March 2011 Edition

Diana Lombardi: Making Her Mark in TransGender Advocacy

Diana Lombardi has a boundless spirit in life. A devoted Boy Scout in Berlin, CT in her youth... a passionate photographer, a graduate from Rochester Institute of Technology... a determined Engineer and Electronics specialist working with companies like Westinghouse and Toshiba. Now, she's enjoying a second act of her life story; after an early retirement, Diana is back school to become a social worker and is an energetic advocate for the Transgender Community. Then there are big changes she's made in her own life...

CABO is important to you...
I am a firm believer that change is brought about through education and I believe that CABO is leading that change by educating people and companies that diversity is good for business. I believe that one of the things that makes America great is its diversity. Not just diversity of race, nationality and religion, but also diversity with LGBT individuals. We bring a unique perspective to the job.

Many Non-profits find support through CABO. You are involved with the Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition...
I am on the Board of Directors of CTAC and we have been incorporated for a little over a year, so we are just building our board. Our roles are undefined, technically I am the Secretary of the Board, but we all chip in and do what needs to be done. We are just finishing our planning for our conference on April 30, the Transgender Lives: The Intersection of Health and Law Conference; this will be our fifth conference and hopefully our best yet. We are also one of the lead organizations with ctEqaulity that is working to pass the gender inclusive anti-discrimination legislation. CTAC has had a big impact on me both personally and professionally, personally I feel that in some small way I am making a difference for the better in other people lives. Professionally, CTAC is the reason why I went back to school to get my MSW, so that I can have the tools to bring about change to the trans-community.

Workforce rights is a big part of your mission.  How is the transgender community discriminated against?
Wow! You name it and we have been discriminated against. I have a friend who has her masters in Computer Science and worked for a company for over twenty years. She was their lead trainer for Microsoft network certificate courses and she was laid off the day after she told them that she was transsexual. Another friend was one of the companies top salesperson and the fired her when she transitioned. They said that the customers would never accept a trans-person and they refused to change her name on their employment records. So every time a potential employer called for a reference, they gave out her male name. However, it doesn't have to be that way, a friend is a project engineer at a large multinational corporation and she had no trouble transitioning on the job. A trans-man who works at a small company in the New Haven area as a supervisor had no problems transitioning; they recognized the value in a skilled worker.

At what point did you begin considering your were Transgender?
Oh! Where to begin... some of my earliest memories are of crying myself to sleep wishing that I would wake up as a girl in the morning. I began crossdressing in the seventh grade and I dressed in secret until I came out in 1999. I always thought that I was the only person in the world that crossdressed and it wasn’t one summer day when I heard on the radio, “Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls. It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world,” when I knew that there must be others who felt the same way that I did. Back then there were no words to describe transgender persons and all the newspapers and TV portrayed transsexuals negatively.

It took a long time for you to go out in public...
Throughout most of my life I crossdressed in secret and when I was dressed, I never when out in public. I was deeply closeted and it wasn't until 2000 that I went out in public as Diana. It was then I went to a support group, the Connecticut Outreach Society, when I walked into the meeting room and saw that there were other people who were like me, it was as if a great weight was lifted off my shoulders. As I went out in public with COS, I began to realize that it was more than clothes; it went to my soul. In 2004, I went to the Gender Identity Clinic of New England and they told me what I always knew that, but was afraid to admit it to myself, that I was transsexual. In October of that year, I began taking hormones. Then in 2007 when they shut down the factory where I worked, I transitioned.

How can the gay community help?
Be an ally! Speak up! Get involved!

What are the biggest misconceptions about those who are Transgender?
That we really are just gay men who can't admit it. It is about identity, not sexual orientation. There are just as many trans-women who love women, as there are trans-women who love men. The same is true for trans-men.

What have been some of your proudest moments in life?
One of my other hats is that of a Stonewall Speaker. One night I was waiting for our reservation at City Steam in Hartford and a woman was coming out of the restaurant, she stopped and said to me, “You probably don’t remember me, but you spoke in our class. Because of want you said that day, I now understand what a client who is transgender is going through.” My next proudest moment will be when I walk across the stage in Storrs this May to receive my diploma.

