertainty. Considering how prevalent Again, I would say that going virtual has was the understanding of how to respond to infrastructure in which our team all worked video and teleconferencing has become, it provided many more folks the accessibility to a new type of emergency. Adapting to change remotely. COVID, however, drastically changed wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that Zoom — our services at Affirmations. is hard ... especially during the beginning of a how we engaged the LGBTQ older adults we and its counterparts — has both kept up the world crisis. LGBT+ people know this. We’ve serve. workplace status quo in some respects and 5. Do you feel that you’ll continue using Zoom or been through this before. Also, learning new ushered in a new age of working from home as related services even after the pandemic? programs that enable us to work effectively and 2. How did that switch impact the services you the standard. Between The Lines reached out to We foresee a hybrid format going forward to communicate efficiently was the primary provide? Did it result in fewer or adapted in- several of Southeast Michigan’s biggest LGBTQ once we are able to reopen the building. concerning issue this spring season. Lastly, person offerings? organizations to get a sense of how Zoom has locating unrestricted funding to purchase SAGE Metro Detroit engages in advocacy, altered their standard workdays. Affirmations is an LGBTQ community center enough mobile technology within a short direct services, trainings and information based in Ferndale. Learn more about its offerings period of time was an incredibly stressful dissemination directly in the community. The at goaffirmations.org. occasion. COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted much of that. We already had a robust telephone Affirmations — Kyle Taylor, 4. What’s something that’s been made easier matching program that was designed to provide Development and Community or better, if anything, by shifting to this kind of social support between LGBTQ older adults LGBT Detroit — Curtis work? and volunteer callers — many of whom are also Relations Manager Lipscomb, Executive Director The easiest part about the shift to this work is older adults. COVID-19, however, increased the that many of our donors and friends understood demand for this program by 70% and doubled 1. When did you learn that your office would be immediately how difficult this could be for the duration of calls as participants’ needs grew 1. When did you learn that your office would be switching to primarily/partially remote work? us. Because of the support of persons that and became more complex. As the demand for We made the decision to start working switching to primarily/partially remote work? understood what it meant to stay connected our services grew, we adapted our services to remotely once the first lockdown occurred On March 6, LGBT Detroit was initially to the community and [that] to deliver services provide food delivery, tablets and tech support, back in early March as a safety precaution for aware of a national scare that caught our is [very] important to us made the stress more and virtual programming. We also transitioned our staff members. attention located in Northwest America. That bearable. Also, the good news is that we were to virtual trainings and created an interactive date was the beginning of an awarenesses able to leverage resources and tools to be able resource website to accompany our Rainbow 2. How did that switch impact the services you to switch from a primary to a partial work to make the shift. It was necessary for us to Resource Guide. provide? Did it result in fewer or adapted in- environment. My staff was gravely concerned, communicate to the world how we were going and I immediately authorized permission to 3. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had person offerings? to effectively deliver programs and services. leave the premises. It wasn’t until my birthday because of telecommunications work? Our staff had to work round-the-clock to on March 23 that there was a formal decision 5. Do you feel that you’ll continue using Zoom or The biggest challenge has been the inability help implement our services from in-person for LGBT Detroit staff to begin to work from to connect in-person to our community. to virtual. This included our many support related services even after the pandemic? home. Interestingly enough, our increased virtual and discussion groups, youth programs and LGBT Detroit will continue to use Zoom and programming has increased our outreach counseling services. The Lettuce Help Food other popular social media communication 2. How did that switch impact the services you and the number of people we serve. However, Program was established when many of our platforms. We have established practices that provide? Did it result in fewer or adapted in- the digital divide that exists for many of the funders wanted to switch gears to assist with have been successful within the year and will communities we serve has posed new challenges emergency services. You could say that there’s person offerings? continue to use them. With the evolution we’ve to ensure we reach the diverse LGBTQ aging been a silver lining with our programming The switch from working onsite to undergone this year, we’re excited for both the community that we serve. going virtual, since, before, folks could only remotely was incredibly overwhelming and expansion in programs as well as the integration impactful.