Celebrities, elected leaders, and 20,000 other caring people united to raise funds for much needed HIV/AIDS services and prevention programs.
On Sunday, October 11, 2015, MZA Events held their 31st annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles in West Hollywood Park at 647 N San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm.
More than 20, 0000 caring celebrities, elected leaders, corporations, small business and caring participants showed unity to raise funds, education, find the cure for HIV/AIDS and awareness for our next generations with new services and prevention programs.
“Today’s high temperatures did not stop our supporters from turning out in massive numbers and raising $2,375,946,” said AIDS Walk Founder and Senior Organizer Craig R. Miller.“Just as they have since the beginning of the epidemic, this inspiring community continues to manifest the commitment, compassion, and power necessary to end AIDS, regardless of the political, epidemiological, or literal climate. AIDS Walk supporters are anything but fair-weather friends. They tough it out with us year after year, no matter what.”
“We are incredibly thankful for everyone who raised funds, showed up this morning, and braved the heat to do the Walk with us,” APLA Chief Executive Officer Craig E. Thompson said. “We are at a pivotal moment in the epidemic. The funds raised through the Walk give us an opportunity to really change its arc by ensuring that people living with HIV and AIDS are getting the support and health care they need while now also being able to deliver health care—including HIV testing, STD screening, and PrEP—to HIV-negative individuals in L.A. County. It’s a pretty powerful combination that will have a real impact.”
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti spoke about the current HIV/AIDS crisis in the city, encouraging everyone to know their status. “We want people to go out there and take advantage of free testing, and to spread the word,” he said. The Mayor also noted his support of the trans community, a population that experiences disproportionately high rates of HIV infection. “We need trans equality in this city and in this country and in this world, today, right now, right here,” said Mayor Garcetti.
Other elected officials in attendance included: California State Senators Ricardo Lara, Isadore Hall, and Ben Allen; California State Assemblymembers Mike Gipson and Adrin Nazarian; Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang; West Hollywood Mayor Pro Tem Lauren Meister, who spoke on behalf of the AIDS Walk host city; West Hollywood City Councilmembers John D’Amico, John Duran, and John Heilman; L.A. City Councilmember Paul Koretz; and L.A. City Controller Ron Galperin.
The Celebrities in attendance included:, Drew Carey (The Price Is Right), Lea DeLaria (Orange Is the New Black), Kim Johnson & Robert Herjavec (Dancing With the Stars), Chris Kluwe (professional NFL football player), Carson Kressley (Dancing With the Stars), Our Lady J (classical pianist, TV writer on Transparent, and singer-songwriter), Danny Pintauro (actor and HIV/AIDS activist), Jai Rodriguez (actor and musician), Ken Todd & Lisa Vanderpump (Vanderpump Rules), and Nick Wechsler (Revenge).
The Sposato Brothers sang “In My Life,” and Ashley Brown (The Sound of Music at the Ahmanson Theater) closed the program with a stirring performance of “Climb Every Mountain.”
The corporate community continued to show its strong support for the event through team fundraising and corporate sponsorship. Longtime AIDS Walk supporter ABC7 News Anchor Ellen Leyva addressed the crowd. ABC7 returned this year as AIDS Walk Los Angeles’ television broadcast sponsor.
Also in attendance were representatives from the event’s top sponsors and top corporate teams, including Premier Sponsors Quest Diagnostics and Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Grand Sponsors ABC7, the City of West Hollywood, Delta Airlines, Paramount Studios, and Paul Hastings LLP; and Principal Sponsors Albertsons|Vons|Safeway, Macy’s, Crescent Heights LLC, Time Warner Cable, Toyota, and Wells Fargo. Time Warner Cable once again provided free WiFi access to walkers along the entire route, allowing them to fundraise and share their experiences via their mobile devices.
For more information, please visit la.aidswalk.net. To connect with the online community on Facebook, simply join the AIDS Walk Los Angeles Facebook Fan Page. To view exclusive video content, visit the AIDS Walk Los Angeles YouTube channel at youtube.com/aidswalkla. To receive instant updates, follow “@AIDSWalkLA” on Twitter.
Editor’s Note: On behalf of APLA and the thousands of people who benefit from its services, thank you once again for joining AIDS Walk Los Angeles and for your dedication to bringing about an AIDS-free generation.
While they gladly accept donations year-round, you have until Friday, November 6, for funds to count toward your total and to earn Fundraising wards. In the next few weeks, please continue your commitment by collecting 100% of your remaining pledges.
If you were unable to attend AIDS Walk Los Angeles today, we nonetheless appreciate your support. You can mail in your contributions to AIDS Walk Los Angeles, P.O. Box 933005, Los Angeles, CA 90093-3005.
The weather is warming up, people are starting to spend more time outdoors, and it’s about to be everyone’s favorite time of year. With spring just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about your spring cleaning. And while cleaning out your oven is essential, it’s not that interesting to read about. So we’re going to take a look at another, often neglected area of spring cleaning, cleaning out your wardrobe.
