REACH LA NEWS

Monday, March 22 at 8:00 PM - 2:00 AM

The Arena
6655 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles CA

Did you know that even though African Americans make up only 13% of the US population, they account for about half (49%) of the people who get HIV and AIDS. And it is our goal as the Ovahness Young Men’s Leadership team here at REACH LA, along with Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, in 2010 to not only raise awareness, but to get as many young people tested and into care as possible.

Unite will be a exciting night of the “Fabulous” and the “Fashionable.”A “coming together” of sorts between those who are either affected or infected by HIV/AIDS. The event was conceived and will be produced by LA’s very own Sean Milan. The evening will start off with an opening VIP reception followed by a fashion show consisting of three segments. Hosted by the legendary Jazzmun, performances by Michell’e Allure, Gia Allure, and a special performance by “Vogue Evolution” from MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew.”

Admission: VIP-$50 (Free for youth ages 18-24 who get an HIV test @ REACH LA prior to event or adult who brings a youth to REACH LA to get an HIV test prior to event)
General-$10

Please call the REACH LA HIV Testing Hotlinefor an appointment-213-572-7819

For more info please contact the event’s producers:

Sean Milan
Social Enterprise Event Coordinator forREACH LA
Office: 213-622-1650 x103
Email:seanmilansphone@yahoo.com

Greg Wilson
Manager of Young Men’s Health and Leadership
Office:213-622-1650 x108
Email:acquajaye@yahoo.com

Volunteers headed to N. Hollywood on Saturday, February 20, 2010 to facilitate HIV prevention games at the annual Oakwood School “Glove Affair” dance. The event draws youth from private schools through out Southern California who learn about HIV through REACH LA developed games like “Tongue Billiards” and “Condom Races.” Youth also learn about HIV transmission through needle sharing while REACH LA volunteers apply temporary tattoos. The activity that really gets youth thinking is REACH LA’s Fortune Telling booths where participants learn of their future through customized fortune telling cards. “The youth get really spooked when they learn about themselves and how they might be putting themselves at risk,” says REACH LA Ovahness Program Manager Greg Wilson, “the experience opens the door for the opportunity to talk about HIV prevention and risk taking which could save their lives.” REACH LA volunteers in attendance were Devaughn Sherman, Josh Wilson, Tim Ochoa, David Johnson, Michael Robeson, Malcolm Harper, Shawn Douglas, De’Shawn Jennings, Manuel White and REACH LA staff Carla Gordon, Greg Wilson, Sean Harris and Danielle Wondra.

REACH LA’s Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley has been selected to attend the British Council and VSO’s Global Xchange program in Durban, South Africa from January 17 to February 6 and in Belfast, Northern Ireland from March 7 to 27.

Global XChange is a UK program comparable to the United States’ Peace Corps program. Typically, Global XChange matches small groups of UK volunteers with peers from one other country. The bilateral teams spend several weeks or months on a volunteer project in the UK in addition to time spent on a project in the home country of the other participants.

The upcoming program marks two firsts: Global XChange’s first multilateral team and the first project in which Americans will participate. In Durban and Belfast, Martha will join four other Los Angeles community activists and peers from the UK, France, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda to observe local organizations, exchange best practices, and explore cross-cultural approaches to serving at-risk youth.

“I am incredibly honored to represent Los Angeles and the United States in this once in a lifetime experience. I am very excited to meet our program partners and work on strategies that will bring hope and inspiration to youth all over the world.”

The Durban and Belfast exchanges will be followed by a youth exchange. Between June and December, groups of 18-24 year-olds from each country will live and volunteer for three months in Durban followed by three months in Belfast. The American participants will be nominated by the five LA nonprofits.

“I am delighted to launch Global Xchange in the United States,” said British Council USA Director Sharon Memis. “We are inspired by the individuals selected for Global XChange from Los Angeles; they all do exemplary work with LA youth. We look forward to seeing the results of their time abroad, and to seeing the new international partnerships that emerge from the exchanges.”

To follow the journey of the Multilateral Community XChange participants by reading the daily blog.

REACH LA bids a fond farewell to Kafi Battersby after ten years of dedicated service and support. Kafi began her journey at RLA as an assistant in the computer lab in 2001. She quickly moved into a peer health educator position where she eventually became the program manager for the HIV prevention programs. During her tenure she provided risk reduction counseling to thousands of young women at sexual risk, hundreds of young gay men, volunteers and staff members. Kafi was instrumental in developing the Peer Health Advocates and G2G Leaders, “she was the role model that all of the leadership and current health programs were based upon,” according to Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley, “Kafi’s dedication to REACH LA programs, staff and to her clients will be her legacy.” On behalf of REACH LA’s Board of Directors, Management Staff, Leaders, Peer Health Advocates, clients, and volunteers we wish Kafi all the best in her future endeavors.

