Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Hurricane Relief: LGBTs line up to help after Katrina slams South
by Andrew Davis
2005-09-07

This article shared 4091 times since Wed Sep 7, 2005
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Pictured Dr. Leigh Roberts of HBHC was in the south helping. Photo by Tracy Baim

When all is said and done, officials will tally the costs of rescue and rebuilding efforts associated with the damage that Hurricane Katrina caused, but the physical, psychological and emotional tolls on Gulf Coast residents will be simply incalculable.

Many of the former residents of New Orleans—the most notable example—have to deal with the trauma of now being homeless. While waiting several days to be rescued, they had to deal with everything from violence to illness to alligators. Most have had to deal with new surroundings as the country has opened its doors to house distressed individuals. In addition, many have been unable to keep track of relatives and friends. Indeed, Doug Minich, president of the New Orleans-based, LGBT-inclusive Cavaliers Motorcycle Club, e-mailed Windy City Times on Friday that, although some people have been accounted for, they were still waiting to hear from others.

Moreover, people will have to contend with a variety of issues, including survivors' guilt and the hunt for new places to live. As of Sunday, over 300,000 Gulf Coast residents had been moved to 12 states.

This nightmarish but all-too-real human crisis has motivated national, regional and local LGBT organizations to lend aid in any way they can.

For example, the San Francisco-based Rainbow World Fund ( RWF ) , a humanitarian organization, has launched a Hurricane Katrina Relief Campaign. RWF has partnered with America's Second Harvest, the country's largest food bank network, to provide meals; transport food to survivors; and secure additional warehouse space to assist food banks. RWF is accepting donations at www.rainbowfund.org .

The National Youth Advocacy Coalition ( NYAC ) announced the formation of a relief fund to make sure that LGBT youth receive critical support. Craig Bowman, NYAC's executive director, said in a statement that 'In America, there are dramatic moments that forever shape our national identity. … In Louisiana, in Mississippi and in Alabama the devastation is so unimaginable, so complete, that solutions seem impossible. … Like so many of our fellow citizens, however, we believe in the indomitable spirit of Americans.' Individuals can contribute securely at www.nyacyouth.org .

Partner organizations in the effort include the Family Pride Coalition, the National Black Justice Coalition, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Equality Federation.

Help is also being offered from some unexpected places. Normally, the Personals section of the Web site Craigslist ( for New Orleans ) would feature people seeking to fulfill more intimate needs. However, many people ( including those on gay and lesbian pages ) are offering sanctuary—with no strings attached—to those who are displaced.

On Sunday in New Orleans, a couple dozen LGBTs marched near Bourbon and Orleans streets in a pride parade—some men in grass skirts, reported Agence France-Presse. They said they were trying to keep the spirit of the city alive.

The Chicago LGBT community is doing its part to assist survivors. In fact, Drs. Leigh Roberts and Roger Trinh, two physicians associated with Howard Brown Health Center ( HBHC ) , were in New Orleans itself and helping people. According to an Aug. 30 release from the facility, Roberts and Trinh were attending a medical conference there and became stranded. 'We're all OK and safe,' Roberts said in a hurried voicemail message to HBHC's interim executive director Beth Frantz. 'We're on rationed food and water, and we're at the conference hotel, which is functioning as a command central. The rest of the docs [ who were in attendance at the conference ] and I are setting up a clinic today to help the victims of the hurricane.' The statement went on to say that efforts were being made to get the doctors out of New Orleans, but it could take several days for the doctors to return to Chicago.

Some local businesses and other organizations are also contributing. For example, His Stuff, a men's specialty store at 5314 N. Clark, is donating 5 percent of all sales through Sept. 12 to the American Red Cross. The social organization known as Big Gay Cocktail Club is holding a fundraiser ( $20 minimum donation ) on Sept. 8 on the back patio of X/O Chicago, 3441 N. Halsted, from 6-8 p.m.

