EPA Announces $22 Million WIFIA Loan to Modernize Wastewater Infrastructure in Englewood, Colorado

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $22 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the City of Englewood, Colorado to support the One Water Modernization Program. With EPA’s WIFIA loan, Englewood will modernize aging wastewater infrastructure at the South Platte Renew plant to be more resilient and better protect water quality.

“The South Platte River provides essential water for drinking, agriculture, industry, and recreation,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “I want to congratulate the City of Englewood for investing in clean water and securing a low-interest WIFIA loan to help cover the costs. EPA supports water infrastructure investments and looks forward to uplifting more communities with $50 billion for water through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.” 

Englewood, Colorado, is located in a water-constrained and rapidly changing region. As a result, the city is pursuing its One Water Modernization Program, a comprehensive water infrastructure modernization plan. With this loan, Englewood will upgrade its wastewater treatment and conveyance systems by replacing outdated electrical and control systems and making treatment and process improvements to address aging infrastructure. Included in these upgrades are chemical and ultraviolet treatment improvements, which will help to assure that discharges comply with state limits for nitrates. Englewood will also establish a wastewater pilot and research center to test new technologies and treatment equipment. In addition to environmental improvements, these projects will help protect bolster the system’s resilience to climate change and extreme weather events.

"Englewood is leading the charge to modernize our water infrastructure. This investment will provide clean water, promote resiliency, and create jobs all while saving taxpayers money,” said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper.

“This is a huge win for our community and is yet another example of the progress we’re making as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1). “Not only will this project help improve water quality for the residents of Englewood, it will also provide a boost to the local economy by creating jobs and further protect our community from the threat of climate change.”

“The City of Englewood is pleased to work with EPA on securing nearly $22 million in loan funds to invest in South Platte Renew,” said Englewood Mayor Othoniel Sierra. “Englewood is the first utility in the State of Colorado to use the WIFIA Loan Program for infrastructure investment. Not only does the WIFIA program provide the funds necessary to modernize our aging wastewater infrastructure to be more resilient and protect and improve water quality in the South Platte River, it allows the city to delay repayment, saving citizens money.”

“EPA’s WIFIA loans are helping Western communities make infrastructure investments that will protect critical water resources in the face of increasing climate challenges,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “The City of Englewood’s South Platte Renew upgrades will create good-paying jobs, strengthen capacity and resilience, and secure state-of-the-art wastewater treatment for a cleaner, healthier watershed.”

Englewood will save approximately $8.5 million by financing with a WIFIA loan. Construction and operation are estimated to create approximately 282 jobs.

Englewood’s water infrastructure project compliments the work being done through EPA’s South Platte Urban Waters Partnership, a collaboration of organizations working across governmental and disciplinary boundaries. The aim of the partnership is to protect and restore lands and waters in the South Platte River watershed.

For more information about the WIFIA program, visit: WIFIA.

Drag Race Casts Reunite in New Series Filmed LIVE At DragCon LA

Emmy-winning media company World of Wonder has announced that an all-new WOW Presents Plus original series, Bring Back My Girls, is to be filmed LIVE at DragCon LA 2022, May 13-15th. Presented by World of Wonder and RuPaul’s new cocktail and mocktail line House of Love, Bring Back My Girls will feature a series of exclusive DragCon panel conversations with the casts of RuPaul’s Drag Race (S12), RuPaul’s Drag Race vs. The World, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK (S1 & S2), RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Canada’s Drag Race (S1 & S2) and Drag Race Holland (S1 & S2), hosted by TV personality and LGBTQ+ activist Ts Madison. These live tapings will be open to all attendees of DragCon on a first-come, first-serve basis, giving fans a peek behind the World of Wonder production curtain and the opportunity to see their favorite queens reunite in all their unfiltered realness. 

"It's a drag, drag, drag, drag world and we are so excited to be welcoming a record number of queens from all over the world to RuPaul's DragCon this year," says World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. "We cannot wait to showcase them in the new WOW Presents Plus series 'Bring Back My Girls'. These conversations will make you laugh and cry while serving you T from a global perspective."

Bring Back My Girls marks the first time DragCon will provide fans a firsthand, behind-the-scenes look at the making of a World of Wonder production - with the opportunity for fans to appear in the series. Audiences will not only get to watch the live taping, but also have a chance to participate directly and ask the queens questions during the Q&A portion. The final panels will be transformed into a 7-part episodic series slated to stream globally on WOW Presents Plus later this Fall. 

