Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association
Since its inception in 1989, OPALGA has become one of the largest community based, multipurpose lesbian and gay membership organizations in Illinois.
Our New Day
While it is not yet clear what President-elect Barack Obama’s move will be on equal marriage and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” there is no doubt that the change many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have been working on for so long was born in Grant Park on November 4, 2008.
After spending a couple of hours volunteering at the Obama campaign office at Clark and Lake, wedged between a Brit and German making calls to Pennsylvania, I walked down Lake to Michigan and took a cab the rest of the way to the Congress Hotel. Everyone was happy. In the Loop. At rush hour. That by itself was a marvel, earning the comments of my very talkative Palestinian cab driver, an Obama supporter who’d lived here 30 years and thought at last this country might get it right, tonight.
After checking in to make sure my room had the right view, I headed to Michigan Avenue, where vendors were already hawking Obama-as-President merchandise and hopeful crowds were gathering. Four security gates were established, two each for ticket holders and those without tickets. The lines waiting to pass into the park grew, and people were quiet and playful. And mixed! What a diverse crowd, every age, color, and locale were present. Suburban families picnicked on the lawns, college students staked out the crowd, homeless guys were especially chilled out, and the elderly mingled easily with the business folk. After four hours of waiting, two lines snaked toward the north and south ends of the park toward giant TV screens tuned to CNN.
Along with many others, I roamed the streets outside of the security gates, drinking in the eerily buoyant atmosphere and waiting for election news alongside mounted police and a crush of neighbors from all over the metro area.
Finally, this blissed-out crowd of 250,000 supporters received the word at about 8:30 p.m. that Ohio voted for Barack, and a massive roar rolled across Butler Park and up Michigan Avenue, bouncing off the walls of skyscrapers—and it was simply dwarfed by the euphoria of human hopes and dreams so long deferred breaking open and taking their first breath of real air.
Women and men of all ages and ethnicities reached for one another’s hands, tears, cries, jubilant screams falling without shame. High-fives mixed with disbelief. Some fell to the ground crying, friends and strangers comforting them. Some were dazed and confused, asking one after another passerby if it could be true. Hordes of Chicagoans who had expected to spend their evening in front of the TV at home instead poured off the trains into the festival at Michigan and Congress. It was the most tame and joy-filled celebration this city must have ever seen. Not a bottle was broken or a garden-walk trampled.
The next morning, I was dazzled and dazed. A walk north on Michigan toward the train revealed that I was not alone. We were still treating our disbelief with doses of newspaper headlines and gossip of “where were you when you heard” on the train.
As sunshine broke over Lake Michigan, I took count of my losses and gains. Lost: A lifetime of skepticism about what might be possible here for African Americans. Gained: The belief that a new day is dawning, that I can hold my head up high as an American and a U.S. citizen.
I just may have to buy an American Flag.
There is no doubt that there is more work to do for gay rights and for civil rights. But now, those of us who want to bring everyone to the table of power have reason to be hopeful as we turn our nose to the grindstone and our hands toward our grave tasks. We have reason to believe that we can set and achieve goals like righting this upside-down economy, closing our torture camps, cleaning up our environmental disasters, and resurrecting equality for LGBT people, not just in California but everywhere.
Message from the Co-Chairs
A number of things were evident at OPALGA’s Annual Meeting held at Oak Park’s Unity Temple on November 18. First, no matter whom you talked to, the recent presidential election came up, and there was a definite feeling of optimism and hope for the future. Second, despite this optimism, there was a universal anger and disgust over what had happened in California with Proposition 8 (and in three other states with slightly different results). Finally, there was serious concern over where we go from here.