What are things that people might be surprised to know about you?
That I write poetry. When the stresses of transitioning built up, I relived them by writing my emotions in poems

Anything else you'd like to say?
In the struggle to pass a gender inclusive anti-discrimination legislation, both here in Connecticut and nationally, I would like to point out that the bill will cover everyone, not just trans-people. Nowhere in the bills do they say anything about transgender, the bills only say gender identity and expression. It protects the gay man who happens to act feminine. It protects the lesbian women who might look masculine. The bill also protects the straight man that happens to wear his hair long or the woman that does not wear make-up. The bill protects anyone that crosses the gender norm.

You can contact Diana at:
(860) 983-8139 or diana@ transadvocacy.com
www.transadvocacy.com

Would you like to share your life story and your CABO connection?
Email Board Member, Dan Weaver at dan@barmontproductions.com.
Barmont Productions specializes in telling video stories for businesses and individuals.

February 2011 Edition
From his Career to the Kitchen: The Winning Ways of Anthony Cervoni

Anthony Cervoni approaches everything he does like a seasoned athlete. In the Non Profit world, he's flexed his muscles as a fundraiser/event planner, everywhere from the Mark Twain House and New Britain Museum of American Art, to the Hillstead Museum and Hartford Hospital. Scoring big as a top producer for Coldwell Banker, Anthony has recently kicked off a second career and joined the all star team at Bearingstar Insurance (and CABO Corporate Gold Member) as a Consultant. Affinity Marketing Director Pamela Horton says that “Anthony’s enthusiasm and passion for doing right by his clients will be the driving force to his success." He also demonstrates that same kind of athletic prowess in the kitchen, holding a culinary degree. Recently, we spoke to this all around champ for this month’s CABOography.

You had a successful career in the business community. What makes CABO so special to you?
In Connecticut, it is very hard to find gay men and lesbians and market to them as a group. CABO helps to define our community and, in turn, LGBT business owners and organizations get to give or earn support from our "family." I've been able to meet a great group of people who really care about CABO and want to support the GLBT community. My husband is also a CABO member for his art business. He draws custom home portraits and the response through CABO has been amazing.

How did you come to work at Bearingstar? 
As a Realtor, I was on the front lines of one of the most volatile markets in our economic history. I did very well for a long time but realized that I wanted a more stable income. My friend, Kate Houlihan, a banner CABO member, suggested I think about a career change and come work for Bearingstar. So I did.

What is the most fulfilling part of your role there?
 I like that I can save money for people on a product that they need. At the same time, I make sure their major assets are protected. Having been in Real Estate, I've seen what could happen when people don't have enough or proper insurance when disaster strikes.

Explain to our CABO members how you might be able to help them?
 Bearingstar is a great supporter of CABO and members can receive a discount up to 30% off our current home and auto insurance rates. That's a vast savings! Also, nonprofit members of CABO can use our amazing fundraising program to raise funds for their organization with no obligation. Each month in 2011, we will be featuring a different nonprofit member and hope we can donate a lot of money. Click here for more information on this program.

If you had to describe yourself to someone, what would you say?
I'm a determined, organized, compassionate person with a great sense of humor. I really enjoy getting to know people and making them smile. If you give me a belly laugh on one of my jokes, you have a friend for life! I also enjoy helping people. If you need anything and I can be of service, whether its help finding a good plumber in your area, giving you a recommendation on a great restaurant, or helping you save money, I will go out of my way to make sure you get the information and it works for you.

One of your greatest passions is cooking...
Good food is the spice of life! Seventeen years ago, I met my husband through a mutual friend. We both came from the same area in New Britain and both of our families have the same ethnic background. A perfect weekend for us is entertaining friends and family with dinner on Saturday and then spending a day for just the two of us on Sunday touring some local wineries. I love to travel especially to warmer climates. I love to cook, read, and socialize. I also think a martini is a great way to start off a fun evening!

Give Anthony a call at 860-258-2946.

Would you like to share your life story and your CABO connection?
Email Board Member, Dan Weaver at dan@barmontproductions.com.
Barmont Productions specializes in telling video stories for businesses and individuals.

January 2011 Edition

Adrienne Micci-Smith: A Career Worthy of Several Curtain Calls!

Adrienne Micci-Smith has woven quite a life for herself, as bright and diverse as the patterns, shades and fabrics she offers at Curtain Call, her retail custom window treatment workroom serving the northern Fairfield County and New Haven County. She is also an accomplished pianist, has been a psychiatric nurse, has a special loving family, loves belonging to CABO, and happens to be straight.

