On April
30, 2000, several hundred thousand gay men and women are expected to descend
upon our nations capital for the historic Millennium March on Washington
(MMOW). The first GLBT March on Washington took place in 1979 and attracted
approximately 100,000 people. The last March, in 1993, became famous among
the party boys because the seeds for DCs first circuit party were
planted at this March. This year, the volunteer committee that hosts the
now-famous Cherry events has scheduled Cherry 5 to take place on the same
weekend as the Millennium March. There is a great deal of controversy surrounding
this particular March, but there are also a lot of incredible events being
planned that will make the weekend of April 28-30 in Washington, DC one
of the highest profile events on the 2000 gay calendar.
The organizers
of this fourth March on Washington for gay rights are hoping that "through
an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Millennium March
will both inspire and empower all gay and lesbian individuals to work together
to prepare our movement for the millennium and challenge our entire nation
to join our campaign for equality." Although some outspoken members
of the gay community have questioned the necessity and ultimate effectiveness
of the upcoming March, enough progress has been made in recent months to
ensure that this March is definitely going to take place. It is now time
for all members of the gay community to put aside their differences and
come together in April to make this the largest, most effective and influential
gathering of gay men and women in our nations history so that we can
finally win this seemingly endless fight for equality that has plagued our
community for far too long.
The March
itself was originally planned to include just a Rally on the National Mall,
but due to pressure from various organizations and activists, the Rally
has been expanded to include a 2-block street march and an 11-block stroll
up the Mall. The March route has been shortened significantly this year
because many people waited up to five hours in 1993 to begin marching, thereby
missing the Rally altogether. Since the new route does not even pass by
the White House or any other significant governmental buildings, simply
plan to skip this portion of the March and meet everyone on the Mall at
noon where your political activism will be best served in front of the U.S.
Capitol. Check out www.mmow.org for official MMOW information and www.millenniummarch.com
for an unbiased and comprehensive look at the March.
Now that
weve got all the vital political issues n stuff out of the way,
lets talk about the parties. Although many dance events popped up
in Washington during past Marches, this is the first time that a nationally
recognized circuit party with a strong foundation, Cherry 5, will coincide
with the March. Proceeds raised during Cherry 5 will benefit The Cherry
Fund, a non-profit organization that was established to provide financial
support to various gay and lesbian causes in the Washington, DC area. This
years beneficiaries include the new Washington Gay and Lesbian Center,
the Gay and Lesbian Victory Foundation (the only national organization whose
sole mission is to increase the number of outstanding openly gay and lesbian
public servants), DC CARE Consortium (an AIDS resource and education consortium),
and the Millennium March on Washington.
Several
spectacular events are being planned for the Cherry 5 weekend including
a Host Party with DJ Joe DEspinosa on Friday night at one of DCs
newest nightclubs, Element. Cherry 5 Hosts will also be welcomed by DJ Darryl
Strickland at Results The Gym for a "Pre-Party Pump" on Saturday
afternoon. The highlight of the weekend will likely be an enormous dance
extravaganza on Saturday night at The Old Post Office Pavilion where the
sounds of circuit legend DJ Warren Gluck will be accompanied by the illusionary
effects of lighting wizard Ross Berger. You might remember this incredible
space from the 1993 March when over 6,000 people attended the legendary
Spring to Life party. (If you missed it, check out www.richardsabala.com
for some incredible photos of this event.) Sunday nights closing party
will take place at the mega-club Nation, and will host circuit sensation
DJ Manny Lehman. Please visit www.cherryfund.com for additional information
on the beneficiaries, parties, and host hotel. Event tickets and packages
go on sale February 15th.
In a unique
and innovative effort to raise even more money for their beneficiaries,
The Cherry Fund has also assembled more than 40 of your favorite online
stores to form www.ishopforcharity.com. At this site, you can shop at stores
like J Crew and Amazon with a percentage of each sale going directly to
the Cherry 5 beneficiaries.
If the
Cherry 5 events havent worn you out, you can try an assortment of
other dance parties that are being planned for this momentous weekend. Local
promoters Dave Parham of Backbeat Productions and Mark Lee of Atlas Events
(202/331-4422) are joining forces to bring DJ Buc to town on Sunday night
at Zei Club. Lou Piper (Two2Fab@aol.com) presents Rapture on Friday night
at The Cage with DJ St. Peter as well as his infamous Exclamation party
on Sunday night with DJ Mark Vallese. Local bars and clubs will also be
hosting their own events, including the likely appearance of super-DJs Danny
Tenaglia and Victor Calderone thrown in for color. Please keep in mind that
the March is still several months away, so many additional events will surely
be added and some details may change.
In keeping
with the spirit of music as a powerful force in our fight for equality,
you are all cordially invited to join Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres,
Anne Heche, and Kristen Johnson at "Equality Rocks," a mega concert
event that is being produced in conjunction with the Human Rights Campaign
Foundation (HRC). "The rock concert for the new century celebrating
equal rights for all" will take place at the 45,000-seat Robert F.
Kennedy Stadium on Saturday, April 29, 2000 at 6:00 p.m. Many other performers
are expected to join the line-up including Cher, Elton John, Bette Midler,
and Garth Brooks. And what would a major circuit weekend be without the
requisite Madonna rumour floating around? Thats right kids, the Big
M just might grace us with her presence for a long-overdue concert appearance.
The good news is that this rumour is coming from deep within HRCs
network, so lets keep our fingers crossed. Tickets, which range from
$35 in the nose-bleeds to $1,000 for front row seats, can be ordered online
at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 551-SEAT. You can also visit
www.melissaetheridge.com and www.hrc.org for updates.
The worlds
largest-ever non-sectarian demonstration celebrating same-sex marriage is
also slated to take place on Saturday, April 29th in front of the IRS Building.
The Reverend Troy D. Perry of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community
Churches (UFMCC) will preside over this public demonstration entitled "The
Wedding: Now More Than Ever." Over 5,000 couples are expected to take
part in this landmark event in hopes that our recent victory in Vermont
has paved the way for nationally recognized same-sex marriage. Please contact
Maaza Mengiste of UFMCC at (310) 360-8640 or via e-mail at ufmcchq@aol.com
to register.
You can
also join in The Millennium Medical Marijuana March on Saturday, April 29th,
starting with a Rally to help support safe access for medical marijuana
patients at 12 noon in Lafayette Park in front of the White House. A March
will follow the Rally at 3:00 p.m. and a Medical Rights Rally and Concert
at Henry Bacon Ball Field will close out the event between 4:00-8:00 p.m.
Contact Richard Eastman at (323) 541-9000 or (310) 453-2700 for more details.
As you can see, there will be a multitude of electrifying
events to keep you busy during Millennium March weekend, so
come join us in our nations capital at the end of April
and see for yourself why Washington isnt just a stuffy
city full of crooked politicians and their tired sex scandals,
but more importantly, a dynamic spot where you can party your
ass off while fighting for your basic civil rights as American
citizens.
|