REACH LA is recruiting 20 new youth Peer Health Advocate Volunteers! We are looking for youth – especially young gay men & young women from South Los Angeles area, ages16-24, interested in helping peers at-risk for HIV, STIs and pregnancy access counseling and testing services!
If you are the one that friends come to ask about sex, HIV, sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy – we want YOU!
Give your friends the correct sexual health information and help navigate them to youth friendly health resources!
Peer Health Advocate Volunteers can earn up to $800 by completing PHA program!
Peer Health Advocates must attend daily trainings from 1pm-5pm at REACH LA beginning June 28-July 9th, 2010. PHAs will be trained in HIV/AIDS, STI and pregnancy prevention in order to prepare for the California Family Health Council Clinic Worker Exam.
* All PHAs must pass the California Family Health Council Clinic Worker Exam or already be certified in HIV Counseling and Testing Basic 1 & 2. Exam date to be announced.
* Once training and exams are complete, PHA volunteers are eligible to earn $25 for each linked referral to REACH LA’s HIV testing services.
* PHA volunteers will help staff REACH LA events like the Ovahness Ball, Macy’s Passport and other fun events.
Please email reachla@earthlink.net for an application. Return application to REACH LA by Friday, June 18 by email or fax (213) 622-0976. Contact Martha at 213-622-1650 x100 for more information.
Monday-Friday 10am-6pm. Saturday/Sunday: Appointments available for group testing. Please call or text message to make sure an HIV testing counselor is available. Walk-ins are welcome.
Unite’ was the theme for REACH L.A.’s 2010 “Unity of Community” Fashion Show, and by the end of the night, the production crew, host, audience, models, and REACH L.A organization were united for one imperative cause – to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among minority youth. As the guests arrived, an array of appetizing refreshments and champagne were served in the VIP area where guests were given a “goody” bag filled with a designer hat, purse and program provided by Macys. As the lights dimmed, REACH LA’s own Greg Wilson took the stage and shared with the audience the imminent danger of not knowing your HIV/AIDS status, and the real reason for the fashion show – to raise HIV/AIDS awareness.
The music began, the lights dimmed, and the models began working the couture “Red HIV/AIDS Ribbon” shaped runway. The models all wore designer exclusive, unique, colorful, trendy pieces as the music pulsated through the audience. The amazing event was hosted by the exuberant, alluring diva Jazzmun, who kept the audience laughing out of their seats with her wit and charm the entire show. Gia Allure contributed a musical rendition of “Blur” by Britney Spears and Mother Michel’le Allure brought the house down with her interpretation of “Russian Roulette” by Rhianna. Floyd McLucas’s Fem J designs, Fuddie Fashions and Evan Wilson’s Croqui Couture presented their own “red ribbon” inspired pieces to bring more awareness to the cause. The show’s grand finale featured the New York-based Vogue Evolution, featuring Dashaun Williams, Devon Webster, Malechi Williams, Leiomy Maldonado and Jorel Rios. Vogue Evolution is the first openly gay dance crew to ever compete on the “America’s Best Dance Crew” stage. The crew’s performance brought the down the house as Leiomy leaped from the stage into the center of the red ribbon runway landing a room thumping dip with grace, style and “bam.”
The man who conceptualized this spectacular event took the stage – the talented “fashionista” Sean Milan. Sean Milan effortlessly worked the runway; and gracefully thanked the audience as the show concluded.
REACH LA wants to thank all of the performers, designers, clothing and hair stylists, models, and Ovahness Leaders for volunteering your time and talent to this event. REACH LA especially wants to thank Macys for their generous support and inspiration.
REACH L.A’s 2010 “Unity of Community” Fashion Show was an astounding success. The venue was filled love, creativity, unity, and the eagerness to spread and raise HIV/AIDS awareness. Let’s see what else Sean Milan has up his sleeve for his next major production.
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.
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.
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 
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REACH LA’s Greg Wilson graduated from the CDC/ASPH Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership in Atlanta on Friday, September 25. After nine months of intensive program development, organizational assessment and program intervention planning, it was time to present to a community panel consisting of leadership from the Centers for Disease Control, HIV/AIDS program leaders, activists and peers. Greg proudly presented a fund development plan he developed for REACH LA that would help to sustain program activity and make the organization less dependent on government funding. The presentation showed the ways REACH LA searches for “unrestricted” funding that would allow for creative outreach efforts that provided the means for HIV prevention intervention, development of community relations and provided sponsorship opportunities that contributed to program activities. Greg Wilson is the Ovahness Men’s Leadership Coordinator at REACH LA. Congratulations Greg on this great accomplishment!
Did you know that sharing needles with others when tattooing or piercing can put you at risk for HIV? That is what 50 REACH LA volunteers learned this week when training for Macy’s Passport Fashion Inform, a fashion show fundraiser that raises millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS prevention organizations. For it’s efforts in the HIV field, REACH LA has been chosen to be a beneficiary of this year’s event. The 50 trained volunteers will run REACH LA’s HIV prevention education games at a pre-show reception for 1,300 Los Angeles youth. No tickets are sold for this special event where LA youth are treated to a million dollar runway show complete with top musical acts and celebrities. Volunteers consist of REACH LA’s Ovahness and G2G Leadership teams, RLA Peer Health Advocates, alumni, Pitzer College and Oakwood High School Students. Thanks to all the volunteers for their loyal dedication and support of REACH LA.
“Freak Show,” hosted by “Party Monster” icon James St. James has released it’s latest on-line episode “James goes to the Ovahness Ball.” Shot at REACH LA’s Ovahness Ball 4: L’Acte Finale, James meets and greets Los Angeles and New York’ s house/ball icons, legends, statements and stars. Viewers get an up close view of the art of voguing by New York legends Luis Xtravaganza and Derrik Xtravaganza. Ovahness Leader Devaughn Sherman is featured explaining the ball’s HIV prevention education intent while commentator Jack Mizrahi encourages the audience to get a free HIV test at the event. The show captures the excitement of fierce runway battles and the audience’s love of all things ballroom. Check out the “Freak Show” episode “James goes to the Ovahness Ball”…