RainbowVision Blog

Serving the LGBTQI&A: Influencing the Service of the Mainstream Aging Population

2012-01-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

What language will we, the Baby Boomers, use to describe our experience of Aging, and how will we accept its challenges? RainbowVision Properties has been engaged in the re-examination and exploration of new language evolution to describe stages of Aging, and our experience of it, since 2004.
RainbowVision Properties opened its first community in June of 2006, built to offer LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, BiSexual, Transgender, Queer and InterSexed) people an opportunity to live in a community along with straight seniors in what we coined “Community of Living Diversity”. What surprised us was how member residents experienced and defined “diversity”.
We were using an LGBTQI&A definition for “diversity” but members redefined it to include professions, former professions, walk of life, age, place of origin, culture, family group identification, religion and philosophies. Additionally, members felt that “diversity” was an active state of being rather than a descriptor, and so formulated the concept of “Living Diversity”. RainbowVision Properties adopted this phrase as our tagline. We wholeheartedly agree that this is a better description of an essential, resident member -defined RainbowVision experience. What might this experience have to offer the mainstream senior care industry.
Let us take into consideration the breakdown of gender and orientation, at our initial community: gender is estimated at 52% female to 48% male, and orientation is LGBT at 60% to 40% non-LGBT. There were also a significant number of LGBT people who chose RainbowVision for their straight loved-ones. This is a result of the acceptance of differing family structures allowing for comfortable family gatherings and celebrations.
In an examination of the historical experience of the LGBTQI population, we find that it has had some unique circumstances that influence the aging experience.. One such event is the advent of 1980’s AIDS crisis. Many gay men have often remarked that they feel like they are the miracles of their generation in that they are alive at all. What we took away from this experience is the understanding that end- of- life issues are not necessarily age-related, therefore; our first community in Santa Fe was not age-restricted. This restriction in the industry largely has to do with financing, as well as with resident preference in terms of having children in residence. Without such restriction, members of various ages were accepted who presented with the challenges of MS, lupus, cancer, and Parkinson’s, etc. Many of these challenges may occur as early as 20 years old. Some, or all, of these factors influence mainstream aging issues, communities or services.
What has been learned by serving the elderly LGBTQI population may influence the provision of mainstream aging services in two major ways: 1) by the redefinition of what constitutes “family” and 2) by the refinement of the language of “aging” so that challenges may be served in a timely fashion. Since the more senior part of the LGBTQI population generally did not experience acceptance from family of blood, a system of family of choice was created for care-taking purposes (re AIDS crisis)as well as for general family support. Peers often served in this capacity, but often older generations served in the role of mother or parent to younger generations in “friendship” or identified “family” groups as well.
Today’s mainstream boomers often have family members who have moved a considerable distance from their point of origin. The activities of daily living may be experienced by “friendship” groups which serve as family in terms of influence, reliability, and support for many major life decisions. This function focuses the decision-making process oftentimes on the end –user of services, rather than the traditional influencers (oldest daughter care-taker) and parallels the LGBT historical experience.
If we are to directly appeal to the client or potential resident, and end of life issues are not necessarily related to age, then the experience gleaned from LGBT history asks us to find a word that encompasses more than the words “senior” , “elderly” or “aging” in order to serve its challenges. Withe aging denial deeply embedded in boomer culture (don’t trust anyone over thirty), RainbowVision Properties moves towards replacing the word “aging” to “evolving”.
RainbowVision Properties continues to develop communities of Living Diversity.

Overcoming Anger and Making a Future Possible

2011-09-07T04:37:00.003-06:00

Inspired by an article from New York Magazine

Section Intelligencer/Posts

Entitled "Inflamed"

by Benjamin Wallace-Wells

The following quote from the Wallace-Wells article inspired Joy Silver, President/CEO/co-Founder or RainbowVision:

"Perhaps the best way to understand the rioters in England is that all these protesters, even the ones in Egypt and Tunisia six months ago, are caught in a generational trap: A globalized culture promised them a life that the global economy cannot currently provide."

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No doubt this quote from the article found in New York magazine about what is happening globally applies equally to things here in the United States as well-- and not just generationally. We have all been promised a life based on an economy that no longer exists and quite possibly may never again. Some of us may feel fearful, hopeless, victimized and even despondent. Mostly though, it seems like the reigning emotion around the world is anger.

And no wonder. Feeling the power of anger often gives the sense of being proactive, righteous, potent and strong. For most, it is preferable to feeling victimized and powerless.

Sometimes, anger helps justify the position of not being responsible for our part in things. Not that any one person can take responsibility for this international social, political and economic crisis. Our responsibility may be to accept that there is a great chance that things may never be the same again. We may be experiencing an adjustment period that is going to require strong negotiation skills, learning to accept situations and relationships that we may not consider optimal.

Ruminating over situations that no one has complete control over usually does not allow for creative solutions to major challenges. The seductiveness of this however, is that obsession and rumination can be so absorbing that it seems to give a purpose to life. Self-aggrandizement often follows victimhood, making things very black or white, right or wrong.

