Center Blog

by Andy Cataldo

On Friday, October 19, mere hours before Chelsea Clearview’s midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a coalition of marriage equality activists gathered for the East Coast premiere of Question One, a film about Maine’s road to marriage equality through 2009.

Attendees “shivered with anticipation” of the upcoming election, during which equality would be voted on by the state for a second time. Now knowing the outcome of this month’s pro-marriage equality vote solidifies Question One as an historic account of the personal struggles of marriage supporters including facing fear and intolerance from the opposition.

The event, co-hosted by Gay City News and the Center’s Cultural Programs Department, began with remarks from US Congressman Jerrold Nadler, sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which is designed to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) signed by Bill Clinton in 1996. He spoke of the national climate with respect to marriage equality, how it has become less an issue of “if” but rather of “when.”

The film’s directors Joe Fox and James Nubile were also in attendance. Joe spoke about the filmmaking process in general, comparing it to the five stages of grief: anger, denial, bargaining, depression and acceptance. This analogy particularly rings true when thinking of the citizens of Maine who experienced the joy and relief of a state legislature passing marriage equality then having to accept the loss of it after the 2009 ballot initiative at the center of Question One. Thankfully we now know that the grief has been replaced with joy and accomplishment, as the state voted on November 6 to pass same sex marriage.

The film began with an overview of how Question One became a ballot initiative in 2009: the state legislature passed marriage equality, followed quickly by the efforts of opposition led by religious groups petitioning for a ballot initiative to overturn the law in November 2009.

Viewers are introduced to key players from the Yes on 1 side working against marriage equality, including Linda Seavy, a campaign volunteer and canvasser who believes that gay marriage is not an issue of civil rights. She declares that she doesn’t hate “their people,” speaking of the other side. The film shows meetings of Yes on 1 in churches where preachers speak of the familiar, specious statistics about Dutch gay marriages that “last an average of 1.5 years and involve up to 8 extra partners per year.” The other recurring argument we hear on Yes on 1’s side is about the exposure of children in schools to curricula describing how gays have sex.

We also meet same-sex families, including Darlene Huntress, Grassroots Director of the No on 1 initiative and her partner, as well as Sarah Dowling, a volunteer who was present at the screening. She and her family – partner Linda and daughter Maya – attended the election night headquarters in 2009 to be together as a family when the results were announced.

The most surprising element of this story comes from Marc Mutty, co-chair of the Yes on 1 campaign. In interviews, it’s clear that he’s deeply conflicted with his position as well as envious of Frank Schubert, a political consultant hired by the campaign for his success in other state campaigns against gay marriage, for stealing the spotlight. Mutty spells out his own internal struggle, claiming to be doing what he’s told only because it is his job (he’s the Director of Public Affairs for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland) as well as his power struggle with handing authority over to Schubert. Mutty represents the first leak in the dam of opposition not just in Maine, but the nation as a whole, as Maryland, Washington and Minnesota also cast votes in favor of equality this month

While the larger story continued beyond the scope of this film on November 6, Question One remains a relevant profile of what each state must face along the country’s path to equality. For more information about Question One visit www.Q1-themovie.com.

By William S. Villafranco, Founder, Villafranco Wealth Management and Footprints in the Sand Foundation

Back in the early 90s, AIDS was on everyone’s radar. It had become a crisis of mass proportion, poised to wipe out hundreds of thousands of people. At that time AIDS was the top priority issue, and bike rides, red ribbon sales and dance-a-thons raised millions of dollars with one goal: finding the cure for AIDS. Two decades later, that goal still has not been realized. While significant advances in treatment have been made, there remains an awful lot of work to be done.

A straight, private wealth manager from New Jersey might seem like an unlikely candidate to get involved in a charity bike ride to benefit New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. I have to credit one of my favorite client’s daughters, Kit Opatut, who came to me raving about her internship at the Center and all of the good work that was going on there. She encouraged me to get involved by joining Cycle for the Cause, the Center’s HIV and AIDS ride. I’ve done charity bike rides before, and have always wanted to make the trip from Boston to NYC, so I said sure, sign me up.

The physical demands of the ride were easy to anticipate, but I didn’t expect to make such powerful connections with the other riders. They were people riding for themselves, for family members and for friends, all happy to talk with me about why they do this year after year. I wanted to know what was so special about the Center; why participate in this AIDS ride specifically? Over and over I heard the same answer: the Center literally saves peoples’ lives.

