Indianapolis gay community

The 25th Annual Circle City Pride Celebration, June 8th

The Circle City Pride Celebration is a week of events, culminating in the Pride Parade and Festival on Saturday, June 8th. Visit their site for a list of the events; there’s lots to do this year throughout the week. But definitely the highlights are the parade and festival on Saturday.

The Cadillac Barbie Pride Parade kicks off at 10 am on Massachusetts Avenue and winds through downtown to the festival site at the American Legion Mall. There are over 100 groups marching in the parade and thousands of spectators. Come early to get a good spot – people begin assembling for the parade at 8:30 am. (I’ll be marching with city-county council member Zach Adamson’s group this year).

Indy Pride

The Circle City Pride Festival gates open at 11 a.m on Michigan street. The festival stretches 3 city blocks, and hosts over 300 vendors and dozens of different entertainers during the course of the day.

Indy Pride

Over the 25 years that this event has been going on, the Pride Celebration has been transformed from a small community event to a diverse state-wide gathering of thousands of people from all walks of life. Today the parade and festival have an estimated attendance of 80,000 people, with events going on all week long. The Indianapolis Star as a nice article about the 25 year history of the pride celebration that’s very worth reading. I was one of the attendees at the first pride celebration on the circle in 1988. I drove down with friends from Ball State to set up a booth for Ball State’s LGBT Student Association, now called “Spectrum.” It was held on the Circle the first few years, attended by several hundred people and lots of protestors.

I think the Pride organizers have done a fantastic job of growing the festival, and of making the event worthy of a city the size of Indianapolis. I’ve been a part of organizing events like this in the past – it isn’t easy and there are lots of details to chase down. I have a lot of respect for what the organization has been able to build over the years. I’m excited for this year’s event; it promises to be bigger and better than years past.

Continue ReadingThe 25th Annual Circle City Pride Celebration, June 8th

Job Posting: Executive Director, Indiana Youth Group, Inc.

If you know anyone qualified for this position, please pass this along.

Indiana Youth Group is a lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender youth agency with a 15 year history in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Executive Director (ED) is a member of a two-person management team directly responsible for the organization’s achievement of its mission. The ED and the Operations Director constitute the IYG Management Team and together they direct the daily operations of the agency. The ED’s primary responsibility is to ensure the financial viability and growth of IYG. He/She reports directly to the Board of Directors, and manages all aspects of fund development and public relations. These goals are achieved by maximizing the opportunities for giving, educating the community on the needs of IYG, and providing exceptional donor recognition. Fundraising objectives will be developed with the Board of Directors, and will be mission-driven, clear, attainable, and evaluated. The specific responsibilities of the position are available upon request at info@indianayouthgroup.org.

Position requires 3—5 yrs of fundraising experience; Bachelors degree a necessity, post-graduate work particularly in fundraising a plus. Professional, responsible, organized, with the utmost discretion and integrity. Competitive compensation and benefits. Respond with cover letter, resume, and salary requirements by October 10, 2005, to Search Committee, Indiana Youth Group, PO Box 20716, Indianapolis, IN 46220-0716, or info@indianayouthgroup.org.

NOTE: This position was eventually filled by the uber-capable Mary Byrne.

Continue ReadingJob Posting: Executive Director, Indiana Youth Group, Inc.

Gay Indy Mailing List

On the bright side – I saw two movies this past weekend – Dogma and Run Lola Run. Both were good.

On the dark side – It surprises me sometimes what other people find to be important. I say this because I’m on the GayIndy mailing list, and it’s kind of a joke. The mailing list, I mean, not the fact that I’m on it.

The list has been shut down for a week or so because of controversy — and as soon as it started back up again, everyone’s posting information to it as though nothing has happened.

The controversy was about some of the gay groups in Indianapolis and how they don’t give information to the community about how they spend money or what their goals are or what they plan to accomplish or whether they’ve met any of their goals, etc. Which wouldn’t be a big deal except that they get on the news and talk to public officials claiming that they’re “community leaders” and that they represent people like me.

One of the people raising these questions was me, and one was Bruce Seybert, a publisher of one of the gay magazines in town. After the debate started heating up, someone started to get on the mailing list with an anonymous email address from yahoo and post libelous insults about Bruce.

That’s why they shut down the list; because of the unhealthy tone people were unsubscribing. But the questions raised have never been answered, and it looks as though they never will, because people are posting frivolous information to it.

I despair of Indianapolis sometimes. I think I’m going home to read some poetry.

Continue ReadingGay Indy Mailing List