As to the first point, there is certainly no doubt that an Obama administration would have to practically banish us all from the country to do any worse than the Bush administration has. Getting the climate of hatred out of the national radar will certainly be a major undertaking of this administration, and whether it is done through the Supreme Court, presidential appointments, or any other method, it seems very likely that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community will fare much better this time around. It is hard to be patient when we all want what should rightfully be ours, but patience must be exercised right now. As angry and upset as we all are about Proposition 8 and its fallout, we must realize that the economy and its turnaround by definition should and must occupy center stage right now. The second point is a given; we are all angry about this situation. It is always dangerous when the majority tries to set rules for a minority. Obama will almost surely weigh in on this subject at the appropriate time. Many of our members wondered why the demonstrations were being held after the election rather than before. Since we don’t live in California, I can’t really answer that. Political minds must have felt that they were on the right track, but unfortunately were not; it has happened before, and it will again. However, from a personal perspective, it almost seems like the anger now is so uniform and well-focused that it bodes well for the future. Thus, let us wait and see as to the final point what is asked of us as we go forward. OPALGA will continue to monitor what is happening in this area, and our Public Policy Chair, Alan Amato, will let us know what action we should take and when. We will then turn to you with our request for your help, and we hope you will join us in this ongoing fight.
Speaking of elections, the optimism and hope seemed to carry over to OPALGA. Out of a membership of approximately 300, we received a whopping 103 ballots! That is just a terrific total, and we thank all of you who voted for showing your concern for the organization. If you haven’t heard, the following individuals were elected:
• As Female Co-Chair, Liz Stallone;
• As Secretary, Kim Hefner;
• As Board members with two-year terms, Shirley Patton, David Rappoport, Greg Raub, and Sherrie Wolfe;
• As a Board member with a one-year term, Bruce Broerman; and,
• As members of the Nominating Committee, Susan Anderson, Donna Karpavicius, and Jim Kelly.
These individuals will all serve the organization well, and we congratulate them on their election. A final thanks again to this year’s Nominating Committee of Susan Anderson, Kim Hefner, Jim Kelly, Dan Salotti, and Davida Williams for a job well-done. The entire process was conducted without a hitch, and we are all grateful for your handling of this important task.
In closing, please accept our best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season for you and your loved ones. You will each be receiving our year-end appeal for donations in a separate mailing. We recognize what is happening in the economy, and we realize you are being asked by other organizations as well. Hopefully, you will be able to fit OPALGA into the mix.
All of us on the Board of Directors hope that 2008 ends on a good note for each of you and that 2009 brings even greater success. Cheers!
Annual Meeting Recap
On November 18, more than 50 OPALGA members gathered at Unity Temple in Oak Park for the organization’s 19th Annual Meeting. Guests were treated to hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and informal presentations from OPALGA’s leadership.
Attendees were welcomed to Unity Temple by Board member Kim Hefner, and the meeting was started off by Co-Chairs Mike Cochran and Liz Stallone. Cochran presented our mission statement along with a thank-you to the Board, staff, potluck hosts, Public Policy Chair Alan Amato, and the Co-Chairs’ partners. Cochran also gave a brief summary of our accomplishments for 2008.
Youth Program Director Susan Abbott summarized a busy year for the drop-in programs, HIV testing began in April, the Speaker’s Bureau has been reactivated, and a $5,000 grant has been awarded for the 3rd annual ALAS retreat.
A highlight of the meeting was the announcement of the election results for the 2009 Board of Directors and Officers for the organization. Nominating Committee Chair Jim Kelly announced that Stallone was re-elected as Female Co-Chair, Hefner was elected as Secretary, Bruce Broerman was re-elected for another one-year term, and David Rappoport and Sherrie Wolfe were re-elected for two-year terms. New Board members Shirley Patton and Greg Raub were also elected for two-year terms. Continuing to serve will be Cochran (Male Co-Chair), Anita Csuk (Treasurer), and Board members Lisa Pearson, Davida Williams, and JoAnn Ziebarth. Kelly also announced that he, Susan Anderson, and Donna Karpavicius were elected to the Nominating Committee.
We thank everyone who attended the meeting, and we look forward to your continued participation in our activities and events throughout 2009, our 20th anniversary year!
Proposition 8 Opponents Rally in Chicago
I went to the Chicago Proposition 8 protest on Saturday, November 15. It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done. About 5,000 people were jammed into Federal Plaza at Adams and Dearborn Streets. The Chicago Police Department had barricaded the plaza to a point where we only had half the space. It was shoulder to shoulder.