One guy, Frank, who I had breakfast with every morning, shared with me that his father died of AIDS in the early 80s. Frank connected with the Center later in life when he came out, and again when he needed assistance overcoming substance abuse. Between the HIV and AIDS prevention programming and support services that could have helped his dad, and the helping hand that the Center extended to Frank during his darkest hour, he has seen the Center save lives – including his own. Frank opened my eyes to a community I never really knew and hadn’t paid much attention to.

Others on the ride told me about the youth programing at the Center that gives kids a safe space where they can be themselves, and celebrate who they are, instead of hiding it. As the father of four very special daughters, who has also experienced the loss of a son, this hit home with me in a profound way. The Center and I share the commitment to creating a loving, supportive environment for children that allows them to grow surrounded by acceptance and happiness, instead of heartache.

In the space of three days and 275 miles, it gradually sank in that no one on this ride was any different from me. Maybe I wasn’t technically a part of the LGBT community, but for those three days we were all part of something more than just a bike ride. I had joined a group on a mission – a mission to help keep the Center going, to be a part of securing that “home away from home” that the riders confirmed it is.

Frank made me care, so I made it my goal to get others to care. After a bit of legwork, I’m thrilled to say that I’ve helped secure $50,000 to support the Center, which pushes the Cycle for the Cause final tally well over $500,000. It’s not often that a person gets to have a truly eye-opening experience, and this bike ride was one for me. Now I share the passion and vigor that everyone on the ride had for making sure that the Center is around for a long time to fight the good fight.

We are proud to report on the amazing work of Center staff at The 2012 Gay Men’s Health Summit held July 20-21 at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Since 1999, the Gay Men’s Health Summit has worked to lay the groundwork for an expanded activist gay, bisexual, and transgender men’s health movement in the United States.

This year the summit was organized around eight core issues:

• Exploring the longings for intimacy and connection with other men and the social structures, networks, and ideologies that promote or prevent such connections.
• Understanding the meanings of anal sex, penetration, and the exchange of semen and exploring the relationships between various racial, ethnic, and class-based masculinities and anal sex practices.
• Addressing the emotions, pleasures, and wounds emerging from childhood and adolescent experiences with boys and men.
• Tapping into the sources of resilience, creativity, determination, humor and playfulness in diverse gay men’s cultures.
• To support the healing from trauma: violence, abuse, homophobia, racism, poverty, AIDS and addiction.
• Examining the ways transgression, risk, and cultural taboos interact with gay men’s sexual desires, practices, and subcultures.
• Confronting the ways in which privileged youth masculinities present challenges to, and opportunities for, the well-being of men as they grow older.
• Reviving and recreating community rituals, social structures, and networks to replace those lost during the most intense years of the AIDS crisis.

The workshops conducted by our talented Community Services Directors included:

Celebrating Male Diversity: Emotional Support and Community Building for Trans-Men

Andres Hoyos, MS, LCSW, NYC LGBT Center

Making decisions about their bodies and talking about isolation and depression are often difficult topics for trans-men to discuss. For this reason, the space created at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City is vital for trans-men to be able to connect with others. The goal is to increase knowledge and strengthen minds and confidence in the ways trans-men think about health and wellness while sharing experiences and celebrating their manhood.

During the meetings, we discussed identity, sexuality, sexual desires, safety, community and taking control of our lives. There is a real fear within the trans-male culture of talking about mental health. This workshop sought to normalize the conversation by facilitating a discussion around the similarities between cis-gendered gay men and trans-men. The workshop fostered a respect for the diversity of trans-men and focused on building healthy relationships between gay trans-men. The group also confronted trans-phobia among masculine identities and feelings about being gay by celebrating trans-identities as an important part of the continuum of masculine identities.

Magical Transformations: Work done by, for and with Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Immigrants

Andres Hoyos, MS, LCSW, NYC LGBT Center, and Luis Nava-Molero

This interactive workshop explored the unique challenges and strengths of working with GBT immigrants in a community based organization in NYC and the different modalities of work done with them. These include: outreach, assessment, referrals, individual counseling and support groups, support for asylum seekers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, community events, trainings and advocacy using peers, peer-professionals, and professionals. The impact of substance abuse and HIV prevention (primary and secondary) on the population will be discussed, as well as the overall impact of moving people from a place of need to empowerment and finally to becoming agents of change. The presentation was based on knowledge gained after seven years of working with more than 600 immigrants from over 50 different countries, where a considerable amount of the work has been providing support for asylum seekers and fighting isolation through promoting community building.

