LBGTQ YOUTH VIDEOS @ MEDIA STUDIES SPRING SCREENING
WEDNESDAY MAY 6th at 6:00PM
BROAD PERFORMANCE SPACE
PITZER COLLEGE • 1050 N. MILLS AVE • CLAREMONT • 91711
MEDIA ARTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE PRESENTS
Student lead media in community projects
The Pretty Boy Empire - Video Letters to ObamaThese video letters were created at the first ever Gay Youth of Color Inaugural Ball in Los Angeles - featuring LGBT Hip Hop artists, including Melange Lavonne, Deadlee, and Last Offense
MASJ student: Rebecca Nachison
Pretty Boy Empire - Project Adviser: Maurice Lopez
(aka the Pretty Boy King of Hollywood)
Unheard Voices of Transgender Youth
A series of short videos by transgender youth of color about issues of self-esteem, spirituality, social stigma and “clocking”. Produced in collaboration with Children’s Hospital Transgender Youth Program.
MASJ Students: Ivana Horvat and Hannah Fox
CHLA Project Adviser: Bamby Salcedo
Participants: The CHLA Transgender Youth Risk Reduction Program.
The REACH for OVAHNESS Talk Show
Two episodes of a new talk show made for and by young black gay men about issues that are important to this community.
MASJ students: Paul Bergman and Jacqueline Legazcue
REACH LA Project Advisers: Tyrone Carter, Greg Wilson, Chris Blades, and Kafi Battersby.
Community Guests/Show Hosts: The Young Men’s Ovahness Leadership Team from REACH LA - Kyle Butler, Stephan Daniels, Devaughn Sherman, and Robert Howell
ALSO AT THIS EVENT - REACH LA’s YOUNG MEN’S OVAHNESS LEADERSHIP TEAM will be selling cool t-shirts and canvas bags designed in-house by the REACH LA Social Enterprise Team to raise money for their youth HIV prevention program.
For more information about this event contact:
Gina Lamb lambgina@yahoo.com
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!
Ball History and Commentating 101
Instructor: Legendary Overall Father Taz Ultra Omni
Saturday, February 28 from 3:30-6:00pm
For more information contact: 213-622-1650
Chris_reachla@earthlink.net/call x108
Sean_reachla@earthlink.net/call x103
The Alliance for CA Traditional Arts, in partnership with the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the James Irvine Foundation recently awarded RLA with a grant for $6,500 to launch the OVAHNESS Ball Performance Project, a series of workshops on the history, artistry and cultural traditions of “House/Ball” performance. “One evening REACH LA hosted a movie night featuring the film “How Do I Look,” a 2006 documentary by Wolfgang Busch about the NY House and Ball scene and the office was packed with house kids,” says Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley, “a woman began to tell her story about how she was the one credited for creating “Stars, Statements & Legends,” - a favorite part at the beginning of every ball by all, and the kids had no connection or respect for this woman for this major contribution to ball culture. That was when we realized that there was a disconnect between the artistry and tradition and the current scene.” The REACH LA produced film “I’m Still Here: Becoming Legendary” whose intense vogue performances caught the attention of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts who after attending the Ovahness 3 Ball, encouraged REACH LA to apply. Staff and Ovahness Leaders developed a unique proposal to intertwine the Westcoast history and tradition of Ball performance with hands-on training and coaching by “Legendary” masters in Old Way/New Way; Vogue Performance; European and American Runway and Performance Commentary. The workshops are schedule to begin in late February. Check back to this site for workshops dates and times. Contact: Chris Blades at 213-622-1650 x108 for more information.
MY RECORDED LIFE: QUEER YOUTH LOS ANGELES @ OUTFEST
six compelling new works from the REACH LA queer youth video production program
SATURDAY JULY 12 2008 12 NOON
at the REDCAT Theater
Walt Disney Concert Hall
631 W. Second Street, LA 90012
PRODUCED BY REACH LA
This year’s LGBTQ youth video production program features seven exciting young video-makers working in six different video genres to tell their unique stories of being young and queer in Southern California. Ranging from experimental performance to edgy narrative drama, diaristic expose to a mock-u-mentary fashioned with dolls. All of these videos are united by a need to render visible these close to the bone stories that ask us to look through the lens to the often hidden spectrum of LGBTQ youth.
For more information contact
Gina Lamb 213.622.1650 ex 107 (more…)
A free showing of “I’m Still Here: Becoming Legendary” has been slated for Sunday, April 20th at The Village @ Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N. McCadden Place, LA 90038. REACH LA and getyourtens.com are jointly presenting the award-winning documentary that showcases the spirit and creativity exisiting in the Los Angeles House and Ball scene and to talk about the issues of self preservation concerning the African American LGBT youth community. A unique reception following the screening will provide refreshments, free HIV testing and one-on-one counseling. Youth, 24 and under, are eligible for a free ticket to REACH LA’s OVAHNESS 3 Ball. For more information contact Tyrone at 213.622.1650 x104. HIV testing is provided by the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center mobile unit. Special thanks to “Waiting to Xhale” program and our friends at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center for all their help and support!
