What I've Been Up 2

I can't event remember th last time I posted something personal, but a lot has been going on, all of it good for the most part.......

PhD Program
I think I mentioned in my last post that I was planning to apply to a couple of PhD programs. Well I decided that I am defintely going to pursue that last leg of my educational career and have sent in most of the stuff I need for Drexel. I am also planning to apply to Temple, but haven't yet submitted my application. I have decided that I will go for my doctorate in Public Health. I think that fits best with my educational and career interests. I attended an open house for the Public Health program at Drexel and I really like what I heard. My preference really is for Drexel. As I was looking at what both programs offered, I learned about the difference between a PhD, which Temple has and a Dr. PH, which Drexel offers. A PhD is more classroom experience whereas the DrPH has more of a community, direct practice focus to it, though there is still classwork and projects involved.

Drexel has a few staff that are experienced in LGBT research, which would be my area of focus for my dissertation. Another reason why I think Drexel would be a good fit is that some of the professors there are involved in projects that I am involved with related to gay health. So, we shall see how it goes. The only thing I need to do now is take my GRE's, which I have started to study for. My plan is to take them the second week in December.

Social Work Exam
On another note, I am happy to announce that I am now a licensed social worker in the state of Pennsylvania! I took the exam about 3 weeks ago and it was more difficult than I thought it would be. I studied quite a bit prior to the exam and even bit the bullet and ordered a $75 online practice exam. I'm glad I did, because I think it really helped me get a better understanding of the kind of questions on the exam and more importantly, the rationale often used for what they feel is the correct answer.

While taking the exam, I felt like I was experiencing ADD. It was hard for me to focus and I found myself reading the questions over a few times and having to guess at some. By the end, I really wasn't sure if I had passed or not. The exam is 170 multiple choice questions and you are given 4 hours to complete it. It took me 3 1/2. The test is on a computer and it gives you your results immediately. I passed that exam by 3 points and I was happy as hell. If I would have failed, I don't think I would have taken it again anytime soon. There were 2 other people who took it with me and the guy who was monitoring the testing area was spilling their tea. He told me they both failed and that one of the women had already taken it 3 or 4 times. Today in the mail, I got my offficial license with my license number.........hey!

Now on to the GRE's............

Trying to Find Balance
This has been a difficult thing to do the past several months because I have been involved in so much stuff. My full time job is going well and I'm currently going through my 2 year review, which I expect to be favorable. I am also still working at Mazzoni Center as a therapist part time, which is going well. Tonight was a little tough as I have a client who is really going through a tough time and I'm feeling like we're not making much progress on his issues, meanwhile he's spiraling deeper into depression. We are working on some things, that hopefully will get him to a healthier place. On top of that I am quite busy with the Black Gay Men's Leadership Council. We have a lot going on as we were recently funded by the city to hold a Black Gay Men's Research Summit here in Philly in March of 2007 and also to spearhead the organization of a general gay men's health movement here in Philadelphia. I plan to do a post later this week about the work of the Council for those who might be interested in joining.

With all this going on it's difficult to find balance and take care of the other parts of my life that need attention like my partner, studying for the GRE's, rest and just having fun. Though I did find some time to hang out last Thursday evening. I was invited to a dinner party with a group of Black gay men in North Philly. These brothas get together every week to replenish their souls with good food, laughter and friendship. I really enjoyed it and am appreciative they let me into their circle and the food was bangin'!

Upcoming events
This weekend I am going to a bowl and brunch event which is a fundraiser for Mazzoni Center. I haven't bowled in several years, so I hope I can do a little somthin' somthin' out there this weekend. Next week is the big event that is co-sponsored by the BGMLC and my full time employer. I think it will shape up to be a nice event and there seems to be a general interest about it. Of course Thanksgiving is in 3 weeks, which I plan to spend here in Philadelphia. I'm not big on holiday's so I'm looking forward to getting them over with and embarking on a new year.

