The William Way LGBT Community Center is gearing up to celebrate the contributions that seven individuals bring to the LGBT community in Philadelphia. The center will host its annual Homecoming event from 6-10 p.m. June 8 at 1315 Spruce St., the night before Philly Pride. The event will feature a variety of musical artists and a Mediterranean buffet and open bar, as well as a silent auction and top-notch entertainment. “We wanted to bring back all the entertainment that people loved,” said center executive assistant Paul Blore. “In the past, we had drag, burlesque, we had dance last year and we wanted to bring back more vocal, so we packed the lineup and have a lot of different artists that will be performing. We have dance artists, dance theater and vocal, and we have the Philly Roller Girls.” More than 250 people are expected to attend. A centerpiece of the event is the honoring of the Homecoming Court, “unsung heroes” who are selected by a diverse event committee. “The people on the committee try to think outside the realm of names you normally hear,” Blore said. “We get so entrenched in the people that come through the center’s doors that sometimes we don’t get to meet everyone in the community.” This year, the center will honor GO! Athletes executive director Anna Aagenes, Identity Kit Project executive director Crystal Cheatham, LGBT activist and Community College of Philadelphia GSA president SharRon L. Cooks, Red Paw Emergency Relief Team founder Jennifer Leary and her sister and Sink or Swim Philadelphia founder Marion Leary, Delaware Valley Legacy Fund executive director Samantha Giusti and center archivist Bob Skiba. Each honoree contributes something distinct to the community and to the center. Aagenes, who is also district-office director for state Rep. Brian Sims, has volunteered for the center and was involved in the Homecoming planning committee last year. “She has done a tremendous amount of work in the community,” Blore said. “She is an out bisexual and doing so much on intersection on sports and athleticism and LGBTQ identity,” he said. Development director Michael Pomante said Cheatham, who started the nonprofit IDK Project to help youth come to terms with their religion and sexual orientation and gender identity, is spearheading an innovative project. She teaches the curriculum at The Attic Youth Center and also has developed a kit for distribution. “She helps these individuals feel special and important and know that you can be Christian and still identify as LGBTQ,” Pomante said. Cooks is among the faces guests see when they enter the center. She has volunteered at the center for two years, both at the front desk and as a facilitator of the Transway program. “When people come in, we hear amazing things about SharRon,” Pomante said. “She is welcoming, thoughtful and helpful. We needed someone to lead the Transway program and she stepped up and did great job. She is a huge advocate for the center.” Blore said the Leary sisters come to the court with a wealth of diverse accomplishments already under their belts. “Both have volunteered with LGBT organizations and charity efforts and both started their own charities,” he said. “It was important for us to recognize that people do not necessarily need to be in the LGBTQ community but in the greater community.” Giusti has volunteered for the center for the past three years, starting as a peer counselor and later becoming chair of the resource-development committee. “She supports the center and is a huge fan of the center, and we recognize her for being a young woman at the head of DVLF and all the amazing work she has done in the community at such a young age,” Pomante said. Blore said Skiba, the longtime volunteer archivist, was long overdue for a public acknowledgment of his contributions. “We realized that although we on the staff show appreciation for him, we never publicly proclaimed it,” Blore said. “He works hard to get the archives in order and working on the newsletter. He does an LGBT history column every month and always has something up his sleeve for that. He does a lot of work outside of the community as well.” Center executive director Chris Bartlett said the event is designed to show the community that the center is a welcoming hub and to celebrate those who help it accomplish what it does throughout the year. “We strive to make William Way welcoming to the community 365 days a year, and Homecoming is about coming to celebrate center as home for our LGBTQ and allies, and that is what this event highlights,” he said. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.waygayhomecoming.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 215-732-2220.
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