20 Manhattan Times JulY26.

2007

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Members of GALDE plan an upcomingfundraiser at their weekly meeting: (from left) Yosell MiembrosdeGAWeplanean unaproxima
recaudaci6ndefondosensure;;;;;;-;;manal(desde ~
Castillo, FrancescoAngulo, Francisco J. Lazale, Junior Garda, Andres M. Gonzalez, Josefina izquierda)
'tbseliCesJillo,
Francesco
Angulo, J. Lazela,JuniorGarcia,
Francisco AndresM.Gonzalez,
Josefina
Boml7la,11185
Perez,LuisAmbles,RocioVenesas.
- -
Bomllla, Ines Perez, luis Arobles, Rodo Venesas. -
photos by Katie Orlinsky to attract, board member say, because into a health fair five years ago. The Dominican male sex workers and HIV
texl by Dorkys Ramos they're generally still closeted or prefer heallh information is not only geared infection.
When Rocio Venegas came out of hanging out with friends instead of toward the GLBT population but to Amigos Siempre Amigos Inc. and
the closet last July and confronted her joining an organization. everyone. So far 35 organizations have Comite Acci6n PoUtica, a political
reality of being gay, she was concerned The organization reaches over 3,000 already confirmed tables at this year's action committee, are two olher groups
about how her family and friends would people a year, said GALDE's vice- picnic and organizers expect attendance in the D.R. that GALDE has worked
react. She sought the support of olher chair Yoseli Castillo-Fuertes, through to top 2,000. with to provide help, workshops and
groups to help her through the transition, workshops, s('hool presentations and But as the size of the fair grows, so educational materials for the island's
but still fell unsatisfied. It was not until meetings. One of the biggest draws isthe does the funding needed 10 pull it off. gay population. "We have also started
she joined an organization last March annual picnic and health fair, attended What used to cost $1,000 to provide free to collect clothes and shoes and send
geared toward Dominican gay, lesbian, by over 1,000 people. HIV lesting, food and entertainment has boxes to children in need in La Vega
bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) men Members aim to reach all types increased about tenfold. and La Romana," said Lazala about the
and women that it became easier for of people through social and artistic Funding has become another issue Dominican cities.
Vengas 10 be true to herself by being events. Gay Bohemian Night, which is GALDE has had to work through. Young people are another target
open aboul her sexuality. open to both the heterosexual and GLBT The group receives money through a population GALDE seeks to reach. "Most
There are few resources that cater communities, provides a forum for series of sources including private and of the education is toward heterosexual
specifically to Dominican GLBT men sharing artwork, poetry, and music as a government grants as well as individual youth," said Lazala. "We've put together
and women. way to unite and attract new members, donations andfundraising activities, but a comprehensive HIV prevention
The Gay and Lesbian Dominican such as Venegas. After meeting Fuertes- the amount they receive is not enough. cu"iculum." Members go into
Empowerment organization, or GALDE Castillo in January and participating in "This year has been a little tight and classrooms in Upper Manhattan and the
for short, is one. It educates Northern Bohemian Nights, she was invited to we lost funding," said Castillo-Fuertes. Bronx and have partnered with different
Manhattanites about the issues of the join the organization in March. Although GAWE didn't cancel this schools, such as John F. Kennedy and
Latino GLBT community and provides "GAWE's objective is to unite people year's picnic, the members did have to Martin Luther King, Jr. High Schools, by
