REACH LA NEWS

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”…

REACH LA’s Greg Wilson was honored at the Wellness for Life Black Men’s Health Conference on August 8th at the Wilshire Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The conference and the award was presented by In The Meantime Men’s Group. Greg was honored for his commitment to combating HIV in the LA community. Greg is the Assistant Manager of the Ovahness Young Men’s Health Programs. In additional to risk reduction counseling and HIV testing, Greg has managed the Ovahness Young Men’s Leadership team which provides leadership training in HIV advocacy, community moblization and peer education. Greg has worked closely with the House/Ball community as a key member of the House of Ultra Omni and principal organizer of the GAATES Foundation, a new non-profit focusing on the needs of at-risk youth in urban areas. Greg works closely with the LGBTQ Youth Advocacy Coalition, Connect to Protect Coalition and the LAGLC’s Jeff Griffith Youth Center. Currently Greg is a scholar of the CDC’s AIDS Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership.

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

LEARN FROM LA’S BEST!! This Saturday from 3:30pm-6:pm!

Ovahness Academy: Elements of Vogue
Saturday, April 25, 2009 .
Learn how to master the 5 elements of Vogue Fem w/Of the Year’s Enyce Chanel, Stacy Chanel, and Joey Mizrahi.

Hollywood Dance Center, 817 Highland Avenue, Hollywood, 90038
(between Santa Monica and Melrose)

For more information contact Chris at 213-622-1650 x108

Calling all REACH LA Alumni Peer Health Educators and G2G Leaders!!
REACH LA’s Girl2Girl Program
FRIENDRAISER & REUNION BRUNCH

We are going through a lot of changes here at REACH LA and we need your help to get the word out about what we are up to.

This event will be a great opportunity to network and combine forces with a variety of women and/or just check in with old friends. Brunch will be served during an open conversion about REACH LA’s latest efforts to make change and how you can help!

Saturday, April 25, 2009
11 AM - 1 PM
@ REACH LA
1400 E Olympic Blvd. Suite #240
Los Angeles, Ca 90021

Please RSVP via e-mail: Kafi_REACHLA@earthlink.net or 213-622-1650 x101.