Last issue we profiled five of the ten community members that readers selected as the top influential LGBT figures in Alberta.
This issue we finish with the final five profiles, listed in no particular order.
Dion Belanger – Vice President, ISCCA Calgary
Past Mr. Gay Calgary (a contested title given out by the now defunct Rainbow Lambda Society), current vice president of the ISCCA, and proud father, Dion Belanger is a very busy man around town.
Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Dion moved to Calgary at the age of 14. He has worked in the same position for the last 20 years and his son, now 19, presently studies at the University of Lethbridge.
Dion has been a strong supporter of the ISCCA – one of Calgary’s longest running gay organizations with more than three decades of community work under its belt – for many years, reigning twice as Emperor in addition to sitting on the Board of Directors.
"Sitting on the Board of Directors these past few years has given me a better understanding of how the behind the scenes of the organization works," Dion says. "As vice-president, I am responsible for making sure that the rules and regulations of the organization are adhered to and also act as a mentor to the reigning monarchs."
The position of prince was initially proposed to Dion in April of 1999 by then Emperor 23, Sean Boink. "At that time, I declined to take such a high title, and chose to run for Mr. Gay Calgary instead," he says.
Dion won, serving the city as Mr. Gay Calgary for one year, giving this community pundit "a chance to get my feet wet and become known on the ‘circuit’."
In April of 2002, Dion became the ISCAA’s Emperor 26. "During that reign, I traveled to 16 out of town coronations throughout Canada and the USA, bearing the costs of the travel myself," he explains.
Three years later, the ISCCA College of Monarchs requested Dion to reign again, as no other candidates for Emperor had stepped forward. He accepted and became Emperor 29.
"During that year I represented Calgary at 19 out of town coronations from Vegas to New York, Vancouver to St Catherine’s," he recalls.
Taking on the dedicated role of Emperor involves fundraising for local charities while acting as a goodwill ambassador for both the ISCCA and Calgary’s gay community internationally. He states that one must be "very approachable and level-headed when dealing with the politics that tend to arise with the ISCCA."
"I have made so many friends in Calgary and across Canada and the USA," he says of his ISCCA tenure. "I would say one of my proudest achievements with the organization is raising funds to give back to our community, helping people that may not necessarily be able to help themselves."
Dion was also awarded the Dynasty name "Sanior" by Bruce and Avaughna Sanior of Regina, a well respected Dynasty throughout the International Court - a title for which Dion is extremely proud.
Over the several years, alongside FAB Bar owner Jason Wheeler, Dion has organized and hosted two extremely successful World Aids Day shows and fundraisers. He has also supported a host of other organizations in Calgary including Apollo, ARGRA, and Pride Calgary.
Dion participated in the volleyball competition at the Out Games in Calgary five years ago and has been a competitive bowler with the Rainbow Riders Bowling League for four years running, also knocking pins during Apollo’s Western Cup. He has been a member of ARGRA for several years and has been a competitor in their annual rodeo.
He says being nominated as one of Alberta’s Top 10 is an amazing honour that comes at a complete surprise. "I am overwhelmed and humbled that I was considered," he says. "It tells me that the gay community in Alberta recognizes and appreciates my efforts and attempts to make a difference."
As for his plans for the future, Dion says, "I plan to continue giving back to our community and to make that difference wherever I can. ... As a child, someone gave to me and my family and now it’s my time to return that favor."
"If it wasn’t for your readers and the gay community, I would not be who I am today. You have supported me with my fundraising efforts over the past 12 years, and year after year it only gets better. Thank you again."
Dave Mabell – Reporter, and Co-Founder of GALA/LA
Dave Mabell was a gay teen in an era when there were no queer youth groups, no venues to go for support, no childhood role models and hardly even a watering hole that one could call a gay establishment.
Mabell grew up in Vancouver where he graduated from high school in 1960, and recalls the only bar at that time that could be called "gay" was a hole in the wall in what is now known as Gastown.
