PHOENIX — In solidarity with LGBTQ Black and Indigenous People of Color, Phoenix Pride has announced a series of sweeping changes to its policies regarding the participation of local police agencies in the annual Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade, beginning with this year’s 40th Anniversary events, scheduled for November 7-8, 2020 at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix, with the parade taking place on Saturday, November 7, between Thomas Rd. and Indian School Rd. moving north up Third St.

Under the new policies, police and other law enforcement agencies will no longer have participating contingents in the Phoenix Pride Parade or booths/displays at the Phoenix Pride Festival. Individual police or law enforcement officers who wish to participate in the Parade will be invited to do so only as private individuals, without badges, firearms, non-lethal weapons or any other identifying gear or equipment present. In addition, police vehicles will not be included in the parade.

            In addition, Phoenix Pride is asking that the Phoenix Police Department use only unarmed, non-uniformed officers to manage required street closures and traffic restrictions around the Phoenix Pride Parade.

            Finally, Phoenix Pride is committing to engage only the minimum mandated number of hand-selected off-duty officers to be present at the Phoenix Pride Festival to meet the requirements set forth in the City’s permitting process for the use of Steele Indian School Park.

            The Phoenix Pride Board of Directors will continue to review these policies on an annual basis to ensure that they are best reflective of the organization, its mission and our community.

            Phoenix Pride’s leadership, including its staff and board of directors, continues to proclaim that Black lives matter, and we will continue to work with our community, with our allies, and with communities of color to stand united in seeking the end to oppression of all people and the realization of equality and equity for everyone.

ABOUT PHOENIX PRIDE

Phoenix Pride is the producer of the two largest annual public LGBTQ community events in Arizona: the Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade held each spring in April, and the Rainbows Festival, held every fall in October. Founded in 1981, the organization engages year-round in its mission to unite, educate and engage people and partners to support and empower the LGBTQ community and its current and future allies. Additional information regarding Phoenix Pride is available online at the agency’s web site, http://www.PhoenixPride.org.

At a time of national demonstrations in support of Black lives and against systemic racism and during a national health crisis, it is heartening to have good news from the Supreme Court. The decision handed down by the Court today affirms and emphasizes the importance of Americans coming together for the good of the nation and all its people. The Supreme Court has ruled that companies do not have a right to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in the workplace. This historic decision says that LGBTQ+ people are, and should be, protected from discrimination under federal law. And while this is welcome news, the reality is that we still have much to do. 

Changes to Section 1557 of the Health Care Rights Law last Friday rolling back healthcare protections for transgender people, as well as the pervasive racism that continues to exist across our country, demonstrate the long road we still have ahead to end discrimination. 

There are still critical gaps in our federal non‐discrimination laws. It is still legal for federally funded entities including hospitals, colleges, and adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people. It is also legal for stores, restaurants, and hotels to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community in certain situations. 

“Comprehensive federal protections for LGBTQ+ people are about basic human needs. They ensure everyday Americans are able to earn a living, be safe in their communities, serve their country, receive medical care, and take care of the ones they love,” said Denise Spivak, CenterLink’s CEO. 

CenterLink calls on Congress to pass full federal non‐discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people and to continue working toward true equality for ALL people. 

At 4pm PT / 7pm ET, CenterLink will join a virtual national rally with other LGBTQ+ leaders from across the country and those who led the fight for these cases. Immediately after the rally, a panel of experts will discuss the court’s opinion and offer analysis of its potential effects. The public is welcome to attend both events. Learn more at www.decisionday.org. 

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CenterLink develops strong, sustainable LGBT community centers and builds a thriving center network that creates healthy, vibrant communities. Founded in 1994, CenterLink plays an important role in addressing the challenges centers face by helping them to improve their organizational and service delivery capacity, access public resources, and engage their regional communities in the grassroots social justice movement. www.lgbtcenters.org.

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PHOENIX — Phoenix Pride has issued the following statement in the wake of nationwide protests over police actions:

“This week, as we grieve and mourn and try to understand, the Phoenix Pride family stands shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors, colleagues and co-workers in the African American community, in the shadow of this week’s alarming and disturbing events. We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and all struggles to fight racism.

“Our community is at the center of intersectionality. There are LGBTQ individuals of every race and ethnicity, profession and creed, socio-economic status and country of origin, and our community includes many people of color who have experienced, firsthand, the struggles faced by all people of color in a country that continues to reel from centuries of its own systematic oppression of minorities, and particularly of Black Americans. We recognize the longstanding systemic issues of racism and bias that pervade our national and local institutions, and will continue to work toward a day when everyone will be treated with equal levels of respect, decency, dignity and humanity.