Also I am coming up on my Blog-a-versary!!!!! November 3rd marks my 1 year start of blogging. I can't believe it's been that long and I am also about to hit 5,000 views, which I am happy about also. I guess someone out there is paying attention to what I write.........LOL. I'll have to prepare something for my one year, not sure what though..........any suggestions?

iTunes Addiction
I admit it , I am addicted! I have been buying music like crazy off of there. I don't think I've been to the store to buy a CD in a couple of months. It's just easier to get it off of iTunes for the same price, actually a little cheaper if you consider the fact that you don't pay tax on iTunes purchases. They also sometimes give you extra tracks and/or a video. I've got to get a grip before I end up in iTunes Anonymous....LOL.

That's all I've been up to. Plodding along at the speed of life.

Must Get Music

John Legend: Once Again
This album is off the hook! I think this new album is a nice change from his first, titled Get Lifted. I knew it was going to be a hot CD when I heard his first track "Save Room" which has a clean, upbeat tempo with nice lyrics. Some of the tracks such as "Each Day Gets Better" and "Slow Dance" remind me of songs from the late 70's, early 80’s that Marvin Gaye or Lionel Richie could have sung, but with a clean modern edge to them. I also really like PDA (We just don't care), which is another nice up tempo love song, with PDA referring to Public Displays of Affection. "Maxine" another love song that has a Latin sound to it has a refreshing sound. The most moving track on the CD, is called "Coming Home", about soldiers going to war and coming back home. This is a beautiful song with a simple beat that I feel can easily become a classic to play for our soldiers who return home from the war. It almost bought me to tears listening to it.

This album is a must buy for anyone who enjoys good soul music. It differs from his debut album in that there is no hip hop edge to this one and the songs are more diverse, personal and mature. Honestly, I don't know if he’ll be able to top this album as he has set the standard high for himself and other male soul artists. I dare say that Once Again is the best soul album by a male artist this year and I'm sure he'll win a Grammy or two off of it.

Rating: 5 Stars

Lupe Fiasco: Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
Lupe Fiasco is a relatively new artist out of Chicago and I believe this is his first album and it is hot! This is the most refreshing hip hop album I've heard all year because his tracks have hot beats, thought provoking, socially conscious lyrics all with little profanity or misogynistic lyrics which plague most hip hop songs. This is another one of those CD's where every single track is noteworthy and I listen to the whole album without skipping tracks.

I heard of Lupe Fiasco before, but didn't know anything about him other than Kanye West mentioning him in one of his songs. What got my attention was his current single that I saw the video for on VH1 Soul called "Day dreamin'" which features vocals by Jill Scott. The song is hot and I think it was a good look on the collaboration tip, though Jill, when are you coming out with a new single? (Like she's gonna see this.....LOL). I think the first single from the album is called "Kick, Push", which has a hot beat and I absolutely love the song, the lyrical content and the message. Another song I really like is called "He say, She say" which is about the problems that can occur when a young boy doesn't have his father in his life. This song is laid out well and artistically done with the lyrics changing within the song to reflect the perspective of the mother, the child and that of the father. "Hurt Me Soul", another socially conscious song talks about everything from problems faced by poor urban folks, to problems with the misogyny in hip hop to references about the current political environment and other societal problems. The last track I'll mention that I really like is called "American Terrorist" which talks about historical and current social issues including racism and the manipulation of the American Indians out of their land.

This is another must buy CD and is a fresh departure from the status quo hip hop album.

Rating: 5 Stars


Robin Thicke: The Evolution of Robin Thicke
When I heard the first track off of this album "Wanna love you girl" featuring Farrell, I thought it was whack, well I still do, and when I heard the second track with Lil' Wayne called "Shooter" I thought that was whack too, although it's grown on me a little bit. Then I heard his new track, which I saw on VH1 Soul called "Lost Without U" which is a very hot song. It has a nice beat, and I like the falsetto-esque voice and lyrics. I decided to listen to the entire album via the 30-second snippets you get on iTunes and thought it was a good from what I heard, so I decided to get it and I'm glad I did.

The very first track on the album "Got 2 Be Down" is hot, which has a nice clean beat with a female vocalist who sounds like Faith Evans to me, who helps out on the track. "Teach U a Lesson" is another song that I really like. It has a nice smooth guitar and percussion beat to it and I like the content of the song, which sounds like he's playing out a fantasy where he is the teacher and his girlfriend is the naughty student who has to stay after school to be taught a lesson. I'm sure there are many a woman (and gay man) who want to be the object of his affections in this song.

