The Center’s Village at Ed Gould Plaza will be closed for maintenance on the following dates: Saturday, July 31 Sunday, August 1 Saturday, August 7 Sunday, August 8
$35,000 Scholarship Fund Helps Youth Excel
Welcome to the Center
Since 1971 the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center has been building the health, advocating for the rights and enriching the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
The Center's wide array of services includes: free HIV/AIDS care and medications for those most in need; housing, food, clothing and support for homeless LGBT youth; support and advocacy services for LGBT seniors and LGBT-parented families.
The Center also offers low-cost counseling and addiction-recovery services; legal services; health education and HIV prevention programs; transgender services; a cultural arts program and much more.
LifeWorks helps LGBT youth thrive in many ways, including mentoring and social activities/events.
Since merging with the Center in July 2009, the LifeWorks youth development program has continued to evolve and expand—especially in the area of education. Earlier this year, LifeWorks opened a satellite school that gives LGBT youth—who often face rejection and harassment in traditional school environments—an opportunity to complete high school via an independent study program.
Now, LifeWorks is helping students continue their educations with the LifeWorks Scholarship Program, which will award $35,000 in scholarships to college-bound youth this year. Recipients will be announced in mid-August
“We work to inspire youth to reach their full potential, and education is one area where many of our youth need extra support,” says LifeWorks director Michael Ferrera.
“Some LGBT youth don’t have financial support from their families, or they may struggle with depression or substance abuse in the face of hostile school environments. We’re taking the whole picture into account—financial need, community involvement and mitigating factors that have interfered with a youth reaching his or her full potential.”
Raise a Glass to a diVine Evening of Indulgence
The sight: a quaint, boutique-lined cobblestone path nestled in the chic Beverly Hills shopping district. The sound: the clinking of glasses. The smells: wafting aromas hinting at a smorgasbord of sweet and savory delectables. And the tastes—oh, the tastes!—haute cuisine from the city’s hottest restaurants and premium wines from the most popular wineries in California and beyond.
The Center’s “Simply divine: A Summer Soirée for the Senses” on Saturday, August 21, is a decadent outdoor evening set at the scenic Two Rodeo Drive, where guests will sip, sample and savor beneath a blanket of stars.
“Sampling fabulous food, sipping fine wine and celebrating with friends—it’s the perfect way to spend a warm Los Angeles summer evening,” says event co-chair Susan Feniger, whose many television appearances include a turn on Top Chef Masters earlier this year.
Tickets for general admission are $150. VIP Wine Tasting tickets (limited to 50 guests) are $500.
Photo by Sky Yim
Simply diVine will take place at the chic Two Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills on Saturday, August 21.
Center Responds to National AIDS Strategy
The White House released on Tuesday, July 13 a national HIV/AIDS strategy for slowing the rate of new infections, increasing the number of people who are tested for HIV and making medical care more accessible for those who are HIV-positive. It calls for reducing new HIV infections by 25% within five years.
“At long last—nearly three decades into the HIV/AIDS epidemic—the White House has unveiled a National AIDS Strategy. We applaud President Obama for this historic and important step in the right direction,” Center Chief of Staff Darrel Cummings said in a statement.
“The President has shown leadership, and for that we commend him. Now, his leadership must continue because the nation’s ability to achieve or exceed the goals articulated in this strategy will require a serious focus by appropriate branches of government and a significant increase in federal resources.”
The Center has expanded the hours that free HIV testing is available at the McDonald/Wright building.
Free HIV Testing
The Center this month expanded the hours that free HIV testingis available at the McDonald/Wright building; free testing is now offered on a walk-in basis from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. each Monday through Friday. The expanded hours will allow the Center to test 10% more people each year, an increase of 1,200.
