Cleveland Pride

source: http://www.365gay.com/news/gay-rights-activist-calls-for-march-on-washington/

By The Associated Press

(Salt Lake City) An activist who worked alongside slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk announced plans Sunday for a march on Washington this fall to demand that Congress establish equality and marriage rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Cleve Jones said the march planned for Oct. 11 will coincide with National Coming Out Day and launch a new chapter in the gay rights movement. He made the announcement during a rally at the annual Utah Pride Festival.

“We seek nothing more and nothing less than equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states,” Jones said.

He stirred up a crowd of thousands just blocks from the Salt Lake City headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, part of a conservative coalition that worked last fall to pass California’s Proposition 8, which overturned a court ruling legalizing gay marriage.

“I’ve got a message for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Jones shouted. “I’ve got two words from California … I’ve got two words for the prophet … Thank you. Thank you for uniting us. Thank you for galvanizing us.”

Mormons were among the campaign’s most vigorous volunteers and financial contributors, giving tens of millions of dollars to back Proposition 8, which Jones said has helped awaken and unite the gay rights movement in all 50 states.

Like many faiths, Mormons hold traditional marriage as a sacred institution. The church has been active in fighting marriage equality legislation across the U.S. since the 1990s and, in 2006, joined other faiths in asking Congress for a marriage amendment to the Constitution.

Gay marriage is legal in six states. A handful of others allow civil unions for same-sex couples and about 40 either bar the recognition of same-sex marriage or have explicitly defined marriage – through legislation or constitutional amendments – as between a man and a woman.

Jones was a protege of Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay elected official, who was shot and killed by a fellow member of the Board of Supervisors in 1978. In the mid-80s Jones founded the NAMES Project, the AIDS memorial quilt that recognizes the more than 80,000 Americans who have died from HIV/AIDS.

In an interview Friday, he said a confluence of events – a new president, the success of the movie “Milk” and Proposition 8 – makes this the right time to intensify the fight for equality.

Since November, Jones said he has received hundreds of e-mails from Latter-day Saints who apologized and said they were uncomfortable or ashamed by the faith’s fight against Proposition 8.

“It’s unfortunate that a church and a people who experienced persecution in the past could not come to some accommodation that would allow them to maintain their faith without so vociferously seeking to deny other people their rights,” Jones said.

Friday, June 26 is Cleveland Pride Night for Cinderella at the Little Parma Theatre!

Cleveland Pride is pleased to announce an opportunity for community members to see Cinderella by Mercury Summer Stock. By mentioning Cleveland Pride, you can receive a $5 discount on your general admission ticket regularly priced at $15.   You can see this great performance at the Parma Little Theatre located at 6285 W 54th Street, Parma, OH 44129. For reservations and more information call (216) 771-5862 or go to www.mercurysummerstock.com.

Gay co-founders Pierre-Jacques Brault – Artistic Director and Brian Marshall – Managing Director, put a great deal of energy in providing a wonderful venue for LGBT and straight allies to perform their artistic tools of the trade. Cinderella has many LGBT community members in its cast this season.

Mercury Summer Stock is a professionally based, not-for-profit, and community-supported stock theatre serving the artistic and cultural needs of the Cleveland Metropolitan area. Mercury strives to bring theatrical talent back into the area, as well as to provide local performers opportunities to work on and off stage with theatre professionals.

Mercury seeks to serve the community by entertaining, enlightening, and celebrating the best of the human spirit through art. Mercury Summer Stock continues our tradition of presenting high quality, premier or rarely performed works for the audiences of Greater Cleveland.

Cleveland Pride 2009 was a outstanding success. We are encouraging all participants of our rally, parade and festival to join Facebook and see more of our party at www.facebook.com/ClevelandPride.

Cleveland Pride has just completed the development of our 2009 festival layout. Community members and interested parties can download the layout at 2009 2009 Festival Layout

On behalf of Cleveland Pride, thank you for your time, commitment and support. We are excited to hold our 21st annual Cleveland Pride celebration with a parade, rally and festival. This year’s event coincides with the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City. We have selected a theme of “Equality through Unity” to honor those people that have come together and support advancing the rights of all peoples. It also represent a focusing statement to Northeast Ohio for all members of our community to unite to achieve equality in all walks of life.

PARADE PARTICIPANTS:
Parade Participants will meet at W. 3rd. between Superior and St. Clair Streets. If you have a vehicle you must be there by 10:30am; if you don’t have a vehicle, you must be there by 11am.