Most of the tracks on this CD are quite good and makes him the newest member of the Blue-eyed soul movement. This album is artistic, has good lyrical content, with well thought out tracks. This is another album that you should definitely get if you like good soul music.

Rating: 4 Stars

Be Social! A Social Event for Socially Conscious People!

Philadelphia Health Management Corporation (PHMC) in collaboration with the Black Gay Men's Leadership Council (BGMLC) and the Office of the Mayor of Philadelphia, are sponsoring an event to distrubute some of the findings from the Black Men's Health Survey. The details of the event are contained in the flyer below.

The Black Men's Health Survey is a study funded by the Centers for Disease Control, that took a close look at the lives of Black Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in the city of Philadelpia and the sociocultural factors that contribute to these men's risk for HIV. This study is the largest ever done on Black MSM in Philadelphia, in which we surveyed over 500 men and completed 30 individual interviews and about 8 focus groups. The data from the 540 men was collected in 2005, so it is very current. Some of the things we asked men related to their experiences with racism and homophobia; HIV and STD testing history; experiences with religous institutions; sexual behavior history; drug use history; experiences of sexual abuse and questions related to bisexual behavior among others.

The event detailed below is an effort that PHMC the BGMLC and the Mayor's Office is making to ensure the findings from this study get back to Black MSM in Philadelphia whose lives are impacted by this information. We want Black MSM to see and hear about this study and the implications it has for improving services for them (us). This event will have a heavy social focus, with a little bit of learning thrown in, so come and enjoy free food and drinks and network with others while learning more about the lives of the men who took part in this study. This is an open invitation, but you need to RSVP to fran@phmc.org or call (215) 985-2547.

BGMLC Letter to The School District of Philadelphia

Below is the contents of the letter that was sent to the School District of Philadelphia from the Black Gay Men's Leadership Counicl (BGMLC) in support of their decision to inculde gay and lesbian history month on their school calendar. For more information, see my related post from last week.

_______________________________________________________

October 10, 2006

Philadelphia School District
440 N Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Dear Mr. Nevels:

This letter is written in support of the School District of Philadelphia’s recent decision to include Gay and Lesbian History Month to its school calendar. This is an important decision, which will help create safer and more supportive learning environments for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) students. As you know, both verbal and physical discrimination against GLBT students can have detrimental consequences on not only their academics, but also their mental health and overall well-being. For example, in 2005, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a national survey implemented by the Centers for Disease Control, found that “Nationwide16.9% of young people in grades 9-12 seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months preceding the survey” Other research has found that GLBT teens account for up to 30% of all teen suicides in the United States. This underscores the need to have the important dialogue that will be created by educating adolescents on GLBT issues.

I know the school district is meeting significant opposition from parents, teachers and other community members about this decision, but we hope that you will maintain your stance in spite of the resistance. Schools play a unique role in students’ lives and help them learn about the multitude of cultures that exist in the world, which is what makes it the perfect place for adolescents to learn more about the lives of GLBT’s. Schools owe the students a fair and balanced education which will allow them to make the decisions they will based on the factual information provided to them by teachers.

In closing, the Black Gay Men’s Leadership Council fully supports the school districts bold and admirable decision to be inclusive of its GLBT students. We also support the great work that the Greater Philadelphia Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth Coalition has done and continues to do in conjunction with the school district to educate teachers and administrators on GLBT issues. This decision alone provides the opportunity to: help decrease the dropout rate among GLBT students because of anti-gay school environments; help decrease suicide among GLBT teens who feel they have no supports or places who validate who they are; and help refute stereotypes and negative perceptions of GLBT’s, which helps to eradicate homophobia. Addressing these important public health issues speaks to the commitment the Philadelphia school district has to making the school system a place where all students are welcome and reflects your true investment in cultural diversity.

