My First Time
Jerry M. Belew, Philly Member
For several years, I had toyed with the idea of attending NABWMT's annual convention. Being a career civil servant, I'd never had much of an opportunity to attend a big trade or professional gathering. But watching national political conventions on TV, and seeing groups of visiting conventioneers enthusiastically discovering the sights, sounds, and tastes of my own town had made me a little jealous. These folks certainly looked like they were having fun. And why wouldn't an NABWMT convention provide the perfect setting to have a good time and make some new friends (maybe even that "special someone")? But for one reason or another, I'd just never seized the opportunity.
Earlier this year, I decided to change that: I made up my mind I was going to St. Louis! 2008 seemed to be the year to go, for several reasons. For one, MACT/Philadelphia had been invited to host the 2009 gathering. (Wouldn't it be wise to attend this year's convention, to get an idea of what to expect and how to plan for next year's?) Secondly, I'd never had a chance to visit St. Louis, and I knew there were some interesting things to see there. Also, there was some important business on the agenda (in particular, consideration of the Long-Range Planning Committee's -or LRPC's -various options for the future direction and focus of the NA).
I decided I'd skip the first day or two and fly out on Thursday, and then extend my stay by an extra day on the back end. That would give me a full two or three days to "get my feet wet" and see just what the convention was like. At the same time, if I found all of those meetings boring or just "not my cup of tea," I'd have a chance to salvage the trip by doing a little extra exploring on my own.
Fortunately, I arrived at the convention just in time to see the annual "No Talent- Talent Show." After receiving a warm greeting, an information packet, and a name tag from one of the convention co-chairs (I am intentionally omitting names here), I settled in and enjoyed a truly entertaining show. Despite the title of this event, I can vouch for the fact that the NA has some very gifted (indeed "fabulous") performers. A good time was had by all! A social period followed the show. At this point, I must admit that I still felt a bit like an outsider, standing a little awkwardly amidst numerous groups of longtime acquaintances happily renewing old friendships.
Those initial feelings of shyness quickly melted away during the nonstop schedule of activities which took place on the following day, however. I started Friday morning by attending a solemn and very meaningful memorial service. As the names of several hundred of our NA brothers who had passed away over the years were lovingly read (some of them men of national prominence in the field of literature or in the struggle for gay rights, or other endeavors), I was filled with a deep sense of pride in the NA's rich heritage. We have quite a history to live up to!
Next, those who didn't mind venturing out into the morning drizzle were treated to an interesting and informative tour of local landmarks, capably led by a fellow NA member. This was followed by a well attended workshop. Even though I consider myself to be happily single, and the workshop dealt with couples' issues, the session was quite worthwhile. (By the end of the week, I felt truly sorry that I'd missed the earlier workshops, as well as the opening business session and plenary address.)
The Co-chairs' Luncheon was a pleasant event, featuring a brief awards presentation and some impressive remarks by our hardworking outgoing co-chairs. I might add that throughout the convention, the hotel and dining staff seemed to go out of their way to make our group feel welcome and appreciated. St. Louis is a friendly city.
The afternoon Candidates' Forum gave us a chance to hear from members who had volunteered their time and energy to run for several open officer positions and seats on the Board of Directors. A few rather pointed exchanges (which certainly kept this meeting from getting dull) suggested that even on the NA board, ego and personality clashes some times lead to occasional exchanges of this type only reflected deep caring and concern on behalf of the parties involved, for the continuing growth and vitality of the NABWMT.
Convention business was followed by a delightful riverboat cruise on the Mississippi, for all who wanted to go. Then we "cab-polled" to a gayer part of town, to enjoy a tasty buffet hosted by the Midland Region chapters. This was followed by a "singles mingle," during which this usually shy first time attender was pleasantly surprised to find himself quickly mingling with a fine-looking "Mid-lander" who had caught his eye at the talent show the night before. (Could he be that "special someone" I'd dreamt of meeting in St. Louis? I guess time will tell. So far we've been keeping in touch on a regular basis, and hoping to find a way to get together for at least a weekend or two between now and the next convention.)
I was running late the next morning, about to cut my breakfast short and hurry off to the business session, when one of the incoming directors joined me at my table. I decided to make another trip to the buffet, and then take advantage of this chance to discuss some of the issues facing the NA with a knowledgeable, pleasant insider. I mention this casual get together because it typifies the opportunities the convention gave me to form bonds with men I liked and respected, and to make new friends from all over the country.
To nearly everyone's surprise, consideration of the various future options proposed by the LRPC (everything from disbanding to renaming the group and admitting women, to restricting our mission to focus solely on racial justice issues) occupied only a short portion of the morning's agenda. It became quickly evident that a majority of those present wished to "stay the course" (i.e., despite the negative connotations some saw in that term). A few members expressed concern that we seemed to be resisting change, and thereby missing opportunities for growth and new energy, and that the work of the Planning Committee would seem to have been in vain. Others responded eloquently to these concerns, noting that our name symbolizes our proud heritage, and by no means restricts the local chapters from adapting and growing to meet the needs and desires of their members assured us that the Planning Committee's excellent work would continue to serve as a guide for future decision making. Again I left feeling that this organization was in good hands, and that there was good reason to be optimistic for the future.
Lunch on Saturday provided another enjoyable opportunity to socialize, this time primarily with our Philadelphia delegation. An afternoon pool party in the hotel's atrium afforded other guests a sight to which they had probably never before been treated: a group of hunky BWMT'ers hanging out together in their shorts and Speedos! Even the cute workers who were supposed to be remolding a room upstairs could hardly take their eyes off the scene below: it looked like they truly wanted to join us.
Saturday night's cocktail party, silent auction, banquet (with guest speaker, entertainment, more awards, and chapter roll call), and masquerade ball all provided a touch of class to top off a fun filled week. Between dinner and the ball, MACT/Philadelphia staged a skit to invite everyone to join us at next year's convention, to take place here in the City of Brotherly Love. The audience was in stitches by the time "Cleopatra" made her grand entrance. How could anyone turn down her invitation?
Anyone still reading this can surely tell that I'm now hooked on the NA convention experience. Why did I wait so many years? I guess it comes down to priorities. But be assured: in future years my priority will be on attending the NABWMT convention, wherever it happens to be. I urge all MACT/Philadelphia members, experienced or not, to get involved with the planning process, so that we can make 2009 one of the best NA gatherings yet. And if anyone from another chapter should happen to read this, I urge you to join us here next July 29- August 1. We promise to do our best to guarantee you as good a time in Philadelphia in 2009 as I had in St. Louis in 2008.