A pictorial celebration of 50 out and proud Black Gay Men. Music by Vaisnava (Vysh-Nah-Vah) at www.audiojungle.net/user/vaisnava For more information visit www.comingoutblack.com
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Columbus Dispatch: AIDS group plans to build pharmacy, thrift store on N. High [near the Short North]
This image was taken from their press release
A Los Angeles-based AIDS organization plans to bring its unique mix of advocacy, health care and nonprofit business operations to a long-vacant lot on the southern border of the University District.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which bills itself as the largest global AIDS organization, said construction will begin soon on a building that is to house an Out of the Closet Thrift Store, AHF Pharmacy and HIV-testing site at the northeast corner of N. High Street and E. 5th Avenue.
The group also plans an AHF Healthcare Center in a medical office near Mount Carmel West hospital that could accommodate an initial caseload of 600 patients, said Adam Ouderkirk, regional director for the foundation.
“We take HIV patients regardless of ability to pay, whether you have a Cadillac (health-insurance) plan or no plan,” he said.
Both the thrift store and the pharmacy will be nonprofit ventures that generate money for the mission.
“It’s a model that’s worked in different parts of the country, and we think it will be successful in Columbus,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Ouderkirk said the foundation just closed on the property at 1230 N. High St. He declined to discuss the price, but according to the Franklin County auditor’s website, the land sold for $1.6 million on Dec. 22.
Local advocates were mixed in their reactions. While additional community resources are welcome, they all said, one group said the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has done little to collaborate.
“We knew nothing about the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s intent until three weeks ago,” said Bill Hardy, president and CEO of the AIDS Resource Center Ohio. “To me, there was not adequate groundwork.”
Hardy said the resource center, which merged earlier this year with the Columbus AIDS Task Force, also has been discussing plans for a health-care center and pharmacy.
“Part of the consolidation was to expand services,” he said.
Hardy and the resource center are among many statewide AIDS advocates who disagreed with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s recent successful fight to stop Ohio from changing some of the rules governing the Ohio HIV Drug Assistance Program, which is the state’s version of the federal Ryan White Act.
State officials and local AIDS organizations say the changes would have kicked in only in the event of a waiting list — there isn’t one now — allowing for the use of a priority system so that the sickest people would be served first.
A Franklin County judge, however, agreed with three patients who filed a lawsuit saying the new rules could affect access to treatment. The foundation backed the patients.
A preliminary injunction blocking the new rules was issued this month, and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation hailed it as a victory. Weinstein said Ohio has no business planning for a “Sophie’s choice” in HIV treatment.
He also said there is plenty of room for new services in Columbus.
“Unfortunately, there is no shortage of patients to go around,” Weinstein said. “We are bringing our own resources to bear.”
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that only 28 percent of Americans living with HIV have the virus under control with proper medication and treatment, he said.
The foundation’s presence likely will make a big difference in the city, said Karla Rothan, executive director of Stonewall Columbus. Stonewall’s community center and offices are at 1160 N. High St., near the site that the foundation will develop.
The thrift store and pharmacy are “an innovative way of doing nonprofit work,” Rothan said. “I’m glad they chose to be our neighbor. I think it’s going to enhance services.”
rprice@dispatch.com
Thursday, December 22, 2011
HRC Condemns Cardinal Francis George’s Anti-Gay Remarks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 22, 2011
HRC Condemns Cardinal Francis George’s
Anti-Gay Remarks
Chicago Archbishop compares efforts to
advance LGBT equality to “something like the Ku Klux Klan”
Washington –The Human Rights
Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
civil rights organization - is condemning remarks made by Chicago Archbishop
Cardinal Francis George in which he compared advancing LGBT equality to the Ku
Klux Klan. In an interview with Fox Chicago, Cardinal George said: “You don’t
want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan,
demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism.”
