PFLAG South Atlantic Region

What do you get when you take the ‘Big Apple’, great entertainers like Sigourney Weaver, top business leaders like Rick Anacetti, CEO of Food Lion, LLC,  elected officials of possibly the most powerful city in the world like mayor Michael Bloomberg, educators and humanitarians like Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, a great author and voice for all like Dr. Maya Angelou, wonderful food and 600 people gathered to say we are going to support equality?  The answer, of course, would be PFLAG’s First Annual Straight for Equality Gala that was held last Thursday, February 5 in New York City!

The first annual gala was truly an evening to remember with not even the smallest detail being left out.  The enormous task of organizing an event like this, especially considering PFLAG’s small national staff, was definitely a testament to their dedication and hard work.  The event was executed flawlessly and the efforts of all raised over a quarter of a million dollars to advance equality!  Congratulations PFLAG!

‘Straight for Equality’ has provided training for over 2,000 people and it empowers all people in supporting and advocating for the rights of GLBT people.  This program has been a wonderful outreach opportunity to engage allies to the GLBT movement and to introduce people to PFLAG and what we are all about.  ’Straight for Equality in the Workplace’ is one of the programs and it has been given to more than 20 U.S. corporation.  ’Straight for Equality’ will also launch a new module of this program for the healthcare profession in 2009 and in the future will have modules in faith and also in education.

 I have lived all my life in Tennessee and am regional director for the South Atlantic Region (one of the most conservative regions).  I was so impressed to see what can be accomplished through the support of straight allies, GLBT people and PFLAG when we come together to support equality in one of the most diverse and supportive regions.  New York has allowed me for the first time in my life to experience a brief moment where I could say that I honestly felt equality–there were no judgments about gender or who we love, there were no looks of scorn and not one time did I hear whispers or even blatantly disrespectful comments.  My friends, we have a lot of work to do.

Dr. Johnetta B. Cole, an honoree of the gala, spoke and exclaimed that we have gone from asking for tolerance (of the GLBT community) to asking for acceptance.  I am happy to say that the South Atlantic Region of PFLAG has transcended mere acceptance and instead practices embracing the GLBT community.  Thank you.

In addition to the gala we also had our regional director’s meeting.  I will send another communication about the meeting soon.

Blessings,
Jaime Combs
South Atlantic Regional Director
PFLAG

On May 16, 2007, Sean Kennedy, a 20-year old gay man, was attacked on the streets of Greenville, South Carolina. He died of his injuries later that night. Yet, because of the lack of hate crimes legislation, his attacker may be eligible for parole in February!

Sean was a brave young man with a bright, infectious smile. But his life was cut short and justice left unserved.  Now, PFLAG is joining with Sean’s mother, Elke Kennedy, and asking all of our members to write to the parole board and urge them to rule that Moller must serve his complete sentence for this heinous, anti-gay crime.

Because South Carolina – and many other states- lack protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, Moller was able to plea-bargain to involuntary manslaughter charges (considered a “non-violent crime”) and received a suspended five to three years sentence for his crime. Because of the credit he received for time served before sentencing, his full sentence means that he will be free in September 2009. And he is also eligible for parole in February, which means that he will have served only 8 months of his full sentence for Sean’s death. 

The parole board is currently conducting a review on whether to grant Moller parole.  It is critically important that they hear from our community, and that we each send a strong message that it is unacceptable to grant such early parole following a brutal anti-gay murder! 

Please join us in writing a letter to the parole board, and ask them to deny Stephen Moller’s parole. If you have the time, please write a personal letter by hand or by computer, as those will be the most effective, and if you knew Sean or his family personally, please include that information. 

Also, please let Elke Kennedy, Sean’s mother, know if you send a letter. Elke has asked that you also send her a copy of the letter, so she can have copies to take with her to the parole hearing. This will help her in building her case – and send a clear message that PFLAG families won’t tolerate anti-gay violence. 

