Detroit Free Press
July 18, 2008 

By Brian Dickerson - Free Press Columnist

As far as I can tell, no reputable pollster has taken our state’s temperature on gay marriage since 2004, when Michigan voters overwhelmingly opted to outlaw it.

But I’ve a hunch that at least a few thousand of those who voted to ban same-sex unions just four years ago would happily pony up for a mass  wedding ceremony at Comerica Park if enough creditworthy gay couples could be  found to purchase all their houses today.

Tread water long enough and you’re bound to become a little less  particular about who tosses you a lifeline. God may not have created Adam and  Steve, but if that happy couple opened a factory in southeast Michigan, I know a whole lot of straight guys who’d be willing to work in it. (more…)

DEARBORN, Mich. — He packs up his bag for work — HIV/AIDS pamphlets, condoms, and HIV tests — and heads off to his field office — gay bars, clubs, and bathhouses. At 10:30 pm while many people are heading off to bed, Christiano Ayoub Ramazzotti’s workday is just beginning.Ramazzotti has spent the past five years providing HIV/AIDS education and testing outreach primarily to Arab American immigrants and refugees from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds in the greater Detroit area. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Ramazzotti moved to Michigan in 1990 at the age of 20. According to the Arab American Institute, an estimated 500,000 Arab Americans live in Michigan — a state that comprises the second largest concentration of people of Arab descent living outside of the Middle East. (more…)

Come see us at the conference on Friday (2/8/08) night at 8:30pm for a get-together, ask for AlGAMEA location.

And Saturday (2/9/08) at 3pm, for this session: Implementing effective HIV Prevention programs & creating safer space in GLBT Arab/Chaldean and Muslim communities in Michigan  All Audiences

The 90-minute power point presentation single session or “workshop” is developed to increase participant’s knowledge of how Arab culture impacts on GLBT Arab & Muslims from coming out and help them to understand Arab & Muslim culture and develop skills to reach hard to reach populations or GLBT Arab and how Al GAMEA assisted in implementing an effective HIV program and created safer environments for GLBT Arab/Chaldean & Muslim communities. The workshop will include information, handouts, the first developed Arabic brochures and question & answers.

Presenters: David Ponsart, Co-Founder, Al GAMEA, Hazel Park, MI; Christiano Ramazzotti, Co-Founder/Co-Chair, Al GAMEA, Hazel Park, MI

You can follow this address for the complete guide for the weekend: http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/creating_change/CC08PrgrmNoAds.pdf