"So much has changed since then," he says of Alberta, Canada and the world in general, noting that the queer community around Lethbridge has made amazing advances over the years.
"I arrived [in Lethbridge] in 1983, and there was already a community group that was holding several drag/dance events every year," he recalls. "Calgary had just a few places open, like the Parkside and Dick’s, so people in southern Alberta were ready to party close to home."
Mabell had worked in Calgary in the late ‘60s and remembers the only place a gay man might try to socialize amongst his peers was the beer parlour on the lower floor of the Palliser. At that time, though, Mabell says social change was in the air, and he felt it in his first meeting with then opposition leader Peter Lougheed.
"Alberta has had its share of negative politicians, but Lougheed was a visionary leader who set the stage for so much of the progress – including our human rights law – that people in this province have embraced," he says.
The first time Mabell came across a gay community centre, and Pride in general, was when he left Alberta to study and work for the daily paper in Saskatoon. But upon his return to Lethbridge, he was happy to see that things were progressing.
"There was also a hot bar, The Oz, where the owner liked to hire cute guys," he reminisces. Early LGBT groups such as SAGE and Lighthouse periodically rented halls for dances.
In the mid-80s HIV became a prevalent issue in Lethbridge and across the province. Mabell joined with other members of the queer community to form an alliance with medical professionals to respond to the crisis. The Lethbridge AIDS Connection was founded in 1986, and Mabell became one of its founding members when the Connection incorporated and received its first grant in 1988.
"For someone of my generation, I’m just blown away by what members of our community group and our amazing University group have accomplished," he says.
In 1996, following much discussion and planning, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Lethbridge and Area (GALA/LA) was formed, with males and females co-chairing. Mabell, the group’s first board member, took on the role of managing the dances they held, which became the Alliance’s primary source of income.
"For years, we held our dances at the Croatian Centre, way up at the northeast corner of the city – but people from Medicine Hat, Calgary and all across southern Alberta managed to find us."
As membership grew, the group took on an increased number of fundraisers and projects with the HIV Connection – from AIDS Walks and New Year’s celebrations, to performances of "Drag Queens on Trial" – as well as three educational research projects in conjunction with the University of Lethbridge. Volleyball nights and large family-friendly pride BBQs also made the roster. "We earned a lot community support."
Mabell credits the efforts and energy of U of L students for raising the Lethbridge community to its next level. Long before becoming a ratified campus group, growing numbers of students became involved with GALA/LA as volunteers and board members, finding the support of faculty and staff members to back their endeavours as well.
"In recent years, what’s now the U of L Pride Centre has really made its mark," Mabell says, noting that the Centre made top group on campus. "At GALA/LA, we’ve been happy to work with [the students] on some programs, and to simply come out to personally support other ones."
This synergy between community and campus counterparts inspired the birth of the Rhino in the Room queer film and video festival that now takes place in Lethbridge annually, and the new Lethbridge Pride Fest, for both of which Mabell sat as a founding board member.
"This year’s Pride Festival, at the end of June, will be even bigger and more colourful," he promises. Slated features include a queer flag-raising at City Hall, a downtown Party in the Park on the Sunday afternoon, and a Pride worship service at McKillop United Church.
"The people at McKillop – and in dozens of affirming United Churches right across Canada – are really standing in support of our queer communities, whatever their challenges," he says.
For more than 20 years now Mabell has been chronicling all of these past events, and the progress that came along with them, in The GALA Occasion, the second longest running publication of its kind in the prairies after Saskatoon’s Perceptions.
"New people continue to bring new ideas to Lethbridge," Mabell says, "so there will be even more news and events to include in the Occasion in the years ahead."
Dave’s hopes for the future include the opening of a part-time office/resource centre/meeting space in the downtown area for anyone of any age to drop in and chat, as well as to see all of southern Alberta’s secondary schools foster and support GSA groups.
"And, if we all live long enough, I’d hope to see more churches join the United Church in strong support of its LGBTQ members and friends," he states.