“In furthering our commitment to justice and equity for all people, we call upon our entire community to stand up, and speak up, in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, but to do so peacefully, civilly and constructively. There are clear reasons to be upset, but please remain safe and responsible.

“Our thoughts are with the families of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Alton Sterling, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Dion Johnson, Michelle Cousseaux, Rumain Brisbon, Muhammad Muhaymin, Henry Wayne Rivera and with the far too many others who have been lost at the hands of those ostensibly meant to be protectors. We will not be silent and we will not turn our backs on the Black community during this difficult time.

“We are reminded of, and hold true, the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: ‘In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies…but the silence of our friends.'”

ABOUT PHOENIX PRIDE

Phoenix Pride is the producer of the two largest annual public LGBTQ community events in Arizona: the Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade held each spring in April, and the Rainbows Festival, held every fall in October. Founded in 1981, the organization engages year-round in its mission to unite, educate and engage people and partners to support and empower the LGBTQ community and its current and future allies. Additional information regarding Phoenix Pride is available online at the agency’s web site, http://www.PhoenixPride.org.

IT’S ALL ABOUT HAPPY COOKING AND HAPPY EATING!

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Historic Downtown Glendale Merchants Association has debuted a new series of free recipes for all to make and enjoy. The What’s Cookin’ series features a wide variety of delicious recipes from Downtown business owners, treasured customers and fans of Downtown Glendale.

“During these unique times, we are all reconnecting with our kitchens and rediscovering our family favorite recipes. We are excited to share our recipes with the community,” said Lorraine Zomok, president of the Historic Downtown Glendale Merchants Association and owner of Memory Lane Trinkets and Treasures.

Recipes will be featured on the Historic Downtown Glendale Merchants Association Facebook (www.Facebook.com/HistoricGlendale) and Instagram (historicdowntownglendale). Recipes can also be viewed and downloaded on the downtown’s website at www.VisitDowntownGlendale.com.

New recipes are being added regularly. Some of the recipes featured include Chicken Taquitos from Pastor Kim Gladding at the First United Methodist Church of Glendale, The Spicery Rolls from the Spicery in Our 1895 Home, Easy Taco Salad from Memory Lane Trinkets and Treasures, and Easy Summer Pie from Nancy Houck, Historic Glendale Downtown Docent.

The association is seeking additional recipes from the community. If you would like to share a recipe for the What’s Cookin’ series, please send an email to Info@VisitDowntownGlendale.com.

The What’s Cookin’ Recipe Series is presented by the Historic Downtown Glendale Merchants Association in partnership with the downtown business community. For more information, visit www.VisitDowntownGlendale.com or call 623-299-2060.

Festival to run November 7-8 at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix;

Parade moves to Saturday, November 7

PHOENIX — Phoenix Pride has announced the rescheduled dates for the 40th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade, with the Festival now set to run Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8, 2020, with the Parade moving from its usual Sunday morning time to Saturday, November 7.

The Festival will remain at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix, and Festival hours will be unchanged, at noon-9 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. The Parade will begin on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at Third St. and Thomas Rd., running northbound up Third St. to Indian School Rd.

In addition to the new dates, Pride has confirmed that the headlining performers previously announced for the Circle K Festival Main Stage and the Latin Stage Presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Club Papí will remain unchanged, and all have reconfirmed for the new dates.

Existing Festival ticket holders will be receiving an email message this week from Phoenix Pride’s ticketing partner, See Tickets, to the email address associated with their order, explaining the policies and procedures regarding ticket conversions for the new dates.

“The decision to postpone our 40th anniversary Festival and Parade was not at all an easy one for us, but we are very excited to be able to so quickly confirm new dates for later this year,” Phoenix Pride Executive Director Mike Fornelli said. “We are extremely grateful to our community partners at the City of Phoenix, to our vendors, our sponsors and to all of our managers and volunteers for their support, flexibility and understanding throughout this process. And I am especially excited to confirm that we have been able to rebook all of the top-notch performers originally scheduled to headline the Festival in April, so no one will be disappointed to miss their favorite artist.

“In addition, by rescheduling for the same weekend that was already planned for this year’s Rainbows Festival, Phoenix Pride was already on the calendar for many of our volunteers, guests and exhibitors,” Fornelli added. “It is going to be a smooth transition, and the additional time we have for planning is going to allow us to plus-out this year’s Festival like never before. We’re going to harness this opportunity to build an event that is going to surpass even our existing expectations for our 40th anniversary year, and I am excited to already be working in that direction.”