Everyone must be in the holding queue by 11:30am. Parade participants should not throw anything into the crowds, should not taunt anyone on the sidelines and should not involve themselves with any protests occurring along the parade route.

At the end of the parade, vehicles will be asked to turn left on Erieside Ave. in front of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Participants need to be out of the vehicle before Erieside Ave. Only cars with parking credentials are permitted to continue forward onto the campus. All participants are asked as they come into the festival to remain in the grassy knoll in front of the stage, so we are prepared for the rally speeches and photo opportunity.

PEACEKEEPERS:
We honor and celebrate our right to assemble and our right to freedom of speech. We also uphold and affirm the right of people who have opposing views.

Each parade group has two peacekeepers, one on the north side and south side of the parade route. Peacekeepers are reminded to introduce themselves to the peacekeeper in the group in front of their group and the peacekeeper behind their group. This creates a strong peacekeeper buddy system. Be watchful and prepared to assist your partner, peacekeeper and/or fellow groups. Peacekeepers should help the parade to move forward in a timely and organized fashion.

PARKING:
There is no parking for festival-goers at Voinovich Pier; however, ample city and private parking is available at the following locations:
• E. 9th Street Pier Parking Lot, northernmost point of East Ninth Street
• Standard Parking Garage at 1301 E. 9th St.
• APCOA parking across from Naval Reserve on North Marginal
• North Point Parking access from E. 9th St. near the Shoreway/Route 2 Ramp
• Willard Park Garage access from Lakeside and E. 9th Street
• Municipal Lot access from S. Marginal Rd.
• Burke Lakefront Airport access from N. Marginal Rd.
• Galleria Parking Garage and Valet Parking access from E. 12th St. or Lakeside
• Port Authority Lot access from Erieside Ave.

PARADE LINE-UP:
Parade participants may begin arriving at 10:30 AM. Please be prepared to be directed to a general area in the staging area. Groups may be required to adjust their positions as final attendees join our march. Anyone may march in our parade. Please welcome all last-minute interested parties.

• Blazing River Freedom Band
• Grand Marshals
• Dreamriders Women’s Motorcycle Club
• Emmanuel Fellowship Church
• Euclid Avenue Congregational United Church of Christ
• Melissa “Cha Cha” Figuroa
• Faith United Church of Christ
• Franklin Circle Christian Church
• DykeMoms
• GLSEN Northeast Ohio
• John Marshall Gay Straight Alliance
• Shaker Gay Straight Alliance
• GLBT @ Case
• Akron Area Pride Center Youth Group
• PFLAG – Cleveland
• Pride of Cleveland Scooter
• Time Warner Cable
• Trinity Cathedral GLBT and Allies
• Old South United Church of Christ
• Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ
• Plymouth Church of Shaker Hts. United Church of Christ
• Mercy for Animals
• Southwest Unitarian Universalist Church
• West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron
• Unitarian Universalist Society of Cleveland
• Liberation United Church of Christ
• AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland
• A Man’s World
• NAIL – New Age In Leather
• CLAW – Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend
• Cocktails Bar
• Clinic Pride
• Cleveland Missionary Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
• LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland
• Lovari
• Human Rights Campaign of Cleveland
• Jennifer Brunner Committee
• Equality Ohio
• Cleveland Stonewall Democrats
• Stonewall Democrats of Summit County
• Fusion
• Cleveland Fetish Community
• University Circle Inc.
• Cleveland Kings and Girls
• Devinity
• TransFamily
• Le Femme Mystique Burlesque
• Cleveland Couples Together
• Joseph-Beth Booksellers
• Misssy
• Ask Cleveland
• Rainbow Wranglers
• North Coast Bowling Assoc.-Sunday
• North Coast Softball
• Continental Airlines
• Ms. CoCo
• Revol
• Friends
• Mary and Tom

Listen to a live broadcast of Gaywaves on WRUW-FM 91.1 Case Western Reserve University, with host John Graves and Cleveland Pride’s Rally Coordinator, Jamie Moore. The interview will cover all aspects of the 2009 parade, rally and festival.

GAYWAVES, the ORIGINAL gay voice of America’s North Coast broadcasts on Mondays from 1 to 1:30 PM, from the campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio on 15,000 watt WRUW-FM 91.1. GAYWAVES (originally Radio Lambda) is a public affairs show that has been on the air more or less continually for about 30 years now. Staff have included LGBT notables including Brian DeWitt (GPC), Scott Bibbs (PACT), Drew Cari, and Jerry Szoka. John Graves has been with the show since the mid 80s and also wrote the media watch column On the Air/Off the Press which ran in the GPC for many years. John has participated in the Pride march since the beginning and won the prize for best float several years back when the festival was on Public Square. He was also one of festival speakers that year. John continues to demonstrate his advocacy for Cleveland Pride by including public service announcements for Pride and for the Pride organizing meetings throughout the history of the show.

