Hey I'm Cintia Ventura from Los Angeles, California. Before I start telling my stories, I'd like to thank all the people that were willing to sponsor us, from L.A. to D.C.
Washington, D.C. was an amazing place to be at, specially because it is a place that is composed and is still in the making of history. I thank all the sponsors for giving me, and the girls, the opportunity to not only get to experience history first hand by letting us be a part of history and letting us get to know history. Though many people thought and still think that we came here on vacation and I want to say that even though we did walk around, it was only for a few hours.
NEM POC Youth came to D.C. with a mission, to stand up for the LGBT Community, to have new life experiences and adjust them to and use them in other times of reflection. Having the opportunity to visit the very places that the country's founding fathers stood, talked, and made the nation's decisions was the most amazing experience I can think of.
One of the most amazing moments that I recall was when the girls and I attended the Arlington Cemetery and visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. The day that we went, there was a huge event and Lt. Dan Choi attended. I was really impacted by Lt. Dan Choi's story. Having been told the story by Laura Kanter, I was amazed to know that the U.S. was willing to lose an amazing person in times of need, just because of their sexuality.
I think that a moment that was very emotional was when we attended Camp Courage. At Camp Courage, we were able to find the story of ourselves. We were able to hear many people say their stories and were impacted by many. I think what got to me was mainly the fact that we all have our stories, yet it all comes down to finding the people that are willing to accept you for who you are and won't judge you. At Camp Courage, I found my heroes, my models. Knowing that these people have had to stand up for themselves, and have had the courage to go out and shout to the world who they are.
Once again, I'd like to thank all the people who sponsored us and made it possible for us to experience these life changing moments.
Love ,
Cintia Ventura
Sunday, October 11, 2009
History in the Making
Hello Bloggers,
My name is Carmen Chic and I just want to take a moment to share my experience and what I learned during my stay here in Washington D.C for The National Equality March 2009. First of all I want to say that this city has so many AMAZING landmarks. On our first day the Gals from L.A, I and our wonderful chaperone Anne-Marie Williams went site seeing and omg I was so EXCITED knowing that I was walking on the same streets that our founding fathers walked on. Attending Camp Courage was so empowering made me feel that I had a community that I can relate to and meeting new people and sharing their most touching stories of where they came from and what they went through. Attending Arlington Cemetery for the Wreath Laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns was by far the most emotional experience that I encounter in my trip and seeing Lt. Dan Choi and his partner kissing infront of many people really got to me and the other emotional experience was visiting and looking for a name of a falling soilder on the Vietnam War Veteran Memorial Wall. I was so honor to participate in the march today. My voice was heard today, I went out there and let congress know that we want EQUALITY RIGHTS NOW!!! I was telling the Gals that this was our Woodstock and Stonewall of our generation. I want to thank all the donors that made it possible for us to experience this and I want to end this blog by saying this: WE'RE HERE, WE'RE QUEER, WE'RE FABULOUS, DON'T F*** WITH US! = ]
My name is Carmen Chic and I just want to take a moment to share my experience and what I learned during my stay here in Washington D.C for The National Equality March 2009. First of all I want to say that this city has so many AMAZING landmarks. On our first day the Gals from L.A, I and our wonderful chaperone Anne-Marie Williams went site seeing and omg I was so EXCITED knowing that I was walking on the same streets that our founding fathers walked on. Attending Camp Courage was so empowering made me feel that I had a community that I can relate to and meeting new people and sharing their most touching stories of where they came from and what they went through. Attending Arlington Cemetery for the Wreath Laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns was by far the most emotional experience that I encounter in my trip and seeing Lt. Dan Choi and his partner kissing infront of many people really got to me and the other emotional experience was visiting and looking for a name of a falling soilder on the Vietnam War Veteran Memorial Wall. I was so honor to participate in the march today. My voice was heard today, I went out there and let congress know that we want EQUALITY RIGHTS NOW!!! I was telling the Gals that this was our Woodstock and Stonewall of our generation. I want to thank all the donors that made it possible for us to experience this and I want to end this blog by saying this: WE'RE HERE, WE'RE QUEER, WE'RE FABULOUS, DON'T F*** WITH US! = ]
Through The Eyes of Youths
My name is Brooke Marie Washington. I've spent the past four days participating in events that led up to the National Equality March. I've attended various meetings and social gatherings that promoted the march. Most of the speakers encouraged taking action and becoming leaders within your community. During these events, I've learned so much and had a chance to meet people from all over the United States. I met most of my fellow activists at Camp Courage. We began as strangers and ended as friends. We exchanged brilliant ideas and constructive criticisms that helped each member of my group, including myself. My voice was heard. The events that led to the march fueled my passion to walk with dreamers and believers. I smiled then, and I continue to smile now.
