Welcome to 2011! It’s hard to believe that we’re over a decade into the new millennium. Though days and weeks often pass slowly, the months and years seem to move at an increasingly manic clip. As personal and professional obligations mount, the amount of quality time we have to invest in personal, familial and community relationships takes a hit. One of my New Year’s resolutions — and one that I recommend to each of my readers — is to maintain a consistent commitment to the people and organizations that make a difference in your life and community, respectively. Don’t wait until the end of 2011 to dedicate your time and resources. Start now! Here’s a list of important community events taking place in the next two weeks to help get things going.
— On Jan. 8 at 1 p.m., the good folks at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., are hosting the Red Balloon Event in support of World AIDS Day. Originally, the event was scheduled for Dec. 1, but it was postponed due to inclement weather. Though World AIDS Day has passed, it’s important that we renew attention to HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness, which requires focus throughout the entire year. William Way’s executive director, Chris Bartlett, said it best: “In a time that city, state and federal funding have been scaled back because of budget shortages, it is absolutely necessary to continue to educate the public on this issue. We cannot sit back and let a bad situation get worse. We ask that you join us and hold a red balloon as we walk from the William Way Center, up the center median of South Broad Street to City Hall, through City Hall to Love Park, and eventually making our say back to the William Way Center. We do this for those people who are living with HIV/AIDS and their family and friends who are affected; we stand with them in support.” For more information, visit www.waygay.org.
— Next Monday, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., many of the city’s most notable LGBT policy advocates will be on hand at the William Way LGBT Community Center for the Equality PA, HRC and ACLU Town Hall Meeting. With the loss of so many pro-LGBT officials in the 2010 mid-term election, it’s critical that we be vigilant and strategic in the effort to secure equal rights for the LGBT community. Through a series of community meetings across the state over the next six weeks, Equality PA will work collaboratively with the ACLU and HRC to help set a new statewide agenda. The conversations at these meetings will help to inform new policy priorities and advocacy strategies for 2011. This is your opportunity to engage with Pennsylvania’s leading LGBT activists, and contribute to the dialogue that will help us be successful in the face of mounting political opposition. A reception will follow at Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar, 200 S. 12th St.
— On the heels of several high-profile incidents of gay bullying, LGBT columnist Dan Savage started the “It Gets Better” campaign in collaboration with and support of The Trevor Project. The celebrity and community videos made for this campaign went viral and drew attention to an increasingly pervasive problem. As a complement to building awareness, the Trevor Project runs a nationwide helpline for LGBT youth that is available 24/7. On Jan. 22, you’ll have an opportunity to lend support for The Trevor Project during its local benefit concert at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1625 Locust St.; from 7:30-9 p.m. Featuring tenor Aaron Spencer, countertenor Bryan DeSilva and violist Shane Barker, this concert will inspire even those with the most discerning musical tastes. The concert is free and open to the public, but donations are encouraged. Visit www.trevorproject.org to learn more about this outstanding organization.
In addition to the community-based events discussed here, don’t forget the 2011 Miss’d America Pageant is coming up on Jan. 16 at Boardwalk Hall, 2301 Boardwalk in Atlantic City. Ever since the Stonewall Riots in New York City, drag queens have been fighting the good fight and standing up to discrimination against the LGBT community. AC’s annual drag competition is one of the fiercest and most outrageous on the East Coast. I’ve even heard a rumor that one of Philly’s drag ingénues, Navaya Shay, is making her drag competition debut at this year’s event. If you saw her perform at the U.S. Mr. Gay Competition in November, then you know the audience is in for a treat — and that the other contestants better bring their A-game. The show runs from 8-10 p.m. This show often sells out in advance, so visit www.acglbt.org to reserve your spot today!
That’s it for this week. Good luck getting back into the swing of things as 2011 picks up speed. And remember to check www.nightlifegay.com in the coming days for an announcement about my newest event — 2011 is going to be an incredible year! Until next time, get offline and see what your community has to offer!