In addition, a grassroots group has marked Sept. 12 for a fundraiser, 'Out of the Water Cooler, Into the Delta.' The money will be given to a soon-to-be-selected nonprofit entity operating in New Orleans to be distributed to GLBT individuals who need housing and shelter. Chicago House will serve as the pass-through organization for the donations. GLBT people are asked to bring checks to work on Sept. 12 and to designate one person from their own water cooler GLBT network to collect the checks and send them to Chicago House. The checks should be made payable to Chicago House/Katrina Relief with the donations sent to: Chicago House/Katrina Relief, c/o Chicago House, 1925 North Clybourn, Suite 401, Chicago, Illinois 60614. Online contributions to www.chicagohouse.org .

The local arts industry is also being philanthropic. Vicki Quade Productions will donate all proceeds from the Sept. 10 showings of Cast on a Hot Tin Roof and Verbatim Verboten ( at the Royal George Theatre ) to the American Red Cross. In addition, Unraveling Rhythms, a hybrid concert series, is offering a substantial portion of its proceeds from its Sept. 23-25 shows at the Music Institute of Evanston to the same organization. ( See www.theguitarsofspain.com for more info. ) Also, Speaking Ring Theatre will be sponsoring a fundraiser at Temple Sholom, 3480 N. Lake Shore, on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. ( See www.speakingringtheatre.org . )

Other Ways You Can Help:

— Mississippi Gay & Lesbian Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, checks/money orders payable to Equality Mississippi, P.O. Box 6021, Jackson, Miss., 39288-6021 with 'Hurricane Relief' on the memo line. See www.equalityms.org/hurricanerelief.html .

— AIDS Alliance has established the Katrina AIDS Alliance Emergency Fund, which will support the emergency needs of families and young people living with HIV/AIDS served by Ryan White CARE Act Title IV programs in Louisiana and Mississippi. Please donate now at www.aids-alliance.org .

— Houston is one of the primary destinations for people who have been evacuated from the Gulf region, and many individuals with HIV are turning to the Montrose Clinic, one of the only LGBT health providers in the area. See www.montroseclinic.org .

— Rainbow World Fund ( RWF ) , see www.rainbowfund.org .

— The National Youth Advocacy Coalition ( NYAC ) , www.nyacyouth.org .

— American Red Cross: www.redcross.org or ( 800 ) HELP NOW.

— Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, ( 773 ) 256-2701 or ( 773 ) 331-5956.

— America's Second Harvest: www.secondharvest.org or ( 800 ) 344-8070.

— National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: www.nvoad.org .

— Convoy of Hope: www.convoyofhope.org or ( 417 ) 823-8998

Bronzecomm.com lists drop-off locations for clothes and other items: Old St. Paul Baptist Church, 531 N. Kedzie; AfriWare, 5847 W. Chicago; and Pastor Murdock Institute—5090 W. Harrison. Seaway Furniture at 8900 S. Stony Island is accepting bottled water.

Sources: Chicago Tribune; AIDS Foundation of Chicago; Bronzecomm.com .

A Matter of Race?

As much as Katrina has been a story of the human spirit, it has also become a story of race. Survivors who had to stay in New Orleans, for example, contend that had they been white help would have arrived sooner. They also argue that they have been portrayed as opportunistic looters instead of people who were simply attempting to survive. Make no mistake about it: Many Blacks are outraged that so many of their own were left behind with no evacuation plan and no urgent effort to rescue them.

Many have weighed in on the subject. In Web postings at Knight Ridder's Sun Herald newspaper in Biloxi, Miss., anonymous writers debated the issue. Said one writer of the looters: 'It's one thing to be hungry, but why do you need a DVD player now?' Another writer added: 'Are you insisting that only African Americans are the ones who are looting? Because I can assure you that they aren't. Of course, the media chooses to focus on the negative images of African Americans.' Yet another wrote, 'Make no mistake, the racist element is rubbing their ( sic ) hands in glee over every AP photo of a black person looting and longing to get out there with their guns. … Talk about disaster bringing out the worst in people.'

CBS Radio News reported that New Orleans City Councilman Oliver Thomas said at one point that people are too afraid of Black people to go in and save them. He added that rumors of shootings and riots are making people afraid to take in people who are being portrayed as thugs and thieves. Supposedly, one woman told Thomas that 'if we were lucky, we would have died.'

