Blog archive
April 2024
Tulsa reparations, Religion and Politics
04/09/2024
March 2024
Trumps War with Black Women
03/31/2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
Congratulations Wayne April! Honored at UNH
By Karen BagnardPosted: 05/01/2023
Wayne April, one of our more active members and Secretary of our Pasadena Village Board of Directors, was honored April 4th by the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire, with the Diversity Hall of Fame Alumni Award in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Gay Student Organization (GSO) at the University of New Hampshire (UNH).
As a UNH student, Wayne stepped up and gave voice to the LGBTQ+ students by organizing the formation of the Gay Student Organization at UNH in 1973. The founding of this organization came during a dark time for the LGBTQ+ community. This was a period of great unrest in the country with anti-war protests against the Vietnam War, the beginning of the Black Power movement, and women’s liberation. Rights for the LGBTQ+ were not recognized. The Governor of the State took issue with having an organization devoted to LGBTQ+ rights and tried to disband the student-led organization, leading to the University filing suit against the Gay Student Organization.
With the support of the ACLU, the GSO won in both State and Federal courts. As a result, GSO has remained a force on campus for 50 years, with a few name changes along the way. More importantly, these events provided the foundation for the formation of LGBTQ+ student organizations across the country. A legal precedent was set for anyone challenging such organizations’ rights to exist. It was an enormous win for the LGBTQ+ student community everywhere at a time of important changes going on nationally.
Pasadena Village is fortunate to have Wayne April on board. He is a soft-spoken man with a keen wit and a determined will to stand for what is right. Says Wayne, “It’s hard to believe that 50 years have gone by. There is still an on-going struggle. The battle is not won.” It should not surprise you that Wayne is also the chair of our own LGBTQ+ group, The Village People. To learn more about Wayne, watch the recording of his Member Connections presentation from November 2020 here.