Diversity News Magazine Official Proud Media Partner of the 28th Annual AIDS Walk LA 2012

Diversity News Magazine published by Diversity News Publications, an Official Media Partner for the second year in a row for the 28th Annual AIDS Walk LA 2012

On Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Diversity News Publications, founder of Diversity News Team #3960 for AIDS Walk LA 2012 and publisher of Diversity News Magazine announced that Diversity News Magazine is an official media partner for the second year in a row for the 28th Annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles 2012, which is the largest AIDS fundraising event in California to be held on Sunday, October 14, 2012 in West Hollywood, CA.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my friends and fellow supporters over at Diversity News 3960 for AIDS Walk Los Angeles 2012. Every year Steven Escobar finds new ways to give back to the community and to keep a complacent public informed. I congratulate Diversity News Magazine for becoming for the second time, media partners of AIDS Walk Los Angeles 2012. Keep up the good work! Respect and good will,” said Cynthia Manley, recording artist and board of directors of Diversity News Magazine.

From 2003 to present, Diversity News Team #3960 has been recruiting members to walk the 10k (6.2 mile) main event and raise money for AIDS Walk LA, benefiting AIDS Project Los Angeles and other non-profit organizations in the Los Angeles County.

“It’s awesome that Diversity News Magazine is media partner of AIDS Walk Los Angeles 2012 again this year! I know they will be covering it too and that It’s where I get all my news about the event!” said Fawn, Billboard hit recording artist and composer.

Diversity News Publications is always looking for ways to give back to the community. A wonderful way to do this is by participating in AIDS WALK Los Angeles, benefiting AIDS Project Los Angeles and other nonprofit community organizations. AIDS Walk LA is this Sunday, October 14, 2012. You can still register or make a donation online for the 28th Annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles by visiting http://www.aidswalk.net/losangeles

Currently Diversity News Magazine is a media partner of The Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), LA Fashion Weekend at Sunset Gower Studios – Spring/Summer 2013 produced by The Gallery LA, The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce LA and The Ferret Squad, the Movie, The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for Spirit Day, The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) 2012 ALMA Awards and many more. Also member of FACC Los Angeles and The Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association.

Diversity News Magazine and Diversity News Publications have affiliate partnerships for media content with the following news and entertainment leader companies – MediaMax Online via EPK TV, PartyBy5.com, Valinsky MediaGroup via Mark Valinsky Photography, The Miss Universe Organization, ABC Television Network, CBS Television, NBC Universal, Inc via NBC Universal MediaVillage, Fox Broadcasting Company via Fox Flash, Summit Entertainment, Lions Gate Entertainment, Conscience Entertainment, Studio One via Men’s Life Today, Repost.Us, Film District Publicity and many more.

Diversity News Magazine and Diversity News Publications are working with some of the finest advertising organizations in the world such as Google Ad Sense, Google Affiliate Network, Rakuten LinkShare Corporation, Chitika, Inc., Share A Sale, media.net, Blip TV, YouTube, MGM Resorts International, Advertising.com part of AOL Advertising.com Group, Amazon, Career Builder, Lijit Networks Inc.,and many more.

About Diversity News Magazine:
Published by Diversity News Publications, is a consumer news magazine covering news, entertainment, features, awards, sports, events and much more. DiversityNewsMagazine.com, an online & special print consumer news magazine that is visited by close to two million visitors a month while growing each day. It is another venue for advertisers to advertise their products or services on the classified and display pages. The purpose of the magazine is to educate and inform the diverse community worldwide. It focuses on local, national and international news, entertainment, features, sports and more importantly newsworthy items that would be of interest to our diverse cultures. For more information visit http://www.diversitynewsmagazine.com/

About Diversity News Team #3960:
Diversity News team was created and establish by Esteban aka Steven Escobar. The group’s purpose and mission is to give back to the community and to help raise funds for AIDS education, awareness, prevention and medical research. From 2003 to the present, Diversity News Team #3960 has been recruiting members to walk the 10k (6.2 mile) main event and to raise money for AIDS Walk LA benefiting AIDS Project Los Angeles and other non-profit organizations in the Los Angeles County. Team Diversity News 3960 hopes to continue to raise money and will continue to help raise awareness and funds in the future for not only Los Angeles County, but internationally as well. For more information visit http://www.diversitynews3960.wordpress.com/