Each of the seven panels will bring together some of the franchise’s favorite queens, inviting them to sit down with their fellow sisters to reminisce on their hilarious memories and rehash the drama. The panelists will include, from RuPaul’s Drag Race S12: Aiden Zhane, Brita, Crystal Methyd, Dahlia Sim, GiGi Goode, Heidi N Closet, Jackie Cox, Jan, Nicky Doll, Rock M Sakura & Widow Von’Du; RuPaul’s Drag Race vs. The World: Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea, Cheryl Hole, Janey Jacké, Jimbo, Jujubee, Lemon, Mo Heart & Pangina Heals; RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S1: Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea, Cheryl Hole, Sum Ting Wong, Vinegar Strokes & The Vivienne; RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S2: A’Whora, Lawrence Chaney, Tayce, Tia Kofi; RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under: Art Simone, Etcetera Etcetera, Kita Mean & Maxi Shield; Canada’s Drag Race S1: Anastarzia Anaquway, Ilona Verley, Jimbo, Juice Boxx, Kiara, Lemon, Priyanka, Scarlete BoBo, Tynomi Banks; Canada’s Drag Race S2: Adriana, Beth, Gia Metric, Kendall Gender, Eve 6000, Kimora Amour, Océane Aqua-Black & Synthia Kiss; Drag Race Holland S1&S2: Envy Peru, Janey Jacké, Pierre Alexandre FKA Love Masisi, Sederginne & Vanessa Van Cartier. 

Featuring vendors, exhibitors, meet & greets, panel and Q&A sessions, and appearances from drag stars including supermodel of the world RuPaul, DragCon 2022 is the world’s largest all-ages and family-friendly celebration of drag and this convention is shaping up to be the fiercest year yet. Tickets are on sale now at RuPaulsDragCon.com.

GLAAD RESPONDS TO HISTORIC APPOINTMENT OF KARINE JEAN-PIERRE AS WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY

GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding to the announcement that Karine Jean-Pierre will become White House Press Secretary, the first Black woman and first out LGBTQ person to serve in the role. Jean-Pierre previously served as Deputy Press Secretary for the Biden White House.

As Deputy Press Secretary, Jean-Pierre was the first out LGBTQ woman, and second Black woman, to lead a White House briefing in May 2021. In October 2021, Jean-Pierre led the White House in participating in GLAAD’s Spirit Day, and spoke during the White House press briefing about Spirit Day’s power of visibility for LGBTQ youth: “I could only hope that young people who might be watching or see clips of this briefing will know that they are supported and represented in the highest levels of government today.” Video here.

Last month, Jean-Pierre spoke out against anti-LGBTQ legislation in states across the country. Earlier this year she denounced memos from Texas Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton falsely and harmfully targeting families of transgender youth: “No parent should face the agony of a politician standing in the way of accessing life-saving care for their child.”

Jean-Pierre has an accomplished background as a communications leader, from work in the Obama White House to presidential campaigns and local politics. She has also served as Chief Public Affairs Officer for MoveOn.org and as an NBC and MSNBC Political Analyst. Jean-Pierre authored the political memoir Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America.

Madonna Celebrates a Record 50 #1 Club Hits Across Four Decades

Madonna made history once again when she topped the Dance Club Songs chart for the 50th time, making her the first and only recording artist to have 50 #1 hits on any single Billboard chart.

 

To celebrate this historic milestone, Madonna curated two new collections: FINALLY ENOUGH LOVE: 50 NUMBER ONES, a new 50-track collection that includes her favorite remixes of those chart-topping dance hits that have filled clubs worldwide for four decades, and an abridged 16-track version, simply titled FINALLY ENOUGH LOVE.

 

These new collections will mark the first album releases to be part of the newly announced partnership between Madonna and Warner Music Group, which will feature an extensive series of catalog releases across her groundbreaking career.

 

50 NUMBER ONES spans her entire dance club chart reign with dozens of remixes by the world’s top producers. In addition to fan favorites, the collection also includes a selection of rare remix recordings, with more than 20 being officially released for the first time or making their commercial/digital debut. The collection will be available digitally on August 19, along with a 3-CD ($29.98) version. A limited edition, 6-LP version on red and black vinyl ($149.98) will also be available, exclusively at Madonna’s official store and Rhino.com. Pre-order now.

