Our Mission Statement

     Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays promotes the health and well-being of GLBT persons and their families through SUPPORT, to cope with an adverse society; through EDUCATION, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and through ADVOCACY, to end discrimination and to secure fair and equal civil rights.  PFLAG provides the opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.

                    We Support Family

     While we realize some people struggle more than others, we support each other along our journey, towards loving, understanding and accepting our GLBT family members and friends.

We Advocate Equal Rights 

     We advocate equal rights-not special rights-for our GLBT loved ones.  We understand that the most productive way to effect change is through public advocacy.

 News & Events

Holiday Concert

Gay Men's Chorus of Charlotte

 December 2nd, 2011 at 8:00 PM

Haven Lutheran Church

207 West Harrison Street

Saliusbury, North Carolina

The renowned Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte and Salisbury-Rowan Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) are pleased to present “Drummer Boy”. An original program, the concert is a combination of ten songs guaranteed to warm your heart, give you a laugh, ...and ring in the holiday season. Seventh Son, the small ensemble from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte, will also be performing several of their seasonal favorites.

Instrumentalists Matt Curl on percussion; Charles Berman on electric bass; Betsy Sesler on harp and Troy Conn on classical and electric guitars will be a special addition to this year’s concert.

Numbers performed by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte will be:

• Haec Est Dies, by Jacob Gallus. A late Renaissance piece using antiphonal choirs.
• Carols and Lullabies: Christmas In The Southwest, by Conrad Susa. This is for marimba, harp, classical guitar and men’s chorus. Beautiful carols familiar to speakers of Spanish all over the world. (arrangement commissioned by San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus)
• Lo, How A Rose E’re Blooming/The Rose, arrangement by Craig Hella Johnson
• Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth, arrangement by Jay Althouse. The arrangement was made famous by (of all people) Bing Crosby and David Bowie.
• Go Tell It On the Mountain, arrangement by Michael McElroy (arrangement commissioned by the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus)
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, arrangement by Mark Hayes

GMCC small ensemble, Seventh Son, will sing:

• 12 Days of Christmas, arrangement by Dan Ponce. A hysterical look at the traditional carol.
• Lullaby, arrangement by Mac Huff, made popular by Josh Groban.
• There’s Another Santa Claus, arrangement by Bob Rivers.
• Wintersong, by Sarah McLaughlan.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte, now in its fabulous fifth season, was formed in 2006. Under the artistic direction of John C. Quillin, the ensemble has grown steadily in membership and audience. Cynthia Hunt-Lawrence serves as GMCC’s principal accompanist. GMCC maintains an extensive schedule throughout the Carolinas, having mounted 45 performances since its inception and having reached thousands of people with its message of inclusion.

Seventh Son is now in its third season and is comprised of eight members hand selected from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte. Under the artistic direction of John C. Quillin, with Budd Kirby serving as principal accompanist, the small ensemble now performs 23 concerts throughout the year. Their staple concerts are referred to as “Drive-Bys” and happen several times a month in various venues in the Charlotte Metro area, which help to make people aware of GMCC and their mission.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte will be bringing “Drummer Boy” to Salisbury on Friday, December 2, 2011, at 8:00pm, in the sanctuary of Haven Evangelical Lutheran Church at 207 W. Harrison Street. An informal reception with refreshments to meet and greet the artists will be held in the church fellowship hall after the performance.

The concert is free to the public. Please join us for this delightful way to kick off the holidays! For directions or questions, please feel free to contact Mike Clawson at 704-213-0181 or Todd Adrian at 704-232-4916. 

Salisbury/ Rowan PFLAG Scholarships Foundation

Autumn Soirée

Saturday, October 29^th

 Event Poster: (Download )

PFLAG To Host Scholarship Fundraiser

Salisbury, NC – Salisbury/ Rowan Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) will host the chapter’s fifth annual 2011 Autumn Soirée, its major fundraiser to benefit the chapter’s scholarship foundation, sponsored by Food Lion, a subsidiary of Delhaize America and other businesses and individuals. The event will be on October 29, from 6:00-10:00pm at Looking Glass Artist Collective, at 405 N. Lee Street in Salisbury.

“The success of this event has allowed the chapter to award sixteen (16) $1,000 scholarships to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight ally students in Rowan County over the last five years, an impressive accomplishment for a local PFLAG chapter”, said Carol Williams-Swoope, Chair of the Scholarships Advisory Committee.”The success of this scholarship foundation is a testament to the support and generosity of donors, sponsors, businesses and individuals in our community who share the common mission and vision of PFLAG ”, she added.

The Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG Scholarship Foundation began with the inaugural 2007 Autumn Soirée. The chapter awarded two (2) $1,000.00 scholarships for academic year 2008-2009. The Anne Stanback-Charlotte Kinlock Scholarship, named in honor of the Salisbury native and her wife, Charlotte, and the Founder’s Equality Scholarship, named in honor of chapter founder, Michael Clawson. In 2009, a third scholarship, named in honor of Salisbury native Linda Ketner, was awarded for academic year 2009-2010, and for academic year 2010-2011, the chapter added a fourth scholarship, the Bob Page-Dale Frederiksen Scholarship, named in honor of Bob Page, founder and CEO of Replacements, LTD., and his life partner Dale Frederiksen.

