David Mariner Featured in Metro Weekly

Friends and Colleagues.  I was recently featured in a Metro Weekly article and I would like to share it with you.  While I would normally shy away from such shameless self-promotion, I think this is a great opportunity to share with you my new work at the DC GLBT Community Center, which we call The Center for short.

I'm really excited to be at The Center, and looking forward to seeing the organization grow in the months and years ahead.  I hope you'll take a moment to follow this link and read the article abot me in Metro Weekly.

And please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think.  I don't want to broadcast my e-mail address on the web, but you can always connect with me on Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, Connexion, Linked In, or Plaxo.  You can also find me on the web at www.davidmariner.com.

Finally, let me express my appreciation for all the kind words I've received since this article come out, and my deep appreciation for all the folks who have taught me so much along the way about the movement for LGBT equality and the larger social justice movement that we are all a part of.

Sincerely - David Mariner.

DC Gay, Lesbian, Bi Students 10 Times More Likely to Have Used Meth

Gay, lesbian, and bisexual students in DC public schools are 10 times more likely to have tried crystal meth than their peers, according to a new fact sheet released by DC Public Schools. 23.5% of self identified GLB identifiedstudents have used meth compared to 2.48% of heterosexual students. The fact sheet, available on the DCPS website, documents widespread and significant health disparities faced by Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual (GLB) high school students. Information about transgender students was not collected in this survey.

The data comes from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), conducted every two years by DC Public Schools in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2007 marked the first year that the local version of the survey asked questions about GLB identity. Questions about sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression have been included in YRBS surveys in more than a dozen states.

The DC fact sheet does not explain what accounts for the numerous health disparities including crystal meth use, but is likely in part related to a school climate that can be hostile and unsafe. An analysis of similar data collected in Massachusetts found that "at-school victimization" is associated with differences in health risk behaviors. (Bontempo DE, D'Augelli AR. Effects of at-school victimization and sexual orientation on lesbian, gay, or bisexual youths' health risk behavior. J Adolesc Health. 2002 May;30(5):364-74.) GLB students in DC Public Schools reported similar concerns about safety:

* 26.3 percent of GLB identified students in DC Public Schools report that they have stayed home from school one or more days in the past month because they felt unsafe in school or on their way to school.

* 30.6% of GLB identified students were bullied at least once on school property in the last year.

More information about the survey is available on The DC Center Website.

Oscar Party this Sunday!

The writers' strike is settled and the Academy Awards show must go on!

The 80th Annual Academy Awards are taking place Sunday, February 24th and The DC Center will once again hold our annual Oscar Party Glammer, Glitter, and Gold. This year the red carpet will be rolled out at The Green Lantern. MetroWeekly is our co-sponsor.

Tickets available through Box Office Tickets or at the door:

$25.00 Regular
$15.00 Students, Low Income, Seniors

Join your community for an evening celebrating GLBT in cinema. Your admission includes entertainment by our Mistress of Ceremonies Blair Michaels, a wonderful buffet, and festive drinks. Our Oscars Raffle allows you to select your pick in popular categories and win great prizes.

This event supports the many services of The Center including the Crystal Meth Working Group, the Elder Think Tank, the David Bohnett Cyber Center, and the many educational forums The Center facilitates during the year.

So please save the date, and make plans to join us Sunday, February 24th starting at 7:00 PM at the Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court NW.

All of this is made possible with your continued support. If you cannot come to this event, please consider making a donation to The Center at the Box Office Tickets website: http://boxofficetickets.com/thedccenter

Click Here to Buy Tickets at Box Office Tickets or available at the door.

Office of LGBT Affairs Delivers Annual Report to Mayor and City Council

The Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs recently delivered an annual report on its activities to the Mayor and City Council. This report provided an overview of some of the accomplishments and activities of the office and some of its plans for the upcoming year.

continue reading this article on the DC Center Blog

National Black AIDS Awareness Day Febuary 7th, 2008

February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness and Information Day (NBHAAD). This annual observance day was created to raise awareness among African Americans about HIV/AIDS and its devastating impact on African American communities. The day is part of a national mobilization effort to get African Americans to learn more about the threat posed by the disease, get tested, get treated and make a commitment to fight HIV/AIDS.

continue reading this article at the DC Center Blog

DC State Board of Education Meeting TONIGHT!

Stand with DC Youth TONIGHT at DC State Board of Education Meeting
We need you to stand with and for young people in the District of Columbia tonight (Wednesday Nov 28th) at the DC State Board of Education Meeting and support comprehensive sex education. The meeting takes place at the State Board of Education Old Council Chambers, Old Council Chambers, 441 4th Street, NW at 5:30 PM. Supporters will be handing out red t-shirts!

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We've all seen the numbers from the HIV/AIDS Administration. You know that we're in a city overwhelmed by HIV/AIDS. But let me give you two numbers that weren't in that report. According to a survey of DC Public School students conducted by the CDC and DC Public Schools, 17.5% of middle school students and 9.5% of high school students say they were never taught about HIV/AIDS in school. These numbers are from 2005. But sadly, when we saw a glimpse of the preliminary 2007 data we learned that 2007 numbers are expected to be worse.

We have failed DC youth by not getting our HIV/AIDS epidemic under control, but we will fail them yet again if we neglect to give them the tools to protect themselves in a city where 1 in 20 people is HIV positive. We must empower every student in every classroom, in every school, with comprehensive sex education and all the information they need to stay safe and healthy.

Encouraging the DC State Board of Education Meeting to approve the Health Learning Standards is a crucial first step. These standards have been created with the input of local DC youth organizations and child and adolescent health specialists.

Please join me TONIGHT to show your support.

We need you to stand with and for young people in the District of Columbia tonight (Wednesday Nov 28th) at the DC State Board of Education Meeting and support comprehensive sex education. The meeting takes place at the State Board of Education Old Council Chambers, Old Council Chambers, 441 4th Street, NW at 5:30 PM. Supporters will be handing out red t-shirts!

Tuesday November 20th: Transgender Day of Remembrance

A local event marking the Transgender Day of Remembrance will take place Tuesday November 20th, at the Whitman Walker Clinic's 1407 S Street NW site from 6 to 7:30 PM. The event is co-sponsored by Whitman-Walker Clinic, and Transgender Health Empowerment.

Metro Weekly has an excellent article up about the Transgender Day of Remembrance. To read it, click here.