Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans, Leather, and Queer Community Seasonal • Winter 2018 free copy Community Heroes Then & Now In this issue we wrap up our look at some of our most respected Community Heroes, including DJ Blackcat, Salah Bachir, and Martha Chaves www.beavervalleystone.com t: 905-886-5787 or t: 416-222-2424 A wide selection of natural stone and precast concrete products Main Office & Yard: 8081 Woodbine Ave. SE Corner Woodbine/407 We Follow us on Follow us on Office & Yard: 125 Langstaff Rd E., SE Corner Yonge/Hwy 7-407 Deliver! Manufacturing Plant: 12350 Keele St., Maple @BVSLimited beavervalleystone Date: Nov 13, 2018 Filename_ Version# 2474_BV_Inspire Media AD pink pages w5.25xh1.75_CLR_2 Client: BEAVER VALLEY Built By: Desc: Artist: MC Supplier: Acct. Mgr: 647-283-1093 Trim: 5.25"W x1.75"H # Colours: 4C Safety/Live: 0" x 0" [email protected] File Built at: 100% (1:1) PMS PMS See us on FB, Twitter and Youtube 4 winterplay! 2018 Community Heroes From the Publisher I don’t know about you, but I’m always inspired I am proud of the work our writers, lead by our by others. The stories of people doing inspiring Editor-in-Chief, did over the four editions of your and important work, leading the charge for change, loved mag. We began with Rev. Brent Hawkes, or just living their authentic lives. This is what a spiritual and community leader whose courage brightens up my day, and lights some fire beneath has inspired the world. Our summer cover featured my butt to work on being the best version of me Krystin Wong-Tam, a politician who’s been that I can be. fighting the good fight at Toronto City Hall for many I am also a huge advocate of preserving our years. Our previous fall issue was with Patricia community stories, and the stories of our Wilson, a matriarch at one of the most important community’s heroes. Many people in the spaces in our community, Buddies in Bad Times community know this about me through my work Theatre. These were just the main features, and here at INspired Media, publisher of PinkPlayMags, many other heroes were also profiled in the pages and my volunteer work at our community’s annual of each issue. celebration, the INSPIRE Awards. You haven’t had time to read all these fabulous That was what we set out to do this past year. past editions and learn all about these wonderful To preserve history. At our editorial meeting to people? What are you waiting for, head over right plan the 2018 theme, we decided on “Community now to www.pinkplaymags.com and locate the Heroes: Then & Now”. The theme was intended archives section. You will be glad you did. to work side-by-side with that of our talk show The journey continues in this edition, where we “On the Couch” (which is produced by our sister bring you the stories of DJ Blackcat, a hero who’s publication theBUZZ), as last year was all about responsible for some very important community “Creative Heroes: Then & Now”. events, along with the wonderful community So we set out on what we thought was an philanthropist, Salah Bachir, and the very funny important journey. Number one, if you are going to gal Martha Chaves. tell people’s stories, you have to do it authentically After this we’re off for a little break, and relaxation and respectfully, and this being a visual media, we for the Holiday Season with family and friends. Then need to frame it all in charismatic images that speak we will be back in 2019 for another really exciting of the people who’s stories we are telling. Number theme, and NO I’m not going to tell you what it is! two, there is no possible way that within four Okay, you twisted my arm, I’ll give you a hint, think editions of PinkPlayMags (and 8 episodes of “On cinema. the Couch”) we would be able to spotlight all of the good, lovely, hard working, and inspiring people Happy Holidays and thank you for reading, that we have in our community. The choice was not going to be easy. So what we can do is give you the Antoine Elhashem best mix, or the tip of the iceberg if you will, of our Publisher community heroes. [email protected] Community Heroes winterplay! 