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Here's the latest...
Watch the under-four minute video by clicking the still frame above of by clicking here: https://youtu.be/U8xm2ZOyQ_A
Transcript:
Hi Community, I'm Lee Wind. It’s January 2020 and this is my Video Newsletter. The whole point of which is to Update, Inform, and hopefully Inspire YOU.
Queer History is Everywhere!
This month, I'm really excited about the story of Whitney Houston. So Whitney Houston was this amazing singer, with an incredible voice. She had eleven #1 hits, including "I will always love you," "I wanna dance with somebody (who loves me)," and "the greatest love of all,"
And she was singing about love, and there were these rumors that she was in a relationship with another woman but it was always denied.
She ended up marrying a guy, they had a child. But her life was kind of tragic, and she was addicted to drugs, and she ended up dying really young, at 48, in 2012.
But now, Robyn Crawford has come out - the woman that there were the rumors about - has come out with a memoir, called “A Song For You”, and in it she talks about their relationship. She says,
"We were friends. We were lovers. We were everything to each other." – Robyn Crawford, on her relationship with Whitney Houston
So it's bittersweet that this amazing talent, that Whitney Houston never felt safe or had the support to come out – but it is kind of amazing to know that that voice - the woman behind that voice - was part of our LGBTQ community.
Queer history really is everywhere.
Lee Wind Author Update
So, here it is... The award seal! Ahhh!
Readers Say
The reviews are in from my Models of Pride workshop, called Queer History is Everywhere. I presented to about 25 teens, 12 of them filled out their survey form, and 10 out of 12 of them said that it was “Excellent!”
They were asked, How will the content of this workshop be useful in your life? Here are five of the answers:
1) It hit hard – imam be smart
2) It was excellent! This will guide me in how I interpret history in future. It was also very empowering!
3) Finding more representation in deeper history. Representation matters!
4) It has inspired me to be who I am and not to look at myself as “abnormal” or “strange”
5) Everything was so interesting and I learned that queer history is ACTUALLY EVERYWHERE. This workshop changed my outlook on life
That's why I do what I do.
Events
In the beginning of February, I'm going to be traveling to SCBWI's winter conference in New York City, I'm really excited, it's always a wonderful three days. I'll be hosting the LGBTQ Q&A, once again it's a really beautiful safe gathering within the larger community, and I also will be blogging for SCBWI. If you're going to be there, say "Hi." Otherwise, you can follow along online. I'm really looking forward to it.
Reading In, Writing Out
I just finished…
Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro, and it's really wonderful.
It's about a 10th grader, Moss, who lives in Oakland. He's Black, and he's Gay, and he suffers panic attacks - I love the intersectionality of that - and the panic attacks are caused by the fact that the police killed his father about six years before the story begins.
And the story is about the police have taken over security at his high school, and his friends and him are being treated like criminals. And they organize to try and push back against the administration.
And there's some romance, and there's some tragedy, and it is super timely, and important, and the characters are amazing and I loved it!
(Thanks to Librarian Elizabeth Abarbanel for the recommendation!)
Inspiration
I love this quote:
Start writing, no matter about what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on. You can sit and look at a page for a long time and nothing will happen. Start writing and it will.I love that. Turn the faucet on, and the water will start to flow.
- Louis L’Amour, the famous writer of Westerns, from his memoir, Education of a Wandering Man
Want more? Check out I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read? at leewind.org
Until then, the light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you.
Thanks!
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