The Black Gay Men’s Leadership Council lends its support to your efforts and if there is anything we can help with, feel free to contact me. I can be reached via email at phl_bgmlc@yahoo.com or by phone at (215) xxx-xxxx.

The mission of the BGMLC is to use advocacy, education and community collaborations to empower Philadelphia's diverse communities of black gay men by focusing on their social and political advancement and health and wellness needs, while developing local, regional and national leaders.


Sincerely,


Lee Carson, MSW- Chair
Black Gay Men’s Leadership Council
_________________________________________________

If you live in the Philadelphia area, and would like to give your support write a letter to the City School district letting them know you support their decision.

Are You A "Bitch"?

Today I came across a disturbing social marketing campaign that makes the Philadelphia "Have YOU Been Hit?" campaign look good. As you can see the main media image features a young Black man, well built with his hand on his crotch and the tagline "Don't Be A Bitch. Use A Condom!". This imagery is yet another example of poor social marketing meant to get Black gay men to practice safer sex. This campaign was released in San Francisco and apparently was paid for with money from the SF Department Of Health, which is hard to believe, given the content of the media. However, this editorial in a San Francisco paper states otherwise.

So I cruised through the site to see what was there and with every page I became increasingly angered by the content. First of all, the term "homoboy" is an offensive play on the urban vernacular donned by young Black men. When you click on the dog, who I presume is a female dog, it takes you to a quiz that is supposed to determine if you are a "bitch" or a "homoboy" based on your sexual practices......sorry, but I'll pass on both terms. I took the quiz and answered the sexual questions with a high sexual risk and the quiz told me this. How is this message supposed to change my behavior? Someone please school me, I just don't get it!

So then, I looked at the outreach workers who did outreach for the project and while several of them appear to be Latino and one Black, this makes the issue more disturbing, especially with their "homoboy" bling necklaces. Regardless of race, this is just wrong. It's hard to believe that someone thought this campaign up, and it's even more difficult to believe that a funder paid money to develop and implement this campaign into the community and thought it was okay. For that one Black outreach worker in the photos, he needs to be bitch slapped for engaging in a campaign that makes a mockery of his race!

I don't think I've ever seen a media campaign so racist, sexist, judgmental and inappropriate. If you look at the staff of the agency, Better World Advertising, who developed this campaign, there is only one Black person and a few other people of color. I don't know how they could have in good conscious put this campaign together and expect it could be effective. So if I decide not to use a condom, I'm a bitch? Oh yeah that's going to get me to start practicing safer sex. If you look at the questions and the response categories in their survey they are extremely offensive as well. No wonder why HIV infections continue to rise among Black MSM, because many of the messages developed for us promoting better sexual health miss the mark and are inappropriate, culturally insensitive and just don't make sense!

This website needs to be shut down and removed from the Internet. Please join me in writing to the media firm who hosts this website and let them know your thoughts. Don't allow this offensive and racist content to remain accessible to the public. We should not allow our sexual health to be reduced to "bling bling" and racist notions of how Blacks act, dress and think. Send an email to the social marketing firm who created the media and hosts the website at: contact@socialmarketing.com .

Philadelphia School District adds controversial celebration to calendar

Last week the Philadelphia school district announced a bold decision to put gay and lesbian history month into their school calendar. Of course this decision hasn't come without protest by parents and others who feel that homosexuality shouldn't be "promoted" by the school district.

Those who oppose the idea of having gay and lesbian history discussed in school are trying to compare gay history with that of Black history, trying to make the point that one is valid while the other is not. Most folks who oppose gay and lesbian history month do so because they feel homosexuality is a choice, unlike race which you are born with and is unchangeable. On the contrary, depending on which side you stand, it could be argued that homosexuality is innate (you're born gay or lesbian) and that therefore it isn't a choice. Either way there is a long history of contributions that gays and lesbians have made to American history and continue to contribute to society every day. The issue for me is more about acknowleding the diversity that exists in our society.

