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When
Cyndi
Lauper
and
her
True
Colors
Tour
pulls
into
the
BankAtlantic
Center
on
Thursday,
June
19,
fans
will
hear
more
than
great
music
during
the
five-hour
program.
Produced
in
partnership
with
the
Human
Rights
Campaign,
the
nation’s
largest
LGBT
civil
rights
organization,
this
year’s
24-city
tour
will
highlight
the
need
for
the
LGBT
community
and
their
straight
allies
to
get
out
and
make
their
votes
count
in
this
election
year.
Organizers
recruited
key
non-profit
partners,
including
CenterLink,
LGBT
community
centers,
and
Parents,
Families,
Friends
of
Lesbians
and
Gays
(PFLAG),
to
voice
their
solidarity
for
LGBT
equality
and
raise
awareness
of
the
issues
facing
the
community.
In
just
its
second
year,
the
True
Colors
Tour
was
conceived
by
Lauper
from
her
desire
to
give
back
to
the
community
for
the
love
and
support
they
have
given
her
throughout
her
career,
serving
as
“a
celebration
of
the
basic
values
and
freedoms
that
should
be
shared
by
all
Americans.”
In
each
city,
the
all-star
line-up
has
varied;
the
south
Florida
concert
will
feature
headliners
Lauper,
The
B-52s,
Rosie
O’Donnell,
Deborah
Cox,
The
Cliks
(click
here
for
more
info
on
The
Cliks),
as
well
as
former
porn
star-turned-singer
Colton
Ford.
“Queer
Eye
for
the
Straight
Guy”
fashion
expert
Carson
Kressley
is
serving
as
host
for
the
tour.
The
bill
in
some
cities
has
included
comedians
Wanda
Sykes,
Margaret
Cho
and
Kate
Clinton,
along
with
recording
artists
Joan
Jett
and
the
Indigo
Girls.
Lauper
says,
“We
had
a
blast
last
year
and
we
are
proud
that
the
tour
also
brought
about
visibility
and
discussions
of
issues
that
LGBT
citizens
face
in
our
country
today.
This
year,
I
am
once
again
joined
on
the
tour
by
an
array
of
incredibly
talented
artists…
the
party
only
gets
bigger
and
our
message
to
the
fans
is
to
get
out
and
vote
in
November.
The
True
Colors
Tour
asks
for
equality
for
all,
not
just
for
some,
and
that
is
the
principal
upon
which
this
country
was
founded…(we
must)
all
become
a
part
of
the
changes
in
this
country.”
Along
with
five
hours
of
performances,
the
tour
also
provides
resources
for
enlightenment
and
education.
“You
and
I
know
that
the
LGBT
kids
are
really
at
risk,”
she
says,
“because
they’re
targeted
for
any
kind
of
discrimination
there
is,
so
it’s
important
to
have
information
available.
While
you’re
having
a
good
time,
laughing
and
dancing,
if
you
need
to
go
over
and
find
out
something,
it’s
there.”
HRC
President
Joe
Solmonese
recognized
the
opportunity
the
tour
offered
to
mobilize
LGBT
voters
and
supporters,
and
noted
the
first
tour
provided
a
platform
to
“send
a
loud
and
unmistakable
message
to
all
Americans
that
it
is
past
time
our
federal
hate
crimes
laws
be
updated
to
include
sexual
orientation
and
gender
identity.”
“…we
are
going
to
build
on
the
grassroots
power
of
the
tour
by
launching
a
massive,
nonpartisan
voter
outreach
campaign
that
will
educate,
engage
and
organize
equality
voters
in
this
year’s
election,”
he
said,
saying
the
tour
will
provide
“an
historic
opportunity
to
organize
our
community
to
achieve
a
powerful
voice
in
the
2008
elections.”
For
many
South
Florida
fans,
the
political
message
may
be
present,
but
the
starpower
is
the
real
draw:
“
Cyndi
Lauper
is
such
an
icon.
She
came
on
to
the
scene
when
I
was
in
high
school.
Her
music
was
such
an
important
part
of
my
life
at
the
time,”
says
Johnnie
Robinson,
of
Wilton
Manors,
who
plans
on
attending
the
event.
“But
even
more
importantly,
she
has
been
there
for
us
through
thick
and
thin
for
more
than
20
years.
I
think
it’s
great
that
she
is
trying
to
get
voters
engaged,
but
I
will
still
be
there
for
the
music.”
On
the
other
side,
Puerto
Rican-born
Juan
Dorta,
now
a
Fort
Lauderdale
resident,
feels
that
now
is
the
right
time
for
Lauper’s
political
message:
“This
is
going
to
be
a
very
important
election,”
he
said.
“Very,
very
important.
If
a
concert
is
what
it
takes
to
get
people
involved,
then
that’s
what
we
need.”
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