V's last blog

Hey everyone, happy Tuesday!

I think that most of you have the heard the sad news concerning NYAC. It really is a sad day for me, I have been interning with NYAC for the past four months and have learned so much about the LGTBQ community and myself because of this experience. Although NYAC is closing its doors, I know that the fight for LGBTQ wellness will continue. As I write this final blog, I am actually not in DC anymore, I am sitting comfortably in my living room in Chicago. It was a great four months filled with so many different learning experiences. I really think I fully found myself in DC, I know who I am, and who I will continually strive to be. I know that I want to make some sort of lasting impact in life, in short, I want to do something that doesn’t garner me loads of money but rather something that makes a differences in people’s lives. My first blog, I said that on my last blog I would write about my DC queer experience, and that I shall do.

First things first. While I have been in DC I have trying to take a mental note of the establishments that had gender neutral bathrooms. Basically what I discovered was that a lot of the small coffee shops, stores, and restaurants in gay friendly areas (Dupont Circle) had gender neutral bathrooms. Also, props to Starbucks- every one that I went into had gender neutral bathrooms. As far as my queer experience in DC goes, scoping out bathrooms was definitely fun but it did not encompass my DC experience entirely. The more time I spent in DC the more I found myself not necessarily seeking out queer things to do but rather spending time with my friends (all of whom were straight) and I would occasionally do queer things with them.

My semester in DC and interning with NYAC have been the most influential four months of my life. I learned so much about myself, the LGBTQ community, and what it means to have a full time job (even though I only interned for 2 days a week, it felt a lot more, people. The real world that I kind of entered this semester was a rude awakening.) I will miss coming into the NYAC office and playing DJ as I work with Chris (the other NYAC intern), I will miss Shannon and her kick ass bike, I will miss Asha and her “Whip My Hair” ring tone, I will miss shay and his many beanies, but most of all I will miss just being around cool people who do so much for the LGBTQ community. It’s been real blogging for the past four months, I dare say I might even miss it a little.

Moral of this week’s blog:

DC is an awesome city, and if you have the resources and/or time I would highly recommend spending some time there. Unexpected, disheartening events happen in life but you gotta keep going, no matter how hard it is. Finally, above all, live the life you want to live and be who you want to be.

My Last Blog

Hey everyone, happy Tuesday!

I think that most of you have the heard the sad news concerning NYAC. It really is a sad day for me, I have been interning with NYAC for the past four months and have learned so much about the LGTBQ community and myself because of this experience. Although NYAC is closing its doors, I know that the fight for LGBTQ wellness will continue. As I write this final blog, I am actually not in DC anymore, I am sitting comfortably in my living room in Chicago. It was a great four months filled with so many different learning experiences. I really think I fully found myself in DC, I know who I am, and who I will continually strive to be. I know that I want to make some sort of lasting impact in life, in short, I want to do something that doesn’t garner me loads of money but rather something that makes a differences in people’s lives. My first blog, I said that on my last blog I would write about my DC queer experience, and that I shall do.

First things first. While I have been in DC I have trying to take a mental note of the establishments that had gender neutral bathrooms. Basically what I discovered was that a lot of the small coffee shops, stores, and restaurants in gay friendly areas (Dupont Circle) had gender neutral bathrooms. Also, props to Starbucks- every one that I went into had gender neutral bathrooms. As far as my queer experience in DC goes, scoping out bathrooms was definitely fun but it did not encompass my DC experience entirely. The more time I spent in DC the more I found myself not necessarily seeking out queer things to do but rather spending time with my friends (all of whom were straight) and I would occasionally do queer things with them.

My semester in DC and interning with NYAC have been the most influential four months of my life. I learned so much about myself, the LGBTQ community, and what it means to have a full time job (even though I only interned for 2 days a week, it felt a lot more, people. The real world that I kind of entered this semester was a rude awakening.) I will miss coming into the NYAC office and playing DJ as I work with Chris (the other NYAC intern), I will miss Shannon and her kick ass bike, I will miss Asha and her “Whip My Hair” ring tone, I will miss shay and his many beanies, but most of all I will miss just being around cool people who do so much for the LGBTQ community. It’s been real blogging for the past four months, I dare say I might even miss it a little.

Moral of this week’s blog:

DC is an awesome city, and if you have the resources and/or time I would highly recommend spending some time there. Unexpected, disheartening events happen in life but you gotta keep going, no matter how hard it is. Finally, above all, live the life you want to live and be who you want to be.

We're Gonna be Gaymous

Hey everyone, happy Monday!

This weekend was actually very exciting and eventful. I went to a cool hangout called The Wonderland Ballroom in Columbia Heights on Friday and went to a drag show brunch at Nellie's on Sunday. What I liked most about Wonderland was they were spinning some sick beats, they had some remixes to some Motown classics and I was in heaven. I have an obsession with Motown classics- I think I like it so much because most of the old pop groups actually had musical talent as opposed to pop stars of today (sorry Ke$ha).