I understand this through the following example. I spent a good deal of my life angry about social, political and economic injustice. My mother used to ask me why I was always for the underdog. She thought this was weakness on my part. I see now that I identified as an underdog on many levels. This anger fueled many of my career choices, including the fight for women's reproductive rights in New York State for more than twelve years.

By the time RainbowVision took shape in 1997, I let go of my anger. If a place where people were going to be accepted in their diversity, regardless of gender identification, relationship status or orientation didn't exist, rather than continue the anger and victimhood, we would find a way to do it ourselves. Over thirty-five projects attempted to reach similar goals. Only RainbowVision Santa Fe, and a low cost housing assisted living project, Triangle Square in Los Angeles, made it out of the ground to operational. Patience, persistence, respect for process and acceptance that while the end result may not be ideal, evolution requires finding a midpoint so that goals weren't lost.

A start-up business is a work in progress. RainbowVision Properties Inc. had expectations that were not met. We thought we would have multiple communities open and operating by 2009, thereby allowing for stronger purchasing ability, amortized national marketing costs, and larger staffing pools to allow for better employee benefits. The point was to control costs so that annual membership fee increases could be kept to a minimum, while expanding services. As we now know, this did not happen anywhere, and many businesses closed their doors. Services have been decreased everywhere, and costs have continued to explode. The Senior Care and Residential Services Industry followed the real estate market failure.

As we move forward as RainbowVision Santa Fe, it won't be because we are angry. It won't be because we are locked into our positions of right and wrong. We do have the opportunity to accept that we are in an era of transformation, though we may not get everything we expect or deserve. Things will never be the way they once were. If we choose, we can dance this dream awake.

The Acceptance of the Fact of Aging

2011-04-27T17:10:00.002-06:00

Not so easy, this Aging thing.
What we are working with, here at RainbowVision Santa Fe, are ways to enhance the process of Aging and the experience of coming to terms with it. The variables are great. Some of us have medical challenges, others physical or emotional. Then there is the spiritual dimension of acceptance.
Decision-making, trust and credibility are all up for grabs-whether we lose faith in professionals, or in those we once trusted, or lose total trust in those we marginally trusted in the first place.
Logic and reason are also up for re-exploration. When sources of information are not identified as credible, then even undisputed facts are hard to believe in. Opinion reigns supreme, and the idea that all opinions are valid and everyone has a right to their own becomes more important than the truth. The confusion between an opinion and a fact can be particularly daunting as tons of information, true and false, pour into our consciousness daily. Who becomes believable, or trustable? What source?
One of the programs that RainbowVision is working to develop is a DVD with the the working title “When I Was In My Right Mind”.
The concept is that a DVD is made by a RainbowVision Santa Fe Member, available to be used by the Member at a later date , so in effect, one could talk to oneself. Then, in moments of mistrust and cognitive challenges, issues could be answered by decisions previously made in the “When I Was In My Right Mind” DVD.
This means we would need to identify the list of common issues and questions that stand out more than other issues for the time when mistrust takes over our lives- at least as far as health care goes. Another program we are working on at RainbowVision Santa Fe is something that we like to call Circle of Trust. The Circle of Trust is activated when people we choose today all agree that a change has occurred in our ability and that we need some kind of help, or need to change what we are doing. An example of this might be “It’s Time To Stop Driving” – and when my mechanic, my sister and my partner all agree, then even if I think I can still drive, I will stop!
If you think this is important, please feel free to help us by identifying questions that are important for you now, and that you think would be important for you later . Send in your questions via email- and thank you for helping us!

Anger - The New Sex?