Vendors are welcome to check-in as early as 7:30 AM on Saturday, June 20th at Voinovich Park. Please go directly to the Vendor/Volunteer Check-In booth. Vendor setup must be completed no later than 11:00 AM. The Parade will step off at 12:00 NOON leading to Voinovich Bicentennial Park. The Rally starts at 12:30PM & the Main Gate opens up from NOON – 9PM.

Vendor tear down will commence no earlier than 9:00 PM.

Just a few reminders:

• All Vendor transport vehicles must be off campus no later than 11:00 AM. There is no on-site parking available for Vendors or their volunteer crew. Please go to http://www.clevelandpride.org/home/parking/ in the menu bar double click on the link that says parking which will display parking locations available in downtown.

• The deaf and hard of hearing individuals comprise of 10% of the population in the United States. To make sure that you are reaching this large and diverse population, please provide information in a visible (written) format. When selling; food, drink, or clothing, please use posters, banners and brochures or signs to indicate prices and sizes, enabling deaf or hard of hearing individuals to easily shop at your booth. Your cooperation in creating an accessible environment for deaf and hard of hearing people at the Cleveland Pride Parade and Festival will be greatly appreciated.

• As a courtesy to other vendors and attendees, please limit amplified sound from your booth.

• Deposits will not be returned if you leave your area in disorder, damage the facilities or on-site equipment, start taking your booth down before the official festival closes, leave early, or do not check out with the Vendor Coordinator. Deposits are refunded by mail within two weeks after the event.

• Vendors are permitted to demonstrate products, solicit orders, and distribute advertising matter only from its assigned booth.

• Vendor must make provisions for the safekeeping of its goods and exhibit materials from the time they are placed in Exhibitor booth until they are removed. Cleveland Pride, Inc. will not be responsible, nor act as guarantor, for the safety of exhibit materials against, fire, accident or any loss or injury whatsoever.

• Vendor acknowledges that any image, likeness and personality may be captured on photograph, video, sound recording, live action internet transmission and other media (the “Personal Images”), and that Cleveland Pride, Inc. may wish to use these Personal Images for promotional and other affiliated business purposes.

Please review the attached document for your booth assignment. If you have any questions please feel free to call the Pride office at (216) 226-0004. Thank you and look forward to an exciting time working with you.
Sincerely,

Matthew T. Hout Diane M. Jackson
Vice President Vendor Coordinator

Flex Hotel and Spa

Flex Hotel and Spa

Cleveland Pride is excited to announce that Flex Spa & Hotel will offer deeply discounted rates on hotel rooms which includes both Queen and King size rooms, standard and deluxe models. Weekend visitors and festival goers will have an opportunity to experience the full benefits of this grand location.

Flex Hotel & Spa is a  state of the art modern facility with all the conveniences of new with the character of old. Owners have taken an art deco, Greyhound building, built in 1939 and totally renovated it, saving some of the best and improving on the rest.

The complex has amenities including exclusive Quiet Spa Rooms to a Grand Presidential suite with a piano; Classic spa rooms all with TV’s for private viewing; Indoor pool that was built in the service pits used to service the Greyhound buses, and an outdoor swimming pool (open year round); Twenty Man Whirlpool; Giant Steamroom Maze 4,000 sq. ft.; Eucalyptus vapor room; Standard sauna; High temp Russian sauna; Entertainment lounge; Five thousand square foot gym with Magum selectorized machines and precor cardio equipment; Continuous state of the art tiered seating theater; Fully equipped vending area; Full kitchen on premise; Two shower areas one with electronic temperature regulated heads; Locker room was the original Greyhound maintenance workers’ locker and shower area – memories kept intact; Movie Lounge in the old Greyhound conference room; Parking for over two hundred vehicles; and Full Liquor Bar and Restaurant.

Call today to reserve your accommodations and mention Cleveland Pride to have special rates for your visit to Cleveland, our 21st celebration of Pride, and more.

$79.00 per day Queen Room (regularly $125.00) per day (tax not included); $115.00 per day King Room (regularly $135.00) per day (tax not included); Self Parking Free, Group code – Cleveland Pride; 6/19/09 through 6/20/09; group rates expire 06/18/2009; Call the hotel direct at (216) 812-3304.

