BY PAULO MURILLO
Rentboy Raid Protest In WEHO
Demonstrators gathered in the city of West Hollywood on Saturday, September 6, to protest the recent raid of Rentboy.com. Last month, federal police in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security, raided Rentboy, a male escort advertising website, arresting the CEO and 6 employees. “Sex worker rights are human rights,” the director of the “Sex Workers Outreach Project” Danny Cruz, who organized the rally told THE FIGHT. “The attacks on sex worker sites have taken a lot of people out of an online forum that is safe – where they screen clients and people find economic stability,” said Cruz. Similar protests took place in San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.
ONYX: Leather club For Men Of Color
ONYX SoCal/Southwest chapter welcomed the LA area to their first event last month at The Eagle LA. ONYX is a Leather club for men of color and their admirers. First established in Chicago in 1995 there are currently four other chapters across the country. ONYX addresses issues related to people of color who chose to project the positive aspects of the leather lifestyle and support our community and economic initiatives. The club contributes to the Leather, LGBT and People of Color communities. HIV prevention and care organizations and those that aid youth have always been of note.
ONYX holds a beer bust at the Eagle every 2nd Sunday of the month, with raffles, door prizes, and Go-Go Dancers.
For more information visit onyxmen.com or www.facebook.com/ONYXSoCal.Southwest.
Queen Of The Universe Pageant
The Queen of the Universe Pageant, a transgender beauty pageant presented by The Imperial Court of Los Angeles & Hollywood took place last month at Arena on Santa Monica Boulevard. For more than four decades, the “Queen of the Universe” pageant has showcased the beauty, diversity, talent and intelligence of transgender women. The pageant also serves as a venue for the LGBT community, their allies, and the mainstream community to join together to understand the life, challenges and struggles that transgender people face and to celebrate the triumphs and victories of this strong and courageous community. A portion of the proceeds derived from the pageant benefits The AIDS Food Store At Christ Chapel Of Long Beach.
Education Forum On Cannabis
The City of West Hollywood co-sponsored a Cannabis Education Forum last month at the West Hollywood Auditorium, providing community members an opportunity to have an open discussion on the impacts of legalization of cannabis, the current state of the industry, and the real-world application of cannabis and hemp use. The event featured panelists and speakers from the medical and legal fields, and participants offering first-hand experiences regarding medical use in an array of areas, such as for adults and children with special needs and hemp’s industrialization for fuel and materials.
Visit cannabiseducationforum.org for more information.
Thrive Tribe Town Hall Meeting
The City of West Hollywood co-sponsored a Thrive Tribe Foundation Forum Town Hall last month at Plummer Park’s Fiesta Hall. The purpose of the Town Hall was to update the community on the foundation’s progress toward implementing its strategic plan as well as to gather feedback. Thrive Tribe is a nonprofit organization with a mission to end HIV transmission, with or without a cure, by empowering members with information, community connection, and streamlined links to resources. The organization provides education and outreach, healthcare assistance, and advocacy and community to people living with HIV/AIDS.
For more information on the Thrive Tribe Foundation Forum, visit thethrivetribe.org.