Sunday was my first drag show and let me tell you those queens were fierce! I was thoroughly impressed with their moves- two thumbs up for the drag brunch at Nellie's. While we were watching the drag show, all of my friends kept turning to me and asking me questions at the drag queens. I had no idea how to answer any of their questions and when I told them that, my friends were shocked that I did not know everything there was to know about drag culture. I am gay, not a drag queen, and I probably know as much about drag culture as they do. But once again they think that I am a gay guru or something. Sometimes the thoughts and presumptions of my straight friends really surprise me.

Interestingly enough, I have been going through old NYAC archices for a good part of the morning and stumbled across a book entitled The Drag Queen Anthology: The Absolutely Fabulous but Flawlessly Customary World of Female Impersonators. Maybe this is sign from the Universe that I should brush up on the history of drag.

The only thing that was kind of a bummer this weekend was the weird DC weather. Seriously, what is up with it?! One day it will be sunny and warm and then the next day it was be cold and rainy. Make up your mind already, Mother Nature, I am growing impatient of your child-like games. Oh and if you are wondering what is with my picture on this weeks blog, that is my model face and I thought I would show all of you.

Oh and one more thing, Chris (the other NYAC intern) and I were discussing last week that we want to be gaymous (someone who is famous for being gay). We want to have a talk show in which we discuss relevant gay issues and thus become gaymous. It would be awesome: look out for Chris and I on TV in the future. We are gonna be huge.

Moral of this week's blog:

Chris and I are gonna be gaymous. End of discussion.

Life As I Know It.

Hey everyone, happy Wednesday!

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I will do with my life, which is only natural because I will be entering my senior year of college next year and I only have one semester of college left. It's very daunting to realize that in just a few short months, I will be out there in the real world. But for some reason, I'm not scared. There was a time in my life when I would think about my future and I would become fearful; fearful of how different my life would be compared to my heterosexual friends, fearful of whether I would be able to get a job because I am gay, fearful if I would ever be able to live the life that I want to live. That fear has subsided.

Life can be daunting, but I am not going to sit by and be scared throughout it. I will be optimistic and hopeful because what's the point in being anything else? The changes and progress that we have made with equality and acceptance, however small they might seem, are still progress. I have an incredible support system filled with friends and family and I could not have come to be this content, happy, and optimistic without them. The ones we love and in turn love us back are what make us sane, stable, and grounded.

I don't know what the future holds for me but for the first time in my life I am excited as hell to find out.

Moral of this today's blog:

I think the whole blog today would suffice as a moral.

Pizza, Ping-Pong, and Coffee

Hey everyone! I hope everyone had an excellent weekend. I had a fantastic weekend filled with hanging out with my DC peeps. I only have a few weeks left in DC, so I am trying to spend as much time with my friends who hale everywhere from South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Kansas. My friend Carmen and I went on a little adventure to Chevy Chase, Maryland, aka The Greatest Place Ever (well I don't know about that but the block of it that we visited was pretty cool). Whilst in Chevy Chase, Carmen and I visited a small coffee shop/bookstore called Politics and Prose – a very cool spot, and my gaydar was going off like never before. Then we went to Comet - a combination pizza and ping-pong restaurant/bar/hangout place... so cool.

Ok, onto something different. I have worn many hats in DC: I am an intern, a student, and a friend, but little did I know that I would also become all my friends’ resident go-to gay. Every gay issue or question that one of friends is curious about, they come on over to V. They think that I am some sort of gay genius or something just because I am gay. I mean don't get me wrong, I feel pretty special when a gaggle of hot girls seek my advice about whether their co-worker could play for Team Rainbow because he doesn't have a girlfriend and his nails always look pristine. Most of the time I just give a vague response, mumble something, end with a joke and I'm off. How the heck am I supposed to tell if a guy is gay, when your whole theory relies on the fact that he doesn’t have a girlfriend and has good hygiene habits and I haven't even met said individual before? I seriously think some of these girls think that we gays have some sort of secret language and we can all know each other or something. Sometimes I just want to tell them that most of the time I am just as confused by the gay community as they are. But then again I think their response would be something like this, "Oh V! You're too funny! But you are gay so you automatically know more than we do!" Maybe I will tell them this by the time we all leave DC, but then I would risk losing my status as resident gay genius...I don't know if I am ready to give up this self-given title yet.

Moral of this week's blog:

Being gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender shouldn't define a person- it’s just another aspect of someone. Don't like me anymore or any less because I am gay. Like me for my character and personality not for my sexual orientation.

Remembering the Unsung Heroes of the Labor Movement

Gregory Cendana, executive director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, and Katrina Dizon, membership and social co-chairwoman for the APALA-DC Chapter, sent us this reflection on the meaning of workers’ rights.

