Subject: PFLAG Salutes Efforts to Engage African-American Churches Against
From: Heather Wright <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 12:59:48 -0400

*  *  *  PFLAG News Release  *  *  *

For Immediate Release: October 21, 1999			
Contact: Eric Ferrero, 202-638-4200 x212

PFLAG Salutes Families and Allies Crusading to Engage
African-American Faith Communities in Fight Against AIDS

	When national and local leaders gather in Washington, DC, Saturday
night for the Gospel Concert Against AIDS, they will be joined in spirit by
tens of thousands of fair-minded families nationwide, according to Parents,
Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).  

	The free concert is a joint venture among several HIV/AIDS
organizations, local churches, corporations, community groups and government
agencies.  Among the sponsoring organizations is the Dwayne S. Brown
Foundation, which Washington, DC, area PFLAG Dad William Beale formed in
honor of his gay son, who died of AIDS-related complications.  In recent
months, Beale and other local families have worked with PFLAG Washington,
DC/Metro Area, to launch "For Those We Love," a support group for
African-American families and friends of gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgendered people.

	Saturday's concert will bring together clergy, as well as national
figures such as Sandy Thurman, White House Director of AIDS Policy, and
Donna Christensen, leader of the Congressional Black Caucus' Task Force on
Health.  Al Roker, of NBC's Today Show, and prominent AIDS activist Mary
Fisher will also participate.  Renowned gospel groups and Broadway stars
will sing at the concert, along with Mass Choir of Hope, a group
representing members of several Washington, DC, church choirs.

	The goal of the event, according to the DC Comprehensive AIDS
Resources and Education Consortium (DCCC) is to increase the number of
African-American churches that are active in combating HIV/AIDS.  

	"This will be a remarkable event, and PFLAG is proud to support it
100 percent," said Kirsten Kingdon, National Executive Director of PFLAG.
"AIDS is ravaging African-American communities nationwide, but when families
and communities and faith institutions pull together, we can rise to the
complex and pressing challenges of education, prevention and care."

	AIDS is now the leading cause of death for African-American men and
women between the ages of 25 and 44.  Although African Americans make up
approximately 13 percent of nation's population, they accounted for 57
percent of all new HIV infections in 1998.  Washington, DC, has among the
highest infection rates of HIV/AIDS in the nation.  While African Americans
are disproportionately represented among HIV/AIDS cases, they are also
underserved - a situation Kingdon called a "cruel paradox, which requires
concern and action from all of us."

	For more information on Saturday's event, please contact Valerie
Papaya Mann (202-347-8888, x24) or Bruce Weiss (202-347-8888, x13). 

                  #  #  #

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) promotes the
health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons,
their families & friends through support, education, and advocacy. Serving
nearly 77,000 members & supporters, PFLAG affiliates are located in 425+
communities in the U.S. 

1101 14th St. NW, Suite 1030, Washington, DC 20005 .
 phone: 202-638-4200  fax: 202-638-0243
 Email [email-masked]  Web http://www.pflag.org

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