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  Task Force Deputy Executive Director of External Relations Russell Roybal presents Ernesto Dominguez with the Youth Leadership Award. Local youth, HIV/AIDS and immigration activist Ernesto Dominguez isn’t new to winning awards. A year and a half ago Dominguez received the HRC’s student activist award and he just recently accepted the the Paul A. Anderson Youth Leadership Award for his work with ChatPDX, a collaboration between organizations and individuals working to curb HIV and AIDS transmission among young people through peer education and outreach, HIV testing, youth services and social media, and with Advocates for Youth, which also aims to help teens make informed decisions around sex.
You can see video of Dominguez’s acceptance speech, given at the Creating Change conference in Baltimore, MD, Tuesday January 31st, put on by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. In it he powerfully equates LGBT and immigration rights saying, “LGBT rights are immigrant rights, and immigrant rights are LGBT rights,” and basically gives us all hope for the future of our young people. (I can say that now that I am a solidly adult 30 year old right?)
The video, as well as a transcript of his acceptance speech, are below.
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 Rhys Ernst's short film 'The Thing' So we all know that Salt Lake City was awarded the “gayest” city by The Advocate, but friends, as a current resident in SLC who just moved back from Portland, I can tell you that just isn’t true! However, Salt Lake City does occassionally step up its “cool” factor, such as every January when Salt Lake City and Park City host the Sundance Film Festival. This is the time of year where pretty much everyone I know braves the snow and goes up to Park City in the hopes of sighting celebrities in town for the festival. Sundance is a place where independent artists can present their stories free of the commercial pressure of the mainstream movie industry. Many Sundance movies are then picked up by larger distributors and re-released into theaters, such as last year’s Sundance queer favorite, Pariah.
Being a poor, unemployed college student I didn’t make it to many Sundance movies this year, (which can quickly become expensive at $15 a pop!) but here are some queer movies from this years film festival to watch out for:
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 As I watched some early rehearsals of the Portland Playhouse’s upcoming production of Angels in America: Part 1, Millennium Approaches, the excitement was palpable. An epic play, Angels seems to be one of the most sought after for actors and directors alike to be a part of. The Playhouse was especially excited to be able to put it on this year, which is its 20th anniversary. I found myself easily swept up in the excitement, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting opening ever since.
 The Portland Playhouse cast of 'Angels in America.' Photo by Laura Domela If your not familiar with Tony Kushner’s 6 hour play, it follows the interwoven lives of several individuals in and around New York, most of whom are gay, during the early days of the AIDS crisis. Though the Playhouse is only putting on Part 1 (for now) there is plenty of drama to fill the 3 hours. The Pulitzer Prize winning script delves into the broader themes of the AIDS crisis, politics, religion, hypocrisy and more through the eyes of a WASPy gay man afflicted with the disease, Prior Walter, and his Jewish partner, Louis Ironson. Ironson struggles with this reality and eventually leaves Walter for an affair with a closeted Mormon, Joe Pitt. The other principal character is Ray Cohn, a deeply closeted gay man, who is also dying of AIDS, even as he actively espouses anti-gay and McCarthyist Regan-era politics, and serves as the play’s biggest villain. Through it all an angel watches over, and other characters, alive and dead, weave in and out of surreal scenes, memories, hallucinations.
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 Stop AIDS in Prison Act In honor of World AIDS Day last Thursday, Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer (one of 33 cosponsors) participated in the reintroduction of the “Stop AIDS in Prison Act”. The bill was originally introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). Previously, this bill was passed by the House by voice vote; however the Senate lacked to complete the bill prior to adjournment.
“The Stop AIDS in Prison Act will help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among prison inmates, encourage them to take personal responsibility for their health, and reduce the risk that they will transmit HIV/AIDS to other people in the community following their release from prison,” Waters stated in a press release last week.
