Wonder what we’re up to at GLAAD?
Be sure to check out GLAAD's Blog each week for updates about our latest work to build support for LGBT equality through news, entertainment, and online media.
GLAAD is supporting Tona Brown on her mission to get to Carnegie Hall. We've set up an Indegogo campaign to make her the first African-American transgender violinist and vocalist to perform at the storied institution. There's still time to pitch in and help! Read more here.
GLAAD's Sr. Media Strategist, Tiq Milan, has been nominated for a 2014 Black Trans Advocacy Award for his dynamic work and advocacy within and for the African-American and transgender community. The Black Trans Advocacy Awards recognizes advocates in the trans community, people who have proven to be dynamic and outstanding leaders for and within the black trans community. Read more about the award and the nomination here.
In collaboration with leading HIV advocates Mark S. King, 
Peter Staley, and Kenyon Farrow, GLAAD's Programs & Communications Fellow Alexandra Bolles wrote a piece entitled, "How the media is criminalizing HIV, why that's a problem, and what we can do to fix it," that was published by HIV Plus Mag, which is powered by The Advocate. The article explores the role of media in perpetuating stigma against people who are HIV+, and emphasizes GLAAD's support of public education around the issue as an avenue towards accessible healthcare and the ability to thrive. It will also be published by the Windy City Times, Chicago's oldest LGBT newspaper. Read the original post here.
GLAAD helped millions of people take over NOM's social media hashtag #marching4marriage and turn it into a call for marriage equality across the country. On the one year anniversary of the Supreme Court hearings on DOMA and Prop 8, we encouraged others to use #marching4marriage as their call for marriage equality. See how we did it here.
GLAAD is promoting the video for "Uprising of Love," the song by Melissa Etheridge that has become the anthem for support of LGBT people in Russia. GLAAD is a member of the Uprising of Love coalition, which has included leading entertainment industry figures speaking out in support of LGBT Russians. Watch the video and read more here.
GLAAD's Spanish-Language Media team placed Giuliani Alvarenga, of Los Angeles, on the "Realidades en Contexto" on CNN en Español to discuss the experiences of LGBT youth, in relation to the story of a young Arkansas man whose yearbook entry was censored because he wrote about being gay. Giuliani talked about the huge impact that support from teachers and school administrators made in his life at a time when his family had disowned him—and about the importance of eventual support he's gotten from his mom. We also placed Juan del Hierro of Miami on the show for a different segment to discuss an anti-gay Harlem preacher who put hateful signs outside his church. Juan, in addition to being an LGBT advocate, is the pastor of a progressive congregation. He discussed the fact that many faiths are becoming more LGBT inclusive.The show airs in the U.S. as well as Latin America and CNN en Español reaches an estimated 34 million people in Central and Latin America and 4 million in the United States.
GLAAD met with New Mexico LGBTQ activists this week to help them prepare for the LGBTQ Statewide Summit. The Summit will be a great opportunity to push issues that impact the community forward. We also held a media planning and training session attended by a diverse group of activists and organizers. Participants included people from Equality New Mexico, Why Marriage Maters, Media Literacy Project, LULAC and the LGBTQ Center at the University of New Mexico. Attendees worked on the media skills related to tell stories about marriage equality, immigration, access to healthcare, anti-trans discrimination and other issues that impact intersected identities. New Mexico will be the first in a series of meetings and trainings in other states that will build our network of diverse spokespeople that can speak to the interconnected struggles that affect LGBT lives.
GLAAD was one of the sponsors of the Trans 100, an event that recognizes 100 transgender people working who have worked towards the advancement of the transgender community. The Trans 100 isn't a ranking list but a collection of individuals who have dedicated their life's work to creating change towards equality and acceptance of transgender people. GLAAD's own Tiq Milan was included on the 2014 list, and spoke to the assembled crowd. Read more here.
The innovation hub that is TED published a post entitled "How should we talk about transgender issues?" for International Transgender Day of Remembrance. The post presents tips and guidelines for discussing transgender people and issues. Included in those who contributed was GLAAD's Senior Media Strategist, Tiq Milan, who provided information from GLAAD's Media Reference Guide. Read more here.
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