VCU LGBT HISTORY MONTH ’10 • CALENDAR OF EVENTS

VCU LGBT History Month Calendar of Events

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George Michael “Buster” Zurik Community Commitment Award

The George Michael “Buster” Zurik Community Commitment Award was given for the first time in 2007. The award is designed to memorialize the life and commitment of Buster Zurik for enriching the lives of GLBT citizens within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Buster was a strong ally of many non-profit organizations and a strong and responsible business leader. Buster left behind a legacy of community commitment that has inspired VA Pride to recognize members of our Virginia community who, by virtue of their actions, have made an overwhelming difference in the quality of life of a great number of GLBT people within our Commonwealth.

Each year, VA Pride selects three recipients of the award. Here are the very deserving award recipients for 2010 who have displayed tremendous commitment to the LGBT communities throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia:

Mike n Mark
Mike and Mark are known throughout the Tidewater area for their dedication to bringing the greater community together. Mike and Mark have selflessly organized dinners, fundraisers, Tea Dances, Pier Parties and a host of other events designed to strengthen relationships between the various groups and segments of the LGBT community.  VA Pride thanks them for their passion and tireless devotion.

John Dougherty
John has worked tirelessly with ROSMY and with the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls to instill a greater sense of community awareness and involvement. VA Pride is truly thankful for all of John’s efforts and will remain impressed with the commitment and passion he has for the LGBT community.

Cindy Bray
Cindy has worked diligently with the Gay Community Center of Richmond in bringing social and cultural experiences to the LGBT community.  She has raised the level of awareness of many LGBT artists and entertainers.  Cindy has been a valued asset and advocate to the VA Pride organization and we appreciate her commitment to the LGBT community.

A Thank You from Amy Lockett

Wow… what a day!  Incredible turnout with amazing people and such a great energy all around.  Thank you for making Virginia Pridefest 2010 so special this year!!

Pridefest is such an important community event here in our commonwealth and I would like to thank our fearless event leader, Justin Shaia, for managing a lot of moving parts to make Pridefest happen.  I’d also like to thank Audrey Allen, Michael Maszaros, Scott Vock, Scott Sibley, David Ryder and all of our incredible volunteers!  Thank you to our premiere sponsor, Nationwide, with a special shout out to Aseel Shtayyeh and C. F. Younger who have been truly wonderful partners in bringing Pridefest to you this year!  I’d also like to thank our many other sponsors, our business partners, our vendors, our performers and entertainers, the City of Richmond, all of our allies and of course, I’d like to thank YOU for making it a very special Pridefest.

I think Pridefest has different meanings to different people.  For me, Pridefest is a way to bring the greater community together and remind us that it’s okay “to be”.  I often watch the news or listen to a speech and I realize that I’m being talked about… that you’re being talked about… that our right to be who we are is being discussed.  And I think, “How very surreal”.  People are deciding, and often debating, whether or not we get “to be”.  CNN will say “Next week we’ll be debating whether you get to serve in our military.  Stay tuned, because at 4pm, you get to listen to people talk about why your love is valued less than others.”

Well, it’s not okay.  But what happens is that it becomes okay to listeners, to viewers, to families, to children. It happens so often that we all become immune to the fact that it’s the discussion and the debating of these things that is truly offensive.  It causes a ripple effect through our community that is very damaging to our individual and collective sense of self.

And it’s not like we are asking for the moon here, is it?

•    We’d like to be educated along side our peers in a non-hostile school environment.
•    We’d like to be able to bring our whole selves to work.
•    We’d like to be honest in who we are without the risk our losing our children.
•    We’d like to be in the armed forces.  We would like to serve our country with our peers.  A better way to say this for some would be “We would like to continue to serve our country with our peers”.
•    We’d like to be respected with regard to love and marriage.

These are just a few… and they’re so basic.  And when the basics are up for grabs, LGBT individuals can begin to feel “less than”.  It’s easy to become isolated.  When you can’t be your whole self and pursue your dreams freely, every day can be a challenge.

If Pridefest does anything, it reminds us to celebrate everyone’s unique contribution to society.  It provides for us a safe place to celebrate our differences.  Pridefest offers us a glimpse into what “can be”.  My hope is that the feeling of freedom to be who we are that we have at Pridefest will extend outside of this one day into more days, weeks, months, and years.  It reminds us of what we are fighting for everyday… that comfortable, safe environment that we all deserve to exist in.  So get to know one another.  This is your community.  These are your friends.  And remember, you have every right to be who you are:

To be fabulous.
To be healthy.
To be outspoken.
To be generous.
To be spiritual.
To be protected.
To be happy.
To be proud.
To be YOU.

Thank you so much for being at Pridefest 2010.  And thank you for being YOU everyday.   Together we can make a difference!

Amy Lockett

Board Meeting Cancelled for October

The VA Pride Board meeting for October 3rd has been cancelled.

Please email the board at board@vapride.org if you need to contact us or come on November 7th at 2pm.

Thanks! See you Saturday @ PrideFest!

Win a trip to Miami at PrideFest

Q94 will be giving away a trip for two to Miami Beach to see Lady GaGa’s NEW ALBUM RELEASE tour early next year. Include airfare for two, great beach hotel and premium concert tickets.

Register at PrideFest and see who wins!