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

Vives Q kicks off autumn season with a 'Queer Revolution'
by Vern Hester
2017-09-27

This article shared 716 times since Wed Sep 27, 2017
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


On Sept. 12, Vives Q kicked off the start of the final quarter of the year with "Reimagining Queer Revolution" as part of its Second Tuesdays presentations.

Now celebrating its fifth year, this edition of Vives Q featured live interviews ( with Emmanuel Garcia moderating ) with LGBTQ and immigration activists Alexis Martinez and Tania Cordova as well as a variety of performances that included juggling, dance, live music and spoken word. The event took place at The National Museum of Mexican Art.

After a short social opening that included a small buffet, emcee Antonio Elizondo greeted the packed room by asking, "How do you reimagine a queer revolution?" He then introduced Vives Q team member Reyna Ortiz, who acknowledged the recent passing of trans ally Dr. Edwin Miller M.D.

Garcia then took the stage and introduced Martinez, who spoke candidly about her past growing up in the Harold Ickes projects, heading a street gang in Chicago's Chinatown and becoming a volunteer worker with the United Farm Workers Union and the anti-Vietnam War movement in the late '60s in California.

She said that throughout her youth she harbored a secret that she knew, if her peers found out, could get her killed and she went through the ordeal of leading a double life. ( When she told her mother she was gay, she responded by calling the police. ) Although she defied the draft in Chicago, the FBI eventually caught up with her in California and jailed her for five months. After being released, Martinez met her wife in 1976 and started a family while trying to submerge her trans feelings. This led to a period of extreme unhappiness as she began drinking and doing cocaine, Martinez said. Finally, in 2000, she accepted herself, saying, "I'm living the proof rather than trying to prove my identity to others."

Cordova said her story started in Mexico when her family found out she was gay. Moving to the United States, she got involved in circuit parties and drugs—using and selling. She was also introduced to La Cueva Nightclub and the legendary Miss Ketty, who took her under her wing. A firm believer in Santa Maria, Cordova would have dreams that eventually came true. For example, in one dream, she was at her own funeral; subsequently, she overdosed four times. After her final overdose, she was pronounced clinically dead.

She said she promptly quit doing drugs but continued to sell them. Cordova had another dream where she saw herself being arrested but instead of making a change, this time she kept selling. A short time later she did get arrested; however, instead of a lengthy prison term, she was deported. Since then, she has devoted herself to spirituality and helping members of the LGBTQ community through The LGBTQ Immigrant Rights Coalition and Translatin@Coalition-Chicago Chapter.

When asked about younger generations of trans individuals Cordova said, "We have to help them. A lot of kids have a tendency to commit suicide. I had a lot of friends who couldn't handle being trans or gay and they killed themselves," adding, "We have to listen and understand those kids and help them."

When asked about "queer revolution" Cordova said, "It's very simple—be here, be queer, be individual and be out there. And what is 'queer?' Who is 'queer?' We're normal."

After the interviews, the night got festive as a varied selection of artists performed. Activist Victor Guzman, poet Poetic Justice and spoken-word artist NIKI GEE performed monologues. Guitarist/vocalist Jose Alfredo sang a well -received piece while juggler Fabian Arana and actress/dancer Isaura Flores wowed the audience with their energetic performances.

Special thanks for the event were given to Reeling Film Fest 35, VMCREATIV, The National Museum of Mexican Art and DJ Myq Moon. Community partners for the event included The Chicago Freedom School, CALOR, Project VIDA, United Latino Pride, VIDA/SIDA and Gozamos.

Vives Q is an independent cultural arts project committed to creating an LGBTQ movement building experience through art, music, spoken word, dance, and oral history designed to enable intergenerational dialogue across multiple identities and communities. The last Vives Q event of the year will be Saturday, Nov. 9, at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St. Follow Vives Q online for exclusive content and updates.


This article shared 716 times since Wed Sep 27, 2017
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Howard Brown reaches tentative agreement with union after 1.5 years of contentious negotiations 2024-04-18
- Howard Brown Health has reached a tentative agreement with its union, after a year and a half of negotiations that included two workers strikes. The Illinois Nurses Association, which represents about 360 employees at Howard Brown ...


