It's been 10 years since a young college student named Matthew Shephard was beaten to death and left hanging like a scarecrow on a fence simply for being himself.He had suffered a fracture from the back of his head to the front of his right ear causing severe brain stem damage, which affected his body's ability to regulate heart rate, body temperature, and other vital signs. His injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to operate. Shepard never regained consciousness and remained on full life support. He was pronounced dead at 12:53 a.m. on October 12, 1998, ten years ago today.
Hate crimes still continue largely unchecked today. The solution? Education and love. So let's spread the word. Educate people with love and the knowledge that being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or otherwise is no crime, but beating someone to death because you don't like them is.
Join us at Icepics (corner of 31st and McDowell) on October 27th from 8 to 10:30 PM for BINGOS de los Muertos with Sister Odora. $2 for first BINGO card, $1 for each thereafter, drink specials, special Cards, and more! Donations are for SouthWest Center for HIV/AIDS, formerly known as Body Positive.
Some of the programs and services available through South West Center for HIV/AIDS are listed below.
As we all know, HIV affects people of all types. And South West Center for HIV/AIDS programs and services truly serve that diversity.The Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS also offers children's programs that help our youngest community members deal with issues of HIV or just have fun for a while! Programs include:
And the list goes on and on. So embrace the fun of BINGOS de los Muertos and bring those donations for a very worthy local organization. And come prepared to win one of many fabulous prizes such as concert tickets, free yoga classes at Alternatives Health and Wellness, limo rides, free drinks at ice pics, etc. You just never know what might be up for grabs! See you there!
70's BINGO was a blast!!! It was great seeing some new to BINGO faces who I recognized from out and about in the community; I only wish I could have stayed longer and partied into the wee hours with y'all. It was especially wonderful having the Project Hard Hat guys come out to play with us in their bright yellow outfits! (yes, their hard hats counted as a big hat)
I love working with the Project Hard Hat guys, because they do not use guilt to promote safer sex. Instead, they simply make condoms available to the greater Phoenix community, so that those who want to use them, have easy and free access. It's a wonderful thing, and September's BINGOs managed to bring in over $1200 dollars for Project Hardhat to continue bringing freelove gloves to the valley.
It was especially wonderful having our visiting Sister "Sister Right" here with us from down sout! No no, not Tucson, think more twang in her thang. That Sister is a blast and I enjoyed having her there to shake things up!
October's donations will go to the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment. So get out your big hats, bring your cash, prepare your Dias de las Muertes outfits for the last Monday of October, and get ready for some fun fun fun!
The recent Sister's Scavenger Hunt raised over $1100 for AIDS Walk!
Blessings on all who participated and especially to Novice Honey B. Drippin who put together such a fun and successful fund raiser for Phoenix AIDS Walk. I think you can expect to see great things from Honey and all of our Sisters to be!
And Remember, you can still register to walk with the Sisters or on your own at www.aidswalk2008.org! Just click "Join Team" and register to walk with Team "Grand Canyon Sisters and Friends" and we'll see you there!
