Category Archives: Community
Men of Matinee NYC and Boxers Bar
This year, Matinee NYC announces the launch of their sexy 2015 charity calendar, featuring the Men of Matinee and Boxers Bar, shot by celeb photographer Marco Ovando.
100% of the proceeds will directly help provide homeless LGBT youth with the support and nourishment they need to succeed and thrive in NYC.
Grab your copy at any of the 3 Boxers Bar locations (Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, Philadelphia) for a minimum donation of $20, and receive a free Stoli cocktail.
With your help, we can reach our fundraising goal of $50,000!
MEET THE MEN! Thursday Jan 8th – Boxers Chelsea
Friday Jan 9th – Boxers Hells Kitchen
All proceeds benefit Ali Forney center
GayFace Launches
GAYFACE: 1st Class prepares to launch on April 8th. We are excited to announce that our project is ready to launch – GAYFACE: 1st Class uses photo portraiture to empower queer individuals and give the public a personal relation to the individual. Alongside with its sister project ALLYFACE, which allows allies of the LGBTQ+ community to show their support.
Ashley Kolodner began GAYFACE as a personal project in 2011, but in 2012 it gained traction as a powerful way to give a voice to the LGBTQ+ community. Since then we’ve been taking the project where ever we could and are ready to take it national.
My mission through GAYFACE: 1st CLASS, and the accompanying ALLYFACE photo series is to unite and empower the full-spectrum LGBTQ+ community and our allies. In doing so we will be able to give this community a voice through the pages of this first edition portraiture book. For more info contact us at gayface1stclass@gmail.com
Exergamers NYC: Senior Centers connect online for first-ever Xbox Bowling Competition
Many of New
York’s innovative senior centers have begun exergaming by offering Zumba
dancing and bowling with Microsoft Kinect for Xbox. Classes and friendly competitions have taken
place within the senior centers and between them.
·
Participating
senior centers reflected some of New York City’s most innovative and diverse
senior centers. In fact, the sites that competed in the virtual bowling league
included the Services
& Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) Center,
Selfhelp Benjamin Rosenthal Senior Center, and the VISIONS/Services
for the Blind and Visually Impaired center.
o
SAGE: Services
& Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) is the country’s largest and oldest
organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) older adults.
o
SelfHelp
Community Services Inc.: For the past 70-plus years, Selfhelp Community Services, Inc., a
non-profit organization, has been dedicated to enabling seniors and at-risk
families to live in their own homes, independently and with dignity. Selfhelp serves seniors in Flushing, Queens, which
is one of the most ethnically diverse areas of New York.
o
VISIONS: Celebrating
its 87th year of service, VISIONS assists people of all ages who are blind or
visually impaired to lead independent and active lives in their homes and
communities; and educate the public to understand the capabilities and needs of
people who are blind or visually impaired
Third Party Research
·
According
to a study by the American Journal of Preventive
medicine in February 2012, exercise may prevent or delay dementia. However, only 14 percent of adults aged 65
to 74 years and 7 percent of those over 75 years exercise regularly.
In
a public/private partnership that builds upon the past success of New York
City’s first Virtual Senior Center, created in 2010, the Department for the
Aging (DFTA) and the Department of Information Technology &
Telecommunications (DoITT) teamed up again with Microsoft to launch the very
first Kinect for Xbox virtual bowling match. The interactive competition will
take place between two of DFTA’s Innovative Senior Centers (ISC) – The SAGE
Center, the first LGBT senior center in the city, and
Selfhelp, the city’s first virtual senior center. A third ISC – VISIONS, the
City’s first Innovative Senior Center for blind and visually-impaired seniors,
will also host an exhibition of its Kinect program.
“Technology
is rapidly changing the way we perform even the most routine activities and it
is important that we promote digital inclusion,” said NYC Department for the
Aging Commissioner Lilliam Barrios-Paoli. “We must make sure our seniors are
actively engaged with technology, whether it is social media, a discussion with
family over Skype, or through an email with a loved one. When we can have our
seniors not only embrace technology, but also have it benefit their physical
wellbeing, it’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
“‘Exergamers
NYC’ is a shining example of how the City can use its public-private technology
partnerships to help New Yorkers – in this case our seniors – connect with
innovative solutions to improve their quality of life,” said DoITT Citywide Chief
Information and Innovation Officer Rahul N. Merchant. “The Bloomberg
Administration is committed to using technology to better serve New Yorkers.
