HAIL, HAIL
Briefs compiled by Ann Walton Sieber

Community Center The Houston Lesbian and Gay Community Center is making queer dreams come true: Talking with the center’s new president, Tim Brookover

Guided by the leadership of Maria Minicucci over the past year, the Houston Lesbian and Gay Community Center really seems to be going strong–and has every indication that it’s going to keep doing so with the election of Tim Brookover as the new president. We’re happy to report that "your queer home in Houston," as they call themselves, is an exciting place to be right now.

Having only moved into their comfy home in March 1998, this past year really saw the community center getting into the swing of creating its own programs. "2000 saw a big expansion in programming," says Tim, "which brought more people to the center and made the center really more of a presence in the community." Emanating from the community were numerous new groups and forums: the Lesbian Coming Out group, Power Dating for Men, lesbian film night and lesbian game night; panel discussions on hate crimes, race, bi-racial couples. The racial forum was so energizing that a discussion group has continued to meet monthly. Likewise, the center was packed with men the night of author Hal Kooden’s discussion, and plans are in the works to have a regular group meet (see sidebar "New at the Community Center").

The community center is so successful that they are strongly considering moving to large quarters. "Everybody loves our comfy home," says Tim. "But the way we support ourselves is by renting out space to community groups. More groups would like to come in, but we don’t have the space." Currently the center serves as home to H.A.T.C.H., the Pride committee, Q-Patrol, the Greater Houston GLBT Chamber of Commerce, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, the Black LG Coalition, the Texas Human Rights Foundation, and the GL Switchboard. The community center’s board is going to be spending the year looking into finding a new home. (The meetings are open, and they welcome input, ideas, and/or participation.) The Han-Net e-mail discussion group has been conducting a poll on top queer priorities in Houston, and finding a new home for the community center has so far been voted among the top three priorities.

Although Maria Minicucci will no longer be president of the community center, she will stay quite involved, as she remains as head of programming, and her partner, Deb Murphy (D.L. Murphy to OutSmart readers), will be serving as vice president. Coming on as new president, Tim Brookover has been integrally involved in the community center for the past several years: He has been tirelessly sending out information to the media, as well as organizing many of the center’s programs and social events.

Tim was born in Galveston and grew up in Humble, where his father started his own Lutheran congregation. Tim has spent his entire adult life in Houston, and bringshis witty sophisticated goofiness to every project. Tim’s background is in media and he’s been editor of more magazines than you could shake a recycling bin at–among them, Houston Home & Garden, Ultra, and City Fitness. He’s been in the grants department at the Museum of Fine Arts since 1995, and currently writes food criticism for My Table, as well as the occasional piece for OutSmart. He lives in the Heights with his partner, Albert Mata.

In addition to Deb Murphy, other new board members are Kay Dayus, David L. Groover, Michael Locke, and Debbie Maurelli. In addition to Tim and Maria, the other returning board members are Don Hauboldt, Ron Helaire, and Bruce Turner.

The Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center is located at 803 Hawthorne. For more information on any of their programs, or to volunteer, call 713/524-3818.

Chamber of Commerce Getting to know Michael Tolleson, the new president of the Greater Houston GLBT Chamber of Commerce . . . and the inclusion of BT

The Greater Houston GLBT Chamber of Commerce (GHGLBTCC) elected Michael Tolleson as their new president, succeeding Debra Hunt. Sara Rook will be vice president, Rick Taylor is the new secretary, and Rene Guerra was re-elected as treasurer.

You may have noticed another change at the chamber, an extra "BT" in its already mouth-filling acronym. "If we really want to be a leader in the community, we have to make sure we serve all the community," Tollesan says of the inclusion of Bisexual and Transgender in the chamber’s name.

"Long ago we talked about gay and lesbian and we talked about a lifestyle," he said. "Now we realize it’s something we’re born with, and [we’re learning] to really take that to heart, and to take to heart anybody else who is covered by that umbrella."

The chamber’s purpose is to strengthen the economic base of the gay community. Established businesses help newer businesses, gay and gay-friendly establishments can network and work together. They hold monthly meetings with topical speakers, plus stage the monumental Empower business expo in October. The chamber has about 150 businesses as members, including corporate members, such as Shell , Compaq, and Chase.

"We need to make sure we’re seen as viable forces, that we are strong economically, and that we support each other," Tollesan says. "And not only in the community, but to the straight community as well."

Mike came on the chamber board to fill the place vacated with the death of Richard Weiderholt in April.

Mike grew up in the small town of Devine ("pronounced just like the star of a John Waters’ film," he says), a half hour’s drive southwest from San Antonio. Rather unexpectedly for a small town in Texas, Devine seemed to have quite a sizable gay population–so much so, Mike said his father once joked that somebody needed to do some research, see if there was something wrong with the water. Outspoken and energetic, Mike left and spent most of the ’80s in New York City, and the ’90s in Pennsylvania, before returning to Texas in 1998 to be closer to his sister and his two nephews. "I’m half-Hispanic, and family means a lot to us," he says. "My family is very accepting, and they shaped me to be who I am."

Michael has his own business, Michael Tollesan Design, which employs about 20 people. Mike has also became quite involved in Bering United Methodist Church; although he’d not attended church for 20 years, Bering lit something up in Mike, and he’s now head of the evangelistic committee, and serves on several others. He says that Bering’s message of inclusiveness has had a great impact on him and his vision for the chamber.