"Hang in there for the long haul, set realistic goals, recruit your friends’ support and see your goals through, then set new goals and keep at them," he advises. "Over a reasonable period of time, a few people working together on justice issues can make one hell of a difference."
Constable Lynn MacDonald – Diversity Unit, Calgary Police Service
Calgary’s Constable Lynn MacDonald knew right from childhood what she wanted to do and be: military, medic and police officer. She has been successful in fulfilling all three pursuits.
Originally from "one of the small towns" on Prince Edward Island, Lynn has been a police officer now for 16 years. The police service provides 119 different areas within which to work, so Lynn has remained engaged.
"I always just wanted to help people," she says. "I have a true passion for doing what is right no matter what."
Lynn applied to work in her current department, the Diversity Unit, roughly four years ago as the Hate Crimes portfolio manager. Following one year in that role, the Sexuality and Gender Diversity portfolio came open and Lynn was granted the position. The Diversity Unit has nine different portfolios representative of a vast array of communities in the city – from South East Asia to Persons with Disabilities.
"We are liaisons between the communities and the police service," Lynn explains. "We work with the communities to build relationships with the service through projects and events."
The Diversity Unit seeks to educate the community about the CPS, the Diversity Unit, and the challenges that communities may be facing within. Lynn works with a Chief’s Advisory Board composed of community members and supporters who help her to build those relationships between the two groups, with which she is very pleased and proud to be working.
"I believe, as a police officer, you have such an amazing opportunity to affect positive change," she says. "I find it very rewarding to help those who sometimes can’t help themselves. ... If you can be there for one victim of a domestic violence situation, or help a kid that is struggling with their sexuality to hang on and not commit suicide, then that is the most rewarding thing in the world."
Lynn’s nominees praise her dedication to be present at virtually all major LGBT events that are held in the city, her genuine care for citizens, and her positive representation of the LGBT community in general.
"I am so pleased that people feel that way," Lynn says. "I do care greatly for the community and I am also proud of the organization I work for. ... I just believe that no matter what [the event] I try to be there because you just never know if that might be the event where there is someone there who truly might need help and your paths cross."
At the same time as being flattered, Lynn was also humbled by her nomination. "I am surrounded by incredibly talented and dedicated people in the community and on my board who help me out so much," she says. "I think they deserve this more than me."
While trying to salvage enough time to maintain a personal life, Lynn does strive to have involvement with "pretty much every organization there is –and if you are reading this and I am not, please get a hold of me."
Lynn’s team is present every year at Pride, the Western Cup, ARGRA and Fairy Tales. Along with her amazing board, the Sexuality and Gender Diversity group has launched an anti-homophobia poster campaign, held a town hall meeting on LGBT violence, is sponsoring a night at the film festival, and Lynn has just completed the production of an anti-homophobia commercial with the Inside Out youth group.
Lynn was also the emcee for the Coming Out Monologues this year; a behind-the-mike role she loves doing. "It’s fun to get out and help out some great causes and organizations," she says.
Despite the strides her group is making, Lynn still believes there is much more to be done toward ensuring the safety of the community.
"There is still a lot of persecution of LGBT people and I would love to be a part of the movement to change that," she says. "The Trans community is so far behind the gay and lesbian communities in terms of rights, and I think we have to keep working hard and fighting to fix that."
One supportive action Lynn notes everyone can take toward that end is to report an act when it’s seen, regardless of whether it affects you as an LGBT individual or not.
"...a police service is only as good as the community they serve; we can’t do our job well if the community doesn’t help out," she says. "We are human just like everyone out there reading this and, as a service, we will make mistakes but we need to learn from them so we don’t do them again."
Lynn hopes to stay in her current unit for a long time. Though she is eligible to retire in four years she will likely stay on another nine. Once she does retire, Lynn aims to head for the coast to open a surf board shop.
"I want to thank the community for embracing the service as you have done," she says. "I believe I have the best job on the planet and part of the reason for that is the community I am so fortunate to work for and with."