It is truly amazing to look at all the work that REACH LA accomplished in 2009: 25 young men attended the Ovahness Men’s Retreat; 200 women and men attended the Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day conference, 300 youth attended the Fire & Ice Skate Party, Legends from West Coast helped us produce six Ovahness Academy Workshops; 25 RLA volunteers ran HIV, STD prevention games at Oakwood’s Glove Affair Dance; three G2G representatives attended Reproductive Freedom Day in Sacramento; two G2G Leaders went to the western region reproductive justice advocacy training with Choice USA; one G2G Leader went to Washington DC for public policy training; one staff person graduated from the HIV Prevention Leadership Institute in Atlanta; three Ovahness Leaders went to NAESM Conference in Atlanta; one staff attended US Conference on AIDS in San Francisco; one staff went to SisterSong Membership Meeting in Washington DC and educated legislators on healthcare reform; 400 people attended the Ovahness Ball 4: L’Acte Finale; staff trained 50 volunteers to run RLA HIV prevention games for 1,300 LA area youth at Macy’s Passport Fashion Inform Night; staff and leaders raised $600 by walking in 2009 AIDS Walk LA; one G2G Leader went to Swaziland with Project Africa; one Ovahness Leader was awarded the Colin Higgins Courage Award; one Ovahness Leader received the Millennium Scholarship for college; staff provided HIV testing and counseling to about 50 people since beginning in July; staff trained 20 peer health advocates who then took over 200 friends and family members to HIV testing; 60 young men and resource volunteers attended the Ovahness Summit to develop personal goals for self and community improvement; six college interns helped develop video projects with RLA Leaders for the newly developed RLA YouTube channel (Ovahness TV); and close to 60 people attended the RLA holiday party where 4 Ovahness Leaders were promoted, two volunteers were acknowledged and 2 individuals and one coalition group were celebrated. One staff member was honored by In the Meantime; another was honored by Connect to Protect Coalition; 4 staff members became certified HIV Testing Counselors; one staff member completed Phemobotomy 1 licensing. One staff member completed graduate school, another complete his BA from CSUDH. And although REACH LA went from 9 staff members to 3 full-time staff at the end of July 2009, RLA continued to produce new projects, events and community resources with help from its many loyal friends, leaders and peer health advocates! Congratulations everyone on all the accomplishments - we made it to 2010 and REACH LA is moving ahead. The Board, Staff, Leaders and volunteers would like to thank our generous supporters who have helped our organization this past year. We are optimistic that better times are ahead.

REACH LA’s annual holiday party will be this Wednesday, December 16 from 6pm-9pm. At 7:30, REACH LA will be honoring community partners CHLA: Connect to Protect, The Legendary Father Taz Ultra Omni and the Legendary Father Nico Chanel for their years of dedicated support of REACH LA programs, staff and youth. Two volunteers of the year will be named, youth leaders promoted and a whole lot of good cheer will be in the air. Please RSVP to reachla@earthlink.net if you are planning to attend.

Through the pouring rain, these dedicated young men made it to the first Ovahness Summit held at Plummer Park last Saturday. The Summit successfully brought together 50 young men of color to attend a series of roundtable discussions aimed at self empowerment, priority setting and health. Under the direction of Greg Wilson, the event was the brain child of the Ovahness Leaders, who in the last 9 months planned, trained and facilitated all of the roundtable discussions. Resources people from Childrens Hospital Division of Adolescent Medicine - Young United Men, HIV Youth Testing Collaborative and 3P Programs, AIDS Project Los Angeles, AmMassi Center and REACH LA were available to provide information not only about their programs, but were resources on spirituality, social service navigation, housing and transitional living and education. In addition to FREE HIV testing, LA County STD Program provided free screening for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. To cap off the day the Ovahness Leaders chose Justin Reed Early, author of the autobiographical book “Street Child: An Unpaved Passage” to provide a closing keynote address. The event was sponsored by a grant from the Colin Higgins Foundation. More pictures to come.

REACH LA’s Ovahness Young Men’s Leadership has been busy planning the first Ovahness Summit scheduled to take place Saturday, December 12, 2009 at Plummer Park in West Hollywood. The Ovahness Summit’s theme is Love Your Life! Live Your Life! - a belief that if you love yourself, you will take steps to keep yourself healthy. The Ovahness Summit will address concerns and issues that young gay men of color face and allow young men to empower themselves to love their lives and live responsibly. For more information contact Greg Wilson at 213-622-1650 x108. For more information click here.

Team REACH LA made the 6.5 mile walk to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS on Sunday, Oct. 18. Volunteer Danielle Wondra ran the outreach table at the event. Many thanks go out to those who helped sponsor the team which raised $ 600.00 for REACH LA programs.

Fifty REACH LA volunteers educated 1,300 youth from Los Angeles area high schools, community-based organizations and programs at the annual Macy’s Passport Fashion Inform reception on Friday, September 25. The reception provides a great opportunity to teach youth about HIV in a fun and direct way. Interactive games and activities run by trained volunteers provide “teachable moments” about needle sharing (rub on tattoo booth); sexual risk reduction (more…)