HIV YOUTH Coalition of LA County (HYLAC) held its annual conference at the El Camino Compton Community Educational Center on December 7th, 2007. REACH LA along with coalition members from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Whittier Rio Hondo AIDS Project, East LA Women’s Center, LA County Department of Epidemiology, Planned Parenthood-Pasadena, ALTAMED and El Camino College Compton Community Educational Center developed a unique conference opportunity that would work towards bridging the gaps between HIV prevention, reproductive healthcare, substance use, criminal justice, intimate partner violence, HIV testing and care and create an action plan for best practices and integration for young women of color, ages 12-24. Providers Addressing Young Women’s Health Disparities: A Call to Action brought together HIV service providers, reproductive justice advocates, mental health, domestic violence, substance abuse professionals, students and community leaders to develop a 5-step integration plan in five key reproductive justice areas – reproductive health services, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health and juvenile/adult incarceration. Conference attendees, led by volunteer HIV and/or issue area professionals, facilitated lively and proactive discussions for reducing infection rates among young women of color. Each issue area presented their recommendations to a panel consisting of representation from the LA County Office of AIDS Programs and Policy, the City of Los Angeles, LA County Office of Women’s Health, Association of Planned Parenthood Leaders in Education, Office of the Speaker of the House Assemblyman Fabian Nunez, LA County Sheriff Office, LA Unified School District and the California Endowment. The report back plans presented will be compiled by the HIV Youth Coalition of LA County and disseminated to attendees at a later date.
The opening of the conference was highlighted by monologue performances by Diann Marchlewski & Maureen Piquette from the REACH LA Women’s Writing Workshop under the direction of Cathy Kay. G2G Leader Jasmin Harpe’s video about fears of seeking reproductive health care was also featured.
LaDawn Best, G2G Leadership Coordinator represented REACH LA on the “Surviving and Thriving: Identity, Sexuality and the Media” panel moderated by media activist Jasmine Cannick. The panel featured representatives from Black AIDS Institute, APAIT, Bienestar and Homo A Go Go/Queer Arts in Action to examine and raise questions about health and wellness in the LGBT community. The panel was presented as part of the 2007 FUSION: The Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film Festival.
The REACH LA LGBTQ Youth Video Production Program is pleased to present the premiere screening of “The Pretty Boy King of Hollywood” a new documentary by Maurice Lopez a.k.a. The Pretty Boy King. This video will take you on a tour of LGBT youth events (with a pretty boy twist) throughout Southern California - guided by, our always engaging and entertaining host, The Pretty Boy King! The screening will take place on Saturday Dec 1st at 6:30 pm at the Egyptian Theater 6712 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028. This event is part of FUSION: THE LOS ANGELES LGBT PEOPLE OF COLOR FILM FESTIVAL taking place Nov 30 – Dec 2 at the Egyptian Theater. All YOUTH 21 and under GET IN FREE – so no excuses - come for the great independent films and videos, music and spoken word, activist panels, and of course the parties!
FOR MORE INFO GO TO:
www.myspace.com/prettyboyempire
FOR TICKETS AND FUSION FESTIVAL INFO GO TO:
www.outfest.org
The REACH LA LGBT Youth Video Production program is funded by the Durfee Foundation Gay and Lesbian Fund of the Liberty Hill Foundation
REACH LA’s Queer Youth Nation survey of LGBT youth video production celebrated its 5th anniversary year at OUTFEST by screening a selection of the some of the best shorts included in the program over the last five years. The aim Queer Youth Nation is to showcase the unique stories of LGBTQ youth of color and to inspire other young people to tell their stories through digital media. (more…)
The theater was packed as the lights faded and “I’M STILL HERE: BECOMING LEGENDARY”, REACH LA’s documentary on the L.A. House and Ball scene, was projected on to the giant screen in Hollywood’s beautiful Barnsdall theater. It was shown as a part of a compilation of film shorts from the FUSION 2006 LGBT People of Color Film Festival. This screening included extra ball footage plus interviews with some of today’s legendary and upcoming house and ball participants. The crowd was full of enthusiasm and many could not refrain from shouting with excitement! “ I’m Still Here: Becoming Legendary” once again stole the show! It’s creative direction melds entertainment with education, giving viewers a glimpse into the House and Ball scene through sharing candid conversations about coming out, practicing safe sex, getting tested, plus the wonderfully artistic runway performances.
