Nik’s North Star Keynote Address
This blog is to supplement material for the prologue of my book: I Can’t Miss the Encore. Go here to buy the paperback or Kindle version of Encore:
https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Miss-Encore-Straight-Rainbow-ebook/dp/B0FNPPFBCY
I’m excited to share the rest of the story already told in the prologue!
My son, Nik, called to tell me that he was asked to give the opening keynote musical address for the 2021 North Star International Conference on June 11–12. What was North Star? I Googled it and found that “North Star International is a peer-led, lay religious support ministry whose focus is to support individuals as they seek to align their lives with gospel principles and as disciples of Jesus Christ.” Conferences are intended to support the LGBTQ community, their families, friends, and clergy. North Star has a great website where I watched many inspiring Voices of Hope videos:
https://www.northstarsaints.org
I had recently read Charlie Bird’s and Ben Shillate’s memoirs and had decided that it would benefit me if I started telling my story as they had. I decided that the North Star Convention would be a great place to “come out.” I told Nik that I would like to go with him and Darla to tend their infant daughter while they presented. Darla was all for me attending and telling my story because, had I not left my same-sex relationship, married Allen, and had children, Nik would not exist today. Neither would any of our children.
You can watch the entire video of Nik and Darla’s keynote address, where Darla expressed her gratitude for Nik, their child, and for my decision, here:
https://youtu.be/l8mdo-XQHuI