Through this program we are collectively providing more opportunities for
seniors to engage with readily available technology to boost activity, social
interaction, and overall wellbeing.”
READ MORE at the Department of Aging
SAVE New Yorks Gay Halloween Parade
The
New York City Village Halloween Parade, a not-for-profit arts
organization, today announced the launch of their Kickstarter Campaign,
set to go live on September 17th. The campaign will raise
monies in an effort to recover considerable financial losses from the
last minute cancellation of last year’s Parade due to Superstorm Sandy,
as well as provide financial backing to ensure that the Parade will
celebrate its 40th Anniversary this Halloween.
The
iconic event has provided an exuberant cacophony of lights, sounds and
magical visuals on Halloween night for the past 40 years, attracting
over 2 million people from across the globe at the 2011 Parade alone.
Last year’s cancellation was the first in the Parade’s history, marking a
milestone the organization never hoped to meet. In the face of
devastation and destruction, the Parade has always been there to lift
the spirits of the global community, having been the first major event
in New York after 9/11, welcoming thousands of Hurricane Katrina
refugees in 2005 and commissioning Haitian Carnival Puppets in 2010
after the earthquake in Haiti.
“While
nothing compares to the tragic loss of life and home caused by Sandy,
the last minute cancellation proved to be a financial disaster for the
Parade, putting our
organization
out over $50,000,” said Jeanne Fleming, Producer and Artistic Director.
“We have been hard at work to overcome the setbacks Hurricane Sandy
brought, but
now
we are asking the millions of people who have ever marched in or
watched to parade to help us make certain the Parade lives on.”
Through the help of crowd funding via Kickstarter, the Parade will continue to entertain the public for a 40th
year with a special appearance of the Giant Spider by Master Puppeteer
Basil Twist on the Jefferson Market Library Clock Tower. For more
information on how to become involved in the Kickstarter campaign to
save the New York City Village Halloween Parade, please visit http://www.kickstarter.com/
Gay New York Online Dating
Are you tired of clubs and the bar scene? Online dating has exploded in
recent years and now 1 in ever 3 couples meet online. If you are looking
for someone in New York now there is a website strictly for gay men and
women in the Big Apple, GAYNY.net. GayNY is not a typical website.
and Florida. With some help from state of the art technology members
can only sign up if they live
within a 60 mile radius of New York City. Now you don’t have to look at
emails from people in Boston or Philadelphia. GayNY has several
thousand members and is always looking for more innovation to connect
gay men and women in New York City.
Best of all, it’s free to
sign up and browse the personals. You only have to pay if you want to
begin contacting other members. One month is only 19.95 and three months
is only 39.95. If you compare this to other dating sites such as Match
and eHarmony you are saving just as much and have access to just as
many members.
What are you waiting for? Someone in New York is looking for someone just like you.
New York Photographer Launches GayFace 1st Class project
GayFace is a current collection of
fine photography works by New York City photographer/artist, Ashley
Kolodner. Gay rights, as human rights, have long been thrown aside by
the American society. Sexuality cannot be defined as black and white
for all. There are many members of the LGBTQ Community that do not
identify with just one label. Queer culture is most often portrayed as
radical, quirky, off-beat even unserious, or detrimental to social and
familiar norms. The goal of this project is to break barriers that the
LGBTQ community has lived under. The purpose is to give this community
the voice it deserves and the power to speak their truth.
This collection of works is done to portray the innovative, personal,
and participatory face of the gay movement and American culture at
large and in the home.
Each
subject is photographed with their eyes closed, then eyes open. The
images are meant to be seen side by side. Closing their eyes gives the
viewer a sense of the subjects’ vulnerability. The eyes open, allows the
subject to look the viewer directly in the eye. Once the photographs
have been taken, each subject participates in a short interview stating
their name and their identifiable label of their choosing.
The work will then be projected onto different buildings and landmarks, to superimpose this true-to-life image of the gay community and further the aims of the movement in light of the
current ACLU and marriage court
cases. She has and will continue to tour the United States to shoot
individuals who overtly, or covertly,
identify
themselves within the LGBTQ community. Her work has already
contributed greatly to the self-identity and empowerment of these
individuals, producing a massive support system. This work will also be
contributed to book projects, street art and gallery exhibitions. She
is working to unify others in her movement in celebration of sex,
freedom of identity, freedom of association, and culture.