Each year, the Cleveland Pride parade and festival grow larger and larger, and it cannot happen with without the help, commitment and hard work of several individuals, all of whom play an integral role.

Below you’ll find a listing of the myriad committees and significant volunteers who have given freely of their time and energy the past eight months of so to pull-together the largest festival of the year in the Northeast Ohio region. An individual earns the title of Significant Volunteer by working 10 hours or more a week during the planning process.

Each of the individuals listed below have contributed significant man-hours, ideas and time to bring you the 2009 Cleveland Pride Parade and Festival.

Cleveland Pride extends a huge and hearty ‘thank you’ to all of the individuals listed below. If you encounter any of these individuals that weekend, please remember to thank them, as well.

PRIDE PLANNING COMMITTEES
(Names listed in bold indicate committee chairpersons)

Event Management Logistics/Infrastructure/Website—Todd Saporito, Chris Cheuvront, Jeff Steinberg, Matthew Hout
Marketing/Public Relations—Chris Cheuvront, Shawn Hoefler, Jen Beehler, Mark Pasher
Entertainment/Fundraising—Keith Madden, Crash Jenkins, Autumn Ridler, Renee Goldstein, Christina Reed, Sandra Davis, Carly Mesnick, Scott Newberger, Kristin Kozel, David Hoyle, Heather Hamilton, Divinity “Tamika” Jones
Outreach/Volunteers/GSAs—Hank Nest, Carly Mesnick, Kim Hunyor, Jen Walker, Crash Jenkins, Bree Moler, Michelle Nicopolis, Amanda Tome
Vendor Relations: Matthew Hout, Sonja Leftwich, Scott Newberger, Mark Pasher, Diane Jackson, George Antonaklas
Rally/Government Relations—Jamie Moore
Parade—Jon Brittain, Spencer Peeler
Sponsors/Development—Matthew Hout, Todd Saporito, Keith Madden, Lee Dybo

PRIDE PRODUCTION CREW
(Names listed in bold indicate team leaders)

2009 Event Management Team—Todd Saporito, Jon Brittain, Matthew Hout, Jeff Steinberg, Josh Dudeck, Lee Dybo, Keith Madden, Carly Mesnick, Charles Mesrobian, Bree Moler, Annette Morrison, Myron O’Hare, Hank Nest, Lt. Stacho

Pride Office Management—Annette Morrison, Johnny Correa
Logistics/Infrastructure—Jeff Steinberg, Matthew Hout, Matthew Hongosh, Jaison Lee
Vendors/Sponsors—Matthew Hout, George Antonaklas, Diane Jackson, Sonja Leftwich
Financial Management—Josh Dudeck, Lee Dybo, Bo Lydic, Larry Parsons
Beverages—Charles Mesrobian, Amanda Tome, College GSAs
Corporate Sponsorship Liaison—Michael Flickinger
Community Relations—Sonja Leftwich
Media/Public Relations—Chris Cheuvront
Sign Language Interpreters—Erin LaFountain, Mark Howdieshell, Heather West
Decorations—Kim Hunyor
Hospitality—Charles Mesrobian
VIP Tent & Services—Candice Cokefair, John Kucinski
Master Electrician—Jerry Szoka, Doan Pyramid LLC
Security—Lt. Tom Stacho (Cleveland Police), Myron O’Hare (Tenable Protection Services)
Entertainment—Keith Madden, David Hoyle (Performance Stage), Richard ”Zoe” L. Hunt
Main Gates—Carly Mesnick
Volunteers—Hank Nest, Crash Jenkins, Bree Moler, Charles Mesrobian, Amanda Tome
Beer Garden—Bree Moler, Crash Jenkins
Pride Medical Tent—Doug VanAiken
Parade—Jon Brittain, Erica Chaney, Matthew Prusinksi, Spencer Peeler
Rally Coordinator—Jamie Moore, Amanda Dempsey
Sound—Keith Steele (Accurate Sound & Lighting), Chris Jackson (Subspace)

Cleveland Pride is excited to announce its 2009 Cleveland Pride parade participant roster. This year’s event is the 21st celebration of Cleveland Pride’s parade, rally and festival, and is the biggest event yet.

Cleveland Pride is honored and excited to have the following organizations as participants this year. It shows a never-before-achieved partnership among Cleveland Pride and several local and national businesses. These relationships represent progress and growth toward equality for all, and we urge you to patronize these businesses regularly.

