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

“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”…

Ovahness Ball 4: L’ Acte Finale brought out the best talent and showman/womanship from all points of the United States. The audience of 400 watched the grand prize battle between the House of Mizrahi and the House of Xtravaganza bring the message of HIV prevention to a new level. Lead by Icon and Ballroom Hall of Famer Mother Carmen Xtravaganza, the House of Xtravaganza took the $1000 Grand Prize back to New York City.
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SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, July 25, 2009

Categories are posted on myspace.com/ovahness

REACH LA is proud to announce that Francisco (Frank) Armenta, 20, REACH LA’s own Ovahness Leader, has received the 2009 Courage Award by the Colin Higgins Foundation. Frank is one of three national winners who will be honored at the Trevor Project Gala in New York City on June 29, 2009.

Battling homophobia on a daily basis in East Los Angeles, Frank was routinely called a “faggot” throughout high school. After being kicked out of class by a teacher for “gay” artwork on his binder, Frank called a parent-teacher meeting, only to learn that his Mexican-Catholic family would not stand up for him due to their embarrassment that he was gay. This experience fueled him to become an activist, spanning from collaborating with the GSA to design a new web-based campaign, ”Be An Ally”, to support gay youth at his predominantly Latino high school, to becoming the youngest certified HIV Counselor and Tester in LA county. Through his activism to increase youth HIV testing, Frank has been able to provide invaluable recommendations to key policy makers on best practices for treating queer youth of color during the testing process. Currently, Frank works at REACH LA as a Social Enterprise Assistant and Peer Health Counselor, and continues to fuse his passion for graphic art design with his activism by creating all the electronic and print media for the Ovahness program serving queer young men of color. He also helps support other community LGBT youth groups such as Connect to Protect by creating original designs for their marketing materials and media campaigns.

Ana Lopez, REACH LA’s former Outreach Coordinator, also received the Courage Award honor in 2006.

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’s OVAHNESS Team took Ft. Lauderdale by storm by attending the United States Conference on AIDS from September 17-21, 2008. The OVAHNESS Team was selected to facilitate “Using Youth Leaders to Strengthen Your Program” roundtable on September 19. The session was a standing room only success with the OVAHNESS Leaders providing insight into why they are involved with REACH LA, volunteerism, strategies for engagement, and how agencies and organizations can retain youth leadership. Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley provided the organizational/agency insight by sharing how youth engagement has increased organizational capacity to reach new youth, “Once they come to REACH LA and meet the staff and volunteers, we got them. We work really hard to create a “youth friendly” environment in which to work and learn.” Frank Armenta, 20, REACH LA’s home-grown graphic designer and HIV Counseling and Testing counselor shared his story of coming in to the organization through the media arts program, “REACH took an interest in me - they encouraged and trained me in social marketing and enterprise in order to reach out to others.” Devaughn Sherman, Kyle Butler, Stacy Alford, Chris Blades, Ivanie Murphy , Greg Wilson and Tyrone Carter rounded out the team. The OVAHNESS Team also attended many of the workshop presentations and helped run the REACH LA Booth in the exhibition hall. Social Enterprise Manager Sean Milan Harris said “This is the most OVAHNESS merchandise we’ve sold to date. Having the OVAHNESS Team there in the booth gives the buyer the opportunity to see where their money goes.” More pictures to come…

Learn more about “The Wiz” and get a free ticket to this Saturday’s OVAHNESS Ball 3 - Welcome to the Emerald City!!! All gay/bi young men, ages 16-24, are invited to meet with REACH LA’s awesome counseling staff to learn more about REACH LA’s programs, HIV/STD risk reduction and earn a free ticket to a fabulous event. Free HIV counseling and testing will be provided by Bienestar beginning at 5pm-9pm. There will be lots of food, fun and giveaways throughout the evening. The Legendary Mother Sean Milan Infinity will be on hand to answer all your Ball category questions and to offer advice on how to “bring it to the runway.” For more information contact Tyrone at 213-622-1650 x104 or Greg at x109.

REACH LA’s Social Enterprise program launched it’s first line called OVAHNESS products. OVAHNESS products were produced and designed to initially promote the OVAHNESS Young Men’s Health Program. The overwhelming response to both the image and cause helped launch the “double bottom line” concept of social enterprise for REACH LA’s newest program - one that brings attention to a social cause like HIV/AIDS then puts the money generated from the sales back into REACH LA’s programs. That is why 100% of the net profit from sales will go back into the OVAHNESS Young Men’s Health Program whose goal is to promote sexual health and wellness through self-preservation, education and perserverance. HIV/AIDS rates of infection among young gay and bisexual men of color are increasingly higher than any another other group in the US. As the rates rise, the OVAHNESS Leadership works to provide HIV and STD prevention education to other youth, encourages and advocates for HIV testing and works to develop systems and resources that can move youth toward self sufficiency. To view OVAHNESS products go to www.reach.la/products (Continued below…)

Model: Enrique Hernandez, 21 - member of REACH LA OVAHNESS Team

This first endeavor drew from the “home grown” talents at REACH LA. Sean Milan began volunteering at REACH LA in 2006. He had a vision of helping REACH LA develop a fashion line utilizing the creative talents of REACH LA program participants. Sean and Director of Development Carla Gordon began brainstorming ideas how to develop and eventually launch this concept. REACH LA received a small grant from the Northern California grantmakers to begin research and development followed by a generous donation of silk screeninging equipment that helped to develop many of the early prototype items. The team enlisted the graphic design and photography skills of Francisco Armenta, 19, who started at REACH LA as a participant in the summer Arts Portfolio in 2004. It was in that program where he successfully designed his first social marketing card for a REACH LA campaign called “Be-An-Ally,” that educated students about AB537, an anti-discrimination and anti-harrassment legislation geared at protecting LBGTQ youth in public schools. Today Sean and Frank comprise the design team for the Social Enterprise program. The OVAHNESS Leadership Team helps to promote the OVAHNESS product line by flyering at events (like LA Pride), working at the REACH LA booth at NAESM and HPLS Conferences and wearing the OVAHNESS gear “with pride.” “The clothing provides a great way to meet people and to talk to them about our program,” says Outreach Coordinator Chris Blades. The team hopes to launch a Girl2Girl line of products in early 2009 that will help to support the programming and educational effort of the G2G Young Women’s Health Program.

Project consultant Carla Gordon, Social Enterprise Coordinator Sean Milan Harris and Social Enterprise Assistant Frank Armenta attended a jump start social enterprise training day in San Francisco November 15-16, 2007. This training was designed to help Community Technology Foundation grantees with basics in social enterprise, designing a business plan, working with youth workers and product marketing.