Walker, Bridges, Driffin establish new ASO
Atlanta HIV/AIDS activists Larry L. Walker, Dwain L. Bridges and Daniel D. Driffin are co-founders of THRIVE SS, Inc. (Transforming HIV Resentment into Victories Everlasting Support Services)—a new nonprofit organization dedicated to serving individuals living with HIV, specifically gay and bisexual men of color.
The co-founders bring more than thirty years of direct services provided to a wide range of black men at risk for HIV/AIDS, living with HIV/AIDS and other health disparities from across the nation.
“With increased access and demand for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and other biomedical interventions, we have to ensure that treatment as prevention remains in this conversation especially for black and brown gay and same-gender-loving men here in Atlanta and the South,” said the co-founders in a statement.
THRIVE SS, Inc. is in the business of doing nonprofit work differently through the Undetectables Model, a tiered support model that combines online support (www.thrivess. com), traditional in-person support, and friend/social “Judy support” to address issues around HIV infection for MSM of color.
DNC appoints Bishop O.C. Allen III as Chair of LGBT Advisory Board
Bishop O.C. Allen III, Senior Pastor of The Vision Church of Atlanta and Presiding Bishop of the United Progressive Pentecostal Church Fellowship is adding a new title to his name. Allen has been appointed by the Democratic National Committee to serve as regional chair of the DNC-LGBT Advisory Board. He makes history as the first member of clergy to hold this title.
Allen says he is “honored to be the Southeast Regional Chair of the DNC-LGBT Advisory Board.” Inundated with congratulatory messages online following the announcement, Allen encouraged his social media followers to “continue to stand for love, equality and justice.”
The Advisory Board is designed to ensure full representation of the LGBT community within the Democratic Party while also working to thwart conservative attempts to dismantle collective gains of advocacy and equality.
In joint consultation, the DNC-LGBT Engagement Director and the leadership of the LGBT Advisory Board will develop engagement strategies that best showcase the party’s support and inclusion of the LGBT community.
Delta celebrates LGBT Pride Month with new transgender policy, special fares
Delta Air Lines is celebrating LGBT Pride month as the official sponsor of nine Pride festivals across the U.S. and Canada along with the implementation of a supportive new policy for transgender employees.
Delta’s President Glen Hauenstein announced the new policy on June 7 during the Delta Dean speaker series, “Being Transgender,” according to a source in attendance. Details on the new policy were not available at press time.
Delta is also the official airline of Atlanta Pride. Its 2016 partnerships include the Cadillac Barbie IN Pride Parade and Circle City IN Pride Festival in Indianapolis, IN, LA Pride, the Nashville Pride Equality Walk, Motor City Pride in Detroit, NYC Heritage of Pride, Seattle PrideFest, Seattle Pride, Twin Cities Pride in Minneapolis, Utah Pride Festival in Salt Lake City and the 519’s Green Space Festival at Toronto Pride.
As part of this year’s celebration, Delta is offering a special First Class and Delta Comfort+ fare sale on flights from many domestic airports to festival destinations in the U.S. and Canada.