No. 518 • December 11, 2014 • outwordmagazine.com oh happy holidays! The Do’s and Don’ts of Decorating page 9 The 12 DVDs of Christmas Gift Ideas page 14 start on page 17 COLOR Announcements and resources. Your Holiday Tree Can Individuals interested in joining the Board Benefit the Sac LGBT Center of Directors should call Clarmundo Sullivan Your holiday tree purchase at Billy’s Farm at 916-427-4653. can benefit the Sacramento LGBT Community Center! Offering certified organic Christmas trees, Come to Oak Park for a Billy’s Farm will donate $6.50 from every Family Christmas tree purchase when you write-in Bring the kids on Saturday, December 20 “Sacramento LGBT Community Center” on a from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to meet Santa and get form downloaded from Billy’s Farm’s Web their picture taken with him. site, www.billysfarm.com. There will be presents for kids, free BBQ, Billy’s Farm features choose-and-cut trees hot dogs, chips, drinks, face-painting, and priced at $6.50 per foot and has pre-cut, balloons. naturally grown firs starting at $25. For the adults, bring a toy and enjoy the Billy’s Farm is located at 8430 Dillard fun. There will also be tours of the Road in Wilton and is open Friday, Saturday remodeled clinic including the new mural, and Sunday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more and sign ups for free clinics that are offered. information, visit www.billysfarm.com or call This free event is courtesy of Dr. Neil 916-538-3053. Flynn and Dr. Morrisssey of Priorities Clinic, Harm Reduction Services and the Joan Viteri Golden Rule Services Seeks Memorial Clinic, and will be held at 3647 Board Applicants For 2015 40th St. Golden Rule Services (GRS) is seeking individuals with professional backgrounds to join their Board of Directors for 2015. Wisdom Project to Screen Those with backgrounds in, or currently LGBT Gen Silent working in the fields of, law enforcement, The Wisdom Project –LGBT Elders will education, employment development, social have a showing of the documentary ’Gen work, mental health, banking and finance, Silent’, on Thursday, December 11th at their politics and law are encouraged to apply. regularly scheduled monthly meeting. To maintain a diverse board, applicants Meetings are at the E.M. Hart Senior from the People of Color, youth, HIV-positive, Center, 915 27th Street Sacramento, from 2 LGBT and differently-abled communities are to 4 p.m. on the 2nd Thursday of each sought. month. LGBT Elders and Allies are welcome Board members should actively participant to join. in fundraising, community outreach, and The filmGen Silent sheds light on the furthering the GRS mission objectives. unique issues facing LGBT people as they Golden Rule Services is a nonprofit age, and follows the day-to-day challenges of organization founded in January 2000 to six aging people who identify as LGBT. The reduce health, education, employment and one hour film viewing will be followed by an criminal justice disparities within diverse open conversation. and underserved communities through the For meore information, visit www.servant- provision of culturally competent programs hearts.org. Poetic Coming-Out Story Captured In Silent Youth Silent Youth unfolds when two boys bump into each other on the streets of Berlin, unaware that a casual sequence of events will change their lives drastically, centering on those oft-forgotten moments of falling in love, from the first approach to awkwardly sitting across from each other not knowing what to say. Watch the trailer (English subtitles) at vimeo.com/112205269, or VOD at www.ariztical.com. 2 Outword Magazine December 11, 2014 - December 25, 2014 • Volume 27 • Issue 23 • No. 518 outwordmagazine.com COLOR COLOR Outword Lavender Heights On Track to Staff Become Official Districtby Bonnie Osborn he Midtown Sacramento “gay-borhood,” historically known PUBLISHER as Lavender Heights, may soon get an official designation, Fred Palmer Tone that reflects the history of the area as home to many of ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION Sacramento’s LGBT community members and businesses. Ron Tackitt GRAPHIC DESIGN Ron Tackitt EDITOR Charles Peer [email protected] ARTS EDITOR Chris Narloch SALES Fred Palmer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Frances Marlatt Colt McGraw Chris Narloch Bonnie Osborn Charles Peer PHOTOGRAPHY Charles Peer Members of an ad hoc committee to designate an area of Midtown as Lavender Heights met with city councilmember Steve Hansen (grey coat) at his office on Nov. 17, and presented him with DISTRIBUTION polling information that showed widespread support for the plan. Kaye Crawford Michael Crawford A large number of LGBT and civic leaders FACES, polled business owners within the have been meeting for the past several designated zone, and both reported near months to develop a plan to brand an area unanimous support for the Lavender Heights ADVERTISING SALES of Midtown as the Lavender Heights