support to its GLBT members. of different nationalities," said Venegas. be more aggressive when determining developing a connection with teachers.
Today, Venegas appreciates being "I don't know when I began accepting how to use the money they had. "People They have also facilitated workshops at
out and feels GAWE has provided her myself, but thanks to the group now I don't have a lot of money nowadays," junior high schools, such a.. I.S. 143 in
with the strength she needed to tell her feel welcomed." she said. Washington Heights, and funded GLBT
friends and the most important person in She likes that she is contributing GALDE received funding for peer youth retreats.
her life, her mom. her grain of sand and added that, at education and HIV prevention for young The reason the organization spends
The organization began after a series the organization, ideas are always gay men and youth but it's been harder so much effort on youth education is
of focus groups for gay men and women appreciated, something she didn't find to get money for women because they're because the members feel there's less
evolved into regular meetings that in other groups. "Participating with not as highly targeted when it comes tolerance toward the GLBT community
highlighted the need for services geared GALDE I've met lots of interesting to HIV prevention. "We also use the among youth. "They come in with their
toward GLBT Dominicans in Washington people who are just as human, creative, funding toward education, to do other homeland's idea of what homosexuality
Heights and New York City. It took four and intelligent as heterosexual people." activities and address other needs of is," said Castillo-Fuertes, explaining
years for the organization to catch on, Now Venegas helps to promote GALDE's the GLBT Dominican population," said the need to reach out to young new
but the founding members were finally work by contacting Spanish media about Lazala. For example, in the D.R. they immigrants.
"able to create enough consciousness in events, such as the upcoming picnic. provide condoms, lubricants and health "If I was asked five years ago, ]' d
the community to create the organization The 17th annual Picnic and Health materials. "Funding has been difficult still say yes, we need to do a lot of
in 2001" said Francisco Lazala, founder Fair is scheduled for July 29 from noon both here and in D.R., so we haven't homophobia prevention," Lazala said.
and executive director. to 7 p.m. at Fort Washington Park. been able to do as much as we would However, he feels that in the last two
GAWE's mission is 10serve the GLBT Always held on the last Sunday in July, like," he said. years it's gotten better and there has
community in both Washington Heights the fair has been going on since even And for these services to happen, been an increase in heterosexualfamilies
and the Dominican Republic by focusing before there was an organization called GALDE doesn't always work alone, attending the picnics. "The community
on three areas: political advocacy, heallh GAWE. It started with a group of 10 to partnering with several organizations in is more tolerant, not totally, but we've
issues, and social and cullural activities. 20 Dominican gay men and grew from both countries. In 2003, the group joined been able to address the situation
The group, which consists of about 25 there. forces with the Foundation for Research somehow, .. he said.
steady volunteers along with 10 board As the city's HIV infection rate among on Sexually Transmitted Disease For more information about GALDE
members, is also trying to reach out the GLBTpopulation increased in recent (FROST'D) to go to the D.R. and create visit www.galde.org. call 212-584-9311
to lesbians, which have been harder years, what started out a.' a picnic grew the documentary "For the Money" about or email info@galde.org.

