Archive for the ‘Chicago’ Category
Vital Bridges, at the forefront of the battle against HIV/AIDS
Vital Bridges, at the forefront of the battle against HIV/AIDS
by T. Nichole Sayers
Since being established in 1988, the organization Vital Bridges has been a leader in fighting the AIDS epidemic in Chicago. Vital Bridges was originally known as Open Hands, a group of volunteers who prepared home cooked meals for patients dying of AIDS. Since 1988, the organization has grown tremendously. It's first step was to move to a hospital based organization that was able to provide more meals to more AIDS stricken individuals. With the advancement in HIV/AIDS treatment, Vital Bridges was able to move out of the hospital setting and into a grocery service that provided food to patients that were now able to live with AIDS. Following a merger with 3 AIDS organizations in 2002, Vital Bridges became a metropolitan wide organization, with 3 locations in the city and 2 in the suburbs, that now provides a continuum of services – meals, counseling, housing, prevention services, and case management.
The recession has impacted Vital Bridges in a number of ways. Not only are the goods and services provided increasing in cost, but less money is coming in. With the country focused on the economic downturn and loss of jobs, HIV/AIDS has vanished from the spotlight. The one this that holds Vital Bridges together is it's volunteers. Through good times and bad, the community involvement at Vital Bridges has been the glue that holds the organization together.
Please join Mint Male and K Dock Team on Saturday, July 24th at the Crimson Lounge at 333 N. Dearborn for a White Party benefit for Vital Bridges. Non-perishable food items will be accepted and given to Vital Bridges pantries. The event begins at 10 pm.
The annual Chicago AIDS walk/run will be held October 2nd at Grant Park. Please join the Vital Bridges Team and help raise money for a fantastic organization in need of your support.
To learn more about how you can help Vital Bridges, please call 1-773-271-5168.
Where have all the Cowgirls gone?
Mint Male + Chicago wants NoH8
Mint Male is teaming up with various Chicagoans to seek NoH8 to come to chicago and do their infamous photo shoot. We also want to show support and how much hard work we would put into fundraising. The fight for Marriage equality is very important alive in our home city, considering we dont't even have civil union.
Join HERE
Places to go. People to see: Effen Thursdays with the Stage Door Johnnies
Must Attend White Party in benefit of VItal Bridges
Vital Bridges' mission is to help people throughout metropolitan Chicago impacted by HIV and AIDS to improve their health and build self-sufficiency by providing food, nutrition, housing, case management and prevention services. Today, the organization serves nearly 2,000 people impacted by the epidemic annually. Since our founding in 1988, Vital Bridges has provided more than 10 million meals, 600,000 nights of shelter and 250,000 hours of counseling to over 10,000 clients.
K Dock Team?is hosting this fabulous white attire party at the Crimson Lounge at 333 N. Dearborn on Saturday, July 24th?from 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Please note to bring non-perishable food items.
- When you spend $20 at the bar, valet will be $10 (Valet ticket must be stamped)
- Free Conjure Cognac specialty drinks from 10p-11p
- If interested in securing a table at the event, send an email tocrimsoninwhite@hotmail.com.
click above for facebook invite ^
The must attend White Party in benefit of Vital Bridges
Vital Bridges
Mint Male June 2010 Cover Party!!!
Mint Male June 2010 Cover Party!!!
One College One Magazine One Float
Mint Male is excited to announce that as of April, we have created a partnership with Harrington College of Design. It makes sense for a college that offers schooling in almost every element of creative design to team up with an up and coming local magazine, yours truly, Mint Male. After Brad Kisner, the Department Chair of Communication Design at Harrington College of Design, read Mint Male's prior issues, he was sure that the partnership would fit the mold that Harrington strives to create in the design world. Brad then teamed up with Dan Elliot, a design teacher at Harrington College, to dually teach the Experimental Design class Harrington offers to their students. ?Every summer semester, the students in this class design Harrington's yearly Chicago Pride Parade float. In previous years' Pride, these students' work has won the title of Best Business Float, and they want to strive for that title again this year.
Homophobia in Alsip: Kiss in scheduled.
When Frankie Nielson and his boyfriend Danny Hankes decided to share a quiet meal at the LaFiesta Azteca Restaurant in south suburban Alsip a few weeks ago, they didn't plan on making a political statement. But the restaurant owner's alleged homophobia changed that.
"We ordered drinks and an appetizer plate, and passed the time by laughing and enjoying each other's company," Hankes said in a release from the Gay Liberation Network. "After sharing a simple and socially acceptable kiss on the lips, just as any homosexual or heterosexual couple might do in any public facility in any Chicagoan suburb, we became victims of blatant and unapologetic homophobic discrimination."
The owner of LaFiesta allegedly approached the two men and told them to stop, the Chicago Tribune reports:
The couple said their rights were violated because they were not treated as a heterosexual couple would have been treated under the same circumstances."We sat on the same side of the booth. We kissed a few times on the lips, but it was not vulgar," said Hankes, who lives in Lemont.Jaime Esparza, the owner of LaFiesta Azteca, denies any homophobia and told the Tribune he would ask any kissing couple to take it outside.
"They are saying I kicked them out but I didn't," Esparza told the Tribune. "I asked them, really polite, I said, 'I know you guys are in love, and you're young. It's OK. But don't do it here.'
"I said, 'You don't have to get upset. Enjoy your food, your drink also, but behave until you're done. Respect this place.'"
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Hankes had a different story.
"Primarily, [Esparza] claimed that his religious beliefs and his establishment being a 'family-restaurant' prompted, and somehow justified, his actions," Hankes said. "He then told Frankie that he knows a lesbian couple that frequents his restaurant and does not kiss because 'they know it's wrong.'"
After reaching out to the Gay Liberation Network, the men decided to plan a "kiss-in" at the restaurant Friday night. The Tribune reports that 100 people are expected to enter the restaurant together and at a designated time all kiss.
"We have a law that guarantees gay people equal access to accommodations," co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network and Huffington Post blogger Andy Thayer told the Tribune. "The fact is, proprietors have no problem with differently sexed couples embracing or kissing in a nonsexual manner. Yet when Frankie and Danny did it, the manager stormed up to them and made a scene."
Amy Matheny: Chicago AM radio host and blogger trying out for Oprah's next Talk Show Host
Amy Matheny is ready for her own show on OWN! After more than a decade of interviewing celebrities, artists, newsmakers, and everyday people as the host of a daily AM radio show, syndicated radio newsmagazine, and now weekly podcasts, Amy is thrilled for this opportunity to make the leap to her own television talk show. ONE ON ONE will feature in-depth intimate one-on-one interviews with a variety of guests and topics relevant to the news and entertainment of the day. AND Amy will connect you one-on-one as well by having you call, text, email, skype or tweet your questions to join the conversation!
Vote for Amy Here