Being a straight ally is important to you...

The members of CABO are nice and friendly.  All networking is good for my business, and CABO members are interested in working with people in the network . My husband, Al Smith, works with Dena Castricone at the law firm, Murtha Cullina.  When Dena started CABO, Al helped Murtha Cullina become the Pioneer Sponsor and suggested that I become a member.  So I think I have been a member since its inception.

Your business is unusual...

Most workrooms are wholesale, are run out of people's homes, and work directly with decorators.  I repeatedly hear people say that it is difficult to find window treatments.  This is true.  A couple of decades ago most towns had a small retail curtain shop -I used to work in one.  Very few exist anymore.  I have hundreds of fabrics to choose from, and several lines of hard shades (honeycomb shades, woven woods, solar shades, wood blinds and others made by Hunter Douglas, Kirsch and Graber) and hardware.

Give us a little home decorating advice.  What are some simple things to know about curtains and shade?

Start by considering function.  What do you want your treatments to do?  Keep out the light, all or some,  cut down on glare, maintain privacy, absorb sound, warm your home literally and figuratively, make a decorative statement?  Determine your budget.  Custom and quality window treatments are not inexpensive.  However, many good companies offer similar products at different price points.  Do some research.  There are many product alternatives.  With a little research one can avoid spending a lot of money on a product that isn't just right.  To that end I'm hoping to conduct some Window Treatment 101 classes in an effort to guide potential customers to the products that are right for them.

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I grew up in the Derby, the third child and only girl in a family of four kids.  My parents, who were not wealthy, told us to study hard so that we could get scholarships and go to college.  I was a Girl Scout, and took piano lessons for years.  I was a lousy athlete.  I loved clothes.  Back then, one could make clothes for a lot less than for one could buy them, so I did a lot of sewing, often with the help of my grandmother.

How did your interest in home decorating come about?

I've always loved fabric, beautiful clothes and beautiful surroundings    Then I stopped  sewing for a few years and didn't sew again until I had kids of my own and made Halloween costumes.  Then we built a new house.  A friend of mine who is a decorator helped me figure out what to do.  I decided to save money  by making my own window treatments.  I think my mother and I hit up every fabric store in Connecticut.

I had been working as a psychiatric nurse and did so following the births of our first two children.  In 1996 we adopted our third child and I stopped working always thinking that I would go back.  After building the house and making my own window treatments, I said, "I can do this.", set up a workroom in my house and went out looking for customers.  I didn't have a clue.  I knew nothing about business, marketing or the local market.  Fortunately, that has changed.

You have a great family.  Can you share a bit about them?

Thanks.  Who doesn't like to talk about their kids?  My oldest daughter, Alex, is a senior in college and a dance major who will be looking for a job soon.   My son, Dante, is a freshman in college and like a lot of kids, wants to be a psychology major and maybe a psychologist.  Guess who his favorite subjects are now?  Olivia, our baby, is a sophomore in high school.   She is very organized-didn't get it from me- and is my VP in charge of IT.

My husband, Al, deserves his own paragraph.  He continues to support my efforts to grow a business that requires the expenditure of discretionary income in a poor economy, despite the fact that we have two kids in college and one coming up. Our household also includes my mother and two dogs, ours and hers.

You can reach Adrienne itscurtainsforyou52@yahoo.com or go to www.curtaincallct.com.

Would you like to share your life story and your CABO connection?
Email Board Member, Dan Weaver at dan@barmontproductions.com.
Barmont Productions specializes in telling video stories for businesses and individuals.

December 2010 Edition

Legal Eagle Victoria Ferrara: From Punk Stage to the Connecticut Supreme Court

She was a rebellious Catholic teen who found a friend in her guitar. With a passion for punk, Victoria Ferrara left law school to perform in a band. Thankfully she found her way back to law, and today she has her own prestigious law firm in Fairfield, and recently advocated a trailblazing law before the Connecticut Supreme Court.

Besides a deep dedication to her psychologist wife, Michelle, and their two sons, she feels a strong responsibility to the LGBT community, particularly younger gay women who may feel uncertain about themselves and their careers. She is a proud CABO member and recently shared some thoughts on her home, career, and mission - and how she still finds time to work in some music gigs in between legal briefs!