In recent months, the attack on workers’ rights has heightened as right-wing corporate lobbyists and legislators have gone beyond public will to strip teachers, nurses, firefighters and others of their right to collectively bargain. We also aren’t fooled that these same people are launching full on attacks on immigrant, women, student and LGBTQ communities. With no clear path to put our economy back on track and unemployment looming at a constant high, the political environment has pushed many to point their fingers at some of the most vulnerable people.

As we approach the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, we are reminded of the heroes in the past that have devoted their lives to helping those in most need. We are reminded of their struggles, and we celebrate the victories that have paved the way for the very freedoms we continue to enjoy today. It is because of these heroes and their courage to fight for workplace protections and basic human dignity that the labor movement continues to thrive.

As everyone knows, Martin Luther King Jr. was an iconic, civil rights leader, remembered for his leadership in the fight for equality for African Americans suffering racial segregation in the workplace. In fact, it was because of his vocal support for sanitation workers on strike for the right to join a labor union that ultimately led to his passing

To the same degree, Cesar Chavez, a notable Latino labor leader is remembered by many for his leadership in the California Delano grape strike in the 1960’s. His charismatic demeanor and belief in non-violent demonstration emulated the values of Martin Luther King himself. He believed in what labor stood for and just like Dr. King who fought for the marginalized black workers of his time, Cesar Chavez fought for hundreds of Mexican migrant workers, suffering from inequality during his time.

While King and Chavez’s contributions to the labor movement are known by many and published in most history books, people are unaware of, another community of labor leaders that played a very pivotal role in the success of the Delano grape strike, establishment of the United Farm Workers and the overall fight for racial equality during the 1960s: the Manong generation.

In Filipino, “manong” is a term of respect that means “older brother”. This generation honors the wave of Filipino immigrants that moved to the United States during the US occupation of their country, to pursue the American dream. Upon arriving here however, they were quickly faced with the harsh reality of racism and discrimination in the workplace. Most of these new immigrants took jobs as busboys, laborers and farmers, often times being paid much less than even their Mexican counterparts.

Among the notable figures of the Manong generation were Philip Vera Cruz, Pete Velasco, Larry Itliong and Andy Imutan (who recently passed away and will forever be remembered for his leadership in the labor movement). What most people do not know is that the idea for the Delano grape first came from a group of Filipino farmworkers, led primarily by Larry Itliong, head of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (which some say was the most organized and effective farm labor union at that time). Filipino farmworkers had had enough of the grueling work conditions, long hours and extremely low pay (The idea to organize a strike finally emerged and they reached out to Cesar Chavez and the rest of the National Farmworkers Association They refused to join them at first, but Chavez and the rest of the NFWA quickly realized that that the Filipinos were fighting for the same rights the Mexicans valued and that strength in numbers was crucial to victory. The collaboration of Filipino and Mexican workers culminated in the formation of United Farmworkers of America and it was due to this union that ultimately led to their overall success in winning fare wages, medical benefits and safer working conditions.

Cesar Chavez spoke at Larry Itliong’s funeral and called him “a true pioneer in the farm workers movement.” It is important to remember what he and the rest of the Manong generation did to uplift workers’ rights early on in the APA community. They gave our people a voice during a time when mass discrimination toward Asian immigrants was common place. We look at society today however, and sadly, a lot of the same forms of racism and injustice still face Asian workers and immigrants, alike. It’s a continuing uphill battle—a battle that we continue to face, and thanks to Larry Itliong and the rest of our “manongs” we have the voice, the courage, and the tools to continue fighting.

Si se puede! Kaya natin! Yes, we can!

Original posting at AFL-CIO's blog - click here.

Papers and Hip Hop Dancing

Hey everyone! Happy Monday!

I hope that everyone had a fantastic weekend. I wish I could say that I had an adventure-filled weekend but that unfortunately was not the case. Most of my weekend was spent writing my final paper. The assignment was to select a neighborhood/community of DC and then write about its pros/cons, assets, etc. I chose Dupont Circle. For any DC locals reading this, you probably know exactly why I chose Dupont. For those of you not familiar with DC, I will just say that Dupont Circle is also known as “Fruit Loop,” ‘nuff said. This paper has been the bane of my existence for the past several weeks. It's due Wednesday, and I cannot wait for Wednesday; my heart (along with my body) will jump for joy on Wednesday.

So, I didn't do anything particularly cool or interesting this weekend but I did decide that this summer I will attempt to master the art of hip hop dance. This idea really got going after one of NYAC's weekly staff meetings. The question posed at the beginning of the meeting was, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and yep, you guessed it right people: my response was a hip hop dancer. By the end of the summer I will be a lean, mean, hip hop dancing machine. I am being serious about this people, so to all your haters out there, you can drink a tall glass of Hatorade and be on your way. I have even enlisted the help of a champion dancer to help me along the way. Needless to say, I am super duper excited about this endeavor. That's all I got for this week people; hopefully next week I will be able to report to you that I had a more exciting weekend.

Moral of this week's blog:

Do the things in life that you want to regardless of what others think. Life is short- live it to the absolute fullest because before you know it, it will flash by before your eyes.