“The Greater Phoenix LGBTQ community, our friends and our allies, are nothing if not resilient, and while no one wanted to delay this year’s signature events, we are very happy that we are able to announce these new dates, and that our vendors, community partners and our valued presenting sponsors are standing with us through this transition,” President of the Phoenix Pride Board of Directors Mark Leeper stated. “Phoenix Pride is a unique event in the sense that for many in our community, it represents the only two days of the year when they can truly be themselves, and can feel safe and comfortable and welcome in doing so. We recognize what this delay means to our community, and we are committed to finding ways to keep our community engaged and connected in the coming months. Having solid dates and an unchanging headliners lineup for this year’s Festival and Parade, will give our community something tangible to look forward to as we weather the months ahead.”

Tickets for the new Festival dates are ON SALE NOW at PhoenixPride.org.

The presenting sponsor for the 40th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival is Bud Light Seltzer, with Bank of America presenting the 40th Annual Phoenix Pride Parade.

Additional detailed information regarding the 2020 Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade is available online at http://www.phoenixpride.org.

ABOUT PHOENIX PRIDE

Phoenix Pride is the producer of the two largest annual public LGBTQ community events in Arizona: the Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade held each spring in April, and the Rainbows Festival, held every fall in October. Founded in 1981, the organization engages year-round in its mission to unite, educate and engage people and partners to support and empower the LGBTQ community and its current and future allies. Additional information regarding Phoenix Pride is available online at the agency’s web site, http://www.PhoenixPride.org.

Events to be rescheduled for fall of 2020

PHOENIX — Phoenix Pride will postpone the 40th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade, originally scheduled for April 4-5, 2020, amid broad-based concerns over public health and safety. The events will be rescheduled for the fall of 2020, with new dates to be announced soon.

The organization has issued the following statement:

“Since concerns first arose regarding the state of public health and safety in the U.S., Phoenix Pride’s staff and leadership have been in constant contact with our partners in the relevant local, state and federal government agencies, as well as with vendor and community partners, and we have been closely monitoring the current public health situation.

“While we had hoped to present the 40th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade as planned, our first and foremost concern is always for the health and safety of everyone who participates in our programs at any level, including our staff, vendors, volunteers, performers and guests.

“Based on the best information currently available, and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, we have made the determination that the best, and safest, course of action at this time is to postpone our 40th Annual Festival and Parade until a date later this year. We are looking at fall 2020 options and will announce new festival and parade dates as soon as they are confirmed.

“We are extremely grateful to all of our partners in making these events possible, including our sponsors, vendors, managers, volunteers, our partners in government and public safety, and especially our local community, without whom we would not and could not exist.

“Our commitment to the community and to our mission remains unwavering, and we look forward to producing a Pride Festival and Parade this fall that will make everyone in our community proud, and that will be worthy of the great milestone that is our 40th anniversary. In the interim, we encourage everyone to be safe and be healthy, and we wish everyone well moving forward.”

ABOUT PHOENIX PRIDE

Phoenix Pride is the producer of the two largest annual public LGBTQ community events in Arizona: the Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade held each spring in April, and the Rainbows Festival, held every fall in October. Founded in 1981, the organization engages year-round in its mission to unite, educate and engage people and partners to support and empower the LGBTQ community and its current and future allies. Additional information regarding Phoenix Pride is available online at the agency’s web site, http://www.PhoenixPride.org.

Centennial, Colorado—Claudia Svarstad and Beckie Harkey of Tucson, Arizona and Denver, Colorado, have been selected to receive the Center for Health and Hope’s 2020 Leadership Award for their extraordinary volunteer service in Tucson, Denver, and around the globe.

The award will be presented during the annual Swinging@AIDS benefit concert on March 20, 2020.  “Their inclusive love of humanity is infectious,” stated the Rev. Dr. Donald E. Messer, Executive Director of the Center for Health and Hope.  “Through Beckie and Claudia, people connect with a vision of humanitarian service that knows no discrimination and abounds with compassion.”

Scott Blades, Executive Director of the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN), commented, “Beckie and Claudia have a long history of advocacy and support for people with HIV, and we are so fortunate that they’ve continued those efforts here locally since they moved to Tucson.  They have such a heart for giving, and we’re so happy to help celebrate their impact.”

Beckie Harkey (pictured above, left) and Claudia Svarstad (pictured above, right) met in Denver 42 years ago as they were both working in the insurance industry.  They were married in 2015.

For the past 15 years, three matters have been constants in their lives, intertwined in various ways:  community, golf, and HIV/AIDS.  Svarstad’s concern about hunger issues led her to a book about world hunger, which she discovered was written by a fellow Denver resident, the president of nearby Iliff School of Theology.  Moved by those writings of Rev. Dr. Donald Messer, Svarstad set out to meet him and become engaged in the work.  In addition to his leadership on hunger issues, Rev. Messer was also a leader in the global effort to address the growing AIDS crisis.  Within a year of their initial meeting, Svarstad joined a mission trip to India through Dr. Messer’s non-governmental organization, the Center for Health and Hope.