In addition, the network reported that Black members of Congress expressed anger at what they said was a slow federal response to the hurricane. Grammy-winning rap artist Kanye West—who recently made headlines when he called for an end to homophobia in hip-hop—captured the attention of many when he went off the script during NBC's 'A Concert for Hurricane Relief,' which aired on Sept. 2. West said that 'George Bush doesn't care about Black people,' and 'If you see a Black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food.'

The Houston Chronicle reported that West's impromptu attack on Bush during the live broadcast prompted NBC to delete the rapper's remark in its West Coast broadcast.

Political analyst and social issues commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson delivered a scathing criticism of the Bush administration while ruminating on race and New Orleans. According to Hutchinson, ' [ t ] wo things happened in one day that tell much about the abysmal failure of the Bush administration to get a handle on poverty in America. The first was the tragic and disgraceful shots of hordes of New Orleans residents scurrying down the city's hurricane-ravaged streets with their arms loaded with food, clothes, appliances, and in some cases guns, that they looted from stores and shops. That same day, the Census Bureau released a report that found that the number of poor Americans has leaped even higher since Bush took office in 2000.' Hutchinson went on to discuss that a Total Community Action report revealed that almost one out of three New Orleans residents lived below the poverty line—with the majority of those people being Black. Moreover, he noted an even more shocking statistic: The Children's Defense Fund found that nearly 1 million Black children live in extreme poverty—the highest number in almost 25 years.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended President Bush on Sunday against charges that the government's sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina was racially insensitive, the Associated Press reported. 'Nobody, especially the president, would have left people unattended on the basis of race,' Rice said as she toured damaged parts of her native Alabama.

The debate over race and the Hurricane Katrina relief effort will undoubtedly continue for some time. However, what officials seem to agree on is that at this moment, people of all races need help.

Entertainment Support

Hollywood is doing its part to assist those who lives were ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. In a move to motivate public support and drive donations, E! Networks will partner with the Hollywood community to create a public service announcement campaign to support the American Red Cross in its efforts to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina. The ads began airing on Sept. 3 and will feature such celebrities as Pamela Anderson, Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey and Carlos Santana. Viewers will sent to www.redcross.org or to ( 800 ) HELP-NOW.

E! will also air a one-hour edition of 'E! News,' on Sept. 9 that will lead into a multi-network telethon.

In another development, New Orleans native Ellen DeGeneres launched a fundraising effort for Hurricane Katrina victims on her syndicated talk show Sept. 5. Warner Bros. Entertainment, which owns the show, will contribute $500,000 and match viewer contributions up to another $500,000.

NBC, MSNBC and CNBC showed 'A Concert for Hurricane Relief' on Sept. 2. The telethon was broadcast from NBC's headquarters in New York and featured Tim McGraw, Harry Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis. Kanye West grabbed headlines with an impromptu bash of President Bush.

MTV and fellow cable channels VH1 and CMT will air a live benefit program Sept. 10, featuring performances and celebrity appearances. The event will be part of a Viacom-wide multifaceted relief campaign in coordination with the American Red Cross to spur donations, volunteerism and awareness. MTV parent Viacom also pledged a $1-million cash contribution to the Red Cross and instituted a global employee matching gift program. BET, another Viacom-owned cable outlet, announced plans for a 2 1/2-hour telethon to air Sept. 9, organized in conjunction. The event is organized in conjunction with the National Urban League, the American Red Cross, Warner Music Group and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. Also, the Weather Channel has donated $1 million to the Red Cross.

An auction of celebrity- and corporate-donated items, organized by actor Morgan Freeman, opened Friday on the Charity Folks Web site. Proceeds will go the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Freeman was born in Memphis, Tenn., and lives in the Mississippi Delta.

The Walt Disney Co. said it would commit $2.5 million to relief and rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast region. Disney said it will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross, while another $1 million will be directed to rebuilding through child-focused charitable organizations. The remaining half million will be given to volunteer centers aiding the communities ravaged by the storm and its aftermath.

The cast of Will & Grace also donated funds, in support of the efforts of fellow cast member Harry Connick Jr., a New Orleans native son.

Katrina and LGBT Victims: Legal Aspects

Recovering from the devastation of hurricane Katrina may be especially difficult for same-sex couples who are not recognized in any of the three states directly hit by the storm or in those states where refugees have fled, according to 365Gay.com .

