From: "Donald Hitchcock" Subject: Third Annual Youth Pride Day in Dupont Circle Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 09:38:55 -0400 ________________________________________________________ Youth Pride Alliance PO BOX 33161 Washington, DC 20033 email: chris@youthpridedc.org http://www.youthpridedc.org ________________________________________________________ EMBARGOED RELEASE Saturday April 17, 1999 Contact: Christopher Dyer (202) 236-3283 (Day of Event) (202) 588-8008 Third Annual Youth Pride Day in Dupont Circle WASHINGTON, DC The Youth Pride Alliance's (YPA) Third Annual Youth Pride Day took place today in Washington, DC's historic Dupont Circle-the heart of the city's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community. `This event promotes Pride in who and what we are,' said Christopher Dyer, President and Founder of the Youth Pride Alliance. `By creating a non-judgmental space for a day, we help empower youth to lead healthier and safer lives. This event is organized by youth, for youth.' Washington DC's Youth Pride Day is one of only three youth pride events in the country. `Youth Pride Day celebrates the dignity and courage of youth as they come to accept their sexual identity,' commented Youth Pride Vice President Dania Palanker. `The three main goals of Youth Pride Day are to promote awareness of issues effecting GLBT youth, increase the visibility of this dynamic group, and to foster pride in our community.' The well-planned itinerary featured speeches by Utah gay rights activist Holly Peterson, DC Mayor Anthony Williams, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Benoit Denziet-Lewis, News and Features Editor of XY Magazine, Craig Bowman, Executive Director of the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League, City Council Members Jim Graham, David Catania, and Jack Evans and several keynote speeches by youth activists and their supporters, including the mother and author of Journey to Mariah, Rhea Murray. `This group of speakers represents the dynamic diversity of our community,' Christopher Dyer, added. `Each of these individuals are leaders in the community in their own respect and have been chosen by the committee for their recognized ability to educate, motivate and inspire youth.' Additionally, several local performance groups shared the stage. Safely Limitless, a local lesbian youth band, Beanfire, an all-girl Irish band, Design, an Electro-funk band, Young Warriors Choir from Inner Light Fellowship Church, and openly gay singers Clint Crisher and Carter Lewis kept the crowd entertained between speakers. Nikki, a gay singer and performance artist, returned to repeat his high demand act from last two Youth Pride Days. Ending the program was Dragapalooza, an event of local drag queen personalities. `We are really excited about this program,' added Loren Becker, 19-year-old Co-Chair of Youth Pride Day. ` The combination of our keynotes, testimonials and entertainers dazzled the audience and articulate our three themes of awareness, visibility and pride.' One of the main goals of the day was to display the diversity of the youth in the GLBT community. One of the ways the organizers accomplished this was by inviting over 25 youth and supporters from across the spectrum to offer personal testimonials about their experiences. `Many Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgendered and questioning youth feel isolated and alienated in their coming out process,' explained 19-year-old Co-Chair Brian McCarthy. `By gathering in a public space we send a powerful message to youth that they are not alone.' ### The Youth Pride Alliance is a coalition of over 25 youth support and advocacy groups in the Metro DC Area including Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL), Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG DC), Whitman Walker Clinic, Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN DC), seven campus student groups, Metro Teen Aids Coalition and BiNetwork DC. Its mission is to celebrate the dignity and courage of all young people as they discover their identity as gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight; and challenge society to stop the hate, the violence, the fear, the isolation, and the denial. By sponsoring events such as Youth Pride Day, the Alliance strives to achieve its goal of providing safe and healthy spaces for youth to grow. For additional information, contact Christopher Dyer at (202) 588-8008 or call the 24-hour YPA hotline at (703) 518-0631 or e-mail chris@youthpridedc.org. The Official YPD `99 Stage Program Time Speaker/Entertainer 12:00pm Welcome - Brian McCarthy and Loren Becker, Co-Chairs of Youth Pride Day `99 12:05 Jenn, Youth Activist 12:10 Daniel Zingale, Executive Director, AIDS Action Council 12:15 Safely Limitless, Musical Group 12:30 Testimonial Cluster 12:45 Chris Dyer (Director - Youth Pride), Jose Ucles (Director - DC Capital Pride) and Earl Fowlkes Jr. (President - DC Black Pride) 1:00 Michael Bisogno, Youth Activist 1:10 Ruben Gonzales, HRC Youth College 1:15 Beanfire, Musical Group 1:30 Benoit Denziet-Lewis, News and Features Editor, XY Magazine 1:35 Testimonial Cluster 2 1:50 Jono Smith, Openly Gay White House Employee 1:55 Kate Dempsey, Representative of National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) 2:00 Angel Brown, Youth Acting Against AIDS 2:05 Youth Acting Against AIDS, Performance Troop 2:15 Koren Hoard, Sexual Minority Assistance League (SMYAL) 2:20 Brad Moore, National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC) 2:25 Design, Rock Bank 2:40 Jim Graham, Openly Gay City Council Member 2:45 Testimonial Cluster 3 3:00 Jack Evans, City Council Member 3:05 Eleanor Holmes Norton, US Representative 3:10 Clint Crisher, Rock Band 3:25 Tom Beddingfield 3:30 Carter Lewis, Musical Group 3:45 Jason Hungerford, Executive Director - Youth Guardian Services 3:50 Bruce and Rhea Murray, PFLAG Mom & Author with Son 4:00 Young Warriors Choir of Inner Light Fellowship 4:10 David Catania, Openly Gay City Council Member 4:15 Craig Bowman, Executive Director SMYAL 4:20 Aaron Hans, SMYAL 4:25 Testimonial Cluster 4 4:40 Step, Musical Group 4:45 Lauren Weiner, SMYAL 4:50 Jason Seymour, Founder and Publisher, ELIGHT! Magazine 4:55 Holly Peterson, Utah Gay Straight Alliance 5:05 Nikki, Musical Number 5:20 Dragapolozza, Musical Number Note: As of press time, Mayor Anthony Williams has yet to confirm speaking time. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Donald Hitchcock Window Communications 1901 L Street, NW, Suite 604 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 223-0554 Fax: (202) 223-0558 mailto: hitchcock@windowcorp.com http://www.windowcorp.com