Cleveland Pride’s parade will be a fantastic representation of diversity. Please pass along the word to all of your LGBT friends and straight allies. Without further adieu, below are the 2009 participants:

AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland
Akron Area Pride Center Youth Group
AMW – A Man’s World
Ask Cleveland
Blazing River Freedom Band
CLAW – Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend
Cleveland Couples Together
Cleveland Fetish Community
Cleveland Kings and Girls
Cleveland Missionary Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Cleveland Stonewall Democrats
Clinic Pride
Cocktails Bar
Continental Airlines
Devinity
Dreamriders Women’s Motorcycle Club
DykeMoms
Equality Ohio
Euclid Avenue Congregational United Church of Christ
Faith United Church of Christ
Franklin Circle Christian Church
Friends
Fusion
GLBT  @ Case
Grand Marshals
Human Rights Campaign of Cleveland
Jennifer Brunner Committee
John Marshall Gay Straight Alliance
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Le Femme Mystique Burlesque
LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland
Liberation United Church of Christ
Lovari
Mary and Tom
Melissa “Cha Cha” Figuroa
Mercy for Animals
Misssy
Ms. CoCo
NAIL – New Age In Leather
North Coast Bowling Association  – Sunday League
North Coast Softball
Old South United Church of Christ
PFLAG Cleveland
Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ
Plymouth Church of Shaker Hts. United Church of Christ
Pride of Cleveland Scooter
Rainbow Wranglers
Revol
Shaker Gay Straight Alliance
Southwest Unitarian Universalist Church
Stonewall Democrats of Summit County
Time Warner Cable
TransFamily
Trinity Cathedral GLBT and Allies
Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron
Unitarian Universalist Society of Cleveland
University Circle Inc.
West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church

House of Elegance to Host Ball Room Competition at 2009 Cleveland Pride

Cleveland Pride is excited to welcome the Ball Room Scene, for the first time, to Cleveland Pride. This particular Ball Room is sponsored by Ohio House of Elegance, the largest chapter of the national House of Elegance organization which was founded in Miami in 1995. New House of Elegance chapters are forming nationwide, and Cleveland Pride is pleased to be able to offer them our venue to show their stuff to the LGBT community in Northeast Ohio.

Other chapters are located in Toledo, Columbus, Sandusky, and other cities in Ohio.

Several categories are open for competition this year, all of which are fierce. Here is a run-down of each category:

Butch Queen-Vogue Fem: Must wear an outfit that is rainbow colors top and bottom
Runway: Must wear rainbow footwear and rainbow eyeglass or sunglasses of any kind.
Drag Performance: Must impersonate Rainbow Brite in a Ghetto Style.
Realness: Must wear shoes, bag and glasses in the rainbow colors.
Butch vs. Fem: Must have pride colors on your face. Give it your best look and effect.
High Fashion: Must wear 2009 Look in gay colors.
Fem Queen: Body in a colorful swimsuit
J Setters: Dance, Dance, Dance in your best rainbow look
Dip-ology: Just Bring It
House Performance: Three or more with a 2 minute routine (Rainbow skittles is the look)

There will be a Grand Prize of $200.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cleveland, Ohio – June 4, 2009 – Joseph-Beth Booksellers will host an in-store event to benefit Cleveland Pride. Former Ohioan Rakesh Satyal will discuss and sign his new book, Blue Boy at 2:00 pm. Also, autographed copies of Sprout, the latest young adult release from author Dale Peck, will be available. By mentioning your intent to support Cleveland Pride at the register, a portion of the proceeds of all purchases in the bookstore and Bronte Bistro throughout the day will be donated back to Cleveland Pride by Joseph-Beth.

This event is free and open to the public.

About The Author
RAKESH SATYAL graduated in 2002 with a B.A. in Comparative Literature and Creative Writing from Princeton University, where he won the 2002 Ward Mathis Prize for best short story written by an undergraduate. He has been published in a variety of anthologies, including the Lambda Award-winning The Man I Might Become: Gay Men Write About Their Fathers and the second volume of the Fresh Men series, which featured an introduction by Andrew Holleran.

Rakesh is currently an editor at HarperCollins, where he edits such authors as international superstar Paulo Coelho, horror maestro Clive Barker, beloved novelist Armistead Maupin, and humorist Paul Rudnick. He is also on the planning committee of the PEN World Voices Festival and speaks frequently at writers’ conferences.