MANHATTAN TIMES P: 212-569-5800 F: 212-544-9545 MANHATTANTIMES@AOL.COM WWW.MANHATTANTIMES.ORG

 Manhattan Times 21
July 26, 2007

ORGANIZACION SIRVE LA COMUNIDAD

fotos po, KiItie Orlinsky
HOMOSEXUALLATINA EN NY
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paralIegara la comunidad GLBT,sinopara
unir105homosexuales
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personashetemsexuales. Laorganlzaci6n
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Homosexuales y Lesbianas,0 GALDE (por
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105resldentes delNorte deManhattan
delosasuntosdeIacomunidad
acerca
GLBTlatina. GALDE members (from left),lnes Perez, Voseli CastiRo (Vice Miembros de GALDE (desde fa izquielda) Ines Perez, 'rtJsell Castillo
andLuisArobIes,
Chair),JoselinaBomiRa(BoardMember) (vjcepresidenta),.
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Hoy,Venegas apreciael estarfueradel discusstheparticulars
ofanupcoming
fundraiser. dlScu/en defaproXIma
/osparliculares recaud8CI6n
detondos.
closety slentequeGALDEIehapmvistola
fortalezaqueellanecesitaba paradeclararse "Yonosecuandoyocomencea aceptarme personasasistieronalpicnicdeGALDEy comoqulsieramos', dljoel.
a susamigosy a lapersonamasimportante a mimisma,pemgraciasaIgrupoahara esteanola organizacl6nestaesperando V paraqueestosuceda,GALDEno
ensuvida,sumadre. mesientoblenvenida'. AellaIegustaque sobre2,000.PemseguncreceeItamano slempretrabajasolo.Dehecho,ellosse
Lasralcesdela organizaci6n se contribuyeconsugranitodearenay ailadl6 delaleria,tamblenhacrecidolanecesidad hanasociado convariasorganlzaciones
lIevamnacabocuandodecincoasiele que,enla organizacl6n, lasideasslempre defondosnecesitados parahacerla.Solta enel pasadoenambospalsesparaservir
personas tacilltaron
gruposdeenfoquepara sonapreciadas, algoqueellanoenconWen lIevarse$1,000parahacerel evento,pero mejorlasnecesldades desu audiencia.
homosexuales hombres y mujeres.Esos otrosgrupos.'Partlcipando conGALDEhe ahorarequlerealrededor de$10,000para Enel2003,estosunieronfuerzasconIa
gruposdeenfoqueeventualmente crecleron conocidomuchaspersonas interesantes que proveerlosserviciosgratuitosparatodos Fundaci6n deInvestigaci6n en Enfermedades
a reuniones. Y esasreuniones trajerona sontanhumanas, creativase Inteligentes 105queaslstenincluyendo la pruebade TransmitidasSexualmente (FROST'D, por
la luzla necesidad deunaorganizaci6n comolaspersonas heterosexuales'. Ahora HIV,comlda,entretenimiento e informaci6n. sussiglaseningles),parair ala RD. y crear
dedicadaa lIegarala comunidad GLBT.Los Venegasayudaapmmovereltrabajode Losfondoshanpasadoa serotropmblema undocumental enhombrestrabajadores
miembmsnotamnunataKadeserviclosen GALDEcomunlcandose conlosmedlos enel cualGALDEtienequetrabajar,EI domlnlcanos y la Infecci6ndelVlHtitulado,
Washington Heightsy enla cludaddeNueva decomunicacl6n enespanolacercade105 gruporecibedinema travesdeunaserie 'Porel Dinem',paracrearconclencia enel
Yorkdirigidoshacialosdominicanos GLBT, eventos,talescomoelfutumpicnic. derecursoslncluyendo prestamos privados asunto.
entonces se fund6 GALDE. Le tom6 cuatro EIPicnicy la FeriadeSaludesotro y delgobiemocomotamblimdonaciones AmigosSlempre AmigosIne.y Comife
ailosala organizaci6n establecerse,pemlos graneventoqueelgrupolIevaacabo.La Indivlduales
y actividadesderecaudaci6n Acci6nPoIi6ca,uncomitedeacci6npolitica,
mlembros fundadores finalmente'pudiemn sonotrosdosgruposenla RD. conlos
crearsuficiente conciencla enlacomunidad cualesGALDEhatrabajadoparapmveer
paracrearla organizaci6n enel2001' ayuda,talleresy materiales educativos
dijoFrancisco Lazala,fundadory director parala poblaci6n homosexual enla isla.
ejecutivo. 'Nosotrostambiencomenzamos a recoger
Lamisi6ndeGALDEeseIservirla mpay zapatosy enviamos cajasparaninos
comunidad GLBTtantoenWashington necesitados enLaVegay LaRomana',dijo
Heightscomoenla Republica Dominicana Lazalaacercadelasciudadesdominicanas.
enfocandose entresareas:polftica,asuntos Lajuventudesotrapoblaci6n a la cual
desaludy actividades socialesy culturales. GALDEpretendealcanzar. 'La mayoriadela
EIgrupo,queconsisteenapmximadamente L- educaci6n eshacialajuventudhetemsexual',
25voluntarios fijosjuntoa 10miembros de dijoLazala.'Nosotroshicimosundetallado
lajunta,tambienestatratandodebrindar plandeestudiodeprevenci6n delHIV'.Los
masatenci6ndelIegara laslesbianas.Las miembmsvanalossalonesdeclaseseneI
lesbianas