Not Quite Ready to Quit, Motivating Gay and HIV Positive Men to Quit Smoking/Smoke Free Queer Man: Eliminating health disparities in our communities/Policy & PrideFest: Impacting the Health of Our Queer Communities through Effective Tobacco Prevention & Control Policies

Andres Hoyos, MS, LCSW, NYC LGBT Center

This interactive workshop provided participants with current research on the interaction between tobacco use, cigarette and cigar smoking, general health, and HIV related health risks. In addition, minority stress in gay, bisexual, transgender and other men who have sex with men and the vulnerability to initiate tobacco use or difficulty in quitting, was discussed. The presentation consisted of myths and facts about smoking and health, information about support to quit smoking, and nicotine replacement therapies especially for people living with HIV/AIDS. Participants engaged in the “decisional balance” approach to increase personal motivation and explored challenges and barriers to taking action. Participants viewed and learned how to use social media in smoking cessation and other behavioral change. In addition, information about how the Center has put in place a comprehensive approach to the issue by participating in community organizing, advocacy and public policy around smoking cessation was discussed.

“Getting There from Here” The Ongoing Effects of Crystal Meth on Gay Men and the Use of Harm Reduction and Abstinence-Based Interventions in Treatment

Antonio Ruberto, Jr., LCSW, CASAC, NYC LGBT Center and
Josh Riley, LPC, NCC, Whitman Walker Health

Over the past several years, crystal meth has become entrenched within our community creating a call to action among service providers not seen since the early days of the AIDS epidemic. While this drug continues to be highly visible among gay white men, there is increasing evidence of its use by other members of our community.

Historically there has often been a divide between the recovery community and practitioners of harm reduction. Whether real or imagined, this divide perpetuates the belief that these two approaches are mutually exclusive and in conflict with one another. Can harm reduction and abstinence-based recovery work together in a way that is complementary? Can these two seemingly different approaches support and motivate change in users?

This workshop explored the continued effects crystal meth is having on all gay men, including gay men of color. The importance of examining the use and abuse of crystal meth within a larger framework of gay men’s health (mental health, physical health including HIV and Hepatitis C, trauma history) provided participants with a holistic view on how to more effectively approach treating gay men struggling with this addiction.

The presentation explored different treatment approaches that operate from both a harm reduction and abstinence-based perspective. Examples from evidence-based treatment interventions, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, contingency management, and others from a variety of settings, were used to illustrate how harm reduction and abstinence-based recovery can work together to support individuals to achieve their substance use and sobriety goals.

Men Becoming Parents

George Fesser, LMSW, NYC LGBT Center, John Weltman, Esq. and Emily Sonier, LICSW, Circle Surrogacy and Dr. Ann Kiessling, Director of Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation

This workshop was open to all men and focused on the specific needs of gay, bisexual, and transgender men who are HIV positive and interested in learning more about how they can become parents. Information focused on biological methods of reproduction with the use of a surrogate and egg donor, but information was also provided for other parenting alternatives. Participants at this workshop obtained knowledge regarding artificial insemination, sperm washing, surrogacy, parenting partnerships and other methods for becoming a parent.

This Pride season the Center would like to take a moment to fill you in on all the programs, services and events we offer to transgender and gender non-conforming people, through our Gender Identity Project (GIP).

“We’re thrilled about the expanded services we’re able to offer this year,” said Gender Identity Project Community Prevention Coordinator, Cristina Herrera. “We have two exciting new groups: ‘Stories’ for trans and gender-non-conforming (GNC) people on the feminine spectrum, and ‘Voices’ for trans and gender-non-conforming (GNC) people on the masculine spectrum. We’ve also added Comprehensive Risk Counseling Services, and this July we’ll begin rapid HIV testing at the Center.”

The Gender Identity Project (GIP) was founded in 1989 and is the first transgender-driven project initiated and fully supported within a Community Center, and focused on the needs of the greater queer community. The GIP works to foster the healthy development of transgender and gender non-conforming people, partners, family and community. Through the delivery of a range of supportive services, advocacy, outreach, education and capacity-building, the GIP creates a safe and productive atmosphere for community-building, wellness and self-care, and leadership development.

