Bay Windows - September 16, 2004

Name: Jason Wright

And are you? "I try to be."

Birth date: April 13, 1981.

Sign: Aries

Have you heard anything about Aries that seems true of you? "I like challenges that I have to put a lot of thought into or ones that rely on instinct. Most of the time I rely on my gut to get me to the next decision or step. I'd say that's typical of an Aries. The 'less than perfect' side of Aries is that sometimes, not often, we hate to admit when we're wrong and can get a little impatient."

Current residence: "Boston's Theater District. I recently relocated from Louisiana."

Ethnic roots: "African-American, with other stuff mixed in there somewhere. My family is a typical Creole-Cajun Louisiana family. There's everything from blonde hair, blue eyes to deep caramel complexions. My mom gets teased; she's the only one that looks half-Asian."

E-mail address: jamiere@verizon.net Occupation: "Health Systems Navigator and Research Associate at Fenway Community Health, Boston."

Religion? "I was raised Baptist. The music still gets me going. I've done my fair share of reading over the years, and can say there's something bigger than me, spiritually."

Points of Origin: "I was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. For the majority of my childhood, I was raised by my great grandmother and my godmother."

OK, right there you've got some explaining to do. "My mother wanted to move to Maryland, take me out of the South, and experience a life she never did, but my great grandmother and godmother prevented her from taking me with her."

It made you different. "I don't know what it did; at the time I didn't realize that I was raised by all women. It was just my family.

"I really don't have a lot of childhood memories for some reason. "I remember - I was five or six - playing outside and was chased by this huge bumblebee. I swear it was working out- and to this day I am deathly afraid of bees. Also, when I was seven I saw the 'Control' video by Janet Jackson. It was the best thing I'd ever seen. I immediately made my own headset microphone from my cousin's Fisher-Price toy. I was a Janet fanatic at seven and was totally hooked. It sounds corny, but she inspired me to do something musical and artistic.

"I was one of the few minority students all throughout school. It didn't faze me one bit, until I got to high school. Things changed then.

"People said I didn't act my color or I was trying to be something that I'm not. I went to the 'my daddy owns more than your daddy' high school. Stereotypical. And it came from both sides (races)."

"All through high school I was the over-achiever, drum major, class president last three years, National Honor Society, all that stuff.

"I came out to my parents in high school. Right before, I told my stepmom, I got really depressed. I'm an only child, coming from a Southern Baptist family. I knew no one would accept my homosexuality.

"My step mom told my dad, my dad told my mom, and then my mom kicked me out of the house, senior year of high school. "I lived with family and friends. I didn't come out to them. Still haven't. I haven't spent time with them in years, except for Christmas every other year. I think I'm going to send this article home for a holiday surprise. It's time they know.

"I went through a rebellious phase, got my ears pierced, tongue pierced, and tattoos."

Where is it? "The first one I got done was a Chinese character on my right leg. It means rebirth; years later I got one on my hip - another Chinese character, which stands for talent. I got that one in college, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Home of the Ragin Cajuns - I always have to say that. I got the tattoo to represent my musical and dance background. Music was nine and a half years, and dance, I include the couple years of gymnastics, was seven years.

"Four years of college and two boyfriends later, I found myself living in Boston. I had to get out of the Slow South. It's the first time I've ever lived in a big city. I was nervous but laughed at myself the first time I had to use the T.

"I have a few years of HIV prevention, education, and counseling under my belt and got lucky when I found a job at Fenway [Community Health]. I work two studies - one is an LGBT smoking cessation study; the other, a national study testing a new method to retain people in quality healthcare."

Don't you have a charity event you're dealing with at Fenway? "I do. It's a great benefit. I'm a crew member for TeamFenway, participating in Harbor to the Bay, a benefit AIDS bike ride. It's one fun day, Saturday, Sept. 18, 125 or 68 miles, from Boston to Provincetown. It benefits Fenway Community Health, the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, and Community Research Initiative of New England to help persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

"TeamFenway has 24 registered riders and crewmembers out of 194 total registered. It's going to a fun day. The staff at Harbor to the Bay and Club Caf have done such a great job helping everyone fundraise. They have supported us, volunteers from the beginning. We're still looking for volunteers. You can visit www.harbortothebay.org for more information.

I dream, in 10 years, of "being able to travel the world, with my partner in one hand, suitcase in the other, and dancing in the score of any show on Broadway."

Hobbies? Free time? "I love Latin music. I listen to it all the time. I play around with multimedia stuff at home, nothing fancy. Lately, I've been taking time to view Historic Boston.

Do you have a partner? "Nope. I am single."

Are you looking, and for whom? "Actually, I've stopped. I want it to just happen. Looking for a funny, out-going, down-to-earth guy..."

What attributes of yours do people most comment upon? "Sincerity and self- expression."

040916
BY040904

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