NYC's LGBT Film Festival, NewFest, Hosts Panel @ Dot429.com's Brunch

(L-R) Ashley Love, dot429 CEO Richard Klein (center) and do2429's Bryan Moore (right) w/ NewFest's Executive Director Lesli Klainberg w/ actor Wilson Cruz (My So Called Life) w/ dot429's National Event Director Jason Dorn (L-R)Anthony Grisafi,Charles T. Edwards, Dan Choi aka DADT spokesperson (L-R) Matt Brown, dot429's NY Brand Ambassador Ryan Young, Ashley, Michael Santo (L-R) Ashley, musician Tona Brown, Out Music ED Deidra Meredith, Qtalk's Frantz G Hall

I thoroughly enjoyed being one of the co-hosts at dot429’s festive brunch, which followed a presentation and panel by NewFest, the NY LGBT Film Festival. Being somewhat new in New York, it was great to meet new people in the community, and hang out with friends, eat a delicious meal, and have a glass of champagne, or two.. I became a fan of NewFest last year shortly after I moved here. When Tribeca Film Festival decided to program the transsexual-phobic, misogynistic and racist film, Ticked Off Tra**ies With Knives, we at MAGNET (Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual & Transgender People) initiated a national educational campaign, following a protest at Tribeca Cinemas, and weeks later an education rally outside the film premiere, all garnering national and international attention. As a result, the top US LGBT film festivals, including NewFest, rejected the dehumanizing film.

NewFest’s panel was moderated by transgender filmmaker, Kimberly Reed (Prodigal Sons). The part of the panel I liked is when the filmmakers discussed how LGBT filmmakers need to stop only making films where the catch is “gay, gay, gay”, or “transsexual, oh my!”, but actually tell a human story that anyone can relate to, and just have the LGB or T part be a second factor. I learned good news from NewFest Executive Director, Lesli Klainberg, which is that NewFest will be presented at New York City’s prestigious Lincoln Center, making them the first ever LGBT programming at the Lincoln Center. This is huge!

dot429 is a “networking organization for the LGBT community”, and have strongholds in LA, NYC, SF, Chicago and are expanding to DC, other US cities, and eventually abroad. I think what dot429(.com) is doing is good for our LGBTTI coalition because the stronger our collective coalition is, the better we can push equality forward. I asked my new friend Ryan Young, New York Brand Ambassador for dot429, to tell us about why they support NewFest, and to tell us more about dot429.

Ryan tells us:

"dot429 decided to support NewFest as our missions are very similar; to provide the LGBT and Ally community with the highest possible cultural and personal access to meaningful media. We at dot429 believe that the films that NewFest presents do just that, and encourage important discussion.

dot429 is a global network connecting LGBT and Ally professionals online and in person; regionally, nationally and internationally. Founded by 600 of the most successful and influential LGBTA entrepreneurs and entertainers, dot429 serves as a go-to destination for the LGBTA professional set to make important business connections. dot429 provides members with a fresh take on current issues: the queer professional perspective."

dot429 seeks to connect many different groups in the LGBT and Ally community rather than compete with them. Smaller professional networks best serve segments of our community and provide much needed services. Our idea is that if we can connect as many smaller groups and businesses as possible the multiplicative power of professional relationships will take out community to a greater level of power and equality."

Check out dot429.com!

NewFest's panel discussion before the brunch

w/ transsexual advocate and writer Marylin Pierce

(L-) Laura E. Williams, Ashley, Anne Thomas (also a co-host of the brunch)

w/ Gregory Warren Jr. (right)

(L-R) guest, Ashley, Nancy Caamano, Angela Mosley, Tom Callahan

Frontiers Magazine includes me in their "Our Heroes in a New Age of Activism" edition

Im happy that Frontiers Magazine, Los Angeles' oldest and biggest LGBT magazine, included me in on in their "Fighting 15 List" (California LGBT activist edition) along with some of my friends like Dustin Lance Black (screen writer of Milk) and Adam Bouska (NOH8 Photo Campaign founder), and more advocates for equality.

