WHAT: Humboldt Diversity & Inclusion Pride Celebration WHERE: The VFW Hall in Dakota City, Ia., pop. 843, town seat of Humboldt County, pop, 4,753, and a county that voted 73 percent in favor of Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election WHO: About 200 residents, mostly allies plus a handful of LGBTQ people. Coordinated by Mark Henderson, John Grause, and Humboldt County Pride and LGBTQ Awareness. WHEN: June 25, 2021 PHOTOS BY: TRM Team
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Amanda Green (aka Hugh Jindapants) helped co-found the I.C. Kings of Iowa City 10 years ago. Here, their decade of performing as Jindapants — a crass, showy, sneering display of toxic masculinity — is captured along with several highlight group shots of the I.C. Kings. Enjoy this stroll through the memories — then check out Green’s tribute to the groundbreaking drag king troupe, where they reminisced, shared some joy and pain, and encouraged fellow drag performers to use their voice to support social justice in the way their character and…
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Max Brash stood in a bubble on the moon, ready to launch the most epic gender reveal party in the history of the human race. In front of him were nearly a hundred transparent monitors linked to his mission control – which was really just one person, his buddy Dave. The rest of the screens were reserved for the feed from dozens upon dozens of drones, to capture every angle of this event. On the center monitor were his aging parents broadcasting live from Sweetwater, Texas. “Hey buddy!” Dave’s voice…
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WHAT: Juneteenth Celebration WHERE: Davenport, IA WHO: Black-owned businesses and community groups celebrating the formal abolition of slavery in 1865. Coordinated by the Friends of MLK Davenport. WHEN: June 19, 2021 PHOTOS BY: The Real Mainstream Team
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WHAT: Buffalo Grove Pride Drive WHERE: Buffalo Grove, IL WHO: Buffalo Grove Pride and many residents WHEN: June 6, 2021 PHOTOS BY: Buffalo Grove Pride
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WHAT: Michelle Nixon Memorial Scholarship Brunch WHERE: Mary’s on 2nd, Davenport, IA WHEN: June 5, 2021 WHO: Community members, plus friends and family members of Michelle Nixon, honoring her for her community service as a member of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities and Quad Cities Pride Festivals. The event raised more than $5,000. PHOTOS BY: The Real Mainstream Team WHAT: OUTDOOR SERVICE AT METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF THE QUAD CITIES WHERE: Davenport, IA WHEN: Late April, 2021 WHO: Members of MCC of the QC, which is Iowa’s…
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WHAT: Metro East Pride Street Party & Drag Show WHERE: Belleville, IL WHO: Community members and performers, plus Club Escapade WHEN: June 5, 2021 PHOTOS BY: Randy Elser
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WHAT: Pride at Bass Street Landing WHERE: The Plaza at Bass Street Landing, Moline, Ill. WHEN: June 4-5, 2021 WHO: Hundreds of Quad Citians attended the event, a collaboration of The Project of the Quad Cities, Free Mom Hugs, and Clock Inc. LGBTQ Community Center PHOTOS BY: The Real Mainstream Team and Rich D. Hendricks WHAT: Pride Night at Modern Woodmen Park WHERE: Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport, IA WHEN: June 17, 2021 WHO: A night at the ballpark, coordinated by The Project of the Quad Cities and the River Bandits…
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WHAT: Eclipse Nightclub Pride Party WHERE: Sioux City, IA WHO: Queens, performers and community members celebrating Pride at Eclipse Nightclub & Cabaret. WHEN: June 5, 2021 PHOTOS BY: Vanessa Nevarez (Divine) WHAT: A night out at Studio 13 WHERE: Iowa City, IA WHO: Rio S. Suave and Corey Alan, founders of Key City Pride, and Studio 13 personalities WHEN: June 12, 2021 PHOTOS BY: Rio S. Suave, founder of Key City Pride
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“I’m Empty Reality” by Jay Wallerich My mind leaks empty reality; Onto these pages it spills Freely, Chaotically, Endlessly. Something profound festers inside but I have no words to work off of. The madness stays within. I feel need to explain the process in which my thoughts are growing from But my tongue is tangled in the weeds My teeth chipped from rocks, My lips dry from the dirt. Words become utterly useless. What is it called when one’s self is overfilling? Being held above oxygen level, looking down upon…
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