The Mellon Foundation Awards $1M Grant to Samora Pinderhughes to expand The Healing Project

Pianist-vocalist-composer and interdisciplinary artist Samora Pinderhughes has been awarded a one million dollar grant from the Mellon Foundation in support of The Healing Project (THP), a years-long exploration of incarceration, structural violence and healing in the United States using music, visual arts, film, and language as abolitionist action.

Distributed over 38 months, the funding will go towards the expansion of art works in The Healing Project exhibition, the creation of a book version of The Healing Project, the continuation of THP’s exhibitions and free community programs, and the creation of additional albums & films. The grant also provides the initial funding for The Healing Project Transformative Impact Fund, which provides seed money and mentorship for selected interviewees who are currently or formerly incarcerated to work on their own special projects over the course of the grant, aiming to make their own dreams & goals come true.

Pinderhughes’ work encompasses over 10 years of recorded conversations with more than 100 people of color across 15 states about their experiences, stories and ideas surrounding healing from structural violence. By highlighting the specific stories of people such as Keith LaMar, Pitt Panther, and others who have urgent cases regarding their imprisonment, The Healing Project aims to shine light on their stories, show their brilliance, and ultimately help free them.

"We celebrate and support artists like Samora whose work transcends the confines of performing arts practice – experimenting with how their work is created, delivered, presented, and received” said Emil J. Kang, Mellon Foundation Program Director for Arts and Culture. “At Mellon, we aim to cultivate conditions that empower artists to center contemporary performance as a primary vehicle for their creativity."

Pinderhughes states: “With this funding, and this next iteration of The Healing Project, we aim to provide a blueprint for how music projects can expand, not just artistically, but in the ways that they materially change lives and policies. The heart of the work is in our belief in the freedom dreams of those who are currently and formerly incarcerated and our understanding that the deepest healing strategies come directly from those who have been traumatized and oppressed, and they never get the chance to make policy or build institutions. We aim to change that.”

In 2022 Pinderhughes released three integral elements of The Healing Project including his exhibition debut at The Yerba Buena Center for The Arts. The exhibit featured a constellation of creative works including films, sound works, physical pieces and contributed artworks from established artists like Titus Kaphar and currently incarcerated artists including Pitt Panther. The heart of the exhibition was the Surround Room, where the audio interviews that Pinderhughes conducted for The Healing Project were scored to original music presented in surround sound. The exhibition also included workshops and events, all free and open to the public, and free performances featuring Pinderhughes and special guests.

The critically acclaimed album GRIEF marked Pinderhughes’ debut as a vocalist and was written in the spirit of music from the ’60s and ’70s by artists like Nina Simone and Curtis Mayfield who made powerful statements about life and social justice through their music. The album was included in several “Best of 2022” lists including The New York Times and NPR.

Finally, the digital archive of the installation was also unveiled in 2022 as an open-source, mobile-friendly site built on AR/VR technology where people can listen directly to the recordings of The Healing Project interviewees scored to music. Pinderhughes created the digital archive alongside collaborators including Rafiq Bhatia, Chris Pattishall, Jack DeBoe and Adam O’Farrill, which features a brand-new visual world created by CRUX that site visitors can digitally walk through.

Victory! Lambda Legal Secures $372k Settlement in California HIV Medical Data Breach Case

Lambda Legal today announces Final Approval of a $372,000 settlement for 93 low-income Californians living with HIV whose confidential medical records – including their HIV status – may have been compromised by a data breach of A.J. Boggs & Company’s online enrollment system for the California AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). ADAP is operated by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and 30,000 low-income Californians rely on ADAP for life-saving medication. In 2016, CDPH contracted with A.J. Boggs to administer the enrollment program.

The Superior Court of California (San Francisco) ordered final approval of a class action Settlement Agreement. As a result of the settlement in the class-action lawsuit Lambda Legal filed five years ago, each of the 93 Settlement Class Members are eligible to receive $4,000 in compensation for the potential data breach. Any remaining funds not disbursed to Settlement Class Members will be divided between two nonprofit organizations serving Californians living with HIV, APLA Health and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF), to be used exclusively for state-wide HIV advocacy work.

