September 1, 2017 | Volume XV, Issue 9 Pride 2018 King and Queen Inaugurated Queen Bleu and King Jay BY BILL REDMOND-PALMER have a love for my city and er the races – monarchs of Royalty doesn't get more prideful than this! community, and I hope be- As US and different Pride 2018 The pageants to select Baltimore's new coming Queen of Pride will genres of King and Queen of Pride 2018 took place be the gateway to make that prez riles, our commu- August 4th at the Nest at the Baltimore Ea- happen." nity together; gle. Jewel-studded, 24k-gold diadems now "I've been performing will queer to be a gate- grace (at least metaphorically) the heads in burlesque for about five way where Utkarsh of Chris Jay – King of Pride for Baltimore years and this is my first drag Baltimoreans we can all Rajawat Pride 2018 – and Sapphire Bleu, the new pageant," said King Jay. "I turn to come togeth- (Berowne), Queen. The new regents spoke to Balti- wanted to bring something er instead of Flynne more OUTloud about their coming reign. to the stage that people had monarchy? tearing each Harne "I began performing in 2012, including not seen before, drawing other apart." serving as Miss Gay Baltimore America in on my burlesque experience, to just see "I just want kings 2015, and had just returned to drag after what would happen. I didn't know if people to have more visibili- some time off," said Queen Bleu. "While would like it because it was different, but it ty," said Jay. "I want to I was gone I noticed that the community seems to have worked!" have fun and do some is divided. I felt like it was time for some- "The most important thing I want to service for my commu- one to step up and work to bring it back achieve as Queen," said Bleu, "is to nity here in Baltimore." together. I'm no messiah, but I work to bring togeth- "I've served our —continued on page 5 BY FRANKIE KuJAWA Ella Fitzgerald once Anthony Blake Clark Brings said, “Music is the uni- versal language … it brings people closer to- Conductor and composer gether.” No one is more a New Song to Baltimore Anthony Blake fluent in that language Clark tapped to things so I wouldn’t limit my- Fresh energy was three and I would stand in than Baltimore Choral Arts head Baltimore self or feel limited to small- front of the TV and conduct the Society’s newly named mu- Choral Arts town Texas. It was a great and vision score.” sical director Anthony Blake place to grow up, and is great Clark thought for a while Clark. A conductor and com- to go back and visit.” at Baltimore that he would be a concert pia- poser who’s led choral and Clark’s exuberance and Choral Arts nist and then thought he would orchestral ensembles in the in a small passion for music is obvious eventually go to New York City US and Europe, Clark is the farming within the first few minutes of chatting with to compose full-time. “It was in college that third musical director in Bal- town. Most him. As long as he could remember he al- I realized that this conducting thing may timore Choral Arts’ 51-year of the peo- ways was connected with music. “It went work for me.” He went on to describe the history. The Texan-native re- ple around in cycles for me,” Clark explained. “I don’t realization of his ability to understand mu- cently chatted with Baltimore town sup- really remember this, but my parents told sic on a different level. “I understood larg- OUTloud about his passion for ported the farming in- me that one time when I was sick, they er musical concepts that are required. You music, his new position, and his dustry. I stuck out like a sore thumb.” bought me the old Cecil B. DeMille film, have to think in large-scale constructs and vision for infusing Baltimore communities Clark laughed before adding, “But I had The Ten Commandments. It has the Elmer have some sort of leadership dynamic to with music. great teachers and it was a great place to Bernstein score. I apparently would break convince people the way you want a piece “I grew up in a very small Texas town,” grow up. I had great parents, and teach- apart pant hangers and I would use that performed. I found that I really had a pas- Clark began. “I was the ‘token piano boy’ ers, who thrusted me to go out and do big as a baton and conduct,” Clark laughed. “I —continued on page 31 if you have hiv, Co-Publishers Jim Becker • Jim Williams [email protected] Executive Editor Jim Becker [email protected] we have your back. [email protected] Associate Editor & Director of Marketing & Production Mary Taylor [email protected] Arts and Entertainment Editor Frankie Kujawa exceptional hiv treatment [email protected] Leather Editor Rodney Burger (90% of our patients with HIV have suppressed viral [email protected] Restaurant Critic loads; 72% have undetectable viral loads) Richard Finger Contributing Writers for Baltimore OUTloud Ava Barron-Shasho • Janan Broadbent, Ph. D. Josh Buchbinder • Anthony Calo • Lee Carpenter Jeffrey Clagett • Wayne Curtis • Lynda Dee Woody Derricks • Deborah J. Draisin • Chuck Duncan get into care within 5 days Richard Finger • Joe Garvey • John Redmond-Palmer Rev. David D. Harris • Dr. Eva Hersh • Cheryl A. Jones Esq. Mark S. King • Brother Merrick Moses • Harvey O Frankie Kujawa • Sage Piper • David Placher Megan Sandwick • Mark Segal • Gregg Shapiro support with all aspects of care - David Sugar • Bill Redmond-Palmer • David Egan Elyse Buchbinder • Dr. Loren Olson Alex “Bear” Conley • Ryan M. Clark Contributing Writers for OUT in the VALLEY insurance, medicine, & more Laura Anderson • Debbie Anne • Rev. Kelly Crenshaw Rev. Dr. Robert Apgar-Taylor • Brian George Hose E. A. Perper •Elizabeth Thompson Contributing Writers OUT in Asbury Park, NJ PrEP & PEP prescriptions for partners Rai Guerra-Nelson • Christy Girlington Graphics Ramon Montiel Cartoonist locations near you Bruce Garrett Photographer Bruce Garrett Web Editor Anja Saine [email protected] National Advertising Rep Rivendell Media 908-232-2021 Founders Jim Becker • Joe Berg • Mike Chase • Lee Mooney (1959-2007) • Jim Williams Baltimore OUTloud PO Box 4887 Baltimore, MD 21211 410-802-1310 Baltimoreoutloud.com Additional Information Baltimore OUTloud is published every other Friday by Pride Media, Ltd. in Baltimore, Maryland. Readers comments and unsolicited materials are welcomed and may be sent to: [email protected]. All materials appearing in this newspaper are the property of Pride Media, Ltd. and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the editor. The opinions expressed in Baltimore OUTloud are solely those of the writers unless otherwise indicated and do not necessarily reflect the views of Pride Media, Ltd., and the staff. © 2017 – All rights reserved Chair of the Board of Trustees – Jim Becker President – Jim Williams Secretary and Treasurer – Mike Chase 2 t BALTIMORE OUTLOUD september 1, 2017 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM NEWS // LOCAL GLSEN Statewide Youth Summit at Towson University, Sept. 23rd A fundraiser at Chipotle and a statewide All gay-straight alliance members, youth summit are on the agenda for the LGBTQ youth leaders, and high school ● Elder Law newly renamed GLSEN Maryland (Gay, aged youth and allies across the state are ● Estate Planning Lesbian, Straight Education Network – invited to the summit. Maryland). GLSEN Maryland will expand Guest speakers, educational work- ● Family Law its programs and outreach to serve all 24 shops, food, networking, and fun will make ● Guardianship counties and school districts in the state. up the day. LGBTQ community leaders ● Mediation On Tuesday, Septem- ber 5th from 3 to 8 pm, ● Medicaid Planning & Qualification the Back to Safe Schools ● Personal Injury Chipotle Fundraiser will support GLSEN Maryland. ● Probate Make dinner a selfless act ● Veteran's Benefits by digging in at the Chipo- ● LGBTQIA Matters tle Mexican Grill at 6314 York Road in Baltimore. Call ERA Law Group Today See the even flyer at Bit. (410) 919-1790, or visit us at ly/2vCbkGz. Bring the fly- er, show it on your smartphone, or tell the and organizers will share their stories, 1997 Annapolis Exchange Pkwy, cashier you’re supporting the cause to and workshops on LGBTQ history, activ- Suite 300, Annapolis, MD 21401 make sure that 50 percent of the proceeds ism, religion, bisexuality, gender identity, will be donated to GLSEN Maryland. You strengthening a GSA, voguing and more Valerie E. Anias, Esq. must choose the pay-in-store option. Pur- are on tap. Dinner will be served on cam- chases of gift cards during the fundraiser pus, followed by a dance. [email protected] don’t count towards donated sales, but Parking is free in the Union Garage purchases made with an existing gift card on the Towson University Campus. To use will count. public transit, use MTA’s Trip Planner at On Saturday, September 23rd from 11 https://mta.maryland.gov. Towson Uni- am to 9 pm GLSEN Maryland will host Re- versity is accessible by the CityLink RED sist: Youth Summit 2017, a free, day-long Line. GLSEN Maryland will also be offer- leadership and advocacy conference for ing free buses to and from the event from LGBTQ youth and allies in Maryland. It’s select parts of the state. More info will be set for the University Union at Towson Uni- available soon at Bit.ly/2xG6b1x. versity (281 University Avenue, Towson). For tickets, visit Resistsummit. The Youth Summit is GLSEN Maryland’s eventbrite.com.