2010-09-23T15:42:00.001-06:00

I was on an airplane recently on my way home to RainbowVision Santa Fe, and an article in the airport newsstand caught my eye. The title- “Is Anger The New Sex?”
“Wow”, I thought, “How brilliant “. And then I wondered, “Is that a reflection of the baby boomers’ aging process, or are younger generations experiencing this too?”
The proliferation of reality television shows points to the multi-generational experience. They all work from the same basic script treatment: a group of people get together and find things to criticize, then humiliate and bully each other by being angry in order to show power. This seems to be true whether its “Housewives”, “Cougars”, “Drag Queens”, “ Survivalists” , “Families” or those competing for jobs in various careers.
Then of course, there is the “Tea Party” phenomenon. Say what you will, but coming up with the most outrageous and egregious proclamations, and still being credible to people who seem to be thrilled about working against their own self interest is pretty interesting. But if “Anger is the New Sex”, then maybe it does make sense.
The sense of powerlessness, of not being able to identify who is really in control, of being disappointed, used, and cheated seems to make everyone suspect. Especially those who seem to be most suspect are those in a position, or responsible, or able to get things done. Who among us is credible? It appears that the Credible One is the one who has the energy to be relentlessly angry (read Powerful) regardless of the context of an issue or facts of any given situation. The Powerful One used to be the one with the most sexual charisma (read: Film Star, Politician, Rock Star)
It is interesting that violence seems to be erupting nationally, fueled by frustration, anger and fear. The vicarious thrill of having our anger expressed, regardless of the reason, or whether it is rational or logical, or even deserved, works as an emotional steam valve. I do feel for our current President—no decision can possibly be the right decision if it doesn’t make us feel better and cure all our ills at once. Somehow, moving all sins to one entity, then making it an offering by burning or killing seems to temporally relieve our scary, primitive feelings. Maybe we haven’t moved so far from those times when we feared the sun might not come up the next day, and fire was something to be found, not made.
I still believe that community is a solution. At RainbowVision Santa Fe, we are currently in the middle of adjusting our expectations as we seek ways to move forward through these times of the New Normal. What serves as communication, who do we need assurances from, and how is it determined so that most of us have a sense of trust?
We know that mob rule; creating cliques or having magical thinking doesn’t make something right, real or true. Intrinsically, then, we of the boomer generation may need to redefine how we look at Truth and Reality. Culturally, back in the day, we experienced a deep questioning of status quo and were told “not to trust anyone over 30”. Those of us, if we were University educated, were taught that there is no absolute truth except that which we perceive. It was called “deconstructionist” back at school, and the development of “healthy suspicion” was considered a positive analytical skill.
In fact, the philosophy of “deconstruction” tells us that at the heart of any truth, there are inherent contradictions, and therefore absolute truth, immutable facts or even true reality cannot exist. Perceived reality becomes a socially and politically agreed upon phenomena, and who presents it to us becomes more important than the actual information. Makes it hard to find anything trustable, doesn’t it?
Take for example the Copernican idea of heliocentricism- that the Earth circles the Sun rather than the other way around. Both Copernicus and Galileo were Roman Catholics, and yet Galileo was tried by the Inquisition and found guilty of heresy for his scientific support. The attack came from within the group, not outside.
So how will we know who or what to trust or believe, especially now, in this time of great change? When I think about the Tea Party group, I ask myself “what is it they have accomplished, other than giving voice to tearing down what exists?”
Does any of this serve us, the LGBTQI people, who still do not possess some of our basic civil rights? So many times I hear from other LGBTQI organizations that we “eat our own”. Not knowing who is on our side seems to be one of our major issues.
I do freely admit that I am/was extremely idealistic in thinking actions, accountability and accomplishments would speak for themselves. Friends of mine in LGBTQI organizations tell me that it isn’t true. They say that the continually oppressed are deeply suspicious of anyone advocating for them and that it is safer to attack one another than mainstream oppressors.
I haven’t watched the television show “Glee” very often, but it does seem to come closest to a kind of reality show I would like to see more of. Certainly the characters are diverse in age, class, race, orientation, talent and authority. In the end they find a way to sing in the same choir. With the symbol of the Rainbow flag, LGBTQI&A people assert to hold the value of a place for all of us. Here at RainbowVision Santa Fe, we continue to fly the flag proudly

The New Economy - and RainbowVision!

2010-07-08T16:41:00.001-06:00

“May You Live In Interesting Times”- say the Chinese. This fortune was brought to my attention by a RainbowVision Santa Fe Member who also performed during Gay Pride Week in Santa Fe in the New Mexico Men’s Chorus. And what a terrific show it was! The level of professionalism was beyond my expectation and I would match it with my experience of Gay NY chorale groups. But back to the “interesting times” idea.

We have been living in economic uncertainty for a while now, and frankly, talking about an economic crisis can only go so far. Our feeling is that we are in a New Economy, whether we want to be or not, and it is entirely possible that things are not going back to the way they once were but instead will be different. What does that “different “ look like? Right now, all the creativity we have as a people may be called upon to envision what it might look like. We have walked in the unknown before, and as we continue define and redefine ourselves, what we want and who we are, it is probable that Community will become even more important. RainbowVision Santa Fe, with all its aggregate members, including staff, management, investors, those of us living in condos or leasing, all of us together have the unique opportunity to try something different. We invite those of you who haven’t seen who we are or what we have to offer: now might be the time for your visit or stay. RainbowVision Santa Fe needs you to continue dancing the dream awake.

We look forward to meeting you!

What's In a Name?

2010-05-25T19:04:00.005-06:00

Almost all the spaces in RainbowVision Santa Fe are named for historical people of places in LGBT history. The Sahara is one of our dining rooms. Recently we received a beautiful letter from the Sahara's founder Leslie Cohen and we wanted to share it with you:

Thank you so very much for your acknowledgement of Sahara. A friend of mine sent me something from your blog mentioning that you were naming one of your dining rooms "Sahara" and Michelle and I were thrilled to hear it and feel truly honored, especially considering that there has been little acknowledgement of the club as part of gay and lesbian history. I hope you don't mind but I would like to correct the factual errors in your blog. Sahara was opened by 4 women- Leslie Cohen, Michelle Florea, Barbara Russo and Linda Goldfarb in May 1976 and closed in late Dec 1979. Ellen DeGeneres never appeared at the club. But there were many famous people who came to Sahara.
I had been a museum curator before I opened Sahara so fantastic contemporary art by women hung on the walls, ground breaking in itself since women artists had little, if any, opportunity to show their art at that time. The women that showed at Sahara like Louise Fishman, Harriet Korman, Kate Millett, Joan Snyder, Dotty Attie, Pat Lasch, Helene Aylon and Nancy Spero, among others, are now famous and hanging in the Guggenheim, the Whitney, and the Museum of Modern Art.
I started a cabaret on Thursday nights. We had many great performers but Pat Benatar was our most frequent performer. We threw benefits for women who wanted to run for political office. Some of those who appeared at Sahara at one time or another, be it to show support for gay rights or women’s’ rights, or as part of some political fundraiser, or to perform, included Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, Ntozake Shange, Rita Mae Brown, Robin Morgan, Eve Merriam, Tom Hayden, Carol Bellamy, Adrienne Rich, Florence Kennedy, Patti Smith, Nona Hendrix, Pat Benatar, Gilda Radner, Jane Fonda, Holly Woodlawn, and Jackie Curtis (of Andy Warhol fame). Monte Rock III, Jeff Beck and Warren Beatty hung out there along with many others, famous and not so famous. It was a heady stew. The walls would literally sweat from all the people packed into a relatively small space, the music would be pumping (female DJs—another first) and hundreds of women (and some men) of every size, shape, color and economic strata mixed in this dance club that was the first of its kind.
Sadly, however, I realize as time passes that there is virtually nothing that has been written about Sahara and, after those of us who were around for Sahara pass on, there quite possibly will be no record that Sahara existed at all. That is why the acknowledgement of women like yourself is so appreciated. Thank you again.

Everything's Relative

2010-04-02T10:38:00.002-06:00

Everything Is Relative

I have to admit it- I am idealistic. I wanted the health care plan to be single- payer, socialized medicine. I also understand now, that getting something done that has never been done before takes a big dose of realism.

Which is more important: getting something done at all, or getting it done perfectly the first time?

Being part of the effort of getting RainbowVision out of the ground helps me understand a small part of what President Obama has had to face. His project took a hundred years to complete. And it will still need continuous and arduous refinement until we even get close to the kind of success Germany has with their health care.

Progress takes time. The idea for a community like ours began to be envisioned by our population after the StoneWall riots, almost 41 years ago. RainbowVision was established in 1998 expressly for the purpose of providing Senior Care and Residential Services, from Active Adult levels through to Assisted Living in a resort/club style environment to the LGBTQI &A population. We officially opened in June 2006, with Assisted Living following in July.

We know that some aspects of community include living within close proximity and having opportunities for socialization. Additional aspects that define this community is its financial model which means sharing the financial responsibilities in order to make a lifestyle available to the greatest number of people. In this community, that includes access to various levels of assistance with daily living activities.

As in any business, more usage by more people keeps costs down, because it allows for bulk buying and the amortization of labor costs. Colonization or splintering has a negative effect on the economics and ultimate success of any community. Establishing a colony of one member’s vision or needs over another, by insisting on smaller organizational units within the community only drives up costs up for everyone. Smaller organizational units have less buying power, less opportunity to share costs, and most importantly, less income to subsidize those expenditures.

For example, if you need a can of paint, you will pay full price for the can, and maybe not use it all. If two people need the same color paint, we can buy a bigger can than it would cost for two cans, and if a third person needed that same color we could possibly get our room painted for a third the cost, with nothing left over. This is called “economies of scale”, and it is the basis for the financial model of this community.

This is more or less the same concept that is the basis for the all public health care plans in the world throughout history. The more people pay into the plan, the lower it costs to provide the service- hence “mandatory” participation is required. Not unlike buying a condo here requires paying for an amenity package of services, per initial contract agreement.

The concept isn’t new. There is safety in numbers. Our survival depends upon community unity; financially, socially and politically. That means all of us, not some of us. RainbowVision Santa Fe is now moving into its fourth year. Everything is relative, when we reflect on the fact that it took over a hundred years to get a universal health care plan in place.

THE HISTORY OF THE HEALTH CARE PLAN
Before March 23, 2010, the US was the only industrialized country that had no universal health care system. Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been signed into law, the United States will have a form of universal health care by 2014.
From the time of Teddy Roosevelt, the issue of health care reform has been on the table as a government item. Roosevelt's Bull Moose campaign coincided with a health care revolution, when medical capabilities and costs were expanding rapidly. Germany had a compulsory health-insurance program since 1883, and the British National Insurance Act passed in 1911. The American Progressive Party pushed a much more specific program in state legislatures in 1915, but the plan was never adopted. The program's resemblance to German policy did not help once the United States entered into World War I. In 1919, with the Red Scare, state health insurance opponents branded the program Bolshevism.

As early as 1935, FDR wanted a national health care plan to be included in the Social Security Legislation. Harry Truman, the next president, wanted a fund that everybody would contribute to, like we contribute to social security, to provide the money for this plan.