Louisiana has a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and prevents the state from recognizing any legal status for common-law relationships, domestic partnerships or civil unions. Mississippi and Alabama both have acts that also deny rights to gay and lesbian couples.

The Federal Defense of Marriage Act ( DOMA ) prevents FEMA from providing any relief in the form of family benefits to same-sex couples. The laws also will directly impact gay and lesbian families where one partner has died because of the hurricane. Federal DOMA bars Social Security survivor benefits. State benefits would also be denied.

Moreover, in cases where one partner is hospitalized the other partner may be denied visitation rights or any say in funeral/burial decisions.

Beware of Scams

It is understandable that many want to donate to the Hurricane Katrina victims as quickly as possible. However, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is warning donors to look before they leap. In a press release, Madigan said that it is always best to donate to reputable relief organizations with which they are familiar. Madigan added that consumers can check with her office's Charitable Trust Bureau to make sure an organization to which they are considering donating is properly registered.

What About the Animals?

With all of the attention focused on rescuing humans, it has become easy for many to forget the plight of animals. From survivors' pets to exotic zoo creatures, the situations of many animals are causing stress to many individuals.

While residents did what they could to avoid Hurricane Katrina, many pets were left behind—a trend that continued when survivors were relocated to other states. The Chicago Tribune reported that some dogs were euthanized at the owners' request.

Also, officials at the New Orleans zoo and aquarium say that some of the animals are suffering, according to the Tribune. Hundreds of fish are dying daily and some of the creatures, including a white alligator, are missing.

One of the organizations that is doing something about this particular problem is the Humane Society of the United States ( HSUS ) . A Sept. 4 entry at the organization's Web site, www.hsus.org, mentioned how members of the HSUS National Disaster Animal Response Team entered New Orleans alongside staff members of the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It also notes how, on Sept. 2, HSUS rescuers and the Humane Society of South Mississippi picked up 42 cats and 89 dogs in Gulfport, Miss.

On Sept. 2, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association announced a national fundraising program headed by Lincoln Park Zoo president Kevin Bell. People can donate through www.lpzoo.com or send checks to: Lincoln Park Zoo Society, P.O. Box 14903, Chicago, IL 60614.

Religious Fundamentalists Blame 'Sinners'

Similar to gays and abortionists being blamed for Sept. 11 and the tsunami that devastated parts of Asia last December, fundamental activists have blamed 'sinners' for Hurricane Katrina, the Washington Post reported.

Steve Lefemine, an anti-abortion activist in Columbia, S.C., was looking at a full-color satellite map of Hurricane Katrina when something in the swirls jumped out at him: the image of an 8-week-old fetus. In his view, God was punishing New Orleans 'for the sin of shedding innocent blood through abortion.'

Indeed, Lefemine is not the only person to see the wrath of God in the havoc that Katrina wreaked on the Gulf Coast. Similar thoughts span many religions.

'It is almost certain that this is a wind of torment and evil that Allah has sent to this American empire,' a Kuwaiti official wrote in the Arabic daily Al-Siyassa under the headline 'The Terrorist Katrina is One of the Soldiers of Allah.'

In Israel, Christian journalist Stan Goodenough noted the timing of Jewish settlers being removed from their homes in the Gaza Strip and Americans being forced out of their homes in New Orleans. In Philadelphia—the City of Brotherly Love—Michael Marcavage commented on the hurricane's arrival just as gay men and lesbians from across the country were set to participate in a New Orleans street festival called Southern Decadence. Marcavage, who runs Repent America, called the storm 'an act of God.'

The Rev. Jerry Falwell and the Rev. Pat Robertson, who were criticized for suggesting that the Sept. 11 attacks were divine retribution for abortion, homosexuality and other 'sins,' have been silent on the meaning of the hurricane.


This article shared 4091 times since Wed Sep 7, 2005
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Pritzker issues monkeypox public-health emergency declaration 2022-08-02
-- From a press release - CHICAGO—Gov. JB Pritzker issued a proclamation declaring the monkeypox virus a public health emergency and declaring the state of Illinois a disaster area regarding the disease. The declaration, which applies to the entire state, will allow ...