The GIP is also the first transgender peer counseling and empowerment program in New York State. This landmark program serves 850 transgender clients yearly:  75% are transgender women, 30% are Black, 3% API, 53% Latino.  Annually, these clients receive individual 230 counseling and referrals visits and made 620 visits to drop-in groups and events.  The GIP offers bilingual services by staff members and peer interns, as well as outreach materials printed in Spanish, which are specifically designed for transgender immigrants. 

As touched on above by Cristina Herrera, in addition its numerous regular offerings, the GIP most recently added several new services to meet the emerging needs of the community. The Trans/Gender-Non-Conforming (GNC) Feminine “Stories” Group is a weekly discussion group on topics including: gender pride, assertiveness skills training, managing relationships and coping skills.  Members of the group are also encouraged to share their personal stories in a safe & supportive environment.  The group meets for 6 week cycles, 3 times a year for a total of 18 meetings a year. The Trans/Gender-Non-Conforming (GNC) Masculine Spectrum “Voices” Group, a weekly discussion group on topics including: community building, emotional health, gender pride, managing relationships, role models and sexual health.

The Center’s (GIP) services have never been more vital. According to a report released earlier this year by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), “transgender people face unrelenting discrimination in virtually all aspects of their lives.”

Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey was published in February and revealed widespread discrimination experienced by transgender and gender non-conforming people across the board.

Here are the key findings:

• Discrimination was pervasive for all respondents who took the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, yet the combination of anti-transgender bias and persistent, structural and individual racism was especially devastating for Latino/a transgender people and other people of color.

• Non-citizen Latino/a respondents were often among those most vulnerable to harassment, abuse and violence in the study; their experiences are noted throughout this report.

• Latino/a transgender people often live in extreme poverty with 28% reporting a household income of less than $10,000/year. This is nearly double the rate for transgender people of all races (15%), over five times the general Latino/a population rate (5%), and seven times the general U.S. population rate (4%).iii The rate for Latino/a non-citizen respondents was 43%.

• Latino/a transgender people were affected by HIV in devastating numbers. One in twelve Latino/a respondents were HIV-positive (8.44%) and an additional 10.23% reported that they did not know their status. This compares to rates of 2.64% for transgender respondents of all races, .50% for the general Latino/a population, and 0.60% of the general U.S. population. The rate for Latino/a non-citizen respondents was 23.08%

• Forty-seven percent (47%) of Latino/a respondents reported having attempted suicide.

• Latino/a respondents who attended school as transgender people reported alarming rates of harassment (77%), physical assault (36%), and sexual assault (13%) in K-12; harassment was so severe that it led 21% to leave school. Nine percent (9%) were also expelled due to bias.

• Respondents who were harassed and abused by teachers in K-12 settings show dramatically worse health and other outcomes compared to those who do not experience such abuse. Peer harassment and abuse also had highly damaging effects.

The Center’s GIP program is well aware of those alarming statistics and works tirelessly 365 days a year to help thousands of transgender and gender-non-conforming (GNC) people. Here are just a few recent examples:

- On December 13, 2011, Director of Center Wellness Andres Hoyos, joined Center clients in testifying before New York City Council’s Committee on Immigration as it looked into how NYC immigrants are treated in detention centers. Cecilia Gentili, a Gender Identity Project Peer Educator and transgender immigrant from Argentina told her story of how she faced both sexual assault and verbal abuse in detention centers before she was ultimately granted asylum after being in this country for 10 years.

New York City Council’s Committee on Immigration

 - As a community center, the Center works to ensure adequate resources to address the evolving needs of LGBT people, with a focus on New York City and State. At a hearing held by the City Council Committee on Civil Rights and Committee on Health on December 16, 2011, Gender Identity Project Community Prevention Coordinator Cristina Herrera, Lesbian Cancer Initiative (LCI) Coordinator Cristina Moldow, and LCI Peer Intern Kaz Mitchell, urged the City Council to bolster efforts by the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) to require trainings that ensure all LGBT people are treated with respect in city hospitals, and develop robust standards to evaluate these endeavors.

New City Council's Committee on Civil Rights and Committee on Health

- 2012 marks the third year of the Gender Identity Project’s (GIP) TransLatina collaborative. TransLatina offers supportive services to Latina transgender women, including support services on self-defense, trauma and stress reduction, and medical services including STI screening. On January 31, over 60-participants gathered at the first TransLatina social event of 2012 which was held in collaboration with Community Health Care Network, Sylvia Rivera Law Project, AIDS Center Queens County, and Make the Road New York and hosted at the Queens Pride House.

