Hey TCB!
I won the Mr. Los Angeles Bear 2008 title at the contest produced by BEARSLA
at Oil Can Harry's on September 13, 2008 (Saturday)!
Photos by JayPG Photography
BEARSLA
http://www.bearsla.org/about.html
OIL CAN HARRYS
http://www.oilcanharrysla.com/
Now, I will be going on to compete in for the Mr. Southern California Bear
2008 title in San Diego on November 13 (Sun Bears Weekend).
MODELS OF PRIDE
http://www.modelsofpride.org/mop/
http://www.project10.org/
I will also continue to make regular public speaking engagements at high
schools, colleges, and businesses with G.L.I.D.E. (Gays & Lesbians
Initiating Dialogue for Equality). "The mission of GLIDE is to eliminate
homophobia by providing the general public with factual information and
diverse personal experiences about homosexuality."
G.L.I.D.E.
http://www.socal-glide.org/home.html
As Mr. Los Angeles Bear 2008, I feel strongly about promoting services that
support the diversity that exists and should be encouraged to thrive within
our LGBTQ communities. I will be actively involved with fund-raising and
outreach, and I have chosen to focus on supporting our Black Brothers and
Sisters as well as our Trans-gender friends with my first series of
scheduled events. In November 2008, I will be hosting a fundraiser at
PISTONS BAR in Long Beach for the "PROJECT WHOLENESS-WELLNESS B.R.U.C.E. -
SAY SISTAH, S.T.O.P. IN THE NAME OF LOVE!" program which "offers
comprehensive HIV education, intervention, and modules that are proven
effective in modifying unhealthy behaviors that lead to HIV/AIDS and STD’s
infection. ...Its’ main target population is that of the African American
and Latino women in Long Beach."
PISTONS BAR
http://www.pistonsbar.com/
PROJECT WHOLENESS-WELLNESS B.R.U.C.E. - SAY SISTAH, S.T.O.P. IN THE NAME OF
LOVE!
http://ufc-longbeach.org/project.php
Project Wholeness-Wellness B.R.U.C.E. – Say Sistah B.R.U.C.E. (Build
Reality, Unity and Caring & Empowerment) is committed to assisting persons
living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, mental health issues and in recovery from
alcohol and drugs. The program offers comprehensive HIV education,
intervention, and modules that are proven effective in modifying unhealthy
behaviors that lead to HIV/AIDS and STD’s infection.
Say Sistah, S.T.O.P. in the name of Love! is a behavior modification program
that uses a unique curriculum that is all-inclusive and is based in the
integration of spiritual healing, clinical assessment and traditional
HIV/AIDS prevention models. Its’ main target population is that of the
African American and Latino women in Long Beach which has been identified in
recent studies as “high-risk”.
In December 2008, I will host another event to raise money for the BLACK
AIDS INSTITUTE that was founded by the distinguished Mr. Phill Wilson. As
founder and Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute, Mr. Wilson has
made the BLACK AIDS INSTITUTE a training and mobilization center focused
exclusively on Black people."The Institute's mission is to stop the AIDS pandemic in Black communities
by engaging and mobilizing Black institutions and individuals in efforts to
confront HIV. The Institute interprets public and private sector HIV
policies, conducts trainings, offers technical assistance, disseminates
information and provides advocacy from a uniquely and unapologetically Black
point of view."
BLACK AIDS INSTITUTE
http://www.blackaids.org/
Finally, I am working on events to promote and raise money for programs that
help Trans-gender people. I was shocked to discover that "LA County lacks
any low-cost health clinics that provide basic and gender-specific care for
trans-gender adults." San Francisco and San Diego counties have regularly
scheduled, trans-gender-specific health care clinics. So, we need to catch
up to speed with them. The FTM Alliance of Los Angeles, Inc., is a
community-based organization dedicated to empowering the female-to-male
[FTM] transgendered community, and to increasing the visibility and
acceptance of FTMs in Southern California. They provide resources, support,
and leadership opportunities to people assigned female at birth or in
childhood who no longer feel that label is complete or accurate, as well as
our significant others, families, friends, and allies. I am supporting their
community clinic campaign "targeting community clinics instead of private
clinics because of the central role they play in California counties and
their potential for providing services to a broad range of care here in Los
Angeles. ...This would mean that the services would be available to people
without insurance, people on Medi-Cal, and probably on a sliding scale basis
to people whose insurance excludes transition related care."
FTM ALLIANCE OF LOS ANGELES, INC.
http://transhealthcare.googlepages.com/home
FTM Alliance of Los Angeles, Inc.
The Village
1125 N. McCadden Place
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323-860-5801
Locations and exact dates for all events to be announced. So, please watch
for them, and please come out to have a great time, make new friends, and
support our communities! I look forward to seeing you soon!
Much Love,
Joe Mannetti
Mr. Los Angeles Bear 2008