“We are pleased that this settlement will compensate those people whose trust was violated by this vulnerable maintenance of sensitive confidential medical information; it sends a clear message of the importance of proper care and management of this information. HIV-related stigma is still a major driver of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, so privacy interest in one’s HIV-positive status remains a priority issue. We hope this lawsuit has raised awareness of the importance of treating health information of people living with HIV, with extreme care and confidentiality, because unauthorized disclosure could increase risk for discrimination, harassment, or even loss of trust in health care providers. People living with HIV need to know who has access to their personal and private medical information, and that those who are handling this information will keep it safe and confidential,” said Kara Ingelhart, Senior Attorney at Lambda Legal.

“I’m relieved to see this case come to an end after my and others’ private medical information was improperly accessible to others. Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma and discrimination attached to HIV-positive status, so breaches like these could jeopardize our safety and livelihoods. As members of already vulnerable communities—transgender people, women, people of color, undocumented people—we already overcome many barriers to access health care, so mishandling of our data creates community mistrust in the service providers. It is up to me to decide how and with whom I share my HIV status,” said Alan Doe, who is using a pseudonym for purposes of the lawsuit.

CDPH identified the 93 Settlement Class Members whose HIV-related medical information may have been accessed in the data breach and previously sent each of these class members notification in a letter by mail in 2017. CDPH has maintained the confidentiality of the full list of potentially impacted persons and has contracted with the Claims Administrator Kroll (Kroll) for authorized confidential use of the CDPH-held contact information to reach those 93 people individually and administer the class settlement agreement. Settlement Class Members may contact Kroll by phone at 1-833-512-2305.

 

The settlement comes five years after Lambda Legal filed the class-action lawsuit, arguing that vulnerabilities in the ADAP portal operated by A.J. Boggs may have led to unauthorized third parties accessing and viewing the private medical information of 93 Californians – including their HIV status – between August and December 2016. The enrollment process requires applicants to provide detailed information and access to their medical records, sensitive and confidential information that California state law requires not to be disclosed or disseminated without consent.

ADAP is part of the federal Ryan White CARE Act, through which states are eligible to receive federal funding to conduct a program that helps ensure access to HIV medications for lower-income people living with HIV who are not eligible for Medicaid and do not have an alternative source to obtain HIV medications at a reasonable cost. In California, approximately 30,000 people are enrolled in its ADAP.

Kara Ingelhart of Lambda Legal, joined by pro-bono co-counsel Kara L. Kapp of Cozen O’Connor are representing Alan Doe.

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson Joins Lawmakers and Advocates in Michigan to Celebrate Legislation Ensuring LGBTQ+ Protections

Today, the President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization – joined advocates, lawmakers, and press at the Michigan State Senate Office Building to discuss the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) amendments, which would modernize Michigan’s civil rights laws by including explicit protections for sexual orientation and gender identity in Michigan law. The bill, introduced by State Senator Jeremy Moss, passed out of committee today and is anticipated to pass the state Senate next week.

Volunteers and leaders from Equality Michigan, ACLU, HRC gather in front of Michigan’s capitol building. 

Currently 29 states – including Michigan – do not have laws that explicitly protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination. Although the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in favor of LGBTQ+ protections this past summer, this decision could be reversed by a future court ruling.

State Senator and ELCRA Bill Sponsor Jeremy Moss said the following:

“For far too long, LGBTQ+ Michiganders have not been able to live as their true and authentic selves here with equal protection under the law. Without employment and housing protections in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, our community is vulnerable to being kicked out of our economy as workers and consumers. By including sexual orientation and gender identity or expression as protected classes in the act, we signal that Michigan is a safe place to call home. This committee vote is a win for all of Michigan.”

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said the following:

“This is nothing short of remarkable, this is the government working for the people and it's powerful. You can hear by every testimony, every story that was shared, this is about the fundamental values of being American. Restoring dignity, ensuring equality, ensuring fairness, and we can do that in the halls of government for everyone!

Being here in this space shows also the rest of the country what is possible. There are still 29 states that don’t have codified non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in this country. Michigan isn’t going to be one of them for very much longer. This is setting the bar - setting the bar of what’s required, in a way that shows when you do legislation that sits with and centers the people of the state  - it's good for business, it’s good for education, it's good for everyone. This is a powerful moment indicative of what happens when people come together to support the wellness of the whole. This is an important moment and HRC is so proud to stand alongside our partners.”