Gay News

'United, Not Uniform': Lesbian Visibility Week starts April 22 nationwide 2024-04-17
--From a press release - San Francisco — Lesbian Visibility Week (#LVW24) kicks off on Monday, April 22 with a private event at the London Stock Exchange USA headquarters in New York City. This exclusive gathering marks the beginning of a ...


Gay News

News is Out, Word In Black, Comcast NBCUniversal welcomes 16 Journalism Fellows to cover Black, LGBTQ+ communities 2024-04-16
- Philadelphia (April 15, 2024) — Today, News is Out and Word In Black, together announced the 16 fellows selected for The Digital Equity Local Voices Lab, a new initiative powered by Comcast NBCUniversal to place journalists ...


Gay News

A prom of their own: Chicago orgs host LGBTQ+ youth celebration 2024-04-15
- On April 13, Center on Halsted hosted its queer prom, MasQUEERade, for folks enrolled in its youth services. Prom goers created their own masquerade masks thanks to craft stations at the door. The evening included a ...


Gay News

David E. Munar reflects on Howard Brown leadership and new Columbus, Ohio post 2024-04-11
- On April 1, David E. Munar started his tenure as CEO of the Columbus, Ohio-based non-profit health system Equitas. The date marked the latest chapter for Munar, who previously helmed AIDS Foundation Chicago and, most recently, ...


Gay News

Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame seeks nominations for 2024 induction 2024-04-09
--From a press release - The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame has announced a call for nominations for the 2024 class of inductees into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame. Those wishing to may nominate individuals, organizations, businesses, or "Friends of ...


Gay News

Tiny Home Summit 2.0 convenes experts to explore affordable, small-scale housing June 13 2024-04-09
--From a press release - CHICAGO—A gathering of more than 250 elected officials, developers, advocates, philanthropists, community members, and people with lived experience will take place June 13, 2024 to discuss and strategize around the ...


Gay News

HRC president responds to NAIA vote to ban transgender women from playing sports 2024-04-08
--From a press release - WASHINGTON —Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, responded to the National Association of ...


Gay News

Lambda Legal: NAIA proposed transgender sports ban disappointing, harmful reversal 2024-04-08
- Lambda Legal: NAIA Proposed Transgender Sports Ban a Disappointing and Harmful Reversal "The NAIA announcement sends a dangerous message, is inconsistent with the law and science, and undercuts the organization's ...


Gay News

Lighthouse Foundation releases first Black Queer Equity Index report card 2024-04-02
- After three years of working with a small group of Chicago LGBTQ+ organizations, Lighthouse Foundation released its inaugural Black Queer Equity Index (BQEI) report this past week, ranking how each organization supports five areas of support ...


Gay News

Munar starts as head of Columbus LGBTQ+ health organization 2024-04-02
- Former Howard Brown Health CEO and President David Munar will now head the Columbus, Ohio-based LGBTQ+ health provider Equitas. Munar began his new position as Equitas CEO on April 1, Columbus Dispatch reported. "I am honored ...


Gay News

Lambda Legal Launches "Speak OUT" awareness campaign uplifting trans, nonbinary voices 2024-03-28
--From a press release. VIDEO BELOW - (NEW YORK, NY — March 28, 2024) In advance of Transgender Day of Visibility, Lambda Legal, the nation's oldest and largest legal nonprofit working to achieve full equal rights for LGBTQ people and everyone living with ...


Gay News

Brown Elephant returns to Northalsted 2024-03-26
- Brown Elephant's Lake View location is moving to Northalsted and already accepting donations. Howard Brown Health, the largest LGBTQ+ health center in the midwest, operates three Brown Elephant resale shops in the Chicagoland area to help ...


Gay News

Be here, be queer, play polo: Gay Polo League creates safe athletic space for LGBTQ community 2024-03-26
- LGBTQ+ athletic clubs aren't too hard to come by, offering a variety of sports such as softball, soccer and more in cities across the country. But LGBTQ+ athletes would be harder pressed to find someplace to ...


Gay News

After 30 Under 30: MAP Executive Director Naomi Goldberg 2024-03-25
- NOTE: In this series, Windy City Times will profile some of its past 30 Under 30 honorees. Windy City Times started its 30 Under 30 Awards in 2001, presenting them each year through 2019. This year, ...


 


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
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.