In his spare time, Rakesh sings jazz music. His act with noted publishing figure Jonathan Burnham, “Rocky and Johnny,” was featured on Page Six and the New York Observer and mentioned in The New Yorker, New York, the New York Times, and Time Out. Due to his trifecta of editing-writing-singing, Rakesh was featured in the 2005 book The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine, a guide to balancing one’s various interests and hobbies. Rakesh is also a bona fide foreign language nerd and budding chef.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rakesh now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

About Blue Boy
Meet Kiran Sharma: lover of music, dance, and all things sensual; son of immigrants, social outcast, spiritual seeker. A boy who doesn’t quite understand his lot — until he realizes he’s a god…

As an only son, Kiran has obligations — to excel in his studies, to honor the deities, to find a nice Indian girl, and, above all, to make his mother and father proud — standard stuff for a boy of his background. If only Kiran had anything in common with the other Indian kids besides the color of his skin. They reject him at every turn, and his cretinous public schoolmates are no better. Cincinnati in the early 1990′s isn’t exactly a hotbed of cultural diversity, and Kiran’s not-so-well-kept secrets don’t endear him to any group. Playing with dolls; choosing ballet over basketball; taking the annual talent show way too seriously…the very things that make Kiran who he is also make him the star of his own personal freak show…

Surrounded with examples of upstanding Indian Americans — in his own home, in his temple, at the weekly parties given by his parents’ friends — Kiran nevertheless finds it impossible to get the knack of “normalcy.” And then one fateful day, a revelation: perhaps his desires aren’t too earthly, but too divine. Perhaps the solution to the mystery of his existence has been before him since birth. For Kiran Sharma, a long, strange trip is about to begin — a journey so sublime, so ridiculous, so painfully beautiful, that it can only lead to the truth…

About Dale Peck
DALE PECK is the author of the Drift House novels for intermediate readers as well as many critically acclaimed novels and books of essays for adults, including Martin and John and Now It’s Time to Say Goodbye. He lives in New York City.

About Sprout
Sprout Bradford has a secret. It’s not what you think—he’ll tell you he’s gay. He’ll tell you about his dad’s drinking and his mother’s death. The green fingerprints everywhere tell you when he last dyed his hair. But neither the reader nor Sprout are prepared for what happens when Sprout suddenly finds he’s had a more profound effect on the lives around him than he ever thought possible. Sprout is both hilarious and gripping; a story of one boy at odds with the expected.

For more information about this and other community programs or author events at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, call 216.691.7000 or visit www.josephbeth.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cleveland Pride is pleased to announce that it will partner with Enterprise Rent-a-Car as Transportation Sponsor for this year’s Cleveland Pride celebration in Voinovich Park on June 20.

Enterprise Rent-a-Car becomes another of Cleveland Pride’s major sponsors this year.

By partnering, Cleveland Pride and Enterprise Rent-a-Car will promote awareness and acceptance of the LGBT community to the Northeast Ohio region, as well as putting Cleveland Pride’s “Equality through Unity” theme into practice.

“Cleveland Pride is pleased to announce Enterprise Rent-a-Car as our transportation sponsor for 2009. This partnership is a testament to the integration and success of LGBT organizations working with national corporate brands, who are not afraid to be all inclusive,” observed Todd Saporito, 2009 Cleveland Pride Board President/CEO.

“Enterprise is pleased to be the official transportation provider of Cleveland Pride. As the official rental car company of the Cleveland Pride weekend, we owe our success to the support and goodwill of the people who live in our community. Our commitment to being an inclusive company extends to every employee, customer and business partner,” said Group Human Resources Manager Chryssa Thompson.

About Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Founded in 1957 and headquartered in St. Louis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an internationally recognized brand with the largest fleet of passenger vehicles in the world today, more than 700,000 cars and trucks. Enterprise also operates a network of 7,000 neighborhood and airport rental locations in the United States, Canada, the U.K., Ireland, and Germany. Enterprise of North America is part of a global strategic alliance with Europcar, creating the world’s largest car rental network.

As North America’s largest car rental company, Enterprise is known for its exceptionally low rates, neighborhood convenience and its outstanding service, including picking up local customers at no extra cost. Ranked No. 18 on the Forbes Top 500 Private Companies in America, Enterprise has branch offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population. In addition, Enterprise has ranked highest in customer satisfaction among airport rentals in nine out of the past ten years, according to J.D. Power and Associates Rental Car Satisfaction Study. For more information about Enterprise, visit www.enterprise.com.