 

The 16-track version, FINALLY ENOUGH LOVE, will be available for streaming on June 24, with 1-CD ($14.98) and 180-gram 2-LP ($34.98) versions coming on August 19. Pre-order and Pre-save now.

 

As a first listen to these collections, the “You Can Dance Remix Edit” of “Into The Groove” is available today digitally for the first time. Listen Now.

KindRED Foundation’s Pride Cup Team Aims to Register One Thousand Runners for the onePulse Foundation’s CommUNITY Rainbow Run/Walk

The KindRED Pride Foundation is seeking one thousand participants to join its Pride Cup Team to raise funds during the onePulse Foundation's CommUNITY Rainbow Run/Walk in Orlando June 4. The Pride Cup hopes to raise $49,000 in honor of the 49 victims killed in the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in 2016. 

 

Individuals joining the 4.9K run/walk, benefiting the onePULSE Foundation and the National Pulse Memorial and Museum, will start at Wadeview Park, 500 East Harding Street. The virtual run can be done at any location and at the runner’s pace. All participants will receive an official race T-shirt, tote bag, downloadable race bib, and finisher medal.

 

“We are proud to support this worthy cause and seek others who can join us here in Orlando or virtually from anywhere in the world,” said Billy Looper, President of Kindred Pride Foundation. “We lost friends that night and we will be walking in their honor. We are encouraging the Pride Cup team members to please show their KindRED Pride spirit by wearing RED as a sign of solidarity.” 

 

Members are also urged to use #thepridecup and #rspd when posting images. To register for The Pride Cup Team, please visit: www.thepridecupteam.com

Parents of LGBTQ+ Youth Get a Boost on May 22 with “PFLAG Parent Day”

Fifty years ago, a mother’s letter to the editor was published in a New York City paper doing the unheard of: she denounced the harmful actions of elected officials against LGBTQ+ people and called for support for LGBTQ+ equal rights. On Sunday, May 22, PFLAG National celebrates the parenting people who continue that mother’s legacy and who rise up in support of rights for LGBTQ+ loved ones and for their communities with PFLAG Parent Day (PFLAG.org/ParentDay). 

“It took an enormous amount of courage to be openly LGBTQ+ fifty years ago, and it took guts to be an LGBTQ+-affirming parent and school teacher then, too. But Jeanne Manford showed us not only that LGBTQ+ allies can speak up and speak out, but that they should. In a year when officials from the State House to the school board have criminalized parents of LGBTQ+ people, PFLAG National is proud to celebrate loving parents and caregivers who fight the good fight. We hope everyone who loves an LGBTQ+ person will join us on May 22nd to feel the love and to get inspired to lead like Jeanne did,” said Brian K. Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National.

The second annual PFLAG Parent Day event will feature the stories of courageous LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, parents and caregivers, plus appearances by Big Freedia, Cody Rigsby, George Takei, Matteo Lane, MUNA, Tommy DiDario, cast members from Hulu’s LOVE, VICTOR and many more to be announced at a later date. 

PFLAG Parent Day will also be an opportunity to contribute to PFLAG’s life-saving programs that provide support, education, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ people, their parents and families, and allies across the country. The live virtual event will serve as a touchpoint to engage and inspire advocates and allies who believe all kids, no matter their race, genders or sexual orientation, should be free to be themselves. 

This June 25 marks 50 years since Jeanne Manford became the mother of the LGBTQ+ ally movement. It is the day when she first marched alongside her son Morty in the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, bearing a sign to urge other parents to join her as advocates and supporters of LGBTQ+ rights. PFLAG chapters across the country will be harnessing this legacy to lead like Jeanne as they march and advocate for LGBTQ+ people during Pride month and throughout the year.

'Nuclear Family' Premieres September 26 on HBO Max

 

In Nuclear Family, Ry Russo-Young reexamines the landmark legal decision that would change the way gay families were perceived forever. The HBO original documentary series premieres September 26 on HBO Max.

How do you survive a threat to destroy your family? This three-part documentary series begins in the late 70s/early 80s, when the concept of lesbian and gay families was inconceivable to most. Director Ry Russo-Young examines how the power of love, the terror of loss and the universal pull of family sent a shockwave through her life as a young girl – and how its echoes have reverberated through all the way up to today.

At a time when being gay or lesbian seemed to mean you had given up the right to have children and a family, Ry was born to two lesbian moms through a sperm donor. Their idyllic life was threatened by an unexpected lawsuit, culminating in a landmark decision that would change the way gay families are viewed evermore.

