Around the Old Pueblo

Come to the second gathering of community members and grassroots organizers to discuss the campaign to defeat Proposition 102, the Anti-Marriage Amendment, Saturday, August 23, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m., at the Main Downtown Library, 101 N. Stone (Main Meeting Room - Lower Level). Proposition 102, if approved by Arizona voters, will amend the Arizona Constitution by adding the following article related to marriage: “Marriage - Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state.” Your input on defeating this hate measure is valuable! For more information, go online to votenoprop102.com.

Registered voters, Democrats, Republicans, Independents and others who want to vote early or by mail have until Friday, August 22 to get their request into the Pima County Recorder's office. Those registered voters who are listed as independent or other, not one of the recognized political parties (Democratic, Republican, Libertarian or Green) will have to state their request for a specific party ballot. For more information, either call the Pima County Recorder's office, (520) 740-4330, or go online at recorder.pima.gov.

Interested in spending time, creating a safe space, and empowering youth? We have volunteer positions available for folks who want to volunteer during youth lounge hours, as well as volunteer for specific Eon events, like our monthly gender bender and support groups. We are open Tuesday through Thursday, 3 - 8 p.m., Friday 3 - 10p.m., and Saturday, 12 - 8 p.m. The First Step to becoming an Eon Volunteer is to attend a volunteer orientation specifically for Eon, being held Saturday, August 23, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Wingspan, 425 E. 7th Street. We will talk about Eon's empowerment model, role play and answer questions specific to LGBT youth. After the orientation participants are required to have a finger print card and participate in a brief youth interview in order to begin volunteering at the lounge. We are so excited to welcome new volunteers into Eon and to all share in creating a safe space for youth to be who they are. For more information, contact Katie Komar, (520) 909-6173, E-mail kkomar@wingspan.org.

“Hamlet 2,” a hit at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, this irreverent and politically incorrect comedy will screen on August 21 at Century Park Place, 5870 E. Broadway (fandango.com/centuryparkplacemall20_aapqi/theaterpage), (520) 745-2321, and opens in theaters on August 22. From the Co-Writer of South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and Team America: World Police comes “Hamlet 2" starring Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, David Arquette, Amy Poehler and Elizabeth Shue as Elizabeth Shue.

The 2008 Wingspan Annual Benefit Dinner will be an evening of fun, reflection, and motivation as Wingspan celebrates 20 years of service to southern Arizona’s LGBT community. This remarkable event, September 20, 5:30 p.m., will bring together more than one thousand community members, as we remember the past and rally together for the future. This year’s gala, themed “Looking Back, Moving Forward,” will take place in the Grand Lobby and Grand Ballroom of the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Avenue, and will feature a gourmet dinner, silent auction, live entertainment and more. Helping celebrate this momentous occasion is keynote speaker Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard, whose tragic death on October 12, 1998 challenged millions of individuals to eradicate hate. His murder was a wake-up call to the discrimination faced by our community and a call to action to demand change. As executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Judy tours the country speaking out against hate in all forms, making her a key figure in the LGBT civil rights movement. Tickets are $125 individually, $1250 per table of 10, and are available now. Please call Erin Russ at (520) 624-1779 x115 to reserve your seats, tables or your Philabaum glass centerpieces.