REACH LA NEWS

G2G Leader Jasmine Smith, REACH LA Peer Health Educator Alexis Blades and Kafi Battersby Manager of Young Women’s Health Programs attended the annual “Reproductive Freedom Day” on March 24, 2009 at the Sacramento Convention Center. The REACH LA representatives participated in mini-workshops on reproductive justice issues and advocacy, defeating Proposition 8 and community organizing. The California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom arranges legislative visits with state representatives in order to educate them on issues that effect reproductive rights and healthcare for women and girls. During the closing session, Kafi Battersby participated in a panel on Youth and Reproductive Justice. “It was particularly powerful to have Jasmine there to meet our allies and to represent the youth perspective,” said Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley, “because this experiences brings the political and policy pieces into the bigger picture of reproductive health. Our allies, legislators and peers need a face and a story to understand what we are all there to protect and improve. Jasmine, Alexis and Kafi represent all of the issues - from consumer, frontline worker, advocate and educator. They bring a unique package of experience to this event.”

Maurice Burnett, MSW, Assistant Professor of Counseling at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College came to the joint Ovahness and G2G Leadership meeting on March 18 to discuss pathways to higher education. Mr. Burnett shared his own pathway to higher education and how his Master’s Degree in Social Work helps him with his current job as a counselor. “I think the most valuable piece of the presentation was his encouragement of learning a trade and using that means to support the pursuit of higher education. Our youth need to see other options of how to obtain their goals,” said Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley, “the pathway to higher education is filled with many potholes - cost to attend, books, bad school experiences can be hard to overcome. Obtaining a certificate in a trade or vocation can lead to new and exciting paths that can ultimately provide the financial and confidence needed to move on to an AA, BA and beyond.”

Women & Girl’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was celebrated with a teach in , resource fair and free HIV testing on Friday, March 13, 2009 at the El Camino College Compton Community Educational Center. Around 150 women and girls took part in a variety of workshops, including topics such as the global and local issues on HIV, sex and sexuality from a cultural perspective, race and gender identity, prostitution, partner abuse, female anatomy, birth control, emergency contraception and self- esteem. Voluteer presenters from Black Women for Wellness, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, YWCA GLA Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Women’s Leadership Project, Pacific Institute for Women’s Health and Charles Drew University generously donated their time and expertise to educate others at the event. In resource square, AIDS Research Alliance, Black Women for Wellness, National Council on Alchol and Drug Dependence. Planned Parenthood LA, South Bay Family Healthcare, Tarzana Treatment Center-Long Beach, Women Alive, Women at Risk and YWCA of Greater Los Angeles provided resource information to the event attendees. (more…)

REACH LA staff, leaders from the Ovahness Team , G2G Leadership and volunteers educated 150 youth at this year’s Oakwood School HIV/AIDS fundraiser, “The Glove Affair.” The REACH LA youth manned HIV/AIDS prevention games like “Tongue Billiards,” “Condom Races,” “Fishing for Answers” and “Sexopoly.” Volunteer Tim Ochoa conducted Fortune Telling all evening while Warren High School volunteers Jair Mayorga, Emily Helsley, Diego Avalos and Alec Foskerino educated attendees about clean needles and tattooing. Many thanks go to the tireless efforts of our Leadership team members Lance, Darrin, Kayla, Desiree, Rosa, Jasmine, Melle, Shannon, Melissa, Vanessa & friend.

REACH LA Presents
Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Event@ El Camino College Compton Community Educational Center (formerly Compton College)
1111 Artesia Blvd, Student Lounge
Compton, CA 90221
Friday, March 13, 2009
Noon-7pm

REACH LA and the G2G Leadership Program will be hosting this all-day event featuring a series of HIV & Health workshops, resource fair, films, HIV counseling and testing for women and girls this Friday at El Camino College Compton Community Educational Center (Compton College Campus). The workshops for women, from noon-3pm, range from Global to Local issues and HIV, Sex and Sexuality from a cultural perspective, sex for hire, partner abuse and HIV. Later in the afternoon, from 4pm -7pm, there will be express workshops geared towards youth, ages 12-24, with an emphasis on basic HIV 101, female anatomy, Birth Control, Self-Esteem and Sexual Bartering – understanding Boundaries. From 12 noon-6pm in the Student Lounge will be the health resource fair and “Quick Counseling,” a service manned by local HIV/AIDS prevention specialist to provide one-on-one consultations about HIV/AIDS, testing and risk reduction. From 3pm-4pm in the Student Lounge, the local YMCA will have a women’s self defense demonstration and REACH LA will facilitate a variety of HIV/STD games for prizes. Free HIV Testing and STD screening will be available by AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Drew Mobile HIV/STD Testing Unit. This event was funded in part by a grant from HHS and the Office of Women’s Health, the Liberty Hill Foundation/Pobladores Fund and the James Irvine Foundation.

For more information contact Kafi Battersby at 213-622-1650 x102.

REACH LA presents

Learn it! Learn It Well! @ the OVAHNESS ACADEMY
A series of workshops geared to fiercely improve performance on the runway.

@Hollywood Dance Center
817 Highland Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90038

First workshop starts this Saturday!

For more information contact: 213-622-1650
Chris_reachla@earthlink.net/call x108
Sean_reachla@earthlink.net/call x103

The OVAHNESS Fire & Ice Skate Party on Friday, February 20th was a huge success! Two-Hundred youth participated in REACH LA’s HIV risk reduction counseling sessions to gain free entry the event. REACH LA Peer Advocates helped youth obtain free HIV and STD testing while they waited for the doors to open. Free testing was provided by the LA Gay and Lesbian Center’s POW Mobile Testing Unit. DJ Ben rocked the house with a great mix of sounds.
(more…)

A REACH LA OVAHNESS EVENT

FIRE & ICE Skate Party
Friday, February 20, 2009

World on Wheels
4645 1/2 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
Event begins at 9:00pm
General Admission $10
First 200 Youth under age 24 are eligible for a FREE admission - Ask at the door
Free HIV Testing provided by LA Gay and Lesbian Center

Justin Early author of Street Child: An Unpaved Passage made a huge impression on the OVAHNESS and G2G Leaders when he made a guest appearance at the first REACH LA Book Club night on 1/28/09. OVAHNESS Leaders Kyle Baker and Robert Howell hosted a lively discussion between Justin Early and the audience. Justin read a powerful chapter as part of the presentation as the audience read along with their own well worn copies. Many of youth admitted that this was the first book that they had read cover to cover since high school.

Friday, February 20th, 2009
Event Begins at 9:00pm
@ World on Wheels
4645 1/2 Venice Blvd.
LA, CA 90019

Admission is $10.00
The first 200 youth under the age of 24 are eligible for free admission – ask at the door.

FREE HIV TESTING provided by LA Gay and Lesbian Center
For more information please contact Tyrone Carter at 213-622-1650 x104