Be sure to include Moller’s full name and ID number: Stephen Andrew Moller – SCDC ID # 00328891. 

Send your letters to: 
Department of Probation Pardon and Parole Services 
2221 Devine Street, Suite 600, 
PO Box 50666 
Columbia, SC 29250 

Also, please be sure to send a copy to Elke Kennedy, Sean’s mother. You can send materials to her at: elke@seanslastwish.org

Or via mail: Elke Kennedy 
PO Box 5697 
Greenville, SC 29606 

Be sure to read about PFLAG’s policy position in advocating for federal hate crimes legislation, too – to ensure that all people in all states have protections, and that future anti-gay violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!

Dear PFLAGer’s,

Wow, another year has come and gone so fast that I think I may have whiplash! Hopefully you and your local chapter will be able to review some of your accomplishments in 2008 and have new goals to achieve in 2009. One thing for sure is that if anything was accomplished it was because you didn’t quit, and I see many examples of that attitude throughout the PFLAG organization. That same determination will make this a fantastic 2009 for this organization. Your enthusiasm is contagious and I want to say ‘Thank You’.

Fortunately for my partner Carla and I we were able to experience this enthusiasm and see what it can accomplish a few weeks ago in Berea, Kentucky. Berea is one of most beautiful and accepting towns that I have ever visited. You must go just to experience the richness of it’s history and character, see the handiwork of all the local artisans, and enjoy all the hospitality.

Berea is a very progressive little town with a PFLAG chapter that has seen it’s membership slowly dwindle down. Sometimes when we are in areas that seem to be so accepting it may seem that the need for a PFLAG chapter may not be necessary but the day I arrived Berea’s PFLAG president, Grover Farr, told me stories he had only recently heard of local young people who had been rejected by their families for coming out. There is such a need for PFLAG.

 This PFLAG chapter that may have been struggling has also made a positive impact on lives which was apparent when Grover showed me a stained glass piece that had been given to the local chapter by a young man whose life had been touched by PFLAG.

PFLAG-Berea/Madison County has enthusiasm and determination and when the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus contacted them about hosting a Holiday Concert this chapter made things happen. Grover Farr and the PFLAG chapter took a lot of elbow grease and a lot of faith made this an evening that was the highlight of the holiday season for Carla and me. They secured Union Church for the performance that would have the audience members experiencing laughter, tears and joy for the season. The quality of the performance was undeniable and the acoustics of the large mostly wooden sanctuary with one of the most beautiful church organs I have seen. Grover and PFLAG-Berea/Madison County–kudos to you and thank you for the inspiration.

I was also able to visit the Tri-Cities PFLAG chapter in Johnson City. This is a newer chapter and boy are they on fire! The Tri-Cities December meeting featured representatives from Lambda Legal who are representing a case where I would say the victim has suffered unfair treatment from the local law enforcement agency and from the local paper. The victim in this matter was also present at the meeting and he has been without work for a year because of a press release from the police department–the pain in his voice was so undeniable. The thing even more disturbing to me is the fact that there was one voice that wasn’t heard from this incident and that was the voice of a man who would kill himself as a result of this event. How many precious lives have been lost and how many precious lives will we lose before equality is reality?

One thing that I encourage all of you to do is go see the movie MILK. The movie gives so much history to let the newer generation see how the road was paved in creating the movement we have today. I have heard from many chapters that are actively getting the movie in your area or planning to see the movie and then possibly have discussions. Milk was brought to Knoxville, Tennessee in December by the Tennessee Equality Project, Knoxville Human Rights for All and other groups. Following the well attended movie several leaders of various groups were invited to speak briefly and I was able tell a little about PFLAG and what we do.