Facebook: https://www.
Tumblr: http://
Website: www.
+ Pool Will Become a Reality in New York’s Hudson River
It’s going to happen! A pool in the Hudson River! It started with a vision – not it’s going to become a reality!
for everybody to swim in clean river water right here in NYC.
river, what if you started by just cleaning a small piece of it?
what if you could change how New Yorkers see their rivers, just by
giving them a chance to swim in it?
A Kickstarter fund drive was launched with goal of $250,000, “we’ll be able to build the 35′ x
35′ Float Lab off the Brooklyn shore this August, giving everybody a
chance to see and learn about how + POOL will clean the rivers.” – As of July 20th, $273,000 has been raised!
+ POOL is driven by the supporters, backers and collaborators that want
to see the pool in the water as much as we do. So we thought, what if
we broke the pool into bite-size chunks and gave everybody a way to
claim a piece of the pool for themselves?”
Find out how to own your own piece of the pool at Kickstarter!
Press Conference on Anti Gay Hate Violence in New York…
JUNE 7, 2013, THE BRONX, NY: “The Bronx LGBTQ Center (the “Center”) has gathered you here to announce a series of outreach initiatives to combat the anti-LGBTQ sentiment that begets incidents of hate violence highlighted by recent media reports of thirteen anti-gay attacks in Manhattan since May, as well as let the community know that we are here, and we are here to stay,” Tym Moss, the Center’s president, announced.
“>www.avp.org/get-help/report-violence.
New Yorks Bronx LGBT Center talks Anti-Violence June 7th
This Friday! Bronx LGBTQ Center to Address Spike in Anti-LGBTQ Violence
On Friday, June 7th,
the new Bronx LGBTQ Center will address a recent and disturbing spike
in the number of incidents of anti-LGBTQ hate violence that have been
committed in NYC.
At the event, the Bronx LGBTQ Center’s president, Tym Moss,
with the support of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., will
announce outreach initiatives that it will undertake to combat the
sentiment that begets such attacks.
In addition to Mr. Moss and Borough President Diaz, other
community leaders and organizations–including victims of these
attacks–will speak on this issue and join in support of the Center’s
outreach initiatives.
WHEN: Friday, June 7, 2013
WHERE: Steps of the Bronx County Building, 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY
TIME: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
CONTACT: Peter C. Frank, secretary of the Bronx LGBTQ Center,
Gay Hate Crime Laws are Examined in New York
Sen. Brad Hoylman, the state Senate’s only openly gay member, plans a forum to discuss the state’s hate crime law.
In the wake of a recent spate of attacks on gays in Manhattan, a state
senator plans to hold a public forum on the effectiveness of the
state’s 13-year-old hate crimes law.
Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan), plans the forum for June 14 in the city.
“It’s time to put the law under the microscope and see how effective
it’s been,” Hoylman told the Daily News. “Certainly the rash of
anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered violence in the last month
is the impetus.”
Gornell Roman Arrested in Connection with Killing Mark Carson
ARRESTED!
Village that police say was one of several anti-gay attacks in recent
days.
Gornell Roman was arrested on charges of assault and aggravated harassment, both as hate crimes.
Roman is accused of yelling an anti-gay remark and attacking a drinking
companion on Monday. Roman and the victim, Dan Contarino, lived at a
nearby homeless shelter.
It was one of 2 anti-gay attacks authorities announced Tuesday following the killing of a gay man over the weekend. midnight
Police said two men were walking in lower Manhattan Tuesday morning when
two other men yelled homophobic slurs in Spanish and attacked them. Two
suspects were arrested on hate crime assault charges.
Mark Carson was killed Saturday as he walked with a companion through
Greenwich Village. Police say a man charged with murder as a hate crime
shot Carson just blocks from the Stonewall Inn, where riots sparked the
modern gay-rights movement in 1969.
Following the deadly shooting, officials said police would increase
their presence there and in nearby neighborhoods through the end of
June, Gay Pride Month.
Carson’s shooting came after reports of several other anti-gay attacks
in recent weeks. Those include an assault on two men who were walking
arm-in-arm near Madison Square Garden on May 5, police said.