Featuring a lifetime of home videos, press and interviews, the series tracks the arc of Ry’s relationship with her donor — from idealization to villainy and, ultimately, to loss and understanding. Her story, in all its particularity, is also a universal exploration of love, hate, and the universal pull of family.

New Survey: Impacts of Discrimination on LGBTQ Community

Please participate in this special survey on how the many forms of discrimination impact LGBTQ community members.

The research is a partnership with a national LGBTQ nonprofit looking to make positive change for our community.

The survey takes about 8 to 10 minutes to complete.

Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of twenty US $100 e-gift certificate prizes.

CMI works hard to ensure that your personal information will remain SECURE and CONFIDENTIAL. We never use our lists for marketing purposes. We never sell or rent your contact information to other companies. Our research reports are about the collective opinion of the LGBTQ community, not your personal information. For more about CMI's privacy policy, please click click here.

To begin the survey, CLICK HERE.

Netta - I Love My Nails

Netta releases “I Love My Nails” (via S-Curve/Hollywood Records), an anthem that rivals her Eurovision-winning breakout hit “Toy” in pure unbridled passion and empowerment. Inspired initially by a bout of deep heartbreak, Netta uses her passion for her nails as a metaphor for the things in our lives that remind us of who we are. It’s a triumphant reclamation of the things we do just for ourselves that get us back on our feet when we are at our lowest.

 

Of the song, Netta said “Loving your nails is about loving yourself. Painting and building my nails is self-care for me. It’s my color therapy. It helped me this year with rejection and put the color back in my life. I paint a picture of myself on them. I put my heart on my sleeve, they say, so I put mine on my nails.”

 

She added, “When I was young, I used to go with my mother to the beauty salon. Beauticians are the best therapists, if you didn’t know. The process of building her nails was actually about building herself once again every week. This ritual became her medicine for her, and I guess it runs in the family. Show up for you. Love your nails. Love yourself.”

 

Netta recently came stateside for two sold-out shows in New York and LA respectively. She also is set to appear and perform at Chicago Pride Fest on June 18,  The Foundry (Philly) on June 22, Union Stage (DC) on June 23 and NYC Pride on June 25 over the next few months.

ICYMI: HRC Interim President Calls Out Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kay Ivey, Ron Desantis for Hypocrisy in Spreading Anti-LGBTQ+ Misinformation

Saturday night, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, hosted its Greater New York Dinner. The event featured speeches from HRC’s interim president Joni Madison, who used her remarks to directly confront the right-wing anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation campaign and called the current moment – when a slate of anti-LGBTQ+ bills are passing in states across the country and misinformation is rampant-- – an “emergency.”

“These lawmakers are simply pouring gasoline on a wildfire,” Human Rights Campaign Interim President Joni Madison said in her remarks of anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers. “They’re going on Fox News and reclaiming vintage hand-me-down hate -- calling us predators and groomers. Marjorie Taylor Greene has called our community ‘pro-pedophile.’ But at the exact same time, one of her staunchest allies -- Matt Gaetz -- is under federal investigation for alleged sex crimes with a minor. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey went out of her way to attack trans kids under the guise of “protecting the children.” But she supported Roy Moore even after news came out that he engaged in sexual misconduct with 14-year-olds. It’s disgusting.

“It is clear that these leaders do not care at all about protecting children. Their hypocrisy is vile. Their actions are vile. Their rhetoric is vile. They are painting a target on our back -- and then telling folks it is okay to go ahead and shoot.”

The event also featured remarks from New York Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Revered British Actress Golda Rosheuvel was honored with the HRC Equality Award and multi-platinum pop superstar Jessie J gave a show-stopping performance. Actors Tituss Burgess and Ian Alexander, actress and transgender rights activist Nicole Maines, and comedian Dana Goldberg also spoke at HRC’s event.

National Association of County and City Health Officials Applauds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Updated Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Recommendations

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the voice of our country’s local health departments, applauds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updating its hepatitis B vaccination guidelines. The CDC is recommending universal hepatitis B vaccination for all adults aged 19 to 59 in the United States. The CDC announced these updated recommendations in a recent edition of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, following a recommendation from its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice in November 2021.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a significant public health threat in the U.S. An estimated 862,000 people are living with HBV, and there are 21,600 new cases each year. HBV can cause significant damage to the liver, resulting in cirrhosis and liver cancer. HBV is primarily spread through sexual contact, through the sharing of syringes and other injection equipment, or through parent-to-child transmission at birth. The previous vaccination recommendations were based on risk factors for HBV. However, the stigma associated with key risk factors, including injection drug use, could deter patients from disclosing their risk and consequently limit opportunities for vaccination.