Personally I'm tired of homophobic Blacks trying to act like gays and lesbians are trying to ride on the backs of the Black Civil Rights movement and trying to demote homosexuality to a choice that can be changed at any time. I believe there are some parallels to both Civil Rights movements, but of course they are not the same and I don't think there are any LGBT's saying they are the same. Indeed, Black gays have been around for years, even during the Black Civil Rights era, lest we forget James Baldwin or Bayard Rustin. So for Black gays at that time, they paid twice the toll of discrimination. Besides if you want to be flip about one not being able to change their race, we can look at Michael Jackson as a reference point. No shade, but at this point, I think he's his own unique race.

In addition, a benefit to having a gay and lesbian history month in the schools will begin a crritical dialogue, that if handled correctly, can have a positive benefit on changing negative perceptions of homosexuality. For lack of a better word it can begin to "normalize" it as a healthy lifestyle which would have positive implications on eradicating homophobia. If conversations are starting with students when they are young and positive images are being presented about gays and lesbians, then thousands of young people can be saved from experiencing the pain of the closet and hostile, homophobic school environments. One of the activities that 9th graders would have to engage in as part of the month is to read a story on the coming out process.

I think this is a great idea the Philadelphia school district has taken on if they handle it correctly. I hope they won't be discouraged by homophobic zealots who seek to keep LGBT's oppressed. To see a video newsclip of this story click here.

Update on Rally in Harrisburg

The LGBT Philadelphia contigent was active at the Rally in Harrisburg for stricter gun laws in the states capitol on September 26th. We had over 30 people in attendance and all of us met with staff in state legislators' offices to support Mayor Streets "one gun a month" legislation.

Group Photo in Philly before going to Harrisburg

Group Pic in Harrisburg: expressing our pride


LGBT advocates on the Capitol steps making a presence


There were hundreds of people at the Rally on the Capitol steps


Mayor John Street closes out the rally with his speech

Why the need for this bill?
Did you know that in the state of Pennsylvania that a person with merely a permit, can purchase as many guns as they want at any given time? Literally a person can walk into the gun store and buy 20 guns at one time if they wish. Unfortunately this exact scenario happens often in real life, which is how the streets get flooded with guns. A new term I learned in this process is called "straw purchases", which is used to identify a process where someone who has a legal permit to purchase guns does so and sells them to people often times who don't have a permit. People who don't have a permit, don't have one for a reason, usually because they are a convicted felon, have lost their ability to legally carry a gun for some reason or because they are a minor. I don't know about you, but I don't want either of those people getting access to as many guns as they want because of lax gun laws!

It seems silly that we'd have to fight state legislators so hard for something so simple and humanistic! Mayor Street is asking that the law be changed so that only one gun a month can be purchased by a person with a legal permit. Even that's a lot, but it's much better than unlimited purchases as often as you want. Who needs 12 guns a year?! I wonder if those in the capitol found themselves mourning the loss of family members from gun violence, if they would finally wake up to the need to pass this legislation?!

Blacks in the inner city of Philadelphia know all too well what the plethora of guns is doing to our community. There are over 280 homicides in this city so far this year, the vast majority of them involving guns. That is about 1 death a day to gun violence! Several victims this year have been less than 10 years old! Two days before we went to Harrisburg, a 5 year old girl was killed as her mother drove down the street and happened to find herself in the crossfire of a shootout, which claimed the life of her daughter. When will this madness end? While there is no simple answer to this question, I know one thing: if you limit the number of guns that are available on the street, you will make a dent in gun related violence.

Another part of the legislation Mayor Street is trying to get passed would allow for an increase in funding for social service programs for inner city neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Though the issue of decreasing violence will take a multi-dimensional approach, increasing effective social service intervention programs is definitely a crucial need in this fight to decrease violence.

Let's hope that those in Harrisburg who have the power to make this legislation happen, will do so. We can't afford to continue to allow the overflow of guns on our streets, that most often are claiming the lives of young Blacks. Do those in Harrisburg have to wait until it's an issue effecting affluent suburban Whites before they will take action? If we have not learned our lesson by now that an issue that plagues one segment of the community so virulently, effects us all, then we will continue to pay the cost of our ignorance.

Please write your state legislators in support of the Mayor's bill. This is a much needed first step in a larger battle to save our community. Click here to find your state legislator. If you want suggestions on what to write to your legislative official Email me