In the second half of the 20th Century, health care reform saw it’s greatest triumph to date – the creation of Medicare and Medicaid as part of Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society”. The proponents of the plan saw the same arguments, the same fights and the same inevitable failures that have dogged it nearly every time. Johnson signed the Medicare bill with Harry Truman in attendance at the Truman Presidential Library. With a stroke of the pen, 19 million elderly citizens now had access to health care. Oddly enough, the U.S. did not immediately turn communist, forget its values and lose sight of its freedom. And Medicare remains the single most popular option for coverage in the United States.
Richard Nixon introduced his Comprehensive Health Insurance Act on Feb. 6, 1974. It would have built upon existing employer-sponsored insurance plans and would've provided government subsidies to the self-employed and small businesses to ensure universal access to health insurance. Even as the Watergate scandal was unfolding, Ted Kennedy brokered a compromise between the White House and Democrats. But pressure against the plan came from the left , particularly labor unions, who thought that with a Democrat sure to retake the White House in 1976, they could get a better deal on health care reform then. Ultimately, time ran out when Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974. Faith in government had been badly weakened in the 1960s, from the Vietnam War, the culture wars raging at home, and a mounting sense that you just couldn’t trust the people in charge. The president resigning in shame was another massive blow to our collective psyche. It is one that has taken years, if not decades, to recover from.
The Clinton health care plan was a 1993 health care reform package proposed by the administration of President Bill Clinton and closely associated with the chair of the task force devising the plan, First Lady of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton. In August 1994, Democratic Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell introduced a compromise proposal that would have delayed requirements of employers until 2002, and exempted small businesses. A few weeks later, Mitchell announced that his compromise plan was dead, and that health care reform would have to wait at least until the next Congress. The 1993 Clinton health care plan is sometimes called "HillaryCare" by opponents.

With passage of the legislation on March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama has achieved the signature domestic goal of his presidency, and the most sweeping piece of social legislation since the 1960s Great Society initiatives that saw the passage of Medicare and Medicaid.
Universal coverage is a goal that has eluded Presidents going at least as far back as Teddy Roosevelt, and Obama's bill comes as close to that target as anyone has. One hundred years later.

Barney Frank: Out in Politics

2009-11-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

On November 11, 2009, I spoke about “Coming Changes-the View from Washington DC on Politics and LGBT Rights.” A large part of that information comes directly from gay Congressman Barney Frank, who presented remarks at the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce legislative event and at the No.Limits.org First Annual Public Policy Conference.

Politics runs in the family. Congressman Frank’s sister Ann Lewis, is a co-founder of NoLimits.org. Ann Lewis served as a senior adviser in Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Frank was born March 31, 1940 and is the United States House of Representative for Massachusetts 4th congressional district since 1981. As a member of the Democratic Party, he won his first full term in 1982, and he has been re-elected ever since by wide margins.

Frank became the second openly gay member the House of Representatives in 1987. Congresswoman Elaine Noble was the first in 1975. She served two terms, also in Massachusetts. What you may not know is that Elaine Noble was the first openly LGBT candidate elected to state representation in the United States; and the second out candidate ever to be elected overall. She was second only to Kathy Kozachenko, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, who was elected to city council in January,1974.

Of note regarding Noble’s election: I personally had the honor to play bass in an all female band called “Lilith” to celebrate her inaugural ball! Both Noble and Frank worked for Boston’s Mayor Kevin White, and then Frank served for a year as Administrative Assistant to Congressman Michael J. Harrington. In 1972, Frank was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he served for eight years. In 1980, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Boston’s 4th congressional district, hoping to succeed Father Robert Drinan. He has since been re-elected thirteen times and is widely considered to be one of the most powerful members of Congress, as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
Barney Frank continues to focus on the Repeal of the ”Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” bill, getting ENDA passed (the federal employment non-discrimination act) and the LGBT right to marry. He currently resides in Newton, Massachusetts. His partner is Jim Ready, is a surfing enthusiast from Maine.

RainbowVision: NGLCC LGBT Business of the Year

2009-11-14T18:11:00.002-07:00

From Joy Silver's acceptance speech 11/6/09:

My name is Joy Silver, and I am the President and CEO for RainbowVision Properties, Inc. Thank you Wells Fargo, and thank you, National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce for this great honor.

In these challenging times, the New Success is Survival. So tonight, I accept this award for every business in this room that has survived. I am here to accept this Award for the RainbowVision Properties Principals Joyce Bogosian, Ava Stern and Jay Geisinger, and for RainbowVision Santa Fe LLC, the group of investors of who took the risk of investing money in a The Dream, with a new company, doing something that had never been done before, in an unsubstantiated and untested market. I am here to accept this award for the three original banks that also took the risk, and for the two New Mexican local banks who continue to be supportive to our project.
I am here to accept this Award for the RainbowVision Management Group of all the Managers, Directors and Employees of RainbowVision Santa. I am here to accept this award for Mayor Coss and the City of Santa Fe, Governor Bill Richardson and the State of New Mexico and especially, I am here to accept the award for the LGBTQI and A Residents and Members of RainbowVision Santa Fe itself.
Thank you all for RainbowVision Santa Fe the Dream Your Heart Made come True, and for this great honor.

To view the video behind the scenes: http://www.nglcc.org/BIZ/Video/joysilver

What's In a Name?

2009-10-07T15:07:00.002-06:00

What’s In a Name-Joy Silver

Some of you may remember New York's Sahara Club, in the 70's. Its history is one worth honoring- and we did so by introducing the Sahara as one of our dining rooms here at RainbowVision Santa Fe.

