Mr. Bear LA 2018 Art Berkowitz: “I would like to see the LGBTQ community become more inclusive.”
BY VICTOR MELAMED | PHOTO BY ROBERT GREEN
Art Berkowitz recently won the title of Mr. Bear LA 2018. (His bear brother, Mr. LA Leather Bear 2018 Ben Kaufher became the new Mr. Los Angeles Leather 2018 last month).
Winning the title, on a personal level, provides “me the opportunity to bring together groups of people that would otherwise not interact with one another. I do this to provide a space for inclusion.” says Berkowitz in an interview with THE FIGHT.
Originally from New York, Berkowitz, trained gourmet chef and baker, has been living in LA for 25 years—and he just celebrated 22 years in a committed relationship with his partner.
“I feel that there are a lot of LGBTQ people in our community that are not sure where they fit in,” says Berkowitz. “I’m not an expert in any of these groups, but I am looking to learn more about them. My goal is to work with organizations to bring cohesion to the large number of LGBTQ people with varied interests.”
“In this day and age we are confronted with numerous groups that are against our way of life and what we believe,” continues Berkowitz. “I would like to see the LGBTQ community become more inclusive, and show the world that we stand strong. I would like to see more LGBTQ people become more involved in community outreach and mentorship programs.”
For more info on Bears L.A. visit www.bearsla.org.