Human
Hello:
My name is Pamela Moore.
When I went to Camp Courage I learned how to tell stories about my life and how to talk to others. Also the National Equality March has taught me that no matter what your sexuality is; you are a human with feeling. This has help me to understand the LGBT community better because I don't see the sexuality but I see the human. I support the LGBT community no matter how others think we are different I strongly believe we are the same. The change is coming I can't wait for EQUALITY for all my brothers and sisters no matter race or sexuality. I am thankful for the chance to be a part of the beautiful National Equality March. I feel like I understand the LGBT community better by going to the March.
P.S. we are all human no matter what our sexuality is.
Love Pamela Moore
My name is Pamela Moore.
When I went to Camp Courage I learned how to tell stories about my life and how to talk to others. Also the National Equality March has taught me that no matter what your sexuality is; you are a human with feeling. This has help me to understand the LGBT community better because I don't see the sexuality but I see the human. I support the LGBT community no matter how others think we are different I strongly believe we are the same. The change is coming I can't wait for EQUALITY for all my brothers and sisters no matter race or sexuality. I am thankful for the chance to be a part of the beautiful National Equality March. I feel like I understand the LGBT community better by going to the March.
P.S. we are all human no matter what our sexuality is.
Love Pamela Moore
National Equality March 2009
Today turned my cynical heart into one of hope again. It was amazing to be surrounded by thousands (maybe 250,000) brothers and sisters along with straight allies with the same hope. A hope of action now.
Last night, I stood in the Madison Hotel bar with a room full of a varied LGBT folks. Our President spoke and at times my heart leap and then would fall on the word web that was shared. I watched how the room didn't bust into applause as the HRC audience so often did at each word of our President's speech. Do you get a special note card or interpretation of the same speech when you pay $250 or so a plate?
As the HRC audience stood at times and cheered often it was not the same where I stood. I searched the room for faces that wore the California mask. Many of us were there and the truth is we have been burnt by words and speeches. To have the wonderful equal right of marriage then have our state government strangely manage the after wards of it all - hurts! To lose your equal right to a fear based vote and have it supported by a "salt in the wound" court decision is enough for most to take.
Today. Today was different. It was all types of LGBT folks! Folks who wanted to pay the money to go to that type of event to the local teenager who gets an allowance to homeless LGBT and everyone in between.
Today's hope for me was four women. My gift was the L.A. Girls as they have been dubbed! Four young women of different POC make up marching to learn to change our world. I witnessed their conversations change. I watched when they met Lt. Dan Choi and were shocked to learn he was fired for being gay. I witnessed as Robin and Cleve hugged and kissed welcomes into our struggle with them. I was tickled as Stacy stood proudly with the L.A. Girls an hour before the March. It was a kick in the pants when Rick took a photo with them and then Judith Light stood side by side with them in a picture. To snap the picture of Judith Light with the girls was magical because Judith Light was fighting for LGBT rights before the girls were even born. To see the L.A. Girls at Camp Courage and learning the "story of self" was exhlirating. Torie Osborn and Lisa Powell sharing their "stories of self" and guiding the new activists to a productive path of action was powerful! I can go on and on but I will leave it to the gals to do so.
Keep your eyes posted to this blog for their experiences and their new actions for this fight.