The “homosexual stigma” kept gay social spaces in “back regions” hidden from public view. These spaces were therefore vulnerable to illegal intrusions, such as criminal activities (many cities had Mafia-controlled gay bars) and police brutality and corruption (gay sexual activity often “hides” in red-light districts).

Because gay and lesbian clubs catered to people who were stigmatized or who engaged in “criminal acts,” bar owners in most American cities were forced to pay the police or organized crime for “protection.”

Lesbians or gay men rarely owned gay and lesbian bars.

In the East, during the mid 60’s, all clubs tended to be owned and controlled by organized crime families.

The Columbo crime family had concealed stakes in several bars, motels and cocktail lounges, including places patronized by “homosexuals.” A sideline in the operation of such spots was the blackmailing of wealthy or prominent patrons. The Genovese family was reported to control many of the bars and nightclubs in Greenwich Village and on Manhattan’s fashionable East Side catering to “sex deviates.”

Civil rights took a leap forward in the end of the 60's, for all minorities including gays and lesbians. Once the Stonewall riots occurred in the Village, there was no turning back. Ownership of clubs by those who also were patron/ matrons was now a possibility.

In New York, the first to risk disturbing this illicit economic boon to organized crime was the Sahara Club on 1st Avenue on the Upper East Side. The Sahara Club became the first bar owned and operated by and for women. Michelle and Leslie, who today continue as party promoters for women's social events, took this great risk in the late 70's.

Pat Benatar and Ellen de Generis were among the first to perform at The Sahara, launching their careers as prominent performers.

Thank You, Truman Capote

2009-09-09T16:23:00.000-06:00

Last week I put together a piece for “The Spectrum” - RainbowVision Santa Fe’s community newsletter. The piece was about Truman Capote, who we have honored by naming the library for. His spirit must have been demanding recognition, because suddenly everything Capote surrounded me.

First, I found a book about him in the room I was staying in. It consisted of interviews of people who knew him, peppered with interviews by the author of Capote as well. Then, I found a history of Hollywood’s nightclubs and restaurants, starting with its advent about 1915. Any book like that would have to eventually include Capote, since he was a well know figure in LA and NYC, particularly in places that served alcohol.

But the event that brings it to the EERIE level is the film on TCM, which I happened to have on, at some odd hour of the day I never watch TV. There was Truman Capote himself, in a ridiculous murder mystery farce that include stars like Dom Deluise, Peter Falk and Maggie Smith. Truman Capote was strange and wonderful, brilliant and terrible, and above all, never hid his sexual orientation. His bravery gave heart to many of us to accept ourselves, and to be out. At least, I know he did that for me. Truman, I miss seeing you on those TV Talk shows, and thank you, for your brilliance.

End of the Summer

2009-09-02T17:57:00.000-06:00

End of the summer. In a way, I use this time as a "new year" as I do what I look forward to being an annual health retreat . Out here in Desert Hot Springs, I have been "forced" to slow down in temperatures of 117 plus. Maybe its all those years of schools with their September start. This time, I am adjusting my attitude to one of gratitude. I haven't watched the news for a week and it has helped a lot, although I do know about Ted Kennedy's passing, Images of what is wrong with everything over and over hasn't been helpful to my maintaining a positive vision of the world and our future, thereby making my effort to do so much more labor intensive.

So let me start by saying that among the many things I have to be grateful for, the arrival of the Members of the Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network Leadership Council from American Society On Aging to RainbowVision Santa Fe is extremely exciting for me.

With LAIN members arriving from all over the country to discuss LGBT Aging Issues, along with RainbowVision Vancouver Canada's Dean Malone, the air will be sure to be charged with creativity as we all look at the joys and challenges of aging together to determine where we are as a population and where we are as a community. We will be sharing information and defining the trends on as many aspects of these issues as possible.

Here's to keeping the focus on moving things forward and to keeping joyful in our lives- no matter what.

Joy Silver, President/CEO

Ahead of the Curve

2009-08-12T11:57:00.003-06:00

Its not so easy, this aging thing. One of the big moments of realization for me happened around thirty. I was in the music biz then, and was performing in clubs as a singer-bass-player- writer in NYC, working towards signing that elusive record deal (yes, records- CD’s hadn’t happened yet). By the age of thirty-ish, if you aren’t signed, it more than likely won’t happen- and now that I understand the cold hard facts of business and investment- I understand why. A musical performer is seen as a product that requires a large investment over a period of years- and if they can’t get their investment out plus a healthy return, they aren’t interested. So the younger their product is, the more years to reap the returns.

Yup- it’s all about aging! So- what will aging look like for me? And in what environment? A force much bigger than myself took over my life in 1997- and so began the “magnificent obsession” to get RainbowVision out of the ground and open. Looking back, in light of the current economic crisis, it’s a good thing we were able to do so when we did. Today, it simply wouldn’t be possible.

Because the world has changed- economically, and generationally. This will be the largest generation of people over 50 in the history of the world. The LGBTQI &A population has lived with the acquisition of more civil rights than ever before. We are ready to add the option of RainbowVision as Community for the Seocnd Fifty Years. We are definitely ahead of the curve.