About AIDS Walk Los Angeles: Since 1985, AIDS Walk Los Angeles has raised more than $72 million for HIV programs and services throughout Los Angeles County, and has grown into one of the largest AIDS fundraising events in the country. In 2011 alone, 30,000 participants, many of whom were members of 1,600 corporate and community teams, raised nearly $3 million for AIDS Project Los Angeles and 20 other AIDS service organizations. For more information visit http://www.aidswalk.net/losangeles

MEDIA CONTACT:
Alex Leon, Director of Marketing & PR
World Wide Vital Marketing & Public Relations Inc.
TELS: (323) 465-3945 or (213) 321-9408
http://worldwidevitalpr.wordpress.com/
Worldwidevitalpr@gmail.com

Facebook becomes first social media company to receive GLAAD Media Award in San Francisco on June 2

On Thursday, May 31, 2012 GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today announced that Facebook will receive a Special Recognition Award at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

In March, GLAAD announced that Facebook would be receiving a Special Recognition Award for the company’s strong stand and leadership around bullying prevention as well as its inclusive options for LGBT users.  After violent anti-gay images and comments were posted on a memorial page for LGBT youth, Facebook worked with GLAAD to monitor the highly visible page and launched, in conjunction with several LGBT organizations, the Network of Support.

Facebook’s Andrew Noyes and Sara Sperling, who will accept the award on behalf of Facebook, were instrumental in the creation of the Network of Support, which serves in a consultative capacity to help the company effectively address issues faced by the LGBT community.  Through the Network of Support, Facebook partners with GLAAD; MTV; the Human Rights Campaign (HRC); the Trevor Project; the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN); and Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

High school student Brittany McMillan will present the award. McMillan launched the idea for Spirit Day in 2010 and began working with GLAAD on the annual event which inspires millions of participants to wear purple or change their Facebook photo to purple in support of LGBT youth and to stand up against bullying. Facebook was among the companies that participated last year.


Facebook’s leadership on anti-bullying initiatives was also recognized with an invitation to participate in the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention.  There, the company announced it was seeking feedback from teenagers on bullying prevention, aired a special “Facebook Live” broadcast, and unveiled new tools that allow abuse reports to be handled more efficiently.

Other industry-leading steps Facebook has taken include:

• In September, Facebook launched the Stop Bullying: Speak Up campaign with Time-Warner, which empowers students, educators and parents to help prevent bullying. That campaign launched across Latin America this week.
• GLAAD and the Network of Support worked with Facebook to give users the options to select “In a Civil Union” and “In a Domestic Partnership,” recognizing the relationships of countless loving and committed same-sex couples.
• Additionally, Facebook was among corporate leaders that participated in Spirit Day with GLAAD by encouraging employees to turn Facebook photos purple and wear the color on October 20 as a sign of support for LGBT youth.
• Facebook also added Help Center content that provides specific guidance on how users can help an LGBT person who has posted suicidal material and introduced special reporting procedures for LGBT youth in cooperation with the Trevor Project and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

“Facebook has set the bar high for ensuring LGBT people have a safe space to connect with friends and family,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “GLAAD is pleased to present this award to Facebook in recognition of its efforts to make their platform welcoming to everyone.”


GLAAD previously announced that Glee’s Dianna Agron will host the event in San Francisco on June 2 at the Marriott Marquis, and that Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal) will receive the Golden Gate Award, and Wells Fargo will receive the Corporate Leader Award at the ceremony.