By
Anne-Marie Williams
Last night, I stood in the Madison Hotel bar with a room full of a varied LGBT folks. Our President spoke and at times my heart leap and then would fall on the word web that was shared. I watched how the room didn't bust into applause as the HRC audience so often did at each word of our President's speech. Do you get a special note card or interpretation of the same speech when you pay $250 or so a plate?
As the HRC audience stood at times and cheered often it was not the same where I stood. I searched the room for faces that wore the California mask. Many of us were there and the truth is we have been burnt by words and speeches. To have the wonderful equal right of marriage then have our state government strangely manage the after wards of it all - hurts! To lose your equal right to a fear based vote and have it supported by a "salt in the wound" court decision is enough for most to take.
Today. Today was different. It was all types of LGBT folks! Folks who wanted to pay the money to go to that type of event to the local teenager who gets an allowance to homeless LGBT and everyone in between.
Today's hope for me was four women. My gift was the L.A. Girls as they have been dubbed! Four young women of different POC make up marching to learn to change our world. I witnessed their conversations change. I watched when they met Lt. Dan Choi and were shocked to learn he was fired for being gay. I witnessed as Robin and Cleve hugged and kissed welcomes into our struggle with them. I was tickled as Stacy stood proudly with the L.A. Girls an hour before the March. It was a kick in the pants when Rick took a photo with them and then Judith Light stood side by side with them in a picture. To snap the picture of Judith Light with the girls was magical because Judith Light was fighting for LGBT rights before the girls were even born. To see the L.A. Girls at Camp Courage and learning the "story of self" was exhlirating. Torie Osborn and Lisa Powell sharing their "stories of self" and guiding the new activists to a productive path of action was powerful! I can go on and on but I will leave it to the gals to do so.
Keep your eyes posted to this blog for their experiences and their new actions for this fight.
By
Anne-Marie Williams
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Working on a Sunday Morning
We're going through a training, getting ready to go to Washington D.C with a group of smart gals.
Anne-Marie keeps driving me CRAZY! She's determined make us super activisst.
We're all hungry and sleepy, but super excited to fly out on Thursday.
Keep your eye out for future posts brought to you by: Your L.A POC Team =]
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Laramie Project Epilogue Oct. 12! FREE Event
The Laramie Project Epilogue with Laramie Project
October 12 2009, 8:00 PM
The Laramie Project Epilogue is a staged reading of a new play being presented on Broadway and various venues across the U.S. that honors the memory of murdered gay college student Matthew Shepard. This 11th anniversary presentation seeks to bring together communities to educate, debate, inspire and raise our collective consciousness of civil rights, violence and bigotry.
This presentation addresses a topic that many people believe is not appropriate for younger children. Grand Performances staff invites members of all communities to join us for this provocative reading and to stay for the community discussion that will follow.
In October 1998 Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Five weeks later, Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie, and over the course of the next year, conducted more than 200 interviews with people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, a chronicle of the life of the town of Laramie in the year after the murder. THE LARAMIE PROJECT is one of the most performed plays in America today.
From Grand Performances site:
http://www.grandperformances.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/season_schedule.show_detail/s_id/311
October 12 2009, 8:00 PM
The Laramie Project Epilogue is a staged reading of a new play being presented on Broadway and various venues across the U.S. that honors the memory of murdered gay college student Matthew Shepard. This 11th anniversary presentation seeks to bring together communities to educate, debate, inspire and raise our collective consciousness of civil rights, violence and bigotry.
This presentation addresses a topic that many people believe is not appropriate for younger children. Grand Performances staff invites members of all communities to join us for this provocative reading and to stay for the community discussion that will follow.
In October 1998 Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Five weeks later, Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie, and over the course of the next year, conducted more than 200 interviews with people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, a chronicle of the life of the town of Laramie in the year after the murder. THE LARAMIE PROJECT is one of the most performed plays in America today.
From Grand Performances site:
http://www.grandperformances.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/season_schedule.show_detail/s_id/311
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