During the last of 2008 the Southern Atlantic Region of PFLAG has experienced another travesty in Memphis, Tennessee as many of you may have heard. We have had another trans-sister shot, shot in face and hospitalized. I haven’t heard anything else about her this past week. She is the third transsexual to be shot in Memphis during the last 6 months (the two others were found dead). Then again today I read of the lesbian who was gang raped repeatedly in San Francisco. Another new day and another new year, and on this new day of this new year I will shed some tears but I will also experience hope because I see concern on the faces of the members of chapters that I meet, I see the work that you are doing and I am very confident in the leadership and commitment of PFLAG National.

Blessings for 2009,
Jaime Combs

I promised you a better introduction of myself on Thanksgiving weekend so let me take some time to introduce myself.

My name is Jaime Combs and I am now the new South Atlantic Regional Director since Jerry Miller’s term has ended.  Recently we had a regional director’s meeting in Washington, D.C. which gave me an opportunity to meet other regional directors and personally meet the president of PFLAG and it’s staff.  Everyone was onhand to watch Jerry Miller being recognized for his service.  Jerry has always been an active part of PFLAG and we are very fortunate to have his continued support at the Asheville chapter.(He has also agreed to be a resource for me!)

I grew up in Elizabethton a small town of northeast Tennessee.  When I left Elizabethton it was to attend Johnson Bible College in Knoxville.  I thought I would be able to place my focus entirely on service and ministry.  However, it became glaringly apparent that in order to be of service, I must also be allowed to be the person that I felt God had created.

Unfortunately, who I was and the path I felt was right for me would not be acceptable to the college or the more conservative churches where I grew up.  I grew up always knowing that I was “different” because although my gender was biologically male my identity was overwhelmingly female.  I thought that this would just be a “cross I would have to bear” and that people like me had to have great wealth to have surgery, move away to a place where no one knows you, and hopefully get re-established.  Fortunately, I found a good therapist who counseled transgendered people and  I was  able to develop into the person that I am.

I currently live with my partner of 5 years, Carla, who is also transgendered.  I had always wanted to work with youth; four years ago, Carla’s two children came to live with us.  The children are now young adults and have moved on.  It has allowed us to be a little more active for the GLBT community without bringing any unwanted attention to them.  It has been difficult with both our children leaving home to go to Oklahoma, but don’t worry about me getting “empty nest” syndrome.  Carla and I have 5 birds! (For the bird enthusiasts: we have a Ruby Macaw, a Blue and Gold Macaw, a Cockatoo and two Solomon Island Eclectus)

Over the years I have come in contact with many people from the GLBT community.  I have felt the shame and embarrassment of GLBT people confessing to me their “secret”; lost two extraordinarily bright, talented, and loving people to suicide because they couldn’t bear the pain of being different; and this year, I witnessed fear and hatred consume someone so deeply they would kill people.  These victims were not part of the GLBT community, but they were targeted because they would associate with people who were different.  (I am referring to the July 27th shooting at my church, TVUUC in Knoxville, TN.) These many events have now made it a necessity for me to take part in groups that are making a positive impact.  PFLAG was a natural choice.

As your regional director I have been struggling with paperwork for my chapter, which many of you may be dealing with as well.  Carla and I were able to attend a meeting in Johnson City, TN at the Tri-Cities PFLAG chapter.  It is so very encouraging to see the good work and all the energy at the Tri-Cities PFLAG, which is a newer chapter.  I am looking forward to seeing their future accomplishments.

This Saturday, I will be traveling to Berea, Kentucky to see the Cincinnatti Men’s Chorus perform.  This event for all of Berea to enjoy will only be possible because of the hard work from the Berea chapter, one of PFLAG’s chapters that has been re-forming.  What a wonderful way to get PFLAG’s name out in such a public setting.  Grover and the Berea chapter, we applaud your diligence to bring Saturday’s performance to fruition.  Best of luck and I will look forward to meeting you.

I look forward to correspondence with your chapter and I am committed to service and visiting many of your local chapters in the next two years.

May this be a truly joyous time for you, and may your chapters be renewed as we look forward to a new year.  Blessings to all this holiday season!