The Center SUMMER CAMP Events
summer, the Center is sending you back to CAMP with our annual Summer
“Camp” Festival. But not the kind of icky outdoor camp with tents and
mosquitoes – instead, we’re serving up drag queens and NO WIRE HANGERS!
Jump start your summer with fun, games and a celebration of the elusive
queer aesthetic known simply as “camp.”
FOURPLAY – Thursday, May 9; 7:30 p.m.
Giving John Waters a run for his sleazy money, Kyle Henry’s raucous
independent film, Fourplay presents a quartet of sex tales in four
American cities. Henry and Paul Soileau (Christeene) host.
HOLLY WOODLAWN: A LOW LIFE IN HIGH HEELS – Thursday, May 16; 7 p.m.
Once appearing alongside Candy Darling and Jackie Curtis, the legendary
Andy Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn will read from her biography and
screen her 1973 short film Broken Goddess.
DRAG BINGO WITH HEDDA LETTUCE – Tuesday, May 21; 7 p.m. Drag bingo returns to the Center for one night only with kooky prizes, double entendre and a cash jackpot. Time to get lucky!
BRINI MAXWELL DOES BARBARELLA – Tuesday, May 28; 7 p.m.
Wall-to-wall shag carpeting, evil Lava Lamp goo and glittery spacesuits
that fall off at a moment’s notice? Forget Jane Fonda…we’ve got the
mod-tastic Brini Maxwell to help us through this camp classic.
MATCH GAME LIVE – Thursday, June 13; 7:30 p.m.
A live stage version of the campiest, kitschiest game show in history —
The “Match Game”! Match Frank DeCaro, Jackie Hoffman and other celebs
for prizes. Get ready to laugh your _BLANK_ off!
THE CENTER
First AIDS Generation Reunites to Discuss The Early Crisis Years in New York City May 9th
Hundreds
of New Yorkers who lived during the worst devastation of the AIDS
years, joined by leading educators and scientists, will come together in
a free panel discussion and town-hall meeting to discuss the unique
challenges they face as a group.
Titled “Is This My Beautiful Life? Perspectives From Survivors of the AIDS Generation,“
this first-ever community forum will take place on Thursday, May 9,
from 7-9 pm, in Mason Hall at Baruch College, 17 Lexington Avenue (enter
on 23rd Street). The space is wheelchair accessible. The
panel discussion will be followed by a public forum for attendees to
discuss their experiences, share their challenges and ask questions of
panelists.
The event is free but pre-registration is required at www.broadwaycares.org/life
. This town hall is particularly targeted at gay men in midlife,
whether HIV-positive or HIV-negative; all person living with HIV; former
and current AIDS activists, caregivers, and service providers; and New
Yorkers who lost friends, lovers, and colleagues to AIDS.
The evening will be hosted by the Tony Award-winning star of Angels in America,
Stephen Spinella. It will begin with short presentations by experts on
aging, activism, mental trauma, and chronic disease. The panel of
experts will be moderated by Dr. Perry N. Halkitis (Associate Dean for
Research and Doctoral Studies, Professor of Applied Psychology and
Public Health, NYU Steinhardt, Professor of Population Health, NYU
Langone School of Medicine and author of the soon-to-be-released book, The AIDS Generation: Stories of Survival and Resilience).
“As
the youngest of those people now enters middle age, it’s clear
that—like soldiers—the AIDS generation suffers even after its fight has
abated,” said event co-organizer John Voelcker. “Many members of the
group that fought the ravages of the epidemic, buried its brothers and
sisters, and endured a war that the rest of the world felt it could
ignore seem to suffer what may be something similar to post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). Their depression rates are higher, they may
engage in unsafe sex, and a few of those with HIV inexplicably stop
taking the lifesaving anti-retroviral medications that saved their lives
15 years ago.”
REGISTER ONLINE
Gay Pride New York 2013
HOW COOL IS THAT PHOTO? Such CELEBRATION!
NYC & Company,
New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership
organization, is highlighting several annual gay pride events taking
place throughout the City as the summer travel season begins.
Recognized as the number one LGBT travel destination in the United
States, New York City will be brimming with energy, diversity and
excitement. From the flagship Heritage of Pride events in
Manhattan—where nearly 2 million people are expected to attend—to
the diverse pride events and celebrations happening in the boroughs
outside Manhattan, New York City is the ideal destination for visitors
seeking a unique and festive pride experience.
