September 19, 2014
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ANO INDEPENDENTU VOICE FOR THE TLESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES September 19, 2014 | Volume XII, Issue 9 Erasing Hate Through Art BY STEVE CHARING The exhibit is in tandem with a limited In an effort to bring awareness to hate engagement of The Laramie Project, a crimes in general and LGBT victims in par- play that is about the reaction to the 1998 ticular, a powerful art exhibit called “Erase murder of University of Wyoming gay stu- Hate Through Art” opened on September dent Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo- 14 at the Columbia Art Center (6100 Fore- ming. The murder was denounced as a land Garth, Columbia, Maryland), in the hate crime and brought attention to the Long Reach Village Community Center. lack of hate crimes laws in various states, Around 50 people attended the official including Wyoming. opening, which took place at a mini-out- Grant Myers, Robert Neal Marshall, Ed door amphitheater just outside the center Higgins, and Melissa Wengler comprise where the works of art are displayed. Local the team that is organizing the exhibit and drag performer Anita Minett emceed the the companion performances of The Lara- ceremonies and entertained the audience. mie Project. Myers was inspired by find- Jeff Greenberg, one Others read poetry, sang songs, or related ing out that a person his daughter knew, of the exhibitors, their experiences of being bullied or be- a 14-year-old boy, committed suicide be- stands by his works ing victims of hate and how these events cause he was bullied for being gay. credit: Steve Charing changed their lives. —continued on p. 3 Mayor’s Aide to Receive Black Pride Award BY STEVE CHARING who cannot be heard. There are many icons Service Award); Mr. Vann Millhouse, Mary- The Center for Black Equity Baltimore an- in the community; some prefer to quietly pull land / D.C. Black Transmen (Community nounced that Demetrius Mallisham, an aide the strings behind the scenes in our favor, Service Award); Mr. Kurt Ragin, Star Track to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, will and others enjoy the adulation bestowed Health Educator (Youth Community Service be the recipient of the Chairman’s Award. upon them for their work. Demetrius, as he Award); and Ms. Falina Laron, facilitator of Among his other duties, Mallisham is the would have it, prefers to work loudly behind AIDS Action Baltimore Ladies TEA Time LGBT liaison to the mayor’s office. the scenes bringing our concerns to the front (Community Service Award). “Demetrius is an activist, a fighter, and of the line.” “This is our version of the NAACP Im- a champion in the community who dares to Mallisham is appreciative of the award age Awards with a little glitz and glamour care for us all by giving his unconditional and credits the mayor for his ability to be for many of community members and allies love to many in the community,” Carlton an effective LGBT liaison. “I am extremely in Baltimore area,” said Smith of the Icons Smith, executive director of the Center for honored to be recognized by my peers and awards. “We celebrate these individuals for Black Equity Baltimore, told Baltimore OUT- to represent Mayor Stephanie Rawlings- their accomplishments in the African Ameri- loud. Blake,” Mallisham told Baltimore OUTloud. can LGBTQ community. We embrace and In nominating Mallisham for the award “Working for Madame Mayor is a blessing celebrate the love for one another at this Corey Waller wrote, “The characteristics that I don’t take for granted. She makes my special event.” that Demetrius possess are unique to say job easy by being a true ally to the LGBTQ The awards for Mallisham and the Icon the least, but what makes him ideal and suc- community. She gets it and she supports us.” winners will be presented at the Grown & cessful in this role is his uncanny approach- In addition, the following will be receiv- Sexy Cultural Affair on October 11 from 7 ability… Demetrius’s obligation to the LGBT ing the 2014 Icons of the Year Awards: Rev. to 11p.m. at the Metropolitan Community community as a public servant is merely a Dorothy Harris Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church of Baltimore (401 West Monument fraction of the requirement of himself to re- Church of Columbia (Social Justice Commu- Street in Baltimore). Delegate Mary Wash- Demetrius Mallisham ington will be the guest speaker. t credit: Mark Dennis ring main a strong and energetic voice for those nity Service Award and Justice Community —continued on page 10 NEWS // LOCAL Summit Addresses LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care BY JAMES BECKER In his welcoming remarks, Judge Carr bisexual or questioning and 5.6% as trans- In recognition of the special needs of les- said that the summit had been in the planning gender. LGBTQ foster youth had six times