2009-07-07T11:52:00.001-06:00

From a speech delivered by Joy Silver during RainbowVision Santa Fe's 3rd birthday celebration, June 27, 2009.

RainbowVision Santa Fe Investors, Members, Staff, Emerald City Foundation Members, RainbowVision Properties Principals Family Members, Loved Ones and Allies:

This weekend marks both the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots that took place in Greenwich Village New York, as well as of Judy Garland’s death.

The two things are related in that the sheer number of LGBT people attending Garland’s funeral in NY let us experience empowerment through seeing our strength in numbers.

The experience served as the inspiration to resist the police raid of the Stonewall Inn- forever marking the advancement of LGBT civil rights. It was the moment we left our symbolic oppressor behind.

This is a story we have heard before. An oppressed people left Egypt and spent forty years in the desert, and they, too spent 40 years of dissolving the bonds of oppression and recovering from emotional, spiritual and physical slavery. Like those people of ancient times, we LGBT people and our Allies are celebrating our moment of moving from being a population to learning to become a Community.

This afternoon, I feel blessed to be able to say, “Welcome to RainbowVision Santa Fe”.

Because this is a celebration-
a celebration, of survival -
A celebration against all odds,

A celebration that is riding the waves of the mortgage crisis.
A celebration in spite of businesses closing down all around us
A celebration in the face of the world economic crisis

It is a celebration of moving from ideals to reality-
A celebration of the progress of all of us,
Together,
Having learned from each other
As to what it takes to become a community.

So it’s no coincidence that, today, we are celebrating the third birthday of RainbowVision Santa Fe.

Because in the number three, we can see three stages of love.
That of Passion, of Intimacy and of Commitment.
It is said that the love we feel is based on the strength of these three things working together.

So:
Year One, then, might be seen as the Year of Passion
The passion that drove physical materialization and our move to this land -
The move from an idea to its physical form.

Year Two can be seen as the experience of Intimacy:
The year we found out who we are, what brings us together,
And what drives us apart.

And Year three, might be seen as the year of Commitment:
This year some of us are deciding if we stay together or move on.
And for those of us who have already decided to stay together -
We are looking at our shared achievements
And where we go next
And how we get there.

As we move into our fourth year, which represents the making real of the vision,
I, for one, look forward to our next year as one of great compassion-
And understanding,
And stability.

Happy Birthday RainbowVision Santa Fe. May all of our dreams come true.

Happy 3rd Birthday RainbowVision Santa Fe!

2009-07-07T11:46:00.001-06:00

This was the message delivered by Joy Silver during RainbowVision Santa Fe's 3rd anniversary celebration on June 27th, 2009.

RainbowVision Santa Fe Investors, Members, Staff, Emerald City Foundation Members, RainbowVision Properties Principals Family Members, Loved Ones and Allies:

This weekend marks both the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots that took place in Greenwich Village New York, as well as of Judy Garland’s death.

The two things are related in that the sheer number of LGBT people attending Garland’s funeral in NY let us experience empowerment through seeing our strength in numbers.

The experience served as the inspiration to resist the police raid of the Stonewall Inn- forever marking the advancement of LGBT civil rights. It was the moment we left our symbolic oppressor behind.

This is a story we have heard before. An oppressed people left Egypt and spent forty years in the desert, and they, too spent 40 years of dissolving the bonds of oppression and recovering from emotional, spiritual and physical slavery. Like those people of ancient times, we LGBT people and our Allies are celebrating our moment of moving from being a population to learning to become a Community.

This afternoon, I feel blessed to be able to say, “Welcome to RainbowVision Santa Fe”.

Because this is a celebration-
a celebration, of survival -
A celebration against all odds,

A celebration that is riding the waves of the mortgage crisis.
A celebration in spite of businesses closing down all around us
A celebration in the face of the world economic crisis

It is a celebration of moving from ideals to reality-
A celebration of the progress of all of us,
Together,
Having learned from each other
As to what it takes to become a community.

So it’s no coincidence that, today, we are celebrating the third birthday of RainbowVision Santa Fe.

Because in the number three, we can see three stages of love.
That of Passion, of Intimacy and of Commitment.
It is said that the love we feel is based on the strength of these three things working together.

So:
Year One, then, might be seen as the Year of Passion
The passion that drove physical materialization and our move to this land -
The move from an idea to its physical form.

Year Two can be seen as the experience of Intimacy:
The year we found out who we are, what brings us together,
And what drives us apart.

And Year three, might be seen as the year of Commitment:
This year some of us are deciding if we stay together or move on.
And for those of us who have already decided to stay together -
We are looking at our shared achievements
And where we go next
And how we get there.

As we move into our fourth year, which represents the making real of the vision,
I, for one, look forward to our next year as one of great compassion-
And understanding,
And stability.

Happy Birthday RainbowVision Santa Fe. May all of our dreams come true.