Here's part of the article below, to see the rest go to: http://www.frontiersweb.com/Features/Exclusive-Interviews/Story.aspx?ID=1278278


Fronteirs Magazine: Features / Exclusive Interviews

Our Heroes in a New Age of Activism Leaders in the LGBT community on what it means to be an activist
by Lesley Goldberg 9/13/2010

What does it mean to be an activist? Answers from 15 of the most involved leaders in the LGBT community might surprise you.

Cleve Jones, a longtime human rights advocate and founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and longtime friend of the late gay-rights crusader Harvey Milk, says anyone can be an activist but he prefers to be an organizer and solve problems working with large groups of people.

Chad Griffin, meanwhile, doesn’t consider himself an activist at all but instead the strategist behind the American Foundation for Equal Rights’ fight against Prop. 8. For Milk producer Bruce Cohen, it means supporting a cause he believes in and doing the little things that go beyond writing a check. And for Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, the term “activist” is too political.
For Rogers Hartmann, the founder of Beat Dystonia who taught herself to walk again, it’s about time and energy. And for scores of others—including such newsmakers as Dan Choi and Charlene Strong—it’s about making a difference in people’s lives.

And for you, it hopefully means finding inspiration from the Fighting 15 and getting involved to make a difference in our community.

Ashley Love

“It can be any action that expresses your message, from writing a song or poem, to protesting with picket signs at a rally; there are many ways one can take a stand for how they feel ... It was actually many people in the Southern California transsexual, transgender, intersex, lesbian, gay and bisexual communities who inspired me to change my life a few years ago. I now believe that understanding, acceptance and protections of our community is possible.” —Ashley Love, LGBTTIQQSA advocate at MAGNET (Media Advocates Giving National Equality to Transsexual and Transgender People)

Dustin Lance Black

“I would refer back to some of the early gay rights ‘activists’ who said, ‘This is our lives we’re fighting for.’ I think that’s still true today, which is why I work not only with stuff that pushes us forward like the American Foundation for Equal Rights, but I also want to work with things like the Trevor Project, which is making sure that we have a safety net in place until a time comes that we have equality, and until the time comes when a child isn’t subjected to the sort of abuse they’re subjected to in their schools, homes and churches ... I try as much as I can to not look at this as a political issue; I try to look at it as a more human issue.” —Dustin Lance Black, Oscar-winning screenwriter of Milk; narrator, 8: The Mormon Proposition

Lt Dan Choi

“Rejecting any false sense of inferiority, helping future generations stand up tall, proclaiming, ‘I am somebody,’ and teaching them the hard-earned lessons to confront our oppressors, ridding them of delusions of abused privilege constitutes the work of the activist. An activist is the epitome of love.” —Dan Choi, former American infantry officer in the United States Army

Chelsea Montgomery-Duban

“Being an activist means fighting through the no’s, the criticism and the ignorance and standing up for your cause ... I have two gay dads that have been together for almost 29 years. They are the people that gave me life, unconditional love and help me follow my passions every day. I fight to defy a society that believes they are unfit parents and that they have somehow managed to raise me incorrectly. My dad and daddy inspire me to be a better person and I fight for them and for all gay families and couples.” — Chelsea Montgomery-Duban, daughter

Cleave Jones

“I’m trying in my life to be an organizer. I think there’s a difference between an activist and an organizer. An organizer works with large groups of people and that is what I find most satisfying about my work. Anyone can become an activist but I suspect one is born an organizer. There’s sort of a compulsion to do the work. I do this work because I love it. I like working with people and solving problems ... and every now and then there’s a really wonderful victory to celebrate.” —Cleve Jones, author-lecturer

Adam Bouska

“Activism is about using your own personal strengths to bring about awareness and change, and whether that applies to a lobbyist gathering signatures, a volunteer canvassing neighborhoods or even a photographer taking protest photos, everybody can be an activist in their own right.” —Adam Bouska, NOH8 Campaign creator-photographer

To see the rest of Frontier Magazine's "Fighting 15" list: http://www.frontiersweb.com/Features/Exclusive-Interviews/Story.aspx?ID=1278278