Tracey Smith and Deborah Chymyshyn – Owners of the Junction Bar & Eatery
Tracey and Deborah are busy ladies - cooking, pouring drinks, balancing the books and keeping the people happy at downtown Edmonton’s vibrant Junction Bar & Eatery.
The Junction opened August 13th of last year in the LGBT space that was last home to Boots and Saddles.
Previously they owned and operated Alberta’s only lesbian bar, Prism, but when their lease ended and the Boots space opened up they jumped on the opportunity to have a space in such a central and historical location.
"When we opened [Junction], we wanted to really work with the nostalgia there, and become a community bar so we weren’t just a lesbian bar," Deborah says. "We wanted to open a location that was going to be friendly and available for everybody, not segregate the community."
The two wanted to ensure they paid homage to the history of the building: three decades as a gay establishment. "We didn’t want to see that disappear," Deborah says.
The space couldn’t have landed in more capable hands. Deborah, born Edmontonian, has 20 years in catering experience as well as a degree in business administration. Tracey, originally from Vancouver, has been in Edmonton almost six years and comes with a 20-year CV in the food industry, in addition to a degree in business management. The ladies were one of the first 200 LGBT couples to marry in British Columbia, and have been happily hitched nine years and running.
"We work our 90 plus hours a week," they say. "We’re cooking everyday...we’re totally hands-on."
As the name suggests, the Junction is intended to be a space where all members of the community can meet and "enjoy good food, drink, and each other’s company".
"We’re really all about bringing the community together and offering a place to socialize and be yourself; a safe environment, a place to have fun," they say. "Especially to some of the older people in the community; it’s a place they can call home."
The Junction has some clientele that have been coming to the location for the full 30 years it has been home to a gay establishment. "It makes it really nice to continue the history," Deborah says. "We also want to make it clear we’re not Boots, we’re not Prism. We really want to create a new kind of space where everyone is welcome."
And that is exactly what Tracey and Deborah’s nominators have praised them for doing.
"Tracey and Deb are a loving couple who have devoted their business to serving the dynamic Edmonton queer community," writes one. "They have given back to so many [organizations] and events and are happy to host lots of different kinds of shows and parties that would have no other home. The space, funds and environment they provide (and so often donate) is an invaluable gift to Edmonton queers."
"They have taken a space and made it positive for every aspect of our community," another says. "Everyone is welcome and it’s a wonderful safe space to be in."
The Junction has been home to events, fundraisers, silent auctions, drag shows and mixers. They have worked with the ISCWR, the Edmonton Exposure Festival, the University of Alberta Outreach Program, the Edmonton Rainbow Business Association, Team Edmonton, the TD Canada Trust Pride Committee, Womonspace, and transgender community groups, just to name a few.
Every second Thursday night the Grant MacEwan Diversity Project holds their meetings there, as does the Illusions Social Club every second Friday. Just recently, over the last weekend of March, the Junction hosted a Bear-Bash that raised over $1,000 for the queer youth prom in Edmonton. On April 22nd Kate Reid, the comical lesbian folk singer-songwriter from Vancouver, will be coming to play. Later on the locale will host Turnabout for the ISCWR.
"I think it’s wonderful that the community would nominate us, and that they’ve recognized our efforts," say Tracey and Deb.
In addition to being a fun bar space with daily features and specials, the Junction also offers a full service restaurant side. On the first Sunday of every month, the eatery offers a tasty all-you-can eat brunch buffet, and every Friday is steak night, available on both sides.
The bar is available for weddings, special events, and private functions both within and outside of the LGBT community. During summer the restaurant opens its garage door to a sunny patio where patrons can eat from the menu that the ladies design themselves. Many patrons come in from out of town on word of the good times and food to be had at the venue.
"We appreciate everyone’s support, and continued support," the two of them say. "Come out and support the Junction, so that we can continue to be able to give back."