Guests will enjoy a performance by Beverly McClellan, a finalist on season one of The Voice, as well as Mystère by Cirque du Soleil.  Other special guests include: Rita Moreno (Happily Divorced); Adam Pally (Happy Endings); Sean Maher (Much Ado About Nothing); Shay Mitchell, Ashley Benson, Ian Harding (Pretty Little Liars); Guillermo Diaz, Katie Lowes (Scandal); Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, Jack Antonoff (fun.); Chandler Massey and Freddie Smith (Days of Our Lives); Jordon Todosey, Annie Clark, Linda Schuyler (Degrassi); Mario Lopez (Extra); MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts; People.com editor Janet Mock; author and advocate Zach Wahls; comedians Fortune Feimster and Chris Franjola; and GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.  More names to be announced.

Nominees for the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced in January and are available here:http://glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees.  The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT and the issues that affect their lives.

The New York GLAAD Media Awards event was held on March 24 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, and the Los Angeles event was held April 21 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites.  A complete list of award recipients announced at the New York and Los Angeles events may be found athttp://glaad.org/mediaawards.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org

Source: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
Photo credit: Facebook & GLAAD

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Facebook management and staff for this special recognition.

GLAAD National Board of Directors Announces New Officers, Member

On Tuesday, February 14, 2012 The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today announced new officers and Kevin Oldis as a new member of the organization’s National Board of Directors. Michael Lammons will join Sheri Fults as Co-Chair of the National Board of Directors, John Stephens will serve as Treasurer, and Thom Reilly will serve as Secretary.

“With recent legal victories for LGBT people and public support for our community at an all-time high, GLAAD’s work to highlight the common ground and humanity that all Americans share is critical to continuing this momentum towards equality,” said Co-Chair Sheri Fults. “We could not do this culture-changing work without the dedication of our Board of Directors, staff, supporters and members across the country.”

Michael Lammons joins Fults as Co-Chair. Lammons is a Partner in the New York Office of PwC and a founding member of PwC’s LGBT Partner Advisory Board, which provides strategic guidance and support to PwC’s Office of Diversity in executing its LGBT workplace inclusion initiatives. He previously served as GLAAD’s treasurer since 2010.

John Stephens is a Partner in the Los Angeles office of Sedgwick LLP. He focuses his practice on media and entertainment litigation, intellectual property licensing and transactions, and specialty insurance coverage and litigation. Stephens previously served as the national Co-Chair of the 22nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards. He is active in the American Bar Association currently serving as Chair of the Diversity Committee for the Tort Trial Insurance Practice Section and formerly served on the Steering Committee for the Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN).

Dr. Thom Reilly serves as Professor and Director for the San Diego State University School of Social Work. He also is President of The Reilly Group, a strategic consulting, marketing, and management firm. His upcoming book, “Rethinking Public Sector Compensation: What Ever Happened to the Public Interest?” (published by M.E. Sharpe, Inc.), will be released in May 2012.

Kevin Oldis joins the National Board of Directors while serving as Vice President, Human Resources for CBS Television Networks. In this role he supports the domestic business units of Showtime Networks Inc., CBS Sports, CBS Sports Network, CBS News, and CBS Television Networks. Previously, Oldis served as Vice President, Human Resources and HR Information Systems at Showtime Networks. He has volunteered as a pro bono Human Resources Consultant for GLAAD for over the past 11 years.  Oldis also serves as a Crisis Counselor for the Long Island Crisis Center. Oldis received a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Saint Francis College.

About GLAAD:
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org

Source: GLAAD & Graphic credit to: GLAAD

Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Modern Family, Glee Nominees for 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards

On Thursday, January 19, 2012 The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, announced the nominees for its 23^rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards.  By recognizing and honoring media for outstanding images of the LGBT community, the GLAAD Media Awards serve as a benchmark for the media industry and complement GLAAD’s work to bring LGBT images and stories to Americans.

Among the nominees: Beginners, starring Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor, Albert Nobbs, starring Glenn Close and Janet McTeer, J. Edgar, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer, Showtime’s hit shows Shameless and The Big C, Glee, Modern Family, CBS ratings leader NCIS, Becoming Chaz, the AIDS documentary We Were Here, Dancing with the Stars with Carson Kressley and Chaz Bono, the wedding of a gay staffer on Conan, and David Letterman’s interview with Chaz Bono, CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, TheRoot.com’s “Black and Transgender: A Double Burden,” and Lady Gaga for her Born This Way album.