Across the street, the religious right numbered about 20 and held the usual hateful signs that we’ve seen for years at every gay pride event. Suddenly, however, like divine providence, a huge gust of Chicago wind blew their signage into the street just as a city bus ran over the messaging, grinding their placards into the oily wet gutter.
When we started to march, the police tried to cordon us to the sidewalk. A group of 5,000 was told to walk only on the sidewalk. It was ridiculous, and people started to get angry. Finally, we broke through the police blockade and took over the street.
As we walked by the Palmer House Hilton, the entire street filled with protestors, a woman in an SUV tried to pull out into the crowd from in front of the hotel. A police officer jumped in front of her and hit the hood of her car. She rolled down her window, and he shouted at her to stop because she was going to hurt someone. “I’m late for a wedding,” she shouted at him. Everyone who heard her burst into laughter at the irony. I’ve known people who’ve been late to their weddings for over 20 years, I thought.
We marched to Michigan Avenue and Grant Park—the site of the 1968 demonstrations—and it felt like history was being made again. We brought traffic to a standstill as we marched northbound. The police tried to use horses to push us back onto the sidewalks, but we turned and headed back into the streets, across Daley Plaza, and then back to State Street past Macy’s and up to the ABC studio, where the crowd came to a halt in front of the cameras.
A friend chatted with a very elderly man on the sidelines who was from Poland. He told him it was amazing to see gay people be able to march like this. “In Russia, in Poland, in Germany, this never would have happened,” he said.
We marched north to the river, and, once again, the police tried to get us to turn back into the Loop, where there was little traffic or people. But the crowd pushed in the opposite direction, and we walked along Wacker Drive and then turned up Michigan Avenue.
Up the avenue we marched. From the sidelines, some people looked fearful or disgusted, but mostly we saw people smiling and cheering us on. Cars were honking in support. At one point, we passed a group of mothers and their daughters out for a day of shopping. They collectively started cheering and chanting along with us. It was amazing.
When I reached the John Hancock Center, I turned back and looked down Michigan Avenue. As far as I could see, I saw flags and signs. It was incredible.
As I walked to the train, I felt empowered. After years of having our lives controlled by other people, we, at least for a few hours, controlled several streets. It reminded me of the activism I hadn’t seen since the early years of the AIDS crisis. People are angry, people are motivated, and people are tired of homophobia and discrimination.
While sitting on a bench waiting for the el, I overheard the comments of a family from out of town who were next to me. They were talking about the freaks on the streets. Laughing and making disparaging comments. It was a rotten thing to hear after feeling so upbeat. But, at the same time, it reminded me that there’s a long way to go.
Check out Join the Impact at www.jointheimpact.org. Over one million people have signed up to be part of the nationwide fight for equality.
Around the OPALGA Center
OPALGA Speaker’s Bureau
Jan Grillos, Jim Kelly, Mike Cochran, and I have had a busy fall fulfilling requests from local schools in need of speakers on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues. Since September, we have reached close to 140 students at Concordia University Chicago and Dominican University, both in River Forest. The classes we addressed included two general psychology classes—Theories of Personality and Cultural Diversity—and a hate crimes speaker’s panel. Presentations included personal narratives and Q & A sessions with students. Questions were thoughtful and explored same-sex marriage, parenting, discrimination, and moral issues regarding homosexuality. My personal favorite this fall was from a conservative Christian student who summed it up when he said, “If you think you are right and I think I am right, who is right?”
There is no right and there is no wrong, and that is the beauty of our outreach. We are simply there to share our experience, information, and ourselves free of judgmental accusations or defensive responses for our audience. Just giving of our time and ourselves helps to provide a greater understanding of our LGBT community, even if all they find out is that we are not much different than they are.
Author Night at Spectrum
Thanks to Sylvia Menninga from PFLAG Oak Park for connecting us with author Linas Alsenas, who was in town from his home in Sweden to sign copies of his new history book aimed at teens, Gay America: Struggle for Equality. Alsenas dropped by Spectrum on November 10 to discuss his book, his experiences as an author, and his life in Sweden. He spoke to an audience of close to 20 young adults and signed copies of his book.