Gay News

THEATER Bayless, Rubenstein to join 'A Recipe for Disaster' on select dates 2022-02-10
- James Beard Award-winning Chef Rick Bayless and Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein announced they will join the cast of their hit immersive production A Recipe For Disaster, written by Bayless, Rubenstein and Windy City ...


Gay News

THEATER 'A Recipe for Disaster' extended through next spring 2021-11-04
- James Beard Award-winning Chef Rick Bayless and Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein announced the extension of their immersive production, A Recipe For Disaster, through March 27, 2022. The fully immersive event gives audiences the ...


Gay News

THEATER Playhouse, renowned chef to present 'Recipe for Disaster' Oct. 6 2021-07-09
- James Beard Award-winning chef Rick Bayless and Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein announced they will present "A Recipe for Disaster" a farcical experience set in the world of restaurants starting Oct. 6. Bayless, Rubenstein ...


Gay News

Hell in a Handbag to celebrate Halloween by streaming Airport 1970something 2020-10-09
--From a press release - CHICAGO (Oct. 9, 2020) — Hell in a Handbag Productions once again takes on the classic 1970s disaster film genre with a totally ridiculous twist! Airport 1970SOMETHING is a parody that celebrates the popular '70s Airport ...


Gay News

Assistance available to businesses affected by civil unrest 2020-06-26
- Illinois businesses and residents affected by civil unrest on May 26 through June 8 can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Administrator Jovita Carranza ...


Gay News

CONCERTS November shows: 'Killer Ballads,' Rev. Horton Heat, 'Horror' 2019-12-20
- Given the staggering amount of unrest in the world with environmental disasters (volcanic eruptions in New Zealand, flooding in France and Italy, glacial meltdowns in Greenland, and rampaging wild fires ...


Gay News

'Intersectional feminist' web series turns dating app disasters into romantic comedy 2019-04-22
- Unflattering selfie angles, men posing with freshly caught fish and an abundance of "Rick and Morty" references are just some of the horrors one might encounter while swiping for their next Tinder match. These dating app ...


Gay News

THEATER REVIEW Disaster! 2018-04-25
- Playwrights: Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick At: The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. Tickets: 773-999-9541; ChicagoTheatreWorkshop.org; $ 32.50-42.50. Runs through: May 6 Chicago Theatre Workshop is presenting Disaster!, a musical ...


Gay News

Billy Masters 2018-01-03
- Billy Masters "I just want to take a sip of tea, if they'll let me—they told me there would be tea. Oh, it's a disaster. OK, well we'll just have to rough it. I'm gonna be just like everyone else with ...


Gay News

Trans Disaster Relief Fund site launched 2017-09-18
- The TFA Trans Disaster Relief Fund website has been launched to aid trans, intersex and genderqueer community members affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The TransAdvocate's parent organization, the Transgender Foundation of ...


Gay News

VIEWS Hurricane Harvey's gay problem? 2017-09-13
- Since the intentional misreading of the Sodom and Gomorrah story in Genesis 19 in the Bible where the twin cities were supposedly destroyed because of homosexual depravity, the causes of natural disasters always find ways to ...


Gay News

Pizza with a Purpose to benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey 2017-09-06
From a press release - August 29th, 2017 — Members of the United States Pizza Team are rallying together to help those in need in the path of Hurricane Harvey. This natural disaster has exceeded all predictions of strength and ferocity, ...


Gay News

9/11 friar to be honored June 10 2017-05-24
- Father Mychal Judge—an openly gay Franciscan friar who was one of the first responders who showed up to the twin towers once disaster struck on Sept. 11, 2001—will be among those honored at this year's Irish-American ...


Gay News

Nightspots: The Big To-Do 2016-04-27
Nightspots weekly pics to help you plan your nightlife calendar - Fabitat: A Whole Lewd World Wed., April 27, 10 pm Double Door's Door No. 3, 1551 N. Damen Ave. A dirty Disney disaster with Lucy Stoole, Joan Waters, Curlene Ribbon, Soju, Debbie Fox, Tom2, DJ Adam ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.