Project Kengikat

Unpluggin HIV~A Week of Helping

// September 12th, 2009 // Uncategorized

This past week was such a huge week for me and my organization and as I sit here in my apartment I have to that while this week was a lot of hard work, long days and nights where I didn’t get much sleep, there were nights I sat up worried about things that are far beyond my control, but will affect me greatly. Plus getting dumped is still very much on my mind. Not the fact that I was dumped, but the manner in which it was done, but at my goal was to keep busy and work damn hard on my Unpluggin HIV outreach and I also wanted to to do a Sunday Dinner for homeless people.

This would be my 5th installment of Sunday Dinner for homeless people and I am so gald I took the time to do this. It not only kept me busy, but also allowed me to connect with some pretty awesome homeless people in ways that most will never even take the time to do because they are too busy judging, acting better than and looking down on homeless people in order to feel better about themselves. Well I was raised never to look down on or think I am better than anyone, but in the work that I do now and the people I encounter I must always remind myself that not anyone was raised like me.

After Sunday Dinner for homeless people I really wanted to start to work on my upcoming Unpluggin HIV outreach. I knew I still had so much to do and to be honest not was coming together. But just like all my outreaches I knew that if things were going to get done I was going to have to make sure of this. After all I created this organization and Do Something Saturday and Unpluggin HIV are things I created and with all things we create not everyone is going to believe or support them. No matter how much they claim to care for me or the work I do.

On Monday I had the idea to do what I could to reach out to people living with HIV I had already gotten some pretty cool donations from my friend Alison and since the Unpluggin HIV outreach on the 19th of this month will serve 40 residents on Skid Row, only one of the residents is a woman. However the bulk of the donations I have received are for women. So my work to find men’s clothes for the outreach is still ongoing.

I did two outreaches to Common Ground in Santa Monica, according to their website they are the only comprehensive HIV community center on the Westside and from what I have heard from people I have I use to be on the streets with, they are all that and so much more. Not just that I have also not heard one person who gets service from Common Ground say one bad things about them. I wonder how things would be had I knew of them when I found out I was HIV positive.

The first outreach took place on Tuesday when I took many items to the center to support their clothing closet that supports extreme low income people as well as homeless people all whom are battling HIV and AIDS. I had the chance to speak with someone who reached out to me through my YOUTUBE channel. I had sent a message a while ago and she had finally checked the site and got in touch with me. It was cool to meet her and speak with her and I am hoping to create a working relationship with Common Ground, but that will be up to the people who call the shots. I will however continue to do all I can to keep supporting people with HIV and AIDS through Common Ground because it is the right thing to do.

The very same day I went to speak with my friend Karen whom I have known since pre-school and is the the owner of Cafe Buna in the Marina. I wanted to have lunch and I also wanted to ask her to help me provide meals to Common Ground for the following day. She was more then happy to help and through her I was able o get a big discount on lunches for Common Ground that would mark day two of the outreach to them. This time I was able to provide more great clothing as well as brand new flip flops that Alison donated as well as a great array of Sandwiches to help feed people with HIV and AIDS who are in need of love, respect and support. It was so cool to be able to do the two day outreach to Common Ground and I know it was time well spent helping people.

What stands out to me the most about Common Ground is that they dont seem to have this “WEHO” attitude and really project a caring atmosphere, something the people they serve talk about all the time. Each time I go there to take the staff is helpful, polite and kind, they dont make you feel like you have bothered them or someone done something wrong by coming in. They really seem happy and enjoy the work they have chosen to do. Something that is lacking at other ASO’s. If you are someone who has read my blogs I really dont have a lot of nice things to say about ASO’s because I happen to think they place far too much attention on money and paying people then they do about truly caring for the people they are supposed to be advocating for and helping. In fact am no longer with AIDS Project Los Angeles because I dont feel they truly care about people unless you are white and rich. The final staw for me was how a manger there spoke to me like I had bothered him and treated me like I was some piece of gum he walked over on his way into the office. I do miss my case manager and others, but the way her manger made me feel and treated me was not just uncool, but rude, insensitive and down right mean. I dont need to be at an organization that does not care to have me as a client. There was more into my leaving AIDS Project Los Angeles and I know I am not alone in my feelings towards this organization. However I will not allow this to cause me not to want to support people living with HIV and AIDS, I will still provide Life Kits to APLA as I have them available.

Wednesday I did my very first outreach to a homeless gay youth drop in center in West Hollywood and once again I was so blown away to the services this place offers and how cool was it that it is very close to where I live. What disappointed me was the fact that I have asked several times of the Gay and Lesbian Center who runs this program about such a program and each time I was told that they knew nothing like what I was looking for. But again, I will not allow bad information or people who would rather not return phone calls or act as if they dont know what programs they offer.  Once again donations from Alison went to a worthy organization and I am so happy I was able to do this.

Wednesday night I had the cool chance to hang out with a good friend and someone I have so much love and respect love. I havent know Eric very long, but right from the meeting him and his awesome girl friend Willow they have been awesome friends and strong supporters of what I do. With each outreach I do, these two cool people are right there supplying things needed to make the outreach a success and have even shown up to volunteer at many of the events as well.

Eric was kind enough to pick up two huge boxes that were donated by someone who found my wesite and appreciated the work I am doing. Her daughter called and asked me if I could pick the items up. Eric saw my YOUTUBE video where I said I would not be able to get the donations because it was too far for me to travel. He offered to pick the donations up for me and thanks to him the donations were used to support a homeless gay youth drop in center in West Hollywood.