“Seeing women with AIDS, abandoned in front of a hospital that would not accept them, was a profound experience for me,” Svarstad shared.  “When I returned to the US, I couldn’t erase that memory of discrimination and suffering from my mind.  I knew that people with AIDS locally and globally faced stigma and isolation, but it seemed overwhelming, and I wasn’t sure what to do.  And then I remembered a saying: ‘When you don’t know what to do next, just do the thing in front of you.’”

Filled with passion and a desire to make a difference to support people with HIV, Svarstad recalls looking around and noticing what was often in front of her:  a golf ball.  Golf was among their favorite activities.  One of the factors for their career success in the insurance industry was Svarstad and Harkey’s love of golf and the relationships they built with their work colleagues on the golf course.  Exploring how to make a difference in the lives of people with HIV, they proposed a golf tournament to benefit the Center’s programs and services.

Their first “Swinging@AIDS” golf tournament in Denver raised $10,000, and became an annual tradition that grew and thrived.  When Svarstad and Harkey moved to Tucson in 2013 to spend part of the year here, they also brought their passion for golf tournament fundraisers for HIV, and connected with the work of the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network, which would become a partner with the Center on a Tucson-based golf tournament and concert, jointly benefiting the programs and services of TIHAN and Center-supported programs for children impacted by HIV in Kenya.

This year, the Center will hold its 25th golf tournament benefit.  These events have now raised more than $600,000 for HIV support services in the US and in Kenya.  In Tucson, the Swinging@AIDS golf tournaments and concerts have raised over $90,000 to benefit programs supporting people with HIV in Tucson and orphans in Kenya. 

“Participating in a benefit—whether it’s a golf tournament or a concert—can open people’s eyes and introduce them to challenges and opportunities, to injustices and ways to get involved and make a difference,” Svarstad related.  “Whether it’s women in India, children in Kenya, or gay men here in the US, everyone with HIV deserves to have love and support.”

“Through our involvement first with the Center for Health and Hope, and now also with TIHAN, we have met so many incredible people with a passion to help address the stigma of AIDS and help build support networks for our neighbors in need,” Harkey shared.  “Both Claudia and I have had our share of experiences of seeing discrimination–whether based on gender, race, sexual orientation, HIV status, poverty.   We’ve also experienced how our hearts can be touched and how deeply people can care for each other.   We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to be able to give back and help others see how they can make a difference in simple yet impactful ways.”

After leading 20 golf tournament benefits in Colorado and Tucson, Svarstad and Harkey have turned over leadership, but they continue volunteering and supporting the efforts of new leaders.  Their gratitude overflows.  “We are deeply, deeply grateful to our family, friends from Tucson and Denver, our Women’s Golf League at The Views, and the co-chairs, volunteers, staff, and board at TIHAN and the Center,” said Svarstad.  “Without all of these folks, nothing would have happened.”

The Center for Health and Hope and TIHAN will recognize the couple’s contributions with the 2020 Leadership Award, to be presented at the annual Swinging@AIDS benefit concert.  Featuring the award-winning Heather “Lil’ Mama” Hardy Band, the concert will take place on Friday, March 20 at 7pm at Monterey Court.  Tickets for the benefit concert are $20, and sponsorships range from $50 to $1,500. Tickets available through www.eventbrite.com (search for “TIHAN concert”).  Generous donors have pledged to contribute matching funds for all that the concert raises, up to $10,000.  All proceeds benefit the HIV support programs of TIHAN and the Center for Health and Hope.

Past recipients of the Center’s Leadership Award include Rev Charlie Arehart, Kevin Carmichael MD, Linda Girard RN, and Jon Stetson and Noel Floresca.

ABOUT THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS

The Center for Health and Hope (www.centerforhealthandhope.org), based in Denver, addresses the challenges of the global HIV and AIDS pandemic and related health needs in the world through programs of awareness, education, prevention, care, and treatment.  The Center challenges attitudes and actions that contribute to stigmatization and discrimination of persons infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.  For more information, contact Executive Director Rev. Dr. Don Messer (303) 877-1955 or globalaids@gmail.com

Since 1994, TIHAN–the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (www.tihan.org), has been organizing volunteers, businesses, organizations, and faith communities to respond to the HIV/AIDS health crisis.  In addition to HIV awareness and stigma reduction programs, TIHAN helps support people with HIV to live as well as possible.  For more information, contact Executive Director Scott Blades at (520) 299-6647 ext 202 or scott@tihan.org