The expanded recommendations will help to close the gap. Currently only 25% of adults are vaccinated against HBV in the U.S. Furthermore, the updated recommendations support our national goal to eliminate viral hepatitis in the U.S.
by 2030.

The updated vaccination recommendations will complement existing recommendations for universal infant vaccination, which began in 1991. Expanded vaccination will be critical to addressing the burden of HBV in the US and the inequitable impact of HBV on people who inject

drugs; men who have sex with men; people with a history of incarceration; refugee, immigrant, and migrant populations; and Black, Indigenous and other people of color in the U.S. Notably, the updated recommendations will ensure expanded health insurance coverage and the elimination of financial and other barriers to HBV vaccination for many adults.

Local health departments (LHDs) are ideally situated to support the implementation of the new recommendations, and they will play a key role in increasing adult HBV vaccination coverage nationwide. According to NACCHO’s 2019 Profile assessment, 88% of LHDs provide adult vaccination, making vaccination the most frequently provided clinical service. LHDs also coordinate with a variety of local stakeholders to prevent and eliminate viral hepatitis. They provide and assure access to HBV vaccination, testing, and treatment; conducting outreach to healthcare providers and populations at high risk for hepatitis and providing hepatitis services in STI, harm reduction, and correctional settings. The expanded recommendations will enable LHDs to offer the HBV vaccine more widely and encourage more providers to offer the vaccine, expanding access in a variety of settings.

A universal adult HBV vaccination recommendation is an important step toward increasing access to HBV vaccination and reducing preventable morbidity and mortality. However, scaling up HBV vaccination and implementing tailored and innovative approaches to outreach and messaging will require a multidisciplinary effort ranging from the local to national level. Coordination at all levels will be necessary to incorporate universal HBV vaccination into routine vaccination programs, especially as immunizers continue to provide COVID-19 vaccination and strive to improve vaccination rates that have decreased during the pandemic. It is imperative for policymakers to ensure that all partners and stakeholders, including LHDs, receive the needed resources and support to efficiently and effectively operationalize this critically important recommendation.

Dallas Southern Pride Announces the 2022 Juneteenth Unity Weekend June 16-19

Dallas Southern Pride will host its Juneteenth Unity Weekend celebration, June 16-19, 2022. This year's celebration will include a myriad of events, including health and wellness screenings, COVID-19 vaccinations, concerts, their annual Juneteenth unity festival and pool party, various local club events, parties and The Emancipation Ball. 

Some of the biggest stars in hip-hop and entertainment are confirmed for this unforgettable four-day weekend of festivities, including the City Girls, Saucy Santana, and Moneybagg Yo, who will perform at the Juneteenth unity  festival and pool party on Saturday, June 18 from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Samuell-Grand Aquatic Center, 3201 Samuell Blvd., Dallas, Texas;  and Dallas' own superstars Erica Banks and Yella Beezy, who will perform at the Mega Party that Saturday at 10 p.m. at Amplified, 10262 Technology Blvd E, Dallas, Texas. The weekend of events will conclude with a signature brunch on Sunday, June 19, hosted by Kirk Myers-Hill, president of Dallas Southern Pride.

More than 20,000 people from across the United States and internationally are slated to attend this year's Juneteenth Unity Weekend celebration, which was created to celebrate the brilliance and culture of Black people. An idea birthed by community leader, businessperson and activist, Kirk Myers-Hill, the Juneteenth Unity Weekend is the official annual celebration for Black Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ+) people to come together and celebrate their contributions to both American and Black culture, liberation and community.

"Juneteenth Unity Weekend is a celebration and representation of the many intersections and beautiful mosaics within the Black community," said Kirk Myers-Hill, president of Dallas Southern Pride. "The Black community is only as strong as its Black Gay brothers and sisters. Juneteenth is an opportunity to showcase unity and display the belief that we are all stronger together."

