MSMNPA.ORG Pride 2005

EDITORIAL: Run and Create. Create and Run.

June marks the period where Gay Communities throughout the globe celebrate Pride Week and for some Pride Month. It is a time for us to remember the riots at Stonewall in New York; those whose lives are lost by HIV/AIDS and hate crimes; and honour those who have or continue to do remarkable works for our communities. Happy PRIDE 2005 to all throughout our region! May we be able to come together in our countries and cherish what are our divine human rights!

This edition addresses the issue of Advocacy and Human Rights in the Caribbean. As such we would like to remind you that our Rainbow Flag was developed in response for the need of a ‘community’ symbol. According to Gilbert Baker - its creator, the colours: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple - represents the diversity of our community and the elements respectively: life, healing, sun, nature, art, harmony and spirit.

Unfortunately this edition will not have its regular Comic Strip feature “Saga-Boye” as our illustrator is in the United Kingdom to exploring his creative talents. We are doing our best to insure that Saga remains on our pages; we look at it like Saga has gone to study for a short period and will return to our sandy shores.

We would like to thank all staff officers at the National AIDS Coordinating Committee in Trinidad and Tobago - NACC, for their continued support of our national newsletter programme and the development of a national Marginalized Groups Network.

On a personal note we would like to send a ‘BIG-UP’ to Damani Prevatt Goldstein the Programmes Officer at the International HIV/AIDS Alliance – Caribbean Regional Programme. He has been instrumental is assisting MSMNPA is applying to a new funding source to safeguard our regional programme.

We also thank the Technical Team at the International HIV AIDS Alliance Secretariat for their mentoring, support and feedback on this and other future editions. Our readers will be happy to learn that this will result in a new newsletter format and image with a broader range of articles and features specifically for MSM communities.

Dennis James - Project Director
MSM: No Political Agenda

Lot 3A Gittensdale. La Horquette Valley Road. Glencoe
Trinidad & Tobago
Tel: 1 (868) 694 1530 / 685 0555
Email: office@msmnpa.org office@msmnpa.org
Website: www.msmnpa.org
Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/msm_nopoliticalagenda