Stacy Goldate
Born: Dec. 5, 1972
Selly Thiam
Born: July 26, 1980
Profession: Co-directors of Video Machete's Queer MAGIK Workshop; MAGIK stands for Media Activism for Girls and Trans Youth in the Know.
Goldate is a media artist, activist and educator who from 1996-2000 served as assistant festival and events coordinator for Women in the Director's Chair. Her videos have screened in festivals across the U.S. and abroad, and she is currently working on her M.F.A. in film, video and new media from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is also actively working with Not in My Name, a new grassroots peace organization of American Jews protesting the Israeli occupation in Palestine.
Writer and activist Thiam is the 2000 recipient of the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award for fiction and the Tomorrow's Leaders Today Award from Public Allies. She divides her time between MAGIK and teaching creative writing in Chicago Public Schools. She is the founder of Zami Queer Women of Color Organization at Columbia College and is working on her first novel about southern blues women.
Courtney Hermann
Born: May 16, 1972
Profession: Filmmaker, graduate student, teacher, technical coordinator of documentary center at Columbia College.
Since moving to Chicago five years ago, Hermann "has become an integral part of the dyke filmmaking scene here," her nominator said. Her film Granit Janet was shown at this year's Women in the Director's Chair festival, and has been picked for the prestigious Frameline festival in San Francisco and Outfest in Los Angeles. "Her work centers around the independent spirit of lesbians often showing their personal strength despite complex and difficult circumstances," her nominator wrote. She is also credited with being a source of support and help to other women filmmakers.
About Face Youth Theatre
About Face Youth Theatre is the award-winning, nationally recognized youth development initiative of About Face Theatre and Horizons Community Services. The program is designed to foster self-expression and leadership development for at-risk LGBTQA youth, to build arts-based, intergenerational civic dialogue about issues facing this youth population, and to make schools safer for all youth.
Each year, Youth Theatre activities include a four-month performance workshop and outreach component to gather stories from LGBTQA youth, generating material that is collaboratively developed by Youth Theatre ensemble members and the professional Artistic Staff for a full professional production each summer.
AFYT has gained national recognition in its first two years, and has won major community awards, including the GLSEN Pathfinder Award and the prestigious Horizons Human First Award. In addition, AFYT productions have been featured in national TV and print media, including features on the PBS program In the Life, on WTTW's ArtBeat, and the bi-weekly publication The Advocate.
The 2001 Youth Theatre production, About Face Youth Theatre: In Real Life, plays from June 21-July 22; ( 773 ) 549-3290 or see www.aboutfacetheatre.com .
Ladyfest women
OK, there were just too many talented under-30 and just-over-30 women of all orientations to write about. Suffice it to say that the Ladyfest Midwest this August is going to rock and roll the entire women's community.
The Bowling Boys: Aaron, Bradford, Chris and [ NAMED DELETED ] ,
Spare Me is not your typical bowling team in the gay leagues of Chicago. They began bowling in the Wednesday night WCAA league at Marigold during the 1999-2000 season. They are all also sanctioned members of the International Gay Bowling Organization. In their first year, they finished second in the 24-team league and won the 2000 Chicago Pride Invitational Tournament. In 2001, they won the league championship, and placed fourth at two national tournaments —St. Louis and Milwaukee. They will be traveling to many tournaments during 2001-2002, including the 2001 CPI tournament and the 2002 Gay Games in Sydney, Australia. The team includes:
-; Aaron Brost, 27, is the marketing director for the 2001 Chicago Pride Invitational Bowling Tournament and Scratch Masters. He also served as marketing director for Chicago's bid for the 2003 IGBO national tournament. Aaron is also a member of the NAGVA, active in the WCAA softball leagues and a former member of the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus. He is currently a PR Manager for Jim Beam Brands in Deerfield.
-; Bradford Lehew, 24, is the volunteer coordinator for the 2001 Chicago Pride Invitational Bowling Tournament and Scratch Masters. Brad is also the bowling representative/coordinator for the Chicago 2006 Gay Games bid. He is a second year law student at Kent.
-; Chris Wedig, 25, is the webmaster for the 2001 Chicago Pride Invitational Bowling Tournament and Scratch Masters. He also served as webmaster for Chicago's bid for the 2003 IGBO national tournament. Chris completely redesigned the CPI tournament's website www.cpi-chicago.org . He is currently a Consultant at Accenture.
-; [ NAMED DELETED ] , 31 ( yes, a bit above 30 ) , participates in gay bowling leagues on Wednesday and Friday. He is also a member of NAGVA. [ NAMED DELETED ] , is an instructor at [ NAMED DELETED ] , High School.