Joy's Blog: Surprises

2009-04-06T12:00:00.002-06:00

We officially opened in June of 2006 in Santa Fe NM, with ribbon cutting that included elected officials like Gov. Bill Richardson, and Santa Fe Mayor David Coss. Interestingly, the Santa Fe GLBT community has shown interest in having their blood relatives and loved ones live with us in The Castro, which is our Assisted Living. What surprises other people, although we expected this to be true, is the range of ages our members make up. The youngest is 44 and the oldest is 96. We see our population doing great advance planning for their futures - we get requests for information from people in their 30’s and 40’s. RainbowVision Santa Fe is an open and inclusive GLBT- majority community. We do encourage our allies to consider us as we believe a diverse community is the most interesting. We are a living laboratory, and our community members serve as an onsite focus group. We have benefited from the input of our members as to all aspects of living: wellness, physical fitness, dining, and events. What we have learned, and continue to learn, will be incorporated into our future communities as well.

There are a number of things that surprised me about our evolution. Let me mention the top two. The first is that community as an ideal, and learning/acquiring the skills to live in community, are two very different things. Many people want to live in community, but don’t know how to make this happen in reality. Our generation - that is Baby Boomers - have grown up with ideas like “rebel against authority” and “be radically opposed to things” rather than with the idea of, and skill to, negotiate in order to be part of. How a community defines itself becomes the bigger issue. We can say that there are essentially two ways community usually comes together. A group of people may become a “community” by uniting against something, or they may unite by coming together for the good of something. How both of these things might be accomplished in a way that accomplishes a forward momentum is then a question of how much skill a community has acquired or developed. Our members’ committees work with the residents to define needs, desires and wants. They are self governing and have learned to work with many, many different voices.

The second “surprise” is that I learned there are many more configurations of gender and orientation than I would have ever imagined! Some of our members are coming out for the first time at the age of 70 and beyond. One member felt so comfortable at RainbowVision that he is making the gender reassignment decision he has needed to, but couldn’t for fear of repercussion. Our allied members are unanimously supportive of each and every GLBT resident and their differences: gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, pre and post op, queens and kings, femme, butch, etc. One of our allies makes it a point to have her own personal education dates with our members; she wants to know the proper language and the best way to talk with us so she does not offend! On the other side, some of our more senior LGBT members had initial fears about living with allies, based upon negative life experiences. These personal biases have also been overcome as we all live and learn together.

Of course, we are aware of the current economic storms and how this affects current and future members. While the downturn has been exceedingly sharp, we are in a favorable position of offering a literal and figurative shelter from the storm. We have seen a great deal of interest from people who no longer wish to live in vulnerable weather areas like the Gulf coast states and we talk to people who are very concerned about their future. It is clear to us that when weathering the economic and/or environmental storms, community seems to become even more important. Establishing a trusted family by choice circle to face life’s challenges holds a lot of meaning for not only our GLBT population, but, it seems, for the mainstream boomer population as well.

Hope February 2009

2009-02-26T12:42:00.001-07:00

As a people, it seems that we, the majority of LGBT people, are generally not easily identifiable or detectable to the mainstream population. Because we are not counted in the US Census as LGBT, and because orientation isn’t a nationally protected right, the qualitative and quantitative information other groups and populations use to justify policies, programs, and product and service development isn’t readily available to those who might initiate services for us. As you may know, funding is dependent upon this kind of information, whether it be for non-profit or for-profit organizations.

Obviously, we have to do it for ourselves

We know we are used as a political football to incense those who consider themselves fundamentally “religious”. Somehow this kind of activity translates into protecting “rights”. All of this funnels major dollars into what passes for a “conservative” political agenda. It also causes “we, the LGBT people” to funnel huge amounts of cash, and energy into repeatedly fighting the battle for our basic civil rights, over and over again- and that’s money and energy that we know could go into taking care of other major issues- especially in light of the current economic crisis in the world.

We know we have to do it for ourselves.

As an out LGBT woman, making sure there was a place we, the LGBT people, could come home to, and live in the majority, was a critically important thing to me. Any one who knows me can tell you that my relationship with my mother wasn’t great. If she could have seen that I have become a career lesbian- well- if she wasn’t dead already, Oi Vey!

Like many others, I longed for a place where I felt I was at home. And just like Dorothy, I longed to find that place- and Judy Garland convinced me it was somewhere over the rainbow.

Obviously- it wasn’t going to happen if we didn’t do it for ourselves

By 1997 I was haunted by the thought that changes would come to the world, and we wouldn’t be safe. Waiting for the world to care for us obviously wasn’t going to work- we learned that for sure in the 80’s- so it seemed to me that our best bet was to Envision Our Future, Ourselves- and to learn to be the Change we want to see in the world.

Well- we did do it for ourselves. Against all odds we opened in June of 2006- and not a minute too soon. No doubt that in today’s economy it would have been impossible.

As the first of its kind in the world, RainbowVision stands proud and strong in right here in Santa Fe, New Mexico. What better place to face life’s challenges, then to be in a community that respects us, and loves us, for the very essence of our being.

Together, in all our diversity, as a Rainbow- we can face anything -

So Please- let this be an invitation to all of you- at any age. Come and see what your heart created in Santa Fe. Because RainbowVision is the Dream Your Heart, all of your hearts- Made Come True.

Thanks!