ABOUT CLEVELAND PRIDE
Founded in 1989, Cleveland Pride has been an integral part of the Northeastern Ohio region for the past 21 years. Cleveland’s Pride celebration is among the first half-dozen such events launched in the U.S., making our Parade and Festival among the longest continuing Pride events in the country.

On an ongoing basis, Cleveland Pride brings awareness, education and knowledge of the queer community to the general public to discourage/eliminate prejudice and discrimination on the basis of a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Cleveland Pride openly recognizes and embraces all individuals of the queer community who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer questioning, intersex and straight allies, while understanding that each group identified exists in all ages, races, national origins and physical abilities.

# # #

Cleveland Pride’s Festival has been known for a decades as a great place to hear great live entertainment, both local and national talent. The plans an exceptional selection of talent in all genres many festival goers will enjoy. The Entertainment Committee is excited to announce a diverse line-up with something that should please many music lovers. As in previous years, attendees will have choice of entertainment on multiple stages, the Triangle Stage and Performance Stage. Both stages will go into the closing hours of the festival.

Headlining on the Triangle Stage, will be long time festival favorites and new artists including Blazing River Freedom Band Anthony Covatta followed by Melissa “Cha Cha” Figueroa, North Coast Men’s Chorus, Rainbow Wranglers, Ritmo Y Raza, Early Girl, Melissa Ferrick, Stephanie Geber, Diana Chittester, Houston Bernard, Robin Stone, Audiblethread, Coyote Grace, Jaclyn Bradley, and DJ Gary S.

The Performance Stage, in its second year, offers entertainment acts from various walks of the LGBT and straight allied community. Performance artists and groups include Cleveland Kings and Girls, Ohio Drag Queens, Melissa “Cha Cha” Figueroa, Le Femme Mystique, Burlesque, Pro 2 J, Wasted Productions, LiquorBoxes, Cleveland Fetish Community, Rubber City Bombshells, Unladielike, Da Doll House – formerly All 4 U, and Infusion. The Performance Stage will be closing with an exciting high energy entertainment.  See more detailed biographies and links to our performers websites at http://www.clevelandpride.org/home/entertainment/

“2008 was the first year for our Performance Stage,” noted Keith Madden, board member and chair of entertainment. “Cleveland Pride’s goal was to reengage every aspect of our community and meet their needs, taste and desires. These groups provide exciting entertainment for all generations and demonstrate our Unity!”

Cleveland Pride will continues to extend the party in Club Pride, our Beer Garden sponsored by House of LaRose offering Bud Light and Icelandic Glacial products. A DJ Booth has been added to the area to allow festival goers to stop, enjoy and dance throughout the day. Music of various styles will be played by DJ Freeze, DJ Cassie, DJ Lowkey, DJ Rob Black, DJ Bob Gannem, and DJ David Call.

For a full entertainment line-up time and schedule, please go to http://www.clevelandpride.org/home/entertainment/entertainment-line-up-schedule/

Due to overwhelming last-minute demand, and unprecedented collaboration with Cleveland Pride, the Gay People’s Chronicle 2009 Pride Guide publication date has changed from June 5th to June 19th!

This is a very exciting year for the Gay People’s Chronicle! This is the first year that the GPC has had an extraordinary collaboration with Cleveland Pride. Because of this, and the fact that the GPC wants to be able to provide a Pride Guide that is extremely up-to-date and accurate, with as much information, and the most advertisers as possible, we are changing the date of the official Pride Guide to June 19, 2009.

This change will allow the GPC to be as current as possible on all of the information contained in the Pride Guide for both the Cleveland and Columbus Pride events, which happen on the same day! It will also allow the GPC more time to work with our advertisers to alleviate any last-minute stress.

The GPC will still be publishing a June 5th issue and all of you who are regular advertisers will be included, as usual. Those of you that signed up specifically for the Pride Guide will be moved to the June 19th issue.

It is our hope that this move will benefit everyone involved by giving the reader the most up-to-date info, and the advertiser the best exposure by being seen in the official 2009 Pride Guide in the days leading up to, and during the event.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact David Ebbert at 440-986-0747, or email him at debbert@chronohio.com.

Appearing at the PRIDE Parade, sponsored by LOGO and Time Warner Cable, will be Akashia, one of the contestants from LOGO’s hugely successful original series “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” “RuPaul’s Drag Race” gathered the next generation of outrageous, up-and-coming drag queens to fight for the title of America’s next drag queen superstar. Thousands applied but only 9 of the nation’s hottest most glamorous drag queens were chosen to fight for the title.

