In This Issue
X An RPCV Goes
Political
X Being a Mentor
X Letter from Romania
T
he May issue begins with an interview of Atlanta City Council member,
Cathy Woolard. Suzanne Marks asks her about Peace Corps’ influence on
her life and political career. Anna Roche writes about her experiences as a
mentor for lesbian and gay Peace Corps applicants. Tudor Kovacs writes to us from
Romania. After thinking about it for years, Joe Eckberg goes back to India. News of
Pride events and the NPCA conference in Minneapolis in August.
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LGB RPCV NewsLetter - May 1999
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LGB RPCV NewsLetter - May 1999
was my role to stand out anymore than orientation was heavily discussed on the City Council and encourage
I already did as a PCV. before a job offer was made. Dis- anyone with political aspirations to
SM: Would you join the Peace crimination against gay people is become involved in whatever issues
Corps again? alive and well in America. about which you feel passionate. I
CW: I may join again SM: I understand that also encourage you to take advantage
in my retirement years, you are an advocate for of any opportunities for responsibility
if my partner will also hate crimes prevention and for project leadership so you can
go. and employment gain experience and perspective when
SM: How has being nondiscrimination the right time comes for you to enter
an “out” lesbian legislation. How politics.
influenced your important will these laws SM: What are your future political
relationship with others be to LGBT civil rights? aspirations?
on the Council and your CW: I think they are CW: I plan to do a great job as an
perceived job perfor- very important, espe- Atlanta City Council member.
mance? cially on the federal SM: How can RPCVs help you
CW: There have level. We still have not achieve your goals?
been occasional awkward moments, passed federal legislation protecting CW: Vote. Work in campaigns.
but I feel I’m accepted and respected us from discrimination. These are Move to District 6. (Not necessarily in
for being a capable and well-prepared important milestones for us as a that order).
Council member. community and we should stay If you would like to contact Cathy,
SM: Have you ever experienced focused on achieving these goals, please email her at
any discrimination in your current or even if things seem so much better cwoolard@atlanta.org. •
past jobs? than they did just a few years ago.
CW: I think that I was denied job SM: What advice do you have for Suzanne Marks served in Togo
interviews because of my prior work current PCVs who have political from 1983 - 1985. She is our South-
with the Human Rights Campaign. For aspirations? east Representative and can be
one position, I know that my sexual CW: You can’t win if you don’t reached on sqm3@cdc.gov.
run. I’ve very much enjoyed my time
Editor Mike Learned Every two years the National Peace very successful events, and we’re
Layout Kevin H. Souza Corps Association (NPCA), the Peace ready to do it again.
Corps’ official alumni association, There is still a lot of planning to be
holds a big get-together. We’ve been done. We’re looking for people
The LGB RPCV Newsletter is
at the last four conferences, and on the coming to the conference and those
published quarterly by the Lesbian,
last two occasions hosted great living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul
Gay, Bisexual RPCV Organization, an
parties. We’re going to do it again this areas to help staff the information
affiliate of the National Peace Corps
year. Charlie Rounds, one of our table, and of course we’re looking for
Association. We exist to promote
members and the president of RSVP mobs of Peace Corps people to come
Peace Corps ideals and acceptance of
Productions in Minneapolis, is hosting to our party.
gays and lesbians throughout the
a reception between 5:00 and 7:00 on If you’d like to help out, call or e-
world. Submission of articles or
Friday evening the 13th (Friday the mail Mike Learned, (415) 564-5998
graphics to be published in the
13th?) near the Conference site. We’re or 103571.2317@compuserve.com.
newsletter is encouraged. The right to
still planning the details. We’re also Access our web site after July 1
use or edit materials remains with the
planning an Information Table at the and we’ll have updated news about
editor. Copyright remains with the
Conference’s Grand Bazaar. We did events at the conference. We want to
author. Send submissions or inquires
this at the conferences in Austin in ‘95 see you there. •
to the above address or e-mail.
and San Diego in ‘97. These were
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LGB RPCV NewsLetter - May 1999
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LGB RPCV NewsLetter - May 1999
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LGB RPCV NewsLetter - May 1999
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LGB RPCV NewsLetter - May 1999
India...