However that was just part of the reason Eric and I linked up. He also saw where donations of men’s clothes were really lacking, so he asked his friends and went through his things and also hoad those donations to drop off as well. In addition he picked up two brand new sleeping bags for the outreach as well. The kindness of this man just never ends and he doesn’t just help with my organization he is also the person who made me aware of the genocide taking place in Darfur and works very hard to raise awareness for what is taking place. He is just an all around awesome person whom I am so blessed to have in my life.

Eric and I took the items up to my place and then we headed to Westwood for dinner. I cant recall the name of the pace we ate, but I do know the name and I will be back. The food was awesome and the staff were friendly. The cool thing about people like Eric in my life is that I am trying new things and really enjoying them. It was really cool to have a chance to not just prepare to help people through my organization, but the awesome chance to hang out with a good friend. Like I said before, he is someone I respect and love and I will add admire and am so inspired by. It’s people like Eric who make what I do so easy because people like Eric help from a pure place.

After my dentist appointment on Thursday I came home and sorted through the donations that came from Jennifer and I right away made the decision to use these donations to help the gay homeless youth  drop in center. The clothes were awesome and I was so looking forward to taking more clothes over to the youth center. Wednesday I had the chance to meet a worker by the name of Gina and I even spoke to Andrew who is a supervisor there, but it was Gina who was very helpful and just had this glow and cool energy about her.

Since I have never dropped off donations to this place I needed to be sure of two things. The things I was donating would not be sold in some thrift shop and I also needed to make sure the youth could access them. Gina was awesome, she not only told me how the donation were handled, so took the time to show me and what I saw I was pretty impressed with. Unlike many places who take clothing donations only to place a price tag on them where they will never make it to people who need them the most. This place makes certain the clothes get to where and who they were intended.

Today was cool because not only did I get to see Gina again, but I also got to meet some of the awesome people who either volunteer, help or work at this very cool place. I also got to be on my bike today, YES IT IS FIXED, and my Croozer trailer was also a HUGE part of the outreach today. In fact I could not have done the outreach with the bike and Croozer trailer. Plus I got to get about 45 minutes of exercise which was awesome.

It took two trips to get all the donations over to the you drop in center but once again Gina was a gem and she even provided me with other awesome places that can use some help. Today she was also very helpful at telling me about the programs and services offered and through her I have decided to do a lunch for the youth at the center at least once a month.

Today was awesome and my week was even better. It was a ton of work, but thanks to some awesome friends and the mind not to give up, I got through it and I am so glad I took the time to not sit and worry about all that is taking place with the budget here in California, I didnt sit and think about being dumped, nor did I allow it to slow me down or hinder the work I set out to do this week.

So as I sit here and type this and think about my outreach to 40 residents on Skid Row who are battling HIV and AIDS and I am smiling because I know that once I set my mind to do something it will get done. I am also smiling because I met some awesome people who do awesome things for people in need.

The biggest smile is because this is the official launch on my new blog on my own webpage with a sweet new look and feel and where everything in now in one place.

After my outreaches I had some much needed me time. I went for a bike ride and took some time out to enjoy an iced tea at a small cafe near where I live. I then went home and read a chapter from the last book I will ever get to read from E. Lynn Harris entitled Basket Ball Jones. I watched a bit of TV, spoke with my good friend Christina, did some cleaning, threw out the plant that I have killed in less then a week and then chilled out some more. I was about to start bloggin my awesome week when my friend Robert sent me a message on Skype and before I knew it Robert and I were on a video Skype call laughing, joking and talking about things we are working on and how we want to grow the work we do. I really enjoy the friendship I have with Robert, because it is fresh, real and cool. There is nothing fake or rushed about talking with or chatting with him. He is truly an awesome guy and I am blessed to call him my friend.

We I think of how many times I was told not to turn to the internet for HIV support I have to sit back and laugh because if it wasn’t for the internet I would not have people like Robert in my life and I also would not have the awesome support that I have in people like Robert, Justin B., Justin C, Calvin, Kimberly A., April, Trav, Bob, Dab, Michael, Forah and so many others. If not for the internet I would not have people like Tina and Andy, Krystal and Patrick, Ryan and Moina, Eric and Willow, Niambi, Shawn, Kelly, Monica, Emma, Tiana, Diane, Phillip, Ruben, Dr. Moe, Grisiella, Bart and so many others. All I would have is some lousy people reminding me that I was once homeless, that I am sick and therefore can not do anything to help anyone. All I would have is so called friends who say things like “stupid fag” or find ways to remind me of how much better they are then me becuase they and all their friends are budhist and such wonerful people who do far more then I can ever hope to.

The power of social network is awesome and the amazing people you are able to meet to create lasting friendships and bonds that will stand up long after any ASO has walked away, long after any homeless executive tells you “your thinking and speaking is backwards” far beyond the insults thrown at you simply to break you down and make you fall. Friendships and bonds that are true and real because they come from people who are true and real.

I finished my awesome day and began my weekend talking and laughing with my good friend Robert and while I was talking with him I had the chance to see the sun crack the cloudy sky and beam through the grey. For me that was the God telling me to “keep it pushin” and let him do what he does.

In closing of this blog I want to thanks all my friends who took the time out to make the call on 9/11 to help save Ryan White funds. I want to thank you because you showed up when it was needed. yeah sure we can make the calls next week, but the power that is felt when many people make the call on the very same day sends a poweful and clear message to our leaders that people care and are paying attention to what is going on. When calls a made after the fact, they will have a small inpact, but is it like showing up to the event after everyone has left. So big thanks to all who took the time to care for people with HIV and AIDS who depend on Ryan White funds to live.