Each cast member had to embody the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent that made RuPaul an international drag superstar. Each week, joining RuPaul on the judges panel were fashion journalist and best-selling author Merle Ginsberg and Project Runway breakout star and designer Santino Rice plus a bevy of celebrity guest judges including: Bob Mackie (Designer), Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), Lucy Lawless (actress), Maria Conchita Alonso (actress/singer), Robin Antin (creator of The Pussycat Dolls), Debra Wilson (Mad TV), Jenny Shimizu (model/actress), Tori Spelling (actress) and Dean McDermott (actor). The judges determined the bottom two contestants of the week. Those contestants then competed in a show-stopping battle-royale “lip-synch for your life” performance that determined if they would “shante” and stay and who would “sashay” away.

While “RuPaul’s Drag Race” took a look at the outrageous world of drag, it also revealed the courage, perseverance and humanity of 9 men who have overcome and endured the hardships of a masculine dominated society that mocks and makes fun of men who act like women. Not only did viewers get a bird’s eye view of what it takes for these chameleons to transform themselves but they will observe the secrets of the artistry of drag.

Time Warner Cable and LOGO will provide a convertible for Akaiska to ride through the PRIDE parade on June 20th. Employees from Time Warner Cable’s Diversity & Inclusion Council will walk the parade route clad in TWC/LOGO PRIDE t-shirts. Akaisha will meet and greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photographs with lucky fans in the Time Warner Cable tent from 2 – 3 p.m. and 4 – 5 p.m.

ABOUT LOGO
Logo is the world’s leading ad-supported cable, satellite, online, mobile and digital entertainment gay and lesbian themed network from MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B). Launched in 2005, Logo’s cable channel is in more than 37 million homes across the United States and is complemented by a federation of online properties, including LOGOonline.com, TripOutGayTravel.com, AfterEllen.com, AfterElton.com, 365gay.com, DowneLink.com and NewNowNext.com. Logo’s content is distributed across all leading download-to-own, streaming and mobile services. The most influential brand for the most influential audience, Logo provides a mix of original and acquired entertainment as well as news, social networking and community building that are authentic, smart, fun, entertaining, and inclusive. Logo joins MTV Networks’ roster of popular and highly targeted brands which include MTV, Comedy Central, VH1 and Spike TV.

ABOUT TIME WARNER CABLE
Time Warner Cable is the second-largest cable operator in the U.S., with technologically advanced, well-clustered systems located in five geographic areas — New York State (including New York City), the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California (including Los Angeles) and Texas. Time Warner Cable serves more than 14 million customers who subscribe to one or more of its video, high-speed data and voice services. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers a suite of phone, Internet, Ethernet and cable television services to businesses of all sizes. Time Warner Cable Media Sales, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions that are targeted and affordable. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.timewarnercable.com, www.twcbc.com and www.twcmediasales.com.

ABOUT MTV NETWORKS
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.

On June 13, come on out to Lady Z’s and show your support for the LGBT community and your upcoming Pride parade and festival.

Cleveland Pride will host a Beer Pong Tournament, and a raffle at Lady Z’s. For a small donation at the door, and a $20 tournament entrance fee, you can participate in a Corn Hole and Beer Pong contest.

You’ll also be entered into a raffle to win your very own Corn Hole game board (how have you lived without it for this long??), and you can even participate in an auction! Fun is sure to be had by all, and at the same time, you’ll be giving back to your community, so it’s a win-win for everyone!

DJ Mystress will be spinning the latest hits that night, creating a great mood and great energy.

Entertainers will include He Said/She Said, CKG, Liquorbox, Ohio Burlesque, and Pro2Jay.

On June 11 from 7p.m.-10p.m. at Twist Social Club, Cleveland Pride will host a get-together to capture the mounting enthusiasm and energy as we get closer to Cleveland’s pride parade and festival on June 20.

To show our appreciation for your involvement in our parade and festival activities for 2009, and to create additional positive energy around the event, we invite you to our “Push for Pride” event.

Our vendor, “The Original Greek Gyro” will provide free food, while Twist will offer their fabulous happy hour drink prices.

This is a great opportunity for all members and volunteers to meet, to share in the excitement of Pride and to make new friends. This event will allow all of us to meet and to unite to ensure we pull-off a spectacular parade and festival!

From 7p.m.-7:30p.m. that night, Jon Brittain will host a MANDATORY peacekeeping training session. The meeting will occur in the basement at Twist.

Come join us at Twist as the Cleveland Pride Committee thanks you for all of your hardwork!