Equality Michigan Executive Director Erin Knott said the following:

“Listening to the business community today was such a thrill. We know the business community supports amending Elliott-Larsen. We know that it’s good for business, it’s good for retaining and attracting talent. But I don’t want to forget about the fact that you heard from me and the rest of the community last week. At Equality Michigan, our department of victim services gets calls from members of the LGBTQ+ community on a daily basis that are experiencing some form of discrimination, harassment, or a horrific act of violence. Today’s vote on the behalf of this committee sends a message to the LGBTQ+ community that they are valued, that they are loved, and that discrimination will not be tolerated anymore.

I heard today that there was concern about litigation and going to court. If that’s your concern, just don’t discriminate - it’s that simple”

HRC President Kelley Robinson, Equality Michigan Executive Director Erin Knott, ACLU of Michigan Legislative Director Merissa Kovach, and State Senator Jeremy Moss spoke after the hearing about the grassroots efforts to add explicit protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity over the decades since ELCRA was originally adopted. In the 2022 midterm elections, mobilization efforts of the Hate Won’t Win coalition, made up of Equality Michigan, HRC, ACLU, community centers and other organizations across the state, helped re-elect Governor Whitmer and elect a pro-equality legislative majority, resulting in movement on the ELCRA amendment for the first time in 40 years. 

Ethiopian Scientist Says Climate Education Must Be Integrated into School Curriculum to Escape Chronic Food Insecurity

Ethiopia is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including increases in average temperature and changes in precipitation. The country is striving to be climate neutral. Overhauling its rural economy to support more sustainable agriculture and regenerate degraded forests is part of the plan to achieve this.

In the new Net Zero show, Net Zero Speaks With Thomas Minda, scientist, educator, researcher and climate leader based at Arba Minch University in Ethiopia, Minda discusses with Climate Activist Barry Nyuydze Berry the impact of weather and climate on Ethiopia’s agricultural sector.

“For the last 4 years the crops in Ethiopia have failed,” says Thomas Minda. “In Ethiopia climate change must be integrated into school curriculum.” Minda also discusses Ethiopia’s need to transition to renewable energy: “We are a mountainous country which is conducive to hydropower.”

Watch the show here.

IGLTA Foundation Announces Keshav Suri as Chair of India Initiative

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association Foundation has appointed Keshav Suri, Executive Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, as committee chair of the Foundation’s India Initiative. The announcement follows the first-ever IGLTAF LGBTQ+ Tourism Symposium in India, 2 February in New Delhi. 

In 2020, the Foundation launched this initiative to better support India as a destination and LGBTQ+ tourism to and from the country, which led to the symposium. The event attracted an audience of 120 engaged tourism and hospitality professionals to discuss topics such as “Best Practices for LGBTQ+ Tourism” and “Creating Inclusive Spaces in India.” (Click here for the symposium speaker list.)

 

“India is a major destination for international tourism, with great potential to grow the inbound and outbound network to benefit LGBTQ+ travelers and LGBTQ+ welcoming businesses. We are thrilled to welcome Keshav Suri as our new chair of the India Initiative, one of the key projects for the Foundation,” IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella said. “Our projects need engagement from those who represent the communities we’re supporting, and Keshav is one of the most well-connected and outspoken advocates for the LGBTQ+ community in India’s hospitality industry.”

 

Suri has long been a fierce advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. He was part of the successful petition in 2018 to revoke Section 377, which decriminalized homosexuality in India, and continues to drive progress through his foundation, the Keshav Suri Foundation, which focuses on empowering marginalized communities and promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion. Projects include providing free mental health resources and education for the queer community, transgender-specific skill development, and LGBTQ+ job fairs. The organization also works with intersectionality, supporting disabled people and acid attack victims.

 

“I am humbled on being announced as the Chair for the IGLTA India initiative. With the theme of One World, One Earth, One Family, India is ready to welcome and embrace all with #Purelove,” said Keshav Suri, Executive Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. “I am confident that our association with IGLTA will enable us to create more safe spaces for all travelers. The growth story of India is only starting, and the ‘Power of Pink Money’ can be a strong contributor to the GDP.”

