7/29/06 REACH LA hosts the first annual Ovahness Ball with Mother Sean Milan Infiniti as Master of Ceremonies and Father Taz Ultra Omni -commentator. Photo courtesy of PinkMafiaRadio.com
The event took place at the GAM on Pico. The aim of the ball was to deliver HIV/AIDS awareness messages to youth in the House and Ball Community via HIV competition categories, big screen video projections, one on one counseling/info sessions with REACH LA youth peer educators and free HIV rapid testing provided at the event. REACH LA staff and volunteers decorated the GAM Center with silver fabric and stars to inspire the Ovahness theme of overcoming obstacles and reaching for the stars to be the best you can be. The evening proved to be a success with over 350 youth from the House and Ball scene attending and many signing up to participate in REACH LA youth HIV programs. Two REACH LA staff members actually walked categories and Kafi Battersby took home a trophy.
“Queer Youth Nation” is REACH LA’s annual national survey screening of LGBT youth videos at OUTFEST. This years screening “Larger Than Life: Queer Youth Nation 2006” included 12 new videos by LGBT youth from across the nation. Each year the audience for the screening gets larger and this year was no exception with a full house at Barnsdall Municipal Gallery Theater and a robust question answer session plus reception after the screening. Queer Youth Nation continues to be one of the most popular screenings at OUTFEST and draws a new youth audience to the festival each year. Eight new video shorts by youth in the REACH LA digital video program premiered in this year’s program. Included in the program, “My Crazy Life”, the story of Enzo Ybarra, produced by Studio C and APLA’s M-powerment received the OUTFEST Audience Award for Best Documentary Short. All the youth filmmakers received all-access passes to OUTFEST including invites to opening and closing night gala events and got to participate in industry sponsored meeting with agents, film directors, writers, etc… organized by OUTFEST. In addition, two REACH LA youth directors were chosen to be assistant programmers for OUTFEST 2006 and were responsible for selecting films in this year’s festival.