By all accounts, Sam Provenzano's journalism career was off to a promising start. The athletic twentysomething relocated to Bowling Green, Ky., to be a news anchor for FOX affiliate WBKO. However, Provenzano's path would take a cinematic turn once he interviewed a boy stricken with cancer. When the young man lost his life, Provenzano knew it was time to reassess his own.
In January, Provenzano's career in nonprofits brought him to the greater Illinois chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, an organization that seeks to advance research, provide support care for those afflicted and promote brain health. Although Provenzano's role as manager of intermediate giving requires he be a liaison between donors and the chapter, he took it upon himself to bring Alzheimer's awareness into the LGBTQ community.
However, that doesn't mean the same community sees it as a priority right now, which is what presses Provenzano to keep the subject circulating.
According to the chapter's website, www.alz.org, there are almost half a million new cases of Alzheimer's each year. Provenzano told Windy City Times, "It's important to get that word out that we are there for them and Alzheimer's doesn't discriminate by gender, by race, or by sexual orientation."
Provenzano stated that in addition to information on the website, "We have support groups, programs out there, we have a 24-hour helpline (800-272-3900) where anyone call 24 a hours a day for free, and find out where they go from there. We can help them to find that next step of what they need."
Provenzano's work with nonprofits doesn't stop there, though. He's concurrently an ambassador for Athlete Ally, which encourages sports figures to be examples of tolerance through an online pledge. Provenzano had been an athlete throughout his schooling, but when he came out in college, he wasn't sure how his friends would respond. To his surprise, "Not only did they not care about whatever I was, but they joined forces with me" to promote equality. "Athletes have always had the power to change minds. And now [through Athlete Ally] they're using that power to join us and be a good voice for us."
That would be enough on the plate for most 27-year-olds, but Provenzano wasn't ready to put his on-camera life behind him just yet. He hosted the June 24 Pride Parade for Gay Chicago TV, the same web network which will debut Provenzano's first acting gig in the upcoming Shelter City miniseries. Provenzano is as excited about the opportunity as he is surprised he landed the role. He decided to jump in with both feet, telling himself, "I'm going to try it, I'm going to do it. You only live one time, why not?"
Despite all the positive work and new experiences, the relocation to the Andersonville neighborhood six months ago was another opportunity for the South Holland native to reassess his life. "I've never really lived in a gay community before," Provenzano said. "For me, it was just a little overwhelming. In many ways it was a 'good' overwhelming, but you want as many friends as you can in the beginning. You want to meet everybody, you want people to like you."
Amid the excitement, Provenzano realized he was losing himself "as the new guy here in Chicago. Oh my gosh, what am I doing to myself? I'm buying more expensive clothes just to fit in—are you kidding me?" Provenzano admitted that once he recognized he was just following the crowd, "I put the brakes on that right away, and then started thinking more about it. You know what, I'm just going to be me."
Provenzano's realization that he was "getting sucked into this charade," and conversations with other people who were going through the same trials were the catalyst for him to write a book about the experience. Tentatively titled "Out of the Closet...Then What?" the manuscript is already drawing the attention of publishers, and the author is hopeful it will see print within a year.
Aside from that subject matter, Provenzano hopes his journey will also enlighten closeted readers to some positive perspectives of the coming out process, as well as the important lesson he just relearned himself: "I thought my life was going to make this drastic change because I was gay, and I expected so many things, and at the end of the day, my life's very much the same. It's a very, very important part of my life, but it's not my whole life."
Provenzano is humbled people are recognizing him as a voice in the LGBTQ community, and continues to use whatever profile he has from nonprofits and the media to create a positive impact therein. Whether from his example or his book, he hopes what people take away "is just be yourself. As easy as that sounds, it's the hardest thing to do."