“New York City is an
iconic destination for LGBT travel, particularly during our annual
Pride Week celebrations,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC &
Company. “Following the legalization of same-sex marriage
in New York two years ago, the City remains the most popular gay travel
destination in the United States. We encourage visitors from around the
world to book their travel now and experience the many pride
festivities taking place throughout the five boroughs.”
A full listing of NYC 2013 pride activity can be accessed at nycgo.com/gay. Highlights of activity taking place throughout
the City, organized by borough, follows:
Manhattan
Heritage of Pride,
which organizes the City’s flagship LGBT events and
commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots that sparked the modern
gay-rights movement, features the theme “Rain to Rainbows” for its
lineup of pride events this year.
“After
years of inequality in this country we are finally turning the course
toward receiving full equality. While this won’t be achieved overnight
we
are proud of our community’s accomplishments over the last decade and
look to the future with a positive stance on the state of LGBT rights,”
said Chris Frederick, Managing Director of Heritage of Pride. “With the
Supreme Court deciding on same-sex marriage
days prior to NYC Pride’s largest day we are projecting an increase in
attendance to nearly 2 million individuals and are excited to welcome
the world with open arms.”
The PrideFest street fair, now in its 20th year, will take place on
Sunday, June 30, 11am–6pm. Thousands of visitors attend the event at
Hudson Street between Abingdon Square and West 14th Street each
year, joining locals, corporate sponsors, community leaders and business
owners.
With Edith Windsor (the central figure
in the case challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act), Harry
Belafonte (singer, songwriter and longtime social activist) and Earl
Fowlkes (president and CEO of the
Center for Black Equity) as the grand marshals, The March will
take place on Sunday, June 30, at noon. The parade, which has taken
place to celebrate the gay community since 1970, begins at 36th Street
and Fifth Avenue and ends in Greenwich Village.
Free registration is now open online.
Three events will take place at Pier 26 (on the West Side Highway; attendees should cross at Laight Street) this year:
·
The Rally will take place on Friday, June 28, 7–10pm, showcasing speakers and well-known
performers in honor of the first NYC pride rally that occurred one month after the Stonewall Riots.
·
Rapture on the River,
one of the nation’s largest ladies-only dance events, will celebrate
its 10-year anniversary on Saturday, June 29, 3–10pm. Tickets
are available online.
·
On Sunday, June 30,
Dance on the Pier is back for its 27th year with
award-winning DJs and the world’s longest-running LGBT fireworks display
along the Hudson River. The event, 3–10pm, is the official close to NYC
Pride events. Tickets are available
online.
To purchase tickets, register and access a comprehensive list of all events, visit
nycpride.org or follow Heritage of Pride on Twitter (twitter.com/nycpride)
or on Facebook (facebook.com/nycpride).
Bronx
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., in partnership with Boogie Down Pride and Brainpower, will host the third annual
Bronx LGBT Allies Award Ceremony on Thursday, June 20, 2013, 6pm,
at the Rotunda at 851 Grand Concourse. The event will honor individuals
who have made positive contributions to the LGBT community in the
Bronx. For more information, go to
bronxboropres.nyc.gov/.
Brooklyn
New
York City’s most populous borough celebrates gay pride with events on
Saturday, June 8. Brooklyn Pride 2013 features the 16th annual
Brooklyn Pride LGBT 5K Run through the historic Prospect Park. Runners must sign up at
nycruns.com (limited to 500 participants). Runners can check in at 8am; the
race starts at 10am.
Also on June 8, visitors and locals can attend the
Brooklyn Pride Festival, 11am–5pm at a new location, on
Fifth Avenue, between Third and Ninth Streets. This year’s festival will
feature two stages for local performers and LGBT–friendly sports teams
that will be playing behind the Old Stone House
at J.J. Byrne Park.
At 7:30pm, the Brooklyn Pride Parade will begin at a new location, at Sterling Place, and march down Fifth Avenue, ending at Ninth Street.
For more information, please visit
brooklynpride.org.
Queens
On Sunday, June 2, Queens Pride, which promotes education and awareness of LGBT issues in the borough, hosts its
Parade and Multicultural Festival, noon–6pm, in Jackson Heights,
with the theme “Equality. Everyday. Everyone.” The parade starts at
85th Street and 37th Avenue at noon, and will follow 37th Avenue through
75th Street. Also starting at noon, the festival
will take place through 6pm on 37th Road between 74th and 77th Streets.
