It's been some time since I last provided an update on Gay Games 2014 and Cleveland + Akron's journey with the Federation. It's Friday, so why not?
This week marked another milestone in our "My Games Rock" story. On Wednesday, I had the great honor of participating in a luncheon panel discussion at the Cleveland City Club titled "The Gay Games 2014." For those who have never been to the Cleveland City Club (like me before this panel), let me give you a little background. The City Club is the oldest continuous free speech forum in the country, renowned for its tradition of debate and discussion. This place gets presidential candidates. Robert Kennedy spoke here and gave a moving eulogy of Martin Luther King, Jr., just weeks before his own assassination. This stage is sacred.
So, imagined how overwhelmed our panel was to have the opportunity to speak about something so important to us on such a visible platform. City Councilman Joe Cimperman, a rockstar in his own right, moderated the discussion in front of a sold-out crowd.
A sold-out crowd who came to the City Club to hear about the Gay Games.
From three gay men and two straight allies.
For more than an hour, people listened to our story, asked us questions, and hopefully walked away enlightened about not only the Gay Games and the Federation itself, but how important the LGBT community is here at home. The opportunity was a perfect case study in marketing– it provided us an opportunity to speak directly about LGBT issues and actions to an audience who may not have had us on their radar before. And, if we changed one mind as a result, that's a success.
We were also fortunate that day to have representatives from Team Cologne in town to promote the 2010 Gay Games and register local participants to take part next year. We held a registration/information event at the beautiful Tregoning Gallery, and Team Cologne gave a presentation on how exciting and beautiful the Gay Games will be in Germany next year. Cleveland was the last stop on a U.S. tour for Team Cologne– they went to LGBT markets all over the U.S. to promote their Games. Again, a great marketing strategy– bringing Cologne to the U.S. so the U.S. can come to Cologne. I know I'll be there!
Now, back to the previously scheduled Friday Pop Culture musings:
- Gossip Girl: First, Chuck Bass kissed a boy. Now, a menage a trois? This show is sinking. FAST.
- Melrose Place. Heather Locklear as Amanda. Returns next week. Thank you TV Gods.
- Glee– This week's exchange between Kurt and his father was priceless. More priceless? The Diva-off on "Defying Gravity." I now see that song as a gay anthem.
Talk next week.
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