Gay America reveals how gay men and women have lived, worked, and loved for the past 125 years. Beginning with the Victorian period and following with five more chapters covering the twentieth and twenty-first centuries through 2006, Alsenas prefaces each historically accurate section with a true story told from a personalized (or fictionalized) point of view, such as the notorious 1892 Memphis murder of Freda Ward by her lover, Alice Mitchell. This technique, combined with abundant archival photos and the author’s accessible writing style, makes the pages fly by almost as if reading a long, compelling story.
OPALGA has a signed copy of Gay America in our lending library.
Library Donations
Thanks to everyone who continues to donate to our lending library. Books do not have to be gay-themed—we are happy to accept any books that you have enjoyed and would like to pass on to us. Thanks to Marie Kuda, who has donated a copy of the Out and Proud in Chicago DVD (which accompanies the book that she donated previously) and The L Word—The Complete Third Season boxed DVD set. We greatly appreciate it.
Bookshelves, File Cabinets Needed
Due to the high number of donations to our library, The Center is still in need of bookshelves. If anyone has any bookshelves that they would like to donate, please call Susan at 708-386-3463 to make arrangements.
We are also looking for file cabinets to store all of our important organizational records. Again, if any of you have file cabinets that you would like to donate, please call Susan at 708-386-3463.
Thanks again
Gay Straight Alliance Outreach
OPALGA’s Peer Outreach Team has provided outreach this fall to 70 high-school students at Proviso West High School in Berwyn and Oak Park and River Forest High School in Oak Park. Our outreach is in conjunction with school Gay Straight Alliances that meet with students weekly after school and invite us out to provide educational programs, HIV prevention programs, and sometimes just to talk about what is going on in the community. This fall, our team—including Andy, Pocha, Navi, Jeanna, and Clarissa—unveiled their original educational game, TransJeopardy. Run as the better-known Jeopardy game on TV, TransJeopardy provides education and information on pioneers in trans advocacy, understanding of trans terms, and important trans people in pop culture. This game has been very well received by students at both schools and has sparked amazing discussions with the young people.
E-Mail Updates
If you have signed up for the Empower E-Updates and you are not receiving them, please send an e-mail to Jan at The Center (info@opalga.org), and Jan will make sure that we have the correct e-mail addresses in the system. Thank you.
A Day Without A Gay
Protest for Equality on December 10
On Wednesday, December 10, 2008, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., the LGBT community and our allies will protest passage of anti-gay constitutional amendments in a picket line at Chicago City Hall (121 N. LaSalle St./118 N. Clark St.). This protest, like the November 15 protest against California’s Proposition 8, is one of nationwide direct action.
December 10 has been designated “Day Without a Gay” and is a national economic boycott in which LGBT people and our supporters are urged to call in “gay” (i.e., not go to work), not spend any money, and spend the day volunteering for a greater cause. (For more information about “Day Without a Gay,” please see http://www.jointheimpact.com. ) Coming together at City Hall is just one such opportunity to stand up for our beliefs and rights as individuals.
OPALGA has been contacted directly by local organizers of the Chicago City Hall picket line. They are looking for support in copying and distributing flyers for the event, and they are interested in forming direct, face-to-face relationships with LGBT groups in the Chicago area. If there is anything you can do to help, please contact Nikalas Maciejewski (nmciejewski@gmail.com or 630-205-5025).
Now is the time to keep up, and intensify, the momentum. Please spread the word, and join the fight for equality on December 10!
Book Club Announces Upcoming Selections
The OPALGA book club has decided upon on their upcoming selections for the next couple of months.
Note that the book club will not meet in December because of the holidays.
We encourage anyone who loves to read to join us for the upcoming meetings of the book club. The discussions are informal and enjoyable, and we always have a lot of laughs. So, if you want to find out what you’ve been missing, check out the OPALGA book club!