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Human Rights Campaign President: Biden’s Focus on Supporting Transgender Young People Highlights that Anti-Trans Legislative Attacks are ‘An Emergency’

In last night’s State of the Union address, President Joe Biden made a point to defend transgender and non-binary youth from the wave of attacks they’re facing, saying “Let’s also pass the bipartisan Equality Act to ensure LGBTQ Americans, especially transgender young people, can live with safety and dignity.” In addition to calling for passage of the LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination protections in the Equality Act, he also celebrated the recent passage of the Respect for Marriage Act. After attending the address in person, Kelley Robinson, President of The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — released the following statement:

“Tonight, in front of Congress and the nation, President Biden called attention to the campaign of hatred that is driving discriminatory legislation that targets transgender kids in statehouses around the country. Extremist lawmakers are banning best-practice, doctor approved care, kicking kids off sports teams, censoring curriculum and more. None of this is news to the LGBTQ+ community, but too many others don’t seem to be getting the message that this is an emergency – families are being driven from their homes, people are being forced back into the closet, because decades-old homophobia, transphobia and discrimination are being resurrected in the form of anti-trans hatred. When marriage equality was under threat from the extreme rhetoric of a Supreme Court justice, Congress and the president took quick action to pass into law the Respect for Marriage Act. Now, as he calls for passage of the Equality Act, we appreciate that President Biden is making a point to focus national attention on this urgent topic and stand up for transgender kids, because we need our nation’s leaders to show up and prove that collectively, we are greater than hate.”

Robinson, who was named the first Black, queer woman to lead HRC in November 2022, was in attendance at the address as a guest of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. — a longtime congressional advocate and champion for advancing LGBTQ+ equality. Also invited, as guests of first lady Jill Biden, were marriage equality advocates Gina and Heidi Nortonsmith. The Nortonsmiths were plaintiffs in the case that struck down a ban on same-sex marriage in Massachusetts and were in attendance at the White House in December 2022 when President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law. And attending as a guest of Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., was Bill Lippert, a longtime state lawmaker and LGBTQ+ trailblazer who founded multiple advocacy organizations, founded Burlington’s first Pride parade in the 1980s, and helped guide the state to pass marriage equality through the legislature.

The Biden-Harris administration has an unparalleled record on advancing LGBTQ+ equality — from initiating executive actions and rulemakings to signing federal legislation into law. As state legislatures across the country have advanced hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills – with an emphasis on attacking transgender youth – the Biden administration has served as an important and urgent counterweight, prioritizing policies that aim to protect against discrimination.

A Wave of Anti-Trans Attacks Across the Nation

According to the Human Rights Campaign’s State Equality Index, 315 discriminatory anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in statehouses across the U.S, in 2022 as part of a calculated push by far-right extremist groups throughout the country. 29 passed into law. This year is expected to be worse. The first anti-LGBTQ+ law of 2023 was already signed by Utah Governor Spencer Cox last month. Just over a month into the 2023 state legislative sessions, we’re already tracking more than 210 anti-LGBTQ+ bills moving across 30 states, including bans on life-saving, gender-affirming care, restrictions on school curriculum and discussions, trans students’ participation in school sports, and LGBTQ youth’s rights to identity and privacy in the classroom.

While only 10% of these bills eventually were signed into law in 2022, they still set a record for the most attacks on equality signed into law in recent history. The majority of the discriminatory bills – 149 bills – targeted the transgender and non-binary community, with the majority targeting children receiving the brunt of discriminatory legislation. Anti-transgender legislation took several forms, including 80 bills aimed to prevent transgender youth from playing school sports consistent with their gender identity and 42 bills to prevent transgender and non-binary youth from receiving life-saving, medically-necessary gender-affirming healthcare. By the end of the 2022 legislative session, a record 17 bills attacking transgender and non-binary children passed into law. 19 states exclude transgender athletes in school sports and 5 states restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare.

Although members of the transgender and non-binary community were the primary targets of the discriminatory legislation, anti-LGBTQ+ bills took other forms as well. One of the most notable trends was a resurgence of curriculum censorship and “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” bills that turn back the clock and restrict teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ issues and other marginalized communities in their classrooms. Across the country, 70 curriculum censorship bills were filed and 7 passed into law.

Nearly 1 in 5 of any type of hate crime is now motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias and the last two years have been the deadliest for transgender people, especially Black transgender women, we have seen since we began tracking fatal violence against the community. Reports of violence and intimidation against LGBTQ+ people, such as the Club Q shooting that cost the lives of five people, have been making news across the country – with white nationalists targeting a Pride event in Idaho and Proud Boys crashing Drag Queen story hours at local libraries to shout homophobic and transphobic slurs. Finally, anti-LGBTQ+ stigma also drives alarmingly high rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. 45% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, but LGBTQ+ youth who have at least one accepting adult in their life were 40% less likely to attempt suicide.