Spanish-language nominees include Ricky Martin for his album Música + Alma + Sexo, telenovelas Las Aparicio, Los Exitosos Gome$, and El Último Matrimonio Feliz, news programs Noticiero con Paola Rojas andDespierta América, and ESPN Deportes’ SportsCenter.

“As media continue to tell new stories about LGBT people and families, a majority of Americans now support full equality of LGBT Americans,” said Mike Thompson, GLAAD’s Acting President.  “This year’s nominees enlighten and entertain, while spotlighting the diversity of our community. Audiences expect to see their own worlds reflected in media, and today more than ever, those include the lives of LGBT people. Viewers know that LGBT characters and stories are simply natural extensions of, and glimpses into, their own experiences from across America.”

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 24, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square; in Los Angeles on April 21 at the Westin Bonaventure; and in San Francisco on June 2 at San Francisco Marriott Marquis.  Special Honorees for each city will be announced in the coming weeks.

GLAAD announced 116 nominees in 25 English-language categories, and 35 Spanish-language nominees in 10 categories.  In the English-language categories, cable networks earned 23 nominations, while broadcast networks garnered 19 nominations.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives.

The 23^rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards nominees were published, released or broadcast between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.  Nearly 1,000 media projects were considered by over 85 volunteers serving on seven nominating juries.  Each year, the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco bring together more than 5,000 supporters to raise nearly $3.5 million for the organization’s work.

COMPLETE LIST OF THE 23^RD ANNUAL GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS NOMINEES:

 

OUTSTANDING FILM – WIDE RELEASE

Albert Nobbs (Roadside Attractions)

Beginners (Focus Features)

J. Edgar (Warner Bros. Pictures)

 

OUTSTANDING FILM – LIMITED RELEASE

Circumstance (Roadside Attractions)

Gun Hill Road (Motion Film Group)

Pariah (Focus Features)

Tomboy (Rocket Releasing)

Weekend (Sundance Selects)

 

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

Degrassi (TeenNick)

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)

Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family)

Shameless (Showtime)

Torchwood: Miracle Day (Starz)

 

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

The Big C (Showtime)

Exes and Ohs (Logo)

Glee (Fox)

Happy Endings (ABC)

Modern Family (ABC)

 

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL EPISODE (in a series without a regular LGBT character)

“Acceptance” Man Up! (ABC)

“Beards” Hot in Cleveland (TV Land)

“The Boy Has Style” Are We There Yet? (TBS)

“Prom” Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime)

“Recruited” NCIS (CBS)

 

OUTSTANDING TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES

Cinema Verite (HBO)

 

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY

Becoming Chaz (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

The Strange History of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (HBO)

Two Spirits (PBS)

We Were Here (Red Flag Releasing)

The World’s Worst Place to be Gay? (Logo)

 

OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM

Dancing with the Stars (ABC)

Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys (Sundance Channel)

The Glee Project (Oxygen)

The Real L Word (Showtime)

The Voice (NBC)

 

OUTSTANDING TALK SHOW EPISODE

“Chaz Bono” Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)

“Children & Teens Caught in the Wrong Bodies” Anderson (syndicated)

“Coming Out on the Oprah Show: 25 Years of Unforgettable Guests” The Oprah Winfrey Show (syndicated)

“The Wedding of Scott Cronick & David Gorshein” Conan (TBS)

“Zach Wahls” The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated)

 

OUTSTANDING DAILY DRAMA

All My Children (ABC)

Days of Our Lives (NBC)

 

OUTSTANDING TV JOURNALISM – NEWSMAGAZINE

“Day One” The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC)

“Finding Home” In the Life (PBS)

“GLBT in Texas” Spotlight DFW (KXAS TV-5 [Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas])

“The ‘Sissy Boy’ Experiments” Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN)

“They Call it Corrective Rape” World’s Untold Stories (CNN)

 

OUTSTANDING TV JOURNALISM SEGMENT

“Battle Against Bullying” ABC World News With Diane Sawyer (ABC)

“Children of LGBT Parents” MSNBC News Live (MSNBC)

“Gay Dads Adopt 12 Kids” Good Morning America (ABC)

“Kye Allums” Outside the Lines (ESPN)

“Split by Potential Deportation” CNN Newsroom (CNN)

 

OUTSTANDING NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

“AIDS @ 30″ (series) (Windy City Times [Chicago, Ill.])

