PFLAG Buffalo/Niagara July 2016 Newsletter

7/25/2019 PFLAG Buffalo/Niagara July 2016 Newsletter

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PFLAG Buffalo-Niagara

PFLAG Bufalo-NiagaraParents, Families, Friends, and Allies United with LGBTQ People

PO Box 617

Buffalo, NY 14207716-883-0384

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/pflag.niagara

There is no sharing meeing in !ul"#

The sharing meetings are held at Kenilworth United Churc h of Christ, 45 alton ri!e, Tonawanda "4##$,

from #%$&'5%&&. (ewcomers and an)one interested will be offered the option of meeting pri!atel) with a *+-parent. ur monthl) meetings are in the librar), which is near the parking lot entrance. The facilit) ishandicapped accessible. Ne$ Parens %eeings are scheduled as needed at a location con!enient to thosein!ol!ed. These self'help one'on'one meetings deal with the concerns of parents and famil) members whoha!e recentl) learned that a lo!ed one is ga).

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We meet because we have learned that someone very close to us is Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender. We try tohelp one another deal with this information in a positive manner. Although we do not agree at all times, we try to be
mailto:[email protected]://www.facebook.com/pflag.niagarahttp://www.facebook.com/pflag.niagaramailto:[email protected]


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PFLAG Buffalo/Niaga

understanding. We offer help to those who see it, but do not force ourselves on others. We strive to maintainanonymity while sharing on a level that is comfortable for all of us.

Dear Orlando,

The news of the senseless, horrific tragedy of June 12, 2016 is numbing and

heartbreaking. Our hearts ache for you, your families and you communities. !"#$

%uffalo&'iagara and the %uffalo community are thinking of you and send our sincerest

condolences and endless thoughts of lo(e, strength, and healing to each of you.

#lthough we ha(e ne(er met you or your cherished lo(ed ones, we feel a bond with

you as )arents, families, and friends of all those connected through our "$%T*

communities. +e are at a loss to understand why and how this has altered your )aths.

Our ho)e is that strength will come to you through the lo(e and commitment you share

with your families and those closest to you.

+e want you to know that the li(es of those taken for li(ing life as their genuine

sel(es will not be in (ain. Their li(es gi(e us resol(e and renewed commitment tocontinue our efforts through the !"#$ mission to create a world where di(ersity is

celebrated and all )eo)le are res)ected, (alued, and affirmed, regardless of their seual

orientation, gender identity, and gender e)ression.

+e will continue to educate oursel(es and others about the uni-ue issues and

challenges facing the "$%T* community. +e will continue our work as ad(ocates in our

communities to change attitudes of those who do not know or understand.

+e will continue to hel) create laws that assure "$%T* )eo)le e(erywhere are able to

fearlessly enoy the rights and freedoms of our country, free from discrimination and

senseless acts of (iolence.

+hile we recogni/e that this is a life&changing e(ent for you and your families, )lease

know that it has been a life&changing e(ent for us and our country. our grief is our grief,

your sorrow is our sorrow your strength is our strength, and we stand with you.


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On behalf of !"#$ %uffalo'iagara, we send our lo(e and dee)est sym)athies to

each of you.

Phil Salemi, Jr. President of PFLAG Buffalo/Niagara wrote the above letter to the eole of

!rlanda, and it is art of "he Loo maga#ines issue of suort that is being delivered to !rlando.

$t is also available in Buffalo as usual. "his ver% se&ial issue features letters and hotograhs of

suort and is available free of &harge in man% stores in Buffalo.

WHEN I TOLD MY SON 49 PEOPLE DIED FOR BEING JUST LIKE HIM

Amelia, Jue !4, "#!$% Hu&&i'()*)+(-)m

The world was e)loding, and 3 was at an auction. On June 11, 3 decided to un)lug

early because my friend 4am and 3 were going to an auction in the morning. 'either of

us needed anything5its ust one of those things we do together. 3 woke u) about 10

minutes before 3 headed out the door, and we listened to #coustic 4unrise on the radio all

the way there. The day was hot. 4ummer has arri(ed to the 7idwest, calendar be

damned. 89 degrees. #nd thats without the heat inde.

+e looked through the )ink de)ression glass and old milk bottles. +e shook our

heads at the amount of money some )eo)le will )ay for a crock. Then 3 saw my find of

the day. # scythe. #n honest&to&god, two handled, bringing&in&the&shea(es, scythe.

