REACH LA NEWS

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.

Wednesday, April 8th from 7-9pm: The Ovahness Leadership presents “Crystal, Speeding Out of Control” - a presentation and discussion about crystal meth with Mike Rizzo, Manager of Crystal Meth Recovery Services at LA Gay & Lesbian Center.
Learn about crystal meth, how it effects our bodies and mind. Learn how to identify use of crystal meth and how to talk candidly with family, peers and others about substance use and recovery. Light snacks and beverages served. All are welcome. For more information contact Tyrone at 213-622-1650 x104, or tyrone_reachla@earthlink.net

Tuesday, April 14th - The Legend Returns to Present… The Grundge, Legend Lessons Part 2: Don’t Come For Me!” BQ Vogue Performance sponsored by REACH LA For more information contact Greg at 213-622-1650 x109, or greg_reachla@earthlink.net

Wednesday, April 22, 7pm-9pm - Ovahness Book Club book signing and discussion “Shaming the Devil,” by G. Winston James . Author is scheduled to attend. For more information contact Greg at 213-622-1650 x109 or greg_reachla@earthlink.net

Saturday, April 25, 3:30-6:00pm - Ovahness Academy: Elements of Vogue. 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
For more information contact Chris at 213-622-1650 x108

G2G Leader Jasmine Smith, REACH LA Peer Health Educator Alexis Blades and Kafi Battersby Manager of Young Women’s Health Programs attended the annual “Reproductive Freedom Day” on March 24, 2009 at the Sacramento Convention Center. The REACH LA representatives participated in mini-workshops on reproductive justice issues and advocacy, defeating Proposition 8 and community organizing. The California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom arranges legislative visits with state representatives in order to educate them on issues that effect reproductive rights and healthcare for women and girls. During the closing session, Kafi Battersby participated in a panel on Youth and Reproductive Justice. “It was particularly powerful to have Jasmine there to meet our allies and to represent the youth perspective,” said Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley, “because this experiences brings the political and policy pieces into the bigger picture of reproductive health. Our allies, legislators and peers need a face and a story to understand what we are all there to protect and improve. Jasmine, Alexis and Kafi represent all of the issues - from consumer, frontline worker, advocate and educator. They bring a unique package of experience to this event.”

G2G Leaders Melissa Walker and Vanessa Castellano travelled to Tuscon, AZ for the western regional leadership training sponsored by Choice USA. The Leaders were two of 25 young women from throughout the western states who gathered to learn about reproductive rights and advocacy for young women. “The three day training was intense,” said Vanessa Castellano, “we worked the whole time. The best part was meeting the other girls.”

Maurice Burnett, MSW, Assistant Professor of Counseling at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College came to the joint Ovahness and G2G Leadership meeting on March 18 to discuss pathways to higher education. Mr. Burnett shared his own pathway to higher education and how his Master’s Degree in Social Work helps him with his current job as a counselor. “I think the most valuable piece of the presentation was his encouragement of learning a trade and using that means to support the pursuit of higher education. Our youth need to see other options of how to obtain their goals,” said Executive Director Martha Chono-Helsley, “the pathway to higher education is filled with many potholes - cost to attend, books, bad school experiences can be hard to overcome. Obtaining a certificate in a trade or vocation can lead to new and exciting paths that can ultimately provide the financial and confidence needed to move on to an AA, BA and beyond.”

Women & Girl’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was celebrated with a teach in , resource fair and free HIV testing on Friday, March 13, 2009 at the El Camino College Compton Community Educational Center. Around 150 women and girls took part in a variety of workshops, including topics such as the global and local issues on HIV, sex and sexuality from a cultural perspective, race and gender identity, prostitution, partner abuse, female anatomy, birth control, emergency contraception and self- esteem. Voluteer presenters from Black Women for Wellness, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, YWCA GLA Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Women’s Leadership Project, Pacific Institute for Women’s Health and Charles Drew University generously donated their time and expertise to educate others at the event. In resource square, AIDS Research Alliance, Black Women for Wellness, National Council on Alchol and Drug Dependence. Planned Parenthood LA, South Bay Family Healthcare, Tarzana Treatment Center-Long Beach, Women Alive, Women at Risk and YWCA of Greater Los Angeles provided resource information to the event attendees. (more…)