Juneteenth became a federally recognized national holiday in 2021. However, long before the nation started celebrating this holiday, Black people in Texas were celebrating this day, as it originated in Texas. The Emancipation Proclamation, which granted freedom to slaves, was signed 1863. However, it wasn't until two years later on June 19, 1865, that slaves in Texas first learned of their freedom. Union troops entered Galveston, TX, announcing that all slaves were free. This marked the beginning of Juneteenth as it is known and recognized today. Since 2017, the Governor of Texas has submitted a proclamation recognizing the Juneteenth Unity Weekend. Additionally, Congresswomen Eddie Bernice Johnson continues to show her support by issuing welcome letters for the past five years. The Juneteenth Unity Weekend is a family-oriented celebration with events and programming for the entire community and is excited to bring the celebration of Juneteenth back home to Texas. June is also Pride Month and the Juneteenth Unity Weekend has been a staple event in the city of Dallas during Pride month for many years.

"VisitDallas is excited to support the 2022 Juneteenth Unity Weekend hosted by Dallas Southern Pride and Abounding Prosperity, Inc. Events like this continue to make Dallas a better place to live and visit," said Craig T. Davis, president and CEO of VisitDallas.

Since its inception in 2008, the Juneteenth Unity Weekend continues to make a positive impact in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex by unifying the community, celebrating freedom, providing a safe space for community gathering, and infusing millions of dollars into the local economy. The 2021 Juneteenth Unity Weekend brought thousands of visitors to the Metroplex, and sold-out all its host hotels. The event generated more than $2.2 million dollars for local business hit hard by the global COVID-19 pandemic and created hundreds of jobs for "gig" workers. The event and leadership team also created other historic moments for the city of Dallas. As a result, the HIV positivity rate dropped below 10 percent for the first time in the event's history among more than 200 attendees tested; the Dallas Police Department held a recruitment drive targeting LGBTQ+ applicants; the Dallas skyline was lighted in the Juneteenth and Black Pride colors for the first time and The Dallas Southern Pride Official Pride flag was debuted and flown for the first time at the Sheraton Market Center.

The Juneteenth Unity Weekend is a collaborative celebration made possible by the support of the many companies and organizations that share the collective vision for this impactful event that advances the entire Black family and social justice movements and celebrates unity and peace. The 2022 presenting sponsors thus far are Gilead Sciences and Abounding Prosperity, Inc., along with Black Entertainment Television (BET) and ViiV Healthcare as diamond sponsors. Other key sponsors include the Dallas Mavericks, Radio One Dallas, Dallas TPID, AHF, Yale School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, HVTN, SBPAN, AIDS United, VisitDallas, Hilton, Center for Black Equity, United Black Ellument, Crawford Jewelry, and Don Morphy.

A portion of the proceeds from this year's Juneteenth Unity Weekend will be used to support the free health, and wellness activities of its partner agencies, which offsets the cost of essential services to Black and Brown communities, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ communities and their families in the DFW metroplex.

Hulu Acquires U.S. Streaming Rights to Schitt’s Creek

Today Hulu announced that it will be the dedicated subscription video on-demand destination for critically acclaimed and fan favorite series “Schitt’s Creek” in the U.S. beginning October 3, 2022.

 

“Based on the number of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ GIFs we Slack every day, it’s no surprise that we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Johnny, Moira, Alexis, ‘Daviiid’ and the wonderfully unique residents of Schitt’s Creek to Hulu,” said Joe Earley, President of Hulu. “We can’t wait to share the award-winning, blisteringly-funny, yet heartwarming series and characters with our subscribers. We know they’ll fit in nicely.”

 

“Schitt’s Creek” centers on an outrageously wealthy video store magnate, Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy); his former soap-star wife Moira (Catherine O'Hara); and their two adult children – the self-described black sheep of the family David (Daniel Levy) and career socialite Alexis (Annie Murphy). When the family suddenly find themselves broke, they have no choice but to move to Schitt's Creek, a small-town Johnny once bought as a joke. Forced to live out of a motel, with their pampered lives a memory, they struggle to find jobs and relationships and, most importantly, figure out what it means to be a family in the loveable town they’ve reluctantly come to call home. 

 

Since its debut, “Schitt’s Creek” has garnered scores of award nominations and appeared on dozens of 'Best Of' lists. In 2020, the series made history by sweeping all Primetime Emmy® Awards comedy categories with the most wins in a single season for a comedy including Outstanding Lead Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series for Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy; Outstanding Supporting Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series for Annie Murphy and Daniel Levy; Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for Andrew Cividino and Daniel Levy; and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Daniel Levy. 