Parade participants will have the opportunity to win “Queenie Awards,”
ranging from the best use of color to the best drag performance.
For more information and to register for the events, go to
queenspride.org.
Staten Island
The Staten Island LGBT Community Center hosts the
LGBT Pride Parade & Festival 2013 in the St. George
neighborhood on Saturday, June 1, noon–5pm. The parade kicks off at noon
at on Central Avenue at Slosson Terrace, ending at Tompkinsville Park,
where the festival will feature LGBT–friendly entertainment,
amusements and vendors till 5pm.
For more information and to register for the events, visit
silgbtcenter.org or
facebook.com/
New Yorks Dog Poop Problems
WE LOVE OUR DOGS!
But lets face it , dog poop is gross.
It’s hard to imagine eight million people trying to avoid dog refuse on
the streets of New York City on a daily basis. It’s harder not to
imagine New Yorkers from all walks of life picking up after their
canines. Using plastic bags or trendy, mechanized devices, pet owners
have become a unified force in cleaning up the sidewalks of the Big
Apple. We forget that Health Law 1310, which went into effect in 1978,
was the first such legislation to work in a major city, and that the
strange custom of scooping in New York continues to influence
communities around the world. READ THE BOOK – New York’s Poop Scoop Law: Dogs, the Dirt, and Due Process (New Directions in the Human-Animal Bond)
How do you pick up your dogs poop?
Many
dog
owners pick it up with a non-biodegradable plastic bag. They “recycle”
(re-use) one of those plastic bags from the grocery store. They pick up
the poop and throw it away. Those are just about the worst invention EVER!
But then what happens? It gets sent
off somewhere, to live on forever and ever and ever.
You
may not think about it, but chances are if you have a dog you’re creating
excess waste, somewhere. There are approximately 78.2 million owned dogs in the
United States. That’s a lot of poop!
NOW – We have better choice! A smarter Green solution!
Paul Cannella, the owner of Chicago-based PoopBags.com, created a solution.
Cannella’s PoopBags are 100 percent TOTALLY biodegradable dog waste bags —
Made from corn starch and other renewable resources, PoopBags are shelf stable products that will degrade, after use, at the same rate as the core of an apple.
“I used to always run out of bags for my dog, May. I started grabbing extra bags when I could: my Mom would save them for me, I always asked for double-bagging, etc. I started looking for sources on the web and discovered just how bad plastic bags were for the environment.” says Paul.
In 2003, there were very few resources for biodegradable bags — and it remains true today. While many claim to be biodegradable, only a couple actually meet the ASTM D6400 specification, which allows you to legally claim your product is biodegradable.“
Check out Poop Bags.com for an assortment of items!
The ORIGINAL and the BEST Poop Bags!
Ross Mathews Takes a Bite out of New York City in May
As
a young kid growing up in a farm town, Ross Mathews might as well have
wished for a pet unicorn or a magical calorie-free cookie tree to grow
in his front yard.
probably been more likely to come true than his real dream: Working on
television in Hollywood, California. I mean, seriously, that stuff just
doesn’t happen to people like Ross. But guess what. It totally did.
Ross Mathews, is now one of the most in-demand television personalities today. Ross
has traveled the world as a Tonight Show correspondent,interviewing everyone from Oscar winners to British royalty, quickly
becoming a late-night television staple and a favorite of the
public.
will be in New York that week doing press, as May 7 is the official
release date of the book as well!
The MAN UP book will out May 7th.
The book, Man Up!: Tales of My Delusional Self-Confidence , willbe Mathews’ first and include a humorous collection of observations and
personal stories and takes readers inside Mathews’ personal journey as a
super fan, revealing the most embarrassing and hilarious moments of his
small town life and big city adventures, and how he managed to turn an
obsession with pop culture into one on one interactions with celebrities
like Paltrow, Tiffani-Amber Theissen, Madonna, and Michelle Kwan [to
name a few] without ever having a single restraining order issued
against him. It also will feature a foreword by actress Gwyneth Paltrow and an afterword by late-night host Chelsea Handler.
“Ross has been a friend of mine for 10 years, and this book is
hilariously sad, hilariously naïve and hilariously gay. I love this
book,” Handler said.