Pride Events - 1999
He talks about an early death so that Over the last three years, Regional San Francisco: The Bay Area
he can get out of the nightmare of life Peace Corps offices have had infor- affiliate of LGB RPCVs is going to do
he lives. Over the years, he sent so mation/recruiting tables at Gay Pride something different this year - march
many letters begging me to work some events around the country. LGB as a group in the low-key Santa Cruz
magic so he could come to the U.S. RPCV members have helped staff Pride Parade on June 6. Bill Erdmann
One day we went to an ATM machine these tables. This is what we know so will again host a pre-parade (San
and I used my credit card to withdraw far about what’s happening in 1999. Francisco Pride Parade) barbecue on
rupees so that he could buy clothes for June 26 on his deck in the Castro. The
himself and his family. P.L. stood and Atlanta: Peace Corps will have a San Francisco Peace Corps office will
looked at the machine in shock as the recruiting/information table at Atlanta have a recruiting/information table at
money poured out. He whispered to Parade and Festival June 26 and 27. the Pride Festival in Civic Center on
me asking if there was a person Peace Corps is sharing a table with June 26 and 27, and local RPCV
behind the machine counting the CDC GLOBE. A recruiter from the members will help staff. Contact
money. He could not believe how CDC (Center for Disease Control) Wayne Hill for more information.
issuing money without someone in will also be there on Sunday - Phone: (415) 695-RPCV or email:
authority counting it out was possible. recruiters from two federal agencies. wchill2rex@aol.com.
The experiences of my gift giving Suzanne Marks and other local
say so much about what life is like in RPCVs will help staff the table. We’re Southern California: LGB
India. One of the gifts I brought with looking for more RPCVs to help with RPCV’s Southern California affiliate
me was a necklace for Yasothai. A staffing the table and to attend a get- is planning involvement at Pride
few days after I gave it to her, P.L. together. Suzanne is planning a dinner events in Los Angeles and San Diego
informed me that she could not wear it on the Saturday evening. There’ll be a this summer and next fall in Palm
because the chain was silver and her sign and information about location at Springs. Contact Tom Duffy for more
caste only wears gold. I found out the Peace Corps table. She can be information. Phone (714) 836-8261 or
after I had returned to the States that reached on (404) 624-3469 or by e- e-mail: thorne5352@aol.com.
this and most of the other gifts I’d left mail: sqm3@cdc.gov.
with them had been stolen. Washington, D.C.: The D.C. LGB
As my day of departure came New York: The New York Peace RPCV affiliate plans a parade
closer, my friend and his family Corps office will be involved in New contingent with Peace Corps’ employ-
wanted me to extend my stay, but I York Pride events. Recruiter Robert ees on Sunday June 13. A social event
was ready to go. Most of the romantic Greenan (Russian Far East, 95-97) is is being planned for the evening
images I had carried of India since I heading up recruiting/information before, Saturday June 12. Contact
left had dissipated during my short efforts. There is the possibility of a Dennis Gilligan at (202) 332-1114 or
visit. I told my friends that if their son panel discussion of RPCVs at the Gay e-mail: dhgilligan@aol.com.
earns good grades in high school and Community Service Center during Watch our web site for the most
is admitted to a school of higher Pride Week. Robert can be reached at current news and contacts:
education, I would help with his the New York City Peace Corps office http://www.geocities.com/~lgbrpcv.•
tuition. Even though we will write and or by e-mail:
stay connected, I now have no desire rgreenan@mailserver.peacecorps.gov
to return again, but I’m so glad I went
back. It was something I’d thought
about for so long. Now it’s settled,
accomplished. I feel closure about this
AIDS Rides and Walks
part of my life.• We’ve all been reading about the spread, devastate peoples’ lives, and
decrease in funding from corpora- kill. Early summer has been the
Joe Eckberg served in India in the tions, foundations, and government traditional time each year for AIDS
early 1970’s. He can be reached by agencies for AIDS related programs. bike rides and walks around the
e-mail on jeckberg@concentric.net. Because of the successes of the new country. Support our sisters and
drug therapies and the reduction of brothers who are participating in
AIDS-related death rates, the imme- these important events. Contribute to
diacy of the AIDS crisis is receding their efforts. The end of this night-
from view. But AIDS continues to mare is not yet in sight. •