Benee - Green Honda

 

Today, New Zealand alternative pop star BENEE returns with a brand new single and music video entitled “Green Honda” via Republic Records.

“Green Honda,” which was featured on New Music Daily on Apple Music, is the first new song from BENEE leading up to a larger body of work due out later this year.

Heading to Los Angeles to work with MXM Music’s Elvira Anderfjard (Tove Lo, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift) and Luka Kloser (Jojo Siwa, Dylan Conrique), the New Zealand alt-pop queen tapped into the crazy new energy she found with these new collaborators.

BENEE spoke on creating “Green Honda” and the real life Green Honda that she still owns:

“It was such a refreshing experience to be in the studio writing with two other young women. There is so much that you just don’t need to explain when you’re working with your true peers. It’s intuitive. They just get it, and that’s amazing.”

“Green Honda was quite a light-hearted song at first, and some parts just flowed immediately. I headed straight to Europe on tour after the writing session, so I had to go back and forth with Elvira and Luka to get the production just right.”

“I wanted the energy of the song to capture the idea I had of writing a song about knowing where you’re at and what you need to say and not being afraid.”

“There is a personal history to the Green Honda story… my green Honda was my first car, passed on to me by my grandmother when she gave up driving. I call him ‘Steve’, and he’s on the cover of my ‘STELLA & STEVE’ EP. We’ve had lots of adventures together.”

The song is the “I’m f***ing over you” song you didn’t know you needed and says everything you wish you had said to your ex. From the top, she declares, “You were a waste of fucking time,” before doubling down with, “I pull up in my green Honda to tell ya that I don’t want ya!”

XYZ Invites You to Take a Stroll in The Park

 

XYZ Films is proud to announce that they will be releasing Shal Ngo's dystopian thriller THE PARK on North American VOD March 2nd. A tale of apocalyptic adventure and survival set within a long-abandoned amusement park, the thriller, which occurs in a world without adults, stars an amazing ensemble of young talent.

Filmmaker Shal Ngo's feature debut is a thrilling, dark journey through a dystopian world where children rule - and life is fleeting.

Hulu Original Docuseries “RAPCAVIAR PRESENTS” Premieres March 30

 

“RapCaviar Presents” is a compelling new documentary series that tackles some of today’s most provocative issues through the stories of hip-hop visionaries and emerging stars currently ruling the charts and influencing our culture, from City Girls to Tyler, The Creator, Jack Harlow, Polo G, Roddy Ricch, Coi Leray and more. 

Based on the influential Spotify playlist, launched in 2015, this seven-part series is a deep dive into current events that untangles important subjects and offers a view of the world from an artist’s perspective. All seven episodes will premiere March 30, only on Hulu.

Franklin Jonas, Debut Single "Cocaine" Out Today

Rising artist Franklin Jonas makes his debut today with first ever track “Cocaine”—listen here. The new single, written and produced with Charlie Brand (Miniature Tigers, Weezer, Skizzy Mars), is out now on Pizzaslime Records (via Mad Decent) with an accompanying video directed by Henry Kornaros (Jay Z, Kevin Hart, Kaia Gerber)—watch here.

“‘Cocaine’ is about longing for the coping mechanisms you don’t have or can’t do anymore,” says Franklin. “It’s the point where you become nostalgic for the bad times because even the bad times had good distractions.”

Franklin’s solo musical journey began when he started experimenting with beatmaking in college, crafting samples directly from vinyl and diving deep into the world of music production. After studying audio engineering under mixing mastermind John McBride—whose distinctive voice appears at the beginning of “Cocaine”—Franklin took a break from music, until inspiration struck during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was roommate and fellow musician Clint Michigan who encouraged him to pursue his creative streak; and it was a peer who, after hearing Franklin’s work-in-progress, connected him with the guys behind Pizzaslime Records. Franklin takes inspiration from a bevy of foundational influences—the frenetic bombast of The Prodigy, the synth-y zest of Passion Pit, Ringo Starr’s solo output, Bon Iver’s electro-acoustic experimentation—to craft his own sound. More music from Franklin is imminent.

"365 Gays of the Year" - LGBTQ+ History One Day at a Time, Told By the People Who Made It

Carefully curated and thoughtfully researched, 365 Gays of the Year features people from across the globe, throughout history, and from every letter of LGBTQIA+ rainbow alphabet, assigning a person or persons of note to each day of the year to form a fascinating LGBTQ+ hall of fame and enabling readers to learn something new, on a daily basis.