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 Holigay shopping, movies, performances, Occupy bots, AIDS and the retirement of Barney Frank. Plus! Will Lyska wear a thong in her next job? Will Barney Frank? Will Alley actually eat a rocky mountain oyster? […]
  World AIDS Day 12/1/ 2011 Thursday, December 1rst, marks the 23rd annual World AIDS Day. This year will be the 30th anniversary of the first documented case of AIDS. World AIDS Day recognizes the 25 million people whom lost their lives due to the HIV and AIDS virus. Currently, there are about 33 million individuals living with the HIV virus. A recent landmark study showed that healthy people on antiretrovirals, can limit the transmission of the virus by 96%.
President Obama along with George W. Bush will be speaking at an event hosted by the ONE campaign, for a program called “The Beginning of the End of AIDS.” The LIVE broadcast (10am EST-Thursday) will also include a panel discussion with Bill Clinton, Alicia Keys, Bono and more. On a more local scale, The Equality Foundation and Pride Foundation are partnering up to support the Planned Parenthood of Southwest Oregon (PPSO) initiative- this will provide free HIV testing for low income LGBTQ youth. These tests will be administered by PPSO staff at the following health centers: Florence and Cottage Grove (Lane Co.), Ashland and Medford (Jackson Co.), and Grants Pass in Josephine county.
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  Portland's 2010 AIDSwalk. Photo by Mike Burt. Get those boots that are made for walking out because this weekend has some great ways to enjoy downtown Portland outdoors with a gay spin.
Saturday will see the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest (GLAPN) getting together with the Oregon Safe Schools and Communities Coalition for a Queer History Walking Tours to be held as a benefit for OSSCC. The tour begins at 1:30pm in front of Hobo’s (120 NW Third Ave), an area known as the “vice neighborhood.” (Not much has changed, except this has now become the entirety of the city.) This is also where we have ghost tours, Shanghai Tunnels where sailors were kidnapped to serve. It was also at the center of he 1912 Portland Vice Clique Scandal. Think Gangs of New York crossed with Tipping the Velvet?
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  Photo from Director David Weissmen of Haight Ashbury 1978. "The two sweet guys on the left both died of AIDS in the 80s, I (Weissman) am on the right in the headband. The bearded beauty in the middle is thankfully a long-term survivor of it all, and one of the worlds great kissers." One might feel compelled to express excitement for the lineup of Portland‘s Annual Lesbian and Gay Film Fest but I am truly and deeply sincere when I say that this year, now 15th of the festival, has me even more excited than the past. There’s isn’t a night where I wouldn’t go out to see 1 or more of the films being shown at Cinema 21, although I am particularly excited about the women in rock anthem Trigger playing Monday night, the high school musical type comedy Mangus, (Wednesday night), and the 2 films showcasing trans young people of different ages Romeos (Sunday afternoon) and Tomboy playing Wednesday. So stay tuned for previews of each night of fabulous flicks published 2 days before the screenings.
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  A Day with HIV in America 2010 submission This September 21st is the 2nd annual Day with HIV in America, and they are looking for contributions from you. A project of Positively Aware, a magazine devoted to HIV treatment and wellness, Day with HIV aims to tell the stories of those affected by HIV and AIDS by capturing a collective portrait of those living with the virus.
The magazine is inviting people across America to snap a digital photograph at any time over the course of September 21. Participants can record a portrait, time with friends and family at work or play, or any moment in the day that helps the world better understand life with HIV. Photos are to be submitted by September 26 on the A Day with HIV in America web site or emailed to artdirector@tpan.com. The site has pictures from last year as well as photo ideas and tips.
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  “Cooking for Charity and Fame”
Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille Portland is proud to introduce to you our premiere annual competition called “Iron Mary” where competitors get the opportunity to cook for charity and fame. Hamburger Mary’s Portland has teamed up with the Cascade AIDS Project (CAP) to create this competition with various challenges meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic which affects us all.
This competition has several weekly challenges that are meant to test one’s capacity to turn ordinary food into something legendary while reaching out to the community. “Iron Mary” is set to begin on Tuesday, May 3rd and its winner will be selected on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011.
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