Center Blog

Cross posted from Velvetpark:

Glennda Testone, The Changing Face of the LGBT Movement
October 26th, 2009

Glennda Testone, the new executive director of the LGBT Community Center of New York, is perhaps the youngest new leader in what seems to me to be the changing face of our movement.

The news of Testone’s appointment rippled through the gay blogosphere earlier this month, and last week we had a chance to have the first (and I’m sure not the last) in depth interview with her.

When we made the appointment, Glennda thought we were going to do a written interview, so she was a little taken aback when Megan and I turned up with the video camera. Given the fact we caught her off guard I think she more than handily managed the interview, leaving me with the distinct impression she’s got a bright future at the Center.

See the original post at http://www.velvetparkmedia.com/video/glennda-testone-changing-face-lgbt-movement

Cross posted from Towleroad:

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: I Would Support Amending 1964 Civil Rights Bill to Cover Gay Rights

Andy and I had the chance to sit down and interview United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at the LGBT Community Center in New York City on Sunday afternoon.

Watch the interview, AFTER THE JUMP…

We spoke to the Senator about the legislative road to repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, critics who have questioned her convictions on LGBT issues, the marriage equality battle in New York State and also if she’d be supportive of amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation.

Said the Senator: “I would [be supportive of that]. I truly believe that this gay rights agenda is the civil rights march of our generation. I think marriage equality, I think repealing DOMA, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. All of that work we’re doing is part of equal rights in America and it is something that is so important to this generation. I think that kind of bill would be transformational…Whether we have the votes for that kind of bill today, I don’t know. But it’s something certainly worth fighting for.”

Senator Gillibrand had a small private meeting with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activists from five boroughs before holding a larger event that was open to the general public. Lt. Dan Choi introduced her at the public event and she updated the audience on the current pieces of legislation before the Congress that are of importance to the gay community. She then took questions from the crowd. During the question and answer period she told a few personal anecdotes related to growing up in a political family where her grandmother had a close gay couple as friends and also how during her career as a senior associate at a law firm she had plenty of gay colleagues.

See the original post at http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/towleroad-interviews-united-states-senator-kirsten-gillibrand.html

Cross posted from Joe. My. God.:

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand will appear at NYC’s LGBT Center at 3:30PM this Sunday, where she will speak about the repeal of DADT and DOMA.

As a New York progressive, Senator Gillibrand strongly believes in equal rights for all. Since her time in the House of Representatives, she has spoken out in support of full marriage equality, becoming one of the first members of the U.S. Senate to favor full marriage rights for same sex couples. In the U.S. Senate, Senator Gillibrand is working on an aggressive agenda to provide equal rights for all, including eliminating the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in our armed forces, protecting people of all sexual orientations and gender identities from hate crimes and employment discrimination, and repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. This event is an opportunity for New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community leaders to meet your new Senator, learn more about her agenda and discuss your priorities.

To attend, RSVP at the above link.

See original post at http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2009/10/sunday-sen-kirsten-gillibrand-to-appear.html

This week, the Center’s Associate Director of Center CARE Wellness, Andrés Hoyos, is featured in the second part of an Advocate.com health video with Dr. Frank Spinelli. If you missed it last week, check out part one of the segment.  Watch below or at Advocate.com.

Ask the Doctor: The Power of Support Networks, Part 2: Dr. Spinelli delves further into the side of HIV treatment that is most often overlooked: mental health.  Watch now.

Below is another still from the segment:

For more information:

Center CARE Wellness
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
Advocate.com Ask the Doctor

In the 80’s, Molly Ringwald starred in such beloved coming-of-age movies as Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink, then moved to Paris in 1992 to star in such films as Seven Sundays and King Lear. But Molly’s also done a ton of theater! She starred as Sally Bowles in Cabaret on Broadway, in a London stage production of When Harry Met Sally, the Tony-nominated Enchanted April, and the Off-Broadway production of tick, tick… BOOM!, produced by one of this year’s honorees, Robyn Goodman. Molly can currently be seen on TV in the ABC Family series, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”

***

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center invites you to celebrate our 12th annual Women’s Event on Saturday, November 7, 2009, featuring cocktails, dining, fabulous silent auction items, dancing and more at our annual gala and premier women’s celebration.

This year the Center is thrilled to honor Broadway Producer Robyn Goodman, and Congregation Beth Simchat Torah Spiritual Leader Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum. And we are proud to introduce our new, first-ever in our history woman Executive Director, Glennda Testone!

