About Me

Trump Administration Last Ditch Efforts

In 42 days the Trump reign will end & Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the 46th president on January 20th 2021. In the meantime we are still being traumatized by the current administration’s inappropriate actions & misguided agenda. With a raging pandemic Melania Trump announced that the White House tennis pavilion is complete stating “It is my hope that this private space will function as both a place of leisure & gathering for future First Families…” & claiming it was “funded by private donations.” Meanwhile still clinging to the last days of his presidency the Trump Labor Department is giving contractors a broad license to discriminate by misusing the language of religious freedom. Maggie Siddiqi, Director of the Faith & Progressive Policy Initiative at the Center for American Progress stated, “This rule is the latest effort by the Trump administration to undermine nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, religious minorities & women. It provides an exemption to federal contractors, which employ 1 in 5 American workers that will allow them to fire or hire employees in the name of religion. The federal contractors that qualify for this exemption would even include for-profit organizations. Far from protecting religious freedom, this rule actually allows employees to be discriminated against because of their religious beliefs or lack thereof. When this rule was first proposed last year, 110 religious leaders and 17 faith-based organization signed a letter opposing it. The final version of this rule does very little to alleviate those concerns. Among the bevy of actions that President-elect Joe Biden plans to take in his first days in office to undo the damage caused by his predecessor, the incoming administration should act swiftly to reverse this rule change & restore protections for millions of American workers from unlawful discrimination.” Tennis Anyone??
No comments:

Boston Gay Men’s Chorus Virtual Video

BGMC kicked off the holiday season with their latest virtual video release “Up On The Housetop”. This is an incredibly playful rendition of the second-oldest secular Christmas song with “Jingle Bells” being the oldest. Composed in 1857 by Benjamin Russell Hanby who was the son of a minister active in the Underground Railroad & Abolitionist movement the song is one of the first to depict the rooftop delivery of Christmas gifts by Santa Claus. BGMC is dedicating “Up On The Housetop” to everyone struggling with isolation during the on-going pandemic. Reuben M. Reynolds III BGMC Music Director stated, “We just love this song. It’s fun, it’s light & it captures the sillier side of the holiday season—which is something that we all need right now.” “Up On The Housetop” is the latest in a series of BGMC@Home videos released by BGMC since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the chorus to halt live performances for public health reasons. Using their smart phones & other at-home recording equipment BGMC members individually recorded their parts in “Up On The Housetop.” The song is presented in BGMC’s signature virtual video style which recreates the experience of seeing the chorus onstage by grouping the individual cells of singers according their assigned section (Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone, Bass). As viewers watch the video the section that is primarily carrying the song during the performance dominates the screen. It’s also why BGMC’s ASL interpreter Dr. LeWana Clark is visible throughout the performance. Craig Coogan BGMC Executive Director concluded, “The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus has been sharing stories through song about our community to audiences around the world for more than 38 years now. We can’t perform for live audiences right now, but we can still sing & share our stories in other ways that inspire change, build community & celebrate difference.” “Home for the Holidays,” a 30-minute showcase of holiday songs from the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will air on WCVB Channel 5 Boston on Saturday December 12th at 11:35P & again on Sunday December 13th at 1P.

WATCH VIDEO  

For More Info: bgmc.org


No comments:

Nutcracker Dance Along Goes Virtual

The Dance-Along Nutcracker is one of San Francisco’s most treasured LGBTQ holiday events & this year it’s going virtual for 2 fabulous performances on Saturday December 12th at 7P PST & Sunday December 13th at 11A PST via YouTube. Since they can’t travel to visit their favorite uncle for the holidays this year Clara & Fritz dream up their own adventures on board The Nutcracker Express filled with exotic destinations & surprise guests this will be a show you won’t want to miss. Enjoy & dance along at home to favorite themes from The Polar Express, festive holiday tunes & of course music from The Nutcracker ballet. This year’s virtual show will bring back memories from previous adventures & add all new performances from the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band & several extra special guests. Part comedy musical, part dance-it-yourself ballet & part symphonic concert The Nutcracker Express features all of the holiday fun & tradition you’ve come to expect from Dance-Along Nutcracker but this year you can join in from the comfort of your own living room. The 2020 Dance-Along Nutcracker is free but you need to join the guest list to come aboard & if you’re able to make a $15 per person or any amount donation will help to cover production costs. A few days before the show attendees on the guest list will receive an email with a link to the YouTube livestream to attend either or both shows. The show is approximately 75 minutes long. Donations beyond production costs will be used to commission the composition of a new piece of concert band music from a Black, Indigenous or Person of Color (BIPOC) composer.            For More Info & Register…

No comments:

Trans Leadership Virtual Summit 2020

This year’s Trans Leadership Summit 2020 will take place virtually on Saturday December 5th from 11A to 8P via AccelEvents with a Main Stage, Breakout Rooms, Meet Up Lounges & one-on-one private chats. They’re bringing together a fabulous group of trans leaders from all corners of public & community life for a day of inspiration to advance justice & acceptance for transgender & non-conforming people to further justice & acceptance for all humankind. Morning panels include: “Where We Are At Now With Trans Activism” with Masen Davis, Kylar Brourdos, Dr. Gennifer (Genn) Herley, PhD, Alexander Chen & Celia Daniels. “Health & The Trans Community” with Jamison Green, Lilac Vylette Maldonado, Mallery Robinson, Melissa Sklarz & Michael Woodward. “What Transgender Activism Looks Like” with Scott Turner Schofield, Luckie Alexander, Stephanie Battaglino, Vanessa Sheridan & Jovan Martin. “Judge’s Corner” A rare conversation between two transgender judges, the Honorable Phyllis Frye & the Honorable Victoria Kolakowski. “Perspectives On Trans Youth” with Ann Thomas, Zoey Luna & Emmett Preciado. Afternoon Breakout Sessions will include “Trans & Non-Binary People & the Law: A Look at Current and Emerging Issues” with attorneys from Lambda Legal, “Intersections of Oppression: Disability & Gender”, “Trans Masculine Leadership” & “TRANSCending Patriarchy in Today’s World”. The Trans Leadership Virtual Summit 2020 is a free event but you must register.  For More Info & Register…

No comments:

Pink Martini Holiday Concerts Go Virtual

The fabulous band Pink Martini has announced their first ever streaming concerts “Home for the Holidays” to debut December 17th & “Good Riddance 2020” to debut December 31st. Both programs were filmed at the band’s World Headquarters in downtown Portland in front of the band’s 35-foot Christmas tree. With the band on long-term hiatus due to the global pandemic it was important for bandleader Thomas Lauderdale to find a new way to bring some holiday joy to the band’s global fan base. Lauderdale stated, “I love the holidays & all of the music that goes with the season. Our goal has always been to make inclusive holiday music that can be played anywhere in the world & this year we’re bringing that spirit right into your living rooms.” These brand new concerts feature holiday classics new & old alongside fan favorite Pink Martini songs. Bandleader Lauderdale will anchor the concerts from the piano with lead singer China Forbes at the microphone. Additional special guests appearing on one or both concerts include co-lead singer Storm Large, NPR’s Ari Shapiro, regular guest vocalists Edna Vazquez, Jimmie Herrod, Sofia von Trapp & Cantor Ida Rae Cahana. Pink Martini has partnered with the online concert presenter Our Concerts Live to bring both concerts directly to fans on their TVs, computers & phones. Though the shows are recorded in advance members of the band will be on hand live for chat & commentary during each concert’s debut broadcast & the shows will also be available to ticket-buyers to stream for a limited time after each premiere for those fans who need a more flexible viewing schedule. WATCH TRAILER
No comments:

OUT SHINE Virtual LGBTQ Film Fest

Fort Lauderdale’s 12th edition of its LGBTQ Film Festival OUTshine will go virtual December 3rd to 6th throughout the state of Florida. There will be livestreamed special events as well as cocktail happy hours & talent Q & A sessions as a way to virtually tie the community together. In keeping with social distancing guidelines & community safety this year’s festival will also present the OUTshine Drive-OUT event with the film Cowboys (USA) a critically acclaimed drama on Friday December 4th at 7P at Pier 66 Marina. Awarded “Outstanding Performance in a U.S. Feature” at Outfest LGBT Film Festival & “Best Screenplay” at the TriBeCa Film Festival, Cowboys stars Steve Zahn (Treme’, Modern Family, Dallas Buyers Club) as Troy a father who tries to liberate his young transgender son by taking him to Canada but as a frustrated female detective spearheads an investigation she discovers that the child’s family situation is more complicated than she thought. Director Anna Kerrigan has created a powerful story that propels this modern-day western forward with an uncommon emotional veracity. Another featured event is on Saturday December 5th at 7P with the 10th anniversary screening of Bear City (USA). There will be a virtual cast reunion & interactive Q & A will follow the film. Other highlights include the US premiere of the romantic drama Walking with Shadows (Nigeria), the award-winning international comedy-drama Goodbye Mother (Thưa mẹ con đi) (Vietnam), the award-winning international drama No Hard Feelings (Germany) & the feature thriller Through A Glass Darkly (USA). A virtual closing awards ceremony will take place on Sunday December 6th at 8P via Zoom. Film tickets are $7.50 each & value packages are available. Drive-OUT tickets are $40 per vehicle. For More Info & Tix: outshinefilm.com

No comments:

World AIDS Day Falls On Giving Tuesday

December 1st is the 32nd annual World AIDS Day that honors those we have lost to the HIV/AIDS epidemic with this year’s theme “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility”. It’s also Giving Tuesday the annual opportunity to support causes that shape our future. Founded in 1988 World AIDS Day was the first ever-international day for global health. Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea to be a day that encourages people to do good. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic this is a much-needed concept to reach out to the organizations that need our help the most as we strive to heal this country & around the world. António Guterres UN Secretary-General stated, “With the world’s attention focused on the COVID-19 crisis, World AIDS Day is a reminder of the need to maintain focus on another global pandemic that is still with us nearly 40 years after it emerged. Despite significant successes, the AIDS emergency is not over. HIV still infects 1.7 million people each year & kills some 690,000. And inequalities mean that those who are the least able to stand up for their rights are still the most affected. COVID-19 has been a wake-up call to the world. Inequalities in health affect all of us. No one is safe unless we all are safe. The HIV response has much to teach the fight against COVID-19. We know that to end AIDS & defeat COVID-19 we must eliminate stigma & discrimination, put people at the center & ground our responses in human rights & gender-responsive approaches...”
No comments:
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)

Featured Post

Redesigned Org Affirms Schools For All

GLSEN is now Glisten transforming to strengthen & support youth & continuing their mission to create safe affirming schools for all ...

Popular Posts