This week Speak Out continues a series of spotlight question and answer articles on outstanding individuals within our local community with a special tribute to the success of WVAS QUEER NEWS and the man who started it all over five years ago, Terry Urban.
 
Terry saw the Internet as an opportunity to create a place for a very fragmented local LGBT community to network, a place to read about the issues that bind us politically, as well as, socially.  On March 18, 2005, with the premiere issue of WVAS QUEER NEWS, he laid the foundation for what has today become one of the most respected and utilized LGBT related community resources in existence anywhere.  Offering readers more than fifty diverse and specialized weekly columns; headlines of top stories and events around the globe; the latest in entertainment and recreation highlights; spotlighting individuals living within the community, it quickly became a metropolis of voices united for raising the quality of life for the thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and families that live in our community.
 
WVQN is also a crucial awareness tool for the rest of the population.  By bringing important equality issues into light, we are chiseling away at outdated moral philosophies and discriminatory practices, insuring a better quality of life for all.  This is what makes me proud to be a part of this network of people.
 
My name is Jim Lawson.  I am a Speak Out reporter for WVAS QUEER NEWS and this week I am honoring a special friend and colleague.  He is a key force behind the organization and his story definitely establishes him among the brightest of our community stars.
 
 
Terry Urban

 
Jim:  In what ways has the magazine exceeded your original goals for it?
 
Terry:  We are exceeding my original goals, because we are reaching out to a very large number of people each and every day.  The average right now is about 100-200 visitor to the site each day.  We are also receiving more local support.  I feel that our focus has given people a chance to be a part of something that benefits and binds the community.  We recognize true leadership and talent with the Terry Awards and our pageant system each year, and, have added Parkersburg Pride Week to our annual events this past year.

Jim:  What prompted you to start the Terry Awards?
 
Terry:  The reason for the Terry Awards is simple:  I think that the entertainers work very hard in this state, but they do not get the recognition and respect that they earn as minimal payment for their art.  Also, it is the only place that the online chatters can be recognized for being a working part of the community.  I remember in school when nominations and ballots were cast for specific titles like 'class clown' or 'king and queen', how it gave students something to look forward to and talk about.  It established recognition within a group for various things.  It made us feel like we were a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Click this link below, tosee the Fourth Annual Terry Awards and Ms WVQN Pageant
 
 
Jim:  What are some of the ways the publication serves the local community?
 
Terry:  Last Spring, we had an open workshop at a local library in Parkersburg, WV, where we held discussions to make others aware of LGBT community issues, everything from hate crimes to just establishing mutual respect for each other.  We also serve the community through events like The Terry Awards, or aka 'the Gay Grammies'. We put on this annual event to pull members of the community together from parts of WV.  It brings a sense of community stronger than ever before. It is growing into one of the biggest events in the state.
 
Jim:  Let's talk about the pageant system for a moment.  When did you crown the first Miss WVQN?
 
Terry:  The first Miss WVQN was crowned in March of 2007. She is, and forever will be, known as the first lady of West Virginia Queer News, Ms Robin Hearts from Vice Versa in Morgantown, WV.
 
Robin Hearts and Ms
Martina Deserae, two
past Ms. WVQN
Jim:  How has the pageant grown since then?
 
Terry:  The first year we only had two contestants and now we have as many as eight contestants each year. It has grown and brought some of the best in the field together for the honor of being named Miss West Virginia Queer News. Notable contestants like Michelle St James, Martina Deserae (2008-2009 winner), Patricia Knight (2009-2010), Ashley Adams, Morgan Le Fay, Evie Sedgwick, Lacey Lynn Taylor, Lucy Lipps, October La Croix, Boom Boom La Rue, Tearah Deserae, and many more have competed for the title.
 
Jim: How many people work on each issue of WVAS QUEER NEWS in one week?
 
Terry:  It started with eight people the first year and now we have anywhere from 30-50 people who work tirelessly, not only writing, but making benefit shows happen and taking pictures.
 
Jim:  Describe the diversity range of topics each week.
 
Terry:  Wow! We have extensive sections for lesbians, divas, bears, and the leather community. Each section not only features a person of the week, but provides many columns of interest and entertainment on every page. We also have Straight Up, a column of interest that is written by a straight woman who shares her thoughts on the gay community as well as the world around us. We also have sections that bring you information on bisexuals, transexual/transgendered, HIV/Aids, and so much more.
 
Jim: In what ways do you feel that recognizing individual achievement benefits the community overall?
 
Terry:  I believe that any community service that anyone can offer goes a long way. Whether you are making a small monetary donation or volunteering your time, you are making an important contribution to the community. Support in the community may go unnoticed at times, but, look at the overall benefits. We are opening minds and hearts to a community that once feared and was very much misunderstood. It is just a matter of time before we receive the same basic rights as everyone else. There has been so much recent progress toward total equality.
 
Jim:  Terry Urban is dedicated to educating and uniting our very diverse community.  Through his efforts many individual relationships and alliances have been formed and the community is a better place to live in.  WVAS QUEER NEWS is five years young.  We have opened a door to endless possibilities and invite you to grow with us.  Awareness, education, and recognition are the basics of our organization.  We invision a time in the near future when our families can live openly in a safe and equal environment.
 
Details of the 2009 Terry Awards in March:
 
The 2009 Terry Awards are March 19th at Woodstarr in Parkersburg, WV. You can find all the information at http://www.wvasqueernews.com/2009terryawards.html
 
WVAS QUEER NEWS is a non-profit organization that relies on the local businesses, individual, and community support.
 
Written by Jim Lawson