- The Gender Identity Project’s (GIP) Trans Hand-on Team (T-HOT) conducted three community needs assessments in March and early April. The meetings were held at the Center, at the AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC) in Woodside and at Make the Road in Bushwick. They addressed a wide array of concern impacting the transgender and gender non-conforming communities focusing on the needs of communities of color. Dr. Paul Weiss presented on chest and breast reconstruction surgery for transgender men and women to over 65 participants at the March 23 GenderTECH 2012 event.

- On April 27, the Center’s Gender Identity Project hosted the Lorena Borjas Community Fund (LBCF) – Ribbon Cutting Event, sponsored by Sylvia Rivera Law Project, the Community Healthcare Network and the TransLatina Network of NYC. Lorena is a transgender Latina activist and facilitates a group for the GIP’s Trans-Latina project. The LBCF is a volunteer-run project to help low-income LGBT immigrants.

Lorena Borjas Event at the Center, April 2012

- The GIP’s peer team lead by Community Prevention Coordinator, Cristina Herrera, participated in the 11^th annual Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference from May 31 to June 2. The GIP presented TransLatina Stories, a workshop that focuses on the GIP’s unique community-driven approach to successfully engaging and empowering transgender women from Latin America and the Caribbean to live healthier lives while promoting overall wellness.

- On June 12 changes were announced to the New York City Police Department Patrol Guide that will help ensure that police officers treat transgender and gender non-conforming people with dignity and respect. The patrol guide changes are the result of nearly 18-months of negotiations between LGBT advocacy groups including the Center, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s office and the NYPD. They address an array of unique problems that transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers face when they are arrested, processed and detained in police precincts.

Center's Director of Community Services, Carrie Davis (NYPD LGBT Advisory Panel Member)

The GIP is honored to do this work every day on behalf of the community—and the testimonials below confirm why it’s so important:

“I am a proud partner of a transwoman for the last 20 years. I was connected by my partner to the counseling services at Center’s Gender Identity Project which also provides services to partners and families of the transgender community.  I was assigned a counselor who has helped me feel much better and was able to understand my concerns as a partner of a transwoman. I am no longer feeling highly stressed because I had someone to talk about things that I have held in for years.  It has helped me improve the condition of my relationship, which was rocky when I started counseling.  My counselor helped me process my difficult history and the Center was a safe space for me to talk about the stressors such as having a HIV positive partner. Today, I feel happy because of the help I received from the Center.  For that, I am very grateful.”

Carlos- Gender Identity Project Client

“The Center helped me tremendously. You gave me a sense of worthiness and the strength to become a productive member of society. That ultimately led to my favorable asylum decision.”

Cecilia Gentili- Gender Identity Project Peer Educator and transgender immigrant from Argentina

For more information GIP’s vast set of resources, please visit us here on our website.

Happy Pride to the entire community!

On Thursday, May 24 the Center and several other agencies co-sponsored a community forum on HIV criminalization featuring a screening of a short film, HIV is Not a Crime followed by a panel discussion.

Panelists included Robert Suttle, Assistant Director of The Sero Project, who was convicted and incarcerated in Louisiana for HIV non-disclosure, Attorney Beirne Roose-Snyder from The Positive Justice Project, and Sean Strub of Poz Magazine and Executive Director of The Sero Project.

Partner organizations included the Positive Justice Project, ACT UP, SERO, Queerocracy and the Center.

Here are several points covered during the May 24 discussion:

-HIV criminalization penalties are vastly disproportionate to any potential risk or actual harm.

-HIV criminalization undercuts most basic message about sexual health, which is that each person must ultimately be responsible for him or herself.

-HIV criminalization is inherently discriminatory, and singles HIV out in an exceptional manner, treating it differently from other sexually transmitted infections which, if left untreated, can also cause serious harm.

-HIV criminalization creates a “viral underclass” in the law, creating different criminal law for people with HIV than for everyone else.

-Prosecutions have little or nothing to do with contemporary science or whether or not there is an actual risk present; they are about whether or not the person with HIV can prove disclosure.