Steve Polyak and Rob Diaz-Marino – Owners of GayCalgary & Edmonton Magazine
Steve and Rob are the two men that make this whole magazine possible. Steve has been devoted to operating GayCalgary, which started out as Men for Men BBS back in 1992, making for almost two decades of continued service to the Alberta LGBT community.
Steve was pretty much born a full-time workaholic. He was often the last student left still at his school at the end of the day, and was there even on weekends, experimenting with whatever computer he could access. In junior high he was given a computer system to take home for the summer to later teach the teachers how to use, and in high school was awarded his own office which he eventually shared with three tech-minded friends.
"I did everything from program guides to nun’s prayer booklets, visual presentations, to the first yearbook in Canada that was laid out on a computer," he says. "Teachers had to figure out how to give me credits for the stuff that I did. In the end, the year after I graduated, they launched a computer curriculum based on a lot of the stuff that I had learned."
Steve and Rob were both raised in Calgary. Steve attended Catholic school through to Grade 12. Rob, growing up in Marlborough Park, had a slightly slower start to academic excellence, though he achieved it none the less.
"In elementary school my teachers didn’t think too highly of me – my parents admitted to me later in life that one had stated in a parent/teacher interview that they didn’t think I would amount to anything," he says. "It wasn’t until I entered junior high school that I really started to distinguish myself."
By Grade 9 Rob was achieving honours in all his subjects, and was even granted exemption from taking his finals in math, science and social studies for achieving grades over 90%. Through High School he sustained his high marks and earned himself a scholarship which he applied toward tuition at the University of Calgary.
"Computer Science was the obvious choice for me," Rob says. "My dad is an engineer and we were one of the first families on our block to buy a personal computer. He used it to create programs to handle complex math calculations that he needed for his job, so that he didn’t have to calculate them by hand. I got it in my head one day that I wanted to make a computer game, so I got him to teach me how to write a computer program. Within a few months I was doing stuff with graphics and sound that was beyond him."
Though video game development was Rob’s initial end-goal for his studies, other passions came into play.
Steve and Rob met online when Rob was 20 and Steve was 29 through a hook-up website for Bears that advertised on the GayCalgary.com website.
"I knew that I was gay when I was in grade 6, but I never came out until I graduated," Steve says. "There were situations that occurred in both junior high and high school which were very complicated; if I had come out at that time, it could have made things worse."
"I took my first steps out of the closet the safest way I knew how – on the Internet," Rob states. "Well, that’s not exactly true, I did try going to some GLASS meetings (the University LGBT club) prior to that, but it was so traumatic for me that I retreated back to the comfort of the Internet and blotted it out of my mind."
In any case, it seems perfectly apt that the two techies met in cyber-ville.
"Actually, I had no idea what a ‘bear’ was at the time," Rob says. "I messaged a number of people in Calgary, looking for friendship and guidance, and Steve was the only one who responded."
"Rob found out very quickly how my life was around computers, since [the day of our first date] I was battling the Code Red virus attack which required the web servers that I owned to be rebooted pretty much every 15 minutes to a half an hour," Steve recalls. "Having a first date with a computer virus attack on what I did for a living showed that he understood the passions that I have for making sure work comes first, but once things settle, that I can spend some very special time with someone that I love."
"We started hanging out regularly and we began to realize that we clicked well and had really similar interests – plus I fell in love with his cats!" Rob laughs. "We’ve been together for over nine years now. People are surprised we’re still not officially married yet – we want to save that for a time when we are not so busy, so that it can be something special. With so much on the go, we just don’t have that kind of time to spend on ourselves."
Three years into the relationship Steve decided to turn GayCalgary.com, a website for community information, into a fully fledged magazine.
"Many of the LGBT businesses in Calgary were crying out for a dedicated local magazine, and Steve’s community spirit and experience running GayCalgary.com made him the ideal person to do this right," Rob accolades.