Tell us a bit about your background-

I grew up on Long Island with two brothers and two parents, a very traditional family life. I was always a rebel wanting to be different and wanting to make a difference. I went to Catholic schools but was very rebellious in high school. I had crushes on girls but did not know I was gay until I was in my twenties and started to have dreams about being sexual with women.

My main hobby is music. I play the guitar and piano. As a child, I played the guitar every week at the Catholic folk Masses. In college, I played and sang in coffee houses. After my first semester in law school I quit for two years to play guitar in a punk rock band. WE played at CBGBs, Max’s Kansas City and other New York City clubs. After a couple of years, I decided I should go back to law school as I wanted to have a career besides just playing music.

Who were the mentors in your life?

My parents are mentors. They taught me about working hard and staying committed to family and loved ones even in difficult times. My father taught me how important common sense is, and I believe that common sense plays a big role in being a lawyer, in the practical sense of guiding people through their legal problems. Another mentor was my good friend, Theresa, who recently died. She taught me how to cherish each moment of life, and to live fully event through adversity. She dealt with serious illness but never lost sight of the possibilities for living a full, joyful and spiritual life. She taught me about unconditional love and friendship.

How did your interest in the legal profession come about?

In high school, I heard a State lawmaker by the name of Karen Burstein speak at a school conference. She was inspirational and I felt a strong pull at that time to the legal profession.

Give us an idea of the kinds of work you’re involved with?

I work very much in the area of assisted reproductive law. I love this because it has to do with helping people, both gay and straight, have children. I have a passion for children. I love them. My partner, Michelle, and I have two sons. They are 15 and 11 and they love to play sports. But I really do love little children and babies, so my commitment to clients to help them achieve their dream of having children, runs deep within me. Besides my law firm, I have a surrogacy matching agency called Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists, LLC. Through this agency, we assist couples and individuals in finding surrogate mothers or gestational carriers so that they can have their children by way of surrogacy. I also practice a great deal in the area of family law, handling divorces and child custody cases. My firm also handles personal injury litigation, business law, and real estate transactions.

What is one of your proudest moments in your career?

We have a case on appeal. It is a law-changing case. If we prevail, it will mean that an Intended Parent who does not have a genetic relationship with the child to be born (for example, a gay male partner of the biological father; or a mother who had to use an egg donor instead of her own egg) will be able to have their names placed on their children’s birth certificates without going through an adoption proceeding. The proudest moment of my career was when I formally argued this case to the Connecticut Supreme Court in March, 2010.

You are quite prominent in your area--- what is the secret to success?

The secret of my success is responsiveness to clients’ needs and questions. It is also being out and being proud of being a gay woman in today’s world. My partner often says of me that I have achieved “identity synthesis” (she is a psychologist, could you guess?). But my pride in being who I am and staying true to myself has allowed me to flourish in my career and in my personal life. I am married to my partner under Connecticut law and we are together very proud of our family and our life together.

How important is the LGBT community to you and your business?

The LGBT community is extremely important to me as it is my family. I want to work within the community to assist people in understanding their legal rights, in achieving success in their personal lives, and to be a role model to younger gay women who have doubts about their lives or careers.

Tell us why groups like CABO are so important?

CABO is important because it is affirming to GLBT businesses and individuals seeking to make connections in the business world. It provides organizational strength to GLBT people, and therefore strengthens the community as a whole.

What are some things that people are surprised to learn about you?

That I played in a punk rock band, and that I still play and sing in public. Recently I have played at the Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport and at Las Vetas Lounge in Fairfield.

Anything you care to share about your personal life? 

As a young woman, I found it difficult to maintain stability in my personal life. I was in and out of relationships. I believe some of this was due to my fears about being gay and being out, and because I did not have the support of family and society. I am very grateful that I have now been with my partner for 18 years and that we have a stable family together. Finding this stability was a personal challenge for me. I want to do whatever I can to support GLBT people in their personal lives in order to share and foster this kind of stability. I try to do this in my work with my clients, and I try to do this by simply being out, so that my straight neighbors, friends and family can see, by example, how a gay couple with two children, can exist in the world in such a positive way.

Victoria was recently voted one of the Best Attorneys in Fairfield by the Fairfield County Reader’s Polls. While one of her firm’s specialties is reproductive rights, her team handles a wide of legal issues. Check out her site at www.victoriaferrara.com

Would you like to share your life story and your CABO connection?
Email Board Member, Dan Weaver at dan@barmontproductions.com.
Barmont Productions specializes in telling video stories for businesses and individuals.

November 2010 Edition

New CABOgraphy Series: Printing Super Salesman Rob D’Errico Makes His
Own Headlines in Life

Rob D'Errico, seasoned printing salesman for CABO member GHP Media, the largest commercial printer in southern Connecticut, has put thousands of businesses' names in print over his successful sixteen year career. But his own story is worthy of press… and an interesting conversation at our next Outreach Event! For starters, Rob loves Frank Sinatra, cigars, koi ponds, his partner Wil, and their basset hounds, Dudley and Gracie. Oh, and he's a proud Republican!

He's our first CABOgraphy, which showcases and celebrates business members both on and off the clock.
Here's Rob's life story...

I grew up in North Haven with my parents and two older brothers. Being Italian, my family always enjoyed doing things together; weekends were always spent with the entire family... NO EXCEPTIONS! My mom cooked whenever asked; even now I'll come home with a note on the fridge that she dropped off something. (My partner Wil gets very excited when I tell him!)

My dad is like a human encyclopedia, and can help with just about anything you need fixed because he has about every tool in existence. But he will also stop on a dime whatever he is doing to help you out. I was very close to my grandparents. Who wouldn't with the way they cooked! They started one of the original brick oven pizza restaurants in New Haven, and my grandfather was a master pastry chef.

I wanted to be a photographer since 9th grade. Although it wasn't what I ended up doing it's still in my heart. I started working with my dad at his company when I went into the printing business. When we decided to close our business, moving my clients and operations to GHP was an easy choice.

I enjoy working with designers and other creative people helping to get the most out of what my customer is looking for. We print for art galleries, museums, fashion designers, universities, corporate, liquor, and retail and packaging. Our primary focus is managing print projects large and small for clients who demand a high-end final output.

I live with the most wonderful person in the world, Wil. He has truly made me a better person and I can't imagine life without him. We met September 22, 1995 at the Cromwell diner. We moved in together 3 months after that and hate to be apart. We live in a great area of Hamden where we can be ourselves with very caring neighbors and friends. We walk our basset hounds Dudley and Gracie every night and often stop to chat with them.

We put in a koi pond and since we are both big fans of Japanese Anime, all the fish are named after our favorite characters. We try and travel as much as possible with as little planning as possible. There's nothing more exciting than going to a foreign country and just winging it as you go.

My biggest passion is Ocean Liners. Not the modern cruise ships of today but the luxury liners from the turn of the century to the 1960's. I've been collecting memorabilia from this area for the past 20 plus years, and it's all over our house.

I have been a HUGE fan of Frank Sinatra since I was a little kid. I don't know why but I can listen to him 24-7. My mom said I must have been a Bobby-Soxer in my previous life! I can honestly say I think I have every song he has, watched every movie and ready every book about him. The day he died I stayed home from work I was so upset.

One interest I have that draws some criticism in the LGBT community is my political views. I am a proud Republican. At parties or meetings when I hear people bashing this politician or that politician I usually stay quiet until Wil or friends say Bob's a Republican! It then becomes interesting how the conversation changes as I explain why I am a Republican as we have much in common. Fortunately Wil hates politics.

A friend of mine who works for an Ad agency first told me about CABO; how fun the meetings are and that it would be a good way to make additional contacts. CABO has not only opened doors to new clients but has also allowed me to meet people with very different backgrounds.

I was a member of CABO before I worked for GHP. I approached the owner before I came onboard about the opportunity of GHP becoming a corporate member and how it was important to support the LGBT community, along with the ability to bring in additional business. It was an easy solution as GHP is very supportive of LGBT employees.

The LGBT community is more loyal than most people think. Whether you're a corporation or a LGBT owned company, like anything else, if you work at it enough the benefits will follow.

Would you like to share your life story and your CABO connection?
Email Board Member, Dan Weaver at dan@barmontproductions.com.
Barmont Productions specializes in telling video stories for businesses and individuals.