ocultas
tiendena sermasdificilesdeatraer
porquegeneralmente
0 prefieren
ellaspermanecen
salirconamigos
lugardeunirsea unaorganizaci6n,
en
dijemn
-~ .. , Francisco J. Lazala (Iejos a la izquierrla) fund6
AltoManhattan
diferentes
y eI Bronxy sehanunidoa
escuelassuperiores, talescomo
John F. Kennedy y Martin Luther King, Jr.,
eneIpasadoparadesarrollar unaconexi6n
Francisco J. Lazala (far left) founded
miembmsdelajunta.Losmiembms esperan GALDE. unaorganizaci6n de empoderamiento con!osmaestros. ElloshastahanIdoa
GALDE, an empowermentorganizationfor
hacerestasmUjeres maspoliticamente para la poblaci6nhomosexualfa6nade Nueva escuelaslntermedias, tal comoI.S.143en
New York's Latino gay population In 2001.
activasy compmmetidas a expresar
sus He's pictured here with GALDEmembers "!bit en eI 2001. Su toto aqul con /os miembros Washington Heights,parafacilitartalleres.
preocupaciones. Junior GarciaandAndres M. Gonzalez. de GALDE Junior Garcia y ArKJres M. Gonzalez. Biostambienhansuministrado dinempara
Cadaano,la organizaci6n pmporclona retimsdela juventudGLBTeneIpasado.La
serviciosa miles,conunas1,000personas feriaanual17deesteanoserael29de defondos,pemlacantidadquerecibenno raz6nporla cuallaorganlzad6n pasatanto
presentandosea supicnicanualy feria juliodemediodiaa 7:00p.m.eneIParque essuficiente.'Esteailohasidounpoco esfuerzoenlaeducaci6n a losj6veneses
desalud,y de30a70personas ensus FortWashington. SlemprelIevadaa cabo apretadoy perdidosfondos',dijoCastillo- porqueIosmiembms sientenquehaymenos
NochesBohemia deHomosexuales. Luego el ultimodomingodejulio,laferiaha Fuer1es. AunqueGALDEnocancel6eIpicnic toIerandahaciala comunidad GLBTentre
delostalleres,presentaclones escolaresy estadosucediendo aunantesdeexistiruna deesteailo105miembmstuvleron queser 105j6venes.'EllosvienendesdesuIslanatal
reuniones, la organizacl6n lIegaa masde organizacl6nlIamadaGALDE.EIevento masagresivos determinando comoutiUzarel consuideade10queesla homosexualidad',
3,000personas 0 masal ailo,dijoVoseli comenz6conungrupode 10a 20hombres dinemquetenian.'Actualmente laspersonas dijoCastilio-FUer1es, as!esquehayuna
Castillo-Fuertes, vicepresidentade GALDE. dominicanoshomosexuales y mlentras notienenmuchodinem',dijoella. necesidad deconcentrarse enlosj6venes,
Losmiembmsbuscaneillegara todotipo pasamn 105 anos, creci6 el numem de Ellosrecibenfondosparaeducaci6n y nuevosinmigrantes y la homofobia.
depersonasa travesdeeventossocialesy asistentes. prevenci6n deVlHparaloshombres j6venes 'Si a mimehubieranpreguntado hace
artisticos.LaNocheBohemiaHomosexual, laOtracosaquecreci6fueel pmmedlo homosexuales y adolescentes
pemhasido cincoanosatras,yotodavladlrfaque
cualestaabiertatantoa loshetemsexuales deinfecci6ndeVlH.ComoresuKado, eI masdificilrecibirdineroparamujeresporque si,nosotrostenemosquehacermucha
comoa lacomunidad GLBT,Iebrindaa aspectodelaleriadesaludfueIntroducido ellaslamentablemente nosonunobjetivotan prevenci6n dehomofobia', dijoLazala.Sin
laspersonaslaoportunldad decompartir al picnichacecincoailosatms. Nosolosa importante cuandosetratadela prevenci6n embargo, el sientequeen105pasadosdos
trabajosde arte,poeslay musicaconotros dirigehaciala poblaci6n
GLBT,sinoatodo deVlH.'Nosotros tambil!nutillzamos105 ailoshamejorado y hahabldounaumento
comounamaneradeuniry atraernuevos eImundo.EIpicnicseenfocaraensalud, fondos hacla la educacl6n,para hacer otras delasfamiliasheterosexuales aslstiendo
miembros, talcomoVenegas. Luegode poIiticay actividades
socialesy hastaeI actividades
y dirigirotrasnecesidadesdela al picnic.'La comunidad esmastolerante,
reunirseconFuertes-Castillo enenemy momenta 35organlzacioneshanconfirmado poblaci6ndomlnicana GLBT",dijoLazala.Por nototalmente, perohemospodidodiriglrla
participar en las Nochesde Bohemia, fue mesasparalaferia. ejemplo,enla RD. ellosproveencondones, sKuacl6n dealgunamanera',dijoel.
invitadaa unirsea laorganizaci6n enmarzo. Hoy,10quecomenz6conungrupode lubricantes
y materiales desalud.'Losfondos Paramasintonnaci6n acercadeGALDE
'EI objetivode GALDEesel unirpersonas 20personashacrecidoa 1,0000 mas. hansidodificilestantoaqu(comoenla RD., visifewww.galde.org 0 Ilame81212-584-9311
dediferentesnacionalldades', dijoVenegas. EIailopasadoapmximadamente 1,500 aslesquenohemospodidohacertanto o porCOITeO e/ecfr6nico alinfo@galde.org.
MANHATTAN TIMES P: 212-569.5800 F: 212.544.9545 MANHATTANTIMES@AOL.COM WWW.MANHATTANTIMES.ORG