Subject: Third Annual Youth Pride Day in Dupont Circle
From: "Donald Hitchcock" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 09:38:55 -0400

________________________________________________________

Youth Pride Alliance
PO BOX 33161
Washington, DC 20033
email: [email-masked]
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 [email-masked].

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: [email-masked]
http://www.windowcorp.com