Jason Howard Green

Jason Howard Green

Saturday, March 31, 2012

C.A.R.E. March for Equality



I made my annual trip down to Casa Grande for the 4th Annual March for Equality presented by C.A.R.E. (Central Arizona Rainbow Equality). I must admit I had a wonderful time. I ran into old friends that I haven't seen in forever. Plus I met some spectacularly fabulous people I now love and admire.

So I didn't take nearly as many pictures this year as I've taken in the past (which is why the video above is a short one) and you know how much I love my photography. But nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed everything about today. The ride down with my friend Louis. Running into old friends like Al and Donna of P-Flag, Jimmy "Equality" Grunder, Lee Walters, Lee Peach, Felicia Minor, Patrick Kelly, and Thomas Fleming just to name a few. And my three new favorite people are now Dean Dill (good luck in your campaign by the way), Ms. Shangela LaQuifa Wadley of RuPaul's Drag Race (such a sweetheart), and thirteen year old Tanner (an out and proud teen who was just dumped by his boyfriend but is still determined to get out, meet new people and stay positive about life).

I'm really looking forward to what next year has to bring. If you'd like to see all of my pics from today, please go here. Also, please check out my pics from last years March for Equality here.

Bayard Rustin's 100th Birthday


Okay - so I know I'm late with this post but I still feel a need to share this.  March 17 was Bayard Rustin's birthday.  This year (2012) he would have turned 100 years old.  Happy Belated birthday to one of my favorite role models.

I was thrilled to learn that in honor of his 100th birthday, HERO Phoenix donated a picture of Bayard to the One Voice community Center.  The picture will permanently hang to remind people of his legacy in both the LGBT and African-American civil rights struggles.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Invisible Life is Coming to Life on the Big Screen

So I love me some E. Lynn Harris.  I've read every single novel.  I've read his autobiography.  I've even read the tribute to the writer that was released posthumously.  So I was under the assumption that my days of enjoying the works of E. Lynn Harris were behind me.  But hold on, wait a minute . . . this just in, Tracy Edmunds is working on a project that will adapt several of Harris' books into films.  I should say this is just in for me because apparently this news has been public for some time and I was just unaware.

E. Lynn Harris passed away in 2009 from heart problems.  He passed away shortly after he and Tracy Edmunds had just closed the deal granting her permission to move forward with the films.  Tracy Edmunds (Edmunds Entertainment) with collaborate with Proteus Spann (Proteus E2 Productions) as they bring these novels to the big screen.

I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet this extraordinary writer on his final booktour.  As he was rounding the country promoting his book Basketball Jones, he made a stop in Phoenix.  There was no way E. Lynn would be in my backyard and I didn't go and meet him.  Oddly enough for Phoenix it was raining.  And it was raining hard.  FYI, nobody in Phoenix owns an umbrella as we hardly ever get rain. There was no parking left at the mall that housed my Barnes & Nobles and I had a mightly long walk as I exited my car.  Needless to say by the time I got to see E. Lynn I was soaking wet. 

I would have been very content with just a handshake from the man.  But he pulled me close to him and hugged me despite my warning.  And he posed for several pics not only with me but with everyone that was there that evening.  He was kind and patient and seemed sincere as he expressed his love of his fans.  I was an evening I will never forget because it wasn't many days later that I heard the news of his death.  I replayed my evening with my mentor over and over again.

This first novel that will be adapted will be Harris' first book, Invisible Life.  You can learn mover about the project here.