When was the last time you went through your clothes and decided to get rid of all of those clothes you never wear? Can’t remember? You’re not alone. Many of us just let the clothes pile up over time with the thought that hey, we’ll wear this old shirt again someday, right? Wrong. You need to cut the cord and realize that the clothes you don’t like now, you’re never going to like. Spring cleaning is the time to be judicious, and that means taking a hard look at what should stay and what should go. Need some help getting started? We’ve put together a little checklist to guide you along the way. Check it out:
Start with the Basics Need a place to start? Go for the socks, tee shirts, and underwear drawer, as these are the items that tend to go unnoticed for the longest time. And trust us, you don’t want to let them go that long. In most cases, you could use a refresher on your socks and underwear. Instead of just getting the same plastic package from the department store, treat yourself to something a little higher quality this time around. Try something like VK Nagrani designer underwear that you’ll actually enjoy wearing. With higher quality materials, more interesting styles, and a more flattering cut, you won’t miss your old undies, we promise.
Move into Outerwear Once you’ve covered the basics, you should move into your outerwear collection. As the weather is getting warmer and you’re going to be moving your jackets to the back of the closet, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about which items are worth storing, and which are just taking up space. If you live somewhere exceptionally cold, we understand holding onto a few extra layers for the sake of warmth, but for most people, if you have more than four jackets, you’re probably never wearing them. Do yourself a favor and toss the ones that you haven’t taken out in years. They’re just a bulky waste of space, and the people at Goodwill can give them to someone who will appreciate them much more.
Judge Your Footwear Out of everything in your wardrobe, your shoes tend to age the fastest. With the constant contact with rain, pavement, dirt, and grime, your shoes show their age very quickly and very noticeably. While you might have broken in your favorite pair, they probably don’t have the same luster they did when you bought them. It’s ok to say goodbye to your shoes, they were never made to last forever.
When in Doubt, Toss It The golden rule of spring wardrobe cleaning, if there is such a thing, is that when you’re not sure if you should hold onto something or not, you shouldn’t. Donating your old clothes and shoes is a therapeutic exercise and helps set the stage for becoming the person you want to be. In the spirit of spring renewal, starting over with a new wardrobe is refreshing. You’ll be relieved of that guilty feeling when you see a shirt you haven’t worn in ages, and you’ll make room for some new things to freshen up your look.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Wardrobe Spring Cleaning is been re published from Diversity News Magazine Dot com archives at archive org
Honesty is the best policy. Photo credit to: Celestine Chua
Dating can be quite a challenge for some people, especially if they’ve been out of the dating scene for a while.
Of course, there can be many reasons why you might be out of dating practice. Perhaps you’ve been single for a long time and now decided to change that, or maybe you were in a long-term relationship that’s only recently come to an end.
Either way, the prospect of going through those early dating experiences again can be quite scary. It’s almost like having to go through those awkward teenage years all over again.
One thing that definitely won’t help you in today’s dating world is a lack of confidence. So, why not take a look at the ideas below on how to boost your dating confidence before you dive back into it all?
There are some basic principles when it comes to dating that will help anyone who’s looking for love.
1. Be honest
We all learn as kids that we should always tell the truth, so why treat dating any differently? You may want to pretend you’re a bit younger than you are, or that your job’s a bit more high-powered than it actually is, but if the person you meet on a date becomes a part of your life, will you want to keep up the fibs?
Being honest about who you are and what you believe in will allow you to be more confident – and that in turn will make you more appealing to any potential partner.
2. Don’t let your expectations get out of control
It might be nice to meet the person of your dreams on that first date, but realistically, it’s a slim chance. You might have better odds with the lottery! So instead of putting too much hope on a date, treat it as a social event – a way to meet someone new and have some fun. If it turns out to be the beginning of a new relationship, that’s great. If not, you haven’t lost anything, and you’ll have gotten some dating practice under your belt, ready for the next one.
3. Learn to read the signs
Sometimes, people are so keen for a date to work out well that it’s almost as if they have blinkers on and miss the signals the other person is giving them. Learn to read the signs of what your date thinks of you. The way someone looks at you while you’re talking, the way they move their hands or choose to sit, can all be indications of how they feel about you.
On a date, curiosity is a good thing. Photo credit to: Pixabay
4. Remember, it’s not all about you
People going on a date often focus on what the other person will think of them, and consequently can get quite anxious about what kind of impression they’ll make. To help avoid this, think about what you want to know about your date. What do they do for a living, what do they like doing in their spare time, where would their dream vacation take them? However, you don’t spend the whole night just quizzing each other – so perhaps have a couple of current affairs topics in mind to discuss – it’ll take the pressure off you both.
The most useful advice for anyone going out on a date is to relax and just be yourself. That way, whoever you’re meeting will get to spend a nice evening with you, and get to know you. Wherever the date takes you, it’ll be some dating practice and that experience will be useful for any future dates.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tips and Tricks to Make you a Better Date is been re published from Diversity News Magazine Dot com archives at archive org
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Celebrities, elected leaders, and 20,000 other caring people united to raise funds for much needed HIV/AIDS services and prevention programs.