“Coming Out to America” by Melanie Asmar (Westword [Denver, Colo.])

“Even on Religious Campuses, Students Fight for Gay Identity” by Erik Eckholm (The New York Times)

“Led by the Child Who Simply Knew” by Bella English (The Boston Globe)

“Local Lesbian Couple Navigates Life’s Daily Challenges as Parents” by Najla Amundson (The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead [Fargo, N.D.])

 

OUTSTANDING NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST

Frank Bruni (The New York Times)

Alfred Doblin (The Record [Bergen, N.J.])

Maureen Dowd (The New York Times)

Peg McEntee (The Salt Lake Tribune)

Craig Wilson (USA Today)

 

OUTSTANDING NEWSPAPER OVERALL COVERAGE

The Boston Globe

The New York Times

The Oregonian [Portland, Ore.]

The Salt Lake Tribune

Pioneer Press [St. Paul, Minn.]

 

OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE ARTICLE

“15th Anniversary of the Passage of the Defense of Marriage Act” (series) by Chris Geidner (Metro Weekly)

“Black & Gay in Corporate America” by Carolyn M. Brown (Black Enterprise)

“Making It Work” by Rod McCullom (Ebony)

“The Secret I Don’t Want to Keep Anymore” by Janet Mock as told to Kierna Mayo (Marie Claire)

“Transitions” by Eliza Gray (The New Republic)

 

OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE OVERALL COVERAGE

The Advocate/Out

Entertainment Weekly

People

Time

US Weekly

 

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL JOURNALISM ARTICLE

“Adam and Pete: Love in a Time of War” by Max J. Rosenthal (HuffingtonPost.com)

“Black and Transgender: A Double Burden” by Kellee Terrell (TheRoot.com)

“The Rainbow Struggle” (series) (GlobalPost.com)

“Soldier Leaves Legacy Much Larger Than ‘He Was Gay’” by Wayne Drash (CNN.com)

“What are Little Boys Made Of” by Jim Burroway (BoxTurtleBulletin.com)

 

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL JOURNALISM – MULTIMEDIA

“Breaking Boundaries” by Eliza Gray and Margy Slattery (TheNewRepublic.com)

“Coming Out” by Sarah Kramer (NYTimes.com)

“Glamorous Gay Dance Scene a ‘Family Affair’” by Brooke Sopelsa and Drew Katchen (MSNBC.com)

“Injustice at Every Turn” (ITLMedia.org)

“Transgender: A Special Report” (series) (TimesUnion.com [Albany, N.Y.])

 

OUTSTANDING BLOG

The Bilerico Project (http://www.bilerico.com/)

Mombian (http://www.mombian.com/)

The New Civil Rights Movement (http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/)

Rod 2.0 (http://rodonline.typepad.com/)

Towleroad (http://www.towleroad.com/)

 

OUTSTANDING MUSIC ARTIST

Beverly McClellan, Fear Nothing (Oarfin Records)

Girl in a Coma, Exits & All the Rest (Blackheart Records)

Hunx and His Punx, Too Young to Be in Love (Hardly Art)

Lady Gaga, Born This Way (Interscope Records)

MEN, Talk About Body (IAMSOUND Records)

 

OUTSTANDING COMIC BOOK

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade by Allan Heinberg (Marvel)

Batwoman by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman (DC Comics)

Secret Six by Gail Simone (DC Comics)

Veronica Presents: Kevin Keller by Dan Parent (Archie Comics)

X-Factor by Peter David (Marvel Comics)

 

OUTSTANDING LOS ANGELES THEATER

Bonded by Donald Jolly

House of the Rising Son by Tom Jacobson

Killer Queen: The Story of Paco the Pink Pounder by Peter Griggs

No Word in Guyanese for Me by Wendy Graf

Who’s Your Daddy? by Johnny O’Callaghan

 

