REACH LA was selected to be a beneficiary of Macy’s Passport Fund. On September 26, REACH LA staff,G2G and Ovahness leadership teams and volunteers headed out to Barker Hanger in Santa Monica to participate in Macy’s Passport: Fashion Inform night. The REACH LA team facilitated activities that taught youth about HIV/AIDS, STDs and risk reduction. Armed with “rub-on” tattoos, REACH LA discussed how HIV can be transmitted thru sharing needles. 
Others manned the “Fishing for Answers” game, where youth threw pingpong balls into brightly colored fish bowls that identified either a HIV, STD, pregnancy prevention, or substance abuse questions. REACH LA Volunteers from Oakwood School proudly ran the popular “Tongue Billards” game that helped players learn the importance and ease of barrier use. All game winners were awarded with “Macy’s Bucks” that were redeemable for a variety of prizes. All of REACH LA’s volunteers were rewarded with the opportunity to see the Macy’s Passport fashion show complete with fashions by Ed Hardy- Christian Audigier, Ben Sherman, Levi and Calvin Klein. REACH LA rode in style to and from the event in the Power 106FM provided their “party bus.” (more…)
Battling Scarecrows… “Stephanie Mills Dorothy” vs. “Diana Ross Dorothy” were some of the battles that took place at
OVAHNESS Ball 3 - Welcome to the Emerald City.” The festive green glow was highlighted by the yellow runway where 450 youth gathered to see the hottest voguing, twisting and posing on the westcoast. Jack Mizarhi shared the commentating with Enyce Chanel who encouraged all to just “ease on down, ease on down the road.” LA favorite DJ Ben provided the beats. Representatives LA, Oakland, Atlanta, and New York battled for $1,000 in prize money. REACH LA staff and volunteers provided one-on-one risk reduction counseling to 65 youth throughout the night while
AIDS Healthcare Foundation,
Bienestar and
LA Gay and Lesbian Center’s POW program provided free HIV testing and STD screenings until midnight. Ovahness Program Manager
Tyrone Carter said “WOW, this night was a great success! The Ovahness Leadership team should be proud - all their hard work in marketing and promoting really paid off. They did a great job in planning this thing and bringing all the elements together.”
(more…)
Last night over 75 youth came to the Pre O3 Party held at the offices of REACH LA. Staff and volunteer counselors met one-on-one with 61 youth to discuss sexual health, risky behavior and benefits of HIV testing. 
Twenty youth took advantage of the free HIV counseling and testing services provided by Bienestar. As youth waited for their risk reduction session, they ate chinese food and pizza, watched movie “The Wiz”, got re-aquainted with REACH LA staff, and hung out with their friends. “Everytime we do this event I get to catch up with all the kids & house parents who have been a part of the REACH LA family” boasts Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley, “We have a great time checking in with each other.”
The evening also marked the debut of REACH LA’s Peer Health Advocates Devaughn Sherman, Justin Yoshida and Stacy Alford, newly trained and certified community youth who work within their social networks to get sexually active youth to test for HIV. (more…)
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.
2008 NAESM African American HIV leadership Conference in Oakland California, January 24-27, 2008 - The Ovahness Leadership Team along with Martha Chono-Helsley, Executive Director and Tyrone Carter, Manager of young Men’s Health Programs aimed at building the capacity of young men of color through HIV and health education advocacy attended the 2008 NAESM African American HIV leadership Conference in Oakland California, January 24-27, 2008. 
One team members announced, “This is my first time flying”. The group of young men where excited to present in the session entitled Community Mobilization and Awareness the Ovahness program and the award winning documentary ‘I’m Still Here: Becoming Legendary” which was very well received. The staff and young men where bombarded with question and compliments. The young men attended a variety of workshops focused on HIV Prevention and developing leadership skills. Those youth who attended were Stephan Daniels, Devaughn Sherman, Kyle Butler, Pierre Porter, Peter Singleton, Stacy Alford, Angelo Martinez, Enrique Hernandez and Chris Blades.
Unbeknown to Chrst Blades, REACH LA Outreach Coordinator and Ovahness Leadership Team member was nominated for his work. Christ Blades received and standing ovation when honored with this award “The Harold Philpot Award, outstanding community service, dedication, and contributions to remove HIV/AIDS from the African American MSM community.
Each year students and teachers at Oakwood decorate their school gym and parking structure with HIV prevention messages and haute couture dresses made from condoms. REACH LA staff and volunteers add to the carnival atmosphere by providing fun, interactive, HIV awareness games. This year’s game “Sexopoly” (designed REACH LA youth artist Frank Armenta) was a giant game board with oversized foam dice and questions along the path that make you stop and think about HIV transmission and how the disease effects teens. Pit stops along the way included our usual games of condom races, tongue billiards, and fake tattoos. The REACH LA signature HIV education dance party video reel was projected on multiple screens on the dance floor.