“The book is about my experiences, thus far, in
life. Growing up in a small town and then navigating Hollywood. The
theme that’s been running through that is something I talk about on
Chelsea a lot; what I’ve coined as “man-up.” I think I always try to
man-up,” explains Ross.
“What I mean by that is, understanding you are what you are and
you’re going to have your flaws, but rather than heaping a lot of
negativity on whatever makes you different or whatever makes you unique,
really shine the light on that and use it to make you stand out, I
think that’s just something innately that I’ve done my entire life,
totally on accident. I probably owe it to my mother, because she was
effusive with her compliments, even when they were undeserved. I would
love to spread that message. Like, come on, life is short you gotta love
yourself. Get over it and let’s keep movin’ on to make a difference in
the world.“
Mathews
currently lives in Los Angeles with his partner, Salvador, and their
two rescue dogs, Louise and Mijo. When not working on his many projects,
Mathews is a strong supporter of the Human Rights Campaign, speaking at
many of their nationwide events and he received their Visibility Award
in 2011.
When once asked, Why do you think visibility is so important for our community?
He says, “Oh my gosh, it’s like crazy, super, big time important!
I grew up in a teeny farm town in Mount Vernon, Washington, and I was a
little gay kid and I didn’t know what it meant to grow up to be a big
gay grown-up. I didn’t know any gay people and back then I didn’t see
any gay people on TV. I didn’t learn until I went to college that I
could be a totally happy grown up, loud, proud, out gay person. It’s a
different world now, in part, not to toot my tooter, partly because
people like me are on TV, out, loud and proud for a decade now!” TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!!
5/7/13
Check our Ross’s Blog and grab all of his social media links!
New Yorks Gay Youth Center Gets Grant
GREAT NEWS!
The Ali Forney Center (AFC) – the nation’s largest services and advocacy organization working on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) runaway and homeless youth – is excited to announce that it has received a grant from the Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation.
implemented in other cities including Minneapolis and Chicago. In the program, adults will open their homes for up to one year to a limited number of the AFC’s youth, offering young people a chance to live day-to-day as part of a stable, LGBTQ-supportive household. Given a severe shortage of shelter beds in New York, the program has the potential to make a significant impact.
The AFC has been researching a Host Home Program for over two years,
visiting other organizations that have implemented such programs –
including Minneapolis’ Avenues for Youth and Chicago’s uCan – to learn
from their experiences and prepare to implement a counterpart in NYC.
The pilot version of the program will introduce one full-time Host Home
Coordinator who will lead implementation and community development. The
program offers NYC residents the opportunity to open their homes and
host a homeless LGBTQ youth for a period of up to one year. Both Host
Home Providers and youth will be supported through the program, which
will include training, counseling, and targeted goals. The AFC is
looking to explore partnerships with community organizations, including
the Brooklyn Community Pride Center and the LGBT Community Center in
Manhattan. Individuals will be screened to ensure they meet the
program’s eligibility criteria. Similarly, AFC’s care team will screen
and offer specialized support to youth who enroll in the program, as
participation is entirely voluntary.
Said Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center: “With such
a terrible dearth of shelter beds available for the estimated 1800
homeless LGBT youth on the streets of New York each night, every bed is
of vital importance. I am incredibly grateful to the MacFarlane
Foundation for their generosity, which will allow loving adults to open
their homes to our youth, many of whom lack any kind of family support.”
Said Jessica MacFarlane of the MacFarlane Foundation: “The MacFarlane
Foundation is thrilled to contribute to the Ali Forney Center’s Host
Home Program. The Ali Forney Center is a leader in serving homeless
LGBTQ youth, and they set a standard for other organizations to aspire
to. This program will bridge the gap between the current housing offered
by the Ali Forney Center and young clients’ living independently. The
Foundation feels strongly about the importance of supporting the LGBTQ
community and is pleased to support the Ali Forney Center.”
The MacFarlane Foundation has issued its grant in order to help AFC pilot
the Host Home Program to determine the program’s viability. The pilot
will also allow AFC the opportunity to secure greater funding for the
continuation of the program. This is the second new program AFC will be
introducing in 2013. In the coming months AFC will expand the operation
of its Drop-In Center in Harlem to offer 24/7 programming, the first of
its kind in the nation for homeless LGBTQ youth.
