Out in the Mountains Vote fr r:TRH°§"§‘r‘$ll VERMONT STATE SENATE P.O Box 555 - Hinesberg VTO5461 - 452-Z535 Democrat, for Vermont State Senate - progressive tax reform - support for human services and education - pro-choice - environmental protection “It’s time to take our place in the Senate.” Please Vote: Democratic Primary Sept. 8 General election Nov. 3 paid for by Russell for Senate Committee Sally Conrad, treasurer Where to Find OITM Project EXCEL, Lyndon State College Lyndonville Bemfington Free Librmy Bemingmn N orthshire Bookstore Manchester Center Brattleboro Food Coop Brattleboro Mlddlebufi’ Natural Food COOP Middlebur)’ cahoots Bramebom Bear Pond Books Montpelier Common Ground Brattleboro H0111 °f the M00“ C3-fe M°mP°1ie1' Everyone's Books ‘ Brattleboro womfm Centered Montpelier Burlington College MOHISIOWH MOI'I'lSVlllC Chassman & Bern Burlington M001“? FY33 _L1b1’31'Y Newfafle Fletcher Free Burlington NOILIICBSI Coalition NCWPOIT Partners in Recovery & Growth Burlington BT°_W1'1 Pubhc lglbrary N Ofthfield Peace & Justice Center Burlington SOClal. Altematrves for Gay Men Norwich pea,-15 Burlington Woman's Study Program Plainfield Planned Parenthood Burlington Palmey Library _ Pumey STEP Learning Center Castleton Kimball Public Library Randolph Craftsbury Public Library Craftsbury PFLAG _ Rutland Rutland Area Gay/Lesbian Connection Center Rutland Rutland FY55 L1b1'3-T)’ Rutland Innwood Manor East Baynet C/0 Umbrella SI. Greenhope Farfn East Natural PIOVISIOIIS St. Fair Haven Free Library Fair Haven Reglonal Librafl’ St Johnsbury Buffalo Mountain Coop Hardwick 53 -l°hn5b‘11'Y Amenaemn 53 J°h115b“1'Y G alaxy Books Hardwick Food for Thought Stowe Jon's Automotive Lyndonville WRJ Books White River Junction Upper Valley Coop White River Junction An Interview with Howdy Russell Continued from page 13 thing more than that. I don’t have any sense that I would want to run for any- thing higher. I see this as stepping forward to speak out on some issues I strongly be- lieve in, to work in that environment for.a period of time and then to step out of that environment. I don’t know what that pe- riod of time will be. I think partly that will depend on how long it feels like I can be effective there and how long I like doing it and want to do it. The part of my work that feeds me is working with kids. There are some things I really like to do in addi- tion to that, but that’s the core work for me. I feel like that’s what I’m here about. Working with little kids and their families. And this (the State Senate) is pulling me away from that. It’s not to say I see this as unimportant. It’s a very important step. There are two things that motivate me more than anything else. One is being a gay man, what I’ve experienced as a gay man, and wanting to use that experience and that knowledge to make things better. And the second is kids. I work with very poor kids, by and large, and am absolutely determined to do everything I can to see that we have a system that gives them all the opportunities that we can. I want to use my voice as powerfully as I can to see that we take care of children. And I don’t think you can take care of children with- out taking care of the families that they live in. M OITM: Do you think you’re finding this time around that people are listening to you as Howard Russell, a person, rather than being distracted by the fact that you’re an openly gay candidate? Russell: I think people this time are lis- tening to Howard Russell, and saying “Oh by the way, he’s a gay man.” The first press release this time doesn’t say Howard Russell, openly gay candidate. Every other piece of press I got last time did. And some people thought that was great. I think in some ways it’s great, but I don’t want people to forget that. I want people to know it because I do see this as one of the assets that I bring. I don’t want any- body voting for me who doesn’t know that I’m gay. The only time (being identified as an openly gay candidate) would bother me is if it stopped there. If people didn’t ask about the array of things that I talk about and believe in. I don’t want people to for- get that I am a gay man because you lose the best part of me when you forget that That’s the part of me that survived, that’s the part of me that has learned tremendous amounts, that’s the part of me that’s learned how to care for people, that’s the part of me that loves people, that’s the part of me that is connected with a community. If you need to know the core of who I am, you can’t get rid of that. You need to know who I am. You deserve to know who the people are who you’re voting for. Not that everyone declare themselves het- erosexual or homosexual, but you deserve to know what the core pieces are. You have the right to know who I am in order to have a sense of my values and beliefs , which would motivate the decisions I'd make. V