Legendary queer icons such as Marsha P Johnson and Freddie Mercury sit alongside lesser known but equally important names such as activist Renée Cafiero, blood donor Barbara Vick, and Sappho the lesbian poet (who was doing her thing in 570BC). All have contributed amazing achievements to the LGBTQ+ story. Each month also features one ally - inspiring heterosexual people who have all contributed something significant to the lives of the LGBTQ+ community. People like Elizabeth Taylor who “brought AIDS out of the closet and into the ballroom ­– where there was money to be raised”.

Lewis Laney says, “The reasons people are featured in this book are wide-ranging. Some are tied to one specific, notable act that is integral to our history. Many have spent their lives fighting for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, while others have excelled in their fields and made outstanding contributions to society and just happen to be queer. The allies included in this book have all contributed something significant to the lives of LGBTQ+ people too. I can’t fit them all in the book, but we are grateful they are by our sides. The stories of women, people of colour and the financially underprivileged are also often under-recorded however I strived to make this list as diverse as possible. The LGBTQIA+ acronym has grown to encompass more and more letters over the years, and you'll find it used in various forms throughout the book. When using my own voice, I've gone with a commonly used standard (LGBTQ+) - but every letter is celebrated here!”

AIDS Memorial Quilt Heads to New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Change the Pattern and End HIV in Black and Brown Communities

Louisiana has the fourth highest HIV diagnoses rates in the country, so beginning on Feb. 7, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt honoring Black and Brown lives lost to HIV and AIDS will travel to the state as part of Change the Pattern, a national campaign to end HIV in Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ communities across the Southern United States.

 

The AIDS Memorial Quilt

Feb. 7 -11, the National AIDS Memorial, Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC), and Gilead Sciences will showcase two major displays of the AIDS Quilt at two HBCU campuses -- Dillard University in New Orleans and Southern University & A&M College in Baton Rouge. 

 

The five-day AIDS Quilt displays, taking place during Black History Month, are free to the public and include quilting workshops, educational forums, and student events.  For more information about Quilt locations, event times, and special programming, visit changethepattern.org/LA.

 

“We are so honored to partner with these two distinguished HBCUs to bring the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Louisiana during Black History Month. The Black community faces systemic struggles that we can no longer ignore, not just in the fight to end HIV, but across numerous health and social justice issues," said Dafina Ward, Executive Director, SAC. “We will ‘change the pattern’ by having honest conversations about these issues, demanding change through our voices and raising awareness through education, and sharing our own stories without shame.”

 

Visitors of the AIDS Quilt displays – one of the largest ever in the state -- will see hand-stitched panels honoring Black and Brown lives lost to AIDS, many of which were made by Louisianans to honor and celebrate the stories of their friends and loved ones. Newly crafted Quilt panels recently made by residents and HBCU students will be displayed publicly for the first time, introducing the Quilt's importance to a new generation while spreading awareness of how HIV affects lives across the South. 

 

Among the 200 Quilt panels displayed at Dillard University are several made by actress Sheryl Lee Ralph that she created for her friends and celebrities lost to AIDS.  At Southern University, nearly 175 panels will be displayed, including one sewn by Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks. 

 

Throughout the week at both HBCU locations, students and area residents are invited to come together in fellowship and celebration for quilting workshops to make new panels for the Quilt for Louisianans who have been lost to HIV and AIDS so that their stories are forever shared and remembered within the fabric of the 54-ton national treasure.  Free educational forums, movie nights, and health information will help spark conversation to reimagine the fight to end HIV/AIDS in Louisiana and reach communities that continue to be most impacted today.

 

“These Quilt displays, quilting workshops, and educational events are designed to raise awareness about the HIV crisis in the state that has persisted for far too long,” said Jada Harris, Quilt program manager at the National AIDS Memorial.  “By sharing the stories of Louisiana and Southern lives lost to AIDS through these beautifully hand-stitched quilt panels made by Louisianans, we are introducing the importance of the Quilt and its powerful stories to a new generation to change the pattern and end HIV in our community.”

 

In addition to Gilead Sciences as the presenting partner, Louisiana community partners include Dillard University, Southern University and A&M College, Chevron, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. 