-HIV criminalization leads to poor public health policy because it discourages testing (ignorance of one’s HIV status is the best defense)

- HIV criminalization discourages disclosure, for fear of someone from one’s past coming forward; every person with HIV is now one disgruntled ex-partner away from being in a courtroom.

-Mounting evidence shows these laws don’t achieve their intended purpose (to reduce HIV transmission); a growing body of evidence shows they actually contribute to the spread of HIV by driving stigma and discouraging testing.

To learn more about this issue, watch HIV is Not a Crime here.

There’s a new report out today that emphasizes the importance of LGBT community centers.

CenterLink, the Community of LGBT Centers and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) released the comprehensive report which details the critical services offered by LGBT community centers, as well as a national overview of centers across the country. The 2012 LGBT Community Center Survey Report: Assessing the Capacity and Programs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Centers surveyed 79 LGBT community centers nationwide.

Despite the slow economic recovery, LGBT Centers manage to provide vital resources to 1.7 million people annually. The report details the many ways in which community centers are a lifeline in the LGBT community, offering a variety of much-needed resources including Physical and Mental Health Programs, Information and Education Programs, Legal Services and Programs, Social and Recreational Programs, Community Outreach and Civic Engagement, Computer Centers, and more.

 The full report is available online at www.lgbtcenters.org or www.lgbtmap.org.

On Thursday, May 24 the Center and several other agencies are co-sponsoring a community forum on HIV criminalization featuring a screening of a short film, HIV is Not a Crime followed by a panel discussion.

Panelists include Robert Suttle, Assistant Director of The Sero Project, who was convicted and incarcerated in Louisiana for HIV non-disclosure, Attorney Beirne Roose-Snyder from The Positive Justice Project, and Sean Strub of Poz Magazine and Executive Director of The Sero Project.

Partner organizations include the Positive Justice Project, ACT UP, SERO, Queerocracy and the Center.

The event is from 6 PM to 9 PM at the Center on 208 West 13^th Street in Room 101.

For More Information call: 646-556-9300

Guest Post by Richard Allen

“If you need my bra, my shirt, my weave, my lashes, I’m going to give it to you.  That’s just the kind of person I am.” – Lady Jasmine

On the most recent World AIDS Day, filmmakers Kate Kunath and Sasha Wortzel screened the rough cut of their documentary film Starlite at the Center.  The Starlite Lounge was a gay bar in Crown Heights, Brooklyn that closed in 2010, due to the location being sold and the subsequent rent hike –one which, it is suggested by the film, was as much a choice based in moralism as in commerce.  The Starlite lounge was the oldest black-owned gay bar in New York, and the oldest black-owned business on Nostrand Ave., and the film makes a compelling case for the importance and centrality of it to the history of gay life in New York, black life in New York, as well as simply the history of New York itself.

The documentary, which looks fantastic—the colors are crisp and clean, and avoid many of the problems of shooting in digital—seeks to tell the history of the Starlite, from its beginnings in 1959 on through to the community efforts, ultimately unsuccessful, to keep it open.  In between, it tells the story of the owners, bartenders, customers, and performers of the Starlite, and the uniquely welcoming community that sprang up around it.  As one of the filmmakers said, this story lies “at the intersection of race, orientation, gentrification and AIDS awareness,” but it is truthfully about a place that rose above cultural differences.  Ittruly became a safe space that was welcoming to all, and sought to be more than just a place that served alcohol or had a dance floor, but instead a hot spot for community activism, AIDS activism, gang deterrence, and racial and sexual reconciliation.  Along the way, the film makes manifest the impact of AIDS on everyone who is even marginally connected to the LGBT community.

Following the screening, there was a question-and-answer session with the filmmakers; the owner, Linda King; a former bartender, Dennis Parrott; the former resident drag queen, Lady Jasmine; as well as several customers.  They all continually discussed the impact of the Starlite lounge and the hole created in the community, as well as their hopes and attempts to reopen in another location.  Their warmth and openness towards the audience, and their easygoing affection for each other were the best advertisement for what New York is now missing, and one hopes that they are ultimately successful in re-establishing this crucial safe space.

