Dani Lee Harris, who was once the Atlanta Police Department’s LGBT liaison but has been on medical and administrative leave since April, filed a complaint with the Atlanta Citizens Review Board alleging sexual discrimination and harassment from a civilian employee of the APD.
Local musician Brian Snead put together a fantastic video collage set to an original song called ‘The Gayborhood’ to mark the one year anniversary of the Atlanta Police Department’s raid on the Atlanta Eagle.
Two men, a Georgia State student and a visitor from out of town who were believed to have been participating in Atlanta's Black Gay Pride, were found shot to death last night in an apartment.
As Black Gay Pride swings into full force this weekend, the memory of Durand Robinson will be everywhere. The man who many described as selfless and giving will be honored at parties and events during the weekend, which attracts tens of thousands of people to Atlanta from across the nation and around the world.
Robinson, 50, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Aug. 25 in southwest Atlanta. The Atlanta Police Department continues to seek suspects and a motive as of press time.
The alleged beating of a gay man in Savannah by two Marines is no longer being considered a hate crime, according to a spokesperson for the Chatham County District Attorney.
Christopher Stanzel, 23, and Keil Cronauer, 22, of Beaufort are charged with misdemeanor battery in the attack on Kieran Daly, 26, on June 12 in Savannah. Daly, who is gay, alleged that he was attacked because one of the Marines said he winked at him.
The Atlanta Police Department will soon name a second LGBT liaison, the department announced Aug. 31, after previously insisting that APD already had two LGBT liaisons.
In the release, which also announces the members of the new nine-member LGBT advisory board, Mayor Kasim Reed “pledged to have the Atlanta Police Department appoint a second GLBT liaison.” Having two LGBT liaisons on the APD was a campaign promise he made last year while running for mayor.
However, what is not said in the release is what will happen to Dani Lee Harris, the former LGBT liaison who went on medical leave in April after she said suffered gran mal seizures.
On Sept. 10, the Atlanta Eagle was raided by the Atlanta Police Department and eight employees, including dancers from the bar’s popular “Underwear Night,” were arrested and charged with various business license violations.
The violations included not having a license to run an adult establishment because dancers were allegedly dancing erotically and in the nude rather than in their underwear, according to police reports.
More than 60 patrons were also forced to lie on the floor as they had their IDs checked and their pockets searched by members of the notorious Red Dog Unit, a paramilitary narcotics squad of the APD.
As I sat to write, the City of Atlanta is gearing up for a busy weekend of queer activity. The headlining event of Labor Day weekend, Atlanta’s Annual Black Gay Pride celebration, is sure to attract tens of thousands of the “Children” to what is considered the largest Black pride festival in the world.
Throw on top of that a joint Georgia Equality/HRC sponsored protest and picket of local Target and Best Buy retail stores taking place on Saturday, bringing awareness to their recent flush donations to support a Minnesota gubernatorial candidate running on an anti-gay platform, and the fact that many will be toasting the end of summer in style during the ensuing three-day weekend, and it seems like every queer in the metro area will have something do.
A second LGBT liaison to the Atlanta Police Department will be named in the near future, according to a press release from the APD today.
In the release, which also announces the members of the new nine-member LGBT advisory board, Mayor Kasim Reed “pledged to have the Atlanta Police Department appoint a second GLBT liaison.” Having two LGBT liaisons on the APD was a campaign promise he made last year while running for mayor.
However, what is not said in the release is what will happen to Dani Lee Harris, the former LGBT liaison who went on medical leave in April after she said suffered gran mal seizures.
Durand Robinson was managing partner of a black gay nightclub and an organizer of events for Black Gay Pride. But was Robinson, who was shot to death Wednesday, gay?
As news of Robinson’s death spread, many who didn’t know him assumed from his work that he must be gay. His brother, however, says Robinson was planning to marry a girlfriend. And Robinson’s close friends and coworkers at Traxx, the popular black gay nightclub, say Robinson never discussed a girlfriend or being gay with them.
Speculation about Robinson’s sexual orientation is taking away from the real situation — a loving man was killed and police need to find the suspect, said Phillip Boone, Robinson’s business partner.
Members of Traxx and Traxx Girls continue to mourn the loss of Durand Robinson, the owner of the gay club Traxx and a key organizer of Atlanta Black Gay Pride held every Labor Day Weekend. Robinson was shot in the early morning hours of Wednesday in southwest Atlanta.