The boys put together the first issue in one month, November of 2003. As Rob was not living with Steve yet, he says his initial contributions were more casual, but as time progressed the magazine and website became more and more a project that belonged to the both of them, especially after making the decision to cohabitate.
"I redesigned the website and database, handled the graphic design tasks, took over as editor, and started writing the publisher’s column and a few other articles," Rob describes. "Prior to that I had always been a lone wolf, so getting involved in the magazine and the community took some getting used to for me."
"Steve has this way of challenging people to do better. In the short term it can seem exhausting; some people can’t handle his level of energy, but the guidance and motivation he provides can bring you to accomplish some pretty amazing stuff – I definitely feel like I have."
Steve has been a pioneer of many online endeavours. He was one of the first to do a live broadcast of a drag show over the internet – pre-YouTube – the September long weekend of 2000.
"We were broadcasting the Sunday shows, plus the music from Boyztown every night," Steve recalls. "Soon I expanded the terminals and video presentations that I did to the other bars in Calgary."
As Internet became more portable, the boys eased back on the terminals and scaled back to videotaping to special events only. They began hosting websites for non-profit groups and developed into the well rounded multimedia company they are today.
"We have been begged to expand the magazine to the Vancouver market and other places across Canada, but Rob and I are saying no for now," Steve says. "Since most of the work of the magazine is done by the two of us, it would be pretty difficult to start something in another province."
The couple’s dedication to GayCalgary & Edmonton Magazine often means little to no time for anything else, and a bundle of stress. They have faced homophobia and categorical refusal from mainstream businesses to advertise or carry magazines, even for the sake of their LGBT customers; as well as battling against misrepresentation, stereotyping, nay-saying, and manipulation from within the community itself.
"What keeps us going is the fact that the magazine is making a difference in the community," Steve says. "We see that we can get results by helping the community and educating people. Some people might assume that you can make money in the print industry, but when we decided to do the magazine, it was definitely not for money."
"Many people can understand altruism and philanthropy, but others sometimes meet us with suspicion as they try to figure out the pragmatism behind our actions," Rob says. "There must be some selfish reason why we get our nose into everyone’s business, right? But it’s really quite simple: we succeed when the community succeeds as a whole."
"And it’s not like we live locked away in a tower while we do all of this," Rob continues. "We regularly interact with our readers and advertisers. In fact, we rarely get away from them. It’s very rewarding when we hear back that they enjoyed an article, that they loved the photograph of themselves, that they appreciate we are inclusive of minorities other than just gay men, that we made them think, that they learned something useful, or that we put them onto something they enjoyed; that their ad got a great response, or that our support has helped their group or event to grow."
"We know that as gay individuals, many of us won’t have children so we need a way of showing that we existed on this planet," Steve says. "The magazine is there to record the great things that the people and businesses in our community have done. If we are not out there reporting and discussing this, how will we know what happened five years later, or more?"
As for the future, the couple hopes to implement further growth of the website, see more contribution from the community, and maybe take a much needed personal vacation!
"Any time we’ve left town, it’s been to cover events or to write an article," Rob says. "So we have yet to find out what it’s like to go on holiday together, away from work and everything."
In 2012 GayCalgary will celebrate its 20th Anniversary since its inception as Men for Men, and the 100th edition of the magazine will go to print that February.
"Community feedback has been important to us and the reader surveys that we do, allow us to know we are still going in the right direction and staying true to what we founded the magazine on," Steve says. "Without the people in our own community who we do this for, or our amazing and talented writers, we would not have such a great magazine. We truly thank you all."
"We love our readers. If they can do something for us, we want them to challenge themselves to think a little more, and speak a little more," Rob says. "Being thoughtful is a waste if you don’t share it, being loud is a waste if you have nothing worthwhile to say, but being both will make a difference."
Related Articles
Contributor Janine Eva Trotta |
Locale Calgary | Edmonton | Lethbridge |
Person
Topic Calgary Police | ISCCA | Lethbridge Pride | Most Read Articles in 2017 | The Junction |
