SGN Page 2

SEATTLE PRIDE UPDATE - New speakers, entertainers added to rally line-up

SEATTLE PRIDE UPDATE - New speakers, entertainers added to rally line-up
by Robert Raketty - SGN Staff Writer Over 100,000 people are expected to attend Seattles Pride March and Festival on Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, on Seattles Capitol Hill. The annual event celebrates the individual and communal contributions of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community and its allies. Seattle Pride Committees Marketing Director Dale Kirshner said that Pride 2005 promises to be the best year yet for the decades old event. My impression is that interest is greater this year than it has ever been, he said. We sold out [of booths] a lot quicker this year than we have in prior years. Think it is going to be a lot more fun and bigger this year. The Pride March and Festival will feature over 160 separate contingents and approximately 80 booths. The breadth and diversity of the individuals and group participants is certainly not exceeded anywhere else in Seattle, said Kirshner. The entire spectrum of the community every segment, every ideology and political affiliation will be here. A full weekend of Pride festivities kicks off on Saturday, June 25 and culminates on Sunday, June 26, with the big Pride March and Rally. On Saturday, Volunteer Park will be the center of activity with entertainment, informational booths, a movie and bingo. On Sunday, the march begins on the corner of Broadway and Pike Street at 11 a.m. The march will continue north along Broadway. Speakers, informational booths and entertainment will also continue at Volunteer Park on Sunday. A group Seattle business owners and individuals will reward excellence again this year. Contingents in the Pride March will have the opportunity to receive a financial contribution or designate a local nonprofit if they win one of several Pride awards. Kirshnner says the Pride Committee will also contribute any left over proceeds from contributions and fees to local nonprofit groups. The Grand Marshals for the march are Verbena Executive Director Mary Dzieweczynski, Seattle attorney Jamie D. Pedersen and Dunshee House, a local nonprofit that provides emotional support and personal development services to the LGBT community. The Pride Committee had solicited nominations for grand marshals during community meetings it held throughout the year. Dzieweczynski has worked in the non-profit sector for over 15 years, most recently as the executive director of Verbena, formerly the Seattle Lesbian Cancer Project and Sapphos Health Services. She is a recent recipient of the LGBT Community Centers Fruit Bowl Leadership Award. She earned a B.A. in learning psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1995 and a Certificate in Human Services Management from the University of Washington in 1997. She also earned a M.A. from Antioch University in the Environment and Community Program in 2000. Jamie D. Pedersen served as co-chair of the national board of directors of Lambda Legal. Currently, he serves as a cooperating attorney for Lambda Legal and is co-counsel in the King County marriage litigation, Andersen v. King County. He earned his B.A. from Yale College summa cum laude in American Studies and Soviet-East European Studies in 1990 and his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1994. He is a partner at Preston Gates & Ellis LLP with a general business practice including private, nonprofit, and municipal clients. Dunshee House was born as Seattle AIDS Support Group (SASG) and provided peer-led, emotional support groups for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. However, in May 2004 the organizations board of directors voted to change the name to Dunshee House and, in addition to its core HIV/AIDS programming, the organization now provides a wide range of emotional support and personal development services to the LGBT community and its allies. Rachel Maddow, host of Air Americas The Rachel Maddow Show, had been picked by the Pride Committee as the Celebrity Grand Marshal and Master of Ceremonies on Sunday.. Her show can be heard locally on Seattles progressive talk station, AM 1090. Maddow is an expert on U.S. prison conditions and has been credited with founding several HIV/AIDS activist groups. In addition to the Grand Marshals, who are scheduled to speak on Sunday, other scheduled speakers include: Trevor Gilmore (ACLU), Shannon Thomas (LGBT Community Center), Shawn Ewing (Vancouver Pride Society), AJ Rogue (American Veterans for Equal Rights), Mr. Gay Washington, and Miss Gay Washington. The Seattle Pride Committee raised about $60,000 from corporate sponsors, to bring in top notch entertainment and finance its operations. I am really excited about the talented musicians, DJs and artists who will perform during our two-day Pride event. If you came on Saturday or Sunday; you cant go wrong, said Kirshner. The two headliners, Debby Holiday and Veronica Klaus, will perform on the main stage on Sunday. According to Kirshner, both have a large following here in Seattle. Theyre great, both really great, he said. Holidays musical hits have appeared on the Billboards Top Ten dance tracks. She has performed with bands such as Kiss and singers like Jon Waite and Rod Stewart. This dance music diva recently signed a deal with Showtimes Queer as Folk, who will use her music in their shows during the programs final season. Klauss music is as diverse as her musical ability. She has sung everything from cabaret to big band. Her talents have earned her accolades from the San Francisco Weekly, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards. Other performances will include: Hans York, Johnny Rio (Drag King), Axel Samano, Entre Hermanos (performance), Angela Jossy, Sue Quigley Band, Chris Riffle, RISHLOO, The East End, Cheri, Seven Franz, The Acoustics, Henkensiefken, Purple Passion, Namoli Brennet, Rainbow City Band, Seattle Mens and Womens Choruses, Queen Bees (Drag King performance), 669 (Band), The Bratz, Seeing Blind, Androgene, Bonnie Ste-Croix, and Burning Hearts (drag performance). Everyone should come and enjoy their performances. They should all come this year and enjoy them, said Kirshner. They poor their heartsout and I want the world to see that. For more information about the Seattle Pride March and Rally, visit www.seattlepride.org or call (206) 322-9561.