Nearly 1,000 attend for evening of entertainment and fellowship before start of Democratic Convention
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Organizers of the Unity Through Community LGBT welcome event for the Democratic National Convention said nearly 1,000 people attended their special event on Sunday evening, held at the new North Carolina Dance Theatre building on S. Tryon St., just blocks away from official convention venue sites in Uptown Charlotte.
Among the guests were recognizable names like former Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese, Democratic National Committee Treasurer Andy Tobias, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis and his partner Bil Browning of Bilerico.com. Also present was Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer and several Human Rights Campaign board members including Meghan Stabler. And, according to blogger Joe Jervis, other big names in the LGBT community were also present, including former Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Brian Ellner and Clinton White House advisor Richard Socarides.
On the local front, openly gay Charlotte City Councilmember LaWana Mayfield and openly gay Chapel Hill, N.C., Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt attended the party, as did openly gay North Carolina state Rep. Marcus Brandon and Charlotte City Councilmember Patsy Kinsey, who represents one of the most diverse and gayest districts in the city. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, popular with LGBT voters, welcomed those in attendance to the city.
Organizer Craig Snider, one of dozens of locals who came together to plan the party, said the event bested all expectations. Several delegates from across the country, he said, told him they were pleased with the welcome which defied all their expectations.
Image: Openly lesbian Charlotte City Councilmember LaWana Mayfield (right) greets Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx (center). (Photo by David Lari/QNotes)
Democratic National Convention coverage provided by The New Civil Rights Movement and QNotes.
Matt Comer is the Editor of QNotes. Established in 1986, QNotes is the leading LGBT community newspaper of North Carolina based in Charlotte.