A-LISTS community spotlight by jared cox
Coming to the final Southern California Pride Events, we face an opportunity to look
at the grassroots movement that makes these Pride events successful. With this years’ revival of Orange County’s Pride, “Breaking Through the Orange Curtain,” partners Heather Ellis and Roseanne Faul have played an vital role in kicking off the first official Pride in Orange County since 2002. Heather is a native of Irvine and graduated from Irvine High School. She then attend-
ed CalPoly Pomona where she successfully earned her Bachelor’s degree. Currently, Heather is the President of Emerald Medical, a nationwide provider of vaccinations. Heather is active with Orange County Equality Coalition and is a member of the OCEC board. Heather is also the Chair of Orange County Pride. Rosanne is an Orange County transplant and has resided in Costa Mesa since 2004. Rosanne is a criminal defense at- torney, a member of OCEC and the Orange County Pride committee. The two met while playing tennis at a conservative, but welcoming, Orange County tennis club. Heather and Rosanne have been in a committed relationship for just over 5 years. They share a home together in Costa Mesa with their children, two shelties, Lastat and Quinn, along with one cat, Babbs. Rosanne states that like a good lesbian family, they like to be at home with their kids. Heather and Rosanne felt that prior to Prop 8 they were not really a part of the LGBT
and straight-ally community. “We had our lives and we were a part of Orange County, but we found our community entity during the fight against and subsequent to the passage of Prop 8.” It was through the process of becoming involved with LGBT rights through Prop 8, along with the first hateful yellow “Yes on 8” sign that they became in- stant activists. During the election, Heather and Rosanne found themselves amongst the ranks of other motivated activists on street corners with “NO on Prop 8” signs, signs in their front yard, and on election night, in front of polling locations at the 100 foot mark attempting to sway those who either didn’t understand the legislation or were on the fence. Rosanne recalls when two police officers arrived on the scene on voting night, looking menacing at first, and then laughing, “you two don’t look like much of a threat,” as they continued to hold their signs and literature. After the passage of Prop 8, “the punch to the stomach, the searching of faces as we
HEATHER AND ROSANNE: PIMPIN’ OUT PRIDE IN ORANGE COUNTY
With a vision for equality and respect for all people in a more progressive Orange County, Heather and Rosanne, along with 15 volunteers of the Committee, are taking Orange County Pride 2010 to the next level.
went grocery shopping, did you vote against me?” the couple met with others who felt the same way. Not only gay members of the community, but frustrated straight supporters of LGBT rights. Through that frustration and shock, the birth of the Orange County Equality Coalition occurred. After the realization of some of the benefits they were not entitled to just because they were gay, Rosanne and Heather became members of the Legal Committee that did many things the first year after the passage of Prop 8. Part of their responsibilities included writing an amicus brief during the Prop 8 appeals process. The second thing they did was rekindle Orange County Pride. Even though the event was planned in only a few short months with BBQs, a small stage for music and a few political speakers, they were surprised with the overwhelming response and the 450 who were in attendance. It was then that Heather and Rosanne, along with other members of the OCEC de-
cided it was time to make Pride in Orange County a real festival for 2010. Heather took over the Chair position for Orange County Pride this year and has been instrumental in managing, organizing, and making it all work. For Heather, it has been a great experi- ence and wherever they go they like to say, “we are pimping out Pride.” With a vision for equality and respect for all people in a more progressive Orange County, Heather and Rosanne, along with 15 volunteers of the Committee, are taking Orange County Pride 2010 to the next level. This year’s festival will feature a main stage with various performances from local
comedians, musicians, dance troupes, community speakers, and drag performances as well as a DJ dance tent, a Kids’ Corner and many various non-profit and for profit booths. The event is sponsored entirely by local organizations and businesses. Orange County Pride will be held August 14th from noon to 10:00 p.m. at Hidden Valley located in Irvine near the Verizon Amphitheater.
For more information, please visit
www.prideoc.com
14
RAGE monthly | AUGUST 2010
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84