bian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and ques- stages for months and was not a response to the number of foster placements than non- tioning youth growing up in foster care, the the study released last month by the Youth gay youth and are more likely to be in group Maryland judiciary held its first Child Welfare Equality Alliance on the state of LGBTQ youth homes than straight youth. Mallon said that Summit for LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care last in Maryland. That report (Bbaltimoreoutloud. he is strongly opposed to group homes for Friday at the Maritime Institute and Confer- com/lgbtq-news/maryland/item/2753-mary- LGBTQ youth because they require and de- ence Center in Linthicum. The serve loving families like all youth do. Strik- all-day summit, “Identifying, ingly, a high percentage of homeless LGBTQ Supporting, And Meeting The youth said they felt safer on the streets than Needs Of LGBTQ Youth,” was in group homes – echoing the finding in the sponsored by the Administra- Youth Equality Alliance that 70% of youth tive Office of the Court, Foster said they were victims of physical violence Care Court Improvement Proj- while in a foster care group home. Mallon ect (FCCIP), in collaboration quoted one youth as saying, “At least people with the Maryland Department on the street cared about me.” of Human Resources, the Na- In order to make a difference for sexual tional Resource Center (NRC) minority youth in foster care, Mallon was on Legal and Judicial Issues, emphatic that training was not enough. He the National Resource Center urged decision-makers to take a comprehen- for Youth Development, and sive look at policies and identify the requisite Free State Legal Project, a changes to improve the system. Once poli- statewide legal advocacy non- cies are changed they must be implemented profit organization that serves in practice. The final steps involve training low income LGBTQ individuals and supervision of frontline staff. He said and families. that child welfare professionals and the legal Nearly 200 participants T racy Watkins-Tribbit addresses the summit system must recognize that some youth are from 22 of Maryland’s 23 coun- credit: Maryland Judiciary out as LGBTQ and some are not, and that ties and Baltimore City heard it is important to create places that are af- presentations by experts on firming and safe for all youth. He suggested LGBTQ youth in the child-welfare system land-lgbt-youth-at-risk-says-report), using something as simple as placing supportive and attended work sessions organized by national studies, estimates that, across the books where youth will be able to see them jurisdiction to develop action plans to be im- U.S. one-third of LGBTQ youth never finish as a way to show support and openness. He plemented locally. The summit ended with a high school, three out of four experience prej- urged those in attendance not to be afraid panel of three gay or bisexual African-Ameri- udicial treatment by foster-care service pro- to say the words lesbian, gay, bisexual, and can young men discussing their experiences viders because of their sexual orientation or transgender as they are powerful. He said growing up in foster care. gender identity, and as many as 70% allege that people should not tolerate or excuse In announcing the summit, thought to be they were victims of physical violence in fos- anti-LGBTQ policies, practices, or staff, and the first of its kind in the country, Maryland ter care group homes. The report states that emphasized that as professional, many of Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen LGBTQ youth are 40% more likely to be ar- whom worked for government or the courts, Barbera said, “Maryland’s courts are dedi- rested, and physical safety is a critical prob- they must use best practices for LGBTQ cated to providing, for everyone, full, fair, and lem for LGBTQ youth in juvenile facilities. youth, regardless of their personal or reli- equitable access to justice. We therefore are The summit keynote was delivered by gious beliefs. very interested in finding ways to eliminate Gerald P. Mallon, executive director of the Following Mallon’s keynote address, par- the challenges these young people may face National Center for Child Welfare Excel- ticipants attended presentations geared to as they interact with the courts and the fos- lence at Hunter College in New York City. their respective professional disciplines: ju- ter care and juvenile justice systems. This Mallon has a doctorate in social welfare dicial officers, attorneys, social workers, and summit brings us together to identify the and has been a child welfare practitioner caregivers. Next representatives from each challenges and explore specific and realistic and researcher for 39 years. He conducted jurisdiction held two sessions to develop an ways to address them.” pioneering research on LGBTQ youth for his implementation strategy.