2018 5 winterplay! In this issue Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans, Leather, and Queer 11 DJ Blackcat – Joey Viola Community Seasonal from PinkPlayMags 16 Salah Bachir – Raymond Helkio Free • Winter 2018 20 Martha Chaves – Cat Grant Publisher/Creative Director: Antoine Elhashem 23 Travel: Memphis and Nashville Editor-in-Chief: Bryen Dunn – Bryen Dunn Editorial Intern: Michael McNeely 31 Fiction: Steel Animals – SK Dyment Art Direction and Production: Mychol Scully Contributors Writers: Joey Viola, Raymond Helkio, Cat Grant, Bryen Dunn, Kelly Wilk, Harlan Boll, SK Dyment, Mychol Regular features Scully, Julie Antoinette, Vince Ciarlo, Sherry Sylvain 29 Hot Artist: Tom Bierdz – Harlan Boll 37 Community Cornerstone: Egale – Kelly Wilk 39 In the City – Sherry Sylvain 44 From the Heart – Mychol Scully 48 Winter Horoscopes – Julie Antoinette 50 Looking Back: Michelle DuBarry – Vince Ciarlo Cover Mykel “DJ Blackcat” Hall Concept + Direction Antoine Elhashem Photography Angel Torres Photography Published by Websites www.inspiredmediainc.com INspired Media Inc. Operating INspiredcreative (www.inspiredcreative.ca), and www.thepinkpagesdirectory.com publishers of The Pink Pages Directory, PinkPlayMags, theBUZZ, and www.pinkplaymags.com The Local Biz Magazine. www.thebuzzmag.ca President ..............................Antoine Elhashem We’d love to hear from you. Please send comments, questions or General Manager .............................Kim Dobie any other matters to [email protected] Advertising Consultants ..Carolyn Burtch, Michael Wile, Tina Perrea For advertising inquiries Counsel. Jerry Herszkopf Law [email protected] Notice INspired Media Inc., its divisions, publications, the editors, authors, photographers, salespersons, graphic and Mailing address production artists shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to monetary or emotional loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, by the information or claims contained 205-1691 Pickering Parkway, Pickering, ON L1V 5L9 in this Publication. Furthermore the opinions of the writers expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the To contact us publishers. 416.926.9588 Toronto 905.231.9722 GTA Full copyrights reserved. Any copying of material in this publication in whole or in part is prohibited and legal action will be taken, unless authorized in writing by the publishers. 6 winterplay! 2018 Community Heroes From the Editor Well, here we are, another year coming to and musicians change the shape of the city. a close, culminating in the final edition of Our Fiction excerpt is from “Steel Animals,” our Community Heroes: Then & Now by Toronto author SK Dyment. Their series that tells the stories of individuals who debut novel that takes readers through an have made an impact on our city by adding underground adventure of queer proportions. their unique voice and personalities to our Our Hot Artist feature spotlights Thom wonderfully diverse community. Bierdz, a Young & The Restless alumnus actor, turned writer/artist. He discusses his For our cover feature, writer Joey Viola caught latest book, and talks about the paintings he up with Toronto’s DJ Blackcat, who has been creates that help him heal from past tragedies. spinning tunes and throwing down parties Kelly Wilk wrote this issue’s Community for over a quarter of a century now. He tells Cornerstone piece on the always active us how the industry has changed, and why Egale. She chatted with Executive Director, his current parties are attracting some of the Helen Kennedy, to find out about their biggest crowds in the city. He also brings us current projects, including a new homeless up to speed on his out of town gigs and other shelter and a youth outreach program. production projects he’s working on. As well, Raymond Helkio caught up with the fabulous As always, we have Horoscopes by Julie Salah Bachir, activist, philanthropist, and Antoinette, From The Heart by Mychol business owner, to learn about his successful Scully, and Event Listings by Sherry Sylvain. company and fundraising efforts, while Cat We close with our Looking Back column, Grant sat down with comedian Martha written by Vince Ciarlo, who transcribed Chaves, to discuss what it was like beginning Toronto drag queen legend Michelle life in Canada as an immigrant lesbian, and DuBarry’s reflective thoughts on some of how she embraced this through her comedy the many friends she’s encountered over the routines. course of her lifetime, and remembering those who are no longer with us. Also in this issue, our Travel feature is on two Tennessee cities that celebrate their Enjoy the read, and here’s wishing you all the long-standing music history. Both Memphis best for the holiday season and beyond! and Nashville have seen visitor numbers steadily increase over the past several years, Bryen Dunn as newly transplanted entrepreneurs, artists, Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Community Heroes winterplay! 2018 7 Your Service & Installation Experts! ECRA/ESA License #7002124 COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • RESIDENTIAL & INSTITUTIONAL - Service Work & Maintenance - Distribution Services, Wiring, Panel Boards & Motors - New Lighting & LED Lighting Retro-Fits (incentives available) - New Constructions, Renovations & Additions - Design Build & Electrical Consulting Services Available - Fire Alarm Systems -