Human Rights Campaign Commends Biden-Harris Administration for Releasing Report on Efforts to Support Global LGBTQ+ Rights

Today, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, commended the release of a report from the Biden-Harris administration that examines the efforts of each federal agency with an international portfolio to advance LGBTQ+ equality around the world. The report points both to the progress that the administration has made, as well as obstacles that agencies face.

 

“We welcome this first-ever effort from the Biden-Harris administration to document our nation’s progress on protecting and promoting LGBTQ+ rights around the world. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the steps the administration has taken to restore LGBTQ+ rights as a central tenet of our U.S. foreign policy goals,” said David Stacy, Director of Government Affairs. “Too many LGBTQ+ people around the world are under threat every day, many of them from their own governments. In conflict zones like Ukraine, Afghanistan and more, LGBTQ+ people routinely bear a disproportionate brunt of the horrible effects of violence – violence that in many cases deliberately targets LGBTQ+ populations. HRC is grateful that from Washington, DC to U.S. embassies around the globe, the human rights of LGBTQ+ communities are a priority and that the administration is following through on its promise to support global LGBTQ+ equality.

 

"It is clear that more remains to be done to bolster global LGBTQ+ rights. We hope that this report will spur the administration to adopt and strengthen non-discrimination protections across all of its international agencies, ensure adequate and inclusive funding for LGBTQ+ programs at the State Department and USAID, and rebuild the nation's broken refugee and asylum system.”

 

Today’s release is a progress report  on a memorandum signed by President Biden in February 2021, shortly after he took office, that laid out steps his administration would take to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people worldwide. LGBTQ+ people around the world continue to face discrimination, violence, and bigotry. Sixty-eight countries -- more than one third of the world’s nations --  criminalize consenting same-sex sexual relations. In up to nine countries, same-sex sexual relations may be punishable by death, and so-called anti-LGBTQ+ “propaganda” laws inhibit LGBTQ+ advocacy in at least three countries.

Campus Pride Joins 36 Orgs Urging The NCES to Incorporate Nonbinary Students Into IPED System

Today, Campus Pride along with 36 other national/regional organizations requested that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) incorporate nonbinary students into all categories of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

A letter from Campus Pride on behalf of the signatories was sent to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) who has oversight of NCES. A separate request for comment was also filed with the DOE online in the public request for comments.

The organizations are recommending that NCES add a “nonbinary gender identity” category to all tables. As colleges are becoming more detailed in identifying the gender identities of their students, NCES should consider including additional gender options, such as agender, gender fluid, genderqueer, questioning, trans man, and trans woman. These would allow for a more comprehensive understanding of their students across gender identities.

The letter states: “While we appreciate that the NCES is proposing to add a single question to IPEDS that asks colleges about the number of students at their institutions who identify as other than female or male, this change is not enough. Nonbinary students need to be included in all gender breakdowns so that their experiences, which are often very different from female and male students, can be recognized and fully accounted for in order to ensure a safe, inclusive learning environment. The value of nonbinary inclusion should outweigh any added reporting burden on colleges.”

According to the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment (NCHA), the number of students identifying as trans or nonbinary has nearly tripled in the last five years, with most of this increase because of the growth in respondents identifying as nonbinary.

The Common Application, the Coalition Application, and the Universal College Application, which manage the admissions applications for more than 1,200 colleges and universities, enable students to identify their gender identity and include a “nonbinary” option. In addition, “nonbinary” is a category for “legal sex” in 24 states, where individuals can have an “x” as their gender marker on their driver’s license and/or birth certificates.

Signatories include:

ACPA - College Student Educators International

Advocates for Youth

American Association of Colleges and Universities

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers

American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Association of College and University Housing Officers - International

Athlete Ally

Campus Pride

Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research (CLEAR)

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers

Common App

Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals

Equality Federation

FORGE, Inc.

GLSEN

interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth

Mazzoni Center

Modern Military Association of America

Movement Advancement Project

NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators for Higher Education

National Association for College Admissions Counseling

National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO)

National Black Justice Coalition

National Center for Transgender Equality

National LGBT Cancer Network

National LGBTQ+ Bar Association

National Women’s Law Center

Oasis Legal Services

Oklahomans for Equality

PFLAG National

Phoenix Pride

PowerOn, a program of LGBT Technology Institute

Resource Center

TransAthlete.com

Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico

URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity

Woodhull Freedom Foundation