Click here to buy your tickets now!

Saturday, November 7, 2009
Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers
New York City

7:00 – 8:00 pm Cocktail Reception
8:00 – 9:30 pm Dinner and Program
9:30 pm – Midnight Dessert and Dancing

For information about becoming a Table Captain or Table Host, please contact our Deputy Director of Events & Marketing, Wilson Alexander Aguilar.

As we announced in August, the Center’s Associate Director of Center CARE Wellness, Andrés Hoyos, is featured in a new Advocate.com health video series with Dr. Frank Spinelli. Part one of the segment, which also includes the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center’s Director of Mental Health, Katie Douglass, is online now.  Watch below or at Advocate.com.  The second part of the video will air next week, so stay tuned!

Ask the Doctor: The Power of Support Networks:  Dr. Spinelli uncovers the side of HIV Treatment that is most often overlooked: mental health.  Watch now.

Below is a photo from the taping in August:

Andrés Hoyos of the Center, Katie Douglass of Callen-Lorde, and Dr. Frank Spinelli

For more information:

Center CARE Wellness
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
Advocate.com Ask the Doctor

Ride with the Center to the National Equality March this Sunday, October 11, in Washington, DC. The Center is giving away bus tickets one of our Facebook fans and one of our Twitter followers.  Enter the contest by 5PM today, October 8, 2009!

On Facebook, first become a fan of the Center at facebook.com/lgbtcenternyc. Find our wall post about this contest, and post a comment by 5PM today! We’ll send the winner a message. The winner will get two free bus tickets from NYC to DC this Sunday, October 11.

On Twitter, first follow the Center at twitter.com/LGBTCenterNYC. Then tweet by 5PM – include both @LGBTCenterNYC the hashtag #NEM in your tweet. We’ll direct message the winner! The winner will get two free bus tickets from NYC to DC this Sunday, October 11.

If you don’t win, you can always buy bus tickets on the Center’s website!  See you in DC!

Watch a special message from “The Real World: Brooklyn” Cast Member Scott Herman, specially crafted for Center Members like him! Watch the video below or on youtube.com/LGBTCenterNYC!

Post a comment about this video on YouTube.

Become a Center Member today – not only will you receive Scott’s special discount to ScottHermanFitness.com, you’ll also make sure that the Center’s doors stay open 365 days a year! Learn more about becoming a Center Member and about our Center Rewards program.

Be sure to subscribe to the Center’s YouTube channel, LGBTCenterNYC, and Scott’s YouTube channel, ScottHermanFitness.

The National Equality March is this Sunday, October 11, 2009
Attend a Planning Meeting Tonight, October 6, 8-10PM
Purchase Bus Tickets on the Center’s Website & in the Lobby

Message from Bruce Anderson, Interim Executive Director

It’s not too late to be part of the historic National Equality March this weekend in Washington, DC. Bus tickets are now available on the Center’s website and in our lobby. There is also a planning meeting tonight at the Center. We look forward to marching with New York City’s LGBT community on Sunday!

Buy Bus Tickets Today

The Center is pleased to join The National Equality March in inviting you to ride with us from New York City to Washington, DC, on Sunday, October 11th, 2009. Tickets are available now at gaycenter.org/nationalqualitymarch. Tickets are also available in our lobby; call 212-620-7310 for more information.

Buy your tickets now. In less than one week, buses will depart at 6AM on October 11th from a growing list of locations around the city, at prices lower than any of the commercial bus lines. They return to NYC by 10:30PM that night. Making this important trip couldn’t be easier. So get your friends together and make a day of it.

Buy tickets online by Thursday to win VIP Tickets to the 2010 GLAAD Media Awards Gala or Gold Passes to the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force’s Winter Party in Miami. There are no passengers on this journey. We are all activists and we all have a roll to play in making the March a huge success. If you purchase your bus tickets online by Thursday, you could win VIP tickets to the 2010 GLAAD Media Awards or a pair of Gold Passes to the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force’s Winter Party in Miami. Buy bus tickets now.

Together we will make history. Purchase your bus tickets now and join us in DC.

Attend a Planning Meeting Tonight at the Center

Tuesday, October 6, 8-10PM

The Center, 208 W. 13th Street (Map)

Come network, strategize, and share information at the New York City Mobilization Meeting for the National Equality March! Find more information at gaycenter.org/nationalqualitymarch and www.nationalequalitymarch.com.