district, designation. Northern California similar to other designated areas such as the Federer believes the designation will be a (916) 329-9280 Handle District, Alkali Flats and Mansion boost for Sacramento business and tourism. Fred Palmer Heights. “A designated Lavender Heights area that the Boundaries of the Lavender Heights zone city of Sacramento recognizes as the LGBT National Advertising Representative Honesty. Rivendell Media would be I Street on the north, N Street on area would help market the area,” Federer (212) 242-6863 Respect. the south, 19th Street on the west and 21st said. “Folks who google ‘Sacramento Gay Street on the east. Area’ from another state or country will now Community leaders say the Lavender see that Sacramento’s LGBT area is Lavender Professionalism. Heights designation will have a number of Heights. The recognition and tourist draw benefits, including creating a cohesive will be huge for Sacramento.” Courtesy. business district; enhancing tourism; Many U.S. cities, including Philadelphia, celebrating the history and diversity of New York City and Richmond, Virginia, have Sacramento; and creating an identified implemented highly successful marketing It’s how I treat all my customers. And you “home” for the LGBT community. campaigns targeted to gay tourists. The can be sure I’ll always do my best to meet “I’m excited to see this grassroots effort Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau your needs. become reality, because it will formalize the has for the past few years featured LGBT- Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® recognition of this part of Midtown as owned clubs and annual events such as CALL ME TODAY. Lavender Heights,” said Sacramento City Sacramento Pride and Rainbow Festival on Outword Magazine Inc. Councilmember Steve Hansen, who has its website and in marketing materials. helped facilitate discussion of the process of Branding of the Lavender Heights district Office achieving the designation. “We’ve all called it will begin with modest steps such as 372 Florin Road, #133 Lavender Heights for a generation, and it’s specially designed street signs similar to Sacramento, CA 95831 time to make it official, which will be good those in Mansion Flats. The group also is for the city and the community.” working with the Midtown Business PHONE: (916) 329-9280 Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Association and city officials to create special FAX: (916) 498-8445 Commerce President Paul Weubbe has been rainbow-painted crosswalks at the www.outwordmagazine.com coordinating meetings between advocates of intersection of 20th and K streets. [email protected] the official designation and area home The group plans to launch a fundraising Stephanie Slagel CLU, Agent owners associations and business campaign to finance the signs and crosswalk ISSN # 1084-7618 United States Library of Congress Insurance Lic#: 0C34763 organizations. painting. Other plans for future consideration 6130 Fair Oaks Blvd, Suite E “The Lavender Heights area has been a include construction of a Lavender Heights www.stephanieslagel.com Nat. Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce part of the Sacramento community since the arch at the 20th and K intersection and Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Bus: 916-485-4444 mid-’70s, and it is well overdue to have it installation of brackets and banners on street Nat. Lesbian & Gay Journalist Association Midtown Business Association officially named, as a welcoming community light poles within the zone. of Sacramento,” Weubbe said. More information about the effort to Gary Federer, who previously participated obtain official designation for Lavender in the effort to win an official designation for Heights and future plans is available at 1101013 State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL Mansion Flats, and Terry Sidie, owner of www.facebook.com/lavenderheightssac. 4 Outword Magazine December 11, 2014 - December 25, 2014 • Volume 27 • Issue 23 • No. 518 outwordmagazine.com Save energy When it’s time to replace or purchase a new heating system for your home, check with SMUD first. We offer rebates up to and money $650 on the most efficient systems to help you save energy and money now and later. at home. Plus, financing options are available. Visit smud.org/rebates Powering forward. Together. GAF 1440-14_10.81x6.35c outwordmagazine.com December 11, 2014 - December 25, 2014 • Volume 27 • Issue 23 • No. 518 Outword Magazine 5 Commentary America, Sit Down, I Can Be Silent No Longer commentary by Jovi Radtke am at a complete loss for words and I have been crying off and on for the past week about what’s been going on in Ferguson I and, really, everywhere for however long we’ve been force fed with this ungodly wool over our eyes. I have been “silent” because I have been kids? Not “black” kids, not “good” kids, not reading and listening. I have been “silent” “bad” kids, and definitely not (anymore, because I have been processing.