Read the latest information about our Center Ride here:

MEDIA ADVISORY

April 3, 2012

Contact:

Cindi Creager, Director of Communications & Marketing

(646) 358-1703, ccreager@gaycenter.org 

Center Gears up for 18th Iconic AIDS Ride

Boston to NYC Center Ride Set for September 21-23, 2012

Kick-Off Rally April 16; New Ride Producer and Manager Named

New York, NY April 3 , 2012 — The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, the world’s second largest LGBT Center, today further revealed plans for our 2012 AIDS ride, the annual event that has been raising critical funds for the Center’s HIV/AIDS related programs and services for 18 years, beginning in 1995. As shared in March with riders and crew, this year’s Boston to New York cycling journey is set for September 21-23. (Registration info here)

The Center is hosting a kick-off rally on Monday, April 16th from 6:30-8:30 PM, providing an opportunity for the community to meet our new producer, new and past riders and crew, and the HIV/AIDS clients we serve. The nationally syndicated Derek and Romaine Show will also broadcast live during the event on Sirius XM Radio. Last year the show raised over 40-thousand dollars for the ride.

“After a great deal of research, due diligence and thoughtful consideration, we are thrilled to announce the selection of LeadDog Marketing Group, Inc. as our 2012 Ride producer,” said Executive Director Glennda Testone. “An event production and marketing agency headquartered in New York, LeadDog has a passion for, and extensive experience in, logistical support and production for run, walk, and bike events across the country.”

In addition the Center is thrilled to welcome Michael Beck as its 2012 Center Ride Manager. Michael joins the Center following a successful affiliation with the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center as a cyclist, fundraiser and most recently, the recruitment coordinator for AIDS Life Cycle.

“Our clients are our number one priority,” Testone said. “Government funding for HIV/AIDS has fallen drastically, while the vast need for our programming continues to climb. Growing and improving our AIDS ride is a vital step to ensuring we have enough resources to sustain and enhance the programs and services we provide to the people who need us most. We’re extremely excited about Center Ride and eager to work with our new production partner, LeadDog Marketing Group, Inc.”

WHAT/WHO: Center Ride Kick-Off Rally! Meet our ride producers, LeadDog Marketing Group, Inc., our new ride manager Michael Beck, Center Staff, HIV/AIDS Clients, Past and Current Riders and Crew, and more! The Derek and Romaine Show will broadcast live throughout the event! 

WHEN: Monday, April 16, 2012, 6:30-8:30 PM

WHERE: The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center

208 West 13th Street, New York City

CONTACT:  Press should RSVP to: Cindi Creager, Director of Communications & Marketing
(646) 358-1703, ccreager@gaycenter.org 

About the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
A beacon of hope for 29 years, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center builds and supports our community through arts and culture, wellness and recovery, HIV/AIDS services, family services and life-saving youth programs designed to foster healthy development in a safe, affirming environment. The Center envisions a world where LGBT people will no longer face discrimination or isolation because of who we are or who we love. We offer a welcoming home to 300,000 visitors each year and we are committed to serving all LGBT people through a variety of programs, services and activities that are designed to meet existing and emerging needs. The Center is many things to many people. We invite you to experience our home at 208 West 13th Street in person and online at gaycenter.org.

Guest Post by Allie Axel

America has a great memory for moments of heroism but bouts of amnesia for those times when we falter. Like when President Reagan refused to acknowledge a crisis that wiped out more Americans than those killed in the Vietnam War. How many of us learned about the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. in school? Even high school lesson plans on HIV/AIDS are brief and insufficient. The new documentary 30 Years From Here serves as an “AIDS 101″ course for the American people. In its digestible 52-minute format, the film presents the history of the virus, the untold stories from those who lived through the crisis, and a present-day assessment of the effect it has on our lives now.

On the evening of March 13, every seat was filled  and there were a dozen people standing in the back, leaning against walls as the film, 30 Years From Here played at the Center. The audience seemed to be composed of people who had lived through the start of the AIDS epidemic in the 80s to those who gained awareness in the late 90s. Although the film targets teenage audiences, few people under twenty were present. But that does not mean under-twenties will not see the film.

The beauty of 30 Years From Here is that it is designed to be viewed on TV, thus reaching a far larger audience, especially those flipping channels and coming across a shocking subject they know nothing about. After the film screened, there was a Q & A session with the director, Josh Rosenzweig. Hands were slow to raise at first but then the questions started rolling, creating an emotionally charged atmosphere of curiosity, concern and frustration. The overarching question that the director and audience hoped to answer: How can we overcome the stigma of AIDS and promote awareness among today’s youth? 30 Years from Here is the first step to finding an answer.