Kick HIV in South Philly
In honor of the seventh annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, a number of local Latino agencies and LGBT soccer club the Philadelphia Falcons are teaming up for an awareness and testing day.
“Kick HIV” will be held from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 15 at Capitolo Recreation Center, 900 Federal St.
The Falcons and other soccer clubs will come together to participate in a soccer tournament, open to members and non-members, and the event will feature rapid HIV testing and HIV counseling, health screenings and health information from more than 30 local agencies.
For more information, visit www.kickhiv.org.
Newtown OKs ordinance
Newtown Borough became the third Bucks County municipality — and the 23rd in the state — this week to adopt an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance.
Borough Council voted 5-1 Tuesday night in favor of Council President Julia Woldorf’s measure, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations. The ordinance also creates a Human Relations Commission to investigate and adjudicate discrimination complaints.
The only dissenting vote, Councilman Bob Walker, asserted that the issue should be dealt with at the state level.
The wave of suburban nondiscrimination ordinances in the last two years come as a bill to ban LGBT discrimination statewide remains stalled in the legislature.
Sick leave back on agenda
The vetoed legislation that sought to mandate paid sick days at Philadelphia businesses was resurrected last week in a new form.
City Council’s Committee on Commerce and Economic Development unanimously approved Councilman Wilson Goode Jr.’s sick-day bill last Wednesday.
Goode’s bill, which would require a company to offer seven earned sick days a year, applies only to certain businesses that contract with the city.
The original version, spearheaded by Councilmen Darrell Clarke and Bill Greenlee, applied to all businesses that operate within the city. Mayor Nutter vetoed that measure in June.
Council is expected to vote on Goode’s measure Oct. 13 but it is unclear whether Nutter would again veto it if it passes.
Allentown honors lesbian
Allentown’s Human Relations Commission will honor eight visionaries at its upcoming annual gala, one of whom founded an LGBT agency in the region.
The commission will present its Human Relations Award to Dr. Patricia Sullivan, co-founder and president of the Pennsylvania Diversity Network, at its event, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St.
As a full-time volunteer for the agency and board president for the past seven years, Sullivan has worked to advance several LGBT-rights measures in the Allentown region and furthered discussion on LGBT equality issues throughout the state.
Sullivan, also a gourmet chef, has hosted dozens of events in the past 15 years to bring together the region’s LGBT and ally community around LGBT-rights issues.
Tickets to the event are $35 and can be purchased by calling 610-432-7961 or visiting bit.ly/nc5PU2.
Share your Philly story
Philadelphia Community Access Media is calling on Philadelphians to share their stories of their love for the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.
From noon-6 p.m. Oct. 16, Philly CAM representatives will conduct interviews at 600 Ranstead St. Guests are encouraged to share their personal histories with the city and what makes them proud to live here.
Select footage will be used in the Philadelphia History Museum’s Finding Philadelphia gallery.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Parking is $5, or $2 for History Museum members, at One Independence Garage on Seventh Street.
To request an interview time slot, call 215-685-4827 or email [email protected].
Gay film series wraps
A months-long film series in Lancaster will end this month with a town-hall discussion on faith and the LGBT community.
“From Dialogue to Action” will be held from 2-4:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at First United Methodist Church, 29 E. Lancaster St.
Embrace Lancaster has presented a monthly film since June exploring the LGBT perspective in a number of religious communities, and the town-hall will address the incorporation of interfaith dialogue into the local LGBT-rights movement.
For more information, search for Embrace Lancaster on Facebook, email [email protected] or call 717-380-1071.
— Jen Colletta
