1994 was a solid year. Ace of Base’s “I Saw the Sign” topped the charts, “Friends” was the most popular show on TV, Disney’s “The Lion King” hit the big screen, gas prices were at $1.11 and the average price of a movie ticket was $4.18.
I was 19 years old in 1994. After finishing my first year at Mars Hill College I returned to spend the summer in Orlando. I was always happy to come home because Orlando had something my Southern Baptist college didn’t have, the Delta Youth Alliance (now the Orlando Youth Alliance) — Orlando’s LGBTQ+ youth support group.
This group was important to me and the group facilitators were some of the most influential people in my life. Jeff Horn, Terry Deischer, David Slaughter and his partner Jimmy, to name a few. That summer one of the mentors, Tom Dyer, announced he was stepping down as a group facilitator to spend his time starting the LGBTQ+ newspaper Watermark. I had no way of knowing how impactful his decision would be on my life.
Fast forward to 2002. I had just moved back to Orlando after a three-year stint in New York City. I picked up a copy of the local gay rag and while flipping through saw an ad for an administrative assistant. I immediately applied for the position and was called in to an interview shortly after.
I had completely forgotten this was the newspaper Tom Dyer started back in 1994, that is until I walked into his office for my second interview of the day. We were happy to see each other. I was offered the job and quickly accepted. Again, I had no way of knowing how impactful this decision would be on my life.
It’s been over 22 years since that day and I can honestly say it has been one hell of a ride.
News was different back in the day. People relied on reading newspapers and watching news programs on TV. Although LGBTQ+ print media is still king in the queer market, other forms of media such as social media and video are a must in communicating and Watermark is working hard to keep up with changing technology.
In addition to our newspaper and 13 annual specialty magazines, Watermark has started the podcast “Wine, Wine Not: A Queer Podcast” hosted by myself and Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Williams. This year Watermark put the final touches on the documentary “Greetings From Queertown: Orlando,” highlighting the brave pioneers who helped build Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ community. Most recently Watermark began sharing your stories via video content on multiple social media platforms.
We do all of this, from Daytona Beach across the state to Tampa and down through St. Petersburg to Sarasota, with a full-time staff of six and one part-time employee. That’s a lot of Pride for a small group to cover. Those are a lot of stories for a small group to tell. We do get help from a talented pull of freelancers and an internship program overseen by Jeremy Williams who has a passion for cultivating new journalistic talent.
It is never lost on me the amount of work the dedicated staff of Watermark undertakes to make our mission successful. It’s why I pour so much of myself into this company. I want them to know that I see what they do and I am in this every step of the way, right by their side. Thank you Jeremy, Ryan, Danny, Daisy, Dylan and Caitlin.
I also want to say thank you to everyone who has worked at Watermark in its three decades. Without the incredible, hardworking people who have called Watermark home we would never have survived the fall out from 9/11, the housing market crash, a recession, a tragic mass shooting and a pandemic.
We also would not have survived without our amazing community partners and advertisers who keep our doors open.
I want to give a special thank you to the Orange County Regional History Center. Scottie Campbell approached me earlier this year and offered to create an exhibit at the museum highlighting Watermark’s 30 years as your LGBTQ+ news source. I had the privilege of seeing it today and I was blown away. It will remain open to the public through Dec. 15 and I highly recommend you check it out. It’s not just about Watermark’s history, it’s about all of our history and the stories that defined our community.
Finally, I want to say thank you to Watermark. Thank you for inspiring me, for giving me purpose. Thank you for teaching me humility and welcoming me into sobriety, and thank you for introducing me to my husband who I met at a WAVE award celebration in 2018. You have been as much a part of my existence as I have been part of yours. I wouldn’t change one minute of it. Cheers to what is to come in our fourth decade.
We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.