“This year, the Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG Executive Committee and the Scholarships Advisory Committee are pleased to announce that we have partnered with the Salisbury Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Foundation For The Carolinas to maintain the chapter’s scholarship fund”, said Mike Clawson, president of the local chapter. “By having a separate scholarship fund with the foundation, we will have access to their investment options as well as a vehicle to help our fund grow into an endowed scholarship fund that can support multiple annual scholarships for youth in our county.  We are excited about this partnership and look forward to seeing our fund grow!” he added.

Once again, this year’s event will be a silent auction/raffle type fundraiser, with food, beverage and entertainment. The evening will feature keynote speaker Dr. Janie Long, Director of the Center For LGBT Life at Duke University. Dr. Long began working with LGBTQ issues on campus in 1993 at the University of Georgia where she held her first full-time academic appointment. She helped develop safe space training and provided leadership for statewide Beyond Tolerance conferences. She has also served as a faculty advisor to LGBTQ student groups and mentored LGBTQ students on several campuses.  Currently, she serves as a Fellow at the Rockway Institute for LGBT Research and Public Policy and is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of LGBT Family Studies. Dr. Long has also made numerous national and international presentations on LGBTQ issues and published numerous related articles and book chapters. She is an affiliated faculty member with the programs in Women’s Studies and Sexuality Studies at Duke. Additionally, Dr. Long also serves on the Board of Directors of Equality NC. 

Entertainment will be provided by the Ashley Jo Farmer Band. Ashley Jo Farmer, a singer/songwriter rooted in the heart of North Carolina, living in Salisbury, NC., Ashley Jo makes her stand for equal rights for all citizens, and her support of the LGBT community, known through her music.  She has brought together a stellar group of musicians with diverse musical backgrounds to perform her original music, several numbers relating to issues relevant to the LGBT community.  Wesley Copeland is on the mandolin, and Louis Bodak brings everything together with the drums.

Weaving their different ...styles together and sealing it with fun, they have created a sound that is easy to enjoy. She has always been a fan of music, and pulls inspiration from many well-known singer/songwriters including the likes of Karen Carpenter, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Beth Wood, and the Indigo Girls.

Because of her strong support for the LGBTQ Community, Ashley Jo is perfect for performing at PRIDE festivals. She has two songs in particular that bring attention to a couple of deserving subjects: Marriage Equality and the fight against bullying, inspired by the "It Gets Better Project" created by Dan Savage. Wesley Copeland is on the mandolin, and Louis Bodak brings everything together with the drums.

Weaving their different ...styles together and sealing it with fun, they have created a sound that is easy to enjoy. She has always been a fan of music, and pulls inspiration from many well-known singer/songwriters including the likes of Karen Carpenter, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Beth Wood, and the Indigo Girls.

Because of her strong support for the LGBTQ Community, Ashley Jo is perfect for performing at PRIDE festivals. She has two songs in particular that bring attention to a couple of deserving subjects: Marriage Equality and the fight against bullying, inspired by the "It Gets Better Project" created by Dan Savage. tic guitar, Wesley Copeland is on the mandolin, and Louis Bodak brings everything together with the drums.

Weaving their different ...styles together and sealing it with fun, they have created a sound that is easy to enjoy. She has always been a fan of music, and pulls inspiration from many well-known singer/songwriters including the likes of Karen Carpenter, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Beth Wood, and the Indigo Girls.

Because of her strong support for the LGBTQ Community, Ashley Jo is perfect for performing at PRIDE festivals. She has two songs in particular that bring attention to a couple of deserving subjects: Marriage Equality and the fight against bullying, inspired by the "It Gets Better Project" created by Dan Savage.

Personal chef, Lee Piper, will be providing the food for the evening. Many local businesses, artists, members and friends have donated some unique items for auction and raffle this year. Please consider joining us for this funWeaving their different ...styles together and sealing it with fun, they have created a sound that is easy to enjoy. She has always been a fan of music, and pulls inspiration from many well-known singer/songwriters including the likes of Karen Carpenter, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Beth Wood, and the Indigo Girls., enlightening evening of fellowship and support for this most worthy cause. Dress is casual and the cover charge is $30 and $15 for students. Tickets may be purchased at Critters or Greyshores TradingCo. in downtown Salisbury or Green Goat Gallery in Spencer  .

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Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is the nation’s foremost family-based organization committed to the civil rights of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender persons. Founded in 1973 by mothers and fathers, PFLAG has 200,000 members and supporters in more than 500 chapters throughout the United States. To learn more, please visit www.pflag.org or www.salisbury-pflag.org

"Our City, One Goal, Equality For All"

Salisbury, North Carolina's first Gay Pride Event.

Saturday June 25th, 2011

Salisbury Pride's Mission, Philosophy and Purpose

Salisbury Pride is dedicated to building safe inclusive communities in Salisbury and surrounding areas.  Because we understand that diversity is the foundation of community and individual health, we provide opportunities for positive visibility and safe environments that permit the expression of diverse perspectives with an emphasis on acceptance and valuing individuals of all sexual orientations or gender identities.

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