About the Ali Forney Center
The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June of 2002 in response to the
lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. The Center is
committed to providing these young people with safe, dignified,
nurturing environments where their needs can be met, and where they can
begin to put their lives back together. AFC is dedicated to promoting
awareness of the plight of homeless LGBT youth in the United States with
the goal of generating responses on local and national levels from
government funders, foundations, and the LGBT community. For more
information, see www.aliforneycenter.org
About the Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation
The Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation makes catalytic
contributions to organizations, by enhancing the impact of existing
endeavors and leveraging organizations’ capacities to expand their
reach. The Foundation aims to improve the opportunities of individuals,
build strength within communities, and effect lasting change. The
MacFarlane Foundation is a family foundation whose funding reflects the
individual interests and passions of its Trustees.
Davey Wavey asks New York: What Do You Fear
Facebook and Twitter!
this project!
Thanks to Sam who shot this video. Sam is also
making a Davey documentary and requesting video submissions from blog
buddies for his video. Check out a private teaser of Sam’s doc…. and use the password ‘shirtless’. Upload your responses by Dec. 10 as a video response to this video.:
Ali Forney Center Fundraiser Sunday Nov 11 for New Yorks LGBTQ Youth
Tickets are available for purchase at the door for $20, and 100 percent of the event proceeds from ticket sales, bar service and raffle items will go to the AFC.
“Sandy upended the lives of many New Yorkers, but not nearly as much as the youth of the Ali Forney Center, who now have nowhere to turn for basic services such as shelter and food.
The evening will include entertainment provided by DJ Vito Fun, and cabaret shows from Marti Gould Cummings, Joseph Keckler and Brett Gleason. Raffle items for the event will be announced that evening.
Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of AFC, said: “I am enormously grateful for the immense outpouring of support we have seen for the AFC over the past several days – not just here in New York, but from all over the country. Our youth, who in many cases have been cruelly rejected by their own families for being LGBTQ, need our help now more than ever, and we hope that this event will allow the day when we can restore these vital services to come sooner rather than later.”
While the AFC plans to open the first-ever 24-hour drop-in center for homeless LGBTQ youth in an alternate location, it will not be open for several months. In the meantime, New York’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center has generously offered AFC some of their space to provide temporary Drop-In Services.
Pam Anderson and Star Studded Guest List for NYCLASS Benefit
New
Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) will host “A
Night of New York Class” Gala on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 from 6:00 PM
to 11:00 PM at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan (240 West 47th Street).
Actress
Pamela Anderson will be the Mistress of Ceremonies for the event. The
organization will honor award-winning actresses, Kathy Najimy and
Kristen Johnston, paying tribute to their efforts in the fight against
animal cruelty. In addition, there will be live performances by Joan
Jett and The Blackhearts, Ivan Neville and D.J. Alexandra Richards.
Notable attendees include Liv Tyler, Russell Simmons, Patti Smyth, John
McEnroe, Ron Delsener, Chuck & Ellen Scarborough, Lady Bunny, and
Miss USA, Olivia Culpo. The Gala will help raise awareness of NYCLASS’s
fight against the horse carriage industry with event proceeds benefiting
NYCLASS’s efforts to push for an alternative to New York’s horse
carriages.
NYCLASS
continues to work to pass Intro. 86A, legislation that calls for a
phase-out and safe retirement of horse carriages in New York City and
replacing them with the 21st Century “Horseless Carriage”,
electric-powered vehicles styled and constructed to replicate turn of
the century cars. The 14 accidents involving horse carriages this year
alone have resulted in a majority of the city council now in favor of
Intro 86A.
Tickets to “A Night of New York Class” Gala start at $500. Tables and VIP tickets range from $5,000 to $10,000. For more information please call 212-626-6991 or visit NYclass.org/gala.
About NYCLASS
NYCLASS
is an animal advocacy organization committed to ending the inhumane
practices of the NYC carriage horse industry. NYCLASS advocates for
retiring the carriage horses to sanctuary, while modernizing the current
industry with a clean and safe alternative to this outdated tradition –
the 21st Century Horseless Carriage. Founded in 2008 by a coalition of
prominent animal lovers and business leaders, NYCLASS has grown to over
97,000 supporters with activist chapters in all five boroughs. For more
information, please visit www.nyclass.org
