NY AIDS WALK - Sunday, May 16, 2010

Lionqueen 192 Productions, Inc., FACES NY Inc. and Bleu Life Media today announced the release of the GET DOWN public service announcement and accompanying HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. GET DOWN, written, produced and directed by Kim J. Ford (Lionqueen 192 Productions, Inc.), is an edgy new HIV/AIDS PSA that candidly portrays sexually active youth of various sexual identities who are experimenting with multiple sexual partners and the consequences they deal with as a result. The PSA also features celebrities Dawn Richard (of Dirty Money and formerly of Danity Kane/MTV’s Making The Band), Demarco Majors (LOGO’s Shirts & Skins), and Siri Music artist Stefani Vara, who lent their time and voices to the project.

After leaving a corporate marketing job in March 2008, Ford was inspired by the writing of her then 16-year old god-daughter, Chantel Reid, whose sex- and HIV/AIDS-focused blog entry, “Coming Out” (http://www.teendiariesonline.com/blog/?p=452), encouraged her to step out of the comfort zone and do something. “After doing some research on the statistics of HIV/AIDS and sexual behaviors among young people, I had to get involved,” said Ford. “Having spent more than 16 years marketing to the youth consumer at both VIBE Magazine and a leading experiential marketing agency, I just felt it was my turn to give back,” she concluded.

The statistics are startling from various health organizations. According to the most recent Center for Disease Control (CDC) report, released in 2009, as of 2007 African Americans accounted for the majority of the estimated number of AIDS diagnoses made during 2007. As of 2006, the American Social Health Association (ASHA) reported that one in two sexually active persons will contract an STD/STI by the age of 25, and one in four teens will contract an STD/STI. In fact, the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavioral Survey 1991-2007 states that 47% of high school students have had sexual intercourse and among Hispanic and African American (“Black”) youth those statistics are even higher at 52% and 66.5% respectively. As of the 2005 report, of those surveyed, 6.2% have had their first sexual intercourse experience before age 13, and while 89.5% have been taught about AIDS and HIV infection in school, only 61.5% are using condoms.

GET DOWN is partnered with FACES NY, a New York-based non-profit (formerly the Minority Task Force on Aids) that is celebrating its 25^th year in the fight against HIV/AIDS and providing care to the community. "It has been an honor to work on the GET DOWN campaign with such a dedicated person as Kim Ford", says Violet Tabor, Executive Director of FACES NY. "FACES NY is committed to providing safer-sex education within a framework of addressing the health concerns that impact our urban youth of today." FACESNY will serve as the “clearing house” in the New York City area to refer and provide answers about testing and counseling from teens, young adult and families in need. Outside of New York City, there will be a list of testing and counseling centers and help lines by state listed on the project’s MySpace page and blog where visitors can type in their zip code and find out the closest help centers in their area.

To kick off the 25^th year partnership, a contingent from the GET DOWN project will walk with the FACESNY team in New York’s AIDS Walk on May 16, 2010. To find out more about how to support the FACESNY/GET DOWN team, check out GET DOWN blog, getdownpsa.blogspot.com, and Facebook page, facebook.com/getdownpsa.

We are team number - 0638

Dating Dwight Season Finale: Recap with Nathan "Seven" Scott

Check out the season finale of Dating Dwight, in this episode I sit with the Executive Producer Nathan “Seven” Scott and we talk about the entire season, recap our favorite moments, and we show you some never before seen footage between me and the daters. As you get ready for your holiday check out the show and tell us some of your favorite moments in your comments and watch all the episodes over and over with all your friends, family members, and co-workers. Happy Holidays from the Dating Dwight and The FUTURE family!

The City of Cleveland wins the 2014 Gay Games

By Jay Shaff

In Cologne, Germany, The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) yesterday selected Cleveland, Ohio as the site for the 2014 Gay Games. Cleveland was chosen over Boston and Washington D.C. which had been competing for the eight day event.

The Gay Games, also known as the Gay Olympics, will expect to draw over 12,000 athletes from around the world. Chicago hosted the Gay Games in 2006. As a mid-sized city, Cleveland offers a unique venue to the games. Transportation in and out of the city is excellent, and unlike other major cities where the games have been held in the past, Cleveland will prove to be much more affordable to athletes, spectators and the event itself. Hotel and daily living rates will likely cost half what larger metropolitan cities command. Unlike subsidized and sponsored International Olympic Committee (IOC) athletes, participants in the Gay Games shoulder their own costs of training, travel and participation. Lower costs could boost athlete and spectator participation.

Activity and cash starved businesses in the Cleveland/Akron area, hit especially hard by the recession and automobile crisis will be offering great facilities, enticing pricing and open arms to the 2014 Gay Games. The City of Cleveland and the Akron/Summit County Convention and Visitors Bureau (ASCVB) together have committed $800,000 to the event.

"Right now, we're over the moon. This is the largest event that has ever come to our area as far as the number of people, economic impact and national exposure," said Susan Hamo, ASCVB President.

Kevin Boyer, Co-Vice Chair for the 2006 Chicago Gay Games and FGG spokesperson offered: "A Gay Games selection process is always inspiring. Either Boston, Cleveland and Washington, DC, would have been great 2014 hosts. Cleveland gives the Gay Games movement a chance to create significant change. They have demonstrated already that they understand the mission of the Gay Games and they will be a great host."

Dating Dwight: Special Guests DeMarco Majors & Anwar Robinson