 

“Gilead is so proud to support this innovative program bringing sections of the Quilt to Louisiana and throughout the U.S. South as a powerful teaching tool and connector to raise greater awareness and help change these statistics,” said Dr. Shanell McGoy, senior director of Corporate Giving at Gilead Sciences. “To end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we must examine new ways to reach and actively engage communities continually and disproportionately impacted by HIV.”

Blake Slatkin wins "Record of the Year" with Lizzo at 65th Annual Grammy Awards

Producer and songwriter Blake Slatkin wins “Record of the Year” for “About Damn Time” with Lizzo at the 65^th Annual Grammy Awards. The honor marks the first Grammy win for Slatkin, who was also nominated for Song of the Year—“About Damn Time”—and Album of the Year—Special—with Lizzo at the 2023 ceremony. 

Slatkin produced “About Damn Time”—which hit #1 on the Billboard 100 for two weeks—with Ricky Reed. Recent notable work includes production on Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ #1 hit “Unholy”—which won “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance” at this year’s Grammy Awards—and SZA’s “Special” off her new album SOS.  

PFLAG Kicks Off 50 Years of Leading With Love

This March marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of PFLAG, the premier parent, family, and ally organization of the LGBTQ+ movement. In celebration of this historic anniversary, the iconic organization has launched a new, bold, vibrant look to reflect the courageous love that has driven PFLAG’s every action since 1973.

“For 50 years, when parents like me—people who love our children—have navigated a journey to support them as LGBTQ+ people, we have found help and support in PFLAG,” said Susan Thronson, PFLAG National Board President. “PFLAG has been together with the LGBTQ+ community we serve, at kitchen tables and the President’s desk, to help make historic progress toward an equitable and inclusive world for LGBTQ+ people. PFLAG continues the work to grow and maintain these gains by leading with love, just as we have since 1973."

In moments when it has been socially and politically unpopular, and even unsafe, to show support for LGBTQ+ people, PFLAG families and allies have shared the stories of their love to soften hearts and change minds. 

In the 1970s, PFLAG’s founding mother and son broke convention by marching together in protest for rights for LGBTQ+ people. In the 1980s, PFLAG parents appealed to lawmakers and their spouses as fellow parents to help turn the tide of the AIDS epidemic. When it was still the “gay rights movement,” PFLAG was the first LGBTQ+ organization to include and center transgender people in the fight for justice. It was a PFLAG family who fought for and won Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students in the 1990s. And in 2022, when the governor of Texas threatened families who affirmed their transgender kids, the unified families of PFLAG took that governor to court.

PFLAG enters its golden anniversary year at a time when major media outlets and elected officials are once again giving a platform to politically motivated agendas intended to harm LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender youth and their families. Brian Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National said, “We knew we had to celebrate 50 by unequivocally reaffirming PFLAG as a dynamic and unifying force that will not back down to threats against LGBTQ+ people and our loved ones. PFLAG’s new look asserts that this iconic organization will not stop until every LGBTQ+ person has the freedom to thrive—and we’ll do it by leading with love.”

To develop the new look and feel, PFLAG worked with creative design firm Teal Media, based in Washington, D.C. “We are very proud to work with PFLAG and are excited to deliver an updated look and message that embraces PFLAG’s iconic legacy,” said CEO Jessica Teal.

“Our new logo puts love at the heart of PFLAG, as it always has been. It is confident and proud, and embraces our legacy of inclusion by asserting PFLAG as a single word that cannot be broken apart,” said Liz Owen, PFLAG National’s Communications Director. “We also were intentional in our color palette, because in the LGBTQ+ movement, colors have meaning. PFLAG’s color palette draws inspiration from this history to signal growth and evolution, to embrace our legacy, and to reflect spirit, life, energy, empowerment, and unity. At the same time, our colors are fresh and sophisticated to meet a 21st century moment.”

PFLAG has begun rolling out its new brand identity to hundreds of chapters nationwide, and has launched new websites at PFLAG.org and StraightForEquality.org. More announcements about PFLAG’s 50th anniversary celebrations and programming will be made in the coming days and throughout this golden anniversary year. 

“In 2023, there continues to be a need for PFLAG—for LGBTQ+ people, parents, families and allies to work together, to hold officials accountable, and to lead with love. As we begin the next 50 years, PFLAG remains as vibrant and committed to this work as we were on day one, and we will be here for as long as it takes for every LGBTQ+ person to be safe, celebrated, empowered and loved, ” said Bond.