#nd 3 got it for :1. 3 was so stoked. 3 took a )icture of it, and )ulled out my )hone and

went on to Twitter for the first time that day. unchy in the heat of the day, 3 wrote ;#""

TO4"#? because 3 am a total Terry ratchett nerd, and )osted a )ic of my

newfound treasure.

#nd then 3 saw the rest of my feed.

3 dont think 3 ha(e e(er deleted a tweet so fast.

De(astation. 98 li(es so tragically, )ermanently, and needlessly ended. 4o many

others hurt.


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PFLAG Buffalo/Niaga

#nd because 3 am selfish, my first thought was ;an you go and get your brother for me@?

7y youngest baby ran off hollering for his biggest brother. #nd he is )retty big.


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;'o.? 3 knew my husband would lea(e this con(ersation for me. 3ts not because he

cant handle it, but because my oldest son and 3 ha(e a lot of )ractice at ha(ing hard

con(ersations.

7y son, while only 11 years old, identifies as gay.


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PFLAG Buffalo/Niaga

3t was hard to know what to do. 4hould 3 chase after him and force him to ha(e amore in&de)th con(ersation with me@ 4hould 3 lea(e him alone@ ars were e(erywhere, and we had to

walk a few blocks to get to the meeting )lace.


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he should raise it abo(e his head with the rest of the crowd. +hen it burned all the way

down, he took my cell )hone, turned on the flashlight a)) and held it u) instead.

#s things began to wind down, 3 turned to him and )ut my arms around his

shoulders. 3ts so odd to be able to look him straight in the eye. 3m sure by the time 3

get used to it, 3ll need to look u) instead. Then 3 asked him the -uestion that 3 ha(e

been asking all of my sons since they were babies, ;+ho is my best boy@?

;3 am.?


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PFLAG Buffalo/Niaga

Thank you all for coming here tonight. There are not words to do ustice for the

incredible )ain our lesbian, gay, biseual, transgender, -ueer and allied community5and

our entire nation5ha(e been dealt. %ut we will use words to try. +e owe it to all who

ha(e been lost, and all who ha(e been left behind to always try. 4unday morning, when 3

woke u) to the inconcei(able shock5that the worst mass shooting in #merican history

committed by one )erson had been committed at a gay night club5in a safe s)ace53

had no words.

#s 3 watched the news footage of the (ictims, inured, being carried away, bleeding,

and mothers grie(ing53 felt my heart break, and there were no words to )ut it back

together with. 3 had no words, but 3 knew of one thing 3 had, one thing that we all ha(e.

#nd that is the )ower to organi/e. #s our community has done time across the years, we

ha(e come together.

!rom the 7attachine 4ociety to the 4tonewall 3nn to the


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To e(ery one of you who has felt )owerless in the wake of this darkness, 3 tell you

that you ha(e the )ower. Our "$%T* community has always known that when you come

together, and you come out, you use your )ower to make change. %y attending this (igil,

by e)ressing your feelings to those in your life and on social media5you use your )ower

for good by being out, by being an ally, and not letting the forces of hate win by kee)ing

you silent.

"ook around and see what you all ha(e done. 3n our not so distant )ast, this would

ne(er ha(e been )ossible. Our community has made such )rogress, and gained such

acce)tance it takes my breath away. Tonight, we ha(e hundreds of members of the +'

community coming out to take a stand against hate, and to stand for the "$%T*

community. Our elected officials su))ort us5thank you to "ieutenant $o(ernor athy

ounty District #ttorney

7ichael !laherty and E4 #ttorney +illiam


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PFLAG Buffalo/Niaga


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PFLAG BUFFALO-NIAGARA BOARD OF DIR!TOR"

hil 4alemi, Jr., resident "isbeth %all, Director

#my !ular/, Aice resident Da(id %arrett, Director

%rian >arrier, Treasurer 4haron %arrett, Director

7ichele erry, 4ecretary #nn >arrier, Director

Julie >hristiano, Director


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PFLAG Buffalo/Niaga

PFLAG B#$$alo-Nia%ara, is a non-pro$it, all &ol#nteer, 'omm#nit(-)ased

or%ani*ation

not a$$iliated with an( ethni', reli%io#s, e'onomi' or politi'al %ro#p+

em)ership is open to all+ PFLAG mem)ership lists are ept 'on$idential+

Documents

PFLAG Buffalo/Niagara July 2016 Newsletter