OUTSTANDING NEW YORK THEATER:  BROADWAY & OFF–BROADWAY

The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures by Tony Kushner

Maple & Vine by Jordan Harrison

Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott

Sons of the Prophet by Stephen Karam

Unnatural Acts: Harvard’s Secret Court of 1920 conceived by Tony Speciale

 

OUTSTANDING NEW YORK THEATER:  OFF–OFF BROADWAY

The Dog and Pony Show (Bring Your Own Pony) by Holly Hughes

The Escape Artist book by John Kelly, songs by John Kelly & Carol Lipnik

The Momentum by Boo Killebrew, Geoffrey Decas O’Donnell & Jordan Seavey



She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen

Southern Comfort book and lyrics by Dan Collins, music by Julianne Wick Davis

A complete list of GLAAD Media Awards nominees follows or is available at www.glaad.org/mediaawards. Additional facts and figures about this year’s 151 nominees are available at: http://www.glaad.org/mediawards/23/factsandfigures & www.glaad.org/mediaawards/23/press.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD atwww.glaad.org/connect.

Source: GLAAD & Graphic credit to: GLAAD

GLAAD signs on as an Institute Associate for the 2010 Sundance Film Festival

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, announced on December 29, 2009 an official relationship with the Sundance Institute for a multi-day programmatic event, cineGLAAD, presented by Bud Light and Abreva, which will take place during the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

This is the first year that GLAAD will be an Institute Associate, a category of support populated by organizations with mutually aligned missions that nurture independent vision and thought. At select times during the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, GLAAD will host cineGLAAD at the Sundance Film Festival’s Filmmaker Lodge located on the second floor of the Elks Building (550 Main Street) in Park City. Through educational panels and networking opportunities, cineGLAAD will celebrate and elevate films with LGBT content and the voices of filmmakers whose storytelling includes the visibility and inclusion of the LGBT community. A list of panels will be available in coming weeks at www.glaad.org/cineGLAAD.

“LGBT inclusive films and LGBT filmmakers play important roles in bringing images to our culture that educate people about our lives and the diversity of our community” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. “cineGLAAD will work to bring these stories to Americans by amplifying the voices of LGBT filmmakers and films with LGBT images at this integral film industry event.”

cineGLAAD will be part of the LGBT presence at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Recognizing the importance of advocating for LGBT images at this major industry event, GLAAD with the help of volunteers and staff, including the founder of Queer Lounge, Ellen Huang, will organize and host panels addressing LGBT issues in film and produce some of the signature elements of the Queer Lounge, including a guide to festival films in Park City by LGBT filmmakers or that include LGBT content.

cineGLAAD will act as a forum to the public and press, creating awareness of LGBT films and filmmakers and a central meeting place for LGBT and LGBT-inclusive professionals to make lasting professional connections.

cineGLAAD will continue the tradition of producing some of the most talked-about LGBT events at major film festivals; attracting celebrities, emerging artists and leaders in the film community. Previous panels have included Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor (cast, I Love Your Phillip Morris), Christine Vachon (producer, Boys Don’t Cry), Rob Epstein (Oscar-winning director, The Times of Harvey Milk), Lee Daniels and Gabby Sidibe (Director and cast of the acclaimed, Precious: Based on the Novel, Push by Sapphire).


About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. GLAAD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that depends on your supportFor more information, please visit www.glaad.org.

About Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is the premier showcase for U.S. and international independent film, held each January in and around Park City, Utah. Presenting dramatic and documentary feature-length films from emerging and established artists, innovative short films, filmmaker forums and panels, live music performances from solo acts to film composer events, cutting-edge media installations, and engaging community and student programs, the Festival brings together original storytellers. Supported by the non-profit Sundance Institute, the Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most ground-breaking films of the past two decades, including sex, lies, and videotape, Maria Full of Grace, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Trouble the Water, and Central Station.


Source: glaad.org public relations. Photo courtesy of www.GLAAD.ORG website