Green Mountain State Update
Jason Collins named Middlebury College commencement speaker
Though the exact date of the class of 2020’s full, live graduation ceremony hasn’t been set yet, Middlebury College in Vermont announced Jason Collins will be its commencement speaker, according to The Middlebury Campus. He will also receive a distinguished honorary degree.
Collins is the NBA’s first openly gay player who went on to serve on former President Obama’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and as an NBA Cares Ambassador. NBA Cares is the league’s international social responsibility program, addressing social issues and creating safe spaces for kids and families in some 40 countries.
Bennington Pride catches a ride
Last year, Bennington, Vermont, celebrated its first Pride parade, organized by the local group Queer Connect. This year, there could be no parade, but, unwilling to let COVID-19 take away their momentum, the group arranged for a number of virtual events, including a socially distanced, police-escorted car caravan that rolled through town in early June.
Sponsors included Rights and Democracy–Bennington, United Counseling Service, the town of Bennington, Bold Strokes Books and others.
As the event date grew closer, the Bennington caravan became so popular than another was formed in Rutland and the two met up, as the caravan rolled through North Bennington, Shaftsbury, Arlington and Manchester.
“More than 70 cars, many decorated in rainbow colors, filled the streets of downtown Bennington on Saturday afternoon in a celebration aimed at increasing the visibility of the LGBTQ community,” the Bennington Banner reported.
Some of the cars displayed “Black Lives Matter” messages. “We have opened up our caravan of pride to our Black sisters and brothers,” Queer Connect Director Lisa Carton told the paper. “It’s a rainbow caravan. Queer pride, trans pride, Black pride, brown pride, bi pride, lesbian pride. We’re all coming together.”
Victory Fund endorses Ingram and James
The LGBTQ Victory Fund, the national nonprofit dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, has endorsed state Rep. Debbie Ingram in her race to become Lieutenant Governor of Vermont, and Kathleen James for a second term in the state’s house of representatives.
If elected, Ingram would be the first openly LGBTQ statewide official in Vermont.
Ingram, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, is one of nine openly LGBTQ members of the state legislature. Serving her second term as a State Senator from Chittenden County. she sits on the health and welfare committee and the education committee and is chair of the Vermont Child Poverty Council.
A Democrat who lives with her wife in Manchester, Vermont, James serves on the education committee and represents Vermont as a delegate to the New England Board of Higher Education and the NEBHE legislative advisory council. She’s also an active member of the Vermont Legislature’s Climate Solutions Caucus, serving as a co-vice-chair for this nonpartisan House-Senate team. She also belongs to the newly formed Social Equity Caucus.
Plus, James is an avid cross-country skier and the executive director of the nonprofit International Skiing History Association, where she’s also editor of its bimonthly “Skiing History” magazine.
Moving on
With his commitment to helping the most vulnerable populations in Vermont, Johnny Chagnon is stepping down from his role as health and wellness coordinator at Pride Center of Vermont.
As of July 6, Chagnon will transition into roles focused on housing assistance as well as substance dependency treatment and services for the Burlington area community, while continuing to serve as a board member for the Vermont Positive Living Coalition and producing LGBTQ+ events locally, according to a Pride Center press release.
“I respect and admire Johnny’s commitment and passion in serving LGBTQ+ communities,” said Pride Center Executive Director Mike Bensel. “Johnny has put his unique talents to good use in creating sex-positive, safer sex programming for gay, bisexual, and transgender men and those living with HIV. I’m wishing a fond farewell and best of luck to Johnny in pursuing his next endeavor.” [Renaldo Payne]
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