“Cardinal George's
horrific comparison of the LGBT movement to the Ku Klux Klan drives an
unnecessary wedge between Catholics and the hierarchy,” said Dr. Sharon Groves,
Director of HRC’s Religion & Faith Program. “This is a sacred time of year
for many people of faith, a time when we should be creating and cherishing
unity in our communities – not casting about dangerous and divisive rhetoric.
As people of faith we should expect better from our leaders.”
“As a lay Catholic, I
am profoundly saddened that Cardinal Francis George defiles his office by
comparing our LGBT family, friends and fellow Catholics to the Ku Klux
Klan,” said Anne Underwood, co-founder of Catholics for Marriage
Equality. “His rhetoric rings particularly off-key coming the week before
Catholics celebrate the birth of Christ. As a Catholic who responds to our
historic Church teachings to stand with all marginalized people, I work for
freedom and fairness for my LGBT friends. I feel dismissed and betrayed
by our hierarchy, but not by our God, for whom Cardinal George did not speak.”
“I have spent most of my adult
life engaged in the civil rights struggle for African American people who have
been terrorized by racist Klan violence,” said Lee. “I am insulted by the
comparison of the Klan to the current LGBT movement. When we distort the
history of terror for cheap political aims, we only inflict pain on those whose
lives have been scarred by the Klan.”
The Human Rights
Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all
Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize
a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
###
White House LGBT Update: "Out of Many, We Are One"
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Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011
One year ago, President Obama signed into law the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act to end a discriminatory policy that forced patriotic Americans to serve under a cloud of anxiety and isolation and stood in stark contrast to our shared values of unity and equality. One year later, gay and lesbian service members can serve the country they love without hiding who they love – and both our military and country are stronger for it.  President Barack Obama signs the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 at the U.S. Department of Interior in Washington, D.C., Dec. 22, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy). Watch the video and read the transcript of President Obama's remarks: For we are not a nation that says, “don’t ask, don’t tell.” We are a nation that says, “Out of many, we are one.” We are a nation that welcomes the service of every patriot. We are a nation that believes that all men and women are created equal. Those are the ideals that generations have fought for. Those are the ideals that we uphold today. And now, it is my honor to sign this bill into law. -- President Barack Obama, December 22, 2010. To commemorate the one year anniversary of President Obama signing the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act, we asked a few former service members to reflect on the long journey toward repeal and what it was like to watch President Obama sign the Repeal Act into law: Zoe Dunning  Until her retirement in 2007, Retired Navy Commander Zoe Dunning was one of the only openly gay service members in the country, having successfully fought an attempted discharge in 1993. For many of those years, she served on the board of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network as an advocate for the repeal of DADT. Watch Zoe's video Eric Alva  Retired Staff Sergeant Eric Alva joined the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 19 years old. He served honorably for 13 years until 2003, when he became the first American soldier wounded in Iraq. SSgt Alva was subsequently medically retired, and for his heroism, received a Purple Heart. Watch Eric's video Grethe Cammermeyer  Retired Colonel Grethe Cammermeyer, RN, PhD, is a Vietnam Veteran and Bronze Star recipient who spent much of her life advocating against the original ban on gays in the military and later against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Her autobiography, “Serving in Silence,” was recognized by the National Education Association and later made into an Emmy Award winning movie starring Glenn Close and produced by Barbra Streisand. Today, Col. Cammermeyer also serves on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS). Watch Grethe's video Jonathan Hopkins  Former Army Captain Jonathan Hopkins graduated at the top of his West Point class and was deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan, earning three Bronze Stars, including one for valor. Fourteen months after being outed, he was honorably discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in August 2010. Watch Jonathan's video Sue Fulton  Former Army Captain Sue Fulton graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Poin t in 1980 – the first class to include women. Today, she is the Executive Director of Knights Out – an organization of West Point LGBT alumni, staff, and faculty – and she also serves as a Member of the West Point Board of Visitors. Watch Sue's video Get Updates Did someone forward you this email? You can sign up for email updates here, and don’t hesitate to drop us a line with your comments, suggestions, and ideas. Stay Connected
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