Following are the upcoming selections:
December 21 No meeting because of the holidays.
January 18, 2009 J.D. Salinger Duo!
The Catcher in the Rye (1951)
The influential and widely acclaimed story details the two days in the life of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield after he has been expelled from prep school. Confused and disillusioned, he searches for truth and rails against the “phoniness” of the adult world.
and
Franny and Zooey (1961)
Franny is an intellectually precocious late adolescent who tries to attain spiritual purification by obsessively reiterating the “Jesus prayer” as an antidote to the perceived superficiality and corruptness of life. Her older brother, Zooey, attempts to heal Franny by pointing out that her constant repetition of the “Jesus prayer” is as self-involved and egotistical as the egotism against which she rails.
February 15, 2009 The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
A young social worker and survivor of a near-rape stumbles across photographs taken by a formerly homeless client and tries to understand how a man who had taken snapshots of celebrities might have wound up on the streets.
The book club meets every third Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at The OPALGA Center, unless otherwise specified. All books are available through http://www.amazon.com. In addition, copies can be requested from the Oak Park Public Library (834 Lake St., Oak Park) or ordered from The Book Table (1045 Lake St., Oak Park). Remember, OPALGA receives a charitable donation from The Book Table for each book purchased there (regardless of whether it is a book club selection). Please let them know that you are purchasing your book as a member of OPALGA.
Bridge, Anyone?
Unlike Sarah Palin, who specializes in bridges to nowhere, most bridge players are committed to their game. They are passionate about the game but get frustrated trying to find places to play. A couple of individuals have inquired as to whether or not there is any interest in starting up an OPALGA bridge club. The game provides great social interaction and has been shown to be good for you mentally. If you are a bridge player and would be interested in getting a club together, please contact Mike Cochran at cochram1@yahoo.com or call 708-848-8025.
In Memorium
Longtime OPALGA member and supporter Donald A. Woolf, Sr., LCSW of Chicago and Oak Park, passed away on November 13, 2008.
Woolf was a cycling enthusiast, a member of the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, and an activist. He was the cherished father of Donald (Erin Christian) Woolf, Jr., and Robert (Cece) Woolf. Woolf was also the very proud and loving “Pops” of Alex Gonzalez and Nicole Woolf.
Woolf was the beloved brother of Maureen (Don Blanchette) Woolf, Catherine (Lawrence) Downey, and Michael (Victoria) Woolf and was adored by many nieces and nephews. His parents, Arthur and Catherine Woolf, preceded him in death.
A celebration of Woolf’s life was held on November 22, 2008, at Unity Church, Chicago.
Donations may be made in Woolf’s name to the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus (http://www.cgmc.org) or to Loretto Convent, 1600 Somerset Lane, Wheaton, IL 60187.
Recipe Corner
Several years ago, OPALGA talked about putting together a cookbook containing our members’ favorite recipes. Now, in anticipation of our organization’s 20th anniversary, we have decided that the time is right for this tasty project!
Talk to your family, your friends, and your neighbors to find those recipes that you really enjoy and want to share with other OPALGA members. Please feel free to submit any of your favorite recipes, and be sure to give a credit for the originator of the recipe, if applicable.
All recipes should be submitted to jeziebarth@comcast.net. Please include the word “RECIPE” in your subject line, and be sure to attach your recipe to the e-mail as a Microsoft Word document. Thank you!
In the meantime, we plan to publish a few of the recipes that we have already received in upcoming issues of Empower. Bon appétit!
Hazel’s Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Submitted by Perry Wiggins
3 chicken breasts
6 chicken thighs
12 corn tortillas cut into one-inch strips
1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
1 12-oz. jar salsa
1 medium onion diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup-can of milk
Cook chicken, remove skin and bones, and cut into one-inch chunks.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Reserve ¼ of shredded cheese for topping.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl (do not dilute the soups).
Place mixture in a lightly greased 9” x 13” baking dish.
Sprinkle reserved cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until top gets bubbly and brown.
Serves 12–15 and is a big hit at OPALGA potlucks!
