Category: Places We’re Kinecting

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The Word of Rhonda

We only spent one night in Beaumont but I got a good chance to check things out the next morning though.  The night that we got in town however, the four of us just wanted to grab a drink so we headed downtown to find an open bar with some locals to chat with.  Our search became extremely limited when we only found one bar open, this little country gay bar called Beaumont Patio and Bar.  We walked in and were welcomed by a large empty bar area with a few people carrying things out to their car.  We sat, ordered a round from the bartender and waited.  The bartender was the owner, Chris, and she welcomed us and chatted with us for a bit but we didn’t get any information until Rhonda sat with us on the outside patio.

 Rhonda grew up in Beaumont and works part time in the medical field and the rest of her time cleaning vacation houses for a friend.  When we asked her why there was nothing open, she said that there was really no reason for anything to be open.  As for the gay bar, she told us everyone had

Rhonda was our welcome wagon into Beaumont

 started to go to a new spot down the road.  That is how things work in the LGBT community in Beaumont, when something new opens, the old ends up shutting down.

I find great sadness in this because if a community is working towards the same goal, then why isn’t there more cooperation?  This isn’t just for the LGBT community, this is for all communities.  In order to get things accomplished, we have to find common ground in order to move forward together.

In this example, yes I realize that these are business’ in competition, but there is still a way to make it work so that the entire community can flourish.  I take this from the example that Madison, WI made.  When I moved back to Madison in the fall of 2006, there were still only two GLBT friendly bars.  They were always competing against and defamating each other.  Now, in 2011, there are five successful gay bars that all have good standing in the entire city of Madison, find pride in holding winter dart leagues and summer softball tournaments and continue to build a larger and more successful pride celebration each summer.  That is a community working together.  We all have to find common ground and we can do it and I believe that Beaumont’s LGBT community will.  Everyone can take a lesson from Rhonda and “Just find it through love”

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San Antonio Humane Society

When in San Antonio, I was staying with my friends Bri and Mark.  On one of the days, Bri and I took their two sons to the San Antonio Humane Society to check things out and do something with the boys. While we were there, I talked to the staff and played with a bunch of the dogs to find out what the struggles are in different communities with the Humane Society.  In San Antonio, they tend to be doing ok and aren’t running out of room.  Of course funding is short for them too but with a strong constant amount of volunteers, they find that they can stay successful while providing a great educational outreach into the community.

                When wanting to find a great way to volunteer in your community, an easy and enjoyable way is to check out your local Humane Society and find out the best ways to volunteer.  This is also great ways to volunteer as a family.  Some of the ways that you can volunteer are to be a pet photographer, Dog/puppy socialization and cat/kitten socialization.  You can help out at the front office with administrative work or be a part of the Education Outreach team.  Volunteering with the Humane Society is so important because that is how they do most of the work that needs to get done: through volunteers.

                To volunteer, there are few requirements. You must take an orientation class that has a fee.  This may vary in different cities.  You must be at least 12 years old (with a parent or guardian) or 16 with out.  That is basically it so if you have a love for animals, and really can’t have one at the moment, this is a great way to get that need out.

                While I was there, I fell in love with the cutest Chow Chow puppy ever.  Unfortunately I can’t take her with me because of the fact that I’m on the road, but if I wasn’t, I would have snatched her up in a heartbeat.

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Talking Shop with Heather

Getting back to Las Vegas was amazing for me to assess where I had come in the last ten years but it was also a great chance to really see what some of my friends have accomplished.  My urban family from Vegas all seems to be doing really well.  My friend Amy has finished up her masters degree, Lenay is working in a much challenged realtor’s office that is handling many of the foreclosed houses on Vegas and Shalice has overcome a ton of obstacles the past few years and has still raised her daughter to be a well-behaved, responsible young woman. 

One of my friends that I really got a chance to sit down with was Heather.  She is currently working on getting into Law School to become a child advocate.  While I was there, she was following a story about a child that was left in the car for seventeen hours by his parents.  Heather talks about the trial but while I was in Las Vegas the parents were sentenced.  Here is the link to read the article about that trial.

 

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Baby Isla’s Baptism

The main reason Project Kinect began in Vegas was because my god daughter’s baptism was being held here.  It was great thing though because it is the beginning of Isla’s life. One of my questions for Project Kinect is how do people become who they are?  Majority of us begin with love all around us, assistance through the beginning of our lives, and the tools to begin accomplishing our goals.   It seems suitable that we start this year off with this baptism to see the love and support that baby Isla has.

This stop also gives me a chance to look back at the last ten years and see the journey I have taken to get where I am now.  When I moved to Vegas, I still had many lessons to learn and far much more to learn about myself.  I was lucky to quickly meet a great new support system who became my urban family.  It is a great reassurance that family is not just the people we are born into, but also the people who come into our lives while we are on the journey. These pictures definitely show how this evolves with time.

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In the Near Future

Can’t wait to be in Austin.  Check out the Association of Performing Arts Service Organizations(APASO)  conference March 7th-10th.  It is going to be a great time to hear about a ton a greatness happening in our arts community. This is sponsored by Austin Creative Alliance.  Check out their websites so you can get fully educated on all the amazing things they’re working on and getting out to the community.

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