Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois Pride 2019 held in Carbondale

By , Publisher/blogger |

CARBONDALE — The home of Southern Illinois University played host to the second Southern Illinois Pride this past weekend. The festival was held at the Town Square Pavilion in Washington Park on Sunday, June 2. Attendees could watch performances at the pavilion and peruse vendors such as Equality Illinois and the Saluki Network, an organization for LGBTQ students at SIU. The event was hosted by Southern Illinois Pride, Rainbow Cafe LGBT Youth Center and Gaia House. All photos provided by Southern Illinois AIDS Coalition.

Southern Illinois

Big Muddy Film Festival now accepting submissions for 2020

By , Publisher/blogger |

CARBONDALE — The Big Muddy Film Festival at Southern Illinois University is now accepting submissions for it’s 42nd annual event in 2020. The Big Muddy is a student-run film festival that has been going on at SIU since 1979 to encourage film making of all kinds. The festival takes place annually at the end of February or beginning of March in Carbondale. Films featured represent all genres and lengths and are submitted from all corners of the globe. Big Muddy has served as a platform to celebrate and showcase innovative, diverse, and culturally important independent cinema in the Southern Illinois region.

Regional

Cape Girardeau installs statue honoring black Civil War soldiers

By , Publisher/blogger |

CAPE GIRARDEAU — A new statue honoring black soldiers, especially those who fought in the Civil War, was installed this week in Cape Girardeau. TV station KFVS reported the statue was installed after the city received money from a grant and local and private donors. The statue is located in Ivers Square near the Common Pleas Courthouse in downtown Cape Girardeau. The dedication is on Saturday, June 8.

Southern Illinois

Ryan Sallans to be featured speaker at Southern Illinois Pride Fest

By , Publisher/blogger |

CARBONDALE — Activist Ryan Sallans will be the featured speaker at Southern Illinois Pride. From the Facebook event:
Ryan Sallans is a renowned transgender speaker and author specializing in health care, campus inclusion and workplace issues impacting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) community. Since 2005, Ryan has been inspiring individuals around the world through the programming that he offers. After his appearance in the documentary Gender Rebel featured on MTV’s LOGO network, he began traveling to universities where he shares the story of his transition from female to male and his recovery from an eating disorder. Ryan has been interviewed twice on Larry King Live, Ricki: The New Ricki Lake Show, Trisha, and NPR’s On Point with Tom Ashbrook.

Eastern Illinois

Southern Illinois politicians push back on Inclusive Curriculum Bill

By , Publisher/blogger |

EFFINGHAM — Conservatives in southern and southeastern Illinois are opposing the Inclusive Curriculum Bill that is on its way to the State Senate. The Effingham Daily News reported Monday that both school officials and politicians are speaking out against the bill. 

St. Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) said in March that local school superintendents should actively oppose the bill. 

“I can’t imaging that there are many parents here locally that are eager for their schools to start teaching this curriculum in the classroom,” Wilhour said in a website post from a local radio station. “If cities like Chicago can ignore federal immigration laws, then surely school districts in Southern Illinois can ignore ridiculous mandates like this. It is time to take a stand against over-reaching, far left policies like this.”

He called the curriculum bill “indoctrination” and an “unfunded mandate.”

St.

Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois college bans man posting racist flyers

By , Publisher/blogger |

CARTERVILLE — John A. Logan College has banned a man who was posting racist flyers on campus last month. The Southern Illinoisan reported that surveillance video had recorded the man posting racist flyers on cars. Flyers for a group known as The Creativity Alliance or the Church of Creativity were posted on the community college campus in September and just last month. The alleged poster, who both the school and Williamson County Sheriff Bennie Vick declined to  identify, is thought to be responsible for both incidents, college President Ron House told the newspaper. They were able to get clear pictures of the person and the license plate of his car.

Regional

Schedule for Cape Girardeau Pride is out

By , Publisher/blogger |

CAPE GIRARDEAU — The schedule for this week’s Cape Girardeau Pride has been released. 

Festivities are on Thursday, May 4. From the Facebook event:
Entertainment, community vendors, local restaurants, food trucks, and a kid zone. This is a family friendly event designed for all members of our community. 
Admission is free
MAIN STAGE
12:00 PM National Anthem – Performed by Grand Opening
12:05 PM Lecture on the history of Stonewall and the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement by Dr. Joel Rhodes, History Department SEMO
12:20 PM Grand Opening
1:30 PM Drag Performance by Independence Place
2:00 PM Grayson Belling
3:00 PM Megan Westcott
4:00 PM Odd Moses
5:30 PM Drag Performance by Independence Place
6:00 PM Carnahan and Co. 7:30 PM Chelsea Tree & Tabby – Hula Hoop Artists
FAMILY AREA
1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM, and 4 PM – Story Time
1- 6 PM Face Painting and Tattoos
​
ACTIVITIES
1:50 PM Aerial Arts Performance by Adam Beard
5:20 PM Aerial Arts Performance by Adam Beard
​
All Day Lawn Games in the Northwest area of the festival groundhttps://www.facebook.com/CapePridePage/

Regional

Evansville event to take Pride to next level locally

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EVANSVILLE — New group River City Pride is hoping to take Evansville’s LGBTQ Pride celebrations up a notch. The Evansville Courier & Press reported Monday that River City Pride will hold its firstfestival, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on June 22 at Haynie’s Corner. From the Evansville Couier & Press:

“It’s time here in Evansville that we do something big,” said Emil Lamar, founder of River City Pride. AIDS Resource Group sponsored an LGBT pride event last June at Haynie’s Corner, but the upcoming festival will take that to a new level, organizers said. AIDS Resource Group remains involved.

Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois Pride announces 2019 schedule

By , Publisher/blogger |

CARBONDALE —  Southern Illinois Pride has announced the schedule of events for this year’s celebration. May 31

5:30 p.m. – Opening Reception at the Varsity Center for the Arts, followed by a double feature: To Wong Fu, with Love, Julie Newmar and Kinky Boots. 10:30 p.m. – Benefit concert for the Rainbow Cafe, hosted by PK’s. June 1

10 a.m. – Pride March. Gather at Gaia, march begins at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome.