Amplify Community Editor Samantha (also known here as the awesome Mahayana) in front of the Advocates for Youth Lounge at Netroots Nation.

The Amplify team just finished up a great trip to Las Vegas for Netroots Nation 2010. We heard from the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Al Franken, presented to hundreds of progressive leaders on the state of the pro-choice movement and the power of online organizing, and exchanged ideas with young activists from all over the world.

We'll have more convention stories and recaps for you later this week, including Amplify's exclusive video interview with Lt. Dan Choi, who brought many of us to tears on Saturday after he handed Harry Reid his West Point class ring during the Senate Majority Leader's keynote address. (Reid had previously pledged to Choi that he would end Don't Ask, Don't Tell by 2009.)

Stay tuned!

 In order for one to fully comprehend issues that affect marginalized groups, it is imperative to incorporate the intersections that might exist within these groups. Recently, the gay movement has gained ground through the media. Whether there is a gay character on a show or romance, being LGBT is gradually becoming more acceptable in today’s society. The issue that arises within the gay community is the isolation that exists when acknowledging other communities.  In this society, being gay is seen as a unitary issue, thus LGBTQ racial minorities are marginalized since the plight of reconciling their racial heritage and LGBTQ identity is often ignored. The most prevalent issue encountered by LGBTQ youth of color is the lack of visible role models. In our media, the majority of the representation of the gay community is white and middle class.

If one looks at the current shows to date such as Glee, Will and Grace, and Queer as Folk, one will notice that these shows barely have a diverse representation for the youth of color, thus these youth do not have someone to look up to because the media confines the representation of the gay community to the majority. Most of these shows do not even explore these intersections of identity. They fail to delve into the difficulties in reconciling racial identity and sexual identity. Thus, racial minorities may have a hard time relating to these characters.

This limited portrayal may also affect the majority community’s perception of minorities if their only exposure to these communities is through the news, books, and television. If all they have seen are stereotypically gay characters or white characters then their perceptions are flawed or lack inclusivity; this may cause LGBT racial minorities to disidentify with their own community and adopt an identity that does not take into account their racial background.  The media’s portrayal of LGBT adolescents is exclusive, and in order to rectify this problem, there needs to be a shift in society’s attitudes on what is an unacceptable representation of LGBT youth. If you are an lgbt racial minority, here are some support groups you can turn to that will aid you in your walk.

http://www.generationalalliance.org
http://www.amplifyyourvoice.org/youthresource

Today is a great day to get tested.  I know it is scary, every time I get tested I hold my breath and think about do I have anything was there something I did that I could have caught something.  But after finding out my results I am relieved.  So today is as good as any to go find your local testing center and get tested.

Here are a few testing sites for those near the City of San Diego.

- Family Health Services
- City Heights 
- Across the Street form City College Trolley Station
- In North Park near 30th and Polk
- SDSU Student Health Services
- The Center in Hillcrest
- On Vermont and University on Thursdays from 6-9pm

I hope that you take the time to figure out your status.  

Rikki

Yesterday, on Netflix, I watched a documentary called The Butch Factor.  It is a documentary were it flows through the many different subcultures of the gay community, everything from circuit culture to bear culture to drag culture.   I don't want to go into much detail.  But the point of the documentary was to see how different individuals in the gay community construct their masculinity, and how the greater culture and straight men also do so.   I thought it was interesting, I think it is a good watch, and just wanted to share it with you all.

Rikki

So I been on Downelink a lot which is a social network for LGBTQ youth and I have been getting a lot of question about how to mend a broken heart and when is it okay to start dating again. Well I feel like when being in a bad relationship is not suppose to over take you as a person. The first is getting out of that relationship... because most relationships that are bad for so long aren't getting any better. Second you should take time to be with yourself love yourself date yourself. By doing this you learn what you like dislike and what you except.  Third is when you enter a friendship or relationship don't be afaird to express yourself to that person tell them you have been hurt and you need time. Fourth work at your own pace a relationship is like a job pace yourself and you will progress.

A new Gallup poll released Monday shows that opposition to marriage equality has continued to fall, and is currently at 53%. When Gallop first asked the question in 1996, opposition was at 68%, which is a 15 point difference. Support, now at 44%, has jumped 17 points from the original 27%. The highest it’s been was 46% in 2007.

Check out these findings from the Gallup poll.



Gallup also found that 81% of people who reporting having no religious affiliation were in support of marriage equality.

More...

My name is Anibal Hurtado.

I feel like my school has disrespected me.
I am a transgender student, female-to-male or (unknown, 3rd gender)

As many of you know I am currently running in the ASI elections for the position of the director of Legislative Affairs.

Without prior knowledge, the ballot via blackboard had my name under Alicia Hurtado.
Because I am transgender I refuse to go under my legal name, and I made that clear in the application that I do not want to go as my legal name but as ANIBAL Hurtado.

Also, the school newspaper has published my legal name WITHOUT MY CONSENT.

I feel horrible, and discriminated against.

I do not present myself as Alicia.
I keep the knowledge of my legal name extremely personal, and because of they're mistake, I feel like my voice does not matter. That I have been dehumanized. My voice was not taken into consideration at all during this decision making process.

How many voices like mine have been silent?

My name is ANIBAL Hurtado.

I am running for Director of Legislative Affairs as part of the ¡WE MATTER! Slate (team). I have witnessed first hand the way LGBT issues are just brushed under the table.

More...

Many would say sometimes our work seems never to be taken serious. I am proud to say that eventually you will see the fruit of your work. We have had a long road working with our HBCU in the areas of GLBTQ. We salute the housing office for not only being champions of our work but being apart of it. Morehouse housing department has assigned several Resident Advisor to our work. These specific RAs will focus on the issues of Advocates for Youth in the area of GLBTQ/condom distribution. I am excited to see the work from them.

When we get champions is when we will succeed. Richard Williams

For the last 3 years I have had the opportunity to be involved with Advocates for Youth through the Texas Freedom Network's Student Leadership Council. Although I have had many wonderful opportunities in my life, this has been one of the greatest! I have been empowered beyond my belief and have developed a new passion for activism. I have learned so much from the people that I have gotten to meet through the Urban Retreats and conferences and I have changed my way of thinking because of those people.

This year I turned 26 years old so I am now too old to be considered a youth and will no longer be  a part of all of the awesome events held by Advocates for Youth. Although I will miss them, I am so grateful that I was involved with them as long as I was. I have become very compelled to make a political change and I have decided that I will try to do this through my music.

I started a band called Picture Perfect Clique and we will do all that we can to raise awareness about the issues that we address with Advocates for Youth.



I just wanted to take the time for a shameless plug as well as to tell all of the staff of Advocates for Youth and Amplify thank you for all that you have done to propel me into service! This group and video was conceptualized after the talent show at the urban retreat! 

Hey Folks!

Here is our April Sound Bite.

For more information about the topics discussed, check out the links below.

Day of Silence:
http://blog.dayofsilence.org

American University Newspaper Aopologizes for Date-Rape Column:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/30/AR2010033003766.html

Bullied to Death:
http://www.fedsmith.com/article/2386/bullied-death-yearold-massachusetts-girl-hangs-herself.html

Anti-Violence Resource Guide:
http://www.feminist.com

Resource: Sexual Assualt Prevention, National Sexual Violence Resource Center:
http://www.nsvrc.org

Men Can Stop Rape:
http://www.mencanstoprape.org

Open Congress, Safe Schools Improvement Act:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h2262/show

Advocates For Youth- Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Tool Kit: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=608&Itemid=177