In looking at the chamber’s upcoming year, Mike says he wants to emphasize inclusiveness and exposure, making sure everybody in the community knows about the chamber, and that small businesses know how they can benefit from its services. The new chamber board of directors are Gary Baumann, Larry Broughton, Ian Leffler, Sara Rook, Rick Taylor, and Michael Tolleson. They will join ongoing board members Marion Coleman, Mike Fleming, Rene Guerra, Debra Hunt, and Randy Mitchmore.

The next chamber meeting will be Tuesday, January 9, 7 p.m. (6 p.m. social time), Sonoma. For more information about the chamber, call 713/523-7576, or look at their website at www.ghglcc.org.

Montrose Clinic + Body Positive

Two of the bedrock AIDS organizations in the Houston community have decided to merge: Montrose Clinic and Body Positive Wellness Center. Although they will both continue in their separate locations, they will have just one director, one board, and one set of finances. Katy Caldwell (of Montrose Clinic) will be the executive director and Pete Sharpe (Body Positive) will be the chairman of the board of directors.

Both organizations have been phenomenal stories of caring and endurance. Originally founded as an STD clinic in 1981, Montrose Clinic became Houston’s first alternative HIV testing site in 1985. The clinic now serves more than 14,000 people a year with HIV testing and counseling, STD screening and treatment, education, case management, and outreach. Since 1989, the clinic has provided community-based HIV drug research, with over80 clinical trials bringing life-saving drugs to more than 900 Houston-area residents. Through the years, the clinic has operated out of a series of buildings–and survived some fiesty controversies. It was truly a feat when the clinic moved into its current $2 million home at 215 Westheimer in 1995.

Likewise, Body Positive/Houston has been a case study in work and caring. Established in 1988 by local physicians, mental health professionals, and community leaders, Body Positive set out to provide Houston’s HIV community with "practical tools to extend and improve the quality of their lives." In 1997, largely through the vision of Nelson Vergel, Body Positive expanded its program to include the wellness center, in which clients are provided with the opportunity to take an active role in managing their HIV disease through weight training, nutritional counseling, massage and chiropractic programs, and other programs of support.

You can reach the Montrose Clinic at 713/830-3000 and the Body Positive Wellness Center at 713/524-2374.

New Facility Dedicated to LGBT Mental Health

Of interest is the opening of a mental illness treatment center specifically addressing the GLBT community. Called Alternatives, the clinic has both inpatient and outpatient services for the treatment of mental illness, depression, anxiety, sexual compulsivity, grief/loss, and substance abuse. Alternatives is located in the Bellaire Medical Center, and opened November 27. Alternatives, Inc. is the mother company, and already has clinics in California, Philadelphia, and Denver.

Why a clinic devoted just to the gay community? "In a traditional treatment setting," says Shreda Paire, RN, BSN, who is program director at Alternatives, "most GLBT have an extremely high failure rate due to the fact that they are not free to talk about issues of sexuality, relationships, and the non-traditional family, which can be detrimental to an otherwise successful treatment plan."

Shreda says she has worked with Bellaire Hospital to create a "safe, open, and honest environment for the healing process to begin, without the fear of homophobia, discrimination, and judgment." Alternatives is starting with an emphasis on inpatient care, although they are working with the Montrose Counseling Center to also provide outpatient services. Lesbian therapist Lara Holin, LMSW, LCDC, is head of programming at Alternatives, and the medical director is Jason Baron, MD, who is working with psychiatrists on staff at Bellaire Hospital and elsewhere.

Alternatives, Inc. was founded in 1993 by Frank Boudewyns and Michael Ralke, life partners who have been working together treating chemical dependency and psychiatric disorders in the GLBT community for over 25 years, including at the Christopher Street treatment center in Minneapolis in the ’70s, at the Los Angeles GL Community Services Center in the ’80s.

In their literature, they write: "Alternatives believes that GLBT people deserve treatment services conducted in an atmosphere where issues can be addressed, freely and openly, with professionals who have special sensitivity, experience, and expertise. Special attention to issues of homophobia, HIV, AIDS, gay/lesbian identity, history, heritage, and pride are an integral part of providing quality service."

For more information, please call 1-800/DIAL-GAY or 713/512-1150.

Free Rabies Shots

The Spay-Neuter Assistance Program is offering free rabies examinations (along with a $5 veterinarian exam fee). "Rabies is truly frightening because it is contagious to people," said Courtney Forbes, SNAP’s medical director. "We know that it has been found recently in Texas, but it can be prevented in dogs and cats with a yearly vaccination." Rabies in Texas is an ongoing state health emergency, according to the Texas Department of Health; the last human death from rabies in the U.S. occurred in a man from Houston. Bring your dog or cat to SNAP’s wellness clinic, 1801 Durham (at the I-10 access road). Clinic hours are Wed. & Thurs., noon—9 p.m.; Fri.—Sun., 9 a.m.—6 p.m. The normal charge for this vaccination is $10.

The Yearbook You Never Had

Sent to us from a PFLAG friend: "The PFLAG Reno chapter has started a national GLBT yearbook. Right now it’s just started, but we want the yearbook to grow bigger than the AIDS Quilt (we’d like to see the AIDS Quilt stop growing!!!! Maybe this resource can help by helping more young people realize they are not alone!) If you are a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered adult, join PFLAG Reno’s National GLBT Yearbook, an online gallery of the middle and high school yearbook pictures of GLBT adults. It’s free. It’s fun. It’s anonymous. It matters. Check it out at http://www.pflagreno.org/safeschools/yearsbook.html."